The Rock that Quenches

During the course of my reading this week I came across this statement, “The ability to precisely define reality is the starting point for any hope of equilibrium.” They are simple words in one sense but very profound at the same time. I believe one of the greatest challenges in a believer’s personal journey is the ability to see and be honest with himself about his own condition.

Think about the Nation of Israel as they left Egypt and journeyed through the wilderness. It had only been three months since their leaving Egypt. They had watched as God rescued them from Pharaoh. At the hand of Moses, they had been given from their captor wealth, freedom, and now they are guided by God Himself through the pillar of fire and cloud. They have experienced starvation and bread from heaven. They were literally thirsting to death and had their thirst quenched from a rock. If there ever were a people who understood what it is to be discombobulated, it was Israel.

Sometimes as children of God, we allow the distortion of this life to mess up our equilibrium– spiritual vertigo if you will. However, in reality and from what we see in Scripture, God was and is right there all the time!

There are a tremendous amount of life lessons we can learn from the Nation of Israel during their wilderness journeys. For example, often times we confuse God’s presence with plenty. God’s presence in our lives doesn’t equal material possession. The Israelites were moving just as God instructed; they were led by the pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day.

Can we be honest for a moment? I don’t like that! They were doing what God asked; they were following instructions, and yet God still led them to a place that didn’t have water. Be honest with me; how many of you have ever felt, or currently are feeling, that you’re doing everything your supposed to do, you’re following God, you’re really putting your best foot forward, and God leads you to this dry and desolate place?

Listen, that’s a view from the trenches, that’s our perspective. Let me give you a view from the throne; “Dear children, if you’ll just go where I lead you, there is not a place I will lead you that I will not sustain you!

In every aspect of life, there is perplexity attached to it— perplexity that takes us to our limits and draws us near to God. It is in the midst of the struggles of this life that we learn that this world does not hold any finite answers. And it is in that unrest and dissatisfaction that we are forced to look beyond the limits of this earth to an unlimited God!

May the opportunities of this life force us to cry out for the new life to come…”Come, Lord Jesus!”

Pastor Barry

Worshipping the God Who Saves

Robert Coleman writes, “Worship is the adorning response of the creature to the infinite majesty of God. While it presupposes submission to Him, to worship, in the highest sense, is not supplication for needs, or even thanksgiving for blessings, but the occupation of the soul with God Himself… The end of it all is the pure joy of magnifying the One who alone is worthy.”

 Do you get this? When we approach the throne of God, we are not there to feel better about our Christian lives; we are not there for some sort of believers pep rally. We are not there to petition God for anything; we are there as the faithful subjects of our Creator, to pay tribute before His throne, to bring honor and glory to Him!

“I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.”                                                                Isaiah 6:1-4

 While I don’t want to stereotype all worship, one of the fundamental problems with worship today is

Christians often times are not worshipping the God who saves but rather we worship the worship.

Our focus is not on the God who redeems, God who rescues us from our human plight; often times we are striving to achieve some utopia of worship through the modem of worship. When in truth, if we would see God on His throne high and lifted up, the modem wouldn’t matter, no longer would music, giving, preaching, prayer be tools to bring us into the presence of God but they would be a response to having been in the presence of God!

 Worship today tends to measure itself according to the following terms:

·         The quality of the preaching

·         The music we sing

·         The length of the service

·         The comfort / knowledge / encouragement it brings the participants

·         The feeling of fellowship / friendship

 All of these are very key elements of worship! However, God-honoring worship begins when it focuses on the God who saves rather than the vehicle of worship. It’s so easy when all the elements of modern worship come together to find yourself looking to the elements for pleasure, encouragement, for emotional stimulation. Listen, these characteristics of worship in and of themselves are not bad! However, when they pull our eyes off God—when worship becomes about me— worship has just become defiled and worthless before the throne of God! Remember, it’s all about the one who saves!

 

 

Burn Us Up: The Scorch of Surrender

I spent a good bit of time reading in Daniel chapter three this past week. I encourage you to stop right now and go read the passage before you finish this blog.

You may recall that it tells the story of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego and how they surrendered their lives to be burned rather than bow down before a false god. Wow! What a powerful call in the life of the believer for surrender!

Determining where the line between worldliness and godliness lay can be one of the single most difficult tasks of the Christian today. So much gray has been painted into the portrait of our walk as a believer. I want you to know spiritual maturity removes the gray areas and leaves crisp, clear lines for the follower of Christ.

In this biblical account, we can see that going the way of the world is always the path of least resistance, but in the long run, it is never the path which brings God the greatest glory.

We also see that just when we have made up our mind to do the right thing, to stand by the Word of God and stand by our convictions, there will always be someone there to point out how different we are, always someone there to bring charge, or to bring accusation against the child of God. Why do we feel as though we owe this world an explanation? “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter” (3:16).

