tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69916906531726796122024-03-05T01:29:43.024-05:00Thoughts from Pastor SteveReflections on being part of the Body of Christ.Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.comBlogger697125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-10522255348208733682023-08-22T10:31:00.001-05:002023-08-22T10:31:18.297-05:00What is the Church?<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xIuKEwwe-CxDCIo0ld67tJo4O7i8vDKRG2XqEPczOnewG3Ex7eoh4bXadvTx0ADSPihgsuMs0zoxjmDReIOdScDDAxgu-C6XgRc4n0R27TqvLwu5QYSiqEaoiQ6syIuZ2F9ZWFt3aTQofso1mz7-b69GWvJrG_ZHBaxKDgq1P5fnUQzLsnj2VHzJBkM/s2048/First%20Baptist.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xIuKEwwe-CxDCIo0ld67tJo4O7i8vDKRG2XqEPczOnewG3Ex7eoh4bXadvTx0ADSPihgsuMs0zoxjmDReIOdScDDAxgu-C6XgRc4n0R27TqvLwu5QYSiqEaoiQ6syIuZ2F9ZWFt3aTQofso1mz7-b69GWvJrG_ZHBaxKDgq1P5fnUQzLsnj2VHzJBkM/s320/First%20Baptist.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.5pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-armenian-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-default-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-greek-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hebrew-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latin-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ligatures: none;">The Apostle Paul would whole-heartedly answer that question as the Body of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I think that all of us<br /> would agree with him<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.5pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-armenian-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-default-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-greek-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hebrew-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latin-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ligatures: none;">But what is the purpose of the Church?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That one is a little more difficult, isn’t it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because everyone has a different opinion about that one, and the Bible isn’t real clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How well is the Church doing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s even more difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because that one involves measurable metrics—we identify things that we think a church should be doing, and we assign different weights to each of these things, again, they are personal opinions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.5pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-armenian-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-default-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-greek-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hebrew-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latin-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ligatures: none;">Rick Warren wrote Purpose Driven Church in an attempt to answer that question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that book, he identifies five things a church should be about:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fellowship - Discipleship - Worship - Ministry - and Evangelism. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.5pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-armenian-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-default-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-greek-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hebrew-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latin-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ligatures: none;">So according to Warren, a church should be doing these five things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I would suggest, it’s not enough for the church to just offer these, each believer in the church should be involved in each of these five areas or the church to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.5pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-armenian-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-default-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-greek-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hebrew-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latin-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ligatures: none;">Fellowship involves being together, talking about life, and life’s struggles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It involves being together for all the events the Church puts on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coming to every dinner, every service, every time the Church gathers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes there are times you can’t make it, but if you emphasize the value of fellowship, you make a sincere effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Discipleship involves Sunday School, Small Groups, Bible Studies, Men’s Breakfasts, and the like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.5pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-armenian-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-default-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-greek-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hebrew-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latin-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ligatures: none;">Worship includes the Sunday service, but also special services, prayer events, and other times the Word of God is shared and discussed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ministry means service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every believer , and by extension, every member of the Church, should be involved in some ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using your gifts and abilities to grow the church and bring glory ot God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And finally, Evangelism is simply sharing the reason for the hope you have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not without hope when we know God is with us and that He loves us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let others know where your hope comes from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.5pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-armenian-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-default-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-greek-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hebrew-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latin-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ligatures: none;">It's only when the Church does all these things that it can be said that it is a good church. And it's only when the members of the Church join in together when these are done that makes a church great.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-71704387879489620652023-08-21T09:08:00.000-05:002023-08-21T09:08:39.017-05:00Great is Your Faith<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Birdseye, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">This week we look at the Caaninite woman with the demon possessed daughter. Jesus refuses to heal her. Why? Was it something that she did? Was there something about her? Or was there something Jesus wanted to see, first. He did eventually heal her daughter. But why the delay? Let's look at this passage today. Grab your Bibles, we're in Matthew 15.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTt78QQ7G3U" width="320" youtube-src-id="qTt78QQ7G3U"></iframe></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Birdseye, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><p></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-82026158814809030752022-09-01T05:30:00.001-05:002022-09-01T05:30:00.147-05:00Always Look on the Inside<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiWIQJdh7xVLegsBFcudvngBflXtPTKzOBDSBl4tcBKY7lFS72TnbFnLki40NJHOiGhhl0fkbQ9JAgFkC6hr8flx2Rn8AmZ8wPMKnVfmmE1ghlItaVEmARbdBli2iVCkiZYfeuT03ilUEurS1HHrmSCgVyCKDcBYLAt3lifhIQEYm2NL5aHjgJeFt/s700/cave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiWIQJdh7xVLegsBFcudvngBflXtPTKzOBDSBl4tcBKY7lFS72TnbFnLki40NJHOiGhhl0fkbQ9JAgFkC6hr8flx2Rn8AmZ8wPMKnVfmmE1ghlItaVEmARbdBli2iVCkiZYfeuT03ilUEurS1HHrmSCgVyCKDcBYLAt3lifhIQEYm2NL5aHjgJeFt/s320/cave.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> I remember reading a story
once about a man who was exploring some caves by the seashore. In one of the
caves he<br /> found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like
someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake. They
didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the
cave with him.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">As he strolled along the
beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into
the ocean as far as he could throw.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">He thought little about it
until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a
beautiful, precious stone. Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining
clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars
worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">He had been on the beach a
long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden
treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he
could have had tens of thousands, but he just threw it all away.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">You know sometimes, it's
like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the
external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't
always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less
important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">But we have not taken the
time to find the treasure hidden inside that person. There is a treasure hidden
in every one of us. We are wonderfully made. Not just our physical bodies, our
spiritual selves, which are sometimes hidden from others by the *earthen
vessel*</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">But if you take the time to
get to know that person, and if you ask the Spirit to show you that person the
way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem
begins to shine forth.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The glory of friendship is
not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship;
it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that
someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-- Author Unknown</span><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-34656345084773953452022-08-31T05:30:00.011-05:002022-08-31T05:30:00.165-05:00Always Believe in Miracles<p><span color="windowtext"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span color="windowtext"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp1tqelUwI4sVAoXrE_TiiAGSu-8WxACLASonZgn9V98Kg60d_fdHIsA2e9xwL_HrPo89SbQxbtqxXIbxS-Liq56eQYQT08j4ZdkgtPmX-vDQBLcp4OTtKi9PozPDevZf_VFpeO_cY1uiRUJ5t0rX4l_R980KKfOHwn34SUf8lKPtEZfPuuowoPPl/s1125/Santa-Event-Image.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1125" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp1tqelUwI4sVAoXrE_TiiAGSu-8WxACLASonZgn9V98Kg60d_fdHIsA2e9xwL_HrPo89SbQxbtqxXIbxS-Liq56eQYQT08j4ZdkgtPmX-vDQBLcp4OTtKi9PozPDevZf_VFpeO_cY1uiRUJ5t0rX4l_R980KKfOHwn34SUf8lKPtEZfPuuowoPPl/s320/Santa-Event-Image.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span color="windowtext"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Three years ago, a
little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin.
