MOTIVATION MONDAY: The Passover Lamb

Hello and welcome to Motivation Monday. Over the last several weeks we have been doing a study of The Whole Bible in 16 Verses and we want to continue that today by looking at The Passover Lamb. As we move into the book of Exodus, we are roughly 430 years since our stop from last week. The book of Exodus begins with Abrahams family (descendants) being farther away from living in the place God has called them. They find themselves settling in Egypt in the time of Joseph and they are now starting to grow and multiply. It is amazing to think about that over the next four centuries they grew from a seventy-person family from Jacob into a nation of roughly two million people who became known as the Israelites, a new name that was given to Jacob.

Moving into Exodus, a new King (Pharaoh) is ruling Egypt and he sees the Israelites as a threat. They enslave them and force them to hard labor. The Israelites are far from the Promised Land and are now facing oppression from the Egyptians and they needed to be rescued. God was already working in the midst of their oppression! The Pharaoh despised the Israelites and commanded that all the Israelite baby boys be killed. However, God made a way for one baby boy to escape this fate. Moses was rescued by the Pharaoh’s daughter of all people and raised in the Pharaoh’s court. Moses will eventually be used by God to lead God’s people, the Israelites out of Egypt and out of slavery.

The Israelites cried out to God and God heard their cries for help. It was then that God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and He began to set into motion a plan to save His people. After Moses was grown, he murdered an Egyptian who was beating one of his own, an Israelite. In fear for his life, Moses ran away to the wilderness where we would encounter God in a truly remarkable way, through a burning bush. It was here that God would call Moses to go and save His people from slavery. It was through Moses that God would use to bring the 10 plagues to Egypt, but it was the final plague that is found in Exodus 12 that would bring about their freedom. In Exodus 12:21-24, God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and spread its blood over the top of their door and doorposts on each side. Then Moses said, “When the LORD passes through to strike Egypt and see the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, He will pass over the door and not let the destroyer enter your house to strike you.”

In a very direct way, God rescued His people with the blood of the passover lambs. Through the lambs sacrifice, the Israelites did not die and because the blood of the lamb was spilt, the firstborn sons in Abraham’s family were safe. Although this sacrifice saved the Israelites, it was only a temporary sacrifice because very soon the people would need another one. It would not take long before the people would start to sin again and again and again. So, God gave them the law. Because of their constant failure to trust God’s word and a constant need for forgiveness, God would give them the law. This law would set Israel apart from all the other nations as “God’s treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6). For the Passover, they would celebrate this every year and while God had many purposes for the law, the most important thing was to remind them of their need for a greater sacrifice that was still to come. This sacrifice would put an end to the Serpent and reverse the effects of God’s curse. This would be many centuries ahead, but God’s plan was still in effect as the One True King that God promised would come much later.

Next week we look ahead to the king that God would give them to rule over them. Although this was not part of His plan, it is a part of His plan to send a King that will defeat sin once and for all and rule for all eternity. Thanks for reading and have a blessed week.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – September 16

Hello, Friday and welcome back to another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. This week as been much slower than last week which is always a good thing. Sometimes it’s good to not be so busy and to be able to sit down and unwind. But there were some fun moments that happened along the week and I will try to share those with you as we move along. If this if your first time with us, then we welcome you. So without further ado…

I. FALL SPORTS IS BACK

This past Monday our girl had her first cross country meet of the season and kicked off the official start to fall sports. I admit that I hate to see summer go, but there is something about fall sports that gets me excited. Fall sports seems to bring about a fresh start for everyone competing and participating in sports. Not only do we have the start of a new school year, but we get the start of a new athletic year as well. For us, this is cross country and we absolutely love to see our girl go out there and compete as a runner. Practices are sometimes hard and she is worn out when she gets into the car afterwards, but I am thankful for her dedication and leadership that she is displaying to the rest of her team even as a 7th grader. Each practice she encourages others even after she has already finished and that is something that is hard to find now days. I will go ahead and warn you in advance that you will probably see a weekly post about cross country for the next several weeks! But another thing that makes this year more fun is that she will be running against some of her friends that play on our soccer team together or have played together. As a coach it is always fun to see your players who go to different schools and to have the opportunity to joke around with them and still see how you have helped make a difference in their life. I seriously think that I was more excited about this first meet than Gracie was!

But another thing about fall sports is the start of a new soccer season at the YMCA. We have our first game this Saturday and I think I already have the pre-game jitters. Again, I am almost positive that you will be hearing about soccer too in the up coming weeks, so go ahead and prepare yourself.

II. BIG GAME THIS WEEKEND

Ok, so most people are not die hard college football fans and I understand that. However, I am one of those weird fans that I absolutely love college football. And this weekend is going to be an exciting one because my Liberty Flames travel to Winston Salem to take on the #19 Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Am I concerned that all the “professionals” are picking Liberty to lose by 16 points, not at all. For years the “professionals” have always underestimated Liberty. Also, Wake Forest has been known to choke in high pressure games and this is one of those games for them. It should be a fun one to watch, but this game does carry a little bragging rights with it. One of my buddies is a die-hard Wake Forest fan and we have agreed to a little fun wager. If Liberty beats Wake Forest, then he has to wear a Liberty t-shirt for one full day next week. If Wake Forest wins, then I will have to wear a Wake Forest t-shirt for one full day next week. We play on the same adult kickball team and I thought about telling him that instead of the t-shirts, we have to face paints the other teams colors during our game next week, but we aren’t trying to scare anyone! You will have to check back next week for the results to see who wears which teams t-shirt for a day.

III. SUNDAY NIGHT FALL KICK-OFF

Last Sunday we kicked off the start of Fall with a “slime war” and our students had a blast. We made slime and put it in 5 gallons buckets and then gave them blasters and they ran around squirting each other with all colors of slime. We may have had a leader or two covering them with a little powder paint too! It was a great way to help kick off the year as we focused on building unity as we welcomed our new students. But, the thing that I have absolutely come to love about our Fall Kick-offs is the challenges we get to hear from our seniors. This has been a tradition that I started at least 6 years ago and I absolutely love it! Having the opportunity to see and hear other students investing in each other is priceless.

This week we begin our new series ROOTED where we will help students understand what it means to be rooted in God’s love, God’s Word and their faith in Jesus. What are some things that you do with your youth groups to help build unity and enthusiasm? What are some studies that you have done that have been beneficial to the students?

IV. PUMPKIN SPICE CRAZINESS IS ALL AROUND

I have noticed over the last couple of weeks that this whole pumpkin spice thing has gotten majorly out of control. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good pumpkin spice latte as much as the next person, but there is no need to see Pumpkin Spice toothpaste, cereal, waffles, oatmeal, cookies, chips and before too long we’ll see pumpkin spice shampoo… actually it probably already exists. I guess over the last few years I have noticed how the whole pumpkin spice thing has really gotten out of control. Just yesterday, I saw 6 different flavors of pumpkin coffee. I understand people are getting excited for fall and I am in that category as well. I don’t know, is it just me? What is your favorite pumpkin spice food or drink that you look forward to every season?

V. A NEW CREATION

“Therefore, if anyone is inChrist, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, CSB)

Here lately, my daughter, Gracie has started making this snack called “Sugared Grapes” and they are very addictive and delicious. She makes them with Jello powder and then sets them in the freezer for about an hour and they are actually a really great snack. She made them for our church picnic a couple of weeks ago and before I could get any, they were already gone! They had eaten them all up, the whole bunch.

That’s a lot like what happened to you in Christ. Just like those grapes were gone, Jesus made your old nature vanish. When you accept Jesus as your savior, you become entirely new. There’s no trace or crumb of your old nature left in you. That old nature has been swapped for a new nature.

