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November 7

Thursday, November 7th, 2024

Have you ever been “accosted,” yelled at, or screamed at? I’m sure most of would answer Yes to that question. But I have another type of incident in mind.

Have you ever been “accosted,” yelled at, screamed at, or embarrassed by a “person of God” either standing on the street corner or college campus supposedly preaching about Jesus? When I lived in a college town in the 80s-90s, one of the first things I heard about was the so-called preacher (better translated embarrassment, one-who-turned-others-off) at our local university. It was hard for me to believe the story was actually true until I heard several others tell me randomly about it. This so-called evangelist would stand in an outside common area and scream and yell at the students as they walked by. He would throw out the name of Jesus (maybe to give him some validity?), while at the same time ranting and raving about the sin and promiscuity of the college students. He screamed about the boys who had long hair and called the girls some not-so-nice names if they wore shorts or pants. (As if that is a eternal life deal-breaker). When some of the college kids would tell me I could sense my blood boiling, but I could also feel myself turning different shades of green out of sickness and disgust.

What got to me is that I have come to realize that evangelism is more about planting seeds than wielding a sword. I’m sure you have probably heard the old adage which goes something like “more bees are drawn to honey than vinegar.” It is the sweet-smelling and sweet-tasting nectar of the flower which draws the bee or butterfly to it. I seriously doubt the smell of vinegar would do that. I believe people are attracted to hearing the message of Christ by our winsome, caring manner rather than by ranting and raving about sin, and how they are anything but people for dressing or looking a certain way. Ironically, I met this man’s brother several years later and while talking with him, he talked about his embarrassment of his brother. Tragically, the man probably saw it as a badge of honor to “suffer” for the name of Christ.

I know this is a negative-type post and it is not meant to be. My point is to remind us that if we are to share the Gospel with others, let’s do it with grace and “honey” not anger and “vinegar.” Keep in mind also this does not just happen on a college campus. We often give off “airs” of arrogance and judgment in our daily speech.  Let’s be careful in what and how we say it.

Guest Post- Ed Damas

Wednesday, November 6th, 2024

I recently wrote a blog about Faith vs. Feelings using Psalm 13 as the basis. You can find that post here. Following that post, a long-time reader of my blog, Ed Damas, sent me something he wrote. I asked his permission to share it with you.

Recently my faith was strongly shaken, to the point that I cried out to Jesus, again, after so many seasons.
 
I wrote this one night:

And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept. (Mark 14:70-72)
 
 Think about that! Peter BELIEVED in Jesus, and yet when Jesus himself told him that he would deny knowing Jesus.. Peter’s answer was “NEVER! I will never deny You!”
 
Yet that is exactly what happened.
 
So Peter realized an awesome truth: That Jesus WAS who He said he was, and that everything that Jesus preached, did, and was going to do, proved that Jesus was the real thing!
 
Peter’s faith was shaken… so much so that he denied knowing Jesus, yet through it all, Jesus proved who he was over and over again… Right up to the point (and afterwards) that He appeared in the midst of the disciples in a room where the doors were shut and probably locked.
 
Jesus is working the same way today with those of us who choose to follow Him. Despite all the doubts, worries, troubles, etc.. Jesus knows that at some point we will ultimately deny Him. But Jesus also knows our hearts better than anyone ever will… And He WILL manifest HIS glory to us so that even in when our faith is at it’s weakest, even when our belief tells us that Jesus isn’t working, He WILL manifest Himself to our being. Because the truth is that when God works.. Jesus also works!
 
Have Faith. Believe!

Ed was able to relate to the story of David in Psalm 13 and to realize that feelings are an unreliable testimony to the reality of our faith. Feelings are fickle. I suspect Ed is not alone is what he wrote about. Here is what I would like to do: next Monday I am having knee replacement surgery. I have no clue what to expect or how it will affect my blogging. However, if you have a story to tell I would love to include it on my blog, especially while I am rehabbing. So email me your story and I will be glad to have you as a guest blogger. Try, if possible, to keep it around 500 words or less if possible. I am at 445 right now. 