The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl. "Who
is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "Your friend? Your sister?"</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Yes, Santa," he replied. "My sister,
Sarah, who is very sick," he<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> said sadly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was
waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"She wanted to come with me to see you,
oh, so very much, Santa!" the child exclaimed. "She misses you,"
he added softly.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to
the boy's face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas.
When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off
his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted. "What is
it?" Santa asked warmly.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Well, I know it's really too much to ask you,
Santa, but..." the old woman began, shooing her grandson over to one of
Santa's elves to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his young
visitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The girl in the photograph
... my granddaughter .. well, you see ... she has leukemia and isn't expected
to make it even through the holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes.
"Is there any way, Santa ... any possible way that you could come see
Sarah? That's all she's asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman
to leave information with his elves as to where Sarah was, and he would see<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> what he could do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Santa thought of little else the rest of that
afternoon. He knew what he had to do. "What if it were MY child lying in
that hospital bed, dying," he thought with a sinking heart, "this is
the least I can do." When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and
girls that evening, he retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where
Sarah was staying. He asked the assistant location manager how to get to
Children's Hospital.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on
his face.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah's
grandmother earlier that day. "C'mon .... I'll take you there," Rick
said softly.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rick drove them to the hospital and came inside with
Santa. They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait
out in the hall.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Santa quietly peeked into the room through the
half-closed door and saw little Sarah on the bed. The room was full of what
appeared to be her family; there was the Grandmother and the girl's brother he
had met earlier that day. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah's mother stood by
the bed, gently pushing Sarah's thin hair off her forehead. And another woman
who he discovered later was Sarah's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with
weary, sad look on her face. They were talking quietly, and Santa could sense
the warmth and closeness of the family, and their love and concern for Sarah.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Taking a deep breath, and forcing a smile on his
face, Santa entered the room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!"<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as
she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes in tact. Santa rushed to
her side and gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of his own son -- 9
years old -- gazed up at him with wonder and excitement. Her skin was pale and
her short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the effects of chemotherapy.
But all he saw when he looked at her was a pair of huge, blue eyes. His heart
melted, and he had to force himself to choke back tears. Though his eyes were
riveted upon Sarah's face, he could hear the gasps and quiet sobbing of the
women in the room. As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to
the<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> bedside
one by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering
"thank you" as they gazed sincerely at him with shining eyes.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Santa
and Sarah talked and talked, and she told him excitedly all the toys she wanted
for Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year. As their
time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for Sarah, and
asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in agreement and the
entire family circled around Sarah's bed, holding hands. Santa
looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she believed in angels.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Oh, yes, Santa ... I do!" she exclaimed.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you,”
he said. Laying one hand on the child's head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed.
He asked that God touch little Sarah, and heal her body from this<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> disease. He asked that
angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when he finished praying, still
with eyes closed, he started singing softly, "Silent Night, Holy Night
.... all is calm, all is bright." The family joined in, still holding
hands, smiling at Sarah, and crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this
moment, as Sarah beamed at them all. When the song ended, Santa sat on the side
of the bed again and held Sarah's frail, small hands in his own. "Now,
Sarah," he said authoritatively, "you have a job to do, and that is
to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends
this summer, and I expect to see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time next
year!" He knew it was risky proclaiming that, to this little girl who had
terminal cancer, but he "had" to. He had to give her the greatest
gift he could -- not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes
bright.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and
left the room. Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick's, a look
passed between them and they wept unashamed. Sarah's mother and grandmother
slipped out of the room quickly and rushed to Santa's side to thank him.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"My only child is the same age as Sarah,"
he explained quietly. "This is the least I could do." They nodded
with understanding and hugged him.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set
in Milwaukee for his six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several
weeks went by and then one day a child came up to sit on his lap. "Hi,
Santa!<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember me?!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he
always does), smiling down at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
all, the secret to being a "good" Santa is to always make each child
feel as if they are the "only" child in the world at that moment.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"You came to see me in the hospital last
year!" Santa's jaw<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dropped.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed this little
miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed. He scarcely
recognized her, for her hair was long and silky and her cheeks were rosy
-- much different from the little girl he had visited just a year before. He
looked over and saw Sarah's mother and grandmother in the sidelines smiling and
waving and wiping their eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus. He
had witnessed - and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about – this
miracle of hope. This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and
well. He silently looked up to Heaven and humbly whispered, "Thank you,
