Events that Change Your Life

Big God pics…

Big God Conference Myrtle Beach

Wow! Watching over 200 youth and leaders make a commitment to Christ during our first invitation at Big God was an awesome experience. Ken Freeman shared the Gospel in his typical “Freeman” manner and God blessed the Word’s presentation. I watched as four of our young people responded to God’s invitation to become a believer in Christ. I have seen this happen each year for the past eight years as we gather in Myrtle Beach to share in a time of retreat, focus on the Word of God, and having a Youth Focused Conference. I have watched the New Year enter each year with one of my own children sharing it with so many others in our youth ministry.

Forty plus young people joined by the adult volunteers have made this evening a blessing to me.

If you will continue to watch Jason Allen’s Blog link to the right of these comments you can see a video blog of the evening’s activities. God is so good.

Ken Freeman speaking Big Mo Week Conference!

Good Visit…

Mr. "Pop" Bremer, Jim Crooks

Life is very short.  I was reminded again in an email that friends never get to see each other enough.  That has been very real to me as Nancy and I have visited with Jason and Jenn.  Having our family together and visiting with in-laws and out-laws (and you will have to decide for yourself which is which) is so vital.

Driving to Maryland to see my children is a reality that has developed since I was a child.  “Used to be” (as old folk say it) that the whole family lived within “throwing distance” of each other.  It was nothing to see the extended family especially in the south living with Grandmothers and Grandfathers, Aunts and Uncles and all the nephews and cousins living right around the corner from each other.  Not any more.  I am reminded of so many people who have to face the dilemma of their children living so far away from each other.  Thank God for cell phones, Skype, internet (much thanks to Al Gore, ha ha) and so many other digital discoveries that allow one to bring home a bit closer.  There is still nothing like seeing them faced to face, sharing a meal around the table and talking, watching football as a family, and of course getting to walk around Target or WalMart with each other.

It was good to see Renee and Mark, Mr. and Mrs.  Bremer, and Peggy Bremer today and share greetings and afternoon conversation.

I was also interested in an email I got from a friend and peer in the ministry who reflected on loosing four friends this year.  We always intend to see people and share time with them.  Listening to his lament at how his good intentions never found fulfillment as the visit with the friend never happened.  I guess the older I get I miss people like Stafford and Honey Hebert who is now 92 and 94 years old respectfully.  I am reminded how my life was impacted by his life so early in years.  Daytona Beach seems so far away yet such dear friends.  I know we will spend eternity together but oh how we all long to spend time with those we love.  That is what feeds my spirit to eat lunch with Ken Sandifer and W. L. Collins each Tuesday.  Stefano’s has been a refuge for three preachers who are becoming more aware of how we need each other in the daily tasks of life.   It has been exciting to include Daniel Inabinet in our fellowship each week as well.

Tomorrow will be a time of travel back to Florence.  Four people in a car.  Four people who will enjoy a good visit.

Maryland

Nancy, Jeremy, Kimberly and I climbed in our Yukon this morning and struck out toward Maryland.  8:30 a.m. we departed and we arrived at 5:00 p.m.  My old knees (no, I am not admitting that I am getting old or anything like that) can’t take the constant driving.  We get to stop at rest areas and gas stations to let our legs take a break.

I am discovering it isn’t what you are doing but who you do it with that makes a difference.  I traveled with three of my favorite people in the world.  Eating a lot and traveling is not on Nancy’s agenda.  She snacks on crackers and enjoys getting to our destination so she can eat a meal.  Kimberly enjoys watching movies and consumes her Ipod.  Jeremy stays awake all night so he can sleep the entire way…and does a good job of that I might add.  Nancy and I share the driving details.  And on the other end of the trip are two more of my favorite people.  Jason and Jenn are special to me.

Jenn was in the kitchen when we arrived and had prepared a wonderful meal of roast, green beans, pasta, biscuits and oh, the gravy was delicious.  I am glad we made it.  I have mastered getting booed off the stage at Guitar Hero game.  I am reminded that I am so out of touch.  I think they are in the other room bowling.  Digital life is amazing.

Down stairs is a place for me to sleep and I am looking forward to a wonderful evening of rest and ready to see the morning with my family.  I am learning the joy of watching my family grow up.

Maryland!  It is especially a wonderful state because my family lives there.

A Christmas Story – by Rian B. Anderson

This story came to me by email today…  I was moved

A Christmas Story
By Rian B. Anderson

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn’t been enough money to buy me the rifle that I’d wanted so badly that year for Christmas.

We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. So after supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible.  I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn’t in much of a mood to read scriptures.

But Pa didn’t get the Bible, instead he bundled up and went outside. I couldn’t figure it out because we had already done all the chores.  I didn’t worry about it long though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.

Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard.  “Come on, Matt,” he said. “Bundle up good, it’s cold out tonight.”

I was really upset then. Not only wasn’t I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see.

We’d already done all the chores, and I couldn’t think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this.  But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one’s feet when he’d told  them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house.  Something was up, but I didn’t know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn’t going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell.  We never hitched up the big sled unless we were going to haul a big load.

Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn’t happy.  When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of  the woodshed.  He got off and I followed. “I think we’ll put on the high sideboards,” he said.  “Here, help me.” The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.

When we had exchanged the sideboards Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood—the wood I’d spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. “Pa,” I asked, “what are you doing?” “

You been by the Widow Jensen’s lately?” he asked.  The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight.

Sure, I’d been by, but so what? “Yeah,” I said, “why?”

“I rode by just today,” Pa said. “Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They’re out of wood, Matt.”  That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him.

We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon.  He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait.  When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.

“What’s in the little sack?” I asked.

“Shoes. They’re out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the wood-pile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little candy.”

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen’s pretty much in silence.  I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn’t have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn’t have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this?  Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn’t have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door.

We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, “Who is it?”

“Lucas Miles, Ma’am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?”

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all.

Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.  “We brought you a few things, Ma’am,” Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children—sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last..

I watched her carefully.  She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn’t come out.

“We brought a load of wood too, Ma’am,” Pa said, then he turned to me and said, “Matt, go bring enough in to last for awhile. Let’s get that fire up to size and heat this place up.”

I wasn’t the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too.

In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks and so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn’t speak.  My heart swelled within me and a joy filled my soul that I’d never known before. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference.

I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.   I soon had the fire blazing and everyone’s spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn’t crossed her face for a long time.   She finally turned to us. “God bless you,” she said.  “I know the Lord himself has sent you.   The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us.”

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I’d never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen’s face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug.  They clung to him and didn’t want us to go. I could see that they missed their pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, “The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We’ll be by to get you about eleven. It’ll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn’t been little for quite a spell.” I was the youngest. My two older brothers and two older sisters were all married and had moved away.  Widow Jensen nodded and said, “Thank you, Brother Miles. I don’t have to say, “‘May the Lord bless you,’ I know for certain that He will.”

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn’t even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, “Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn’t have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. So, Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand.”

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Just then the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen’s face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.

Making Love Last a Lifetime!

January 4, 2009 will start out church on a nine week journey that will focus on marriage.  Adam Hamilton is pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, has written Making Love Last a Lifetime which we have chosen as our text for this focus. Topic include

Venus and Mars in the Beginning
What Women Wish Men Knew about Women
What Men Wish Women Knew about Men
After the Honeymoon is Over
The Habits of Unhealthy Marriages
God’s Plan for Sexual Intimacy
The Ministry and Meaning of Faithfulness
Making Love Last a Lifetime

One quote from the book  that has found a focus in my own prayer life and practice “Marriage is not simply the next step after falling in love.  Marriage is a calling from God, a life-long mission of service and caring and ministry to another human being (and I [Jim Crooks] would add to this comment ‘…of the opposite sex…’) - seeking to be, on God’s behalf, a companion and helper to another.”

I am excited because I have invited Barry Lord to share in the teaching/preaching responsibilities for the first half of this study.  Barry served on staff with us for 13 years and is the interim pastor at Calvary Baptist in Lake City, SC, has agreed to share his wisdom with our church.  Many in our fellowship have been on marriage retreats with he and his dear wife Melanie, and know the depth of information and expertise he brings with him.

Kipp Gray has been kind enough to put together a website that you can check out the details regarding the event www.married-forever.com

I encourage you to click the link.  Look at the site and take the time to fill out the survey that is detailed there.  The results will be incorporated in the messages Barry and I preach during this series.

I Love the Place…

A model of the temple in Jesus' day

15-17Jesus put together a whip out of strips of leather and chased them out of the Temple, stampeding the sheep and cattle, upending the tables of the loan sharks, spilling coins left and right. He told the dove merchants, “Get your things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a shopping mall!” That’s when his disciples remembered the Scripture, “Zeal for your house consumes me.”

There are some things I will fight for.  My family is one of them.  Nothing fires me up more than when someone threatens my family.  Fortunately these events are very few and far between, but I have a real desire to protect my family.  I love my sons.  Jason is married to a beautiful young lady named Jenn, and they live in Maryland.  Jeremy is here in Florence living with Nancy and me at our house, so I get to see him very regularly.  Kimberly, my youngest and my daughter, is still under my own watchful eye.  She is fortunate for she has the four of us watching out for her.  I know that one of these days some hairy legged boy is going to want to date my daughter.  That will be one lucky boy.  He will have our whole family helping him date my daughter.  My love for my family consumes me.  I get fired up when I think about something happening to my family.  They are the love of my life.

I have always loved this passage of scripture for we get to see the Jesus doing something out of character as we  perceive it.  I get to get a glimpse into the heart of Jesus.  I get to see here what it is that He loves and loves so much that it consumes His thoughts.  Even the disciples remembered this verse that I am certain that Jesus rehearsed in their presence again and again after he had cleaned the place up to suit Him.  They were probably astounded that Jesus was that fired up about something.  He loved the temple because His father loved the temple for He filled it with his presence.

In the Jewish world it was THE place where man and God met in a very special way.  In Jesus’ thinking there are some things that you don’t mess with and that was one of them.

Random Thoughts

Is it normal to wear short sleve shirts this time of year?  WOW!

I am glad that no one is throwing shoes at me today!

“I want to be led, but I am not a good follower.  So how does a freewheeling, creative-thinking person absorb an invitation like the one Jesus spoke, ‘Take up your cross and follow me’?’ (AG Mosaic. p.125)  I will admit that I share some of the same thoughts. There are some people with the natural inclination toward discipline. Excuse the English destruction, but I ain’t one of them. I have to work hard to stay focused to do accomplish something as simple as this blog. I do things in spurts of energy and focus and most of the time the dots are not connected real well. I amaze myself that I get a chance to read the scriptures, pray, and meditate on the Word of God daily. I am thankful for the faithful example of those who are so well adjusted to the take up your cross stuff. I am also amazed at the grace the journey with Christ brings each day to get me where he is taking me.

You haven’t seen anything yet! Before this is over you’re going to see heaven open and God’s angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again.” John 1:51 Can you imagine what Nathaniel thought when he heard Jesus say this? He was already blown away at what he had experienced with Jesus’ knowledge of his being under the fig tree. That was wild enough for Nathaniel but to hear Jesus say tell him he hasn’t see anything yet. Can you imagine what our eyes will see?

Economically we are all taking a hit. People leave the church family to go help a church start in our community. We have had a streak of people in our church loose their jobs. I hurt every day as I think of what kind of adjustments they have to make to accommodate their income level with the expectations of the Christmas season. Our new building brings all kinds of new challenges. I have watched as our entire church family finds new avenues to fellowship and meet in classrooms with moveable walls. It is a delight. I reminded again this morning that we still have an interest debt load that we carry on the loan for the building. Caring for and cleaning that kind of space brings its financial challenges as well. Add to all that the fact that people are naturally cautious with their giving in every area of their financial life. I am glad that we can adjust and watch God take care of us. I am reminded again that “we have not seen anything yet…” I have been here a long time. I have seen the ups and downs and all of that is in the plan of God. Our job is to trust God. I am like Nathaniel this morning. I get a little glimpse of what God continues to do, and then I hear the Savior say to me “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”

I am reminded again to pray for our church family. I can say that today I have been faithful to do just that.

Salt Water and the Love of God

“Salt water is the greatest component in our world, yet there are people who have never seen an ocean.  That doesn’t change the ocean.  It is constant and powerful and like the love of God, whether we are immersed in it, standing on the shore, or a thousand miles away, it remains.”  (Mosaic.  Grant, Amy. p. 7)

In a few moments I will stand by a family trying to deal with grief and trying to make sense of a life that stopped so soon.  Heaven is special to me because all the loose ends in life which bring so many questions to life on this side of glory will finally find answers.  Being reminded this morning of the constant and powerful love of God is helpful.  Oh, to see a family immerse themselves in the ocean of God’s love in the midst of the pain.

We entrust our lives into the all wise hand of God.

Native American Indian Legend

I owe Wayne Bell a thank you for this one…great illustration.

(Great Reminder:  Thanks to Caleb Fox for reminding me that some “legends” are just that.  I wish I could openly connect this with the Cherokee Native American Tribe.  I can simply say that I received it with the Cherokee name attached.  Thanks, Caleb!)

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone.  He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.  He cannot cry out for help to anyone.  Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.  He cannot tell the other boys of  this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.   The boy is naturally terrified.  He can hear all kinds of noises.  Wild beasts must surely be all around him.  Maybe even some human might do him harm.  The wind blew the grass and the earth shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.  It  would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.  It was then that he discovered his father sitting on  the stump next to him.  He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.  We, too, are never alone.  Even when we don’t know it, God is watching over us sitting on the stump besid us.  When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Moral of the story:

Just because you can’t see God, doesn’t mean He is not there “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

We had nothing to do with it…

"Staff Trio" under the direction of pianist Teresa Godwin!

We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.

There are days when I simply pinch myself. I know where I came from, and I am confident that God has invited me to be a part of what he is doing. Mary was from Nazareth and she was selected to be Jesus’ mother. I am not making more out of that than I should – just simply stating that for Mary this was the task that she “pinched herself” about. It isn’t about comfort and certainly not about a schedule. Her life was evidence that God had this idea about a young virgin girl (a good Godly pure chaste young lady at that) at the perfect point in history where God was ready to bring His Son into our world. She would be ridiculed all of her life about this Jesus. Mother with no earthly father – yea, right! I can hear the good Baptist’s working that one over in the gossip circles. “It was all His idea…a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it…”

Teresa Godwin was in Human Relations at Klear Knit before joining our staff as Children’s Minister. Daniel Dulaney was working in sales and was the manager of our Lifeway Store here in Florence. He is now our Business Administrator. Jay Perez and Jason Allen both were in sales. Rick Estes (who was at a conference when the picture (L) was taken) taught school before his call into ministry. I (who was fortunately at a meeting when the afore picture was taken) have been at this calling since I was 17 years old. None of us would have ever dreamt that this was what God was doing, but we had nothing to do with it. I am glad that we were chosen and by God’s grace given the chance to be at the same place serving God’s people.

God, thanks for allowing me to see the special calling on my life. May I live accordingly and bring glory to your name by being a faithful participant in joining you in this ministry.

Seize the Eternal Life…

1-12But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

This caught my eye and my spirit this morning. What a list of things to pursue – righteous life – a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, and courtesy. Wow! and backward woW! I am like a race horse who is placed in the shute ready for the gun to signal the start of the race. I get started well. I am a wonderful starter. I have all high starter qualities of anyone on the planet. It’s finishing the thing that drives me crazy. Maybe that is what Paul meant here about steadiness…day by day commitment to the daily process of doing what we are called to do.

I have a friend who journals the “wonder” things. He asks himself a question each evening, “What have I seen God do today?” and he begins to journal about what he has seen. He assured me that if you look you can begin to see miracle after miracle in the small and big things of life. You will be surprised how many people you can see by divine appointment that you had no idea of meeting any other way. In a few minutes I will prepare for the day, and I am excited to meet five new friends. I know one of the five. However, I will be searching the “wonder” of it this morning.

“Faith”. That five letter word makes great preaching but sometimes tough living. I have faith, don’t get me wrong. I know “Who” to trust, and I am confident in Him. However, I get caught from time to time dealing with the flesh, the natural, the earthy things and think that I have the power to do something. I am reminded again that I am totally dependent upon God.

Love? I watched that happen in my prayer time a bit ago. We are asked to love as he loved. I will be perfect one of these days away from sin and its touch and influence on my mind. I have such interesting thoughts while I pray. God deals with me about this. However, just being honest with you, I struggle as he gently encourages me to pray for people who have hurt me or who have other agendas. His being patient with me and loving me has aided me in loving others as He loves them and even loves me.

I hear my mother say, “Now Jim, be nice!” Be nice? right! Even so, there is always room for people who are nice. You choose to be harsh and critical. You choose to do rough things with people. We can choose to be a person who show courtesy to others. Patience and niceness is a wonderful quality.

Thank God, He ain’t though with me yet!

Prayer: “Help!”

Circumspect and Exemplary

9-11So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

Christ has called me to a life that is Circumspect and Exemplary.

cir⋅cum⋅spect

/ˈsɜrkəmˌspɛkt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [sur-kuhm-spekt]

–adjective

1.	watchful and discreet; cautious; prudent: circumspect behavior.

2.	well-considered: circumspect ambition.

---

Origin:
1375–1425; late ME < L circumspectus (ptp. of circumspicere to look around), equiv. to circum- circum- + spec(ere) to look + -tus ptp. suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

ex⋅em⋅pla⋅ry

/ɪgˈzɛmpləri, ˈɛgzəmˌplɛri/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ig-zem-pluh-ree, eg-zuhm-pler-ee]

–adjective

1.	worthy of imitation; commendable: exemplary conduct.

2.	serving as a warning: an exemplary penalty.

3.	serving as an illustration or specimen; illustrative; typical: The sentences read are exemplary of the style of the essay as a whole.

4.	serving as a model or pattern: The authoritative and exemplary text of the work is in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.

5.	of, pertaining to, or composed of exempla: the exemplary literature of the medieval period.

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Origin:
1400–50 for earlier sense “model, exemplar”; 1580–90 for def. 1; late ME (n.) < L exemplāris. See exemplum, -ary

God is teaching me that if I want to strengthen my marriage then I need to strengthen my relationship with God. If I can strengthen my own relationship with Christ, He then gives me a solid foundation to do that same kind of thing with my wife and children. As a husband and a father, I have a great need to be the kind of leader that God requires.

He asks me to live a life that is watchful and discreet, cautious and prudent…a life that is careful in how I treat the testimony of my Lord. I find that I am so free spirited sometimes that I need to be very careful how I represent God and how I treat his character as displayed in my own life. He asks me to live a life that is “worthy of imitation, commendable and filled with exemplary conduct”. I am glad that He did not require me to be sinless. Nevertheless, I cannot hide behind my “flesh” and not attempt to walk before God as one who is thankful for the righteousness that I have in Christ.

Paul has called me to pay attention to my walk before God. I am trusting Him this morning as I live in such a way that I become a model or pattern to follow.

“…God Helping You…”

Hiking in the NC Mountains - Takes my breath away.

1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

I am so thankful for different kinds of Bibles that give you different perspectives on familiar passages. I have had Stafford Hebert on my mind lately. Years ago God hooked the two of us up in the ministry at Midland Park Baptist Church in Charleston, SC. What a preaching machine! He loved the Word of God and held it in such a high regard that it impacted my life of ministry and preaching as well. “Preacher” was a man of God and a prayer warrior. Many days early in the morning he would be kneeling by his bed or at his study desk at home praying for the church and for people. Now that I went off on that tangent let me get back to my point. Stafford made me memorize Romans 12:1-2 in the King James Version out of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible. He would make me look up all of the other related references and spend a great time in that verse before he would allow me to get in the pulpit and preach from it. Reading it from “The Message” version allows me to visit this passage again for the very first time.

What jumped out at me this morning is the comfort of knowing that where God guides he always provides. That is so true in my own life. Being a father and praying for my family gives me a chance each new day to be assured that I am not alone and that the way before me today is absolutely under the complete guidance of God’s direct helping. Being a pastor I am comforted as well. I watch people like Fred and Margaret Riggins celebrate their 58th Wedding Anniversary today. There is nothing exceptional except that it is 58 years together, and that they will celebrate it in the MICU unit at McLeod Hospital. She is so close to heaven. They are so much in love. I watch him wait on every breath the ventilator assists her with and watch the instruments as her heart struggles. I am reminded again that God is helping.

I place my family and Fred and Margaret as an offering before the Lord. I have the privilege of watching Him work.

God, give me eyes to see you at work. I trust you.

Out in the Wide Open Spaces of God’s Grace

1-2By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

Today’s reading is Romans 5-8. I stepped into the fifth chapter and began to rejoice that God’s marvelous grace has provided me with the ability to stand where I hoped I might be able to stand. I am now able to stand in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory and it makes me want to say “Thank You Jesus!” How do you thank Him – this Master Jesus – for all that he has provided children of God? We enter by faith into what God has always wanted for us. He made me right with Himself. He made me fit for Himself.

It will not take a brain surgeon to figure out how I do not deserve a single blessing from the Father. He not only invited me to believe in Him but provided the forgiveness that allows all this blessing to take place. My heart’s desire today is to live in a way that reflects just how thankful I really am.

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh you rescue the souls of men

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost the way
Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost the way

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne