It's Not About You

OK, it's a little bit about you...

Believe or not, but we are approaching the end of our year of discipleship.
Most of you probably didn't realize what exactly we were covering this whole year or where the inspiration was coming from. I've taken three small groups now through an eight-week course called "Basic Bible Studies for New & Growing Christians". The updated version is a yellow packet simply titled "The Journey". In it are 8 lessons that someone who just invited Jesus into their life should be able to pull their heart and soul from about what it means to be a Christian.

At the top of Lesson #1 was the question - "What Happened to Me?"
So, we started off the year in January with some basic ideas of what salvation means. I spoke about forgiveness and asking Jesus to come into our lives. The 2nd lesson was about "Walking With God". Ideas were brought forth from the scripture about what it means to actually live this life now that we call ourselves Christians. The illustration was used of a child growing into a an adult. A child needs to learn how to walk just as a Christian has to learn how to live by faith and walk with Jesus. The 3rd lesson focused on "Learning from God". The subject of the bible was front and center. Reading the scriptures is where we draw our authority and life from as believers in Jesus. Prayer was at the center of the 4th lesson, "Talking with God". I hope you spend time each day doing just that. "Sharing with God" was what the 5th lesson was about. Out time, our finances, our heart and soul and all that we have should be shared with the Almighty. "Speaking for God" was the focus of the 6th Lesson. We recently spent some time focusing on where we should go and who we should talk to about Jesus. We even had a missionary come and talk to us about the work of going into the fields and being God's servant. "United for God" was in the 7th lesson. This work is to be done together. Reaching people for Jesus is not just one man's work. It's belongs to all of us.

We are now in the 8th month, August. So, that means we are on lesson 8. This month our messages will center on the idea of "Being Filled with God's Spirit". You are going to hear some terms used this month concerning "sanctification", "purifying", "cleansing", and "consecration". The title of the message today describes our focus. It's not about you. It's not about me either. The focus of the Christian life is outward. Not inward. It is here that I recollect my dad's words to myself growing up. Most likely, someone had said these words to him at some point in his early life. I needed to hear them as a kid and teenager. "You got your priorities screwed up. When you should be thinking about yourself, you're thinking about others. And, when you should be thinking about others, you're thinking about you." Hmmm. That's some tricky advice to follow. When exactly am I supposed to focus on me? When exactly should I make it about others more than myself? It is in this spirit of thought that Jesus begins to teach his disciples. "Deny yourselves, take up your cross and follow me."

Jesus began preparing his disciples for what was ahead. Down the road ahead of them was coming a moment when the attention would be all on them, but the moment would not be about them. Jesus wants to give them his Holy Spirit. Where we read around John chapter 7 is at the year and a half mark for Jesus' earthly ministry. He is pointing ahead from here telling the disciples of what will come.

John 7:38-39

New International Version (NIV)

³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”^{[a] 39} By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Footnotes:

a. John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink ³⁸ who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.”

Have you ever tried to catch water in your hands? For the importance of the illustration, have you ever tried to hold it and not let it run out? Doesn't work very well. Turn the water on at the sink and try it. The water will find a way to keep running. A tiny sliver between the hands allows it to run or it gets soaked up in your palms. Water wasn't meant to be kept. It was meant to soak and cover and refresh and nourish. Jesus says that whoever believes in Him will have rivers of living water flowing out of them. The premise is that life flows outward, not inward. And, by this, apparently Jesus means his Holy Spirit. His Spirit wants to come and live in our hearts and lives. The Spirit gives life wherever it lives. Life that sits still dies. I have heard the words of those in the ranks of the retired. People who have worked all their lives. A tough, leather handed man sits down in chair. A week later he's dead. The moment he quit living and just sat down to do nothing is the moment the life quit flowing. Water is best when it's flowing. Water that sits and is dammed up gets stagnate. Debris will settle on the surface. It's becomes undrinkable and unusable. Water was meant to be used. Water was meant to be enjoyed. The moment we keep it for ourselves we see the water in us turn sour.

So, our God wants to give us life. He wants to live through us. Problem is we don't know how to do that. Note for the record here that God is not giving a command here. He's not telling us that we have to be living water. He is saying if the Holy Spirit is in your life then that is simply what will flow out of you. It should also be noted that we are in need of being taught how to be a Christian. We need to be taught how to be living water. It's not something that just comes naturally. No, none of this is natural. All of this is way beyond you and me. Which means we are in need of direction, of help, of someone to show us how things need to be. That leads right into this next scripture.

John 14:26

New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

We as humans are in an every increasing need to learn.
And, one thing we incessantly need to learn is that it is not about us. The subject of war might fit here as an illustration of the struggle for power and control that causes our need to learn. Maybe you've heard the old adage that "religion is the #1 cause of war in the world". Well, maybe some education would help us understand the subject better. Do a simple search on Google about how religion has influenced wars around the world and you'll find that less than 5% of any war waged in the last millennia has had anything to do with religion. Several websites out there to show those facts. But, as humans we tend to get one note of "fact" we heard someone else say and immediately we are repeating it. Sin certainly could be ranked as the #1 cause of war. Sin has in it's very nature a self-centered twist that makes people do things for themselves and for their own causes. Upon careful analysis, most every war ever waged in the world has started from a most selfish standpoint. These people over here want something that those people have. And, many times they'll kill to get it. Land. Water. Possessions. Wealth. A woman. Very few times in world history are religion and God the motivation behind a war.

There is a war with in us. A war for our hearts. Our minds. Our souls.
Jesus is telling his disciples here that the Father will send the Holy Spirit to them with a purpose in mind. To remind them. To teach them. To show them that all these things they have witnessed and heard during Jesus' ministry were true. Now, they themselves will be touching sick people. They themselves will be preaching the message. A message of forgiveness and mercy. A message of what God wants and expects. A message that God is holy and wants us to be holy. The Spirit will remind them of all that Jesus has taught and said. And, they will need to be attentive. The only way a good student learns is by turning their heart and mind over to the teacher. If a person really wants to learn they have to be willing to do so. A student can't come to the classroom thinking they know it all already. In our spiritual lives, what good is the Holy Spirit to us if we already know everything? The truth is that we do not. We don't know it all. We are in need of direction. We need instruction.

In order to learn we have to admit that we need to learn.
For some reason, the subject of Little Johnny jokes jumped into my head. (Yes, there are scores of Little Johnny jokes out there. Most of them not being of the clean sort.) But, I kept digging until I came across one that fit the bill. In these jokes, Little Johnny always seem so sure of himself. He always has an answer for everything. And this one is no exception.

A new teacher was trying to make use of her psychology courses.
She started her class by saying, "Everyone who thinks you're stupid, stand up!"
After a few seconds, Little Johnny stood up.
The teacher said, "Do you think you're stupid, Little Johnny?"
"No, ma'am, but I hate to see you standing there all by yourself!"