Father.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-16751141703566444602022-08-30T08:18:00.003-05:002022-08-30T08:18:40.321-05:00Four Wives...<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi696u814nlU-KRnG19jnAv59N9zvHeQ5WNiizCAkqD9-ktEjD5RZht6GSRHP4zuX2YuraIVnLiotljrny5cUwgl6F_BIkDRTa5zpBSBXA48EXpgYtO6upUEShPahDArURiO_U_FdfPZVh5wkvdCZAWDrzrvfHsCQYlXQ7arnnWKWdAFCwvB-ruG2sc" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi696u814nlU-KRnG19jnAv59N9zvHeQ5WNiizCAkqD9-ktEjD5RZht6GSRHP4zuX2YuraIVnLiotljrny5cUwgl6F_BIkDRTa5zpBSBXA48EXpgYtO6upUEShPahDArURiO_U_FdfPZVh5wkvdCZAWDrzrvfHsCQYlXQ7arnnWKWdAFCwvB-ruG2sc" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives. He loved the 4th </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">wife the most<br /> and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.</span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">for another.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">"No way!" replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!" His heart sank and turned cold.<br /><br />He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, wil! l you follow me and keep me company?"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave." Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.<br /><br />Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"<br /><br />In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.<br /><br />Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.<br /><br />Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.<br /><br />And our 1st wife is our Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.<br /><br />Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.</span><div style="border-left: solid #1010FF 1.5pt; border: none; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: .5in; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid #1010FF 1.5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-47546602359124151802022-08-29T10:34:00.003-05:002022-08-29T10:34:34.891-05:00Judge Not<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcol05AZemEFOukt8wl4h30ZkP2j5ubjQ8j7LhldBTmRzyYjTsBiG8F2fcVVz0B7w-lWJV-QvNlS38OqkNypmjyvp9Ytgzmzwe1ceYrdEwwbc80sJCLO5QV26OQ1EARgIw4TI5DyEs02cZa8xfLaZ1nqpb_5xM-6EQkJo34XsORgmvSB89eSbt9TtD" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="800" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcol05AZemEFOukt8wl4h30ZkP2j5ubjQ8j7LhldBTmRzyYjTsBiG8F2fcVVz0B7w-lWJV-QvNlS38OqkNypmjyvp9Ytgzmzwe1ceYrdEwwbc80sJCLO5QV26OQ1EARgIw4TI5DyEs02cZa8xfLaZ1nqpb_5xM-6EQkJo34XsORgmvSB89eSbt9TtD" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">There was an old man in a village,
very poor, but even the kings were jealous of him because he had<br /> a beautiful
white horse.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">Kings offered fabulous
prices for the horse, but the man would say, “This horse is not a horse to me,
he is a person.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">And how can you sell a
person, a friend?”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">The man was very
poor, but he never sold the horse.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">One
morning, he found that the horse was not in the stable.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">The whole village gathered and said, “You
foolish old man!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">We knew that someday
the horse would be stolen.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">It would have
been better to sell it.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">What a
misfortune!”</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">The old man said, “Don’t go so far
as to say that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simply say that the
horse is not in the stable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the
fact; everything else is a judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whether it is a misfortune or a blessing I do not know, because this is
just a fragment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows what is going
to follow it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">People laughed at the old man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had always known that he was a little
crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after fifteen days, suddenly
one night the horse returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had not
been stolen, he had escaped into the wild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And not only that, he brought a dozen wild horses back with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again the people gathered and they said, “Old
man, you were right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was not a
misfortune, it has indeed proved to be a blessing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man said, “Again you are going to
far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just say the horse is back, who
knows whether it is a blessing or not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is only a fragment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You read a
single word in a sentence – how can you judge the whole book?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">This time the people did not say
much, but inside they knew that he was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Twelve beautiful horses had come…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course it was a blessing!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">The old man had an only son who
started to train the wild horses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a
week later he fell from a horse and both his legs were broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people gathered again and again they
judged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said, “Again, you proved
right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a misfortune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You only son has lost the use of his legs,
and in your old age he was your only support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now you are poorer than ever.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">The old man said, “You are obsessed
with judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t go that far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Say only that my son has broken his
legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody knows whether this is a
misfortune or a blessing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life comes in
fragments and more is never given to you.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">It happened that after a few weeks
the country went to war, and all the young men of the town were forcibly taken
for the military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the old man’s son
was left, because he was crippled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
whole town was crying and weeping, because it was a losing fight, and they knew
most of the young people would never come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They came to the old man and they said, “You were right, old man, this
has proved to be a blessing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe your
son is crippled, but he is still with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our sons are gone forever.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">The man said again, “You go on and
on judging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody knows!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only say this, that your sons have been
forced to enter into the army, and my son has not been forced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But only God knows whether it is a blessing
or a misfortune.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">“Judge ye not” – otherwise you will
never become one with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
fragments you will be obsessed, with small things you jump to conclusions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you judge you have stopped growing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBodyTextIndent"> Judgment means a stale state of mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And mind always wants judgment, because to be
in process is always hazardous and uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the journey never ends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One path ends, another begins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One door closes, another opens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You reach a peak, a higher peak is always
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is an endless journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only those who are so courageous that they
don’t bother about the goal but are content with the journey, content just to
live the moment and grow into it, only those are able to walk with God.<o:p></o:p></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-13701910185467854312022-08-19T05:30:00.002-05:002022-08-19T05:30:00.155-05:00A Closing Thought on Social Regression<p><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">I have been passing along some thoughts over the last few days from Roberta Gilbert’s book, The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory, that show that our society today may be in crisis. Today, I would like to pass along one final thought on this (Again from Gilbert's book)…</span></p><blockquote style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><p>How many people would it take, doing just one of the following -</p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Connecting with their generations, eliminating family cutoffs</li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Educating themselves as to the facts in our society – the regression (the social crisis)</li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Becoming clear on their guiding principles, being guided by them instead of political correctedness or groupthink</li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Taking a stand, after careful consideration</li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Defining a self in their families</li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Becoming principle-guided parents, rather than projecting a worried focus</li></ul><p>- to bring the regression to an end? One can only guess how many it would take, but it is a fascinating question.