I’ve been reading This Was Never the Plan (subtitled “Walking with God through the heartache of divorce”) by Vaneeetha Rendall Risner. Since I have never been divorced, but know of many who have been and are, and who often come to my office seeking guidance (not judgment), I decided to read this book, especially after reading some of the recommendations. It has been very helpful and much of what she says also applies to life, divorced or not. In one chapter, Mrs. Risner writes about THE FATHER’S EXTRAVAGANT LOVE. She uses the story of the prodigal son (I call it The Parable of the Loving Father) to drive home her point about needing and giving grace. In Luke 15 Jesus tells the story of the son who took the money and ran. Meanwhile, the older son stayed at home. Eventually the son came to his senses and said, “I need to go home and ask my father’s forgiveness.” He did just that. The father saw him coming and against all Jewish male protocol, hiked up his robe and ran to meet his son, showering him with love and kisses and acceptance and a feast. Meanwhile, back on the ranch the older son gets livid about his father’s show of affection and feast for his brother. He whined about his “faithfulness” to his father and the father’s response was simply, “This son who was lost is now found.” {Story told in my words}

Here is where Mrs. Risner’s words rang the bell:

How easily we fall into the same trap (as the older brother)-believing we deserve God’s favor because of our goodness and resenting his grace when it’s given freely to others. Perhaps the greatest danger for the older brother-and for us-is focusing on the younger brother’s behavior and how undeserving he is, rather than our own need for grace. The older brother needed to repent-not of obvious rebellion, but his self-righteousness and resentment. (emphasis mine)

Both sons needed to repent. One for his blatant sin; the other for his self-righteousness and resentment. We can either turn to the Father in surrender or we can turn away from the Father in shame. Which will it be for you?

In the April 9th post (you can read that here), I introduced you to Kyla Gillespie. To review: Kyla was unhappy in her own skin. Born a biological female, Kyla had gender dysphoria. After a period of rebellion that included alcoholism, gambling, and failed same-sex relationships, Kyla became Brycen as she transitioned to a male. She took hormone shots, had a hysterectomy, a mastectomy, and has only the “bottom surgery” left to perform the trifecta which would have fully transformed her body to male. For 6 years she lived that way. 

But God would not loose His grip on her. As He drew her closer to Himself; as she slowly yielded more and more of herself to Him; she deeply questioned that “bottom half” surgery. Along with the rejection of that surgery, Kyla also knew living as Brycen was a lie. She was not a male; she was a female. So she began the detransitioning process. There is much more to her story in Transformed by Kyla Gillespie. 

My purpose for writing, though, is not the right or wrong of trans living. It is what led to Kyla’s surrender to God, and ultimately, detransitioning. It was the same words Jesus spoke in the Garden: “Not my will but Yours be done.” In truth, we are all faced with responding to those words. Will I or will I not submit to those words? I cannot emphasize enough the gravity of “Not my will but Yours.” I write this in lieu of a situation I’m involved in as a pastor of people I dearly love. I don’t understand the judge’s decision when the evidence is so cut and dried. And yet, the decision has been put off again for another month. Meanwhile, a child’s life and mental & physical well-being is at stake. “Woe be that judge.” I wonder if she knows what a millstone is? (Jesus’ words about harming children). 

But still…the response required is “Not my will be Yours.” As hard as it is to say AND DO, God wants to hear that from my lips, from all those involved, and yes, from yours. “Not. my. will. but. Yours. be. done.” 

When grocery shopping with Jo, we invariably find ourselves in a line where the people ahead of us have a cart full of stuff, we maybe have 2 or 3 things, and they not only don’t offer us the opportunity to go ahead, but they end up being chatty-Cathy’s who do nothing but jibber jabber. (Can you tell how patient I am?)  

I live in a small town (Yay!) where traffic jams are almost non-existent (school being dismissed the same time some businesses dismiss is an exception). But I have been in bigger cities where it seems they ought to have signs posted: “Caution! 24 hour traffic jam ahead.” I suspect we have all been in traffic jams on an Interstate. Yeah, fun times.  

But waiting also has its advantages. “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.” (Is. 40:31). “Be still (wait) and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10). “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me.” (Ps. 40:1) So waiting has its advantages. 

