A lot on my mind...

dictionaryI live life with a head full of thoughts.  I know I'm not alone in this, but still - so much floods my mind.  First, I see the great things God has been doing recently here at Park View - from the additions by letter and by baptism, to the incredibly supportive people who continue to encourage me as we all grow in Christ.

But at the same time, this is all somewhat tempered by so many other things - from my Father-In-Law, who as am typing this post is at his first visit with the Oncologist for the lymphoma he was recently diagnosed with.  I see my wife who is trying her best to be strong, keeping a smile and positive attitude, though she can be read like a book - her concern is quite evident.  I see my Mother-In-Law who has never really had to deal with this kind of situation, and really isn't sure how to feel or act, though the deep concern is quite evident.  And I see my daughters who are both too young to really grasp what is going on with their Papaw.  To be totally honest, this is really my first time dealing with cancer in the immediate family.  I find my mind wandering around, grasping for answers.

Then... I remember so clearly what God has promised - that He will work all things to the good of those who love Him.  We may never (at least while on this earth) truly grasp why these things happen to US, but one thing is certain - God can and will use all to His glory and for our benefit.  I also remind myself each and every day that God is firmly in control - nothing happens outside of His will - either directly, or by His permission.  I read a sign on another church the other day that really kind of sums it up: "Worrying is a waste of time because God is in control".  How truth that is!

Yet another thing on my mind - something that really is a regular part of my thoughts... is why people do what they do, and act they way they act.  While I can grasp how people who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can freely and unapologetically make really bad decisions and do bad things.  What amazes me is how some who profess such a relationship can also do some of the very same things, say some of the nastiest things, and make decisions that are made without looking to God and the influence of the Holy Spirit. 

And the final two things for this entry:

Addicted - look it up in the dictionary.  Sunday morning, I will preach from 1 Corinthians 16 - leading up to what we SHOULD be addicted too.  I hope you can join us for worship and preaching!  Also - we have prayer at 9:30am, Devotional at 9:45am, and Sunday school for all agest from 10-10:45am.  Park View Kids program runs from 9:45am - Noon for ages 3-12, and a nursery is available.

And Finally - Tomorrow (Saturday, September 25), we are having a Rummage Sale.  We have an amazing assortment of items - from children-adult clothing, electronics, collectibles, furniture, kitchen stuff, technology, and so much more - all for very low prices (and most prices are negotiable!).  We are located at 900 Donovan Briley Blvd., North Little Rock, AR  72118900 Donovan Briley Blvd. North Little Rock, AR.

And as always - visit our web site:  http://www.parkviewonline.org

Have a blessed day!

Blessed Day - We need more of them!!!

The Lord works in amazing ways!  I won't go into all the things on my heart - but things just were so special today.  King Agrippa was the character of choice for illustrating how so many in the world hear the Gospel, but never actually respond - the proverbial "missed heaven by 'THIS' much...".  It really brought me back to so many experiences in my own life, when I heard the Gospel preached clearly - and how I even may have had some "emotional connection" to the words, but unfortunately didn't fully accept them - how I too spent many years "nearly convinced to become a Christian".  This all caused me to be overwhelmed with joy, that God didn't give up on me - that His forbearance and longsuffering continued until that fatefully day when He once again, via the Holy Spirit, touched my heart with the wonderful Gospel!  

Just what did it take to "convince" you?  Or have you been convinced?  The rich man who died at the same time as the beggar Lazarus (Luke 16) realized too late, that he had missed the truth.  And as the response back to his crying out for Lazarus to go back and warn his brothers reminds us - if they haven't believed, with all the scriptures and prophets, then one more isn't going to help.  

Our morning concluded with the baptism of Ms. Annie!  What a joyful time.

The evening message came from 1 Corinthians 14, as another step on the "Blueprint For The Church" series that has stretched most of this year.  This follows up Chapter 13's focus on spiritual gifts, and their purpose - and addressed the problem with the use of spiritual gifts (or maybe even faked gifts) in the church at Corinth.  My studies led me to pursue two theories on the kind of "gift of tongues" that Paul was specifically addressing.  Dr. John MacArthur goes down the path of paganism - that some in the Corinthian church were practicing their old pagan worship "techniques" that included getting stupid-drunk until they only uttered ecstatic speech until passing out - a definite misuse of the claim to speaking tongues!  Yet another theory that I looked at was that the "tongues" used by the Corinthians was the Hebrew language - that because Hebrew by that time had fallen into "dead language" status - but that some Jewish members of the Corinthian church would sing, read, and preach/teach in Hebrew as a sign of their "superiority" to the gentile believers - thus the reason Paul says that they pray/sing/speak to God, but not to the edification of the church.  

