Vulnerability

Scripture

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

I Peter 3:8, NIV

Quote

Never let them see you sweat.

~Phil Slott 

The quote above, “Never let them see you sweat,” was coined in 1984 by ad man Phil Slott for a Gillette deodorant commercial but the slogan quickly took on new connotations. It is one of many “Never quotes” for professionals such as…Never say never…Never give up…Hope always but never expect…etc.

Solomon said, “There is a time for everything.” There is a time to be vulnerable and a time not to be vulnerable. Never assume that everyone has your interest at heart. All professing Christians should be like-minded, sympathetic, loving, compassionate and understanding but they aren’t. Our churches are filled with people who have no compassion, no sympathy, and no understanding. Like the Pharisees of old, they are hard, cold, indifferent, judgmental and void of love and compassion. Never make yourself vulnerable to those who do not care about your spiritual welfare.

A professional boxer learns the discipline of “Covering up.” This is not an act of deceit, but one of protection. If he leaves himself open, he will get hurt. His opponent is ready to pounce on his weakness. I know it sounds cruel but it’s the same way in life. You have some people praying for you to prosper but you also have some praying for you to fail. You are leaving yourself open to serious hurt when you reveal your weakness to those who have no concern for your welfare. Thus comes the rule, “Never let them see you sweat.”

Several years ago, I attended a COLS where a former pastor was officiating the service. He took the opportunity to lash out at those who had forced his resignation. I bowed my head and prayed for him to stop but he was not going to be denied his day in court. I know he thought he was hurting his persecutors but he wasn’t. You cannot hurt folks who don’t care but you can get hurt yourself by assuming they do.

• I know our Senior Adults are getting excited about Sunday.
• Another beautiful Spring day. The wind was a little chilly but otherwise perfect.
• The GATHERING TONIGHT at 6:30 pm.
• Franklin Graham Prayer Rally…only five signed up, we can do better folks.

NEW YORK – JUNE 25: Franklin Graham, with Bible in hand, addresses the crowd before his father Billy Graham speaks during his Crusade at Flushing Meadows Corona Park June 25, 2005 in the Queens borough of New York. Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the site for Graham’s sermons on June 24-26, which looks to draw thousands of people from across the country, and will purportedly be the aging Christian evangelist’s final crusade. (Photo by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)

The Power of Words

Scripture

The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.”

~John 7:46, NASB

Quote

“Kind words cost little but accomplish much.”

~Blaise Pascal

The testimony  came about from the Temple guards who were sent to arrest Jesus; needless to say, they returned empty handed. When the priest questioned them they confessed, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” The Pharisees and Scribes replied with scorn, “Have you too been lead astray. You don’t see any of us following this man do you?”

I believe these guards were honest. I fully believe that no one could speak the way Jesus spoke. What set Him a part? Was it His extraordinary wisdom? Perhaps it was His eloquence? Maybe it was His boldness and the ring of authority in His words? It could have been a combination of things but I think is was the genuineness of His love. Jesus was free of all prejudice. He had no bias, none at all. I cannot imagine such purity.

Everything I say is perverted in some way by my prejudice. I am extremely bias. A family entered an elevator I was using at the hospital the other day. They were dirty, disheveled, reeked with cigarette smoke. I gladly backed to the rear of the elevator and gave them room. Several thoughts when through my mind, none of them worthy of mention and then the Spirit spoke, “You failed again, Jack. It is no use being sorry now, they saw the look on your face when they invaded your comfort zone. They may not be highly educated, but they know what you are thinking. You don’t love them, the way I love them and they know it. [P.S.–This is not your elevator]

• I forgot to look at anything yesterday so I don’t know anything about offerings, attendance or anything else. We were up in AWANA and I had a lot of fun preaching Sunday night. I sure like making that first visit before dark and its only going to get better. Three more weeks and we will be going and coming in the light.
• Services for Mary Wilbourn will be Wednesday at Roselawn at 12:00 with visitation from 10:00-12:00. This is Debbie and Charlie’s mom.
• Gary Garner was about the same so far as I could tell: he did not wake up while I was there.
• Swamp John’s is not going well: some think it will pick up as we get closer to the deadline. We have sold 30% of the required number with about 6 weeks to go.

Who Do You Think You Are?

SCRIPTURE

 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”

~Matthew 9:3, NLT

QUOTE

The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every man and who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?

~Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

The Jews said, “Who does Jesus think He is, God?” Actually, He was God and He knew it and so do I. The question is not who Jesus is, the question is who are we? In brief, we are death and hell deserving sinners in need of a Savior: we are sin sick and we need a physician. Matthew 9 points out five distinct things that can help us with our identity.

1. Are you focused on the righteousness of Christ or the unrighteousness of His followers? Are you more focused on fixing others than you are yourself?
2. Are you in need of the Great Physician?
3. Are you trying to fit Jesus into your own religious system, new wine in an old skin?
4. Are you compassionate to people? Do you see them as Jesus sees them, sheep without a shepherd?
5. Are you active in the harvest?

If you will honestly answer these five questions; it will define who you are. Your answers should be…No, Yes, No, Yes, Yes.

• SIMPLE GOSPEL CONCERT at St. Andrews on Danville Road, Thursday night at 7:00. Rex Looney will be in the choir and some of our members.
• Pray for John Sudduth. This is Mary Terry’s uncle. He has cancer.
• Heath [my nephew] surgery has been set for December 15.
• Saturday is a workday: we are going to do some Senior’s yards. I will get with Joe David on a start time.
• I didn’t know until after the fact but our good friend Mildred Prater had a heart attack last Sunday I think. She is back home and doing well, PTL.
• Pray for Gary Garner, he did not have a great day yesterday.
• WOW, what a turn out on VETERANS DAY, a record crowd. I love the GATHERING.

 

Flyspecking

SCRIPTURE

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?

~Matthew 7:3, NLT

QUOTE

Some people miss the message because they are to busy looking for the mistake.

~Anonymous

We all are familiar with the term ‘nitpicking’ which is a figurative term for fault-finding but there is a similar term called flyspecking. A fly speck is a small dark speck or stain made by the excrement of a fly. It is something that most people never notice but to those with the trained eye, it is a glaring blot. Flyspectors love church bulletins. Years ago, we had a flyspector in our congregation. Every Sunday he brought me the bulletin and showed me the mistakes.

………………………………

I heard the story of a pastor who was giving an invitation when a man came forward. He assumed a confession was in order but the man said, “Who proofs our bulletin, I found four mistakes.” How is that for raining on your parade. This man sat through an entire sermon, not listening to the message but concentrating on the mistakes in the bulletin. It was driving him nuts and he could not wait for the service to end to complain so he did it in the invitation. I am sure that millions are going to hell because there is a colon where there should be a semi-colon. Please get a life!

……………………………………….

By the way, there are professional Flyspectors who work in the corporate world and they are paid to find mistakes. All publishing houses have Flyspectors. The ones we have in church do it for the sheer joy of pointing out a fault. What a miserable way to live. There is a higher plain: replace your criticism with compassion and you will enjoy a better quality of life.

• Gary Garner went to the Dentist and they found a growth on his gums and they immediately scheduled him for surgery in Huntsville which happened yesterday. We were all disappointed when the doctor said it was a tumor and he did not know what kind. The doctor he saw Tuesday said he thought it was an Ameloblastoma which is a benign tumor that attaches itself to the jaw and usually grows rapidly. First of all, we do not know for sure that it is an Ameloblastoma but if it is, it is treatable but will require surgery and reconstruction of the jaw. Let’s prayer that it is a benign tumor that can be surgically removed. Let’s all pause a moment and pray for God to give Gary supernatural peace to weather this crisis. “Father, in the name of Jesus, give Gary the peace that passes all understanding.” If you prayed this prayer, send me a text with the prayer hands or “I prayed for Gary.”  [616-8673] Day or night, don’t worry about the time.
• John Wydner came home yesterday and is doing much better.
• Praise the LORD for a beautiful day. Wow, I took a brief walk in the park behind Women’s and Children and the weather was perfect. God is good!
• After the blog last night, I got a text that MADE MY DAY. I hope you got one.
• Sunday Schedule: Deacon’s meeting at 8:15, LCBS at 9:15 and worship at 10:15 and 6:00.Sunday is our last chance to give to the Block Party. Joe David and some of the youth will have the p.m. service. I think Lori is going to share her testimony. I hope she is not long winded. You know I don’t hear well but I know Joe David mentioned her name and something about speaking.
• Ryder Ace is playing football and he loves it. His mom is thrilled. They live only 10 miles from the practice facility. She is really excited about spending her Saturdays at Turrentine/Gillot Stadium. Suck it up Hol! Be supportive! I asked him what position he was playing and he said “Offense.” I’ll be he ends up at tackle.
• This has been an emotional week: the pictures of the house dedications are bringing back memories. I want to thank Charles’ class, Joe David and Team and all others who gave money for houses. Beginning is September, we are going to raise the $30,000 needed to finish the feeding center. I’m too old to go but not too old to give!