These men were making a powerful statement of faith! Believers today are so afraid they’re going to be asked to share the Gospel with a stranger or knock on a door; however, more times than not, you are making a statement with your life without speaking a word! What is the life you live saying about the God or gods you serve?

It is extremely important to see that these men recognized that their fate was not in the hands of an earthly king, Nebuchadnezzar; rather their fate rested in the hands of the King of Kings! I am reminded of the passage of scripture found in Matthew 10:28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to kill both soul and body in hell.”

The enemy will always respond to righteousness with envy, with malice, and anger! Remember “…He that departs from evil makes himself a prey” (Isaiah 59:15).

The biblical account of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego is an awesome display of God’s righteousness at work both in the life of the faithful as well as in the life of the enemy. While God’s righteousness was being displayed in Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, it was also being displayed in those men dead on the ramp of the furnace, and it was also being displayed in the heart and eyes of King Nebuchadnezzar!

 
These men were bound up and cast into the fire all for doing what is right in the eyes of God. Remember these men the next time you face hardship, trial. The next time you’re facing the fire of tribulation, ask yourself the following questions: Are others seeing Christ through my tribulation? Is my attitude, my conduct, my behavior, my talk, my actions, my convictions displaying true faith and trust in God?

For Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, they had but one message… “Burn us up! Burn us up, King Nebuchadnezzar, but we will never worship a false god!”

Burned Up For Jesus

It has been years since I have heard anyone refer to another as “on fire.” Has our culture and church life, the understanding of spiritual things, changed so much that we are even ashamed to get excited about Jesus? I’m not talking about being charismatic or Pentecostal; in fact, I’m not speaking of behaviors that relate to external beliefs; rather, I’m speaking about the passion that rises up from deep within the soul of the believer. The one who has put his or her faith and trust in Jesus Christ and as a result of that relationship longs, or as I wrote last week, craves the Christ-life.

Fire is an amazing thing. Having served several years in the fire service and still being associated with it through a chaplaincy, I have had opportunities to see fire at work. Fire gives off heat; fire gives off light; fire causes expansion; fire burns. I truly get excited when I think about the character and nature of fire and how much the church of the Lord Jesus Christ has in common with it.

Ministries have even been built around the matter of “burn out.” There is an enormous difference between being burned out on Jesus and being burned up in Jesus. Simply put, burn out is when we rely on our own strength (which is limited). Being burned up is relying on the strength that is in Jesus Christ and never coming to a place of burnt out.

After this summer, I can now say that I think I know what it means to be right on the brink of burning out. It took some deep soul searching, prayer, and time alone with God to realize the areas of my life that were under my own power rather than the power of Jesus.

The Prophet Jeremiah found himself in a similar place, on the brink of burning out or burning up! Jeremiah 20 records his complaint vividly. I simply want to point out one nugget of truth we find in this passage that is key to our survival when in the midst of the fire. In verse 9, we read the well-known verse in which Jeremiah proclaims “But if I say I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it.”

Here is a great truth for the moment; surviving burn out has little to do with the circumstances on the outside and much to do with the situation on the inside! Are we doing what we do because of Christ who lives in me or because I am trying to condition my life for results? Even though Jeremiah was frustrated, discouraged, confused, angry, and absolutely wanted to quit, he was compelled from the inside to persevere. Rather than burn out, he burned up for Jesus! In verse 11, Jeremiah proclaims with an emboldened heart, “But the Lord is with me like a dread champion…”

I pray that you will join me in striving to condition our hearts rather than condition the circumstances of our lives. I pray that we would live under the power of Jesus Christ rather than our own strength. I have embarked on a journey to do just this. I pray you would join me so that together we would never burn out but rather burn up for Jesus!

Cravings for Christ

Over the last year, setting a course to lose a sizable amount of weight has not always been fun or easy. However, it has been one of the most fruitful endeavors I have ever embarked on in my life. The fruit not only manifest itself in the obvious physical health but in the inward spiritual health as well. Prior to this journey I loved to indulge in Blue Bell ice-cream. In fact, I loved it and found myself craving it! I discovered, ashamedly, it was beyond my control. At times, the desire for Homemade Country Vanilla would well up from within and I had to have it. Soon into my healthier habits of eating, those cravings were gone and they were replaced with a new craving-a craving for health.


I wonder how many of us crave The Christ Life? At any given moment an overwhelming need wells up from deep within, an overwhelming passion, and it’s not for Blue Bell but rather it is to glorify God! It’s so powerful, much like the physical body under the influence of food, the spiritual man becomes influenced by the indwelling Jesus, who is working His way to the surface of our lives. To the onlooker this presents itself as a person with an intense craving for the things of God. It is such a craving for Christ that we disregard the physical, we ignore the counsel of men, and we throw caution to the wind. What if...you and I craved Christ like Blue Bell?


Pastor Barry

P.S. 80 pounds lost to date. Learn to change your cravings!

Depravity of Man & Freedom in Christ

The recent shooting in Colorado reminds us of the brevity of life; also, it is a tragic display of the depravity of the human soul. Humans are so peculiar in that, when tragedy strikes, we look for the cause yet never do we find ourselves returning to the root of the problem— our own sinful and depraved nature. It amazes me that in our efforts to be blameless before men, we are even willing to blame the tragic occurrences of life on inanimate objects, such as a gun, a car, etc.

Shifting blame and pointing fingers has been around since man first sinned in the garden. Remember Adam? He blamed Eve for his inability to be obedient to God (Gen. 3:12). What cannot be missed is the truth that Adam, regardless of Eve’s actions, had to answer to God for his own. The same is true for you and I. We may be able to avoid condemnation while we walk this earth, but one day we will be held accountable before God. Matthew 12:36 reminds us that “…every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”

As Believers, we should endeavor to live our lives with authenticity first before God. Only by giving Him the preeminence of our lives can we keep our relationships, to Christ, to man, and to sin in perspective. Only in authentic living do we find the humility to recognize, confess, and grow beyond pride and sin.

We cannot recognize the freedom and strength that is ours in Christ until we have realized the weakness of our own flesh. The Apostle Paul shared a tremendous truth with the church at Galatia that still serves us well today “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:7-8).

What sin is there in our lives that we need to be honest about today?

The Bitter Sweet of Hope

 Last month I was blessed to have taken just short of a full month off. What a tremendous time! It wasn't to take a vacation, but rather to spend time with the Lord and simply refresh spiritually.During the course of my time off, I had opportunity to truly discover that my soul had become discontented in many areas of my life and ministry. What is frightening is how subtle it can happen to any of us regardless of the time and energy we are putting into ministry or the Word. What I found at the end of the day were two truths that, once realized, gave me the power to mature in Christ. First, any discontentment in our lives always leads back to a failure to trust God in a particular situation. Secondly, our blindness to the subtleness of discontentment may stem from our own unwillingness to deal with tender areas in our life.

While in Georgia on my sabbatical, I went out on the property to pick wild blackberries. I don’t often do this, but I want to share a note with you that I wrote in my journal that evening. I believe it will help you visualize the truths above.

Wednesday 6/20/2012: “Blackberries are a cruel beast, so beautiful, tasty and sweet yet so painful to pick from the bush. Dealing with our inner feelings, our insufficiencies and our attitudes, dealing with our sins can be much like that. At the end of the day, you have a bucket full of delicious berries, but it takes wading through the briars to get there. This week has been slow – I’m afraid it’s my own reluctance to deal with the briars.”

I am reminded of the Psalmist who sang “How sweet are your words to my mouth! From your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” Guard yourself against discontentment; learn to continually trust God! “God our Savior and….Christ Jesus our hope”

Pastor Barry

Walking Like Christ

As many of you know, I love to hunt. One of the most important aspects of hunting is scouting and being able to read the signs left by whatever game your hunting.

For example, a footprint is extremely important. It tells you what kind of animal it is; concerning a deer, it tells you whether it’s a male or female. A footprint can tell you which direction an animal is traveling; it can tell you their normal route. A footprint is an indication of the animal’s size and maturity.

What about our footprints? What do the footprints of our lives say to those who come behind us?

The psalmist proclaimed in Psalms 85:13 “Righteousness will go before Him and make His footsteps into a way.” He is speaking of the Lord. The Lord, in His righteousness, has created a pathway for His children to follow.

Psalms 119:33 says, “Establish my footsteps in your word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.” Here the psalmist is asking God to guard him against sin and to set the course of his life—his walk— in the Word of God.

I posed the question in last week’s post, “How do we walk like Christ and yet leave the footprints of men?”

The following is my point: How can we be these great spiritual Christians and yet the footprints— the signs left behind as we live our lives— look more like those of men and women of the world.

Again quoting the psalmist, Psalms17:5 says, “My steps have held fast to your paths, my feet have not slipped.” This ought to be the battle cry of our lives every single day! We must guard our walk!

Every believer should consider the parameters of his or her walk. The Word of God defines the parameter of our lives and walk as being distinguished by light and darkness. In Ephesians 5:6-14, the Apostle Paul reveals for us the fruit of walking in the light as goodness, righteousness, and truth. Consistently walking in the light requires real attentiveness to the things of God.

When considering the footprints we leave as God’s children, it is not just the parameters of our walk but it’s the purity of our walk that also matters. I John 1:7 tells us, “If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Walking in purity insists that we walk like Christ walked. Not only this, but also identified in this passage is the need to be honest with ourselves about where we are walking. Essential to our Christian purity are two things. The first is the blood of Jesus; this is the real cleansing agent. The second is our confession— our recognition of our sinfulness and the purity that is ours in Christ alone.

When believers leave the footprints of Christ, when we guard the parameters of our lives and the purity of our walk, we can know the peace of walking with Jesus that so many “Christians” are desperate for.

When’s the last time you looked at the footprints you’re leaving behind?

Pastor Barry

The Footprints of Men

It’s that time of year when we begin to sum up the worth of the previous eleven months and sift them like wheat for anything of value. We ask the following question: what has been the fruit of my labors this past year? While I am quite confident that God has used me in the life of others this year and there is measurable fruit to be seen, I must be honest and tell you that I am struggling with some issues that will impact the future.

Of late it seems my mind is constantly full of thoughts concerning our church family and serious subject matter such as biblical parenting, godly prioritization of our lives, proportional giving, and developing leaders for the next generation; however, what I find to be almost consuming me is the subject of church and how we do it in America.

I am much afraid the church is doing nothing more than keeping people busy with “religious” stuff activities designed to build numbers and generate cash flow. I am concerned that we are forfeiting some of the most important things of our faith to make room on the calendar for programs and events.

My prayer as we head into 2012 is that God will grant me wisdom as to how we can become a people who live for Jesus as a result of what’s welling up on the inside rather than what we have been corralled into from the outside. I pray that we would find a way to deprogram our lives from traditional thinking and become relational ministers in every aspect of our lives, reshaping our thinking in regards to Bible study, worship and missions. I study the Bible because it is where I learn of God, not because I need to be ready for class. I worship because Jesus is living in me and I need to express to God my gratitude. I don’t go on a mission trip; I am continually on mission for Jesus Christ.

I have a great desire to see the physical church look less like the church of America and more like the synagogue we read about in the word. Rather than a place we gather for an hour or two and act spiritual, it becomes a hub for educating, equipping, engaging believers, and ultimately exalting God.

In addition to training ourselves to think differently, a greater struggle will be to mesh what we have begun in the pre-school and academy with this thinking. How do we meet the need for great academics and child care while not ushering people into the same busy lifestyle and mindset of the world?

My question is simply: how do we walk more like Christ and not have the footprint of men?

I pray you have a blessed Christmas and New Year!

In His Service,
Pastor Barry

Is It Enough?

Our mission trip to Peru has proven, once again, to be the highlight of my year thus far. Unless, you have been a part of going on an international mission trip, it’s hard to comprehend all that runs through one’s mind and heart. As we served in Carabyallo and the surrounding areas this year, one predominate question nagged me: “Is the work we are doing in the lives of the children at Glencoe (or wherever you go to church) and surrounding community enough to secure future generations for God’s Kingdom work?”

After serving in impoverished areas such as we have many, Americans express guilt for being an American and having so much. I do not; I am so proud to be an American and praise God for His sovereignty that would allow for me to be such. However, I do feel shame over the fact that the Body of Christ in America has lost its passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ. We have traded the pursuit of God for the pursuit of the American dream. This has impacted our children as well.

There is no shame or sin in being successful in the American culture; however, we must not fail to honor God with the material possessions He has blessed us with. As well, we must not fail to train up the next generation of Christian leaders. My heart is that Glencoe would be a body of believers committed to sacrificially investing in the lives of children.

Glencoe needs to focus on rearing a generation of leaders with a strong Christian worldview and the ability to excel in every facet of life. I pray you will consider being a part the many different opportunities and ministries that already exist to reach children. Pray about how you and I can effectively mentor future Kingdom leaders.
Pastor Barry

R.E.A.L. Discipleship

Real discipleship—do we even know what that means today? I am much afraid that our understanding of discipleship is very distorted when held up in the light of God’s Word. Listening to someone teach about “true” discipleship today is akin to sitting through a time management course. Our understanding of discipleship consists of learning how to arrange all the things that are really important to us so as to free up some volunteer time for the church.

Recently I have wrestled with the confusion that we instill into the lives of Christians as pastors and church leaders. People today are extremely busy with all the things we deem as important in life; there are those things of the world and then there are those things of the church. I am convinced that, more times than not, all we do is bombard the lives of our church members with more stuff. We have forfeited teaching the church about real discipleship and have merely offered them business rather than teaching them how to turn away from the things of this world and turn to the things of God. We call ourselves successful if we can get folks more involved in religious activity than worldly activity. In reality, all we have done is confuse and stress everybody. For the believer to ever accomplish real discipleship, he or she must learn to relinquish every aspect of life.

The Bible’s proclamation that we were “bought for a price” is not just a noble idea or a metaphor; we must come to the realization that we are God’s possession. Without fail throughout the Word of God, when Jesus Christ calls one to Himself and forgiveness of sin is realized. At that time, a new heart is received; that heart now beats for God; that heart longs for God. If not, it is not Jesus who has possessed us! Do you long for God? Let’s be REAL disciples of Christ and Relinquish Every Aspect of Life to Him.

Pastor Barry

Do I Love Church…Or Do I Love The Lord’s Church?

I really enjoyed this months Brotherhood meeting. We had twenty men in attendance, a good crowd considering we haven’t met in a while. After dinner during our time in the word I asked the men a pointed question: Do you love the church? There is so much confusion today over why the church exists. One of the greatest tragedies of believers today is the mindset that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ somehow exists for the individual’s gratification. We act as though the ministries of the church should be developed in such a way as to make our lives easier. This philosophy of church is a shadow of the world around us. Think about it; it's how we feel about the government, about McDonald’s, about our health club. For these entities that mindset is great, but when it concerns the church of the Lord Jesus this is simply un-biblical.

Being a member of God’s church certainly has privileges. The Apostle Paul shows us many of these privileges. These privileges include the following; as members of the church, we are adopted as sons; we have the forgiveness of sin; we have been given an inheritance, all of which is sealed by the Holy Spirit. What a list of privileges that are ours as members of the body of Christ the church! Just like anything else in life, where there are privileges there are responsibilities. Far too often we like to focus on the advantages of being a part of the church while dismissing the responsibilities. The truth of the matter is you can’t have one without the other, as a child of God privilege is inseparable from responsibility. “To whom much has been given much is required.”

When we begin to understand the love of God toward His church and that we are His children how can we not, in return, love the church? A clear and accurate understanding of why the church exists will help each of us become increasingly passionate about the ministry of the church. My prayer for each of us is that God will grow our love for that which He loved so much that He gave His only begotten Son: the church.

Pastor Barry

Social Networking Safeguards

In regards to ministry and leadership there is not a lot that scares me. However, in recent years the face of social networking has changed dramatically, and, quite frankly, it scares me to death. The insurgence of blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and YouTube has forever changed the world. Did you know that Facebook has more than 300 million active users who spend a combined total of 8 billion minutes on Facebook every day? Get this: 58.5 million people visited Myspace last January. I found it staggering that 74% of people between ages 18 and 34 have a Facebook account; 47% of people between the ages of 35 and 44; 41% of people between the ages of 45 and 54 have an account. Social networking is a giant and can serve tremendous good; however, we need to make sure it’s not a Goliath who has come to destroy the lives of our children.

Social networking, even with all the negative possibilities, is not the enemy. The use of these modern technological tools has incredible potential for good. Imagine the world if it had rejected the technology of washing machines, microwaves and the radio. I hate to think of going to the doctor today with the tools of 100 years ago. Advancement is good! Social networking, like anything else in life, demands responsibility. As well, it requires that we understand the environment we are exposing ourselves, families, and ministries to. Social networking is here to stay, but how will we respond to it?

It has become necessary for me to address this issue due to its influx into our lives here at Glencoe Baptist church, the Academy and the Learning Center. Everyday our staff utilizes some aspect of social networking, whether it is the internet, Facebook or other media. Every evening our students and staff are utilizing these same networking abilities to communicate with friends, family, and even co-workers.

We are in the process of developing policies related to social networking. This requires much study and understanding of each of these media areas. I want to encourage our parents to do their own research. While networking and the internet can be fun, as well as provide unlimited education for your children, it is extremely dangerous. Every time your child logs in, there is the potential for him or her to be exposed to pictures, statements, and people who are a grave danger to your children and family.

As Christians we have a responsibility to always reflect Christ. Whether we are walking through the mall, talking on a cell phone, or posting on Facebook or other sites, we cannot escape the call to be holy and righteous. For those who are willing to put the energy into safely using the internet and social networking, I have put together some pointers to help you protect your family:

1. Always follow the legal age for participation.
(Presently none of our academy children can legally use the following networking tools.)
a. Facebook - 13
b. You Tube - 13
c. Myspace - 13
d. Twitter - unsure

2. Never allow your children to access the internet without close supervision.
a. Know who your children are “chatting” with.
b. Know every networking tool and website they are visiting.
c. Know the content (pictures, statements) they are sharing and receiving.

3. Never allow children to set up a computer for their private viewing.
a. Computers should be in a open area of the home— never in a bedroom.
b. Computers should never be password protected from the parents.
c. Install protective software such as Safe Eyes.

4. Never put personal information on the web (i.e. age, gender, address, school).

A few of things stand in the way of you successfully protecting your children from the potential harm they may be exposed to via the internet. First is the unwillingness by parents to sacrifice the time and energy into training and exacting godliness even while participating in social networking. Second is the dangerous notion that my child has rights or deserves privacy. In the shower? Yes! On the internet? Absolutely not! The third may be the most dangerous. It’s the idea that my child has to have all the latest games, clothes, technology, etc. to feel good about themselves and fit into society. Don’t allow these things to stop you from fulfilling your role as a parent.

I know this may sound extreme, but we only have one opportunity to rear our children. For the parents who are striving to rear their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, there is no room for complacency and mediocrity when it comes to social networking. Take the time today to nail down some absolutes when it comes to the internet in your home.

Pastor Barry

It seems that this past Sunday I touched a nerve in some people when I spoke of Glenn Beck. Let me clarify a couple of things; first, I never said Glenn Beck is our savior. Secondly, I never said I agreed with everything he said. I simply said that I went to see him and he has some good things to say. And now what I am saying is that we Americans had better listen up!

Why do we get so upset when even the hint of politics is mentioned from the pulpit? Are we to sit hoarded up in the comfort of our pews while America goes to Hell all around us? Let me remind you of something: we are the government! We the people. We the people have been given the responsibility to govern through the election process. Therefore, why wouldn’t it be prudent for us to cry out from our pulpits what is necessary in order to remain a free and righteous people before God? Why wouldn’t we proclaim to the masses the principles, character and morals that would manifest themselves from the rural countryside to the downtown alley ways? Our proclamation could influence a nation and her government for God. I can relate the word of God to your money, your behavior, your marriage, your attitude, your service, your children, but don’t mention your politics— hogwash! No longer should Christians be allowed to compartmentalize their lives and hide sinful lifestyles behind the banner of politics!

Matthew 22:21 proclaims, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”
The trouble today is that we have confused who is who! We have become more afraid of the government that can and will kill the body than God who kills the soul. Listen, we should completely and ungrudgingly give to the government what it is entitled to, but in no circumstance should we give to it what belongs to God! Our government, past and present, has launched an attack on three specific areas that belong to God alone. They are central to the very foundations of Christianity. The sanctity of life, the institute of biblical marriage and religious liberty are absolutes to our faith, and at no time should we surrender to Caesar in these areas. When the law of the land dictates we violate God’s righteousness or suffer consequences, we should be willing to suffer the consequences rather than denounce God! Is martyrdom dead?

I hope and pray you will join with me as I stand to do my part in preserving America as a Christian nation. I am unwilling to accept the words of a president who proclaims that we are no longer a Christian nation, who leads an attack on the sanctity of human life and who seeks to undermine the foundations of religious liberty. It is not too late to join the fight! I have made available to you a list of government officials; exercise your freedom to contact them, and let the people govern once again.

Unapologetically,
Pastor Barry

Oh Ye Of Little Grace

Oh ye of little grace! This is the exact thought that entered my mind as I sat down and studied through this week’s Bible Fellowship study. Like flood waters rushing over a dam, my memory was drawn to ungracious words I had spoken recently. No, I wasn’t trying to be ungracious or harsh, but it seems to come natural for me.

Part of maturing as a Christian is learning to behave in a Christ-like manner during difficult times. It is most difficult to extend grace to others when we do not seem to be receiving grace. The conscience is quick to justify bad attitudes and misbehavior based on the current conditions of our life. I am so glad Christ did not treat me the way I treated and treat Him! In the parable of the Faithful Steward found in the 12th chapter of Matthew we read, “…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required…”

I have been so blessed in my marriage, in my children, in my ministry; in every area of life God’s blessings have far exceeded my worth! Why? Why would God make such an upside down investment in me—one who was considered an enemy (“For if when we were enemies…” Rom. 5:10)? If there was ever a question that could be summed up in one answer it is this one. The answer is grace, God’s amazing grace! I love what the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:4, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, (didn’t deserve it) made us alive together with Christ (by His grace you have been saved…”

I hope you truly studied and contemplated this week’s Bible Fellowship lesson. I pray the fruit of this study—not only for my own life but for the life of the church—will result in grace manifested throughout our church and community. God has laid a challenge on my heart this week, and I want to extend it to you as well. It is really quite simple. Find someone this week in your life who deserves nothing from you and show the love of God through grace.