</p></blockquote>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-75267906060845139022022-08-17T05:30:00.003-05:002022-08-17T05:30:00.161-05:00An answer to Social Regression<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbq8X_Br6SeTNW-HxXvZtHMg50TKXntPR9mQwtBf3ePy97N_oEnFBoD30tBlMvimYI0WIg0dGARd6BtBrYfPbnBkRpQWkEJ2g14SEu9j0S58CNzH0bmQ_5M3EMqpypCnMALdEvLTUXSAUAVwIjk4FWTLZNxo0SS9-fgDr_95s7i52oHnlw3tY6-X3/s141/RGilbert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="141" data-original-width="120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbq8X_Br6SeTNW-HxXvZtHMg50TKXntPR9mQwtBf3ePy97N_oEnFBoD30tBlMvimYI0WIg0dGARd6BtBrYfPbnBkRpQWkEJ2g14SEu9j0S58CNzH0bmQ_5M3EMqpypCnMALdEvLTUXSAUAVwIjk4FWTLZNxo0SS9-fgDr_95s7i52oHnlw3tY6-X3/w170-h200/RGilbert.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Yesterday, I looked at some statistics from Roberta Gilbert’s book, The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory, that show that our society today may be in crisis. That, according to Family Systems Theory, or Bowen Theory, we may be in a time the theory refers to as Social Regression.</span><p></p><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">What do we do about it? How can change the course of society? In a family system, in order for the system of change, one person in the system, preferably a parent, will need to make a stand for higher and better functioning of self. They will begin to function better in the system, and in time, the system will react differently and change in the system will come about. Can we apply this to Society as a whole?</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Roberta Gilbert makes the following suggestions of how we can make a difference:</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">1. Learn the facts and begin to make a difference. If societal regression is to turn around, people will have to get out of denial and start learning what is really taking place in society. This will mean reading more books and searching outside the usual media sources for facts. There is little time on TV for imparting the big picture – all the facts.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">2. Learn to “think systems” in families and in organizations. Under the effects of heightened anxiety, people tend not to see the “big picture” or to think systems.” Rather they tend to think “cause and effect,” laying blame (on others).</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">3. Get clear on one’s guiding principles and learn to think according to them rather than what society tries to dictate. If one believes the family to be important, for example, one will already be standing contrary to what much if not most of society dictates.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">4. Take a stand, after careful consideration address the problems in accordance with principles. With clarity on the facts, and as much information on the process as possible, guided by one’s best principles, a stand must eventually be taken.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Tomorrow, one final thought on the problem of social regression according to family systems theory.</span>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-10591539554491341912022-08-15T11:55:00.004-05:002022-08-15T11:56:35.711-05:00Social Crisis?<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOTpx5gZ60I7sLpmeGiWSYu-YzH2QFGQMt07eLlVtoYaepOTPGlgvIsk5R_WKl7jEBJmXGUmAlzRviY8P9gGbOLvQ9e3-GTVeScHFf7y3PO6qfLIRkwS6ND7Go4SzXXgM4bahvy6xw81KddbC6xxkQhX1QAYBV1nNzsZWoJAcy2ZoGwIhVyKF-QaDr" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="126" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOTpx5gZ60I7sLpmeGiWSYu-YzH2QFGQMt07eLlVtoYaepOTPGlgvIsk5R_WKl7jEBJmXGUmAlzRviY8P9gGbOLvQ9e3-GTVeScHFf7y3PO6qfLIRkwS6ND7Go4SzXXgM4bahvy6xw81KddbC6xxkQhX1QAYBV1nNzsZWoJAcy2ZoGwIhVyKF-QaDr" width="144" /></a></div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">I have just finished a class in Family Systems Theory, and have been doing some further reading. Essentially this theory, also called Bowen Theory after its founder, Murray Bowen, indicates that we are part of a system, and we operate as part of a system. As one person in a system changes, we react to that change, and the whole system changes. I find this very interesting in that when we change, we can change the system. I can use this in counseling people to help them realize they can change the family by changing how they react in the family.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">One of the concepts in Family Systems Theory is that the theory also works to affect the emotional processes in society as a whole, not just members of a family or work system. To support this concept on a society wide basis, Roberta Gilbert, in her book, “The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory,” Gilbert suggests that we are in a period of social regression. To support this, she brings out some interesting statistics:</span></p><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">In 1940 the teachers in California were polled to find out what they considered the most troublesome problems they faced. The results were: Talking, Chewing gum, Making noise, Running in the halls, Getting out of line, Wearing improper clothing, and Not putting paper in the wastebasket.</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Again, in 1990, fifty years later, they were polled. This time the answers were quite different: Drug Abuse, Alcohol abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Rape, Robbery, Assault.<br /><br />In fifty years our society has changed a great deal if the schools are any indication.<br /><br />Consider also that between 1963 and 1993 the crime rate went up 360%, youth crime is up 200%, teen pregnancy is up 600% and teen suicide is up 300% (now the second most important cause of death in teens, after accidents). One in five teens attempted suicide, single parents increased by 300%, SAT scores are down 7% and drug use is up over 1,000%.</blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">These statistics show an overall deterioration in our society. If the theory is correct, and we are in a time of social regression, what can do about it? We’ll look at Gilberts ideas in tomorrow’s post…</span></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-25282770699024028652022-04-26T09:03:00.001-05:002022-04-26T09:07:00.033-05:00The Lord will fight for you...<p> </p><div style="tab-stops: right 467.5pt; text-align: center;"><i>“The
Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.”</i></div>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt; text-align: right;">Exodus 14:14<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEic-8ZOX_0WyiEo_HxfxcRwHm3m3BDT_h0AonnclXYmSIQpCmy0uNET-jjFmPa30Dnr20shPxigEvudesuQ4TzfRnhcF4wqh2NMKEXdcgJSqHrrtXs8839hV8clYueVNIVnmcLyFuDqdHVR3MHJYhZZFbbNCK0OoJXcq_AIsncFNObIYsjEsW7JnKiF" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="320" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEic-8ZOX_0WyiEo_HxfxcRwHm3m3BDT_h0AonnclXYmSIQpCmy0uNET-jjFmPa30Dnr20shPxigEvudesuQ4TzfRnhcF4wqh2NMKEXdcgJSqHrrtXs8839hV8clYueVNIVnmcLyFuDqdHVR3MHJYhZZFbbNCK0OoJXcq_AIsncFNObIYsjEsW7JnKiF=w200-h149" width="200" /></a></div>The
scene here is the end of the Israelite time of slavery in Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses went to Egypt to<br /> ask Pharoah to let the
Israelites go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God sent a sign, a plague of blood, all the
waters in Egypt turned to blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses
again asked Pharoah, Pharoah again said no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So God sent more plagues – frogs, gnats, flies, all the livestock in
Egypt died, people broke out in boils, hail destroyed crops, locusts ate what
was left, the land turned dark for three days, and after each plague, Moses asked
Pharoah, Pharoah said no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally the
last plague was the death of the firstborn, every firstborn son in Egypt died,
and Pharoah finally said go.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">But we
saw in Exodus 14:5, <i>“When the king of Egypt was told that the people had
fled</i> [the Israelite people – the Egyptian slaves], <i>Pharoah and his
officials changed their minds about them and said, ‘What have we done?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have let the Israelites go and have lost
their service.’”</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">So
Pharoah pursued them, we heard the numbers of chariots, all of Pharoah’s army
was in pursuit of the Israelites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
the Israelites were camped out along the Red Sea, seemingly trapped when the
army was approaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we kept reading
we would have seen the miraculous deliverance, the parting of the sea, the
Israelites crossing on dry ground, the Egyptian pursuit, the sea closing in
again, destroying the Egyptian army. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">But I
