Building great people, because great people build great families and great families build great communities.
To God be the glory!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

From The Back Pew XI (Part 1 of 3)


Randy Travis sings about sitting all alone “digging up bones”, stirring up old memories that are best left buried.

Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with being alone - in fact it is good to be alone once in a while. But, sitting there “Exhuming things better left alone” doesn’t sound much like a fun evening. “Resurrecting memories of a love that’s dead and gone” sounds as uplifting as drinking a glass of warm sour milk.

Sadly we’ve all at one time or another done some digging. Perhaps more than once. We may not have done it in exactly the same way Randy Travis sang about, but we are all guilty of “digging up bones” - of “exhuming things that’s better left alone”.

Consider: A man walks in the door after a hard day at work and the first thing his wife tells him is, You left your dirty breakfast dishes on the table this morning. I’m sick and tired of picking up after you! The man taken back says.. Well if you would have gone to bed earlier instead of watching David Letterman last night. You could have made breakfast for me. To which the lady responds, Well, it’s a good thing I stayed up or I wouldn’t have noticed that you forgot to turn off the light in the barn again.

And then he says, Well two weeks ago I got home from working the graveyard shift and every light in the house was on - and you were still asleep and the young’ns missed their bus.

Before this moment of intense fellowship comes to its unpleasant end the whole situation is blamed on a visit by Uncle Leo in 1976 and Amos the dog that the husband had when the couple first got married. This couple was “exhuming things that are better left alone.”

It is so disheartening to listen to the broken record of the “Bone Digger Uppers”. A fellow doesn’t stand a chance!

Aren’t you glad that our Savior Christ Jesus doesn’t do that?

To all who would forsake sin, God offers the same - a new chance and promises to blot out all old sin and make the record begin with a new start - a clean slate.

As we read in Psalm 103 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As the heavens are high above the earth - as far as the east is from the west. God doesn’t say, Now you’re forgiven of all your sins and transgressions, but if you mess up again, I’m going to dig up all your past sins and remind you of them. No God doesn’t “dig up bones”. Our sins are forgotten! It’s as if they never happened! That’s God’s grace.

NOW = No Opportunity Wasted!


What a great thought that is. That we would not waste any of the wonderful opportunities made available to us by Almighty God. I'd much rather be guilty of doing too much than of doing too little! If you need Biblical confirmation, just look at the parable of the talents. I really believe that God wants for His people to have NOW mind set. God help us make it so.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

"Please Sir, May I Have More?"

I have been asking God for permission to do Church differently.

However, every change involves a letting go of one thing to reach out for what is next. So Lord what is it that I am to let go of?

Most of us are perfectly fine talking about Abraham going out without knowing where he was going, simply trusting God to get him there. But, when it is our turn to make the journey of faith, it is usually a different matter.

I know that the kindness, the grace and the thoughtfulness of the Lord are outstanding. So I need not be worried or anxious about these changes.

I am begining to realize that a key focus for me is to develop maturity in people. In the most basic sense I desire to increase people's capacity for fullness in Christ.

My son Casey and I have the same desire... to grow people of love and truth who know how to move in both. to grow them in all aspects of Christ, Developing a commitment to the whole body, and specifically the part they are joined to in fellowship and ministry.

Our lives are dedicated to the training up of our fellowship in the Holy Spirit to live life where we are not subject to events, nor easily deceived, and not taken in by the world, the flesh or the devil…. Together we will prepare for glory!