In His Service
Pastor Barry

Addressing the subject of holiness C.S. Lewis wrote “How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing... it is irresistible. If even 10 percent of the world’s population had it, would not the whole world be converted and happy before year’s end?” Oh how Christians need to polish up the dull holiness which we present to the world. Not only the world but our nation; America is in great danger of imploding at its very core. Many Christians want to take a back seat and rest on the sovereignty of God or hide behind some misunderstood idea of separation of church and state. Listen; if I am a Christian, then I am a Christian through and through, not just on Sunday. I can’t put Jesus on pause when it comes to political and moral matters. I can’t stifle the Holy Spirit just for the sake of political correctness or self preservation, to do so is to deny the very tenants of Christian faith: that Jesus Christ dwells in me and that my life is a mere reflection of Him. The work Jesus does on the inside is not restrained by the work of Satan on the outside! I am much afraid the irresistibility of our holiness has been dulled by the complacency of the church and her refusal to make a stand through the demonstration of righteousness. America, the nation we love the nation God has so richly blessed and afforded you and I, when it matters the most will we shrink back into the recesses of excuses or will we be “steadfast and unmovable?” In the days ahead, I intend to continue to lead our church in such a way that there will be no confusion as to where we stand spiritually, morally and politically. We will give no sponsorship to any entity that rejects the authority of God’s word by asking the church to turn against the very God we love and trust. As I am writing this note to you our government is making decisions on what has been called the Fairness Doctrine. This bill is proposed as a tool to stop hate speech. The trouble is the hate they speak of is the Word of God and the truths it holds in regard to immoral behavior such as homosexuality, abortion, and same sex marriage. Soon, the persecution against Christians that goes on around the world will be at our doorsteps. Those who profess to be Christians will be forced to choose. One thing you can be sure, of there will be no fences in Heaven. I pray that we would have a common goal of living to please God alone in our homes, our church, our community and this great America. I pray that we would make investments in our ministries that would produce strength and longevity for the glory of God rather than the applause of men.

Triumphs and Tests:

Just the title of this week’s lessons says something to me. After completing the study, I think back across some of life’s triumphs and failures, and I must be honest, I can claim responsibility for none of my triumphs but yet I receive the credit for all of my failures.
I have often posed the questions, “Why do we have to learn for ourselves the hardships of life? Why can’t we trust the testimony of those who also learned the hard way?” Beth Moore makes the statement in this week’s lesson, “We have all defaulted to old patterns as well, under stress or sudden crisis, our first reactions at various points may be fleshly and selfish.” My immediate thought after reading that was old habits die hard.
I would love to respond to all of life’s opportunities just like Jesus would, but I have this huge problem; It’s called flesh, and as long as I am robed in it, I will deal with that which comes natural to the human—sin. However, I am not making excuses or justifying sinful behavior in the wake of trial and tribulation.
We should give much consideration to all that our lives could be for the Kingdom of God, if we did respond more like Christ to the issues of life. We could be such an encouragement to the less fortunate, the hurting and the broken. We could be such a testimony to the unbelievers of this world, if they only saw Christians act and respond like Christians should.
I know from personal experience the negative knee jerk reactions we give have far greater impact than the positive Christ-like reactions. Those reactions, whether they be words or actions can’t be taken back. Once they role off the tongue or motivate the hands, they are out there. Unfortunately, the world would rather see the Christian fail than succeed.
What’s the answer? How do we improve our responses before the world? First of all, we must remember that our response is first and foremost before the Lord. When we fail, we fail Him alone. Secondly, we must invest in God’s Word. You can’t expect Christ-likeness to come out if you’re not putting it in first. Like the old computer related saying, “Junk in, junk out.” Lastly, we must learn to trust God. God is faithful!
Let me close with a question for you to ponder: “Aren’t our knee jerk responses due to the fact that we don’t believe that God is going to handle it swiftly, correctly and in such a manner that best fits our needs?” When will we learn that God loves us? God is loyal to His children. God will never “leave nor forsake” us.
Pastor Barry

The Approaching and Approachable God:

Well let me ask you, have you made a home in your heart for Jesus? We closed this week’s lesson by
reading John 14:23, which says “Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.”

We invest so much into trying to figure out the Christian life when Jesus gives us the key ingredient in this one simple verse. With the completion of two axioms of faith and trust in our daily walk, Jesus will move right in. The Lord Jesus said first to love Him and secondly to keep His word. Abraham, formerly Abram had to come to this crisis of belief: “I can trust God to do what He said He would do.” How much easier life would be, if we could get our head around that truth? I am reminded of Philippians 1:6, that we can be “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Genesis 18:14, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” This verse takes me back to the scene at Calvary where Christ hangs on a tree between two thieves. Remember what Arthur Pink said of the thief who would join Christ in paradise, “He could not walk in the paths of righteousness for there was a nail through either foot. He could not perform any good works for there was a nail through either hand. He could not turn over a new leaf and live a better life for he was dying.” But yet based on the sovereign authority of Jesus Christ that thief would join Jesus in paradise. That rings encouragement into my heart! No matter the failure, no matter the disappointment, no matter the struggles in life, no matter what, if my trust is in God and I know that there is nothing “too hard for the Lord,” I will be okay!

