God’s Warnings

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Pastor Dave

Our vehicles have all sorts of warning lights and sounds to let us know of an impending problem with major systems such as electrical, cooling, gas, oil pressure, etc.,  before we incur serious damage from a system failure. Newer models warn us about many things–seatbelts, doors ajar, tire pressure, and even if your gas cap is not securely fastened.  The gas gauge on our car broke several months ago, so we have to make sure we set the trip odometer each time we fill up to give us an idea of when we need to get gas. On our recent return from Oregon, we faced some severe headwinds so our gas mileage dropped considerably and our low gas light and warning bell told us we had best find a station soon. Well, praise the Lord, we located one in just a few miles.

     Warning lights and buzzers and bells can be annoying, but they can also save us a lot of grief and expense.  They are there for a good reason. Our human nature would like to ignore them, put tape over them, or disarm them. But then we face the consequences of something far more serious than just the little annoyance of the lights and sounds.
     When we travel, we depend on road signs to warn us too and help us avoid accidents. We have signs for speed limits, curves, intersections, hills, icy roads, stopping, yielding, etc. If we ignore the warning signs, we put ourselves and others in danger.
     A recent guest speaker at our church happened to be going too fast through town (37 mph through a 25 mph zone) and saw those bright red and blue flashing lights in the mirror that always bring a sick feeling to the stomach. He pulled over and waited for the policeman to run his plates. As he waited, he was, of course hoping and praying that he wouldn’t get a speeding ticket. He had respect for the laws and those who enforce them, knew he was in the wrong, and had not intentionally been speeding. After showing the policeman his driver’s license and proof of insurance, he was greatly relieved to receive only a verbal warning.
     God made our bodies such that we also have warning signals of something that is not functioning properly. We can determine from blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, temperature, etc, whether or not something is going on that we need to pursue further before we have some major health issues.  
     I’m reminded of how often in His Word, God gives us warnings, which if we heed, we can avoid some serious problems down the road. He gives them to nations as well as to individuals.  He warned Adam to avoid eating the fruit of a certain tree in the Garden, telling him what the consequences would be if he did: “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). We all wish Adam and Eve had heeded the warning, because, unless the rapture happens in our lifetime, we will all die (cf Ro. 5:12,19; Heb. 9:27).  God raised up prophets in the Old Testament to warn the nations of Israel and Judah of impending judgment if they didn’t repent and turn back to Him. Jeremiah cried out warnings to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin that God was sending the Babylonians to judge them.  He said: “Flee for safety, O sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem!…For evil looks down from the north and a great destruction” (Jer. 6:1).  But they wouldn’t listen to Jeremiah. We read in verse 10: “To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed, and they cannot listen.”  God chose Ezekiel as the prophet to warn Israel: “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me” (Ezek. 3:17). He also warned Ezekiel that if he didn’t warn them, He would hold Ezekiel accountable for their blood (vv. 18-21). 
     In the New Testament, we see the wise men “warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod” (Mt. 2:12).  Then an angel appeared to Joseph and warned him to take Jesus and Mary and flee to Egypt, “for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him” (v. 13).  Aren’t you glad he heeded the warning!
     During His ministry, Jesus too gave numerous warnings. He told His disciples to beware of false prophets (Mt. 7:15), to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (Mt. 16:6,11; Lk. 12:1). He said we are to beware of covetousness (Lk. 12:15) and of making public display of our piety (Lk. 20:46). He warned of the consequences of despising children (Mt. 18:10). He said to be on guard against dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life (Lk. 21:34).
     The Apostle Paul, in his writings, also gives us numerous warnings: Take heed how you build on the foundation (I Cor. 3:10); Take heed that your spiritual liberty isn’t a stumbling block to others (I Cor. 8:9); Watch out for pride, it often precedes a fall (I Cor. 10;2); Be aware of the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:10,11); Take heed to fulfill your ministry (Col. 4:17); Take heed to continue in correct doctrine (I Tim. 4:16); Take heed lest unbelief causes you to falter in your relationship with God (Heb.; 3:12); Don’t go to bed angry (Eph. 4:26); Beware of the philosophies and traditions of men (Col. 2:8); Don’t sleep–watch and be vigilant (I Thes. 5:16); Watch in all things (II Tim. 4:5).   The writer to the Hebrews also warned of covetousness and allowing roots of bitterness to take hold of our lives (Heb. 13:5; 121:15). Peter warned:  Beware of the error of the wicked–don’t fall from your steadfastness (II Pet. 3:17), and Watch out for your adversary, the devil, who seeks to devour you (I Pet. 5:8).
     Not only do we need to heed God’s warnings, we need to be, as Ezekiel and Jeremiah were, “watchmen” who are warning those around us of coming judgment if people do not repent and turn to Christ.  Paul said, “And we proclaim Him, admonishing (warning) every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ. And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me” (Col. 2:28,29).
 
                                                                                                      One of His Watchmen,                                         
                                                                                                       Pastor Dave
    
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I Will Be With You

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Pastor Dave

 One of the most precious promises in God’s Word, and one that is given repeatedly, is “I will be with you.”  For example, when God spoke to the nation of Israel through the prophet Isaiah, He promised: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched. Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” (Isa. 43:2,3a).  When Moses gave a charge to his people, preparing them to enter the land God had promised  them, He said: “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you” (Dt. 31:6 cf v. 8). Since Moses didn’t actually get to lead the people in, God, in His  commission to Moses’ successor, Joshua, said: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous!  for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9).

     Before His ascension back to heaven, Jesus commissioned His disciples, saying: “Go therefore and make disciples to all the nations…and Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:19,20). We have an example of this in the life of the Apostle Paul. He had visited the wicked city of Corinth to evangelize but they resisted and blasphemed (Acts 18:6). But God had a word for him: “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you…” (Acts 18:9,10).  The writer to the Hebrews, quoted from Moses’ charge to the Israelites as well as from the Psalmist, saying: “…for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we may confidently say, ‘The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'” (Heb. 13:5,6). Verse five could be literally translated: “I’ll never, never, never, abandon you in a hopeless state.” 
     God never promised that we wouldn’t pass through some deep waters and fiery trials, but He did promise to always be with us and see us through them. The prophet Habakkuk who was commissioned by God to announce His intention to punish Judah by the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar and the deportation to Babylon, made an amazing statement that is recorded for us in Hab. 3:17-19.  Though Babylonian invasion would strip the land, Habakkuk would rejoice in the Lord, knowing He would be there with him through it all: “Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.
      Whatever happens to you, whatever else may fail, God “Will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). We can always rejoice in the God of our salvation. It is one thing to thank God for delivering us from trials–and we should. It’s another thing to thank Him while they’re going on, but this has always been one of the greatest testimonies a Christian can give to an unbeliever–the testimony of a life of rejoicing in God’s salvation and in His presence in the midst of great difficulty. God is, as King David testified–and he should know!–“Our refuge and strength, and a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride” (Psa. 46:1-3). 
     Thirty years ago this month, we were in a car accident on our way home from a Wednesday night Bible study. There were patches of ice on the road and a car approaching us hit one of those icy patches and lost control and came at us broadside. Our car was totaled and each of us sustained some injuries. My wife still suffers problems with a shoulder as a result.  Could God have prevented that from happening? Obviously He could, He is omnipotent. But He had other plans for us. He was, though, as He has promised, with us through it. It was amazing how He had set up a support team for us that night, from ling fishermen at the river who came rushing up to assist and set out flares to a young missionary gal who “happened” to come by and had sleeping bags in her car to keep the kids warm until the ambulances arrived.
     Three weeks ago, on our daily walk, Kathy slipped on some ice hidden by a fresh dusting of snow and fell hard, jamming that same shoulder, breaking the radius bone in her lower arm, and bruising her tail bone. Her arm required surgery with a plate and twelve screws!  We had walked that route just the day before and thought we knew where the ice patches were. Could God have prevented that fall?  Sure He could. But what He did do–because He is with us and never leaves or deserts us–is provide help. It just so “happened” that the fall took place right in front of two police cars that had parked along the road. They, of course, came rushing right over to assist. 
     No matter what happens in our lives, as believers, God is always with us to see us through and provide all the support and comfort we need. Paul, who experienced way more difficulty than any of us ever will, wrote this great promise: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (II Cor. 1:3,4).  So, whatever happens in our lives, whatever happens in your life today, “For this we have Jesus!,” who promised, “I will be with you.”
 
                                        In His Care,
                                                        Pastor Dave
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The Cares of the World

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Pastor Dave

We just returned from a trip to Oregon to visit family. It is always a joy to see the kids and grandkids and go watch some of their sporting events. Our grandson, Luke, even got to compete in a tricycle race during a time-out in the third quarter of a Portland Trailblazer game. He won and got as a prize weekly Value Meals at McDonalds for a year!  Not sure if that is a good or bad thing?!  As usual, we also got involved in a work project. We spent a day at our daughter’s place near Albany cutting out black berry vines. For those of you who know what they are, you know what a task that is. They are kind of like “ginormous” raspberries with long thorns. Some of the vines were a good twenty feet long, crawling up and over bushes and way up into trees. In many cases, both ends were rooted into the ground. When we finished, our bodies looked like we had the measles, from all the pokes through our clothing. When I was pulling on one of the vines, one of the thorns broke off and stuck in my thumb. Even after having it removed, my thumb was hot and puffy for a couple days. On a couple occasions we had to help each other get unstuck from vines that had wrapped around to where we couldn’t get loose. These things grow wild all over western Oregon and Washington and can easily take over if not controlled.

     As I worked to remove the blackberry vines I was reminded of one of Jesus’ parables in Matthew chapter 13, the parable of the sower and the seed. The seed was sown on various types of soil–the hard road bed, rocky soil, thorny soil, and good soil.  The Parable of the Sower reveals that our Lord sows the seed (His Word) in the field (the world). The soil represents the hearts of people and how they receive the Word. Some are hard (v. 4), some are shallow (vv. 5,6), some are worldly (v. 7) and some are receptive (v. 8).  It indicates that only a minority of those who hear God’s Word are truly born again and bear fruit.
     Jesus said, “And some seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out” (Mt. 13:7).  As He went on to explain the meaning of His parable, Jesus said, “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (v. 22).  In this case, the person is so caught up in the cares of the world that the Word of God is squeezed out before it can really get rooted and bear fruit.  Not only does this prevent individuals from coming to Christ for salvation,  but it also is a problem with believers who allow the allurements and cares of the world to squeeze out their spiritual vitality. There are many warnings in Scripture about the world and what it offers and how we can lose our spiritual focus and be rendered ineffective for Christ. The Apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  And the world is passing away, and also its lust; but the one who does the will of God abides forever” ( I Jn. 2:15-17).  The world is whatever cools our affection for Christ. Satan is the “ruler of this world” (Jn. 12:31), and consequently, the world system is opposed to Christ. Satan will do all he can to wrap you up with the thorny vines of the cares of this world to keep you from bearing fruit for Christ. It is very easy to become so entangled in these thorny vines that you need help to get out. Praise God, our Father is the “Vinedresser” (Jn. 15:1) who will cut out the vines if we come to Him and ask for help, confessing our sins of falling prey to the temptations of the world and its cares. And by the way, not all our involvements in the world are necessarily bad things (sinful things), but we can become so busy with our involvements that our priorities get turned around and Christ and the church just get the leftovers.  I’m sure that’s what Jesus had in mind in His “Sermon on the Mount,” in which He exhorted: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt. 6:19-21).    
     Blackberry vines actually produce some very yummy berries and if they are confined and controlled their fruit can be useful. When God saved us, He did not take us out of the world, but sent us into the world to bear fruit. If the things in the world are used for God’s glory and not our own lustful desires, they can bear spiritual fruit. But if we become focused on them, they will ultimately wrap themselves around us, sink their thorns into us and control us, rendering us useless for God. So, maybe you need to let God, the Divine Vinedresser, do some pruning in your life. Warning: It may be a bit painful, but the results are well worth it. After all, “He chose us and appointed us that we should go and bear fruit, and that our fruit should remain” (Jn. 15:16).
 
                                                        Forever His,
                                                                    Pastor Dave
    
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Precious in His Sight

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Pastor Dave

What an amazing thing to observe the attention given to one NFL quarterback over the past couple months. Even if you are not a sports fan, you can’t help but have heard of the uproar caused by Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos who led his team to several come-from-behind victories in a row and into the playoffs, knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round. So what is it about Tim Tebow that causes such controversy and media coverage? He is a very dedicated Christian who is not a bit bashful about praying in public, taking a knee on the sidelines to praise His God, and speaking freely of his love for Jesus Christ whenever interviewed. Television has even shown some of his outside ministries like visiting the mission field, witnessing to inmates, or inviting a special-needs individual and family to be his guest at each home and away game.  Tim is not the most talented quarterback in the NFL but he undoubtedly has a tremendous dedication and strives for excellence and has won the belief of his teammates and coaching staff. What a platform of ministry God has provided him! 

     You may recall that as a quarterback with the Florida Gators, Tim would write “John 3:16” in his eyeblack, something that is no longer allowed. You also probably heard about the amazing statistics after the Bronco’s exciting overtime win over the Steelers. Tim passed for 316 yards, averaging 31.6 yards per pass. The television rating for the game was 31.6%. The Steelers had the ball for 31 minutes 6 seconds.  The “3:16’s” in the game caused so much stir that thousands of people googled “3:16” to find out what it is all about. Many were directed to the website for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, where they saw a clear presentation of the Gospel and last I heard more than 150 had prayed to receive Christ as Savior! 
     One thing that was rarely brought out in all the press coverage of Tim Tebow was that he is a missionary kid from the Philippines who would have been aborted if his mother had listened to the counsel of her doctors. Tim, who was the first sophomore to ever win the coveted Heisman Trophy, who was the MVP of the Orange Bowl National Championship game, who was selected in the NFL draft by the Denver Broncos and led them into the playoffs with several exciting last minute touchdown drives, would never have been born if Bob and Pam Tebow had followed the counsel of the doctors. They were serving as missionaries in the Philippines when she became pregnant. They had been praying for a son whom they could name Timothy. Pam was taking a series of aggressive antibiotics to combat amoebic dysentery when she discovered the pregnancy. She immediately stopped the medicine but the doctors advised an abortion because of the irreversible damage the drugs had presumably caused. They told her it was “just a mass of fetal tissue.” But, as Christians, the Tebows knew that abortion was not an option, as the fetus was not just “potential life,” it was “life with potential,” that life began at conception (Psa. 51:5), not at birth or some stage of pregnancy.
     Six months into the pregnancy Pam was hospitalized with excruciating pain. Doctors said the placenta had detached from the uterine wall. Again she was counseled to have an abortion as doctors warned of the dangers to her own health and predicted the pregnancy would end in stillbirth. The future Heisman winner and NFL quarterback was born on August 14, 1987. He’s now about 250 pounds, stands 6 feet 3 inches and was nicknamed “Superman” by Gator fans.  But with all his success on the gridiron, Tebow insists Jesus Christ is his biggest passion.
     Abortion is obviously a very critical issue being faced today in our country. President Obama just released a statement celebrating the “Roe vs. Wade” Supreme Court decision that has resulted in the death of some 54 million pre-born babies!  The decision handed down on Jan. 22, 1973, overturned pro-life laws offering protection for unborn children and making abortions legal and virtually unlimited. For most Americans the day the Supreme Court handed down its decision was a day to mourn the loss of millions of unborn children–sons and daughters, brothers and sisters lost to a world that values choice over compassion. It was a day to mourn the physical and emotional damage abortion causes to women–the medical problems and the mental health issues caused by guilt and regret.
     Life at any stage–from conception to death–is precious to God. We are made in His image (Gen. 1:26,27), The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” (Jer. 1:4,5). What if Jeremiah’s mother had decided to have an abortion?!  The Psalmist, David, wrote: “For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to Thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret…Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance (embryo); and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious are Thy thoughts to me, O God!” (Psa. 139: 13-17).
     “The circumstances surrounding conception do not affect the preciousness of the lives conceived.”  That is a quote from Gina Jensson, who was aborted at 7 1/2 months by saline solution but survived. Her birth certificate was even signed by the abortion doctor! Planned Parenthood recommended her abortion!  These are very crucial days for our nation, and at the heart of the issue is the struggle we face over the value of human life, the preciousness of every individual, from conception all throughout life. Right now, a baby dies every 22 seconds from abortion. If Obamacare is not overturned, that number will greatly increase!  When a nation turns its back on God’s Word as its guide for life, then we are at the mercy of those who believe we are the mere product of blind evolutionary chance, and human beings are no longer seen as the precious creatures of God that we are. There are many issues today that ought to concern Christians, but abortion, in my view, is the touchstone. Get this one wrong and your moral compass can guide you in nothing else!  The result? We are suffering from moral dyslexia!   Pray for our nation and leaders. Pray for our churches which are under attack for teaching the truth from God’s Word. Most of all, stand up for what you believe and “speak the truth in love.”
 
                                                            Forever His,
                                                                    Pastor Dave
    
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Dare to be a Daniel!

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Pastor Dave

 “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”  That is a quote from the one we honor today in the United States, Martin Luther King, Jr.  He obviously didn’t remain silent about the things that really mattered to him!   Born Jan. 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. became a Baptist minister and activist and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights movement. In 1963, in the March on Washington, he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. He expounded American values to include the vision of a “color blind” society. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination through civil disobedience and other non-violent means. He was assassinated April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. By this time he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and stopping the Vietnam War. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986.

     I recall a chorus we used to sing in Sunday School, Dare to Be a Daniel, which spoke of the importance of taking a stand for our convictions. It’s so tempting to just “hide in the woodwork,” and blend into the environment rather than to stand up for the things that matter to us and against the things which oppose them.  I’m reminded of Daniel in the Old Testament, who was a statesman in the court of heathen monarchs. Taken captive as a youth to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 605, he spent the rest of his long life there as a governmental official and as a prophet of the true God. “Daniel began distinguishing himself among the leaders because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom” (Dan. 6:3).  The others, obviously jealous, “began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him” (Dan. 6:10). Wow, what a testimony of someone living faithfully for God in a pagan country, while demonstrating excellence in his work. His  co-workers devised a plan that anyone making a petition to any god or man besides King Nebuchadnezzar should be cast into the lions’ den.  Well, you know the story, Daniel didn’t stop his normal prayer routine and ended up in the lions’ den, but, “God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths” and Daniel suffered no harm, for which the king was very relieved and pleased because he really liked Daniel and knew he was truly a man of God. 
     Throughout history we have had many who have dared to be Daniels. Continuing to live faithfully for God in the midst of persecution and doing their work as unto the Lord, even if it is for those who don’t love God. We see the rapid decline in religious freedoms in our country, see the increasing crescendo of pro-homosexual indoctrination in schools, entertainment industries and business. We have seen the rescinding of the “Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell” policy in the military, making it possible for homosexuals to openly live out their lifestyles. Our administration has decided not to support the “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA). Included in the government health care program is coverage–with tax money–for “Planned Parenthood” and abortion clinics.   Our public schools have become citadels of atheism with few cries of foul from a minority of Christians. Christian students are denied prayer and other religious expression of all kinds in many places. Islamic students, however are given special times and places on school property to do their prayers. Violent and lawless invaders cross our borders almost at will, trashing our parks, threatening and murdering ranchers on the border. When states cry for help from the federal government, the cries are ignored. If the state takes action, the federal government sues them. Deficit spending is out of control. The federal answer is to print more money which never works, in fact, has destroyed every nation which tries to solve its economic problems that way.
     There is an elephant in the room and we are reluctant to talk about it because of its unbelievable size. We free Americans, especially believers, can hardly believe what is happening to our beloved country. I think of a couple verses in the Bible regarding a nations spiritual climate. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psa. 33:12).  “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Pr. 14:34). Sin has disastrous consequences, whether as an individual or as a nation.  We see evidence of this all throughout Scripture. It is no surprise to me that we are seeing with increasing frequency record levels of floods, droughts, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, industrial  and mining disasters, terrible forest and brush fires. Someone recently claimed that the budget for FEMA now exceeds the US military budget. The Bible makes it very clear that “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he (or a nation) will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). In the history of the world, no nation that was right with God has ever fallen. When a nation forgets God, turns a back on Him, that nation falls.
     I am so grateful for the “Daniels” who are willing to take a stand today against the spiritual and moral decline of our nation. In fact, World Magazine has a “Daniel of the Year” award. I think of “Daniels” today who are “voices crying in the wilderness” like Tony Perkins of Family Research Council, Jay Seukelow of The American Center for Law & Justice,  The Alliance Defense Fund, National Pro-Life Alliance, Focus on the Family and others. But, what about you and me? Keep in mind Martin Luther King Jr.’s statement: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”  As someone else said, “Silence isn’t always golden, sometimes it’s plain yellow!” 
     God is still in control, and all is working toward the conclusion of history with the return of Christ, but we are to “Occupy until He comes.” We aren’t to just hide our heads in the sand, waiting for Jesus to come. We are to continue being His ambassadors (II Cor. 5:20) until He removes us. It’s time to stand and say, “Enough is enough!”  Don’t be silent about the things that really matter! 
 
                                        Forever His,
                                                Pastor Dave
    
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The Missing Piece

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Pastor Dave

Since none in our family was able to make it for Christmas this year, and since we like to do jigsaw puzzles, we decided to get some new ones to work on over the holidays. We were a bit discouraged by the price of new ones and didn’t find many we were interested in doing, so went to the community store and picked out three “new to us” puzzles to work on. The first one was a beautiful scene of a harbor and boats. But, we encountered a very frustrating problem: only 99.3% of the pieces were there!  Out of the one-thousand-piece puzzle, seven pieces were missing. Of course, not knowing that until we finished, we spent quite a bit of time looking for pieces that weren’t there!  The second puzzle had only 500 pieces and 99.2% of them were there! If you do your math you will find that we were missing 4 of the 500 (and three of them were edge pieces!)  We are currently doing the third puzzle and at least the frame pieces are all there.

     Now if you are taking an exam, 99.2% or 99.3% would mean you got an almost perfect score. If you were a baseball player and had a .993 on-base-percentage, it would mean you only failed to get on base 7 out of 1,000 at bats or about 7 times in two seasons!  A batting average of .993 would be totally amazing. But when it comes to having nearly all of the puzzle pieces it is rather frustrating. You expect all the pieces to be there. One new jigsaw puzzle we bought one year actually had pieces from a number of puzzles in it. Now that too was rather challenging!
     There’s another area of life, far more consequential than puzzle making or baseball where 99.3% or even 99.999% doesn’t make it and that is with regard to our assurance of eternal life in heaven. It seems that some are always looking for, but never finding, that piece that is missing from their lives. Many are trying to put in pieces that don’t fit. As someone said, “We were created with a God-shaped vacuum in our heart, which only Jesus Christ can fill.”  He is the missing piece in many a life. So many are searching for purpose and significance in all the wrong places, trying to fill in that void in their life with pieces that don’t fit, like trying to put a square peg in a round hole!  
     One individual who came to Jesus asked, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” Jesus answered, “…If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments,” and went on to list six of them. The young man responded by saying, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus answered, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.”  “But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieved; for he was one who owned much property” (Mt. 19:16-22).  Now, Jesus wasn’t saying the Law was given as a way of salvation, but to convict one of his sins, to show the need for Christ (see Ro. 3:19,20,28; Gal. 2:16,19-26). This man had made riches his god and wasn’t willing to give them up. We have a picture of those who think it is necessary to do something to be saved rather than to believe the Gospel that Christ has done everything for them. Jesus didn’t promise him eternal life by doing, but told him to perform an act that would reveal to him his lack of saving faith and his self-deception of his claim of keeping the Law.
     There will be many who think they have eternal life because they have been “doing” things for God, even calling Him ‘”Lord” or “Savior.”  Jesus said to such, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day (day of judgment), ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'” (Mt. 7:21-23).  So, just what did Jesus mean by “he who does the will of My Father”?  Jesus answers that for us in a later statement, recorded by the Apostle John: “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day” (Jn. 6:40).
     There are also those who think that if they attend and join a church, read and study their Bibles and even memorize verses, that that will provide eternal life for them. But Jesus said to folks who think that way, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me, and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life” (Jn. 5:39,40). 
     In all these accounts, the common factor, the one “missing piece” is Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (Jn. 14:6). He didn’t say He was “a” way, but “the” way. Peter, “filled with the Holy Spirit” said to the religious leaders in Jerusalem, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:8,12).  The Apostle John wrote this in his first epistle: “And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (I Jn. 5:11,12).
     Many are “looking for missing pieces” spiritually, for they are trying to fill that void in their lives with religion and good works, with doing instead of believing. They can have no real assurance of eternal life for they do not have Christ living in them. They have never acknowledged their sin and that Jesus died for it and rose again and is the only means of their salvation. Only when we put our total trust in Christ as “the way, the truth and the life,” can we be assured of eternal life. Then we can be 100% sure!  John also wrote this: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life” (I Jn. 5:13). Are you 100% sure of heaven?  If not, I encourage you to personally ask Jesus Christ into your life as your Savior and Lord (see Jn. 1:12). Then you won’t just “hope” you are going to heaven, but you will “know.” 
 
                                Forever His,
                                          Pastor Dave
  
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Putting Away Christmas

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Pastor Dave

While we shopped at a local grocery store this weekend, a couple of the workers were scraping off the nativity scene that had been painted on the window (by our neighbor).  I couldn’t help but think as the figures disappeared how that’s how many treat Christmas. They enjoy the special festivities, the musicals, the plays, the school programs and church activities. They love to decorate their homes and do special baking, and host Christmas parties, but then comes New Year’s and Christmas is “put away” for another year, as the tree and home is undecorated and the nativity set (including “baby Jesus”) is packed away for another year. 

     The Christmas season always seems to create a tenderness toward the message of the Gospel of how God became a man in order to have a body in which He could die to pay the penalty for our sins. Oh, there are always the few who get bent out of shape over the emphasis on the Christ of Christmas and even the greeting “merry Christmas,” but the majority still are moved by the real “reason for the season.”  Unfortunately the enthusiasm and renewed focus on Christ and his incarnation soon wane as the New Year begins and not only is Christmas “put away,” but so is the openness  toward the Christ of Christmas. It is as though He is relegated to the storage containers along with the decorations, and forgotten for another year while we go about doing our own thing, focusing on our own needs and wants and trying to find our fulfillment and significance apart from a relationship with Christ (good luck with that!).
     I can’t begin to imagine how this all must make God feel. The Creator of the universe who made man in his own image (Gen. 1:26,27) in order that we might have fellowship with Him and love and glorify Him; the God who loved us so much that He came to earth, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, to be born in obscurity, recognized only by a few lowly shepherds and a few wise men from the East, in order to ultimately “give His life as a ransom for all” (I Tim. 2:5,6).  He was raised from the dead to prove that our sins were paid for and then ascended back to heaven to be our mediator when Satan, the “accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10) brings any charge against us. There He “always lives to make intercession” for us (Heb. 7:25).  What a travesty to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as though He were just part of a nativity scene that we set out for a few days of the year and then put away until next Christmas!  He deserves not only to have a prominent place in our life, He deserves to be preeminent, that is “to have first place in everything” (Col. 1:18).  He should not just be a part of our life, He should be our life!  The Apostle Paul had come to the place in his life where he could say, “For me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). 
     A chorus we used to sing at church and Bible camp went this way: “After all He’s done for me, after all He’s done for me, how can I do less than give Him my best and live for Him completely.”  To the Corinthian believers, Paul wrote this challenge: “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (II Cor. 5:14,15).  All that I am and all that I have and all that I’ll ever be, cannot repay the love debt I owe to Christ. My response should surely be more than a token commitment or a seasonal recognition of who He is and what He has done. It should be a total surrender and commitment of my life to Him and His service. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17). 
     So, even though you may have put away your Christmas decorations (or soon will), don’t lose your emphasis on Christ. Let Him be the Lord of your life. Be resolved this year to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Mt. 6:33). Keep your heart and mind focused on Him. Serve Him faithfully with your whole heart.
     Maybe this will be the year Christ returns for His church!  Are you ready?  Are you “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us…” (Tit. 2:13,14)?
 
                                                                                            Forever His,
                                                                                                Pastor Dave
      
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No Returns

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Pastor Dave

 The day after Christmas is apparently the third busiest shopping day of the year, after Black Friday and the Saturday before Christmas.  Some go for the discount after-Christmas bargains, but many go to return or exchange gifts for a variety of reasons.  Many of the gifts received this Christmas will be headed back to the stores today for a different size or color, because they were defective, or just to be exchanged for something different, or even for a refund. 

