New Congregation...Community...Year...and Opportunities

2011 is almost over and the New Year of 2012 will soon be here. With the New Year we have a new home. I began as the pulpit preacher for the Boxwood Church of Christ in Merryville, Louisiana on December 11, 2011. I pray for God's Word to be spread and His Kingdom to be glorified in this congregation, community, and world. Thank you God for blessing me with Your love and this family of God. All praise and glory to Him!

Where is "Home"?

HOME... a four letter word that has so many connotations. If you ask a child where home is, you will usually find out where their house is. A college student will name where they take their dirty laundry for mom to wash it. A soldier on a battlefield in a foreign land may just say "America" or what state they come from. Home to newlyweds is that first place they set up housekeeping together. And during the Christmas holiday season, home is where our family decides to gather for celebrations and dinners. Songs like "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "There Is No Place Like Home For The Holidays" are reminders of the common sentiment most feel during this time of year (Scrooges' excluded).

But as a Christian, HOME has a whole different meaning. "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through" and "I just can't feel at home in this world anymore" are lines from the old beloved song. Our home is truly in Heaven with our father God and his son and our savior Jesus. I have learned that two beloved sisters in Christ have went home in the past few days. We have brothers and sisters in Him making that final journey home every day. And all these are someone's momma or daddy, grandma or grandpa, brother or sister, son or daughter, husband or wife, or friend. And we as humans will miss their physical presence in our lives. But we have that blessed assurance that we will be together again with Christ in Heaven.


Jesus himself tells us: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."  (Matthew 5:4 ESV)

I pray for all those who are mourning the physical  loss of their loved ones; and rejoice at the passing of another saint HOME to their reward. Thank you God for loving us.

Doug

A prayer of Thanksgiving by Paula Harrington

Thank you, Lord, for the family that surrounds us.

Thank you for the children running in circles around the den, the siblings laughing in the kitchen, and the parents resting on the couch.

Thank you for showering us with more blessings than we deserve and that, at any given moment, outweigh our sorrows.

Thank you for holding our hands, catching our tears, and promising that you will never leave.

Thank you for the Christian family you've given each of us. Those brothers and sisters in Christ who are fighting their own battles but still manage to come together to glorify you. Thank you for their encouragement and may we go hand in hand in this walk.

Thank you for those who desire your truth, search your Scriptures, and know that following you is so much more than warming a pew or darkening a door on Sunday mornings.

Thank you for the babies who cry out during the service and the parents who wrestle them.  Please let them cherish these moments for they are fleeting.

Thank you for the children and teens. Bless each of them and give them strength. Only you, Lord, know the trials they face.

Thank you for those who aren't afraid to proclaim Jesus, whether they live down the street or across the globe.

Thank you for believing in us when we don't believe in ourselves, holding us tightly when we feel so far away, and loving us beyond our greatest imagination.

Thank you for allowing us to see you in the eyes of a child, the love of a friend, or the kindness of a stranger.

Thank you for allowing us another year in this world.

Yes, it has its frustrations and difficult moments, but it has its beauty and joy. Help us to be thankful in every season.

Help us, Lord, to be thankful for our problems. They could always be worse.

Help us to be thankful for the empty seat at the dinner table for it means that there was someone we had the opportunity to love and be loved by.  Thank you for the memories and the tears for they have the power to make us stronger.

This day and every day, may our actions speak louder than our words and may they all display our gratefulness for your love, grace, and mercy.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (I Thessalonians 5:18,

NIV)

Giving Thanks by Doug Brackbill

This is a time of year when we pause to "give thanks" for our many blessings. Families will be gathering around tables all over America this week and partake of a feast that has become such a part of our heritage that it is iconic with being an American. It was declared a holiday by Presidential Proclamation in 1863 and made an official Federal holiday by legislation in 1941, always occurring on the fourth Thursday in November. This is the 70th anniversary of the making Thanksgiving a Federal holiday. Every school child in the United Sates knows the story of what we have embraced as the "first" Thanksgiving, where the Pilgrims celebrate their survival after enduring a difficult start in the New World, with the help of their Indian friends. They invoked the name of God and gave Him the thanks due for their blessings.

Did you know that the phrase "give thanks" occurs 59 times in 57 verses in the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible? We are reminded to thank God for all the blessings He bestows on us. One of my favorite "give thanks" passages comes from the apostle Paul:

 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)


"We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing" is the line from the Dutch hymn that appears in many songbooks. Our forefathers knew from whom their blessings flow. And we do too. Let us all give Him thanks everyday for His love and grace in our lives, and the blessing of salvation that was given by the sacrifice of His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving

Waiting....by Doug Brackbill

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
(Isaiah 30:18 ESV)

We as humans seem to have great difficulty waiting for things. Especially during the upcoming Holiday Season. My lovely wife has "broken" me of being a "shaker" trying to find out what is in all those wonderful packages with my name on them. And look at the faces of all our kiddos and adult friends and family as well as December 25th gets closer and closer. We have a hard time "waiting".

But look at what Isaiah tells us: "the LORD waits to be gracious to you". WOW! God waits to give us His grace. David all through the Psalms tells us to "wait on the Lord" but we don't think about God waiting on us, but He does. He waits for us to obey His will for our lives and take on His Son in obedience to the Gospel. He constantly waits for mankind to give Him their love and obedience, and He waits to give us His love and blessings for our lives. Then Isaiah tells us in one of my favorite passages of scripture:

But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 ESV)

"Happily Ever After" by Doug Brackbill

Every school day morning I go out on our front porch and wait with Tori for her bus to come. It has become "our" morning ritual for the past two years. We sit on the swing, and for 10 minutes the world disappears and our conversation becomes the whole focus. And we have has some very enlightening and philosophical discussions. This is a time that she can ask any questions about anything and know that she has my undivided attention, save for the activities of the birds and all of God's other creatures we are blessed to see.

On a side note, every parent should set aside a time for each of their children to be able to talk and ask questions. There is no greater gift a parent can give their child than their time and attention. You will be amazed at how closer it will bring you and your children, and you will be refreshed. You can teach your child so much, and also learn from them as well. Back to our topic:

One morning recently Tori and I were discussing movies. And in her own nine year old way she asked, " Daddy, why do they always have to put mushy stuff into the movies? The boy character and girl character always are together at the end (Sally and Lighting McQueen, Cinderella and the Prince, Jasmin and Aladdin, etc.) and live " happily ever after". Why is that Daddy?" And this question gave me cause to look at this common theme among so many of our movies and books.

We as humans like a "happy" ending. In life and our stories, both real and fictional. We root for the hero, oppose evil, want the characters to find true love, and be happy and prosperous. But do you realize what the greatest "happily ever after" story is? It is the entire Holy Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. That is exactly one of the reasons that Christ told us:

"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (Mark 10:15 ESV)

Look at the entire Bible from the perspective of a child. We in our desire to learn as much as possible from God's Word want to dissect His Word into "books, chapters and verses" and not look at it as one "continual" story, which it is. It covers everything about us from the time God made everything until the end of everything, and all that happens in between. What do we see when we look at the Bible from this perspective?

We see God's Love for us. And how much He cares and protects us. We see Him constantly defeating our enemies for us. And then sending a "hero" to save us who defeats our enemy for the final time. God is the wise and just King, Jesus is the saving Prince (Bridegroom), and we as His church are the Princess (bride of Christ), who gets to live "happily ever after" (in heaven) with our King and Prince "forever and ever" (eternity).

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.  (Revelation 22:1-5 ESV)

And we will live "Happily Ever After" in Heaven. All of our stories ever written have the same theme, because humans have patterned their "happily ever after" stories after the original , God's Word the Bible.

Changes by Doug Brackbill

Things change. The weather changes, fashions change, and most of all; people change. Sometimes change is for good, and sometimes it's not. But change is part of our human experience. We want positive change, and avoid negative change. But what one individual may perceive as negative could be positive to another. I am in a period of change in my life and service to God.

Sunday, October 30, 2011 was my last day in the pulpit at the Willow Springs Church of Christ here in Willow Springs, MO. I was blessed to be able to serve God and His children here for two years and three months. I am thankful to God for allowing me to do this. And I love every individual that worships here, as well as making many friends in the community that will always be a part of me. And I pray for the continued growth and success of this congregation and community.

But we are assured of one thing in this world of constant change...GOD NEVER CHANGES! His word and will for our lives never change. His Son and our Savior never changes. We read: 

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 ESV).

This congregation will have a "new" preacher, and I will have a "new" congregation soon, but the Word of God will be the same. And we must always be focused on the Message and never the messenger. God has told us:

Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  (John 13:16 ESV)

There have been and will be tears of both sadness and joy shed over these changes. And there has been happiness and laughter as well. Pray for this congregation during this time of transition. Pray for me and my family as we look for a new congregation to work for. But most of all, pray for the Gospel to be proclaimed and His will be done in this as in all things. Jesus has assured all of us:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

Thank you God for loving me.

Teach the World to Sing by Doug Brackbill

In the 70's, the Coca Cola company released a commercial with a hillside covered with children from all over the world dressed in their native countries traditional garb singing the now well known song " I Want to Teach the World to Sing". This song and commercial has become iconic with Coke and one of the most successful ad campaigns ever. One of the lines from this song is: "I want to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony." What a wonderful message that is. Now let us look at what God's Word says as well:

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!  (Psalms 96:1-3 ESV)

Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! (Psalms 98:1-4 ESV)


I was blessed to be able to attend all nine of the congregational singings this year here in the central Ozarks of Missouri. The last one of 2011 was last night (Friday, October 28, 2011), and the singing was so good. And it is always so good to be able to sing with fellow Christians. I enjoy the fellowship and friendship we share. But there is a disturbing trend I see in these events, a lack of young parents and children, as well as our teens and young adults. The same people I see enjoying secular music everyday are the ones who are absent from our "singing nights".  And it makes me wonder "why"?

