I know I am imperfect. Sometimes I know it, see it, feel it more deeply than at other times. When I do, I am prone to think, "What good am I? I am useless. It would be better for me to just step aside, and let someone else pastor this church who can do it much better than I can. What if I am actually causing more harm than good? " A truly scary thought.

Usually what breaks the spell of this line of thinking, is a very simple reality - "Everybody else is imperfect too!" God has so arranged that He does (and always has done) His work through imperfect people. From Abraham to Moses to Joshua to David to Peter and Paul - not a one of them had "arrived". Yet God still used them, not because they were perfect, but because He chose to use them. This changes my whole perspective... God has determined where I am - He chose me as His child, He gave me the abilities I have to use in His service, He arranged for me to serve as a leader in His church - I accomplished none of those things.

So, though I am imperfect, where I am is based on God chosing. So rather than morosely focusing on my inadequacies, I need to focus on the task at hand, in the reality that God's grace is sufficient and His power is perfected in my weakness (2 Cor 12:9). In humility, I take a deep breath, smile at the Lord's sovereign control, even in chosing such a failing servant, and then pour myself back into that which He has given me to do. Imperfectly, yes, still useful to His service, I trust.

How much of the time in this life is spent in the pursuit of happiness? Everyone has a sense of what will make them happy and they devote a great deal of time and effort in attempting to gain it. Christians are no less consumed with this effort than anyone else. The sad truth is for the Christian the only real source of joy and happiness comes from the Word of God. And although most Christians would give assent to that truth, in reality it is denied by the practices they engage in and the purpose for which they engage in them.
Arthur Pink wrote an article back in 1948 titled Enjoying God’s Best in that article he addressed the issue of the believer’s happiness this side of heaven. He said, “God has established an inseparable connection between holiness--and happiness; between our pleasing of Him--and our enjoyment of His richest blessing; that since we are always the losers by sinning--so we are always the gainers by walking in the paths of righteousness; and that there will be an exact ratio between the measure in which we walk therein--and our enjoyment of "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" (Hebrews 12:11).” God intends for His children to know joy in this life as well as the next. That joy we experience now or in Pink’s words our “temporal felicity” is ours in whatever measure we are committed to keep the Word of God. How much happier we would be as Christians if we were committed to this reality.

In his book What Did You Expect, a wonderful resource to understand marriage from God’s perspective, Paul Tripp makes this statement: “Hopelessness is way of seeing, not a state of being.” Stop and think about that statement again, and try to restate his point in your own words.

We always “see” the situations we face in life, based on how we think. More specifically, we interpret our situations based on what we think to be true at that moment. Sometimes, the interpretations we make about those circumstances are shown by responses such as fear, worry, envy, loneliness, anger, self-pity, hopelessness and the like. That way of “seeing” is condemned by Scripture (some of these responses may not be sinful – for example, fear of God and righteous anger are commanded and commended!). Why are these responses sinful? Because our “seeing” is not filtered through or informed by the Word of God. More plainly, they are condemned because they are based in unbelief.

But God always gives the way of escape from “seeing” wrongly. The way out of sinful fear is faith in God (e.g., Ps. 56:3-4) and love of God (e.g., 1 John 4:18). The way out of hopelessness is faith in God’s promises (e.g., Rom 15:13). The way out of loneliness is to know that He is with us, and will never leave us or forsake us (e.g., Heb. 13:5). No wonder Jesus is called our great God and Savior. He not only saves us from the penalty of sin; He saves us from actual sin (Tit. 2:13-14). He changes (i.e., sanctifies) how we “see”, so that we see the way He knows is best. He reminds us to take our thoughts captive to His truth and promises.

How do you typically “see” your situations? If you know Jesus as Savior, He will help you see with new eyes: His!

The Israelites decided the best thing to do was quarrel with Moses: "Why then have you brought the LORD'S assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here? Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink (Num 20:4-5).” Remember, Moses was designated by God to lead this people out of Egypt into the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. Moses is following God’s orders. So, the Israelites are actually quarreling with God, because God is leading the people through Moses.

Moses, too, is now facing internal pressure. He’s facing a large assembly gathered together against him and Aaron. As Moses, what would you be thinking? Are they going to kill us? Would you be calm enough to exhort the people to trust God? What Moses did cost him entrance into the land. God told Moses simply and plainly to speak to the rock before them and it would bring forth water. Very simple, right? Moses uses the opportunity, however, to exert authority beyond what was given to him. Since God hadn’t caused them to trust his leadership, he was going to put the people in their place before his eyes. He called them rebels and then struck the rock, rather than speaking to it. The result: water gushed forth. How gracious our God is. God’s people quarrel with Him and He still gives them water. God’s appointed leaders quarrel with Him, and He still provides through them.

