Moses had been resistant for forty years, likely telling himself all the time that his was a lost cause. Now, when God came with a direct, simple call, the old shepherd couldn’t handle it. In fact, he wouldn’t let himself believe he might still be useful to God. “Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10).
Now that wasn’t complicated, was it? The Lord spoke in a tongue Moses could understand. He gave him a simple, two-fold command. First, He said to Moses, “I will send you.” And second, “You will bring my people out.” That was the plan.
Notice, please, that this was not a multiple-choice arrangement. It wasn’t even an invitation. It was a call. God does not speak and ask our advice regarding His plan. God makes declarations. He doesn’t open up the scene for a rap session or a dialogue. He doesn’t call in a blue ribbon panel of consultants to suggest viable options.
He speaks, and that is that.
At very unique junctures of our lives, God says to us, “Now, My child, I have this in mind for you. I know that you have knotted things up in the past. And I know that you may knot things up in the future. But as far as today, right now, this is my plan for you. Now go. I’m sending you, and I will be with you.”
God told him that he would be an instrument in the deliverance, but God Himself would be the deliverer. Huge difference. In God’s calling, He has a plan: but He never expects you to carry out that plan. He’s going to pull it off. He simply wants you to be the instrument of action. After all, it is His reputation that’s at stake, not yours. All He asks is that you give yourself to Him as a tool He can pick up and use. That’s all.
And it’s really hard to hear while dozing in denial! Live the Joy Today! merlin
Verbatim from Chuck Swindoll’s devotional Great Days with Great Lives pg. 67.
Introduction
Our world is in desperate need of models worth following. Authentic heroes. People of integrity, whose lives inspire us to do better, to climb higher, to stand taller. This has always been true.
Perhaps that explains why biographies of great men and women have fascinated me throughout my life…. My soul is stirred and my heart inspired as those saints of old, people of “whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38), play out their lives, make their mistakes, accomplish incredible feats, and finally pass on into glory. What encouragement! What enrichment!
The words of the Russian poet Boris Pasternik come to mind: “It is not revolutions and upheavals that clear the road to new and better days, but someone’s soul inspired and ablaze.” It is my hope that you will be enlightened and encouraged from beginning each day spending time with the Great Lives you’ll discover in this daily devotional. Here are ten deserving of our time and attention to help us endure the uncertain challenges of the future. Chuck Swindoll Frisco, Texas
Today I am burdened by the lack of God’s peacemakers visibly impacting our world. And since we as Christ Followers operate by faith and not by sight as the world does, we may not even see or hear of many attempts at peacemaking, nor even, the end results. I now view peacemaking simply as a lifestyle choice that we Christ Followers (CF’s) choose to adopt and implement in our daily routines serving notice, first as a reminder to ourselves and our family, and secondly, to all those in our spheres of influence, that we are not their their typical next door neighbor. And therein, lies the biggest challenge for CF’s.
I believe the Mennonite Church has always struggled with its identity in Christ. I certainly did as this weird 1 of 2 Mennonite kids in a class of 72 in the early 60’s. Our girls were not allowed to wear shorts to gym class and nor were they allowed to cut their hair. However, the one unique trait that I thought the Catholic Lutheran cultural majority had the most trouble with was that we didn’t fight. But now I think, that was all fabricated in our heads. Of course, we said we didn’t believe in war. And truth told, I was never ridiculed or made fun of nor was anyone else I knew. But not bearing arms or participating in the armed forces, was a point I avoided at all costs. Had I known my church history better then, I possibly could have constructed a diversion as Paul did with Pharisees and Sadducees over the resurrection, only here, I’d have used the Reformation.
When I got talked into declaim, I didn’t choose the Sermon on the Mount nor defending our position of non-resistance. No, I chose to speak on why smoking was not a wise activity: it was an expensive, dirty habit, that ruined cars, homes, clothing; and science was just beginning to discover all the health risks. Or so they said. Never once did I consider “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the living God…. ! Yes, speaking against smoking in ’65 was a very safe subject as smoking was quickly falling from favor,
Bottom line, have not we Christians always had an identity crisis? In the 70’s, Mennonite youth soon discovered the hippie and the anti-war movement nearly put them in the spotlight, and perhaps we today as a church are still struggling with the identities we adopted and the cultural alliances we made back then, rather than seeking out our unique identity in Christ as revealed to us thru the scriptures by discerning with truth tellers in community, what God’s actual desires were for us during these changing times into the ensuing years and decades.
Today, we exist in a culture that is truly on drugs and steroids virtually without any time to think a clear original thought since we’re being inundated by sights and sounds of in-your-face examples of hate, selfishness, anger, distrust, greed, perversion, etc, all quite clearly, being everything except, how can we best produce the fruits of the Spirit in our daily living in this culture?
I am well aware that I sorely squandered most of my life in trivial pursuits when I was endowed to become a peacemaker in my personal life and my spheres of influence, and possibly, even beyond! Sensing the time is now for me to intentionally write about this devastating dilemma I experienced as a youth, and I believe, am yet observing today, I’ll share this journey with you. If the Spirit so prompts me, I may write more.
