Christian Living

This-N-That: Life In Despair

January 15, 2015January 14, 2015 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Forgiveness, Renewal, Sin

The title of Thursday’s blog posts is so named that I may share various things that are on my heart about life in general. Hence, today, I ask the following questions:

Is there sin in your life that you have not been honest about before the Lord?
How do you handle sin in your life?
What affect does unconfessed sin have on your life, heart and body? Does it leave you in despair, with a sense of hopelessness? What is the cause of that despair?
When you confess your sin, how does forgiveness affect you?
What is your view of God and His forgiveness?
What is different about you after you have confessed your sin?

Now, read Psalm 130, very slowly and meditatively. Once you have read this psalm, take 30 minutes and listen to the following message by Dr. Steve Pettit: Psalm 130 Sermon

When you are done listening; when you have confessed your sin, is Psalm 130:5-7 the song of your heart?

The Making of a Man

January 13, 2015January 12, 2015 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Evangelism, Family, God's Word, Marriage, Men, Parenting, Prayer

Last Tuesday’s blog was the first entry in the weekly series entitled, “The Making of a Man.” As I said in that blog post, January 6, my heart’s desire is to see us be genuine, Spirit-filled, Christlike, servant leaders . . . men of God. Obviously, to do so, we MUST be in the Word of God on a daily basis reading the Word and letting it read us. Also, I mentioned that oft-repeated statement, “Leaders are readers.” So, in today’s post, I want to share some book titles that have impacted me in my relationship with Christ, my wife, my children, my ministry and life in general. Many of these books can still be purchased in book form, or as many of us do today, you can get the Kindle edition. Men, let’s read the Bible first, and then let’s read other good books so we can be made a man of God!

Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes

“The Christian leader’s vision of God makes all the difference in his life” (p.163). I have read this book several times and have even used it with deacons and men’s meetings.

Disciplines – Kindle Edition

The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make, Hans Finzel

“Top-flight leaders really aren’t born, they learn by trial and error.” (p.18)

“My greatest fear is that our best days were our past days. I loathe the thought that we should fade into irrelevance” (p.71).

Top Ten Mistakes – Kindle Edition

The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling to Men, Richard D. Phillips

“It is virtually impossible to find a man greatly used by God who is not strongly devoted to prayer.” (p. 39)

“God intends for man to have a [wife] who bears God’s image along with man, and who with man can look upward to God and live for Him.” (p. 58)

Chapter Five, “Man as Shepherd-Lord,” is an excellent read.

Masculine Mandate – Kindle Edition

Power Through Prayer, E.M. Bounds

Here’s a little book that every man of God must read!! A classic.

Power Through Prayer – Kindle Edition

There are many, many others, but these are just a few. I’ll share more in later posts. Men, let’s take the challenge to read, to share, to grow, and to make a difference for Christ wherever we live!

To the People in the Pews: Desperate Prayer

January 12, 2015January 11, 2015 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Prayer

The final congregational song last night at church was requested by someone who is going through a series of trials; heartbreaking, mind searching, body aching trials. Wonder why this song is so dear to this person? Click the link to read the lyrics and listen to Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer.

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I’ll follow, though I’m worn.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart’s testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go –
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

This song speaks volumes to that someone because they are desperate. They have come to the end of themselves. They have come to a place where answers seem few. They have come to endure great contradiction from others. They have come to experience loneliness in its deep forms. They have come to the end of their own strength. They have come to pray such a song from their heart because they are desperate. They need Jesus.

How desperate are you this morning in prayer for Jesus? How desperate in prayer are you for your Shepherd to lead you? How desperate in prayer are you today to rise on wings of faith? How desperate are you?

I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:5-6)

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

For further study: The Power of Desperate Prayer

Rod: The Churchman

January 8, 2015January 7, 2015 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Church, Men

Last evening before prayer meeting, we were invited to our daughter and son-in-law’s home for supper to celebrate his birthday. While waiting for supper to be put on the table, Andrew shared a book he had received as a Christmas gift entitled Manly Dominion by Mark Chanski. The book’s description is as follows:

In billards, the four-ball is passive; it’s the one that gets knocked around by the other balls. Christian man, is that you? Are you knocked around by your environment, rather than taking you God-given assignment to lead? Mark Chanski’s book is a clarion call to all Christian men to face life’s challenges with Manly Dominion. It will challenge and encourage you to lead, wherever God places you, with Spirit-filled conviction. No Christian man (or woman!) living in today’s world should be without it. Read carefully, and transform your life!

As I flipped through its pages, the following two paragraphs from Chapter 18, Churchmanship, arrested me:

However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (2 Samuel 24:24). David’s worship slogan must be ours. Church worship and service must not be engaged in passively and cheaply. We must resolve to be aggressive and expensive in our public devotion to our Lord.

Passive, “come when I feel like it,” low priority, cheap churchmanship is in an offence to our Savior when we claim to worship. How much did it cost Jesus to coerce justice to sheathe its sword against us as sinners? It cost Jesus the heavy price of his own life blood poured out on the cross. The sincere Christian thinks: the sword of justice that I deserved to have run through me for eternity in hell, ran through my Lord Jesus on Golgotha.” (p. 149)

After a delicious supper, we headed for the service at church and truly met with the Lord in a most powerful way. The visiting speaker showed us in supreme fashion how the Lord is saving souls in some of the roughest places in the world! He shared with us the stories of thousands of people who faithfully attend church in war-torn cities and villages. Some attend undercover with the constant threat of persecution. We were all moved by their testimonies and conversion stories. We all left saying, “What a Savior!” But that’s not the point of this whole blog post. I saw a genuine “churchman” last night. I’ve been watching him for over fourteen years. He turned 89 years old last week, shuffles when he walks, is having heart surgery today, and came to church last night in the bitter cold of 10 degrees and howling wind!! Why? Because he is part of the body of Christ that meets in local assembly and is not passive or cheap about his love for Christ and His body! His devotion and resolve has always been “aggressive and expensive” and not “come when I feel like it.”

Men, look at the cross. Look at your Savior hanging there for you. Look into the faces of the many who faithfully attend their local church under the constant threat of terror and death. Look into the face of this 89 year old man. Are you a genuine churchman? If so, may “David’s slogan of worship” grow within in your heart! If not, what’s your excuse?

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Blogging in 2015

January 2, 2015January 1, 2015 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Family, Marriage, Men, Pastoring

As I mentioned yesterday, a special thanks to everyone for reading this blog. My heart is to simply use this medium of the internet to share things that I love about life and ministry. Hence, I am refining this blog to cover certain topics each day of the week that I hope will edify and encourage; that will lead to biblical change; that glorify God; and that will show that life is worth living because of Christ.

So, be looking next week for the following:

To the People in the Pews (Mondays) This will be a follow-up to the messages I preach on Sundays with the purpose of helping my congregation make the needed application and taking the next right step in wisdom.

The Making of a Man (Tuesdays) I have such a burden to see men be the spiritual leaders at home, church, work and recreation; to win over sin; to be men of the Word; to be gospel-centered and gospel-communicators.

Marriage Matters (Wednesdays) Being married for over 33 years does not make me an expert on this subject. I simply love being married, believe it to be the best thing next to my own personal salvation, and am very concerned about the lack of strong marriages in our world today. Hence, I’ll be sharing all kinds of tips to make marriage a blessing instead of a dread. Marriage matters to God; He created it. He has an awesome plan to make it work for His glory and our good . . . and to be fun!

This-N-That (Thursdays) Here’s a day to share various things on my heart about life in general.

Friday’s Findings (Fridays) I’ll continue to share links to good articles, tell you about a good book or resource, share music, and various other things that I trust will be of interest to you.

Looking forward to 2015 and all that the Lord has in store for us of which may be the year of His return in the clouds (John 14:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Therefore moving forward, let not your heart be troubled (14:1) and comfort one another with these words (4:18).

New Year’s Response

January 1, 2015January 1, 2015 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, God's Word, Prayer, Trials

Happy New Year!! And even more than that, a special thank you to all of you who have faithfully read this blog. I am honored and quite frankly overwhelmed that you spend some time on this site. Nevertheless, thank you, thank you, thank you.

2015, as in previous years, and for the rest of our lives, will present us with many decisions, disappointments, delights, dangers, discouragements, and dreams. For them all, may I encourage you to respond with Hebrews 4:14-16?

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

For all the situations of life, respond with, “Well, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of the grace.” Why? Read verses 14-15. Jesus Christ is our high priest who has passed into the heavens and understands all of life, all about life, because He is life (John 14:6)!!

So, Happy New Year, and let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace!

Blurred Vision

December 31, 2014December 30, 2014 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, God's Word, Joy, Renewal, The Bible

Yesterday morning, my wife and I had an interesting experience. As is always the case, one of the first things I do every morning is insert my contact lens in my right eye. I have an implant in my left eye which I use for up close vision and reading. Within seconds the sight in right eye was blurred. This led me to think I had dropped my contact on the table or floor in front of me. So the frantic search with a flashlight began. No contact. I then went to retrieve an old backup contact that I keep in my case. In so doing, the vision in my right eye became even more blurred. Guess what? I put the second contact on top of the one I thought I had lost. Well, part of the situation was “cleared up,” but my vision was still blurry. Thinking the contact was not positioned right on my eye, I went on about my morning thinking the situation would correct itself. I must add that since I had a detached retina in my left eye two years ago, I began to wonder if something was beginning to happen to my other eye.

Unbeknownst to me, Denise had by this time put in her contacts. After a moment she entered the dining room where I was working and declared that her vision was blurry, too! She left and then returned moments later asking, “Did you take a contact out of a case with two contacts?” Immediately the mystery of our impaired vision was solved! We both have the same color contact cases, so in my fumbling, bumbling early morning stagger, I had picked up her case and inserted her contact in my right eye. What a delight to be able to see clearly now that our vision has been corrected.

How will you see life in 2015? Through the “contact lens” of human viewpoint or divine viewpoint? Human viewpoint perceives life from a fleshly, selfish, worldly paradigm that convinces and/or assumes “I am right” (Proverbs 14:12). Divine viewpoint perceives life from a biblical, humble, Christlike paradigm that says, “God is always right” (Psalm 18:30). Human viewpoint comes when we fill our minds with worldly thinking, reading and entertainment (Romans 12:1-2). Divine viewpoint comes when we fill our minds with Truth (Philippians 4:8). Human viewpoint has “How does this make me feel, or what will make me happy” as its motivation. Divine viewpoint says, “How will this glorify God or make me grow in Christ or cause me to praise my God” as its goal (Psalm 150:6; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 3:18). Human viewpoint will leave you frustrated, empty, never satisfied and bored (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18). Divine viewpoint leads you to rest, fulfillment, contentment, and joy (Philippians 4:6-11; Hebrews 3:7-19). Human viewpoint comes from “following your heart” (Jeremiah 17:9); divine viewpoint is developed by a life saturated by the Word (Psalm 119). Human viewpoint lives for now; divine viewpoint lives for eternity (Philippians 1:21).

As you move into 2015, will your life be blurred with selfish human viewpoint or clear with Christ-exalted divine viewpoint? Which contact case will you use?

Spiritual Weight-Loss Plan

December 30, 2014December 30, 2014 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, God's Word, Sin

Due to three months of not being able to run plus all the good food of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I have put some weight back on. I’ll be the first to tell you I’m more than ready to start hitting the country roads and pushing away from the table. Before surgery, I had run a 7K and the next weekend, a full 10K. The feeling of accomplishment was so great! I never dreamed that I could run without stopping for one hour. Due to constant exercise and a right diet, weight was not a burden to my life.

How about you spiritually? Is there a weight in your life that needs to be dropped that is hindering your spiritual growth? Do you need to change your diet? Be honest. Is it anger? Is it bitterness? Is it laziness? Could it be gossip? How about pornography? Perhaps unforgiveness? Whatever sin it is, you know what it is. The Holy Spirit has revealed it to you many times. And praise the Lord, you can by His grace, overcome any sin (Romans 5:20). So, what is your plan this new year to overcome the sin that clings so close to you (Hebrews 12:1)? The Lord desires for us to live in freedom, to be able to serve without hindrances, and to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Here are some suggestions to help your spiritual exercise/diet plan:

Get honest with the Lord and yourself about your sin (Psalm 139:23-24).
Search the Scriptures for what God says about your sin. Compare what God says to why you like your sin. What’s the verdict?
Choose a verse or passage to memorize and use every time you are tempted (Psalm 119:9-11).
Work through the Scripture passages, one-a-day, for 40 days. Record in your journal what God reveals to you about your sin and the victory that He can give.
Share your ups and downs with your spouse or an accountability partner. This is for help and edification only, not judgment. An accountability partner can be a real source of prayer support and a spiritual cheerleader.
Remember Proverbs 24:16, For a just man falls seven times but he rises up again. If you fail, don’t stay down. Rand Hummel has said so often, “There are two kinds of men. Those who fight sin and those who give up.”

So, let’s run the race that is before us, dropping off the weights, and finishing strong! (Hebrew 12:1-2)

2015 Plans and Goals: Gold or Honey?

December 29, 2014December 28, 2014 by Dale, posted in Christian Living, God's Word, The Bible

“Static Christianity” does not exist. Every day of our life we are either growing in our relationship with God or we are digressing. Every second of life we are either operating out of our flesh or walking under the control of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25). God the Father has redeemed and reconciled us back to Himself through the cross work of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-26; 5:1-11) to enjoy fellowship with us and for us to bring Him glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). In order to do so, we must be growing in our knowledge of God and His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). We are exhorted to grow in Christ, in the faith, in the Word and through the Word (1 Peter 2:1; 3:15; 5:10; 2 Peter 1:5-8; Hebrews 5:11-14).

Please note from Psalm 19:7-11, what God says about His Word; the power of the His Word that created and sustains all things:

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
⁸The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
⁹The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
¹¹Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

So, what is your plan to know God even more through His Word in this coming year of 2015? What is your written, intentional plan? What passages of Scriptures are you going to memorize this year? What is your Bible reading plan so the Word of God can read you every day and change you into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17)? I submit without reservation that the most important plans you make for 2015 concern your growth in Christ! Read Psalm 19:10 again. What should you search for more than gold? What should you give more planning to than your work, your children’s schooling, your vacation, etc.? Where do you find guaranteed reward (Psalm 19:11)?

So with those challenging questions and Psalm 19 as our backdrop, let me zero in on some Bible reading plans.

These links offer many, many options to fit your goal for 2015:

Biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan

Biblegateway.com/reading-plans

Youversion.com/apps – A smartphone app with many, many options

2015 Bible Reading Plan

So, which will you gather the most this year? Honey or gold? (Psalm 19:10) Remember, you won’t be static.