Notes of Faith June 30, 2022

Notes of Faith June 30, 2022

You Know You’ve Drifted When…

You Stop Gathering and You Start Isolating

There is a difference between solitude and isolation. One is connected and one isn’t. Solitude replenishes, isolation diminishes. ~ Henry Cloud

*

The Community of the Church

Everything I grew up thinking about church changed for me when I was twenty-two. A friend I met while volunteering at a local community youth center for at-risk kids invited me to his church. I remember him being so passionate that I had to go and find out how anyone could be so excited about something I had found utterly boring. When I walked in, I discovered something I had never known — people who were gathering because they wanted to. Because they couldn’t wait to worship and learn and grow and share the love of Christ. Because they were willing to be scattered afterward and go find people like me — someone who needed to know that Jesus loved them, died for them, and rose again from the dead so that they could have forgiveness for their past, a fresh start here on earth, and an eternal hope for the future.

{In church,} I discovered people who truly understood the value of gathering — the gathering helped to strengthen and equip them for their scattering.

From that day forward, my understanding began to grow. Over time, church became family for me, and like every family, it has not been perfect, but it has been a haven and home. In church I started to deal with the pain of my broken past, and over time, I found healing and wholeness. I began building lifelong friendships, met and married my husband, Nick, and dedicated and raised our daughters in the same local church. There I fell in love with the Word of God and learned how to truly worship. I discovered my gifting and calling. I was discipled, loved, corrected, challenged, and released into ministry. In church I learned to love the lost, reach the lost, become active in the fight for justice and peace, advocate for the poor and the marginalized, and strengthen and empower women. I learned to appreciate and care for the planet God has given us.

Through the years, I have struggled, laughed, cried, grieved, prayed, hoped, dreamed, despaired, suffered, rejoiced, and praised, all with my church family at my side — and at other times, I’ve had the privilege of being there to run alongside my church family when they were experiencing the same things.

The connection to my church family helped me stay anchored to Jesus — and not drift far from His purpose for my life.

At the same time, I am not naive enough to think that my church experience is everyone’s experience. I am well aware that for some people, the very word church causes them to recoil and pull back. You may even be one of these people and want to put this book down now because of your negative church experience. I get it, but please keep reading. You were on my heart as I was writing.

There is no doubt that for some, the church has been a poor witness of the love and grace of Jesus, for one reason or another. Maybe a leader they looked up to let them down. Maybe a position they held dear was given to someone else. Maybe someone in the children’s ministry excluded their child. Maybe when their marriage dissolved, the people they thought would walk alongside them walked alongside their ex instead. Maybe it was something far worse.

I’ve had plenty of conversations with people who have been deeply wounded by other people in the church. Some have even asked me why I would spend my life building the very thing that has caused them such great pain. It’s a valid question. Some have pointed out the flaws of the church throughout the ages as proof of its inherent faults.

It is true that many injustices have been done in the name of Christianity. History can’t hide what has come to light throughout the centuries — the Dark Ages, the Crusades, the times the church didn’t live up to its own standards. When it was plagued with corruption. When atrocities like war and famine and genocide occurred, and it looked the other way. Even in recent generations, the church has continued to grapple with so many issues, though none of them new — racism, sexism, abuse, materialism, greed, idolatry, nationalism, misogyny, legalism, judgmentalism. It is little wonder that some of you might feel done with the whole thing, not even wanting to darken the doors of a church. I get it. I really do.

I can’t possibly know what each one of you may have gone through personally, or exactly how you feel, but I do know that

though we are often hurt in community, we also heal in community

This includes the community of church.

With all its flaws, quirks, challenges, and issues, the church is God’s idea.

And because the church is made up of people — and all of us on this side of eternity are flawed, imperfect people — there is no church that’s not flawed.

Though we are often hurt in community, we also heal in community

You Have Something to Give

Sometimes, the reason we stop gathering is far simpler. Perhaps you went on vacation, missed a few Sundays, and gradually just got out of the habit of going. Maybe you started a new job, and your schedule included working on Sundays. Maybe you moved and struggled to find a new church home. Maybe you started having to travel farther and more often for your kids’ sports leagues. Maybe you feel like you don’t get out of it what you once did. Or you prefer to watch online — something that’s great when we can’t get there in person. I’ll never forget when watching online became our only option, when the pandemic hit and we had to shelter in place. I feel sure you remember it too. We were forced to isolate for our safety and protection — and for everyone else’s. Perhaps, after that, you just never went back.

I feel sure there are more reasons than I could ever list, but it seems that some are more common than others. I cannot recollect how many times I have been asked, “Can I be a Christian and not go to church?” I always answer honestly: yes, of course. Nowhere in the Bible does it say you have to attend church to be a Christian. But of course, being a very passionate Greek woman, I want to hear the reason behind their question and then tell them about my own experience — with lots of humor, hand motions, and serious volume! I just can’t help myself!

What I hope they eventually discover for themselves is that when we stop gathering, we start isolating, and when we start isolating, we become more susceptible to drifting—something that naturally leads to distance and distance to disconnection.1

Aren’t you glad the writer of Hebrews gave us the antidote?

Do not neglect to gather. — Hebrews 10:25

When we gather, it helps us to stay connected. To stay anchored. What’s more, when we fail to gather, we miss not only all the blessings that come from gathering but also being a blessing to everyone else who has come to gather. We are one body with many parts, and we all have gifts to give. Have you ever wondered who might miss something because you were not there to give it? I know every time my daughters are not at the dinner table, I miss them! I miss what they add to the conversation — their witty observations, serious introspections, and fresh perspectives. I miss their off-the-wall humor. (I have no idea where they got that from!) For sure, I much prefer dinner with them than without them.

So it is with church. Church is about far more than just what we get out of it. It’s about being in the body of Christ doing body life — together. When one of us is missing, it affects us all. What one of us does — or doesn’t do — makes a difference. Paul wrote of this very idea in his letter to the church in Rome:

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. — Romans 12:6-8 NIV

God wants us fulfilling our individual roles in the body. Participating. Contributing. Sometimes, I think we forget that going to church isn’t just for us, but it’s also for all the other people we will see there. It’s not just about what we can get out of it, but what we can give while we’re there.

*

One Who Is Always Waiting

All of us have been in the position where we have been looking forward to a family member or friend coming to visit. I can think of many times when I have looked forward to a loved one coming and how I celebrated Greek-style when they arrived — meaning loud and with lots of food. I can also think of times when things didn’t work out as planned, and I was left missing the one who I had prepared for and hoped would visit.

When it comes to us gathering together, I am convinced that no one looks forward to it more than God Himself. While it is true that, through faith in Jesus Christ, every believer is indwelt by God’s Spirit and has direct access to God, something else is also true:

In Him [Jesus Christ] you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. — Ephesians 2:22 ESV

The “you” in this verse is plural, not singular. You together are a dwelling place for God. Remember, Jesus said,

For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.

— Matthews 18:20 NIV

The truth is this: There is a special grace when we gather. There is a special way that God takes residence in our midst when we gather. Our gathering together does not just happen in God’s name, but also in God’s presence. And God is not the guest at His gatherings — we are.

The letters to the churches in the book of Revelation reveal that God is not only aware of but also cares deeply about each and every gathering around the globe. The ones in Qatar. The ones in Texas. The ones in cities. The ones in villages. The ones that are well known. The ones that aren’t. The ones that meet freely. The ones that are forced underground. The one where you might be going every week. Each one is filled with people Jesus gave His life to save. And each one is a place God chooses to make His home. Each one helps us to stay tethered to Jesus. Each one helps us to keep from drifting.

