Reflections on Tragedy

This week in our community we had a terrible thing happen.  A young man on his eleventh birthday wanted to do nothing more than to go gigging with his family.  So he loaded up with his dad, grandpa and great uncle and out they went.  All four of them died in the cold waters.  A lady lost her dad, husband, son, and uncle in one night.  Today, I got the chance to just hang around the school.  I got to listen to people, pray for people, and pray with people.  I just wanted to make a few observations.

1.  Life Sucks.  It doesn't all of the time, but sometimes it does really, really bad.  There aren't any magic words for a situation like that.  It makes me long desperately for the day I will dwell with God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away Revelations 21:4 

2.  There are a lot of people of faith in my town.  It's easy as a pastor to rank the kinds of Christians that go to your church.  Like I can see their hearts and gauge their passion for Jesus.  I don't know how I can see sometimes with the giant plank in my eye.  What I saw today is a lot of people have a faith in God that gets them through.  I was so privileged to see the good in people and as a pastor it makes me want to draw it out of people even more.  There was a man who owns a restaurant in a nearby town that heard the story and decided that he would cater the whole funeral dinner by himself for free.  How wonderful!

3.  Be there for people.  I was nervous about going.  I was in way over my head.  I don't know what to say to people.  20 of the teachers probably came to me and told me how glad they were that there were pastors there.  You don't have to say much, just let people know that you love them.

4.  God is so good.  I would rather not have another day like this for the rest of my life.  However, God was there.  He teaches so much.  What a wonderful thing that God would use a piece of work like me. 

Pray for them

01: The Pastor and Personal Criticism

I wanted to share a link to this article, because this is something I struggle with. We should fear God more than we fear man. I really like the first reason we can expect criticism. Because we sin, because sometimes criticism is right on. I pray God gives me the grace to accept criticism, and to repent from that sin. I pray that I get the discernment to toss the criticism that is trash out. By the way, I think this applies to people that aren't pastors also.


01: The Pastor and Personal Criticism

SWAGGER WAGON

I have two great friends that are going to have their first baby tomorrow. This is the most excited I've been for a baby to come in a while. It's pretty hard to be a parent and be cool. Who knows maybe they'll pull it off. The thing is I always thought marriage showed me how selfish I was, having kids shows you even more. There are a lot of things I hope for my kids. I must admit, I love sports and the idea of having a great athlete really excites me. I'm afraid it excites me too much. I want my children to be good people. That's more important than making a basket or getting perfect grades.

First things first, my children must realize that they aren't good. I'm not saying I want them to feel bad about themselves. I'm saying on our best day we're still horrible sinners deserving of God's wrath, on our worst day we're never outside the reach of God's marvelous grace. We have a way as parents letting our priorities get out of wack. Sometimes I worry way too much about my self, my coolness. Sometimes, I worry too much about my silly dreams for them. The most important thing you can do for your children is to teach them about Jesus.

Bob Dylan gets it why don't you?

"I told you 'The Times They Are a-Changin," and they did.  I said the answer was 'Blowin' in the Wind,' and it was.  I'm telling you now that Jesus is coming back and He is.  And there is no other way of salvation.  There's only one way to believe there's only one Way, the Truth and the Life.  It took a long time to figure that out before it did come to me, and I hope it doesn't take you that long."


Bob Dylan

Parenting: It’s Never an Interruption

I try to post articles on parenting as much as possible, because I need all of the help I can get.  Parenting has this way of making you feel wonderfully blessed one moment and like a miserable person the next.  Then again that's kind of the way the gospel makes me feel too.  I'm wonderfully blessed because God set His love on me, a miserable person.  Parenting is a wonderful way to see the gospel, hear the gospel, and put the gospel to work.  To God be the glory


  Check it out   Parenting: It’s Never an Interruption

Parenting: The Joyful Impossibility

Parenting: The Joyful Impossibility

The Altar Call's Greatest Hits

Our invitations are a little different than Jesus's. If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whover loses his life for My sake will save it. Luke 9:23-24

Live by the day--ay, by the hour.  put no trust in frames and feelings.  Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement.  Trust in God alone, and lean not on the reeds of human help.  Be not surprised when friends fail you: it is a failing world.  Never count upon immutability in man: inconstancy you may reckon upon without fear of disappointment.  The disciples of Jesus forsook him; be not amazed if your adherents wander away to other teachers: as they were not your all when with you, all is not gone from you with their departure.  Serve God with all your might while the candle is burning, and then when it goes out for a season, you will have the less to regret.  Be content to be nothing, for that is what you are.  When your own emptiness is painfully forced upon your consciousness, chide yourself that you ever dreamed of being full, except in the Lord.  Set small store by present rewards; be grateful for earnests by the way, but look for the recompensing joy hereafter.  Continue, with double earnestness to serve your Lord when no visible result is before you.  Any simpleton can follow the narrow path in the light: faith's rare wisdom enables us to march on in the dark with infallible accuracy, since she places her hand in that of her great Guide.  Between this and heaven there may be rougher weather yet, but it is all provided for by our covenant Head.  In nothing let us be turned aside from the path which the divine call has urged us to pursue.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Lectures to my Students