November 5

Tuesday, November 5th, 2024

Martha asked me in yesterday’s comments if the knee situation was resolved. I wrote last week about a stress test I was having. You can read that here.  I had planned on giving an update yesterday, but wanted to write something else. Then the post became too long to keep adding to it, so I thought I would give you this brief update today. The stress test went well. The folks who handled it were superb. I was totally at ease. I was before I went and they made it even easier. The reading of the test seems to be that compared to an older EKG there was a difference. True that. I am older now and a lot happens as you get older. Anyway, I passed the test with flying colors. There was no difference between my resting heart and adrenaline-charged heart. 🙂 

That means that all is a go for my knee replacement surgery scheduled for next Monday, the 11th. What to expect? There is a big “C” across my forehead. It stands for “CLUELESS.”  Oh, I have those who have had them done tell me to be prepared for the worst pain of my life. I’ve had those who say that I am in good shape and should bounce back quickly. Fortunately, I have not had anyone say, “I will come to your funeral!” 🙂  I have had some tell me I am not going anywhere. Jo who? One would think she doesn’t trust me to stay by myself. She must think I might ride my bike indoors or go to the Y.  (Since it is my right knee that eliminates that. I can’t drive…for at least two weeks). While I am a dreamer and don’t think it will stop me from functioning, I’m also a realist and KNOW it will be a lifestyle change for a short time.  I KNOW! Maybe I can hire some servants who will cook my meals (Jo doesn’t like to cook) and wait on me hand and foot. Nah, I might accept that for a day or two but I am not one to sit for long and do nothing. I will have to go to therapy twice a week (I can’t say I’m looking forward to that pain), and will have ice packs and (if needed) some pain meds. My tolerance for pain is pretty high so I’m hoping to keep that to a bare minimum (if at all).  I know it will not be a walk in the park (pun intended), but I’m so looking forward to walking and cycling and doing things without pain and a limp. I honestly have no fears going into the surgery. I can’t say I’m all that excited about the therapy, but if it gets me back, let’s do it!

Two things I’d like to ask:

****Please pray for me, Jo and my family. Also for the church as they transition to life without me for a couple of weeks (hopefully). 🙂  Question: What will they ever do without me? Answer: survive and thrive.

****As you will see in tomorrow’s blog, I am asking if you have a story you would like to share, I am willing to post it here. I am not sure about how often I can post, or if at all. I would love to have your story to share.  I pre-wrote and pre-posted tomorrow’s blog featuring a long-time blog reading friend. I would love to share your story here. Send it to me in an email and I can copy/paste to make it easier for me.

START WRITING! 

November 4

Monday, November 4th, 2024

I have recently reread the book largely responsible for my escape from legalism: Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur. This probably makes read #15 or more (but who’s counting?). 🙂 It is fiction, although the “doctrinal struggles” of the book’s main character, Pastor Jason Faircloth, are very real. I would simply encourage you to pick up a copy. You will be hooked!

Two quotes stand out in my mind. They are observations Jason makes:

“Christian growth is the lifetime process of personally discovering what is inherently valuable, and what is not.”

“The essence of the Christian walk is to live contrary to human nature.”  (Both quotes from page 249)

It is the latter one that struck me this time as I read. If there was ever someone who lived a counterculture life, it was Jesus. He rejected the supposed piety of the religious leaders. He rejected living up to the letter of the Law without sincerity and the heart engaged. An example is in the Sermon on the Mount where He says multiple times, “You have heard…but I say to you.”

Then there is the teaching in Mark 8:34-37: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (NLT) That teaching goes against the grain of commonly-heard teaching. Save  your life by giving it away? Seriously?

Walking with Jesus is a walk against the grain. It is a walk contrary to human nature. Be different. Act different. Live different. This is the call of Jesus.

October 31

Thursday, October 31st, 2024

If I were to conduct an on-the-street interview and asked, “What is the one thing in common for all people?” I am sure the answers would be many and varied. But the long end of a short story is that I think the answer should be

STRESS

What is stress? Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree.

The definition about says it all. Stress can be a good thing and it can also be a bad thing. Stress can lead some people to take action, like getting their health in line, or getting a project done and over with because “the stress is too much.” A stressful family situation can lead to seeking help to cope.

Stress can also break a person down. I have been to enough hospitals, nursing homes, and inpatient facilities (so far not for myself) to see the damaging effects of too much stress or not dealing with it correctly.

