Eternity

While I was writing the last post (Moonwalk II), I began a poem. It was initially inspired by a picture I took of a grave marker in Canada that was over 100 years old.

Eternity

By David Alan Hoag – August 5th, 2009

Time in its infinite span
Offers us just the merest breath.
So fleetingly we live our lives
Before we taste of death.

Monuments of marbled stone
With your last remains you entrust,
But in a few short million years
Your tomb is only dust.

In the dust of creation,
Are we just some capricious clod?
We know that we don’t measure up,
Yet we are sought by God.

Adam communed in Eden
With our God, long before the fall
But don’t blame Eve; it’s all of us…
We heed temptation’s call.

Jesus, son of the Father
His life, for all of us, he gave
In overcoming sin and death
Left just an empty grave.

Instead of raising gravestones;
In the place of struggle and strife
Decide to walk a better path…
Choose Jesus, and choose life.

I can do no better than to echo the last line of the poem in closing: Choose Jesus, and choose life!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

A Tribute to Rich Lewis

We are blessed with a ministry that provides opportunities for youth and adults to develop and share their gifts in music, drama, and art with the community. Messiah’s Performing Arts Ministry continues to offer numerous opportunities for Performing Arts planning and implementation in worship, Sunday education, and complete stage presentations throughout the year.

As with many ministries, Messiah’s Performing Arts Ministry was conceived and developed by someone who felt a special calling for that particular ministry. This someone was our own Rich Lewis. Rich led our choir, led our Sunday school children in music and song, and was the driving force behind Messiah’s Performing Arts Ministry. Rich was so much more than just those things… Rich was my friend, too. I keep saying “was” because Rich went home to our Lord on May 6th of this year.
Messiah produces two to three complete stage presentations each year. This past year we were blessed with sold-out runs for our summer presentation of Hello Dolly! The cast numbered over 50 and more than 100 persons helped “behind-the-scenes” in a variety of ways. In the spring of 2009 Messiah Performing Arts brought us Barefoot in the Park, a laugh out loud comedy about love and marriage.

This summer they are presenting Back to Broadway - a Tribute to Rich Lewis. Rather than trying to do justice describing this wonderful show, I’m share the email I got from my very talented and wonderful friend, Carmen Pease:

Hello friends and family,

This summer, Lauren, Macy and myself are performing in the "Back to Broadway: Tribute to Rich Lewis" at our Church, Messiah Lutheran. Messiah's Fine Arts Ministry has been going strong for over 12 years, under the direction and leadership of our volunteer director, Rich Lewis. Sadly, Rich passed away earlier this year. This show is our way of honoring an amazing man who touched countless lives. We'll present some of Rich's (and maybe yours, too) favorite Broadway musical numbers, such as Anything Goes, Peter Pan, Hairspray, The Sound of Music and Les Misérables.

With a cast of over 50 people, young and old alike, it should be a fun show. Lauren, Macy and I want to personally invite you to come enjoy the evening and cheer us all on. A show is only as good as its audience...that's why we want YOU there!

Tickets are on sale now. The sooner you call the better seats you can get. It's all reserved seating.

Show dates are:
Friday, Aug 7, 7:30pm
Saturday, Aug 8, 7:30pm
Sunday, Aug 9, Dinner Gala at 6:00pm, Show at 7:30pm (FABULOUS FOOD!!!)

Prices are:
Adults $10
Kids (11 and under) $5
Dinner Gala and Show $30

Located at Messiah Lutheran Church, 4821 Liverpool St., Yorba Linda, CA, 92886

All proceeds help fund the Messiah Fine Arts Ministry. It is 100% volunteer based.
Please contact Maren Greytak at 714-779-1078 to purchase your tickets today.

We hope to see some familiar faces out in the audience. Thank you for helping support this wonderful ministry.

Love to all,
Carmen

Doesn’t that sound like fun? Pick a night (or a matinee), and bring the family and some friends. You won’t be disappointed. Oh, and the parking? It’s free, and there’s plenty of it. Unlike other theater experiences, we never hit you with ticket fees, venue taxes, or jacked-up parking rates. What that boils down to is this:

Cost of Show: 10 dollars
Or cost of Dinner Gala and Show: 30 dollars
Cost of parking Zero dollars
Seeing your friends perform: Priceless!

These are gifted performers. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. They will sing and dance and act their hearts out for you. Come and support and encourage them. You will have a great time! Hurry, this offer won’t last long!!!

