Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Where true security comes from...

Over the last few days, we’ve had several in our church family undergo various kinds of struggles and difficulties particularly with health issues, others have marked recently or will mark in the next few weeks the anniversary of the death of a loved one, some I’ve come to learn are going through much difficulty emotionally, or they are stressed beyond belief about their job or lack of one. A family and high school in our community were devastated by the tragic death of a high school freshman. Economic and political turmoil is all around us and there are demands on each of us we couldn’t possibly complete in the time we have. Honestly, I’ve struggled recently (and still do some days) with some personal concerns that weigh heavily on my shoulders. All of this added together can be overwhelming to us.

Then I open my Bible in my morning quiet time and I read several word pictures of our Lord Jesus in the Gospel of Mark that strengthened and encouraged me. Hopefully God will use them with you at the point of your need. I love the Gospel of Mark because it was written in a condensed form – kind of simple facts about the life of Christ, quick snapshots of Jesus’ ministry. In chapter 6, there’s the snapshot of Jesus feeding 5000 men (conservatively more like 25,000 people with women and children considered). He took the meager lunch of a young boy and He multiplied it to meet the need of the people there. He did so with abundance as there were 12 baskets of leftovers – nothing like a good old Baptist pot-luck, except there was no “luck” involved in this. It is the Lord meeting an overwhelming need that was humanly impossible to handle with the resources available. The practical lesson for us is that no matter the size of the need, Jesus is confidently able to meet the need facing each individual with abundant supply. In short, He’s bigger than any problem we’ve got, lack of resources is not an issue for Him. So when your faith begins to waver because you’re overwhelmed by a huge need, be secure in this fundament truth that Jesus is bigger than your need!

The next snapshot in the same chapter is Jesus sending the disciples off in the boat across the lake while He goes to the mountain to pray. One quick lesson is if the Son of God carved out time alone to pray because He not only wanted it but needed it, you and I better find a place to pray too! But the text continues in 6:47-48 that the boat with the disciples was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on land, and the text says “He saw them straining at the rowing for the wind was against them.”  Another quick lesson is that you cannot escape the watchful eye of Jesus who sees you in your struggle. He knows the strain you are under and He knows the winds of life are against you much of the time. The text continues that Jesus came walking to them on the sea! Lesson? Physical barriers are not a big deal to Jesus and He’s willing to come to you no matter what is in the way! It’s interesting in Mark’s account that Jesus “would have passed them by.” He didn’t impose Himself on the disciples but He revealed Himself to them so they knew He was there. It scared the dickens out of them because they thought it was a ghost – after all who walks on water? But they called out to Jesus and He comforted them in the midst of the wind storm by saying: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid (6:50).” Jesus got in the boat with them and the wind immediately stopped – again scaring them and amazing them that He controlled the wind and waves. So when you’re in a storm, you’re scared, straining at rowing through life – Jesus is nearby and He’s waiting for you to call on Him. The other lesson is no matter what you are going through, Jesus wants you to be of good cheer because of who He is and He commands us to not be afraid! Verse 52 makes a curious statement “For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.” See we can become calloused to the miracles God is working all around us. They had just seen Jesus overcome that huge need to supply food for so many people, yet the disciples are back in a storm and they were insecure once again.  The text continues about Jesus healing and meeting the physical needs of so many people. Again, security comes from Jesus, no matter what we’ve got going on.

The final snapshot I’ll talk about here starts in chapter 7 but it stands in stark contrast to what we’ve seen. The Pharisees, leaders of the religious crowd, were insecure because Jesus was upsetting the status quo. He was not conventional, He was not traditional and rather than trust in Jesus, these people clung to the security of their traditions. One lesson of many coming out of this section is that people, including many religious people and even leaders, can hate change. Rather than acknowledge and embrace the work God is doing, they criticize it and undermine it because their tradition is more comfortable, or their area of control is weakened. Jesus called their number on it in 7:6 saying “This people honors Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me.” Sometimes well meaning people say and do things in church life that are upsetting in some cases because their security is not coming from the Savior, but from some tradition that is comfortable that they control. They appear to be spiritual by paying lip service to Jesus, but their hearts are not trusting and they are good at going through the motions. Their insecurity usually is displayed in the form of fault finding and harsh criticism because they forget Jesus is “Lord of the impossible” and that our security comes from Him, if we’ll trust Him completely by faith. More often than not, what upsets people clinging to tradition is something pretty small in the grand scheme of things. Our challenge as disciples is to remind people to get their eyes off the problem no matter how big, or off the tradition no matter how comfortable, and back on the Savior from where true security comes. I’m not sure what’s going on in your corner of the world today as you read this, but I’m trusting in Jesus by faith for my security,  in my little corner of the world today…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

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Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Learning to set limits...

