The Facts of the Matter!

I trust that you will take some time not only to think about these facts, but also to take them to heart:

FACT #1: God never intended for the Ten Commandments to be our means to righteousness because He knew that we could not keep them, and He was fully aware that the standard they set was far beneath His standard for holiness (Matthew 5:20-48).

FACT #2: God never intended for the Ten Commandments to become an object of our affection; instead, He clearly defined them as the ministry of condemnation and judgment—the ministry of sin and death (2 Corinthians 3:7-9).

FACT #3: God released us from the Law of Commandments, especially the law that required us to love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind because (1) He knew that the Law would imprison us in disobedience and, consequently, we would never love Him; and (2) He never intended for any law or system of laws to be the means to our righteousness or the means to our loving Him (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:21)

FACT #4: The church has taught—religiously taught—that loving God is absolutely essential for righteousness, so much so that most of us have spent our lifetimes trying to prove to God that we love Him, when in fact Jesus (not our love) is our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

FACT #5: According to the Scriptures, we fulfill the Law by loving one another as He has loved us (Galatians 5:14). Obviously, this is accomplished ONLY as (1) the result of our having been released from the Law and, thereby, from its curse; and (2) the result of our having been empowered to love by the Spirit.

FACT #6: True Christianity is about relationships, and if we miss this, we miss the heart and essence of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

MY PERSPECTIVE: The person who believes these truths will love God because loving God is the fruit of resting in His finished work and, I might add, God does know the difference between “love” that is the fruit of Old Covenant works and “love” that is the fruit of our New Covenant rest—the former being self-centered, the latter being Christ-centered.

The Blessing of Suffering?

Dear Fellow Travelers,

Roughly seven years ago, I was introduced to the writings of Richard Wurmbrand, from which the following is an excerpt:

I thank God for the years I passed in solitary confinement. I was, for three years, thirty feet beneath the earth. I never heard a word. I never spoke a word. There were no books. The outward voices ceased. The guards had felt-soled shoes; you did not hear their approach. Then, with time, the inner voices ceased. We were drugged, we were beaten. I forgot my whole theology. I forgot the whole Bible. One day I observed that I had forgotten the “Our Father.” I could not say it anymore. I knew that it began with “Our Father . . . ,” but I did not know the continuation. I just kept happy and said, “Our Father, I have forgotten the prayer, but You surely know it by heart. You hear it so many thousand times a day, so You assign an angel to say it for me, and I will just keep quiet.” For a time my prayers were, “Jesus, I love you.” And then after a little time again, “Jesus, I love You. Jesus I love you.” Then it became too difficult even to say this because we were doped with drugs that would destroy our minds. We were very hungry. We had one slice of bread a week. There were the beatings, and the tortures, and the lack of light, and the things. It became impossible to concentrate my mind to even say so much as, “Jesus, I love You.” I abandoned it because I knew that it was necessary. The highest form of prayer I know is the quiet beating of a heart that loves Him. Jesus should just hear the “tick-a-tock, tick-a-tock,” and He would know that every heartbeat is for Him. [The Triumphant Church (Bartlesville, Oklahoma: The Voice of the Martyrs, 1999), p. 24-25]

In the first place, I cannot imagine the suffering one would endure being confined for three years inside a very small cell, thirty feet beneath the earth. Furthermore, I cannot imagine what it would be like to endure three years without hearing a voice; that silence would be deafening! How one would keep from going “mad” is beyond me. To be sure, I have no idea how one could physically or mentally survive on a diet that consisted of only one slice of bread per week. Add to all of this, the beatings, the drugs, the tortures, the lack of light, and I have a difficult time believing that story is true.

This, however, is what intrigues me about this man: in all of his suffering, his pursuit of Jesus never diminished, it only intensified! Even after he was too weak to repeat the simple prayer, Jesus, I love You, he never lost his passion for Jesus. Oh, I am sure that there were times when he wondered where God had gone. I am also sure that there were times when he wondered why God did not deliver him from this relentless suffering (he actually spent 14 years in prison because of his refusal to deny Jesus); however, after 14 years of imprisonment and torture, his response was this: I thank God for the years I passed in solitary confinement.

Although none of us have suffered like this man suffered, and certainly none of us have suffered for the reason he suffered, most of us have suffered to some lesser degree and, I might add, suffering is suffering. Somehow, the whole of Christianity is built on the foundation of suffering. In Hebrews, we read these intriguing words: Although He (Jesus) was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8; parenthesis mine). Obviously, Jesus, Himself, suffered—relentlessly suffered. Then there is the host of other men and women of God who have, without exception, suffered because of their stand as Christians. We simply cannot get around the fact that suffering is a part, a vital part, of Christianity. Why, therefore, should we think that we are somehow exempt from it?

Yes, I realize that there are various kinds of suffering. Some suffering is the fruit of our foolish choices, while other suffering is the fruit of our faithfulness. Even so, suffering is suffering, and it always hurts. It is never pleasant! It is never enjoyable! Fortunately, however, God uses our suffering for our benefit and for His glory. In other words, God never wastes our suffering—NEVER!

Richard Wurmbrand suffered because of his faithfulness, his refusal to deny Jesus. Even though it was motivated by love, it was very painful, even debilitating; however, in the end, he could say with integrity, “I thank God for my suffering.” Obviously, God did not waste his suffering.

I guess I just wanted to remind you to stop and thank God for your suffering. Oh, I know that you have probably already thanked Him for many things, but have you thanked Him for the suffering He has allowed you to endure? If you haven’t done so, I encourage you to thank Him because your suffering is not without purpose—His Sovereign Purpose. Did you notice one of the fruits of Wurmbrand’s sufferings? He came to know the highest form of prayer—the quiet beating of a heart that loves Him.

MY PERSPECTIVE: Our suffering just might be our greatest blessing.

Multiple Sclerosis

As you know, Karen Purnhagen has MS and is very familiar with the devastating toll it takes on her life--physically and emotionally. Obviously, none of us can really understand her feelings but we can understand that she has them--many of them. We can also give her the freedom to be whomever she might feel like being in any given moment. We can also purpose to encourage her by simply being available to her.

At any rate, I thought it worth while to give you the following brief summary of this dreaded disease, in the hopes of giving you better insight into what might be going on in her life:

Multiple sclerosis is a devastating disease that affects the spinal cord and brain. As a result, sufferers of MS lose muscle control, balance, and vision. The body's own immune system causes the damage, which is why multiple sclerosis is called an autoimmune disease. Scar tissue begins to build up in the brain and spinal cord, and the brain can no long send and receive messages from the body. MS is more common in women, and doesn't usually occur until after adolescence.

Why do people get MS? Doctors aren't sure what causes multiple sclerosis to strike. Some scientists claim it is genetic, passed down from parents. Others believe it's a result of environmental factors. Other studies have shown that viruses such as the flu or measles trigger MS, although this hasn't been proven.

People with multiple sclerosis begin to have symptoms like muscle weakness, and their coordination and balance worsens. Other multiple sclerosis symptoms including tingling and numbness are felt throughout the body. They might experience eye pain and double vision. Bladder control problems are common, as messages to the brain to empty the bladder are affected. As MS progresses, muscles stiffen and weaken further. Speech can become slurred and thinking and processing information becomes difficult. Many people need to use a walker or wheelchair once the MS symptoms become bad enough to impair walking and movement.

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis, although multiple sclerosis medications are used to control attacks and relieve some of the stiffness and pain associated with the disease.

Sunday's Service

After Sunday's service, I hope you are fully-aware that God's provision for your life, even though it has no appeal to your flesh, is perfect and that without exception. I also trust that you are aware that most of what we perceive to be adversity is just that--perceived adversity.Furthermore, I pray that you realize that most of the "burdens" we take upon ourselves in an effort to help God are really not our burdens at all! Finally, I want to believe that you left our service with a renewed purpose--to see the "manna" that God's provides for you every day, as His perfect provision for you--regardless of its appearance.

There were many other things that I wanted to share with you from our text but time simply would not permit; however, I must share this: God continued to provide the Israelites with "manna" until they reached Canaan and began to eat the fruit of that land which "flowed with milk and honey"--the Promised Land!

Maybe it is time to move on out of the wilderness of "grumbling and complaining" and into the lush land of Canaan--the land that flows with "milk and honey"!

Have a great Memorial Day holiday!
Your Pastor

God's Provision is Perfect--ALWAYS!

I know that some of you don't believe I ever do any HARD work, so I thought I would show you just how HARD I do work--behold my tomato garden! The way I have it figured, I should have edible tomatoes in a few weeks (I already have one tomato on the vine) because I have been giving these lots of "tender love and care"! I mean they probably think they are important or something because I have showered them with love and affection. I have the feeling that these are going to be some good tomatoes!

Of course, I have to take precautions to keep the deer away, which I have and continue to do--I spray the plants with rotten eggs! Yes, rotten eggs! For some strange reason, deer don't like the smell of rotten eggs and that is good news! The really good news, however, is this: the rotten egg smell is not transferred to the tomatoes, which means that my tomatoes will neither smell nor taste like rotten eggs!

Anyway, I think Israel's take on quail was about like the deer's take on rotten eggs. At the very least, it didn't take them long to learn that they didn't want to mess with God's plan and provision. To be sure, they had a short memory, but they never forgot the smell of rottening quail!

Hopefully, Numbers 11 will come alive for you in the morning and in doing so, maybe the Holy Spirit will GENTLY remind us that we like God's plan and provision better than we think we do, at least much better than we will like what we think we will like!

See you in the AM!
Your Pastor

From Annie to Joanie--with Love!

Annie said...

OH, JOANIE! It's like you're back home! I remember your telling me about how you and Larry met at the Waffle House, and when I opened this picture, it made me feel all giddy. I hope you're happy being back there. Oh, and I'm loving the hair! Blondes unite!

Now, for the most important question...is it possible to have some waffle house entrees overnighted? Seriously, I have had dreams about Waffle House food since being pregnant! It is probably what I have craved the most! Next time you scatter, cover and dice some hash browns, will you do them in my honor????

Love you!!!

From the Uttermost to the Guttermost!

As you can tell from this picture, Ralph Whitehead is obeying his doctor's orders and doing nothing to jeopardize his ailing heart's function. I might add that this was taken at 11:45 AM today (5/24/07) with the sun bearing down! For some reason, Data told me that he is a bit "stubborn" but for the life of me I cannot understand why she said that! Strange that the cross is in plain view!!

Just for the record, I told him that, well never mind what I told him but I told him, anyway! For some reason, I don't think he paid me much attention!

Anyway, today he and Buck installed the gutter across that portion of the church building and are going to paint it tomorrow to match the wall color!

To be sure, with the freshly planted flowers/plants (thanks to Dudley and Debbie) along with the new fence, gutter and new paint (thanks to Ralph, Buck, and Don), this bit of our landscape is much-improved!!

Applause! Applause! Applause!!

Blessings,
Mac

A Personal Invitation!

Here are the pictures you asked for, sorry it took so long to get them
to you. I am now appearing at Waffle House #1086 Monday thru Wednesday
from 2-9 p.m. Come let me cook for ya'll!!

Love,
Joanie

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

Now you know why Larry is such a submissive husband and I can't say that I blame him!

Sunday's Service

The way I see it, Sunday's service was very special and it was so for several reasons, not the least of which was the time we spent praying for Taylor. I, obviously, cannot speak for you but in my opinion, His Presence was very evident, as we prayed for her. I cannot help but believe that the Holy Spirit is doing a very special work in her life. No, I do not pretend to know what it is or where it will lead, but I do believe that His hand is upon Taylor and in His time He will reveal the reason.

It is my prayer that each of us will remember to pray for Taylor, especially as she makes the necessary life-style changes that Type I Diabetes requires, but also as He works His work in her life. This is our privilege--our God-given privilege!

There also seemed to be a refreshing freedom during the worship time, one that I pray will continue. I really am thankful that John is here and sharing his giftedness with us. I only wish the Holy Spirit would provide him with someone more gifted than I to lead singing, especially in view of the fact that I don't know 4/4 time form B-flats fugue in A-minor. Suggestion: pray that John will be able to endure my limited abilities, or better yet, pray that He will send someone who is so gifted!!

As you could probably tell, I really like the story of Hannah and Samuel! Wow!!

Anyway, I am very thankful for the time we had together this past Sunday and I am looking forward to the next "gathering!"

Blessings with grace lavished,
Your Pastor

Here's to Posterity (the adjective, not the noun)!

Sometimes people simply get caught in the act, and the "act" varies from person to person and from place to place and from time to time, even so they are caught in the act! This "caught in the act" photo was taken soon after one of my finer sermons on the subject of prayer. Now I know, however, that it should have been on another subject--GLUTTONY!

Anyway, if anyone can identify these two culprits, it is my understanding that a certain restaurant will give you a free desert!

Look closely!!

Sunday is Upon Us Again!

As we continue our emphasis on prayer, I want to invite you to read the first chapter of 1 Samuel before tomorrow's service--the story of Hannah's praying for a child, a child who turned out to be, not just a child but Samuel, the man who anointed David as King. There is much in this story and I am eager to share it with you.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the AM!

Mac

The Gardners!

Ralph wants you to think that he is working and Debbie is supervising BUT do not be deceived; Debbie did the work and Ralph, well Ralph turned on the water for her! Now don't be too hard on him because he just returned from the hospital!

Seriously, I am very thankful for the work that Ralph, Don, Buck, Dudley, and, especially, Debbie have done to replace an "ugly spot" with a "beauty spot!"

You might note also that the stucco wall behind the fence has been freshly painted, thanks to Ralph, Don, and Buck!

Rejoicing,
Your Pastor

Prayer Matter!

The following is a copy of an email I just received from Andrea Williams regarding her daughter, Taylor. Please remember to pray for her! As you know, Type I diabetes requires a major life change, one that is not easy.

Just wanted to give you some information on Taylor; we were playing ball this weekend in Dublin and she began to feel really sick and weird, to put it in her words. So we headed back to Macon to the emergency room, where she was practically diagnosed with type 1 diabetes immediately. That was a real shock, her blood sugar was 1063, so she was admitted to the Children’s Hospital Sat night and we came home last night. We are all doing great now after much education. Taylor will give herself insulin four times a day, and check her blood sugar often while playing sports, but she will be able to continue to do everything she normally does. We are truly blessed and we know it!!!! She is an inspiration because she seems to be handling her life changing experience very well. She’s a little nervous about being cut loose tomorrow (not having Mom and Dad with her) to go back to school. She has a great support group at school so she’ll be fine. Keep us in your prayer!

Little Darlin' has a Son on the Way!

The marvels of modern medicine are quite marvelous, especially this 3-D ultrasound business! Why, I remember when the Doc guessed the the baby's gender by the direction the mother's left foot pointed on rainy days (or something like that!); however, times have changed a bit and the guessing game is over!

Anyway, I wanted to introduce you to Annie's son via this picture. Take a good look, so you will recognize him the next time you see him!

Remember to pray for Annie--often!

Love,
Your Pastor

A Strange Sight!

On my way to the church this morning, I saw a most unusual sight on the roadside; in fact, it was unique for me--a pair of crutches leaning against a fence. When I saw them, my mind immediately went to the stories in the Bible of Jesus healing the lame, and I thought, "Did I just miss a miracle?"

As of this moment, I have no idea how or why they were there, but I do know this: they were still there around 2:00 this afternoon, when I took the picture. You might wonder why I would want a picture of a pair abandoned crutches, a legitimate "wonder", I suppose. In case you do, here is the reason: I wanted the picture because the crutches reminded me that God still performs miracles--He still heals the lame; and He still sets the prisoners free! Who knows, I may enlarge the picture and place on the wall in my office1

Who knows, I might have missed a miracle this morning, or maybe He just wanted to remind me that He is still the miracle-working God that He has always been.

Blessed and very much so,
Your Pastor

Kevin's Modeling Debut!!

Believe it or not but Kevin is now a certified model (isn't he cute!), having made his debut at the Cherry Blossom Festival. I do not believe he has made it to "pro" status but from these pictures you can tell that it won't long.

Sunday's Message

As I write this, it is Friday afternoon around 3:15 and I have just finished going back through the text I used last Sunday morning (Luke 18: 1-8). To be honest, I am not sure that I communicated the heart of this passage last Sunday, so I plan to make another pass through it this Sunday in an effort to communicate more clearly and effectively.

The Spirit's purpose is obvious: to show us that at all times we ought to pray and not to lose heart. As you probably know, this is something we all need to see because we all have at one time or another found ourselves losing heart, maybe even wondering "why pray"?

Unfortunately, this is due to the fact that most of us (if not all of us) have been taught that God is like the unrighteous judge, especially in the way He answers our prayers. If I accomplish nothing else, I sincerely pray that I can encourage you to have your mind renewed, if this is the way you think today.

God is in no way like this unrighteous judge!

Please pray for me, as I continue to mediate on this passage and eventually preach this Sunday morning.

Blessings,
Your Pastor

Catfish Suppers!!

Some things in life are just too important to miss and catfish suppers are one of those things. Being from the South, especially South Georgia, I have been catching and eating catfish all of my life--almost literally! Of course, I like hush puppies and cole slaw and iced tea, but just give me plenty of catfish, then leave me alone and I will be fine.

Well, tonight a rather diverse group gathered at my dear friend's new catfish restaurant--Mr. Catfish and Friends--and we had quite a time. I somehow managed to order the "all-you-can-eat" deal and believe it or not, I ate all I could eat, at one sitting, anyway! If you look at some of those who were gathered with me, you will probably realize that I was not the only sinner in the crowd!

Anyway, a picture is worth a thousand words (or so someone said), so I am giving you several pictures and will, therefore, end my writing for now.

Worship at GCF

These are Jesus' words: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself" (John 12:32). Obviously, the "all" to which He refers is not everyone but His elect; however, that is not the point. This is the point: the Christian life is about Jesus, not man, being lifted up, whether it happens on the cross or in worship. Unfortunately, the church across America has taken an altogether different position and the evidence is obvious--everything is about pleasing people and, therefore, not about lifting up Jesus.

I am praying a very specific prayer for this part of the Body of Christ and it is this: Father, may the primary purpose of our worship services be to lift up Jesus. Show us how and when we do otherwise and give us the courage to change when we do. The "otherwise" is most often so subtle that we aren't even aware that we are caught up with having our own way, rather than with submitting to your way.

Please join me in this prayer--

Your Pastor

I Am Really Glad that God Got Over His Anger at the Cross!!

These are some aerial photos of the devastation that the recent tornado left in Greensburg, Kansas--

The Road Less Traveled

James really got it right when he talked about the tongue--it really is an unruly evil, a fire set on fire by hell. To be sure, no man can tame the tongue; thankfully, however, there is one who can and He is relentless in His mission. The Holy Spirit is quite the master at taming the tongue but His tactics seem and feel merciless.

As we continue to think about prayer, may I encourage you to prayerfully consider what you say and to whom you say it. It is my sincere prayer that we will become a people who sincerely desires to speak ONLY those words that edify and encourage others. Remember this: gossip serves (1) to reveal what is in the heart of the gossiper, and I feel sure that none of us would want that revealed to the general public and (2) to bring terrible hurt to central figure of the gossip, and I feel sure that most of us have been that figure.

Let us remember that the tongue has the potential of not only bringing death, but also (and thankfully) of bringing life but, unfortunately, this is the road less traveled.

May each of us ask the Holy Spirit to remind us to be careful of our words--what we say, how we say it, and to whom we speak them.

Just a reminder,
Your Pastor

Today's Service

I told you that I needed your help with this morning's message!! I can only pray that He really did turn that "water" into "wine"--the strong wine of His Spirit!! Anyway, I thought I would share these pictures with you--ENJOY! (to see a larger picture, simply click on the picture!)

Sunday is Just Around the Corner!

The first part of the text I plan to use tomorrow is especially difficult, at least for me. I have read and reread it but I am still "seeing through a glass darkly." Hopefully, by "preaching time" tomorrow, I will have a better grip on the message. If not, maybe he will enlighten some of you!!

Listen to what Jesus has to say: "Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, 'There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, and did not respect man. And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' And for a whole he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by continually coming she wear me out.' And the Lord said, 'Hear what the unrighteous judge said; . . .'"

You think about this and I will see you in the AM!!

Love,
Your Pastor

Eagles Still Fly!!

The evidence not only that par golf is still a makable score by "duffers" but also that eagles can fly!!

A Medical Emergency!

Yesterday (5/2/07) at around 11:15 AM Ralph Whitehead & Don Tripp were working at the church preparing to erect a privacy fence to hide the air conditioning units, as you can see in one of these pictures. At 11:28, I dialed 911 to get an ambulance headed in our direction. Of course, Ralph was begging me not to call the ambulance but "I had been there and done that before" and have several "T" shirts to prove it, so I ignored his begging. From years of experience, I knew that Ralph was having a major cardiac event and needed medical attention ASAP, if not sooner. At approximately 12:00, he was on his way to the Coliseum Medical Center.

After all was said and done, the Doc installed two stents (sp) in Ralph's LAD coronary artery--the "widow maker!" Before dark he was in room 307 and "fit as a fiddle!"

You know, we have been called to prayer and I really believe that God is answering our prayers; in fact, I know that he did yesterday. We are very blessed that Ralph is still here with us, and for that I truly praise the Lord!

In the midst of taking care of the emergency, I really did not think about this but afterwards I became very aware of the effect Ralph's death would have had on this part of the Body of Christ, not to mention his wife, children, and extended family. Thankfully, God chose to spare him and to allow him to continue on with us for another part of our journey!

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Much love,
Your Pastor

The Pianist

I am still in awe of God's wonderful answer to our prayers concerning leadership for our worship services! As He promised: exceeding, abundantly above and beyond our wildest expectations!

As you know, most musicians are a tad finicky and this picture is proof-positive that John is no exception. Just for the record, he was fine-tuning one of the notes that had one string off somewhat. Of course, he had to tell me because my ear isn't quite that sensitive. Now, once he told me I could hear the problem--clearly! (If you believe that, I have a mountain cabin in the middle of the ocean that I want to sell you.)

Seriously, I am so thankful that God brought John and Karen to this part of the Body of Christ; each in their own way contribute so much to this ministry. Karen had often told me of John's song writing ability but I had no idea of the depth of it, until I began to hear him play and sing the songs--incredible!

Today, John sent me the lyrics of a song that was "hot of the press" and I promise you that you will love them! I cannot wait to hear him sing it and then to teach it to us!

Folks, we are truly blessed and then some! Hallelujah!

Love,
Your Pastor