Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “The kind of strength that matters is the kind that comes from God.”

Yesterday was Father’s Day. In churches all across the land sermons were preached about what it means to be a godly man. Much was probably said about character and integrity, faithfulness and dependability, grace under pressure, God-honoring homes, strong marriages, and much more. And certainly, in many of those sermons, there was probably some teaching about the virtues of strength and compassion.

All of those character traits are important and they’re commonly found in good godly men. But contrast that portrait with the man in the lyrics of an old song by rock singer Bonnie Tyler. In her hit “I Need a Hero” she sang,

“Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where’s the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?

Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need.

I need a hero. I’m holding out for a hero
‘Til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight.
I need a hero …”

The man Bonnie Tyler sang about is the myth-man perpetrated by modern culture. He’s the GQ model in stylish clothes driving a fast sports car and vacationing in exotic locations.

Unfortunately he is also the man many women seek, and who many men pretend to be. But he is a myth. And usually women discover that too late. Usually it’s only after they have been hurt and abandoned, sometimes to raise the kids alone, that they begin to realize there is actually a different kind of man who makes a much better husband and a much better father. He’s the godly man. He’s the man who loves Jesus. He’s the man who reads His Bible, takes His family to church, and who genuinely strives to be a faithful follower of Christ.

Our churches are filled with women who have experienced life with both kinds of men. Ask them which they prefer. Ask them what matters more to them now, GQ stylish, or faithfulness, dependability, kindness, consideration, and compassion.

Go ahead, ask them. I think I know how they’ll respond. They found their hero – but not on the pages of GQ magazine. They found him in church.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion:

Our Bible verse for today: “If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.” James 2:15-17 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Real strength shows itself in acts of compassion to those in need.”

Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time in gyms that cater to serious weight lifters – especially on military bases. As a result, I’ve come to know a lot of men who are physically very strong. Most of those guys are fine men who are simply trying to stay physically fit. Unfortunately some of them are macho meatheads who are entirely too impressed with themselves. In their cases their great physical strength has resulted in what I consider to be serious character flaws. They may be physically strong, but they are weak in the much more important area of character development.

Similarly, for the last twenty years I’ve spent a lot of time with a wide variety of Christian leaders including pastors, missionaries, authors, deacons, etc. Most of them are fine Christians who faithfully and humbly serve Jesus and other people. Unfortunately some others are dogmatic, overly-opinionated, and unnecessarily confrontational. These men and women have developed a very narrow perspective of the Christian faith that doesn’t allow room for anyone who sees things differently than they do. Usually these people are pushy and overbearing, cold and demanding, and often they think of themselves as being very strong in the faith. But like our muscle-bound meathead friends, these hard-shell Christians are actually weaker in the faith not stronger.

The model of Jesus and the teaching of the New Testament actually call us to a different kind of strength. This is a strength that results in compassionate service to others. It is a strength that is clothed in a quiet sense of humility and a genuine desire to bless others. It is strength in the way that Jesus was strong.

This is what James was writing about in James 2:15-17. Words are cheap, it’s action that matters. If our faith is genuine and strong it will prove itself through compassionate acts to those in need. The easy thing to do in such cases is to mutter some empty and meaningless words of “blessing” and then quickly be on your way, leaving the person no better off than they were before you met them. In a spiritual sense, in terms of living your faith, this is a sign of weakness. The harder, but more Biblically correct action is to actually do something to help them.

Rather than speaking words of blessing I encourage you to be the blessing. A strong faith proves itself through humble acts of compassion to those in need.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Making a lasting difference usually takes time.”

 

At CERT International we have been sending small medical and dental teams into the restricted region of the Amazon Jungle to conduct free medical and dental clinics for the Machiguenga Indians for more than 15 years. Although the healthcare was needed, and it did make a difference, our ultimate goal was to share the Gospel and lead people to faith in Christ. That, however, proved to be extremely difficult.

 

One of the restrictions the Peruvian government places upon our teams in order to go into the restricted region is that we can not openly proselytize. If the Indians initiate the conversation by asking questions about our faith, then we are free to answer their questions. But we cannot be the ones to start it. As a result, there was very little spiritual progress made for most of those 15 years. Or so we thought.

