I know, the title is cliché, but my life this last 3 or 4 weeks has been an exercise in learning to trust God.
Ann and I have been through lots of stuff in 5 years of marriage. We’ve moved 4 times, had 6 jobs (between the 2 of us) and attended 4 different churches. We lost a child, now we have a great little boy. We’ve had money in the bank and we’ve been broke. We’ve had sickness and we’ve seen healing. We know and acknowledge God’s hand in all of it. Looking back, I know God has been there through all of it, yet in the last few weeks I have had the most difficult time really trusting that God has my life in his hands.
Psalm 37:25 says
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread
I know that God has never left me. Not one thing I have come up against has ever been bigger than Him, yet in some way I have this feeling that I can’t let go and stop worrying about things. Somehow I have gotten the idea that my plans have to be in order for Him to do his work, and the revelation I have gotten this weekend is that my plans don’t mean anything.
Again, I “know” that in my mind, but knowing that He is going to handle it and actually trusting him to do it have proven to be two very different things.
I really got released from it all today. That came as a combination of things. First, in my prayer time last night (which sounds much more “Holier than thou” than it should) God really spoke to my heart and revealed some things that cut me to the bone. When I woke up this morning, my life looked very different than it did last night.
Second, we had an awesome worship service this morning which spoke to my heart and gave me an opportunity to thank Him for the change he has started in my life. I know that I can do that on my own, but something about doing that as a part of corporate worship made it even better.
Third, Ann was speaking with someone from life group who knows what we are struggling with and who has some knowledge of the other side of our situation who really had some encouraging words and good news about how things might turn out. Of course, I won’t know until tomorrow what that looks like.
I have actually been sleeping pretty well lately because I have worn myself completely out worrying all day about what is going to happen next, but tonight I have a feeling I will be awake all night. The difference is, this time it’s because I am excited to see what God has in store for us next. That’s a really great feeling.
What ever God has in store for me, I know it will be enough.
From Dr. Ergun M. Caner on Rick and Bubba this morning.
The difference between holiness and legalist is that a holy person wants you to look more like Jesus, a legalist wants you to look more like them.
It’s a paraphrase, but I think it gets the message across. I had never been able to frame it like that. It’s definitely a great mirror to hold up and see what inside of me has that “legalist” view.
Why is it that, myself included, bloggers every so often write posts about how hard it is to actually blog on a regular basis. As if we, the readers didn’t notice that they haven’t posted to their blogs in over 3 months and during that time whatever their last post was about has become completely irrelevant.
Well, here I am. It’s been over a month (just barely) since my last post. I’m going to get this out of my system early: Man, it’s hard to come up with something to write on a semi-regular basis. I mean, first, my life isn’t that interesting. The parts of my life that ARE interesting are actually more “juicy” and gossipy than actually “interesting”.
Well, since the last time I blogged we have had a few adventures. Ann backed into a lady in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It was innocent enough on her part, but honestly I knew from the beginning that it was going to be a hassle. I know how what I am about to say sounds, but please understand that there is a difference between prejudice and observations. This woman is from what we call “The Grove”. “The Grove” is not known for it’s Harvard graduates. Heck, it’s not known for its middle school graduates. In general the people there are not very sociable, typically not well educated and generally grumpy.
For the record I was correct about it being a hassle. She presented an estimate to have her car fixed, I offered to pay for her car to be fixed and she initially agreed. Then she figured out that I was paying instead of my insurance (The repair was less than my deductible, so I didn’t see a need to file on my insurance) and she decided that she wanted a check. She harassed my insurance people and after about a week and a half of her giving me grief I finally got angry enough to make myself clear. Apparently I was just too nice before, but words like “I’m done with you” “You WILL NOT be getting a check” and “If you call again, you’re going to jail” seem to have gotten the job done nicely. I have been ‘grover free for over 2 weeks now. It’s nice and peaceful. Maybe I should feel bad about it, but had you been there, I would bet you would have been the same way. The good thing is I managed to get her off my back without opening my mouth to the point that I got myself in trouble.
