Generosity and Stephen King

“No man was ever endowed with a right without being at the same time saddled with a responsibility.”  Gerald W. Johnson

Bestselling author, Stephen King, is most famous as the writer of horror novels. Sometime back he spoke to the graduates of Vassar College and offered some profound advice:

  “A couple of years ago I found out what ‘you can’t take it with you’ means. I found out while I was lying in a ditch at the side of a country road, covered with mud and blood and with the tibia of my right leg poking out the side of my jeans like a branch of a tree taken down in a thunderstorm. I had a MasterCard in my wallet, but when you’re lying in a ditch with broken glass in your hair, no one accepts MasterCard. We all know life is fleeting, but on that particular day and in the months that followed, I got a painful but extremely valuable look at life’s simple backstage truths. We come in naked and broke. We may be dressed when we go out, but we’re just as broke. Warren Buffet? Going to go out broke. Bill Gates? Going out broke. Tom Hanks? Going out broke. Steve King? Broke. Not carrying a dime. 

  All the money you earn, all the stocks you buy, all the mutual funds you trade—all of that is mostly smoke and mirrors. It’s still going to be a quarter past getting late whether you tell time on a Timex or a Rolex. No matter how large your bank account, no matter how many credit cards you have, sooner or later things will begin to go wrong with the only three things you have that you can really call your own: your body, your spirit and your mind.

  So I want you to consider making your life one long gift to others. And why not? All you have is on loan anyway. All that lasts is what you pass on….We have the power to help, the power to change. And why should we refuse? Because we’re going to take it with us? Please. Giving is a way of taking the focus off the money we make and putting it back where it belongs—on the lives we lead, the families we raise and the communities that nurture us.”

  Wow! Not exactly the stuff you’d expect to come out of Stephen King’s mouth. “A life of giving—not just money, but time and spirit—repays.”

  We’re now officially in the “giving season,” yet giving is something that most of us struggle with. American culture is about getting not giving. Rarely, does someone downsize…until maybe they’re nearing the end of life. Instead, they expand for that promotion, upgrade to that next car, go on a more expensive vacation, and purchase a better media center or cell phone. It’s about getting more space, more me-time, more down time and recreation for me. We’re much better at getting than giving. Giving is an afterthought for most of us, getting is a top priority.

  Be honest. When was the last time that you wrote down a giving goal? When was the last time you dreamed about how much you can give away? When was the last time that you even prayed about being able to give more? Or, when was the last time you excused, rationalized, or justified what you’re giving now because you feel guilty? Perhaps you justified not giving at all.

  What about giving away time? Do you look for ways to serve, to help, to minister to others? When was the last time you volunteered? Or, when you are asked, do you open your mental file, looking for that “answer” that will get you off the hook yet not make you look self-absorbed?

  Getting is the American way; it’s just not God’s way. And the more that we know God, the more that we love Him, the closer we walk with Him, then the more that we will be like Him. God is the epitome of generosity.

  Unbeknownst to him, Stephen King is simply echoing what the Bible teaches over and over again. It’s generosity that gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Whereas, getting leaves us empty and feeling meaningless.

  Think of the people that you know who are truly generous. Aren’t they usually characterized by joy, contentment, a spirit of gratitude? Others are drawn to them. Yet, what about those focused on getting? Usually, you will find that they are critical, complaining and discontent. They are miserable and miserable to be around.

  No wonder Jesus said that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. Do we believe that? To be blessed is to be happy. Giving generously brings greater happiness than stockpiling for ourselves. If it’s true that we’re more blessed when we give than when we receive, then it’s reasonable to expect blessing when we give to God’s purposes. Giving generously to God’s kingdom allows us to lay up treasures in heaven. These treasures are part of our rewards as Christ-followers and one of the many blessings of a life of generosity.

  More importantly, our generosity makes a difference for the cause of Christ. Lives, eternal destinations can be changed for eternity as a result of the money and time we give back to God. Changing lives is one of the reasons we exist. As long as we’re on the earth God has a purpose for us. Ephesians 2:10. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The message is clear. We’re created and regenerated in Christ to do good works—and part of those good works includes helping others to fall in love with Jesus. We do this one-on-one with people we come in contact with. One of the best ways to reach those who do not yet know Christ is through our giving. Our generosity allows us to partner with other believers so that together we change the world for Jesus Christ.

  To become generous requires a work of God’s grace. Generosity is unnatural. God must change us from our natural selfish inclination so that we become generous and become more like Jesus. 2 Corinthians 8 tells of this inner transformation in a group of Christ-followers in Macedonia. These believers were very poor, yet despite their poverty, they’re one of the most beautiful models of generosity in Scripture.