House In Memory Of Roy Mims

Cold Hard Religion

SCRIPTURE

Jesus looked them in the eye, one after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. Jesus said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it was as good as new.

~Mark 3:5-6, MSG

QUOTE

Sin deforms, education informs, prisons reform, religion conforms: only Christ transforms.

~Anonymous

I don’t really know why Pharisees go to church unless it is to find fault. They were watching Jesus like a chicken hawk, hoping He would break one of their Sabbath laws. Jesus put them on the spot, “What kind of action suits the sabbath best?” He asked Them. “Doing good or evil, helping people or leaving them helpless?” But they didn’t respond to His questions. They just stared at Him with contempt in their eyes. Jesus didn’t get angry often but this is one of three occasions where He did. What made Him angry? I think it was the fact that the Pharisees cared more about a day, a tradition, a rule than they did a person. They could have cared less about the man’s crippled hand or his soul. They completely ignored the man’s need. Had they been in the right spirit, they would have left rejoicing over the power of Jesus and the healing of the man’s hand but they left mad. Not only were they mad, they had a meeting to discuss how to eliminate Jesus. There religion was as cold and hard as their hearts.

• Coming in August are some changes that effect Sunday and Wednesday nights. Beginning August 23, AWANA will meet on Sunday night from 5:30-7:00, Visitation will be from 5:30-615 along side Band and Praise Team Practice. Sunday night worship will be at 6:15. Wednesday night will be altered slightly. The Gathering at 6:30-6:45 and then we break into groups–YOUTH, CHILDREN, Choir, and Bible Study.
• We are enacting new policies for LCBS, Nursery, AWANA and VBS. No one below age 16 can work with pre-school or children without adult supervision. No one can be in a room with pre-school or children without a co-worker who is 16 or above. If you are in a room alone with children or pre-school, you leave the door open until you get help. This is for your protection and that of the church.
• Block Party is August 15. The stage will feature our band and Brian Drake. Brian will also be doing the Sunday morning service on August 16 and we will have a church wide party at the Hartselle City swimming pool on Sunday night August 16…6:00-8:00. Kids swim free, no one will be there except DBC and those you invite. We will be serving hot dogs and hamburgers. Come and go as you like.
• Gary is the same, no improvement. Bufford is better. Preston is not doing well.
• Count down to ALASKA–Four days.

 

The Condescension

SCRIPTURE

But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all!

~Psalms 22:6, NLT

QUOTE

“In comparison to God, people are maggots; we mortals are mere worms.”

~Bildad the Shuhite

Psalms 22 is one of the Messianic Psalms that prophecies Jesus condescension, incarnation and death on the cross. Isaiah referred to Jacob as a worm which seems demeaning but not really. Both Jesus and John the Baptist referred to the unrepentant Pharisees as snakes [Matt. 23:33, Luke 3:7]. The worm will not retaliate when hurt but a snake strikes back. Jesus said in John 3:14, “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.” Peter said, “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.” In His life and ministry, Jesus was a Lamb, not a snake but on the cross He became a snake because He took on our sins and sinful nature. Jesus became a snake to save the snakes. Would you become a snake to save the snakes? Not me, I don’t like snakes. I’m not sure we will ever understand how low Jesus stooped to save us. Amazing love, how can it be? That you, my King would die for me. Amazing love, I know it’s true, and its my joy to honor You.

TODAY WE PRAY FOR MINISTERS AND MISSIONARIES

• God is good, more than we know. What a blessing to get to preach the word and feel the Spirit in the praise and worship. Your singing gets better and better. On that last song when David stepped back, I took that as a cue to listen to you and you sounded like a choir of angels. I was blessed in both services.
• April is practically gone which means 1/3 of 2015. Mother’s Day a week from Sunday. One more week to get those Roses ordered.
• Church directories are in, at least the hard copies. We should get the phone apps soon.
• GOLDEN GIRLS this Saturday at Cracker Barrel, 9:30 am.
• Miss Clara is sick: Don Fields is going to have surgery. Heart related but I don’t know the date. Chloe Bug will have a surgery on Tuesday morning; removing adenoids.

