A Word From the Pastor  -  Archives
  

January 2012

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking
but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:7)
 
A couple of years ago my neighbor wanted to raise chickens just for the fun of it.  I wasn’t too keen on the idea and gently reminded him that our neighborhood restrictions didn’t allow for that grand plan. I’m not sure he liked my gentle “encouragement”, but where we live places certain demands on how we live.  In our neighborhood you can’t raise chickens.  For me, that’s good news; for him, not so good news.
It’s important to remember that God has brought us into the Kingdom of His Son  (Colosians 1:13) where we have both benefits and responsibilities.  As citizens, we have the benefits of peace and joy through access to the King and the security He provides.  We also have responsibilities to live righteously, according to the standards set by our King.  How do we live that way?  The good news is that God has provided a way.  You become Kingdom citizens by believing in Jesus Christ, giving back to Him the life He gave to you.  You demonstrate that by submitting your decisions to His will.  If you do that, He will continue to provide peace and joy as benefits of trusting Him. 
 
As we enter a new year, will you commit to living as good citizens in the Kingdom?  Start today by considering the challenges before you, submit your challenges to God in prayer, and then listen for His direction.  After being certain it agrees with His written word, respond by acting upon it.  You’ll be blessed with a greater peace and joy in the Holy Spirit when His work comes to pass in you. 

Blessings, 

Steve

December 2011 

              “See what kind of love the Father has given to us,

              that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).  

Our son, Joshua, recently became a father for the first time.  Phoenix Elliott Bateman was born on 10/18/2011 and he’s a keeper – 8 pounds and 11 ounces of glory stretched out over 22 inches.  When I first saw the baby pictures, I began wondering if Joshua had the same kind of experience I had when he was born.  I remember this pink, squiggly little fellow who was quite upset and letting everyone know about it.  Yet for all his griping, I loved him in a way that caught me by surprise.  Even though I had never formally met this little stranger, I was certain I’d give my life away for him in a moment.  In some ways I felt like I already had.  From now on, everything was going to be different.

When Joshua was born, he didn’t do anything to make me love him.  I just did.  Maybe that’s how God loves us.  Even though we do nothing to make us loveable, God loves us as only our Heavenly Father can.  And He demonstrated His love for us in a very big way.  How big?  Because He knows of our condition, He sent his only Son to die for our sins.   The coming of Jesus Christ marked the dawning of new age on the timeline of history.  Everything from that day on was going to be different.  This Christmas, as you remember the coming of Christ, will you recommit your life to Jesus?  If you do, I promise from now on everything will be quite different for you too.

Merry Christmas with love…

Steve  

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November 2011

I came across the “World’s Easiest Quiz” the other day and found I did quite poorly.  Maybe you can do better.  Here are a couple of questions for you to answer:  

1.       What animal are the Canary Islands named after?

2.       What was King George VI’s first name?

3.       What color is the black box in a commercial airplane? 

Sometimes the most reasonable answer isn’t the right one.  In fact, when we consider what we want most in life, the best answer is often the exact opposite of what you might think.  That’s the difference between worldly and biblical wisdom.  Choosing which wisdom to follow is important for us consider. 

Worldly wisdom would encourage you to get ahead of others if you want to get to the top.  Biblical wisdom would encourage you to serve others if you want to get there (the last shall be first and the first last).  The same thing holds true for freedom (a slave is the Lord’s freedman); for strength (when I am weak, then I am strong); and for joy (sorrowful yet always rejoicing).  To live according to biblical wisdom, you must embrace the singular most important truth: If you want to save your life, you must lose it (Mark 8:35).   

We must lose our lives to Christ if we are to arrive at the position we seek.  Once found, that position provides a unique freedom where we are strong in all circumstances; even those which bring us sorrow because we have a joy that worldly wisdom cannot explain.  Those who trust Christ know the ultimate value of being last in position, weak in the eyes of the world, restricted by our doctrines, and willing to suffer for the sake of Christ.  That wisdom confounds the world and yet delivers exactly what the whole world wants.  So the biggest question to ask yourself is: Which wisdom are you following?  The answer lies in who you are trusting in life; the wisdom of God or the wisdom of the world.  Your answer to this question has eternal consequences.