  It is impossible to grow to spiritual maturity until we become generous. There’s a spiritual axiom that says Jesus can have our money and time and not have our heart, but Jesus cannot have our heart without our money and time. God wants us to excel in every area including the grace of giving. 

  Grace-giving is motivated by gratitude to God for the gift of His Son and for His work in us. In response to all that He has done we give ourselves fully to Jesus Christ. Then, in response, as an act of worship, we give generously to advance the cause of Christ. In the end being generous will bless us infinitely more than we ever dreamed. Jesus was right: It is much more blessed to give than to receive! Do you really believe that? Then, show it! 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

The Priceless Treasure of a Photograph

Photographs and memories
Christmas cards you sent to me
All that I have are these to remember you
Memories that come at night
Take me to another time…”  Jim Croce

  Recently, I stumbled across a great story about Sir Ernest Shackleton. You may recall that Shackleton was the famed polar explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. After losing the race to the South Pole, Shackleton determined to cross Antarctica from sea to sea, via the Pole. But disaster struck this expedition when their ship, Endurance, became trapped in packed ice and was slowly crushed before the shore parties could land. The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice until it disintegrated, then by launching lifeboats to reach Elephant Island and ultimately the inhabited island of South Georgia, a stormy ocean voyage of 720 nautical miles. It ended up being Shackleton's most famous exploit.

  In the stirring chapter in which Sir Ernest tells of the loss of his ship among the ice floes, he describes an incident that touches the soft spot in our own souls. In the grip of the ice, the Endurance had been smashed to splinters. The entire party was out on a frozen sea at the mercy of the harsh and pitiless elements.

  Shackleton came to the conclusion that their best chance of eventually sighting land lay in marching to the opposite extremity of the floe. At any rate, it would give them something to do, and there is always solace in activity. So Shackleton ordered his men to reduce their personal baggage to two pounds each. For the next few hours every man was busy in sorting out his belongings – the treasures that he had saved from the ship. As you can imagine, it was a very difficult, heartrending business. Men stole gloomily and silently away and dug little graves in the snow, to which they committed books, letters, and various knickknacks of sentimental value. And when the final decisions had to be made, they threw away their little hoards of golden sovereigns and instead kept the photographs of their sweethearts and wives!

  Are you like me? I have a hard time ever throwing away an old photograph. Decades later I still remember the portrait of my grandparents, probably from their wedding day, on their bedroom wall. As a child, I loved looking at that old faded photograph.

  One of my regrets is that I no longer have a portrait of my mother. For years I had a small wallet size picture of her that I carried in my wallet. But after decades, it fell apart. There aren’t a lot of photographs from my childhood. Most of the few that we had were lost in a fire at my sister’s house many years ago. I think, like so many of us, if we ever had a fire at our home, after we knew that everyone was safe, if it was at all possible, I’d run back in and grab all the pictures that I could possibly carry.

  My daughter, Charity, gave me a priceless gift recently. Charity is a very gifted photographer and has a wonderful artistic sense. For the past few years, she’s been taking old photographs of our family, having them blown up and framing them. Her efforts have produced a wall of wonderful memories that we walk by every day. For my birthday, Charity again had many of these pictures enlarged and framed.

  But there was one that immediately brought tears to my eyes. It was from a trip to Atlanta just a few years ago. After my Dad’s death, as with many families, my brother, Mike, and I had a falling out. To this day, I have no idea what it was over yet unbeknownst to me, he was very angry with me. I had contacted him and had asked that since Jane and I would be in the area, could we get together for dinner?

  But Mike was having no part of it. His wife, Susan, and the rest of his family insisted…and Mike ultimately came. At first, it was tense and a bit uncomfortable, yet we were able to rebuild that relationship bridge and left dinner with things resolved. Unbeknownst to any of us, it would be the last time that we would all be together. We took a picture that night outside the restaurant of all of us gathered together. Just a few months later, Mike was gone, having died in his sleep. He was only 69. His death came without warning. So when I unwrapped that photograph, tears welled up in my eyes. I was so thankful that he had come that night and we had been able to restore our relationship.

  Photographs remind us that life is short. As I look back over the pictures of our family, it seems like just the other day that my children were tykes. Now they’re all adults, making their own way through life. Life is short. Yet, all of us struggle with relationships…sometimes with parents, our children or siblings, even other family members. Ephesians 4:26 commands us, “do not let the sun go down on your anger…” Two of my family members once went seven years without speaking. How tragic! What a waste! Every time that you were with one of them, they’d almost incessantly talk about how angry and mistreated they’d been by the other. They were miserable to be with. It was nearly impossible to get them to change the subject. Eventually, they did resolve it, yet seven years were thrown onto the ash heap of time, gone and never to be restored.

