In the book of Joshua, when the Jews crossed over the Jordan River, they piled up 12 stones so that for generations to come when children would ask their fathers, "What mean these stones?" all would be instructed and know that God had brought Israel over on dry ground; and that He is mighty and should be feared (josh. 4:15-24). Those 12 stones were Memorial Stones.
That intrigues me. It reminds me that perhaps one of the worst fates is not to be killed, but to be forgotten.
In Hamlet, the final command of the King's ghost is, "Remember me." In Sartre's No Exit, characters in Hell are punished by scenes of their former friends and enemies carrying on with their lives with no thought at all of the departed. C.S. Lewis, in The Great Divorce, describes a dead artist raging that his work is no longer bought in the galleries on Earth.
And so it is vital that we remember the ultimate price that many others have paid for our freedoms. As President Abraham Lincoln said of the fallen heroes of Gettysburg, "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here!"
And yet our memory of someone's life can do nothing to affect a person's eternity. In the Day Of Judgment many would doubtless trade all the tributes of the world they have left behind for one sign of recognition in the world to which they go. "I never knew you" is a chilling epitaph when carved over the door to Forever in the Lake of Fire (Matt. 7:21-23; Rev. 20:11-15).
For this reason, the best Memorial prayer of Freedom ever prayed was that by the dying thief on the cross who cried out to Jesus, "Lord, remember me." There were no parades on Earth, but, before the afternoon was out, Jesus would recognize him before the Father and invite him into Paradise (Luke 23:39-43). What liberty! What freedom! What a memeorial! I wonder when that Judment day comes for you, will you be known to the Master? If you do not now say to Christ, "Give me liberty", then one day you will have eternal death.
By Calvary's Red Glow,
Pastor David Blevins
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Monday, March 26, 2012
Strong To The Finish
Robert S. Smith doesn't like to finish what he starts. He figures that is very, very good for his business.
You see, Mr. Smith is the owner of a company that sells unfinished church furniture: altars, communion tables, those sort of things (No seats, though; Mr. Smith doesn't do pews). Why unfinished furniture? Because the items will typically cost about 50% less that way. That works out very well for most churches, which do not have a lot of money to start with, but do have many skilled people willing to seal, stain, varnish, and paint. There is also much more involved here than money. It seems somehow that many people really enjoy having a hand in preparing God's house for worship (See Exodus 35:30-36:2).
Now, I have never met Mr. Robert S. Smith, but he reminds me a lot of God; they are both in the business of filling His churches with unfinished products.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God's "workmanship." Each one of us Christians are an item created by the Master Carpenter to assist His church in serving Him (Pslam 100:2). But Paul teaches that we are somewhat like unfinished furniture, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." In other words, God roughs us out, giving us the privilege of taking part in the final smoothing and shaping of our lives as we lovingly obey His Word and humbly submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
So, if some of your fellow church furnishings have some rough edges and leave an occasional splinter in your Sunday spirituality, don't condemn the church or even foolishly decide that God isn't taking very good care of His business. God is showing us our true business, to be a great advertisement to the lost for God's goodness and love and to be a finishing craftsman in His kingdom. while you are at it, don't forget that you and I could use a little varnish ourselves!
Strong To The Finish,
Pastor David Blevins
You see, Mr. Smith is the owner of a company that sells unfinished church furniture: altars, communion tables, those sort of things (No seats, though; Mr. Smith doesn't do pews). Why unfinished furniture? Because the items will typically cost about 50% less that way. That works out very well for most churches, which do not have a lot of money to start with, but do have many skilled people willing to seal, stain, varnish, and paint. There is also much more involved here than money. It seems somehow that many people really enjoy having a hand in preparing God's house for worship (See Exodus 35:30-36:2).
Now, I have never met Mr. Robert S. Smith, but he reminds me a lot of God; they are both in the business of filling His churches with unfinished products.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God's "workmanship." Each one of us Christians are an item created by the Master Carpenter to assist His church in serving Him (Pslam 100:2). But Paul teaches that we are somewhat like unfinished furniture, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." In other words, God roughs us out, giving us the privilege of taking part in the final smoothing and shaping of our lives as we lovingly obey His Word and humbly submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
So, if some of your fellow church furnishings have some rough edges and leave an occasional splinter in your Sunday spirituality, don't condemn the church or even foolishly decide that God isn't taking very good care of His business. God is showing us our true business, to be a great advertisement to the lost for God's goodness and love and to be a finishing craftsman in His kingdom. while you are at it, don't forget that you and I could use a little varnish ourselves!
Strong To The Finish,
Pastor David Blevins
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
Who was St. Patrick of Ireland?
Patrick (his real name was Succat) was born in Dumbarton, Scotland and moved to Wales (on the west coast of England). He was not a very good student in school and was severely ridiculed because of his lack of scholastic ability. When Patrick was 16 years old, he was captured by Irish pirates and taken into slavery. Patrick was forced to take care of a herd of sheep and goats by himself. This often caused him to stay out all night alone in the mountains. This solitude turned out to be a great blessing in disguise as Patrick had plenty of time to do some very serious thinking about his life and eternal soul's destiny. As the Lord dealt with Patrick, he repented and was gloriously saved!
Two very lonely years passed and during his prayer time as he guarded sheep in the desolate mountains, Patrick felt impressed by the Lord to escape his captors. Patrick did escape, found a ship going to France and was able to make his way back home to Wales.
A number of years passed and while attending a Bible institute, Patrick felt God calling him to be a missionary to Ireland at 40 years of age! In 432 A.D. Patrick returned to Ireland as a Baptist Missionary! He was supported on a monthly basis by Baptist churches in Wales.
Patrick started over 300 Independent Baptist churches in Ireland and baptized over 100,000 adults during his 30+ years of gospel ministry there. There is no legitimate record that Patrick ever prayed the Rosary, prayed to saints or prayed to the Virgin Mary. Patrick, the Baptist preacher, so evangelized Ireland that after his death, Ireland sent out missionaries all over England and Europe.
In 664 A.D. the Roman Catholic Church instigated a debate in Whitney, England. The king decided to become a Roman Catholic and brought the English churches under the rule of Catholicism. So, to get all those Irish Baptist churches to join the Roman Catholic Church, the Council of Whitney made a saint out of Patrick (although he was long dead and did not have any say in the matter!).
Well, it sure is good to know that Patrick really isn't a cause for the unsaved, worldly crowd to don their green apparel, visit the local pubs and drink green beer with their corned beef and cabbage! Patrick of Ireland is certainly worth talking about and spiritually appreciating what he did for the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ!
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,
Pastor David Blevins
Patrick (his real name was Succat) was born in Dumbarton, Scotland and moved to Wales (on the west coast of England). He was not a very good student in school and was severely ridiculed because of his lack of scholastic ability. When Patrick was 16 years old, he was captured by Irish pirates and taken into slavery. Patrick was forced to take care of a herd of sheep and goats by himself. This often caused him to stay out all night alone in the mountains. This solitude turned out to be a great blessing in disguise as Patrick had plenty of time to do some very serious thinking about his life and eternal soul's destiny. As the Lord dealt with Patrick, he repented and was gloriously saved!
Two very lonely years passed and during his prayer time as he guarded sheep in the desolate mountains, Patrick felt impressed by the Lord to escape his captors. Patrick did escape, found a ship going to France and was able to make his way back home to Wales.
A number of years passed and while attending a Bible institute, Patrick felt God calling him to be a missionary to Ireland at 40 years of age! In 432 A.D. Patrick returned to Ireland as a Baptist Missionary! He was supported on a monthly basis by Baptist churches in Wales.
Patrick started over 300 Independent Baptist churches in Ireland and baptized over 100,000 adults during his 30+ years of gospel ministry there. There is no legitimate record that Patrick ever prayed the Rosary, prayed to saints or prayed to the Virgin Mary. Patrick, the Baptist preacher, so evangelized Ireland that after his death, Ireland sent out missionaries all over England and Europe.
In 664 A.D. the Roman Catholic Church instigated a debate in Whitney, England. The king decided to become a Roman Catholic and brought the English churches under the rule of Catholicism. So, to get all those Irish Baptist churches to join the Roman Catholic Church, the Council of Whitney made a saint out of Patrick (although he was long dead and did not have any say in the matter!).