It seems counterproductive then to say, “We want to do a Stress Test on you” to see what happens. I guess you could put that under the “Good kind of stress” category???  On November 11th I am having a long-put-off knee replacement. I will tell that story in another/future post. As part of the prep for surgery they had me come to the hospital and watch a video about the procedure (no gross or revealing pictures were shown) 🙂  and also to have an EKG done and draw some blood.  I received a call a day later that the doctor wanted me to come in for a Stress Test because my EKG was different than the previous one. Well…okay. Since they called while I was at the Y, I called them back to find out what the doctor found and they said, “All he said was he recommends you come in for a stress test since your EKG was different than the last.” Well, that was sure helpful.  (notice the tongue in cheek) I could have told them the young tech taking the test kept fiddling with the probes. But I didn’t. So I have a stress test scheduled for today. No caffeine after 10 last night, i.e. coffee. (No problem. I don’t drink the nasty stuff anyway). No food after 4 hours before.  I understand they will put an IV in and do what? Yeah…they have told me nothing. One thing I won’t do is run on a treadmill. No can do. I suspect they will fill me with dye, race my heart, and see if I light up. The test will last, they say, 3-4 hours. Can you say, “Headphones here I come”?  In preparation I charged them and they are good to go for 26 hours. 🙂

I am making light of this but I know it is essential for a successful surgery. As you can imagine, Jo is concerned. Least I think she is. I know Tami is. She asked me to text her as soon as I know something. Janna, the one who lives in Ohio, is pretty nonchalant about many things. I think she gets that from me. 🙂

I’m asking for your prayers today. Even without a taxing physical regimen, it will be a tiring day I suspect. I know I am in God’s hands. I really am not concerned or worried about this. I am ready for the knee surgery to be over with so I can resume a somewhat “normal” (no comment needed) life.  I’m in His hands and I totally trust His will for me.  “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:30-32 (NLT)

October 30

Wednesday, October 30th, 2024

In my daily Bible reading, I began this morning in the book of Romans. Considered Paul’s magnum opus, it is chalk full of truth. All kinds of truth. The purpose of this devotion today is not to give an overview of the whole book, but to give a glimpse into chapter 1.

  • Verses 1-7 has Paul greeting the Roman followers of Christ. He gives some serious doctrinal truth as to who Jesus is.
  • Verses 8-17 has Paul grateful for the Roman followers of Jesus because the love they have for Jesus has spread and others have heard about their love. He gives, perhaps, the most succinct purpose of the Gospel in verses 16-17: “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.'” (NLT)

But then he lowers the boom. He writes about God’s displeasure with sin-all sin. His approach is multi-pronged:

  1. There are those who disregard God Himself. They deny His existence. I would put them in the “We can’t see Him so He is not real” camp. Paul says they are without excuse. (v.20). He says those who want to think that way are fools. Instead of worshiping a real God, they worship a fake god (images of people, birds, animals and reptiles).
  2. Then comes a very distinct and very confrontational passage: verses 24-27. These are called “clobber verses” because they are used as clubs to confront, judge, condemn and beat people over the head who struggle with SSA. In all honesty, only those who want to justify theirs-or someone else’s actions-can overlook this. BUT…
  3. I am stopped dead in my tracks by verses 28-32. Lest I get arrogant and stand on a self-righteous soapbox, there is a laundry list of sin that condemns us all. We may say, “SSA? Not me!” and feel good about ourselves. But hold on! Look at the list: every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. Then Paul writes, “They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.” As each one is leveled, we start hopping around lest His divine foot stomp nail our feet to the floor and expose our sinful heart.

Short recap I know. There is so much more to say. I simply say: investigate on your own. Read this chapter slowly, all the while asking God to speak to your heart. The message will not only be clear; it is one you cannot escape. I think we all need the message of Romans 1, but I especially am grateful for the simple words about Good News in verses 16-17 (see above).

October 29

Tuesday, October 29th, 2024

One of the most used passages in the Bible is found in I Corinthians 13.  You might recognize it as the “Love Chapter.” It is used in weddings. You find it on home decor, bookmarks, even non-religious items/organizations use it. That’s because “love” is the essence of life. But just seeing it as a warm fuzzy saying is missing out on the real strength and power of that passage. Let me explain.

The Corinthian church was a mess, and when I say a mess, I mean a royal mess. Division. Incest. Compromise of truth. Quarreling over spiritual gifts. Fighting over who was more important and whom they followed. All those and more. There was one thing missing in all of that mess:

L. O. V. E.

In truth, love covers a multitude of sins. but there is one sin that blows love apart. Maybe stifles is a better word. That sin is pride and arrogance. The want and desire for power. I was speaking with someone recently expressing a genuine concern for a mutual acquaintance who has gotten into hot water. People are clamoring for a resignation. Not too long ago this person was the belle of the ball, the prince of the crown.

What happened? Pride. Arrogance. The inability to want or accept criticism. Surrounding oneself with “yes” people. A crushing of dissenting voices. Compromise of values took place and in its place was placed initiatives that devalued people. Sadly, unless there is repentance and a sincere apology and an honest attempt to change, great will be the fall. I’m afraid the arrogance and “what I want” will be so strong that proper steps will not happen and a life will be broken to pieces. Blame will be cast that “I was misunderstood” or “They are too pig-headed to see the big picture.” I’m afraid “I told you so” will be uttered, which will cause even more damage. I hate that because there had been much positive action. But like a lot of things, the past will be forgotten for the present. All because this person wouldn’t heed the loving, warning voices of others.

In case you need a refresher: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful of proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” I Cor. 13:4-7 (NLT) 

Receive it. Learn from it. Give it. Practice it.

October 28

Monday, October 28th, 2024

Where do I start?

Owen Valley Christian Fellowship (OVCF), the church I have pastored (I start my 20th year in November) just celebrated her 20th anniversary yesterday. I will draw your attention to the previous post here to get the story behind the story. My purpose in this post is to share with you some of what happened, but then to tell you where I have been the past two month in my preaching and to tell you how I brought it to a close.

WHAT WE SAW YESTERDAY:

  • We saw a lot of volunteers show up to set up and tear down and multiple things in between.
  • We sensed the presence of God as we sang and shared.
  • We heard some testimonies from people as to why they chose OVCF to be their home.
  • We experienced some really, really (did I say really) good food.  🙂
  • We also found out why we are looking forward to being in a larger auditorium that will be big enough for one service.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THE PAST TWO MONTHS:

The church has a “WELCOME HOME where…” outlook.  That can be seen in the series I just finished preaching:

The Gospel is Preached

Jesus is Honored

Grace is Offered

Lives are Changed

Obedience is Encouraged

Along the way I also talked about love and had messages on Ruth and Philemon. But the key to our ongoing future is being a place where people are welcomed. I concluded the series yesterday with a sermon on Luke 15:11-32 and the parable of the Loving Father/Lost Son. Due to the venue and the presence of tons of children (it is called antsy), I cut things fairly short by emphasizing the love and concern the father showed for his lost son. When he saw his son coming, he set aside all decorum and ran to him, putting his arms around him and welcoming him home. It didn’t matter what his son had done; all that mattered was that he came home. We are that son; God is that father. 

The purpose of home is to be a place of acceptance and love. A place of safety and refuge. Without compromising the truth of the Gospel, OVCF desires to be that kind of home. We aren’t always going to get it right, but we will always try to be the place people can call home.  Would you please pray for us as we continue seeking to put that into practice?

October 25

Friday, October 25th, 2024

“CELEBRATE!” (cue up Rare Earth from the 60s or if you prefer Kool and the Gang)

I normally don’t post on Friday, or the weekend for that matter. But this is big! Huge in fact! I know you are waiting with baited breath to hear what is so important that Bill would break protocol to post on a Friday.

OVCF, the church I have had the honor and pleasure of pastoring for 19 years (I start #20 next month) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this Sunday. 20 YEARS!!! No matter how you look at it that is quite an accomplishment. From starting out with a meeting in a hardware-type building with just a few folks and meeting at several different places in its beginning, the church found a “home” at the Owen Valley Sports Complex, where it was meeting when Jo and I moved here in November of 2005. We temporarily moved to the middle school for a few months until someone got a wild hair to get us out so we went back to the complex. We went back to the middle school when the flood of 2008 displaced us from the complex for about 4 months. In 2010 we bought an unused Mormon church building. We had our first worship in the new facility in September and were excited about the future. In January of 2011 it came to light that over $200k had been embezzled from us. But God was good. I missed one paycheck during that time and it was made up at the next pay period. In 2012 we remodeled our building to accommodate our growth. We knew when we bought the building it was too small and would require an expansion.  In 2014 we hired Ryan East to be our youth pastor. He had been working at IU Credit Union and teaching our youth group. It was a perfect fit! In 2018 we sacrificed expanding the adult worship area for a youth wing. It was a very wise decision. Along with that we became debt free thanks to someone’s inheritance. When COVID hit the generosity of the people never quit. We didn’t miss a beat. In fact, we expanded to offer live stream during that time! We also increased our mission giving.  After finishing the youth addition, we began saving for an expansion on our adult worship area. We have been in two services since 2013 and there is a strong desire for a unified body in one service. Holidays like Christmas and Resurrection Sunday will often find us at the Abram Event Venue to hold all of us at once. But that comes with a ton of inconvenience and limited ministry to the kids (like none).  We have continued saving to be able to build debt free. Along the way we have taken our Easter offering and given it away to missions, giving all of  away unless designated otherwise. We have taken our anniversary offering and put it in the building fund or given away all or part of it to missions as well. God has been more than faithful to us.

