Refuge!

In the Lord I take refuge. How then can they say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain.” (Ps. 11:1)


There are times in the life of every Christian where we scream for relief. We want the storms to go away, the trials to cease, the testing to stop, and peace to reign. However, we have a Savior who offers more safety in the midst of turmoil than the most tranquil location on this planet.


The Psalmist is teased during his time of crisis, “Run away! Quickly, run away! Head for the hills!”


His reply? My refuge is the Lord God Almighty! What need do I have for flight? Why do I need to be afraid? It doesn’t matter if a thousand stand against me. The one I have on my side shall keep me safe and secure!


The world does not understand our contentment. Jesus tells us, “My peace I leave with you. Not as the world gives do I give unto you!” In other words, “I am leaving you something much better, much stronger, more reliable, more comprehensive, all encompassing, and never failing!” Why indeed would we run through the storm to any place else when we are already protected from the storm by the strong arms of our Savior?


Even the baby elephant above knows that the best protection is close to its mother. Even though we know the Lord is more protection than a hundred mama elephants, there are times we run to every source possible except the one actually able to protect us from the ravages of the storm.


Look at the picture on the picture at the beginning of this post. Look very closely. Did you see the figure standing in the doorway the first time you looked? Who would stand out there in the middle of such a horrendous storm? Who would venture out in those waves? The only person who would dare venture such a thing would be one who could rest comfortably knowing that between them and the pounding waves there was solid, impenetrable rock, something that would break the crashing waves and never be broken. There is no way a person could stand there on their own. They would be swept away, never to be found. To stand in the midst of such violence and conflict one needs to be protected by a mighty rock.


God has called you to do something. You are anxious about the task he has given to you. You don’t know where to begin and you cannot see the ending. Go stand in the storm, knowing that Christ the Rock stands between you and all ultimate harm!


Pastor Craig

World Champion!

World’s Best! World Champion! It has a nice ring to it doesn’t it. We are currently in the finals for the NBA Championship and the Stanley Cup. Millions of dollars will be decided by the outcomes. Players will get new contracts based on their performance in this series. Coaches may get extensions on their current agreements or may get fired for a less than perfect outcome during these playoffs. We cuss and discuss the teams, sometimes our own team, depending on how they are doing.


Well, last night I got to sit next to a World Champion. I can even brag that I know him well. Some of you may know that the Texas Longhorn World Show is going on over in Ft. Worth. The pinnacle of this show is the Trophy Steer competition where the best and biggest Texas Longhorn Trophy Steers in the world gather to decide which one really is the best. Yes, a handful of the ones from the Ft. Worth stockyards come over to see just how good they are.


The owners are a cross-section of the super-rich who like to have a hobby, families who love Texas Longhorns and want their children to experience some Texas heritage, and some kids with school and FFA projects.


Last night, one of those students with an FFA project pulled it off and won World Champion Young Steer. He is an amazing kid who works hard, does what he is supposed to do, obeys his Mother, and, fortunately, listens to his Ag teacher as well. He is the kind of kid you would have been rooting for if you had been there.


I’m not writing this only to brag on one kid, or to highlight a topic I dearly love. No, I am writing it to remind all of us that “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Bailey made sure he had his motives right from the beginning, and he knew the one for whom he was working. Sometimes, all that work goes to the glory of God alone. That is where it belongs. However, there are times when God sends a little back your way as well. It is at those moments, if we have been giving him the praise all along, that we realize what an awesome God we serve.


Pastor Craig

Stories

Christianity is basically a story religion. It is the story of God calling the Jewish people, making them his own, and sending them a Messiah. That story expands when the story of Jesus becomes the story for all people and not only a story for the Jewish people. This Jesus Story is the story of his life, death, and resurrection. The story of the church is, in part, a story beginning with the first disciples. Then it winds its way through 2,000+ years until the character that is us stands on the stage.


There are “Signature Stories” along the way – the life of Christ, the Reformation, The Great Awakening, the Azusa St. Revival, etc., things that are defining moments in the life of God’s people.


Each of us has a personal Signature Story, a piece of personal history that is a defining moment in making us the Christian man or woman we are.


My Signature Story could be one of several events, each one building on the one before. However, since these are connected it seems best to begin with the one that lays the foundation for everything else that happened, that event which is essential; the story that, if left out, probably destroys the whole plot.


God blessed me by placing me in a family with two believing parents who made it their priority to put me in a pew each and every Sunday, who did not just drop me off for Sunday School, but made sure the whole family was there, and who made sure I was able to take advantage of every opportunity for Christian growth that was available. Faith was a family event.


Now, I am not speaking poorly of anyone who was dropped off for Sunday school or those whose spiritual interest was not supported by believing parents. I know many people of tremendous faith who did not have their faith taught to them at home. I just know myself, and, fortunately, my Heavenly Father knew me as well and gave me what I needed for the Gospel faith to take root in my soul.


The other story we all have is a Horizon Story. The Horizon Story for Christianity extends forward until that event where Jesus rolls up all of history like a scroll and puts it on the shelf as a finished story.


My Horizon Story is to continue on the well-worn track on which God has placed me, a small church pastor. I have spoken to 5,000 people before, and, yes, it is kind of interesting. However, that is not the ministry to which God has called me. I grew up in a small church, I have attended small churches most of my life, and God has called us into relationships. A relationship is not easy when the person you are speaking to may be a couple hundred feet from the platform and in the middle of a sea of nameless faces.


Now, the purpose of this is not just to get you to know my stories. The purpose is to get you to think about and share your own. I would love to hear your Signature and Horizon Stories. Please stop by and share them with me. AMEN.

Pastor Craig

Following Through

Several months ago the session selected some priorities for the remainder of this calendar year. It was important not to allow them to be set aside as things we need to do, but never actually put into action. Unfortunately, that is what I allowed to happen. However, mistakes made can be corrected, can’t they? You get the train back on the right track, set it in motion, and, even if you are now behind on a schedule you set for yourself, at least you are headed towards you prioritized destination.

 

The session said it was our #1 Priority for 2013 to answer the following question, or, if we could not answer it in a positive way, get about correcting our direction.

 

How are you encouraging people to allow God’s Word to shape their priorities and actions, and to nurture constant learning and the life of the mind?

 

This is first and foremost, but not exclusively, a leadership question. That means the “you” mentioned is a question laid before your church leadership – pastor and session. In other words, how are we encouraging, requiring, expecting you to allow God’s Word to be the guidebook for all the actions of your life? If we cannot come up with some programs and efforts, then we better be coming up with ideas, because a church that is not directing people to God’s Word as the source of wisdom, direction, encouragement, comfort, and satisfaction is not really anything more than a club. It is not the Church of Jesus Christ.

 

However, beyond that, you need to be asking yourself the same question. What are you doing to direct those you come in contact with on a daily basis to look first to the Scriptures as their guide for life? Just like with your leadership, if you can’t list an effort that is already being put into practice, then you need to be coming up with ideas on how to remedy the situation.

 

 

The second thing we are to be doing if this is our #1 Priority is to develop an attitude of lifelong learning. How are you growing in your knowledge of the Word of God? How do you have a better grasp of the person and work of Jesus Christ than you did a year or two ago? How can we be academic without being boring?

 

We are going to wrestle with these questions in the weeks ahead. Not just because we said we would, but because it is vital to our work, mission, growth, and life a children of God. Your ideas for us, as your leaders, are welcome.

 

Pastor Craig