Earth, Wind, and Fire

This is a post from one of my students from Ashland Theological Seminary, Dr. Darrell Williams. It is reposted with his permission. If you appreciate this blog, please send Darrell a thank you note at darrell527@sbcglobal.net

“¹¹ Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹² and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (I Kings 19:11-12 NKJ)

In I Kings 19 we read of the prophet Elijah dealing with the earth, the wind and fire. Elijah was on the run from the evil Jezebel for his obedience to God concerning the false prophets. He took off on a journey into the wilderness. The angel of the Lord directed him to go and stand on the mountain. It is here that Elijah deals with earth, wind and fire. As Elijah stood on the mountain, a great wind came that was so strong that it broke the rocks of the mountains into pieces. We all have been in storms and experienced issues of life where it seemed that everything around us was falling apart. The Bible says the wind “broke the rocks into pieces” but notice it also says “but the Lord was not in the wind.”

As Elijah continued to stand on the mountain, an earthquake occurred; like so many of us the storms of life rage around us and as we are shaken pieces of our lives fall around us. We may begin to lose our footing and find ourselves in a state of panic. If the storm itself were not enough, now the very foundation of our lives is moving, unsteady. The Bible says “but the Lord was not in the earthquake….”

And finally there are the fires that spring up in life; the small sparks as well as the uncontrollable blazes; those issues that may test our patience as well as our perseverance. For pastors, it sometimes seems that congregations have several “small fires” burning throughout the church at all times. Despite your wise counsel and fervent prayer, Sister XYZ married the guy who could not even spell “LORD”, and now she and her “husband” are having marital difficulties. THERE IS A FIRE BURNING. Deacon XY has been way out of order in his duties; the congregants are beginning to notice so you must deal with him. THERE IS A FIRE BURNING. The pipes burst in the church from the cold weather and Trustee Y doesn’t have the “time” to handle the business to have it repaired therefore service may have to be canceled or moved to another location and it’s Friday. THERE IS A FIRE BURNING. The Bible says “the Lord was not in the fire.”

Throughout the earthquake, the wind, and the fire the Lord was not in any of them. But in verse 12 it says “a still small voice” was where He could be found. When you are faced with the trials and issues of life you must position yourself in a place to hear that still small voice of God. Your building/temple of your physical body may be breaking into pieces with the foundation of all you have ever known shaking around you, fires and flames hot against your face but the Lord can be heard in that still small voice if you seek Him.

Notice where Elijah was when this happens, he was on a mountain alone; by himself. When was the last time you went away by yourself to seek the face of God? It could be somewhere in your own home that is peaceful and quiet free of distractions or for pastors it could be at the church. The Lord told me that He wants to speak to you while you try and handle the earth, wind and fires in your life. But when He speaks you MUST recognize HIS voice!

So be encouraged even during your storms, the earthquakes and fires of life that the Lord is still there yet take a lesson from Elijah and go to that quiet place and meet God there.

Concentrate on the last sentence of this letter. As the words get smaller it is more difficult to read. The big letters are easy to see but as the letters get smaller you must look more closely. The Lord is waiting to talk to YOU.

How will He do it? In a still small voice!

Be Encouraged

Doc Williams

All Together

All Together​

There was a time when I wished I had it all together. I watched others who seemingly had perfect jobs, perfect families, perfect bank accounts, and well … perfect lives.

I would strive and strive and strive, feeling that I had somehow missed the boat that had already sailed toward a perfect past, a thriving present, and a golden future.

It wasn’t that I was a “bad kid” mind you: its simply that many of the pieces in my life were flawed, many of the decisions I made were poor, and many of my produced outcomes were less than perfect.

Was that what I was trying to achieve? Perfection. Was the quest for having everything “all together” really a striving for perfection?

As I began to get close to a group of students and professors … and by close, I mean that we became real friends … I began to see that even those with higher educations, loftier goals, and larger bank accounts were struggling just like I was; they simply hid those struggles better or refused to try to hide it at all.

I further began to see that all of us had difficulties and imperfections … and that none of us had it “all together.”

It was then that I discovered that God still had a plan for each of us and that His plans are for good and not for disaster: to give each of us a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11).

You see, His plans are sure … and even though we may cause those plans to be seemingly side-stepped, His plans still remain intact.

