Steadfastness- Part Three

Okay! I admit that I am on a roll--maybe I'm hammering away on my soap box a little too strong on the issue of steadfastness! God has been putting this on my heart and it does seem to be important for the overall health of the church!

We have just finished a picture directory at New Life Bible Church. One of our members came up with the idea of creating a picture board in the hallway so we can look at a face and see the family's name at the same time. I have taken those pictures and compiled them into a directory that we can all have. It is in the process of putting this directory together that I realized how many people are so inconsistant in their attendance at church. In the six weeks that we took pictures for this directory, some families, who are of major importance to our weekly fellowship as a church, have never showed up--never showed up in six weeks time! Others got into the directory and have never been back since. That completely blows my mind! This is your eternity that you are fooling around with people! Let's take it a little more seriously!!!

Think about this. What would my bank do if I continued to draw off the benefits of having a checking account and decided that I no longer needed to make deposits of any kind in that account? What would my boss at work do if I decided to show up to get my check but quit coming to work three weeks ago-with not so much as as phone call to explain what was going on. How would my wife feel if I told her that I was just too busy to come home to her at night and she didn't see me or hear from me for a month and half! None of us would ever consider any of the above actions, and figure we could get away with it!

But when it comes to the spiritual side of life-worshipping God in spirit and truth-we have this idea that if we show up once or twice a year, that is all he needs! Satan is alive and well and has far too many people deceived! Our spiritual needs, which should be the most important part and consistant part of our lives, becomes next to nothing in our search for a satisfying life! Many of us are missing the very thing, the teachings of Jesus, who gives us life and gives it abundantly (John 10:10)! Think about it!

Steadfastness- Part Two!

I have been waiting until this morning to finish my thoughts on being steadfast! Yesterday I spent some time talking about the negative side, or not being steadfast. It is really defeating to look at all those who have come into fellowship with Jesus Christ and then walked away because a varity of really poor reasons. What is worse is seeing the destruction that has come in most of their lives over their wrong choices.

Today I want to talk about those who have been committed and steadfast in their service to Jesus! We have people at New Life that have served the Lord faithfully since the day they committed their lives to him. Those people serve where ever and when ever they can. I know of one lady who taught a childrens class for fifty years or more. The kids loved her and she loved them. We have people who clean the church faithfully. They drive 30 miles to get here and they are here five days a week. They do all the purchasing of supplies and food that we need for all of our various ministries. They work with the senior citizens and help with funeral meals. They help out in our Kidzone ministry at a moments notice.

Another man used to come to church a half hour early and weed the flower beds before every Sunday service. He had served the Lord his entire Christian life and because of his age was not able to do the things he had before. That didn't stop him from being steadfast! He simply found another way that he could do something for Jesus!

The church, our church and the church all over the world, operates on the loyalty, support and love of people like I have mentioned today. They aren't looking for some petty excuse to move to another church or quit coming all together. If they are offended for any reason, they practice forgiveness and love and continue to work in any way possible. These people are steadfast! What about you? Think about it!

Steadfastness!

Steadfastness is a big word! It is one that many people don't use, don't understand and certainly don't incorporate into their lifestyle. Divorce, for an example, is an example of the lack of steadfastness in our society! God tells us that he hates divorce, but the divorce rate- in the world and in Christianity- is now higher than ever! As soon as our spouse does something that goes against what we want, gets sick or almost any other excuse, we change our attitude toward him or her and we go in search of someone else! What ever happened to our wedding vows when we said "for better or for worse!" Of course! We never imagined there could be any "worse!"

This blog isn't just to harp on divorce. What about loyalty to our church? How about being steadfast in our role as a part of the body of Christ! I can't imagine any body anywhere that could survive very long if the heart or the lungs or the kidneys, or any part for that matter, just didn't show up for five or six weeks at a time. Float in and float out and have absolutely no responsibility to the rest of the body at all- a total lack of steadfastness! As a society, can you imagine how sick we would all be? It is a good thing God knew what he was doing when he connected our brains and the rest of our organs together. Personally, I'm glad they have all been steadfast in my body for the last 65 years!

Pastor Tim spoke on serving yesterday in his message. It was an excellent message and our attendance was as big as it has been in the first three months of 2012! The problem was that there were a lot of people who should have heard the message- it would have made a huge difference in their daily lives- that didn't, because guess what? They were no where to be found! Their chairs were empty and they left everyone else in the body of Christ hanging on their own. No support! No service! No explanation as to why they weren't there! No steadfastness- no responsibility to anyone but themselves! The sad part is that it is "themselves" who will be hurt in the long run!

Paul wrote in I Timothy 4:1, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." Paul says in II Timothy 3:1, "But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slandorous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." Wow! Paul prophesies that people will be anything but steadfast in the last days before the return of Christ! What about you? Think about it!

Next blog-Steadfastness, Part 2- There are some really great people who serve God on a daily basis.

Remaining Faithful To The Call

Yesterday I wrote about getting a call from God, a request from him to serve him in ministry! I remember the day just as clear as if it happened yesterday. At first, I didn't think I wanted to do it. I gave up all sorts of excuses, but sooner than I would have imagined, I gave in and said, "Ok. But we have to do this together!" We have worked together through the last 25 years of my life. It has had some great moments and some bad moments, but I am still in full time ministry.

Over the years, I have had different influences in my life try to pull me away. At about the same time that I was starting the work at New Life in Winnebago, I had an opportunity to buy a meat market! It was so tempting, and if God had not intervened (another story in itself), I would have surely been pulled out of ministry with the work that market would have caused.

I have been continually tempted with sin in many different forms. Sin is just giving into my own evil desires. Sometimes I have stood successfully against it and other times I haven't done as well. But God has been always faithful and forgiven me as he says he will.

Most recently, my health has done a lot to drive me out of ministry. I have slowed down considerably, but I have not stopped. Again, I thank God for faithful partners in our effort to spread the good news across the area we live in and even around the world.

What's my point? Everyone of us face constant struggles in life--mostly designed by Satan to pull us away from serving the Lord and Savior who called us into the family of God. Stand your ground! Don't let the little things spoil your service to God! Most of the excuses I hear are so petty that I simply shake my head as I listen to them. Don't use excuses to show unfaithfulness toward a faithful God! Use backbone and stamina to stand firm for the Lord and serve him through thick and thin! Think about it!

I Got The Call

About a month ago, my daughter in Green Bay called and asked if we could watch the kids for two weeks-one week at our house while they were off for spring break and the second week at her house while she had a banking seminar in Florida. We agreed that we would. For two weeks our routine has been anything but normal, and I have to admit that deep inside of me is a piece of me that says, "We will never do this again!"

I love my grandkids. I love being around them and I love being a part of their lives. I just got back from taking both of them to school. And again, that very small piece of me says, "What a drag!" But I realize that I have just spent a very small portion of the grand scheme of their lives sharing something with them that will go down as a memory in thier minds. As I took Isaiah to school this morning we had a conversation that I hope will make a difference in his life from this day forward. I took him to the Wisconsin DMV twice in the last two days as he tries to get his drivers license. The move to Wisconsin has complicated things in a big way for him. In some small way, I believe that helping him work out all the details will mean something to him in the next few years as he grows into a man. I took the kids out for ice cream last night and spent some quality time enjoying each other, and all of Isaiah's friends as they came in for ice cream, too. Jared came up with us to see Jaelyn and it has been interesting seeing a side of him I had never seen before.

All in all, we were called to do an important mission. We will complete that mission tomorrow. We were able to serve Tera, our daughter in a moment of need. Tired as we are, we have benefited from it. We know the kids have benefited from it, too!

So what is this all about? Twenty four years ago I got another call from someone else. I felt God Almighty tap me on the shoulder and tell me he needed me to help him for a period of time. Just as I had the option with Tera, I could have told him I just wasn't able to do it. Or I didn't want to do it! Or I was too busy with all that I had going on! But just as I did with Tera when she called, I did with God! I get tired, and his work messes with my routine, and his people mess with my mind! But I don't regret one moment of what I have faced since saying, "Yes, Lord! I will do what you want me to do!"

What about you? Do you feel God calling you to do something for him? How do you respond? Think about it!