Blessings, 

      Steve

Answers to the quiz questions:

1.       The Latin name for the islands was Insularia Canaria – Island of the Dogs

2.       Albert – Queen Victoria wished for no future King to be called Albert

3.       Orange   

October 2011  

“I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”  (Rev 3:19 NLT)

In 1958, a project was initiated to develop a parachute system which would enable a safe, controlled descent from a high altitude.  How high?  On August 16, 1960, former Command Pilot Joseph Kittinger was ejected from a height of 102,800 feet (nearly 20 miles) falling for over 4 minutes and reaching a maximum speed of 614 mph.  Talk about falling fast from a great height!

King David also fell fast from a very great height.  After assuming the throne, David ruled for 20 years and the Kingdom grew under his leadership.  At the point when the kingdom was at relative peace and David had everything he could possibly want, he fell prey to temptation when he saw something else he wanted.  Seeing Bathsheba as she bathed, he desired her and slept with her in spite of her being married.  After failed attempts to hide his sin, he sent her husband to the front of a distant battle and ordered the protective troops to pull back from him in the midst of fighting, assuring that he would die at the hands of the enemy (2Samuel 11).  Although David’s sin was ultimately forgiven, there was a penalty to be paid for it.  David’s illicit son to Bathsheba died at birth, and within 3 years his family fell apart as his children from different wives engaged in rape, murder, and a revolt orchestrated by his son, Absalom, who forced his father from the throne. 

There is a saying that goes something like, “I love to sin, God loves to forgive, what a wonderful world we live in”.  That kind of thinking leads to a faulty belief our sins won’t have consequences.  But they do!  Although David was forgiven, he paid a price for his sin.  And although we might be forgiven, we too will pay a price if we continue to sin willfully.  One should never be indifferent about the effects of sin, thinking they can ask forgiveness at any time and it will be forgotten.  God compels us to turn from sin because it will harm us.  It’s his love for us that moves Him to discipline us so that we might avoid sin (Hebrews 12:6).  He wants the best for us, and sin keeps us from experiencing it.  Thank God for His discipline – let us strive to avoid sin and its discipline always.

 
Blessings, Steve 
  

September, 2011  

 
“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17) 

I was recently asked How long is eternity?”  It’s a question that’s a little puzzling at first.  When considering eternity, the image that comes to mind is a circle, a shape which has no beginning or end.  If one were to ask, “How long is a circle?” we wouldn’t have an answer for it.  Oh, we could cut the circle at a certain point and stretch it out and measure it, but then we’d be redefining the circle as a line.  A line has length because it has a beginning and end; a circle doesn’t.  All of that got me thinking about how our values are dependent upon whether we really believe our lives are eternal, like a circle, or temporary, starting and ending like a line.

This past weekend, a friend died.  Rev. Dr.L.T. Tate served as a chaplain in a beef processing plant, complete with all the accompaniments of bad smells and sad stories.  It’s a place where few would willingly go.  Yet L.T. went because of he viewed his life as eternal and his values showed it.  L.T. was compassionate, merciful, and treated all people with integrity.  That’s not surprising, for those who view life as eternal will reflect the values of our eternal God, who described himself as merciful, compassionate, and acting with integrity (Ex. 33:19).  

 
Unlike L.T., many view life as temporary.  As a result, their values have the same temporary nature.  They minimize eternal values and elevate temporary ones like health, or wealth, or position.  These things are all passing away.  But compassion, mercy, and integrity are all things which last beyond our years.  L.T. made a positive difference in my life because of his values.  In a way, L.T. lives on through me because his values are what I try to prioritize in my life.  Are you making that kind of difference in the lives of others?  The answer lies in where your focus is.  Are you focused on the eternal or temporary life?  You can answer that question by asking yourself: “What are the most important things in my life?”  I pray that you find compassion, mercy and integrity at the top of the list.    

