Are you "IN" or "OUT"?

I'm talking about "control". This past Sunday I preached on the need to exercise self-control in all areas of life. This is such an important topic, I thought I would share some of my sermon notes from that message. 

According to USA Today, The soaring national debt is now as big as the entire U.S. economy topping $15.23 trillion. The American Heart Association says that among children ages 2–19, about 1 in 6 are obese. And among Americans age 20 and older, 149.3 million are overweight or obese. The total cost related to this is estimated to be $254 billion and could reach $957 billion by 2030, if the trend continues.The CDC found that more than 38 million Americans binge drink four times a month—consuming an average of eight drinks each time. And it’s not just young adults. Those 65 and older reportedly binge drink five to six times a month. Over-consumption of alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of death, with more than 80,000 fatalities in the United States each year. SafeFamiles.org reports that sex is the number 1 topic searched on the Internet.  There are more than 1.3 million pornographic websites which is a $13 billion a year industry. Approximately 40 million people in the United States are sexually involved with the Internet while 72 million Internet users visit pornography web sites per year. 

These things could all be avoided or eliminated if we would learn to do one thing really well - exercise self-control. The Bible warns us about this: 2 Timothy 3:1-3 says, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control..."

Throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon addressed the same issues we still face today: spending too much money, over-working, over-eating, excessive drinking, giving in to lust (just to name a few).

Is it possible to display self-control in our self-centered and self-seeking culture? Aristotle once said, “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self.”  

2 Peter 1:6 says, "Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness". 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline (self-control)". Galatians 5:22-23 shows us that believers are to produce the fruit of self control. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." 

God equips us with the power to be able to control ourselves, but it actually requires that we give up control and allow the Holy Spirit to "control" us.   
 

How are you doing in this area of your life? Do you feel in control or out of control? We can’t solve all of society’s problems, we can’t change the chaos around us, we can’t control it – but we can learn to control ourselves - Or allow God's Spirit to lead us; and when we do - our whole world will change. 

Found Faithful?

I have a pastor friend who constantly reminds me that we (pastors), are not called to be famous, but faithful. Those are good words because it's easy to focus on the wrong things. It is tempting to want people to "see you in action", but it's been said that we are playing to an audience of ONE. I should only be concerned with what God thinks, what God sees.

Here is what the Bible says about this: Luke 16:10 "Whoever is faithful in very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
 I guess you have to prove yourself faithful first in little...It's a matter of responsibility. You have to prove you can handle "a little" before you can handle "much". With God's grace and power, I hope to do that.

The Waiting Game

At Bellwood, we are seeking to hire an Associate Pastor of Youth and Children. We have a diverse group of folks who are serving on the Search Committee. We had been meeting every other week to do a lot of preparatory work, but now we are in the period of waiting to see who may respond to our new position. I sent the Committee this email today to hopefully encourage them a bit.

Since we seem to not really have a need to meet until we have some prospects, I thought I would touch base with all of you. I hope that we are faithfully praying for the new Associate Pastor of Youth and Children and that we are praying for Bellwood. I really feel good about the work we have done so far. There is evidence of that (job description, church profile, 20 Pastoral tasks). These are the things we can see, but we might be tempted to get discouraged because now we are in a mode of simply waiting – and not necessarily seeing results.Yesterday, while reading in the Chronological Bible, this jumped out at me:  Psalm 5:3 “Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly”. Isn’t that good? We bring our request…and we wait with expectation. We are not just hopelessly waiting or blindly waiting. We wait with anticipation that God will answer and provide at the perfect time.Hang on to this! Don’t get discouraged. Don’t lose hope. Something good is already happening.

Waiting is hard, but this Psalm encourages us to wait with expectation - meaning that God does hear. He is not deaf or turned away. We may have to wait awhile - a very long while in some cases- but we wait knowing that some day, some way God will answer. Be encouraged. 

Theocracy vs. Monarchy

In our readings in the Chronological Bible, God has made it quite clear that He was to be Israel's king (theocracy), but the people wanted a human king (monarchy). Theocracy is God's ultimate will, but since the people rebelled, His remedial will is to meet the people where they are and lead them back to His ultimate will.

Saul was the people's first king. He had his good points: Didn't amass wealth, had no standing army and stopped the Philistines. He also had his bad points: He took on a religious role (remember he didn't wait for Samuel the prophet?), he also didn't follow the rules of Holy War.  

King David also had his good and bad points. Good: He defeated the Philistines, expands the empire, makes Jerusalem the capitol, and develops the arts. Bad: breaks rules of Holy War, took matters into his own hands with Bathsheba, took a census of standing army, builds palace and sets up a harem.

Despite all of this, God still used these two men to accomplish His will. God promises David that a king will always sit on his throne. David's son Solomon will be the next king (we haven't gotten there yet), but that is God's remedial will. However, we know that God's ultimate will is for His Son Jesus to sit on that throne. Jesus is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We have a ways to go in our readings before we get to Jesus. We will actually see that Solomon's kingdom will divide and create a whole host of problems for the people of God. They will end up in exile (which looks like that's the end of the story) But through it all, God continues to show his steadfast love by offering the promise of hope and a deliverer...

Grace really is FREE

This past Sunday I shared the story of David extending grace to Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth. David called him to eat at the king's table all the rest of his days as the tablecloth of grace covered his deformed feet. Chuck Swindoll says, "Grace isn’t picky. Grace doesn’t look for things that have been done that deserve love. Grace operates apart from the response or the ability of the individual. Grace is one-sided…Grace is God giving Himself in full acceptance to someone who does not deserve it and can never earn it and will never be able to repay it.”
 
I can't help but think of our annual Free Grace Sale (coming up on May 5th).  This is a huge opportunity for us to extend grace to others. We are freely giving away items to ANYONE in need. It's just like when King David decided he wanted to show kindness to Saul's family, he asked if there was ANYONE left. Not - is there anyone qualified, anyone worthy - but is there ANYONE?


It will be exciting to hear and see people's responses again this year. I hope you will plan to join us for this great experience.

Quite a Pair

There are just some things in life that go together well: Peanut Butter and Jelly, Cookies and Milk, Flatt and Scruggs, Lewis and Clark, Batman and Robin, macaroni and cheese...I could go on.

In our readings this week, we have seen how close David and Jonathan were as friends. 1 Samuel 18:1 (NIV) says, "After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself".

Saul was king, Jonathan would have been next in line but David was about to become king. If I was Jonathan, I know I would have felt jealousy and bitterness toward David but nowhere does it say that happened. Jonathan was always looking out for and protecting David from his tormented father. Saul was the one who was jealous and out to kill David every chance he got.

Jonathan and David made a pact to look out for each other and each others children. 1 Samuel 20:42 (NLT) says, "At last Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have made a pact in the LORD's name. We have entrusted each other and each other's children into the LORD's hands forever." Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the city."

David is on the run. He's a man on the run - for his life. One day, while hiding, Jonathan finds him to give him encouragement. 1 Samuel 23:15-18 (NLT) says, "One day near Horesh, David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him. Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God. "Don't be afraid," Jonathan reassured him. "My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father is well aware." So the two of them renewed their covenant of friendship before the LORD. Then Jonathan returned home, while David stayed at Horesh.

Jonathan risked his own life in order to go and offer some encouragement to David. (remember: Saul was ticked at him for protecting David). What a true friend!

And that's it. That's the last we hear of David and Jonathan, because the next time Jonathan's name is mentioned is in 1Samuel 31 where the Philistines kill Saul and Jonathan. David mourns and is deeply saddened - but he does something amazing to honor his best friend. He's a man of his word...and for the rest of the story, you'll have to come to Bellwood this Sunday to find out what it was.