Romans 10:14 - 15

My apologies to the ministry for my Bread written on Wednesday, May 31st. It was pointed out to me that it was not my place to instruct the ministry. While that was certainly not my intention, it does read that way. We as writers always need to be mindful of the fact that with privilege comes responsibility. We never know how far reaching our words may be and we need to keep them seasoned with grace.

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

It takes someone special to lead a church. This is how Paul defines a pastor for Timothy:
1 Timothy 3:1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

As I have written before, most pastors aren't going to tell you about the 3 a.m. phone calls, the days at the hospital or the long hours wrestling in prayer for the needs of the saints. They aren't going to tell you about the constant attack they face both inside and outside of the church. They won't be able to tell you how truly burdened they are for your soul and how hopeful they are to be able to give a good account. That is all part of the burden they accepted for themselves and their family when they accepted God's call on their life.

While those of us who aren't called to ministry can't accept that burden for them, we can lift them up and support them in it. We can actively pray for the ministry and their families and support them in whatever way possible.

You can look on the church as a flock of geese flying in a V. The pastor has the tough, unenviable job of breaking the way. He is there at the forefront taking the brunt of things. We can't take that spot but we can line up with him shoulder to shoulder, accept the slipstream his leadership provides and encourage him from behind. If your church doesn't have a prayer team for your pastor I encourage you to start one. Let me know if you need ideas. When a church starts holding their leadership up in prayer a power is released. My prayer for you is that it will be released in your church.

Thank you, as always, for letting me share a bit of my life and my God with you this week. I hope that something I have written has ministered to you.

In His service for His glory,
Deborah

Matthew 6:25 - 34

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

This is very familiar scripture to many. When I did a word search on "faith" at Crosswalk.com there were 229 entries. That didn't really surprise me, but what did was the fact that 227 of them appeared in the New Testament. Ya think Jesus was trying to get something across to us? For us in America, it sure is easier to have faith when you have a good job, a car that runs, a dry roof over your head and some money in the bank. But this scripture speaks directly to that! God knows we have need of these things, but seek first the kingdom of God.

On April 21st, after two years and four raises in a job I really liked, I was called in to the Executive Directors office and fired. He was surprised (and of course a bit angry) when my response was to laugh. "Did I find that funny" He asked? "Oh no" I replied "But God has most definitely shut this door and He will open another one."

You see, I had been questioning God after the death of my granddaughter and also praying about some significant changes in my life. The reason I laughed was the way God choose to give me His definitive answer. While there are some areas of my life that I struggle with His control over, I've got at least a 98% faith in His ability to handle my finances. I laughed because He took the one thing I am the most confident is in His hands.

My husband is disabled and can't work to pick up the slack. That's ok. I know it is in His hands. My unemployment has been initially denied and I am having to fight it. That's ok. I know it is in His hands. He will supply my needs according to His riches in glory. (Phillipians 4:19)

Meanwhile, I have been able to help at church with projects that needed to be done, I have been able to actually clean my house, not just move the top layer and I have had more time to pray. I know that when the time is right, God will open the perfect door for me. I'll tell you about it next time.

In His service for His glory,
Deborah

1 Corinthians 6:9

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (KJV)

Merriam Webster Dictionary:
Main Entry: for·ni·ca·tion
Pronunciation: "for-n&-'kA-sh&n
Function: noun: consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other

My daughter was relating to me the story of a very embarrassing confrontation in the middle of a restaurant several years ago after a member of our former church told his family that he was gay. We both agreed that traumatizing and publicly humiliating a 16 year old boy probably did not show him the love of Christ in any meaningful way.

As I was thinking about it, I had to wonder if he would have been surrounded by 5 people, laying hands and shouting at his demons to leave, had he "merely" been having sex with a girl? Now, don't get me wrong here; I in no way advocate a homosexual lifestyle and have shed many tears over the fact that this spirit swept through that church. I do also believe that it is a spirit and not a "biological condition that can't be helped".

However, I think that this family and pretty much the church in general have missed the point. The Bible says that fornicators will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The issue here is not whom you are having sex with, it's the fact that you are having sex out of wedlock! Dr. Randy Carlson is one of the only persons I have heard make that distinction. God does not see any difference between this boy practicing a homosexual lifestyle and my daughter living with her boyfriend. In His eyes, they are both guilty of fornication and therefore are currently forfeiting their place in the Kingdom.

I think the church as a whole would do well to reset on this issue. I think there are too many pulpits in this country where the preacher is thundering against homosexuality while ignoring the unmarried heterosexual couples on his pews. If we stringently taught our churches from youth upwards that sex out of wedlock in any form: homosexual, heterosexual, adultery, pedophile, etc., will lead to hell, not only might it help the perception that we are bigoted toward one group of people, more importantly, we would be teaching the whole Word of God and possibly saving our congregations from an eternity of regret. Woe be to the preacher who has to stand before God and be asked why he allowed fornication to freely roam the pews of his church.
In His service for His glory,
Deborah

Job 1:21

Job 1:21
saying: Naked I came from my mother's womb,and naked I will leave this life.The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.Praise the name of the Lord.

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted.

At 44, I have been very fortunate to lead an almost death free life. 3 of my 4 grandparents died before I was born, my whole tier of parents/aunts & uncles is still alive and the only death I had faced was my 92 year old great grandmother and my 84 year old, extremely ill grandmother. You just don't seem to mourn as much when people have lived out their life and are ready to go home.

That all changed on April 1st when my 20 day old granddaughter died of "overwhelming infection". It was the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life. It was even harder to go to church the next day and praise and worship God.

Two things really helped me. One was a Casting Crowns song that I clung to during the whole ordeal. It is titled Praise You in this Storm and the lyrics are very powerful. One line says "You are You who are, no matter where I am." Another was our fiery youth leader who was in the row behind me. We are a small, close knit church and my pain was being felt by all, but he kept saying "You are still worthy God."

I had to realize that He is still worthy. Just like our relationships with others, God does not always do what we would like Him to, but He is still God. If He never does another thing for me in my entire life, the fact that He came to earth in the form of a man and sacrificed Himself for my sins is enough! I worship Him not for what He has done but for who He is.

I still wish He had not chosen to take Angelica, but I realize that it is purely a selfish desire. She is in Jesus' arms, having the wonderful privilege of skipping this evil world entirely. If you love with a pure love, what more could you want for someone?

In His service for His glory,

Deborah


PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
and takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm