A year ago I wrote an article about rules and relationships which alluded to legalism. We are going to cover it in more depth this time. A great chapter in the Bible referring to this is Romans 14, where Paul described the quandary many early Christians faced concerning meat offered to idols.
At the outset let me say that it is important that we do not despise other Christians just because they have either stricter rules for themselves or less rules. Paul covers this in 14:3. Also it is wrong to condemn another believer because they do not measure up to your standard, unless your standard is God's standard. Be careful - just because you believe your standard is right, make sure it is in accordance with God's law of grace. There was a time when I thought the higher your standards, the better you were. I had a hard time coinciding that with Paul's discussion of Christian liberty. My views have changed. They are, I trust, more biblical and in line with what Paul was teaching.
So what are God's standards for New Testament Christians who have Christian liberty? No one should have a problem with the 10 Commandments being a good standard to start with. It was given in the Old Testament and restated in the NT. Okay, the 4th commandment is a little tricky - keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I am not going to get into it here. (Let me know if you would like a more in-depth study on that.) In addition, Jesus gave us 2 great commandments: 1) Love God with all you have, and 2) love others as much as yourself. Actually Jesus said that if you keep these two commandments, you don't have to worry about any others, because by keeping these, you will keep the others. Finally, just before He left this earth Jesus gave a commission to His followers: make disciples, baptize them, and teach them 'to observe all things that I have commanded you.' Therefore Christians are to observe commandments Jesus gave. So we need to go to the Gospels, as well as the epistles to find out what Jesus commanded. Now I believe that if we follow these three common-sense guidelines we will be on the safe side of legalism.
There are plenty of Christians who add rules to their own lives, and Paul says others should not judge or despise theses people. As an example, when I was first married, I would not allow my wife to wear pants, because I sincerely believed it was wrong - Deut. 22:5. Now I regard that as an OT rule given to the Israelites. And no longer is my wife restricted from wearing pants. From the outset, though, I never sought to impose my rules on others. They were for me and my family. However we do have those who seek to impose rules on other Christians that are not necessarily biblical. There are many controversial issues such as dress, music, Bible versions, amusements, and others that can be debated by good men and women. But I say, if it doesn't conflict with our guidelines, don't impose rules that God did not. You become a Pharisee when you do. The Pharisees had all sorts of traditions that many thought were equal to the Scriptures, and some of their traditions even contradicted the Word of God.
In the latter half of Romans 14 Paul goes on to say that if a brother is offended and weakened by your liberty, you must set the liberty aside in order to keep the brother from sinning. Reading the chapter will do much to explain what I am trying to say, but I will give an example. As a disclaimer let me say that I have never imbibed in alcohol (adult beverages as Rush Limbaugh would put it.) Since there is nothing in our guidelines which condemns drinking wine (and actually Paul recommended Timothy to use it as medicine), let us suppose I were sitting in a restaurant drinking wine. A brother in Christ walks in and notices what I am doing. If this brother believes what I am doing is wrong, I may have caused him to be offended and possibly weakened him. Therefore drinking that wine is wrong.
One final point is that if we believe certain practices are not right, even though not necessarily condemned by our Savior, to us they are still wrong. Going back to my wine illustration, if I believe that drinking is wrong, then I should not drink. I must be convinced in my mind that it is acceptable in the sight of God. If I don't believe that, and drink anyway, to me it is sin, Romans 14:23.
There is more I would like to discuss concerning the commandments of our Master. Perhaps in the next post. As always, your comments, even if you disagree, are welcome.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Redeemed
'Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.' Ps. 107:2
This verse came to my mind this morning and especially the word - redeemed. It means to buy back, but for the Christian the implication is tremendous:
I was on the slave block of Sin and Satan was my master. I was dressed in tattered rags which barely covered me. I hung my head in humiliation feeling totally worthless. Then One stepped forward with authority and said, 'I will buy him.'
'The price is high,' Satan sneered, 'how much are you willing to pay?'
This One looked at me with compassion, and told Satan, 'I have redeemed him with My life, now let him go.'
Jesus took the rags from me, and gave me the finest clothes. He then said, 'I have set you free. You are no longer in bondage to sin. My Father is the supreme Ruler of all. You are being adopted into the family. You are an heir; you are a royal prince.' In response to my wondering question, Jesus responded, 'Because I love you, more than you will ever know.'
With that, I threw myself at His feet and declared, 'I was a slave to sin, and I am still a slave, but I will no longer do the bidding of Satan. You are my Master; you are my King. I will serve only You all of my life.'
The price of redeeming His children was high, and we as children of God should remember that. We should also remember that when Jesus bought us back from the slave market of sin, He also provided us the victory over sin. I was reading Romans 8 last week. There is a great contrast between the unsaved or carnal Christian described in Romans 7 and the Romans 8 Christian who has been freed from the bondage of sin. We are free! We have the victory! Let us go forward with this promise: nothing 'shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Rom. 8:39
This verse came to my mind this morning and especially the word - redeemed. It means to buy back, but for the Christian the implication is tremendous:
I was on the slave block of Sin and Satan was my master. I was dressed in tattered rags which barely covered me. I hung my head in humiliation feeling totally worthless. Then One stepped forward with authority and said, 'I will buy him.'
'The price is high,' Satan sneered, 'how much are you willing to pay?'
This One looked at me with compassion, and told Satan, 'I have redeemed him with My life, now let him go.'
Jesus took the rags from me, and gave me the finest clothes. He then said, 'I have set you free. You are no longer in bondage to sin. My Father is the supreme Ruler of all. You are being adopted into the family. You are an heir; you are a royal prince.' In response to my wondering question, Jesus responded, 'Because I love you, more than you will ever know.'
With that, I threw myself at His feet and declared, 'I was a slave to sin, and I am still a slave, but I will no longer do the bidding of Satan. You are my Master; you are my King. I will serve only You all of my life.'
The price of redeeming His children was high, and we as children of God should remember that. We should also remember that when Jesus bought us back from the slave market of sin, He also provided us the victory over sin. I was reading Romans 8 last week. There is a great contrast between the unsaved or carnal Christian described in Romans 7 and the Romans 8 Christian who has been freed from the bondage of sin. We are free! We have the victory! Let us go forward with this promise: nothing 'shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Rom. 8:39
Monday, December 21, 2009
My father-inlaw, Morrie Snook
Morrie Snook has been my father-in-law for over 32 years. I have come to know, respect, and love him. He was man of principle and dedication to the Lord his God. It was very important that each of his children came to a saving faith in Jesus. Then when his grandchildren came along, he spent time and effort witnessing to them, desiring that they come to know God in a personal way as well.
He worked hard all his life, providing for his family. He never was rich in earthly possessions, his wealth was laid up in Heaven. Actually, when you think about it, when one realizes the end is near, all the toys he has been able to accumulate don't seem to be nearly as necessary as they may have been earlier.
Last Saturday, after being notified of their father and grandfather's soon homegoing, they came from South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, as well as Ohio to be with Dad and Grandpa in his final hours. As I looked at the crowd around his bed, I realized how rich he was. Laying there in a hospital bed without the trappings that we consider so important, he had wealth far more desirable, and of much greater worth. No longer was there the desire to sell the insurance policies he had sold for so many years. Now the only things that were important were the souls he and his wife had brought into this world and the grandchildren that gathered around his bed. Now the his greatest concern was that he would see these loved ones again, not while hurting from the results of diabetes, with the dementia fogging his mind, and his hearing impaired as it was; but with a new body that would never grow old and that would never know pain.
Yes, Morrie was a rich man, and I trust that he will see those souls he prayed for and labored over. His youngest grandchild accepted Jesus as his Savior the day before his death. So as the angels rejoiced over another soul's salvation, Morrie slipped from this vale of sorrows into the arms of his blessed Redeemer.
This past Friday evening, December 18, Morrie Snook left this world and experienced I Corinthians 15:52-54, his corruptible put on incorruption and his mortal put on immortality. We do not bury Morrie, we bury the shell that contained him. We also have that blessed hope; we shall see him again.
He worked hard all his life, providing for his family. He never was rich in earthly possessions, his wealth was laid up in Heaven. Actually, when you think about it, when one realizes the end is near, all the toys he has been able to accumulate don't seem to be nearly as necessary as they may have been earlier.
Last Saturday, after being notified of their father and grandfather's soon homegoing, they came from South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, as well as Ohio to be with Dad and Grandpa in his final hours. As I looked at the crowd around his bed, I realized how rich he was. Laying there in a hospital bed without the trappings that we consider so important, he had wealth far more desirable, and of much greater worth. No longer was there the desire to sell the insurance policies he had sold for so many years. Now the only things that were important were the souls he and his wife had brought into this world and the grandchildren that gathered around his bed. Now the his greatest concern was that he would see these loved ones again, not while hurting from the results of diabetes, with the dementia fogging his mind, and his hearing impaired as it was; but with a new body that would never grow old and that would never know pain.
Yes, Morrie was a rich man, and I trust that he will see those souls he prayed for and labored over. His youngest grandchild accepted Jesus as his Savior the day before his death. So as the angels rejoiced over another soul's salvation, Morrie slipped from this vale of sorrows into the arms of his blessed Redeemer.
This past Friday evening, December 18, Morrie Snook left this world and experienced I Corinthians 15:52-54, his corruptible put on incorruption and his mortal put on immortality. We do not bury Morrie, we bury the shell that contained him. We also have that blessed hope; we shall see him again.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Forgiveness
I want to get back to a topic I promised to return to: Forgiveness.
There isn't much new to add to what we already know about forgiveness when someone wrongs us. Of course the carnal thing to do is to get even. But what Jesus taught us through precept and then by His example was a spirit of willingness to forgive. There is an important distinction between just forgiving others when they do not seek to be forgiven, and having a willingness to forgive others whether they seek to be forgiven or not. When He was on the cross and said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,' Jesus did not mean every person should receive the forgiveness of sins, because everyone was not forgiven. And because of that I believe Jesus had the attitude that everyone who really was sorry they had wronged God would receive forgiveness. And those who refused to repent of their rebellion would not receive forgiveness, but were still under eternal judgment.
The great principle of forgiveness is brought out in Matt. 18:21-35. In response to Peter's question, 'How often should I forgive others?' Jesus gives a parable which beautifully illustrates the godly concept of forgiveness. And He speaks of people who owe others money. I am sure He did this because it is easy for us to relate to money.
So the question I posed a couple months ago had to do with one company forgiving another of its debt. I can't speak for others, and there may be extenuating circumstances, but under ordinary conditions, I believe that the spirit of forgiveness should be extended. Okay, before you jump all over me, let me explain. First of all, the company failing to pay its bill should be totally unable to pay. There are companies that we do business with that have a hard time paying their bills timely and we have those who are paying bills as they are able. However if a company is really in dire straits financially and the CEO were to ask me to forgive the debt, I am probably obligated to do so. However, in order to responsibly discharge my duty to God's company, Grace Plastics, I should ask the debtor to prove his claim. If he is not willing to open his books to me, and prove his company (and himself personally) is destitute, I have an obligation to God to run Grace Plastics in a fiscally prudent manner, and refuse his request.
It all comes back to the underlying principle: everything which I call mine in this world, is really not mine. It all belongs to God, and as He blesses, we try to operate the company as He would. I believe this is a very balanced approach to a difficult subject. If God tests me along these lines, I hope I will have the grace and faith to obey Him and then watch Him supply as He always does. I would appreciate any and all comments, criticisms, and questions.
There isn't much new to add to what we already know about forgiveness when someone wrongs us. Of course the carnal thing to do is to get even. But what Jesus taught us through precept and then by His example was a spirit of willingness to forgive. There is an important distinction between just forgiving others when they do not seek to be forgiven, and having a willingness to forgive others whether they seek to be forgiven or not. When He was on the cross and said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,' Jesus did not mean every person should receive the forgiveness of sins, because everyone was not forgiven. And because of that I believe Jesus had the attitude that everyone who really was sorry they had wronged God would receive forgiveness. And those who refused to repent of their rebellion would not receive forgiveness, but were still under eternal judgment.
The great principle of forgiveness is brought out in Matt. 18:21-35. In response to Peter's question, 'How often should I forgive others?' Jesus gives a parable which beautifully illustrates the godly concept of forgiveness. And He speaks of people who owe others money. I am sure He did this because it is easy for us to relate to money.
