Month: August 2018

Our founding Fathers gave us the positive prospects of pursuing happiness. Be reminded again of their statement in The Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…

The founders understood their limitations; they could not guarantee happiness to all who followed them in declaring  independence, they could only give them the right to pursue happiness.

And what is happiness? The dictionary defines it as a state of well being and contentment…pleasuarable satisfaction…. Someone has suggested that happiness is dependent on “happenings” ie..If my health is good and my bills are paid and I have supportive friends and my circumstances are pleasant, then, I am happy.

I give you a far superior view of happiness in the following words:   and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.  Proverbs 16:20.   These words from wise Solomon came many centuries before Christ.

whoever trusts….This opens up the blessing of happiness to the whole human family. Happiness isn’t just for a few who qualify.

whoever trusts….what connects us to source of happiness is our faith. We don’t find happiness by trying;  we find it  by trusting!

whoever trusts….in the LORD, happy is he.  The object of our faith is the Sovereign Lord of the universe. Happiness is defined and experienced not by what we have, but rather by Who we have!  This LORD is present with us in all of life and will make us happy even in times of great distress….Remember, our happiness is not dependent on happenings!  Amen?

Pastor Wendell Grout

(Pastor Grout was the pastor of our church in the 50’s and 60’s.  He and his wife are now retired in Loveland Colorado.  He gave me permission to steal his blogs, but my conscience requires me to give him credit!  I hope, you will all take serious consideration of the fact that no matter what circumstances {happenings} we face – happiness can ALWAYS be found in trusting the LORD because He doesn’t ever change! – Pastor Scott)

A missionary friend who served in the Philippines heard a local pastor use the following parable to illustrate Christ’s offer of rest (Matt. ll:28) and the response of people who won’t trust Him completely:

The driver of a carabao wagon was on his way to market when he overtook an old man carrying a heavy load. Taking compassion on him, the driver invited the old man to ride in the wagon. Gratefully the old man accepted. After a few minutes, the driver turned to see how the man was doing. To his surprise, he found him still straining under the heavy weight, for he had not taken the burden off his shoulders.

I gotta tell ya, that one hit me right between the eyes!  It’s almost as if I can hear my Savior say, “I didn’t say cast ‘some’ of your burdens upon me!”

Because of Grace,

Pastor Scott

Last Monday night I helped my daughter hang some items on her walls.  One of them was a four-foot long shelf that when eyeballed from beneath looked level in one position, but when eyeballed from across the room looked crooked.  OF COURSE, the reader knows one can’t trust your eyes when affixing anything permanent.  We needed a level, AKA a “rule.”   Once we put the level on it, we KNEW that even if it didn’t “look” or “feel” right from either view, it was right because the level said so.

I wonder why since know we can’t trust our eyes to know if a picture frame or 2×4 is straight, we think that we can trust our heart to know if a point of view is straight?  Should we be living according to how we feel or according to what God says?

Of course the answer is “according to what God says.”  But here’s what I learned from hanging that shelf.  It’s easier to not bother carrying the level.  It’s easier (humbling) to not bother to consult the level.  No one would even notice the first couple of times you hung something crooked.  And, probably, once a lot of things are crooked, you wouldn’t even bother to hang anything straight…. until it all falls down.

Just a thot,

Pastor Scott

There is a lyric from a contemporary* Christian song that I have often quoted when training leaders or teachers.  It says, “It’s not my ability that is His main concern; it’s my availability and willingness to learn.”  In my view if God calls me or even puts me into a situation, God will be the one that enables me to do His will.  So if God nudges you to help hang invitations on doors in the neighborhood, or He nudges you to sign up to work in the Good news club or help tutor kids after school, or even to go across the street and invite your neighbors over for pie (and Jesus); He will enable you!  You ask me how I know?  Because once upon a time God used a donkey – and if He can use a donkey, He most certainly can use me!

Pastor Scott

*I use this word advisedly.  The song was on a 1987 Petra album.  Pretty “rockin’” in its day, maybe not really contemporary 31 years later.  J