Your brother in Christ,
Dave

Moonwalk II

If you don’t recognize the picture, you must have been spending the last month walking on the Moon. It is, of course, the casket of the King of Pop as it was on display at the Staples Center during the Michael Jackson memorial. Millions around the globe mourned his passing. Thousands attended a star-studded memorial tribute. Now the question is: Where will his final resting place be? Will there be some grand memorial for the tourists and fans to flock to? Will there be a Graceland west?

He might have been proclaimed the King of Pop. He might certainly have been a musical genius. He might have changed his appearance more than a chameleon. He also stood accused of improprieties with children; he might, or might not, have been guilty. He had many detractors, but millions more loved him for his music and performances.

Although television, newspapers, tabloids, and many pundits will try to judge him, it is not for them… or us… to judge. The Bible reminds us that:

“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:23-24

In the end, Michael Jackson is just like me… is just like you. We are born, we live for a few short years, and we die. The most important thing a person can seek is NOT fame, or wealth, or recognition, or position, or power, or friends, or security, or peace. These are not bad things, and if God has blessed you in any of these areas, be thankful. You needn’t be ashamed of any success you have worked hard to achieve. Still, above all those worldly successes, the most important thing any of us can seek is to hear and accept the words of the gospel.

What is the gospel? It is the simple truth that all of us are separated from a holy God because of our sin. Jesus came to pay the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross. Because He is the sinless Savior, the Son of God, death could not hold Him. He rose again from the dead and that same resurrection power is available to each person who, by faith, receives His offer of forgiveness and a new life. By believing this message, we can be forgiven of all our sins and both be saved now, and be with Him forever in heaven. This is a simple but wonderful and life-transforming truth. This is the gospel.

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are led by the Spirit to not just hear and receive the gospel, but to live as a new creation in Christ. We should reflect and share the life-transforming truth of the gospel! It is good news… it doesn’t take special training to share good news… it just takes a willing heart.

I wonder if anyone ever shared the gospel from their heart with Michael Jackson. If you knew you couldn’t fail, who would you share the gospel with right now? Guess what? You can’t fail! It’s impossible for you to fail. All you have to do is SHARE the gospel… God’s Holy Spirit will grow the seed you planted.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Moonwalk I

Forty years ago, the United States space program put men on the Moon. On July 21st, 1969, the world heard Neil Armstrong… stepping down onto the lunar surface… say:

“That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

We haven’t been back to that playing field lately.

I’m reminded of the sermon series we are just finishing up: “Get in the Game – Moving from the Sidelines to the Playing Field.” To land men on the Moon took more than just a few being on the playing field. It took the commitment, the resources, and the support of a whole country. There were tens of thousands of active support and supply personnel, hundreds of Command Center specialists, three astronauts on the mission, two that landed on the Moon, and one that took the first step onto the lunar surface. I vividly remember listening to Neil Armstrong describe exiting the Lunar Lander, climb down the ladder, and go where no man had gone before. It’s been estimated that the global audience at that moment was around 450 million people!

At that moment, it seemed like EVERYBODY was on the playing field.

What happened? We were quite successful in placing people and equipment on the Moon. Six more missions followed that first Moon walk; five of those missions would place astronauts on the Moon. We had astronauts explore craters, plant flags, hit golf balls, perform experiments, delight in the lower gravity of the moon, and even race around in a Lunar Rover. They could place Lunar Modules on the surface with precision, lift back off to achieve escape velocity, and dock with orbiting Command Modules with equal precision.

After a win, everybody leaves the field.

The Apollo program was a big win, but it died early. There were three more missions scheduled, but cost concerns closed Apollo to help fund the Space Shuttle, and unused Apollo equipment went to support the Skylab program. After a while, it’s not so new and exciting anymore… “Been there, done that.” Dreamers and leaders have a way of inspiring and getting things done. When agencies or committees or boards take over, they have a way of counting every cost… and finding it too expensive. After a while, there seems to be no reason to remain on the field.

Churches can get caught up in the same cycle, too. A strong leader has a vision, builds a team, inspires the support of what becomes a thriving congregation, and sees huge success and growth. After a while all the effort just seems mechanical. Committees and managers are put in place to keep things running smoothly, and then, in the midst of all this success, the team walks off the field. “Since we’re winning, there’s no reason for me to be on the field all the time.” That’s the mindset that comes with complacency.