We're Starving To Death!

In recent weeks there have been several families, all a part of our church family, quit coming to church! As the spiritual leader of the church family that bothers me! Others in the church, come to me and say, "What happened to such and such family? We haven't seen them for many weeks!" My response far too often is, "I don't know. They seem to have dropped off the face of the earth!"

Now that is probably a little extreme! I really doubt that anyone has dropped off the face of the earth. With the size of our congregation, I realize after a couple of weeks that someone has been missing. After a month or more, I began to make some attempt to get in touch with people. Believe me, in this super day of technology and electronics, if someone doesn't want to be gotten in touch with, there is just about nothing anyone can do to make them respond when you reach out to them.
E-mails, Facebook messages and telephone calls all go pretty much unanswered. Stopping by the house unannounced is just about worthless, too, because you simply can't find people home anymore.

Seeing them in a restaurant or the super-market goes something like this. "Hey, how are you doing?" "Oh, we're just fine." "I've been trying to get ahold of you." "Oh, I know. We've just been so busy!" "I've missed you at church!" "I know. We've all been so sick lately." I'm sorry to hear that! Is everyone okay now?" "Ya! I think we have all finally beat the bug!" "Well, can I count on you being in church on Sunday?" "No! We're going to my brother's house in Dubuque this weekend!" "I'm sorry to hear that! I do hope you realize the importance of having your family in church on Sundays." "Oh, Pastor, you know we love it there. We'll be back soon!" But, "soon" never comes and after a while, the habit of going to church is broken and the damage is never repaired.

In my nearly 25 years of pastoral ministry, I have had conversations like the above paragraph, hundreds if not thousands of times. In almost every case, the parents who needed to have their weekends free, have paid a great price with the destructive consequences to their marriage or to the raising of their children. Why do you suppose that is?

I looked on the Internet and found some information on hunger strikes. They started out as a way to make things happen in the political realm. But they were soon overcome by the people they were trying to motivate, simply by them not making a big deal of it. The striking person eventually starved to death. Moms and Dads who are taking their kids out of the spiritual realm of the church are simply assuring that they, and their kids, will starve to death spiritually after a matter of time.

The Bible tells us that in the last days before the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, there will be a huge falling away from the church. My prayer is that if you are missing church Sunday after Sunday, you will quit messing around with something that is very important to your living, both now and for eternity! Think about it!

Grandkids Are Awesome

Last night we had a little get together for the family. We have seveal birthdays in February and March and so we celebrated those special days. Our family has changed since the days when we went to grandma and grandpa's and there were usually our four kids, and maybe my sister's three. But we seldom all got together in one spot.

Last night we had 11 or our 12 grandkids in one small space. It was chaotic but joyfull! Our getting together has changed, and will change more, it the next year. Ashley is at Taylor University and doesn't get home for everything that happens. Tera and her two kids moved to Green Bay, WI last summer and now they aren't around as much. Lindsey is graduating from High School in a few weeks and she will be going off to college.

I don't like it to be that way but that is the way life goes sometimes. We have to flow with the punches as they come. For the most part, Glenda and I have been blessed in so many ways that it is hard to count. It is inevitable that those little chubby cheeked cherubs will grow up and go off to make a life for themselves someday. My prayer is that in it all, I have been faithful to God to show my grandkids that He loves them and He wants them to love him too. Ashley is studying neuroscience and may discover some cure for Autism or concussions or who knows what in her research over the years to come. Little Isaiah, now 6'4" tall, could play for the NFL or NBA in the years to come. Justin has a heart of gold and is so concerned about lost people who don't know Jesus! I suspect he will will follow in Daddy and Grandpa's footsteps. And Lindsey...? I don't know about her and the direction that she will go. But I do know that whatever she sets her heart to do, she will be great at it.

The rest of the kids have a way to go before they start making life decisions about what they will do. Jaelyn and Jared stayed with grandma and grandpa last night. Levi and Samual went home to Beloit. Those four are all very close together in age. They will be the next group going off to college and starting life on their own. But that is a ways away and I am going to enjoy them while they are still at home.

Thank you, God, for all these blessing, big and little! They are a joy to my heart and I truly love them all!