Rewards

SCRIPTURE

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.

~Matthew 6:1, NLT

QUOTE

If we wait until we are sure we will do a thing purely and perfectly, we shall never accomplish the will of God on earth.

~Elisabeth Elliot

Elisabeth Elliot

I doubt you can find another soul on this planet that agrees with Mrs. Elisebeth more than I do. Those who work with me have overhead me confess many times, “There goes my reward.” The first principle of doing a good deed is to do it with the right motive and a part of that is to do the deed for the glory of Christ. Once we share what we have done, for the glory of LORD of course, we become like the Pharisees who were bad about tooting their own horn. I have given beggars money just to get them on the road and that is not a perfect motive. Since I question my motives, I could use that as an alibi and just refuse to help anyone.

Ethically we have a dilemma and in my opinion, we have to choose the lesser of the evils. People need help and we are to help them. The LORD will definitely not be pleased if we grow introverted and selfish. So how does a person like me operate? I live by the principle articulated by Mrs. Jim Elliot. The questions I ask are:

1. What is the right thing to do? This has nothing to do with my motive, I simply pray and ask God to show me what I ought to do. If it is the right thing to do; is this pleasing to the LORD? If so I do and I don’t worry about being rewarded.
2. Will this help someone? Will it meet a legitimate need? I feel very strongly that we should be more concerned about the needs of others than our eternal rewards. If someone needs help and I can help then helping them is what I do.
3. Is this going to contribute to the Kingdom of Christ? Let’s say I have $100 that I really want to keep for myself but when the mission offering comes up and I open my wallet, the only money there is a one hundred dollar bill and out of guilt I begrudgingly put it in the plate. I know that instant that I will not be rewarded because my motive was not pure but at the same time, the one hundred dollars that I gave is going to be used in His kingdom’s work and who knows, someone may come to know Christ from that gift.

Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 11:4, “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.” The same is true with giving or doing good deeds, if you wait for perfect motives, you will never be a generous giver or doer of good deeds.

• Today we pray for TEACHERS.

• Went to Doctor yesterday: got another steroid shot and will be on the tablets for another week, then I go to another med for two more weeks. I can do whatever I feel like doing but have to be careful about lifting. I plan to be in the office each day this week but not for a full day.
• I enjoyed the beautiful colors of spring yesterday as we drove to Huntsville. It amazes me how many shades of Green God created.

Pharisees

 

SCRIPTURE

Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.

Matthew 12:13-14, NLT

QUOTE

The Pharisees are not all dead and are not all Jews.

~John McClintock

What is the most shocking thing about a Pharisee? Is it their religious theatrics? No question, these guys could put on a show but a lot of folks are fakes when it comes to faith. Is it their ability to find fault with practically anything you do; their ability to find something negative amidst the positive? Oh they were exception fault-finders but I don’t think that is the most shocking. Is it their indifference toward the pain and suffering of others? Take the man with a deformed hand; did they care anything about him or did they celebrate his healing? Pharisees are as cold as steel on a winter day but that is not the most shocking thing about a Pharisee. The most shocking thing about the Pharisees was they hated Jesus. They were so mad when He healed the man’s had that they called a special business meeting to discuss a plan to kill Jesus. Really, the most shocking thing is they viewed themselves as being good.

• Today we pray for the WORLD! There are 11,489 people groups on earth… In 6,832 of these people groups, Evangelical Christians comprise less than 2%…3,264 people groups are unengaged by any Evangelical witness.
• Kerri is still under observation. Several things have been ruled out and the problem could be related to previous medical issues. Right now, they are trying to decide which doctors to use and what route to take. Pray would be appreciated for Kerri and Kane.

• More snow in the forecast but who knows. Dan Scatterfield has made a forecast so it will be the opposite of whatever he says. I think Scatterfield is predicting 6 inches of snow. Personally, I am ready for Spring but we still have a month of winter. We don’t know what we are going to do about Mid-Week Services….We can’t wait too late before we cancel the chicken but hopefully we will know what to do tomorrow. At present, I don’t have a clue.

You Sinful People

SCRIPTURE

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

~Matthew 7:11, NLT

QUOTE

A Christian is nothing but a sinful man who has put himself to school for Christ for the honest purpose of becoming better.

