Mother's Day

It has been a while since I blogged and I am not a blogger kind of guy...obviously.  :-)

I am grateful for a mother who loved me and built a lot of encouragement and confidence in my life.  My mother was always the first to cheer on my accomplishments in life and keep me motivated.  She is an energetic woman with a lot of life.  She is a hard worker and taught us to be the same.  She was always willing to make the sacrifices for us and make sure we had what we needed.

I love her and thank her for her faith.  She prayed for all 5 of us and lived a life of service to the Lord.  She worked in the nursery, sang in choirs, sang by self and with groups, lead Sunday school classes, taught in Jr. Church, cooked for church dinners and organized most of them, supported my father in his pastoral work and led people to the Lord.  When I was on the phone with her last week, she talked of leading a woman to the Lord!

She is very important to me and shaped who I am today.  I am so glad God blessed me with her.

Happy Mother's Day!

Leadership

As Burlington Community Church approaches the New Year, my mind is being drawn to ideas of leadership.  We are at a stage where we could use some help but only if it is necessary and helpful.  It is important the time is taken first to spell out what leadership is, what is helpful to a church and pastor, and how leadership in a church setting has a few similarities and many differences from that of a business world.  To be frank, as a pastor I have run ahead in this area a few times and regretted it.  I need to be personally aware of what God is doing and resist the effort to move forward when God has not spoken.   

The men in our church will go through a series of Bible Studies with me on Saturday mornings in January to look at these things and determine what needs to take place before leadership happens.  It is in confirming God's selection on the church setting rather than ability or the consistent, annoying verbal resume a pastor may receive...  

How is a church leader identified and what are the qualifications?  I had the chance to sit down with one man in our church who has desire and potential.  We looked at a passage of Scripture together and he has been working to make changes and wonderful changes are taking place.  This is encouraging!  A leader should be able to identify changes God's Word has had on their lives.  

It is also good to point out present, helpful behaviors.  A leader for the church MUST mirror the pastor's heart in ministry and commitment.  A leader would be sure that church attendance is extremely important, giving of tithes are happening, and efforts to resolve problems and issues rather than cause division.  A leader would be very self aware of potential divisive measure of himself and that of others in the church.    

This is just a few of the ideas forming for this study in January with the men and praying it will be helpful and a guiding light to future leadership at BCC.    

Hesitant Warrior

 THE HESITANT WARRIOR

The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’  Judges 6:11-12

• EVERY WARRIOR FEARS FAILURE.

‘But Lord,’ Gideon asked, ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’  Judges 6:15

  

DEFEATING THE FEAR OF FAILURE

1) THE WARRIOR WILL FAIL ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS.

…though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again. Proverbs 24:16

Shake it off and step up!

though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. Psalm 37:24

2) THE WARRIOR MUST SURRENDER CONTROL TO GOD.

‘But sir,’ Gideon replied, ‘if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?’ Judges 6:13a

• The warrior can’t control the outcome, only the input.

• The victorious warrior wins the war one battle at a time!

3) THE WARRIOR IS EMPOWERED BY GOD FOR VICTORY.

The LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?’ Judges 6:14

• Most men’s greatest fear is failure.

• Most men’s greatest pain is regret.

What are you going to regret for the rest of your life if you don’t at least try? 

WHY WOULD GOD USE ME?

WHY WOULD GOD USE ME?

The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" 15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." Judges 6:14-15

WHO DOES GOD MOST OFTEN USE?

1)      GOD USES THE INSECURE.

Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10

The LORD said to [Moses], "Who gave man his mouth?... Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Exodus 4:11-12

2)      GOD USES THE UNLIKELY.

…Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:6-7

3)      GOD USES THE BROKEN.

Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times."  62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22:60-62

WHAT DOES GOD WANT TO DO THROUGH YOU?

YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT TO FIND OUT.

Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

²⁹ "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:28-29

WHY? Week One "WHY DON’T I ALWAYS FEEL GOD?"

WHY DON’T I ALWAYS FEEL GOD?

• IF YOU DON’T ALWAYS FEEL GOD’S PRESENCE, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Feelings are fleeting. Just as emotional love isn't enough to sustain a relationship but the deep, abiding love that comes with maturity will, your faith cannot be dictated by emotions. 

But I cry to you for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 Why, O Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me? Psalm 88:13-14

WHY DON’T I ALWAYS FEEL GOD?

• MAYBE YOU ARE SENSATIONALIZING IT.

In a culture of instant gratification & an emphasis on "doing what makes us happy",  it's easy to put the responsibility for our contentment back on God.

So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?” John 6:30

• MAYBE YOU’RE SIMPLY DISTRACTED.

In a hyper connected society, it's easy to live a life of constant distraction. Despite all our modern "conveniences", we're busier than ever.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. Luke 10:38-40

• MAYBE YOUR HEART HAS HARDENED.

Life is hard. Bad things happen to good people. The innocent suffer & the wicked succeed. It's easy to allow our hearts to become calloused.

You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Matthew 13:14-15

• MAYBE YOU’VE BUILT A WALL OF SIN.

Too often we like our lives & lifestyles too much to make changes. Not many like to step outside our comfort zones. 

Listen! The LORD is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. 2 But there is a problem — your sins have cut you off from God. Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT96

• MAYBE YOU DON’T KNOW GOD.

 Even the devil believes in God. Being aware of God's existence is very different from knowing Him as your personal Savior.

You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me. John 7:28-29

PRESENCE PROMISES

1)      YOU WILL FIND GOD WHEN YOU SEEK GOD.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD… Jeremiah 29:13-14

2)      YOU CAN DO LIFE WITH GOD’S PRESENCE.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:16-17 NLT96

3)      YOU CAN EXPERIENCE GOD NOW.

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. Acts 17:27

TALK IT OVER

•    What is keeping you from always feeling God’s presence in your life?                          

•    Share a time when you felt God’s presence in your life. How did that experience affect you?

•     What steps will you take to seek God and experience Him now? 


Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers?

Burlington Community Church

October 14, 2012

WHY—2

By Roy Dowdy

WHY DIDN’T GOD ANSWER MY PRAYER?

13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:13-14

WHY DIDN’T GOD ANSWER MY PRAYER?

·  MAYBE YOU HAVE A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:24-25

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Peter 3:7

·  MAYBE YOU HAVE THE WRONG MOTIVES.

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures.James 4:3

All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Prov 16:2

  

·  MAYBE YOU DON’T BELIEVE GOD WILL DO IT.

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Mark 9:22-23

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…

James 1:6-7

·  MAYBE GOD HAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. John 9:31

Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. Luke 22:42-43

WHAT DO I BELIEVE ABOUT PRAYER?

Prayer is not as much about my wants—as God’s will.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us… But even if he does not…we will not serve your gods… Dan 3:17-18

·  I BELIEVE GOD CAN.

·  I BELIEVE GOD WILL.

·  EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, I STILL BELIEVE.

I Have a Reason...to be DETERMINED

Continuing in our series "I Have a Reason", we delved into a familiar passage to many of us, Romans 8:28-39.

Looking back on our lives, most of us can think of a situation which at the time seemed devastating, but in hindsight, we see it as mercy. A job you didn't get, a lover who broke your heart, a dream that never came true. In the depths of the disappointment, it's difficult to see how any good could possibly come from these situations & the feeling of loss can be overwhelming.

Thankfully, feelings are temporary, God's promises are not. If we allow ourselves, we can let current circumstances dictate our future success & happiness. As my friend Karen has said so many times, "Happiness is a choice, contentment is a command." Your present failures do not determine your future victories. Remembering & truly understanding that God sees the bigger picture is crucial. Picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, & moving forward with faith-motivated determination is the key to that contentment.
In Romans 8, Paul addresses the duality in our nature as Christians - our struggle to live as Christ intends & the battle against our sin nature.

Romans 8:28-39

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 

³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 

³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 

³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 

³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have a reason to be determined because:

• All things work together for good - Romans 8:28 
• Because of God's seal & purpose in our life -  Romans 8:29, 30 
• Nothing can stand against us -  Romans 8:31
• God sacrificed His son for our justification  Romans 8:32-33
• Christ is interceding for us -  Romans 8: 34
• Hardship, trial & conflict cannot separate us from the love of Christ - Romans 8:35, 36
• We are more than conquerors - Romans 8:37
• Neither death, nor supernatural powers, nor eternity, nor space or anything else in creation can separate us from the love of God -  Romans 8:38-39

The events of your life, every one of them, are part of God's divine plan. The timeline is important - God is looking at our eternal good, not just what is good for us here & now. He is making us like Christ, conforming us to Him. In Genesis 1:26 God created us in His image. But, through our sin, that image became disfigured and scarred. His plan is to once again in eternity see us restored. Press forward, rise above your circumstances & keep your eyes on the promise of verse 39 - "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." The battle isn't ours to fight. It's already been won. God sees into eternity. He knows how the story began & how it ends. He gives us the opportunity to live out the pages in between.