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Blogs, John Grant

Look Down

By Florida Senator John Grant, Retired

Week Six, 2020

LOOK DOWN

“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,” (Acts 7:55).

It was a cold winter day as the four of us huddled together on a London train platform waiting for the local to go see one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. When we arrived, the outside was nothing outstanding, but when we entered, it was another story.

St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle is famous as the burial place of Henry VIII as well as the location where Prince Harry and Princess Meghan were married. I was amazed by its stunningly beautiful ceiling. But staring up at this exquisite architectural masterpiece is difficult, so a mirror has been placed on the ground.

When we stand before it, we can look down to see up. I couldn’t but think of a spiritual parallel. Jesus came down to earth so we could see the God who lives in heaven. There is one difference between Jesus and the mirror in the castle.

A mirror is not a person, though it reflects one. But Jesus is God, not just his reflection. He is “God made visible.” Colossians 1 states that the Christ is “the image of the invisible God” (v. 15). This is an astounding fact. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

When you watch Jesus in action, you watch God in action. When you hear Jesus teach, you hear God teach. When you come to know what Jesus is like, you know what God is like. You don’t need to be in the dark about God. He has gone beyond parchment and paper.

He has gone beyond tapes and cassettes. He has gone beyond videos and even beyond live drama. He has actually come and pitched His tent in our backyard and beckoned us to watch Him and get to know Him in the person of his Son Jesus.

So, to see the God above, look down and look around to see Jesus in action and God will come into your focus.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my border.

I was reading through 1 Chronicles and came upon the passage made famous by Bruce Wilkinson’s bestseller, The Prayer of Jabez: “Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked” (1 Chronicles 4:10).

For God to “enlarge” his “border” meant to increase his territory and influence. Jabez wanted his life to count as fully as possible. But he knew that this was impossible unless the “hand” of God was “with” him to lead, empower, and protect.

Such a prayer may seem audacious, but “God granted what he asked.” It seems that the Lord wants us to seek to be all we can be for His glory and the good of others.

• We are to “work heartily” in all we do (Colossians 3:23). Are you doing so?

• God wants us to “approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10). Are you ready for that day?

• Our Father empowers what he expects: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). Are you seeking such empowerment? Jim Denison

— o —

What would you guess might be the most popular Bible verse, according to You Version’s 400 million users?

Philippians 4:6 is the answer. The verse says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

What does its popularity say about us?

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

We cannot be like Christ without the help of Christ. Jim Denison

The phrase “do not fear” appears more than 300 times in the Bible. Kelly Knouse

Christians spend more time and money in the streets than the followers of other religions spent in their temples. Historian Eberhard Arnold

The church’s greatest need is the Word of God

God uses ordinary people for extraordinary plans. Ken Whitten

People cannot be saved unless Jesus saves them. Dr. Ronnie Floyd

Blogs, Jeremy Stopford

“9-11 PLUS 10”

Jeremy Stopford photo
Jeremy Stopford

FOLLOW ME SERIES – MESSAGE # 3

Matthew 10;28 ff

Originally preached September 11, 2011

Rev. Jeremy Stopford, Retired Pastor

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?

And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Therefore whoever confesses Me before men,

him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. vs. 28-32

INTRODUCTION

There are many times you can communicate much when you ask a simple question which starts with, “where were you when…”. 

For example, “Where were you when the Apollo 11 crew landed on the moon on July 20, 1969?”  “Where were you when JFK was shot?”.  “Where were you when Nixon resigned?”.  “Where were you when you heard that Elvis died?”.

And…”where were you on 9/11/2001?”.  Most of us have an answer.

ILLUSTRATION:  The birth of a 9/11 baby

Here are “Reflections from a  new father” as given by David Skidmore, a youth pastor whose daughter was born on, you guessed it, 9/11/2001:

“I have looked forward to writing this article for…oh…about nine months, and I had hoped that they would be joyous words devoted totally to my gratitude to the Father for bestowing the same title upon me…again. Indeed, I am thankful that Anna Belle Skidmore was born on September 11, 2001 (7 lbs., 13 oz. and 20 inches long with red hair and blue eyes like her sister), but my heart is heavy that as our family added a member, so many lost those whom they had brought into this world. The world Anna Belle was welcomed into is a different world than the one that awaited her one day earlier, but I have to reflect on the words of the doctor as she held my daughter in the air for her first unaided breath as a TV over our bed told of the unfolding drama, horror, and tragedy. She turned to everyone in the room and said, “May this child be a reminder of who is really in control of our world.”…

“On the way to the church to write these words, I heard the “Star Spangled Banner” being played on the radio. On either side of the road were flags hung by the doors of several houses — one even hand drawn by a child, but I have to trust that it is not only the flag to which we gained a greater allegiance this day, but also we became aware of our need for our nation to truly be “under God.” If July 4th is our Independence Day, perhaps September 11th should become our “Dependence Day”…a moment in which we as a nation came to realize that our total hope, future, and lives were placed more securely in His hands.”

ILLUSTRATION:     ESPN article on sports on 9/11

More out of curiosity than anything else, I did a search on the computer for anything under the subject “10 years later”.  Being sports oriented as I am, I should not have been surprised by an ESPN article to be published this week in their magazine.  The article is entitled, “A Whole New Game”. Here are some choice excerpts:

“LATE THAT SUMMER OF 2001, the New York Giants began referring to themselves as the NYPD Blue, running plays in practice with names like “rescue” and “explosion.” They had lost in the Super Bowl the season before and expected to return and win. The captains recited an informal motto between 100-yard sprints at training camp: “Be ready to sacrifice.”

Their season opener was scheduled for Sept. 10 in Denver. It was a matchup of elite teams on Monday Night Football, with 15 million viewers expected, and the first game at Invesco Field. Giants coach Jim Fassel called a team meeting three days before the game and delivered a speech he had made dozens of times in his career, a speech he would never fully believe again.

“Starting now,” he told his players, “this game is the only thing that matters.” …

   19 YEARS HAVE passed since the terrorist attacks reconfigured America’s priorities, and sports are no longer as carefree as they were in those first days of September. What once offered a respite from the real world has instead become a part of it. A trip to the stadium sometimes means a metal detector at the entrance, a mandatory bag check inside the gate, a no-fly zone overhead and armed police officers standing alongside autograph seekers outside locker rooms. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has helped train colleges on how to guard against terrorism at sporting events. In 2006, the FBI investigated potential terrorist threats at NFL stadiums…

Every fan is a potential threat. Every athlete is a potential fraud.

“I think of Sept. 11 as the major marker in my life, in sports, in the history of this country,” Fassel says. “It’s a stark divide. There’s what it was like before, and then there’s what it’s like after.””

The world has changed much in 10 years.  Just go to an airport if you don’t believe that.   And make sure you’re there at least 2 hours before flight time!

But the greatest change perhaps is our understanding of “fear”.  Before 9/11, we had no fear of any country or religion.  After 9/11, there is a national fear of those whom we have identified as “radical Islamists”.  And unfortunately, that means that anyone who LOOKS like an Islamist is now a potential terrorist – at least that is what some say.

What is the Christian response?  Our text in Matthew 10 shows things which should be our guide, our attitudes, for a world which as much now as then, needs to hear a true gospel from those who say they love Jesus.  

Prayer

Over 2,000 years ago, our Savior gave the Christian response to “9/11 plus 10” in Matthew 10:

1.   Fear eternal God, not mortal man  (vs. 28-31)
>>> Is Christ our only fear?
2.   Confess God freely before a world which hungers to hear (vs. 32-33)
Illustration:  Ray Stedman on “from darkness to light”.

The late Pastor  Stedman told the story about a fellow in his church who was concerned about a friend of his who was severely depressed.  But the friend was an avowed atheist, agnostic, anti-God, everything.  So Ray offered to talk with him.  The man came to Ray, and Ray offered two things to the man:  “if you are willing, I will read a word of Scripture, and I will pray.  That’s it.”  The man agreed, and that’s what Ray did.  He then asked the man, “does that mean anything to you?”, to which the man answered, “no.”  But the man was willing to come back.  And for weeks, months, and even years, every week the man came to Ray, and the results were the same.  And one week Ray read a Scripture, prayed, and asked, “does that mean anything to you?” and the man said, “well, yes it did.”  And Ray said, “you meditate on that this week.”  The next week came the same response.  This went on for several months when one day the man said to Ray, “I have come to know Jesus as Savior!”.  The man is now a leading servant in the church Ray founded in California.

What happened?  Ray realized every man, woman, boy, and girl, is in a journey to know God. We have no control over the time length of that journey, but we DO have the light which can change a heart.

>>> Is Christ our only confession?

3.  Find our true worth in being a follower of the cross (vs. 34-37,39)
 >>> Is Christ our only Lord?

4. Give a cup of water in Jesus’ name  (vs. 40-42)
>>> Is Christ our only gift?

CONCLUSION

Go back to verse 38:  “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”

The key thought is to answer individually the question, >>> Is Christ our only worth?

A person of Jesus’ day would know immediately what Jesus is requesting.  The imagery would be of someone carrying his cross outside the city of Jerusalem to a Roman execution.  Jesus is asking, “Am I your only worth?”  “Will you take up your cross for that which has eternal value?”.

“9/11 Plus 10” has shown the need for our complete devotion to Christ alone.  And the test of that devotion is obedience.

CLOSE IN PRAYER

Blogs, John Grant

The Button

Week Five, 2020

THE BUTTON

By Florida Senator John Grant, Retired

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).

Remember way back when as you were on a family vacation and you want to get a photo for the coffee table of the whole family, kids and dog included, with the mountains in the background? After finding the right backdrop and staging the right pose, then you had to find another tourist to snap your vacation memory photo.

You would hand the camera to someone who looked like a good candidate and meticulously show them what to press and then get back in the pose (the dog was the hardest) Ready, aim…. “Now what do I have to push,” says the photographer and you start all over again.

Now things have changed. Cameras are out and phones are in. Want a photo? Just ask anyone and hand them your phone. Snap and it is done. No training required because everyone has the same phone. Picture taking is universal.

There is a spiritual parallel here. There are many religions that profess different ways to access God, but Christianity says there is only one way. This is the universal way, so clearly spelled out in the Bible.

It seems that religious pluralism has become the default setting in our culture. Everyone wants it their way. But, no matter how great the pressure to conform or to compromise, Christians must stand firm and insist that there is only one way of salvation, namely, faith in Jesus Christ. The reason is simple: that’s exactly what Jesus Himself taught.

The message of the New Testament could hardly be clearer: if you’re not saved through Jesus, you’re not saved. The modern-day pluralist may allow Christ to be one among many ways to salvation, but—to borrow a thought from C. S. Lewis—Christ Himself didn’t leave that option open to us. Either He is Lord overall, or He isn’t Lord at all.

If the basic human problem is as the Bible describes it—that we’re sinners standing under the righteous judgment of God, unable even to begin to make an adequate atonement for our own sins—then only Christianity presents a solution that adequately addresses the problem. No other religion offers a perfect mediator between God and man who removes the enmity between us and our Creator by bearing the penalty for our sin in our place.

If the Bible is right about our predicament, then Jesus must be the only way of salvation, and our duty must be to proclaim Him as the only way. Love of God, love of Christ, love of neighbor, and love of truth leave us with no alternative.

There is no other button to press.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

THEY:

As we delve into 2020, we are learning about the latest social trends. Pop culture fads. The person of the year. The most googled word. And each dictionary announces their word of the year.

Merriam-Webster billed as “America’s most trusted dictionary,” recently announced their word of the year is “they.”

They? How could an elementary, third-person plural pronoun be the word of the year?

The answer is simple. Sort of. “They” has changed its meaning. In a statement, the organization explained that “they” is now used by those who identify as gender non-binary. “English famously lacks a gender-neutral singular pronoun,” they explained.

Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor-at-large, told the Associated Press that searches for the term skyrocketed after a number of celebrity figures announced their gender-neutrality, including model Oslo Grace and Amandla Stenberg. “It’s a word we all know and love,” Sokolowski said. “So many people were talking about this word.”

According to another source, the American Psychological Association approved “they” as a singular third-person pronoun and updated its latest style guide for scholarly writing accordingly.

And so, the confusion and controversy in our culture over gender-identity continues, as evidenced by the simple word of the year, “they.”

Don’t you miss the simple days, when boys were boys and girls were girls? When we knew the difference between single and plural pronouns? When “he” meant a male. “She” meant a female. And “they” referred to a group.

I don’t claim to understand the confusion over gender identity. I’m not a psychologist or psychiatrist. I’m a preacher. So, I will offer a simple Bible explanation.

Gender crisis and confusion exists because people have strayed away from God. They have lost their spiritual identity. And they have denied the Creator and His purpose for their lives.

Our society is on the fast track to becoming like the pagan culture Paul described in Romans chapter one. “…They knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” (Rom. 1:21-25)

The Bible says that in the beginning God created the first pair “male and female.” He pronounced a blessing upon them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Gen 1:27-28). Later when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees a question relating to marriage, he responded this way.

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh; therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matt 19:4-6)

The Bible does not give us free rein to choose our sexual preferences and gender identity.

Our culture has taken something simple, and obvious and made it so complex and complicated that it goes beyond the absurd. Yet, “enlightened” educators, politicians, journalists and sadly some church leaders, nod with some kind of knowing empathy that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, feelings, behavior and sexual identity or preference.

Our culture has lost its way. The real crisis today is a crisis of values. G. K. Chesterton was right when he wrote, “The danger when men stop believing in God is not that they’ll believe nothing; but that they will believe in anything.”

The solution is not to seek our gender identity, but to seek God. To desire spiritual communion with Him. And to accept who He created us to be.

Parents, preachers, and Bible teachers must now emphasize to a new generation influenced by the confusion of their culture, that God created us. He made us male and female. He gave us distinct gender roles. And that our body does not belong to us, it belongs to the Lord.

In response to those truly disturbed and confused by their gender and sexuality, let us offer God’s grace. Extend mercy. Show love. And care for those emotionally tortured.

May we, like our Heavenly Father, grieve over the brokenness of our culture and the depravity into which the devil has ensnared them.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

You can’t enjoy the sight of the beautiful rainbow without rain.

The peace of God requires the power of God. Jim Denison

Would you have a second child if you knew that child would murder your first child? We are God’s second children. And He chose to make us, and His first child chose to die for us, anyway. Jim Denison

No one ever choked from swallowing his pride.

God does his deepest work in the deepest times of your life. Adrian Rogers

The greatest gift we can pass down to the next generation is to instill the value of giving back.

We don’t need a platform or a position to share the Good News. Kelly Knouse

Blogs, Jeremy Stopford

ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH

By Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Retired Pastor

(Matthew 9:27-31)

Message #2 from the “Follow Me” Series
Originally preached September 4, 2011

INTRODUCTION  

Today’s Special:  “A Diary Funny” .

WIFE’S DIARY:

Tonight I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn’t flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn’t say much.

I asked him what was wrong. He said, “Nothing.” I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn’t upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving.

I can’t explain his behavior. I don’t know why he didn’t reply, “I love you, too.” When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted  nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I  decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep; I cried. I don’t know what to do. I’m almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

HUSBAND’S DIARY:    

“A four putt! Who FOUR putts? Arrrgghh.”

