More than Useless

Be Humble

by Pastor Thom | Oct 18, 2023 | Journal Entry

Father, I am grateful for Your guiding hand. Steering me in the right direction, even when I make wrong turns, helps me to walk with greater assurance and determination once I’m back in line.
1 Corinthians 4:6-7 (<<click here to read the passage)
One thing that seems to be in very short supply in the Church today is humility. If we would ask the average unbeliever on the street to give us adjectives describing Christians today, I don’t think humility would be anywhere near the top of the shared verbiage.
On social media and the political side of things, at least, “Christians” readily come off as bullies. We are often seen as pushers of God’s agenda without an ounce of love. And that is our problem. There’s nothing wrong with taking a stand for what is right. There’s nothing wrong with upholding Biblical truths, but when they are accompanied by hate and derision – with the result being an even wider division – what is accomplished? Nothing but boosting our own egos – inflating our own self-worth. How do we build God’s kingdom if that is our approach – and don’t dare say that we aren’t in the right! Doing so gives us another reason to blow up.
I’ve said it before: look through the Gospels, and you will not find Jesus giving it to non-believers. Yes, He doesn’t let things slide – He doesn’t just ignore their waywardness, but there is never anger or disdain or outright condemnation to the depths of hell. Those He readily and forcefully dished out to were His day’s “religious” leadership.
Unfortunately, we, as did they, hold ourselves to be above the rabble of sinners. The problem is, where did we start – we were sinners. Romans 3:23 clearly states,

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… NIV

Ephesians 2:8 sets the record straight.

For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God… AMP

With all these things fresh in mind, read verse 7 from today’s text.

For who regards you as superior or what sets you apart as special? What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if in fact you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]? AMP

Be humble, Christian. Follow in the loving footsteps of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…and Him only. Amen.

Oct 17^th, 2023, Tues, 12:48 pm

Bat Check

by Pastor Thom | Oct 17, 2023 | Journal Entry

It is a dreary day, but I would ask Father that You would enable your light and warmth to radiate from the very core of my being. Inspire me with Your words and wisdom. Amen.

1 Corinthians 4:5 (<<click here to read the passage)

Growing up (and I called Dad to verify), I recall only one church with bats. I have been pastoring two rural churches for 20+ years, and neither has bats, but my newest pastorate does have bats! The people who get everything unlocked before our Sunday morning service do a “bat check” as part of their routine. Many in the congregation don’t worry much about them, but it bothers others greatly. I guess they’ve been known to fly around the sanctuary when temperatures outside get really hot or really cold.

When many see bats, they automatically think the worst. But in reality, many bats eat insects, help pollinate flowers, and disperse seeds for growth, supporting healthy ecosystems. The only thing we might have to fear from bats is if they have rabies. And truth be told, most do not. I read one statistic that of all the bats submitted for rabies testing in the U.S. (these only included bats capable of being captured), only about 6 percent had rabies.

The Apostle Paul doesn’t speak of bats, but he does speak of having a predetermined attitude regarding others. He says in the first part of verse 4,

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns.

We cannot truly know what people are like to the very core of their being. Only God truly knows that; over time, we can also get a pretty good idea of that. I’ve had experiences in life where I was cautioned about certain people who many held as problematic, but entering into those relationships with an open heart and mind, I did not find them to be that way.

Ultimately God…

…will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

I realize it requires constant upkeep, but we must remain diligent. Our focus should not be on the speck of dust in someone else’s eye but on the plank in ours. Don’t make judgments on others; instead, we must take care of ourselves.

Our job, as Paul says in Philippians 2:12b-13, is to…

…continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. AMP

Amen.

Oct 16^th, 2023, Mon, 12:34 pm

No Better Way to Travel

by Pastor Thom | Oct 16, 2023 | Journal Entry

Thank You, Father, for a wonderful time of worship in our churches this morning. Thank You for the ability to accomplish tasks and take part in nourishment with family and for the opportunity to get a few steps in with Massey, enjoying some time together. I am undoubtedly blessed.

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One day last week, I noticed how I (and I’m sure all of us) drive. When your hands are on the steering wheel, they are not locked into a fixed position. While driving my bus, my hands are placed at 9:00 and 3:00, as has been determined to be the safest place with the greatest ability to control unforeseen circumstances with the best outcome possible. But while driving, they are not locked immovably. Beyond moving the wheel to account for curves in the road or making deliberate turns onto other roads, my hands are not static on the steering wheel. While driving, I am continually making adjustments, some of them relatively minute movements – a bit to the left, a bit to the right.

Roads are not by any means perfect. Even brand-new roads demand this kind of control. I have one single stretch of county road that is brand new. The rest of my route is on well-worn and some overly worn stretches of highway. One of my roughest segments is a state highway with many patches, and I don’t know what causes it, but sections where there are what I would call warped ridges toward the center of the road cause my bus to bounce quite a bit.

In life, we, too, cannot expect to cruise along on autopilot. We have to keep an eye focused on where we are going. We have to be wary of distractions. We have to make sure that we are aware enough of our surroundings that we can readily make adjustments on an ongoing basis. We dare not let go of the wheel, even for a brief period of time.