Not having read nor studied the classics on this subject, I’ll let that for you to research. I shall keep this discourse short (I was hoping less than 500 words, but I’m already over 2000) and simple by beginning with Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons of God.” Certainly, a worthy motivation, if not the premier text, as history supplies ample examples of such successes or dismal failures. These peacemakers were willing to risk their lives, health and wealth to bridge the gap between the camps to heal the disagreements and avoid the battles.
More pertinent though for most of us, is the unspoken or silent strife fermenting under the radar in just our personal lives, too often not spoken, certainly not confessed sin; never mind broadening the circle to include our families, congregations, and communities, all of which will be our focus here. I maintain if I can’t float my peacemaker ship in my own puddle, then just perhaps I’d better rethink my calling before I try a bigger pond with more ships. The apostle Paul advised us to first mature our digestive tract on milk before we attempt the complexities of digesting meat. You get the picture?
Have I ever looked critically in the mirror considering first the peacemaker dysfunction within first me, and my life? I happen to believe and am now trying to live each day by replacing my personal dysfunctions (peacemaker quirks if you would, even sin perhaps) with operational and recognizable fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Until that is accomplished in me, brothers and sisters, I’m still on milk and perhaps not qualified to be seek any recognition as a peacemaker beyond myself, whether in my family, church or community. I believe it is inherent with all institutional church groups to suffer from this difficulty of function.
I also just happen to believe Peace and Justice is so much more than academic pursuits and spiritual makeovers. Is not today’s lack of peace and justice in our society fundamentally stemming from our world’s humanity being separated from God’s love such that healing (peace & justice) can only be addressed, influenced or corrected, by peacemaking ambassadors serving as bond servants of Jesus Christ as they are empowered by Holy Spirit following Jesus’s birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension?
Or, on what basis are we operating? Yes, the church has been infiltrated, incapacitated, and intoxicated with the headiness of the church’s institutional success in taking the gospel around the world. But are not those days over! Look at the data! During the last century, we’ve witnessed the spiritual take down of western Europe and North America while we’re seemingly unable to see the elephant in the church’s hospice room trashing the hospice team attempting to offer life support before they offer last rites!
Is not the first line of strategy to consider in any peacemaking offensive (seriously, we’re not to cower in fear and be on the defensive) is for CF’s to be empowered? If you read me frequently, you may be sick and tired of hearing this by now, but it is so fundamentally basic in these last days to insure we move from milk to meat, and begin thriving spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and yes, for sure, even physically.
Succinctly stated, first and then sequentially, we must be obedient to God’s Word, then seek His forgiveness, His transformation, His empowerment by Holy Spirit, becoming discipling bond servants of Jesus Christ to serve as His ambassadors until death permits retirement.
Look around today on your road of life and you will see the worldliness in the church’s broad road’s exit to the narrow road. In fact, many Christians are just realizing now they stayed in the fast lane too long and no longer can squeeze over to the exit lane for the narrow way. They passed the “Cross” exit miles ago thinking exiting then was pure foolishness. Now with the family in the car, recognizing what is about to happen, panic rises as their lane is slowing to a standstill, and they are still stuck on the broad road and once again, locked down! Not a pretty picture but I believe it to be a crude reminder depicting the institutional church in W Europe and NA.
I believe Jesus wants all of His Kingdom’s children to be known and sought after as peacemakers. Scripture makes it plain that we are to be known as ambassadors of peace leading or guiding persons “possessing no peace” toward:
God: “God has given us the task of reconciling people to Him” (II Cor. 5:18 NLT). Read also the famous “unadorned clay pot” scripture from II Cor. 4:7-12 for additional understanding and clarity for the process. I prefer the Message here.
Ourselves: “Joy fills the hearts that are planning peace!” (Prov. 12:20 NLT).
Others: “And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness” (James 3:18 NLT).
Since the blessing of being a peacemaker is to be called a child of God, we can experience the joy of goodness, happiness, and peace within our own lives. When we exhibit these positive traits, we will begin to reflect:
Contentment with ourselves: We will know our identity in Christ, thus giving us the contentment we’ve been searching for.
Optimism in our faith: We will exhibit a love for God and reflect a positive faith toward out outlook on life and future events.
Relationally connectedness: We will experience deeper & more intimate friendships. People will form closer bonds and our friendships will be strengthened.
Doing what is right: We will have a benchmark to judge proper behavior for ourselves.
Make Jesus your Lord and Savior and gain your own peace. Trite but true. No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace. Enjoy the opportunities as Holy Spirit opens doors.
Prayer: Father God, may I have the courage to step out and become a peacemaker, Let it start with me and ripple out to the others in my pond. Help me humble myself so that I can thrive wherever you assign me short term or plant me long term, for service in your kingdom.
Action: Deal with whatever causes strife within yourself and others. Take your sins to the cross and leave them there, never pick them up again! If that is a re- occurring problem for you as me, go to the March 2 blog titled “Issues With Your Past” and click the link. Some of the best such teaching I’ve ever heard.
PS. Read the classics if I’ve challenged you. I have not the time or energy for such. God only gave me this simple message this morning after Emilie Barnes in her devotional “Minute Meditations” stirred the fire within me. Rather easy to tell the words she wrote. Her words intrigued me, and then the Spirit moved me. Simple. Get ready. War is coming! Wrong, it has been here and still is.