  Sadly, some situations are seemingly irresolvable. Yet, again Scripture commands us in even those difficult relationships, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18).

  The one person, the only person that you can control – is you. Make sure that you have done everything from your side of the relationship to make things right. Sometimes, you reach a seeming roadblock that appears insurmountable. Make it a matter of prayer and determine by God’s grace to not let a root of bitterness wrap its tentacles into your soul, sapping away the peace of God from your own life (Hebrews 12:15).

  Make lots and lots of memories. There is a cultural myth that memories are made by some big expensive vacation or event. They’re not. Memories are part of the day in and day out of life. Some of our family’s favorite memories are water fights or building a snowman. It was talking late into the night. Or, even making a meal together. Even huddling as a family around a hospital bed, to pray together before a surgery.

  I don’t want to mislead you. Because of my family background, I had to work very hard at it. And more times than I want to remember or even admit, I failed terribly. But by God’s grace, I’m glad that I kept trying.

  We’re coming into the holiday season. What pictures are you going to take? What memories are you going to make? Please make lots and lots of them! It’s possible that they may be the very last ones that you have a chance to make. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI  -- 262.534.3500. 

What football teaches us about the church

“Some people think football is a matter of life an death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that." Bill Shankly

  They’re such a part of speech and conversation that we don’t even realize it. We use them all the time and are so common. Yet, I doubt that most of us think, “That was a metaphor.” Since it’s been a while since most of us were in high school English, let me refresh your memory with a definition of a metaphor. A metaphor is simply a figure of speech used to describe, illustrate or apply something to a lesson that it does not usually denote.

  Did you know that Jesus was the master when it came to using metaphors? As we read the Gospels, we find that He continually used metaphors to communicate truth in powerful and creative ways so that His listeners would understand, and more importantly, remember His teaching.

  Over the next few weeks, we’ll be using “football” as a metaphor to communicate God’s Truth. Though it’s taken some bad hits in recent years, professional football is still the most popular sport in America. The NFL continues to have the highest ratings draws for live sports programming. In fact, no sporting event in all of North America comes even close to rivaling the Super Bowl when it comes to coverage, ratings and overall spectacle. Fantasy football only adds to why so many in the U.S. love professional football more than any other sport.

  So that there’s no confusion, let’s be clear, football is NOT in the Bible. Sorry, but the “G” stands for God, not “Green Bay.” Yet, there are many lessons we can learn from football that have powerful parallels in Scripture. Add to that, for many, football is a religion, with the amateurs playing on Friday and Saturday and the professionals on Sunday. (Sadly, for too many, it devolves into idolatry…even for believers).  

  You’ll often find that even those who detest the Bible and Christianity, unknowingly are successful because they’re applying biblical truth and principles to their lives. And that’s true of football. There are many applications from football which can apply to the local church.

  Hopefully, because football is more familiar turf for many of us, our new sermon series, Game Plan: What football teaches us about the church, will help each of us have a firmer grip on biblical truths that apply to the church. Too often in the church we’re just fumbling and dropping the ball because we don’t know what the Bible teaches about the church.

  Please be assured, though this study is topical, during this series, as always at Grace, we’ll continue to be supremely biblical. We are committed without apology to Sola Scriptura. The Reformers popularized that term. It’s simply Latin for “by Scripture alone.” It’s the foundational doctrine that the Bible is the supreme and final authority in all matters of doctrine and practice. So what can you expect during this series?

  Hopefully, you’ll discover that people often learn best when they’re able to move from what’s known or familiar, to what’s unknown and unfamiliar. By using the analogy of football, we want to have a better understanding of the church. We want to simplify something that was born two thousand years ago, that sometimes can be complex, and make it easier to comprehend for today.

  Hopefully, this will help all of us not only understand but retain what we know. The local church is Jesus’ plan for reaching this world. Then, because of that, we’ll be better able to “coach” others as we disciple them. The Lord gave us truth that could be transmitted throughout the network of our relationships because He wanted everyone to know the truth since it sets us free (John 8:31, 32).

  Hopefully, as we compare something that is so common, and that for many of us is very important and continually on our minds (at least during football season), it will help us understand, contemplate, take some time to meditate on something other than our fantasy football picks J. Hopefully, it will help us gain greater insight into the real world, God’s eternal world by utilizing terms that we deal with on a consistent basis. So as we gather each week, please come prayerfully, asking the Lord to help you gain wisdom and insights that perhaps you’d not considered before.

  Football is about power and skill. Our American tendency though is to think of the church as being weak, unskilled, if not incompetent. Hopefully, by understanding who the Head (Jesus) of the church is, where our game plan comes from (the Bible), Who energizes us (the Spirit) – then we’ll realize that we can be part of something that has an impact long after the game is over and those last seconds of the fourth quarter have passed.