One of the responsibilities I have as a Pastor is to shepherd the people of God. Talk of sheep and shepherds often gives us a cuddly view of sheep and the serenity of sheep grazing in lush green pastures from the picture Psalm 23 paints for us may come to mind. A small pond in the middle of the pasture with the heavy morning dew wetting the grass, a light haze and fog lifting above the sheep under the ever watchful eye of a gentle shepherd sitting on the hill with a blade of grass protruding from his lips with his walking stick or shepherd’s crook resting on his shoulder. The leaves of the nearby forest are beginning to change into their myriad of colors, there is a fresh crispness in the air and a cool refreshing breeze is gently blowing. The clock doesn’t matter and it’s a pristine day with bright sun under a cloudless day. Sounds inviting doesn’t it?

With school starting back, I doubt many of us with kids in school have this kind of picture taking place in our homes and lives…the obnoxious alarm clock is going off for the third time which means we’re already late after trying to get 5 more minutes of shut-eye. The mad morning dash is on to get the kids up dressed, fed and to school. The stress going on by the time we begin our drive to work is nearly at max levels because of the wreck/traffic blocking our progress. We finally make it the office and the full court press is in full swing until quitting time and the dash continues to pick up the kids, get homework started and hopefully finished before practice, lessons, recitals or who knows what else. Dinner on the run if we’re lucky, and if not, staring at the pantry at 9 p.m. wondering what to eat because we didn’t quite get to the grocery store, trying  to get the already grumpy kids in bed. You collapse for another run at it tomorrow, started a conversation with your spouse but one or both of you passed out . Sounds more like reality doesn’t it? It’s more a picture of a ravenous pack of wolves scattering the sheep!

The second picture I’ve painted is more like what I hear more and more from the sheep God has entrusted me to shepherd in His pasture land called Bel Air Maryland. I appreciate our Lord’s feelings recorded for us in Matt. 9:36 “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary (harried) and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” In talking with so many of you and people in our community; I know you’re harried and weary and you and your family seem to be scattered all over the place. I know this as it is a challenge for me and my family too.  Added to all of this is the general stress of life, bills and expenses get higher and higher and our hard earned paycheck doesn’t go very far. The reality is all of us are limited in our time, resources and energy. We simply cannot go full speed and sustain that lifestyle for very long. We can’t live on the edge of our limits in any category very long without breaking down and going over the edge. Jesus sensed the same problem going on in the 1st century culture He lived in also and it bothered Him then and it bothers Him now as He’s watching our lives.  He’s inviting you to step back from the edge and live with limits that you set in the choices you make for yourself and your family. We began a study last night after worship called “Take it to the Limit” and the message of learning to set limits will be a fantastic help to those who come. It spoke to my heart deeply as your shepherd as I’m concerned that my sheep are struggling and seem to be maxed out in nearly all areas of their lives.  Will you ask God to give you wisdom to set limits and how you can build in margin to your time, your finances and your energy? Living without limits and margin is a recipe for disaster.

Let me encourage you once again to make Wednesday nights at Calvary a priority for you and your family. We’ve dubbed it W@C (Wednesdays @ Calvary). We just had our second week with our AWANA  clubs, worship in the sanctuary at 6:15 till 7:10 and then from 7:15 to 8:15, there is a discipleship class, Bible Study or choir for you, a youth Bible study for your teen, while the AWANA club continues till 8:15. Why is this important? “Don’t you know Pastor Ralph we’re busy through the week?” Yes I do and that’s precisely why you need to make W@C a priority because I believe you’ll find it to be just what the doctor ordered. Our staff has identified 4 pillars that support our mission of teaching God’s people very well so they will love Him very much and serve Him very effectively. Those pillars are connect, grow, serve, renew. Each one of those pillars is part of our W@C strategy. Our Wednesday crowd is not so overwhelming and you can actually get to know people so you connect with each other and connect with God through the study of His word. As you connect with God and others in genuine relationship, you’ll grow in your faith (this is making disciplesJ), the growth as a disciple produces a servant heart and there numerous chances to serve with W@C. Personally, I love W@C because on the “hump-day” of the week, I’m renewed and refreshed in my spirit for the remainder of the week. While it’s a chore sometimes (even for the pastor to get back to church on Wednesday), I’m always glad I made it a priority.  I know you’ll have to make some choices elsewhere in your schedule, but that’s part of learning to set limits and a step toward being less weary and scattered. Something to think about from your shepherd’s busy little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph