Love Fall

Love fall is the title of a series of messages I have been preaching at Crossroads Church. As is my custom the title is not what it seems and the topics have a sideways slant in our examination. We began with Adam and Eve and their sin in the garden. You know they deserved death. Yet, God does not give us what we deserve. God gives from his love for us. After pronouncing the consequences for the fall, God makes clothes for them because they were naked. We then looked at the sin of Cain in killing his brother Abel. Once again Cain deserved death but God did not take his life in fact he placed a mark on Cain to protect him from others.

The saddest words come in God’s declaration of regret in the time of Noah. The men of the earth sinned in such a fashion to make God regret that he had made them. He would destroy the world by a flood. Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah had to build a boat that would save him, his family and all of the land creatures from the destruction. Yet we have the rainbow as a promise of God that he will never do that again. He has been good to his promise. Once again not what we deserved but what God would do from his love.

We moved on to David the “man after God’s own heart.” Yet David was trapped in lust, sexual sin, conspiracy and murder.  The man after God’s own heart had done all of this and tried to cover up each action. Nathan confronts him and calls him out. David is guilty, admits it and by the law should have been killed but God does not give him what he deserves. There are consequences, the baby of the infidelity dies, David’s family respects him no more, and his son Absalom takes the kingdom from his father for a time until the son’s death. David returns as King but scared. That should have been the end of him and his legacy but no, God had plans. From David came Solomon and ultimately the Savior of the world, Jesus. David got not what he deserved but what God would give.

In all of this God is the wronged party. He has every right to punish and eliminate the offenders and yet chooses to extend grace not based upon their actions but based upon himself and his faithfulness. Reliant K has a phrase “the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair.” That is beauty and more than enough to be thankful.

Thanksgiving is a great time with family to gather for food and fellowship around a table. I have been asking folks what is their favorite food of Thanksgiving. One answer wrapped this up. The man said my Mother’s Mac and Cheese. I asked him what made it special expecting a listing of ingredients or technique he replied, “the one who made it.” “The one who made it,” that is a great answer. His Momma is proud. She should be. This series has been targeted at us so that we might see what God has really done in time and space in spite of what we really deserved. Grace makes life not fair. Thank you God and to blow your mind Christmas comes next!

The ultimate expression of the character of God to come himself fixing the problem of our sin once and for all by dying in our place should throw us to our faces before God in gratitude and worship. There is NOTHING more significant for which to be thankful. Turkey is good. Mac and Cheese is fine. Dressing is delightful (my favorite). Pecan pie is pleasure but the love of God in our Savior is…well…like…describing…what? There is nothing like it. Our thankfulness for God’s amazing grace should take our breath away.

Love Fall well you bet. Cooler temps, beautiful colors what’s not to love? But we can love our fall from God not because we are so bad but because God is So good. Thankfulness focuses on the good things, the simple things like Momma’s Mac and cheese. Grace is not simple but it is simple amazing and undeserved and only One makes it, God!

Be Thankful and enjoy the grace of God!

Happy Thanksgiving!   

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG
Eat another bit of your favorite Thanksgiving food for me and enjoy it!

 

Monday I was outside all day!

Being Veteran’s Day and my day off, I had the day off from both occupations (school bus driving and church). I am never really off from church just not in the office. To really be off, I would have to turn the phone off and I did not do that although it only rang twice or three times. I answered it. I was outside the whole day except the time I went to Lowe’s to get some cap stone and 12 more block. A year ago I made plans to build a retaining wall next to the slope from the drain field mound. I have tried some other things and never liked them. Barbara and I went and bought 100 block for the wall, had them loaded into the truck and unloaded them by hand by the slope. That was over a year ago. I’m prompt if not timely.

It just never worked out to have time and the energy to tackle the project of moving the dirt, preparing the base, tamping and then laying the block, leveling and checking every 4 blocks (the length of my level). I really hate to start something and have to leave it undone until I can come back. It bothers me. My wife may not agree as I have left some of her projects and tried (not been able) to not come back. That is another story.

So I had the time, equipment and a beautiful day. The dog enjoyed the whole day outside as well. Well, she went back inside at 5pm. I waited until 5:30. So, I got started and by 1pm had used all of the 100 original stones and needed 12 more. That is when I decided I needed cap stone to finish the wall. I had not intended to use cap stone for a more rustic look turns out it was just was too rustic. Off to Lowes with the dog (she loves to ride) we picked up 40 cap stones and 12 more block and a roll of landscape fabric, answered three phone calls, pinched the fire out of my finger twice moving the stone, paid for it (ouch) and headed back home.

I parked close to the project and started laying the 12 stones recognizing they were just a bit different in color but that was ok (I may yet intersperse them in the other 100, you will never know). The caps went on well but there were two to cut and no tile saw (it’s on loan). So, out with the chisel and with repeated gentle strikes the stone broke on the scribed line and fit in place. Success, I had laid the wall and it looked pretty good. My back, my hands, my feet and my wallet were sore but success, I now have a small retaining wall. I felt pretty good about myself.

Stone, dirt and concrete can do that for you, make you feel pretty good about yourself! It doesn’t last!

It is so easy to derive value and worth from the created rather than the creator. It is so easy to consider a ministry ours and therefore success the result of our doing. If it is, it won’t last. I enjoy creating. Not like God, but putting together items and materials to achieve an effect or create a thing. It is satisfying. The problem is I enjoy that more than the knowledge of God’s love, the experience of God’s love and the confirmation of God’s love. So, I am a human doing rather than a human being. However, I have been created in the image of God whose name is YHWY “I AM THAT I AM.” That is the first person of the infinitive to be. The verb (a word of action) is be or to be. Therefore God’s name is Be. I am made in his image “to BE.” Therein is my success, my joy, my heart, my desire not what I create but that I AM created by the GREAT I AM.

Monday night I rested and Tuesday (and Wednesday) I was sore. I am not as young as I once was but neither are you. Today maybe I will rest in “be.” One who has value and worth regardless of what I can do, say or think. God values us all!            

I really enjoyed being outside on what I call Chamber of Commerce days. The fall is filled with them. They can fill you with the awe and wonder of God who created them. Just don’t forget that it is he who created and not we.

Oh, yeah He never takes a day off. He doesn’t need them!

                

In HIS Service and Yours,
BroG

 

It's Friday and I'm not taking it too well!

Most people come back to life on Friday. Look at those at work. Friday is when they speak. They don’t just grunt when spoken to. It’s the only day of the week that complete sentences come from their mouths. It is an amazing resurrection because they had seemed dead and now they are so alive all because of the weekend.

I’m not taking it well because at least at the moment I have little to look forward to over the weekend. The same old stuff I must do but…no highlights. I started the day poorly as I walked the dog in the cool twilight just before dawn. I continued to dwell on others, their actions, the senseless nature of their deeds and deeds undone and the incongruity of their words and deeds. Honestly, I stewed all around the yard and beyond. The dog didn’t care. She was un-phased by the hypocrisy of their actions. But I was not!

People, they sure can mess you up. It bugs me when others can see what needs to be done, make accusations against others yet never lift a finger to do anything about the “important” task to be done. That just bugs me. I get hung up in my mind over what others should be doing or could be doing or would be doing. Yep, my hang up means I’m just like them not doing anything and complaining about others who aren’t doing either.

God knows that about me. Knowing me like He does he breathed the following into me today.    

It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message

Yep, while I am hung up on others I am not looking at Jesus. My quit just did. I'm still thinking about it. So how did Jesus handle other people who should be, would be or could be? He made a connection with them and showed them how it was done.

I am to do the same.

Yep, those folks I was raking over the coals in my mind on the walk with the dog this morning, I am one of them.

I need to quit talking, quit looking around, set my sights on Jesus and get to following him.

It's Friday and I wasn't taking it too well. Changed my sights and looked to the One.

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG

 

Fruit is Success?

“Leaders: God has not called you to bear fruit. He has called you to be faithful--Jud Wilhite Catalyst 2013

It is easy to nod your heard and agree with this statement. But what about following a team loss of an important game? Did you play faithfully? Yes! You lost? Yes, and you still feel bad? Yes! We count wins and losses. Everybody does! Success, its definition makes the difference.

In “bible” terms as we define it success “bearing fruit” is more people more programs and larger budgets right? We will pay the obligatory lip service to the “biblical” concept of faithfulness but we measure by buildings, budgets and bodies. If a church is growing numerically and building buildings then they are “bearing fruit” and therefore successful.

After posting the above quote a friend challenged the idea using Jesus words found in John 15:1-5.

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. ² Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. (HCSB)

Having read the above we from within our culture and its definition of success would say we need to bear fruit then we are successful. Verse two says that right? Agree? However, verses 4 and 5 are where Jesus defines success differently. Only as we remain in Him can we produce fruit. We cannot produce fruit by ourselves. Let me take one more step of application here, we may be the branches but it is Jesus alone who produces fruit. You may remember the “fruit of the Spirit” it is just that fruit from the Holy Spirit not the believer who bears it. Once again it is God who produces the fruit we are the display stand.

I was finishing Revelation in my daily reading and read of the tree of life (Rev 22:2). It will bear 12 different fruits one for each month. No fruit bearing plant does that, here. That tree will straddle the river of life that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  God’s doing in his place of habitation. No, fruit here and now is born in its season.

I wrestle with being successful, feeling successful. The problem is I measure like this world measures while I try to do things of the Spirit. The key is “I try.” To be successful we have to try harder. I have forgotten the words of Jesus to abide in him (faithfulness) and not try.  My daily reading shifted to the Psalms. This is what God said Psalm 1:1-3 HCSB:

¹How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers!
² Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.
³ He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season.        

There is a season for fruit. You and I may indeed be successful because of our faithfulness it is just not the fruit season! Maybe what we need to hear is People: God has not called us to be successful. He has called us to be faithful.

In His Service and Yours,

BroG