What’s the Emphasis?

It was a great joy to have my sister Reagan spend a week with us here in Dayton. As part of the usual behavior when family is together again, the conversation shifted to fond memories and funny stories. Little Chris was often the subject of these memories as we watched videos and shared funny photos. 

During this process, several things stood out to me. First, Chris was the biggest ham I have ever met. Second, it amazed me watching how much Chris had learned and soaked up about Jesus, God, and the Bible during the year he was with us. Two specific memories stood out to me within the last few months Chris was with us. 

The first memory happened on our way home from one of the last trips we got to take with him. We drove through the night, hoping Chris would fall asleep. He did not...and seemed to grow stronger in energy by the hour. However, it was during this time that Chris began to sing…Amen, Amen, I’m Alive, I’m Alive because He lives. I am sure Chris didn’t fully understand the lines that he was singing, but those words resting in his head are foundational pieces of the Gospel story that the Spirit can use in bringing Chris to recognize his need for Christ. 

The second memory happened at our house over family dinner a few weeks before Chris went back home. As we sat eating and talking, Chris interrupted the conversation with something important that he wanted to tell Momma Maddie. Chris then proceeded to tell us that "Jesus came and died on the cross and was buried and rose again and loves us.” I am not sure if it was prompted in his brain because of a lesson that he had in class, or in awanas, or in our evening devotions as a family, but the result was amazing. Biblical truth was being hidden in Chris’s heart. 

There are a lot of fun memories we shared, but nothing that filled me with greater joy or thankfulness than those two. But, it reminded me. This is my goal as a parent in stewarding the life that God has placed in our care. As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 31:11, we ought to spend our time teaching the children to fear the Lord! Paul in Ephesians 6 reminds us that our goal as parents is to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord!

It does not matter if our young people excel to the highest levels of education, business, medicine, athletics, or any other sector of culture if they miss a heart developed to love and follow Christ. The first place trophies, gold stars, and medals are worthless and vanity in the grand scheme of eternity.

So, parent, what are you emphasizing in your home? Are you placing spiritual things at the forefront, and the focal point that everything is subservient to, or are spiritual things reserved to Sunday’s and the temporal things reign in every other area?  

Young person, what is being developed in your heart? Are you responding to the spiritual teaching of your parents, or are you living in opposition to what they are trying to cultivate in your life? Our goal in life is to be shaped into the image of God and live not for ourselves, but for His glory. 

So, what are you emphasizing?

Serving Together, 

Pastor Derek

Today is not innocuous...

Recently, I was talking with Bro. Tyler about one of the most important concepts to develop as a pastor based upon Pro. 22:3- the idea of spiritual trajectory.
Basically, the idea that taking heed to your own soul and those whom we shepherd as a pastor requires the ability to discern what decisions say about ourselves and what they say about where we are headed. 
Heeding God's truth as the absolute authority in matters allows us to consult it regarding our current situation and ask ourselves about where my current choices are taking me in the future.

Solomon makes it clear to us that today's choices determine tomorrow's decisions, destinations, and consequences. These consequences can be good or bad, enjoyable or grieving, eternal or temporal, etc.
What is prominent in the verse is the need for introspection, reflection, and proactivity based upon the former two.
Hear it...neutrality is a myth in our spiritual and temporal lives. Failure to recognize this truth creates small ripples in my life that become waves in years to come.

Let me attempt to illustrate it in a silly, maybe relatable way.
You have a hard day (for whatever reason) and are feeling stressed, so you decide to stop to get a milkshake. Do you know better? Sure...but just once. Next week, it happens again, but the nagging thought of, "This is not a helpful way to deal with this mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or physically." seems a little less pronounced. 
A few weeks later, the pants seem to fit differently...but you have moved on to two shakes a week.
Exercising seems an even more difficult task or distant thought. When you have to buy new pants, the reality of what has been taking place sinks in a bit heavier. 
Even at that crossroads moment, your trajectory can change for the better, though it may be more difficult than it was weeks or months before.