The sin nature is done. It’s gone. Now we have a new nature. And while we are still tempted to sin, our new nature desires to do the right thing. If we stay sensitive to what our new spirit desires, we’ll make godly choices. And when old habits of our old nature pop up, it’s just up to us to say no to those things.

So today, choose to thank God that He has made us fresh and new. Our spirit is recreated and free from sin. Determine to make decisions in light of that new nature. Choose to let that nature rule the things you think, say and do.

Well, that’s a wrap for this week. Thanks for reading and we will see you back here gain next Friday, Lord willing. Have a blessed Friday and a great weekend.

MOTIVATION MONDAY: The Whole Bible in 16 Verses Part 6

Well, Happy Monday, folks and welcome back to the another work week. No worries, Motivation Monday is here to equip and encourage you as you begin this week with our series THE WHOLE BIBLE IN 16 VERSES. If this is your first time reading MOTIVATION MONDAY, we welcome you and pray that this will be an encouragement to you. If you are a returner, then welcome back, friends.

One of my favorite book series is C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. Throughout the series, Lewis writes about a world filled with people like Peter, Susan, Edmond, Lucy, Prince Caspian, talking beasts (with Trufflehunter the badger being one of my favorites), Aslan the Lion, and walking trees. In Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia), Trufflehunter makes the following statement, “Narnia was never right except when a Son of Adam was king.” Throughout the series, Narnia’s best days were under the reign of Adam’s descendants. Even though Lewis’s stories about Narnia are fantasy, as believers in Jesus Christ, we know according to the Bible that the promised King is a true son of Adam, a son of Abraham, and as we will see today, a son of Judah.

“The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.” Genesis 49:10, CSB (Bold/Italics added)

Last week we looked at Abraham and how God promised (made a covenant) him that through him, he would become a great nation and that God will bless him and make his name great. Today, we see God’s promise carrying on through the line of Judah. God’s promise started with Abraham continued on with Isaac and then on to Jacob. As you read the Bible, we see that God keeps His promises even in the midst of the dysfunction that happens with His people. That is no more truer than with the line of Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. God used Joseph to preserve Abraham’s line and you might think that Joseph would be the one that Jacob would bless with the royal blessing when he was on his death bed.

However, as he laid upon his death bed, he blessed each of his sons in a different way. But when it came to Judah, he was the one who received a royal blessing: “The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.” Isn’t it ironic that Jacob would choose Judah? After all, Judah was pretty rough and had some questionable moments within his life time, but that’s the beauty of God. The first time we hear Judah speak was when Joseph’s brothers had thrown him into a pit and were trying to decide what to do with him. Judah suggested that instead of killing him, they sell him into slavery (Genesis 36:26-27). From there it only got worse for Judah. His first son died with no children. So, Judah’s second son married his brothers widow (as was custom), but he too died without children. Instead of allowing his third son to marry Tamar, Judah sent her away. However, she would later trick him into sleeping with her and she would have his twin sons… or grandsons too! True story and it would be hard to make this stuff up!

But, it was to this broken family line that God promised the scepter of kingship, the rulers staff. The descendant of Judah would not only be the king of Israel, he would also be a king over the nations. It will be through Judah that the covenant blessing will come into the world…

Pastor David Platt talks about it in this way, “Genesis 49:10 is a stout promise that was just made to Judah about Judah’s line, that through the line of Judah would come a king who’s scepter would rule and tribute would be brought to him. Not just any tribute, but the obedience of the peoples, the tribes, the nations.We take the gospel to the nations because to Him shall be the obedience of all peoples. Jesus is worthy of the praise of every tribe and tongue.That’s the language here, that all the nations. This isn’t just about the people of Jacob, or the people of Israel, the people of Judah. No, this is about all peoples one day giving their obedience to a king from Judah’s line. This is a clear promise, that takes us all the way from the first book in the Bible, to the last book in the Bible, when John looks, in Revelation 5, and he sees a vision of the lion of the tribe of, you guessed it, Judah. Bowing down before him is every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, every people group in the world.”

Just like it was true in Narnia when Trufflehunter says, “Narnia was never right except when a Son of Adam was king”, so it is today that through the line of Judah, Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It’s a beautiful thing to see how Judah’s blessing changed the world forever.

Thanks for joining us today and I pray that you have a blessed week. Next week we start to pick up the pace a little as we take a look at the sacrifices and law of Moses. See you next week.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY

Hello and happy Friday everyone. Thanks for joining me today for FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. This has been a very busy and crazy week and I am not even sure where to begin. It has been a week flooded with high anxiety, emotions and at times, frustrations. So, this edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY may be a little different as I express my thoughts from the last week or two with things that I am struggling with in my heart and head. Without further ado…

JESUS: The ONE Who Holds All Things Together

Somedays it seems as if this world is spinning out of control. However, we know that it may seem that way, but the reality is that Jesus has everything still in control. This is where I want to begin today because it is highly important that we understand that everything that happens in this world is under Jesus’ control and power. In fact, Colossians 1:17 reassures of WHO is in control.

“He(Jesus) is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”

The image of our Savior, Jesus Christ holding all things together in an intimate, hands-on fashion is absolutely beautiful. And the idea that He delights in doing so, should be empowering. God didn’t simply create you and leave you to fend for yourself. He’s intimately involved in your day-to-day life. He has all things planned accordingly to His will… And we can trust Him with that. When I look around our world today, it is a complete mess, there are things that happen that I do not understand and probably never will. There are things that happen that make me scratch my head at times and wonder why God isn’t doing something about it. But, He is. He has all things worked out according to His plan, not mine or anyone else’s. It’s His plan and work to do as He pleases. It is my place to simply trust Him more in my fear and doubts. So, no matter how chaotic this world may seem, I can take comfort in the fact that the hands which were pierced for our transgressions are the same hands that fashioned the universe and hold all things together today and everyday. We don’t have to merely trust Jesus to save us when we die, but if we trust and submit to Him, we can trust He’ll help us maintain and sustain our lives today. It might seem like your world is coming apart, but don’t be afraid to put yourself in His hands. Not only is He capable of putting your life back in order, but He can be trusted to keep it together. 

THE TRAGIC DEATH OF ELIZA FISHER

Last Friday, Eliza Fisher went out for her normal early morning run around the University of Memphis, but unfortunately her run was interrupted as she was abducted and murdered. She left her home that morning simply looking forward to her morning run before returning home to her husband, her two young sons and the thought of getting herself ready for work where she was Pre-K teacher at St. Mary’s Episcopal School. However, that never happened and now her husband and two young sons will now go on without a wife and mother, all because one man decided that he was going to cause pain and affliction to someone he did’t even know. (I might add that he was a convicted felon too!) If I sound bitter about that, it’s because I am. I am tired of story after story of where our elected officials and Justice department refuse to do the job that they were elected to do. I do not care what political party you are a part of. I do care that we do not expect accountability with those that we elect to serve!

But I digress, this isn’t a political post. This is about Eliza Fisher and the support that her family will receive from their church community and many others. In fact, one organization runsignup.com set up a free virtual race for runners to remember and honor Eliza Fletcher. Eliza was a runner who competed in races, marathons, and even runDisney events and races. She was beloved by her friends and other runners who knew her. Since Jana and I have been running more regularly the last year, we have quickly come to realize that runners are not just “runners”, they are a community. Like the RV community, they share a tight and special bond with one another. So, it is amazing to see the outpouring of support from runners all over the country. The virtual race is set up from September 9 – September 18 and its goal is to encourage runners to finish Eliza’s run (#finishelizasrun).

Jana and I gladly took part in this as we got our morning run/walk in. However, it wasn’t easy for neither me or my wife, but for two separate reasons. At the end of the day, I should not have to fear for my wife’s safety if she chooses to go on a run/walk without me. She can handle her own I have no doubt, but we shouldn’t have to have those thoughts. In fact, just the other day, I wasn’t able to go with her and as she walking around our churches parking lot a random car stopped, backed up and tried to get her attention. Who does this at 6AM in the morning? Needless to say, she was startled by this and the more she reflected on it, the angrier she got. She should be able to get up in the mornings ready to go and conquer her day with a run through the neighborhood without feeling shame or fearful of her life. In fact, any person should be able to do this. But, we live in a fallen world that is corrupted with sin. That is why we need to trust in Jesus because even in the midst of chaos, He has everything under His control. In times of confusion, times of fear, times of frustration we run to Him and trust in His plan. In Philippians, Paul tells us to “not be anxious about anything”. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart…” I will be the first to admit, that these things are easy to remember but harder to accept sometimes. However, I know without a shadow of a doubt, that God’s ways and God’s plans are perfect and that is why I choose to trust in Him as my Savior each and every day.

THE PASSING OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II AND THE DEATH OF TRUE LEADERSHIP

Yesterday, the world was rocked with the news that Queen Elizabeth II had passed. She was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and she did it with class and dignity. She sat on the throne for more than seven decades. That is truly remarkable as I think about what all has changed in 70 years. But the one thing that is most remarkable about her reign was the promise that she made as a young 21 year old. She promised the people of Britain that, “my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.” That was a promise that she kept for more than seven decades. She was a rare example of someone who practiced servant leadership as she served Christ up until her very last day. Queen Elizabeth II put Christ at the heart of everything. That is truly remarkable for a world leader! She spoke often of Jesus Christ.

Reading from part of the queen’s first Christmas radio broadcast in 1952 at age 25, she asked her subjects to pray for her: ‘Pray for me that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making. And that I may be faithfully serving Him and you all the days of my life.’

The beautiful thing is that that is exactly what she did. She served her people, her subjects, and she served Christ, her God, all the days of her life up until her very last day.

As I think about her legacy, her faith and her leadership, it was focused on Jesus Christ. The heart that she had for her people was from knowing and following Jesus Christ. I know she wasn’t perfect and I am certain that she had her flaws, we all do. But she chose to live her life for Jesus Christ and it showed by the way she lead her country. She never cried like a toddler like so many of our American politicians do today. In fact, that is why we are in the shape we are because we have taken our eyes off of God and the truth of His Word. Instead of being accountable to God’s Word, repenting our sins, seeking forgiveness, too many of our “leaders” choose to pass the buck and not accept responsibility when things go wrong. Our leaders us their positions has one of power and control rather than one of service and devotion to their people. My heart breaks when I look at our country. We have become our own gods and we think that we above God’s Laws. May God have mercy on us and may we commit to pray for our nations leaders each and every day.

THOUGHTS ON MATT CHANDLER

Recently, news as come out that Pastor Matt Chandler of The Village Church is stepping aside for a time due to “inappropriate conversations” with another woman. Of course, when this news came out, many Christians (myself included) were left in shock. Matt Chandler has come to be one of the most respected preachers and teachers of our generation. So, to hear that a scandal had finally “caught up to him” was completely shocking. But, honestly, it shouldn’t be. I am a firm believer that too many pastors get put on a pedestal and then when they “fall short of God’s glory”, people lose their minds.

However, this situation is uniquely different. Chandler has confirmed multiple times that he is not stepping away for any idolatry or immoral issue with another woman. In fact, he is being “disciplined” for having a conversation through direct messaging (DM) with a woman that is not his wife. Now, the story goes that his wife, Lauren and the lady’s husband knew of the conversation going on. They both have confirmed that nothing sexual or perverted was being shared. But, the elders of the church are making claims that the conversation is inappropriate. Because of this the elders have asked him to take a leave of absence.

We do not know what all is going on and we may never know. We know that there is always three sides of the story (yours, mind and God’s). Whether Matt Chandler did anything immoral or not, this is a good reminder of why we need to guard our hearts with the truth of God’s Word and how careful we should be with our actions and words to others. This hits home for me because I do not always think about how my actions and words may affect someone else, especially someone who doesn’t know Jesus Christ. For anyone who knows me, you know that I have a tendency to speak first without thinking. This is a character flaw that I know I need to work on. I’m trying. In fact, my prayer is that every single day I am turning more and more into the person of Jesus Christ. I know that I will not be like Christ until the day that He calls me to be with Him. In the meantime, I want to strive to be more like Him with the time that He has given me here on earth. I may fail, I may succeed, but at the end of the day all glory goes to Him!

My heart breaks for Chandler, his family and those he has been called to lead. This is why it is so important for you to pray for your pastors daily. Don’t place them on pedestals for them to fall, but lift them up to God so that He can carry them and hold them with His mighty righty hand.

STRUGGLES WITH ANXIETY

If you have read FIVE THINGS FRIDAY before, then maybe you recall me sharing about my struggles with anxiety. It’s hard, it’s painful and it sucks (sorry if I ‘m not allowed to use that word!) It’s a battle each and everyday of constantly fighting all the noises going on in your head and you can’t make them stop. Some days are better than others, some days I feel like my head is about to explode because my mind will not stop. It’s a constant banging and clashing noise that not only affects my head, but my body as well. I know that my level of anxiety may not be as severe as some and I am thankful for that. However, it gets old having to try to constantly battle every thought and emotion.

I understand that some of the stress and anxiety comes from me. I have a tendency to put too much on my plate at times. I also battle with trying to please everyone, which does not help. Also, this may sound weird coming from a youth pastor, but that is why I said above that it is important that you pray for your pastors because you may never fully know all that they are battling and fighting daily. Over the years I have found ways to treat and cope with my anxiety when it shows up. Some things work well and others not so well. I know that one of the best ways to help reduce anxiety is to get regular sleep, but when sleep is one of the things that triggers your anxiety, that makes it hard. So, I have come accustomed to getting roughly about five hours asleep per night. (Six is a blessing!) Other ways that I help with my anxiety is through exercise, running, and journaling/writing down my thoughts and prayers. Ironically, I told my wife the other morning when we were running that for most people running is a good way to reduce anxiety, except for me. Most of the time my anxiety gets triggered while I’m running because I get a thought and then it just snowballs from that moment on. Just like with anything we all deal with, there are good days, there are bad days and then there are days from you know where. Lately, it has been those types of days. Bu tI don’t say this for sympathy, I say this to let you know that I am a work in progress. Each and every day I want to strive to be more like Christ. And even though anxiety is not a sin, I still choose to rejoice in those small victories where Christ conquers my fears and doubts and turns them to times of praise and adoration of Him.

So, if you struggle with anxiety today, I want to let you know that you are not alone even if you feel like it. I won’t even say that if you gave your life to Christ that your anxiety, doubts and fears would automatically disappear over night. They won’t disappear, but He will give us the strength to fight those moments as we place our eyes and trust on Him. Whatever is you are battling with today, lay at the cross, look to Jesus and trust Him.

Thanks for reading and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. See you next week for another FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

MOTIVATION MONDAY: The Whole Bible in 16 Verses Part 5

The title says MOTIVATION MONDAY, but due to Labor Day, I am posting today (Tuesday). So, I guess it’s Motivation Tuesday! I pray that you had a wonderful Labor Day and that you were able to enjoy your day. Today, I want to continue with part 5 of our study: THE WHOLE BIBLE IN 16 VERSES. Thank you for joining us and I pray that this is a blessing to you as you read through it today.

“The LORD said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contemporary, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3, CSB

In our last study, we saw that God had set in motion, a plan that one day He will eventually wipe away all sin and restore lost humanity back to Him. This promise would come through the seed of a woman. In today’s passage, we see a man (Abram) whom God called to be the agent through whom He would use to save/bless this world. Abram was living in the land of Haran with his relatives and his father when God appears to him with an astonishing promise.

