...too small a thing...

Ethiopia

Actually the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is the proper name of one of the oldest nations on the planet. This African country is the only one who never was colonized by the land grab for Africa in the 19th Century. They actually were able to defend their land from all who would take them over. 

The origin of the Christian Church in this great country is recorded in the Book of Acts Chapter 8 when Phillip on of the original seven deacons of the church was led by the Holy Spirit to go south and encountered an Ethiopian Eunuch who was on the Gaza road reading the book of Isaiah. Phillip explained who the prophet was speaking about was Jesus. And the Ethiopian believed and wanted to be baptized immediately. Phillip did so this man returned and told others in Ethiopian of his faith. With a church this old you might think that all of this country would be Christian but it is not that simple. 

The Gospel will spread within people groups but when natural obstacles of culture, language, and natural barriers hinder communication and people mixing there becomes pockets of People which are in missiology (the study of missions) called people groups. What is sad is that there are over 80 people groups in Ethiopia and many of these are unevangelized. Even where there has been a planting of the Gospel there is still a vacuum of leadership for the evangelical church in Ethiopia. This is the task I will be going to help with this week. 

The Great Commission in Matthew Chapter 28:19-20 Speaks clearly in the first verse that we are to GO, the second verse is very important too. 

Matthew 28:20 

20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I have been blessed to partner with the Bible Training Center for Pastors (BTCP) and with Jim Palmer and The Ethiopian Aid Mission (TEAM). We will be teaching the evangelical The BTCP Curriculum. This is a series of 10 courses to give a working theological education.

I covet your prayers for this huge endeavor with  a group of pastors in the mountains of Ethiopia. 

The Way God Works

I have been serving the Lord most of my life and I have seen my Heavenly Father do so many things. I am never surprised by the things God does, but I am always amazed. When  I wrote these words I thought I might have just coined a phrase. Never Surprised but Always Amazed, but when I Googled the phrase, someone has already named their Family blog page with these words. But nevertheless the statement is worth exploring.

This is the way I feel these days. I can see the Father at work in the lives of people all around me, and in my own life. I love the Lord more and more each day, and I praise His name for His love and provision for me. I am not surprised by His touch on me or the people I see all around me. I am not surprised by the way God can change people. Sadly however, neither am I surprised by sin. The depth of sin in people's lives never surprises me. However, I am amazed at how God can forgive the sin in my life and the lives around me. 

To explain the way God works in our lives to others is very difficult, if not impossible, because it it like trying to tell someone how you think. You really do not understand it but you do every moment of every day. You cannot seem to explain it but you cannot stop living in it. The more I seek of the Lord, the more He reveals himself to me. 

The Bible tells a a bit about how God Works in our lives. 

Isaiah 55:7-9

7Let the wicked forsake his way
            And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
            And let him return to the LORD,
            And He will have compassion on him,
            And to our God,
            For He will abundantly pardon.

8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
            Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.

9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
            So are My ways higher than your ways
            And My thoughts than your thoughts.

But trying to predict what God is going to do next is difficult because what may seem to be obvious and we think I believe God is going to do this or that, but it does not happen. Then all of a sudden out of the blue we see God doing something in a new way. 

If you are not seeing the working of God going on in your life the instructions here are simple. Go back to the Scripture above and start at verse 7 and change the word "Wicked" to your name. 

Repentance, faith, obedience and trust the way you will see God working. When you see Him at work you too will say, "I am never surprised but always amazed."

 

The Last of this Winter's Fires

It is cool in the house. It is 56 degrees outside, not real cold by this winter's standards for sure. Cool enough for a nice warm fire. Although it has actually been spring for about 10 hours now, I think I can still call this the last fire of the winter. The firewood is almost gone in the garage and warmer days are coming. I love my fireplace and enjoy the warmth and peacefulness of study by it in the mornings.  I am soon to be gone a few days so this is very likely the last fire for this winter season. It is no different it seems than so many others I have burned to warm the family room. Nothing different except that it is very likely the last till fall. 

I am a bit weary of cold weather, I think we all are. Cold and wet this winter has been a very typical one for North Georgia. We did get enough to say we had some snow, but not near as much as the year before. But cold winter weather is all but gone. Spring blossoms are already coming out strong and I am glad to see them.

It will be a bit strange for me with the timing of my Africa trip to leave with everything gray and return to a world of green. The leaves are going to pop out everywhere while I am gone. I love to see the new growth and watch if over the first days of spring. God will renew the world it seems.

The wood burning in the fireplace is dead and dried out, but it provides a nice warm fire as I type and drink my coffee. Lots of thoughts I have this morning as I get ready for  tomorrow's sermon and Monday's travel. Lots of things I want to make sure and get done before I leave. I want to make sure things are not left hanging and that things are in order before I go. The reality is I will only be gone a few days. But things are always changing. Only the Lord knows the future. 

 I heard from Jim Palmer the missionary who I plan to be working with next week. He sent final words he would pick me up Tuesday morning at the airport. I will (Lord willing) travel alone and step out into the public crowd in Ethiopia by myself on Tuesday morning. Jim assured me he would be there to pick me up. Thoughts of well drilling and teaching pastors fills my mind as I think about next week. Ethiopia the only nation that has never been under European rule. They are a very proud people there. There are so many beautiful people there. 

When I am getting ready for a major mission trip lots of thoughts and prayers are always on my mind. The last of the winter fires is both beautiful and thought provoking. New life can spring from the work of teaching God's Word. To start new work in Africa is a joy and a privilege. I am so blessed to prepare and then to go. While I am so far away from home next week I will likely reflect on this moment and this moment of enjoying a warmth of my home. Funny how I sit here and think of being there, and when I am there, I will sit and think of being here by the fire. 

I am so blessed by the fire in my fire place and the fire in my heart. Thank you Lord for both. 

Three Very Personal Things I Can Share

Blogs are very self revealing. As I write each day my opinions and thoughts are put on the page for your reading pleasure.  You by default learn a whole lot about me, my family, and all that i am involved with in life and ministry. So this morning I thought about three significant yet somewhat personal things that I would share with you.

First I want to share my weight. As many of you know Kathy my wife has lost over 80 pounds starting from over a year ago and she looks and feels great. In December I visited the Dr to have a routine exam and my triglycerides were very high and I decided to lose some pounds and eat right. If Kathy could I know with some determination and grit I could too. I started at close to 220 maybe a pound or two over this. I had a goal of 195 still above what the "experts" say I should weigh but a 25 pound goal. I had done pretty well but seemed to get stuck at 201 - 202 pounds. My first personal thing to share is yesterday I was at 197 and 3/4 pounds. I am close. By the time I return from my upcoming trip I may very well make my goal of 195. 

Second I want to share about an event last night. Kathy and I went to visit with some other pastors and their wives. These are all pastors in the area and we had no agenda except to talk and share with each other. When you are the pastor you are always the pastor in all situations. Even when you are with friends and family you are the pastor. Kathy is always the pastor's wife and she lives that role well. Going for a social visit with three other pastors and their wives is personal for sure and I believe very good for us. The night was very friendly and and good time as we shared mostly about family and just enjoyed our time together. 

The thrid thing may seem insignificant to many of you but for me it seemed to be a big deal. I am known as an early riser and often write at 3 to 4 am. Maybe it is a combination of things including the two previous things I just shared but I slept through the night last night. This is one of the best night's sleep I have had in some time. I got up at 5:55 AM. 

Now this may be some of the most boring blog posting you have ever read but to me it is significant. I am ready and rested for the day. I am finishing the blog at 7:20 am which is late for me. I have already eaten breakfast and Kathy and Brittany are off to work. Study time is here. I am going to finish Sunday's Sermon and look over the material for next week's trip. I covet your prayers for both.

Do you have something personal to share? It might encourage someone if you do. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

What is Tolerable when I comes to FAITH?