want us to see tonight, is the last verse that I shared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was part of the reading for last night’s
Prayer for Healing service, and it really stuck with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last verse read, <a name="_Hlk101782000"><i>“The
Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.”<o:p></o:p></i></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk101782000;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">We saw
how anxious the Israelites were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were arguing with Moses, if you just left us alone in Egypt it would have been
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would much rather be slaves
then die in the desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
fearful, scared, sure they were going to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And Moses said, <i>“The Lord will fight for you; you need only be
still.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>And the Lord did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the Israelites were saved.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">I want
to point that out because in our own lives we have plenty to be anxious
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are things that don’t look
so good, we don’t know how they might play out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Health scares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finances, the
stock market drops lower every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inflation
– the government says it’s 7 ½ %, but our chicken for our chicken BBQ is up
25%, gas, while coming down now, has doubled, up 100%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Groceries are more expensive every week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A whole lot more than 7 ½ % overall.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">It can
seem like we’re fighting just to hold our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But remember what Moses said, <i>“The Lord will fight for you; you need
only be still.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Trust in God, turn
everything over to Him, and be still.<o:p></o:p></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-44941968369050239712022-04-20T10:54:00.000-05:002022-04-20T10:54:08.494-05:00Maundy Thursday relflections<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglKj4orB8mO_CyPxkQ53pjC4Tz-tT4TTMdQ5JQGWuGli4BvHiWkXdtTfo0kEEGsR3bF0yg4K6gv214W3D_Eiyq0YbTfzOD0o2u-8ZAZvHNRwegZKotlE3gn3z3Upbrvt-kgkkTcXV6azVuE38GpFHmP-8HS5QFjjPniyXY_fWeOy9_49yMHZNgQkKw" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglKj4orB8mO_CyPxkQ53pjC4Tz-tT4TTMdQ5JQGWuGli4BvHiWkXdtTfo0kEEGsR3bF0yg4K6gv214W3D_Eiyq0YbTfzOD0o2u-8ZAZvHNRwegZKotlE3gn3z3Upbrvt-kgkkTcXV6azVuE38GpFHmP-8HS5QFjjPniyXY_fWeOy9_49yMHZNgQkKw=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I wanted to pass along my reflections from the Maundy Thursday service we held at Waverly First Baptist Church. Maundy Thursday was the night that Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples. It was the night that he washed their feet. It was the night, later, that he was arrested. So we celebrate it every year, sometimes by a Seder Service, looking at what was done during the Passover Seder Service, and sometimes, like we did this year, with a service remembering that evening in the upper room. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here is the devotion that I gave in this service...</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our
gospel reading from <span style="font-size: 12pt;">John 13:1-17; 31b-35</span> stresses the washing of the feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a lot of churches, on this night, have a
service that features, no pun intended, the washing of feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s my take on that, I don’t wash feet,
not because I think that I’m at all above washing feet, but because I don’t see
that, in this passage, as a lasting ordinance that Jesus wants us washing each
other’s feet.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I think
to understand what Jesus is doing here, we need to understand the context in
which it happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the first century,
there were no sidewalks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People walked
on dirt roads that were often little more than footpaths or trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they were dusty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they wore sandals when they walked, open
sandals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were designed to protect
the soul of your feet, with little more than leather straps to hold them
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Open sandals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still have similar things today.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But
when you enter a home, you took your sandals off, because you don’t want to
track all that dust into people homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
you usually went barefoot inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
the sandals didn’t keep your feet clean, the tops would get as dusty as the
bottoms of your feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they often had
servants to wash your feet as you entered someone’s home.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So we
come to night of Jesus celebrating the Passover feast with his disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were just the twelve disciples present,
there weren’t any servants there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understand
that some of the disciples went on ahead to prepare the meal, that my
interpretation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn’t a
restaurant, this was the upper room of someone’s house that Jesus was allowed
to use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nowhere does it say that the
meal was prepared for them, in fact in Matthew 26:19, it says, <i>“So the
disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My
point in that is that it was just the disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of them went ahead and prepared the
Passover meal, but no one thought about cleaning their feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this is a borrowed upper room, you want
to keep it as clean as possible, So Jesus took advantage of the opportunity to
teach them a lesson about serving one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s interesting that while many churches think that Maundy Thursday is
all about Jesus washing each others feet, John is the only one of the four gospels
that tells about the feet washing.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And,
interesting enough, John doesn’t mention communion, the Lord’s Supper isn’t
mentioned at all in John’s gospel, while all three of the other gospels mention
it, and don’t mention feet washing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
me, as I look at the things that happened at that Passover meal, I see
communion as a lasting ordinance, and the washing of feet as just another
lesson on how we should be serving one another.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So
tonight, we’re emphasizing communion, or the Last Supper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know from our Seder services in other
years that communion wasn’t just given during any old meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the Passover seder, where they remembered
the exodus from Egypt, one of the greatest things to happen the Jewish people
in the history of the Jewish people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And
during the meal, Jesus took symbols from the Passover, and applied them to
himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that God’s people would
remember Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And monthly we come
together at the table, and we eat bread, though it’s not unleavened bread, we
break bread, or at least we did before Covid, and the bread, in the Passover
was called the <i>Afikomen</i>, that term literally means “the one to come.”</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It
comes up in the seder early, when the host takes three pieces of unleavened
bread, breaks the middle one in half, and tells the children to hide their eyes
while he hides that piece of bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
he says these words, <i>“The Afikomen will return to end our Passover Seder.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For thousands of years, the Jewish people
have been uttering those words as they began their Passover celebrations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was the one who came, the Afikomen, who
came to end their Passover Seders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
don’t do them anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we remember
Jesus, and his death on the cross for our sins, and we remember him through the
Lord’s Supper, <i>“in remembrance of me.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our