But there is a cost to this quarreling. The Israelites did not please God by their unbelief. That unbelief, and responses flowing from that unbelief, became a temptation for Moses to disobey God and to seek results (submission to his leadership) which only God can produce. Moses did not point to God as holy; instead he sought to exalt his own position. He pointed to himself as holy, not to God as holy. That sin cost him entrance into the promised land.

Beloved, remember Paul’s exhortation in Phil 2:12-16 (esp v 14). God is at work in us in every circumstance. He is good and His purposes are wise and good. We have no reason to quarrel with God about any circumstances we face because God is doing something good in us through them (Rom. 8:28-29).

Recently I was discussing with a friend the effects materialism has had upon the church. In the western church the pursuit of the things of this world is disguised as “The American Dream.” Essentially this “dream” is a vindication of a lifestyle that is dedicated to the pursuit of “stuff.” Now, it is true God expects us to work diligently and always to the best of our ability, but the end game is not so that we might accrue more wealth but rather that we bring Him glory in the process. Sadly, the evangelical church in this country has bought into the lie that money can protect one from the evils and unpleasantries of life. As hard as we may try to avoid it, the thought that money or goods will protect us and provide us with safety and security and insulate us from the problems of life still finds its way into our decisions. That belief has led to time and energy being devoted to the pursuit of material that would otherwise have been devoted to the Lord in service to Him and His body the church.

The writer of Hebrews makes a very interesting connection along this line in Heb 13:5-6. He says, instead of being in love with money we are to be content with what we have. But he goes on to say what we have is Jesus Christ. If we want to live so as to be safe and secure in this world we must place our trust in Him. We must live with the confident assurance that our condition and circumstances are in His control. In the midst of the most difficult of problems it is not money that will get us through, it is Jesus Christ. God has promised us His presence and His assistance. He must be where we turn to in times of trouble knowing that whatever we face God has sent us for our good and His glory. We should be careful to regularly examine our thinking to see where the love of money has influenced us and be quick to confess it and get our thinking in line with God’s on this matter.

Earlier this week I finished selecting the specific verses for the Quest memory program for the upcoming year. It was such a joy for me to scan through the 2nd half of the Gospel of Mark for key passages for the kids of our church to memorize. Just thinking of all these precious children working diligently to commit such profound spiritual truths to memory each week gave me goosebumps. Knowing just how much the discipline of Scripture memory has played a role in my own spiritual walk in my childhood and throughout my adulthood, I just let my mind contemplate the various circumstances where the Spirit of God will bring these verses to mind in these young lives.

It was a good reminder for me to redouble my own efforts to continue that same disicpline in my own life. Memorizing is not really "hard" work, it just takes a commitment of time, and I was reminded this week - time well spent! Because the Scriptures are my primary mechanism for relating with God, Scripture memory is not just a "quest" to achieve some goal in my spiritual life, but truly a "quest for God." As I meditate on His truths, I can't help but meditate on the Giver of these truths, and it always seems to draw me into true worship.

So, come on along - grab your Bible, and let's head out together - whether it is one verse at a time or three, let's just start out. The end of the trail on this quest is God - no better destination!

James 1:19-20 reminds us that all of us will have trouble with sinful anger. “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

How do we know if our anger is sinful? The verses above tell us what sinful anger does not do: achieve the righteousness of God. That’s a good way of examining the kind of anger we experience. We can know by the motive and the way we respond when we are angry. Note this: it is not always wrong to be angry. Ephesians 4:26 indicates that we will be angry. Let’s be even clearer: there are times we should be angry! We know that because God is angry (e.g., Mark 3:5; Heb. 3:10). We should be angry about the things that God is angry about.

Suppose someone purposefully misrepresents you to others and tells them you are untrustworthy. What kind of response would you have? Our fleshly desires want to self-protect, self-defend, feel self-pity, or strike back at the person who made the statement. Is it wrong to feel anger in this situation? No.

So, where’s the problem? What is unrighteous anger? Just this: when we are angry for our sake. We are angry because of how it affects me. Righteous anger, on the other hand, is expressed when it is for God’s glory, and when it is expressed in godly concern for the sinning soul. That is, we seek to do what is best for them. It is not wrong to have the sense of hurt in such a situation. It is wrong to respond to that situation for your own sake.

This is precisely why we need God’s Word to give us wisdom. Romans 12:19-21 is one passage that gives such wisdom. It says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

What is being said here? Not to self-defend or take our own revenge. That is the response of the old, natural self. We are to trust God in His dealings with us (and every circumstance we encounter is ordained by God), and operate according to God’s wisdom and character. Feed them! Give them a drink! That is, love them. When God says “do not be overcome with evil,” He is talking about our own evil – the evil that comes out when we are angry for our own sake. We overcome unrighteous anger by loving those who sin against us. .

When someone slanders us (or any number of other ways people can sin against us), righteous anger will display itself by doing what is best for the one who sinned against us. Here are just some biblical ways of loving others when they sin against us. Galatians 6:1; Matt 18:15; Matt 7:1-5; 1 Thess 5:14-15; Eph 4:26-27. Notice God’s purpose in following these commands; also notice the attitude we must have or avoid.

As we kicked off our VBS this morning, and our Youth outreach in the park tonight, I was reminded of just how simple and staightforward the gospel message is that we have the privilege of communicating. So clear that even a young child can comprehend it, and so profound that it strikes at the heart of each person, regardless of their age or station in life.

The truth that the God who created us and to whom we are accountable has revealed very definite standards for our lives in His Word, about how we are to live for His glory. But we have all failed in both our actions and motivations, and stand condemned before Him. Yet despite our rebellion, God's mercy sent His Son to absorb the punishment we deserve as He died on the cross. Jesus then rose from the grave and lives not only as ultimate King and Judge, but also Sole Mediator between us and God, granting all those who respond to Him in total trust and repentance from sins full forgiveness and pardon, enabling us to inherit all the grace of God.

This is the glorious truth that has changed our lives and that God has determined to use to change the lives of those He has chosen for salvation. It is our great privilege to share this simple message, with its profound implications, to everyone who will listen.
God, open the ears of the children and youth of Owasso this week as we proclaim this message in various ways!

I was reminded again the other day how unnoticed our motives are in the course of a typical day. Motives are the desires of the heart that determine everything we do. They are therefore a very critical element of who we are. But with that said they operate in a way that renders them totally invisible to us most of the time. Our desires, motives, are such an integral part of what we are that they garner relatively little attention from us. We merely go about our business dealing with people and situations as we always have rarely asking ourselves, “Why did I do that?” or “Why did I react that way?” Most people assume that’s just the way they are and try to deal with the consequences of their actions which are driven by their desires. James tells us that can be disastrous to relationships and make for a very unpleasant life (James 4:1-3).

When a person is saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, God begins a transforming work in that person. We call the process sanctification. It is God making us like Himself. That process is focused in the heart, the seat of our motives or desires. We are called as Christians to understand these powerful influences operating in us and we are to learn to think differently about why we do what we do.

The renewed mind of the believer is to lead to a life motivated by the desire to please Christ and not self. The love for Christ is to control us and not our natural desires, our love for Him leading us to do as He has revealed we should. We must therefore be constantly examining our heart and seeking to understand what motivates us to do what we do. If it is anything other than His glory we must be quick to put it off and replace it with a determination to do what is pleasing to Him. In doing so we are blessed and experience the joy of our salvation.

Here is an excerpt from Milton Vincent' The Gospel Primer (p 22), about the effect that meditating on the Gospel has on how we love each other... Absorb!

"The more I experience the gospel [effects in my own life], the more there develops within me a yearning affection for my fellow Christians who are also participating in the glories of the gospel. This affection for them comes loaded with confidence in their continued spiritual growth and ultimate glorification, and it becomes my pleasure to express to them this loving confidence regarding the ongoing work of God in their lives (Phil 1:3-7).

Additionally, with the gospel proving itself to be such a boon in my own life, I realize that the greatest gift I can give my fellow Christians is the gospel itself. Indeed, I love my fellow-Christians not simply because of the gospel, but I love them best when I am loving them with the gospel (1 Thess 2:8). And I do this not merely by speaking gospel words to them, but also by living before them and generously relating to them in a gospel manner. Imparting my life to them in this way, I thereby contribute to their experience of [and appreciation for and worship due to] the power, the Spirit, and the full assurance of the gospel (1 Thess 1:5)."