~H. W. Beecher

Evangelist Phil Glisson says there are two kinds of people in the world, the kind and the wrong kind. There are two kinds of people in the world, there are those who are sinners and know it and those who are sinners and don’t know it but we are all sinners. There is Jesus and then there are sinners: Jesus is, we are! Unless you are Jesus, you are a sinner. Yes you have been justified by the blood of Christ and you will be acquitted by the Righteous Judge. God lives in the eternal present, we live in time. He sees us as we will be but presently we struggle with sin. We cannot enjoy sin. We cannot take sin lightly but we do sin.

I like Matthew 7:11 and not simply because it forces the Pharisees to loosen their halo’s. I like it because it reminds of that God is infinitely better than the best that is in us. We earthy parents love to give to our children but how much more does the heavenly Father love to give to us. As much as we love our children, it does not compare to the infinite love of Christ.

• TODAY we pray for Ministers and Missionaries. It is a travel day for Joe David and the road conditions may not be good. Pray for him as he travels to Seminary. Pray that he will be able to get in touch with Jay Gordon. We are running out of time.
• Kerri Callahan has been very sick since Wednesday and is in HH at the moment [Sunday night, Feb. 22]. She may get to come home today {Monday}, we don’t know. She has had a severe headache. They gave her something Sunday night late to ease her. Pray for Kerri. Kelvin and Tracey are with her.
• Our LCBS class party went great and like a dummy, I forget to even get a pic. I think we had 18 and they were still having a good time when I left. I hope all the parties went well. We need good fellowship. I would love to hear about your party. Email me at jack@danvillebaptist.org.
• I think they are giving another winter weather advisory for this morning. I am ready for Spring.

The Power Of A Testimony

SCRIPTURE

“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

~John 9:25, NLT

QUOTE

A Christian with a testimony is never at the mercy of an atheist with an argument.

~Adrian Rogers

One of the funniest stories in the bible is in John 9 where Jesus heals the man born blind. The Pharisees are having a holy fit because Jesus performed the miracle on the Sabbath. The blind man who can now see because of Jesus is elated and telling everyone about his miracle. The Pharisees were playing 20 questions: Who healed you? Where is He now? This man who opened your eyes, who do you think He was? Is this your son? Was He born blind? If he was born blind, how is it that he can now see? So they tell this excited man who has been given his sight…”Give glory to God by telling the truth because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.

The blind said, “I don’t know that He is a sinner but I do know that I was blind and now I see.” Again they said, “How did He do it?” The man born blind said, “Don’t you folks listen, I have already told you once, why do you want to hear it again? Are you interested in becoming His disciples.” {I wish I could have been there} The Pharisees explode and began cursing the man, “We are disciples of Moses. We know God spoke to Moses but we don’t know anything about this man.” The man born blind said, “That is really strange, this man healed me of my blindness which is something that has never been done and you guys don’t know anything about Him!

How is it that the Jewish religious establishment never made one attempt to get to Jesus or the facts surrounding His life. He was fulfilling every O.T. Prophecy concerning the Messiah and they did not take the time to investigate. With just a little effort they could have discovered that He was born in Bethlehem, not Nazareth. There are many other things they could have learned had they had a burning desire to know the truth. Think about it: The Pharisees were smitten with the three “I”s.

1. IGNORANCE: No excuse for them not to get to know all they could about Jesus. They made the gaff of the ages and it was all their fault. Jesus never hid the facts surrounding His life. They did not even ask where He was born.
2. INDIFFERENCE: They didn’t ask because they didn’t care about Jesus, the truth or the man born blind. They only cared about themselves.
3. INSECURITY: They were afraid of the truth. Afraid of losing their position; their prestige.

• Today we pray for FAMILIES.
• If all continues to go well, Kane will get to come home March 8th. He is in good spirits. I am really impressed with Kane’s attitude.
• They are predicting snow for Memphis tomorrow: Pray for Craig to have a safe trip up. It is a pretty tough trip and a lot of traffic in Memphis. St. Jude’s and the RONALD MCDONALD house are gated and I mean thick heavy gates and they are manned by armed security guards. It is not like going to Huntsville or Birmingham. The Ronald McDonald House is awesome.
• When I got home last night a little after 8:00, it was 21 degrees. It is cold! I would not mind seeing some rain because it will have to warm up to rain.