  Football is about unity both on and off the field. Even terrible teams have a strong fan base. There’s a thrill of participating together in something exciting. The tailgate party and anticipation of the game are as much a part of the experience as the game itself. Yet, too often church is seen as a duty or obligation like school or work. Everyone posts when they’re at the big game. Have you ever noticed that only rarely does anyone post that they’re at church? Why is that? Does it say something about our values and what energizes us?  

  At a game, there’s a connection even with strangers, just because you’re all cheering for the same team. Yet, in the American church, our tendency is to make worship a solo experience. That’s unbiblical. God’s plan is that we connect more and more with our brothers and sisters. Worship should also be something we anticipate and enjoy, not endure. The power of the Spirit so surpasses the power of spirits to bring fulfillment and enjoyment, that they’re not even comparable. Yet, too many have only truly experienced the limited power of the temporary and rarely if ever experienced the true power of the eternal.

  If there’s anything that every football team unfortunately knows from experience – it’s defeat. But there’s always next week or even next year. Losing one game doesn’t have to destroy a season. Falling behind in one quarter doesn’t mean you’ll lose the game. In the same way, a setback in your spiritual walk doesn’t mean the whole future is bleak. Keeping a long term perspective helps us individually and even as a church family deal with short term setbacks. Let’s face it, drama queens (those who constantly go from “today is the best day of my life!” to “today is the most awful day ever”) never seem to do well at football. 

  Hopefully, this series will indelibly remind us that while the game is important, what’s most important is the final score in life and eternity. As believers, we already know who wins in the end, yet frequently in the midst of the “game,” we forget. Hopefully, this series will help us to stop forgetting. So plan to join us for all five weeks. Don’t give away your tickets or let your seat go empty. Every player is important, so join us each Sunday for Game Plan: What football teaches us about the church! 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

Meeting for coffee with Bernie Sanders

“One real meeting is much better than a thousand internet or social media words.”   Stephen Richards

  If God believed what most Christians and even churches believe (at least by what they practice), Jesus should never have left heaven. While it may not be overt, most practice philosophical and spiritual isolationism. Though they don’t wear the “uniform,” mentally they’re little more than Amish. They’re like monks, cloistered away in safe, little social circles and belief systems. The Amish, that quaint, anachronistic religious group truly believe that in reclusiveness, they honor God by being insulated and isolated from what they consider a vile world.

  Unfortunately, too, it says something very sad yet at the same time insightful about what we value when the one area most Christians are the least isolated is in their money. Interaction with those who are antagonistic to what we believe become very open when it comes to making money. When it comes to a customer base or job, there’s little issue risking “contamination” when it pertains to increasing the bottom line of what Scripture alludes to as “filthy lucre” (Titus 1:11). Not that I’m saying that there should be. It’s just noteworthy that even the most super separated Christians jump at opportunities to interact with those whom they’d never socialize with or befriend if there’s an opportunity to make a buck.

  At one time Liberty University was a super separated school. Their recent willingness to listen to another voice is a model for us all. Recently, Senator Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at Liberty University. Liberty is a masthead for conservative Christianity and founded by the late Jerry Falwell, who also founded the now defunct Moral Majority. Its influence in merging conservative Christianity with Republicans politics is legendary. Yet, Senator Sanders, a Democratic candidate for the Presidency, is notoriously liberal and a diehard Democrat. He’s an avowed progressive whose views mimic those of European statists. He’s pro-gay rights, pro-gay marriage, and pro-abortion. On those issues near and dear to conservative Christians — life and marriage — Sanders stands about as far to the left as is possible in American culture.

  Yet, what most media outlets and even many Christians missed was – there were no demonstrations, no sit-ins or marches. No one made a fool of themselves during his speech and had to be forcibly removed or arrested.
  And this is probably the most important part of that event, yet was abysmally missed – all reports indicate that the leftwing liberal, Bernie Sanders was received with great respect and kindness by both the university and its students. Gasp! That’s so atypical. The accounts are too numerous to list. At many college campuses, when a Christian intellectual or conservative comes to speak, the results are far different from what happened at Liberty. Sometimes because of the threats, the event must be cancelled. More often, the speaker needs multiple layers of security. Frequently, they’re rudely shouted down mid-speech. Students stand up to angrily denounce the speaker as patriarchal, sexist, or bigoted.