Sometimes we come at life will a load of self confidence that needs to be tempered by the direction of a person in the hands of God. God has all the answers. We need to admit that we don't. The Holy Spirit wants to direct us, lead us, guide us, instruct us, reminding us of all that Jesus said. This Christian life moves down a path of centering itself on what Jesus said and taught. Many good people say they believe in Jesus and then wander off into their own made up philosophy and theology about God and life. The instruction we need is right in front of us. This bible tells us all we need to know about God. Left to our own devices, however, even with the bible in tow, we will find ourselves in desperate need. It's not about what we think. It's not about our viewpoint on life and the world. Read and find out what God has to say. Ask God to do the speaking and you do the listening.

When is it about God and others and when is it about you? Maybe you've heard the old acronym J-O-Y. Jesus. Others. You. Well, that's helpful for showing us a good way to think about the matter. We know Jesus comes first, or that at least he should. We know others should come before ourselves. Putting ourselves last is how Jesus would want us to live. It's how he lived His life. "I do not do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me." Well, we could say that Jesus doesn't understand what we have to go through. He didn't have a spouse and kids and a job to work and bills to pay. Jesus had it easy compared to what we have to face everyday. And, I'd say maybe you need to take a closer look at what is recorded about his life for us to read. He had family. He knew the struggle of deciding to follow God and still meet the needs of those close to him. Hanging on a cross he sees his mother, Mary, standing there. The woman who brought him into this world did herself have to deal with the turmoil of following God in the face of pressure. Her story is one for all time. Carrying a child conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus took twelve men with him for three years. He called them friends. He laughed and cried with them. He healed some of their own family members. Not a one of those men stood beside him when it really mattered, while he hung on a cross. All turned and ran.

Jesus found his joy in the Father and doing his will. Nothing mattered more than that.
How could I put the Almighty God first in my life while I'm on the job or dealing with my family? Lets look at one more scripture as we try answer that one.

John 15:26-27

New International Version (NIV)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

²⁶ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. ²⁷ And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

Jesus testified about the Father and what God wants for humanity. The Holy Spirit testifies about what Jesus said and taught, showing us the truth in Jesus' words. And, we also must testify. Has God done anything in your life? Anything at all that could be communicated to another human life form on this planet? Has God forgiven your sins? Has he shown you mercy? Has he healed your sickness and infirmities? Then you have something to testify about. True, he is speaking to his disciples here. He is telling these twelve that they will testify, and in due time they will. Pentecost will come and these twelve will stand on a balcony overlooking a whole mess of people. They will speak about what Jesus has done. Giving his life. Providing salvation. They will give no thought to what others think. They are completely overcome and consumed with the idea that the message of Jesus' sacrifice is what is most important.

How could that work itself out in our lives?

After I accepted Christ into my life back in 1992 I started to look at everything I was doing as if I was doing it for God. Whether I was stocking the grocery shelves or delivering appliances and setting them up or whether I was driving a bus for a daycare, everything I did, I did it for Him. I felt that how I conducted myself while doing my work was a testimony to who Jesus was in my life. Working the job wasn't simply about me trying to make a buck. Life becomes antiquated when it is simply about monetary means. There has to be something more to our existence on this earth.

I would plead the case of one Chris Rosati. I want you to take the inspiration shared in his story and apply it to the subject at hand today. It's not about you. And, of all people who should have the right to make it about themselves, in this moment of life, Chris should have that right. But he chooses to make it about others. His story was the subject at the center of a CBS Evening News piece they do at the end of the show called "On The Road". It's usually an inspirational piece. This one had me in tears. About a year prior to his story being aired, Chris found out he had ALS or "Lou Gehrig's disease". Having watched my own grandpa go down this road and his tragic end, this story tore me up. You might think that when faced with such devastating news a person would crumble and fall apart. Chris has an amazing sense of humor and a laugh for the ages. In January of this year CBS broadcast his story about what he wanted to do with his life.

He applied for a job on a doughnut truck.

His desire was to be able to share his favorite thing with other people. Doughnuts were his thing.
He, of course, did not get the job. So, he revealed the next part of his plan. Steal a truck. I can hear your brain going bonkers. What?? Yep, he was going to steal a doughnut truck and go around giving the doughnuts away. In the last days of his life, Chris Rosati's focus was not on himself. It was on bringing joy to other people. With a doughnut and a smile.

Chris caught the message. It's not about you.
It's about others. It's about impacting their lives.
For the Christian, for the person who says they believe in Jesus, it's about more than a central, inward focus. The focus goes out. Like living water. To love like Jesus does. Listening to the Father's direction.

And, there's where we find real joy. 

Happy Hour

It's where everybody's at!

This month we have been focusing on the idea of working "with God".
Working with God is a whole lot different than working "for God".
The concept and intent are much different both scripturally and personally. 

Working with God implies that God is right there in the thick of it with us.
Working for God implies that God has given us a job and it's up to us to get it done.

This idea will envelope us as we look to another part of working with God.
God is with us when we go to the people we need to reach.
And, we need to go everywhere and anywhere that the people are.

I lay before you the inspiration of of one Bill Jenkins, an ex-firefighter from London who moved to San Jose, CA. Bill's journey, at first glance, looks an Abrahamic experience journeying across an ocean and a continent to be a in a new place with an inspiration to share the message of Christ. Jenkins is also an ordained Baptist pastor. Upon entering the culture of San Jose he was drawn to the unchurched in society and reminded of what people thought of church back in his native England.

In England, Jenkins found his own country turned off to church. "Many people simply think Jesus is a Jew with a ham sandwich at a bar mitzvah." Those of us who have grown up in church and have at least a rudimentary understanding of scripture and God take for granted the idea that people simply know about church. There is an ever growing number of people who do not. The label has been placed and hung. We call them "unchurched". Studies are showing around 90% of the population around San Jose is now unchurched. Those who have no regular church going, worshiping life.  Maybe they don't believe in God. Maybe they have heard something about it. Most of them were not raised in church or have never been to one. So, some Christians have figured out that we need to take the message to them.

Jenkins started a "church in a bar". The Loft Bar & Bistro on 2nd St in San Jose is home to this small gathering of 20 or so on Sunday mornings @ 9:30. A brief message by Jenkins is then converted in to a gathering of small group discussions around the bar. People feel he freedom to share what is on their minds in this casual environment. The surroundings might feel a bit churchy with high ceilings and lofty windows. But, the decor is far from being pew worthy. This change in scenery is exactly what some folks need to open up and be themselves while not feeling threatened about the subjects of God and faith. These spiritual subjects can be a bit hard to swallow. A different venue than a grand and unfamiliar church building with it's stringent looking faces and hard lined seats is what is needed to soften a heart and make the message of God's grace sink in.

We need to go wherever there are people.

The Apostle Paul did exactly that.
We look at two scriptures in the book of Acts that refer to Paul going out to the people.

Acts 17:17      New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

Acts 20:20      New International Version (NIV)

²⁰ You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.

Paul was a man on a mission. Ever since being blinded for the sheer light of Jesus shining down on him from the clouds, his entire outlook changed from being burdened to keep a law to that of making sure all knew about the grace and forgiveness of God. Paul seems to know in his own time, not long after Jesus' resurrection, that his own culture and ways of religion will not reach those outside of the Jewish audience that need to hear the message. Paul does battle with those who are bent on the idea that all must continue to keep the law and be circumcised in the flesh. Paul goes everywhere with the message of Christ. He is in the synagogue, the religious center where people gathered on a daily basis to hear scripture read. He is also in the marketplace, where the daily business of everyday life goes on. Paul would state to his readers and hearers that he has taught "publicly and from house to house".

I'd say two things about Paul's approach.
One, he does not wait for the people to come to him or to the regular place of worship so they can hear the message of Jesus. He takes it to them. He goes where they are. The synagogue or the temple is a place where the reverent and the perfect are accentuated. People might not be themselves there. In the marketplace, however, is where the daily rigors of life are being dealt with. People are bearing their souls and dealing with the weight of making it for their families. Two, everywhere is a place to share Jesus with someone. No place is off limits. Even "house to house" is somewhere to share Jesus Christ. Some people might call that "old school". The Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are still working those avenues. Leaving pamphlets. Having conversations with folks on the street. If there are people present, the door is open to the possibility of saying something about Jesus Christ to someone.

This past week another large and seemingly unwelcome concert descended upon our area. The Gathering of the Juggalos came to Legend Valley. The "juggalo" culture came to begin in late 90's around certain rap/heavy metal music group who created an ultra harsh identity for themselves. Painting their faces black and white, usually in representation of a mime or clown, they immersed themselves in a culture of drugs and violence that have seen many of their concert venues become places of utter decadence. Into such an atmosphere Pastor Bob Beyer and the Jacksontown United Methodist Church plunged themselves in an effort to show some kind of love and mercy to the people in Legends Valley on this past hot and steamy week in July. Armed with a vehicle full of food referred to as "Lunches for Juggalos" and a decal on the back of the SUV stating "From Juggalo to Jesus Freak", Pastor Beyer and his team move in to feed a crowd of people who desperately need something better than they are finding in life. A life of drugs and despair can leave one bitter and despondent. A free meal might just show someone a bit of love and mercy that can be the seed to grow into something beautiful.

It's a Monday and I have driven to a little white shack on the outskirts of Baltimore.
The building looks like a stiff breeze might knock it over. The windows have seen better days. The floor inside creaks and groans and might just give a little too much in some places.

It's one of my favorite places to eat.

Affectionately referred to as "The Corner" by many a local, Weider's Corner has stood on this piece of ground for what seems like forever. Ask any local farmer or redneck about it and you'll get some stories. I recall my first visit some 10 years ago. Every seat was taken at the main counter. Off to the right of the main room is a collection of benches and maybe a chair or two. Finally a seat opens up at the counter and I sit down. Above all the talk and banter comes the voice of one fella needing a vote. "Hey, I'm running for county commissioner. You gonna vote for me?", he points down the to the other end of the room. "NO!", comes the reply. "Why not?", he wants to know. "'Cause I don't vote for politicians!" Laughter ensues. Such it is on any occasion when you enter The Corner. A place where the roughkins and their profanity or the manly men with chewing tobacco and a spit cup have gathered to get a bologna sandwich or a cup of soup, maybe a can of pop too and share their views on politics or local weather.

It's on one such occasion that I see a guy I know. He's recently lost his wife to cancer.
He came in and sat down next to me. Didn't realize who he was for a several minutes. We shake hands and eat our sandwiches. He has this thing for using yellow mustard and then using the pepper shaker. He says it takes way better then that stuff they call "spicy mustard". He has a few choices words I'll leave out here. I ask him how he's doing. He knows what I'm referring too. He shrugs and say best he can. We're quiet for awhile. We talk about some sports and the Buckeyes. I'm entering my second hot ham and cheese sandwich and sipping on a Pepsi. I break the silence by quietly asking him if he needs help with anything. Trying to move on is never easy after losing a loved one. Maybe there are clothes that need going through. He says his family is on it. He thanks me for asking.

Not much is said after that. We eat our food in quiet, listening to the older guys at the end of the bar rattle on about Washington and senators and representatives. I finished my bag of chips and down the last of my Pepsi. I put my hand on his shoulder and simply say a quick, "God bless you man". He nods his head. And, that is that. A few moments and not so many words. But, I'd like to think a soul was touched. maybe Jesus could somehow use us in the small moments and in the Juggalo times also.

Everywhere. There are people who need to know about the love of Jesus Christ.

Happy Hour can be more than you think or imagine.

Restaurant Reviews

If you could tell people one good thing...

I'm a big fan of the show Restaurant Impossible over on the Food Network.
If you have never taken in an episode, the show is led by English chef and restauranteur, Robert Irvine.
Irvine spent some time in the British Navy, has arms the size of a small child, and doesn't take "no" for an answer. A typical episode begins with Irvine entering a restaurant, meeting the owners, watching the place in full action, ordering some food for himself, and then gutting the entire building to the dismay of the owners.

Irvine has no problem with taking charge and saying what he thinks. Some might think he is arrogant. Some might suggested it is all show for the camera. I would like to put a word out there for the benefit of this message. Boldness. A TV show is one thing. There is a certain charisma dwelling in a person who can step up and lead. Being able to say what is needed in a moment that someone else needs to hear requires something more.  Maybe Robert Irvine is bold. Maybe he's getting paid enough money to act like it.

There is something very strong about the stage presence of Mr. Irvine that makes me want to equate what I see there with the subject matter for today. These next few messages are going to center around the idea of working "with God". That phrase is key. We are not working "for" God, as if he hired us and then gave us a list of things to accomplish. As a boss, he'll check in later and see how we are doing. No, we are working with God.In learning how to work with God we will also see another side of ourselves come out. A side of ourselves where we don't depend on this center of the universe to run things. We depend on God. He hasn't sent us off with a list of demands to fulfill and then it is as if he expects us to find the wherewithal of our own devices to make it all happens. See the promises he speaks to his believers.

"Lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the age."

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you..."

"My sheep know me..."

As we go through the course of scripture, we see many who have found another way of doing things. God's way. People who probably would not have been speaking or doing the acts of service they are intertwined with unless something greater than themselves were the driving force. Such it is with the matter in the scripture at hand. In the 3rd chapter of John, we see Jesus speaking with Nicodemus early on. That last part of the chapter is a discussion between some believers and John the Baptist. Now, here is a guy with some strange makings. A guy who was born to two elderly people, way beyond the childbearing point. His father was not able to speak until he was born because of he did not believe the promise that God had sent through his angel. Has he grown up with this feeling all his life that he was meant for something greater or did he just one day wake up and decide to put on a sackcloth with camel's hair? It must take some kind of other worldly notion to get the idea to go stand out by a river and shout about repentance, forgiveness and baptism. And, here is where we find John when we enter the Gospels. At this point, Jesus has come. John has already baptized him. Now, there is a feeling about the enlargement of Jesus' ministry and the declination of John's. What we see and hear from John is important to our feelings and mission about the church and our own personal outlook. Listen to John's words.

John 3:31-36   New International Version (NIV)

³¹ The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. ³³ Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴ For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God^[a] gives the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Testifying. Witnessing. It's much like giving a review of a product that you have used or had some experience with. John is talking here about Jesus testifying. Jesus will tell others about what he has seen and witnessed. John is always giving testimony to what he believes. If you have been to restaurant or a store or, for the sake of conversation, even a friend's house, you have probably given a review or statement about what your experience in that place was like.

We should jog back to our Restaurant Impossible opening. One of the things they do during the opening of the show is to hear from the actual customers about what they think of the decor and the food and the service. Usually, it is not very good. For the sake of the show, the person whose opinion matter the most is, of course, Irvine's opinion. He speaks freely, openly, and sometimes, harshly about what he is seeing and experiencing. He has seen so much. Bug infestation. No leadership from the owners. Food going bad in someone's cooler. He also gets straight to the heart of the matter. usually there is some disconnect between members of a family who own the establishment. They are not connecting. They are not working together. All parties involved have their own opinion as to what should be done in said establishment and nobody is doing what is best for the good of all. Such is was for our dear John the Baptist as well. Do you remember his words when the religious leaders tried to come and be baptized?

Matthew 3:7   New International Version (NIV)

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
What did he call them? Wow. Not sure I could do that in my own accord. Working with God must give the person involved some kind of, what's the word, boldness, to step forth and speak in a way they might not otherwise speak. John the Baptist is clear in the passage from John the Disciple's gospel. In verse 31 he begins to say, "The One who comes from above is above all..." None of this is done so that John gets a pat on the back. John refers to himself as a forerunner. He knows that he is laying a path, a road, for the One who is to come. And, when that One comes, it is no longer about himself, John. It is now about Jesus. And, John seems to be ok with that. How ok are we with that in our own lives?

As I have watched many of the episodes of Restaurant Impossible, I see many a store owner who seems to think that the world revolves around themselves. There is no outward look. There is survival. How am I going to make it to tomorrow? How will I pay these bills for one more day? What got them in the mess they are in? We could probably investigate numerous possibilities. From just not having their eyes open to the present circumstances to personal and family tragedies to not taking care of their finances. When Irvine comes into a restaurant, he comes much as a forerunner. He works for two days straight, knowing all the while that he will have to turn it all over to the the original owners and they are going to have to pick it up and make it work. I can't help but draw some kind of correlation to working "with God" from my observation of the show. Wouldn't it be really cool to know that God is right there beside of you, all the way through a difficult situation, to help you and correct you and guide you as you do the thing you are doing? If someone as bold as Irvine were doing the speaking and all we had to do was stand there while he straightened everything out, wouldn't that be cool?

I would plead the case that that is very close to what it is like.
The only difference is that it has to be us doing the talking. God wants to speak through us. He wants to use us as witnesses to His glory.John the Baptist seems to have this boldness to say what he says because he knows who he with in conjunction with as he lays this path. Just as Irvine can walk into a business and lay it all out without fear this forerunner knows that he has a greater power overseeing and walking with him as he dunks heads in the Jordan. And, now, the very person whom visited him while in Mary's womb, whom he jumped for joy about in Elizabeth's womb, He is here. John has most likely gained prestige and admirers and followers over these past few years. Now, some of them are leaving to follow Jesus. How would that make you feel to see some walk away? To John, it matters not. "He must increase, I must decrease." Jesus is the center of the universe, not John. In order to testify, the testifier must know who is more important.

I'm curious. Have to see what the dictionary says...

Full Definition of TESTIFY

intransitive verb

1 a :  to make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief :  bear witness

   b :  to serve as evidence or proof

2:  to express a personal conviction

3:  to make a solemn declaration under oath for the purpose of establishing a fact (as in a court)

transitive verb

1 a :  to bear witness to :  attest

   b :  to serve as evidence of :  prove

2  archaic

   a :  to make known (a personal conviction)

   b :  to give evidence of :  show

3:  to declare under oath before a tribunal or officially constituted public body 

 

Wow. Could preach a whole other sermon just on the definition.
I feel as if the definition leads us to realize that we do not stand on our own as we testify.
Oh, there is that intransitive part there.There are moments in life where it feels as if we are standing alone against the world. And, it is transitive also. We stand together. We testify together. We stand with God as we do our work for the Kingdom.

Testifying literally means to give a review.
Just like giving a review on a restaurant you visited, it also entails what we think about some thing or person.
What kind of a review would we give about what God has done in our lives? On the internet you'll find a 5 star scale with some words given by the reviewer. Sometime people say nothing. If they didn't like the services they experienced a single star will suffice for their feelings. Sometimes people give 4 or 5 stars. Sometimes an entire paragraph or a near letter form is needed share all they want to say.

What would you say about what God has done in your life?
What kind of a review would you give about who God is and what he has done?
Would you speak it boldly or just click a few stars?

The idea of giving a review is that you can bear your soul.
If you don't like something, you put it out there and hope the owning party will improve their services.
If you want them to keep up the good work you give them glowing words and all the praise.
What could say about your God? About your church? About your faith and what you believe?
Could you say one good thing? Is there anything about which to praise your God?
Do you feel as if you are working with God in this area of testifying or do you feel as if it is all on you?
Change your outlook to working "with God" and get the focus off of yourself and you'll see the whole nature of the matter change along with your outlook.

Giving a review is easy. Just speak your heart and mind. Let God lead the way.

Reused Blessings

Reuse, recycle, and don't keep it for yourself.

How many of you are now familiar with the TV show "Hoarders"?
If you've never seen the show or are not familiar with the concept of hoarding here is your brief cap of the show what they deal with in an episode. Someone, a family member or friend, has reached out looking for help in this desperate situation. A person that they know and love has gotten into the habit of keeping everything and throwing nothing away. A hoarder is someone who does exactly what I just described. I have known a few over the years. There was an old man in the church I grew up in who had stacks and stacks of papers throughout his house (among other items). Newspapers, magazines, National Geographics. You name it, he had it. Why do people hang on to things for so long? Especially, if there is no pertinent use for it in their current situation in life, then the items just sit and take up space. I've known folks in their 80's and 90's even who have basements full of things, clothing, shoes, furniture, and won't let a single family member in to even look at the things they have collected. Usually, people have to wait until "so & so" has passed away before they can even begin to unpack and discover all the things collected in a person's home or garage or storage unit.

The idea of hanging on to what we have and not sharing it with anyone is what came to mind as I read into the 4th chapter of Ephesians. Paul will state in this chapter that he would "urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received". Paul would go one to describe all that we have been blessed with, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism". We have a lot to share with God and the world around us. But, what happens if we end up keep all of it for ourselves and not sharing with those in need? Well, by the time we get to v. 28 we hear a warning.
Ephesians 4:28
Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

The emphasis is a not so subtle mention to the idea that we should work for what we have. Not just to do some pointless labor, however, but to do something useful. The idea of doing something "useful" is automatically a condition that extends beyond ones own self. I'm sure I heard the phrase spoken to me more than once growing up to "do something useful". The principle for the Christian to follow, in order to be useful, is to have Jesus front and center in our heart and life. Then we find something useful. We find a new relationship with our world based upon a new relationship with God in Christ.

Lets look at this fourth chapter and analyze it's contents.
This chapter is broken down into two sections and the headings are important.
"Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ"
"Instructions for Christian Living"

Back to this idea of hoarding for a moment.
When we are children, the concept of hoarding is not as relevant as it is to the adult life. As children, we have a problem with the simple premise of sharing. We are told when we are having those first few playdates with the neighbor kids that we need to share. Squabbles and fits break out over a certain toy or object of affection. We don't want to share. We want to control the flow and use of the toys in order to make sure nothing gets lost or taken. See the connection if you will from the childlike mindset for sharing to the concept of hoarding. Maybe "so & so" read an article in a newspaper and didn't have time to snip it out and put it in a scrapbook. So, the paper is folded up and put in a place for when we get around to it. The intention is to save those important memoirs and memories until there is time to properly place them in a special place for safekeeping. Next thing we know, there is a stack of memories we want to remember. Then a table full. And, then a room full. Family members are telling you that you should o something about it. Maybe they offer to help. No, you say, I'll get around to it eventually. Well, maybe there are items in there that others would find useful. No, you say, don't want anybody touching my stuff. You know where everything is and eventually you'll get around to sorting it all out.

One essential to having unity and maturity is to share what we have.
Listen to what Paul is saying in verses 14-16 here in chapter 4.

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Under his instructions for Christian living, Paul would state that we "must not steal any longer". Now, the idea of stealing can go both ways. When we were children, we desired to "steal" the other kids toys because that kid didn't want to share with us. So, we took matters into out own hands we took what we thought we should have. The idea of not sharing can also be thought of as "stealing". Paul would speak in the second section of chapter four about not living like the world around us. He refers to the "Gentiles". (Anyone outside of the Christian/Jewish faith would have been referred to as a Gentile). He notes how people outside of their faith would live.  Thinking about themselves. Indulging in all kinds of sensuality. Taking care of their own needs. He wants his readers to hear this emphasis: this new life in Christ is directly opposite of that. We don't "hoard" things up for ourselves. We don't "steal" things so that others go without. We work so that others might have a blessings. We work so that we "may have something to share with those in need."

I was blessed this week with a reused blessing myself. Melissa wanted me to put a book she had read back in the Little Free Library outside our office door. Upon arriving at the church I thought I would take a look at what was in the box currently (as our 'inventory' changes consistently). I chuckled at a few titles that I picked up. There are a few narcissistic titles in there. "The Magic of Getting What You Want" by David J. Schwartz - the blueprint for personal fulfillment in the 1980s! Wow. The review at the bottom of the front cover says it all. "This is magic that really works!" - Denis Waitley, author of The Psychology of Winning. Well, birds of a feather... I saw a seemingly harmless title, "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" by Dale Carnegie. Well, I'd like to quit worrying so much and focus outwardly. The problem with much of our self-help training given is that it turns us into exactly what it suggests. "Self" help. In the process of learning not worry, following the teaching a book such as this, the process leaves us focusing on ourselves constantly to make sure we're not worrying. I have seen first hand how self-help teaching leaves a perfocused inwardly instead of seeing the holiness of God and the freedom he offers. Even the holiness preaching I experienced in the 1990's while hanging around with the Nazarenes had this self-absorbed twist to it. We seemed to focus too much on keep our own holy garments white and unstained by the terrors and sin of the world. Instead of making sure we worked to meet the needs of others the emphasis seemed to be upon keeping ourselves separate from the world. I felt as if we took a self-absorbed twist on Romans 12.1-2.

We live in such an independence centered society and culture here in America, and it's no 'new' infatuation. The idea of  'independence' as presented in our free society keeps us separated from one another. We don't end up serving one another. We end up focusing on our own needs and then throwing a few dollars at this cause or that offering plate and just hoping that covers it. In the Little Free Library box I did find this title that caught my attention. "If You Can't Lose It, Decorate It" by Anita Renfroe. The idea she present of reusing items you have lying around finds it's way across the gambit of life. From the closet where our clothes are stored to the hold up of feelings you might have about your neighbor, the presumption is that we all have things we are sitting on that we cannot seem to let go of. As her title suggests, we should decorate those things we have trouble letting go of. If I could see that item or problem in a new light after redecorating it, maybe I could see it as something to be re-purposed and reused for something. It no longer becomes an issue to sit on or a belonging to stuff in an old drawer. How can I bless others around myself with what I have? Some people might suggest that have nothing to bless others with, and I want to walk into the 'house' of their heart and fling open the door of all the room and help them to see the many blessings they have. To often we act like hoarders. We have so much in our lives we could bless others with but it seems as if we are 'stealing' the blessings from others because we cannot let go of what we have.

Look around us. I'm going to bring it right home for all of us to deal with today.
Look at this sanctuary. Who owns this place? This church and all we see here. Does it belong to you? You might think that it does and I would suggest that you're sitting on a blessing and keeping it from others. It does not belong to you. It belongs to the One who gave to us. It was built by people who were here long before we were thought of and will stand long after we are gone. And, here's the real kicker - you can't take it with you. Same goes for the money in our pockets. You didn't pop out of your momma with a wad of bills in your hand and you can't leave this world with any of that stuff either. So, what do we do with it while we are here? We can hoard it all up and make sure we are taken care of - OR - we can use it to bless the ones around us. How could we bless others with this church? Think for a moment about the building we have. How could we use it? Take a long moment to really think about what you have in your life. What you can see and touch should be the obvious items for discussion. Go beyond the physical and think about what you like to do. Think about what you are skilled to do. The abilities you have and job you do. You might not like the job you have. Give that work to God and let him do what he wants with it. You might find something you actually like to do if God leads the way into it. "If you can't lose it, decorate it." Take that item and turn it on it's head. Make it a blessing to someone else. 

Listen to how Paul finishes this chapter.

³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

We all have the capacity to be a blessings to those around us. I'm thankful for the example of those I have witnessed since I got to Thornville. I didn't get to know him personally, but I wish I had. Lester Anspach kept together a viable and personable history of his family and the town he loved. He could have sat on it. Kept it under lock and key. Never let anybody in to see it.  But, he gave it away. It's now a part of the our county's historical society so that others might know of our town and country's great history. Then there is Marie Worland. This lady would give her last dollar if you needed it. Even fighting through the pain of recovery after cancer surgery she finds a way to drive up here to the church and drop off some Velveeta cheese so we have the items we need to do our Comfort Food Ministry. Or, she goes and buys some styrofoam bowls or cutlery we need in the kitchen for a community dinner. Never thinking of herself first. Putting the needs of others above her own. Lester and Marie have seen hard times. You probably have too. Instead of being bitter or harboring ill will, they have found a way to be a blessing. Lester with his smile and humor. Marie with her wit and generosity. How can you and I follow that example and be a blessing to someone else?