Are you connected to a local gathering? If you are, then keep going and plant your roots even deeper! If you aren’t, then I want to encourage you to consider going to one. I know it might not be easy for you, but it could be the missing link in your chain that will help connect you more deeply to your anchor, Jesus. God is looking, longing, and waiting for your arrival, and so are others — others you need and others who need you.

Dan Reiland, “5 Reasons People Drift from Church and How to Respond,” Outreach Magazine, June 20, 2019, https://outreach magazine.com/features/leadership/43753-5-reasons-people-drift -from-church-and-how-to-respond.html.

Excerpted from How Did I Get Here? by Christine Caine, copyright Caso Writing, LLC.

Heb 10:23-25

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

ESV

Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 29, 2022

Notes of Faith June 29, 2022

Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong. — 1 Corinthians 16:13

The core virtue of a coward is niceness. You must lick the boot that kicks you. ~ Tim Dunn1

Thomas Cranmer was a coward and a traitor to Jesus Christ, but I wonder if I’m anywhere near the man that he was.

My daughter, Ashton, and I stood in Christ Church, a medieval cathedral in Oxford, England. I’d taken Ashton to Paris, Copenhagen, and Prague on a business trip because, at twelve, she was already a prolific reader and budding intellectual. I’d read her The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit when she was little, so she’d convinced me to add London and Oxford to the trip so she could walk in the footsteps of G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien.

In the cathedral was a notch in a stone pillar. Above the notch was a sign that this was where they had built the altar where Cranmer was to kneel, recanting his teaching about the grace of Jesus. I knew the story. It was a foregone conclusion — Cranmer, the coward who watched his two friends burned at the stake, had never missed an opportunity to be weak. But Cranmer wasn’t going to be weak this time; he wouldn’t need the altar. Instead he was going to shock the world.

Thomas Cranmer had made several bold reforms under King Edward. He was a stalwart for the reformation of the church and wrote many bold policies against the established Catholic Church while serving as the archbishop of Canterbury. His boldness had come while there was a monarch on the throne who agreed with him. Then an inconvenient thing happened: Edward died, and Bloody Mary came to the throne. Mary got her name because of the slaughter she instigated against those who were perceived as enemies of the Catholic Church, and Cranmer was at the top of her list. Cranmer was put on trial with two other Reformers, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley. Following the trial, Latimer and Ridley were immediately burned alive while Cranmer was forced to watch.

Latimer died almost immediately from the smoke. Ridley died slowly. The wood around him wouldn’t ignite well and he burned for a long time before dying. He cried out for someone to put more wood under him to hasten his death. Cranmer, horrified by watching their murders, couldn’t seem to write enough letters recanting everything he’d stood for to avoid the same fate. Cranmer was given the opportunity to publicly refute everything he had preached about the grace of Christ, and he took it.

As Cranmer entered the cathedral that Ashton and I stood in 450 years later, he began to preach the sermon everyone expected. But when he was supposed to recant his teachings, he instead affirmed them, denying everything he’d written in trying to save himself and condemning the hand that had written such things.

Cranmer was ripped from the pulpit and rushed past the altar where he was to kneel as a coward and out to where his friends were murdered six months earlier. As the flames raged, Cranmer placed his right hand into them so that the instrument he’d used to deny the truth of Christ would burn first.

What gives a man such boldness?

How does a person move from a history of opportunism and cowardice to such immense bravery? It’s appropriate for us to ask ourselves whether we could bear up under such circumstances as Cranmer, Latimer, and Ridley. Would we stand strong? As the flames raged, would we climb onto the stake and be burned to avoid compromising the truth of Christ?

Revelation 21:8 gives us a list of those whose “share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.” Revelation 20 has already assured us that only those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will be condemned to the lake of fire, so the list in 21:8 is a warning to all who have lived a life typified by certain actions that testify they aren’t truly believers. There is an entire chapter devoted to this near the end of this book, but it’s helpful to discuss a brief part of it here.

Courage is obeying God's commands despite fear

Here is the list of actions. I’ve blanked one out; let’s see if you can guess what it is.

But the _______, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire.

Since salvation is a gift based on God’s grace and comes to us only through belief and through no merit of our own, the list above is clearly stating that anyone whose life is typified by such actions doesn’t truly believe in Jesus.

So what is the one action I blanked out? Is it being a thief? A greedy person? An addict? No, none of those. The person who starts the list of those who the Bible says will go to the lake of fire for eternity, who are not saved, is the coward.

Cowards? Really?

When was the last time you heard a sermon on not being a coward?

Yet the Bible lists it as one of the eight sins for which, if you are typified by them, you are guaranteed to be condemned. It isn’t just on the list; it starts the list.

Notice that everything on the list, except for cowardice, is a definable thing. Lying is telling something that is not the truth. A murderer takes another’s life without justification. But what defines cowardice? Cowardice is disobeying God’s commands because of fear. For instance, if a person refuses to stand up against abortion because they’re worried about losing their job or being unpopular — that’s cowardice. It doesn’t necessarily make one a coward if it doesn’t typify one’s life, but if fear for one’s reputation keeps them from standing up for helpless babies in the womb, that person might want to take a serious assessment of their life and wonder if they’re a coward.

I remember committing a cowardly act while preaching to a large crowd in Asia many years ago. It was in a poor, high-crime area, and several thousand people came to hear the message on salvation. We had a great altar call, and many people came forward to publicly place their faith in Christ. As I was down in the crowd praying for people, an older woman came hob- bling toward me, supported by a teenage girl. “Preacher,” the girl said, “my grandma is crippled, and she wants you to ask God to heal her.”

I wasn’t “that kind” of preacher. I had no idea what to do. The old woman, who clearly didn’t speak English, just stood there, smiling hopefully. The young girl politely stood several yards away while I got on my knees to pray.

My heart went out to the woman and her granddaughter who’d come to hear the gospel, but I was really at a loss of what to do. “Lord,” I prayed, “You and I both know I don’t have any idea what to do right now. But if You don’t heal this lady, You and I are really going to look stupid. Would You heal her despite my inadequacy? Don’t withhold a miracle from her because of my unworthiness.” (That’s exactly what I prayed.)

The woman got healed.

She leaped away from me and started screaming and praising God. She started bouncing and dancing, far more than anyone her age should have been able to. It attracted a crowd — and I got away from there. I hopped onstage and walked into the back where no one else could ask for a miracle.

I ran away and hid.

Even though the Lord had shown He would do something amazing despite my inadequacy, my faith failed. Days later, I realized that He may have been ready to pour out His Spirit in an unbelievable way. We may have seen miracles beyond imagination — I’ll never know, because I walked away. I kept thinking of that hopeful look on her face and was relieved that she hadn’t been disappointed, but I was unwilling to risk it again. My faith was too little and pride too much, such that I didn’t realize the obvious, which was that someone’s healing was completely up to Him. All He was asking was that I obey and act as His vessel — and I walked away.

It was an act of cowardice, and many people may have been robbed of a blessing because of me. Am I a coward? No. But I definitely needed to repent of cowardice and pray for those who may have lost out on a blessing because of my inaction.

Courage is the opposite of cowardice and similarly vague. Courage is obeying God’s commands despite fear.