What does it mean to be “on the playing field?”

Well, we’re not NASA. We don’t have a 10-year goal… we have an eternity goal! We don’t have to move by committees and Congressional funding. We move when the presence and the power and the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit is a functional reality in our lives and our fellowship.

As believers, we receive a new nature that draws us naturally off the sidelines, and onto the playing field. This new nature does not make us a new and improved version of the old nature, but a completely new and wholly different nature. As a new creature in Christ, we partake in a union with God. With that knowledge, with that energized spirit, we can don the spiritual armor of God, get on the playing field, and be part of God’s awesome program… for our lives, our families, our communities, and our churches.

I pray that we can be led by the Spirit, alive in the Spirit, and ready to meet God in the Spirit!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Come Home

I’ve often written about my friend and brother, Diehl Martin. Though we were separated by distance, Diehl and I enjoyed a close relationship through his blog (http://diehlmartin.com/cancer.html), email, and phone calls… right up until his death in October of 2007. Diehl recorded his journey right up until 2 days before he died. He wrote about his experience with cancer, but his focus was always on God.

Today, I found myself humming an old hymn. This is exceedingly rare, as I was brought up Roman Catholic, and never experienced the old-time spirituals and hymns. Well, the hymn reminded me of an email I sent Diehl in response to a blog entry. I’m going to share both with you. From the date, you can see that Diehl would continue to run his race for another month before he would come home to God.

From The Cancer Blog:

Sep 15, 2007

Something went further wrong last night. It looks to me like more pulmonary embola have formed, or it has otherwise progressed. I now have problems breathing while just sitting down, with the oxygen running. Getting up and going 20 steps exhausts me and I get a heart rate of 160+, and become very dizzy immediately. If this goes one bit further, I could see going Home this week.

The Lord is absolutely faithful. I have nothing to fear in all of this. This is merely a body failure, and says nothing negative about His love and care. I hear people say, “Why me?” Well goodness gracious… that is a crazy question. Don't you ever want to get to go Home? I don't know about anyone else, but I will be happy to be “Promoted to Glory.” So when I go, please have a rousing sendoff, and invite everyone who comes to meet Jesus. Because, after all, my life is not about me, it is about Him.

Hymn time!

As a very happy Baptist, I have usually heard this hymn as an altar-call, at the end of a service. However, during this very difficult time, it has become one of my all-time favorites.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

O for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

You can find more about this and other hymns in The Cyber Hymnal.

Here is my response to Diehl’s post. I wrote it to Diehl, but upon reading it again, I find that most of it applies to ALL my brothers and sisters in Christ who are alive in His Spirit!

Diehl,

Every day, I look forward to reading your latest blog entry. It is an incredible gift and an awesome blessing to those of us that read what you share each day. It's obvious that, although your body is growing weary, your spirit is stronger than ever.

Did you feel? Did you hear? "Prison singer" though I may be, I sang the entire hymn... including the refrain following each verse. Since the windows are all open to allow the night air to cool the house, I'm sure some of my neighbors were wondering if a coyote might have been attacking a cat. You may recall that a "prison singer" is someone who is behind a few bars, and can't find the key. Yet, sing I did. While I sang, I imagined your wonderful voice accompanying me. Who knows, perhaps you were. I do so love the refrain:

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

The refrain really moves me. It speaks to each of us, no matter what our current situation. We are all being called home. When we turn and listen to the sweet call of Jesus, we can turn our weary selves toward home... no matter what our estate, situation, or physical condition.

Though we are separated by a continent, I feel closer to you than ever. You remain my most amazing and steadfast brother; ever the example and ever leading the way. When I was born again, I was born into a spiritual family. There is no denying that there are a lot of astounding people in my spiritual family, but YOU are by far my closest brother! I love you.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

In Bondage No More

Today is the Fourth of July. Happy Independence Day!

Actually, with the taxes we pay today, the ever growing intrusion of government into our daily lives, and the wholesale export (theft) of our production, jobs, and technologies... I wonder if our founding fathers would even recognize the country they risked their fortunes, lives, and honor to create. And yet, the dream is still alive, for only in this place have our founding principles survived. The hearts of most Americans beat to the pulse that all men are created equal and that we have the RIGHT to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Politics and greed are a darkness that threatens us always, but the flame of liberty cannot be extinguished from the hearts of any who have ever tasted freedom.