God has blessed us with so much. It's time to quit hoarding it up.

You wouldn't want the local cop to arrest you for stealing.
How much more will the charges be severe if we wind up in front of our Lord with 'stealing' charges brought before us? Lets give it away and make our lives a blessing to others.

Microwave Meal

 Comfort food doesn't come in a box. 

Some food is better if you wait and reheat it later on.
Some food needs to be eaten as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Lasagna is one of those meals that can go either way.
I have been blessed with two of the greatest lasagna makers in the whole world.
My wife and my mother-in-law have never made a bad lasagna (in my humble opinion).
Now, they might be critical of themselves and their creations as they exit the oven, but my tummy has never rejected an offering of this magnitude. They are the best. The matter up for debate is simply whether or not the the offering is in a more solid form as it is cut from the serving dish - OR -  is it more soupy and runny in texture. If the latter is true and it's running all over your plate, some folks might like to let it sit for a day. Which then means that we are going to be putting that plate in the microwave most likely to heat it up again.

Here's the problem with heating stuff up in the microwave.
While the microwave does a decent job, it doesn't heat it up thoroughly.
I mean, getting it hot in the center. Microwaves never really get it back to the way it was when it was first served, hot out of the oven. Microwaves do an OK job depending on what it is and how long you leave it in there. Which means you have to stand there watching it. Then you take out, stir it up, put it back in, take it out, test it with a sampling, put it back in, now it's TO HOT. You have to let it sit for a while. The whole process takes the joy out of eating.

If left in too long, the outside might be really hot or even charred all in a hope to get the center hot enough to eat. Otherwise you have a lukewarm or even cold center while the outer edge of an item is hot enough to scaled your lips and tongue. The microwave process is really imperfect.

I'm sitting here reading this scripture from 2 Corinthians and this idea of something being hot and fresh is what is rolling around in my head. Imagine, if you will, a freshly baked loaf of bread on the table and the aroma that fills the house. Which would you rather have? A slice of white bread out of a bag from the store - OR - a warm slice of homemade bread fresh from the oven. If you have to stop and think about it, then we need a good class on baking here in this church. It should not be a difficult decision.

2 Corinthians 5:17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!

The idea of having something "new" is one that brings with it some mixed emotions. We get used to having the same old things in our lives. The same old chair. The same old food. The same old restaurant every morning. Something new should be really exciting and full of promise. No other word in the english language, however, is met with more demise than this simple word. Upon looking up the word I expected a ho-hum "Yep that's what I expected to see" kind of definition. There's some lines here that will make you stop and think.

Definition of NEW

1:  having recently come into existence :  recent, modern

2 a (1) :  having been seen, used, or known for a short time :  novel <rice was a new crop for the area> (2) :  unfamiliar <visit new places>

   b :  being other than the former or old <a steady flow of new money>

3:  having been in a relationship or condition but a short time <new to the job> <a new wife>

4 a :  beginning as the resumption or repetition of a previous act or thing <a new day> <the new edition>

   b :  made or become fresh <awoke a new person>

   c :  relating to or being a new moon

5:  different from one of the same category that has existed previously <new realism>

6:  of dissimilar origin and usually of superior quality <a new strain of hybrid corn>

7 capitalized :  modern 3; especially :  having been in use after medieval times 

Food is a priceless vehicle and illustration for use in a message and I can't think of any other illustration that fits here better. As we think about food, let us contemplate for a second which we like better: something out a box - or - something made from scratch. Lets think about it in another way. How about something you have to heat up or re-heat in the microwave or  something your mom or grandma made with their own hands. Again, if you have to stop and think about it then we need some remedial classes on food and eating around this church. The new stuff is always going to find a place at the top in my heart and stomach.

Why do we have such a hard time with parting with the old? Some folks really would rather drop a frozen lump of something in the microwave every morning and stumble through a cup of coffee than take the time to put a good healthy, tastes great, awesome breakfast in front of themselves. Hey, maybe it's a time constraint issue. You have to get going to work. You have to get on the road. Please don't feel as if I am badgering you into something you have no time for. This is all simply illustration to make a point. But, wouldn't it be nice if you did have the time? To make something "new" and to give up something you had to re-heat and plop on a plate?

One of my favorite shows on TV right now is called Restaurant Impossible. A chef from England named Robert Irvine has taken it upon himself to go around America finding old mom and pop restaurants and turn their way of thinking and their business upside down in order to show them a different way of doing things. With 2 days and $10,000, Irvine will come into your business and make everything brand new. You have to consent to let him run your business for the next two days and let him do whatever he wants to do. The things he has found! Oh my! It turns my stomach to think of something to infestations he has come across. The service that does not meet peoples needs. Management issues that have never been resolved. People who have no idea how to run a restaurant went in with good intentions, but have found themselves in a mess anywhere from 6 month to 3 years into owning their new business. Places that once thrived under different ownership or management now lie in ruin with the possibility of closing their doors forever if something does not change soon.

Irvine will come in, survey the land (so to speak), order some food, meet the help and the owners, and then tear the place apart and put it all back together with a completely new decor and menu. If God wants to make everything brand new in our lives, what must he tear apart and turn upside down in order to make "all things new"? What we must take a moment to discuss here is the contrast between instantaneous delivery and progressive growth. We live in a society that marvels itself in how things can be done in an instant. Contemplate the microwave for a moment.We want things to be heated up - instantly. In other places in our lives, we want this paper to be written - instantly. We can't even put our fingers on a keyboard anymore. We get a voice-speech service like Siri to do it for us. We don't want to be fat and overweight, but we don't want to do the work of having to lose the weight. Here, take this pill and shed those pounds - instantly.

Life is a process marked by moments were things seem to happen instantaneously. What we seem to miss is all the work that led up to the moment when the great event happened. We come in and the meal is spread out on the table. We miss all the work that mom put into preparing the meal. We simply see the finished product sitting on the table to partake. In our lives, we see the great moment when Jesus entered. Did we miss all that went into helping us come around to make that decision? I remember the moment when I invited Jesus into my life, but there was so much that went on the 6 or 7 years prior. I remember being 13 or 14 and standing down front on the church to answer the big question. "Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God?" I answered "Yes", but I could not have explained to you what that meant. It took several more years before I was 21 and in my apartment kneeling in front of my sofa after listening to my best friend, Matt Holcomb, go on about how important it was to accept Christ as your Savior. There was so much in that 6-7 year stretch I look back on with amazement.