Courage is valuing obedience to God’s Word more than whatever the consequences from the world might be. In fact, the more fear one has, yet obeys anyway, the more courage one displays.

When I was serving on the Los Angeles Police Department, I noticed that character separated the good police officers from the bad ones. But it was courage that separated the good officers from the great ones. We had a saying on the LAPD about cowardly officers: they were first in line to eat and last in line to die.

The most repeated command in the Bible is to not fear. It’s a command, not a suggestion. But can we actually control whether we are fearful? Yes. God doesn’t command something that is impossible to obey. Controlling fear comes through exercising courage.

The more one obeys God’s Word, despite fear, the less control fear has.

Soon a mature believer finds that the things that once seemed intimidating are now invigorating. It can be scary to share the good news of Jesus to a stranger, but after one does it several times, fear turns to excitement. Sharing your faith turns from a chore to a delight.

Tim Dunn, conversation with author, September 10, 2021.

Excerpted from A Daring Faith in a Cowardly World by Ken Harrison, copyright Ken Harrison.

I am not one the believes God uses people for healing in the same way that He did with His Apostles, but, God can do anything, and performs miracles even today, all the time. This man asked God to heal this woman. I have prayed that kind of prayer many, many times. I did not touch or say be healed…simply prayed for God to do a miracle. Sometimes it has been answered according to my heart’s desire and other times it has not been the will of God. Obedience should never depend on what God does. Do what we are told, believing, trusting that God who loves us is eternally providing what is best.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 28, 2022

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. — Ephesians 6:14-17

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. — 2 Thessalonians 3:3

When Carlos and I started dating, I wasn’t bulimic. But I’d still get triggered. It didn’t need to be something huge... More often it would be this tiny little whisper from the enemy: "Feeling bloated right now? Go ahead and throw up…”

Truly, that voice is sinister. I’d wake up in the morning and decide, “I’m not gonna throw up today. I’ll eat something healthy, like a salad, and keep it down.”

But by late afternoon, the lie had invaded my brain, and I would have thrown up. I didn’t understand why I did what I did. The vicious cycle had me in its clutches...

What made it worse was that I was keeping it from Carlos. I knew how damaging secrets could be, and I didn’t want anything to threaten what we had. Our relationship was so good, it felt unreal. So which was worse? The secret or him finding out about the secret?

I decided to stick with the secret. And yet because I was diving into God’s Word and growing in my faith, I became more and more uncomfortable with my own duplicity.

I still can’t completely understand what transpired inside me at that time, but I can tell you what happened.

I’d always begged God to take away my urges, but daily they’d continue to get the best of me.

As I became spiritually stronger, something happened that I’d never experienced before.

But the Lord is faithful and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

One morning as I opened my eyes, I had a deep knowing that my eating disorder was gone. I just knew. If my eating disorder was a person, I knew that he’d moved out of the house. As I walked down the stairs toward the kitchen, I marveled, “Oh my gosh, it’s gone.”

It sounds crazy, right? But I just knew. This chain that had kept me bound for seven years was just gone. It had been chopped off and thrown into the pit of hell.

It felt surreal walking into the kitchen without it.

As I poured myself a tall glass of water and cooked some yummy egg whites, the constant feeling that I usually wasn’t even aware of was gone.

While I’d love to tell you that I was so full of faith that I knew for certain it wouldn’t come back, I wasn’t. I couldn’t risk that hope. And so I waited.

After a healthy lunch on set that day, I waited to be gripped by the daily, unavoidable urge to binge. But it didn’t come. At four o’clock I was still waiting. No urge. I went out with friends from the cast to grab a bite when we finished for the day, expecting that later in the evening I’d be leaning over the toilet.

It never happened.

I wasn’t about to trust that having one successful day meant much at all. The following day I waited, with anticipation, for the wily menace that had plagued me for seven years to return.

It didn’t.

Even though this was the thing for which I’d prayed for years, begging God to deliver me from, I still couldn’t believe that God had done it. And I really believe that the gamechanger was that I’d established a regular rhythm of diving into God’s Word. I’m not saying that I did it. In fact, quite the opposite! In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul tells the believers about the armor of God that they can wear: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14–17). Notice that last one: the sword of the Spirit. That’s talking about God’s Word. And when I was in my eating disorder, I had no weapon to fight with. I was vulnerable, without any way to defend myself. But being in God’s Word and praying God’s Word was the protection I needed to finally defeat the enemy that had been killing me. It was my sword.

If you’re skeptical that it was God who released me from that prison, I get it. But I am certain that God was my helper because I’d been unable to do it on my own for so long. If it had been a matter of willpower, believe me: I would have freed myself years earlier. And yet in God’s timing, that I don’t pretend to understand, He set me free.

For a few weeks I had this feeling like someone — my eating disorder — was going to jump out from behind a building and yell, “Surprise! I’m still here!”

It never happened.

Although I’d been reticent to share my struggle with Carlos, I couldn’t not share with him my deliverance... He’d had no idea at all that I’d been plagued with this deep shame. He was so supportive, as I knew he would be, and continued to check in to make sure I was okay.

If you or someone you love is battling an eating disorder, the very best thing you can do is to tell someone who loves you about it. Believe me, I know it feels like death. When I was clutched in the grips of my disordered eating, I was terrified about anyone finding out. And that’s exactly how the disorder retains its power. It doesn’t want you to tell anyone! It knows that when you do, its power begins to dissipate. If you’re being bossed around by that sneaky demon today, the best thing you can do is to share your secret with someone who cares. Promise me you will.

~ Alexa PenaVega

Excerpted from What If Love Is the Point? by Carlos & Alexa PenaVega, copyright Carlos & Alexa PenaVega

Many of us have hidden battles that could be more easily won if we would just tell someone . . . to help us in the battle. We don’t realize how God made us for community, the family, the church, our work, our friends, neighbors, and life in society in general. This community is our place of refuge and help from a human standpoint. Of course we take our battles to God and read His Word, but God uses those in our community to help us in time of need. Those of you receiving this email have a great Community of Grace to trust and share those battles.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 27, 2022

Many decades ago, one of my college friends gave me a small picture that has meant a great deal to me. There is nothing remarkable about it from an artistic standpoint, but it has given me great comfort during some important times nonetheless. In fact, not long ago, I asked the Lord for direction about a difficult situation. I felt very alone. Confused and unable to discuss my difficulties with others, I got down on my knees in a quiet room and cried out to God to help me, strengthen me, and change the situation that was causing me pain. I asked, “Father, please don’t leave me like this. Show me what to do.”

As I was praying, I looked up, and there was that picture. In it, the Lord Jesus is standing behind a young man, pointing out the right course for the fellow to take. The Master’s hand is on his shoulder, as if saying,

I am with you always. — Matthew 28:20

and

This is the way, walk in it. — Isaiah 30:21

In that instant, God showed me that He was in complete control of the situation and that He would help me get to the destination He planned for me. Like the young man in the picture, I needed to stay focused on the path that the Master was pointing me to. And if I would obey Him — even when the road seemed dark — He would certainly bless my faith in Him.

I tell you this because, inevitably, there will be times in your life when you just don’t know what to do. You may feel overwhelmed by the questions that plague you and shut down — becoming paralyzed and unable to move forward. Or perhaps you lie awake at night, consumed by the details of your circumstances and rehearsing them repeatedly in the hope of making some sense of them. Either way, you feel trapped, because you have no idea how to proceed.

You will feel as if your anxiety is tearing you apart. And that is what fear does — it scatters your thoughts, pulling you in different directions with all the “what ifs.” But this stands in direct opposition to what the Father desires for you.

Jesus said,

I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. — John 16:33

Peace. It is a word that in the Greek means “joined or bound together.” For example, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, we can have peace — or be united — with Him and be fully reconciled to the Father (Colossians 1:20).

However, peace also means an internal sense of harmony and tranquility. Everything within us is calm — confident “that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). It is Jesus’ goal that we would possess the inward composure that comes from having a personal relationship with Him and enjoying His provision. And He has given us the gift of prayer for this purpose.

Philippians 4:6-7 promises,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6-7

The word there for guard means to “garrison you about, hem you in, and protect by a military sentinel.” As you exercise the gift of prayer and walk with God, He encompasses you as your Protector and Provider — and no one can break through His defenses. The Father encircles you with His own matchless presence, and the only way anything can get to you is if He Himself opens the door and allows it. That is the greatest security you and I could ever ask for.

I am with you always

Do you need peace in some area? Are you facing a situation that is confusing — that is tearing you apart? Do you lack a clear course of action?

Jesus knows exactly what you really need and how to provide it in the most loving and edifying way possible. He is committed to seeing you become all He created you to be.

Jesus’ hand is on your shoulder, and He’s pointing you in the right direction — the right path for your life. Are you listening to Him and submitting to His guidance? Or are you living your life the way you want to — in your wisdom rather than His?

All of us need a reliable guide to instruct us, and none is more trustworthy than the Savior who laid down His life on our behalf. But perhaps you are unsure — can you truly trust the Lord with the situation that is currently causing you so much stress and anxiety? Here are two reasons why I am confident you can and should.

The first reason trusting Jesus to guide you will bring you peace is because you know He will never lead you astray. As I said previously, His character is above reproach. His comprehension of all things past, present, and future is beyond compare. He not only has the wisdom to counsel you, but He loves you and always has your best interest at heart. Deuteronomy 31:8 promises,

The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

God will never mislead or abandon you, no matter what decision you must make. He will direct you in the best path possible if you will follow Him. If that doesn’t give you peace, I don’t know what will!

Second, trusting Jesus to guide you will bring you peace because He is leading you on a road that is unique to you. This world offers many one-size-fits-all solutions to our problems, and often they do not work or cause even more damage. But Jesus’ knowledge of you is perfect — He understands your personality, strengths, weaknesses, joys, sorrows, needs, temptations, desires, and concerns. Also, He created you for a distinctive purpose. Ephesians 2:10 explains,

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

When the Lord formed you, there were special assignments He planned for you to accomplish, which are tailor-made for your giftedness and temperament. Your being is satisfied, finds meaning, and is fulfilled in knowing Him and achieving those purposes.

This all means that the road you are to take must be specially crafted for you — specific to your makeup and to the reasons you were created as you were. This is why it is so important for God to set your course — because only your Lord and Savior knows your true potential, how to overcome the dangers ahead, and how to arrive at your destination in the safest and most effective way possible. And this is why His leadership should give you peace — He knows exactly what you really need and how to provide it in the most loving and edifying way possible. He is invested in you and is committed to seeing you become all He created you to be.

In Psalm 32:8, He promises,

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

Will you trust Him to do so? I hope you will. He knows exactly where you are, what you need to do in the situation you’re facing, and how to get you to the wonderful destination He’s planned for you. He is your Protector and Provider and has everything necessary to get you to the goal even when the path seems impossible. Only the Lord can meet those high standards that can ensure your peace.

Pray to Him and trust Him to be your leader in every situation, because surely He will bless you with His peace that transcends understanding as you follow Him.

Lord God, thank You so much for always being with me — for never leaving or abandoning me. I am so grateful that You are leading me through this great gift of prayer. Like a loving Father or a gentle Shepherd, You direct me on the path I need to take — to drive out sin, heal my wounds, develop my gifts, build my character, and teach me more about You. Thank You, Lord.

You encompass me as my perfect Protector and Provider — and no one can break through Your defenses. You guide me with Your hand on my shoulder and encircle me with Your own matchless presence. I thank You that the only way anything can get to me is if You allow it for my ultimate edification and benefit. What great tranquility that gives my heart — that all things will work together for my good!

You keep me secure in Your steadfast, unending, unshakable love. Thank You, Lord! There is no peace like the peace You give, Lord Jesus! In Your matchless name I pray. Amen.

Excerpted from The Gift of Prayer by Charles F. Stanley, copyright Charles F. Stanley.

As a believer, you are the temple of God.  You carry Him with you wherever you go.  He is always with you, and will never leave or forsake you.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 26, 2022

What Was Meant for Evil, God Uses for Good

Joseph, Son of Jacob, Graduate with honors from the University of Hard Knocks, Director of Global Effort to Save Humanity, Succeeded

How? How did he flourish in the midst of tragedy? We don’t have to speculate. Some twenty years later the roles were reversed, Joseph as the strong one and his brothers the weak ones. They came to him in dread. They feared he would settle the score and throw them into a pit of his own making. But Joseph didn’t. And in his explanation we find his inspiration.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. — Genesis 50:20 NASB

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. — Genesis 50:20 NIV

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. — Genesis 50:20 NKJV

In God's hands intended evil becomes eventual good.

Joseph tied himself to the pillar of this promise and held on for dear life. Nothing in his story glosses over the presence of evil. Quite the contrary. Bloodstains, tear stains are everywhere. Joseph’s heart was rubbed raw against the rocks of disloyalty and miscarried justice. Yet time and time again God redeemed the pain. The torn robe became a royal one. The pit became a palace. The broken family grew old together. The very acts intended to destroy God’s servant turned out to strengthen him.

“You meant evil against me,”

Joseph told his brothers, using a Hebrew verb that traces its meaning to “weave” or “plait.”

“You wove evil,” he was saying, “but God rewove it together for good.”

God, the Master Weaver. He stretches the yarn and intertwines the colors, the ragged twine with the velvet strings, the pains with the pleasures. Nothing escapes His reach. Every king, despot, weather pattern, and molecule are at His command. He passes the shuttle back and forth across the generations, and as He does, a design emerges. Satan weaves; God reweaves.

Excerpted from You’ll Get Through This by Max Lucado, copyright Thomas Nelson.

The plan woven by God started before the first word of creation.  His plan will come to completion.  The attacks, the weaving of evil will not accomplish its desired end, for God is still in control of His creation.  Be encouraged!  In Christ you cannot lose!  You, who once were dead, have been given life, and that eternal, through faith in Christ and His death and resurrection.  What was meant for evil – Satan’s attempt to separate us from God, brought Jesus from the glory of heaven to earth.  He gave His life, that you and I might truly live, as children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, forevermore!

What Satan meant for evil, God rewove for good! Amen!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 25, 2022

Step One: Consult Your Closest Friend – Jesus

If my life proves anything, it’s that we often approach the Lord with our minds already made up. In those instances, we’re actually not engaging Jesus at all; we’re asking Him to sign off on our wishes. I’m not saying we do this consciously, but it’s very easy to fall into this trap. Especially if we have not learned to vigorously question ourselves.

To consult Jesus in prayer as the first step in our decisions helps to “unmake” our minds. It allows time for the Great Revealer, the Holy Spirit, to peel away the layers and expose not only our true desires but all the ways we’ve covered them over. It softens our hearts and inclines our ears toward Jesus. Reminds us that we are not God. And opens our eyes to our real intentions.