Our children LOVE to sing. If you have any doubt about that, join me any Sunday evening before worship when we have our "Pew Packer". We tell everyone it is for all ages between 1 and 99, all you have to do is sing. But all my precious kiddos. most below the age of 10 ( I don't know why our kids think that it is "uncool" to sing after you turn 10) gather at the front of the auditorium and sing. They sing to God. And they don't care who on earth is listening. And it's not important if they know all the words, are on key, or how loud or soft they sing. Because they know who is listening....GOD! And they sing because they love HIM, and they love to sing.

When we visit the local nursing home, the residents love to sing. Many folks who the passing of time has taken a toll on their memories can still remember the "old standard" hymns and songs they learned many years ago. They may not be able to remember their own name or what they ate last, but they can remember those blessed songs, because they sang them from their youth. And just like the Pew Packer kids, they sing to GOD, and He is pleased.

I want to challenge everyone who reads this blog to sing more, and teach your family and friends to sing too. In doing so you will be praising God and pleasing Him. In the song "Open the Eyes of My Heart" Paul Baloche writes: "Open the eyes of my heart Lord, Open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You. I want to see You." Let us constantly praise God in song. In doing so, we will find it all the easier to follow the Great Commission:

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."  (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

Do You Think They Had a Plan? by Doug Brackbill

Planning is so important. No one builds a house without a set of plans. No successful business is started without a plan. Battles are won and lost in war because of plans. But do people need a plan for their lives? Let's look at two examples and see.

He's 24 years old. Graduated two years from college and has over $50,000.00 in student loan debt. But he was able to get the good job in a new city across the country from his hometown, worked hard, and went out and bought "THE CAR" he dreamed of all those years. Then came the credit cards, the condo in the "right" neighborhood, the clothes, the vacations, and the toys. Then the unthinkable happened...his company downsized...and he lost his job through no fault of his own. His debt is insurmountable and he found himself alone with no one or nowhere to turn. He contemplates ending his life.

She's 24 years old too. Dated the same boy all through high school. They married right after graduation. He worked hard, she made a home for them. Their first beautiful child was born a year later, a precious little girl as pretty as her momma. she was followed by a brother and another sister. She raised her children, loved her husband, and made a home for them all. She was a good woman, wife and mother. Then the unthinkable happened...her husband started staying out late...SHE entered their lives...and he left her and the kids for the other woman... she lost her husband through no fault of her own. She is devastated. Alone with three small children, no income, and no hope.

Looking at these two fictional but yet too true to life examples we can ask the same question; "Do you think these are the lives that they dreamed of when they were thinking of how they wanted their lives to be?" We can be confident in saying that no one would want their lives to turn out that way. Most people dream of what they want their lives to be, but really don't plan for it. We wish and hope, but don't plan.

That is why those financial planners and marriage therapists we hear on radio and TV and read on the internet and in papers and magazines give the following advice..."You have to make a plan and stick to it". By doing this you will be able to extricate yourself from the mess that your life has become. And you know what, they are right. But we already have a plan for our lives...it's called The Gospel...God's plan of salvation. Let's look at our two examples again as if they were following God's plan for their lives.

Our young man wouldn't have lived above his means. He would have been a good steward with the gifts God had given him. And when he lost his job, he would have had his Christian brothers and sisters to support him and encourage him, but most importantly he would have had Jesus and His love in his life. God will help him get through this, and make him a stronger child of God in the process.

Our young lady's husband would have been faithful in his love for her. Her husband would never have strayed outside their marriage no matter how tempted. He would have had the examples and influence of other faithful Christian men. He could have turned to them for guidance. He would have been drawn closer to his wife and children. And their common love of God would have overcome any outside influence.

The difference in these examples is the first two had no plan in their lives. Even if they had a plan, it wasn't God's plan. In the second examples, we see two people who are following God's plan. The outcomes are very different. God's plan is the only plan that matters. Because it is the only one that will take you to heaven.

In conclusion...what plan are you following? If you can read this post, it's not too late to change plans. Don't wait any longer!

Preach the Word by Doug Brackbill

My Heavenly Father never ceases to bless me, both personally and as a member of the family of God.God knew that when the apostle Paul wrote his letter to Timothy in Ephesus in the First Century, that myself and a multitude of other preachers though all these years would need to hear the same words of encouragement. God told Paul to tell us through a letter to Timothy:

 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
(2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV)

Every preacher who has ever preached at some time has felt down, dejected, and isolated. There will be times that we as men ask,is anyone listening to what we are proclaiming from God's word? We as Gospel preachers have to compete with those who take worship and turn it into entertainment. And even worse are those who from the pulpit tell people what they want to hear and not the Word of God. These are the kind of men that Paul warns Timothy about. Let every man in every pulpit strive to do what Paul admonished Timothy to do..." PREACH THE WORD"

Where Are You Going?

Adapted from a blog post from Tim Archer

If you’ve ever been to the Orlando area, you are familiar with the terrible traffic problems there. The Florida Department of Transportation conducted a study which indicated that the congestion was caused by the number of people who aren't sure where they're going.

This is a good description of the world in general. I would say that many problems arise because people don't know where they are going. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere, but few seem to know where they are headed.

In a story about Jesus, we read this:

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:3-5 ESV)

In Jesus' day, people traveled largely by foot on dusty roads and dirty city streets. They wore sandals.  When they ate, they often reclined around low tables, with one person's feet near another person's head. Foot washing wasn't a luxury; it was part of basic hygiene.

It was also a task that was performed by the lowest of the low, the slaves who did the dirtiest deeds. How could Jesus bring himself to perform such a filthy, humiliating task?

He knew where He was going. He knew who He was, where He had come from and where He was going. He wasn't defined by that task or any of the tasks that He performed while on this earth. He was going somewhere.

We can be like Jesus in that regard. We can know who we are. We can know where we are going. And that knowledge can free us to do whatever needs doing in this world. There is no need to be lost. Thomas wanted to know the way:

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:5-6 ESV)

What saves us? by Mike Benson

By what are we saved? Consider:

* Christ's blood: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood...” (Romans 5:9a; cf. Ephesians 1:7).

* Christ: "...We shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9b)

* His perfect life: "...We shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10b).

* The Holy Spirit: "...You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

* The Gospel: "...I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation, for everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16).

* Preaching: "...It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe..." (1 Corinthians 1:21b).

* Baptism: "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you..." (1 Peter 3:21 ESV; cf. Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5).

* Grace: "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24; cf. Titus 3:7).

* Faith: "...Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1).

* Works: "...A man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).

* Obedience: "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying 'Save yourselves from this untoward generation'" (Acts 2:40, KJV).

"For by grace you have been saved through faith..."(Ephesians 2:8).

When Good Men Do Nothing by Wayne Greeson

This sermon has been preached many times by many different men. Brother Wayne Greeson wrote this many years ago, and is an excellent narrative of this topic. Doug Brackbill 

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

So much of the history of the struggle between good and evil can be explained by Edmund Burke's observation. Time and again those who profess to be good seem to clearly outnumber those who are evil, yet those who are evil seem to prevail far too often. Seldom is it the numbers that determine the outcome, but whether those who claim to be good men are willing to stand up and fight for what they know to be right. There are numerous examples of this sad and awful scenario being played out over and over again in the scriptures.

They Get Nothing Good Done

When good men do nothing, they get nothing good done. To be good, one must do good. The Lord commands his people to do good (Luke 6:35; Eph. 2:10). Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

In the parable of the talents, Jesus described a man who did nothing. When he received his Lord's money, he "went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money" (Matt. 25:18). When his Lord returned, he returned to the Lord just what he had been given (Matt. 25:25). Notice, the servant did not do any outright evil, such as stealing the money, but then neither did he do anything good. He did nothing and he got nothing good accomplished. Jesus said he was a "wicked and slothful servant" (Matt. 25:26).

Jesus rebuked the church at Laodicea for doing nothing. "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:15-17).

Too many Christians and too many churches do nothing. They are standing idly by, they are mere spectators. They sit on the sidelines instead of actively participating and working for the good. If good wins, they join in the celebration though they did nothing to produce the victory. If evil wins, they will complain long and loud though their own apathy helped produce the undesirable result.

When Jesus found a fig tree with "nothing thereon, but leaves only" He cursed the tree and "presently the fig tree withered away" (Matt. 21:19). What will He do with those who claim to be good and yet who do nothing? John the baptist warned, "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matt. 3:10; John 15:2).

They Help Evil to Triumph

When good men do nothing, evil triumphs. Evil, sin and sinful men must be opposed. God commands those who are good, not just to avoid evil but actively oppose it.

Christians are to not only to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but (also) reprove them" (Eph. 5:11). Those who do nothing about sin and evil, help the sin and evil to prevail. One who is silent when there are those around him in sin becomes a partaker with them (Eph. 5:7).

In the days of Elijah, the silence of many had allowed the evil of Ahab and Jezebel to prevail throughout the land of Israel. "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word" (1 Kings 18:21). The silence of the people spoke volumes of their indecisiveness and inaction. Their failure to stand up, speak up and speak out permitted wicked and evil men to run rampant.

Jesus told of a traveler who was robbed, beaten and left him half dead. The men who did this were wicked and did a very wicked thing. But the Levite and priest allowed this evil to continue unanswered by doing nothing as they each "passed by on the other side" (Luke 10:31-32). Fortunately for the traveler there was one man, a Samaritan, who was willing to stand up for what was right (Luke 10:33-36).

Jesus warned "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matt. 12:30). In the fight against evil there is no middle ground, no gray area, no neutrality. Those who are not actively and vigorously fighting against evil are helping evil to triumph.

They Are No Longer Good

When good men do nothing, they are no longer good. Many have the mistaken notion that good is merely the absence of doing that which is wrong. Not so! One is good not merely because he does no evil, but because he is actively working for what is good. "Let him eschew evil, and do good" (1 Pet. 3:11). James explained, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

The eldest of Israel, Reuben, knew his brothers' murderous plot against their younger brother Joseph was wrong. He started an attempt to deliver Joseph, but as he hesitated and vacillated, the other brothers sold Joseph into slavery. When Reuben heard what they had done, he realized his failure to act had helped to bring about this evil result.

