“All Our Hope is Found in Him!”

I have always loved the 23rd Psalm, but there is one verse in this Psalm that runs through my mind constantly in the world in which we live today.  That verse is verse 4:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

You only have to read the Headlines each morning to realize the world we live in.  Here are only just a few:

“Women accused of stabbing boyfriend who drank her blood.”  

“The Great Smokies Burn: 100’s removed from their home as fires threaten Gatlinburg and Dollywood Resort.”  

“TRAGEDY OF HUGE PROPORTIONS:
At least 75 dead after Brazilian soccer team's plane crashes in Colombia.”  

“Mom charged for overdosing while shopping with 2-year-old daughter.”  

“Nick Cannon says Planned Parenthood engaging in 'modern day eugenics.”  

“War on ISIS: Seized documents reveal thousands of planned ISIS attacks around world.”

Those of you reading this know that just in today’s headlines, these are only the tip of the iceberg.  We are constantly bombarded with horrific things happening here in the US and around the world.  When there are good things happening those headlines are either buried on the back pages or at the very end of the newscast.  It’s kind of like, Oh, one more thing.  Here is a feel good story.

Let me ask you, did any of you see this headline on Tuesday, November 29th?  Some of you may have, but my guess is most did not and would never know.

“Underground Church movement grows in Iran despite regime's efforts.  Despite the Iranian regime’s best efforts to stop the spread of Christianity, a large underground church movement is growing.”  

You see, the positives in the midst of the negatives don’t seem to sell the news in any given cycle.

I read these headlines and verse 4 of the 23rd Psalm rang through my head.  The church of Jesus Christ is flourishing in Iran and also in China by the way, even though they are suppressed, persecuted, even killed for their faith in Jesus.  Yes, they can claim the verse: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  Folks, they live it everyday and their hope is ONLY found in the LORD!

We certainly live in perilous times.  The value of human life is at an all time low.  Though we have the greatest modern medicine in history, diseases are taking their toll on people.  Bodies still wear out.  Horrific accidents happen everyday.  Not a single one of us knows what today will bring.  Oh, I just gave a lot of negative headlines.  Sorry, just facts.  BUT here is the good news.  No matter how bad the bad news is, the good news is God is always with us, even to the end of the age (and that is even our age) Matthew 28:20

As we begin this celebration of the birth of Christ, let us not forget that Immanuel means “God with us.”  This baby born in Bethlehem, the Son of the Living God, Messiah, Savior of the World, came that we might have life in Him.  He came to give us HOPE, to give us PEACE, to COMFORT us, and give us LIFE, that though we die, we live because of Him.  

The Savior, Jesus the Christ, has done just that.  You can take it to the bank.  So even in this lost, demonic, Satan filled world, you are Safe, you are Kept, you are His and Nothing in all of creation can change that.   All our Hope is found in Him!

Hopefully verse 4 will stick in your head from now on too!

Blessings this Advent Season,

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

"The Church In Your House"

“…the church in your house…” / Philemon 2

This past weekend the HOPE Session spent some time at the beach on retreat.  Our MO (Mode of Operation) for our retreats over the past years has been to reflect on the past and plan for the future.  But these past two years we have visioned more on where we are going in God’s will for HOPE EPC than where we have been.  

Last year I presented the Worship, Grow, Serve theme and we spent time looking at how scripturally that fits into the Who and What God was calling us to be as a church.  This year we moved from a more inward focus to a more outward focus.  God is calling us to go and serve, so what does that look like.  The questions now are Who, How, & When as we live into Worship, Grow, Serve.  For our HOPE family, I will be sharing more about this at our Annual Meeting of the Congregation on November 20th.

Yesterday morning as I was reading my devotions (one of them always is the Morning and Evening by Charles Haddon Spurgeon), the words jumped out at me in relation to the focus of our weekend at the beach.  Spurgeon ask the question, “Is there a Church in this house?”  So I want to share his words with you in the rest of this article and I want you to especially take notice of the last paragraph.  I would ask you all reading this, not just the HOPE EPC family, how does Spurgeon’s call to be the Church live out in your life?  

(Tuesday, November 1, 2016 - Morning and Evening by Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

“Is there a Church in this house? Are parents, children, friends, servants, all members of it? or are some still unconverted? Let us pause here and let the question go round--Am I a member of the Church in this house? How would father's heart leap for joy, and mother's eyes fill with holy tears if from the eldest to the youngest all were saved! Let us pray for this great mercy until the Lord shall grant it to us. Probably it had been the dearest object of Philemon's desires to have all his household saved; but it was not at first granted him in its fulness. He had a wicked servant, Onesimus, who, having wronged him, ran away from his service. His master's prayers followed him, and at last, as God would have it, Onesimus was led to hear Paul preach; his heart

was touched, and he returned to Philemon, not only to be a faithful servant, but a brother beloved, adding another member to the Church in Philemon’s house. 

Is there an unconverted servant or child absent this morning? Make special supplication that such may, on their return to their home, gladden all hearts with good news of what grace has done! Is there one present? Let him partake in the same earnest entreaty.

If there be such a Church in our house, let us order it well, and let all act as in the sight of God. Let us move in the common affairs of life with studied holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity. More is expected of a Church than of an ordinary household; family worship must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken, and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike. We need not fear that the smallness of our number will put us out of the list of Churches, for the Holy Spirit has here enrolled a family-church in the inspired book of remembrance.  As a Church let us now draw nigh to the great head of the one Church

universal, and let us beseech him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of his name.”

Man!  Now that is something to ponder!

Blessings friends,

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

"Keep Your Eyes On Him!"

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14

Many of you know that I am an avid sports fan.  There are very few sporting events that I don’t enjoy watching.  When someone ask me what I do to have fun or as a hobby, I usually say, “Watch Sports.”  Yes, I know for some of you reading this you are saying, “What a waste of your time.”  But for me, it is truly relaxing.  It’s like when many of you sit down to read a book and get enjoyment, that is the way I feel.

I was watching the first inning of the 6th game of the NLCS (National League Championship Series) and watched the outfielder drop a routine fly ball.  In my opinion, that play started what was end for the LA Dodgers and a win for the Cubs that sent them to the World Series.  Oh, by the way, for those that don’t follow sports, I’m talking about a baseball game.  That fly ball was a hit that this guy or any outfielder in Major League Baseball would catch 99.9% of the time.  But if you watch the replay, you can see that he took his eyes off the ball in the air and looked around him.  In a prior game this same player who was running back towards the outfield wall to catch a fly ball, took his eyes off the ball to look at the wall and missed it too.  In baseball, as with many other sports, if you take your eye off the ball for a split second, you are done.  It is over.  That play will be off the mark.  There is a very narrow window for success and success will not happen when you look elsewhere when the ball is heading your way.

Folks, life is that way also.  Jesus begins His ministry, as recorded in Matthew’s gospel, with the Sermon on the Mount.  During His preaching Jesus gives us the verses above about how narrow the way is that leads to eternal life.  He states, “…the way is broad that leads to destruction…”  On the other hand, “…the way is narrow that leads to life…”

Jesus says that many will travel the broad way and few will travel the narrow way.  Why?  Because many take their eyes off the prize, eternal life, to look all around them.  They want to experience the ways of the world and all that the world has to offer.  They want to see and experience what others are doing, take a glance in this direction and that direction to see if that way looks better out in the world.  But Jesus says to stay focused on the way that leads to eternal life and that way is very narrow.  You have to stay focused on this journey with Christ or Satan will derail you and turn your eyes off of Jesus and the gift of eternal life.

It doesn't take much.  Like the Dodger outfielder who, just for a split second, took his eyes off the ball heading to his glove and missed it.  It only takes a moment when Satan gets our attention and says, “Click on this website and you will enjoy.  Turn to this channel and watch this movie and enjoy.  Look at that young lady or young man and enjoy.”  Satan says, “Enjoy my world!  You don’t need to read the Bible, you know enough.  You don’t need to worry about social issues any longer, things have changed.”  Satan says,  “Women who get pregnant really aren’t pregnant, so abortion is fine.”  Satan wants you to take your eyes off Christ and the prize He offers, eternal life, and focus on the world around you.  DON”T DO IT!!

The Apostle Paul does a twist on the seen and unseen.  He states: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Paul is reminding us that though we have not seen Jesus face to face, He is real, He is alive and well and keeping our eyes on Him is eternal.  Everything else, all the world and Satan has to offer is only temporary and will fade away.

Do Not take your eyes off of Him!!!  It’s worth it!

Blessings my friends, 

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

"Fear God"

There are a couple of meanings the dictionary has for the word “Fear.”  First it says:

A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.  The second meaning is where I want to go today and that definition says: reverential awe, especially toward God.

It appears to me that we, and when I say we I mean the church, believers, have lost their fear of God.  No, I’m not saying we have lost our belief or our salvation, or our desire to serve Him, but it seems to me we have lost our reverence for Him.  We have lost our awe of the creator God, the God of the universe, the One and only True God.  The Apostle Paul tells the Romans that:  

 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”       Romans 3:18

I know this has been prevalent for centuries, but it seems that the lack of the fear of God has permeated the church more than ever.  Why has this happened?  Because we have lifted one of the great attributes of God and left the other by the wayside.  

What does the church lift up?  God is a God of love.  He loves us and a loving God would never be a judgmental God.  A God of love would never be a God of justice.  Many churches, pastors, leaders, and congregates have dropped the God of justice.  When we do that, the fear, the reverence for God stops.  

God is a God of love and His desire is for all to be saved.  But as scripture tells us, there will be those who are not saved, never coming into a relationship with Him and will be judged to eternal damnation, hell.  We can leave those verses out of our teaching, but it does not change the facts.  

“And he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.’”                Revelation 14:7

I believe the church has to be more intentional in the teaching of “Fearing God.”  We have dumbed down our Christianity to the point that God becomes our sugar daddy.  Let’s go to Him when we need something or when something is not going right or we find ourselves in a health crisis and want Him to fix it.  The world, along with many in the church, has lost its fear of God.  We need to be teaching our children and adults to have reverence, awe, fear for God.  Why?

Here is why.  The “fear of God” changes our attitude towards Him.  When we revere Him we view Him as He really is.  He becomes the LORD of the universe and the LORD of our lives.  We realize that nothing else will do.  There is NO one else that can fill that void in our life but Him.  When we “fear God” our worship changes.  When we “fear God” our obedience changes.  When we “fear God” everything changes.  Not only should we “fear God,” but He commands it.

“You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name”.  Deuteronomy 6:13

“Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.”  Deuteronomy 8:6

 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” Revelation 15:4

Church, let’s “fear God” and glorify His name for He is worthy of our praise.  Let us teach our children what it means to “fear God.”  Bringing the “fear of God” back into our church vocabulary, I believe, could be a good thing.  Again, something for us to think about!

Blessings friends,

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

"Lyin' Eyes"

If you grew up in my era (70’s High School) in 1975 the Eagles released a new song that rose up the song charts very fast.  The song title:  Lyin' Eyes.  By now, after some of you have only heard the title, the chorus to this song is playing in your head.  I can remember friends at my High School during breaks between classes in the smoking area, (and yes, my rural NC High School had a smoking area for students) singing this chorus.

You can’t hide your lyin’ eyes

And your smile is a thin disguise

I thought by now you’d realize

There ain’t no way to hide your lyin' eyes

Why bring up this topic?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  As I am writing this article (the day after the 2016 Presidential Debate) I can’t help but see a common theme, “She’s a liar” or “He’s a liar.”  Nothing new, right?  This has been the mode of operation for our election cycle for decades.  That is true, but I’m not sure that it has been so blatant in past cycles as it has been in 2016.  It appears to me that our politicians really don’t mind telling a lie if they feel it will benefit them in someway.  AND, there are only a few that will ever check out whether they have lied or not.  I had someone say to me the other day, “So what, all politicians do it.  We know they do it.  What’s the big deal?”  I said, “It is a big deal for me.  I don’t know about you, but I do not like to be lied to.”  Response, “But these are politicians.  It’s what they do to get ahead.”  My response, “Exactly!  And that is wrong.”

Lying is nothing new.  It started in the Garden of Eden as recorded in Chapter 3 of Genesis.  Since then, lying has been a part of the fabric of the human soul.  It still doesn’t make it right to lie.  But Marty, little white lies are OK, right?  We all have the proclivity to lie.  Let’s say my wife walks out of the bedroom and says, “Honey, how do you like my new dress?”  I say, “It’s look great!”  BUT, in my head I might be thinking, “Oh, Babe, it makes you look like a _______ fill in the blank, a elephant, a zebra, a clown, etc.  I tell the lie to spare her feelings, right?  I’ve heard it said that we would never want an entirely truthful society.  When it comes though to lies that degrade, tear down, or malign a person, some say, that’s where we should draw the line.  What does the Bible say about lying?  Let me just share a few.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” Exodus 20:16 (the 9^th Commandment)

“He who conceals hatred has lying lips, and he who spreads slander is a fool.” Proverbs 10:18

“A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will perish.” Proverbs 19:9

“What is desirable in a man is his kindness, and it is better to be a poor man than a liar.” Proverbs 19:22

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” 1 John 1:6

Jesus was talking to the Pharisees about their blindness and not being able to see or speak the truth and says to them: “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.  Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

Here in lies the problem, without Christ and His indwelling Holy Spirit, the father of all lies speaks.  But there should be a change in the believer.  The Apostle Paul states: “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices” Colossians 3:9.  When we lay aside our old self and become a new creation in Jesus Christ, our lives, our out look on life, the way we deal with others, respect others should change.  There is no question about it!

In light of the recent chaos in Charlotte NC, one of the NFL players from the Baltimore Ravens had this to say.  “Obama can’t save us.  Mrs. Clinton can’t save us. Mr. Trump can’t save us.  The only one who can change the heart of man is the Lord.”  Benjamin Watson.  Mr. Watson is correct.  The LORD God is the only one that changes out hearts.  

I don’t know if a quote John Calvin said by him centuries ago is in play today or not when he said, “When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.” But I do believe that now we have become such a lying society, though you can’t hide your “Lyin Eyes,” that many just don’t care.

Believers,  we are to speak the truth, always, and in everything, speak the truth!  Because as the Eagles sing, “There ain’t no way to hide your lyin eyes.  Others that hear you or me lie say, “See, you hypocrite.”  You can’t hide.  When we lie, we hurt our witness.  We hurt the cause of Christ for the Kingdom.  We have fallen into the ways of the world.  We are better than that Believer!  Christ’s Holy Spirit has made us better than that.  Thanks be to God!

Something to think about my friends.

Blessings,

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

“The Temporal and Eternal”

"1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.  6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

2 Corinthians 5:1-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

You cannot sit in a hospital ER or patient floor without thinking about this earthly body.  Well, let me re-phrase that.  You cannot be a Christian and sit in the ER or a hospital room without thinking about this temporal body.  

Over the past 5 days I’ve seen and heard many cries for help.  I’ve looked upon those who are hurting severely in this earthly body.  And yes, even heard the called for a “Code Blue” over the intercom system.  That really gets your attention.

I’ve watched my own wife suffer greatly with pain and wonder what was causing that pain.  Where was it coming from?  What was causing it?  Of course it brings it even closer to home when it is your own loved one suffering.  You want to do something to help them, but can’t.

But in my prayers for my wife and her relief of pain and healing, I was reminded that all of this is temporal, not eternal.  Paul states it so clearly in Second Corinthians 5 when he says, “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (5:1).  Now be sure you know, I want to live a long time and want everyone else to do the same.  But, as I said in Bible study a few weeks ago, I am not afraid to die nor for Christ to come back.  I know who holds my future.  I take great pleasure knowing that to be absent from this earthly body is to be home with the LORD.

What about you believer?  Do you dwell on the temporal allowing it to govern your thoughts and emotions for this fallen world?  Or, do you dwell on the eternal, knowing there is more waiting for you beyond this temporal life?  One can bring heartache and pain while  the other brings peace and comfort.  If you have ever dealt with someone dying who does not know the Lord, or their families following that death, the despair is enormous.  No hope is found!  But when ministering to someone dying or families who have lost a loved who was a believer, while sad for their passing, they celebrate their loved ones life for they are home with the LORD!!!

Whether a believer or not, one day folks the eternal will come into play and the apostle Paul’s great announcement will come to pass: Philippians 2:10-11 (NASB) 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I have to tell you, these past 5 days have reminded me of the temporal and eternal once again.  Just thought it might be good to remind you, that is, if you haven’t thought about for a while.

Blessings, 

Pastor Marty          

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

“The Compartmentalizing Question”

This past weekend brought about the end of the 31st Olympic Games in Rio.  For the past two weeks plus, these Summer games have dominated the television schedule on multiple channels.  It has been the talk on major news programming, sport talk radio, and just about any multi-media outlet you would browse.  And every four years when the Summer games pop up, it becomes, for many Americans, a dominate topic of our conversations and our time.  Even my 11 year old daughter asked on Monday night of this week, “What’s on the Olympic’s tonight?”  As I responded, “Last night was the closing Ceremony,” she said, “Oh no.  I don’t want them to be over.  Now I have to want four more years!”  She is right, four more years, 2020, and we’ll be watching the games from Tokyo, Japan.

I can only relate as an American, but it seems to me we have a way of compartmentalizing everything.  We certainly use calendar dates of days, weeks, months, years to track our lives.  We use hours, even minutes, to track our time to order our life.  And it seems to me as I watch our activities of life, as we compartmentalize everything, certain things will certainly bump out other things as to its importance, and in some cases, rightfully so.  Other times, its just what we choose as important to fill that time and space in our lives.  The past two weeks I have enjoyed watching the American athletes compete and win in many of the 42 sports of these games.  I made time, pushing other things out of the way.

As my daughter said, “Oh no… Now I have to wait four more years,” I realized that these games had occupied much of our time at home.  In some ways that was good, for our family watched them together.  But in other ways, not so good.  Late night watching overshadowed giving time to praying together before bedtime.  Oh, I would say, “Kids, don’t forget to say your prayers,” but that is not our normal family routine.  We allowed something to move out to make room for something else.  And in this case, it was not more important.  Our compartment, that of family prayer time, was pushed aside, and filled with something else.

We have a member at HOPE Church that often reminds us that whatever takes priority over your life it your idol.  We all have little idols, but priority over your life, now that’s a huge deal.  

So the question, or The Compartmentalizing Question is this; what have you allowed to push out worship, prayer time, reading the Bible, devotion time, ministry time, service to God time in your life that should be permanently set aside for God?  As a believer, God’s expectation is that we will place Him first.  There is no debate in that.  This expectation is the first of the Ten Commandments and Jesus calls for it first as He gives the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:35-40; Mark 12:28-32; Luke 10:27).  We all know that as we push Christ out other things take that place.

But Marty, you are pastor and that is your life 24/7.  You might say, I have other responsibilities you don’t have.  Really?  I have a life too.  Children in school, two of our kids have jobs we have to schedule around, sports they are involved in, homework, two in college, etc.  Life is busy for us all.  So are you saying, nothing else, but Christ 24/7?  No!  We all need to enjoy life and life’s opportunities.  We live in a great awesome country.  We have families to enjoy, events to attend, work to do, fellowship to participate in.  Time for vacations are great and much needed.  Nothing wrong with that.  Just a thought though for you to consider.  While on vacation, what do you do if it happens to fall on a Sunday?  Do you attend worship?

I’m just trying to get us ALL, that includes me, to think about our days, weeks, months, even our hours of the day and realize that we compartmentalize our lives in such a way that unless we are intentional to place God and time for Him in our lives, regardless of your profession or stage in life, something else will fill that time.  

We all need to set time aside for Him.  And while Sunday worship should be one of those non-negotiable times, there should be daily time set aside too.  When He becomes our priority, the compartmentalization question will be answered.  So for me, I say, “OK Lord, I’m convicted!  I will do better!”

Blessings, Pastor Marty          

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

“My Identity Is Rooted In Christ”

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” -Matthew 5:16

I mentioned last Sunday durning my sermon that I am a sports lover.  Usually when I’m asked, “What do you like to do for fun?  Do you play golf like most pastors?”  I say, “No, just once every two or three years.”  “Do you run?”  “No, my knees won’t allow me.  But I do walk!”  What is your pass time then?”  “I love to watch sporting events,” I say.

I know, many of you cannot fathom that watching sporting events could be a pass time.  But for me, I can unwind, I can relax, and even just get lost in the moment of watching a good game or event.  So as you might imagine, the Olympics being on now has caught my attention.  And part of that is hearing the “back stories” of some of the athletes participating in the Olympic Games of 2016.

I marvel at their work ethic, their dedication to the process to get them to this point in the career to be an Olympian as their story unfolds.  But some of the stories go untold.  Like Michael Phelps being at the point of despair and a retired linebacker named Ray Lewis gave him a book titled, “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren and he regained purpose in his life.

But there are times when a few athletes speak out about their journey and it is breathtaking, refreshing to hear.  On Monday night the diving event was being broadcast on TV and I was watching as the American team of David Boudia and Steele Johnson were diving in the finals for a metal.  Through much of the competition they were in second place.  The team for China was the favorite and were performing awesome dives.  David and Steele were, likewise, diving very well.  Their sixth and final dive brought home the Silver Medal for the Americans.  Immediately after their successful event, they were interviewed pool side.  As the NBC announcer asked what this metal meant to them, David Boudia said, “This metal does not define me.  My identity is rooted in Christ.”  She turned to Steele Johnson with the microphone and he said, “Like David, I give God the glory.  This moment will not define who I am.”  Of course the interview was done from that point by NBC.  Can’t have to much of this Jesus stuff on the airwaves.

I was so proud to hear David and Steele say, “This is not what defines me.”  Diving, an Olympic Silver Medal, being an American, no, my identity is in Christ Jesus.  When these men qualified for the Olympic Diving Team in Indianapolis in June at the Trials, they witnessed for the Lord and David said, “This is nothing compared to the sacrifice made for our eternity.”  WOW!

This scripture from Matthew 5:16 came to mind, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

How many times do we have an opportunity each day to let our light shine so that God receives the glory?  No, we are not on TV nor are we Olympic medalist but if you are a believer, your identity is found in Christ.  NO OTHER!  And if we are identified in Christ, shouldn’t we give HIM the glory?  When we point to God and not “self,” our focus is placed in the right direction.  The minute we say, “Look at what I’ve done” the focus is diverted from Him to us.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments, but give Him the glory for your good works so others may see the Christ living in you.

I was so proud of David and Steele sharing their faith in the moment last Monday night.  I’m sure God was too.

Blessings my friends,                                                                 

Pastor Marty               

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

"Know Him"

As some of your know, 6 of our nine kids have attended Sandhills Classical Christian School.  Yesterday was the first day of the 2016-2017 school year.  The High School grades opened the school year with a day called “Opening Academy.”  This is a day when the Principal of the Rhetoric brings in outside speakers to talk to the students on different topics.  At the end of the last school year the Principal asked me if I would be willing to come in and talk on one of the aspects of bullying.  My topic was on Bullying from a “Spiritual” perspective.  I said yes.  So yesterday, Tuesday, August 2nd I was up.

I have thought much about this topic over the past few months.  I’ve seen report after report of those who have been bullied and taken their life.  Bullying comes today in so many forms.  When I was in school it was mostly verbal and physical, but today you have to add social and cyberspace.  It is unreal the cruelty many kids unleash on other kids.  Here is the things though, the more I thought about it, it comes back to “Spirituality.”

Before I spoke a Pediatric MD spoke about these four types of bullying I mentioned above and did some role play with the kids on how to handle different situations that they may face.  She gave some really good advice.  But again I was sitting there thinking it’s “Spiritual.”

I won't go through the entire talk, but I wanted to share a few points and scriptures with you that I shared with the students.  I opened with two questions.  First I asked, “Please raise your hands if you have heard of Jesus of Nazareth?”  The second question I asked was, “I don’t want you to raise you hands on this question, but answer it in your mind with yes or no.  No other answer will work.  Your answer has to be Yes or No to this question.  Do you know Jesus of Nazareth?  Really know him?”  If you answered yes to the question then you need to know what the scriptures say about one who believes.

First, John 14:16-18 tells us that those who believe will have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, two characteristics of this person of God deals with us on this topic.  Those being “Guidance” and “Conviction.”  We cannot have Jesus Christ in us and think it is OK to bully someone.

Second, Matthew 22:34-39 (as well as Mark 12:29-31) states, “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great and foremost commandment.  The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

So here is the deal, to love God with all your being, and to love your neighbor cannot include bullying.  So the answer to my second question is so important.

1st John 2:9 “The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness…”  You cannot say you know Jesus and treat your brother with hatred.  So again the answer to my second question was so important.

Then I shared this question, “What if you find yourself in a bullying situation?”  The good doctor had given some good advice, as I said, but Jesus gives great advice as well from a “Spiritual” perspective.  Matthew 18:15-17 gives us the biblical process of handling conflict with others.  I talked a little about that with the students.  If you are unfamiliar with this passage, I would encourage you to read through it today!

After closing with a personal story from my grade school, I had to go back to address that second question again.  “Do you know Jesus of Nazareth personally?  If you answered ‘Yes,’ that was great.  But if you answered ‘No,’ I want you to think about that answer.” Then I said, “The answer to this question is the most important answer you will ever make in your life.  Every other question pales to this one.  Answering ‘Yes’ to this question will affect everyday of your life.  It will affect how you relate to others and how you glorify God.  By answering ‘Yes’ to this question you are to glorify God in all you do.  You will experience a peace like never before.  Your  love of God and love of neighbor will lift up your witness of Christ where bullying will degrade it and getting that positive witness back will take a long time.” 

I asked those that did not answer “Yes” to this question to talk to a teacher, pastor, parents, or the Principal or me if they would like to know how to answer that question “Yes.”

Folks, if you have read this far, I want you to know, how we live our life in this fallen world is dependent on whether we know, really know Jesus of Nazareth, the very Son of God.  Know Him, honor Him, let your witness Glorify Him and then you will marvel at who His is and what He’ll do through you.

As for the students, my hope is that I planted a seed in each whether they answered “Yes” or “No.”  God’s Word is so great and true that my prayer is that it will dwell in their hearts and minds.  My desire is that they all know Him.

Blessings,                                                                 

Pastor Marty               

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

"Resting Much?"

As many of you know, my family just got back off of vacation.  Vacation at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina is always a great time of rest, relaxation and fun.  This was our sixth year going down in July to the Sand’s Villas.  

Now to be honest with you, I did do some church work while there.  I won’t tell you how much, but it was less than my wife did for her job (had to get that in).  But we all do that right?  We go away for vacation, time away where we are supposed to forget about work, the day to day routines, the grind of daily schedules, etc, for the fun in the sun. Yet we can’t leave the cell phone in the condo, not check emails, or think about the next deadline.  I was at the pool one day last week and this guy was on the phone with work while standing in 5 feet of water.  He was trying to tell someone on the other end of the phone where to find something in the shop.  He finely said, “If I were there I’d find it for you, BUT I’M ON VACATION (the caps are here because he yelled that phase into the phone).

So you know I’m going somewhere with all of this, right?  

Why is it so hard to leave work behind for many of us for just a week or even a day?  I often think of the verses that speak of rest.

Exodus 20:9

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work,”

Exodus 20:11

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.”

Exodus 23:12

“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves.”

Did God need to rest after working on creation for six days?  I think not!!!  He showed us the proper work ethic.  He set the example that we should follow.  And folks, it is for our own good.  REST!!!

What do we do on that day of rest?  Well, for most of us we see what we can fill it up with.  You know I”m right.  I’ve heard people say, that day is my day to do what I want.  Really?  All about you?  

Don’t get me wrong here, I like to have fun on my seventh day too, but it has to be more than about me.  When we make it about Him you will find that the “me time” is less important to us, yet there.  It’s funny how that works.

As Sandra Pierce mentioned in her sermon last Sunday, Colossians 3:2 “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”  When we set our minds (not just one day a week, but daily) on things above, the things on earth seem to go more smoothly, seem to be less hectic.  It seems to me that things go better with God’s plan.

You know I’m going to end in a question.  How’s our “Rest?”  Yes, our!  I have to include me.  Remember, I worked on my vacation, taking some of that “rest time.”  So let us all consider “a rest” from our labors to focus on Him more and get refreshed through Him for the next step head of us.

Food for thought folks.  Just saying!!!!

Blessings,                                                                 

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, & Serve                      

“Am I Measuring My Life by This Standard or 

by Something Less?”

Sometimes the LORD speaks to us through others and says, “Do you see what I’m trying to tell you?”  Often we pass it off and then others times it resonants and we get it.  I get it this time LORD.

I asked my wife Monday night, “Do you have a topic I can write my article on this week?  I’m still praying and think about it.”  Answer: “No.”  Then Tuesday morning as I was getting out of the shower she said, “Got it.  I know what you should write on this week.”  Then she shared her devotion that morning with me and said you need to read it.  Well, before I could read it, after doing my devotion, I opened up Facebook, and the very first post I saw was from Bill Enns who had posted that morning the very same devotion that my wife had said I needed to read.  OK LORD!!!  I get it.  I just love how the Lord works like that.  Truly amazing!!!

So folks, I know some of you have probably already read Bill Enns’ post on Facebook and even some of you use this devotional book from time to time, but this one is worth re-reading over and over again.  I am going to post here the entire devotion and then have a little commentary myself.  Surprised about that, aren’t you.  So here we go:

“…till we all come…to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…” Ephesians 4:13

“Reconciliation means the restoring of the relationship between the entire human race and God, putting it back to what God designed it to be.  This is what Jesus Christ did in redemption.  The church ceases to be spiritual when it becomes self-seeking, only interested in the development of its own organization.  The reconciliation of the human race according to His plan means realizing Him not only in our lives individually, but also in our lives collectively.  Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this very purpose - that the corporate Person of Christ and His church, made up of many members, might be brought into being and made known.  We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy a quiet spiritual retreat.  We are here to have the full realization of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of building His body.

Am I building up the body of Christ, or am I only concerned about my own personal development?  The essential thing is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ - ‘…that I may know Him…” (Philippians 3:10).  To fulfill God’s perfect design for me requires my total surrender - complete abandonment of myself to Him.  Whenever I only want things for myself, the relationship is distorted.  And I will suffer great humiliation once I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ Himself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me.

My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace,

Nor even blessings, but Himself, my God.

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?”   (My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, Discovery House Publishing, copyright 1992, Devotion for: July 12 titled: The Spiritually Self-Seeking Church)

This article has certainly caused me to think about that question: “Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?”  And what is that standard, God Himself!!!

At HOPE Church, as we Worship, Grow, and Serve, these aspects of our lives, I believe, truly help to bring us to this point, “To fulfill God’s perfect design for me requires my total surrender - complete abandonment of myself to Him.”  As we worship the living LORD, we abandon self to praise Him and give Him the glory He is due.  In our attempt to grow in knowledge and understanding we need to grow in faith, not just for self, but for the work and growth of His kingdom, the body of Christ, His church.  We are called to grow in faith and then GO and serve, sharing the Good News.  This is our service to God, to go and proclaim, not for ourselves, not for our glory or uplifting, but for HIS!

In our fallenness and this fallen world, it can easily become about “self.”  Satan certainly points us that way as often as he can.  But this article by Oswald Chambers reminds us that it is ALL about Him.  Not Us!!!  Both individually and corporately, it is all about Him!  And this plan of reconciliation and redemption is perfect when we live into it by the grace and leading of God through His Holy Spirit.  Man, what a different world we would live in folks if more of us would life by this standard.

So I will ask the question again he asked: “Am I measuring my life by this standard or by something less?”

Blessings my friends,

Pastor Marty   

Worship, Grow, & Serve