So we celebrate Him this Sunday. We celebrate His faithfulness and goodness to us this Sunday. And yes, we celebrate the people of OVCF. They are, after all, the church. Not the building. People have come and gone-some through death, some through moving, and yes, some through discontent. But along the way, God has also brought some exciting people that I’m proud to call friends and ministry colleagues. One of them reads and comments on this blog almost daily-Ryan and his wife, Amanda. Jo and I still see them and go out to eat with them (Chili’s here we come!). People like Ryan have impacted my life in ways they do not know and words fail when I try to express them. Over my 19 years I have seen a lot happen at OVCF and in Spencer. My prayer is that the influence and legacy has been a positive one.

I’ll close this post for now and give an update on our celebration on Monday (Lord willing, of course). Until then, may I ask you to pray for us for Sunday? My deepest prayer, my most fervent prayer, is that in our celebration we will never lose sight of Who is behind it all and to Whom we give all the praise. One of the songs we will be singing, along with Good  Good Father and No Longer Slaves is  Firm Foundation (I prefer the Disciple/Honor and Glory version): “Christ is my firm foundation/The Rock on which I stand/when everything around me is shaken/I’ve never been more glad/I put my faith in Jesus/Cause He’s never let down.”

Amen!

{Note : if you so desire, we are unable to live stream from AEV due to a lack of good internet connection. My message has been prerecorded and downloaded and will be shown at 10:00 Sunday morning on our YouTube channel. It is a shortened version of the live experience but will give you a little bit of a taste of being there}.

One more thing: I did this from home on my iPhone so if you find typing mistakes, blame the phone. 😂

October 24

Thursday, October 24th, 2024

Today is a special day! No it’s not my birthday (that was the 9th). 🙂 No, it is not my anniversary, or a job change, or any event that is a change or marks a change. Today is the day I spend my morning reading to 5 Kindergarten classes.

Several years ago (pre-COVID), the Monroe County UW had a program called Real Men Read (RMR). They extended an invitation to Owen County to be involved. The basis of the program was young children-in this case K kids-need to see men as role models, especially in the area of reading. Many kids have fathers who don’t or can’t read, and as a result these young children were left floundering, especially academically. Why read when my dad doesn’t, or worse, can’t? RMR was born.

I got involved in the program and began reading to one local K class taught by Mrs. Lee. I loved it! And the kids loved me (which I will NEVER complain about)! COVID hit and I still read. We went outside when the weather was good (Fall and Spring); I read inside when the snow was flying or it was too cold. (Mrs. Lee let me go without wearing a mask while I read inside). Fast forward to 2022. I began reading to 3 classes at the school where Tami teaches a K class; one in another district about 12-15 miles away; and two in another district about 15 minutes away. So for one year I read to 6 classes in one month! I loved it! Last year our local school added a K class; I taught 2 in the other district; and in the one furthest away the teacher had her husband read. Very cool!  This year I am teaching to 4 classes in our local school and one in another. The two large K classes have now moved up to the 1st grade.

Today I get to read The Biggest Pumpkin Ever,” a great book about working together. One good thing is our local Curriculum Coordinator was able to secure a Title IX grant which allowed us to buy enough books that each child gets to take home a copy of the book I read that day. They can then continue learning about the joy of reading (and hopefully get some help from home).

Children held a special place in the heart of Jesus. When they were being rebuked and sent away by His own disciples, Jesus put a stop to it. He even used a child as an example when He said, “Unless we have the faith of a little child we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” “Let the little children come to me for such is the kingdom of heaven.” Children are special. They are to be loved and embraced (in the right way). One of my favorite moments is when I’m done reading and it is time for a group hug. What a joy! Just one more reason I look forward to today! 🙂