     Christmas Eve we attended a party at our pastor’s house. We were to bring a wrapped “white-elephant gift,” something we had received as a gift in the past which we didn’t really want or couldn’t use.  I guess we all have them sitting around, or stored in closets. We’re not really sure what to do with them because we don’t want to offend the person who gave them to us.  When we pick out gifts for others, we are always concerned that it be something they really do want and can use.  We aren’t always successful!
   I’m so glad the gift that God gave us is exactly what we needed and what our heart longs for, and never needs to be “returned.”  His gift, of course, was His Son, and the salvation provided through His sacrifice on our behalf.  “For God so loved the  world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16).  Our greatest need is for forgiveness of sin and to be reconciled to God. God’s gift not only met that need but also provides a whole new, purposeful life. Jesus said, “…I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (Jn. 10:10).  I have never heard a testimony saying, “I’m glad I waited so long to receive God’s gift of salvation through Christ.” But I have heard many who have testified, “Oh, I wish I had made this decision long ago!”  God’s gift is the “perfect” gift, the one we desperately need and which not only meets our greatest expectations but much more. It is definitely the “gift which keeps on giving!”  Once you have accepted God’s gift of eternal life in Christ, you will never need to or want to try to “return” it.  (You couldn’t even if you wanted to!  “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable”… Ro. 8:29…no returns!)  
     Another great thing about the “gift” God has given us is that you can share it with as many as you want without fear of losing it yourself. This gift comes with an eternal “guarantee,” “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you'” (Heb. 13:8).  In fact, the more you share your “gift” with others, the more your gift means to you, and the more excited you get about the gift you were given.
     I trust that you have received God’s greatest of all gifts by trusting Christ for eternal life. If you haven’t, I strongly urge you to consider Jesus’ offer to you, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28).  “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Rev. 22:17).  If you have “opened” God’s gift to you, be sure and share that gift with as many as possible. Many around us are desperately in need of hope and purpose. They are “dead in their trespasses and sins” and need the life which is only available in Jesus Christ. If you have Him in your life then you can share Him with those who need Him. That, by the way, happens to be the very greatest “gift” you could ever give them too!  Any other gift we might give someone is only temporal. But the gift of life in Jesus Christ, that is for eternity. It will never rust, corrode, or fade away, and can’t be stolen. It is “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you (we) greatly rejoice…” (I Pet. 1:4-6a). 
     “THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT” (II Cor. 9:15).
 
                                                            Forever His,
                                                                Pastor Dave
    
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Hugs From God

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Pastor Dave

 I had the privilege of teaching a course one spring for the “International Messengers” training center here in the Libby area where missionaries are prepared for ministry in Eastern Europe. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting these dedicated folks and still stay in touch with most of the group as they are scattered in places like Poland, Romania, and the Ukraine.  The missionaries contribute articles for the publication International Messengers Good News, and the fall 2011 issue included an article from one of the missionaries I got to meet that spring, Naomi Hale. I was greatly encouraged by her story and emailed to get permission to share it, knowing it would be an encouragement to you all as well. Her story is entitled, “Hugs From God.”

 
        “God is evident everywhere, and it brings me great joy to be consciously aware of His presence. There are unique moments or situations though, that are so obviously orchestrated by God, that it feels almost as if He is reaching out with a real hug.  I experienced one of those times this past summer while my family and I were on a summer home assignment. To tell the story well though, I have to back up about 11 years…at that time I had laser surgery to correct my eyesight and I had been pleased with the results up until about one year ago, when one of my eyes started to deteriorate.  It was something I could live with, but I certainly missed the freedom of sight without limits. 
     “While back in the States this summer we were planning about a one-month stay in the city where I had originally had the laser surgery done. I called the office and the kind receptionist assured me that I could come in for an appointment with the doctor, but the next available date would be the following month.  My heart sank, as I knew we wouldn’t be in the area that long and I told her as much. She responded that occasionally people cancel their appointments, and if that were to happen, she would give me a call. I felt an unusual peace and told her that I would pray about such an opportunity–if God had the laser surgery in mind for me, it would work out. I hung up the phone and not even 15 minutes had passed before the receptionist called back!  Her first words were, ‘Wow! Prayer really works! Someone just called to cancel and you now have an appointment for next week.’
     “After consulting with the doctor the following week, he was very hopeful that an ‘enhancement’ surgery on my bad eye could indeed fix it, but there was a problem. He was all booked up and didn’t know of any openings in the near future.  He said, ‘The best time for you to have this surgery would be tomorrow!  Because you still need to have time to come in for a post-op,’ although we both knew that would be impossible because of his schedule. 
     “But with God all things are possible (Gen. 18:14; Lk. 1:37; 18:27)!  I walked to the reception desk from the doctor’s office and she looked up at me and said, ‘How would you like to come in for surgery tomorrow? We just had a cancellation!’  I was stunned and amazed. What an incredible God we serve!
     “Another issue regarding the surgery was the cost.  An expense like that certainly wasn’t in our budget. We spent the evening before the surgery with friends whom we hadn’t seen in over 18 years. I shared with them how excited I was about the way God had arranged everything so wonderfully for me to be able to have eye surgery the next day.
     “The next morning, as I was preparing to go to the clinic, we got an unexpected phone call from our friend we had visited the previous night. He said that God had laid on their hearts the desire to bless us in some way and they wanted to send a check over to cover the whole procedure!  So, I went in for the surgery and now I can see better out of my previous bad eye than I can out of the one I thought was so good.
     “The whole experience left me with the feeling of being ‘hugged by God’–He so perfectly worked this out in my life just because–I didn’t really need it–but He gave it to me anyway. Just like we as parents love to surprise our children with gifts they don’t have to have, but certainly want. What a joy it is to serve such a loving, heavenly Father!”  (“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” …Mt. 7:11)
 
