This Sunday

Tuesday is my study-all-day day. The last couple of weeks it has been interrupted by various things. Today, though has been a good day. In fact, it is almost 5:00 and I'm tired of studying (that never happens).

I thought I would give you a little heads up on this coming Sunday's messages. In the morning, I will be doing the fourth and last part in my series on How to Make Godly Decisions. We will be looking at the first 8 to 10 verses in Proverbs 3.

In the evening, we will be continuing our walk through the book of Romans. I haven't decided for sure whether we will do Romans 3:1-20 or break that up and just do verses 1-9 this week. I've been preparing for all twenty verses today, but it is a lot of material. I'll be back on that on Thursday and make a decision then.

There is not a lot to report on the family scene lately, although two interesting things did happen yesterday...

In our family devotions, everyone was reading the story of the woman caught in adultery from John 8. (We all read separately and then come together for our devotion time.) I had carefully crafted a way to talk about the story without dealing with exactly what adultery is with my seven and nine year old daughters. Well, when we began the devotion, I asked Emily, the seven year old, to tell us what the story was about and boy did she. She said that this woman had S-E-X (she spelled it because she thought it was a bad word) with a man she wasn't married to and the religious people caught her doing it. I was floored. So much for my plans to deal lightly with the subject. As it turned out, she was reading out of a children's Bible and the Bible, instead of using the word 'adultery' decided to spell out exactly what happened. Needless to say, the devotion didn't go very smoothly.

Last night, Donna had something she needed to go to, so the girls and I decided to go visit someone we knew who was in a hospital in Columbus. I told the girls that while we were out of town, we should eat something that none of us had ever eaten before. We ended up at a Mongolian Barbeque place. The girls had a great time!



Pastor Noel

Consequences Card

Sunday in my morning message I made reference to a card I always carry in my wallet. It is a card I made several years ago that lists the consequences that I would face if I fell morally. I pull this card out and read it from time to time. It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of fleeing from sexual temptation and sin.

Several people asked about the card after the service. Here is the list of the consequences I have listed on my card (in no particular order)...

• It would break my wife's heart and she would weep with disappointment.

• It would have to explain to my girls why I had hurt their mom so badly.

• I would lose my ministry.

• I would grieve my heavenly Father.

• I would give the world license to ridicule my Savior.

• I would become a stumbling block and an excuse for unsaved people.

• I would have to explain it to my mother and my mother-in-law.

• I would lose the respect of my peers.

• It would be much more difficult to hold my daughters to a standard.

Maybe you would consider writing out the likely consequences that you would face. We could all use a reminder from time to time.

Pastor Noel

Clarity II

Someone emailed me and pointed out that the video link on my blog post titled, "Clarity" was now broken. I have replaced the video link with two that should work now.

The can scroll down to 8/27 or just click here.

Pastor Noel

Raising Our Paygrade

Last Sunday's AM Message...

click here

Pastor Noel

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Proverbs on Relationships

I was studying today in preparation for an upcoming series of messages. I was planning on preaching a few messages from the book of Proverbs on relationships among Christians. So I read through the book and tried to categorize all the 'relationship' verses by topic so that I would have a better handle on what Proverbs has to say about the subject. I didn't include verses on family relationships or on sexual relationships because that wasn't my focus (although there are plenty of those verses).

I've decided to go a different direction with my message series, but I thought some people would find this verse list interesting.

Read through these verses or focus on a category that interests you. Remember, though, that as you read them you should think of how they can apply to your own life, not just about how they can apply to people you know :).

Pastor Noel

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Accountability to Others / Taking Advice

Proverbs 10:17 NLT People who accept correction are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore it will lead others astray.

Proverbs 12:15 NLT Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others.

Proverbs 13:10 NLT Pride leads to arguments; those who take advice are wise.

Proverbs 13:13 NLT People who despise advice will find themselves in trouble; those who respect it will succeed.

Proverbs 13:14 NLT The advice of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.

Proverbs 13:18 NLT If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept criticism, you will be honored.

Proverbs 15:10 NLT Whoever abandons the right path will be severely punished; whoever hates correction will die.

Proverbs 15:12 NLT Mockers don't love those who rebuke them, so they stay away from the wise.

Proverbs 15:22 NLT Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success.

Proverbs 15:31 NLT If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.

Proverbs 15:32 NLT If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.

Proverbs 18:2 NLT Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.

Proverbs 19:20 NLT Get all the advice and instruction you can, and be wise the rest of your life.

Proverbs 19:27 NLT If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you have turned your back on knowledge.

Proverbs 20:18 NLT Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without the advice of others.

Proverbs 24:5-6 NLT A wise man is mightier than a strong man, and a man of knowledge is more powerful than a strong man. 6 So don't go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many counselors.

Proverbs 25:11-12 NLT Timely advice is as lovely as golden apples in a silver basket. 12 Valid criticism is as treasured by the one who heeds it as jewelry made from finest gold.

Proverbs 27:17 NLT As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 29:1 NLT Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond repair.


Admonishing a Fellow Believer

Proverbs 9:8-9 NLT So don't bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more. 9 Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more.

Proverbs 12:26 NLT The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.

Proverbs 17:10 NLT A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

Proverbs 25:13 NLT Faithful messengers are as refreshing as snow in the heat of summer. They revive the spirit of their employer.

Proverbs 27:9 NLT The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

Proverbs 27:17 NLT As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.



Bad Company Corrupts Good Character

Proverbs 1:10-15 NLT My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! 11 They may say, "Come and join us. Let's hide and kill someone! Let's ambush the innocent! 12 Let's swallow them alive as the grave swallows its victims. Though they are in the prime of life, they will go down into the pit of death. 13 And the loot we'll get! We'll fill our houses with all kinds of things! 14 Come on, throw in your lot with us; we'll split our loot with you." 15 Don't go along with them, my child! Stay far away from their paths.

Proverbs 13:20 NLT Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 14:7 NLT Stay away from fools, for you won't find knowledge there.

Proverbs 20:19 NLT A gossip tells secrets, so don't hang around with someone who talks too much.

Proverbs 22:24-25 NLT Keep away from angry, short-tempered people, 25 or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.

Proverbs 23:20-21 NLT Do not carouse with drunkards and gluttons, 21 for they are on their way to poverty. Too much sleep clothes a person with rags.

Proverbs 24:21-22 NLT My child, fear the LORD and the king, and don't associate with rebels. 22 For you will go down with them to sudden disaster. Who knows where the punishment from the LORD and the king will end?


Benefits of Fellowship

Proverbs 13:20 NLT Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 15:17 NLT A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.

Proverbs 18:24 NLT There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.


Careless Speech

Proverbs 11:9 NLT Evil words destroy one's friends; wise discernment rescues the godly.

Proverbs 11:11 NLT Upright citizens bless a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

Proverbs 11:12 NLT It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.

Proverbs 12:18 NLT Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

Proverbs 13:3 NLT Those who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything.

Proverbs 15:28 NLT The godly think before speaking; the wicked spout evil words.

Proverbs 18:7 NLT The mouths of fools are their ruin; their lips get them into trouble.

Proverbs 21:23 NLT If you keep your mouth shut, you will stay out of trouble.

Proverbs 25:18 NLT Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.

Proverbs 26:18-19 NLT Just as damaging as a mad man shooting a lethal weapon 19 is someone who lies to a friend and then says, "I was only joking."

Proverbs 29:20 NLT There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.


Controlled Temper

Proverbs 12:16 NLT A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

Proverbs 13:3 NLT Those who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything.

Proverbs 13:16 NLT Wise people think before they act; fools don't and even brag about it!

Proverbs 14:17 NLT Those who are short-tempered do foolish things, and schemers are hated.

Proverbs 14:29 NLT Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes.

Proverbs 15:1 NLT A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.

Proverbs 15:18 NLT A hothead starts fights; a cool-tempered person tries to stop them.

Proverbs 15:28 NLT The godly think before speaking; the wicked spout evil words.

Proverbs 17:27 NLT A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

Proverbs 19:11 NLT People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs.

Proverbs 20:22 NLT Don't say, "I will get even for this wrong." Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.

Proverbs 26:4-5 NLT When arguing with fools, don't answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are. 5 When arguing with fools, be sure to answer their foolish arguments, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

Proverbs 29:11 NLT A fool gives full vent to anger, but a wise person quietly holds it back.

Proverbs 29:22 NLT A hot-tempered person starts fights and gets into all kinds of sin.


Criticism

Proverbs 3:30 NLT Don't make accusations against someone who hasn't wronged you.

Proverbs 11:12 NLT It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.


Encouragement

Proverbs 12:25 NLT Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Proverbs 27:17 NLT As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.


Fairness

Proverbs 24:23 NLT Here are some further sayings of the wise:It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.


Forgiveness

Proverbs 17:9 NLT Disregarding another person's faults preserves love; telling about them separates close friends.

Proverbs 19:11 NLT People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs.


Friendship

Proverbs 18:24 NLT There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 25:17 NLT Don't visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome.

Proverbs 27:10 NLT Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.


Gossip

Proverbs 11:13 NLT A gossip goes around revealing secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

Proverbs 16:28 NLT A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.

Proverbs 17:9 NLT Disregarding another person's faults preserves love; telling about them separates close friends.

Proverbs 18:8 NLT What dainty morsels rumors are – but they sink deep into one's heart.

Proverbs 20:19 NLT A gossip tells secrets, so don't hang around with someone who talks too much.

Proverbs 25:23 NLT As surely as a wind from the north brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!

Proverbs 26:20 NLT Fire goes out for lack of fuel, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.


Healing Speech

Proverbs 12:18 NLT Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

Proverbs 12:25 NLT Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Proverbs 15:1 NLT A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.

Proverbs 20:15 NLT Wise speech is rarer and more valuable than gold and rubies.

Proverbs 25:15 NLT Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can crush strong opposition.

Proverbs 27:9 NLT The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.


Kindness

Proverbs 3:3-4 NLT Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.

Proverbs 3:27-28 NLT Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them. 28 If you can help your neighbor now, don't say, "Come back tomorrow, and then I'll help you."

Proverbs 11:17 NLT Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.

Proverbs 11:25 NLT The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 14:21 NLT It is sin to despise one's neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor.

Proverbs 15:1 NLT A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.

Proverbs 17:17 NLT A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.


Loyalty

Proverbs 3:3-4 NLT Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.

Proverbs 17:17 NLT A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

Proverbs 19:22 NLT Loyalty makes a person attractive. And it is better to be poor than dishonest.

Proverbs 20:6 NLT Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is really faithful?

Proverbs 27:10 NLT Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.


Reconciling Broken Relationships

Proverbs 18:19 NLT It's harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars.


Sowing Discord / Arguing

Proverbs 6:16, 19b NLT There are six things the LORD hates – no, seven things he detests: ... a person who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 17:14 NLT Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Proverbs 17:19 NLT Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who speaks boastfully invites disaster.

Proverbs 18:6 NLT Fools get into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating.

Proverbs 18:19 NLT It's harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars.

Proverbs 20:3 NLT Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

Proverbs 22:10 NLT Throw out the mocker, and fighting, quarrels, and insults will disappear.

Proverbs 22:24-25 NLT Keep away from angry, short-tempered people, 25 or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.

Proverbs 26:17 NLT Yanking a dog's ears is as foolish as interfering in someone else's argument.

Proverbs 26:21 NLT A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.

Clarity

The previous video I had linked on this post is no longer working. Here is the same information in two videos...



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The Shack II

Yesterday, I posted my review of the William Young book called The Shack. Wow, that was great for increasing viewership on my blog!

Here is a video clip of a review of the book by Mark Driscoll. (I hear Oprah Winfrey has a different view, I'm still looking for her video.)



Pastor Noel

The Shack

Several people have asked me my thoughts on the very popular William Young book called, The Shack. The first I heard of the book was in July. My wife and I were in Myrtle Beach having dinner with some friends right after one of them had just finished reading the book. She said it was the most unusual book she had read. She had it with her and told me I could take it and read it.

I hardly ever read Christian fiction, so I thought, “This will sit on my night stand for months.” (Although, I should say that the Christian fiction book by Randy Alcorn called Safely Home is one of the best five books I have ever read in my life. You can read my blog post about that book here.)

The book did sit on my night stand for several weeks, but it seemed someone new would ask me about the book every few days. So last week I picked it up and read it. What do I think about this controversial book? Well...

In short, I don’t think it would be a helpful book for a non-believer wanting to know more about God or young Christian not yet very grounded in the Word.

The book is full of ‘theology’. It presents an unorthodox view of God, the Trinity, and God’s relationship with man. Most of the ‘theology’ presented is OK if you remember this is a fictional book that is trying to make a point by painting a caricature of God. The caricature resembles the truth we know about God from Scripture, but a caricature always shows things out of proportion, and this book definitely does that.

For certain, there are many things in the book that flat contradict Scripture. To name a few...

William Young’s explanation of the role (and sin) of authority (God’s authority, man’s authority, submission to authority) is blatantly wrong. The Bible tells us repeatedly of the authorities God has set up and our responsibility to those authorities. The Bible teaches that we can’t be right with God unless we are also right the with authorities in our lives. In the Bible we see authority not as something that clouds our understanding of God, but just the opposite. God sets up systems of authority to teach us how to relate to Him. Understanding, respecting, and submitting to authority is the KEY to a close walk with the Lord. There is nothing more central to Scripture whether you are reading the law, the proverbs, the prophets, the gospels, or the epistles. The Shack misses this completely. The book teaches that no hierarchy can be found in the Trinity of God or has been instituted by God on earth. The only problem with that is the many verses that talk about the submission of God the Son to the authority of God the Father, the many verses that talk about the submission we should have to the governmental authorities that God has established, the many verses that talk about how authority and submission should work in a marriage and with kids, the many verses that talk about how authority should be organized in a church, and the many Bible warnings about the sin of rebellion against God ordained authorities. The Shack is wrong about authority!

Secondly, the Trinity is badly maligned in the book. When God gave us the Bible, He showed us the right way to look at the Trinity. God chose to describe the relationship between the ‘Godheads’ as the relationship of a Father, a Son, and a Spirit. It is no small thing to just change imagery for ‘shock’ effect or to get people to think of God in a new way. There are some things that are sacred. God is ALWAYS presented in His perfect Word as the Father, Son, and Spirit. Tinkering with that can’t be good, and saying, there is a better way to understand that relationship than the way God has revealed it to us borders on blaspheme.

The book’s worst error, however, is in how it presents God with a benevolence that precludes wrath. The book hints that there may be other parts of God that we cannot understand that explain why He appears to have wrath and anger, but the image of God that we come away with is of a God that does not have standards, expectations, or the anger and wrath that come because of the violation of these. If you know much about Scripture (the only authoritative source we have on the nature of God), then I don’t have to list the thousands of verses that show that while God is love and has provided for our sins to be forgiven, He is also a God of justice and of wrath. I’m sure you remember the stories of Jesus making whips and driving out the money changers. I’m sure you’ve read of God’s many judgments upon the earth. I’m sure you know the standard of church discipline that God instructs the New Testament church to hold. I’m sure you noticed that Jesus taught as much about the fires of hell as He did the forgiveness of God. There seems to be a new PC (political correctness) among many Bible teachers. In many of these modern movements and modern views of God, people feel like they have to clean up God’s image and omit much of what the Bible clearly teaches. I think this is very unfortunate.

So, do I recommend the book? No. I wouldn’t recommend it. In all honesty, I did enjoy the book. And I was personally challenged in some areas. But without a very firm grounding in Scripture, I believe many readers will come away with an extremely skewed view of God.

My fear with this book is that many people will develop their understanding of God more from this than from Scripture. I know people who have read the 250+ pages of The Shack that hadn’t read the New Testament even once in the past year. For those people, this emotional book will warp their view of God in a way they may never recover from. Some have said, that it is great news that this Christian book has been on the best seller lists for weeks. I disagree. I cringe every time I hear that someone else has started reading it.

Pastor Noel Dear

God Should Not Be Our Priority!

I was reading a book at lunch today called The Shack by William Young. Many people have asked me about my opinion on this best-seller and the theology it teaches, and once I'm finished with the book, I will post my view. But I ran across a very interesting and insightful paragraph today that I want to share with you. I have changed the names a little so this will make better sense to those who have not read the book and thus don't know the characters...

"The trouble with living by priorities," [the Holy Spirit] spoke, "is that it sees everything as a hierarchy, a pyramid, and you and I have already had that discussion. If you put God at the top, what does that really mean and how much is enough? How much time do you give me before you can go on about the rest of your day, the part that interests you so much more?" [God the Father] interrupted. "You see, Mackenzie, I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece, that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day." Jesus now spoke again. "Mack, I don't want to be first among a list of values; I want to be the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than a pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life--your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities-- is connected to me but moves with the wind, in and out and back and forth, in an incredible dance of being."

The phrase that most caught my attention was, "I don't want to be first among a list of values; I want to be the center of everything."

The real question is not, "How big a part of your life will you give to the Lord?" It isn't even, "What priority is God going to take in your life?" The real question is whether or not your focus stays on Him in everything you do... job... family... hobbies... ministry... and so on...

Pastor Noel

Was Sunday A Good Day?

Twenty-two people from nine families joined our church...

Two people made public their surrender to full time missions work in Africa...

Pastor Noel

Stausz's Commit To Kenya

Exciting News!

Greg and Lisa Strausz, a young couple in our church, made public today in church their decision to sell everything they have and move to Kenya to work with our partner church there and the unreached people group with whom we have started a new work.

I believe this is one of the greatest days in the history of our church. I am amazed how fast God has worked from a conversation over my dinner table with Pastor Fredrick about a year ago about this unreached people group to today where we have an ongoing ministry to that group of Muslims, we are sending a large number of their orphaned children to a Christian school, and now we have this couple going over to help with the work! Wow!

Please pray for Greg and Lisa. This is a great commitment (a bigger commitment than most of us will ever make). Thank God for their willingness to sacrifice and go (a level of sacrifice that few of us will ever make).

What a great day!

Pastor Noel Dear

It Has Begun...

The daily devotion blog (MyMornings.blogspot.com) officially started this morning. Make sure you read the blog post entitled "Introduction -- Part III" before you begin.

Pastor Noel

My Mornings -- Part II

If you haven't read the 'My Mornings' blog post then you should stop and read that first.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your daily devotions or quiet times...

• Read the Bible -- This may seem obvious, but many people lean to much on devotional books. Those may be helpful, but it is important that we read God's Word and not just what someone says about God's Word. I suggest you use a Bible that is easy for you to read, especially if you are just getting started in your quiet times.
  

• Use a Notebook & Pen -- You should write down the things you learn during your devotional time. When you go to an important meeting with your boss you write down what he or she says, why not treat your meeting with the Lord each morning with the same seriousness.

• Mark in your Bible -- If your Bible has large enough margins, jot notes about what you discover. These will be very useful to you through the years. Develop a system that uses colored pens or pencils. I write things I learn and new insights I discover in black ink. I use blue ink to write things I learn that I should begin to do... action lessons. When I find things I should be thankful for or things that I should praise God for, I mark them with red ink. If your Bible doesn't have wide enough margins for this, you can put little numbers next to the passages you want to jot a note about and then write the corresponding number in your notebook and record your thoughts there.

• Find a good place -- It is best to have a certain time and place where you have your daily devotions. This should be a place free of distractions.
  

• Focus on Faithfulness -- Your faithfulness is much more important than the length of time you spend each day. While you don't want to rush through this, and spending more time will certainly be better, the most important thing is that this is a DAILY habit.

• Keep a Prayer Journal -- Whether it is in your Bible Study notebook or in a separate journal, you should write down the things you want to pray for. A simple list is better than nothing, but the more specific you record this, the more helpful it will be to you.

• Have a CHAT with the Lord -- The best way I know to outline your prayers is to use the acronym C-H-A-T. C stands for Confession. H stands for Honor. A stands for Asking. T stands for Thanksgiving. I use this daily to guide my morning prayers.

Well, we will get started tomorrow. Don't forget to check out MyMornings.blogspot.com. (This is a duplicate post with the one on the other blog. The actual quiet time posts will only be found on the MyMornings blog.)

Pastor Noel

My Mornings

Last Sunday morning I was preaching on the Parable of the Soils from Mark 4. One of the points I was emphasizing was the importance of getting God's Word into your life. Many people expose themselves to God's Word by casually attending a church service from time to time or by flipping through their Bibles when they feel like it. Others will occasionally read Christian books or magazines. But none of these activities really qualifies as getting the Word of God into your life as the Parable of Soils pictures for us.

Sunday I compared our 'exposure' to God's Word to a hot, tired, athlete who is about to die of thirst being splashed with water from a hose. Initially the splash might seem refreshing, but it will not be satisfying. No! The hot, tired, thirsty athlete does not need to be splashed with water, he needs to drink the water. The only way he can be satisfied and renewed is to take the water in his body!

In the message I shared several ways a person can take God's Word into his or her life. One of the most important ways is through a daily time of Bible Study and Prayer. Often we call this a 'Quiet Time.' It consists of sitting down each morning with a Bible, a notebook, and a pen, and then spending time the Lord. I believe this practice is invaluable and essential in the Christian life.

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You. --- Psalms 143:8 NKJ

Every time I speak about having these 'quiet times', many people have questions about how to get started, how to be consistent, how to make it more effective, and so on...

If you have questions like that, I want to be helpful in a couple of ways. First, we are starting a series of Saturday morning discipleship seminars beginning in September. One of these seminars is specifically designed to answer these 'quiet time' questions. But more on that later.

The second help I want to give is to share my 'quiet time' routine with you each morning. For some, this might be a good example that you can learn from and then adapt it to your own 'quiet time' routine. Others may want to follow along with me and use this as a primitive devotional guide for a time.

I'm not sure how long I will do this (your level of interest will determine that), but at least for the next couple of months, after my morning quiet times, I will post a blog with the Scripture that I have studied, the insights that God has shown me in that Scripture passage, along with some added comments that might guide you in your own quiet time experience. Most mornings I can have this post done early. Fridays and Saturdays may be the exception, but I should still get them posted before nine o'clock.

I will start this quiet time blog posting this Thursday (8/14). My QT (Quiet Time) will begin in 1 Corinthians that morning.

The blog will not be posted here, but rather on a new blog address...

MyMornings.blogspot.com

I hope you will check it out. If you decide to use this in anyway with your quiet time routine, let me know and keep me posted with how it is going.

If this seems helpful to you at all, pass the word!

Pastor Noel

Back to Kenya

Well, we had another team leave today to work with our mission church and school in Kenya. It broke my heart that I wasn't going with them. They will have an incredible experience.

As many of you know, the Lord has given our church an open door to begin to share the Gospel with a previously unreached people group, some of whom live near our partner church in the Chafisi area of Kenya. I can't name this group of Muslims online, but those of you who attend our services regularly know them well.

We are currently sending nearly fifty orphans, many of whom are from this unreached group, to our Christian school each day. We are also providing them with some clothing and basic nutrition. And thanks to many of you, that number is going up every month.

One problem, though, has been that we are running out of room in the present school buildings. The school already had a large number of students before we started bringing in students from this Muslim community.

Michael George, our Kenya liason leader, called me about three weeks ago while I was on vacation and said we really needed to provide more space for the school. He said it would cost a minimum of $10,000. I told him we weren't really in a place where we could make any kind of big appeal for funds since so many people in our church were currently sponsoring the orphans. We decided we would just pray, share the prayer request and see what happened.

Well, within five days someone came around and asked if $5,000 would help. We were off to a good start, but $5,000 wouldn't build the structure that is needed. So Sunday I briefly mentioned it to the church as a prayer request. By the end of the day we had collected another $6,000!

So the Kenya team is taking some very good news to Chafisi Baptist church and school!

I am so thankful for our church and our willingness to put the needs of lost people on the other side of the world ahead of the things we could do here that would only benefit ourselves. This year our church will invest over $70,000 in our mission in Kenya. People, including some very hard to reach Muslims, are coming to Christ because of the sacrifice that is being made.

Be in prayer for our mission team as they travel. They left the church this afternoon around 1:30 and will arrive in Chafisi around 5:00 a.m. on Friday. It is a long trip. Pray for their strength and patience.

Pastor Noel

Thanks to all of you who sacrifice every month to sponsor one of these kids. Thanks to those who have given to make sure this new school building gets built quickly.