*  Identify yourself:  Are you a “fan” or “follower” of Jesus?

*  “Follow Me” in Scripture will assist us in that answer!   

Prayer


1. A SIMPLE STORY  (Matthew 9:27-31)

   This passage is in the context of our previous message, where Matthew had come to follow Jesus.    Perhaps the blind men were in the area when Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow Me.”  Perhaps they knew Matthew and his reputation for being a scoundrel.  And now?  Matthew following Jesus?  Impossible!

Our text tells us about these two blind men who follow Jesus, present themselves to Him, and then are amazed that He asks them one simple question, “do you believe that I can do for you what you’ve been wanting all your lives, to see?”  And then He replies, “it will be done to you according to your faith.”  And it was!

What faith?  What is there in this passage that we can follow as well?

Without taking too many liberties, let’s look at the dynamics of their faith!

2.  AN AWESOME FAITH!

* They had an eternal affliction – they were blind.  There were no eye surgeons.  Their condition was hopeless.   Their physical hopelessness was similar to the spiritual hopelessness of their – and our – day.   Over and over Jesus calls the religious leaders of the day “blind guides”.

But our text tells us that they knew Isaiah 42:6,7.  They knew that the Messiah was sent to heal the blindnesses of the world – especially the spiritual.

*  They followed Jesus  Considering their blindness, this no doubt was no easy task.  They were out of their comfort zone, literally.  And yet the text says, they followed Him wherever He went.

*  They knew the Scriptures:  “Son of David” is a Messianic term indicating that they believed the One they were following was the One promised in Scriptures to one day sit on David’s throne as King of Israel, and of the world.  “Have mercy on us” is a phrase showing their remembrance of the mercy seat of the temple where animals were sacrificed to atone for national sins.  This reminds us today of the cross.  “Yes Lord” is a submission to Christ’s Lordship.  Even if it is only to His being Master of their lives, that, too says volumes.  How many masters are there in the world? They followed but One!

  • “According to their faith” =

(1) A trust in truth 

(Heb. 11:1,6): “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

(2) Active in love 

(1 Cor. 13:2):  “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love  [“don’t love others” New Living Translation], I am nothing.”

(3) A trust in God’s Word 

(Romans10:17):  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

(4) A focus on the eternal 

(2 Corinthians 5:7):  “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

(5) A powerful weapon: 

(Ephesians 6:16)  “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

CONCLUSION:  

With that faith, they spread what they knew all over their world!  

Do we?

Close in Prayer

Blogs, John Grant

The PlayBOOK

Week Four, 2020

THE PLAYBOOK

By Florida Senator John Grant, retired

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

It’s the biggest sports event of the year. Millions watch it and thousands pay big bucks to be able to attend and view it in person. Athletes train year-round and compete throughout the fall just for the opportunity to participate and hopefully win “the ring.” Not only do they physically train and compete, they are in a mental game which requires much understanding and mental comprehension. They have a playbook and what they read on each page has to be precisely executed on the field of play. The event is called the Superbowl.

The playbook is one of the common elements in all levels of football from peewee to pro. It contains the game plan each team uses to try to overcome its opponent. Without the playbook teams and players would be in a state of confusion, not knowing what to do or where to go. On the other hand, no matter how good the playbook is, it’s absolutely useless if the players don’t study and apply it.

Life is like that and there is no better playbook than the Word of God. It contains everything we need to defeat the opposition (the Devil).

Although we may recognize that God has a plan for our lives, we often do not acknowledge that the Devil has a game plan too. It is completely opposite of God’s plan. The Devil’s plan is to “steal and kill and destroy” our lives, while God’s plan is to give us a full and abundant life.

In order for us to consistently overcome our adversary, we must know what God’s “playbook” says by reading and studying it and apply what it says to our lives. If we don’t, we are feeding right into the plans of our enemy. God has placed us all in another game. It is called the Superbowl of Life.

Here are some of the plays in God’s playbook for our lives.

So, then, how can we know God’s plan for our lives? Over the past twenty-five years that I have been in ministry, I have discovered eight vital keys to knowing God’s will and plan for your life. Here they are:

1) Walk with God.

2) Surrender your will to God’s.

3) Obey what you already know to be God’s Will.

4) Seek godly input.

5) Pay attention to how God has wired you.

6) Listen to God’s Spirit.

7) Listen to your heart.

8) Take a look at your circumstances.

The next time you begin to ponder God’s plan for your life, mull over the above eight keys. Use these principles to help you to focus on the plays in His plan. And when you seek His will earnestly, you will find it!

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Fruits of God’s Kingdom:

  • Love
  • Joy
  • Peace
  • Patience
  • Kindness
  • Goodness
  • Gentleness
  • Faithfulness
  • Self-control
  • Rest
  • Acceptance
  • Fruits of Satan’s Kingdom:
  • Hatred
  • Depression
  • Anxiety/Angst
  • Impatience/Irritability
  • Mean-spiritedness
  • Evilness
  • Harshness/rough
  • Faithless/hopeless
  • Out of Control
  • Striving with exhaustion
  • Rejection

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The of kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in you” (Luke 17:20).

— o —

CASH NO LONGER KING:

When Oliver Hicks finished helping his family with yard work last summer, his dad handed him $50 in cash. Oliver didn’t want it. He asked his dad to send him the money through an app on his phone.

“He was like, ‘What do you mean? There’s $50 in cash right in front of you. Why don’t you want it right now?’” recalls Oliver, a 20-year-old sophomore at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania.

Oliver is like many young adults and teens in that he prefers the convenience of a digital wallet to physical cash—even if it means waiting a while to receive payment. People often use mobile payment services like Venmo and Cash App to reimburse friends for office gifts or dinner. But with young people snubbing cash altogether, parents and grandparents now are being forced to join in if they want to compensate them for chores or babysitting.

— o —

The average American household now has almost $16,000 in credit card debt.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

You may be the captain of the ship, but God is the ruler of the seas. Steve Scott

We don’t always believe things because they are true, but because they are expedient. Elle Sheen’s Diary

Sometimes we need darkness to reveal our light.

Our disappointments are often God’s appointments. Ken Whitten

Take time every day to celebrate the many gifts that are hidden in the ordinary events of your life. Cesar Milla

Comedian Will Rogers said it well: “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.”

Are you walking in your calling? Sol Pitchon

It’s amazing what you can do when you don’t have a choice.

Blogs, Jeremy Stopford

Matthew the Follower

FOLLOW ME SERIES – MESSAGE #1

“MATTHEW THE FOLLOWER” (Matt. 9:9-13; Joshua 14:6)

Originally preached August 21, 2011

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Retired Pastor

INTRODUCTION:    

Today’s Special:  “Goldberg Brothers” .   

The four Goldberg brothers – Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and Max – invented and developed the first automobile air-conditioner.

On July 17, 1946, the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees. The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford’s office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that four gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter.

Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car.

They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about 130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the car off immediately.

The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3 million for the patent.

The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label – The Goldberg Air-Conditioner – on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed.

Now old man Ford was proud of the Ford name, and there was no way he was going to put the Goldberg’s name on two million Ford cars.

They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million and that just their first names would be shown.  And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show on the controls. Lo, Norm, Hi, and Max.

ILLUSTRATION:  Thuvia’s ID theft  The other day my wife received an email verifying her transaction of $68.13 from her Paypal account to someone named “Sari in Europe”.  The only problem is that she doesn’t have a Paypal account. AND the transaction route was from my checking account, not from Thuvia’s.   It took several hours to eliminate this transaction, but the emotional consequences were understandably many!

*  Which leads us to a good question –  What is YOUR ID:  are you a “fan” or “follower” of Jesus?

*  The phrase “Follow Me”  in Scripture will assist us in that answer!   Prayer

1.  Jesus loves the individual faith (Matt. 9:9ff)

a.  Ministry of vs. 1–7 viewed by the crowd (v. 8)

b. Ministry of v. 9 only to an individual (Matthew)

c.  “Follow Me” – Matthew knew this to mean:

1.  “Serve Me, and not Rome nor yourself”

2.  Hunger only for the Big Picture – My Glory

3.  My job is your job  (tax collecting, writing a book of compassion for my fellow Jews) (see Col. 3:23; 1 Cor. 10:31)

4.  Your ridicule is My ridicule (v. 10ff)

5.  Your invitation is my invitation (v. 10; Luke 5:27 identifies this as Matthew’s house)  (See also Matt. 11:28-30)

2.  Jesus loves the individual focus  (Josh. 14:6ff)

a.  Contrast in worship – Caleb was a “Kenizzite”, thus a descendant of Esau who represented the flesh and not the faith of Israel.  Caleb’s worship of the true God was seen in his representing the tribe of Judah.

b.  Contrast in walk – “if the Lord is with me”. Caleb said to Joshua, “It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them [the Anakim at Hebron] out as the Lord said.” Caleb was willing to exercise his faith because his focus was on God alone!

CONCLUSION:

We call ourselves “people of faith”.  Based upon the accounts of Matthew and Caleb, how would we respond to these heart questions:

1.  I say “I follow Jesus” – am I still following my plan for my life, or is my plan surrendered to His plan?

2.  I say “I follow Jesus” – when people look at my home and my job, do they see Jesus on display, or me?

3.  I say “I follow Jesus” – am I looking for opportunities to include Him in my day?

4. I say “I follow Jesus” – like Caleb, am I looking for ways to exercise my faith?

IF I’M NOT “FOLLOWING JESUS”, WHO AM I FOLLOWING?

                     Close in prayer

Blogs, John Grant

What is Weighing You Down?

Week Three, 2020

What is weighing you down?

By Florida Senator John Grant, Retired

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

When I studied pre-flight aeronautics, I learned what I had to do to check my airplane before departing. One important item was weight and balance. In order to fly, an aircraft has to be within weight limitations and weight has to be distributed in the right place. Too much weight or wrongfully distributed weight will keep the plane from lifting off the runway or if it does, if it is nose or tail heavy, it will come back to earth quickly, often with disastrous consequences.

Life is like that. We cannot move forward when we are held back by carrying too much of the past. All too often our priorities are in the wrong place.

Often, we can be oblivious to the number and cumulative impact of the initiatives we have in progress at the same time. Too often we lack the mechanisms to manage the demands that having too much on our plate places on us.

Worse than having too much to manage, is having the wrong priorities. What needs to get done now doesn’t get done, because what can be done later is speaking more loudly. Often our choices are not items that are right or wrong, but rather important or more important.

Sadly, too often our spiritual life gets unprioritized and pushed to the back burner. Often this happens to me and I get disconnected from God

What’s a good way to tell that you’re disconnected from God? When you feel like an emotional mess. Every time you feel angry, sad, resentful, unworthy, depressed, you name it, you are being given a sure sign that you’re putting God last. I have been that way all too often and ashamed of it.

When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims of our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.

Jesus said that the most important thing in our lives is to first seek the kingdom of God. And, oh by the way, He continues to add that when we do this, everything in our life falls into its proper and manageable place.

What is the most important priority in your life today?

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

The temptation of being good:

As I read about our veterans, thought about my father’s sacrifice, I was inspired to make Jabez’s prayer my own. If millions of men and women could give their best to serve our nation, I can give my best to serve my Lord.

Here’s the problem: it is tempting to settle for less than our best when our good seems better than others. If we have not yielded to cultural pressure on abortion, homosexual relations, euthanasia, etc., we can conclude that we are more moral than those who have. But heterosexual sexual sin is sin as well. God cares for the poor as well as the unborn. He wants the best medical care for the indigent as well as the terminally ill.

And He wants us to champion all that He champions. I have noticed that it is easier to preach against sins I am not tempted to commit personally. Jim Denison

— o —

$123 billion: The value of the cancer-drugs market which is expected to double by 2024.

— o —

The Warren Buffet Foundation Spent $77 Million on Abortion, enough to Kill 220,000 Babies in Abortions.

— o —

Where are you heading? What are you running after? We’re all running after something. Too often we find we’re running after stuff, and money, things, trophies and awards. Maybe we’re running after our image, reputation or some recognition, hoping to find fulfillment, satisfaction and purpose. But whatever it is, we’re all running after something. What are you running after? Pastor Scott Whitaker

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Why is it that people with the smallest minds have the largest mouths? Elle Sheen’s Diary

By limiting our compassion to those we know, we miss the opportunity to serve those we do not. Jim Denison

Within the covers of the Bible are the answers to all problems people face. Ronald Reagan

Start the day with eating the big frog first and nothing worse will happen all day.

We only die once. We live every day. Snoopy

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Lao Tzu

Whenever it feels uncomfortable to tell the truth, that’s often the most important time to tell it.” Jennifer Lopez

There is a fountain of youth: It is your mind, your talent, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age. Sophia Loren

Blogs

Law and Equity

By Florida Senator John Grant, Retired

Week Two, 2020

Law and Equity

“The Lord shall judge the people with equity” (Psalm 98).

The history of law dates way back to the time Moses ascended Mount Sinai and God gave him what we know as The Ten Commandments. They were a list of do’s and don’ts, and later grew into the Jewish codification of some 613 rules or commandments. They covered many issues, including instructions about food, punishments and how God should be worshipped. They were to be strictly followed. There was no wiggle room. The law was the law. Period.

Civil law developed in much the manner. It was the law. Period. In the early 20th Century courts began to realize that a strict application of black letter law in some situations produced an injustice, so there developed separate courts of equity. It dates back to the times of old when litigants would go to the King and complain of harsh or inflexible rules of common law which prevented “justice” from prevailing.

In American law, men sat as judges of law and strictly applied the law. Then, they donned a chancellor’s hat that sported a tussle and sat as chancellors in equity where they provided equitable decisions that provided more fair outcomes than would happen with the strict application of the law.

The Old Testament is a book about strict application of the law, but the New Testament is different. As civil courts of law moved to a more fair process called equity, God sent Jesus and the process was called grace.

While we all sin and deserve a strict application of the law, our relationship with Christ gives us forgiveness and grace. While we should be held accountable and pay the penalty, He paid the penalty for us.

Aren’t you glad that you don’t have to pay the price and penalty for everything you have ever done wrong? Jesus paid the penalty for you, so you don’t have to.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

THE WHEELCHAIR:

Texas Governor Greg Abbott was paralyzed from the waist down in 1984 when an oak tree fell on him as he was jogging in Houston. He has since made overcoming adversity one of the themes of his public life.

For instance, he recently tweeted a video of a young man in a wheelchair climbing an indoor wall with the caption, “Never quit. Never give up. Overcome any challenge.” A person replied, “So great to see, but if I ever end up in a wheelchair, I’m just ending it.” The governor responded: “That’s what I thought before I ended up in a wheelchair. I’ve done more AFTER the accident that left me paralyzed than before that accident. With God all things are possible.”

Someone then tweeted back to the governor: “God put you in a wheelchair, Greg.” Gov. Abbott replied, “God didn’t cause the accident that left me paralyzed, but He did help me persevere over that enormous challenge.”

He added: “I’m a testament that the glory of God is revealed by a young man’s back being broken in half and still rising up to be Governor of Texas. With God all is possible.”