  What Liberty did sounds a lot like John 3. Jesus met with one of the leaders of the Sanhedrin, the group that eventually nailed him to the cross – Nicodemus. Or John 4, where Jesus has a theological/moral debate with a woman who was little more than a prostitute. Or the Apostle Paul, who consistently had civil debates and powerful yet gracious interactions with idolaters and worldly-wise philosophers. And the “religious” isolationists of their day despised them for it.

  Sometimes the world accuses Christians of “hate speech.” Sometimes they’re right. Sometimes Christians even scream “hate speech” at each other. Too often we write it. It’s a sin and a violation of Scripture. There are numerous Bible passages which prohibit this. For example, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29) or read James 3 and James’ discourse on the tongue.  Instead of living as examples of children of light to a dark, cruel world, we talk and react just like them. What’s lost is kindness and civility.

  There are many reasons that we speak harshly like this, yet one of the main ones is that we don’t have a relationship with the one we’re “screaming” at. We don’t have a clue where they’re coming from. Relationships must be cultivated, not scorched. Most of us wouldn’t speak to a dog, as we often do to another fellow image bearer of God, either personally or on social media.

  Fear and arrogance go hand in hand with isolationism. Ancient cities were secluded by great walls of isolation. Picture medieval castles surrounded by moats with alligators swimming around in the moat. Why did they build the wall? Fear. Why do we isolate ourselves today? Same reason – fear.

  Then, when we primarily interact and exchange ideas with those on our side of the “wall,” we’re tempted to become arrogant…because we’re the ones who have the “truth.” We further fortify those ideas in our minds by only listening or reading those who agree with us. Our friends are those who are intelligent like us – they see things our way.

  Isolationism, fear and arrogance ultimately breed bigotry. We begin to look down on, even despise anyone who doesn’t see things our way. We feed our minds with that which we already believe and become entrenched in our thinking. Yet, we live in straw houses because our thinking is rarely challenged. The smallest challenge can blow it all down and blow us away.

  “Truth does not fear scrutiny.” Truth is never intimidated. It doesn’t worry that it will be proven untrue. Jesus said, “I am the way, the Truth and the life” (John 14:6). Many times as Christians we became angry and lash out when our presuppositions are challenged. We name call or label. It’s a cover for fear, fear we’ll be exposed that we really are uncertain of what we believe or don’t have a firm grip on truth. It’s why we spit out simplistic answers to very complex problems. We’ve not taken the time, and failed in our stewardship of the mental and creative abilities God has entrusted to us to think through and tighten our handle on truth. 

  Most of us would do well to take a page out of the Liberty University playbook on how to treat those whom we disagree with – to be kind and civil, to hear another worldview. We’d do well to listen carefully to those we diametrically disagree with. Because it’s by showing respect to all, even the most opposed to a biblical worldview that we often win a hearing for the greatest truth that this world will ever hear – “For God so loved the world.” It’s in civility and kindness that we win friends for the Savior. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

Guardrails keep a marriage safe!

“Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.”   Charles Spurgeon

  When I’m driving on a trip, I typically look for the shortest route. Sometimes though the shortest route isn’t the best one, at least as far as the condition of the roads are concerned. For example, when I’m headed to the Chicago suburbs, rather than taking I-94, I’ll snake down Wilmot Road to pick up Highway 12. But there’s a curve on that road that if you’re not paying attention or going too fast, you can be in real trouble. Fortunately, there’s a guardrail. I’d imagine that it was installed after a few mishaps. Someone finally realized that putting in a guardrail might save lives.

  That’s the purpose of a guardrail. They’re designed to keep us from straying into dangerous territory. Thousands of miles of guardrails line our roads and interstates. They have a very simple purpose – to keep a small accident from becoming a larger one. We don’t pay attention to guardrails until we need them, but when you need them, they can save your life.

  Applied to our lives, our spirituality and relationships, guardrails protect us. Often our biggest mistakes can be avoided if we have guardrails steering us in the right direction. The goal is never to see “how close I can get to a guardrail without crashing.” That’s dumb. Ideally, we never get near the guardrail. Yet, we need guardrails to keep us from going “too far” or from moving in a dangerous direction that could end up in tragedy.

  All of us need guardrails in our lives. That struck me when I read recently about Supermodel, Chrissy Teigen, taking lots of heat in the court of public opinion for an offhanded remark she made. Chrissy is married to musician, John Legend. In a recent interview during New York Fashion Week, she said, “I do want to have kids one day, so it's something that I have to think about. But the rule is no hot nannies. I trust John, but you never know with these men.” Her remark made her a cultural leper. She was treated as if she was Amish, totally out of touch with modern times…even (gasp) sexist. Personally, I think she has a lot of wisdom and discernment.

  Yet, it’s not just men, it’s all of us. God created us as sexual beings. Part of the Creative Mandate, Pre-Fall was to “be fruitful and multiply” within the fulfilling boundaries of marriage. Yet, too many of us underestimate our ability to resist sexual temptation. Over the years many individuals that I’ve counseled who sinned sexually weren’t hunting for an opportunity to commit adultery, yet, they unwisely put themselves in a place that essentially made them a sitting duck.

  There are constant reports of some famous person committing adultery, often with the individual hired to care for their children. The individual doesn’t have to be attractive, they just have to be available. We erroneously reason that just because someone isn’t a “10” according to this world’s standards, there’s little danger. Often adultery is committed with someone who’s far less attractive than a spouse, yet other needs for intimacy were being met that are not sexual in nature.

  It’s a myth that only those who are living in an unhappy marriage commit adultery. Often, even someone in a very happy marriage finds themselves tempted to become involved with another person outside of the marriage. Age is also not a factor. We foolishly think that someday we’ll outgrow our sex drives. We won’t. A godly man that I dearly loved and admired, in his later years, made some serious sexual blunders. It’s far easier to prevent an accident than to clean up all of the wreckage afterwards. So let me suggest some wise guardrails to install in your life.

  Never be alone with someone of the opposite sex, other than your spouse. Don’t meet them for coffee or lunch. Don’t be in a car alone with them. If you hire a babysitter, let the parent of the same sex take them home. If you’re in a situation where it’s unavoidable to be with someone of the opposite sex (like work), make sure your spouse knows when, where and how long. That not only protects you from temptation, it helps protect your reputation. You don’t want to create a scenario where whispers of improper conduct could be entertained.

  If you’re single and dating, never be in a bedroom alone together. While your bedroom may be your little domain, particularly if you’re living with your parents, you’re putting yourself in a place of vulnerability and lowering walls of protection. Don’t stay out on a date into the wee hours of the morning. Fatigue lowers our resistance to sexual temptation.

  Be very wary of emotional intimacy. There are those of the opposite sex that we’re naturally attracted to. Oftentimes they have strengths our spouse lacks. For example, if your spouse is an extrovert, you may find yourself attracted to someone who’s more of an introvert. So if you find yourself sharing deep thoughts and feelings with a member of the opposite sex, warning lights should go off. Be very careful about discussing problems or inside information about your marriage with someone of the opposite sex. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself, “Would I want my spouse to hear what I am saying about them or our marriage?”

  Online relationships can be disastrous for a marriage. Many marriages are damaged by emotional affairs via e-mail, Facebook, or other Web-based forums. A close friendship with a member of the opposite sex can result in emotional intimacy. Indications of an emotional affair include sharing intimate thoughts or personal information, talking in detail about your marriage in a negative way, and keeping the relationship secret from your spouse. An “emotional affair” can almost be as devastating to a marriage as a physical one.  

  Make time for doing fun things in the marriage. The “couple that plays together, stays together” is true. Having fun and laughing together helps keep your relationship strong. It’s easy to become bogged down with the business of life. Too many couples fail to make time for fun alone together.

  Having a good sex life and enjoying a sense of romance is a vital part of a good marriage. Learn what each other’s idea of romance is and discuss what feels romantic to you. Be imaginative and creative. Let your partner know how attractive they are to you.

  Take time for meaningful conversation. Know what’s important to your partner. Make time to simply talk and share your lives with one another. Remind yourselves of the unique history you already have together.  

  Adultery and immoral relationships don’t “just happen.” There are small decisions that lead to an affair. Set up some guardrails today to protect your marriage and purity before you crash and have a moral disaster.  

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

Great is Thy Faithfulness

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.”  Thomas Chisolm

  If you study Church History, you’ll find that many well-known Christians that we so admire today had very difficult lives. Many of our favorite songs we love to sing were written by those who knew very well difficult times and even the “valley of the shadow of death.” In fact, many of the believers that you and I admire, even in this church, have gone through deep waters. If we knew their story and the pain that they’ve endured, it would stagger us. That’s not a testimony of their strength or abilities, it’s a testimony of something so much greater – the faithfulness of God.

  One of my favorite hymns is Great is Thy Faithfulness by Thomas Chisolm. I love it because the words come straight out of God’s Word, Lamentations 3:22-23. That passage was a great blessing and source of continued encouragement for Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960). He had a very difficult life, particularly his adulthood. His health was so fragile that there were great periods of time when he was confined to bed, unable to work. Between bouts of illness he’d have to push himself to put in extra hours at various jobs in order to survive financially.

  He was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky and trusted Christ when he was twenty-seven. eHe studied and later entered the ministry when he was thirty-six. His ongoing poor health forced him to leave the ministry after only one year. During the rest of his life, Chisholm spent many years living in New Jersey and worked as a life insurance agent. 