While I am not totally convinced if either, neither, or both of these have some solid foundation, I believe the way the Corinthians were practicing the "gift of tongues" was wrong -either way.  Paul clearly and repeatedly says what the REAL gift of tongues was given for - much as the Day of Pentecost - when people from all over the world, with different heart languages, heard the Gospel in their own native tongue... languages that the Apostles wouldn't be expected to be able to speak - The purpose was to speak-forth (the general New Testament definition of "prophecy") the Gospel so that the hearers could understand.  But it was also given as a sign - because there would be no reasonable expectation that the Apostles could speak the wide variety of languages present that day...  A miraculous sign---

So the gift of tongues, as express by Paul and demonstrated over and over, was not about building one's self up.  It was not to prove any superiority.  It was simply a way of communicating - a sign because it was unknown to the speaker.  And an interpreter so that all could benefit.  The gift was just as every other spiritual gift - to edify the Church and to glorify God.  

The long and short - if we are called by God unto salvation in Jesus Christ, we are endowed with Spiritual Gifts - not for our own use and puffing up, but to strengthen, encourage, and lift up our brothers and sisters, and to aid in the sending forth (or speaking-forth "prophecy") of the Gospel of Christ.  One of our "jobs" as a local church is to help all believers to discover and USE their spiritual gifts.  Because unused spiritual gifts tend to waste away, or become misused.

Because I didn't want to be accused of doing what I have specifically said preachers should not do - skipping uncomfortable or controversial passages - I did briefly address verse 25 - Paul's admonition for women to "not speak in the churches".  This passage has been so abused that it has lost, for many, any meaning at all.  But when we consider that Paul was addressing a particular people, in a particular time - we can gather, by connecting to the surrounding text, the context.  Paul was addressing disorder.  God's Word is clear here, and elsewhere, that women are not to usurp men's proper and biblical roles.  Preaching/prophecy (exhortation) in the regular meeting of the church body is not appropriate, and in fact is a "disgrace".  God is not the author of confusion - and just as the abuse of the gift of tongues (or the fraudulent misuse as may very well be), women were apparently not being submissive to order in the church.  Paul doesn't prohibit women from having roles in the work of the church.  He doesn't even say that women cannot pray or speak publicly.  Instead, he is reinforcing that there is an order to the regular worship in the congregation of the saints - the local church.  By standing up and questioning the speaker (or preacher), by trying to BE the preacher - women were stepping outside their biblical roles, creating disorder.  While this is not a popular interpretation - I believe that linguistically, historically, and contextually, this is on the right track.  


Now that I have opened up a can of worms, I will depart for now!  Until next time...

Relationships

Isn't it amazing how much is put out about relationships?!  So much so, it is easy to forget that we were created by our Heavenly Father to be "relational".  While this term can be overused by many today (especially in the movements known as "Post Modernism" and the "Emergent Church", the truth is - we were created from the beginning to be in relationship -

First, to be in relationship (or fellowship) with God the Father.  Looking back to Adam and Eve.  They had a personal relationship with God.  This could be because they didn't know sin.  Yet after the Fall, that relationship was broken.  Although several are said to have "walked with the Lord" after that time, no-one had the direct and personal relationship with God.  Instead, walking with God represents being "in relation" or fellowship, but because of sin - mankind lost that personal and real relationship.

My firm belief is that God has created an earthly way of building relationships - and that is through His church.  We are called to first restore our relationship with God, by accepting His gift of Grace and Eternal Life through repentance and gladly submitting ourselves to His Lordship.  And then second, we are to engage with other born-again believers, to edify and to lift up each other in our relationship.

At the risk of hyper-spiritualizing things, I believe that God's Word, when it describes the "Bride of Christ", with the Bride being the church, is describing the restored perfect relationship with God of those who are truly His and part of the body.  In the meantime, we have a means or path to grow, to mature, and to become more Christ-like in our daily walk - and a big part of that tool is being a plugged-in and active member of the local church.  It is through the church that God receives real glory.  It is through our interaction with fellow believers that we are "sharpened" as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17).

But again, back to the whole topic of relationships - Further proof that we are made for relationship is the fact that all people have, build, and foster relationships.  For some, it is a healthy engagement in church and with fellow believers.  For others their relationship revolves around things and possessions.  Some people, they build relationships around emotions and feelings, and yet others have relationships that revolve around themselves.  All of these are relationships.

So what this all boils down too - what relationships do you lean on?  First should be a restored relationship and fellowship with God, through the only path God has provided, Jesus Christ - (John 14:6).  And after we take that step of faith and repentance, we then should seek healthy relationships with other born-again believers who are also walking in faith, and who will build us, edifying through love and shared experiences.

Of course, as with any relationship - we must be vigilant to put aside our differences out of Love, to forgive (longsuffering), and to seek restoration with each other as we live in the forgiveness of The Father.