Well, it sure is good to know that Patrick really isn't a cause for the unsaved, worldly crowd to don their green apparel, visit the local pubs and drink green beer with their corned beef and cabbage! Patrick of Ireland is certainly worth talking about and spiritually appreciating what he did for the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ!
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,
Pastor David Blevins
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Mary Had A Little Lamb
March, a month that, according to the old wives' tale, "comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." Well, it doesn't take a meteorologist to see that those old wives knew their stuff, at least when it came to weather reports and some old home remedies for illness. While the beginning of the month kind of roared about us with some chilly temperatures and gusty wind, hopefully the final days of the month will bring a pleasant change. Perhaps the roaring lion will yield to the suckling lamb.
The Lord Jesus Christ reverses this process. He came into this world as a Lamb; He will return as a Lion (Revelation 5:5). The Old Testament teaches this dichotomy. Isaiah saw a suffering servant who would not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street (Isaiah 42:1-7; Isaiah 53). Malachi, on the other hand, beheld a Righteous Judge, blazing like a refiner's fire (Malachi 3:2).
Skeptics see these diverse pictures as a contradiction: the spiritually discerning man views them as a completion. Jesus Christ came into this world the first time as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). If we refuse him entry into our heart in this guise, the Bible promises that He will return as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Who judges iniquity without respect to persons.
The choice is yours; which Christ do you choose to meet? Jesus Christ, He came in like a Lamb, He will return like a Lion.
Mary Had A Little Lamb,
Pastor David Blevins
The Lord Jesus Christ reverses this process. He came into this world as a Lamb; He will return as a Lion (Revelation 5:5). The Old Testament teaches this dichotomy. Isaiah saw a suffering servant who would not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street (Isaiah 42:1-7; Isaiah 53). Malachi, on the other hand, beheld a Righteous Judge, blazing like a refiner's fire (Malachi 3:2).
Skeptics see these diverse pictures as a contradiction: the spiritually discerning man views them as a completion. Jesus Christ came into this world the first time as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). If we refuse him entry into our heart in this guise, the Bible promises that He will return as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Who judges iniquity without respect to persons.
The choice is yours; which Christ do you choose to meet? Jesus Christ, He came in like a Lamb, He will return like a Lion.
Mary Had A Little Lamb,
Pastor David Blevins
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Whistle While You Work
"...gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth it not" (Hosea 7:9).
I guess gray hair has always been the quintessential warning that youth is fleeting. I know that I will never forget the day a number of years ago when my wife, after staring intently at my temples, announced, "Look, there are several gray hairs!" That really threw me, and I worried about those gray hairs for awhile, that is until they started falling out! These days, after seeing what I look like on camera by watching the Thursday evening telecast of our church service, I am like the man who said, "I don't mind my hairs turning gray, I just don't want them to turn loose!"
The prophet Hosea wrote well before the days of Grecian Formula, Just For Men, or even Miss Clairol. Today, statistics reveal that two out of every four women in America spend billions dollars on hair dye to cover up the aging process. While I certainly have nothing against dyes, wigs, wrinkle creams, etc., that we Americans use to disguise the inevitable, let's be honest; the whole purpose of these items is to make us have a younger appearance before others.
In Hosea, however, we have the picture of a man who is fooling himself. In my mind's eye, I see a man with the cocky swagger of youth who fails to realize that age is taking its toll. "Gray hairs are here and there..." means that his time is beginning to run out. He is closer to death and judgment than he thinks. He is numb to the realization that his opportunities are slipping away.
Friend, if you are not saved, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your opportunities to come to Him for salvation and the complete forgiveness of all your sins are quickly slipping away! That is exactly why the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:2 "...now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Dear lost sinner friend, come to Jesus today and trust Him as your Savior today!
Christian friend, if you are not serving Jesus Christ, your opportunities for service and rewards are quickly slipping away as well! That is why the Lord Jesus Christ said in John 9:4, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: for the night cometh, when no man can work." Psalm 100:2 tells us, "Serve the LORD with gladness..."
It is a wonderful joy and privilege to know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and to work for Him, wouldn't you agree? My question today is...if Jesus could love us so much that He could die for us, why can't we love Him so much that we will live whole-heartedly for Him?
Whistle While You Work,
Pastor David Blevins
I guess gray hair has always been the quintessential warning that youth is fleeting. I know that I will never forget the day a number of years ago when my wife, after staring intently at my temples, announced, "Look, there are several gray hairs!" That really threw me, and I worried about those gray hairs for awhile, that is until they started falling out! These days, after seeing what I look like on camera by watching the Thursday evening telecast of our church service, I am like the man who said, "I don't mind my hairs turning gray, I just don't want them to turn loose!"
The prophet Hosea wrote well before the days of Grecian Formula, Just For Men, or even Miss Clairol. Today, statistics reveal that two out of every four women in America spend billions dollars on hair dye to cover up the aging process. While I certainly have nothing against dyes, wigs, wrinkle creams, etc., that we Americans use to disguise the inevitable, let's be honest; the whole purpose of these items is to make us have a younger appearance before others.
In Hosea, however, we have the picture of a man who is fooling himself. In my mind's eye, I see a man with the cocky swagger of youth who fails to realize that age is taking its toll. "Gray hairs are here and there..." means that his time is beginning to run out. He is closer to death and judgment than he thinks. He is numb to the realization that his opportunities are slipping away.
Friend, if you are not saved, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your opportunities to come to Him for salvation and the complete forgiveness of all your sins are quickly slipping away! That is exactly why the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:2 "...now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Dear lost sinner friend, come to Jesus today and trust Him as your Savior today!
Christian friend, if you are not serving Jesus Christ, your opportunities for service and rewards are quickly slipping away as well! That is why the Lord Jesus Christ said in John 9:4, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: for the night cometh, when no man can work." Psalm 100:2 tells us, "Serve the LORD with gladness..."
It is a wonderful joy and privilege to know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and to work for Him, wouldn't you agree? My question today is...if Jesus could love us so much that He could die for us, why can't we love Him so much that we will live whole-heartedly for Him?
Whistle While You Work,
Pastor David Blevins
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Ant It The Truth
I read a very interesting article today about caterpillars. It is absolutely amazing how much research you can accomplish while waiting a torturous amount of time to see a doctor! Anyway, it seems that a caterpillar's natural enemy is the wasp (which in summers past we have had flying around our house like an Air Force squadron) and the little woolly worms have no natural means of defence. So what do they do? They sing the blues to their friends, the ants.
Really!
Scientists have long noticed that caterpillars tend to attract gangs of ants who will, if their amigo is attacked, defend him! At first these scientists figured that the caterpillars must be feeding their bodyguards, but that didn't seem quite right. As soon as an ant got his portion of chow, he would head back for the anthill, while the other ants followed their caterpillar around like a faithful puppy dog. then someone finally hit upon the real key: sweet talk. The caterpillars, those silver-tongued devils, produce some kind of sound that attracts the ants. That is a nice piece of information to have if you are a caterpillar; or a Christian! Please consider a couple of life lessons from this...
First: if you have to buy friends with food (or anything else for that matter), you will only have friends as long as they are eating (or having some other desire met). Personal relationships that are built upon good communication always outlast those that rely on gifts.
Second: sweetness of speech builds a protective bond between people. The book of James warns all of us about the destructive powers of the tongue (James 1:26; James 3:1-10), and the caterpillar parable shows us its positive qualities.
So, as you crawl through life this week, speak as kindly as possible to everyone (Proverbs 12:25; 25:11; Colossians 4:6). In the never-ending battle to be promoted to a butterfly first-class, you will find that building deep bonds of Christian friendship is a key factor (Proverbs 18:24).
Ant It The Truth,
Pastor David Blevins
Really!
Scientists have long noticed that caterpillars tend to attract gangs of ants who will, if their amigo is attacked, defend him! At first these scientists figured that the caterpillars must be feeding their bodyguards, but that didn't seem quite right. As soon as an ant got his portion of chow, he would head back for the anthill, while the other ants followed their caterpillar around like a faithful puppy dog. then someone finally hit upon the real key: sweet talk. The caterpillars, those silver-tongued devils, produce some kind of sound that attracts the ants. That is a nice piece of information to have if you are a caterpillar; or a Christian! Please consider a couple of life lessons from this...
First: if you have to buy friends with food (or anything else for that matter), you will only have friends as long as they are eating (or having some other desire met). Personal relationships that are built upon good communication always outlast those that rely on gifts.
Second: sweetness of speech builds a protective bond between people. The book of James warns all of us about the destructive powers of the tongue (James 1:26; James 3:1-10), and the caterpillar parable shows us its positive qualities.
So, as you crawl through life this week, speak as kindly as possible to everyone (Proverbs 12:25; 25:11; Colossians 4:6). In the never-ending battle to be promoted to a butterfly first-class, you will find that building deep bonds of Christian friendship is a key factor (Proverbs 18:24).
Ant It The Truth,
Pastor David Blevins
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Reach Out And Touch...Someone
I have lost my notepad-the notepad on which I write down all the things that I must do on a given day! (Question: How do you remember to buy a new notepad when you can't write down on the front of your old notepad, "Buy a new notepad?" The irony is staggering!) It did get me to thinking, though, about the various records that we, and others, keep of our lives.
My little book/notepad was good for my life only and, thus, practically useless to anyone else. But please carefully consider the following....
Verizon recently belched forth their new phone books for New York City. There were literally millions of copies (over 5,000 tons of paper worth) and if you laid them all end to end, you could walk from here to Knoxville, Tennessee, on a pavement of phone books, provided that you had some strange desire to do so. If you stacked them all one on top of the other...well, that would be an indication that you had way too much time on your hands. And for all of this, the books are incomplete since 30% of New Yorkers paid a fee for an unlisted number and hundreds of thousands more only use their cell phone, having done away with the old dinosauer landline.
That is just New York City. When the Kuwaitis bailed out just ahead of the Iraqi invasion almost 20 years ago, they took along a floppy disc containing a complete register of the nation's citizenry.
Those are just lists of names. When William of Normandy conqured England, he compiled a two-volume set listing not only each citizen's name, but his possessions as well. This was, of course, for tax purposes and was appropriately dubbed "The Dooms Day Book."
Revelation 20:12-15 tells us that God keeps a set of books of His own. One volume, like the Kuwaiti microchip, lists every single citizen of Heaven. The other-a multi-volume set, records the name of every single person who has ever lived, along with an account of the debt of sin that is owed to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Unlike the phone book, no one can remain unlisted. One way or another, God has your number!
So, how about it? Are you in the Dooms Day Book or are you in the registry of the citizens of Heaven? The choice is yours and it totally depends upon what you do with God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Will you trust Him as your personal Savior today?
Reach Out And Touch...Someone,
Pastor David Blevins
My little book/notepad was good for my life only and, thus, practically useless to anyone else. But please carefully consider the following....
Verizon recently belched forth their new phone books for New York City. There were literally millions of copies (over 5,000 tons of paper worth) and if you laid them all end to end, you could walk from here to Knoxville, Tennessee, on a pavement of phone books, provided that you had some strange desire to do so. If you stacked them all one on top of the other...well, that would be an indication that you had way too much time on your hands. And for all of this, the books are incomplete since 30% of New Yorkers paid a fee for an unlisted number and hundreds of thousands more only use their cell phone, having done away with the old dinosauer landline.
That is just New York City. When the Kuwaitis bailed out just ahead of the Iraqi invasion almost 20 years ago, they took along a floppy disc containing a complete register of the nation's citizenry.
Those are just lists of names. When William of Normandy conqured England, he compiled a two-volume set listing not only each citizen's name, but his possessions as well. This was, of course, for tax purposes and was appropriately dubbed "The Dooms Day Book."
Revelation 20:12-15 tells us that God keeps a set of books of His own. One volume, like the Kuwaiti microchip, lists every single citizen of Heaven. The other-a multi-volume set, records the name of every single person who has ever lived, along with an account of the debt of sin that is owed to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Unlike the phone book, no one can remain unlisted. One way or another, God has your number!
So, how about it? Are you in the Dooms Day Book or are you in the registry of the citizens of Heaven? The choice is yours and it totally depends upon what you do with God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Will you trust Him as your personal Savior today?
Reach Out And Touch...Someone,
Pastor David Blevins
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Break A Leg
In Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie, the main characters represent his family.
On opening night at the Chicago Civic Theatre in 1944, after the final curtain, Edwina Williams went backstage to congratulate her son and the actors. Laurette Taylor, who had played the mother, spotted her and quipped, "How did you like you'self, Miz Williams?" The playwright's mother registered shock; she had no idea that Amanda Wingfield was supposed to be her.
Worse yet was the alcoholic Mr. Williams. He snorted that he failed to see how the character of the father, who had abandoned the family years before the action of the play begins, was supposed to represent him. After all, he had not run off; he was still around. He, of course, missed the whole point: physically present but emotionally absent, he had sorely wounded the entire family.
Yet, let us not be too hard on Mr. and Mrs. Williams.
I sometimes wonder what God, the Master Playwright of the Universe, thinks when we read His "script", or, more accurately, "Scripture". He puts us in every line, exposing our faults, revealing our sin, all in His desire to make us recognize our sinful portrait (Ecc. 7:20; Rom. 3:10,23) and to serve as a catalyst to get us to turn to Him for forgiveness and redemption. And what do we do? We see our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers, or our enemies on every page; we see everyone but ourselves (2 Cor. 10:12).
Let me ask you, have you been doing some accusing lately? I have a suggestion; write down everything that you have against any one else, spare no feelings and pour on the adjectives. Then read it through, standing in front of the nearest mirror, and very carefully listen as the Holy Spirit asks, "How did you like you'self?" (John 16:8). Then plead the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse the record before the final curtain falls (I John 1:7,9).
Break A Leg,
Pastor David Blevins
On opening night at the Chicago Civic Theatre in 1944, after the final curtain, Edwina Williams went backstage to congratulate her son and the actors. Laurette Taylor, who had played the mother, spotted her and quipped, "How did you like you'self, Miz Williams?" The playwright's mother registered shock; she had no idea that Amanda Wingfield was supposed to be her.
Worse yet was the alcoholic Mr. Williams. He snorted that he failed to see how the character of the father, who had abandoned the family years before the action of the play begins, was supposed to represent him. After all, he had not run off; he was still around. He, of course, missed the whole point: physically present but emotionally absent, he had sorely wounded the entire family.
Yet, let us not be too hard on Mr. and Mrs. Williams.
I sometimes wonder what God, the Master Playwright of the Universe, thinks when we read His "script", or, more accurately, "Scripture". He puts us in every line, exposing our faults, revealing our sin, all in His desire to make us recognize our sinful portrait (Ecc. 7:20; Rom. 3:10,23) and to serve as a catalyst to get us to turn to Him for forgiveness and redemption. And what do we do? We see our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers, or our enemies on every page; we see everyone but ourselves (2 Cor. 10:12).
Let me ask you, have you been doing some accusing lately? I have a suggestion; write down everything that you have against any one else, spare no feelings and pour on the adjectives. Then read it through, standing in front of the nearest mirror, and very carefully listen as the Holy Spirit asks, "How did you like you'self?" (John 16:8). Then plead the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse the record before the final curtain falls (I John 1:7,9).
Break A Leg,
Pastor David Blevins
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Carpe Diem
It is quite possible that down through the years the institutionalized church has become so much like its counterparts in the secular world that we have over-programmed and over-managed a very simple process. After carefully reading Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger's clarion call to get "back to the basics" in their book Simple Church one of the commitments that I have made for 2012 is to give leadership toward the involvement of our lay people here at CHBC. This church belongs to Jesus Christ; He is to be the head, not anyone else (Eph. 5:32). We are the Body of Christ which is made up of individual members; all of us are given spiritual gifts and opportunities to exercise those gifts within the Body (I Cor. 12).
I am committed to the reality that the Pastor does not solely exist for the purpose of organizing new programs and then attempting to breathe new life into them (Acts 6:4; Eph. 4:11,12; 2 Tim. 4: 2-5). But rather I am committed to the spiritual truths that all of us in this church are members of the body of Jesus Christ and that all of us need to be working together to reach people with the Gospel, to minister to people, and to impact the lives of people for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ! If some structure and organization can be a help and assistance in helping us to achieve those things, then we must organize and develop the necessary structures. However, the structure and organization should never come between ourselves and the ministry to which God has called us. Wasn't it Nike that had the advertising slogan a few years ago, "Just Do It"?
Success, victory, and conquest is, in this life, tentative at best. Future developments always have the potential to mangle our greatest triumphs. So I thank you now for being part of the victory in 2011 and for being part of the opportunity for victory in 2012, BUT STAY ON DUTY! I think that it was C.S. Lewis, or perhaps Yogi Berra, who said, "It ain't over till it's over."