Tolerance of others faith is something that Americans have built into their mind and hearts as very important. Some might go so far as to say this is a right and something that is according to the Bible? This idea that man cannot or should not impose on another man his belief, and that we must give others the right to believe whatever they want to is not found in the Bible.

I do not see that this is a biblical thought in any way. Now before you label me a communist think about his with me for a few minutes. The Bible has the Words of God and is often very plain in giving instructions to mankind. These words are not to be taken lightly. God's first four of the ten commandments are very plain. 

Exodus 20:3-8 NASB

 3“You shall have no other gods before Me.

      4“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5“You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

      7“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

      8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

This is pretty direct and very to the point no other faiths are acceptable and none can or should be tolerated. But some how we have begun to think that tolerating and allowing others to "practice" their faith or have no faith is acceptable and something we can coexist with in society. The Bible is very plain to read and I do not feel agrees with this thought even though our Constitution tries to allow this idea of freedom of religion. 

Now, I am not advocating that we force people to behave or conform in their behavior or lifestyle.  The religion of Islam would impose Sharia law requiring all to do exactly as they do. This is not what I would propose, but what I am saying is that we have become permissive to think that we should allow ungodly behavior as a fundamental right.

Jesus did not allow anyone to have the idea that whatever you want to believe is ok. Jesus said these words at a very critical time to his disciples. 

John 14:6-7 NASB

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.

The men and women who founded this country, fought bled and died to give us freedom to worship, the right to bear arms and the right to free speech. I am grateful for this freedom. The Bill of Rights gives us some of our greatest freedoms. However there are some limits to our freedoms.

Free speech ends when it endangers others with threats, and or causes a public panic.

The right to bear arms means you must be responsible with weapons and your freedom to have firearms should end when there is any irresponsibility on your part.

And the freedom to worship cannot be limited by government at any time or any place. But if I try to impose or force my faith on you or any others the freedom ends.

Human cooperation and society must have some tolerance to exist. I can talk when I want, but there must be common courtesy to let others speak too. When I deprive them of their right to speak at all this is intolerable. I can carry a weapon and be legal and within my rights. But if I use the weapon to harm or threaten others this too is intolerable. When the faith I have would impose law or behavior that is unacceptable on others this too in intolerable. This is where America has gotten off track. It is now the belief of many that I must accept the lack of belief of many and the unbiblical practices they employ as tolerable for society. 

We as a society have struggled to define what is intolerable when it comes to faith. In the name of "freedom" we allow things that are very anti-biblical not only exist, but to be tolerated and not spoken against. Things like freedom of sexual choice, abortion, pornography, and acceptance of drugs and alcohol are  "rights" of a free society and should be tolerated as something that is a matter of personal belief.

These "rights" that many see as unbiblical have come to exist by way of moral decay and are irresponsible And I believe that our faith in Jesus Christ should demand that these "rights" must end because of the imposition on others rights. The problem is we have in the name of freedom become a permissive society.

Now we have new problems dealing with the permissiveness of these actions. The discussions around the incident with "Planet Fitness" is an example. To a allow a grown man who says he thinks he is a woman to use dressing areas with women is obviously absurd. The "transgender" person's rights should end before the women are threatened or offended. 

So the majority of people can use common sense to realize that we allowing our society in the name of freedom to let the "rights of a few" dictate to the majority. The time has come for the people to God to take drastic action in the stand for defining what is intolerable. The Planet Fitness case is obvious. Where the lines are drawn on other things is up for debate.

One thought that will raise some eyebrows in concern. It seems we have one retail food chain that still believes that we should keep a day of worship holy, and therefore they refuse to open on Sunday. Seems to be working for them. I am sorry that you cannot get a chicken sandwich on Sunday, but their right to a day off is more important than my right to have one. 

The Lord made it plain there is only one way to the Father. There is really only one faith that is real. To allow non belief and other faiths is by government acceptable but the rights of others stops where it begins to impose on people faith things that are intolerable. We really need to examine what God says is acceptable and what is not. 

 

Know A Good Log?

I am grateful that I am still learning. At nearly 60 years of age I continue to learn and develop into a more useful and better servant of God. How do I know this? Because I know a good log when I see one. 