I am glad that God has a plan for each of us, and that no matter how much we fail, how much we flounder, and how much we may miss the mark, God’s plan is still intact.

I am also glad that God’s plan for me includes that of assuring my future and of giving me a hope.

With that understanding, I know that “having it all together” is not the mark that I seek to attain; rather, being a part of His plan, having Him as my hope, and having His future in store for me is that mark.

And I’m more than OK with that.

Touch Not Mine Anointed

Sometimes, trusted individuals make comments that are parallel with one’s own. Such is the case with the below posting of Dr. Daniel Juster.

In I Samuel 26:9-11 we read about David’s refusal to take the life of King Saul even though Saul was pursuing David and seeking his death. David had Saul trapped, and Abishai, David’s soldier, asked permission to kill Saul. David responds:

“Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless? … the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed …”

A Dangerous Doctrine

From this text, some have derived a very dangerous doctrine of the spiritual leader. According to this doctrine:

The pastoral leader, or apostle leader over a network of congregations, is understood as having a position like the ancient King of Israel. He is God’s anointed. Therefore he is not to be removed by any process of men, no matter what he does. He is not subject to congregational or even network discipline. He is the decision maker. While he may have elders or a board, they are advisors only, and all decisions are his to make. Within his sphere he is the final authority or dictator. If he abuses people or they do not like his decisions, they have two choices. They can remain under his leadership and trust the situation to God or they can quietly leave the community. In any case, they are to make no waves or protest in their leaving. The authority of the pastor or apostle is taught in very absolute terms. Once you know whom God has chosen, it is taught, this is the proper response to leadership. Such a person may be over a local congregation or a movement. When anyone questions his leadership or decisions, they are told, “Touch not God’s anointed.” It is shocking that this is taught in many places around the globe and has even influenced the Messianic Jewish world. I believe it is a destructive and erroneous doctrine, and that believers should guard against this teaching.

Here are several of the reasons this doctrine is unbiblical and wrong:

New Covenant Congregational Government

While anointed leadership is important, the model of government in the New Testament is not the model of a pastor king or an apostle king. There is not one text that supports this. I do believe in the role of a senior pastor or apostle (or “rabbi” in Messianic Jewish congregations). However, that role is to be the leader of a team of elders who together have strategic and decision making responsibility. This is very clear in the book of Acts, where elders are appointed in plurality to lead the congregations planted by Paul. We never see a reference to the head leader. Even Yeshua raised His leaders to have a peer relationship with him and then called them friends.

The Truth about the Authority of the King in the Hebrew Bible

This model ignores other evidence from the Hebrew Bible. The King is not as absolute as the Samuel passage would lead some to believe. Note that in the Hebrew Bible there is a division of powers among the priests, the prophets and the civil rulers. All are accountable to God. By sacrificial conviction that came through divine revelation, David knew that he was not to take Saul’s life. This does not hold in all cases. The prophet Elisha anoints Jehu specifically to take the lives of the wicked kings of Israel and Judah. He does so with God’s blessing (II Kings 9:6-10). In addition, the prophets of Israel challenged various kings in ways that really undercut what the kings wanted to do. So threatening were the prophets, that at times they were killed, jailed and put in a pit as was Jeremiah.

Later in his life, even King David was reproved by the prophet Nathan for sin. However, the “Touch not God’s anointed” teaching asserts that the pastor or apostle is not to be challenged. So even if such a pastor sins, lies, abuses people, or commits sexual immorality – there is no recourse. Some of these leaders can be harsh, and people shy away from even attempting to give a righteous challenge.

The Failure of the “Touch Not” Model to Understand Healthy Community

One of the most troubling aspects of this teaching is its failure to understand the nature of New Covenant community-building. It is our call as leaders to build the people together into a close-knit community. I know that this goes against the grain of today’s “churchianity” where the essence of church is the religious event. But the central idea of the New Covenant Scriptures is a discipling covenant community that builds lasting relationships (I John 1:7). If a leader falls and even needs to be removed, the community should be able to survive his fall since the people have been built together. Any person should be able to initiate a process of correction for any person including a leader. Matthew 18 says, “If your brother sins …” The leader is first of all a brother and should have a humble, servant heart.