first reading was from Exodus, and reminds us the requirements for the
Passover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What they had to do on that
first Passover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t just
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was given as a lasting
ordinance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were to do it each year,
to remember what God had done for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s why we do communion, to remember what Jesus did for us.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In 1
Corinthians, we saw a familiar passage about the Lord’s Supper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul passed on that ordinance to the Gentile
people in Corinth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t have the
law, they didn’t have to observe the Passover, but Paul is telling them that
they should be doing the Lord’s Supper, to remember what Jesus had done for
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And we
talked about the Afikomen already, represented by the bread, I want to talk
about the cup next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul said, in verse
25, <i>“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘this cup is
the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of
me.’”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back to the Passover Seder, if
you remember that, after the supper, they had the third cup, there were four
cups in the Seder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
third cup was the cup of redemption, the reminder that God was going to redeem
His people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus said, this cup is the
new covenant in my blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the cup
of redemption for the Jewish people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Jesus’ blood, the people of God find redemption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the symbolism here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the redemption of the people of
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In His shed blood, we find redemption.</span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Which
brings us back to the feet washing, and the last reading from John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But at the end of chapter, they are still in
the upper room, Judas had just left, and Jesus gives them a new command, <i>“Love
one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I have loved you, so you
must love one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By this all men
will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
foot washing was a way to show our love for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He served as a servant, by washing their
feet, now they’re told to go and serve one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And love one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s through our service, and it’s
through our love, that we show our faith to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p></p></blockquote><p>
<br /></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-89094767345621434782021-08-05T05:30:00.001-05:002021-08-05T05:30:00.260-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTPSBFE_CtYOooc8631EQlM5gQFwkRNVWhVuZykh_860s9ce6YEscmahnsL644WJtmIstFqLj-8LL_3cBUfdhYGWp4T08W-snHFMw2l5caC2a5XUy23e84pWzZwA6w0hGyJNdTw09eyg/s1500/fear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTPSBFE_CtYOooc8631EQlM5gQFwkRNVWhVuZykh_860s9ce6YEscmahnsL644WJtmIstFqLj-8LL_3cBUfdhYGWp4T08W-snHFMw2l5caC2a5XUy23e84pWzZwA6w0hGyJNdTw09eyg/w200-h150/fear.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <i style="text-align: center;">“Come my children, listen to me and I will teach
you the fear of the Lord… Keep your
tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and
pursue it.”</i></div><div style="text-align: right;">Psalm 34:11</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">I’ve
titled this devotion, <i>“Fear the Lord.”</i>
There are a number of passages that talk about fearing the Lord, and how
it’s important to fear the Lord. In
fact, I think those concepts that are repeated are the more important
concepts. If something is repeated a
lot, we should make sure we’re doing that, right.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">The
expression, Fear the Lord’ is one of those concepts that’s repeated. In Deuteronomy 6:1-2, right after God gave
the Law in chapter 5, he gives the reason he gave the law in chapter 6, <i>“these
are my commands, decrees, and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you
to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that
you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as
long as you live…” </i>We don’t follow
the Law any more, Jesus freed us from the bondage of the law and all that
represented, but the idea of fearing the Lord is still important.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">In 1
Peter 2:17, Peter is giving some instructions on how to live, and he says, “<i>Live
as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as
servants of God. Show proper respect to
everyone: Love the brotherhood of
believers, fear God, honor the king.”</i>
<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">In
Romans, in chapter 3:10-11, we’re familiar with 10, it says<i>, “There is no
one righteous, to even one; there is no one who understand, no one who seeks
God…”</i> He finishes his rant in verse
18, <i>“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” </i>And that sums up the problem, there is no
fear of God. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">The
expression “Fear the Lord,” shows up 24 times.
If something is repeated 24 times, that must be really important,
right? And if that’s not enough, “Fear
God” and “Fear of God” shows up an additional 21 times. So the idea of fearing the Lord shows up 45
times – do you get the idea that it’s important. That’s something we should be doing?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">But here’s
the thing, while there are a lot of verses telling us to fear the Lord, there
aren’t a lot about what that looks like.
What does it mean to fear the Lord?
What do you do? That’s what we
really want to know, right? If we’re
going to fear the Lord, and we all want to, it’s important, so what do we do,
what’s that look like, so I can do it. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">There’s
one other verse I want to share with you that talks about the Fear of the Lord,
because I think it gives us an answer, and there aren’t many that do. It’s Psalm 35:8-14..<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">And
verse 11 is the key for us, he says<i>, “Come my children, listen to me and I
will teach you the fear of the Lord.”</i>
If the fear of the Lord is that important, we want to know what it looks
like. Let’s listen to what he says and
see if he’ll teach us what it looks like:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><b>1. Keep your tongue from evil.</b> That the first part of verse 13. What does it mean to keep your tongue from
evil? It means to watch what we say. Say good things, things to build each other
up, don’t say bad things, things tear each other down. Ephesians 4:29 says, <i>“Do not let any unwholesome
talk come our of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up others,
according to their need, that it may benefit those who listen.”</i> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">James
talks a lot about our words in chapter 2.
In verse 5, <i>“The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes
great boasts.</i> V 6, <i>“The tongue is
like a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole
course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire.” </i>V. 8,<i> No man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly
poison.” </i>And finally in verse 9, he
sums it up by saying,<i> “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and
with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come paise and
cursing. My brothers, this should be
not.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">To fear
the Lord, we need to keep our tongue in check.
And we’re not showing a fear of the Lord, if we don’t.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><b>2. Keep your lips from speaking lies. </b>I don’t know about you, but if you’re
anything like me, you hate it when people lie.
I hear it all the time, people lie.
Since I’m a pastor, they don’t really want me to know how their
doing. They really want me to know what
they’ve been doing. And if their caught,
they certainly want to be judged by it. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">But
I’ll let you in on a little secret, God hates lying as much as you or I hate
lying. It was one of the 10 biggies,
right, the 10 commandments. Thou shalt
not lie. Colossians 3:9 says<i>, “Do not
lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with it’s practices
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image
of its creator.” </i>In other words, we
should lie, that’s what unbelievers do.