My prayer for myself, my family, and our church, is that this kind of interaction would result from our keeping the gospel front and center in our minds / hearts!

Thomas Brooks, in his book "The Crown and Glory of Christianity” gives us a pithy reminder how we should understand and receive both the joys and sorrows we face in this life. Think about and thank God for His goodness and faithfulness for ordaining both of these conditions for His children.

The condition of God's people in this life is a mixed condition.
In this life they have . . .
their rejoicing times--and their mourning times,
their laughing times--and their weeping times,
their singing times--and their sorrowing times, etc.

It is true, in heaven there is . . .
all joy--and no sorrow,
all gladness--and no sadness.

And in hell there is . . .
all sorrow--and no joy,
all grief--and no gladness,
all howling--and no singing,
all madness--and no mirth.

But in this present life it is otherwise, for if there would be nothing but joy--many would look for no other heaven. And if there should be nothing but sorrow--most would look for no other hell.

If men should have nothing but joy--how sadly would they be puffed up! And if they should have nothing but sorrow--how easily would they be cast down! But now, by a divine hand, our sorrows being mixed with our joys--our hearts come to be the more effectually weaned from the vanities of this life, and to long more earnestly after the pure and unmixed joys in the world of glory!

Phil 4:11b - I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. What an incredible lesson to learn. How much of our time is spent in some form of discontent. Things are just not the way we want them to be. When our desires and our circumstances do not perfectly match, the condition or state of mind it produces in us is discontentment. We then struggle to change the circumstances to order them according to our desires so that we might achieve the state of contentment. This is precisely backwards to what God would have us do.

Paul, in a prison cell, chained, and facing the possibility of execution writes, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” He did not say, “I have figured out how to change my situation to make me happy,” but, “I have changed me to be content with what I have and where I am.” We can learn that too.

At the first sign of discontentment I must ask myself a few simple questions. “Do I know God loves me?” “Do I believe God can and does control all things?” Do I believe 1 Cor 13:10?” “Do I know what God wants from me in this moment?” And the most important of all, “Do I desire to please God more than I desire to please myself?” I am convinced if we get in the habit of asking these kinds of questions at the first signs of discontentment we will learn to be content and will find our situation to be much more positive than it first appeared.

Sometimes God gives us a firsthand look at the results of sin to reinforce the importance and necessity of obedience. Ephesians 4:3 commands us to strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. What can happen if we do not obey that command? I spoke to a pastor overseas recently who gave me a firsthand account. A fellow leader disagrees with his preaching style and his theological convictions. Rather than seeking to maintain the unity that the Spirit of God gives believers, this leader sought out members of that congregation in order to stir up opposition to the pastor. As a result, there is significant tension in that body of believers, and some of them are now resistant to the pastor’s leadership.

The Scripture would call this person a “factious man.”  God hates this kind of behavior (Prov. 6:19). God’s wrath came upon it in Numbers 16. As I write, the outcome in this church situation is unclear. But the lesson reinforced in my mind was crystal clear. Anytime we are in disagreement with someone, whether in leadership or not, we must seek to maintain or restore unity with that person directly. Failure to do so is a recipe for discord, division, and disaster in our families and churches, and even in our own life. It is always loving to obey God’s commands; it is also wise.

Recently I had the honor of preaching my dad’s funeral sermon. The Lord took him home after many years of deteriorating health. In the previous six months my dad talked more and more about going to heaven. He got his affairs in order and told my mom, “I just want to go.” My dad was a strong willed man. He endured eight years of dialysis. He loved his family and friends and life, but there came a time when he was ready to leave it all to go to be with the Lord.

As I thought about his life I realized that there are two times in life when the things of this world have no interest for us, when they have no hold on us. The first is at the very beginning of life when we are totally unaware of anything but our immediate bodily needs. The second time is at the end of life.

When we come to grips with the reality we are not going to get better and in fact our end is near, our focus changes. Cars, houses, bank accounts, our favorite toys, etc. lose their hold on us when the pain and sickness that often precedes our end is upon us. Richard Baxter in his writing “Directions for a Peaceful Death” makes the point that God is good to us to send these afflictions to wean is from the things of this world and cause us to look to Him. God gives each of us just what we need because of His love for us and by His sovereign control of all things to the end that we are anxious to leave the world behind and be with Him. How great is His grace!

Thinking through all that cause me to wonder how attached I am to the things of this world and how freely I will let go when the Lord calls me home. We should pray that we would not be so enamored with “things” that we would waiver in our desire to be with our Lord.

My heart was greatly warmed (and challenged) by this short Tulsa World video interview with some old friends of ours and their family which is growing in grace through adoption, which seems to me to be a living illustration of the work of Christ as demonstrated in Eph 2:11-13.

Enjoy, and think...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/videos/Playlists/most_recent.aspx 
(click on the "Baker's Dozen" link)

In John Bunyan’s Christian classic, Pilgrim’s Progress, he gives an insightful look at the Christian life through the eyes of a man named Christian. On his journey to the Celestial City (heaven) he stays overnight at the Stately Palace. His hosts then explained “if the weather is clear, we would like to show you the Delectable Mountains”. The Delectable Mountains represent those times in our Christian lives when God reveals Himself in such a way that greatly encourages or strengthens us. They represent unusual experiences of communion with God or help from God. They are glimpses of what heaven will be like.

Christian’s hosts noted that it would be possible to have this view only if the weather is clear. Why wouldn’t the weather be clear? What is it that would cause our “weather” to hinder our view of God? One reason is not surprising. Our sin or carelessness in the Christian life are reasons we sometimes face “cloudy” weather. Isaiah 59:2 says “your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” We can also be careless about the Christian life. The Psalmist reminds us to “forget none of His benefits (Ps. 103:2).” When we forget to think about and thank God for His blessings, we can lose sight of Him. Confession, repentance of sin and obedience is our response in order to clear up the weather.

But it sometimes happens that God brings the “cloudy” weather. Job went through an extended time when his sight of God was severely obstructed. He did not abandon his faith, but he was sorely tested in it. In Job 13:24 he laments, "Why do You hide Your face And consider me Your enemy?” With the benefit of hindsight; we understand that God granted Satan the authority to bring those difficulties into Job’s life. And that is the point; God sometimes brings circumstances into our life which He designs to teach us to walk by faith, not by sight. That is a precious truth.

“Cloudy” times can be caused by our doing. But they are also sometimes designed by God. The Christian must learn to distinguish which one it is. Regardless of the reason for the obstruction in our view of God, it is still reason to praise and thank Him. In both situations, God is up to something good. He is seeking to restore our fellowship with Him, or He is teaching us to walk by faith, not by sight knowing that the Delectable Mountains are there, even though we cannot see them.

Such is always the case of those in leadership, whether in civil government, church leadership, or functioning as head of one's own home. Nehemiah's prayer demonstrates an essential ingredient of the heart of a faithful leader - a desire to please God alone. This is a walk by faith that remembers that God is our ultimate ruler and reward.

May we all, in whatever opportunity we have to lead, confidently act and lead in a way, that shows that we have an upward eye toward the desires of our "King", and not an fearful eye on the approval ratings of those over whom we rule. Only in this way will we have the confidence to echo Nehemiah - "remember me, O my God, for my faithful deeds..." (Neh 13:14).    ~ Ted J

Jesus, in His humanity, shared their predicament - a boat quickly filling with water in the midst of a violent storm int he middle of the sea. Yet, He does not in any way absorb their hysteria. He simply considers the unlimited divine power resident within Him, and then relies on that power to deliver them.

This is what the disciples had not done. They had not considered the divine power resident in their boat, and therefore they did not rely on it. They did not go to Jesus in confident trust, but filled with fearful anxiety. Jesus wonders at their disbelief... "Why are you cowardly? How is it that you still have no faith?"

Jesus was expecting that they take what they already knew about Him and had experienced with Him, and respond in this new situation based on the knowledge they already had. This was the faith missing in this circumstance.

Jesus expects the same today - we who have been given the full revelation of His Word are expected to not be timid or cowardly when we enter into an unknown, intimidating, or scary situation in His service. Rather be as bold as a lion in living or speaking for Him - knowing that just like Jesus was in their boat, so too Jesus has promised, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Consider the real divine presence resident with each and every person who is in Christ, and respond accordingly. This is the faith Jesus expects!

Given the limits on our public gathering times, we as the elders want to use this area of our website as a way to regularly share with our church body the "overflow" of our own study in God's Word, clarify specific teachings, keep you updated on future plans, provide a biblical persepctive on important events, etc.

Our desire is not to have a place to share our own opinions, but a designed outlet for additional equipping and encouragement of God's people with His Word. We pray that the Lord would use this means to accomplish His shepherding work in this local body. May it always be for the glory of Christ in His church!