Month: August 2023

Remember the story of the pokey little puppy or the five little monkeys?  The pokey puppy was always digging under the fence and the five monkeys were always jumping on the bed.  The moral of each story was “to be good.”  It’s not surprising that when we hear the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” we always think in terms like:  “If you don’t want someone to take your stuff, don’t take their stuff!” or  “If you don’t like it when people lie or gossip about you, don’t lie or gossip about them!”  

Our focus in raising our kids is that they “BE good.”  And I think, at least for some of us as adults, that continues to be our focus.  And it’s not a wrong focus on its face. We are supposed to be pure in heart and live godly lives, but refraining from evil is only half of the Christian walk. We are also supposed to DO good.  

And here is where we get into the grown up application of the Golden Rule.  What act of kindness would bless you today?

• Do you wish somebody would tell you that you were doing a great job?  Maybe that’s a cue to pick up the phone or grab one of those note cards!

• Do you wish that someone would mow your lawn or swing by Aldi for you? Maybe it’s time to put your chore shoes on.
• Would you love it if someone dropped by with flowers or a QT card? Maybe it’s time to go do some random gift shopping.
• Do you long for someone to just shoot the breeze with? Who do you know that might be staring out the window today?
• Maybe you could use a hug? Maybe today you see someone who needs one!

No, your kindnesses don’t need to follow the five love languages, but as Emily Dickinson wrote:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain

Just a thot,

Pastor Scott

In Romans 4 Paul says in no uncertain terms that, just like Abraham, we are justified by faith NOT works. James says in James 2 that just like Abraham we are justified by works NOT faith alone. This can be very puzzling, and has spawned lots of debate until we realize that each apostle is looking at a different event in Abraham’s life.

Paul, in Romans 4, is looking at Genesis 15 when he was still with out an heir from Sari. God took him out of his tent and pointed him to the sky declaring, that seed from his own body would someday out number the stars! The next verse says, “Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)

James, in James 2, is looking at Genesis 22, some 20 years later. Isaac, Abraham’s only son, is a young man and God asks Abraham to take him up on Mt Moriah and sacrifice him. Abraham obeyed God. He packed up his son and some wood and they headed up the mountain.  “And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” (v. 10) But God stayed his hand saying in verse 12: “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” James says of this incident “by works faith was made perfect” (2:22)

My contention is that Abraham was justified vertically, before God, when he believed that promise out there looking up at the stars. He was justified horizontally, or maybe better “conformationally,” when he trusted God enough to lift that knife! He passed that test, he never looked back after that!

What does that have to do with the teens? It’s possible we have some who haven’t had their “I believe moment” – but that’s unlikely. Pray for them that their confirmation moment (week, month, years) would no more painful than necessary and that God would protect them even as they make their faith their own!

Hope you are able to join us Sunday to celebrate what God is doing in their lives!

Pastor Scott

I don’t know about you, but when I read a novel I always identify with the protagonist (the hero); and I find I do that in Scripture as well.  Take our favorite hero story, David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.  Haven’t you read that and thought of yourself as David and thought of your biggest issue in life (or biggest current challenge) as Goliath? Perhaps you remember a preacher (even me*) encouraging you to do the same?  On the one hand that’s not wrong, God does give us the strength we need to handle “our Goliaths.”  But that’s probably not the primary message we should be taking away from God’s hero stories.  For instance, in 1 Samuel 17, I’m not “David,” I’m one of those weak-kneed Isrealiiets cowering behind David.  David, in this story, represents Jesus! 

Now, if you’ve gotten this far in this blog, you might be saying, “Thanks P.S.; now how am I supposed to benefit from that point of view on the story?”    By remembering, what only David remembered among all of the Israelites that day – The battle belongs to the Lord!  (1 Samuel 17:47; 2 Chronicles 20:15)

You don’t have to fight every battle, you don’t have to win every fight, but you do have to know and trust one Who already has!

Because I’m His,

Pastor Scott

*Yes, I have preached this POV; the POV of David as representing Jesus is NT.

I shared this on Sunday, but feel the need to share it here too:  

There is a lot of evil in the world.  The dark cloud seems to be growing and a lot of us are paying a lot of attention.  We don’t want to be caught flat-footed; unaware.  So we study the signs, we stare evil in the face.  We need be sure we will know how to counter it.  Yet, that’s not exactly what the Bible says.  I’m supposed to be thinking about what is good!  I’m supposed to be fixing my eyes on the Author and Finisher of my faith.  I’m supposed to literally be “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts; living soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking  for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ!

Sure, evil is out there.  Cain slew Abel and there is a world full of Cain’s today – their judgment is certain; we’ve NOTHING to fear! Amen?  It only only seems like God is delayed bringing it to an end, consider this blurb from “Our Daily Bread:”

Scientists at the Goddard Space Flight Center report that one of the largest stars in our galaxy is about to self-destruct. Eta Carinae, which has a mass 100 times greater than that of our sun, is giving signs that its life is about over. Researchers say that it could become a supernova — a blazing, exploding star — within the next 10,000 years. What was especially interesting about the “Science News” report was the statement that since light from the star takes 9,000 years to reach the earth, the actual explosion could have already taken place.

This striking fact reminds me of the nature of biblical prophecy. For example, the predictions found in Revelation 8 (The Seventh Seal)  are often written in the past tense. This is done because even though the prophet is writing of a future event, he has already “seen” it. Also, in the mind of God it’s as if the events have already happened. Even though Christians differ on the interpretation of today’s Scripture, we can definitely say that God’s judgment against sin is certain. The outpouring of His anger against those who continually resist Him is so sure that it has been written about in the past tense. This should cause us to reflect with the apostle Peter, who wrote so appropriately, “Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:11). As Christians, we know what’s ahead for this world, and that knowledge should keep us living close to God. 

And out of that closeness should flow, peace, joy, and a passion to share our faith!

Pastor Scott