  Yet, because of the many difficulties that he dealt with, Chisholm found tremendous comfort in God’s Word. I wonder today if many of our emotional and mental health issues in the Church would be alleviated, if not potentially resolved, if we were people who were consistently immersed in the study and meditation on the Scriptures. Yet, God’s faithfulness and that God was his constant source of strength in his times of illness and provided his needs, was particularly encouraging for him. Lamentations 3:22-23 was medicine for his soul: “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.”

  On one occasion, while away from home on a mission’s trip, Thomas Chisolm often wrote to one of his good friends, William Runyan, a relatively unknown musician. Several poems were exchanged in these letters. William Runyan found one of Chisholm’s poems so moving that he decided to compose a musical score to accompany the lyrics…and Great is Thy Faithfulness was born. It was published in 1923. For many years, the hymn received very little recognition, until it was discovered by a Moody Bible Institute professor. He loved it so much and requested it be sung so often at chapel services, that it became the unofficial theme song of Moody Bible Institute. Yet, it wasn’t until 1945 when George Beverly Shea, the famed soloist in Billy Graham Crusades began to sing it during the crusades that the hymn was finally heard around the world. 

  Toward the end of his life, Chisholm explained, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.” Thomas Chisolm died in 1960 at the age of 94. During his lifetime, he’d written more than 1,200 poems and hymns including O To Be Like Thee and Living for Jesus.

  Just think, with each new day, God gives you and I the opportunity to prove His faithfulness. Throughout history, He’s never once been proven wrong, for His mercies are new every morning, no matter what.

  That’s what we are celebrating today – God’s wonderful faithfulness. Sixty years ago a handful of believers had a dream of a Bible believing Baptist Church in Burlington. We are their legacy. In following their footsteps, we truly walk on hallowed ground.

  I feel very blessed that I had the privilege of personally meeting all four of the previous pastors at Grace. Dr. Reuben Kile was one of the godliest, most passionate men that I’ve ever met. Even though I first met him in his later years, I was moved by his love for the Lord and love for people. He came to Burlington as a church planter. He and his wife Sandy, lived on a very limited budget yet left us this great treasure. They were followed by Pastor John Loggans and his wife, Marion. I knew Pastor Loggans when he served in Imlay City, Michigan. I preached for him one time many years ago at a youth conference, never dreaming that I’d one day follow his steps to our church in Burlington. His son, Bob, is one of my closest friends and a continual source of blessing and encouragement to me. Pastor Dewey Godwin was known for great passion for the lost, love for the Lord and a vision for the future that left its mark on our church. Pastor Ron Bergquist and his wife, Mona, were used by God to touch many of the lives of folk who are still at Grace.

  Our Heavenly Father is faithful. If you’re a believer, you’ve been adopted by a Father who will never ever change His mind in regard to you, never write you off, never leave you or forsake you. If you’re a part of God's family by faith alone in Christ alone, you have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. You can’t talk about the one true God without coming to this truth: How great is the faithfulness of our God!

  When an intimidated Moses needed assurance about the massive assignment that he had been given, He asked for God's credentials. He wanted to know God's name. So God answered with His covenant name, "Yahweh: I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). What’s the meaning of that name? God took the present tense verb form of "to be" and used it for His name. It’s a name that expresses God's eternality. It also announces that in His nature and perfections, in His knowledge, will, purpose and happiness, God always remains the same. God never changes.

  In another sixty or six hundred years, God will still be faithful. May that be said of us! If Jesus tarries His return for sixty or six hundred years may Grace Church still be faithfully serving the One who is consistently faithful!

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

Problems are meant to be solved

“You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.”  Edwin Louis Cole

  “I can’t.” It can’t be done.” It’s impossible.” “There is no way.” “No one can do it.” “I’m dropping out.” “I’m filing for divorce.” It’s overwhelming.” “I’m walking out.” “I quit.” Over the course of the last week, you’ve probably heard or perhaps even said one of those phrases.  

  Life is a process: a complex ever-continuing, ever changing set of problems and difficulties. The choice is not – will you accept problems?  Problems are inevitable. The vital question is HOW will you face problems? Problems are a part of life. Even without the Fall and sin’s contamination, there would still be problems. God created us to “subdue” the earth (Genesis 1:28). He gifted us with intelligence and creativity so that even in that perfect, yet not fully developed world, we would problem-solve. The very first problem God gave Adam was a major one – one that most of us even today with all of our combined knowledge and tools of technology would be very intimidated by – what to name all of the animals? (Genesis 2:19).

  With as many problems as we’re all faced with, it seems as if there’s never enough time to solve each one without dealing with some adversity along the way. Life is so complex. Problems keep coming at us so fast that we find ourselves wanting to just quit often before we even start.

  Too many, when faced with a problem, are paralyzed. For some it’s ignorance, for others it’s laziness, yet we live in a world where far too many fail to use their God-given creativity and abilities. Part, too, is that of doting parents not wanting their children to suffer or be uncomfortable in any way, and fix everything for them. If a child starts a sport or playing a musical instrument that they want to play, yet then decides that practicing is too difficult or too much work, parents let them quit. Perseverance is a key ingredient when it comes to problem-solving. Then, we are too quick to ask for help, whether it’s Google or someone in authority, instead of putting out some effort to figure it out for ourselves.

  The results of lacking problem-solving skills are disastrous. It’s why teens drop out of school. It’s why adults quit jobs or bail on marriage. It’s why people leave churches. It’s that core problem of a lack of problem-solving skills. It’s easier to not try or just quit, but it’s very costly.

  This came home to me when I encountered a new problem I’d never previously faced. One of the wonderful responsibilities of a pastor is to meet with people and pray with them prior to their having surgery. Let’s face it. Most of us are a bit nervous if we’re facing surgery, even if the doctor says “it’s routine.” It may be her routine, but it’s not mine. Having someone anesthetize us or start cutting into parts of our bodies is not routine. Add to that “every surgery is minor surgery until it’s MY surgery.”

  This surgery was scheduled in the morning. The family knew I was coming. I arrived as I normally do about half an hour after the patient was instructed to be there. With changes in schedules, surgeries often happen very quickly and ahead of schedule. It was a small hospital so I didn’t anticipate any issues. I went to the reception desk and was told to wait, they’d let me know when I could go back to see the patient. Now that’s not routine for a pastor. Prep for surgery is fairly standard. The patient dons a hospital gown and lays in bed, as medical staff come in to ask the same questions the patient has been asked seemingly a hundred times before. If a certain appendage is being operated on, they mark it. Sometimes they’ll start an IV or draw blood. None of it is a big deal, particularly for a pastor.

  So I sat for fifteen minutes. I wish I could say patiently, but I wasn’t. I tried to text the family, yet couldn’t get through to them. I asked the receptionist what the status was…my impatience was beginning to show. She said that she’d let me know. She didn’t. I was concerned they’d take the patient in for surgery before I was able to pray with them, so I finally convinced her it would be good to check again. She did and I went back.

  For a pastor, this just doesn’t happen, particularly since the patient wants you there. I was not a happy camper. As this is not a hospital I often deal with and because I was so shocked, I called a friend who pastors in the area. He informed me that this particular hospital always makes pastors wait. On top of that, they have a poor reputation for communicating with pastors. Several times they’ve forgotten him as he’s waiting to see a patient and he has to remind them. It’s not a good situation.

  Like most pastors, I love to be there to pray with folk. Oftentimes, I find that they or their family are anxious. Pastoral care is a wanted and needed blessing. Most hospitals are begging for local pastors to assist with pastoral care and to be volunteer chaplains. They can hardly keep up medically and are thankful for assistance with the spiritual and emotional side.

  Since I’d seen the patient and I’d never been at this hospital for a pastoral call previously, there was high probability I’d never have to return. So I had a decision to make: Do I just blow it off or do I attempt to improve the situation for other pastors and patients? In other words, do I seek to problem-solve? To be honest, it’d have been easier to have just let it go, but I believed that would be wrong. So I called the pastoral care department at their main hospital.

  This is where you know that God was intervening. They had a new chaplain…who just happened to be an old friend of mine. We’d worked together in the past at another ministry. My friend was having major difficulties making some needed changes. This particular hospital had been problematic when it came to pastoral care. Not only was my friend very thankful for my call but asked me to consider being a chaplain at this hospital (It’s a bit of a drive and there are many other pastors that are much closer, but I’m now on the emergency call list.) Because I’m familiar with the area, I helped make some contacts to begin a chaplain program at the very hospital I’d just had so much difficulty with.

  It’s easy to get irritated and impatient (which I was wrong for doing) and complain. It takes creativity and wisdom to problem solve. Too often, even in the Church, we’re venters when God wants to use us as problem-solvers. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a spiritual matter. While we don’t want to be busybodies, many of us throw in the towel far too soon when we could make a valuable investment in the world God has called us to minister in.  

  Are you a problem-solver or just a problem pointer outer? God blessed us with intelligence, skills and creativity so that we can be part of the solution and use the abilities He’s endowed us with to better His world. A great resource from a Christian perspective that I found very helpful was Eating Problems for Breakfast: A Simple, Creative Christian Approach to Solving Any by Tim Hansel. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500.