Instead of correcting his error, Reuben sought to cover his guilt by agreeing with his brothers to lie to their father about Joseph's disappearance (Gen. 37:18-35). Reuben had "good intentions" and he was not even present when Joseph was sold into slavery, but he knew his inaction and absence made him just as guilty as the rest of his wicked brothers. This guilt continued to haunt him through the years (Gen. 42:21-22).

The prophet Obadiah severely condemned the Edomites for doing nothing when evil was befalling their brethren, the Jews. When Jerusalem was invaded by her enemies, the Edomites "stood on the other side" doing nothing but watching the slaughter as spectators. God said by their failure to act and to help their brethren "even thou wast as one of them" (Obad. 11).

Today, there are preachers and Christians who fail and refuse to meet the real foe, refute error and fight the enemy. Instead, they have turned to viciously savaging their own brethren. They are filled with bitterness and hatred and they maliciously attack, slander and misrepresent other Christians and gospel preachers.

Paul warned about such men and behavior among those professing to be Christians, "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another" (Gal. 5:15). Those who engage in such behavior are spiritual cannibals.

While the conduct of these so-called Christians is shameful, what about those supposedly "good" men who do nothing? Those stand on the other side and do nothing but watch as their brothers are being slandered, slaughtered and devoured, they cease being innocent bystanders and idle spectators. Their failure to act not only allows evil to triumph, but makes them just as guilty as the spiritual cannibals they refuse to reprove and rebuke. In God's words, "even thou wast as one of them" (Obad. 11).

Conclusion

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7). Those who fail or refuse to do good in the face of evil are sowing some dangerous seeds. They are doing nothing good as Jesus commanded them to do; they are helping evil to win and have ceased being good and have become partakers of the evil they did nothing to stop.

Do not allow evil to triumph. Do not sit by and do nothing. Stand up and be counted, speak up against evil and speak out against evil men and their sinful deeds.

God loves us most when we are childish by Doug Brackbill

We are planning a trip to the Springfield Zoo in a few weeks. I learned this week that the date picked conflicted with the annual breakfast we host for the local Senior Citizens Center. So being presented with this dilemma, I asked a couple of my kiddos if it would be OK with them if we postponed our zoo trip for a week. That is when my little one Tori who is a very grown up 9, showed me that I am raising a child after Jesus' example.

When I told her about the change in plans, her only response was " Daddy, do we still GET to be waiters at the breakfast?" Not worried about the zoo trip being postponed, her main concern was that she got to serve breakfast just like she had the past two years. This is the same child that was reduced to tears because she couldn't go worship when she had the chicken pox.

She always says she GETS to worship or go to bible class, not that she has to. God has taught me so much through my children, but He continually tells me that I am doing His will in her life.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 18:1-4 ESV)

I am reminded that we are and always must be CHILDREN of God. And as children, we sometimes need guidance and correction; and always love and care. God does love and care for us, so much so He sent His son Jesus as an example of how we should live and treat each other. Thank you God for loving us.

Two Sides to Every Story

Based on an article I read in a sports magazine.

A couple of years ago the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in a conference final where the Blazers missed fifteen shots in a row during the final, desperate quarter.


The next day the Los Angeles Times said that the Blazers "choked," and that the referees "let the players decide the game's outcome by refusing to interrupt the game constantly with whistles and play stoppages."

The Portland papers saw it a little differently. "We were robbed," they cried. "The referees refused to call any fouls in the final quarter!"

It makes you wonder if they were even reporting about the same game, doesn’t it? Well, I guess there were two perspectives on that game. There are always two sides to a story.

Often when a high profile court case is taking place, we listen to the defense describe the accused and wonder if the defendant shouldn’t be nominated for “humanitarian of the year”. Then the prosecution describes the same individual, and causes us to wonder if there is any earthly punishment that is not too good for him!

The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him. (Proverbs 18:17 ESV)

When you hear some juicy gossip about someone you know, use good judgment and common sense. Don't believe everything you are told on “face value” alone. And never be a party to spreading such tales. These folks are the ones that Paul warned the Roman church about.

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. (Romans 16:17-18 ESV)

Remember, there's probably more to the tale. Wait till you hear the other side of the story. We are to:

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV)




God loves us; Jesus died for us, and wants us to love each other. Begin with the person next to you this morning, and go spread the love. I LOVE YOU TOO!!!!



Doug

The Buddy System by Doug Brackbill

Bill Withers wrote and sang a song called “Lean on Me” in 1982 that reached #1 here in the U.S. One of the lines in the lyrics is “We all need somebody to lean on”, and rightfully so, we all do need somebody. When we teach our children to swim, they are taught the “buddy system” and never swim alone. Boy Scouts also learn to hike in pairs. Why do we do this; because if there was to be trouble, we would have someone to help us, or more importantly, to go for more help. God knows that we need help as well.
When God told Moses to go to Egypt to free the children of Israel from Pharaoh, Moses asked for help, and God sent Aaron with him. When Jesus sent out His disciples ahead of Him, He sent them out in pairs. After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. (Luke 10:1 ESV)



Peter and John were known to be together all through Acts. And through his missionary journeys, Paul was accompanied by many companions like Barnabus, John Mark, Timothy, Titus, and others. They knew that “they needed somebody”



Solomon tells us: Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him--a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV)



And Jesus said: Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:19 ESV)



Do you have a “spiritual buddy”, someone you can count on in your time of need? Everyone needs that brother or sister in Christ to “lean on”. We often get in the most trouble when we try to “go it alone”. You can find yourself drowning in sin, caught in the undertow of the world, with no one to help us. But even though you might find yourself physically alone, you are never alone as a child of God. Because God’s Son has told us: I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20 ESV)



God loves you, His Son Jesus loved you so much He died for you, and He has told us to love each other. Know that I love you too. Have a blessed week, and if you don’t already, “Find someone you can lean on”.



Doug

Am I Good Enough? By Howell Ferguson

Three men meet at the end of a dock on a Florida beach. One is an alcoholic and homeless. The second man is just an average guy. The third man is a fine, honorable man, well respected in the community. Suddenly the alcoholic runs and jumps off the edge of the dock, landing 5 feet out into the water. The other two men standing on the dock yell, "What are you trying to do?" The man in the water yells back, "I'm trying to jump across the Atlantic Ocean!" The second man, the average Joe, says, "Watch me. I can do better than that!" He quickly runs across the dock, jumps and lands 10 feet out into the water, twice as far as the alcoholic. The third man, the outstanding man, laughs and says, "That's nothing. Watch this!" He backs up about 50 feet and makes a mad dash across the dock out into the water and lands 20 feet out, twice as far as average Joe, and four times as far as the homeless alcoholic.

If we were to actually see such an attempt, we would think these three men were crazy for attempting to do the impossible -- jump across the Atlantic Ocean! But people trying to earn their own salvation are even more foolish.

God can't be approached by man on the basis of man's own moral goodness. Sometimes people are heard to say, "I'm a good person. Won't God accept me and bring me to heaven?"

This question shows a woeful lack of understanding of the grave nature of an individual's sin and the absolute holiness of God. If we were so good that we deserved heaven, salvation would be owed as a debt rather than something to be received as a gift of grace (cf. Romans 11:6).

A truth made absolutely clear in the Bible is this:"No, God will not accept me because I am not a good person."

Isaiah wrote, "But we are all an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags: and we all do fade as a leaf: and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isaiah 64:6).

A person may look moral when compared with other people, but when compared with Christ, all people fall perilously short. This is why Paul states, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"

(Romans 3:23).

No matter how moral any person might be, he has fallen short of the perfect mark of God's righteousness. This is why in the next verse Paul declares that we have been "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).

There are a lot of people who do great things for others and demonstrate a level of morality. However, there is a big difference between morality and righteousness.

Righteousness is defined and revealed by our "righteous Father" in heaven, or seen in his Son "Jesus Christ the righteous" (John 17:25; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 4:15). To become righteous before God means that you are innocent or faultless in his sight. Such a person doesn't exist (cf. Romans 3:10).

The only way anyone can stand in the presence of a righteous God is to be forgiven and declared righteous by faith in God's work in Christ (Philippians 3:9). We are only accepted "in the beloved" because we believe and trust in the righteous work that he did (Ephesians 1:6).

When a person finally realizes this, he is on his way to realizing and receiving the free gift of God through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23).



Isn’t it wonderful that He loved us enough to give us this gift? And He wants us to share this gift of love with everyone. I’m starting with you! Share His love with the world!

Doug

A Friend in Need... By Stan Mitchell

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (Proverbs 17:17, ESV).

A cynical friend used to say, "A friend in need ... is a pest!" His other saying was: "Where there's a will, there's a lawyer." Some things you can count on, I suppose, and others you cannot.

Of course he had reversed the meaning of the well-known proverb based on the verse above, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." My acerbic friend was referring to an acquaintance that always turned up when he needed something, but hardly ever at other times.

In contrast the proverb is declaring that when someone is your friend in adversity, when you face troubled times and he is "there for you," then that is a real friend. That is a friend who "loves at all times," including the hard times.

Some are fair weather friends, and others are friends you can count on in a storm. They are blizzard brethren, friends in feast and famine, the kind you really want to keep.

The vital question to ask, however, is not: "What kind of friends do you have?" but, "What kind of friend are you?"

We have that friend that always loves us and will never leave us in Jesus. And He has told us to love each other. He loves you, and I do too. Do you love each other? I pray you do. Have a great week and go out and spread the love!

Doug

Pencils

A PENCIL MAKER TOLD THE PENCIL 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS JUST BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX :


1.) EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK.

2.) YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.

3.) WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.

4.) IN LIFE, YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENINGS,
    WHICH WILL ONLY MAKE YOU BETTER.

5.) TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF 
    TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU.

We all need to be constantly sharpened. This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities.  Only you can fulfill the purpose which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always remember that the most important part of who you are is what's inside of you.

Author Unknown.

I hope that this wonderful modern parable helps you this week. God loves us and cares for us. We are saved by His love for us being manifested in the sacrifice of His Son and our Savior Jesus. And His commandment to us is to “love each other like I have loved you”. Let us always endeavor to follow His command and example.

I love you!

Doug

What Do You See?

As many of you know, I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. My hometown of Boone’s elevation is 3333 ft and nearby is Grandfather Mountain with a “mile high swinging bridge”. Willow Springs is in the heart of the Ozarks, but compared with the mountains I grew up with, Willow’s elevation of 1292 ft just doesn’t seem like mountains, more like foothills. What everyone here calls “mountains,” I would describe as “foothills”.

Of course, we are describing the same terrain... just from different perspectives. Being from North Carolina, these mountains seem like foothills to me. And compared to the Rocky Mountains, my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains seem like foothills to folks from the west.

I wonder if this shows the difficulty that we Christians have communicating with those who do not know the good news of Jesus and His plan of Salvation. As Christians, our view of this life has changed. We see this life as the shadow of what is to come. Eternal life with Christ is our reality. End of life issues are not a time of critical crisis. Economic crisis is not a matter of panic and despair. Sickness and natural disaster can be faced secure in the knowledge that God is in charge. This world is not our home; it is not where we are most comfortable. We will always be strangers and pilgrims here.

But for our non Christian friends, all these things can be incredibly frightening and disturbing. For them, this life is all they have. So sickness, death, economic crisis, natural disasters, and other life situations become overwhelming and unmanageable. From their perspective, how could they not be?

And how strange we Christians must seem: how can we be happy and content living in the same world that they do. To them we are totally out of touch with their reality. Our world view makes perfect sense to us. It is hard for us to understand how anyone can fail to see how much better our reality is. Some of us with a Christian perspective remember what it was like when we saw things from a different perspective. We chose to change. Our world view is determined by how we see God and Jesus.

We know that God loves us. And Jesus died for us. And we are to love each other as He loved us. But there is a “catch”. Jesus wants us to tell everyone that He loves them too. And if we do that, they too will know the wonderful peace we have in the abiding love of God in their lives too. And as we sing “they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love. They will know we are Christians by our love.” And I love you too. Go spread the love!

Doug

Living by Faith

More than 2500 years ago, Habakkuk, a man of God, approached God in prayer.

He literally "cried out" to God. He pleaded with God to do something about the mess in the world around him. He wondered aloud if God would hear his prayer. Have you ever found yourself feeling this way like Habakkuk?

He spoke of violence, iniquity, wickedness, destruction, strife, and contention. He talked about the wicked overcoming the righteous and the fact that many ignored the laws of God (Habakkuk 1:2-4).

God responded to Habakkuk by saying that if he were told all that God was doing he wouldn't believe it (Habakkuk 1:5). God was working among his people. God was still in charge.

God then tells Habakkuk that there is something he could do to help. The first thing was to clearly proclaim God's message (Habakkuk 2:2). In addition, he was told that he should live his life by faith.

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4 ESV) The point is that regardless of what others around you are doing, God's people should decide to live by faith.

Now, 2500 years removed from the days of Habakkuk, children of God again find themselves in a world that has lost its way. The very words Habakkuk used to define his world then are the same words that can describe our world today.

We as God's people need to strengthen our lives by faith. When we gather as God's children we gain strength to live our lives by faith. We gain strength to live by faith when we encourage one another and pray with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Let our prayer always be: “Dear God, help us in our fallen world to live our lives by faith. As your family may we gain strength from one another and from the love that we share.” God loves you and sent His Son for your salvation. And He has told us to “Love one another as He loved us.” And I love you too. Just didn’t want you to forget. God wants you to remember too!

Doug

Opening old wounds

Senator Mark Hatfield recounts the following history:

James Garfield was a lay preacher and principal of his denominational college. They say he was ambidextrous and could simultaneously write Greek with one hand and Latin with the other. In 1880, he was elected president of the United States, but after only six months in office, he was shot in the back with a revolver. He never lost consciousness. At the hospital, the doctor probed the wound with his little finger to seek the bullet. He couldn't find it, so he tried a silver-tipped probe. Still he couldn't locate the bullet. They took Garfield back to Washington, D.C. Despite the summer heat, they tried to keep him comfortable. He was growing very weak. Team of doctors tried to locate the bullet, probing the wound over and over. In desperation they asked Alexander Graham Bell, who was working on a little device called the telephone to see if he could locate the metal inside the president's body. He came, he sought, and he too failed. The president hung on through July and August, but in September he finally died- not from the wound but from the infection. The repeated probing, which the physicians thought would help the man, eventually killed him.

So it is with people who dwell too long on their hurt and refuse to release it to God. It can cause a spiritual infection that will kill the soul. Forgiveness is the way to freedom, healing and life.