I hope Emilie and I inspire you to go far beyond with the intricacies of God’s command to be peacemakers ever broadening the ripples, perhaps in your lake, with the wisdom or scars (evidence of God’s healing) you’ve been endowed with. Live in the Joy.
What Can I Learn About You Looking At The Magazines on Your Coffee Table?
Every Christian Home Should Consider Getting Plain Values magazine!
Coming into my office after doing lunch, I collapsed in my chair and picked up my Feb edition of Plain Values I’d neglected to read yet while reflecting on the phenomenal Sunday morning I’d just experienced.
It started rough though by sleeping thru a 5:30 alarm until 6:45. I quickly cared for the animals, got my mother-in-law her pills, coffee & toast, and was off to the 8 AM men’s prayer group being only 6 minutes late. After this unique week being both buoyantly positive and the jury still out and, I inhaled the groups love and encouragement while we all renewed our bonds praying we’d be ready for whatever comes our way this week as His ambassadors in our congregation and community.
Returning home, I fired up the livestream for mother and I. Awesome service but no time here to share – listen for yourself on youTube Kidron Mennonite Church. I text the SS class I was coming before driving back to church (16 min) and we shared our prayer requests. One member’s friend Mark had called from Arkansas, requesting prayer as he is befriending a bizarre derelict in his 50’s evidently possessed and continually repeating “all I want to do is to go to hell to be with my friends,” and understandably so, as no wants to be around him in his current state. Mark has visited this man 30 times and so far, has seen little change. Rather reminds me of the demon-possessed man in the tombs as recorded in Matthew 8 and Mark 5. Please pray for Mark as he seeks help for this deliverance.
Indeed, a great morning, but finally, my chores are all done and I’m off the clock. Plain Values magazine is one of my literary life lines, seldom lying dormant for a few days, never a month.
Thumbing past Joel Sallatin, now known nation-wide, he having just returned from Israel, will be in Akron and Middlefield in March, and Walnut Creek in June. Joel now owns, with his family, Polyface Farm in Swope, VA in western Augusta County. Loretta & I bought our first home in Stuarts Draft, in western Augusta in’78 but I didn’t know Joel until after we returned to OH. When Joel is not on the road speaking, he’s home on the farm in Swope, keeping the callouses on his hands and dirt under his fingernails, mentoring young people, inspiring visitors, and promoting local regenerative food and farming systems.
I remember when I first met Joel at an Acres USA conference in ’84 and I recall that my father-in-law, LaVern, admired him and was hoping I’d become friends with Joel so their shared similar agricultural philosophies might help us grow our recently birthed mini-Penn State soil lab, NSWS Labs. LaVern greatly enjoyed passing thru the doors the lab opened for him for his fifteen years before retirement giving him the wings he needed to launch his other dreams. Some of his grandkids are now aware too, that he was definitely born a generation too soon. And it didn’t help the situation one little bit that I was the in-house doubting Thomas pain in the butt not quite willing yet to take on conventional agriculture as precarious as I was financially, and I certainly was not a poster child either from Matthew Kelly’s Book The Culture Solution, that I live by and teach from today.
Still thumbing thru the February issue, I passed the regular contributors; Homestead Living struck numerous chords, especially growing as a writer; I even paused to skim thru Ferree’s uniquely meaningful transparency detailing her second marriage proposal.
Finally, on page 45, I encountered Wendy’s contribution: Honest Conversations: Proof of God. I settled down into my chair in full sunshine, relaxed, and began to read the following and immediately was hooked. Later I realized, I’d never read her post prior, but now, I sensed a deep literary and spiritual kindred spirit forming. FYI, don’t miss her bio at the end of my abbreviated or condensed version of her post. Here is Wendy:
“I thought I had become a Christian. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my first conversion was to theism – the belief in God. And in many ways, I had become as “Christian” as many folks ever become – lumping everything together with a general understanding. If God was the king of the universe, and He said His son was Jesus, who was I to argue? But I quickly came to realize what I’m not sure the church at large has figured out: sometimes we believe completely, but don’t completely know what we believe.
That was me. Once I got over being wrong (or maybe more aptly stated, misled) and surrendered my life to God, my husband pointed out there was a difference between my Father in Heaven and Jesus, my Savior. We know them as two parts of the Trinity – the Godhead – but do we know them separately specifically? Because I had spent so many years debating and considering God’s existence, it was easy to just include Jesus in the equation. If God’s real, Jesus is real. End of story.
But with Jesus comes the proof of God. He is the tangible element of our faith….
It’s not hard to conclude the impact of Jesus must be supernatural. Since we’re blessed with a mountain of prophetic accounts to examine, you may be like I was, leery and asking what do they prove? Are they reliable? Are they not like fortune tellers? When I get stuck in the weeds of just how many specifics were prophesied about the coming Messiah, it becomes impossible to check so many boxes oneself. I will defer to mathematician and author of the book Science Speaks, Peter Stoner, because he explains it so perfectly.
“If we take a quantity of 10^17 [10 to the 17th power] of silver dollars and lay them on the surface of Texas, all 265,596 sq. mi., they will cover the state two feet deep. Now mark one of those silver dollars and then imagine you could stir all that mass of silver dollars, thoroughly! Blindfold a man, put him in a helicopter and tell him to land at his will to pick up the marked silver dollar. What chance would he have getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing just eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote in their own wisdom.
Now these prophecies were either given by the inspiration of God or the prophets just wrote them as they thought they should be. In such a case the prophets had just one chance in 10^17 of having them come true in any man, but they all came true in Christ…. This means the fulfillment of just eight prophecies alone proves that God inspired the writings of prophecies to a definitiveness which lacks only one chance in 10^17 of being absolute.”
I don’t know about you but I’m convinced. But just in case you need more proof, Stoner goes on to say that the likelihood of one man fulfilling 48 of the OT prophecies is mathematically impossible. He suggests the number is a one with 157 zeros after it. For reference, there are not only eight or even 48 prophecies fulfilled in the Bible. There are more than 300. And they’re written by different authors over hundreds of years.
We can be sure Jesus was the Son of God!
Now, appropriately asked in this Lenten season with the undercurrent of whomever casting about their doubts, the question becomes, “Can we be sure He rose from the dead?” Well, I would answer: “How can we be sure of anything?” Somewhere along the way, Christians stopped referring or thinking about Bible as history. Perhaps with the rise of academia? Y’all, it’s a historical book, and in many cases, it’s more accurate and cross referenced more than other typically accepted historical documents. Consider how we learn about anything that happened before we were born.
For example, we have a substantial collection of accounts from the Second World War, both from survivors of Nazi Germany as well as from Nazis themselves. Soon, we will enter a generation where there are no survivors from that time period. We will be left with only their stories – written, recorded, photographed, and otherwise – as evidence that it happened. But we’ve had nearly 100 years to collect information from both sides of WWII, allowing for it to be contested, corrected, and corroborated. From that point on, those first-hand accounts will remain as a written record of what happened from those who were there, data we now call history.
The same is true of the Bible. There are many things in this world to be uncertain of, but Jesus’ death, and resurrection – the cornerstone of our faith – is not one of them. In the end, there is a difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus. It’s good to believe in God. It’s important and foundational. But it is hollow without the confidence that comes from knowing what is true and why. Not just believing, but actually trusting in the truth of what you believe. We can’t follow a God we don’t know, and we can’t lead others to a Savior we’re not certain is the Lord.
Every congregation needs spark plugs like Wendy to be “truth tellers in their community.” Wendy Cunningham is wife to Tom and homeschool mom to three amazing gifts from God. In addition to that calling, she is an entrepreneur and author. Her book What If You’re Wrong?, blog, and devotionals can be found at gainingmyperspective.com. She is also host of the podcast Gaining My Perspective. Wendy loves Jesus and inspiring people to step into their calling – whatever that might look like in this season. When she’s not doing all of the above, she can be found homesteading and chasing kids and cows on her farm in Middle Tennessee. Sounds to me like we just met a Proverbs 31 woman with skin!
If you didn’t read and listen yet to yesterdays post, I strongly suggest you do so before you tackle this one. I need say no more as Oswald’s March 2 reading here provides the frosting on the cake to yesterday’s message of Hope from God’s Three Assurances to His Followers;
Oh, that we too like Peter would respond in amazement and simply say, “Lord, you know all things….” and then just rest and bask in His presence, I pray we’re each prepared for that rare moment. Oswald states our Lord never asks questions until the perfect time. Even if it is the perfect time for Him and us, we may still duck and run since we’re frail humans, for whatever be the excuse. Assuredly, after we’ve matured and in another perfect moment, he’ll back us into a corner where once again, He will hurt us with His piercing questions, that always reveal the true me to myself, for He already knows. But do I know?
I prefer to think the test is not a pass/fail exam, but rather, a pass/repeat situation. God does not grade on the curve ever; it’s always a pass/repeat exam, meshing perfectly with His grace and mercy motif, at least, until Judgement Day! So go forth in abundant joy realizing you do love Him more than mere words can ever express.
Folks, this is the most exquisite practical teaching I can recall about “Putting Your Past Behind You!” Undoubtedly, this is the Number One debilitating affliction, if not curse, that the world’s humanity is suffering from today, and sadly, the church is not exempt. I can confidently state this 30 minute clip will rock your world.
For me, during this Lent season, considering the scars Jesus suffered and endured for me as proof of the job well done, but in his case, “by Him Who knew no sin…” whereas for me and you, our scars are the proof we’ve encountered His needed surgery so that our open festering wounds that we’ve either chosen, or been given by others, were indeed gloriously healed. Our scars are now the visible and verbal evidence to those in our spheres of influence, also suffering from their secrecy, hostility, dishonesty and the unforgiveness of their own unresolved, open and festering wounds! How timely to consider such healing as we approach the celebration of his resurrecting power and its ultimate healing for each of us.
Realize this clip is the first in a series of nine from Erwin Lutzer’s book so titled. His text is I Corinthians 10:12-13 “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Bask in these words today. We’ve read them hundreds of times, but after listening to this clip three times this morning, I’ve been exquisitely warmed anew.
And I was so taken with it, now in Lent, I read the whole chapter. Then I got hung up on verse 21 about “coming down too hard on your children or you’ll crush their spirits.” And that ended with quoting three paragraphs from “Dreamland,” a 2016 book many grandparents should read since they now possess both motive and time. First, though, just absorb this blog. Quite unique!
Colossians 3:1-25 MSG
[1-2] He Is Your Life
So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ— that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.
[3-4] Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life-even though invisible to spectators-is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too-the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.
[5-8] And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.
[9-11] Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.
[12-14] So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
[15-17] Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ-the Message-have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives-words, actions, whatever-be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
[18] Wives, understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honor the Master.
[19] Husbands, go all out in love for your wives. Don’t take advantage of them. [20] Children, do what your parents tell you. This delights the Master no end.
[21] Parents, don’t come down too hard on your children or you’ll crush their spirits.
merlin commenting now: Ever think how the prodigal’s son father exhibited his “tough love?” Scripture states immediately after the request that “so he divided to them his livelihood.” It evidently was not after his accountant jockeyed his resources, or by shaming him by guilt trips, or threats of any kind. Having just read Sam Quinones “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic,” the point is continually made throughout the book’s 353 pages that what fueled the advance of the Mexican cheap black tar heroin distribution system amongst the white privileged middle and upper classes during the last three decades, was primarily the failure of their parents, even once aware of the problem, to effectively facilitate and dispense tough love to their children, even years before the heroin finally showed up. It could be argued big pharma started it; parents just aided and abetted…
So the youth actually were set up by their parents removing them from the normal usual and customary age appropriate responsibilities, existing in a vacuum doomed for failure, especially when the predominate communication, is “what do you want or need?” And when the parents first encountered either their child’s addiction and the subsequent demands were forthcoming, there was no equity in their relational communication bank to facilitate either reason and/or, a cooperative spirit. The book reveals most parents refused to act on the evidence their child had a problem in their bedroom sanctuary, resulting in many “quiet” unknown deaths for the first decade.
Or consider the other extreme, shaming and threats that were enacted rather than admitting their worst nightmare was now just down the hall, requiring all the love they could muster, and a willingness to be transparent with their pain in order to learn from the many now vocal parents telling all crisscrossing America speaking to everyone who would listen to their experiential wisdom; and indeed, there was abundant hope, and that love was stronger than hate and fear.
I am including the following three paragraphs from page 323 as proof of how well- meaning churches and parents can get it all wrong. Perhaps, according to the prodigal son parable, it is first about how you have loved them, and then, if such events would ever dictate you sending them off as in the prodigal, first consider how much you are a loved parent in God’s care. Next, realize you too must be able to release your children from your care, if they so choose, but rest assured, they will always be in His care and protection while are learning their own life’s lessons, as difficult as that may be for you, since you’ll not be in control. You too, must live in hope for the day they choose to return and you’ll be ready for their embrace and as in the parable, their words of repentance will be lost in the ecstasy of the moment.
Bottom line, we are to love our children even before their conception, always displaying during these hard moments that demand tough love, that we may do so with all due diligence, complete and unreserved Godly obedience, His forgiveness, His transformation, His empowerment and especially, our zeal for discipling anyone living without His hope! That dictum is alive and well in this home, actually it is flourishing! Jewish tradition had it right with their Big Four Shares, remember the doorposts?
Pg. 323
” Russian Pentecostal junkie named John Tkach had started a rehabilitation clinic in the Portland suburb of Boring. Tkach saw the Russian Pentecostal churches trying to hide the sight of hundreds of addicted kids. Parents who asked a pastor’s help with their addicted child were shamed for running a sinful house. Tkach sold his trucking business, took out a second mortgage on his house, and opened a rehabilitation center. A church formed around it, the first to make the rampant opiate addiction of the Russian Pentecostal kids the focus of its ministry. God Will Provide, as the new church was called, rested on Jesus’s message of love, forgiveness, and transformation. Traditional Russian pastors called it blasphemy and sinful. Russian Pentecostal kids called it the Rehab Church. But soon God Will Provide had spread its church/rehab center to Sacramento, Seattle, and elsewhere.
There, Ella met Vitaliy Mulyar. Vitaliy had crashed since those heady days when he was one of the first Russians to sell OxyContin in Portland. In 2010, Vitaliy faces a two-year prison term if he failed another probation drug test. Terrified, he turned to God Will Provide, where he felt warmth in church for the first time. He kicked heroin, became a Bible teacher, and, with a judge’s permission, went on to a mission to the Ukraine and Austria as the church, fired by the new energy of its recovering-addict congregants, opened a school for missionaries.
A year into his recovery, Vitaliy encountered Elina at the center. He told her his story. She mistrusted her own capacity to change. But it struck her, the way he had risen from the street. A chaste romance followed, in keeping with the Russian Pentecostal tradition, though with a modern American twist. They grew acquainted via hundreds of texts while he was on mission. Vitaliy came home and asked Elina to marry him before they ever kissed.
Two years later, their daughter was born. They named her Grace.”
You catch the vision that God really intended here. And to think, it really wasn’t about the prodigal at all, it was about the brother that stayed home, and was in the pew every Sunday, maybe even taught Sunday school once, or twice! I’m done! It has been a good day. And you don’t know half of it. Praise God for His faithfulness.
Robert Rogers, shares recent continuing unplanned home going events in his family during the past weeks. Founder of Mighty in the Land Ministry, featured in the Sept ’22 Plain Values magazine from Winesburg, OH. Author of Into the Deep: one man’s story of how tragedy took his family but could not take his faith;7 Steps to No Regrets: How to find peace with God, others, and yourself;Rise Above:How to Heal the Hurts and Overcome the Worst.
Here’s current inspiration from my friend Robert.
…for everything serves Yourplans. If Your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery. I will never forget Your commandments, for by them You give me life.” (Psalm 119:91-93)
On January 28th, on an unusually warm and sunny day in the Louisville, Kentucky area, my brothers and I carried the coffin of our eldest brother – Dr. Paul Joseph Rogers – to his grave at Grove Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville, Kentucky where his earthly body was laid to rest until Jesus comes again. Lifting my brother’s casket from the hearse to the burial site felt so strangely surreal, somewhat like a dream, as if I was viewing a dreaded, unimaginable nightmare. I gently set my boutonniere atop Paul’s coffin, forming a cross with those flowers of the other six pallbearers. After placing mine, I kissed the top of the casket and traced a cross across the wood grains with my thumb, fighting back my tears as I genuflected alongside his crypt.
After the committal prayer by the pastor, the cemetery workers promptly began the ghastly process of interring the coffin into the ground. I had never witnessed this before at any other burial, including that of my own previous wife and our four children in 2003 after their untimely drowning deaths in Kansas from the August 30th flash flood. Entombing the coffin was usually left for another time after the family and friends had departed the cemetery.
But, today was different. The interment began immediately after the committal. None of us viewing this sacred moment could move. It was as if all of us were frozen in time like statues, entranced by this solemn and somber occasion, wishing we could stop time, pause the moment, or somehow rewind life a few months before Paul’s epic battle against pancreatic cancer had ensued. Siblings, parents, children, grandchildren, friends, and patients alike were all entranced in the instant, fixated on the abrupt brevity of such a vibrant young life. With each clinking sound of the entombment ratchet-lowering mechanisms, every inch of my brother’s coffin descended into his grave – until it was no longer visible from my view. As my heart sank within me, my knees instinctively hit the ground, my hands reverently made the sign of the cross over my body, and the irrevocability of Paul’s passing from this earth became more and more final.
As the youngest of eight children (five boys and three girls), Paul is our first sibling to pass. Paul is survived by us 7 siblings, our mother, his bride (of 39 years), 6 children and their 7 grandchildren. The death of any and every loved one is uniquely excruciating. I still feel out of balance, as though one of the limbs in our family body is gone.
As a family, and as the body of Christ, we are bonded by unseen ligaments of love. When someone passes from this planet, those of us who remain strive to regain our equilibrium after such a difficult loss, realizing that life will never return to “normal” again. The depth of our grief is a testament to the depth of our love for each other. The pain is excruciating because our love for those who passed was so passionate. Our hearts hurt so much because we love and miss them so much.
Just 11 months prior (February 2022), some cancerous cells were detected in Paul’s gall bladder. We covered him in prayers and scriptures, believing God for the best as Paul received treatments at Mayo Clinic and at the University of Louisville Hospital. His closest friend, Danny, said, “Paul, God has this. You have God, and we have you.” As Paul – with his bride and his extended family – waged a formidable assault against the diagnosis on all spiritual and medical fronts, the cancer later spread to his spine. Yet, Paul was still upbeat and active, even vigorously riding his bike just a few months before his passing, determined to kick it. When cancer cells were later found in his pancreas, his condition changed dramatically and quickly.
Just four days before he passed, my wife and I visited him in the Louisville Hospital ICU on January 19-20, 2023. As one brother described it, Paul looked akin to a “holocaust survivor,” just skin and bones. Yet, Paul’s spirit remained strong, even then. He seemed resolute to recover, and he truly embodied faith in action.
Upon entering his room, Paul’s first words to us were, “How is Cora?” He was asking about Inga’s mother who was just abruptly widowed only a few weeks prior on December 23rd after 45 years of marriage to Dr. Doug Fisher (a horse veterinary doctor) following a lengthy hospital stay for a pacemaker insertion and ensuing stroke complications. (Our immediate family is all still reeling from the grief of Inga’s Dad’s passing. I was a pallbearer twice in 3 weeks – both in the same month of January 2023. Tough times.)
When I shared with Paul about Cora’s difficulty answering people who ask, “How are you doing?” after the death of a loved-one, Paul’s immediate response was, “I am blessed of the Lord!” Amazing. Fighting for his life, my brother still declared the goodness of the Lord and bore witness to the fact that he was indeed blessed by Almighty God.
On our next visit to Paul the following day in the ICU, his first question was, “How are the kids?” He wanted to know about our 5 children. I was floored! Here is my big brother, battling the effects of cancer, and he’s still focused on others. Paul maintained his ever-present outward focus, never inward.
Paul was a humble, brilliant cardiologist with degrees from Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins, and a residency and fellowship in cardiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He had a remarkable ability to make every patient, every individual, and every family member feel as though they were the most important person in the room (or on the planet for that matter).
Paul worked diligently to remember people’s names and occupations, and he made a point to display a genuine, vested interest in each person’s health, progress, family, and general well-being. He intentionally remembered and used people’s names, because he felt that the sweetest sound to someone’s ears is hearing their own name. He also encouraged others to never judge anyone – anytime – for anything.
By no means was Paul a physician for the prestige or the paycheck. He became a doctor so that he could minister to others. Paul loved to serve God by serving the body of Christ. He truly cherished the chance to help patients daily as he practiced cardiology for 10 years in Columbus, Ohio, 7 years in Cincinnati, and 15 years in Louisville.
One of the excruciating aspects of being treated for cancer for Paul was that he was unable to practice as a cardiologist daily. He deeply longed to give and serve others again, not just receive medical treatments for himself.
Paul was incessantly outwardly focused. He had boundless energy and was typically up every night until 1am, and then awoke at 5am to exercise and spend time in prayer and God’s Word before early hospital rounds. He blended his heart for Christ and his skill as a doctor on multiple medical mission trips to Honduras from 2012-2019 where, along with his wife and children, he taught residents and even improved cardiology facilities. His heart of compassion and love for working with Spanish-speaking people in Honduras inspired him to work at the free clinic in Shelbyville, Kentucky as well.
As my wife and I visited with him for those precious final, brief minutes in the Louisville ICU only days before his death, we prayed, sang hymns (“Great is Thy Faithfulness”, “Be Thou My Vision”, “Numbers 6 Blessing Lullaby”), and fought back tears as I lay my hand on his head and kissed his forehead. I asked my brother what he thought God’s purpose was through all this pain and difficult life season. He responded with one word, “Closer.” God was drawing us closer to Himself and our family closer to one another. Beautiful. Selfless.
As the medical staff abruptly entered the room, my bride and I knew we had to depart. Inga and I also sensed that it might very well be the last time we would see Paul on this planet alive, short of a divine miracle. Paul and I locked eyes and he gave me a glance that I shall never forget, as if to say, “I love you, brother. It’s almost time for me to go. I’ll see you on the other side – in Heaven.” He even gave us a hearty thumbs-up as we left the room. My wife and I collapsed into each other’s arms, embracing and weeping in the waiting room as we strived to process the enormity of what we had just experienced, and ever so thankful for the gift of time with which God had just graced us.
Thank God we were there. Thank God Paul was lucid enough to communicate with us. Thank God we saw him just days before he passed from this life. No regrets.
A few days later, with his bride and his children encircling him in the ICU, my brother’s spirit passed from this earth on January 24th. Moments before, they played this song which I had composed in 2003 shortly before my previous family passed away. I believe God’s Holy Spirit divinely inspired it for such a time as this. Even now, There Is Peace. https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/fvqze6/ThereIsPeace.mp3 A few days later, I was honored to sing and play it at Paul’s funeral service in Louisville.
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” (Isaiah 26:3)
My wife’s father never said, “goodbye.” He always said, “See you tomorrow.” Similarly and ironically, my brother also never said, “goodbye.” He would always say, “See you later.” We are deeply saddened and we grieve heavily over both of their recent and untimely deaths. Yet, we grieve with hope that we will “See you (both) later” because of “Christ in [us], the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
Do you have that hope? Have you put your faith alone in Christ alone? The worst regret of all would be dying and not going to Heaven to be with the Lord and with your loved ones.
Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:1-6)
Every death and every funeral starkly remind us of just how fragile life is, and of how thin the veil is between this world and the next. Every day is a gift from God to be cherished. That is why it is called the “present.”
Savor every moment with your loved-ones, and strive to KNOW GOD more, and make Him more known daily.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
In the timeless words of missionary C.T. Studd, “Only one life,’ twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Amen. KNOW GOD personally, and Live a Life of No Regrets.
I would be honored to come and share our family’s story near you in 2023, bringing the Hope of God’s Good News. I share at churches of alldenominations, parish missions, revivals, schools, organizations, prayer breakfasts, conventions, banquets, and conferences (men’s, women’s, home-school, pro-life, purity, etc.).
Mighty in the Land Ministry thrives on word of mouth. Every time you tell someone about the impact of this Ministry, you play a vital part in helping us share God’s Good News through our family’s story. Please help spread the word.
Over 310,000 people have personally encountered the Gospel as I’ve freely shared at least 1,389 times since 2003 – all by invitation. Although my testimony has cost me everything, I still charge NOTHING. (No agent. No “fees.” Pure God.)
Thank you for prayerfully and materially supporting this Ministry in 2022. I am deeply thankful. Would you please consider investing in the Kingdom mission of Mighty in the Land Ministry to help others experience the Good News of Jesus in 2023 and beyond? I would be grateful for your support to help me continue to share the hope of Christ with others through Mighty in the Land Ministry. Your gracious contributions help to continue the mission of this Mighty Ministry – to teach others to KNOW GOD and Live a Life of NO REGRETS. I humbly thank you for giving as God leads.
Please pray for us. Thank you for praying. I am immensely grateful to you.
Gratefully and faithfully,
-Robert Rogers
Teaching others to KNOW GOD and Live a Life of No Regrets
PS – We trust God for your contributions to help further the mission of this Ministry to which I believe God has called me. If God prompts you to support the ongoing work of Mighty in the Land Ministry with a tax-deductible contribution, I would be deeply grateful to you. Here’s how:
Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. James 1: 19
Perhaps today in this age of email, we should add “slow to send” to this verse.
God in His great wisdom created mankind with two ears and only one mouth. Perhaps that was because He wanted us to listen twice as much as we speak. Most of us are really poor listeners. Bob and I rate this skill as one of the top priorities in having a good relationship. I guarantee if couples would take the time to become better listens, their relationships would be improved through better understanding and increased patience.
It’s important to remember, though, that women tend to be better listeners than men, probably because most men immediately want to fix what is broken and listening is considered a waste of time. To them, the solution is what’s important; they want to go directly to the bottom line.
So be brave and ask several of your trusted friends soon how they would rate you on your listening skills.Be prepared to take their honest answers and act upon the information constructively. Don’t get into the trap of thinking you are so much better at listening than so-and-so. Almost everyone is below par in this skill.
We will become better listeners when we realize how people value being heard. It gives people an awareness that we care for what they have to say and that we truly love them. Our own spirits are lifted up when those around us know we care for them.
Listening is truly an art form that can be mastered if we practice. Observe yourself in a crowd, or even one-on-one, to see how you do. Change comes when you know and act on Spirit revealed truth.
This morning I was reminded again, that James 1:19 compels us in our hearing, to not only distinguish truth from narrative chatter, but then in our “provoked human response,” be slow to speak and slow to anger. And as I alluded to above, perhaps we need also to be slow in our temptation of the moment, to “hit the SEND button.” Perhaps, like waiting a few hours, or even, to sleep on it! Just saying.
Inspired by and adapted from Minute Meditations For Women by Emilie Barnes
Prayer:
Father God, I know I frequently get into trouble with my relationships when I stop listening and start to open my mouth. Or, even hit the send button too soon. Please forgive me for the words that I have said or SENT OUT foolishly over the years. Heal the wounds I have left behind. I must improve my relationships. Let such begin with me TODAY. Amen.
Action:
Seek out a few friends and have them reflect on what kind of a listener you are to them. Be brave, loving, and willing to hear and act on what they have to say. Practice patience and above all, due diligence before SENDING and/or SPEAKING, especially when provoked!
This chapter spoke volumes to me this morning on the threshold of possibly being another historical pivotal week considering global events. How about you? Are we offering our required due diligence when prompted by Holy Spirit?
Proverbs 10 The Message Version
1] … Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.
[2] Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere; an honest life is immortal.
[3] GOD won’t starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.
[4] Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. [
5] Make hay while the sun shines-that’s smart; go fishing during harvest-that’s stupid.
[6] Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.
[7] A good and honest life is a blessed memorial; a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.
[8] A wise heart takes orders; an empty head will come unglued.
[9] Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed.
[10] An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead, but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.
[11] The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.
12] Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.
[13] You’ll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight, but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face.
[14] The wise accumulate knowledge-a true treasure; know-it-alls talk too much-a sheer waste.
[15] The wealth of the rich is their bastion; the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
[16] The wage of a good person is exuberant life; an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.
[17] The road to life is a disciplined life; ignore correction and you’re lost for good.
[19] The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.
[20] The speech of a good person is worth waiting for; the blabber of the wicked is worthless.
[21] The talk of a good person is rich fare for many, but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.
[22] GOD’s blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.
[23] An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom.
[24] The nightmares of the wicked come true; what the good people desire, they get.
[25] When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked; good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed.
[26] A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble; it’s vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.
[27] The Fear-of-GOD expands your life; a wicked life is a puny life.
[28] The aspirations of good people end in celebration; the ambitions of bad people crash.
[29] GOD is solid backing to a well-lived life, but he calls into question a shabby performance.
[30] Good people last-they can’t be moved; the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.
[31] A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom; a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.
[32] The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it. …
We reading a chapter from Proverbs daily for several months may improve our perspective a bunch! Send me a note describing your adventures while doing that during prior years.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. ISAIAH 26:3
Strategic Life Planning 101.0
Is your mind stayed on God or is it starved? Starvation of the mind, caused by our neglect, is one of the chief sources of exhaustion and weakness in a servant’s life. If you have never used your mind to place yourself before God, begin to do it now. There is no reason to wait for God to come to you. You must turn your thoughts and your eyes away from the face of idols and look to Him and be saved (see Isaiah 45:22).
You should seek to be “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5 ). This will be one of the greatest assets of your faith when a time of trial comes, because then your faith and the Spirit of God will work together. When you have thoughts and ideas that are worthy of credit to God, learn to compare and associate them with all that happens in nature— the rising and the setting of the sun, the shining of the moon and the stars, and the changing of the seasons. You will begin to see that your thoughts are from God as well, and your mind will no longer be at the mercy of your impulsive thinking, but will always be used in service to God.
“We have sinned with our fathers…[and]…did not remember…” (Psalm 106:6‘7 ). Then prod your memory and wake up immediately. Don’t say to yourself, “But God is not talking to me right now.” He ought to be. Remember whose you are and whom you serve. Encourage yourself to remember, and your affection for God will increase tenfold. Your mind will no longer be starved, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The root of faith is the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest snares is the idea that God is sure to lead us to success. from My Utmost for His Highest, March 19, 761 L
