continuing in proverbs

March 23, 2017 / proverbs 18 - 19

18:10 the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe

18:21 the tongue has the power of life and death

19: 23 the fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble

I read some excellent proverbs this morning that I wanted to share about looking towards God for our strength.  There are some practical lessons in the proverbs for everyday life.

Just the very name of God is our strong tower, our place to find strength.  Jehovah God the existing the real God, the mighty God, the God who is our fortress and place of security.  It is He in whom we should run to.  When life throws us a bunch of insecurity, and you know it can and will, where we can find that stability, that stronghold, Yes it is in Him.

Secondly is the lesson of the tongue.  You and I have to power to use words that give life or words that give death.  The sometimes unfortunate thing is once you say it, it cannot be put back.  Just like you can’t put a peel back on a banana or put toothpaste back in the tube, once our words are out there is no putting them back.  You and I have the capability to help someone’s day or hinder it, encourage them or discourage them, and speak life or speak death.

The last lesson in these proverbs I read today was that fear leads to life.  How is that possible you ask? Well the wisdom is that when you and I have fear (reverence and respect) for the one who created us it give the ability to see and trust God for who He really is.  Who is He really?  He is the one who created you and formed you inside your mother’s womb, He is the one who give your life meaning and purpose, He is the one who has promised to never leave or forsake you, He is the one who loves you so much that He gave His Son as the sacrifice so that YOU could have eternal life.  When we find this out, when we let this marinade in our hearts and minds then, and only then can we be content in Him, unwaivered by trouble.

I hope you enjoy these insights today to some proverbs and that you have a blessed day and weekend.

proverbs on friendship

The resounding theme in my reading today had a lot to do with friendship, true friendship that is.  It is not in the easy times of life when you find out who your true friends are, but in the hardest of times.  One of the best Biblical examples of friendship can be found with David and Jonathon in 1 Samuel, where Jonathon was willing to stake his friendship against his father the king.  However, I found some very challenging verses in Proverbs today.

Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. (17:9, CSB)

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time (17:17, CSB)

Point 1: if a friend trusts you enough to tell you an issue, problem, or sin they are dealing with then you need to keep it to yourself.  Trust is not easily gained and much more easily lost.  If you are like me I have a very hard time trusting someone.  So if someone trusts you enough to tell you something personal about themselves, you owe it to them to keep it to yourself.

Point 2: if you hear gossip about someone that you call friend, nip it in the bud.  Gossip is gossip and doesn’t need to be shared or listened to.  Be willing to put an end to it.

Point 3: be a friend that loves at all times, there are enough fair weather friends out there, be the one that is always there and let them know “hey I am here for you”, we are all imperfect people who can at times be hard to love.  This is when agape (unconditional love) comes in handy, even if your friend is being “unlovable” they still need to be loved.

Point 4: a brother is born for difficult times, be more than a friend be a brother (or sister).  Difficult times are when you and I need someone close the most.  Unfortunately difficult times are also when you figure out who your real friends are.  It is during the darkest hours of our lives we figure out who are willing to stand and be a friend and those who are not.  Not every friend you have is born for difficult times in your life and that is a reality we have to face.

Scripture challenges us with friendship, what it really means and how we apply it.  Sometimes in life we have friends for a season and friends for a lifetime.  The friends for a season you look back on and appreciate what you had when you had it.  The friends for a lifetime are the ones you keep closest to you, they are the ones who know you and love you for who you are.  The friends for a lifetime are the ones who will stick by you when you need them the most.  At the same time YOU need to be that friend, I need to be that friend.  I need to be that friend that is born for difficult times.

I am fortunate to have many people I can call "friend" and know that no matter what time of day I needed them they would be there, the above picture is just 3 of them but I know I have many more and I thank you for always being there for me.

Have a great day, and be that friend people need :)
chris

be the difference

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is put out (13:9, CSB)

A Joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit (15:13, CSB)

Bright eyes cheer the heart; good news strengthens the bones (15:30, CSB)

These verses jumped out at me as I was reading through some proverbs today.  The lesson in them is simple and yet profound.  You and I have the opportunity to brighten someone’s day.  We can do it with a smile, a kind word, a card, a note, a hug, or anything random and kind.  We never know the impact our deeds have.