So the question I posed a couple months ago had to do with one company forgiving another of its debt. I can't speak for others, and there may be extenuating circumstances, but under ordinary conditions, I believe that the spirit of forgiveness should be extended. Okay, before you jump all over me, let me explain. First of all, the company failing to pay its bill should be totally unable to pay. There are companies that we do business with that have a hard time paying their bills timely and we have those who are paying bills as they are able. However if a company is really in dire straits financially and the CEO were to ask me to forgive the debt, I am probably obligated to do so. However, in order to responsibly discharge my duty to God's company, Grace Plastics, I should ask the debtor to prove his claim. If he is not willing to open his books to me, and prove his company (and himself personally) is destitute, I have an obligation to God to run Grace Plastics in a fiscally prudent manner, and refuse his request.
It all comes back to the underlying principle: everything which I call mine in this world, is really not mine. It all belongs to God, and as He blesses, we try to operate the company as He would. I believe this is a very balanced approach to a difficult subject. If God tests me along these lines, I hope I will have the grace and faith to obey Him and then watch Him supply as He always does. I would appreciate any and all comments, criticisms, and questions.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
A Pilgrim Thansgiving
Several years ago I was asked to give a reading for Thanksgiving. I couldn't find one I liked from my slim files, so I did a little research and wrote something that I hope will bless you this Thanksgiving:
Among my heroes are those Christian fundamentalists of 350 years ago. The Pilgrims would not go along with the state Church of England and were therefore singled out for persecution. These hardy Christians were willing to undergo extreme hardship in order to worship God in the way they believed He wished.
In the New World they were precariously perched on the edge of a hostile wilderness with a deep, black ocean at their backs. It was ludicrous to think that they would survive. They were few and they were sick, but their faith in God was constant and with Him they overcame all their obstacles and set up on that beachhead a guiding light for all who would follow. This, then, describes those Pilgrims and the first Thanksgivings celebrated in this country.
It was during the beautiful October Indian Summer of 1621 that the first day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed by Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Plantation. The friendly Indian chief, Massasoit, who had helped the Pilgrims, showed up with 90 unexpected guests - almost double the size of the settlement of Pilgrims. Fortunately the Indians brought with them deer and turkeys and showed the Pilgrims how to make popcorn. The happy occasion lasted three days.
As Bradford watched the joyous celebration, his thoughts traveled back over the previous year. He remembered the fears and questions the group of Separatists had as they left England on the Mayflower and after three long months at sea finally found themselves 100 miles farther north than they were supposed to be, at a place the sailors called Cape Cod. After more weeks of exploration and planning these settlers began building the first house on December 25. It was then that the 'General Sickness' started. Long months at sea, the cold damp weather, and poor diets combined to slowly decimate their ranks. Six died in December, eight passed away in January, and February claimed 17 lives. In the spring of 1621 when the worst was over, just under half their number, or 47 had gone on to their eternal home.
Bradford, who lost his own wife, reflected on the strength of character of these people who refused to complain, grow bitter, or blame God for His goodness.
Governor Bradford knew it was not over. Hardships would yet abound, and abound they did. A month later, in November, 35 more settlers joined these original Pilgrims. They brought nothing with them: no tools, no bedding, and most importantly, no food. It was a long, cold winter. During the starving time that winter they were all reduced to the meager rations of five kernels of corn per person per day. Unbelievably not one died of starvation.
Two years after the first Thanksgiving, on Thursday, November 29, 1623 Bradford proclaimed:
"Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and has spared us from pestilence and disease and has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings."
A traveling merchant, Emanuel Altham, who attended the occasion, described the Thanksgiving in a letter to his brother:
"After our arrival in New England, we found that plantation in good health, and neither man, woman, or child sick. In this plantation are about 20 houses, four or five of which are very pleasant, and the rest (as time will serve) shall be made better. The fishing that is in this country, indeed is beyond belief. In one hour we got 100 cod.
"And now to somewhat of the good cheer. We had about 12 tasty venisons, and other such good cheer in such quantities that I wish you some of our share. For here we have the biggest grapes that ever you saw, and a variety of plums and nuts, six goats, about 50 hogs and pigs, also many, many hens. A better country was never seen nor heard of, for here are a multitude of God's blessing."
What Altham neglected to mention was the meals that were served on a previous winter - strong Christians gratefully thanking God for five kernels of corn per day.
Remind us to be grateful, Lord, lest we forget, lest we forget.
Among my heroes are those Christian fundamentalists of 350 years ago. The Pilgrims would not go along with the state Church of England and were therefore singled out for persecution. These hardy Christians were willing to undergo extreme hardship in order to worship God in the way they believed He wished.
In the New World they were precariously perched on the edge of a hostile wilderness with a deep, black ocean at their backs. It was ludicrous to think that they would survive. They were few and they were sick, but their faith in God was constant and with Him they overcame all their obstacles and set up on that beachhead a guiding light for all who would follow. This, then, describes those Pilgrims and the first Thanksgivings celebrated in this country.
It was during the beautiful October Indian Summer of 1621 that the first day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed by Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Plantation. The friendly Indian chief, Massasoit, who had helped the Pilgrims, showed up with 90 unexpected guests - almost double the size of the settlement of Pilgrims. Fortunately the Indians brought with them deer and turkeys and showed the Pilgrims how to make popcorn. The happy occasion lasted three days.
As Bradford watched the joyous celebration, his thoughts traveled back over the previous year. He remembered the fears and questions the group of Separatists had as they left England on the Mayflower and after three long months at sea finally found themselves 100 miles farther north than they were supposed to be, at a place the sailors called Cape Cod. After more weeks of exploration and planning these settlers began building the first house on December 25. It was then that the 'General Sickness' started. Long months at sea, the cold damp weather, and poor diets combined to slowly decimate their ranks. Six died in December, eight passed away in January, and February claimed 17 lives. In the spring of 1621 when the worst was over, just under half their number, or 47 had gone on to their eternal home.
Bradford, who lost his own wife, reflected on the strength of character of these people who refused to complain, grow bitter, or blame God for His goodness.
Governor Bradford knew it was not over. Hardships would yet abound, and abound they did. A month later, in November, 35 more settlers joined these original Pilgrims. They brought nothing with them: no tools, no bedding, and most importantly, no food. It was a long, cold winter. During the starving time that winter they were all reduced to the meager rations of five kernels of corn per person per day. Unbelievably not one died of starvation.
Two years after the first Thanksgiving, on Thursday, November 29, 1623 Bradford proclaimed:
"Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and has spared us from pestilence and disease and has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings."
A traveling merchant, Emanuel Altham, who attended the occasion, described the Thanksgiving in a letter to his brother:
"After our arrival in New England, we found that plantation in good health, and neither man, woman, or child sick. In this plantation are about 20 houses, four or five of which are very pleasant, and the rest (as time will serve) shall be made better. The fishing that is in this country, indeed is beyond belief. In one hour we got 100 cod.
"And now to somewhat of the good cheer. We had about 12 tasty venisons, and other such good cheer in such quantities that I wish you some of our share. For here we have the biggest grapes that ever you saw, and a variety of plums and nuts, six goats, about 50 hogs and pigs, also many, many hens. A better country was never seen nor heard of, for here are a multitude of God's blessing."
What Altham neglected to mention was the meals that were served on a previous winter - strong Christians gratefully thanking God for five kernels of corn per day.
Remind us to be grateful, Lord, lest we forget, lest we forget.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
A Wedding Blessing for Joe and Danielle
It has been a while since the last posting of Peanuts. I really don't want to make a practice of extended breaks from the postings. Kathy and I were exhausted both physically and emotionally from the two weddings these past couple months. With everything else on my plate, something had to slip. However I am back in the saddle and raring to go. I have some ideas for future postings which I hope you will enjoy. This post has to do with the last wedding
A couple months ago Joe asked me to give a blessing for Danielle and him, like I had done for our daughters, Allie and Michelle. Of course I was happy to comply; I like to bless my children and their mates! Because the length of the wedding, he thought it would be best if I saved the blessing for the reception. Somehow the lines of communication broke down and I did not give the blessing. Not wanting a good blessing to go to waste, here it is:
A Blessing for Joe and Danielle:
Since you, Joe are my only son, and Danielle is now my only daughter-in-law; you both are special to me. I wish and pray for God’s best blessings in your lives and on your marriage. May the two of you find real happiness in each other and true joy in pleasing and serving the Lord God of your fathers.
Joe, keep your heart tender and humble before God, and may He lift you up and make you great in your home and community. Keep yourself always in love with your wife, and may the home she provides be a strong refuge during the storms that will surely come. Keep a strong faith in God Almighty and may He always give you the ability to provide for your family. Ask the God of Grace to give you wisdom and the ability to lead your family to walk before Him all your days. God has promised to give liberally.
Danielle, always respect your husband and be the helper God would have you to be. May Joe always be your ‘Prince Charming.’ May you find in him safety and comfort. May the Lord God make you fruitful and bless you with many healthy and good children. And may God bless you two as you seek to bring your children to a saving knowledge in Jesus Messiah.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Ministry
It has been awhile since I last posted an article on Peanuts. As always, there is a reason. And it is because I take this blog seriously that I really do not like to go for a long period without updating with a new post. I suppose I could come up with some fluff, but since I don’t like to read something like that, I try to come up with something that I hope is thought-provoking or at least interesting.
So the reason for the delay: presently I am heading up the Children’s Church ministry at our church. It is a role I enjoy and spend 2-3 hours a week preparing for. Well, I was asked to take on an additional ministry of being the commander of an Awana Club that is being started at our church. Although I have been a commander in the past, I thought that would be something that I would not be doing again. Actually, I was told I would be a co-commander, with an able and capable younger man, who would gradually take over as he gained experience. At the first Awana night a couple weeks ago, he told me that he is going to be moving at the end of the school year. So much for bringing him into the leadership position. At any rate, getting the Awana year started with about 10 days warning has taken up most of my extra time that otherwise would have been devoted to ‘Peanuts.’
I am not upset about the extra load. If the Lord God has given me talents and I bury them in the backyard, what good are they? So I do what I can, but have always resisted taking on too much. There has to be a balance. I believe every believer has some talents that can be used for God. It may be helping in a church ministry, or it may, like this blog, be something outside of the church. To just warm a pew is doing far less than what God would have us do.
But then I have seen some good Christian couples lose their children because they were so involved in the church that they basically neglected their kids. Now that is heart-breaking! God expects us to keep our priorities straight. And I believe He puts the family before the church. Raising a family to the glory of God is the top responsibility of any parent. Everything else is secondary.
So take this for what it’s worth. These are just some thoughts of a man that has tried to do right, and point his family in the way God would have them go, and after that, being a light for others. And looking back, it has been tiring and thankless at times, but overall very, very rewarding. At the end of our life, what do we want to look back on?
Now, let me ask for some participation. I have been giving some serious thought to the idea of forgiveness. As Christians we know (whether we practice it is another matter) that we ought to forgive others when they have wronged us. My question is: does this extend to business, or is it just personal? If a company A owes company B money, and A is cash-strapped and decides they cannot pay their bill, should B (if they are Christians) forgive A? If so, why? If not, why? I would really like your input. I will talk about it soon. Thanks.
So the reason for the delay: presently I am heading up the Children’s Church ministry at our church. It is a role I enjoy and spend 2-3 hours a week preparing for. Well, I was asked to take on an additional ministry of being the commander of an Awana Club that is being started at our church. Although I have been a commander in the past, I thought that would be something that I would not be doing again. Actually, I was told I would be a co-commander, with an able and capable younger man, who would gradually take over as he gained experience. At the first Awana night a couple weeks ago, he told me that he is going to be moving at the end of the school year. So much for bringing him into the leadership position. At any rate, getting the Awana year started with about 10 days warning has taken up most of my extra time that otherwise would have been devoted to ‘Peanuts.’
I am not upset about the extra load. If the Lord God has given me talents and I bury them in the backyard, what good are they? So I do what I can, but have always resisted taking on too much. There has to be a balance. I believe every believer has some talents that can be used for God. It may be helping in a church ministry, or it may, like this blog, be something outside of the church. To just warm a pew is doing far less than what God would have us do.
But then I have seen some good Christian couples lose their children because they were so involved in the church that they basically neglected their kids. Now that is heart-breaking! God expects us to keep our priorities straight. And I believe He puts the family before the church. Raising a family to the glory of God is the top responsibility of any parent. Everything else is secondary.
So take this for what it’s worth. These are just some thoughts of a man that has tried to do right, and point his family in the way God would have them go, and after that, being a light for others. And looking back, it has been tiring and thankless at times, but overall very, very rewarding. At the end of our life, what do we want to look back on?
Now, let me ask for some participation. I have been giving some serious thought to the idea of forgiveness. As Christians we know (whether we practice it is another matter) that we ought to forgive others when they have wronged us. My question is: does this extend to business, or is it just personal? If a company A owes company B money, and A is cash-strapped and decides they cannot pay their bill, should B (if they are Christians) forgive A? If so, why? If not, why? I would really like your input. I will talk about it soon. Thanks.
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