Why Jesus?

You may wonder why I’ve specified Jesus here. While theologians generally agree that we can seek out any member of the Trinity for help — God the Father, Christ the Son, or the Holy Spirit — I focus this chapter on Jesus for a few reasons.

First of all, I want everyone who reads this to know how good and loving He is. Second, having been “God with us” up close and personal, He can relate to us and us to Him. He walked among us on this earth; wore a physical body with its temptations and hungers, needs, and wants; and faced exactly the kinds of struggles that we do — yet without any failing. This makes Him a wonderful role model and example. Finally, I focus on Jesus because what really elevated my faith to the next level as a new Christian was making a new friend. And not just any friend, but the One who would become my Friend and Business Partner, Jesus.

His unlimited love and acceptance toward me altered my life in every way.

After I tried for so long to fill the hole inside of me with money, success, and people pleasing, God gave me the faith (through much pain) to start looking to Jesus, and nothing has been the same. As I grew still, opening myself day after day to His love and direction, I began to see Jesus as never before. The more I talked with Him in prayer, the more my heart and mind changed. And as they did, I was able to turn from my old ways of thinking and be in a position for His will — and especially His own heart toward me — to be clearly revealed.

Jesus' delight is felt most freely when we approach Him with open arms

Experiencing Christ's Love

Therapy got the ball rolling, helping me to understand that my entire identity had been wrapped up in a desperate quest to succeed and please others. During these intensive sessions, the insecurities and sinful pride behind all my striving were laid bare. Meanwhile, God’s Word was transforming my mind, helping me discover the Terry Looper whom God had created rather than the straw man my upbringing and my own rush of desires had constructed.

Freshly aware that I’d never felt truly, unconditionally loved by anyone, I longed even more for the Lord to let me experience His love for me. The little boy in me deeply desired it, and the man I was needed it, because I didn’t want to exist on head knowledge anymore.

I craved an expression of love that would penetrate my heart and settle deeply into my soul, and so I humbly asked God for just that.

My prayer was answered many months after my burnout, while Doris and I were vacationing at a hotel on the beach in San Diego. Nothing dramatic preceded the moment. I was simply lying in bed one morning, praying and enjoying the quiet as the ocean waves played their rhythm outside our window. In that peaceful setting, I felt myself being embraced by an overwhelming warmth and tenderness that, even years later, I have trouble putting into words. There was so much affection and acceptance in it, I couldn’t stop crying.

I knew that Jesus was with me and that He noticed me. Really noticed me. It was what the little boy in me had always wanted from my parents; now I was receiving it from the One who sacrificed His life for me.

Doris saw a real difference in me after that. She says this is when I finally understood I didn’t need to be perfect to be accepted by God. This experience of unexpected love was so personal and so profound that it opened the door for me to understand Jesus not only as my Lord and Savior but as a real Friend with whom I could discuss any concern or challenge.

Relating to Him as I would any close friend — where there is trust, devotion, honesty, and frequent communication — had a great impact beyond my prayer life. For one, it later made getting neutral in my decisions a whole lot easier. Relating to Him so personally also helped me start applying God’s Word more personally, as written to me directly, not just to humanity at large.

Letting Jesus love me altered my love for others too.

Now that absolutely everything was new in my eyes, I was eager for everything to be made new in my world. His great love made me even more zealous to restore the damage I’d done to my relationships. Yet it was obvious that I had a lot of work to do to regain people’s trust, particularly within my own family.

For example, it took about three years of me being present in my youngest daughter’s life before she stopped being wary of my motives. My therapist would tell me, “Just hang out with your girls.” I didn’t know how at first, but Doris encouraged me: “Go sit on the floor in Jeannie’s room while she’s in there. She’ll talk to you.”

Eventually she did start talking, and as we connected, those occasional conversations turned into frequent ones. By the time Jeannie graduated from high school, she and I had eaten breakfast together nearly every day since her eighth-grade year. It didn’t make up for all the dinners I’d missed when she was younger, but I’m grateful she was willing to forge this tradition with me. Picking up my eldest, Tanya, after her gymnastics practices and going by the donut shop afterward also allowed us to establish a new relationship. These are some of my best memories ever.

Christ rebuilt my relationship with my wife as well. Doris and I were so into our “new” marriage (a marriage that was then nearing twenty years) that we would go away for a weekend every other month or so to take inventory and talk. We never knew what the time would be like — whether it would be quiet and prayerful, physically intimate, or tinged with disagreement — but when we left, we would often remark to each other how worthwhile it was.

I’ve heard of others becoming more whole in their soul just by experiencing Jesus’ love too. Sadly, based on the number of Christians I’ve spoken to about this, it’s apparently not unusual to go many years (or an entire lifetime!) without a deep sense of our Lord’s love. Rather than excitedly crawling up on Jesus’ lap as we can imagine the children in the Gospels doing, we remain guarded, distant. We’re wary of being hurt. Scared that we may not be lovable. As a result, a lot of people do what I did: they get busy “being Christian” — doing and performing to gain Christ’s approval — if they don’t give up on Him altogether.

Prayer brings us close and starts to reestablish trust. It is conversation; it is attention and affection passing between Heaven and earth. It is what enables us to let Jesus’ wholehearted love in.

His delight is felt most freely when we approach Him with open arms.

To engage with Jesus as a real person rather than a vague concept took away so much pressure for me. It wasn’t about me being good enough anymore. I no longer flippantly viewed Him as my spiritual Santa Claus either. Yes, He cared to do kind things for me; yes, He was generous to me; but now it was about slowing down to enjoy the sweetness of friendship and connect deeply with Him. I was realizing that Jesus really wants to be my Friend — He is invested in helping me figure out this thing called life, and He never, ever turns me away.

When I understood this in my soul, I understood it is no more self-serving to befriend Him than it is to share your life with anyone you love. Jesus wants intimacy and relationship! He is excited and pleased when we invite Him into our lives.

Excerpted from Sacred Pace by Terry Looper, copyright Terry Looper.

This short excerpt from a book does not display the understanding of GOD as three in One, the complete glory of God and all that He is toward us, for us, and to us.  I pray for all of you to experience the truth of God in Scripture, the depth and wonder of God that is Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 24, 2022

Notes of Faith June 24, 2022

Before my father died, he said the worst thing about growing old was that other men stopped seeing you as dangerous. I’ve always remembered that, how being dangerous was sacred, a badge of honor. You live your life by a code, an ethos. Every man does. It’s your shoreline. It’s what guides you home. And trust me, you’re always trying to get home. — Lieutenant Rorke Denver, Act of Valor

Nine months after SEAL Team Six took out the world’s most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, they completed another dramatic and secret mission: rescuing Jessica Buchanan, an American aid worker, from the hands of Somali pirates. In response to her plight, two dozen SEALs parachuted into southern Somalia, killed all nine heavily armed kidnappers, and liberated Buchanan, as well as a second aid worker — all without any American casualties.

The heroic acts in the final moments of this remarkable rescue reveal something of the culture and character of the Navy SEALs. Here are Jessica’s own words: “At one point… this group of men who’ve risked their lives for me already asked me to lie down on the ground. Because they’re concerned there might be [more armed terrorists] out there. They make a circle around me and then they lie down on top of me, to protect me. And we lie like that until the helicopters come in.”1

To the world, it was extraordinary. To the Navy SEALs, it was another day’s work. It’s what they do. Because it is who they have become.