In fact, learning to give genuine, heart-felt thanks to God during our entire Christian walk is so important. As the rest of this new year hunkers menacingly on the horizon, we do well to remember that the Apostle Paul, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us to give thanks "for all things" (Eph.5:20; I Thess. 5:18). Why is that? Well, if we waited until the circumstances warrant a full confidence and thanks, it would seem (at least in this life) that we would always be waiting for things to work out and never get around to praising God! Worship is a little like housework: the laundry "is never finished" and our adoring hearts' praise to the Lord God Almighty should never finish either!
Carpe Diem,
Pastor David Blevins
I am committed to the reality that the Pastor does not solely exist for the purpose of organizing new programs and then attempting to breathe new life into them (Acts 6:4; Eph. 4:11,12; 2 Tim. 4: 2-5). But rather I am committed to the spiritual truths that all of us in this church are members of the body of Jesus Christ and that all of us need to be working together to reach people with the Gospel, to minister to people, and to impact the lives of people for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ! If some structure and organization can be a help and assistance in helping us to achieve those things, then we must organize and develop the necessary structures. However, the structure and organization should never come between ourselves and the ministry to which God has called us. Wasn't it Nike that had the advertising slogan a few years ago, "Just Do It"?
Success, victory, and conquest is, in this life, tentative at best. Future developments always have the potential to mangle our greatest triumphs. So I thank you now for being part of the victory in 2011 and for being part of the opportunity for victory in 2012, BUT STAY ON DUTY! I think that it was C.S. Lewis, or perhaps Yogi Berra, who said, "It ain't over till it's over."
In fact, learning to give genuine, heart-felt thanks to God during our entire Christian walk is so important. As the rest of this new year hunkers menacingly on the horizon, we do well to remember that the Apostle Paul, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us to give thanks "for all things" (Eph.5:20; I Thess. 5:18). Why is that? Well, if we waited until the circumstances warrant a full confidence and thanks, it would seem (at least in this life) that we would always be waiting for things to work out and never get around to praising God! Worship is a little like housework: the laundry "is never finished" and our adoring hearts' praise to the Lord God Almighty should never finish either!
Carpe Diem,
Pastor David Blevins
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Check It Out
January is usually inventory month in the business world. Just as taking inventory in the business world is an absolute necessity, it is also needful and essential in the spiritual realm!
Let me share with you some questions that you and I need to ask ourselves frequently, and honestly answer them so that we can make a good spiritual inventory of our Christian lives.
1. Am I known as a Christian where I work and live?
2. Is Jesus Christ loved and respected or despised and rejected because of the way that I live in front of others?
3. Do those who know me best believe in me the most?
4. Do people know me as a person whose salvation experience made a change for the better in my life?
5. Is it possible that I claim to be a Christian but I harbor an unforgiving spirit toward others and I nurse a grudge toward someone else?
6. Do I try to find time every day for Bible study and unhurried prayer?
7. Am I able to work with other people? Can other people work with me? Am I hard to get along with?
8. Do I criticize the Pastor, the church and other Christians in front of my children, spouse, and my friends?
9. Do I have a secret longing to be the first to be recognized and praised? Or can I truly say that it does not matter who is second, third or fourth, so long as Jesus Christ is always first and gets all the glory, honor and praise?
10. What can I do now that I could not accomplish two or three years ago? Am I able to lead another person to Christ? Am I able to distinguish Holy Spirit guidence from my own desires? Am I consistently using opportunities to excerise my spiritual gifts for the glory of God?
11. Do I really enjoy an extended time of prayer and Bible study or do I resent the extra time it takes away from other things?
Dear friend, stop and prayerfully take time right now to do a Holy Spirit led, soul-searching spiritual inventory.
Now, as we look forward to 2012, I pray and trust the Lord that it will be a great year for us invidually and for us as a church body! We have many things that we want to accomplish in 2012 and we invite you to get involved and be a part of this work, for the glory of God!
We would like to win more souls to Christ than last year, we would like to baptize more people than last year, we want to increase our prayer and financial support to missions, we want to see all of our people enjoy a closer walk with the Lord and, among other things, we have several projects we need to do to improve our church facilities. Let's all do more for the Lord, grow more in the Lord and make this the greatest year in our lives so far for the Lord's Kingdom work!
Check It Out,
Pastor David Blevins
Let me share with you some questions that you and I need to ask ourselves frequently, and honestly answer them so that we can make a good spiritual inventory of our Christian lives.
1. Am I known as a Christian where I work and live?
2. Is Jesus Christ loved and respected or despised and rejected because of the way that I live in front of others?
3. Do those who know me best believe in me the most?
4. Do people know me as a person whose salvation experience made a change for the better in my life?
5. Is it possible that I claim to be a Christian but I harbor an unforgiving spirit toward others and I nurse a grudge toward someone else?
6. Do I try to find time every day for Bible study and unhurried prayer?
7. Am I able to work with other people? Can other people work with me? Am I hard to get along with?
8. Do I criticize the Pastor, the church and other Christians in front of my children, spouse, and my friends?
9. Do I have a secret longing to be the first to be recognized and praised? Or can I truly say that it does not matter who is second, third or fourth, so long as Jesus Christ is always first and gets all the glory, honor and praise?
10. What can I do now that I could not accomplish two or three years ago? Am I able to lead another person to Christ? Am I able to distinguish Holy Spirit guidence from my own desires? Am I consistently using opportunities to excerise my spiritual gifts for the glory of God?
11. Do I really enjoy an extended time of prayer and Bible study or do I resent the extra time it takes away from other things?
Dear friend, stop and prayerfully take time right now to do a Holy Spirit led, soul-searching spiritual inventory.
Now, as we look forward to 2012, I pray and trust the Lord that it will be a great year for us invidually and for us as a church body! We have many things that we want to accomplish in 2012 and we invite you to get involved and be a part of this work, for the glory of God!
We would like to win more souls to Christ than last year, we would like to baptize more people than last year, we want to increase our prayer and financial support to missions, we want to see all of our people enjoy a closer walk with the Lord and, among other things, we have several projects we need to do to improve our church facilities. Let's all do more for the Lord, grow more in the Lord and make this the greatest year in our lives so far for the Lord's Kingdom work!
Check It Out,
Pastor David Blevins
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Pressed By The Mark
Welcome to 2012! While the New Year is fresh, we need to hear the testimony of the psalmist who said,"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after..." (Psalm 27:4). There are way too many Christians whom are like the cowboy that was described by his five-year-old son this way, "He jumped on his horse and rode off in all directions!"
We need to focus in one direction for the new year! Hugh Allen of the Knoxville News Sentinel once stated, "The man who doesn't know where he is going can look forward to a long, exhausting trip." Sound, godly advice from the Apostle Paul will help us to determine our direction for this new year, if we will heed what he said in Philippians 3:13,14, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind , and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." The J.B. Phillips New Testament translation of Philippians 3:12-14 states," Yet, my brothers, I do not consider myself to have "arrived", spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which Christ grasped me. My brothers, I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it even now. But I do concentrate on this: I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead I go straight for the goal-my reward the honour of being called by God in Christ."
The "one thing" that we all need for 2012 is for us to all grow to be more like Jesus Christ!
Praise God for the Apostle Paul's honesty and spiritual transparency! Paul is telling us, "I am not where I want to be in my spiritual life. I have not yet obtained the goal. But I refuse to let the past drag me down, and I am straining to reach my goal of knowing...really knowing Jesus Christ through His power, suffering, and His death" (Blevins paraphrase).
Will you join me in being a "one-thinger" in 2012 and dedicate the 527,040 minutes of 2012 (it is a leap year, so don't forget we will have 366 days instead of 365) to really knowing Jesus Christ and becoming more like Him?!
Pressed By The Mark,
Pastor David Blevins
We need to focus in one direction for the new year! Hugh Allen of the Knoxville News Sentinel once stated, "The man who doesn't know where he is going can look forward to a long, exhausting trip." Sound, godly advice from the Apostle Paul will help us to determine our direction for this new year, if we will heed what he said in Philippians 3:13,14, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind , and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." The J.B. Phillips New Testament translation of Philippians 3:12-14 states," Yet, my brothers, I do not consider myself to have "arrived", spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which Christ grasped me. My brothers, I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it even now. But I do concentrate on this: I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead I go straight for the goal-my reward the honour of being called by God in Christ."
The "one thing" that we all need for 2012 is for us to all grow to be more like Jesus Christ!
Praise God for the Apostle Paul's honesty and spiritual transparency! Paul is telling us, "I am not where I want to be in my spiritual life. I have not yet obtained the goal. But I refuse to let the past drag me down, and I am straining to reach my goal of knowing...really knowing Jesus Christ through His power, suffering, and His death" (Blevins paraphrase).
Will you join me in being a "one-thinger" in 2012 and dedicate the 527,040 minutes of 2012 (it is a leap year, so don't forget we will have 366 days instead of 365) to really knowing Jesus Christ and becoming more like Him?!
Pressed By The Mark,
Pastor David Blevins
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
'Tis The Seasoning
I was in the grocery store the other day and I got to contemplating the top of the little tin which held the black spice known as pepper. I discovered it had three openings and that I could select any one of them, depending on the amount of powder I wanted to dispense. They were labeled, "Lift to Sift," "Lift to Spoon," and "Lift to Pour."
Continuing my investigation, I pried open the first to reveal a dozen or so tiny perforations which would permit a fine sprinkling of pepper to escape. The second flap covered a hole just barely large enough for about a quarter-teaspoon scoop. under the third cover, however, I found a gaping mouth from which the pepper would pour like Niagra Falls!
And I thought of 2 Kings 13:14-20.
No, really! In that chapter of the Bible, Elisha the prophet is about to die. King Joash of Israel comes to see him, and the seer tells the sovereign to take some arrows and "smite" the ground (when you are the King, I suppose you don't just "hit" or "beat" things). It seems like an odd request, but his majesty takes three smacks at the floor just to humor the old guy. But it isn't humerous to Elisha. He becomes "wroth" (which is King James English for really ticked off) and Elisha tells King Joash that each smack with the arrows gained a victory over the Syrians, Israel's chief enemy. Because Joash only hit the arrows against the ground three times, instead of wiping Syria out, God's people would now win only three battles.
Poor dumb Joash. When he really needed "Lift to Pour," he settled for "Lift to Sift."
I wonder what setting ("Lift to Sift," "Lift to Spoon," or "Lift to Pour") is on our own Christian walk? Are we "Lift to Sift" Christians, happy with a powder-puff victory now and then, or are we "Lift to Pour" Saints who want to bury ourselves in the blessings of our Heavenly Father? We know His desire for us and we only need to surrender our will and desires to Him to have the best (Psalm 84:11; Romans 12:1,2)! Let's open the spout where God's blessings come out and learn to live in the zest of a well-spiced Christian walk!
'Tis The Seasoning,
Pastor David Blevins
Continuing my investigation, I pried open the first to reveal a dozen or so tiny perforations which would permit a fine sprinkling of pepper to escape. The second flap covered a hole just barely large enough for about a quarter-teaspoon scoop. under the third cover, however, I found a gaping mouth from which the pepper would pour like Niagra Falls!
And I thought of 2 Kings 13:14-20.
No, really! In that chapter of the Bible, Elisha the prophet is about to die. King Joash of Israel comes to see him, and the seer tells the sovereign to take some arrows and "smite" the ground (when you are the King, I suppose you don't just "hit" or "beat" things). It seems like an odd request, but his majesty takes three smacks at the floor just to humor the old guy. But it isn't humerous to Elisha. He becomes "wroth" (which is King James English for really ticked off) and Elisha tells King Joash that each smack with the arrows gained a victory over the Syrians, Israel's chief enemy. Because Joash only hit the arrows against the ground three times, instead of wiping Syria out, God's people would now win only three battles.
Poor dumb Joash. When he really needed "Lift to Pour," he settled for "Lift to Sift."
I wonder what setting ("Lift to Sift," "Lift to Spoon," or "Lift to Pour") is on our own Christian walk? Are we "Lift to Sift" Christians, happy with a powder-puff victory now and then, or are we "Lift to Pour" Saints who want to bury ourselves in the blessings of our Heavenly Father? We know His desire for us and we only need to surrender our will and desires to Him to have the best (Psalm 84:11; Romans 12:1,2)! Let's open the spout where God's blessings come out and learn to live in the zest of a well-spiced Christian walk!
'Tis The Seasoning,
Pastor David Blevins
Thursday, December 22, 2011
I'm Excited About Jesus!
It seems very hard to believe that the month of December will soon be over and we will soon be starting into 2012! It does seem to me that the older I get, the quicker time flies by. As a matter of fact, today (December 22nd) is my 38th spiritual birthday! It was on December 22, 1973 that I trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord of my life. That was and is the greatest decision that I have ever made in my life! I have never regretted giving my heart and life to Jesus Christ and never will. It also just seems like yesterday that I began my gospel ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ when I was only 18 years old (I preached my first message in April of 1974). And now, it has been almost 37 3/4 years!
The rapid passing of time reminds me of what James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote in James 4:14, "...For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." The NIV says, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." My dear beloved friends, it should be our heart's desire to make every moment count for Jesus Christ! We should live with an eternal perspective, realizing that this life will soon be over and we who are saved will live in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords forever and ever! What a glorious and everlasting joy that will be! I would say to you that based upon the brevity of time, if we are going to do anything for Jesus, we need to do it quickly! What a privilege to know and serve Jesus Christ, the One who saved us for time and eternity! Glory to God!
The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful Christian wife, Randi, whom I love with all of my heart. Thank you for the wonderful life we have had together, Randi! God has gifted us with two great children, Bethany and Rusty. They are the joy of their Dad's heart. I am also very proud of my new son-in-law, Brandon. He is a great Christian young man and he is soooo good to our daughter. We (Randi and I) are patiently waiting for grand-children so that we can spoil them rotten and send them home on a sugar high as revenge against our children for when they were little!
Please let me close by telling the members of Clover Hill Baptist Church that I count it a great privilege to be your Pastor. Thank you for your prayers for me (and my family) and your support of my spiritual leadership. I sincerely look forward to what the Lord Jesus Christ has in store for us in 2012!
I'm Excited About Jesus!
Pastor David Blevins
The rapid passing of time reminds me of what James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote in James 4:14, "...For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." The NIV says, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." My dear beloved friends, it should be our heart's desire to make every moment count for Jesus Christ! We should live with an eternal perspective, realizing that this life will soon be over and we who are saved will live in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords forever and ever! What a glorious and everlasting joy that will be! I would say to you that based upon the brevity of time, if we are going to do anything for Jesus, we need to do it quickly! What a privilege to know and serve Jesus Christ, the One who saved us for time and eternity! Glory to God!
The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful Christian wife, Randi, whom I love with all of my heart. Thank you for the wonderful life we have had together, Randi! God has gifted us with two great children, Bethany and Rusty. They are the joy of their Dad's heart. I am also very proud of my new son-in-law, Brandon. He is a great Christian young man and he is soooo good to our daughter. We (Randi and I) are patiently waiting for grand-children so that we can spoil them rotten and send them home on a sugar high as revenge against our children for when they were little!
Please let me close by telling the members of Clover Hill Baptist Church that I count it a great privilege to be your Pastor. Thank you for your prayers for me (and my family) and your support of my spiritual leadership. I sincerely look forward to what the Lord Jesus Christ has in store for us in 2012!
I'm Excited About Jesus!
Pastor David Blevins
Monday, December 19, 2011
I'll Be Home For Christmas
Christmas is really going to cost you this year, especially if you are a traditionalist. According to Jim Dunigan, managing executive for PNC Wealth Management (affiliated with Provident National Bank in Philadelphia), a person wishing to give his true love the standard "Twelve Days of Christmas" assortment (one set of each verse in the song) is looking at a total bill of $24,263! I am also sure that it will come as a huge surprise to all of the many "tekkies" out there that shopping on line will not bring you any kind of a bargain price. As a matter of fact, it will cost you almost $40,000 to buy the same gifts on line! Why is that? Because of the high cost to ship live birds.
The reason? Well, don't blame the partridge, which remains the cheapest item at $15. Maids-a-milking have a weak union, so you can still get them for minimum wage, however piping and drumming are on the rise. Behind the Christmas inflation were three factors: 1. The price of swans doubled from last year to a whopping $6,300. 2. It seems that the Philadelphia Dance Company rents its lords and ladies by the hour, so all that leaping and dancing drove the cost to a 50% increase. 3. The obvious arch-villain is the five golden rings, since the price of gold has doubled since 2008.