Work is going pretty well. I think for most people jobs just are stressful. I’m learning how to come home and let it go most nights. I have started leaving work at the office more and more, and the results are good.
Church stuff is good. We have started a new life group with some friends of ours and it seems to be going well despite the growing pains that always go with establishing a new group. There is the typical member turnover but we seem to be getting a consistent group of people and there have been some really transparent times.
Personally, I feel like God is preparing me for something. What? I dunno. If it is anything like usual it will be something that stretches me and I will probably look back in a couple of years and realize the awesomeness of the whole experience.
Well, this has been your monthly random update on life, the universe and everything.
So long and thanks for all the fish.
42.
Responsibilities & Expectations
It is important for the pastor and congregation to have a clear understanding of their respective responsibilities and expectations. One of the best such covenants we’ve encountered was written by Dr. Hayes Wicker upon his call to the First Baptist Church of Naples, Florida. Note also the insightful way this defines the character of the church.
Covenant Understanding Between Pastor and People
1. We must discover the activity of God and adjust to it.
2. Undergird everything with prayer.
3. We must walk by faith. Think big not small. (“With God nothing is impossible.”)
4. The bottom line is not “can we afford it?” but “is it God’s will?” (Where He guides He provides.)
5. Everything should be done in the light of this mission statement, “To know Christ and to make Him known.” (We glorify God by reaching people.)
6. All matters should be subjected to the Scriptures. (The issue is truth not tradition or convenience.)
7. The Church is a hospital for sinners not a country club for saints.
8. Problems will be dealt with, not ignored.
9. Hard work is necessary. (William Carey said, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”)
10. Strive for week-long and year-long ministry (not just Sunday or the season).
11. There must be constant adjustment for growth. We cannot get overly comfortable. We must create new Bible study units, new ministries, and constantly improve the quality of education.
12. Recognizing that most people have limited time for church, then we must maximize time and do the most important.
13. Ministry is more important than meeting (committees, etc.).
14. Each Christian should discover his/her gift, passion and ministry.
15. We must seek to understand our cultural context and minister to it (baby-boomers, Florida leisure lifestyle, etc.).
16. We should strive for quality and excellence in every area (appearance, music, publication, etc.)
17. The Pastor and staff should be allowed to initiate and lead with trust, support and prayers of the church.
18. Criticism, murmuring and slander must not be allowed to disrupt the fellowship. The Deacons act as peacemakers.
19. We must recognize the need for additional staff to equip believers. (Rarely does a church have too many staff. They pay their way.) This involves more ministers and support personnel.
20. The family must be strengthened not undermined.
21. Outreach must be the priority.
22. We must be vitally concerned with meeting needs and healing hurts through ministries and developing relationships.
23. Biblical doctrine is nonnegotiable; methods are open to evaluation.
24. Since all sin and make mistakes, an attitude and atmosphere of grace must abound.
25. We must seek to develop a lighthouse ministry to all of Southwest Florida.
Goal of the Church
1. To exalt God in worship.
2. To evangelize, bringing people to a saving knowledge of Christ, with a church attitude that is outward oriented rather than a holy huddle mentality.
3. To edify, taking new Christians and maturing them in the faith.
4. To extend, reaching out into the community to meet physical, spiritual, relational, and emotional needs.
Had lunch with the worship pastor and his lovely wife yesterday. We had a great time (although, not so great food). The restaurant was overpriced and the food was mediocre… but ya don’t know until you try, right?
Ann and I managed to make it over to our new life group last night. We had the best time, and a pretty good Bible study. The fellowship was awesome. First time in a long time we’ve felt that at home in a Life Group. Right now there are only 3 couples. One of those couples didn’t make it last night so it was just us and the Thornton’s. They are an unbelievably on fire couple who really want to see relationships forming and an opportunity for us to help one another grow.
We’re finally settling in to a church. It feels good.
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