 

In February 2015 our team discovered a new spiritual openness among the Indians which we had never seen before. They did ask questions, there was an interest in the Gospel, and the mayor of one village even encouraged us to talk to his people. In that village they are now constructing a small chapel.

 

It turns out that over all those years the Holy Spirit was using the faithful and compassionate service of our team members to make an impression on the hearts of the Indians. And in time, their resistance faded and the fruit was reaped.

 

Author Eric Greitens, sharing his own observations about work in long-term refugee camps wrote, “Great things are won and lasting things are built not in a flash of action but in a long, slow, quiet series of everyday acts performed over a lifetime of steady effort. It is, in fact, the courage to do the thing that we must do, day after day, that enables us to meet the greatest challenges. Lives flourish and justice is done by the steady force of human beings who proceed with a quiet, persistent courage.”

 

It’s easy to get discouraged when it seems as if our best efforts are producing little. But many times it’s simply a matter of keeping at it and in time, the results will come. I encourage you to hang in there and keep doing the thing God has called you to do. Whatever it is, don’t give up. Do what you need to do; do it with strength and compassion and persistence; and trust the Lord for the outcome. Making a lasting difference usually takes time.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “For God did not give us a spirit of fearfulness (or timidity), but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Doing the right thing is often hard and it takes courage.”

 

Sometimes compassion doesn’t look compassionate. Sometimes, to the person on the receiving end, it can be painful and seem harsh. A good example of that is tough love. Tough love requires us to take strong actions (such as disciplinary action) in an effort to address the wrong and potentially destructive behavior of someone we love and care about. Our actions may seem harsh to the recipient, and yet it is driven by love and concern. It’s an act of compassion but it probably doesn’t feel that way to them.

 

It takes strength and resolve and even courage to love someone enough to do this. I read a great statement about this just the other day. The writer said, “Real love stands against that which would destroy the beloved.”

 

Yes, if someone I love and care about is taking an action or exhibiting behavior that is wrong or is going to harm them, I’m going to take a stand against it. But doing so probably won’t be easy. I will have to be strong and determined, and I will have to do it even though it might not seem loving and compassionate to the other person at that time.

 

This is what Paul was trying to teach young Timothy when he wrote 2 Timothy 1:7. God empowers us with the strength to stand against those things which might harm or destroy those we love and care about.

 

Speaking truth, taking disciplinary action, and engaging in tough love, are actually acts of genuine compassion, but it’s compassion with a hard edge and it requires strength and courage. Don’t be afraid and don’t be timid about it. God will enable you to say what needs to be said and to do what needs to be done.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Be intentional about becoming progressively stronger and more compassionate.”

 

How do we become good at anything? By practice. The more we do something the better we become at it. The same is true for the virtues of strength and compassion. The more we intentionally cultivate them, the more they will be evident in our lives.

 

In Philippians 2:12-13 Paul exhorts us to “work out” our salvation. He didn’t mean that we have to work “for” our salvation but that since we are saved, the evidence of that salvation should become more and more apparent in our lives. And when he writes that we are to work it out “with fear and trembling”, he’s not talking about being afraid and shaking in our boots. He’s writing about the Biblical fear of God (an awareness of His majesty and a healthy respect for His awesomeness). Paul’s meaning is that we are to work out our salvation on a daily basis with a clear understanding that it is Almighty God Himself who is working in us and leading us to accomplish His purposes.

 

Part of that “working out” of our salvation will include an intentional effort to be strong and compassionate. This is something that is practiced and which grows day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month, and year-after-year. It is the accumulated effect of sustained growth over long periods of time. It’s something we desire, pray about, and intentionally strive to incorporate into the practice of our faith. The ongoing development of strength and compassion then becomes a way of life.

 

Patient and faithful discipleship over time leads to a stronger and more compassionate follower of Christ. I encourage you to be intentional about becoming progressively stronger and more compassionate.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “Then the king promoted Daniel, gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.” Daniel 2:48 (NRSV)

Our thought for today: “Being strong and compassionate has a positive influence on those around us.”

The story of Daniel is a great illustration of the kind of influence we can have on others by demonstrating strength and compassion over a sustained period of time.

Daniel was a slave in the empire of Babylon. He had been assigned to serve in the palace of the king and was expected to follow the lifestyle (an unhealthy and unholy one) established by the king’s administrators. But rather than defile himself, he courageously asked to be allowed to remain faithful to the practices he believed to be right and true. He promised that by doing so he would excel in the king’s service. And he did. Ultimately he was promoted to the highest levels of government and served as a key advisor to the king.

If you read the story of Daniel you find that he was a strong and courageous man who was also fair and compassionate. Throughout the telling of the story, which spans decades of time, we consistently see Daniel displaying strength of character. Never do we see him falter and never do we see him acting in an unkind or unfair way. We also never read of him abusing his power or using it for his own benefit.

He was strong in the ways that mattered, and at the same time he was also compassionate and kind. As a result, Daniel had a tremendous amount of influence over everyone around him. People noticed the kind of man he was and they were impressed.

The same can be true for you and me. You may never be an advisor to a king like Daniel was, but when the people around you see that you are a man or woman of integrity, a person with the strength of character to courageously take a stand for what is important to you, and that you have a deeply ingrained sense of fairness and compassion, your influence upon them will be real and significant.

God can use such men and women. They are the ones who have the greatest influence for good in their homes, in their neighborhoods, in the workplace, and in the church. Society is a better place because of the Daniel’s among us. Becoming one is a worthy goal.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Pray for strength and compassion.

In one of the articles he wrote for “Christianity Today” magazine, Philip Yancey made an interesting and somewhat surprising personal confession. He wrote of how at one point in his life he took stock of where he was in terms of Christian maturity. When he conducted that honest self-assessment he was startled to have to admit that he was, in his own words, “selfish, joyless, loveless, and lacking in compassion.”

As a self-assessment tool Philip used Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-23. Those are the character traits the Holy Spirit brings out in the life of a Christian as that person grows in spiritual maturity and progressively becomes more Christ-like. When Philip honestly assessed himself in that way he had to admit that with the possible exception of self-control, he lacked evidence of all nine of the fruits in his life.

Deeply convicted and somewhat ashamed, Philip adopted the practice of praying Galatians 5:22-23 everyday. On his knees before the Lord he specifically prayed that God would develop these character traits in his life. Philip wrote of how he came to realize that the fruit of the Spirit cannot be developed in the life of a person by an act of that person’s will. In other words, you don’t get the fruit just because you decide you want it. It’s not something you can do for yourself. The development of those character traits comes about as the Holy Spirit is given free reign to work in your life and to develop your spiritual maturity. And so, Philip prayed. And in time, the growth came.

What does this have to do with our theme of “strength and compassion”? Go back and read that list of fruit of the Spirit again. When we talk about strength we’re not talking about physical strength but spiritual strength. We’re talking about a person who is strong in the Spirit. And compassion – that comes in increasing measure as the Spirit works in and through us. The character traits listed by Paul in that passage describe a person who is spiritually mature, strong, confident, kind, and yes, compassionate.

I encourage you to make Galatians 5:22-23 a regular part of your prayer life. Ask God to develop those traits in you more and more.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “The words we use matter.”

The other day I read a statement which I thought was profoundly insightful regarding the power of words. “A single word of criticism possesses more emotional power than a thousand praises.”

If you stop for a moment to consider what you know to be true of human nature you will realize how accurate that statement is. Criticism lodges deeper in the heart than does praise. People tend to remember criticism longer, and it has more of an impact, than do praises. The average person needs at least ten words of praise and encouragement to overcome the effects of one word of criticism and even then, the criticism tends to linger.

That being the case it’s imperative that we choose our words carefully. What we say matters. Your words have the power to tear someone down or to lift them up, and how you choose to use your words reveals a lot about you.

Do you have the strength of character to be intentionally kind and compassionate with your words, to speak words of life rather than death, to build people up rather than tear them down? Don’t be too quick to answer that. The faults and idiosyncrasies of others can be annoying – even infuriating. It takes a strong and mature Christian to look past or to even ignore a person’s flaws, to refrain from commenting on them altogether, and to focus instead on affirming that person’s value and praising their attributes.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to find fault in others and to make unkind or derogatory remarks about their shortcomings. It does take effort, and spiritual maturity, to intentionally find things to praise them for. Your ability to do that is a measure of your own strength and compassion.

The words you use matter – and they reveal something about you. I encourage you to speak well of people and to speak well to people. Your words have the power to bless or to curse. Speak words of blessing to people today.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “But you, man of God, run from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life that you were called to and have made a good confession about in the presence of many witnesses.” 1Timothy 6:11-12 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “We need people who will challenge us.”

 

Paul and Timothy were partners in ministry but they also had a mentor/student relationship. It was Paul who helped Timothy realize and accept his call to ministry, and it was Paul who guided the young man in his spiritual growth.

 

For almost twenty years Paul provided instruction and counsel to his young protégé, but he also frequently challenged him. That’s what we’re reading in 1Timothy 6:11-12. “Fight the good fight of faith.” “Pursue godly virtues.” “Hold fast to the truth.” In other places Paul urged Timothy to preach the Good News of the Gospel whether people were open to it and willing to accept it or not. He also told the young man to be bold and confident in his leadership, and so much more.

 

It has been said that people who think you are weak will offer you an excuse but people who respect you will offer you a challenge. That’s very true. People who make excuses for you end up enabling your weak behavior and destructive habits. People who believe in you will challenge you to strive for growth and to demonstrate strength and compassion when doing so isn’t easy. They will do that for you because they know you have what it takes to be better and stronger. So it’s crucial to surround ourselves with those who will challenge us like that.

 

Granted, there’s comfort in being with those who will feed into our weaknesses and insecurities – people who will make excuses for us. Being with people who challenge us is harder, but oh so much more rewarding.

 

I encourage you to seek out such people and give them the freedom to speak words of truth and challenge into your life. They will help you to keep moving forward and to grow stronger and better.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Strength and Compassion”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Be strong and courageous; stand firm on the Word of God.”

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” So wrote the 18th century Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke. It was true in his day and it’s still true today – perhaps even more so.

My friends, evil is spreading and many good people are doing nothing. This is especially true of the Church as it confronts a rapidly shifting cultural landscape. When it comes to the Gay and Lesbian Agenda, many churches have given-in to the old adage, “If you want to get along you have to go along”. And so, they’re just going along. But doing so means doctrinal compromise and spiritual weakness.

When it comes to standards of truth, morality, and acceptable conduct, the Bible has to be our guide. Whatever the issue is, the measure of what’s ok and what isn’t must be the standard given to us by God in the Bible. And the Bible says what it says. Whether we like it or not and whether we agree with it or not, God didn’t make a mistake when He wrote it. Also, God has not been taken by surprise at the recent developments in our society with respect to sexual ethics. He knew from the beginning of time that this day would come and yet, He wrote what He wrote.

And so as individual Christians and as churches we must rely on the timeless standard of God’s Word as our guide, and not on cultural pressures or a desire to simply get along. This is the clear message of the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 15:58 is just one of the many passages which exhort Christians to courageously stand firm on the unchanging Word of Truth given to us by God our Father.

For 2000 years Christians have always found themselves to be out-of-step with much of what was being promoted in their culture as being right and good. Regardless of the time in history, the geographic location, the people involved, or the particular issues, Christians have consistently found themselves to be counter-cultural. That’s because Christianity “is” counter-cultural.

The answer for us today is the same as it has always been for all Christians everywhere, always, regardless of the issues involved. We are to stand firm on Biblical truth. We will take our lumps for doing so if we have to, but we do so with the knowledge that we have history on our side. The problems, trials, and issues of the past have all faded into history but the Bible is still the Bible, Jesus is still on the throne, and Christianity continues to spread all across the world. Someday soon the issues of our day will also be just faded memories but the Bible will still be the Bible, Jesus will still be on the throne, and Christianity will be alive and well.

So take a stand for Biblical truth! Be bold and courageous. Do so with strength, but also with compassion.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim