"Behold!"

The word “Behold” is an intriguing word to me.  The Webster definition of the word, in my opinion, does not do it justice.  Webster states: “Behold: to observe; look at; or see.”  Come on Webster, can’t we add something more than that?

My family has had the wonderful gift of two different sets of friends over the past several years that have allowed us to stay in their condo at the beach a week during the summer.  Sitting on the balcony and watching the sunset at the beach is amazing.  The colors are so vivid.  The orange and the shimmering water absolutely puts you in a state of awe.  As one of the owners posted on Facebook about a month ago, “How can you look at this sunset and believe there is no God.”  Yes, he used the word “look at” which means “Behold.”  But when you really “Behold” something special, it’s more than a glance, a look.  When you “Behold” something that is truly special, it effects you inside.  In fact, effects your entire being.  Your very senses are heightened.  There are times your heart races.  You can even get goosebumps when you “Behold.”

I remember the first time I saw my son Chris as a baby I was about to adopt.  To “Behold” the little baby in my hands flooded my soul with tears, joy, and awe.  And to “Behold” Emma Grace as she was born, just 2lbs, 50z., could hold her in the palm of my hand, was absolutely amazing. I was on cloud nine.  What a great word “Behold” is!  It is more than just a look and see or just observe.

For me, maybe not everyone, but for me, when I hear this word “Behold” my mind runs to two short verses of scripture.  And while these verses are often only heard/read at this time of the year, every time I hear “Behold” my mind races to these two verses.

God used this word, not “observe,” not “look at,” or “see,” but “Behold.”  Behold, because there is nothing else more precious.  Behold, because there is no one ever greater to behold!  Yes, to the verses!

Luke 2:10-11 “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”

You see, I hear that word “behold” and my mind races to Jesus, my Savior.  I can behold in my mind the Christ child, the Messiah, the one promised, now fulfilled.  I can even behold in my mind’s eye the Shepherds hearing the “Good News” and goosebumps covering them.  Can you imagine what they felt, not just as a choir of angels sang before them about the birth of Jesus, but when they actually were able to behold this child in person?  They were effected in such a way that they could not keep it to themselves.  Luke tells us they went telling about this child and all who heard were in wonder.  This is what it means to “behold” Him!

We begin the Advent Season on Sunday which is a time of remembering “His first coming” and “anticipation of His Second,” but never forgetting the impact, the gift, this special gift from God.  Maybe those of you who have read this article, when hearing the word “behold,” will now think of Jesus, the Savior of the world.  What a gift to behold. 

Blessings to you all,                                                                                    

Pastor Marty Duffell-Pastor, HOPE Church Raleigh                  

Worship  Grow  Serve

"The Connector"

You would probably never think that the construction of a log cabin/barn could ever relate to the redemptive plan of God. But it does.  1971 (I was 13 years old) has proven to be one of the most interesting summers as a Boy Scout.  One of the farmers in our community was going to tear down one of his log tobacco barns and wanted to know if we would like to help tear it down and have the logs.  We said, “YES!”

Our plan was to tear down the barn, move the logs into a secluded area of the woods on the farm where I grew up and build a cabin for troop campouts.  Very ambitious for 12 and 13 year old boys (well, my dad helped).  We made our plans and started the work.

First, we cleared an area about a mile in the woods behind my house and cleared an old logging road to get back to the campsite.  Next we began to tear down the barn using ropes and tractors.  

Terry and I love to watch “Barnwood Builders” and their process of tagging logs is exactly what we used in 1971.  When tearing down a log barn, you have to know where EVERY single log is placed to rebuild it accurately.  So before removing the first log, we took a white marker and marked the position of every log and the seal (foundation) logs were first.  We marked the seal log front, left side, right side, rear and then moved up to the next row of logs to repeat the procedure.  Once everything was tagged, we could then start to remove the logs.  It took days for us to tear the old barn down, and while hard work, we had a lot of fun.  Our goal was to have the cabin in place by the winter camping season.

After tearing down the log barn, we moved the logs to the campsite and began the rebuild.  Because we were not going to build up as high as the old barn, we decided to build the cabin wider.  So the question was, HOW?  With the logs being like a jigsaw puzzle, we realized was there had to be some type of connection in the back wall for the logs to sit properly.  The seal logs (foundation logs) went into place.  Everything was going fine until we got to the second row of logs on the rear wall which was now double the width of the original barn.  We now had to insert the connector piece.  We took one of the logs we knew we would not use and stood it upright, took a chainsaw and notched each side where the rows of new logs would join, and the connector log worked perfectly.  We finished our cabin, added a tin roof, cut a large opening in the front and we were ready for the winter camping season of 1971.

I know you are thinking, “Why is Pastor Marty telling me this story?”  Good question.  Ted Dougherty (HOPE’S Worship Leader) and I were discussing the Christmas Eve Service this past Monday and I was reviewing the movement of the service through scripture.  God lays the foundation through the “Foreshadowing” in Genesis 3:8-19, Genesis 22:15-18, Isaiah 9:2-7, and Isaiah 11:1-10.  Next God builds, in His Word, the “Annunciation” in John 1:1-14, Luke 1:26-28, and Matthew 1:18-25.  God announces His Son’s entry into the world to begin His redemptive plan.  And then we have the “Fulfillment” in the coming Messiah in Luke 2:1-7 and Luke 2:8-14.  

God’s plan of salvation began in the garden.  This was the “seal log.”  Man had torn down the perfection of God’s creation through sin.  God marked each step needed to rebuild this relationship and in the rebuilding of this relationship it would take a “Connector” piece.  For God to view us in connection with Him again, there had to be a connector, one that would graph us back into Him.  And that person was His Son, Jesus Christ.

You see, God the Father sees the believer through His Son.  Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, God the Father sees us as cleansed, whole, re-connected to Him.  When Jesus said, “It is finished!” on the cross, folks, it was finished.  Nothing else needed, but Him!  He gave ALL the ability to be re-connected to our creator, our Heavenly Father.  Oswald Chambers states that there are no greater words ever spoken in all history, for all time, than “It is Finished.”

In the 1971 rebuild of our Scouting Cabin, we realized it would never come together without a connector log, anything else would fail.  As you begin this 2017 Advent Season, as you prepare your heart to celebrate the birth of your Savior, remember, HE is the reason, the only reason, our relationship has been reconnected to our Father.  Thank you God for your perfectly laid out plan of redemption!

Blessings,                                                                                    

Pastor Marty Duffell - Pastor, HOPE Church Raleigh                   

Worship  Grow  Serve

“Trust In The Lord”

I believe most were sadden and even somewhat horrified as the news began to break on Sunday afternoon about the church shooting in Sutherland Springs Texas.  Questions of course began to fly.  Why? How can this happen? How can this happen in a place of worship?  And the most often question asked of me and other pastors, “How can a loving God allow this to happen?”  While questions fly, I do believe God’s Word has answers.  They sometimes are not what we want to hear, but they are answers to life.

The first thing we need to realize and never forget is, we live in a fallen world, a sinful, evil world.  God’s Word tells us that Satan is the “Prince of this World” meaning he is causing havoc, leading those who do not know the Lord.  We don’t like to think of it, talk about it, but this is scripturally true and a fact of life (at least until Christ returns).  Evil is in the world.

Second, believers need to trust God.  When things don’t make sense in this world, and there will be many times they don’t, you have to trust in God.  Pastor Frank Pomeroy (Pastor of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs TX) and wife Sherri lost their 14 year-old daughter in the shooting this past Sunday and his message is I have to trust in the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

This message can be tough.  We want to make sense of all things.  Our very human nature is to question and find answers.  But as a Christian, we must realize that there are some things beyond our understanding.  Is God in control of all things?  Yes!  Are there horrific evil things that happen?  Yes!  Could God change that?  Yes!  Then why not?  The answer to that question is in His Word too.

God states: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8  We will not understand clearly all that God allows.  Paul states in 1st Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully…” This concept of God’s very nature is hard to grasp, but never less, is truth.

So what is next?  I have to go to Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  I think we often forget to read all this verse.  We cannot leave out, “to those who love God” and “who are called according to His purpose.”  Those who love the Lord are not immune to the evil, sickness, circumstances of this world, but neither do we have to go through it alone.  God is with us!  His very spirit comforts and leads us and ultimately HE can bring good out of all things.

I lost my mother when I was 15 years-old on February 9, 1973 and I was angry with God.  I knew God, but had not surrendered my life to God yet.  I grew up in church, went every Sunday, was in Sunday School and Youth Group, knew who God was, but had not given my life over to Him. (Oh, so many are living that life today.)  After mom’s death, from February to April I struggled to try to make sense of it.  My pastor helped me with that.  I yelled at God and He let me.  But on Tuesday, April 24th I walked down the aisle of my church at a Revival and surrendered.  I know God had used the death of my mom for his purposes and one of those was to break me.  Unbroken, I would not respond.  Broken, I could turn nowhere else but to Him.  On Sunday, April 29, 1973, I was baptized and received my call to preach from God as the water was poured over my head.

And what I’ve grown to learn in the circumstances I’ve had to face since is this: “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts know what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercede for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27  (These are the verses just prior to “…all things work together…” You see, I don’t have to understand all things for I have an intercessor that intercedes on my behalf.  The Holy Spirit given to the believer helps us in our weakness, comforts us in our loss, lifts us up in time of despair.  This is the wonderful and mighty God we serve.  He does not abandon us in difficult times.  Just the opposite.  He says lean on Me.  You might not understand now, but I’m the One you need to TRUST.  There is that word again, TRUST!

I am not in any way making light of the hurt and the heartache of those who lost loved ones in this attack.  I cannot imagine losing one of my children in an evil shooting like this.  But I do know for sure, God is at work in all of this.  The aftermath of this evil is not final.  We will hear stories of wonder as the LORD intercedes on behalf of those who love Him.  You can trust the LORD to do this.  He is forever and always faithful!

Blessings friends,

Pastor Marty Duffell - Pastor of HOPE Church Raleigh

Worship - Grow - Serve