The Pastor’s Corner

This week there will be an article going out in the Parade section of the Kansas City Star. Parade is a publication that is added to the Sunday edition of 270 major newspapers around the country with a circulation of nearly 77 million readers. This week in the Parade magazine there is an interview with Elton John in which he says the following:

This is a subject of great importance to me, because sometimes I find it hard to be joyful.  But I also have been thinking about where joy comes from and where I often search for joy.  These are just a few of my recent thoughts. 

The day was beautiful, mid sixties and sunny, the leaves were changing and blowing all over. Yet on the inside there was darkness and cold, frustration and despair, depression and a feeling of uselessness. Have you ever felt like that before? This is a description of what many Christians feel at times. I’ve felt this way, where joy has departed and though I don’t doubt God nor do I doubt His Word, much in life seems dull and drab. Martyn Lloyd Jones once wrote that we need to stop listening to ourselves and start talking to ourselves. I believe that this statement is very true especially in this context. Certainly we feel certain ways, at times we feel happy, sad, upset, etc, but our feelings are not what is in control of our lives nor are they always reliable. For example, what if you didn’t feel like eating, would you simply stop eating all together? No, not at all because we know that we need to eat or we’ll lose strength. So, listen to the words of the Psalmist David from Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The words recorded here are a treasure mine for the downtrodden heart. First we find that God makes known to us the paths of life. What a help this in the midst of insecurity: God directs, and while in those difficult times, notice that it is in God’s presence that we find the fullness of joy. So, in the heart of a struggle, instead of listening to ourselves maybe we should start telling ourselves that I need to be with the Lord and put our eyes on Him for in His presence is the fullness of joy.

“My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and forever.”  Have you ever read a verse and all of a sudden it hit you that this verse is very important and yet you’ve failed to carry it out for some time?  I have many times and once again it happened this week.  It happened as I was reading Psalm 145 and I came to the very last verse which is quoted above.  What struck me was that it is my opportunity and responsibility to speak the praise of the Lord forever, and yet often the only things I speak of the Lord are prayer requests!  In Psalm 145, David writes a song filled with praises to our God talking about the very present works of our God and the enduring gracious works of our God.  What struck me as I read this was this: no wonder so many people struggle to passionately worship Jesus Christ, because they don’t take time to praise and worship Him daily.  We’ve forgotten and neglected to think on and speak the accomplishments, the gracious workings and merciful dealings of the Lord with us and because of this we come into corporate times of praise with empty baskets of praise from which we draw.  All of this results in wasted singing, fake worship and Sunday-only Christianity which God is not pleased with: “Malachi 1:8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. “

Now in the wake of a weekend of involvement with our community, trusting God to work in the lives of those we came in contact with and believing that He will work to change lives around us, how did things go at Turner Days? 

 This is a question that we as a church have been reflecting on for several days and here are some of the early results of the work this past weekend.  First, I want to tell you that we had the opportunity to pass out nearly 3000 bottles of water and 500 cups of hot cocoa this past weekend, all while inviting people up to a bonfire with hayrides and free food.  The goal was to see as many people as possible from our community come up to the bonfire and hear the gospel and interact with our people.  Saturday, one man from Oak Grove spent time with another gentlemen who had just moved into the area and was desperately in need of friendship.  I met a woman who after we had served her a cup of hot chocolate she shared her story of her fight against breast cancer and she allowed me to pray for her and to share the gospel with her.  There were countless other stories of God’s working on that Saturday. 

Then on Sunday, my faith was stretched.  When it came time for the bonfire, it seemed that very few people were showing up, so I went up by the entrance to pray and watch, but I didn’t see any more people come in while I was there.  While I was there, my faith was being challenged.  Would God answer?  Would God work in the lives of the people we invited?  After I walked away from the entrance and went back to the fire, and before I knew it, people started showing up in droves.  Throughout the night we were able to share testimonies, songs and the gospel with nearly 100 people from our neighborhood.  Now, this is not a post about how God always does what we ask, but I do want to encourage you because God does demonstrate His power and He does answer prayer, but sometimes our faith is challenged in the midst of it!

Good morning, today I have the opportunity to finish preparing for Sunday morning worship, and yet I am greatly consumed with one particular topic for this coming weekend, it is the community event in our area: Turner Days.  I love Turner Days for several reasons: first, I love it because we as a body of Christ-followers get the opportunity in a very simple way to serve our community.  I love this because I love Jesus Christ and He has so wonderfully laid His life down on my behalf and so what better way to demonstrate the truth of the gospel than to serve.  Second, I love Turner Days because we really get to interact with the people in our community.  During this event we meet thousands of people and we get to talk with them about why we are trying to serve our community.  Finally, I love Turner Days because it stretches my faith!  This is the topic I want to sit on for a moment. 

 In the Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah we find some amazing demonstrations of the power of God.  For example: God uses a wicked King of Persia to send people back to Jerusalem and build a Temple for God.  This wicked King also pays for the entire project and provides protection for the Israelites and Ezra tells us that God did all of that!  In Ezra we also see God changing the hearts of His people.  In Nehemiah we find God delivering the Israelites from opposition and we find Him providing for the rebuilding of the walls!  God did all of this.  Now, where does this come into play for Oak Grove Baptist Church and Turner Days?  Here is where: we have an opportunity to believe God and take Him at His Word this weekend.  We need to have faith that He is going  to work amongst our community and use us to see changed lives in the people around us.  I believe that God wants to save and change the neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers all around you and me, and so I love Turner Days because I get to seek to exercise faith in the power of my great God.  What does He want you to exercise faith in Him towards? 

Currently I am reading a very curious book entitled “The Blueprint” a revolutionary plan to plant missional communities on campus.   This book is written by a young man who ascribes to Charismatic Theology, and therefore I disagree with much of what He has to say specifically about the Holy Spirit and the practice of the believer, but the author has challenged my thinking on prayer and as a community of believers I hope to do the same for you today. I want to start by asking you, who is this God that we pray to? If He is some tribal God who is lucky to get a few things right from time to time, we are certainly wise in not totally relying on Him and putting all of our eggs in one basket (so to speak). But, if on the other hand He is truly all powerful, mighty to save, ready to answer, faithful to bless us, able to surpass our wildest dreams in answering prayer, then we should wait on Him in prayer, pray with great faith, believe Him for the souls of hundreds and even thousands, and look to Him for personal and corporate revival of the saints!Remember the prayer of Daniel in Daniel 2, where King Nebuchadnezzar was going to destroy all of the wise men in the land if they couldn’t tell him his own dream and the interpretation? Daniel and his friends prayed and asked God for the dream and its interpretation: do you know what they got? The dream and its interpretation! Recently I have prayed and asked God for more young men to disciple and personally mentor in the faith. I’ve asked God for 3 young men, do you know what I have right now on a weekly basis to work with? Three young men who earnestly desire to learn, grow and serve God! We are praying for 10 people to trust God by faith and to be discipled in this year. We have seen 7 trust Christ already and are being discipled. We need to see more! Friends, God answers prayer. Go to Him with specific prayer, then silently wait for Him to answer. Wait on Him and listen to him for as long as it takes.Let me share some suggestions that I am thinking about and hope that you will incorporate into your personal and corporate seeking of God.   

This question came to me through one of our members at a “Question and Answer” night at Oak Grove.  The question came after a message titled: “Jesus is our true provider and protector” from John 10.  What an awesome question to address and what an awesome opportunity to bring glory to our God through pointing out His magnificent provision.  Let me give you a brief outline of how I believe God does provide for those who are in difficult circumstances.

1. First of all the provision of Christ consists of continued strength to trust Him. – in the face of adversity, those who rely on the provision of God are often times stretched beyond human comprehension, yet their resources are also stretched beyond what they ever thought possible in times of plenty. II Corinthians 8:1-5
2. Second, the provision of God is designed to have a human form: the church of Christ. Every believer should be a member of a local church where they can get plugged into the body. Every local body should be very aware of the needs of the members of the body. If one is in great need, then those who have an abundance or those who can sacrificially give to others should. This is what it means to be part of the body. Acts 2:45; II Corinthians 8: 7-15
3. This should not be used to the taking advantage of others. I Thessalonians 4:12
4.   I also believe that there are times of extra-ordinary provision that come from the hand of God.   God can and does provide extraordinary gifts in times of need.  James 1:17

Hebrews 1:1-4  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

This week we will focus in on the statement: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature!  God is described as the most beautiful, gracious, loving and kind of all beings, yet He is self-existent and has by Himself spoken into existence all that exists!  He is amazing and glorious.  Think with me for a moment about glory.  Often times we equate glory with accomplishments.  If you win the World Series of Baseball, that is a glorious moment because you are the best in the world, but that glory fades because next year there is another winner.  With God, His glory is so great that it never fades because there is not another being like Him, and Jesus is the light of His glory.  Literally, the author of Hebrews here tells us that Jesus is also one of a kind because He is the one who shines forth the glory and majesty of God, and He is also the same in nature and character as God, since He is God.  What does all of this have to do with little old me on March 1^st, 2009?  Well, I’m glad you asked, because you were made to worship, and it’s very easy to worship things that are glorious, but we often replace the most glorious (God) with something much less glorious, and the glory of which will quickly fade!  I want to encourage you today to check your list of commitments today and see if something has a place in your heart reserved only for the glorious God and His perfect son.

Hebrews 1:1-4  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Today we will look at the statement: “whom he appointed the heir of all things”.  Since Jesus’ nature is divine and His work is of such perfect character, Jesus is set to be the recipient of all of creation.  Jesus is set to inherit all of the created order, and it is important for us to recognize that He is infinitely worthy of this inheritance and rightly deserves our praise!  Paul, in writing to the believers in

“Colossians 1:17-18  ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”(Colossians 1:17-18) 

God’s plan was for Christ to make provision for all of creation to be returned to reflecting His image and Christ paid the ransom that we might be restored and be given new life.  Because of His sacrifice, he is now the rightful head over all things, and therefore deserves the preeminence, or first place.  Is anything distracting you from giving up all to run after Jesus?  He is the heir of all things, and the rightful owner of all things, and lest we “forsake all to follow Him, we cannot be His disciples.” 

There two more verses that come into this conversation: I Corinthians 6:19-20 and Romans 12:1-2

I Corinthians 6:19-20 - Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,  whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

Romans 12:1-2Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God – which is your reasonable service.  Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve  what is the will of God – what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

Hello Friends, sorry that we’ve been silent from Oak Grove.  We have been in the process of updating a number of things at OGBC, but now we are close to finishing our new website and its about time that I start sharing thoughts again.  So, onto the Word. 

 Here are a few of my more recent thoughts about the peron of Jesus Christ.  We are going through a sermon series titled: WHO IS JESUS.  The reason I believe this series is greatly needed is because of the deeply rooted misconceptions about the person of Jesus found rampant in American Christianity and more so outside of Christianity.  For Read the rest of this entry »