I worry that while most of my fellow countrymen are celebrating their independence... they still find themselves in bondage; not to British rule, but to sin. God made you a masterpiece! Yet so many voices tell you that you are nothing, worthless, a slave, and that you will always be in bondage to sin for your entire life. Christ freed us ALL from sin… this means you, too… all of us!

So, celebrate our country’s independence, but also celebrate your liberation from sin and death!
Let tonight's fireworks reignite your heart, and I’ll see you at worship and in fellowship on Sunday.

Speaking of YOU being God’s masterpiece, the following link to YouTube is something that you really should watch. It’s by The Skit Guys, and is really awesome. Just turn up your sound volume, and click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXut0HxncvY

Happy 4th of July!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude

A topic came up in a conversation this week. Before I get to the topic, I’m going to publish a disclaimer:

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The following is probably NOT about you!
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Why the disclaimer? Well, the topic is one that could possible be sensitive to all of us, and more than a few will read on and take immediate umbrage. So before you decide to come after me with tar, feathers, and pitchforks… please re-read the disclaimer.

So what was the topic that might generate such outrage? It was pretty simple, and was asked in a moment of innocent frustration:

“Do people just get mean as they get older?”

I happen to know that the question was asked because of somebody’s direct interaction with a few older folks, but it got me thinking. As a matter of fact, you may have asked yourself the same question at some time. Our language often describes older people as “old AND crotchety”. And we all know that crotchety is just another (somehow nicer?) term for “mean”.

As we began to discuss the topic further, I mentioned that much of it has to do with a person’s attitude, or personality. And that your personality is somewhat a product of your upbringing, your environment, and other forces that mold your development. I was immediately jumped on with the following observations and questions:

“That’s true enough for a child, but can’t we choose how we treat people when we become adults?”

Some of the traits and attitudes we learn as children can be very difficult to put aside as adults. Look at racism! A child growing up in a household that only sees the negative in life will most likely only see the negative in life, too. But full up negativity and meanness are not well tolerated by society in general, so people learn to wear masks. They wear masks to fit in, to get what they want, and to avoid being social outcasts. Most people do pretty well keeping their masks on, until… death takes most of their friends… old age, disease, and infirmity rob them of their mobility and independence… or they are beset by constant pain. Since most of these things usually don’t occur until we are well along in years, it’s not all that unusual for older people to be the ones we most notice dropping their masks.

We all wear our masks. Let me say that again: We ALL wear our masks! The Bible says that none of us are perfect. Actually, the Bible puts it this way:

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 1:8

Just substitute “mask”… or “baggage”… or “chains” for the word “sin”. Charles Dickens made it simple to understand in his story “The Christmas Carol”. The masks of old Jacob Marley have all fallen away because he is dead. What’s left, what haunts Ebenezer Scrooge, is the ghost of Jacob Marley… wrapped in chains, and weighed down with his own heavy baggage. And just like Scrooge, if you point out their meanness (sin) they deny it and get angry. It seems that more of 1 John applies here:

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
John 1:5-10

As we have found at Messiah, it is important, not just to walk in the light, but to be in fellowship with one another, so that the blood of Jesus can purify us from sin. In fellowship, I see caring and sharing as our brothers and sisters age. I do not see mean and petty attitudes. Instead, I see attitudes of joy, and love, and service.

As I age, I pray that I can keep my eyes off of myself. I pray that I can continue to focus on running the race that God has set before me. Rather than demand attention, how can I help someone else? My sins, my masks, and my chains can only be removed in that fellowship with Jesus Christ. If I’m demanding, and harsh, and critical, and mean, I’m walking in darkness… even if I claim fellowship with Jesus. The good news is that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. To get back on track toward God, we need look no further than the words on our fountain:

“Love God - Love One Another.”

Disclaimer #2:

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Before you print this out to give to an aging parent, grandparent, co-worker, or acquaintance… consider printing a copy for yourself… you might need to re-read this yourself in 20 or 30 years (maybe much sooner).
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Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Surprise!

It’s been a busy weekend, and as so often happens, the blog entry got relegated to the back burner. LOL… doesn’t saying that something is on the “back burner” sound much better than “procrastination”? It’s already technically Monday, and whatever was on the back burner is going to stay there. So often, my plans are preempted by God’s plans when His Holy Spirit intervenes in my life.

This past Sunday was Father’s Day. Even though it’s belated, if you are a father, I’d like to wish you a Happy Father’s Day.

My eldest daughter, Jennifer, surprised me with the most wonderful Father’s Day present. Instead of attending Our Savior Lutheran Church in Orange as she normally does, she brought my little grandson, Jeffrey, out to “help” his Pop-pop direct traffic at Messiah for Father’s Day. Indeed, with Jeffrey’s help, you may have noticed traffic being a bit more tied up and somewhat slower this past Sunday. While I am perfectly willing to put myself at risk directing traffic in the street, Jeffrey is far more precious! So, with him in my arms, we directed traffic from the sidewalk. Mostly, we laughed and waved. I would wave, people would wave back, and Jeffrey (assuming that they were waving at him) would wave back to them. Even though he’s still a couple months shy of being 2 years old, he has a killer smile and an infectious laugh. From the smiles on everybody’s faces, we could use a dozen greeters that exude Jeffrey’s joy and excitement.

Once the 10:15 service had started, Jennifer and I walked Jeffrey across the campus to the new fountain. As soon as we came out of the Life Center, and he saw the cross, he wanted to “see it!” He loved it. So much so, that we had a difficult time convincing him to walk around to see it from the front. Of course, once he got a glimpse of the cascading water, he couldn’t wait to get close enough to put his hands in the water. Surprise! A two-year old teaches us not to just stand back and admire what we have, but to actively seek to put your self in the middle of the action. By the way, we discovered the secret passage hidden in the design of the fountain. Have you?

As we walked back toward the Life Center, we discovered a new secret that has only come about since the installation of the fountain. The fountain, gardens, and walls now effectively hide our parking lot from passing traffic. They also greatly reduce the road noise that reaches into our campus. Now, when you approach the Life Center from the fountain, your uplifted voice will cause an echo off the building. Jeffrey had fun shouting (well, as much as his little voice can shout) out the word “echo”, and hearing it come back off our building. It reminded me that what we do and say reflects into the world. Does what we say and do reflect the peace and joy and love of God, or are we just an empty echo?

Since I worship at the 11:45 service, and since the 10:15 service was not even half over yet, we walked back to the North end of the campus to let Jeffrey play on the play equipment in the big sand area. While Jennifer and I sat in the shade at a picnic table, Jeffrey explored every facet of the play equipment. Since adventure and risk are an inherent part of a boy’s makeup, he was soon doing things that took his mother’s breath away. I was delighted to see him grow, and stretch, and try… and succeed! Can God be any less delighted when we grow and stretch in faith? What have you been afraid to try? Listen... can you hear God encouraging you? With God’s encouragement, is there anything that you can’t succeed at?

Well, before I knew it, people were streaming out of the service, and it was time for me to resume my parking duties. It was time for Jeffrey to go home, too; lunch and a nap beckoned. In our final service of the day, as Pastor Bob asked if there were any special prayer requests, I gave thanks for all the blessings that God continues to pour out into my life.

I got to spend time with my daughter and my grandson, and… I got to share them with so many of my brothers and sisters at Messiah. How awesome was that?!? We didn’t spend any money, and we didn’t do anything exotic, but I probably enjoyed the best Father’s Day experience ever! Are you looking for the blessings in your life? Believe me… they’re there… you just have to look.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

It Worked Out For the Best

These seem to be uncertain times. Some people want to blame it on the collapse of financial institutions, failures in the stock markets, lack of responsibility, and greed. Others want to blame governments. There seems to be no shortage of people, institutions, or agencies to blame, but the only thing that seems certain is continued uncertainty. We’re uncertain about our jobs. We’re uncertain about our finances. We’re uncertain about our futures.

In reality, every period of human history has had its share of uncertain times. Each of us, as an individual, is also faced with many times of uncertainty in our lives. How can we know how things will work out? Well, that is the topic of this week’s blog entry. My friend, Mark Gorman, recently covered this topic so well, that I got his permission to publish his teaching here in Messiah’s blog.

You may recall (from past entries) that Mark is a spiritual mentor of mine. I have had the great privilege to support Mark’s ministry over the years (in my meager capacity). I have heard Mark speak in churches, auditoriums, and arenas across the country. Mark’s message, his leadership, his faithfulness, his caring, his intelligence, his insight into God's Word, his excitement and enthusiasm, his humor, and most of all... his love... inspires me to follow his lead. He inspires ME to want to share what he teaches to my family, my church, my community, and the world. Here’s Mark:

It Worked Out For the Best
by Mark Gorman

How many times have we heard someone say these words, "It worked out for the best"?