I was connecting with a United States Marine Corps officer as he reflected on his combat training. He said they’ve learned through trial and error that the only way to properly train and be fully equipped for war is with live ammunition. It’s the way of the marines, and it is the way of the Kingdom of God.

If you have traveled this far along the ancient path to becoming a king, you don’t have to be told it’s going to be a fight. That’s why so much of the masculine journey is warrior training.

God must restore the warrior if we are to become the kind of man and the kind of king who can be entrusted with the leadership of His Kingdom.

While becoming a warrior will take on expressions and applications unique to each man, the essence of the process transcends culture, profession, and context. We are being formed and forged in God’s image, as men.

Let’s take our place at the feet of great warriors who have marked out a path to becoming a warrior. Yet as we stand at this bend in the path, we remind ourselves that war is never the point.

The goal must always be love.

A wise elder once said that we fight what is in front of us so we might protect what is behind us. Our enemies (the evil one, the fallen world, and the flesh in the heart of every person) are aggressively waging war against our heart, the hearts of those we love, and the hearts of those entrusted to our care. Our passivity will only increase the casualties. We must turn with increasing measure to our Father to be trained as a warrior, to become the kind of man who not only has the heart to give his life heroically but also has the skills and strength to do it effectively.

The goal must always be love

What Story Are You Living In?

As one of my mentors put it, the interpretation you use to understand your reality and your role in it will be the single greatest force in shaping what becomes of your next decade. In the words of Dan Baker in What Happy People Know, “The stories we tell ourselves about our own lives eventually become our lives… The choice is ours.”2 Our life will be significant in proportion to the stories we choose to interpret our reality.

What stories are you using to interpret your reality?

In the novel Peace Like a River, Jeremiah Land, the father figure in the story, put it this way: “We and the world, my children, will always be at war. Retreat is impossible. Arm yourselves.”3

Yet in this powerful story, the weapons Jeremiah uses are not physical fire-arms but the even more fundamental weapons of courage, wisdom, strength, endurance, self-control, prayer, faith, love, and sacrifice. He wages war heroically against death, cruelty, and violence, but in the power of One far greater than himself.

While many Bible translations render the Hebrew name for God, Jehovah Sabaoth, as “the Lord God Almighty,” it is more accurately translated “the Lord of Angel Armies.” We can conclude that the Creator filled the spiritual realm with the kingdom equivalent of Navy SEALs for a reason.

The writer of Hebrews defined the nature of faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). That which is unseen must not be irrelevant to our lives. In fact, as Dallas Willard taught in The Divine Conspiracy, “the most important things in our human lives are nearly always things that are invisible.”4

The world, the flesh, and the evil one tempt us to settle for the smaller story: a narrow quest to arrange for the happy little life. Yet something deeper in us knows that a life arranged only for a sense of comfort, security, and personal happiness is far too small to hold the expanse for which the masculine soul was designed to thrive. We must remember Peter’s urging:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. — 1 Peter 5:8-9

If we are to interpret our lives and understand the times, we must recognize the unseen war being waged for our soul as a man and let this be a central theme of our apprenticeship in warrior training for our unique place in the Kingdom of God.

In Waking the Dead, John Eldredge made the point,

Until we come to terms with war as the context of our days we will not understand life. We will misinterpret 90 percent of what is happening around us and to us. It will be very hard to believe that God’s intentions toward us are life abundant; it will be even harder to not feel that somehow we are just blowing it. Worse, we will begin to accept some really awful things about God.5

God’s story is a love story, no doubt. A story of thrilling goodness, intimacy, and beauty. Yet we live quite east of Eden. It is a love story set in the midst of war.6 And though we are elaborately provided for by Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, we must still battle to recover the treasure for which we were made: interactive relationship with God and others from a healed and whole heart.

We are asking Jesus to help us see into the unseen, and He assures us that if we ask, we will receive. As we ask, the Holy Spirit will pull back the curtain, and we’ll never be the same. As we increasingly choose to believe, we will begin to see reality as Jesus sees it. To live the life Jesus lived, we must hold to the same beliefs that He held to regarding the nature of reality. Seeing as Jesus sees will change everything, for the good.

Training for the Fight

Where can we go to learn to resist and dismantle evil and fight for love as did Jesus, the warrior? Let’s again look at the U.S. Navy SEALs for specific counsel and leadership. The Navy SEALs live out in the natural realm what men are called up into in the spiritual realm. Right here. Right now. Right where we find ourselves to be. Just as every great story borrows its power from the greatest story of all, the trial-tested strategies for the SEALs’ survival and success borrow power from the truths of apprenticeship in the Kingdom of God.

In Navy SEAL culture, this keen awareness of the story is called situational awareness. Cade Courtley, former Navy SEAL platoon commander and author of SEAL Survival Guide, defined situational awareness this way:

The ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of information about what is happening to the team with regard to the mission. More simply, it’s being aware of what’s going on around you. It’s the ability to see the real world and react to any situation without hesitation and make split-second decisions that could have global ramifications.7

Though our battle is first and foremost an unseen one, all training is done with live ammunition. We need look no further than to our own story to see that the damage of evil is real and there is much at stake, including the life of our soul and the souls of those we love.

Jessica Buchanan, “The Rescue of Jessica Buchanan.” 60 Minutes. CBS, May 12, 2013.

Dan Baker, What Happy People Know (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2004), 38.

Leif Enger, Peace Like a River (New York: Grove Press, 2001), 4.

Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy (New York: HarperCollins, 1998), 72.

John Eldredge, Waking the Dead (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006), 17.

John and Stasi Eldredge, Love and War (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook, 2009), 39.

Cade Courtley, SEAL Survival Guide (New York: Gallery Books, 2012), xvii.

Excertped from Becoming a King by Morgan Snyder, copyright Morgan Snyder.

Let me grow lovely growing old

          So many fine things do

Laces and ivory and gold and silk

          Need not be new

There is healing in old trees

          Old streets a glamor hold

Why may not I as well as these

          Grow lovely growing old

I learned this in 5th or 6th grade and have never forgotten it!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 23, 2022

For 13 years, I served in the Kentucky General Assembly, and repeatedly I would hear other legislators say, "I am a proud Democrat" or "I am a proud Republican." That statement always sat wrong with me because I was taught from an early age that we should not be prideful about ourselves or our abilities. Confident, yes, but prideful? No!

There's a humility that a Christian should always exhibit, regardless of their capabilities or their giftedness, because all of these gifts come from God. Christians, in our humility, serve Christ and are willing servants. So, such exhibitions of pride sit wrong with me. And so, I've taught myself, my children, and my family not to be prideful.

And yet, right now, America has dedicated an entire month to pride — a sin which is absolutely abhorrent to God — and sexual immorality which has been declared to be an abomination in the Word of God (Gen. 2:24; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Mat. 5:28; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:9-10; Heb. 13:4).

Contrast this attitude of pride with the humility of Jesus Christ. When Jesus first came, He came lowly as a servant. Jesus said: "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls"
(Mat. 11:28-29 NASB).

Jesus is gentle and humble. Paul's letter to the Church of Philippi records it this way: "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:5-9).

Our great God and Savior — who sits at the right hand of the Father and who has existed for all of eternity — emptied Himself and humbled Himself. In so doing, Jesus demonstrated the right attitude that we as Christians should take, and as mature adult human beings, quite frankly.