There is a light that is supposed to shine brightly within is, that light is Christ that has taken up residence in our lives.  The goal of the wicked is to try and stop us from making a joyful impact on those around us.  We have within us the ability to cheer the heart, and strengthen the innermost part of people.

There are enough people around that enjoy tearing other down, be different and build them up.  Would you take a moment today and share an encouraging word with someone.  Would you take a moment today and smile.  Would you take a moment today and be the difference in someone’s life.  It only takes a moment, and you and I have much to be smiling about even though it is cold and dreary out.

God is working

^17 Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” (John 5:17)

 

God is always at work… sometimes it is hard to see, sometimes it is hard to believe, and sometimes we know it.  Our problem is understanding that even when we don’t see it, we have to know that He is.  Think of it as a “tag team” match, God, His Son Jesus, and His Holy Spirit are always working, even when we don’t know it.  Through the good, bad, and ugly of times God is up to and doing something.  He is orchestrating behind the scenes.  He is working things out for His glory and your life.

 

In the frustrations of life, we need this reassurance.  There is so much bad that happens, so much negativity, that God wants us to have Hope.  Hope that He is doing something, Hope that He will use what is going on in your life, Hope for a better tomorrow, Hope for the future, Hope that there is something bigger and better going on than what you and I can see.  Hope that gets us up in the morning, Hope that helps us to get to sleep at night, and Hope that gives us purpose.

 

God is always at work, yes He is.  In me, in you, and around us.  When it seems like there is nothing going on, there is.  He is.

His word is His bond

^49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” ^50 Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed.  (John 4:49-50)

 

Jesus was in Cana of Galilee, mind you the same area where He performed His first miracle (the turning of water to wine).  As Jesus is going through a royal official comes to Him and asks for help with his son, apparently on the verge of death.  Jesus just simply looks at him and responds “go, your son will live”.  The official has a decision here: am I going to just simply take Him at His word, or do I need more.

 

I hear of times past where one could take someone simply at their word, their word was their bond.  Sometimes a firm handshake would follow, regardless both parties would leave with the assurance that the other would follow through.  I don’t really know these times.  If you are like me, life is full of broken promises, empty words, and failed reassurances.  Now don’t get me wrong, there are a few that their word is their bond, but they are just a FEW.  Most don’t intentionally break promises.  There are some that just forget, some that mean well and just overload themselves, and some that make promises just to get you to do what they want.  Every situation is different.  When someone breaks a promise, it affects you, and when it keeps happening you lose hope in people.  Maybe you are there, maybe you are close, or maybe you still believe in the word and handshake.  However, if you are like me, most promises that someone has made to me have been broken and it leaves me as a skeptic.  The very moment someone says to me now, “I will do it, I promise”, in the back of my mind I am already thinking, “yeah, right”.

 

Then comes Jesus.  We don’t know if the man’s life was full of empty promises or fulfilled ones.  Here is the one thing He knew, Jesus had told him that he may go, and His son will live.  The official wanted Jesus to come to his home, Jesus had made it apparent that He didn’t need to and the miracle was already done.  I wonder when he walked away how he felt, I wonder if he thought “man this guy Jesus is too busy for me, He totally blew me off”.  Now imagine how he felt when he got home to find his son totally healed.  Sometimes we think we need to direct Jesus to do things the way we want Him to.  Sometimes we think that the world is just full of empty promises and broken words.  Jesus however has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us, He has promised to be with always, and He has promised to walk with us through every aspect of life, and all He is asking is for us to do as the official did and take Him at His word, even if you do not understand it.

 

Chris

less is more

 

^30 He must become greater; I must become less. (John 3:30)

 

If I was to set a goal for this year, and should, this would be it.  For He (being Christ) to become greater and I to become less.  This is all about giving up control.  Control of what?  Me.  I like being in control, don’t you?  Most of us do.  I don’t like being a passenger in a car, I like to drive.  Why?  Control.  I want to be in control of my life, my decisions, my job, my children, and so on and so forth.  Control makes us feel powerful.  To become a stronger Christian we have to do opposite of that.  We have to be willing to give up control to our Creator and His Son Jesus Christ.  This is no easy task, for anyone I know, and this is not excluding myself.  I know it is hard.

The concept is the more that I move out of the way, the greater God can work in me and through me.  This life can no longer be about me, it HAS to be about Him.  This leads us to discover what we where created for and what our purpose is.  This further leads us to see that the world does NOT revolve around just me or you.  There is a much bigger picture that God is painting.  We don’t have the ability to see this picture when we are all wrapped up in ourselves. 

So remember:  less is more.

have a great day, Chris



My year end review of 2016

Life has a funny way of picking up speed the older I get, therefore I am taking some time today and reflect on the past year.  Let me just say that 2015 had some extreme lows, so I had some real high hopes for 2016.  2016 did not let me down either.

January 2016 brought some real change for me personally as I began the journey back to school again, and now I have 12 months under my belt and am going strong.  January also saw the launch of the Enka Kids program at church.  The launch of the ministry brought new direction and hope into the life and purpose of our church.

February was a cold month, however it brought some quality time with a friend of mine Kevin Burns as we traveled to Franklin to see Tim Tebow, Kevin then welcomed his son into the world not long after.

March is always an exciting month as Winter draws to an end and Easter rolled in the last weekend of the month.  March began a journey with all my younger girls of learning softball, they (well we all had) many a cold evening on the ball field.

April proved itself to be a relatively calm month that consisted of lots of softball practice and games.

May proved itself to be extremely busy.  Softball games and practice. Field days at school.  Middle of may the twins had a tournament at Etowah where both of them hit their first double's, and I ran the earthfare 5k.  We also began the daunting task of preparing for VBS in July.

June began summer break for the kiddos and consisted of them attending the Echoview camp one week, and Rebekah attended the Crossfire Basketball camp the next.

July had a great beginning with family and friends on the 4th, all my girls went to the Sugar Jets Softball camp, Samantha got her braces, took the girls to see Little Mermaid Live in Franklin, had a great week of VBS with bunch of kids and 6 professions of faith and baptisms, and got to go to the Dean's list program at AB TEch for my eldest child Ginny.

August was a tough month, lost a dear member of our church, Mr. Jim.  Mr Jim and I hit it off right away when I came to the church as pastor.  He was one of my biggest supporters and cheerleaders.  My family and I took some time and visited my dad in Florida, had a great week of sun, beaches, dinosaurs, and family time.  Took the twins to Carowinds before school started back.

September was the annual College football road trip as we headed to the university of Tennessee to see them take on Appalachian State, App led the entire game until TN got late game lead.  September also began the fall softball practices.

October brought us more softball games, performing Myjenta and Chuck's wedding ceremony, a fall ball, and an extremely successful Trunk or treat.

November cannot be discussed without the election, there was an election and Trump the longshot won.  I voted early in October, but stayed up until there was a clearly defined winner.  Attended the State convention in Greensboro, spent some time with great friends, and met up with some other Young pastors Network.  Found out that I was recommended for and accepted into the Tarheel Leadership Network for 2017 and am excited about that..  Spent a quiet Thanksgiving at home with the wife and kiddos.

December brought to close a fast year.  Mom had shoulder replacement surgery, lots of Christmas parties and events, hosted a deacon staff and spouse dinner, took the kiddos to see the Nutcracker ballet in Franklin, and closed out this year with a fantastic Christmas.

All in all was an extremely great year.  I found myself growing spiritually and emotionally.  Made some real good strides and headway.  Was able to get some closure on a disintegrated friendship, and made a fantastic new one.  Ran over 1000k in 2016 and got a lot of biking in as well.  Lost 10 lbs., My oldest child finished up AB tech, Rebekah was placed in AIG (Academic Intellectually Gifted) and made it into Duke university's TIP program, Samantha is closer to AB honor roll than ever before, and Olivia is staying ahead of grade levels on her subjects.

Yes, after a disastrous 2015 that was loaded with a lot of hurt and change in our lives it led us into a fantastic 2016 and am looking forward to an even better 2017, and that my friends is my year end review.

Chris