A Way Through The Desert

It's always darkest before the dawn. This statement is a great metaphor describing the challenges of life. It reminds us life is fragile and unpredictable. An unfortunate reality of life is that it may worsen before it gets better.  

 
 

This pattern of bad preceding good is seen in the Bible. Before Joseph made it to Pharaoh’s palace, he was thrown into prison. Before the Israelites were delivered from Egyptian captivity, it became more oppressive. Before the Israelites crossed into the Promise Land, they wandered in the wilderness. Before Jesus was raised to life, he was beaten, bruised, and crucified.  

 
 

The prophet Isaiah uses this pattern of darkness before light. He warns the Israelites that darkness was coming upon Jerusalem by the hands of the Babylonians, and a remnant would be exiled for seventy years. It was going to be a dark time in the life of God's people. However, the darkness would be followed by deliverance. The Lord promised to bring his people back to the destroyed homeland, and they would rebuild again.  

 
 

Isaiah reminds God's people that he is for us: "Thus says the Lord your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. I am the Lord your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King" (Isaiah 43:14-15). God is for his people.  

 
 

The Exodus event reassures God's people that he is with us: "Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down; they cannot rise; they are extinguished, quenched like a wick" (Isaiah 43:16-17). Opposing, or adverse circumstances, nor hostile people, or problems will ever deter God. The past is proof!  

 
 

Even so, God doesn't want his people to focus on completed victories: "“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old" (Isaiah 43:18). Forget past victories! Dwelling on the "good-old-days" can keep us from seeing the brand-new things God is doing at this moment in time, "Behold; I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert" (Isaiah 43:19). God never runs out of ways to deliver his people from troubles.  

 
 

Dark experience after dark experience seems to be the rhythm of life. Challenging obstacles abound, long, drawn-out journeys that test our faith; unknown futures make us anxious. We lack security from day to day, and it seems like our heavenly home far off, and makes us question whether we will endure the journey. 

 
 

The past victories of God remind us that God delivers, but we must not stay focused on the past. God is consistently at work, and he is constantly doing a new thing. Therefore, we look to the future with hope, and move forward in strength, knowing that the conquering death and resurrection of Christ Jesus defeated Satan, sin, and death, and gives us life abundantly, and life eternally. 

Find yourself in a hard spot? I'm in one now! Nevertheless, God is doing a new thing. We must understand that we don't go from one new thing to another. When God does something new, a majority of the time it's preceded by trials and tribulations. And even if our misfortune is caused by our own disobedience (like Israel's) we can be confident that God is at work, molding us into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ. Look up and trust God. He is doing a new thing. You just wait and watch.   

 
 

A Journal To My Future Husband by Beth McKinney

I pray everyday for my three daughters. My greatest prayer is that they love Jesus and the gospel more than life, and that their future husband would do the same. I thank God for the godly young ladies who serve as role models for my daughters. 

One such lady is Beth Ann McKinney. I have only met Beth in passing when she visited First Southern, but through social media, I have been able to get to know her. Yesterday, she posted a picture on Facebook of a journal that she keeps for her future husband. She is a single girl allowing God to direct her life. I found this impressive, and something I wanted to share not only with my daughters, but with young men and women desiring to put God first in their lives, especially when it comes to relationships.  

 
 

I asked Beth to be a guest on my blog and explain how she came about keeping a journal to her future husband with the hopes that it might inspire others to do the same.  

 
 

Hi! I'm Beth McKinney. I'm 22, a first-year 2nd grade teacher. About a year and a half ago I was at a place in life where I was looking in all the wrong places to find the cliché "man of my dreams." So I decided to take a break from looking. And dove into searching God's word. I read the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge for about the third time. 

 
 

Third time was the charm. I read it in a completely new light this time around. Finding my self-worth, my confidence, my beauty, in my Father. 

 
 

I'm a writer. It's a gift. I believe God has given me. And I don't believe there's anything more special than handwritten letters. So, I decided to put my writing to use. Writing a journal for my future, handcrafted for me, husband. And whoever that may be, he will receive the finished journal the night before our wedding day. 

 
 

It started in January of 2012. And has continued on to this day. I write about my days. I write down prayers for him. I write about key life events. Or just even a simple "hey, I hope you had a great day today". It sounds a little silly when I explain it. But, I can't think of a better way to show my husband who I was when I was in waiting. Who I will be when I am being pursued by him. Who I will be when I am dating him. And who I will be when I am with him for the rest of our lives. 

 
 

I plan to continue it for as long as God continues His work in my growth and in my future husband's growth. 

 
 

It's exciting to think about writing to a man I haven't met yet. And I certainly cannot wait to be his beloved for he is already mine. 

 
 

"I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine..." --Song of Solomon 6:3 NIV   

We Should Question Our Salvation

"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him " (Romans 8:9).

You can be sure that you are saved. The verse above reveals that assurance of salvation comes from the Spirit of God dwelling in the believer. If the Spirit of God is not present, then one does not belong to Christ, and as a result, is not saved.

Likewise, you can be sure that the Spirit of God lives in you. Paul declared in subsequent verses, " For all who are led by the Spirit of God are of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..."(Romans 8:14-16). There are three indications that the Spirit of God lives in you: First, the Spirit leads you. This means that love for God is growing in your heart, and the fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life. You are changing from the inside out. Second, you have a growing and intimate relationship with the Father. Third, the Spirit confirms to your spirit that you are a child of God.

As a pastor, my responsibility is to tell people how to be saved, and what should be true for a saved person's life and experience, as revealed in the word of God. I can't tell people they are saved because only God assures salvation. Assurance of salvation comes from the Spirit of God and the Word of God. And the word of God cannot assure one's salvation alone. You must have the assurance of the Spirit of God.

Today, I bear a heavy burden. My burden is for the families that have decided to stop bringing their middle school kids to the worship service because their kids are questioning their salvation (I do not know the identity of the families). Questioning one's salvation is not a bad thing. In fact, questioning, or examining one's salvation is commanded of us. Paul commanded the Corinthians, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Parent, what if your child is not saved? Are you going to tell them they are saved because they prayed a prayer? Faith in a prayer does not save, only faith in Jesus Christ. If your child is questioning salvation, it is a good and godly thing, especially if he or she is not saved. If your child is saved, it will give greater confidence to live for Jesus.

Parents, tell your children how to be saved and the subsequent life change that takes place in a saved person's life. Only God can assure them of their salvation. Please contact me if you have any questions. This is a matter of life and death.

Perspective and Hope

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you " (Isaiah 43:2).

It doesn't take long to notice that there are few people standing in the line of trials and tribulations. Our human nature does not like bad experiences, so we avoid them at all cost. God created us with a sense of paradise and perfection. Within every human heart is a longing for that immaculate world, or flawless situation. So troubles are not on our to-do list.

We don't like to experience less than favorable situations, and as a result we struggle. Most of our struggle comes from this faulty idea that we can achieve a trouble-free life. Two words in the above passage give perspective and hope when we find ourselves in trouble.

Perspective is challenged and corrected with the word "when." Faulty thinking comes when we believe that there is a probability of a trouble-free life. It's not "if" we face troubles, but "when" we face them that puts everything in the right perspective. It could be that the apostle James had this very passage in mind when he wrote these words, "Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" (James 1:2).

Hope is strengthened by the word "through." The loss of hope is the greatest danger when going through a terrible ordeal in life. When hope is gone there is no inspiration to endure. It is hard to endure when you don't believe that you will get through the ordeal. The reason that we can be sure that you will get through the problem is found in these assuring words, "I will be with you." The Lord is with his children always. He delights in every detail of our life, and he is holding our right hand.  You will meet trials in life, especially as a child of God, but you can be assured that the Lord will get you through it.

Lord, you promise to get me through whatever problem I experience in life. Thank you for always being with me. Enable me to overcome fear by trusting in you to get me through whatever comes my way. Amen!

Shattered Dreams: Dead-end or Doorway?

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” 

(Jeremiah 29:11)

The above passage has been a wonderful promise and encouragement for God’s people throughout redemptive history.  From the very first Jewish audience that heard the words for the first time to modern day Christians, God has assured his people of his plan and purpose for them.   Even so, many believers don’t grasp the significance on account of not grasping the context in which it is given. 

God gave this wonderful promise to Israel, one that would be fulfilled after they experienced God’s judgment.  Jeremiah was sent to Israel to call them back to the Lord.  They didn’t listen; therefore, God brought destruction upon Jerusalem, the temple, and the people of God.  A remnant of the people was exiled for 70 years.  In other words, their dreams were shattered.  

Nevertheless, in God’s economy, shattered dreams are not a dead-end, but a doorway for God’s grace.  Notice what the verse before the one above says, ““For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place” (Jeremiah 29:10).  God was going to enable them to dream again.  Shattered dreams are a doorway for God to do great and higher things in our lives.   

• Think of discomforting times in your life that caused distrust.  How did you respond? What are some of the lessons God taught you?  
• Think of a time of devastation in your life that became a doorway for greater and higher dreams.  If you are a parent, share with your children and teach them about the forgiveness and faithfulness of God.
•  Pray for a greater awareness of God’s activity in the lives of your family. Pray for opportunities to share God’s faithfulness with those around you.   

Church Health

This is a great blog post about church health.  You can find it and many others at www.thomrainer.com. 

By Chuck Lawless

In the 1990s, Peter Wagner published The Healthy Church, a book describing several diseases that churches sometimes exhibit. Some of his descriptions are quite helpful (e.g., koinonitis = excessive, inward fellowship), and the list itself challenges readers to come up with their own descriptions.

Here are ten diseases I see as I consult with unhealthy churches around the country:

1.            Community Disconnect Disease. Churches with this disease meet within a given community, but they do not know that community. Often, church members drive to the church building, meet as “church,” and then drive home—without ever taking note of a changing community around them. In fact, I’ve seen church members with this disease lock their doors as they drive through the community where their congregation gathers.

2.            Methodological Arthritis. I give credit to my former student, Kevin Minchey, for naming this condition. The name says it all: this church is stuck in doing things the way they’ve always done them. Change (that is, movement) is painful, and it’s seemingly easier not to take a step forward. What these churches often don’t recognize is that standing still is also risky. Eventually, they will not move at all.

3.            The “Grass is Greener” Syndrome. This syndrome is a malady of leaders who are always looking for the next church leadership position. They establish no roots, and their current congregation is only a stepping-stone to the next place. Because they are always looking elsewhere, they miss the present tense blessings of their ministry. And, though leaders think otherwise, a church often recognizes when its leader has this syndrome.

4.            Professional Wrestling Sickness. I grew up watching professional wrestling (with my Church of God grandma, no less). Professional wrestling is hero vs. villain, right vs. wrong, good vs. evil—but it’s all fake. The church with PWS talks a good game in standing for righteousness, but hypocrisy is everywhere. And, as in professional wrestling, most spectators watching the show know it’s fake, too.

5.            Program Nausea. Churches with Program Nausea try a program, toss it soon, and then quickly try the next one. They never have a settled “organizational stomach” and direction. Members of this kind of diseased church are so accustomed to change that they seldom invest in any program. Why should they invest in what will soon be spit out, too?

6.            Baby Believer Malady. This congregation is doing evangelism well, but they have no strategy to grow new believers. Their unwritten, and wrong, assumption is, “As long as you show up for our small groups and worship service, you’ll grow.”  This church disciples poorly and often elevates leaders on the basis of attendance rather than spiritual maturity.

7.            Theological Self-Deception Ailment. I am cautious here, lest I leave the impression that theology does not matter. No church with an unbiblical theology can be healthy. TSDA, on the other hand, is characterized by a belief that teaching theology is all that is required to be a healthy church. Teaching theology is critical, but a theology that does not lead to intentional evangelism, disciplemaking, and global missions is not biblical. Indeed, TSDA congregations tend to be classrooms more than New Testament churches.

8.            “Unrecoverable Void” Syndrome.  Church leaders and laypersons alike suffer from this syndrome, characterized by statements like, “This church will close its doors after I’m gone.” Symptoms include spiritual arrogance and self-righteous anger, though they may also include hyper-spiritual speech  (“This is God’s church, and we’ll see what He does when I shake the dust off my feet”). Church members with UVS fail to realize that God’s church will go on without any of us.

9.              Talking in Your Sleep Disease. You may recognize this church. They go through the motions, but the motions lack energy. They meet for worship, yet the singing is lifeless. Even the preaching is lackluster, as if the speaker is monotonously only meeting his obligation. Here is one way to recognize the church with TIYSD: many of the attenders really ARE sleeping!

10.        Congregational Myopia. The congregation with this condition is nearsighted, focusing on themselves only. They have no vision for the future, and they fail to see that their current direction will likely lead to further disease and decline. Ask the leaders what their hope is for the church five years from now, and their description will sound strangely like the church in its current state.