There is one more. Joseph Stowell, former president of Moody Bible Institute, tells the story of a friend, Ben Wood, who founded Shepherds Home in Wisconsin for boys and girls with developmental disabilities. One time he asked Joe if he knew what the biggest maintenance problem at Shepherds was. 

Joe: “No.”

Ben: “Dirty windows. Our kids press their hands and faces against the windows because they’re looking to the sky to see if today might be the day that Jesus will return for them and take them to His home where they will be healed and complete.” (Story in Shepherding the Shepherd-Vol. 2- Lee Eclov-p.50) 

We all need to be window watchers patiently waiting for Jesus to return. Now THAT will make waiting worthwhile! 

WE. ALL. NEED. FRIENDS.

Despite the ’60s song that said, “I am a rock/I am an island,” that simply is not true. I’ve even heard people say, “I don’t need nobody else.” To that I say, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

The tough part of friendship is knowing whom to trust. You want to find someone you can open up to. The betrayal one feels when a person whom you trusted passes along sensitive information cuts deeply. You took a chance by revealing deep thoughts or doubts or actions and then to have that information passed along feels violating. Loyalty is a must for a friendship to flourish. 

Friendship also requires honesty. Lying to one another has no place if friendship is to develop and go beyond a surface “Hi.” Pr. 27:6 says, “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” (NLT) Friendships say what needs to be said, even if it hurts. 

At the same time there is honesty, there must also be sensitivity. Friends don’t blow off at friends. Friends choose their words carefully. They refrain from gossip because gossip separates the closest of friends. (Pr. 16:28) 

Being a friend is not easy at times, but it is essential. We all need someone. I can say Jo is my best friend (and she is), but I also need guy friends. Tragically, two of them passed away within the past two years. I miss them, especially Dave, but I know they were in my life for a reason. They were all the above characteristics. It is important, though, that I become a friend to someone else. Someone who is trustworthy (loyal), honest, and sensitive. 

“Lord, who do you want me to be a friend to?” 

After last week’s Resurrection Sunday uplift, this week is a little more down-to-earth.  Both the attendance and the sermon! We had a one-time opportunity to meet in our new addition, which isn’t close to being completed yet. We still have drywall to be finished, painted, electricity and all the fixtures to be finished and installed, the HVAC to be installed and finished, the bathrooms are far from finished, and the nursery is nowhere close. But it was good to get a taste of what it will be like together as one. We will continue working as God provides the money since we are committed to doing it debt free. And yes, we had a good crowd but I am not going to publish the number lest it be taken wrong. 

As for the sermon, it is entitled The Sending Savior from Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1 & 2. There is no doubt we live in a world that is changing. What are we as Christ-followers supposed to do? Live in fear? Curl up into a fetal position and pretend it doesn’t exist? Do we cover our ears saying, “Lalalala” not believing it is true? The answer is NO. We are to live with faith over fear. Jesus once said the gates of hell will not prevail against His church. We have a chance to live that truth…right here…right now. The work for the Kingdom is not done, not by a long shot. It was just beginning when Jesus gave the commission to His followers and it has continued and will continue until He returns. He has sent us to do His work.

I’d like to invite you to join us this Sunday at 9 and 10:45. If you are unable to come in person, please join us via live stream on our Facebook page or our YouTube channel.  We would be honored if you would join us. And please, leave us a note saying you were there. If you can’t do any of the above, please pray for us. 

Only a person born yesterday or has their head buried in the sand would not know there is a social (and spiritual) battle raging in our culture today. It has been around, but the onslaught began a few years ago with the Riley Gaines and Lia Thomas fiasco in swimming. It really hit its stride in recent years. The scandal in the college volleyball world. An Olympic boxer whose punch was so hard it totally discouraged a female boxer to continue within seconds of the first round. More recently, the Olympic committee handing down its verdict that no man can compete in women’s sports. And more.  

