Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” Job 1:22

Have you ever had a bad day? I mean a REALLY bad day. I am certain no one has ever experienced a day quite like the Old Testament character, Job. His life experience was so incredible that a whole book of the Bible was dedicated to it. Here is Job's backstory. “He had seven sons and three daughters,3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.” Job 1:2

If you are unfamiliar with his story; allow me to give you the Reader's Digest version. The following is an account of one day from his life:

1. A messenger came to Job with the news that Job's enemy had come and stole his oxen and donkeys, plus killed all his servants. Job 1:14-15
2. Immediately a second messenger comes and says “the fire of God from heaven burned us all your sheep and his servants. verse 16
3. Immediately a third messenger came with the news that another enemy of Job stole all his camels and killed those servants. Verse 17
4. Yet another messenger came with tragic news that all his children were killed when the house collapsed killed them all. Verse 18

The question of the Book of Job, is it possible to love and serve God for Himself alone regardless of life's circumstances? Could you serve God if you lost everything? Or do we love and serve Him for all He does for and gives us?

Job 1:22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. Job's wife gave him this advice, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job's reply? “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

You can love and serve God no matter your circumstances but only through prayer. The remainder of the Book of Job tells how he processed his pain and suffering through prayer.

Modesty Lost

 

Many look at the Bible and think it is out-of-date or archaic. They do not see how a 'document' written thousands of years ago could apply to our lives today! While some of the Old Testament was given to the nation of Israel and doesn't apply to us today (laws concerning leprosy and food restriction etc.), there are Biblical principles that do apply.

Take, for example, the principle of modesty. 1 Timothy 2:9 says, "I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly..." I am shocked sometimes at church by the immodesty of dress by some of our ladies. I think most ladies do not see wearing the latest fashion as being immodest because they have not been taught the principle of modesty at home or in the church. Romans 12:2 has something important to say to women about their style of dress. “Don’t live the way this world lives.... One interesting translation says, “And be not fashioned according to this world:”

Ladies, you may think that the way you dress is your business, and it does not affect anyone else, but nothing could be further from the truth. When women dress immodestly; another Biblical principle comes into play. Matthew 5:28 tells us “But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” You may think that men should not look but men are created to be attracted to the opposite sex through their eyes and by you dressing provocatively, you violate another principle.

Galatians 6:2 tells us to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.” By dressing immodestly, you create a burden for a brother who is trying to keep his thought pure. Philippians 4:8 Most of women's magazine have articles how to be sexy. My question is, why would a woman who is trying to live for Christ want to be sexy? Makes you wonder.

Grow Up!

Some People Grow Older but Never Grow Up

When I pastored a church, I was privileged to go to the hospital and visit with parents of their newborn baby. As I looked into that baby's face, I could not help but think what future was in store for them. Growing up they would learn to walk, speak, learn to ride a bike, etc. They would face a lot of challenges growing up. But growing up is a natural process. But if a child got older and never grew, frantic parents would seek out a doctor to find out what was wrong.

The Bible speaks of our conversion to Christ as the “new birth.” John 3:3, 7 When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we become a 'child' of God. Galatians 3:26 As a physical child is expected to grow up, so should spiritual children grow up. 2 Peter 3:18 But it amazes me that some people have not matured in their faith even after 20, 30 years!

The Apostle Paul was also amazed with the Corinthian Church when he wrote “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit [mature] but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.  I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

Most of the problems in our churches are due to immature believers. They want their own way. They are jealous of our followers. They have grown older but they haven't grown up.

Success in the Secret Place

 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

I would like to share this reading from C.S. Lewis.

Success in the secret place is not reaching a certain emotional epiphany every time we are with God. Success is not walking away with a sense of righteousness and patting ourselves on the back because we did all the right things.

Success is simply showing up. The moment you’ve taken that first step to spend time with God, to be alone with Him, your time in the secret place is already a success.

The Dying Church

 

There is no question that the last two years have been difficult on every front and nowhere is that seen more clearly that in our churches. Attendance in most churches has been declining for many years. Experts said in 2020 they expected 380,000 churches to close. Each month 250 pastors leave the ministry. The average time a pastor remains his church is 4 years.

I do not want to sound like a 'prophet of doom' but it is evident that the church is dying. Space does not allow me to explore all the reasons but allow me share a solution to keep churches from dying.

The Bible calls the Church the Body. Colossians 1:18 Romans 12:4-5 and as the human body has a life cycle, so does the Church. The churches the Apostle Paul started are no longer in existence. Most (if any) of the churches John Wesley started are in existence today. The church has a life-cycle: Birth. Growth. Stability. Decline. Death. A church left to itself will eventually die.

One church growth expert says for a church to keep from dying it must rediscover the purpose of the church. Many churches think their purpose is self-propagation; that is to maintain its existence. But Theology Professor Don Meeser rightly said. “I believe we need to rediscover that the purpose of the church is to increase the love of God and neighbor.”

Most churches see revival services as a means to convert unsaved people. But that is not true revival. True revival is the church recommitting itself to Christ and sharing His love.

Today's church most reinvent itself to reach this new generation. That doesn't mean changing our message but changing our methods. George Bernard Shaw once declared that "some [people] see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not."

The Good News is... I will build my church. The gates of hell will not be strong enough to destroy it. Matthew 16:18

For more insight see Reinventing the Church

Receive vs Taking an Offering

 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first and best part of all your income - - Proverbs 3:9

I have pastored several churches over 40 years, and I have thoroughly enjoyed ministering to a host of different people. I have lead churches from New York to Florida, each with different styles of worship. I have always endeavored to make worship meaningful and relevant.

But if a church has been in existence for a number of years, there is a danger of worship being routine: Opening hymns – pastoral prayer – offering – sermon- invitation. Nothing wrong with any of those things but I think how we do them should offer variety from time-to-time.

Take the offering for instance. Often after the pastor prays, he might ask the ushers to come forward to “take” the offering. I have wondered if the average person sitting in the pew really sees the offering as a vital part of worship. After all, when the offering is “taken”, the ushers usually go to the back of the church and disappear. An unchurched visitor, who knows little about church, may wonder where they 'took' the money!

I have always thought we could do the offering more meaningful by (1) Instead of saying we are “taking” an offering, we could say we are “receiving” an offering. (2) Instead of the ushers receiving the offering by coming to the front and going to the back and existing the auditorium, why not start from the back and come forward? When they get to the front, they come before the pastor, and he (or an usher) prays a prayer of dedication and offers it to God. They could even lift (optional) the offering heavenward to give the congregation a visual of what is actually taking place. Then they place the offering on the communion table or altar.

I think this approach would be more meaningful and Biblical.