The LORD tells Abram that He will make him into a great nation, that He will bless him and make his name great. Well, first of all what made Abram so great that God would do this work in him? Well, absolutely nothing was great or special about Abram that made him “worthy” of God’s call. He wasn’t so righteous or noble, in fact, he was an idolater, a worshipper of other gods (Joshua 24:2). But God graciously took the initiative and made a covenant with Abram, choosing him to be the one through whom the woman would come. You have to love God’s plan and timing!

God appears to Abram and gives him the most amazing promise and what does Abram do? He simply obeys and goes even if it doesn’t make sense. Too many times, instead of simply obeying God’s Word and commands, we try to rationalize or question what it is that He is asking of us. Maybe we act more like Gideon and ask God for a sign or we continue to question His methods. Maybe Abram did question God, but according to the text in verse 4, “Abram went, as the LORD had told him…” But let’s get back to a couple of the specifics of the promise that God mentioned to Abram.

God said that He would make him into a great nation. Well, that sounds pretty good, right? But in order to be a great nation one would need land, people, leaders, laws and quite possibly a capable military. Abram’s problem was that he didn’t have any of these. After all, he really didn’t have a home. He was a nomad, a wandering shepherd. But God promised him land – a place where God would dwell with his people. But then, God doesn’t stop there. If you are to be a great nation, you need people. While Abram may have had plenty of servants, he and his wife Sarai had no children they could name as their heirs. So, as we look at the promise that God gave to this childless, homeless, idolatrous man, we can see how he seemed to be an unlikely candidate to the one through whom God’s promise to crush the head of the Serpent would be fulfilled.

The beauty of Abram is that as the story of redemption unfolds, God often uses unlikely people and unlikely ways to overcome the seeming barriers in our lives. In the days immediately following God’s promises, Abram and Sarah had plenty of reasons to doubt His Word. But twenty-five years later after God had called Abraham out of Haran, he and Sarah had a son, Isaac. It was through this son, Isaac, that God would would bring blessing to the world. As we continue reading, we will see in the coming chapters that these promises continue to be fulfilled and multiplied, but the foundation for the rest of what is to come is found in the person of Abraham. I am thankful for his willingness to simply obey God and then go and be faithful to following God even in the midst of possible confusion and uncertainty.

Abraham’s faith is also mentioned in Romans 4:9-23 and Galatians 3:6. Abraham’s faith is a pattern for all believers who have trusted in Jesus Christ. Today, how does your faith compare?

Thanks for joining me and we will see you next week for part six of our study. Have a good week.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY

Hello, Friday and welcome back. If this is your first time reading FIVE THINGS FRIDAY, welcome and I am glad that you are here. This week has been a little weird, a little busy and a little relaxing. It has a been weird because the summer schedule has ended, so it’s that down time between summer and kicking off our fall activities and events. This little gap has always been a little weird or unusual for me, mostly because for so long I did not know how to handle “down time” and it absolutely drove me crazy. I have learned over the years to utilize this time with calendar planning and allowing my mind and body to rest and enjoy the moment. Now, sometimes that is easier to say than to do. Just like with this week since it was the first week back to school for so many students and teachers (including my own). But, as crazy as the week has been, I still like the excitement and joy of going back to school. I was never one that looked forward to going back to school for the work, but to see my friends and catch up on our summer adventures. What about you? If you are a parent, teacher or a student, how has your first week back to school been? Let me know and without further ado here is this weeks FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

SCHOOL IS BACK

It is that time of the year where summer ends and the start of another school year begins. Even though summer doesn’t officially end until September 21, once school starts, summer is over, right? But the start of the school year brings excitement and anticipation. For students, it’s a new season and a new start. They get to reconnect with friends and maybe even make new friends! For teachers, the anticipation of a new school year starting always brings excitement to them. They look forward to seeing former students and meeting new students. But one thing that I love about teachers, is the joy they have as they decorate their classrooms with anticipation that this year is going to be different. Will their be struggles, issues and stress that come throughout the year, sure! But, at least for the first week they are excited about a new year! I know that teachers enjoy their summers and they deserve every minute of it. But,I am grateful for the ones that have a genuine love and joy to try and change a students life. That’s what good teachers do, they change lives! In fact, none of us would be where we are today if it were not for teachers! Will you please join me through the month of September as pray for our students and our teachers in our communities, our state, our nation and around the world? We must be vigilant each and every day to pray for them. For me, this year my prayer for my wife and daughter is Colossians 3:23.

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.”

SEE YOU AT THE POLE

See You At The Pole – September 28

See You At The Pole is a global day of prayer where students gather around their schools flag pole and pray for their school, their teachers and faculty and the start of a new year. This wonderful ministry has been around since 1990. I have come to love this ministry and I am thankful for the many ways that God has used SYATP in my own life and ministry. This years theme is AFLAME and comes from Romans 12:11-12. “Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord.Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.”

Check out the promo video here and I ask that you join with us in prayer on September 28. Actually, will you join with me in prayer starting today that God will use those students who love Him and want to make Him known to their classmates and teachers, that He will give them strength to stand for Him. I am excited to see God work in the lives of our students this year, but they need your help, your support and most importantly, they need your prayers. But also, we can encourage our students to go and make a difference by sharing the gospel with their peers or teachers, but if our students do not see us living this out as well, the impact will not be as great! So, how you sharing the gospel with people around you? How you allowing God to make an impact for the kingdom through your life, your actions and your words each and every day? If we belong to Christ, then we must be persistent in prayer with all zeal to see lives changed!

CURRENTLY READING

For about the last month I have been reading CANOEING THE MOUNTAINS: Christian Leadership In Uncharted Territory by Todd Bolsinger. This books follows the expedition of Lewis and Clark as they set out to discover a path to the Pacific Ocean. This book is all about adaptive leadership and is a must read for any church leader. It fits well with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic and how we as pastors and leaders must adapt a new philosophy of leading in a post-COVID society. So far, one interesting key point to me was this thought about leadership: “Understanding uncharted territory: the world in front of you is nothing like the world behind you.” That is a keen observation! As church leaders we cannot simply continue to do “church” the way that it has always been done. Now, most definitely we continue to preach, teach and share God’s Word! That must never change. This book has been quite interesting so far and I look forward to reading it and maybe even gaining some ideas of ways that I can begin to look at church ministry differently. For now, I have only made in a few chapters, but I will try to give a full review after I’m done.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK

Photo courtesy of ESPN

This weekend marks the return of college football and I am stoked about it! My Liberty Flames start the season off against Southern Mississippi. But there are a handful of games that are going tone worth watching this weekend: Oregon vs. Georgia, Florida vs. Utah, NC State and ECU, Ohio St. and Notre Dame, and App State vs. UNC. The App St./UNC game is going to be a great game and I will not be shocked if App St. comes away with the win. September is just a wonderful time of the year for sports fans. College Football returns, MLB is winding down and playoff teams are starting to heat up and make a run, the NFL will be returning, but more importantly, our middle school and high school athletics are back. Gracie (my daughter) is competing in cross country again this fall and we are super excited to go and watch her run. If you are a sports fan, which sports are you most excited about this fall? Do you prefer college football or NFL? Will you be attending any high school football games? Let me know!

LABOR DAY WEEKEND

This weekend is Labor Day weekend and for many it is the official end to summer. (Tears are starting to swell up as I come to the realization that summer is almost over.) I pray that you have a blessed weekend and a restful weekend. Whether you will be at the beach, the mountains or at home, I pray that you will enjoy Labor Day as an extra day of rest.

Thanks for being with me today, have a great weekend and we will see you again next week for FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.