To many an old wooden log lying in a pile of loge would look just like any other log, just a log. But running a saw mill for a while my opinion of logs and my eye to spot a good one or a bad one is developing. Yesterday was a wonderful spring day. I just had to lay aside the books and get outside yesterday and work the saw mill a bit. I took the photo above when I realized how excited I was about the log on the mill. It is a beautiful thing to see a log like this cut into very useful, sturdy lumber. If you will notice how straight the cut edge from the first cut you will see that the cutting of this good size pine log is going to be very productive. When the first cuts come off straight you have a very good log. A decision has to be made early as to what size of boards will be cut from the log. 

Now the other side of the pile is where the slabs or the cut off portions that are not useful for lumber are piled up and then burned. This is the picture below. There are two piles the good lumber that you can build with and the slab pile which has a whole lot of pieces that are sliced off and are not really fit for anything. 

When God looks at us I believe He knows us and see us for how we are. There are so many slabs that have to be cut away before we can become useful to the Master Builder. All of the things we do that are selfish, worldly, and insignificant are burned up just like these old slabs. But what the Lord does with the good aspects of us will help to build the Kingdom of God. I know my Father can tell a good one when He sees one. When He makes the first cuts He knows exactly what He is doing. God is still cutting me to get the most out of me and I am grateful that He is the one making the decisions as to when the next cut will be made. 

I am grateful to have a fun hobby that becomes a ministry sometimes as this lumber gets used to help others. I pray that when the Master looks at me, He knows that I am His to cut however He chooses. 

Saint Patricks Day Stuff

Being Baptist and raised in the South Saint Patricks day has always been one of those days that I heard about every year when I forgot to wear green to school and I would face getting pinched by people all day. Seems this "pinching" has is origins in the USA more than in Ireland, and most people there do not seem to even know about this custom.  The wearing of green is so the leprechauns will not be able to see you. If the leprechauns see you they will pinch you. So if you forget others will pinch you also to remind you that the leprechauns are going to pinch you. 

Saint Patricks day is a big deal for many people. It is a religious festival if you will because it is not a national holiday. The celebration is about the coming of Christianity to Ireland. It seems Saint Patrick was the son of a nobleman in Britain and not even Irish. He lived in the 5th Century when Britain was still under Roman influence and the areas of Scotland and Ireland were barbaric and savage. It seems St Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved in the early 5th Century and spend six years alone in the wilderness tending sheep as a slave. Facing the elements alone he longed for home and remembered all he had been taught by his Christian upbringing. God gave him a vision to walk to the coast where a ship would be waiting to take him home. Once home he became a priest and then returned to Ireland as a missionary. He spent the last 25 years of his live planting churches and converting the heathen in Ireland. 

The carrying of shamrocks is associated with Saint Patrick because he used them to explain to the people the concept of the Holy Trinity. This day became a part of the Roman Catholic church in the 1600s. And for many parts of the world it is now a really big day. 

I found a really short video on the History Channel Web Site that is pretty informative on Saint Patrick's Day History and Facts and I though I would give you the link. 

One more interesting fact. The first Saint Patricks day parade did not happen in Ireland but in the USA. In 1762 some British soldiers who were of Irish decent paraded to a tavern in New York and they seem to have started something. Now some 250 years later drinking seems to be a big part of many people's celebration of the death of the patron saint of Ireland's death. Saint Patrick died on March 17. The year is debated some say around 460 AD or others around 490 AD and still others around the mid 500s. But we seem to know for sure it was on March 17th. 

An interesting day but one that does not get too much attention by most folks below the Mason-Dixion line. 

Three Things Every Man Should Know

I am thinking this morning along the lines of what does it mean to be a man. A real man not the version Hollywood tries to portray for us. I came up with three things to put in your head. Now I would not claim these are the only things that you need to know but they are important. Important enough that every man should be teaching them to his own sons. 

In my opinion these will improve your relationship with your wife and thereby strengthen your marriage. Just give these a bit of thought and maybe work on them a bit this week. 

#1- You do not have to prove you are stronger,  faster, smarter, better looking, than every other man around. It is ok to be a man who has good sense and it knows his limits. It is not ok not to have to "prove" you are a man. Some men have the good sense to know this but it seems there are a few who still think they are the best at something and try to do that to prove they are a man. Being yourself is ok. But there is a caveat with this thought. Every man should push himself to stay in shape. Physically, emotionally and spiritually you must discipline yourself to be better. Manliness is lost when you stop trying to do better.

Hebrews 12:11 NASB  11All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

 

#2- Men can and should help their wives around the house with house work. You do have some responsibility to  around the house. Your wife is not your servant but your partner in life. She is to be treated as your wife not your slave nor expected to be your buddy to do all the things you do. She is a woman and you should treat her like a woman. Your attitude towards her should be one to meet her needs and to be aware of her needs this is your responsibility to be sensitive enough to realize her feelings and while you cannot "fix" every problem she may encounter in life if you care and assure her of your love she will be satisfied and secure in this. 

Proverbs 5:15-19 NASB 

       15  Drink water from your own cistern
            And fresh water from your own well.

      16Should your springs be dispersed abroad,
            Streams of water in the streets?

      17Let them be yours alone
            And not for strangers with you.

      18Let your fountain be blessed,
            And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

      19As a loving hind and a graceful doe,
            Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
            Be exhilarated always with her love.

# 3 - You are the Spiritual Leader in your home. You are responsible to God for this task. If the Lord is to be honored and held up in your home it is your job. Your wife and your children will respect you and follow you in this leadership role. This is without a doubt the most important thing I am writing this morning to men. If prayer is to be a part of your life, then it is to be a part also with your wife and children. You set the pace for the service unto God in your home. This is the one biggest area of fault in the lives of men today. 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NASB  4“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.9“You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Every man should know these things and we who are trying to be real men should encourage and help other men with these things. Just thought you might want to know. 

Out for a Spin

I have not posted or written about two of the most important people in the world in a bit. Vera and Violet came to see their "Pappy and Nana" yesterday for a little while. We had a good visit. We did the typical playing with the doctor kit, sitting on the swing on the back porch, and eating a snack. But the real fun started when they were already to the point of needing to go home to take a nap. That is when we got the "Cozy Coupe" out for a spin about the driveway. We took off flying up the driveway letting the wind blow through our hair. (Well some let it blow through their hair.) And we went so far as to travel out the "Jungle Highway." We blew the horn and waved to the people were in  the other cars. We stopped at the starting line, and raced to the finish line. It was great fun for Vera and I. Then Violet came out too. Equipped with a fresh diaper she was ready to join in too. She came running and squealing. Vera so sweetly let Violet get in and drive. She loved it too.

The time was upon us to tell the girls goodbye and we did several times as they put gas in the "Cozy Coupe" from the water hose and then took her out for a spin again. It seems very special for this Pappy because for just a few minutes I was both a daddy and a kid again. The photos are so special I had to share them this morning. I am very blessed to have these beautiful granddaughters. 

A Great Event - For Great People

We are half way through the 3rd annual Marriage Enrichment event for First Responders. The first half was fantastic. Kenn Kington knocked the ball out of the park with fantastic and hilarious message about marriage. I was rolling as he talked about the simple differences we have as men and women.

The food was good and the first responders were from many departments around the area. I am privileged to teach one of the break out sessions last night. My section and topic is very self explanatory.  I called it No Secrets in Marriage.  

Last night was the first half and this morning the couples will return for two more break out sessions of their choice. We have sessions on blended families, troubled children, Men's and Women's Needs,  a presentation on insurance and another on how to manage your finances to give more away. We owe a special thanks to Pastor MIke Stephens for opening up Burnt Hickory Baptist Church  for us to use and for their staff helping us out. 

With all the issues around Law Enforcement, and those who serve the public what a great time to be having an event like this one last night, and this morning. I am so blessed to be a part of touching these great people's lives.