— o —

A life lesson from Monopoly

Well-known pastor John Ortberg learned to play the game Monopoly from his grandmother. He says of her, “She was a lovely woman, but she was the most ruthless Monopoly player I have ever known in my life.” She would defeat John every time they played.

Then came the summer when John played the game every day with a friend in the neighborhood. He learned how to acquire property ruthlessly. By the end of the summer, he was ready to play his grandmother again.

This time, he says, “I watched her give her last dollar and quit in utter defeat.” Then she taught him something he’s not forgotten, a statement that became the title of one of his best-selling books: “Now it all goes back in the box.”

What will you put in the “box” one day?

— o —

Alabama Sheriff Nick Smith is in trouble. At least with some folks. In their eyes, he’s engaged in an egregious activity that should be censured. “What has sheriff Smith done” you wonder. How has he violated his oath of office?

Recently in the face of two local tragedies, Sheriff Smith has asked the community to pray.

The First Amendment of the Constitution provides freedom of religion. It was not intended to eradicate religion and purge religious speech from the public square. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals once ruled, “The purpose behind the Establishment Clause was not to create “a wall of separation between church and state.”

— o —

Warning:

When signing documents in 2020 do not abbreviate the year as simply 20. For example, 3/14/20 with the addition of two numbers in the same color ink could be altered to say 3/14/2018. In some date sensitive documents that could be crucial. Don’t take a chance.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Here’s to life and embracing each day with gratitude, passion, compassion, empathy, integrity, love, kindness, faith and purpose! Richard Gonzmart

Perhaps we are not required to be grateful for hard times, just to find a way to be grateful in them. Jim Denison

Belief and knowledge aren’t the same thing. Belief is more powerful. Elle Sheen’s Diary

Religious folks are much happier. Regular church attendees commit fewer crimes, are in better health, live longer, make more money, drop out of high school less frequently, and finish college more frequently than those who don’t attend church at all. J.D. Vance

We know how to organize warfare, but do we know how to act when confronted with peace? Jacques Cousteau

Has it ever occurred to you that nothing occurs to God? Ken Whitten

There is no greater act of kindness than when you do something for a person in need who does not know you and no one else will know that you did it…other than God of course! Dwight Short

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. Anne Lamott

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Blogs

The next generation

Week One, 2020

THE NEXT GENERATION

By Florida Senator John Grant, Retired

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. – 1 Timothy 5:17

TIME announced its annual list of the 100 most influential people. The list reads like a Who’s Who of humanity, spanning genders, generations, ethnicities and professions. In its customary format, TIME’s list features character sketches written by other recognizable names, making for a memorable feature for anyone interested in communications and leadership.

From artists to activists to astronauts, the list is full of inspirational people who have or will make an impact. About equally divided in gender, the list was multi-racial and very young. Most were from sports, entertainment, technology and politics. Other than the Pope, not a single one even touched on faith or religion and certainly there were no evangelicals.

Reading the list made me think about the future of the church and the fact that we are, but one generation away from losing it. Why is there not one evangelical person of influence?

Millennials, those 18-34 years of age make up third percent, one in three, of our population, aged 22-37. They are over 75 million strong and eclipse the current size of the postwar baby boom generation. They are the future. But here is the question: Can religion still speak to younger Americans?

The Millennials are the fastest-growing population on the American religious landscape today and are the “None’s”—people who don’t identify with any religion. Recent data from the American Family Survey indicates that the none numbers increased from 16% in 2007 to 35% in 2018…… one in three Americans.

Over the same period, there has been a dramatic decline in the share of the population who identify as Christian, from 78% of Americans in 2007 to 65% in 2018-19, according to a report by the Pew Research Center released this month. The rise of None’s is even more dramatic among younger people: 44% of Americans aged 18 to 29 are None’s.

If we were to make a list of the most influential people of the evangelical future, could we find 100 strong enough to make the list? The call to the pulpit has changed and Pastors are increasingly hired for their management skills or rhetorical ability over and above their biblical wisdom or their meeting of the biblical qualifications for eldership. Our people don’t know their Bible very well, and this is in large part the fault of a generation of wispy preaching and teaching. People are increasingly drawn to feel good prosperity preaching and preachers both in the pulpit and on TV are giving them what they want. It is all about filling both the pew and the plate.

Think about it, the church as we have known it can be lost in a generation. Evangelicals need to stand up, take back the church and demand Bible based preaching and teaching.

After all, we are only one generation away…..

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

2020…. The new year ahead:

I know this may seem obvious to say, but every sunrise starts a new day in our lives, presenting us with the chance to turn the page and to move on. To open the door to a brand-new day of challenges, adventures and opportunities.

Opportunities to build on all the good of yesterday, learn from all the mistakes and disappointments, and to do what we may not have ever done before—all while continuing to grow into all we were meant to be.

But to do that, we have to turn the page. We have to move from yesterday, and all the yesterdays of your past. We have to move into the new day. Pastor Scott Whitaker

— o —

A Scottish pastor was famous for beginning his invocation each Sunday with a word of thanksgiving. He could find something positive in even the most negative of times. Then came a Sunday when the weather was atrocious: icy streets, frigid temperatures, howling winds. When the pastor rose to pray, those in the congregation thought, “Surely he’ll not begin with thanksgiving on such a terrible day as this. As the pastor rose to pray, he began: “Thank you Lord that the weather is not always as bad as it is today.”

— o —

If the trends measured by a recent survey continue, the nation itself is in its sunset years. A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll reveals that Millennials and Generation Z have significantly less belief in the importance of patriotism, faith in God, and conceiving children. And despite the fact that most Americans remain satisfied by the state of the nation’s economy and their personal finances, a majority of respondents are angry at the country’s political and financial classes, worried about the nation’s economic future, and what kind of country they are passing on to future generations. How much will the trend continue through the coming new year?

— o —

Abortion clinic CEO compares abortion to removing a mole or getting a root canal.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Your limitations are not simply obstacles to your success—they are also indications from God of the path your life is to take. Michel Quoist

God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything He knows. Tim Keller

The higher the mountain, the harder the climb. But the greater the view when we arrive. Jim Denison

Words and ideas can change the world. And not always for the better. Robin Williams

One cannot enjoy the power of grace unless they have given it or needed it. Elle Sheen’s Diary

Music can open doors our hearts have locked and dead bolted. Elle Sheen’s Diary

So far as religion of the day is concerned, Religion is all bunk… All Bibles are man-made. Thomas Edison

Clinical depression: Nothing will ever be better than it is now. Ken Whitten

There is no limit to the amount of good you can do, if you don’t care who gets the credit. Ronald Reagan

Grief and suffering are intensely lonely experiences. While we cannot truly say to others, “I know how you feel,” we can say to them, “I am sorry for how you feel.” And we can demonstrate our compassion in action. Jim Denison

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Blogs

A BUSY YEAR

Week Fifty-Two, 2019

A BUSY YEAR?

By Florida Senator John Grant, Retired.

The new year is upon us and a time when many resolve what they want in the coming year. Usually it is about wanting more. What if our resolutions were wanting less….. less busyness in our lives? Maybe less busyness is the answer.

We live in a world where busyness is king. We’re so busy glorifying how busy we are, we miss out on experiencing the moments that matter. And while we’re so busy making a living, we forget to make life—which is quite tragic. Busyness crushes our soul, and we should focus more on reducing the number of things on our calendar than adding to it. The key to removing busyness is simple—live intentionally and identify areas in our life we can replace with quiet time.

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. Many of us, including me, suffer from FOMO – the fear of missing out. We’re simply afraid if we don’t attend that event, don’t sign up for that committee, or don’t enroll our kids in that sport, we’ll miss out on something.

We think there is happiness to be had, joy to be experienced, and moments to be made. Yes, there might be some truth to this, but who’s to say the moments of solitude or quiet time won’t measure up—or even exceed those altogether?

In solitude, we see more clearly. Alone—in moments of prayer or meditation, or simply in stillness—we breathe more deeply, see more fully, hear more keenly. We notice more, and in the process, we return to what is sacred.

How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. It starts with the decision to live more intentionally, and to make quiet time a priority. Each day is just as important as the next in creating the life we imagine.

Here’s the bottom line: It is not selfish to want time for yourself. It is not selfish to want moments where you can leave the world behind and recapture the magic. I encourage you in the year 2020 to find one—just one—area in your life that you can make a change. Take one small step towards a quiet life.

So turn it off. Put it down. Do not open it. And do not answer it. For once, put yourself first. Love yourself and make yourself a priority. Even for just one day, you deserve everything.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020!

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

The truest test of character:

It has been said that the truest test of character is how we treat people we don’t have to treat well.

When people hurt us, our society tells us we have the right to hurt them in return. Jesus says we have the privilege of loving them by praying for them.

When Christians decide that Christ is right and culture is wrong, the culture is drawn to Christ.

— o —

How Comparison is the Thief of Joy:

When we compare ourselves to others, we set ourselves up to add “more” into our life. More money, more cars, more houses, and more stuff. We fall victim to the old adage of “keeping up with the Joneses” which prevents us from living the life we really want to live.

The problem is that we typically compare our “worst” to their “best”, which really paints a bleak picture. Envy is ever joined with the comparing of a man’s self; and where there is no comparison, no envy.

Too many people live their lives without intentionality or thought. They rarely find a quiet moment to sit in meditation or solitude and examine their life—who they are and who they are becoming.

We should stop comparing our lives, and start living them.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

There are three things that are important in human life. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.

Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

“Sometimes you need to sit lonely on the floor in a quiet room in order to hear your own voice and not let it drown in the noise of others.” —Charlotte Eriksson

You don’t find hope. It finds you often on the way to someone else. Pastor John Onwuchekwa

Christians don’t retire, they refire. Sol Pitchon

Pastors cannot point the way in prayer, they must lead the way in prayer.

How a Church Prays Tells Us Whether It Has Strayed. Ken Whitten

By concentrating on what’s happening to us today, we can miss what will happen to us tomorrow. Jim Denison

Pro-Abortion Professor: Pro-Lifers Shouldn’t Go into Healthcare, They’re “Not Worthy of Serving the Public.”