The Wonderful Family

The wonder of the weekend here at FPB reminded me all over again how important the Family of God is. Jason’s sermon on the fatherless in the first service and then watching James try to get children to sing, “If Your Happy and You Know It” with a frown on their face. Then to watch the adults pray and help children get to Jesus, it was great to see the family of God being a family. Most people can walk through almost anything if they have someone holding their hand and helping them make it, someone who believes in them. The wonderful family of God makes all the difference. We have brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers that are there to help us along the way.

In the classic story Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, one can see the need for a caring family.

Oliver is orphaned when his mother dies. Fatherless and no knowledge of a family Oliver is placed into an orphanage work house. He is a kind and caring child that is until he is mistreated and abused time and time again. From that point in his life he becomes less trusting each time he is wronged. Oliver becomes less willing to give his self for friendship and caring love. He becomes introverted and a loner and has no one to call his own. Though he wished for family and friendship Oliver has no one to trust and believe he feels. His circumstances cause him to almost miss true love and devotion when he stumbles onto the lost family of his mother.

I have seen those in the church who because of the pain of yesterday miss the blessings of the wonderful family because they were caught up in the circumstance of a failure or misdeed. Or they allow a struggle or a day not going right to cause them to become bitter and turned in on themselves. Because of a hurt or a struggle or something that didn’t go their way they become cold and miss the blessings of home, the family of God.

Living for God is the best life. Not only because of Heaven and the eternity issue but also while traveling through this world we have a family. It is a helpful blessing to know you have people that will pray and intercede for you. Someone that when you can’t touch God will touch God for you. Don’t ever become content to go at it alone. God has designed a family, a church around you and I, no one is strong enough to make it without the Church.

In Exodus 17 you find the story of when Israel went to battle Amalek. It was the time when Moses was sitting on the hill watching the battle. It is the battle when Aaron and Hur had to hold up the arms of Moses so that Israel would overcome. There is no mention of how the battle started or the reason for the attack.

When you get to Deuteronomy 25 God is giving the different laws and codes to live by. God tells the things that are an abomination to him and the children of Israel. Then in the mist of these commands God tells Israel, “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

Deuteronomy 25:17-18 KJV

This scripture is a reference to the battle mentioned in Exodus 17. God said don’t forget how they came and attack those bringing up the rear. How they pounced on those who were sick, those who were wounded, those who were aged, those who couldn’t defend themselves at the time. It made God so irate that He said in time Israel was to blot out Amalek from off the face of the earth so there is no remembrance of them.

There will always be those who are not keeping up, those who for whatever reason are not fighting in the battle or involved in the cause. It may be age, sickness spiritually or physically, wounds of the battle or struggles of the moment. Whatever the reason the body must remember they are still part of the family and no one should be left behind. Everyone counts, everyone belongs, everyone is important. Yes, you may be on the front lines right now, you may think you are the strongest and most important, but you are just one wound away from bringing up the rear.

Yet, no matter where life finds us, no one needs to be left behind. Everyone need the wonderful family of God around their life daily.

So no matter where you have come from or where you may be at the moment, never forget how important the family of God is to your life. You won’t make it alone so don’t try. Stay with the family. Because in God’s family everyone is blessed.

When Balak called for Balaam to come and curse Israel in Numbers 22-24, he took him to a place where he could see the extent or potion of the people, but God caused Balaam to bless Israel. Lastly Balak took Balaam to a high place so he could look out across Israel so he could see them better but God again told Balaam to bless them. Yet sandwiched between those two places, Balak took Balaam to a place so he could see the utmost or hinder part of Israel. Balak just knew if Balaam could see the stragglers, the weak, the sick, the wounded and hurt, if Balaam could see the slow-walkers and the elderly, if he could see the seemingly unwanted, or unimportant, he would curse Israel. But God caused Balaam, bless Israel. Even where those were bringing up the rear God wanted them blessed.

You see no matter where time finds you; the family of God is still blessed. Circumstance and problems may have pushed you to the back of the line it seems but stay with the family, there are blessing from God on His.

So when you look around the church at all the different people and their different places in life never forget two things. 1. Stay with the family, God is blessing the family. 2. Everyone is important in the family no matter where life finds them at the moment.

God’s family is a wonderful place.

Goodness and Mercy

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 NKJV

This must be one of the sweetest phrases ever penned in scripture.

Let’s read it is some other translations.

I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live. TEV

Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days,  and I will live in the Lord's house for the rest of my life.  NET

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life. The Message

Look at that first word, Surely. David didn’t say, “Maybe goodness and mercy will follow me…” Or possibly goodness and mercy will follow me..” Or “I have a hunch that goodness and mercy shall follow me.” David could have used one of those phrases but he didn’t. David believed in a sure God who makes His promises and provides a sure foundation. David uses the word Surely. It means certainly and is akin to a word that mean firmly according to Strong’s.

David would have loved James’ take on this in James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. NKJV

The Phillips translation say, “… with whom there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency.”

Our moods may shift, but God doesn’t. Our minds may change, but God’s doesn’t. Our devotions may falter, but God’s never does. Even if we are faithless, He is faithful, for He cannot betray Himself. Paul in writing to his son in the gospel tells Timothy as he starts chapter three of the second book, “Timothy, you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Paul then says later on in the chapter. If we are faithless, he remains faithful; he cannot deny Himself.  2 Timothy 2:13 NKJV

And what follows the word surely? “Goodness and Mercy.”