We live like Christ, and that means we’re honest.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><b>3. Turn from evil and do good.</b> My favorite example of what this looks like
is in Galatians, and it involves the fruits of the spirit. In Galatians 5, he starts talking in verse 19
about what is evil: “<i>sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;
drunkenness, orgies and the like.”</i>
That’s the evil we need to turn from.
<i>“I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not
inherit the kingdom of God.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;">Then in
verse 22 he starts to tell us the good that we need to be doing – turn away
from the evil and do good…. The good is
the fruits of the Spirit: <i>“love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt;"><b>4. Seek peace and pursue it. </b>Romans 12:18 says, <i>“If it is possible,
as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” </i> One of the beatitudes in Matthew 5 says, <i>“Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><p>
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; tab-stops: right 467.5pt; text-align: center;"><i>“Come my children, listen to me and I will teach
you the fear of the Lord… Keep your
tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and
pursue it.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-68253690192220836162021-08-04T10:15:00.001-05:002021-08-04T10:15:23.999-05:00The First Law of Motion<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3ZVqpa9ii4a-3LJUvLhssIWg6qP-t9-bwy2FpUWyTpPIlmLJ6dBGOf2sybJfr3PWV_ju-eNcoeC0uOY_GBQRiXxaPlLVaoFhrG3S0dVHY9Hpyq9vQlYzyo1cGQeHk2Gfu2Swzzw3Gog/s1280/Motion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3ZVqpa9ii4a-3LJUvLhssIWg6qP-t9-bwy2FpUWyTpPIlmLJ6dBGOf2sybJfr3PWV_ju-eNcoeC0uOY_GBQRiXxaPlLVaoFhrG3S0dVHY9Hpyq9vQlYzyo1cGQeHk2Gfu2Swzzw3Gog/s320/Motion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Sir Isaac Newton discovered, and later published, two Laws
of Motion. His first Law of Motion
states that <i>“a body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts
on it, and a body in motion at a constant velocity will remain in motion unless
acted upon by an outside force.”</i> We
all know that physical law, we can probably recite it, or at least paraphrase
it. We all know that an object in motion
tends to stay in motion, and a body at rest tends to stay at rest.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>If you’ve seen a rock on the ground, you’ve seen an example
of this physical law. If you watch it,
you’ll notice that it will stay right where it is. It is an object at rest and will stay that
way until something acts on it, till something moves it. If you kick it, you’ll see it will tend to go
a long way, until friction and gravity bring it to a stop. That’s a real basic example, but I think you
get the basic premise.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>That law applies to people, as well. Those that seem to be really busy, will tend
to stay really busy, finding things to do until something happens to force them
to slow down. Those who aren’t really
busy, tend to take it easy until something happens to force them to get busy.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>This has some implications for the church. Because now, in our post Covid-19 era,
assuming the worst is over and this blip in the Delta variant will be short
lived, our churches have seen more people staying home, and those who do go
out, seem to be more content with just Sunday morning attendance than
before. Numbers are down, and this law
seems to suggest they’ll stay slowed down until something happens to <i>“get
them in motion again.”</i> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>We saw the inverse when this pandemic started. We were an active church, with a number of ministries
going on, and a lot of participation. We
were a church in motion. And the law states
that we could expect to more or less stay in motion until something
happened. The something that happened
was the pandemic. We were forced to stay
home for a few months. We were forced to
stop our activity, or at least dramatically reduce it, in the name of
safety. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Now, we are a body at rest, and we need to start moving
again. Because if we don’t make the
effort, the principal suggests that we will stay at rest until something
happens. What can be the motivator? How can we begin to rebuild? We can start by meeting together for
dish-to-pass dinners. Some don’t like
the dish-to-pass format, so maybe we could have someone offer to do the main course,
then someone to do sides, alternating among the people who come, at least for a
while. I don’t expect the number coming
together would be too great, at least not as we get started.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Or we could come together for game nights, or movies, or
going out to a restaurant together.
Anything that gets us out of the house, bringing us together as a church
family, and promoting fellowship within that family, will do the trick. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>So what do you think?
Are we ready to <i>“get in motion”</i> again? What would you like to do? What do you get excited about? Let me know? </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-83613748392845339302020-09-02T09:46:00.001-05:002020-09-02T09:46:37.305-05:00Condemned Already<div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5VCo1f-q6wu9uIk-L5iysqDim5ZBwkgJP2nkllZ2ggNszYnhWS32lHLoEMUq7T4vwYZ6txYmFMHCVdTry9Lfxv7_NwBfEPKy6dI-tOGOl7PjzkTsr9oQ7FjP5yxElGxAJVS460tsBqQ/s560/Nicodemus-Transformed-By-Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5VCo1f-q6wu9uIk-L5iysqDim5ZBwkgJP2nkllZ2ggNszYnhWS32lHLoEMUq7T4vwYZ6txYmFMHCVdTry9Lfxv7_NwBfEPKy6dI-tOGOl7PjzkTsr9oQ7FjP5yxElGxAJVS460tsBqQ/w256-h144/Nicodemus-Transformed-By-Jesus.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>On Wednesday's, on Facebook, we do a Wednesday Bible Study, featuring a RightNow Bible Study link that you can watch, and then comment on. There is a study guide available for a free download, and it's a neat way to continue Bible Study during our time of trying to stay safe from the virus.<p></p></div><p>Currently, we're doing a study by Dr. Tony Evans, titled The Gospel of John, and it's a great study, because Tony Evans is a great teacher. This mornings lesson involved John chapter 3, and if you're a believer, that passage is probably somewhat familiar to you.</p><p>It's the passage where Nicodemus, a religious leader, a ruler of the Jewish ruling council, sneaks into see Jesus at night, so no one would see him, and began asking questions. I like the passage, because Nicodemus is close to the kingdom of God, he has questions, and he knows he won't find answers from fellow Jewish leaders. He want's to know who Jesus is. And I admire that in anybody, the boldness and courage it sometimes takes to ask those questions. Especially from a Jewish leader in Jesus' day.</p><p>It's in this passage we see one of our favorite passages, John 3:16, <i>"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." </i></p><p>But that's not the verse I want to talk about today. It's the next verse, verse 17, that I want to look at this morning. Because while 3:16 shows compassion, 3:17 shows why it's really needed. Verse 17 reads,<i> "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." </i></p><p>I think a lot of people today think that Jesus is a condemning person, that he is always condemning you for having fun, for living the way you might want, for doing what you want. And I admit, it can feel convicting to face your sins and have to deal with them when you want to grow closer to Jesus. </p><p>But the truth is, it's not Jesus that condemns us. The verse tells us that we are condemned already, we are condemned by our sin. You are condemned already, because you are a sinner already. Following Jesus doesn't condemn you. Following Jesus frees you from the condemnation you're already under. </p><p>Jesus didn't come to rub your nose in it, He came to free you from it.</p><p>That's what following Jesus does. It gives us a way out of our sinfulness. It's gives a way to address the pain in our hearts, the guilt, the heartache, the lack of feeling, the hurt. Because those feelings come from a separation from God. A separation from God comes from our sinfulness. Address the sinfulness, the feelings of despair go away. The hopelessness can go away.</p><p>Jesus didn't come to condemn you. He loves you. He came to rescue you, to save you, to make you right with the God who made you, who also loves you. </p><p>If you would like to know more, please comment or touch base with me.</p><p><br /></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-4037905312311225782020-08-13T12:30:00.000-05:002020-08-13T12:30:23.218-05:00Daily Devotion | August 13 | More and More<p> <span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "segoe ui historic", "segoe ui", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Here is today's daily devotional thought from Pastor Steve. Today, Pastor continues some thoughts from yesterday's passage on 1 Thessalonians 4:1...</span></p><p><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "segoe ui historic", "segoe ui", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F1358871680975984%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe></p>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-44477587895647813752020-08-12T11:20:00.001-05:002020-08-12T11:21:11.191-05:00Devotional thoughts | August 12 | Learning to Live<p><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "segoe ui historic", "segoe ui", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Pastor Steve shares a short devotion titled learning to live, based on a passage from 1 Thessalonians 4:1. Please leave a comment, I would love to hear what you think...</span></p><p><br /></p><br />
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F1026992324403191%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-40741760148264645512020-07-30T12:15:00.001-05:002020-07-30T12:15:15.688-05:00Daily Update & Devotion | July 30 | The Awesomeness of GodHere is my daily update and devotion for today, Thursday, July 30, 2020. Today we look at a vision of Julian of Norwich in the 1300's, to get a glimpse of the awesomeness of God. Leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F1036685910079795%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-82176044726492948252020-07-29T12:13:00.001-05:002020-07-29T12:13:44.981-05:00Daily Update & Devotion | July 29 | A baby carriage on the beach...Here is Pastor Steve's daily update and devotion for Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Today Pastor looks at some thoughts on seeing a baby carriage on the beach...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F311145120248053%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-55775316163398165492020-07-28T12:08:00.000-05:002020-07-28T12:08:48.371-05:00Live Update & Devotion | July 28 | Trusting in GodHere is my live update and devotion for today, Tuesday, July 28. Today I'll be looking at the importance of trusting in God... Please leave a comment, I would love to hear what you think...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F357350028616664%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-82639599669061193142020-07-27T12:20:00.003-05:002020-07-27T12:20:59.696-05:00Live Update & Devotion | July 27 | Final thoughts on social regression<span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "segoe ui historic" , "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Here is my daily update and devotion for Monday, July 27, 2020. today I'll be sharing some final thoughts to the problem of social regression. Please comment, i would love to hear what you think...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "segoe ui historic" , "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F3140100892750455%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-9800210439435048182020-07-24T11:51:00.001-05:002020-07-24T11:51:43.212-05:00Live Update & Devotion | July 24 | Answers to Social Regression<span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "segoe ui historic" , "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Here is Pastor Steve's live update and devotion for today, July 24. Today he continues thoughts on social regression and Family Systems Theory, with some answers to Social Regression. Thanks for watching, please leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "segoe ui historic" , "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F969972980101703%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-40404892676084080252020-07-23T12:13:00.001-05:002020-07-23T12:13:44.476-05:00Live Update & Devotion | July 23 | Social Crisis?<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #626262; font-family: "quattrocento";"><span style="font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.36px;">Here is my live update and devotion for Thursday, July 23. Today we'll be talking about whether might be in a social crisis. Please leave a comment, we'd love to hear what you think...</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #626262; font-family: "quattrocento";"><span style="font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.36px;"><br /></span></span></span><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F617728938860733%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-2673806252550686382020-07-22T12:12:00.000-05:002020-07-22T12:12:08.904-05:00Daily Update & Devotion | July 22 | Does our faith really make a difference<span style="background-color: white; color: #626262; font-family: "quattrocento"; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.36px; text-align: justify;">Here is Pastor Steve's daily update and devotion for Wednesday, July 22. Today Pastor talks about whether our faith really makes a difference. Check it out! We would love to hear your comments...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #626262; font-family: "quattrocento"; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.36px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F3975001432569906%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-1416967721952506762020-07-21T12:13:00.000-05:002020-07-21T12:13:20.295-05:00Daily Update & Devotion | July 21 | Choosing God in the midst of tragedy<span style="background-color: white; color: #626262; font-family: "quattrocento"; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.36px; text-align: justify;">Here is my daily update and devotion for Tuesday, July 22. Today I'll be talking about choosing God in the midst of tragedy. Please leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #626262; font-family: "quattrocento"; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.36px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWaverlyFirstBaptistChurch%2Fvideos%2F281855663079500%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6991690653172679612.post-55344889299165273682020-07-20T12:19:00.001-05:002020-07-20T12:19:28.524-05:00Daily Update & Devotion | July 20 | Finding Peace in things we can't understand...<span style="background-color: white; color: #626262; font-family: "quattrocento"; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.36px; text-align: justify;">Here is Pastor Steve's daily update and devotion for Monday, July 20, 2020. Today Pastor Steve talks about finding peace in things we can't understand. Leave a comment, we would love to hear from you...</span><br />
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Pastor Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009345132358209715noreply@blogger.com0