Friends, we are constantly and consistently pulled on by our flesh and the devil to "let off" faith-based decisions every day. Those faith-based choices of obedience manifest themselves in the structure of our week and intentionality in our relationships. The structure of our week and intentionality with others demonstrate our trajectory.
Often, we reduce these to "have to habits"...I have to read my Bible, I better pray, if I miss a service pastor will text me, I should talk with my kids, I ought to give to my church for the Gospel, I should take time with my spouse...we can lose the heart behind the habit.
When this happens, our trajectory starts to alter. 
We have reasons for it- I want my kid to play this sport, I have to get this promotion, I just need me time, I shouldn't have to give my time up for that, etc.
Please hear me...your trajectory is changing from the eternal to the temporal implicitly. 

Before we identify it in others and dismiss it about ourselves, let me pause to say that being "in the people business" the past 20 years has shown me how often it is the small choices, over time, that lead men, women, marriages, families, churches, and nations away from God's desire for them.
Each step does not seem that egregious in the moment and seems acceptable...but it is the long-term destination (and used up years) that concern me about myself, my family, and those I serve in our congregation.

In 15 years of being a lead pastor, I have watched people go from enjoying their walk with Christ and being on board with His mission through their church to barely in church while passionate about this temporal realm. 
I have seen great marriages become cohabitations. 
I have seen spiritually minded families chase fulfillment through what the culture tells them is needed or best for their child- sports, grades, hobbies, experiences, etc. 
I have seen committed church members who once used their gifts, practiced the one anothers, evangelized others, and pursued Jesus' desire become "Christians" who are around but in ways that do not inconvenience them. 
The craziest, and perhaps most frustrating part of these moments is that they rarely think they have "changed that much". 

How do we regulate this?
-"Search me, O God..." was David's plea in an honest, transparent, obedient way.
-Invite someone...talk to your pastors, spouse, or other church member about what they see positively or negatively about your trajectory.
-Invest in someone...taking time to practice the Titus 2 cycle in your church will keep your attention sharp and your heart tender about your trajectory.
-Invoke charity...this is not a critical, judgy, letter of the law attitude but a willingness to love others (including yourself) in a manner God calls us to- proactively and personally.

How is your trajectory?
Where will you be in one year?
How will your marriage be in two years?
How will your church be better in three years?

Today is the day to foresee the evil

Serving together,

Pastor Paul

But God...

 As I go through life, I find it easy to slip into a mindset of assuming that I am the only follower of Christ that struggles and makes mistakes. Now, I obviously know this to be false, but the feelings of isolation, shame, and disappointment can often creep in and take residence within my mind and heart. I believe it is why I am so encouraged when reading through the Bible and seeing the struggle and faults of the people that God uses to advance His redemption plan. Paul gives this exact message in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, where he says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” This last week in my daily study I have been reading through Exodus. Moses has encouraged and challenged me. He fits the mold that Paul presents, and in Moses’s weakness, God freed His nation from captivity.  

    In Exodus 3 and 4, God speaks to Moses through the burning bush. God specifically comes to Moses and sends him to lead the Israelites from captivity. Moses does not respond with confidence or gratitude, or even willingness to obey God. Instead, Moses gives God 5 excuses.  5 reasons he cannot do what God has commanded Him to do.  5 “but God…” statements. But God, I cannot go before Pharaoh or lead the people of Israel. But God, I do not know enough about you to lead. But God, no one will believe me or listen to me. But God, I do not speak well. But God, send someone else. Moses doubts God, he argues with God, and he flat out asks God to change His plan! Yet still, God remains faithful to Moses. God answers every single one of Moses’s “but God…” statements. God can handle our doubts and fears if we let Him. Spoiler alert: Moses follows God’s plan and successfully leads the Israelites out of Egypt through God’s power.  

    When I read this story, I am often challenged. Where am I saying “but God…” in my life? Where am I using faults, fears, or even my own preferences as an excuse to ignore God’s commands? Am I holding back in my ministry? Am I holding back in my relationships? Am I holding back in my own spiritual disciplines and spiritual walk? We can be comforted by recognizing that even Moses, a great leader for God, struggled with doubts and excuses, but we must also be challenged to grow past our “but God…” moments so that God can work and move in and through us. Moses’s story is a great reminder to reflect on our lives and look for our “but God..” excuses. Often, the pressing needs in front of us or the brutal failures of our past seem to give our doubts validity, but like Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12, God’s strength is not seen in our strength; it is seen when He moves despite our weakness.

Serving Together, 

Bro. Tyler