The Pearl

Me - It looks like a genuine pearl. It's so cute, I want it. How much does it cost?
Him - Cute? I would never call it "cute". And yes, it's genuine.

Me - OK, it's beautiful. So?
Him - It's not cheap. In fact it's costly.

Me - But how much?
Him - I told you, it's very expensive.

Me - Do you think I could buy it?
Him - It costs everything you have, no more, no less. And anybody can buy it.

Me - I'll buy it.
Him - What do you have? Let's write it down.

Me - Oh, don't worry, I have $100,000 in my saving account. 
Him - Good, $100,000. What else?

Me - What else? I have nothing more. That's all I have.  
Him - Have you nothing more?

Me - Well, I have some dollars here in my pocket, but...
Him - How much?

Me - Let me find them. So, thirty, forty, fifty, eighty, one hundred, one hundred twenty... one hundred twenty dollars and 75 cents.
Him - That's fine. What else do you have? 

Me - I have nothing else. That's all. I swear to...

Him - Stop! Don't ever do that. Ever.

Me - Do what?

Him - Swear. Never mind. Where do you live?

Me - I live in my house.
Him - The house, too.

Me - You mean I must live in the shed?
Him - Have you a shed too? That too. What else?

Me - Do you mean that I must live in my car then?
Him - Have you a car?

Me - A little SUV and an old pick-up truck.
Him - Both become mine. Both cars. What else? 

Me - You keep saying "what else, what else"...  You've got my house, the shed, the cars, all my money, everything!
Him - What else?

Me - See what I mean?
Him - Are you alone in the world?

Me- No, I have a wife and two children.
Him - Your wife and children too.

Me - Wow, wait a minute here, this is like enslav... 
Him - I told you, everything you have. What else?

Me - I have nothing else, I am left alone now. 
Him - Oh, you too! Everything becomes mine - family, house, money, cars... everything. And yourself too. 

Me - ...

Him - Now you can use all those things here but don't forget they are mine, as are you. When I will ask you of the things you use, you must be ready to give them back because I am the owner. But for now keep them along with the pearl. Deal? 

(Pastor O)

https://ovidrad.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-pearl.html

Count them one by one

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

It’s easy to worry about our lives and families. Add Covid-19 gloom and here you are... But God tells us what to do instead: “Pray about everything. . . . Thank him for all he has done.”

Grateful prayer brings peace and a different perspective, the one from above. When we start worrying, we are tempted to stop praying.

Parents understand the importance of gratitude. When children make a request for something, their parents want them to say “thank you” for what they’ve already been given.

God sees it the same way.

He wants us to ask him for what we need and want with thanksgiving. In fact, more than 20 times in the New Testament, we’re told to “ask” him.

The Bible urges us to be specific in our requests—and our praises.

Instead of a simple “thank you for everything,” God wants us to tell him what we’re grateful for. Count your blessings.

When we say to our loved ones, “I’m so grateful for you,” more often than not they would like us to be specific.

People like to hear what others appreciate about them and what they’re grateful for about them.

God wants to hear the same things because in doing so, not Him but we are getting the benefits

So when we pray, tell God what we’re already thankful for.

1. ...

2. ...

3. ...

4. ...

5. ...

6. ...

7. ... X 70 X 777

God also wants us to take a big step of faith and thank him in advance for answering our prayers.

When we have the faith to thank God ahead of time, miracles happen. God uses our thanksgiving as an instrument of power in our lives.

The more thankful we are, the more God works in our lives - and the more we experience his peace.

Instead of counting how many days of pandemic since last Spring, praise the One who won once for ever the deadly sin-virus.

Hey did you count your blessings this season of Thanksgiving? do it now: 3, 2, 1 and go!

Pastor O

I Would Have

I would have pulled Joseph out. Out of that pit. Out of that prison. Out of that pain. I would have cheated nations out of the one God would use to deliver them from famine.

I would have pulled David out. Out of Saul’s spear-throwing presence. Out of the caves he hid away in. Out of the pain of rejection. I would have cheated Israel out of a God-hearted king.

I would have pulled Esther out. Out of being snatched from her only family. Out of being placed in a position she never asked for. Out of the path of a vicious, power-hungry foe. I would have cheated a people out of the woman God would use to save their very lives.

I would have pulled Jesus off. Off of the cross. Off of the road that led to suffering and pain. Off of the path that would mean nakedness and beatings, nails and thorns. I would have cheated the entire world out of a Savior. Out of salvation. Out of an eternity filled with no more suffering and no more pain.

And oh friend. I want to pull you out. I want to change your path. I want to stop your pain. But right now I know I would be wrong. I would be out of line. I would be cheating you and cheating the world out of so much good.

Because God knows.

• He knows the good this pain will produce.

• He knows the beauty this hardship will grow.

• He’s watching over you and keeping you even in the midst of this.

• He’s promising you that you can trust Him. Even when it all feels like more than you can bear.

So instead of trying to pull you out, I’m lifting you up. I’m kneeling before the Father and

• I’m asking Him to give you strength. To give you hope.

• I’m asking Him to protect you and to move you when the time is right.

• I'm asking Him to help you stay prayerful and discerning.

• I'm asking Him how I can best love you, and be a help to you.

I’m believing He’s going to use your life in powerful and beautiful ways. Ways that will leave your heart grateful and humbly thankful for this road you’ve been on.

(by K. Henderson)

The middlemost of the centermost

Scroll back. I'm a young person studying the Bible. Someone gives me a set of lessons by Emilio Knechtle translated and smuggled into Communist Romania and I devoured them. Learning many Biblical teachings, including the 2300-day prophecy from chapters 7 - 9 of the book of Daniel. I find the intricacy and precision, as well as the meaning of the prophecy, awe-inspiring.
Scroll forward a bit. I'm an adult, part of the Church that helped me understand the prophecy, and I come to realize that many are still confused. I wonder why. It turns out there are some who feel it has caused spiritual trauma. I do notice that the teaching, which pertains to solemn things like probation and judgment, has apparently done some harm by the legalistic way they were presented.

Scroll forward again. A personal drama leads me to question my faith. In the midst of that struggle, I learn more fully about justification by faith being the core teaching of Scripture. I return to the teachings of the Bible with this new lens.

Scroll forward a bit more. Knowing by heart the years and the beasts, and the sevens of Revelation, and being stuck in reading the final events like I always did. Linear and sequential. But I restudy the 2300-day prophecy from Daniel. I notice for the first time that as one maps out the prophecy, the Cross lands in the middle. And I wonder if that's God revealing in an image what I learned so painfully years before - that the Cross needs to be in the middle of everything, or the very thing He intended to inform and guide us becomes our undoing.

Experiencing a strange feeling, a mixture of pandemic, presidential elections, more worries and less freedom, Sunday law maybe coming and Jesus not yet coming? Put the Cross where it belongs - in the middle of your map-life journey.

I’m an Adventist, Not a Conspiracy Theorist

Drop it at the Door

Would I Be Gathering if I Were Not a Pastor?

Hoosier Happenings

1st Letter to Noah

Dear brother Noah,

I have felt for some time that I should write to you in regard to some of the things you have been preaching about recently. 

First of all, let me commend you on your message that a flood is coming. You know, of course, that I am trying to believe this as much as you do. A flood may come, and the world supposed to be warned. You say that the Lord has given you a special message in this matter and I respect that. Let me join you in your concern that people understand that they must look to the Lord for deliverance. Not necessary building a boat like you, but trough Him. I don’t know yet how, but I think most of our brethren are on the same page with this doctrine.

Now about this ark thing. Many feel you have spent far too much time talking about it. It became an obsession for you. I'm afraid I have to agree with them, although I don't for a minute question your sincerity in building it or preaching about it. But can't you see this smack of legalism? It is, if you will forgive my saying so, an extremely subjective approach to the problem of the flood.

There is a chance that before the flood is over, this business about the ark might become relevant. But who ever heard of God giving someone a message 120 years ahead of when it was needed? At least wait until it's going to rain long enough so that people can begin to judge accurately and fairly for them-selves whether God expects them to swim, row, or build some lifeboats for themselves. Then, if necessary, come to us with your ark thing. Only after that we will ask the board to approve some founds for this ongoing project of yours. Until then, don't rock the boat! Sincerely yours, 

                                                                                                                                        Elder Luke Warm Sr.

[to be continued]

What We Have To Do and What We Must Do

Photo by Dmitry Bayer on Unsplash

This is “WHAT” we have to do:

- Love God with all you got

- Love others like yourself

- Keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus

- Tell others about Jesus – the Great Commission 

- Love your spouse like Jesus did His

- Be Patient, Kind, etc…

- Present your body as a living sacrifice

- And __________________________________

These are the types of “What We Must Do” things in the Bible. These are non-negotiable, not up for debate (the clearly stated commands of Scripture). OK. So, we have things that we “Must Do”, not because we are saved through them, but because they represent our answer to God’s salvation. The other question alongside “what” is “HOW”?

The Bible doesn’t always answer to the HOW question for us. It tells us what we must do, and at times what must happen if we do it, but not “How” to do it. There is a reason for that. We are all different, and the Bible was written to transcend time, age, education, culture and context.

Our “how” must come from God. We must pay the price to hear from God “how” we should carry out His commands. Like… husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church. That is “what we must do”, but “how” am I/you supposed to do that?

“How” you love your spouse, is certainly not “how” I love mine! And, “how” I love her now is not the same as it was 30, 20, or even one year ago! It is deeper and deeper by the day. The “how” must come through the Holy Spirit inspiration and motivation. Can you hear His whispering? Louder than last time when you’re asking “what and how”?   

Take His Name But Not In Vain

Photo by Diana Vargas on Unsplash

•Cheap Grace - disobeying God's commandments because it's convenient.

•Staunch Legalism - obeying God's commandments because it's useful.

•Genuine Faith - obeying God's commandments because it's beautiful.

Take His Name but Not in Vain

Law & Grace 3

(SERMON NOTES)

1. The D_______________________ of God’s Name

2. The D________________________ of God’s Name

3. The D________________________ of God’s Name

4. The R________________________ for God’s Name

Bubbles

Photo by Andriyko Podilnyk on Unsplash

Every group has bubbles. Contractors, comedians, media elites, politicians, athletes, the raw-organic community and the Church cliques. Bubbles happen when you create a world where you spend most of your time, and then assume everyone thinks like you.  

For example, most people working for Hollywood can’t imagine why anyone could possibly act as a Bible believer about anything. Agnostics, atheists or communists - the world seems to evolve around them. The same is true for other bubbles. Because they associate with the same people, speak the same language, experience the same lifestyle, they assume everyone else must live like them.

But they don’t. That’s the danger of bubbles. You lose touch with reality. A lot of politicians spent most of their life living off taxpayers without even driving a car since their first day in office because they have chauffeurs. A rich person can’t imagine actually buying clothes off the rack from a local store. Someone inside the LGBT community has no context for why someone would oppose a so call “alternative lifestyle”.

How about you? What bubble do you live in?

Bubbles are ultimately destructive because they shield us from the reality of the world. They keep us from understanding how other people think. Bubbles create intolerance and build walls.

So get out. Take a risk. Start a conversation with someone outside your bubble and see what happens. Pray that your bubble is going to be burst by sharing Jesus with an outsider, letting the Holy Spirit penetrate “their bubble”.

Commitment

Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash

The difference between being a church attender and a church member is commitment.

    - Attenders are spectators from the sidelines; members get involved in the ministry. 

   - Attenders are consumers; members are contributors. 

    - Attenders want the benefits of a church without sharing the responsibility.

One of the biggest hurdles in ministry is convincing attenders they need to commit to their church family and become members. Today’s culture of independent individualism has created many spiritual orphans without any identity, accountability, or commitment. The Bible offers compelling reasons why every believer needs to be committed to and active in a local congregation.

A church family identifies you as a genuine believer - John 13:35. When we come together in love as a church family from different backgrounds, races, and social statuses, it is a witness to the world. No one believer can be the body of Christ on his own.