I want to challenge you this week to truly let God have control over life’s situations, He can do more with them than we can. Second to this, I want you to make more time for the two things that make a home for Jesus in our lives: 1. Find a special way to show your love for the Lord this week. 2. Make a special point to spend purposeful time in the Word.

I look forward to hearing how God is blessing the life you have surrendered to Him.

Pastor Barry

Truth For The Moment:
Leave Your Country:
This week we began a new series of lessons written by Beth Moore entitled The Patriarchs. I enjoyed the first week’s study and look forward to the next nine lessons.
Beth immediately grabbed my attention with her statement in the first paragraph on Day One’s lesson: “When you don’t have God, any god will do.” How many of us have spent seasons of our life serving other gods? Sure enough, the gods of the Old Testament patriarchs were idols and beings of worship put in place to fill the void in the hearts and lives of people. Today in America the type of god has changed from idols and beings to material possessions, self-gratification and feeling. Whatever the object of our worship may be, it stems from a longing to be fulfilled, loved and value. We must remember the same emptiness that stemmed from the worship of false gods in the days of Abram is the same results we receive from the god’s of our day. Just as Abram found out there is only one God worthy of our praise, worship and glory—the most High God! Our worship of God is “never aimless.” Our worship of God never turns down a narrow street with a sign posted on the shoulder which reads “Dead End.” Just as God moved Abram out for a purpose, God moves us out of our comfort, sinful and complacent zones with specific purpose in mind. Any failure on our part to navigate the valleys and mountains does not discount God and His sovereignty but rather enforces our depraved and sinful nature. It never voids or changes God’s initial call; it points to a self-inflicted detour. It points to pride and selfishness hidden in the GPS of our hearts. This truth was displayed in Abram’s life as he lied about his wife being his sister, detoured from God’s plotted course, found himself confronted by a plague and upset Pharaoh. As children of the most High God, we must constantly bring ourselves to trust the will of God over the will of man. God always knows what is best for His children.
Often times, following the will of God brings confrontation with those we love and care about. As we strive to serve the God we love, others will serve the god that pleases them. This was seen in the confrontation that arose in the life of Abram concerning the size of the flocks and the shortage of feed. We cannot miss the great truth of this passage. We must separate ourselves from the influences of all the ungodly. There comes a time and place in which separation becomes necessary. Concerning Abram and Lot’s separation, Abram was blessed for his direction, and Lot was disciplined for his.
Let me close this week’s post with a challenge. Whether it’s the influence of ungodly people or the draw of other gods, refuse to detour from the course that God has laid out for you. Stay the course! The words to an old familiar hymn come to mind: “When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His word, what a joy He sheds on our way…trust and obey for there’s no other way.”
Pastor Barry

Truth For The Moment:

The Cries of Victory and of Submission:

I don’t know about you, but I have thoroughly enjoyed Erwin Lutzer’s study Cries From The Cross. This week as we complete the study, our lesson was entitled, The Cries of Victory and of Submission. This lesson takes a close look at the statement of Jesus from the cross: “It is finished.”

Lutzer does a great job of defining our salvation in terms of having a Savior that paid the price of our sin debt. “It is finished” literally means paid in full. The statement specifically describes what Christ accomplished through the cross. His suffering was finished, ceremonial sacrifice was finished, and Satan was finished.

How can we be sure it was finished? Because His (Christ’s) finished work was accepted by the Father. Often times growing up, I would receive a task from my father with specific instructions. I would busy myself with getting the job done as soon as possible so that I could move on to Saturday morning cartoons or fishing or bike riding with friend—anything other than chores. I would hurry through; go to my dad and say, “I’m done.” He would always inspect my work and most often say, “This job is not finished, I told you I wanted...” Then, he would proceed to repeat the instructions. How did I know when I was finished? I knew it when my father accepted my work. Our heavenly Father accepted the work of His Son Jesus Christ. He accepted it on our behalf. Like the old hymn proclaims, “What a Savior.”

This week’s title made quite a statement in itself. Christ victory that day was contingent on His submission to the will of the Father. We so often struggle to be victorious over certain sins in life. We must understand victory is inseparable from submission. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15:56-58: The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Read it carefully and let it sink in. Yes, our lives are made victorious in and by Christ. However, the victorious life is steadfast in the word of Christ, immovable in his walk with Christ, and always doing the work of Christ. This sounds like submission to Christ that is inseparable from the victory that is ours in Christ.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. Ephesians 5:8-9

God Bless,
Pastor Barry