This central value of community ownership motivates members of Tikkun’s American network of congregations to participate in approving annual budgets, approving the appointing of elders, and affirming major directional decisions from elders. The false, dictatorial doctrine makes the leader the owner of the community instead of the people, and thus people are required to quietly leave and lose community for the sake of the untouchable leader.

The Lessons of Church History

After the Protestant Church was birthed in the Reformation, new patterns of leadership developed in the Protestant denominations. They knew the corruption of the “royal” leadership style in the Catholic Church and sought to establish checks and balances as foundational in church government.

We can learn from their experience. We encourage congregations and their leaders to incorporate checks and balances in their structure, both at the local and network levels. At the same time, genuinely anointed leaders should be allowed to lead and to flourish without undue restriction, as can be seen in some forms of government. We endeavor to combine the wisdom of church history with the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11, especially the role of apostles and prophets. However, our approach still focuses on elder-led congregations whose leadership is subject to checks and balances, with accountability to the congregation and to the network leaders at the network level.

Sadly, most believers seek to simply attend where they have a good experience and a good program. The issue of governmental/leadership structure should be one of the central elements in choosing a congregation. Some in the New Apostolic movement are teaching the royal model of the dictator apostle as if it were the Biblical model. There are also patterns in ultra-Orthodox Judaism that teach a Jewish parallel to this where all submit to their head rabbi in the dynastic style. This is cultic in any case and a terrible mistake. It has destroyed many, leading to financial abuse, sexual abuse, personal abuse in how people are treated and other types of injustice.

So let us be done with this devastating, unbiblical doctrine. It is inspired by pride and insecurity. May God provide strong leaders who are secure enough to be accountable. I have a lifetime commitment to this principle and have made every effort to set a personal example of accountability in every leadership position in which I’ve been privileged to serve. If I am not ready to be corrected, disciplined and even removed if in sin, I am not qualified to lead God’s people.

By Daniel Juster

Trust the Process 1

I am sorry that I had to resend this. After I received a copy, I realized that certain links were not working. Thank you for understanding. (j)

Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)

Consider the process of carbon being turned into diamonds. Scientists tell us that diamonds are formed from carbon, much like coal, that has undergone a process requiring great time, great heat, and great pressure. In fact, these same scientists tell us there is a limited amount of space, 90 miles beneath the surface of the earth, where this process can take place. Further, they tell us that the process of the formation of diamonds requires a temperature of at least 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. They also tell us that it takes several million years for diamonds to form. (I don’t agree with them on this point because I do not believe the world is nearly that old.) What I want us to see through all this is the fact that a diamond, that valuable stone that some consider to be a woman’s best friend, comes to us through a process. Notice it takes a GREAT length of time. It takes GREAT heat. And it takes GREAT pressure … all of this in a LIMITED amount of space HIDDEN deeply beneath the surface of the earth.

Life Principle: In fact, I would like for us to realize that every good thing comes by means of a process. And the process, while often painful and time-consuming, and many times cramped and hidden, is a necessary part in the production of anything of true value.

Rest assured, as far as God’s Kingdom is concerned, you are valuable.  And God wants to take you through the process

And in this matter, consider the Biblical Patriarch, Abraham. God took Abraham through the process. The Bible tells us that Abraham stepped out in faith … not knowing what he was to face or where he even was going. 

Genesis 12:1 The LORD  had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (Gen 12:1 NLT) 

Notice these things about Abraham’s adventure: 1) God said, “(Abram, you) go!” 2) God said, “I will show!” 3) God said, “I will bless!” And 4) God said, “You (Abram) will be a blessing to others!”

Life Principle: God’s process requires faith.  Faith to begin … faith to stay in the process … and faith to complete the process.  Trust the process. It will bless you … and others.

Notice, too, that Abraham began his adventure at about 75 years of age. Why is that an important statement? Because there is not a “too young” or “too old” age to begin your adventure. There is not a “too anything” in order to start being used by God. The limits we place on being used by God are limits that are artificial or at least merely conceived in our own minds; they are not God-imposed limitations.  Notice, too, that when God spoke to Abram to begin the process of becoming a great nation, he (Abram) had no children and Sarai was barren. But God’s process doesn’t recognize our human limitations; eventually, Abraham fathered his chosen son when he was 100 years old (and his wife was 90.)

Life Principle:  The process has NOTHING to do with age or any human set limitations. It is all about preparing us … maturing us … completing us.  Trust the process. 

As in each process that all God’s servants go through, Abraham’s faith was tested by the sacrifice of his son, Isaac. Notice that this was part of the process. Because ALL processes always contain pressures of some kind. At least we call these pressures … pressures, tests, trials, and all sorts of other things. And these pressures are painful … but necessary for God’s work to be completed in us … and I assure you, God’s “begun” work will be brought to be a “completed” work. Philippians 1:6 reminds us, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (NLT)

Be reminded of thee things: The process ALWAYS requires obedience and sacrifice.  The process always requires testing.  And The process will be painful … but the end result always will be worth it … for the Kingdom of God … and for you and me.

Life Principle: The process may require us to sacrifice the very thing we believe to be the answer … the way to the blessing.  Trust the process. 

Abraham completed the process and walked out his purpose and was blessed by God. He truly did become the father of many peoples. And he was a very financially (and otherwise) prosperous man. And he did become a blessing to the world. In fact, his blessing continue reach the entire world. Did you know that more inventions and achievements per capita that have been for the good of the world have come out of Abraham’s descendants, Israel?

And know this as well: You, too, will be better because of God’ process. And you, too, will be used of God to bless the world.  

Life Principle: Stay in the process, obedient and faithful.  You will see how God used the process to prepare you and use you and mature you and complete you.  Trust the process. 

Through God’s process in Abram/Abraham, His plan prospered in that process. And God’s plan for you will prosper in the process … both His Kingdom plan and His personal plan for you.

Life Principle: The diamond is a very beautiful stone. It required much time, intense heat, and great pressure. And its worth is valued by all … Not just those who shop at Jared’s or similar jewelers. As a small stone is valued only after it has passed through the long time, the extreme pressure, and the intense heat, so our true value is revealed only after the time, the pressure, and the heat of the process. Trust the process.   

So a Biblical truth is now revealed: God takes His children through the process. In fact, there a multitude of Biblical illustrations I could state here.

One is of Daniel’s three Hebrew friends who faced the process. We know them as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Let’s look at what the Bible tells us about them: 

Daniel 1:6- Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 

Daniel 1:19- 20- “The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.” (NLT)

Yet their lives were extremely uncomfortable.

Daniel 3:12- “But there are some Jews– Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego– whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” 

Daniel 3:14- “Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?”” Daniel 3:16-17- “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.” (NLT)

And we just need to notice that sometimes the process is uncomfortable.  Trust the process.

But let’s move on: these young men were willing to die in the process.

Daniel 3:18-  “But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (NLT)

So you see, dying to self is part of the process. We must trust the process …even as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. In in their lives, God’s plan prospered in the end  

Daniel 3:24-25- “But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” Daniel 3:28-29- “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” (NLT)

The three Hebrew children prospered in the end … as did God’s entire plan and Kingdom.

Daniel 3:30- “Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. (NLT)

The Biblical character Job also faced the process.

Job 1:8- “Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless– a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” (NLT)

Job’s process was a particularly uncomfortable one.

Job 1:12- “All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the LORD’s presence.” (NLT)

And Job was so intent on serving God that he was willing even to die in the process.

Job 13:15- “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.” (NIV)

But the again, as did Abraham and the three Hebrew children, the Kingdom of God prospered in the end, Job prospered in the end, and you, too, can prosper when the process is over.

Job 42:10- “When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!” (NLT)

Or consider for a moment one of Jesus’ closest followers, the one called the Beloved: John the disciple also faced the process. It, too, was an uncomfortable process. Historians tell us that he was boiled in oil. He was later exiled to a prison island called Patmos. And through the process, God’s Word, written by the hand of this “man in process” went out to the Kingdom of God. And it’s still enlarging the Kingdom of God. Have you ever heard of the Gospel according to John or the Book of Revelation? Some reliable theologians and historians say this same John wrote 1, 2, and 3 John as well. The important fact is that through this John, this “man in process,” the Kingdom of God was extended and is still being extended.

Life Principle: The process is uncomfortable.  Some kind of dying will go on in the process.  Choose to stay in the process.  But it is working in you something great. 

So truly, the process is always for His good … and for our good as well. Again, I like to remember that passage in Jeremiah 29:11- “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (NLT)

We, too, either are facing the process or right in the middle of it. And it will, in all probability, be an uncomfortable process. There may even be a sense of “death” in the process. But we should remember those famous words of Job 13:15- “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.” (NIV) And we will prosper in the end … as will His Kingdom. 

Romans 8:28- “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT)

Life Principle: The process is preparing you … Maturing you … Completing you.  You see yourself as that piece of coal.  God sees the diamond He created you to be … and He is after that diamond.  Trust the process.

Pastors Jim & Cheri Garrett

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Trust the Process 1

Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)

Consider the process of carbon being turned into diamonds. Scientists tell us that diamonds are formed from carbon, much like coal, that has undergone a process requiring great time, great heat, and great pressure. In fact, these same scientists tell us there is a limited amount of space, 90 miles beneath the surface of the earth, where this process can take place. Further, they tell us that the process of the formation of diamonds requires a temperature of at least 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. They also tell us that it takes several million years for diamonds to form. (I don’t agree with them on this point because I do not believe the world is nearly that old.) What I want us to see through all this is the fact that a diamond, that valuable stone that some consider to be a woman’s best friend, comes to us through a process. Notice it takes a GREAT length of time. It takes GREAT heat. And it takes GREAT pressure … all of this in a LIMITED amount of space HIDDEN deeply beneath the surface of the earth.

Life Principle: In fact, I would like for us to realize that every good thing comes by means of a process. And the process, while often painful and time-consuming, and many times cramped and hidden, is a necessary part in the production of anything of true value.

Rest assured, as far as God’s Kingdom is concerned, you are valuable.  And God wants to take you through the process

And in this matter, consider the Biblical Patriarch, Abraham. God took Abraham through the process. The Bible tells us that Abraham stepped out in faith … not knowing what he was to face or where he even was going. 

Genesis 12:1 The LORD  had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (Gen 12:1 NLT) 

Notice these things about Abraham’s adventure: 1) God said, “(Abram, you) go!” 2) God said, “I will show!” 3) God said, “I will bless!” And 4) God said, “You (Abram) will be a blessing to others!”

Life Principle: God’s process requires faith.  Faith to begin … faith to stay in the process … and faith to complete the process.  Trust the process. It will bless you … and others.

Notice, too, that Abraham began his adventure at about 75 years of age. Why is that an important statement? Because there is not a “too young” or “too old” age to begin your adventure. There is not a “too anything” in order to start being used by God. The limits we place on being used by God are limits that are artificial or at least merely conceived in our own minds; they are not God-imposed limitations.  Notice, too, that when God spoke to Abram to begin the process of becoming a great nation, he (Abram) had no children and Sarai was barren. But God’s process doesn’t recognize our human limitations; eventually, Abraham fathered his chosen son when he was 100 years old (and his wife was 90.)

Life Principle:  The process has NOTHING to do with age or any human set limitations. It is all about preparing us … maturing us … completing us.  Trust the process. 

As in each process that all God’s servants go through, Abraham’s faith was tested by the sacrifice of his son, Isaac. Notice that this was part of the process. Because ALL processes always contain pressures of some kind. At least we call these pressures … pressures, tests, trials, and all sorts of other things. And these pressures are painful … but necessary for God’s work to be completed in us … and I assure you, God’s “begun” work will be brought to be a “completed” work. Philippians 1:6 reminds us, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (NLT)

Be reminded of thee things: The process ALWAYS requires obedience and sacrifice.  The process always requires testing.  And The process will be painful … but the end result always will be worth it … for the Kingdom of God … and for you and me.

Life Principle: The process may require us to sacrifice the very thing we believe to be the answer … the way to the blessing.  Trust the process. 

Abraham completed the process and walked out his purpose and was blessed by God. He truly did become the father of many peoples. And he was a very financially (and otherwise) prosperous man. And he did become a blessing to the world. In fact, his blessing continue reach the entire world. Did you know that more inventions and achievements per capita that have been for the good of the world have come out of Abraham’s descendants, Israel?

And know this as well: You, too, will be better because of God’ process. And you, too, will be used of God to bless the world.  

Life Principle: Stay in the process, obedient and faithful.  You will see how God used the process to prepare you and use you and mature you and complete you.  Trust the process. 

Through God’s process in Abram/Abraham, His plan prospered in that process. And God’s plan for you will prosper in the process … both His Kingdom plan and His personal plan for you.

Life Principle: The diamond is a very beautiful stone. It required much time, intense heat, and great pressure. And its worth is valued by all … Not just those who shop at Jared’s or similar jewelers. As a small stone is valued only after it has passed through the long time, the extreme pressure, and the intense heat, so our true value is revealed only after the time, the pressure, and the heat of the process. Trust the process.   

So a Biblical truth is now revealed: God takes His children through the process. In fact, there a multitude of Biblical illustrations I could state here.

One is of Daniel’s three Hebrew friends who faced the process. We know them as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Let’s look at what the Bible tells us about them: 

Daniel 1:6- Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 

Daniel 1:19- 20- “The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.” (NLT)

Yet their lives were extremely uncomfortable.

Daniel 3:12- “But there are some Jews– Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego– whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” 

Daniel 3:14- “Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?”” Daniel 3:16-17- “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.” (NLT)

And we just need to notice that sometimes the process is uncomfortable.  Trust the process.

But let’s move on: these young men were willing to die in the process.

Daniel 3:18-  “But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (NLT)

So you see, dying to self is part of the process. We must trust the process …even as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. In in their lives, God’s plan prospered in the end  

Daniel 3:24-25- “But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” Daniel 3:28-29- “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” (NLT)

The three Hebrew children prospered in the end … as did God’s entire plan and Kingdom.

Daniel 3:30- “Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. (NLT)

The Biblical character Job also faced the process.

Job 1:8- “Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless– a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” (NLT)

Job’s process was a particularly uncomfortable one.

Job 1:12- “All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the LORD’s presence.” (NLT)

And Job was so intent on serving God that he was willing even to die in the process.

Job 13:15- “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.” (NIV)

But the again, as did Abraham and the three Hebrew children, the Kingdom of God prospered in the end, Job prospered in the end, and you, too, can prosper when the process is over.

Job 42:10- “When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!” (NLT)

Or consider for a moment one of Jesus’ closest followers, the one called the Beloved: John the disciple also faced the process. It, too, was an uncomfortable process. Historians tell us that he was boiled in oil. He was later exiled to a prison island called Patmos. And through the process, God’s Word, written by the hand of this “man in process” went out to the Kingdom of God. And it’s still enlarging the Kingdom of God. Have you ever heard of the Gospel according to John or the Book of Revelation? Some reliable theologians and historians say this same John wrote 1, 2, and 3 John as well. The important fact is that through this John, this “man in process,” the Kingdom of God was extended and is still being extended.

Life Principle: The process is uncomfortable.  Some kind of dying will go on in the process.  Choose to stay in the process.  But it is working in you something great. 

So truly, the process is always for His good … and for our good as well. Again, I like to remember that passage in Jeremiah 29:11- “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (NLT)

We, too, either are facing the process or right in the middle of it. And it will, in all probability, be an uncomfortable process. There may even be a sense of “death” in the process. But we should remember those famous words of Job 13:15- “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.” (NIV) And we will prosper in the end … as will His Kingdom. 

Romans 8:28- “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT)

Life Principle: The process is preparing you … Maturing you … Completing you.  You see yourself as that piece of coal.  God sees the diamond He created you to be … and He is after that diamond.  Trust the process.

Pastors Jim & Cheri Garrett

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Thanksgiving Thorns

I didn’t write this … nor do I know who did, but I think it an absolutely fascinating look at thankfulness. Read and be challenged … then pass it on.

 

 

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind.

Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a “minor” automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband’s company “threatened” to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. THEN! Sandra’s friend suggested that Sandra’s grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer.

“She has no idea what I’m feeling,” thought Sandra with a shudder.

“Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?” she wondered. “For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child’s?”

“Good afternoon, can I help you?” Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk.

“I….I need an arrangement,” stammered Sandra.

“For Thanksgiving? Do you want the beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the ‘Thanksgiving Special’? I’m convinced that flowers tell stories,” she continued. “Are you looking for something that conveys ‘gratitude’ this Thanksgiving?”

“Not exactly!” Sandra blurted out. “In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.”

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, “I have the perfect arrangement for you.”

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, “Hi, Barbara…let me get your order.”

She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.

“Do you want these in a box?” asked the clerk.

Sandra watched for the customer’s response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers?

She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.

“Yes, please,” Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. “You’d think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn’t be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again.” She said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, “Ahh, that lady just left with, uh….she left with no flowers!”

“That’s right, said the clerk. “I cut off the flowers. That’s the ‘Special’. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet.”

“Oh, come on! You can’t tell me someone is willing to pay for that!” exclaimed Sandra.

“Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do, today,” explained the clerk. “She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery.”

“That same year I had lost my husband,” continued the clerk. “For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel.”

“So what did you do?” asked Sandra.

“I learned to be thankful for thorns,” answered the clerk quietly. “I’ve always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, “WHY? WHY Me?!” It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the ‘flowers’ of my life but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God’s comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we’re afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others.”

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had tried to tell her. “I guess the truth is, I don’t want comfort. I’ve lost a baby and I’m angry with God.”

Just then someone else walked in the shop. “Hey, Phil!” the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. “My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement…twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!” laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

“Those are for your wife?” asked Sandra incredulously.

“Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?”

“No…I’m glad you asked,” Phil replied. “Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord’s grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny, here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from “thorny” times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific “problem” and give thanks for what that problem taught us.

As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, “I highly recommend the Special!”

“I don’t know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life.” Sandra said to the clerk. “It’s all too…fresh.”

“Well,” the clerk replied carefully, “my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious.

We treasure God’s providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don’t resent the thorns.”

Tears rolled down Sandra’s cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment.

“I’ll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please,” she managed to choke out.

“I hoped you would,” said the clerk gently. “I’ll have them ready in a minute.”

“Thank you. What do I owe you?”

“Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year’s arrangement is always on me.” The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. “I’ll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first.”

It read:

My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.”

Praise Him for the roses, thank Him for the thorns.

Chick-Fil-A’s Stand for Biblical Marriage values

I don’t normally post other author’s views here but this one is so well written and stated that I had to.

And, by the way, we DO support Chick-Fil-A’s stance on Biblical marriage values. This DOES NOT mean that we hate homosexuals … in fact, we love them … and those who live in a homosexual lifestyle and who know us will attest to that fact. It is also NOT to be perceived as a condemnation toward anyone; it is simply a support for Biblical marriage values.

We also are thankful for the privilege of living in the USA and having the right to SPEAK forth our convictions and those that we understand to be Biblical convictions.

Anyway, here is the link to the post: http://www.perrynoble.com/2012/08/01/ben-jerrys-chic-fil-a-political-correctness/

Run to Win

I recently ran my first 5K race. I am 53 years of age … soon to be 54 … and I ran for a mile or over for the first time in my life (as I spent the last two months preparing for the race.)

My goal was not to come in first, second, or third place … it was to finish the race and to do so well.

Now mind you, I was in dead last place for over 2/3rds of the course … but I kept remembering the children’s story of the Tortoise and the Hare … and for some strange reason, I kept rhythmically singing a Children’s Church song to myself … “Jesus loves me this I know, the Bible tells me so-o, B-I-BLE, B-I-BLE, B-I-BLE, the Bible tells me so.

And I made it. I survived. I finished the course … and I didn’t finish in last place either … in fact, there were several behind me.

But the point is, I set a goal … to finish the course … and I did it. I won the endurance battle.

Paul reminds us concerning running and finishing the race:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27- “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” (NAS)

Can I encourage you today to run the race in a way so that you might win? … and I am not talking here about a race where you come in first, second, or third … but of a race of endurance in which you finish … and and where you finish well.

Make up your mind (Daniel 1:8), stay focused, rely on Him … and you can win this race called life … and you can do so well.

It doesn’t matter regarding in the past what has set you back, what has pushed you aside, or what has derailed you, God has a purpose in and for you and He wants you to win.

And win you can/

Just do it!

Oh, and by the way, Did I tell you I am preparing for my second 5K for July 4?

He STILL Does Miracles So Great

Today is the day that we honor and thank God for His miracles.

It is the first birthday of our “miracle-baby,” Aaron Joseph Bunts.

In celebration of his miraculous birth and his marvelous first birthday, I encourage you to read this post by my wife, Cheri.

http://cherigarrett.wordpress.com/

Enjoy.

Pastor Jim

The Oasis

An Oasis is defined as a place of refreshment … usually found in a dry desert setting.

We desire to be an oasis for those who are struggling, who are questioning their relationship with God, for those who have felt abused and/or set aside by God’s people.

Come here often and receive encouragement and instruction.