I’m speaking, of course, of the “trans” movement. Let me say up front that I believe each individual matters to God-straight, gay, trans, liberal, conservative, white, black, Hispanic, or whomever.  God is not into saying, “You are such-and-such so I like you better.” He has unconditional love for each one of us and the Bible tells us that “He is patient and wants all men everywhere to repent and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Peter 3:9). But whether we like it or not, God has standards that are found in His Word. We can use all the arguments we want from culture, psychology, personal beliefs, etc but eventually our sole yardstick is God’s Word. And whether we like to admit it or not, God’s Word is pretty clear about “alternate lifestyles” and transitioning from what He originally made us. The Bible is clear that “God made us male and female.” (Genesis 2:18-25). Jesus’ own words back that up. (Mt. 19:4).

What started me thinking of this more seriously is the book I am reading: Transformed by Kyla Gillespie. I am almost 3/4 of the way through and it has been a mixed emotion read. No disgust. Just sadness. The pain Kyla experienced growing up with gender dysphoria and feeling more male than female is palpable. I feel for her. I feel for her struggle of trying to decide what road to take, yet at the same time wanting to maintain a relationship with Jesus. (She eventually dumped that for over 10 years as she followed her own desires). Her decision to transition that started with testosterone injections, and then a hysterectomy and “top half” surgery. Those were considered two of the three surgeries necessary to complete her transition. She is contemplating the “bottom half” but I have not reached her decision yet. But she has been loved unconditionally by a couple, BJ and Jess, who have led her back to wanting a committed relationship with Jesus.  It has also led her to her current crisis of the “bottom half” surgery. Do I or don’t I?

I don’t know the result yet (I did not read ahead). But two Scriptures are rocking her world. Isaiah 45:9-12 and Psalm 139:13-16. I’ll let you read them. I will also revisit this post after I finish the book. Until then, I highly recommend it. 

In the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, there is an oft lost or passed over story. Even now it is possible you are thinking, “Huh? I know that story like the back of my hand and I can’t think of any.” Possibly so. But then again, I’m willing to guess there is one story passed over this past celebration weekend. It’s almost like a sidebar or a footnote. 

The incident? John 19:38-39 (Please take a moment to read it). Two men. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Two men with secrets who now make it public. Joseph we are told is a secret disciple “because he feared the Jewish leaders;” and Nicodemus, who came to Jesus at night (see John 3). But both rose to the occasion when it was necessary. Joseph provided the request to Pilate and the tomb; Nicodemus provided the help and along with Joseph the spices and linen cloths necessary for a Jewish burial. 

Joseph risked everything, as did Nicodemus-status, reputation, and safety-to honor Jesus with a proper burial. There is no question in my mind that their lives changed forever that day. Can you hear the tongues? Can you hear the chatter at the next Sanhedrin meeting? “They did what?” “I had no clue of their allegiance.” “Of all the nerve. Kick them out. NOW!”

I’m surmising by this time neither Joseph nor Nicodemus really cared what their colleagues thought. They had staked their claim. Or as we might say, “That’s their story and they’re stickin’ to it.” 

Secret disciple no more. Devoted disciple forever. 

I mentioned in yesterday’s post I was tired. I finally figured out that at 73 I am not going to recover as quickly as I used to.  You guessed it, I’m still tired.    So I’m going to borrow some thoughts from my sermon Sunday morning. 

“Jesus invited people to believe in Him. Not just in His teaching. Not just in His cause. Not just in His ideology. But in Him. He called people to a personal belief in Him. But that also means He must be who He said He was. That He was worthy of our belief. He was and is unique. He was and is one of a kind. And what TOTALLY sets Him apart is the event we celebrate today-His resurrection from the dead.” 

My message was entitled The Surprising Savior. I called it that because no one expected the event we celebrated Sunday: His resurrection.  No one expected it. Not the disciples. Not the ladies who went to the tomb that morning (remember: they were wondering how they were going to move the stone). Not the religious leaders (they thought He was dead and gone for good). Not Herod and the Romans (they only did the dirty deed because they were intimidated or told to). NO ONE! 

The Easter message can be distilled into one simple sentence: Jesus came back to life after He died. We use the word resurrection to describe the event. That word comes from resurge or resurgence, in the sense of “coming back” or “rising up.” 

Plain and simple: The resurrection of Jesus is the central tenet of the Christian faith. If someone can dismantle the resurrection, they would succeed in sinking the uniqueness of Jesus and the Christian faith. Without mentioning any names, no other religion can make the claim that their leader has risen from the dead and has been seen by hundreds of others. The resurrection is the anchor point for the cables that hold the Christian faith together. 

That is why, if anyone wants to destroy Christianity, they must first start with dismantling the truth of the resurrection. People a whole lot smarter than me have tried to do that but all it comes to is EPIC FAIL. I’m not the smartest person on the block, but I will stake it all on this one truth: Jesus rose from the dead. 

I heard that often as a young pastor. I didn’t understand. They were, of course, speaking of preparing for special days, like a special Christmas service or (novel idea) a special Resurrection Sunday service. That is where I find myself this morning. Let me explain.

We have been saving for an addition to our church building since 2018. We have vowed to pay cash for it. Since we have no debt we have determined we would stay that way. It allowed us to weather COVID well. Due to God’s faithfulness, the people’s faithful giving, and careful watching of the church’s finances, we were not hit like many churches. No staff layoffs. No cutback on programs (except those our state government “requested”). No concern over which bill to pay or not to pay. God and His people were good. 

In 2018 we finished a much-needed youth addition to our building-functional and modest-and immediately started saving for an addition to our current  building. It would serve as a new worship area where the adults could attend as one. Seven long years later we began by breaking ground. We watched as it slowly developed into a building that we had planned and saved for. It still isn’t done and we will have to put a “hold” on getting some things done due to costs being more than estimated, but yesterday (Resurrection Sunday) we were able to meet in the new addition. It was “rough.” The drywall is installed but not finished. The electricity is installed but there are only 3 working outlets. The HVAC cannot even begin to be installed until May due to his schedule. So we used propane heaters for 2 hours before to warm up the building (and when people got there no one noticed the chill). We borrowed 150 chairs from our neighboring event venue. Men and women worked hard on Saturday setting chairs, getting the sound system working, getting the lobby/greeting area inviting and a myriad of other chores. Along with some natural lighting (thanks God for the sunshine), we also used some portable LED lighting. 

With God’s help and with a tremendous effort by many of our people, WE DID IT! It was a wonderful day! For a little over an hour or so, we worshiped the Risen Christ. It was a great foretaste of what is to come when we are finished. Next week, we will be back to our old “digs.” The drywall needs finished. When money is available the electricity will be finished and HVAC will be installed. The walls will be painted. The bathrooms will be finished and the nursery will take on the look of a nursery. But we are okay with waiting. We have waited this long. What’s another couple of months or more? 

But I started this by saying I was tired. I will echo my older mentors: “It just takes a lot out of me.” I am tired this morning. But this is a good tired. And I could put up with that all year long.

Let’s see: I’ve been to pastor’s conferences. I’ve been to church growth conferences. I’ve been to youth pastor’s conferences. I’ve been to music concerts. Chances are good then, except for possibly the latter, you too have been to a puff-out-the-chest conference. By now I suspect you know what one is. It’s a group of pastor/youth leaders getting together and becoming blowhards. You know: “We’ve had x amount of additions this past year.” Not to be outdone another blowhard says, “We’ve had x amount of baptisms the past 6 months.” “Our attendance has doubled in the past year.” Blah. Blah. Blah. On and on it goes; where it stops nobody knows.  I was joking with the staff the other day. On the Day of Pentecost it says 3000 were added to the church that day. A few verses later it talks about a great multitude. “The 3000,” I said, “is the actual count. The great multitude is the preacher count.”

Sadly, many pastor/church leaders are blowhards. Been there done that. We get into a puff-out-the-chest game of one-upmanship. We act like “my dad can beat up your dad” kind of kids. 

Strange. I distinctly remember something being written about our leader who came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. That very same leader said, “Unless you become like little children you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” I wonder how long it will take us to realize riding on a donkey is better than a Roman steed and becoming like a child is better than an overblown adult?

Instead of puffing out the chest, we ought to be sucking air wilting in the presence of the King of kings, the real King, the One who showed us it was all about being a servant, not winning a game of “i can top you.” Blowhards need to come in contact with a pin cushion.