Usually that means that things didn't go the way they had planned, but even though they didn't get what they wanted, it eventually proved to benefit them.

In Philippians 1:22, the Apostle Paul says, "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel."

Now, when some people say that things didn't work out the way they planned, that may mean that when they arrived at their vacation hotel, their reservation had been lost in the system, and they had to stay somewhere else. Or, it may mean that, although they ordered a hamburger, instead, they received a cheeseburger, but they were able to peel off the cheese, and it was still a tasty hamburger.

But when Paul said this, he was talking about 'Big Boy Problems".

We just think we had a "Bad Day", but listen to Paul: 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. NIV

Now, do you REALLY want to have that contest with the Apostle Paul, to see who had the worst day?

First, we need to acknowledge that God does NOT CAUSE these bad things in our lives. But, we do know that if He wanted, He could prevent them - He could stop them.

As a father, I can speak from experience when I say that I love my children so much, I wouldn't hesitate to give my life for either one of them, if it would save their life. I can't even describe the kind of love a parent has for their child.

But, as much as I want to protect them and keep them from harm, there have been times in their lives when I willingly stepped back and watched as they encountered uncomfortable situations - which I could have prevented. Why would I do that, if I love them?

The answer is simple: I love them enough, that I want them to grow and flourish. And if I see that a particular experience, which may seem negative at first, will actually bring new strength into their lives, or new understanding, which could protect them in the future, then I will stand by and watch as they go through that uncomfortable experience. And although they may think that I don't care, it is actually out of an abundance of love and concern that I allow this, because I know that I won't always be there, when they encounter similar situations in the future. So therefore, I would prefer to have them experience this discomfort when I am there - so that I can keep a watchful eye on the whole process, than for their first encounter of this type to occur when I am nowhere nearby.

Does that make sense to you?

I truly believe that, although God doesn't CAUSE these difficult, painful situations, He DOES see them. He is aware of them, and if He chose to do so, He definitely could stop them. But it is out of an abundance of love that He allows us to encounter some of these trying experiences, under His watchful eye, monitoring everything as it happens, to ensure that it is NEVER more than we can bear.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

So, with that in mind, let's take a closer look at Paul:

As I read about Paul, in the book of Acts, and as I read his writings (more than half of the New Testament), I get a "feel" for the kind of man he was.

He strikes me as a no-nonsense guy. You didn't have to be a mind-reader with Paul, because it appears that he was the kind of person who spoke his mind freely. In other words, he never had an unexpressed thought!

He was confrontational. And, although he had much love and compassion for others, he had no tolerance for those who willingly choose to transgress God's laws, or those who take advantage of others through manipulation or deception.

Now, tell me, do you think that this kind of no-nonsense guy was really a "writer"?

Does Paul strike you as the kind of guy who kept a journal? Can you picture him picking out matching stationary and envelopes?

Come on! He wasn't that type at all. He would rather express himself verbally (with his mouth) than to put his thoughts into written form in a letter.

In fact, my guess is that, if he had a choice, he probably wouldn't have written any letters. (This is my own guess here, so don't get bent out of shape if you disagree. No sense in two of us being bent out of shape. HA!)

But I really don't picture the Apostle Paul sitting quietly in a room, pondering the questions of life, and then journaling his thoughts.

So, how did he end up writing more than half of the New Testament? Because he was faced with a situation which restricted his options - he was in prison. And although he would have preferred by far, to physically travel to each of the churches which had been birthed through his ministry, so he could mentor their leaders, and bring proper order to those who were "out of line", he DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE!

He was in prison - no phones - no fax - no e-mail. And the ONLY way he could maintain communication with his spiritual sons & daughters, with the churches he had birthed, with those leaders who were looking to him as a mentor, was to write to them.

You see, the thing I'm getting at here is that, if Paul had never been thrown in prison, I don't believe he would have written any part of the Bible!

(And, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know everything. But I feel confident that someone on my e-mail list DOES, and that they'll be kind enough to enlighten me if I'm making wrong assumptions here. What a blessing, that those who know everything, are thoughtful enough to share their knowledge with us - especially in the form of a rebuke or correction! Precious!)

But think about it. Doesn't this make sense? I honestly believe that the only way to get Paul to write, was to lock him in a room. That way, since he couldn't travel, his only other option was to write letters to those whom he was mentoring, and to the churches who were under his spiritual, Apostolic covering.

