If you have enjoyed the devotionals posted here in the past, they will still be available on my church website http://brownstownchristian.org where you will find the devotional hyperlink on the home page.  I am now devoting by blog to a broader discussion of the church and relevant faith issues.  I believe this will serve one of my passions and a service to the web community.  You are invited to join me in my exploration of the church in today's world and comment on what is posted.  I am looking for more dialogue than before and welcome you comments.

The Associated Press posted the following article yesterday about the impact of the church on racial relations in our nation.

Jesse McGee, a black man, points to trophies he won in local marathons. He mentions his work with youth and volunteer school programs. He praises his church's efforts to deliver scripture lessons to inmates.

For more than an hour, the 84-year-old church deacon, who is black, chats about his life, largely ignoring the subject at hand: racism.

It isn't until his wife, Warine, sheepishly shares that their son's wife is white that McGee offers a confession: He had been uncomfortable with the union for nearly 30 years — until his Bible study class offered enlightenment.

His story represents a snapshot of how America's racial landscape is navigated daily, often with religion as guidance.

The issue of race drew sharp focus as Barack Obama's contentious split with his longtime pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, played out in a national glare. In response, the United Church of Christ and National Council of Churches USA called on 10,000 ministers to initiate a "sacred conversation on race."

"The realities of race have not been addressed adequately," says the Rev. John Thomas, president of the UCC. "Racism continues to demean and diminish human lives in this country."

I find that the world and to often the church is ruled by conventional wisdom.  By conventional wisdom, I used the definition 'most convenient wisdom'.  We address the issues of our lives by the wisdom that is most convenient and least uncomfortable. 

I pastor a church that is almost completely white in its makeup.  For years, the largest minority in our town was native American.  That changed recently with the growth of the Hispanic population.  While our community has been generally accepting of these changing demographics, I am disturbed by the recent incidents of groups coming into the community to stir up dissension and bigotry on both sides.

What assimilation might have occurred naturally is now being pressured by those who want to take sides.  I wonder how the church here in Jackson county will address these issues.  The most convenient wisdom is to 'live and let live'.  With national politics and local demographics disrupting that convenient wisdom, the churches will need to address what Christ would expect of us.

1. Does the church have a role in addressing racial relationships?  If so, what?
2. What role should the church take toward immigration, legal or illegal?
3. As a Christian, can your position legitimately differ from the churches?

I look forward to hearing some of your perspectives.  Leave a comment on my guest book or email me directly.  Join me on this journey.

Shannon Woodward offers a wonderful thought today

“I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” (1 Chronicles 29:17, NIV)

It’s been a tough week.

Saturday, our goat Jimmy escaped from his barn and ate one of my favorite bushes.

Sunday, our dog Larry chewed up the cover to one of our Little House in the Prairie DVD collections. Little green bits of season three lay scattered like confetti all over the carpet. All the scotch tape in my junk drawer couldn’t reconstruct the faces of those Ingalls.

And then came Monday morning. Someone left our cat Lucy inside all night. When I emerged from the bedroom she gave me a guilty, I’ve-got-to-get-out-of-here look and swiped a claw across the front door. I lectured her briefly about not sleeping in the house and let her go.

Ten minutes later, while I was busy making breakfast, my husband asked, “What happened to your Bible?” I walked into the living room and saw him holding my leather Bible. A friend had given me the beautiful, leather-bound version, and I’d worked hard to keep it pristine. There wasn’t so much as a coffee stain, greasy fingerprint or chocolate smudge on the cover of that book. But now it was covered with cat scratches. And if you squinted just right – with one eye closed just a bit more than the other – those scratches spelled out the words “neener, neener”

“Oh, that is just IT!” All my frustration exploded. “Bushes and DVD covers and books … will it never end? Can nothing we own stay nice? Must everything be destroyed?”

But it’s a funny thing. Right in the middle of my tirade – while I was running my hands over the ruined cover and wondering how to retaliate against my cat – I remembered a single line from chapter five of the very book I was holding: “Life is a test.”

It struck me as so ironic that I had to laugh. Life is a test. God allows altered plans and disappointments and ruined possessions because he wants to see how we’re going to react. He wants to stretch our character and get our attention.

I had a clawed-up Bible and a chewed-up DVD cover and a naked-branched bush – but I still had my salvation. I still had Jesus. Nothing of true value had been lost.

I failed three tests this week, but in the end I think I won. Because somewhere in the middle of it all, God grabbed my heart again and re-focused my perspective.

Still, I’ll be keeping an eye on our chickens today. It’s probably their turn.

Point to ponder: God allows disappointments to stretch us.

Verse: “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” (1 Chronicles 29:17, NIV)

What will you do about it: When disappointments come today – and they will – see them as an opportunity to let go of this world and focus on heaven. Learn to say, “Oh, well.”

Prayer: Ask God to teach you to stop clutching your agenda, your plans and your possessions.

Our prayers are with the Darlage family.  Cordelia will be missed.

Michael

I am on vacation but will forward some thoughts as often as I can.

“Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. (Matthew 11:29a, Msg)

As Larry Crabb describes it in his book, The Safest Place on Earth, “… we should expect to grope a bit, to know we’re always wrong about a few things, and to change our minds more than once.”

The truth is that we will never master knowledge. We will never be grown up enough to be considered an expert about life. Instead, God calls us to a lifetime of discipleship.

Discipleship is one of our purposes. And being a life-long learner is not a bad way of living. Instead of seeking to know all about everything, we should seek the One who already knows it all.

God shows us the importance of being teachable through the life of Apollos. We learn in Acts 18 that Apollos was an eloquent speaker and knowledgeable of the Scriptures.

The only problem was that he still needed to be taught. He had many good things going for him, but he was still lacking – he knew only about the baptism of John, not the power of Jesus.

The difficult part? He got his instruction from a couple of tent makers.

If many of us were Apollos, we would have had a real problem being taught by people that did not seem to be as competent as we are. Yet when he was taken aside by Priscilla and Aquilla, he listened humbly.

The results of being teachable were amazing. Verses 27-28 say Apollos “greatly” helped those who had believed, and he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. What a beautiful picture of what can happen if we will but accept the gift of being a perpetual student!

Are you lacking in spiritual knowledge? Take comfort: God invites you to be a life-long learner. There’s no shame in saying, “I don’t know, but I’m willing to learn.”

Point to ponder: You will never stop learning. Life is discipleship.

Verse: “Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it.” (Matthew 11:29a, Msg)

What will you do about it: If discipleship is one of your purposes, and learning is a life-long pursuit, don’t let today slip away. Pick up your Bible and read a chapter or two. Go to the One with the answers and let him teach you.

Prayer: Tell God you’re ready to surrender your need to know everything. Thank him that he doesn’t expect you to have all the answers.

Keep us in your prayers.  Marcia's stepfather comes home tomorrow.

Michael

“And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” (Philippians 1:6, NLT)

As I get older I see life in segments. There’s no longer a rush to do it all – and to do it all now. The good and the bad and everything in between are all just temporary. Maybe that’s what Paul meant when he exhorted us to be content in all circumstances. The goal should be toward that godly contentment, not toward cursing the circumstances.

There have been times when I did curse the circumstances of my life, but that’s because I had my theology wrong. Despite everything I claimed to believe, deep in my heart, I embraced the false notion that there were certain events in my life beyond God’s control and that those events had more power to shape me than God did.

There’s a wonderful song that says, “And if your story doesn’t wind up ending happy after all, there’s a grace that’s there, it’s everywhere, and it’s equal to the fall.”

Frankly, his grace is even greater than the fall. Your story’s not over; and God is more powerful than any event or decision from your past; and his grace is there for it all. That’s a comfortable fact to rest in. Celebrate that knowledge, and live life accordingly.

Point to ponder: God is more powerful than your circumstances, and his forgiveness is bigger than your failure.

Verse: “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” (Philippians 1:6, NLT)

What will you do about it: Stop fretting over past mistakes, stop cursing disappointing circumstances. Accept God’s grace to cover your mistakes and his ability to work all things out for your benefit and his glory.

Prayer: Ask God to make you content and trustful.

P.S.  It will get warmer.  I promise.   Michael

Erma Bombeck was one of my favorite people.  Here is a mediation that follows her gift.

I inherited my mother’s arm.

The three of us girls each received unique qualities and character traits from our mother. One sister got her gracefulness. The other inherited her decorating skills. But me? I have her restraining arm.

You know the arm I’m talking about. It’s your right arm – the one that pops out to save your child’s life when you have to brake suddenly. The traffic light turns yellow, or the car in front of you swerves or screeches to a halt. You don’t even think in a situation like that. Your response is automatic: out pops the arm – and, voila! Another life is saved.

My children don’t appreciate the arm.

“You scare me when you do that!’ my 14 year-old son complained one afternoon right after I saved his life.

“Can’t help it,” I responded. “I’m a mom.”

“I’m wearing my seatbelt, you know,” he said.

I glanced at the seatbelt. It did a semi-adequate job, I supposed. But without the added layer of protection afforded by my appendage, who knew what calamity might befall my child?

I didn’t like the arm either, as a child. But now that I’m on the other side of the limb – now that I’m the one actually operating the tool – I understand better what it’s all about.

It’s about loving someone enough that you’ll stop him or her mid-flight. It’s about not wanting to see that loved one go through pain. It’s about protection.

God has a restraining arm, too. And because we’re children, we don’t always appreciate when our Father stops us in our tracks, bars the door, blocks the entrance, or says “no.”

But we should appreciate it. It’s just more proof that he loves and protects his children – whether we’re 4 or 14 or 104.

So the next time you feel that restraining arm of God, don’t complain or argue or pout. Give it a hug instead – and say “thank you.”

Point to ponder: Because your Father loves you and doesn’t want to see you head toward pain or destruction, he will often restrict, restrain or bar you from moving forward.

Verse: He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever. (Ps. 136:12, NLT)

What will you do about it: The next time a door closes in your face, you find yourself detoured, or you hear a strong “no,” remember that God can and will direct your path for your own good. Instead of resenting his restraining arm, thank him for it.

Prayer: Thank God that he loves you enough to stop you from hurting yourself.

Michael

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, Msg)

This is one of my favorite passages in the book of Proverbs because it so clearly tells me where the direction that I need for everyday life comes from.

Those words "He will direct your paths" (or, in the translation above, “keep you on track”) are among the most comforting and the most empowering of all the phrases in the Bible.

Most people have a genuine desire to know God's direction. We want to know the path that he wants us to be on.

This verse stands as God's promise that instead of just having to guess at his direction, I can be confident in it. One of the most practical ways that I can trust the Lord instead of my own understanding is to allow the Bible to become the checkpoint for all of my decisions.

Whenever I do that, it seems that every chapter I read and every teaching or word of advice I hear over the next few days points me in the right direction.

You may be reading this devotional at the very time you are facing an all-important decision. I encourage you to pray this prayer for God's direction, and then to listen.

The answer might not be what you expected – in fact, it probably won't be what you expected! But you will never regret listening for and then trusting in God's direction.

Point to ponder: God wants to lead and direct you – he’s just waiting for you to ask.

Verse: “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, Msg)

What will you do about it: The next time you face a decision, include God. Ask him to show you from his Word what you should do. Then open your Bible.

Prayer: Tell God you don’t want to go it alone. Tell him you want to be directed by him, and ask him to make his paths clear.

"Don't let the errors of evil people lead you down the wrong path and make you lose your balance." (2 Peter 3:17, CEV)

One of the events in the summer Olympics is the pentathlon. It is composed of five events: pistol shooting, fencing, horseback riding, running, and swimming. The pentathlons' goal is to succeed in all five areas, not just one or two.

Your life is a pentathlon of five purposes, which you must keep in balance. These purposes were practiced by the first Christians in Acts 2, explained by Paul in Ephesians 4, and modeled by Jesus in John 17, but they are summarized in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Jesus.

These two statements sum up what this daily devotional is all about - God's five purposes for your life:

1. "Love God with all your heart": You were planned for God's pleasure, so your purpose is to love God through worship.

2. "Love your neighbor as yourself": You were shaped for serving, so your purpose is to show love for others through ministry.

3. "Go and make disciples": You were made for a mission, so your purpose is to share God's message through evangelism.

4. "baptize them into …": You were formed for God's family, so your purpose is to identify with his church through fellowship.

5. "teach them to do all things …": You were created to become like Christ, so your purpose is to grow to maturity through discipleship.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will make you a great Christian.

Point to ponder: Balance is critical if you're going to fulfill the five purposes of your life.

Verse: "Don't let the errors of evil people lead you down the wrong path and make you lose your balance." (2 Peter 3:17, CEV)

What will you do about it: Take a survey of your life. Are you fulfilling all five of your purposes? What do you need to do to find balance in those five areas?

Prayer: Ask God to balance you. Ask him to shift your priorities and rearrange your life so that you're fulfilling your whole purpose.

“Love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love.” (2 John 1:6, NCV)

Life is all about love.

Because God is love, the most important lesson he wants you to learn on earth is how to love. It is in loving that we are most like him, so love is the foundation of every command he has given us.

“The whole Law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love others as you love yourself.” (Galatians 5:14, LB)

Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task. That’s why we’re given a lifetime to learn it. How are you doing in your studies?

Of course, God wants us to love everyone, but he is particularly concerned that we learn to love others in his family. 

Why does God insist that we give special love and attention to other believers?

Because God wants his family to be known for its love more than anything else. Jesus said our love for each other – not our doctrinal belief – is our greatest witness to the world.

He said, “Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35, LB)

In heaven we will enjoy God’s family forever, but first we have some tough work to do here in Jackson County to prepare ourselves for an eternity of loving. God trains us by giving us “family responsibilities,” and the foremost of these is to practice loving each other.

The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.

Point to ponder: Life is all about love – especially for those in God’s family.

Verse: “Love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love.” (2 John 1:6, NCV)

What will you do about it: Practice being loving. Find a way to secretly serve someone in our BCC family today. Don’t tell anyone about it except God.

Relax: How you define life determines your destiny. The way you view life is your description of how life works and what you expect from it.  It influences your life more than you realize and determines your expectations, values, relationships, goals, and priorities.

Read: "What is your life?" (James 4:14b, NIV)

Reflect: To fulfill the purposes God has for you, you will have to base your view on the biblical metaphors of life. These are: Life is a test, and life is a trust.

Life is a test - God continually tests people's character, faith, obedience, love, integrity, and loyalty. Character is both developed and revealed, and all of life is a test.  When you understand that life is a test, you realize that every day is important. God wants you to pass the tests of life, so he never allows the tests to be greater than the grace he gives you to handle them.

Life is a trust - We are to be stewards of whatever God gives us. All we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands. The more God gives you, the more responsible he expects you to be.  If you treat everything as a trust, God promises three rewards in eternity: affirmation, promotion, and celebration.

Point to ponder: Life is a test and a trust.

What will you do about it: No matter what trials or tests face you today, thank God that he is using those things to build your character.

Prayer: Ask God to keep you mindful that every day is significant. Ask him to help you pass each test and be a good steward of what he's entrusted to you.

Michael

Like all pastors, I am dedicated to equipping you as a disciple of Christ.  To help you learn more of him and become more life him so that you can be used by him.  To further that goal, I will be altering my blog to include not only helpful information but a consistent plan for you to implement a devotional time in your life. 

Here is how it works.  I will list reference verses and resources for you to use in your devotional time if you don't already have a current program.  Rob will be addressing this plan specifically on Graduation Sunday as we challenge our young people to keep a devotional time with God.  In 15 minutes daily, you can advance your relationship with Christ and hone your skills and abilities for his glory. 

Here is a draft that you can use for tomorrow's devotion:

Relax          

Whether in a chair on walking, take a moment to let the world go and breathe.  Listen to what is around you and think on something good like the following:

Your birth was no mistake or mishap. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He was not at all surprised by your birth. In fact, he expected it. He expected you – and he designed you with a purpose in mind.

Read

Whether you use your reading plan or the versed listed here, take the time to read from his Word.

"Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love." (Ephesians. 1:4a, Message)

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you have set in place - what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?" (Psalm 8:3-4, NLT)

Reflect

Take a moment to think about the value of the text and consider some of the following insights.

God's motive for creating you was his love. The Bible says, "Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love."

Dr. Michael Denton, senior research fellow in human molecular genetics, has concluded, "All the evidence available in the biological sciences supports the core proposition … that the cosmos is a specially designed whole with life and mankind as its fundamental goal and purpose, a whole in which all facets of reality have their meaning and explanation in this central fact."

The Bible said the same thing thousands of years earlier: "God formed the earth … He did not create it to be empty but formed it to be inhabited." (Isaiah. 45:18, GWT)

Why did God bother to go to all the trouble of creating a universe for us?

Because he is a God of love. This kind of love is difficult to fathom, but it's fundamentally reliable.

You were created as a special object of God's love! God made you so he could love you. This is a truth to build your life on.

Record

Whether in your journal or scriptures, note a idea of how you can apply this verse to your life considering some of the following suggestions.

The universe was not complete, in God's eyes, until he had filled it with people to love. He planned from the beginning of time to make you!

Take a look at the night sky and remind yourself that you are more important to God than all the stars combined. Let that motivate you to worship him.

Request:

Now approach God in light of your meditation and ask him specifically how you can claim this verse today.

Thank God for planning your life and for loving you so much.

Thank you for your patience these last two weeks.  Marcia and I were gone on family business and personal travel.  Visited our nation's capital to renew the source of our national pride.  A great place to visit but you wouldn't want to live there.

Now back to words that change your life:

CHURCH

1. a body of religious believers
2. a formal gathering of Christians
3. biblical: the gathering of those for whom Jesus is Lord.
4. personal: the body of Christians whom you serve and to whom you belong.

"I will call you Peter, which means 'a rock'.  On this rock I will build my church and death itself will not have any power over it."  Matthew 16:18 CEV

The church is the gathering of the called of God.  In fact, the Greek word for church, ekklesia, means 'the called out ones'.  The called of God are called out of their old lives of selfishness into a new life of service to Christ.  They are called to their Lord for they are the body of Christ.  

It is his pleasure they seek, his presence they adore and his glory they reflect.  He is their life and apart from him they are lost and without hope.

"The church has many critics but no rivals."  Charles Spurgeon

Today's Wisdom

Make the best of bad situations

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28

Today's Humor

• Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
• A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
• The hardness of butter is directly proportional to the softness of the bread.

It's good to be home.  Michael