Blessings, Steve

August 2011 

“Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.”

(2 Tim 3:16 CEV) 

Being married to a college professor exposes me to a lot of stories about students and their habits.  Undoubtedly the story I hear the most has to do with students who fail to complete assignments and then beg for grace saying they didn’t understand what they were supposed to do.  Now I’ve looked at the lesson plans and I’ve seen the instructions in bold, red letters indicating exactly what needs to be done.  So I’m perplexed as to how any student could say they didn’t understand.   The only conclusion I can come to is that they just didn’t read the instructions.   

I’m equally perplexed about the beliefs of many who claim to be Christians.  How can so many believe things contrary to Scripture?  I’m forced to come to the same conclusion.  People simply aren’t reading their Bibles.  Consider these findings of a study conducted by Baylor University in a 2007 religion survey: 

·         The number of people saying “to be a good person, it’s important to seek social and economic justice” increased 39% with every jump in frequency of reading the Bible, from once a year to several times a week or more

·         Similarly, increased frequency of reading the Bible led to a 22% decline in those likely to view religion and science as incompatible

·         Nearly 50% of respondents who read the Bible just once a year said gay marriage is acceptable, while only 6% who read the Bible several times a week agreed with such marriages.  

The reading of our Bibles changes how we think and it ought to.  God has empowered the text through His Holy Spirit such that His word will not return to him void.  Our willingness to read it and contemplate it shapes our beliefs and moves us toward honoring God.  The Bible also carries authority because the text comes from the Supreme Authority.  It’s not so much “God said it, I believe it, that settles it”.  The reality is, “God said it…that settles it”.  Do you long for revival in your life?  Do you want a life based upon the eternal principles of truth?  Ask yourself, “Do I believe what the Scriptures say?”  If you come away asking, “What do they say?” the first step to take is to spend more time reading God’s word. 

Blessings,   Steve
 

July 2011  

"Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done."  Romans 1:28 

Most times I can let news pass by without giving myself over to being deeply troubled by it.  For the most part, I’ve adapted to the daily reports of pending doom and society’s decay into the abyss.  So I really can’t understand why this week’s news out of New York bothered me so.  If you haven’t heard, NY has become the 6th state in the Union to pass legislation allowing same sex marriages.  It will become a law once Governor Cuomo signs the bill.  Why does this news trouble me so? 

First, I think I’m troubled due to my hatred for sin.  Sin takes place when we act upon the belief that God is wrong and we’re right.  It’s akin to saying God is a liar.  What happens when people live according to that belief?  They become slaves whose lives are governed by lies which can lead them into an ultimate, everlasting death (Rom. 6:20-21).  I hate sin for what it does to our hearts and I’m troubled that a government would lie about what’s right and endorse a belief which heaps a greater burden on people’s souls. 

Secondly, I’m troubled that a government has elevated itself to the position of God.  God created government to punish disobedience and protect the rights of all (Rom. 13:1, 4; Ps. 72:2).  But government is not established to invent rights or redefine what God has already defined!  I am not opposed to rights for all people, regardless of their beliefs or practices.  But let us agree that those rights are given by God and not by government.  When governments advance themselves to the place where they establish rights, they suppress the truth and elevate themselves to the position of God.  And, once they are convinced they are omnipotent, they move to redefine that which has already been defined by God. Marriage is between one man and one woman.  How is it that government can say that’s a lie and publish a new definition of its own making saying marriage is something different?   

So I’m troubled, and I ask myself: “What shall I do?”  What will you do?  For me, I’ll continue to dig into God’s word to understand how I should view the events of our time.  And I’ll ask God to help me to be effective in using these times to proclaim the gospel.  And I’ll persevere, for I know that God will be glorified in the earth, “for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea”   (Hab. 2:14).

Blessings, Steve