And, I don't believe that he had a clue, to know that these letters would someday be reprinted in different languages around the world, grouped together with other writings, in a single book which would be known as the Bible. I don't think he was looking that far into the distant future.

No, he was just trying his best to communicate critically important information to these people and church congregations who looked to him for spiritual oversight and counsel.

I can imagine that the devil was getting upset when Paul got saved, and then started traveling all over, witnessing, winning people to Christ, and then birthing churches in those cities. Satan probably told his demons, "We MUST stop this Apostle Paul! Everywhere he goes, he starts new churches! Wait, I have an idea. Why don't we get him thrown into jail? Then, all he can do is write letters!"

Duh! The devil DEFINITELY didn't see it coming!

When Paul was thrown into prison, the devil considered it a personal victory for his team.

And who knows? For all we know, Paul may have honestly thought that the only people who would ever read what he had written, were those to whom his letters were addressed. I haven't found anything to indicate otherwise.

So, that would mean that Paul died, not knowing how great an impact his letters would have on the entire world in centuries to come.

You may ask, "Mark, how does all of this apply to me?"

Well, I believe that, like me, many of you have encountered situations in your life which seem to be taking you completely "off track" from the path you thought you should be walking.

In fact, you probably thought that everything was just now starting to come together for you. It was all starting to "gel". It seemed as if all the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fit.

And then, WHAMO! Out of nowhere, something knocked you off your feet. And what you encountered may be completely different from me. But regardless of what it is, something seems to have knocked you down, and restricted you from fulfilling what you thought was God's perfect plan for your life.

But you see, before he ever accepted Christ, while he was still living in sin, God already knew that, in order for him to fulfill his greatest potential, Paul would eventually have to be restricted from traveling, so that his deep love for those churches would cause him to do something he never intended to do - to sit quietly and write letters - not knowing that those letters would eventually fill more than half of the New Testament.

Yep, the devil thought that he was really hindering Paul's ministry when he was thrown in prison. But God allowed it because He knew that Paul's writing career was about to start.

And if Paul had never been thrown in prison, I question whether he would have ever taken the time and patience to sit and put his thoughts into written form.

And even after he had written those letters, do you really think he knew that they would be a part of the Bible? I don't. I truly believe he assumed that they would be read only by the recipients to whom they were addressed.

Now, have you been feeling that the devil has knocked the wind out of your sails? Have you even wondered if you have been thrown so far off course, that you can never get back on the right path, to fulfill God's plan for your life?

Well, maybe, you are such a threat to the enemy, that he is trying to restrict you, either by imprisonment, or by sever pain, or by whatever else. Let him throw his best shot, because no matter what he tries, God can turn it around, so that it works out for the best!

And then you can say, "It worked out for the best!"

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Mark Gorman © 2009
This article may not be reprinted without the written permission of its author, Mark Gorman.For permission to reprint, or for more information about books and recordings by Mark Gorman, visit http://www.markgorman.com/ or write tomailto:%20info@markgorman.com?subject=Copyright%20Permission.

So… how have things worked out for you? Have you had any of those moments where you looked back over a difficult time or situation, and thought: "It worked out for the best!"?

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Leading Children by the Spirit

One of my greatest joys, and also one of my strongest callings, is sharing the stories of the Bible, the Word of God, and the love of God with little children. I have been blessed with the opportunity to do just that here at Messiah. Since all the children know that I “do magic” (LOL), I often incorporate some magic trick into the teaching. I always make it clear that I’m just performing some trick, and that my ability is due to practice, hard work, and a blessing from God. We’ve seen that using a magic trick to emphasize a point helps the teaching stay with the kids for a longer time. To tell the truth, adults aren’t much different.

Often, I work all week on a passage for the Children’s Message and tie in some trick, only to wake up on Sunday morning being led by the Spirit in a completely different direction. I learned a long time ago that listening to the prodding of the Spirit always brings about wonderful results I never could have foreseen.

In my children’s messages, I ask the kids a lot of questions. My timing is such that I don’t always wait for answers, otherwise chaos results from 50 to 75 voices clamoring to be heard. When I do want an answer, I try to guide them toward it, and REALLY get excited about whoever gives me the answer I was looking for; then I continue on immediately.