Ephesians 4:32 ESV  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

An unforgiving spirit places us in emotional and spiritual bondage. We have been totally forgiven through the cross of Jesus Christ. No believer has grounds for not forgiving another person. If we cannot forgive each other, how can we believe that God will forgive us? God said:

Hebrews 8:12 ESV  For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."

How many of us ourselves or have friends or family that have been wronged by someone? And when we talk about it, how many of us have said or been told “I just don’t know if I could forgive someone for doing that to me”? What did Jesus say about this?

Matthew 18:21-22 ESV  Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

God loves you, and forgives you. Jesus loves you, and died for your forgiveness. And I love you, and pray that you forgive each other, as God has forgiven me. Thank you God for loving a poor sinner like me!

Doug

The Love of a Child by Steve Ridgell

She was about seven years old and in the group of Vacation Bible School kids listening to the story of Joseph. Joseph was spoiled and clearly the favorite son. It made his brothers so mad that they wanted to kill him. So the teacher asked if anyone in the class ever fought with their brothers and sisters. She held up her hand, then said that her sister was mean to her and never told her she loved her. The next words are the ones we will always remember: " ... but I love her anyway because she's still my sister."

I wonder how long until she grows up and deals with reality. After all, we adults know better than that, don't we? We know that people are mean, you can't trust anyone, life's not fair, you can't be nice to everyone or they'll take advantage of you. Pretty dogs sometimes bite, life's hard, and then you die: cynical, unhappy, and selfish.

So when did we change? What happened to the pure, innocent hearts we had as children? Life happened. People hurt us. We made poor choices. We did things we should not have. We did not do things we should have. And sometimes we wish things could be like they were before we became so cynical. We wish we could be like the child we were: innocent, loving, pure.

Jesus said if we become like little children, we can enter the kingdom of heaven. He helps us do that. He came to make all things new, including us. He makes us pure -- innocent again. He forgives the wrong choices. He teaches us to see people differently. He restores our soul. He gives us hope. He gives us life. He makes it possible to be born again.

Jesus is the opportunity to have the innocence and purity of a little child.

So if you have ever wished your life could be different, if you have ever wished you could be different, if you ever wished you could be like a little child again ... then Jesus is for you. Why, because He loves you and wants you to love Him. And He wants us to love each other. And I love you with that “silly, unconditional, you can’t do anything to make me stop loving you” love that Jesus was talking about. It’s alright to get aggravated with each other, just NEVER EVER stop loving each other.

We Get to Play Baseball

This is a modified post from Tom Norvell's blog               

                 "Brooks, you know what we get to do today? We get to play baseball!"

Those are the words that Jim Morris, The Rookie, delivers at the turning point of his story. After being on the road with his minor league team for a couple of months, he reaches his low point. He's tired. He's discouraged. He calls his wife to tell her he is coming home. During the conversation she tells him to make sure it is his decision because she does not want him to live with regret the rest of his life.

Pondering what to do, he hangs up and walks away from the phone booth when he sees the lights of a baseball field. He makes his way to the field and discovers it is a little league field. He leans on the outfield fence as he takes in the scene when he makes eye contact with a young player. It is only a brief exchange between a boy on the field and the boy inside of him, but it's long enough for him to remember why he loves the game.

The next morning he comes into the locker room with a huge smile on his face. He finds his best friend on the team puts his hand on his shoulder and says, "Brooks, you know what we get to do today?" Then, without giving time for an answer he says. "We get to play baseball!"

I cry every time I've watched that movie. The reason is that every time I see this scene I think, "That's how I want to live!" I want to wake up each day thinking, "Do you know what I get to do today? I get to live my life for God!" That's how I get to live. That's how I want my friends to live. That's how I want my church family to live.

Here's how it would work. Christians would wake up excited about coming to Sunday school and learning about God’s will for their lives. Teachers would be excited about their lessons. Preachers would be waking up on a Sunday morning knowing, "Today I get to introduce people to the Creator of the Universe!"

What do you get to do today? Not what are you required to do today? Today you get to ...glorify God!

As Children of God every day is a gift from our Father to be used to glorify Him by loving people, by shining a light into a dark place, and by bringing hope to a hopeless soul. We get to live with God's Spirit flowing through us because we have been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven of our sins, and we are children of the living God.

Paul said it this way:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV).

Let's do it. Beginning now ... as soon as you finish this article ...tell yourself or a person close to you, "You know what I get to do today? I get to live for God!" Sure, some people may try to make you think you are a little off your rocker, but who cares. You just might be the voice of hope they need that will give them a reason to live another day.

Today you get to tell someone that they are loved by God. Today you get to bring joy into a joyless heart. Today you get to share a story of how God has worked in your life. Today you get to show someone how God has revealed Himself to you. Today you get to live the abundant life God has planned for you.

You know what I get to do today? I get to share these words that come from the depths of my soul to bring refreshment to a tired and weary soul! That's what I get to do today! And every day until I get to hear “Well done my good and faithful servant…Welcome home”.

And I get to tell you how much God loves you, Jesus loves you, and I love you too

Doug