If all that isn't bad enough, it must be pointed out that this total is for the twelfth day only! If you figure all the repeat gifts, you end up with a bill for $101,119.84! Ho, Ho, Ho!
But if you think Christmas really costs you and me, stop for a minute to think what the first Christmas, the real Christmas, cost the Ones who really gave.
Of course, it cost the Heavenly Father His only Son. But did you ever stop to think that this was also true in reverse? Bethlehem, or Nazareth for that matter, wasn't any bargain even by earthly standards, and yet Jesus traded His seat at the right hand of the Father for it. And before you tell me that you won't be at church the Sunday's around Christmas because you want to spend the holidays with your family, consider that Jesus Christ, the reason for this season, lived on this Earth for over thirty-three years and never spent a single December 25th with His Father! That sort of puts the whole thing in perspective, doesn't it? Especially when you remember that no gifts were exchanged under a brightly lit tree during His life on Earth. If we are really celebrating the birth (day) of Jesus Christ, why are we the only ones getting the presents?
So go easy on the plastic credit cards this year, and lavishly give the same gift that God gave to us that first Christmas: "A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Be quick to tell others why Jesus really came to this world (Luke 19:10).
"I'll Be Home For Christmas",
Pastor David Blevins
The reason? Well, don't blame the partridge, which remains the cheapest item at $15. Maids-a-milking have a weak union, so you can still get them for minimum wage, however piping and drumming are on the rise. Behind the Christmas inflation were three factors: 1. The price of swans doubled from last year to a whopping $6,300. 2. It seems that the Philadelphia Dance Company rents its lords and ladies by the hour, so all that leaping and dancing drove the cost to a 50% increase. 3. The obvious arch-villain is the five golden rings, since the price of gold has doubled since 2008.
If all that isn't bad enough, it must be pointed out that this total is for the twelfth day only! If you figure all the repeat gifts, you end up with a bill for $101,119.84! Ho, Ho, Ho!
But if you think Christmas really costs you and me, stop for a minute to think what the first Christmas, the real Christmas, cost the Ones who really gave.
Of course, it cost the Heavenly Father His only Son. But did you ever stop to think that this was also true in reverse? Bethlehem, or Nazareth for that matter, wasn't any bargain even by earthly standards, and yet Jesus traded His seat at the right hand of the Father for it. And before you tell me that you won't be at church the Sunday's around Christmas because you want to spend the holidays with your family, consider that Jesus Christ, the reason for this season, lived on this Earth for over thirty-three years and never spent a single December 25th with His Father! That sort of puts the whole thing in perspective, doesn't it? Especially when you remember that no gifts were exchanged under a brightly lit tree during His life on Earth. If we are really celebrating the birth (day) of Jesus Christ, why are we the only ones getting the presents?
So go easy on the plastic credit cards this year, and lavishly give the same gift that God gave to us that first Christmas: "A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Be quick to tell others why Jesus really came to this world (Luke 19:10).
"I'll Be Home For Christmas",
Pastor David Blevins
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Attractively Yours
It has been a while since I finished reading Dr. Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History Of Time; however, I can tell you that his book finished with me well before I was done with it!
Yes, I will freely admit that the famous British theoretical physicist's "simplified" explanation of black holes, quantum theory, and E=MC squared left me flailing for one non-mathematical shred of reality on which to rest my weary (or was that weird?) mind. Still, I did manage to rise from the Euclidean ooze on brief occasions, struggling to the surface long enough to grasp a few simple concepts.
One of these moments taught me a valuable lesson about the true nature of power. It seems that there are four physical forces in the universe, excluding Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Harrison Ford. They are: gravity, electromagnetic, weak nuclear, and strong nuclear. Listen, this is great stuff to keep in mind when balancing your checkbook or making out a grocery shopping list! At any rate, gravity is the weakest of the four. Oddly enough, however, it is also the one that exerts the most influence in our daily lives. It makes certain that our cars will stay where we park them, keeps the Earth going around the Sun, and provides enough friction between our feet and terra firma to allow walking.
How is it you may ask (you very well may not ask, but I will tell you anyway), that the weakest force in the universe is the most prominent? For two reasons: first of all, gravity has the ability to act over large distances; secondly, it is always attractive in nature. That is to say, each particle in the mass of the Earth pulls in the same direction; gravity never fights itself.
...And now, class,we come to the point of our lesson: one does not need a lot of power; one simply needs to exert the power over long distances, and to see that everyone pulls together!
The secrets of Outer Space befuddle me, but I think that I may have some insight here into the inner workings of the Body of Christ. As the Apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 1:26-29, 31 God has never made a habit of finding the strongest, smartest, and most talented people to be His servants. Yet, the true church of Jesus Christ, despit its weakness, can be the most potent force on the face of this planet. All we have to do is commit ourselves to spreading the Gospel over any distance, across oceans or across the street, and see to it that we all pull in the same direction (I Cor. 1:10)!
Because the other three forces in the universe sometimes cause particles to pull against one another, they tend to cancel themselves out. God grant us the spiritual wisdom to remember that our calling is not to push ourselves away from each other in the church, but to pull those who are on the outside to Jesus John 12:32; (2 Cor. 3:2,3).
If you don't know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, a word of warning: none of the Christians you may know may be very powerful, but there are plenty of us, and we are all pulling for you to come to Jesus Christ for salvation! Let go, and fall upward into the eternal pull of the gravity of God's love for you!
Attractively Yours,
Pastor David Blevins
Yes, I will freely admit that the famous British theoretical physicist's "simplified" explanation of black holes, quantum theory, and E=MC squared left me flailing for one non-mathematical shred of reality on which to rest my weary (or was that weird?) mind. Still, I did manage to rise from the Euclidean ooze on brief occasions, struggling to the surface long enough to grasp a few simple concepts.
One of these moments taught me a valuable lesson about the true nature of power. It seems that there are four physical forces in the universe, excluding Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Harrison Ford. They are: gravity, electromagnetic, weak nuclear, and strong nuclear. Listen, this is great stuff to keep in mind when balancing your checkbook or making out a grocery shopping list! At any rate, gravity is the weakest of the four. Oddly enough, however, it is also the one that exerts the most influence in our daily lives. It makes certain that our cars will stay where we park them, keeps the Earth going around the Sun, and provides enough friction between our feet and terra firma to allow walking.
How is it you may ask (you very well may not ask, but I will tell you anyway), that the weakest force in the universe is the most prominent? For two reasons: first of all, gravity has the ability to act over large distances; secondly, it is always attractive in nature. That is to say, each particle in the mass of the Earth pulls in the same direction; gravity never fights itself.
...And now, class,we come to the point of our lesson: one does not need a lot of power; one simply needs to exert the power over long distances, and to see that everyone pulls together!
The secrets of Outer Space befuddle me, but I think that I may have some insight here into the inner workings of the Body of Christ. As the Apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 1:26-29, 31 God has never made a habit of finding the strongest, smartest, and most talented people to be His servants. Yet, the true church of Jesus Christ, despit its weakness, can be the most potent force on the face of this planet. All we have to do is commit ourselves to spreading the Gospel over any distance, across oceans or across the street, and see to it that we all pull in the same direction (I Cor. 1:10)!
Because the other three forces in the universe sometimes cause particles to pull against one another, they tend to cancel themselves out. God grant us the spiritual wisdom to remember that our calling is not to push ourselves away from each other in the church, but to pull those who are on the outside to Jesus John 12:32; (2 Cor. 3:2,3).
If you don't know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, a word of warning: none of the Christians you may know may be very powerful, but there are plenty of us, and we are all pulling for you to come to Jesus Christ for salvation! Let go, and fall upward into the eternal pull of the gravity of God's love for you!
Attractively Yours,
Pastor David Blevins
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
It All Adds Up
The good news is that Fermat's Last Theorem was finally solved.
The bad news is that this development probably will never have the slightest impact on your life! It has seemed to have had an impact on the life of Andrew Wiles who claimed in 1995 to have solved the 358-year old brain-buster posed in 1637 by Pierre de Fermat, a 15th Century Frenchman.
The theorem, just in case you are interested, stated that no three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation a to the nth power + b to the nth power = c to the nth power, for any integer value of n greater than two. The real issue here, however, is, "WHO CARES?!"
Now, I should admit that my high school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry grades were very good; however, for several decades now I have been busily attempting to prove that the "new math" is a communist-inspired plot, so my views on this subject may not be completely objective. Still, I really wonder about a world where so many people spend so much time attempting to answer questions that nobody is asking!
It certainly makes me think of the crowd that the Apostle Paul faced on Mars Hill. They basically just wanted to hear some new thing (Acts 17:15-34 - especially note vs. 18-21). Paul shared with them about the death and resurrection of God's Son, Jesus Christ and some did believe on Him, but the majority laughed and went back, no doubt, to debating such idiotic and nonsensical ideas as the possibility of a peanut butter that would not stick to the roof of your mouth.
I could never have solved Fermat's Last Theorem. If I knew his first one, I doubt that I could have solved it either. I can, however, tell you that Jesus Christ is the Unknown Factor that makes sense of and is the perfect solution for every equation in our troubled lives! Whatever the question, Jesus Christ is the best answer! Let Him work it all out (Rom. 8:28; Phil.1:6).
It All Adds Up,
Pastor David Blevins
The bad news is that this development probably will never have the slightest impact on your life! It has seemed to have had an impact on the life of Andrew Wiles who claimed in 1995 to have solved the 358-year old brain-buster posed in 1637 by Pierre de Fermat, a 15th Century Frenchman.
The theorem, just in case you are interested, stated that no three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation a to the nth power + b to the nth power = c to the nth power, for any integer value of n greater than two. The real issue here, however, is, "WHO CARES?!"
Now, I should admit that my high school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry grades were very good; however, for several decades now I have been busily attempting to prove that the "new math" is a communist-inspired plot, so my views on this subject may not be completely objective. Still, I really wonder about a world where so many people spend so much time attempting to answer questions that nobody is asking!
It certainly makes me think of the crowd that the Apostle Paul faced on Mars Hill. They basically just wanted to hear some new thing (Acts 17:15-34 - especially note vs. 18-21). Paul shared with them about the death and resurrection of God's Son, Jesus Christ and some did believe on Him, but the majority laughed and went back, no doubt, to debating such idiotic and nonsensical ideas as the possibility of a peanut butter that would not stick to the roof of your mouth.
I could never have solved Fermat's Last Theorem. If I knew his first one, I doubt that I could have solved it either. I can, however, tell you that Jesus Christ is the Unknown Factor that makes sense of and is the perfect solution for every equation in our troubled lives! Whatever the question, Jesus Christ is the best answer! Let Him work it all out (Rom. 8:28; Phil.1:6).
It All Adds Up,
Pastor David Blevins
Monday, November 21, 2011
True Thanksgiving Is Thanksliving
In my early days in the gospel ministry, I had some wonderful examples in regard to the matter of practicing thanksgiving. My pastor, Rev. Ray Carpenter, always responded to the kindness and help of others by expressing his thankfulness. Many times I remember seeing him jot a note to someone or make a telephone call to express his gratitude for something that was done.
The Scriptures are replete with admonitions about giving thanks: "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20). "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6). I often try to begin my day by giving the Lord God thanks and praise. Sometimes I will just sit down and write down all the things and all the people that I am thankful to God for. It is amazing how long the list can become when you think of all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus plus the physical and material blessings that we have from the Lord! Without His provision and protection, we would be destitute and destroyed.
Giving the Lord thanks will bring a joyful outlook into your life. We may have experienced sorrow or we may have heavy burdens upon our hearts, but when we give thanks to the Lord it lifts our spirits and encourages us!
Let me encourage you to practice thanksgiving "to the Lord and to others." Not only do I try to have a time regularly to express thanksgiving to the Lord, but I also try to be alert and prompt in expressing thanks to others who have helped me along life's road. It certainly can edify someone else when they know that they are loved and appreciated!
Let me share just a thought of a Thanksgiving sermon that I have been working on. It is from the text in Acts 28, when Paul is on his journey toward Rome and is met by some of the Christian brethren at a place called "Three Taverns." It says in Acts 28:15, "...when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." What does this passage mean?
1. Paul had a VISION that helped him in thanksgiving. When Paul saw these brethren, he gave the Lord thanks. We
need to open our eyes to the blessings of the Lord through our brothers and sisters in Christ so that we might give
give the Lord thanks.
2. Paul VERBALIZED his thanksgiving to the Lord. Every blessing that we receive is from the Lord's hand (James 1:
17). Whether it be some brethren who encourage us or God's provision and protection for us, we need to give the
Lord thanks.
3. Paul received VALOR from his thanksgiving. By being thankful, it helped the Apostle to be courageous as he
faced his trial, imprisonment, and impending death in Rome. There is something about thanksgiving that helps us
to be brave in facing the trials of life.
True Thanksgiving Is Thanksliving,
Pastor David Blevins
The Scriptures are replete with admonitions about giving thanks: "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20). "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6). I often try to begin my day by giving the Lord God thanks and praise. Sometimes I will just sit down and write down all the things and all the people that I am thankful to God for. It is amazing how long the list can become when you think of all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus plus the physical and material blessings that we have from the Lord! Without His provision and protection, we would be destitute and destroyed.
Giving the Lord thanks will bring a joyful outlook into your life. We may have experienced sorrow or we may have heavy burdens upon our hearts, but when we give thanks to the Lord it lifts our spirits and encourages us!
Let me encourage you to practice thanksgiving "to the Lord and to others." Not only do I try to have a time regularly to express thanksgiving to the Lord, but I also try to be alert and prompt in expressing thanks to others who have helped me along life's road. It certainly can edify someone else when they know that they are loved and appreciated!
Let me share just a thought of a Thanksgiving sermon that I have been working on. It is from the text in Acts 28, when Paul is on his journey toward Rome and is met by some of the Christian brethren at a place called "Three Taverns." It says in Acts 28:15, "...when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." What does this passage mean?
1. Paul had a VISION that helped him in thanksgiving. When Paul saw these brethren, he gave the Lord thanks. We
need to open our eyes to the blessings of the Lord through our brothers and sisters in Christ so that we might give
give the Lord thanks.
2. Paul VERBALIZED his thanksgiving to the Lord. Every blessing that we receive is from the Lord's hand (James 1:
17). Whether it be some brethren who encourage us or God's provision and protection for us, we need to give the
Lord thanks.
3. Paul received VALOR from his thanksgiving. By being thankful, it helped the Apostle to be courageous as he
faced his trial, imprisonment, and impending death in Rome. There is something about thanksgiving that helps us
to be brave in facing the trials of life.
True Thanksgiving Is Thanksliving,
Pastor David Blevins
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Let's Be Civil
Take a moment to consider two stories from the American Civil War. The bloody conflict began in earnest when, on July 21, 1861, Confederate forces routed the North at Manassas (in upstate Virginia) in what became known as the First Battle of Bull Run. Much of the battle took place on the farm of a man named Wilmer McLean. When a Union shell exploded in his kitchen, McLean decided he disliked living in a war zone and moved his family south, away from the fighting. His new home? Appomattox Court House, where, almost four years later, General Robert E. Lee would offer his surrender to Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865. Mr. McLean used to say that the Civil War began in his front yard and ended in his front parlor.
The second story comes from the Battle of Shiloh, fought on April 6th and 7th of 1862. It seems that a wounded soldier was told to lay down his rifle and go to the rear for medical treatment. He followed orders, but returned several minutes later and growled, "Gimme another gun. This blame fight ain't got any rear!"
Retreat and neutrality are not the way of success in Christian spiritual warfare. When the nation of Israel sought spiritual neutrality, Joshua demanded a decision (Joshua 24:14-16). When the nation of Israel vacillated on Mt. Carmel, Elijah called for a showdown (I Kings 17:17-24). Jesus Christ told His hearers, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30).We are either the servant of Jesus Christ OR the enemies of Christ, and there can be no separate place!
So, heed the trumpet that blasts out our call to arms and fall in with God's mighty army, marching forth with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some may choose to hang back, and cower before the enemy, but as for me, "Gimme my Bible. This blame fight ain't got any rear!"
Let's Be Civil,
Pastor David Blevins
The second story comes from the Battle of Shiloh, fought on April 6th and 7th of 1862. It seems that a wounded soldier was told to lay down his rifle and go to the rear for medical treatment. He followed orders, but returned several minutes later and growled, "Gimme another gun. This blame fight ain't got any rear!"
Retreat and neutrality are not the way of success in Christian spiritual warfare. When the nation of Israel sought spiritual neutrality, Joshua demanded a decision (Joshua 24:14-16). When the nation of Israel vacillated on Mt. Carmel, Elijah called for a showdown (I Kings 17:17-24). Jesus Christ told His hearers, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30).We are either the servant of Jesus Christ OR the enemies of Christ, and there can be no separate place!
So, heed the trumpet that blasts out our call to arms and fall in with God's mighty army, marching forth with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some may choose to hang back, and cower before the enemy, but as for me, "Gimme my Bible. This blame fight ain't got any rear!"
Let's Be Civil,
Pastor David Blevins
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Stop And Stair
The "Miraculous Stairs" housed in the Chapel of San Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have an interesting history.
The chapel was built in 1873 to serve an all-girl academy operated by nuns of the Sisters of Loretto. Only after the building was completed did anyone realize that it lacked a stairwell to the choir loft that spanned the rear of the nave. Workmen had used a ladder, but that seemed undignified to the sisters, and a traditional set of stairs would have taken up too much space, necessitating the removal of many different seats.
Into the midst of this quandary came an old man leading a donkey laden with wood. Obtaining permission from the Sister Superior, he set to work, reportedly using only a hammer, saw, and T-square. Then he disappeared, without asking for payment.
In the chapel the women found a 33-step staircase, constructed in two tight, 360-degree spirals; a design so economical that almost no seating was lost. The most amazing thing was its bolster: there wasn't one! Architects say the steps should have collapsed the first time that they were used. They did not collapse the first time, nor the second, nor over all these years.
Those steps, however, are not a miracle; they are only an illustration of the daily miracle of the Christian life.
If we span the gap between Heaven and earth, executing the double-turn of emphatic repentance, it is only by the grace of God. According to earthly reason, we stand, like a shiftless relative, with no visible means of support. According to the world, God's church should have collapsed the first time it felt the pressure of persecution or even of ministry. But it did not fall the first time, nor the second, nor for two thousand years.
How will we live godly in such a fallen world? How will we ever be able to raise godly children? Don't worry! Though we look completely vulnerable to the unknowing world, we stand fast, the miraculous work of the Master Carpenter from Nazareth and Eternity (Eph. 2:8-10; Phil.1 :6)!
And why does a staircase exist? To help people ascend! We speak of certain people as being the "pillars of the church", but I much prefer staircases, even though they tend to get stepped on, and become scuffed and worn, because they help people to be edified in their faith. If you are still stuck at ground level, may we invite you to climb, to keep pressing on the upward way (Heb.6:1)?
Stop And Stair,
Pastor David Blevins
The chapel was built in 1873 to serve an all-girl academy operated by nuns of the Sisters of Loretto. Only after the building was completed did anyone realize that it lacked a stairwell to the choir loft that spanned the rear of the nave. Workmen had used a ladder, but that seemed undignified to the sisters, and a traditional set of stairs would have taken up too much space, necessitating the removal of many different seats.
Into the midst of this quandary came an old man leading a donkey laden with wood. Obtaining permission from the Sister Superior, he set to work, reportedly using only a hammer, saw, and T-square. Then he disappeared, without asking for payment.
In the chapel the women found a 33-step staircase, constructed in two tight, 360-degree spirals; a design so economical that almost no seating was lost. The most amazing thing was its bolster: there wasn't one! Architects say the steps should have collapsed the first time that they were used. They did not collapse the first time, nor the second, nor over all these years.
Those steps, however, are not a miracle; they are only an illustration of the daily miracle of the Christian life.
If we span the gap between Heaven and earth, executing the double-turn of emphatic repentance, it is only by the grace of God. According to earthly reason, we stand, like a shiftless relative, with no visible means of support. According to the world, God's church should have collapsed the first time it felt the pressure of persecution or even of ministry. But it did not fall the first time, nor the second, nor for two thousand years.
How will we live godly in such a fallen world? How will we ever be able to raise godly children? Don't worry! Though we look completely vulnerable to the unknowing world, we stand fast, the miraculous work of the Master Carpenter from Nazareth and Eternity (Eph. 2:8-10; Phil.1 :6)!
And why does a staircase exist? To help people ascend! We speak of certain people as being the "pillars of the church", but I much prefer staircases, even though they tend to get stepped on, and become scuffed and worn, because they help people to be edified in their faith. If you are still stuck at ground level, may we invite you to climb, to keep pressing on the upward way (Heb.6:1)?
Stop And Stair,
Pastor David Blevins
Friday, November 4, 2011
Chow Down!
On Alexander Solzhenitsyn's first day in a Soviet prison camp, he spied two prisoners rummaging through a coal pile. The men unearthed some grimy lumps, then sat down and ate them. "It's sea clay," they explained. "The doctor doesn't forbid it. It doesn't do any good, but it really doesn't do any harm either. And if you add a kilo of it a day to your rations, it is as if you had really eaten."
Knowing that I have to lose a lot of weight, I recently read an article on fat-free dieting that offers basically the same advice. The body burns carbohydrates much faster than fat, causing that empty feeling often associated with Chinese food. The author of the article recommends pectin, a non-fattening fiber used to thicken jams and jellies. It has no real nutritional value, but it does slow down digestion, making you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
Sea clay for starving prisoners and pectin for paunchy Americans: the best you can say is that they don't do any harm and they stave off craving for true food.
I wonder if we could not identify or diagnose something called the "Sea Clay Christian Syndrome"? All week long we stuff ourselves with non-nutrient amusements: magazines, books, television talk shows like Dr. Phil and Oprah, advice from television sitcoms, radio advice from people we have never met (let alone knowing the kind of life they live day by day), etc. The Great Physician (Jesus Christ) does not forbid such pastimes and, taken in small discerning doses, they do have their place. But come sundown, we often find that we have no appetite for the true food of fellowship with Jesus Christ! By Sunday, we have so pumped ourselves with "worldly pectin" that we can barely choke down another hour of worship and Bible study or we don't partake at all. We truly are spiritually malnourished, but we don't feel hungry, so we just shrug it off as our spiritual emaciation grows exponentially (Amos 8:11).
One of my prayers for Clover Hill Baptist Church is that God will grant all of us a hunger, a burning desire for the real meat of God's Word (Job 23:12; Psalm 119: 97, 113, 140; John 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:15 ). " I am the bread of life," Jesus says, and He promises to fill all who come to Him empty (John 6:35, 48). "So, dear Lord, please purify all of us from our pectin and make us seasick of sea clay; may we come to you famished for your Word, and go away satisfied and truly full of hot loaves from Heaven!"
"Chow Down",
Pastor David Blevins
Knowing that I have to lose a lot of weight, I recently read an article on fat-free dieting that offers basically the same advice. The body burns carbohydrates much faster than fat, causing that empty feeling often associated with Chinese food. The author of the article recommends pectin, a non-fattening fiber used to thicken jams and jellies. It has no real nutritional value, but it does slow down digestion, making you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
Sea clay for starving prisoners and pectin for paunchy Americans: the best you can say is that they don't do any harm and they stave off craving for true food.
I wonder if we could not identify or diagnose something called the "Sea Clay Christian Syndrome"? All week long we stuff ourselves with non-nutrient amusements: magazines, books, television talk shows like Dr. Phil and Oprah, advice from television sitcoms, radio advice from people we have never met (let alone knowing the kind of life they live day by day), etc. The Great Physician (Jesus Christ) does not forbid such pastimes and, taken in small discerning doses, they do have their place. But come sundown, we often find that we have no appetite for the true food of fellowship with Jesus Christ! By Sunday, we have so pumped ourselves with "worldly pectin" that we can barely choke down another hour of worship and Bible study or we don't partake at all. We truly are spiritually malnourished, but we don't feel hungry, so we just shrug it off as our spiritual emaciation grows exponentially (Amos 8:11).
One of my prayers for Clover Hill Baptist Church is that God will grant all of us a hunger, a burning desire for the real meat of God's Word (Job 23:12; Psalm 119: 97, 113, 140; John 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:15 ). " I am the bread of life," Jesus says, and He promises to fill all who come to Him empty (John 6:35, 48). "So, dear Lord, please purify all of us from our pectin and make us seasick of sea clay; may we come to you famished for your Word, and go away satisfied and truly full of hot loaves from Heaven!"
"Chow Down",
Pastor David Blevins
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)