In this passage from 2 Corinthians we see Paul with a different emphasis than in his first letter to these same people. He is looking ahead. He sees a moment when we will crossover into uncharted territory. In a moment, a the twinkling of an eye, we will be changed. All things will be made new. The old will go away. We will not see this life any more. The word "new" will find great context here. "made or become fresh" Like a loaf of bread right out of the oven. There's nothing quite like it.

Now, that's comfort food.

Walk By Faith

Lester Anspach Funeral

I sit here with the bible of a man who truly treasured what he had.
I have never seen a bible quite like this one. I have seen my fair share of bibles down through the years. Some of them have had writing in them or small amounts of notes. Nothing could compare with what I see here. This book has truly been used. This book has been read and re-read. (And, then re-read again.) The amount of notes, cards and scripture references, jotting down on things and then stuck in the book is mind boggling. Who does something like this? A man who truly understood just how important this book is for his life. I say "is for" because his life is not over. I truly believe that.

"Why" do I believe that, you might ask? Lets take a look at some of the items placed inside the binding of this cherished book and I think you'll see the answer becoming clearer for us to see. There was a stack of index cards inside the front cover. The first card on top of the stack reads...

For we live by FAITH
and not by SIGHT
2 Cor 5.7

As I thumbed through this tattered and worn book, now holding itself together with tape that had been placed on it's spine several years ago and is itself now showing wear and tear, I see this card as the theme for why this man has kept this book as he has all these years. When the Apostle Paul is writing this second letter to the Corinthians, the over nature of the book has shifted from the intent of his first letter. The first letter to the Corinthians was an explanation of scriptural, biblical, and practical law. The second letter shows us a man who is clearly looking ahead to what lies beyond. There is preparation in what he says and thinks. Paul is obviously looking beyond. He knows what is coming and what to expect. Although he cannot see the entire picture, what he expects is to see Jesus and to leave this earth. Listen to the context around chapter 5, verse 7.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

King James Version (KJV)

⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

What Paul really wanted was to be here and working. But, he also confesses that he would like to leave this body and go be with the Lord. And, so he is torn. To be with the people here and working in their midst would benefit those reading and listening. But, to be with the Lord is what every follower of Christ desires. The owner of this bible I now hold seemed to be looking for something. There was something important here. Every time he finds something he deems important he circles and underlines, scribble and leaves note for himself to remember the truths he discovers. He has done this so much that the book has a hard time holding itself together. It has been opened and closed so much that either oil from the fingers used or coffee stains now cover the center of the pages as you flip from page to page. Another index card reveals truth about how this man lived his life.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

                                                                                        Malachi 3:10

 Giving seems to explain the reason for all this man did. And, God blessed his life for it. Look around at the pictures his family has shared. See how there was "not enough room to receive it." He gave by taking care of what he had. The town of Thornville was a treasure to him and he felt the need to walk around and make sure all was in it's proper place. A story was shared with me last night about how the owner of the beauty parlor came out her back down to see Lester's car parked out back, doors open, engine running. No Lester to be found. After calling for him and not seeing him anywhere she finds him in the bottom of the nearby dumpster yelling for help. "I'm not you out of there. You're all covered in grime and gunk now." Why in the world was he in the dumpster in the first place? He probably found something wasn't where it was supposed to be and figured he'd take care of it.

Taking care of things was what he did. Picking up trash around town or taking care of his family and his church, the center of life was following what he felt the Lord wanted him to do. There is an index card here that simple reads...

Proverbs 18.22 READ IT!!

Ok..I looked it up.

Proverbs 18:22

King James Version (KJV)

²² Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

Ah! We see a large window into the life of a man intent on following the Lord's will for his life.
He knew he needed a good woman in his life in order for life to be as it should be. And, he found a good one with his Mary. Take a look at the pictures. I don't see said faces or sour looks. I see smiles. I see all out laughter at times. Part of that "favour of the Lord" must be to be happy. This man is happy. And, it shows in what he does. Part of what makes him happy is being in God's house, with his wife and his family. I have been shown the place where he and his wife sat in church, every week. The floor is worn from where their feet were each week. This was not to be missed. You better have a good reason for not being here. These two did not miss. Church was that important. God was that important. This bible was that important. FAITH was that important.

So important that he bolded it out and underlined it on that index card.
The two key words in that verse were in contrast and he wanted to make as he read it again and again that he would always know how important they were. FAITH and SIGHT. "We walk by FAITH, and not by SIGHT." The Christian life is about believing in something you cannot lay a hand on and say "There it is!" As Lester worn the binding off this book, he began to see what was on the other side more clearly, and yet, he did not become overwhelmed or consumed by it. He was still a man in touch with his world and his people. Ornery would be a good word to describe him, many would agree. I'm told he had a fantastic sense of humor. Always liked a good joke. Always liked to laugh. Always seemed to be smiling. Happy with life and content with what life gave him. he couldn't see what was coming. Rarely do we see what coming around the corner. Our minds begin to break down. Our bodies begin to get frail. We need other to take care of us. Because of how he lived his life, taking care of his town and his people, in turn, his people and his town took care of him. The care he received in his last years and days was wonderful.

And, now, the mantle is passed to you.
Could you possibly do what this man has done? Is this bible held as near and dear to you as it was for this man? Could you possibly mark a book up with as much shear desire as this man did? Does the scripture that God wants to speak to us from hold as much importance for your life as it did for this man? Does family means as much to you as it did to this man? Does loving your family and caring for those around us mean the same to you as it did for this man?

If family get-togethers were something you did while these two special people were alive, then don't let the specialness fade or the spirit die. Get together with those near and dear to you and keep the tradition alive. Sunday dinners, if that's what you did. Keeping track of family and town history. Going to church, either by yourself or as a family. If this man and his life are that important then keep his memory alive by living as he did. He walked by FAITH. He didn't looked forward to what he could see. He looked forward to what lie ahead. Let our focus be as his was. Let us have the same resolve to hang on to our FAITH. To love our families. To love our church and our community.

With all the talk of how things used to be and how good things were when men like this were around permeate our conversations, let us remember: it was because of men like this that things were as good as they were. If we want things to be good again, if we want to see good times and good things happening in our midst, then lets follow his lead. Through his FAITH, he laid a foundation we can build upon. A firm foundation that does not crumble or shake under our feet. A love that cannot be moved. We need more Lester Anspach(s) in the world. Maybe someone sitting here has the resolve inside them to do as Lester did. To make his/her world a better place. Simply by being faithful. Simply by walking by FAITH.

Every piece of trash you see in a front yard.
Every oatmeal creme pie you partake.
Everytime you pick up your bible.
Every joke you tell and smile you bring.
We follow his example and see what the Lord wants us to be.

Walk by FAITH, not by SIGHT.

Father's Promise

A father's love never ends.

The life of a father revolves around promises.
More so than another person in the family tree, it seems that this one man has the weighty job of making sure that everything and everyone is taken care of and looked out for. Mothers also have a monumental function in our lives concerning our well-being and upbringing. The character sketch of a father, however, brings us a slightly different look into the intertwined working of how and who this person become who he is - father, dad, pops, "the old man". The two worlds of mother and father take on a different persona all their own. There are things you would only talk to dad about that you would never say around mom, and vice-versa. The car company Hyundai in promoting one of their vehicles put together a cute commercial where Dad takes the kids through several moments of high angst situations all with the simple instruction - "Don't Tell Mom". (And, yes, it goes both ways, as the commercial would reveal at the end.)

Don't know many moms that would take their kids fishing and handle all the yucky worms. That's usually a dad's responsibility. Without dad, the car would not get it's oil checked or the engine worked on. And, what about granddad. That opens the door to a whole other spectrum of memory. Grandpas seem to think it's their work to spoil the kids and show them how to be as ornery as they can be. My poppaw was the one who showed me how to twirl my spaghetti on my fork (a trick I still use to this day) instead of cutting it up on my plate. I'm sure I tend to be a little more like my grandfather in my everyday dealing with my kids. He used to have this thing for gritting his teeth when he was playing with you or tickling you while he was talking to you. He used to say, "The boy makes me grit my teeth." Ornery the man was! I get it honest.

What father has not heard the infamous phrase, "But, dad, you promised!"
It is the father's work to make sure that everybody gets what's coming to them. Good and bad.
One promise we probably did not want to see fulfilled was the promise of discipline if we did not do as we were supposed to do. The paddle or belt was a fixture in my family until I was a teenager and then my rear end could absorb the blow. I never will forget the first time I stood up and laughed as I walked away. Dad knew he would have to use a different psychology to reach the hard headed person inside. And, he did too. He found things that meant a great deal to me and would cut me off from those incentives. A stereo or a party. Whatever it took to make sure that I knew who was the one in charge.

Growing up I was the world's greatest fan of America's #1 dad - Bill Cosby.
In the 60's and 70's Cosby was known for his stand up comedy and we had all the albums.
On a cassette titled "200 M.P.H." where he spends most of his act talking about automobiles and sports cars Cosby spends a few moments talking about the differences between Mothers and Fathers. As a kid I memorized all the great skits and routines. If you're reading the blog, you should shoot over to YouTube and take in the classic routine. If you're in church on Sunday, you're in for a treat.
(I, of course, will tweak it up a bit for the church crowd.)

What Cosby seems to understand from his deal with his father was who was in charge.
Jesus seemed to always know who was the one in charge. He knew that it was not himself.
He always gave props to the Father and intentionally gave attention to the One who made all things possible. The scriptures abound with the promises of God. Jesus made sure his disciples knew that the Father wanted to bestow good gifts on them. Namely, the blessings of his Spirit. In the midst of an explanation on discipleship Jesus would mention a promise.

John 12:26

New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

 Good gifts are the blessings of a father who cares.
I can remember distinctly how my grandfather always took care of his own.
He helped me get back into a car after my first one had broke down and I spent the better part of 4 years walking or riding a bike. When the head gasket blew in the engine of the first car my grandfather helped me get he found another and got me behind the wheel of that one.

But, the thing I recall the most were shoes.
On several occasions when I would stop out to see my poppaw he would excuse himself from the room, go back to their bedroom and return with a pair of shoes. During the early to mid 1990's over what was probably a 5 year stretch I don't recall having to ever buy a pair of shoes. It might have been a few months between visits to their house. Sometimes my visits were more frequent.I didn't get a pair of shoes every time I went out to their house. Every few months, though, you could count on him leaving the room and returning with a near perfect pair of shoes. "Here, I broke these in a little bit. You and I have about the same size feet. Why don't you try them on?" I never asked. I really had no idea the blessing was coming. Without speaking it, he gave and provided.

Promises are usually unspoken.
A person don't usually come right out and say they are always going to take care of you.
The love of a father is most generally a thing that he does not a declaration he makes.
Luke 11 might just be a really good place to look at on this special day.
This passage of scripture is mostly known for the prayer that is taught to the disciples.
People learn these famous words, "Father, hallowed by thy name...", from right here. 

What is missed is the story Jesus tells afterwards. There seems to be a man who is in need and he has come late at night to ask for help. There are visitors coming to his home and he has nothing to give them. This man is hoping that his neighbor will have something, anything that he could use to meet the needs of those stopping by his house. The provider has become the beggar. How it must cripple a man to have to ask for help. My dad raised us in the light of what he was taught. To be self-sufficient. To not have to ask for help. It was thought of as sin to need to ask someone for help on anything.

I wonder what is going through this man's mind as he knocks upon his neighbor's door this night. What kind of response does he think he will receive? He is hopeful for help. The words from inside do not encourage his hopes. ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I know my father and grandfather probably would have shooed them away. But, even in the rough and gruff moments of life, there is tenderness. Like the time I busted the control arm for steering on my '83 Chevy Cavalier Station Wagon. My dad let it sit there until it was cold outside. It was back to riding the bus or my bike. In the coldest winter we had for some time, my dad drug me down to my Grandpa Shank's garage and had me shivering in my shoes through that cold afternoon as we worked to replace that control arm. He didn't have to. He could have let me ride the bus all winter. The man in bed with his children doesn't have to get up and do anything for the man pounding in his door. But, because of his persistence, he gets up and gives him whatever he needs.

Jesus equates that moment of giving to a total stranger with how God deals with us.
God is our father. We are his children. Stop for a second and ponder it some more.
Who are we? We are the children. We are tucked away in bed. The message of the story here is about perspective. We might feel helpless and hopeless at time, like a stranger banging on the door at night. That is not who we are. We are God's children. He has us in the house when night time arrives. He has promised to care for us and provide for us. And, that he does. With the utmost care for his children and his neighbor, he meets the needs of those in need. My relationship with my grandfather taught me to honor these words.

"Ask and you shall receive.
Seek and you shall find.
Knock and the door will be opened."

When I was 18 and had a falling out with my dad, I had no where to go.
I drove out to my poppaw and mommaw's house. I came in and sat down.I needed a place to stay, but I couldn't pull it together to ask him. I left after 5 minutes and began to drive away. That notion of not asking for help was strong. But, I had nowhere else to go. Over the years my grandparents had, in part, be responsible for raising nearly all of us in the family. And, then, we made the return visit home to live in their basement. I knew this was what I needed. My destiny, if you will. But, I couldn't ask. And, yet, I knew I had nowhere to go. So, around I turned and back to their house. I walked back in. "I thought you had something to ask me, but you just couldn't spit it out." I move in for a few months. He put up with me and my habits and behaviors until it was time for me to get my own place. His promise to me, though unspoken, was to take care of his own. And, he did that unwaveringly.

Now, it is my turn. As I see my son sitting in the big chair in the living room this morning he repeats the phrase, "I am daddy. I am daddy!" In many ways, I hope not. In some existential way of caring and forgiveness from times gone by and through the channels of history, I hope he gets something good. I can only hope to share with him the specialness of a couple people who gave all they had to make sure I made it in this world.

A promise is a promise, forever.