A church family moves you out of isolation - 1 Cor. 12:26. The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God’s family, preferably live or through Zoom. It is a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love. Only in regular contact with ordinary, imperfect believers can we learn real fellowship and experience the biblical truth of being connected to and dependent on each other.

A church family helps you develop spiritual muscle – Eph. 4:16. No one will ever grow to maturity just by being a passive spectator. Only involvement in the life of the local church builds spiritual muscle. Over 50 times in the NT the phrase “one another” or “each other” is used. We are commanded to love each other, pray for each other, encourage each other, admonish each other, greet each other, serve each other, teach each other, accept each other, honor each other, bear each other’s burdens, forgive each other, etc.

A church family helps you in in sharing the Gospel - Mat.28:19-20. When Jesus walked the earth, God worked through the physical body of Christ; today he uses his spiritual body.

A church family will help you avoid moral failure - Hebrews 3:13. Satan loves detached believers, unplugged from the life of the body, isolated from God’s family, and unaccountable to spiritual leaders, because he knows they are defenseless against his tactics. “Mind your own business” is not a Christian phrase. We are called and commanded to be involved in each other’s lives. If you know someone who is wavering spiritually right now, it is your responsibility to lovingly bring them back and help them to feel the love of Christ again.

Week Of July 25th

Image By: Priscilla Du Preez

“Excuse us, but we must have forgotten to remove one of our inventory controls tags.” (It wasn’t me, I promise!) 

Meaning - you are a thief but we don't say it this way because it's bad for our business. It may also be bad for your soul, instead of feeling sorry/repent for breaking the law, you may dismiss the charge and the shame assuming the tag-removal euphemism. Stealing-problem? Sin-problem? No, just tag-problem.

Because we are oblivious of how broken and spiritually bankrupt we are, we must check any sin-tag with God, early in the morning or before getting through the door of our daily routine.  

“We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the Mercy, accept the Help. (Hebrew 4:15-16 MSG).

The Country Of The Blind

H. G. Wells wrote a story entitled, "The Country of the Blind." It’s about a hidden valley shut off from the rest of the world by high cliffs. That valley was inhabited only by blind people and no one there had ever been able to see. 

A lost and weary traveler stumbled into this country of the blind and stayed with them for a while. As he lived among them, he found himself falling in love with a blind young woman. He began considering the possibility of marriage.

But the blind people thought that this man who could see was strange. They felt that his mind was cluttered and confused, distracted by his claim – the ability to see. So, they insisted that if he wanted to continue living among them, he would have to have his eyes put out and become as blind as they.

For a while the man thought that he would be willing to do that. But one morning he got up and saw the beauty of the sunrise, the mist rising from the valley floor, the dew glistening on the petals of the flowers, and he realized that he could not stay in the country of the blind. So, he climbed out of the valley and returned to the world of sight.

When Jesus came into our world, He saw things that the world was unable to see. He thought thoughts that the world had never thought. He did deeds that the rest of the world could not do. And our world could not stand that. It tried to pull Him down to its own level. Jesus refused to be a part of the darkness of this world.

But there the story loses its analogy, because Jesus did not run away from our darkness. Instead, He conquered it. And not only that, but he brought back with him the "blind maiden". Are you that one?

Ten Commandments For A Successful Marriage

1. Thou shalt reserve time for one another at all costs.  

2. Thou shalt spend only what you have - financial stress kills romance.

3. Thou shalt leave no room for selfishness - be relationship givers and not takers. 

4. Remember the “leave and cleave” principle from Genesis 2:24. 

5. Thou shalt bring your expectations in line with reality - the perfect spouse does not exist. 

6. Thou shalt trust one another and build reasonable boundaries - jealousy and trust rarely co-exist. 

7. Thou shalt avoid alcohol or substance abuse, pornography, gambling, and other potential addictions that will quickly kill your marriage and your life. 

8. Thou shalt be content with having enough and pray every day “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8). 

9. Thou shalt think of your marriage as a marathon - you will need determination and faith to go the distance of a lifetime. 

10. Thou shalt keep Christ at the center and remember His words, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).