One great thing we should take advantage of is that, like the Carrie Underwood song a few years back, we should learn to let Jesus take the wheel. Grant it; it is not so much a literal, physical act but an overruling state of mind where we strive to be so attuned to Jesus that we can quickly respond to His prompting to adjust our course to avoid problems ahead of us, many of which we may not be aware of but that He can clearly see and steer us around.

We would never consider locking our steering wheel into place even on a stretch of clear, even, straight section of highway. That being the case, why do we occasionally assume that we can sit back and let life come at us without a care in the world? We must be diligent. We must be ready. Honestly, we must yield to the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit throughout our lives, day in and day out. There’s no better way to travel this sometimes long and arduous journey.

Oct 15^th, 2023, Sun, 7:45 pm

Evaluation

by Pastor Thom | Oct 13, 2023 | Journal Entry

Today has not been conducive to accomplishing things in a very productive way. There have been many components to this day and not a lot of free time in between. Lord, I lay myself at Your feet. Use me as You will. Amen.

1 Corinthians 4:1-4 (<<click here to read the passage)

OK, I am not in any way trying to be braggadocious, but as a pastor, I am the spiritual leader of my church – or, in my case, churches. It is my responsibility to provide spiritual nourishment for the sheep in these folds. I am also responsible for steering them in the right direction on the spiritual plane. Obviously, if I am a true shepherd, faithfully following in the steps of the Great Shepherd of the sheep, the Lord Jesus Himself, then I must be taking all of my cues from Him. He is the Living Water (John 7:37-39) and the Bread of Life (John 6:35). He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). I am only a reflection…an ambassador of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

So, as the Apostle Paul speaks of himself and Apollos, as mere servants of Christ I have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. v1 And because I have been put in charge as a manager I must be faithful. v2

Paul’s next statement, plain and simple, is a sticky one. He says in the first part of verse 3, “As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority.” He quickly follows that up by saying, “I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point.”

To some degree, it might sound arrogant, but I also agree with what Paul in humility says in verse 4,

My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. NLT

I am human. I make mistakes. I strive to follow the Lord with everything I am, but I am most certainly not infallible. I have never said I am perfect. That’s why “I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point.”

Sometimes it’s difficult to not second-guess myself. It is disheartening when others pile on judgment or an abundance of doubt or misgivings in regard to what I feel the Lord wants to make happen. I’m not saying it is not called for in that sometimes God uses those kinds of responses to better hone in on what He wants to happen. It’s just a challenge for me. I have to step back and acknowledge that, in the end, it’s not important how I am evaluated by fellow people of the flock. First and foremost, it is important how I am evaluated by God. He knows me. He knows the circumstances in which we find ourselves…and whether we all agree, all the time, God knows best.

Lord Jesus, may we constantly fixate on You – not each other, but You. You will never…ever…steer us wrong!

Oct 12^th, 2023, Thurs, 8:20 pm

Asters for the Needy

by Pastor Thom | Oct 12, 2023 | Journal Entry

Thank You, Father, for the beautiful bright but crisp autumn day! The beauty of Your creation uplifts even the downtrodden!

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Last week, Massey and I went on a walk around a pond that is maintained by our local school system. On our second pass around, I wanted to take a picture of a wonderful outcropping of Asters that were growing near the pond amongst some evergreen shrubs. I was pretty sure they were asters, and when I researched the pictures I took, sure enough, they were labeled as New England Asters.

Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I am always amazed at the fact that I can find a lesson in just about anything I find in God’s great creation! Take these simple but beautiful flowers. While most other flowers are tapering off – our coneflowers and black-eyed Susans, as well as our petunias, are pretty much done. But when I took this picture, the Asters were at their prime.

An online article I read stated, “The flowers are an important source of nectar for late-season pollinators, especially Monarchs, as they stock up for their fall migration to Mexico.”

You may be thinking, “Yeah? So what?” Well, it got me to thinking. What kind of person am I? What kind of person are you? In our hectic and time-consuming lives, have we pushed ourselves so much that when “late arrivers” come, we have nothing to offer those who are in need?

I know that there are times when I am just whipped. I am out of reserves. I’ve given my all to the day behind me, and I don’t seem to have anything left to give. Then I get a phone call, or my family needs something. Most often, I will dig deep and give what is needed.

Monarchs – and I’ve seen several fluttering about the last few days – need sustenance. They have a long trip ahead of them. Their journey is not yet complete. And while many flowers on God’s green earth are done, the aster comes out to take care of the need that remains. Granted, that’s the way God made them, but they do what they were made to do.

God made us to love Him and to love others. We must do what we were created to do. Often it doesn’t have to be anything that involves a great amount of time or resources. Oftentimes all that is needed is a listening ear…a shoulder to cry. Someone who takes the time to show that someone else’s need is not trivial, that it doesn’t go unnoticed.

And when it seems our resources are running on empty, we have but to tap into God’s great reserve! Love! Strength! Mercy! Compassion! Wisdom! Patience! It is all right there for the asking and the taking. We might just be what a “late arriver” needs to carry on!