If the Lord is the Good Shepherd leading His flock, goodness and mercy are two real good sheepdogs that guard the rear of the flock. Goodness and mercy, not just one or the other but both. We need both, goodness and mercy with us.  For goodness alone would leave us without help in our failures when we need mercy, not mercy alone because we are fragile and in need of the goodness of God. Goodness to supply our needs and sometimes wants and mercy to forgive us of our failures and lack of faith. Goodness to provide and mercy to pardon.

Goodness and mercy – the celestial escort of God’s flock.

And because He is a sure God, we can state with confidence, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

We may not listen to the voice of God at times, we may tend to do our own thing and act contrary to His Word. Yet, when we realize we don’t do well on our own and turn to look back at God, there is Goodness and Mercy.

Goodness and mercy to follow us each and every day, all the days of our life.

Think of the days you have ahead. What do you see? Much of it is guess work and much is totally unknown. But there are some things that look to be a given right now.

Some of you have days at home alone with only toddler to talk to. God will be right there following you as you chase after a kid. Some of you have days stacked on top of days of a dead end job. God will be right there in every sigh. Some of you have days of real uncertainty. God will be there every day helping with every step of direction.

Some of you have days of loneliness. God will take your hand and you will feel His presents.

Goodness and mercy, there to follow you and me every day.

I don’t know all of what tomorrow will bring. I don’t understand every step along the way. But I do know this; I don’t want to walk those steps without God Almighty being there. There every step! I longing want Goodness and Mercy following the steps God has order for my life.

Drop those bags of doubt and worry you have been dragging around. It’s getting on your nerves, it’s taking your living, and it’s causing others around you to try to stay away from you. It’s making your travels miserable. Lose the bag of doubts and worries.

Isaiah tells us if we will make the right decisions, if we respond right to the goodness and mercy of our life, there is a great promise. Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Isaiah 58:8 NKJV

As David uses the phrase “follow me” it seems a strange way to describe God but there it is.

We are accustom to the Lord sitting on His throne in heaven and ruling and ordaining His will from there. We tend to forget that is is everywhere, even walking with us the path He ordained.

Yes, David sees God very mobile and active. Dare we do the same?

(Some thoughts taken from the book Traveling Light)

Spectator Christians

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13 NKJV

This is the verse of scripture from my morning devotion today. Allow me to share this short devotion with you and my thoughts along the way. The reading comes from Renewed Day by Day volume 2 with A.W. Tozer. The italicized words are the devotion the others are my thoughts.

This is what we have heard: “I am a born again Christian and I am happy that my sins are forgiven and I go to church on Sunday because I like the fellowship!”

We ask: “Do you not go to put yourself in the way of spiritual blessings?”

The answer: “No, I am saved and I do not need anything!”

We ask: “Have you offered to witness, to pray, to encourage, to assist, to participate in your church’s life and outreach?”

The answer: No, My church seems to get along very well without my help!”

Sadly this is where most on the pew find themselves, parked and proud to simply watch their church preform. They are comfortable being a spectator Christian. Sadly these people believe everything is fine with them being such a person on the pew. They feel no need to be involved, no need for a prayer life and a full anointed life. They simply sit as though they have a remote and if things don’t suit them they will simply change positions or places.

Another sad fact is according to scripture such thinking and life action is not the true actions of the saved. Jesus more than once declares such thinking is that of those who will be cast out. In Matthew 24:45-51 Jesus gives an example of two different servants, one doing the things of God the other a spectator Christian. Jesus says, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

My devotion goes on to say:

Brethren, (also ladies) this non- participation kind of faith is a strange parody on Bible Christianity. Men and women who say they are believers just cancel themselves out. Is it something we have learned from sporting events? The great majority are spectators. They come and sit!

At a sporting event there are more spectators then players. Also there is always more noise from the spectators. It is easy to sit and yell, criticize and complain than it is to produce. The reason we have more spectators in the church than player is simple. It cost something to be on the field.

First one must get and stay in great condition to stay on the field. – In the church having one good prayer meeting in your life does not give one eternal spiritual conditioning. No like a player one must work on their conditioning daily and guard every action so as not to compromise one’s ability to perform.

Second, one must continually train and get better to stay on the field – Jesus rewarded the ones who increased what was given them. The ones who did not increase what was given were cast out. Just like a player on the field we must work every day to get better at what we do for God. He will ask how we did with what He gave one day. (Matthew 25:26-30, Luke 19:20-26)

Third, there must be stamina, a drive to win on the field – Those on the field know the battle is sometimes hard but they are willing to push through problems to make sure there is a win. Hard work? Yes, but very rewarding in the end.

You can see it’s much easier just to sit in the stands (pews) and yell. It’s much easier to pick and complain and arm chair coach. One doesn’t have to be in shape, no need for prayer or study, no need to get better because it’s easy sitting in the stands. No need to have any drive for change. It’s easy being a spectator Christian.

But there is something the spectator Christina needs to remember. Those on the field are the only one who gets the prize.

The devotion finishes: If there is any spiritual life within us, God will give us a gift of some kind and the humble soul will find something to do for God!

Come on now; get off the pews and onto the field. There is a game to be played and race to be won and the reward is to the ones who run the race not for those who just watch.