        Some days you just need a hug from someone. Maybe that’s you today. Well, “Cast all your anxiety (care) upon Him, because He cares for you” (I Pet. 5:7).  You just might receive a “hug from God!”
 
                                                                    Forever His,
                                                                        Pastor Dave
    
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Don’t Waste Your…(Cancer, Heart Attack, Accident, Stroke…!)

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Pastor Dave

Minneapolis pastor and author John Piper, wrote on the eve of his prostate surgery, “Don’t waste your cancer. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.”  A whiff of fatality is a great gift, because it gets us thinking about death while we still have the opportunity in this life to do more than to mourn our sins and wasted time and bemoan our current condition.  Piper goes on to write, “You will waste your cancer if you think that beating cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ…You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.”  The information we can use is the good news of Christ, because our attitude toward that affects everything. Piper also said, “You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before…Pride, greed, lust, hatred, impatience, laziness, procrastination…All these things are worse enemies than cancer. Don’t waste the power of cancer to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are.” 

     Illness can be just what the doctor orders to focus our attention on what really  matters, on that which counts for eternity.  The Psalmist wrote: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Thy word…It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Thy statutes…I Know, O LORD, that Thy judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me” (Psa. 119:67,71,75).  It seems that, because of the weakness of our old sinful nature, we need frequent reminders of the emptiness of the temporal world about us and the value of that which will last for eternity.  Could God exempt Christians from suffering and pain? Obviously He could, but that would not fulfill His purpose of conforming us to the image of Christ, as we see in Paul’s letter to the Romans: “And we know that God cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…” (Ro. 8:28,29).    The “all things” of which Paul wrote include not only good things such as health, gainful employment, a nice home and family, good friends, etc, but also bad things (health issues, loss of jobs, flooded houses, family problems, strained relationships, etc).  For us to become more and more Christlike, it takes the difficult things along with the good.  Just as David said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Thy word” (Psa. 119:67).  When  things are going well, we have the natural tendency to depend on our own abilities and circumstances rather than upon God.  We lose our hunger and thirst for righteousness. We become spiritually apathetic and complacent. Evidence of this is seen when you compare the average Christian in say, China, with those in the United States. Suffering, whether it be through accident, illness or persecution, helps us get our focus on God and brings us into a closer, more vibrant, more exciting relationship with God.
      And, one of the by-products of that is not only that we experience more joy and more of the abundant life that Jesus promised (Jn. 10:10), but that we also become much more of a witness and blessing to those around us.  We had the privilege this past Saturday of visiting a couple in the hospital in Kalispell (90 miles from Libby). They were part of our church family at Three Lakes where we pastored. Several weeks ago, Judy had a major stroke and after being ministered to in our local hospital was sent to Kalispell where she could have intensive rehab for about a month. Her husband, Jim, is allowed to stay in the room with her as her caregiver.  Jim and Judy have been very active folks, loving the out-of-doors, hunting, etc.  They also often did special music for us at church, Jim on his guitar and singing, and Judy on the bass. They love the Lord and love to share their faith in Christ with whomever God brings into their lives. It would be easy for them to be angry and depressed with their current situation but just the opposite is true. They know that God has them right where He wants them and they are sharing Christ with nurses and patients. Jim has his guitar with him and they get folks together and he plays gospel songs and witnesses to them of God’s love and forgiveness.  Just down the hall from Jim and Judy’s room, is a lady in her 80’s who also suffered a major stroke and is going through rehab.  Jim had painted Judy’s nails for her one day, so decided to go ask this other stroke victim if he could do her nails for her. As he worked on her nails, he gave his testimony and shared the gospel of Christ with the lady and her daughter who was also in the room. On Sundays Jim puts Judy in a wheel chair and takes her to a church service in the area.  We came away from our visit with Jim and Judy greatly blessed. They were not “wasting” the stroke that Judy suffered. They are growing closer to the Lord and drawing other people around them to Him as well.  That is what it is all about!
     John Piper concluded his comments about his experience with prostate cancer with this challenge: “You will waste your cancer (stroke, accident, heart attack…) if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ. Here is a golden opportunity to show that He is worth more than life. DON’T WASTE IT.”  Amen!!
 
                                                                     Forever His,
                                                                                Pastor Dave
 
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