From the desk of Pastor Ben:

In the little Old Testament book of Jonah, there is an interesting story many of us have heard since we were kids. You will recall, Jonah is asked to go to Nineveh to preach against their wickedness. He does not want to go because he knows they will repent and God will be compassionate towards them. Most of us remember the story because of the whale or big fish story. I have been thinking of this story in light of church and our attitude of what the role of the church ought to be.

A while back, I learned of a family who had left our church because someone (that was probably directed at me) had failed to see them during a time of need. I was not even aware of the need, but that is not the issue. Is the church designed to meet my needs? Is our primary function to make sure my family concerns are met? There is a growing trend today in evangelical Christianity that burdens my heart. More and more churches are really feeling the pressure to have the best children’s and youth ministries; the most outstanding music programs; the most convenient worship times; not to reach the lost, but to keep the found. Much of church growth is not new people being reached for Christ, but Christians looking for a church that better meets my needs.

This brings us back to Jonah. He was not interested in reaching new people. He was very comfortable with things just as they were. Nineveh, with all its wicked people, would bring a whole set of problems he was not interested in pursuing. In the Christian faith, the line to success and leadership is a serving line. In other words, too many of us are asking the wrong questions in the church. Our questions are, “Will this meet my needs? Will this serve me? Will I enjoy this? Will someone care for me when I hurt?” Not many of us are asking, “Where can I serve? How can I help? If I am aware of a concern, what can I do to make it better?”

Years ago, I heard an old preacher say that the cross is the greatest symbol of the Christian faith. But there is another incredibly important symbol which captures the message of Christ. That symbol is the towel. He was, of course, referring to Jesus taking the towel and washing His disciple’s feet. As we think about the role of the church, are we in Jonah’s camp or are we in the serving line? That is an important question for all of us to answer.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

When in sorrow………………………..Call John 14
When people fail you…………………Call Psalm 27
If you want to be fruitful….. ……….Call John 15
When you have sinned……………….Call Psalm 51
When you worry………………………..Call Matthew 6:19-34
When you are in danger……………..Call Psalm 91
When God seems far away………….Call Psalm 139
When your faith needs stirring……Call Hebrews 11
When you are lonely & fearful…….Call Psalm 23
When you grow bitter & critical…..Call 1 Corinthians 13
When you feel down & out………….Call Romans 8:31
When you want peace & rest……….Call Matthew 11:25
When you want assurance…………..Call Romans 8:1-30
When you want courage……………..Call Joshua 1
To get along with fellow man………Call Romans 12
Depression………………………………..Call Psalm 27
Empty pocketbook……………………..Call Psalm 37
If discouraged……………………………Call Psalm 126
When dealing with fear………………Call Psalm 121:3
For reassurance…………………………Call Psalm 145:18

(All numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is necessary. All lines to Heaven are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.)

The Paradoxical Commandments

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest & frank anyway.

The biggest men & women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men & women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the wold the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

-Author Unknown-

This was given to me years ago by Carolyn DeHoff. The origin is unknown.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I am a part of the “Fellowship of the unashamed.” The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, love with patience, live by prayer and labor with Holy Spirit power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up and spoken up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple d Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. I am a committed believer and a satisfied servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

My banner is clear and in that hour my hope will be realized and my joy will be full. It will have been worth it all!

I am a part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed!”

May this be the mantra of all of us believers! AMEN!

The Good Samaritan – By Tim Hansel

One semester, a seminary professor set up his preaching class in an unusual way. He scheduled his students to preach on the Parable of The Good Samaritan and on the day of the class, he choreographed his experiment so that each student would go, one at a time, from one classroom to another where he or she would preach a sermon. The professor gave some students 10 minutes to go from one classroom to the other; to others he allowed less time, forcing them to have to rush in order to meet the schedule. Each student, one at a time, had to walk down a certain hallway and pass by a bum, who was deliberately planted there, obviously in need of some sort of help.

The results were surprising, and offered a powerful lesson to them. The percentage of those good men and women who stopped to help was extremely low, especially for those who were under the pressure of a shorter time period. The tighter the schedule, the fewer were those who stopped to help the man in need. When the professor revealed his experiment, you can imagine the impact on that class of future spiritual leaders. Rushing to preach a sermon on the Good Samaritan, they had walked right past the beggar at the heart of the parable. We must have eyes to see as well as hands to help, or we may never help at all. I think this well-known, anonymous poem expresses it very powerfully:

I was hungry and you formed a humanities club to discuss my hunger. Thank you.

I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel to pray for my release. Nice.

I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance. What good did that do?

I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health.

But I needed you.

I was homeless and you preached to me of the shelter of the love of God.

I wish you had taken me home.

I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me.

Why didn’t you stay?

You seem so holy, so close to God; but I’m still very hungry, lonely, cold, and still in pain. Does it matter to you?

Starting today, I will be changing the format & frequency of our daily devotionals. From now on through the rest of this year, we will only have a devotional 3 times a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Also, the format will change. Over the years, I have had people give me and send me things that they thought were funny & touching. Some of these things I know where they come from; others I don’t. I have file folders full of these things. I was going through them the other day and decided to share some of them with you. When I know where they came from, I will give credit where credit is due. If I don’t know the origin, I will note that. I may even add some of my own thoughts about them. Some are short, some are lengthy. Some are funny, some are not. Some are moving, some are inspirational. Most are spiritual, but some are secular and thought-provoking. But they all have given me pause over the years. My prayer is that they will to you as well. God bless! ______________________________________________________________________________

Leadership guru, John Maxwell, states that many people in our society have destination disease. We think that when we arrive at a certain point, we will be happy — when the children are grown; when the mortgage is paid; when I get that promotion; when I finish my degree; when I meet Mr./Ms. Right. We set goals believing when we finally reach them, happiness will follow.

We tend to be goal oriented and there is absolutely nothing wrong with goals. Everyone needs them. But we must learn to enjoy the journey as much as the arrival. Some of the happiest moments of our lives occur along the way, not when we finally arrive. I sometimes talk to people who are pushing to get somewhere and I admire their motivation, but I feel like I want to say, “Make sure you take time for the really important things along the way.”

Take time to tell your wife she looks pretty today. Take time to play ball with your little boy because tomorrow, he will be driving and asking to borrow the car. Take time for a family vacation. In the twinkling of an eye, your family will be grown and scattered to the winds. Those days will be precious memories. Take time to call someone who is hurting. Take time to hug someone because your touch may be the only touch they receive today. Take time to thank God for the glory and opportunity of today. Take time to read God’s Word. Take time to worship.

It’s wonderful to have a destination in mind — a vision that calls to us. It’s great to have goals, but today, look out the window. Take a deep breath. Smile. Enjoy the journey to God!

From the desk of pastor Ben

His Son is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact likeness of God’s being. He holds everything together through his powerful words.
                            (Hebrews 1:3) GW

When my daughter was very young, it seemed like she had her own language. She would rattle off these confusing, run-on sentences that my wife and I could not understand. We had no clue what she was trying to say. We could not figure out her “language,” but her older brother could. Anytime we wanted to know what she was trying to say, we would just call her brother and he would interpret for us. Somehow, he always knew what she was saying.
But one day, when she was a little over 2 years old, she came through loud and clear. I walked into the room to find her nibbling on a chocolate Easter bunny. As I took it away from her, I reminded her that her mom had told her not to eat any more candy until after supper. She spoke 5 words to me that I totally understood. With a sneer on her face, she said, “DON’T TOUCH MY CHOCOLATE BUNNY!”
Often, a few carefully chosen words can convey the clearest message. The Word of God is so powerful that even the shortest phrase can hold a world of meaning. When I’m lonely, I remember Jesus’ promise:“I am with you always”(Matthew 28:20).
If I’m worried, I imagine Him saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). When I’m facing a tough or confusing decision, I can pray, “Not my will, but yours” (Luke 22:42). When I’m becoming complacent about spiritual matters, I need His reminder — “Abide in me” (John 15:4).
I admire people who can memorize whole passages or chapters of Scripture; I wish I were better at it. But I’m grateful for these stripped-down messages that mean so much to me at just the right time. Hebrews says that Jesus holds everything together through His powerful words. On some days, just a few of His words are enough to hold me together.
Faith Step:     Think of brief Bible verses or phrases that are especially meaningful to you. Which one do you need to hear Jesus speaking to you today?

From the desk of pastor Ben

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.     (Philippians 1:12-13) NIV

There are many events in life that we’d prefer would never touch us. I’m sure Paul felt that way about being chained in prison. After all, Paul had work to do, places to visit, and churches to encourage. Yet even in these frustrating and painful circumstances, he watched for ways to serve Christ with joy in the midst of it.
Our chains may look different than Paul’s. We may be held back by injustice in the workplace so we can’t accomplish our vocation — or at least can’t fully enjoy the work. Or injury and illness may keep our body chained to a hospital or to our home, when we long to be serving elsewhere. Depression or anxiety can chain our hearts, holding us captive and separating us from others.
Paul knew what it was like to live in chains. Yet, he knew the purpose: He was in chains for Christ. Even with frustrating limitations, he saw ways that Jesus was using those very circumstances to give him new ways to serve, new ways to advance the gospel.
I will never enjoy the chains in my life. Where I have choices, I will fight to improve my circumstances. When problems intrude that are beyond my control, I will find ways Jesus is at work — even in the hardship. Ultimately, Jesus will free us from all pain. But while we live here in this troubled world, we can trust Him to use our situation — even the chains and shackles — to bring freedom to others.

Faith Step:     What painful situation is holding you back? Ask Jesus to free you from those chains and in the meantime, give you ways to advance the gospel because of them.

From the desk of pastor Ben

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
                        (Proverbs 3:5) NIV
I was getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I tripped over the dog laying on the floor. I hurt my shoulder to the point of not being able to raise my arm. The doctor wanted me to get an x-ray to see if anything was broken. I felt fine; I just couldn’t raise my arm. The x-ray showed no sign of anything broken, but my doctor said something could be torn, so she suggested some physical therapy to gain range-of-motion strength. When I walked into the rehab room — filled with people on crutches and walkers — I was convinced: Lord, I don’t belong here! But the therapist ordered stretching exercises and I reluctantly got started.
I hurried through my exercises and left. I really didn’t belong there. I felt just fine! As I left, I ran into a lady who was also there for shoulder rehab but she mentioned her recent bout with breast cancer, so I promised to pray for her. The next time at rehab, I sat next to a guy who was recovering from knee replacement. I promised to pray fro him, too. Next time, I did my exercises beside a woman whose friend was in hospice. I promised to pray for her friend and for her. Next time, the attendant working with me on my exercises kept wiping her eyes. I asked whether her allergies were bothering her, but she said, “No, today is the one-year anniversary of my son’s death. I should be over it by now.” I assured her that when grieving the loss of a child, a year was really no time at all. I promised to pray for her.
Thank you, Jesus. Maybe I did belong here after all.

Faith Step:     Trust Jesus to place you right where you need to be.

From the desk of pastor Ben

God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.      (2 Corinthians 9:8) NIV

Usually, when we take our grandkids with us to someplace like Wal-mart, 2 things happen almost every time. First, they usually ask us to buy them something and second, we usually buy them something. That’s just what we, as grandparents do. But on this one particular day I had our 9 year old grandson with me and he didn’t ask for anything. We were getting ready to leave and I asked him, “Why don’t we go pick out something for you and I’ll buy it for you.” His response surprised me. “I don’t think you need to buy me something all the time, Pop, I don’t want to get spoiled.” What an impressive attitude for a little kid. My prayer is that he will keep that attitude for the rest of his life.
I believe Jesus feels the same way toward us. He enjoys sharing His blessings with us; from a new friendship to a new job or a new house. Our closet is full of clothes. Our fridge is full of food. Our car’s gas tank is full. Does that mean we are spoiled? Only if we refuse to acknowledge that Jesus is the One who gave me all I have.
As long as we don’t take His generosity for granted and as long as we are willing to share, we won’t become spoiled. We realize that Jesus is far more interested in what His Spirit is doing IN us than what He does FOR us. Knowing Him is the best gift.

Faith Step:     Think of 10 blessings Jesus has given you. Thank Him by sharing one of them today.