And yet, the world wants to elevate pride. And, what's it so proud of right now? It is proud of its LGBTQ+ agenda.

If you go to Wikipedia and look up the definition of pride, it notes that pride is the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins. It is the most demonic out of all other sins and stands as the source of all other capital sins. Pride also equates to hubris, which is an excessive arrogance or audacity, especially before a holy God.

Proverbs 16:18 in the King James version says that "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 11 to the cities where He was ministering, in Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum. The upper Galilee region was the very headquarters of Christ's ministry. He said that it would be worse for them than for the wickedly evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment because those three cities had witnessed Christ's blessing. They had experienced Christ's own ministry first-hand, and yet they rejected Jesus. Sodom and Gomorrah were judged with fire. God's wrath was poured out on them. But, Jesus declared He will be easier on the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah than these three cities that had witnessed and understood the truth of what Jesus Himself revealed, but had rejected.

How much worse will the United States be judged for our embracing pride and an abomination instead of staying true to the Word of God?

In 1964, a songwriter named Hamilton Camp wrote a great song titled "The Pride of Man." It was later sung by Gordon Lightfoot. In it, he sang, "Oh God, the pride of Man, broken in the dust again."

This age-old cycle of man — turning his back on God, shaking his fist in arrogant pride — is exactly what led to the downfall of Satan and why it is a satanic effort to perpetuate pride in the hearts of men.

The LGBTQ+ community in appropriating the rainbow — God's sign that He would never again flood the earth to punish mankind for their sins — has to be especially offensive to our Holy God. Why? Because in Genesis, God set up the rainbow as a sign of His "...covenant which I am making between me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations" (Gen. 9:12-13). God added, "I set My [God's] bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of covenant between Me and the Earth."

This very symbol — the rainbow — has been appropriated by the prideful to stand for what God calls an abomination. Such an action has to be an affront, an absolute insult added to injury, to our Holy God.

Jesus came to die to pay the debt for all of our sins, so it is not my intention to pick out anyone as more worthy or needy of the grace of God. All of us have fallen short and need to repent and humble ourselves before God and accept His free gift of salvation (Rom. 3:23; 5:8; 10:9-10).

Still, we must remember — pride will lead to destruction. James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 says that Christ gives a greater grace, so while He is opposed to the proud, He will grant grace to the humble.

We know that in the fullness of time, God will pour out His wrath on all of those who have rejected His Son and stood on their own human pride. The great prophet Isaiah records: "For the Lord of armies will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is arrogant and haughty, and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be brought low" (Isa. 2:12).

Folks, judgment is coming! The wrath of God hangs over the heads of all who have rejected Jesus Christ. Don't stand on your pride rejecting the salvation of God, rather, humble yourselves. Come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Jesus is coming soon, that we can be assured. He is bringing glorious, eternal joy to all of those who have put their trust in Him. But, if you have rejected Jesus, if you are full of pride, then the wrath of God still abides on you (Jn. 3:36). I pray that you will humble yourselves before our great God and Savior who is soon returning to judge the world of its pride and sin.

The rainbow is a beautiful picture in the Scriptures of the promise and glory of God.  Most are familiar with the rainbow after the flood and the promise of God never to destroy the world by flood.  But the glory of God is also given describing the very throne of God.  God is light and light produces the glory of the rainbow that we see.  Let us remember who gave us the rainbow and give thanks for its beauty and humble ourselves before a righteous and holy God, not taking “Pride” in any form and stealing symbols that belong only to Him!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 22, 2022

In the Presence of My Enemies

Today's inspiration comes from:

The Lord is My Courage

by K.J. Ramsey

Part of what keeps us from sitting at the table of courage and communion is a refusal to identify the reality of enmity. I love that David uses the word enemies in his prayers. I love that he does not pretend away the pain of being condemned and chased. Instead, he dares to name something our contemporary Christian niceness generally leaves vague or even venerated. The experience of enmity is embedded in our bodies, wringing our hands into fists and hearts into hiding when others threaten our safety.

·         When David delights in the table God has prepared for him in the presence of his enemies, David is affirming that Love is so completely on his side that God is willing to absorb the hostility being hurled at him.1

I love that David does not hide his pain behind platitudes, because platitudes can never penetrate our pain. Only God can take the weight of enmity.

·         In a world full of harm and hatred, only God’s presence can give us peace that reaches every part of our souls.

The symbol in which we most witness where God positions our enemies is the Eucharist, the ultimate place where enemies are made friends. But far too often, Christians prefer to dilute the wine of Christ’s sacrifice into the grape juice of niceness. Wherever wrong has been done or experienced, someone is following close behind with the paintbrush of platitudes. “There are two sides to every story,” they say. “There are no perfect churches,” they chide. “All things work together for good,” they paint and paint and paint. Sometimes it seems that Christians like to put lipstick on lies instead of fighting to remove their stain from our souls and communities. It is easier to dismiss pain than deal with changing the circumstances that produce it.2 We forget that noticing and naming enmity is a prerequisite to knowing whom and what to love and protect.

Neutrality is the nicest kind of evil. Not taking a side is taking a side. Neutrality shows victims that their health is worth less to you than avoiding awkwardness or not having to make relational changes. Neutrality tears open the wound of trust over and over again.

If we cannot name our pain, it just remains a chain. If we will not name the reality of evil, we will remain defenseless to defeat it. David’s prayers are like dialysis for Christians who have been drinking the sugary-sweet preaching of platitudes for so long that we’ve become diabetic to the dissonance at the heart of the cross.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” David prays.3

“Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors,” he laments. “I am forgotten as though I were dead... For I hear many whispering... They conspire against me and plot

to take my life.”4

Alexander Schmemann writes that “evil is not to be ‘explained’ but faced and fought. This is the way God dealt with evil. He did not explain it. He sent his Only-Begotten Son to be crucified by all the powers of evil so as to destroy them by His love, faith and obedience. This then is the way we must also follow.”5

***

When Jesus reveals Himself as the realization of David’s Psalm 23 story, He does not just flaunt His love in the presence of enemies; He invites them to the table too. In Luke 15, when Jesus tells the story of the good shepherd and the good woman who, upon finding what was lost, prepare a table with a feast and invite their friends, the Pharisees present would have heard their names called. The “friends” or haberim were an elite group of Pharisees who were even more intense in their separation from common folks — not visiting them, not traveling with them, not studying the law with them, and definitely never eating with them.7 Jesus calls His friends and neighbors to come celebrate with Him, to move toward the lost ones they have spent their whole lives judging.

Cognitive neuroscientist Thomas Fuchs writes that as we reenact the Lord’s Supper together, the church’s collective body memory of receiving Christ’s presence renews our participation in Christ’s life.8 When we suffer or are abused, evil scrawls forsaken, forgotten, and unloved all over our neural pathways, coiling our bodies with contempt and contention.

·         The sound of Christ’s words in our ears, the texture of the bread in our hands, the taste of red wine on our lips, the scent of candles, and the sight of kind eyes meeting ours can bring our whole bodies and minds back into a story where we are beloved.

The communal practice of communion gathers our grief with grace at the foot of the cross, enfolding us together into the life of the world to come.

The table of communion is the place where curse meets blessing. As we long for and seek the justice and reconciliation of the world to come, we can take our place at the table, even in the literal or figurative presence of our enemies, daring to believe that in Christ all that has been cursed can come back to life.

1.     Kenneth E. Bailey, The Good Shepherd: A Thousand-Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2014), 57.

2.     And, yes, I am talking about systemic racism and poverty in addition to abuse.

3.     Ps. 23:5a, emphasis added.

4.     Ps. 31:11–13.

5.     Alexander Schmemann, Of Water and the Spirit: A Liturgical Study of Baptism (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1974), 23.

6.     Bailey, Good Shepherd, 111. 204

7.     Thomas Fuchs, “Collective Body Memories,” in Embodiment, Enaction, and Culture: Investigating the Constitution of the Shared World, ed. Christoph Durt, Thomas Fuchs, and Christian Tewes (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2017), 333–49.

Excerpted from The Lord Is My Courage by K. J. Ramsey, copyright Katie Jo Ramsey.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith June 21, 2022

Stumbling upon the Deep Words of God

For thirty-six hours, I stared at the mist gathering in the valley and discussed the world and heaven with two close friends. It was midsummer. The Black Mountains of western North Carolina rise to the clouds. A spur of the Appalachian Range, they contain six of the Eastern United States’ highest peaks. Mount Mitchell gathers its summit at 6,684 feet — the highest of all. The Blacks range for fifteen miles and get their name from the dark fir and spruce trees that coat their heights. The boreal evergreens look black in winter as they contrast with the deciduous hardwoods upon the slopes.

Our cabin sat at 3,100 feet and jutted out, like a manmade promontory, into the steep river valley south of the spur. The first night, thunderstorms raged through the mountain basin, and we watched the ominous clouds gather overhead. They unleashed. The sounds of the storm took over. Lightning and rain and claps of thunder pelted and shook the cabin. Then, as quickly as it had gathered, the storm dispersed, vanishing over the ridge.

A cluster of stars peeked from behind the indigo veil and dripped their light into the valley that had just been ravished by the beauty of the summer storm. With the heat of the day gone, we lit the fire and laughed beneath the stars, writing haikus about the storm and trees and the smell of pine and whatever caught our fancy.

The next morning, we departed, filled up by camaraderie and joy. I let the joy guide me to a more scenic route home. Instead of barreling back to Charlotte on the highway, I wound my way to the Blue Ridge Parkway and drove toward the summit of Mount Mitchell. With the windows down and Gipsy Kings blaring in my speakers, I let my hand hang in the mountain air as the temperature cooled.

A thousand feet, then a thousand more; 85 degrees, then 75, then 65. The mountain air poured into my truck, sweet with mint and bergamot and pine and fir.

Wild bee balm lined the parkway with a crimson thread; their joyous red heads stood tall and confident, showing off their stunning glory. Beside them, the spindly rudbeckia beamed, their yellow petals a parade of color.

I drove with a permanent grin, as if I’d happened upon a secret meeting of angels who’d left a trail of heaven in their wake.

I could almost smell the celestial goodness in the air. The summit waited for me with its height and range and glory. Perhaps I’d find the angels and listen in on their meeting.

When I turned up the steep road, I heard distant thunder and found that for which my heart yearned: thunder-filled storm clouds marching toward the peak, while a great blue expanse spread out to the south: the meeting of the heavens.

I took in the view and thought how God greeted me with a billion joys, for that is all that can fit into the Black Mountains: countless trees, branches, leaves, flowers, clouds, deer, bear, bobcat, mist and storm, sky and sunshine, the intoxicating elements of it all working together. Yet my eyes could only drink in so much, leaving me wanting more.

“But Tim,” you say, “why didn’t you invite me on your mountain escapade? For I, too, long to see the joys of God on the mountaintops. This world of ours makes me want to stop everything and return to the remote places, if only to restore my sanity.”

“Ah, yes,” I reply. “I do apologize for the oversight. I only share this story to inspire you to head out on your own mountain escapade. When you ascend to the places of wonder, keep it in mind to let go of the world’s pace. If you’re really daring, sit and stare at a view for an uncomfortable amount of time. Let the sights and sounds bend in on you. I’m sure you, too, will find an angels’ meeting of your own.”

God created the world with an irresistible flair to draw us to Himself

God Invites Us into His Beauty

The bounty of wonder you and I discover in this world is no accident.

God created the world with deep intention, care, and love. He created with an irresistible flair to draw us to Himself.

When the apostle Paul stood before the stoics at the Areopagus, he noted their deep religious beliefs, ignorant and blind as they were, and invited the philosophers to see the billions upon billions of joys.1 For the seeker, the one groping for God, he said, these joys reveal the invisible qualities of His eternal power and divinity. And yet the beauty of natural wonder is not sufficient for spiritual salvation. Beauty unconnected to God leads humans into pagan idolatry. God Himself says He will destroy all beauty not rooted in Him (Isaiah 28:1–4).2

For the disciple of Jesus, the one groping for deeper intimacy with God, the revelation of these joys — of God’s power and divine nature — remind of His unlimited grace and care. But even more than that, they remind one of the lover who leaves flowers on His beloved’s doorstep. The flowers signal His loyalty and tenderness, but they also impart something of His heart concerning His beloved. The flowers say, “You remind me of this bouquet — full of life, bursting with color, alive with fragrance, a bounty snatched from the mountains.” The bouquet is a symbol of Christian love.3

In the half-light of Heaven, blowing through the incandescent clouds descending upon Mount Mitchell, I discovered the meeting of angels. They told me the story of the light that came so long ago, before humans walked the earth, and how it filled the cosmos with wisdom. The angels reminded me of the ancient philosophy that used to rule the earth, the one that predated our modern materialism (that is, the belief that the world is composed only of matter and the supernatural does not exist, as opposed to the love of material possessions).

It was basic and true, not because it was simple, but because it was so deep, full of paradox and the spectacle of wonder. It was a knowledge — a Word — bound up in the Artist’s mind behind the flower that blows in the mountain air, whose bend and bob can give “thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.”4

As I pondered this ancient philosophy from the angel’s story, I remembered that we journey through this world, stumbling upon the deep words of God at every turn, if only we have ears to hear them. Such a glorious paradox it was, that day at Mt. Mitchell, to hear the deep words of Heaven with my eyes and tastes their fragrance with my nose. They smell like bergamot, and behold, they are good.

1.See Acts 17:16–34. Keep in mind, Paul’s engagement with the philosophers at Athens was provoked by their idolatry. Paul was greatly stirred in his spirit because of their devotion to idols rather than the Creator God.

2.In the Old Testament, one of the seven-word groupings for beauty relates to the beauty and glory of nations. Nations that rise up and in pride claim their glory for themselves, forgetting God as their source, will face destruction. A prime example of this in the Scriptures is Sodom and Gomorrah.

3.I use Christian love here in a deliberate way to distinguish Christian love from pagan or secular love. Kierkegaard makes this same distinction in his Works of Love, chapter 11, “You Shall Love Your Neighbour.” See Søren Kierkegaard, Works of Love (New York: HarperPerennial, 2009).

4.William Wordsworth, “Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood” in Poetical Works [of] Wordsworth; with Introductions and Notes (London: Oxford University Press 1969), 462.

Excerpted from The Beauty Chasers by Timothy D. Willard, copyright Timothy Willard.

You’ve got to stop and smell the roses!  We miss the beauty and glory of God in our business.  Take time to share the joy of God . . . just sit back and smile!

Pastor Dale