The message I’m sharing today is from a Children’s Message I did in October of 2007. It’s called “Jacob’s Family” and is from Genesis 29:1 – 30:24 of the Bible. There is really no magic associated with the telling of this story… just a colored balloon that can be inflated to the size of a head, a marker (to use on the balloon to draw a picture of “pretty Rachael on one side, and “not-so-pretty Leah” on the other), and a scarf (or opaque piece of cloth to be used as a veil). Hint: it’s easier to draw on an inflated balloon. If you need to know exactly what to do with the props, you may contact me for details, but it should be pretty obvious as you read the story.

OK, here’s the message. Open your heart, and let the child inside of you follow along:

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Jacob’s Family (Genesis 29:1 – 30:24)

You guys remember the story of Jacob so far?

Remember how he tricked his father Isaac into giving HIM the blessing, instead of his brother Esau?

Remember how Esau was soooo mad that he wanted to kill his brother Jacob, and how Jacob’s mom, Rebekah, tricked Isaac into sending Jacob off to his uncle Laban’s (which was far away in a place called Haran) until Esau could calm down a bit?

And don’t forget, along the way Jacob was visited by God, and received God’s blessing.

Well, today… we catch up with Jacob just outside of Haran where he asked some shepherds if they know of his uncle Laban. They say that yes they do, and that Laban has 2 lovely daughters, and not only that, but here comes one now.

Jacob turns around to see the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen in his whole life… she was the younger of Laban’s daughters, and her name was Rachael.

Jacob falls crazy-cuckoo, head-over-heels in love with Rachael. He’s so much in love with Rachael that he offers to work for Laban for 7 years if he can marry Rachael.

Guess what? Laban thinks that’s a great deal… for HIMSELF, so he agrees and Jacob worked the next 7 years for free for Laban.

Now, Jacob was so over-the-moon for Rachael, that the seven years just seemed like seven days to him. At the end of the 7 years, he told Laban, “Now give me my bride.”

So Laban ordered a big wedding, with a special dress and a veil for the bride (and I bet they had wedding cake, too)… and Jacob got married.

But, OH MY GOODNESS, when the wedding was over, and Jacob lifted the veil to kiss his bride, it wasn’t Rachael, but her older sister, Leah, who Jacob had just married!

Jacob, who was so good at tricking everyone else, had just been tricked by Laban… and BOY was Jabob mad!

Laban said: “Calm down. The custom around here is that the oldest daughter gets married first. But you can still marry Rachael, if… you work another 7 years for me.”

So, Jacob married Rachael, too, AND worked another 7 years for Laban.

Of course, now Jacob had 2 wives… and get out of the way, because Leah and Rachael were jealous of each other! Can’t you just her it? “He likes me best.” “No! He likes me way more than you!”

[You ever get jealous of your brother or sister?]

And then things started really getting crazy… each woman wants Jacob’s love and affection so much, that they bring their maids in, and make them wives, too! Now Jacob has FOUR wives, and before you know it, all those wives give him 12 sons and 1 daughter.

Can you imagine a house with 1 dad, 4 moms, and 13 kids, and… dad likes one kid best? Everybody wanted something different; they never agreed on anything. They were probably fighting from morning to night! It was one crazy family!

[You ever fight in your house?]

How could anything good come from such a messed up family? Did any of them live up to what God wanted? Do you think God wanted Jacob to have so many wives, or for everybody to be tricking everybody else? Do you think God wanted them to be jealous, or to argue and fight with each other? Was it God that made the mess, or was it the people?

Well… remember how God gave Jacob a blessing? God remembers His promises, and so from Jacob’s mixed-up family came 2 of the most important tribes of Israel, and the house of David, and eventually… even God’s only son… Jesus.

When we ask Jesus into our heart, God promises to forgive our sins. But what if we mess up like Jacob? Will God turn away from us? With Jesus in our hearts, the answer is always “NO”! We are saved by God’s grace, NOT by what we can, or cannot, do.

No matter how mixed up your life may feel, always remember:
God has a plan to bless your life. Put your faith in God!

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In getting the message to be simple enough for the kindergarten through second grade crowd to understand, I often discover that God’s Spirit has helped me to understand Scripture in new ways, in exciting ways, and in far simpler ways. God doesn’t complicate His message of love and salvation… we (so-called adults) do. So remember what I told the children… I tell you, and I tell me, too:

No matter how mixed up your life may feel, always remember:
God has a plan to bless your life. Put your faith in God!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave