Pastor's Blog

A Visit to the Past

2012-05-20T23:57:57Z

Last Monday, I was with my parents in Groton, SD. I took them to visit an area about twenty miles to the north where I spent most of my childhood. We drove by four different houses that we used to call home. We drove to an old two-room school house where I attended first and second grade. We walked to an old bridge crossing a small river on an abandoned road where I used to fish as well as skate in the winter. We visited Sand Lake Wild Life Refuge that has an existing lookout tower that was constructed over 60 years ago and can still be climbed to the top.

For all of us, this was a trip down memory lane. It has been at least ten years since I have seen some of these sights and perhaps forty years since I have been down to the bridge.

This visit of history from our past identified a contrast I could not miss. Two of the four houses we lived in had been substantially remodeled. Because of additions and improvements, they were hardly recognizable. The other two homes were just as I remembered them, even to the color.

The school house and the bridge were in very tough shape. For both, the lack of upkeep and investment were more than evident.

In our spiritual lives, this contrast may exist also. The same three options exist: abandonment with lack of upkeep, maintaining the status quo, and investment into improvements. It probably does all of us good to look back to see what has changed and how.

Making Impressions

2012-05-01T19:40:39Z

Impressions. First impressions. Lasting impressions. So much money is spent, so much energy is expended, and so much time is used for the sake of making impressions. Attempts to make impressions are demonstrated in what we drive, how we dress, where we go, and how we talk. Impressions can be motivated from seeking acceptance as well as instilling fear. And of course, not all impressions trigger the hoped for response. No one knows this more than a poor soul struggling through the awkward dating years or a yet clueless husband who takes his wife literally when she said she didn’t want anything for her birthday.

Consider with me attempts to impress God. The Bible tells us that wisdom of man is foolishness to God so He is not likely to be impressed with our intelligence. Check that one off. Maybe you have an artistic flair that is quite good. Maybe you can really paint a beautiful sunset. But you are copying what God created for you to see. Plagiarism, you can’t impress God that way. How about good looks and dressing sharp? Whoops, God sees us first thing in the morning. It is hard to impress anyone at that hour. Money doesn’t impress God since everything is His anyway. We are only using some of it for a few years.

How about if we explore the area of doing good things? Let’s consider giving. Certainly, if we give a whole tithe, literally 10% of what we earn we can impress God. Well, the Pharisees did that and Jesus humbled them by pointing out a widow who gave her last cent to the church. There doesn’t seem like much hope here for most of us anyway. Let’s explore the idea of doing good things, like feeding the poor, volunteering, and being a good neighbor. Again, we have a problem. The Bible tells us that our righteousness is like filthy rags to God.

Two times in the Bible we read of things that impressed Jesus. One is when a Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal His servant by merely speaking the word. Matthew said that Jesus marveled at his faith. In Mark, Jesus was trying to minister in his home town. Very few believed there was anything special about Jesus. Mark said the Jesus marveled because of their unbelief. Here it is. Jesus was impressed by great faith in Him and He was impressed by a lack of faith. My question for you today: What impression are you making on Jesus?

The Gadget Generation

2012-02-10T14:48:29Z

Today I read an article written by a Professor Patty Lamberti at Loyola University’s School of Communication entitled Tech Savants, Five Things You Need to Know About the Gadget Generation. She wrote about her first hand experience with a student population that were largely enslaved to technology. The five things listed were: 1) They are blind to technology etiquette. 2) Multitasking is hurting their brains. 3) They dislike conversing face to face. 4) Their only news comes from Facebook. and, 5) Life without technology leaves them depressed and anxious.

This professor convinced a communications class to give up social networking, emailing, web surfing, and texting for 48 hours and then write a paper about their experience. According to their papers, they could live without the Internet in general. But 48 hours without Facebook was torture. The words addiction, depression, withdrawal, and lonely appeared in every paper. Telephone use was not against the rules but only a few called friends or family.

I am trying to imagine what this trend is doing to family life. What will its impact be on marriages that are already under attack? What are our children learning about having a healthy relationship that requires open communication and consideration for other people? How will they relate to God which requires quieting oneself, study of the Bible, and listening to Him? Parents, do you see my concern? What can you do at home to counter this?

What to Give Jesus for Christmas

2011-12-09T17:52:22Z

This week I received a text from one of our daughters, “I need a Cmas idea for you!” This is a short way of saying, “Dad, what would you like for Christmas?”

It is wonderful having a daughter who wants to express her love for me, her Dad through a gift involving some measure of personal sacrifice. However, like my parents, I am in a position of life where there is nothing I really need. From a financial perspective, I would rather my daughter use her resources to pay down on their debt or buy something they need or save for a rainy day. Her needs are greater than mine. But to refuse her an opportunity to give is akin to refusing her expression of love.

If you were to ask Jesus, “what would you like for Christmas?”, how do you think He might answer? I don’t think there is anything in the world of technology He needs. He is far beyond cell phones, smart phones, and the like. There is nothing to buy to make life more comfortable for Him. And yet, do you think that God wants to deny us opportunity to express our love for Him through more than words?

In Matthew 25, Jesus spoke of those who gave to help the hungry, the thirsty, the poor, the sick, and the prisoners. He stated that gifts of this nature were equivalent to giving to the Lord himself. It is as if the most notable way to give to the Lord in a tangible and physical way is to help those who have real needs.

It is not hard to find someone with very real needs. There are many in our communities who fit the categories listed in Matthew 25. Individually, we are not able to make huge gains in ocean of needs, but we can make a difference in a life or in a family.

Why not ask your heavenly father just like my daughter asked her earthly father, “what would you like for Christmas?” I know he will show you.

Fixing Fence

2011-09-08T16:20:53Z

Nancy and I spent Labor Day at my daughter and son-in-law’s farm in South Dakota. It was a great day as we were able to see our only grandchild as well as spend time with our two daughters and one son-in-law. Bryan was in the process of building fence to prepare for taking in sheep for a few months this winter. His opportunities to work on this fence are limited so he wanted to use this day to make some headway. I was delighted to be able to work with him. I packed my leather gloves and work boots and was blessed with a beautiful day to spend working outdoors at something I have not done for over thirty years.

I would guess most of you could not imagine fixing fence as enjoyable. Dirt, barbed wire, digging holes, filling them in, tamping the dirt tight around the pole – fun, right? But really, I had fun. It was good building something that is visibly an improvement at the end of the day. But what made the project fun was more who I was working with than what I was doing. I enjoy working with my children and helping them make improvements in whatever is important to them.

God said that when he made man, he made man in His own image. This does not mean a physical image as God is invisible. When He created the human race, He put within us certain propensities that are consistent with His nature. Now sin messed many of these up to a large degree, but we are still made in His image. I can’t help but wonder if my tendency to enjoy helping my children even when it involves getting dirty and sweaty isn’t a partial picture of God’s nature. I truly believe that God enjoys helping us in what we are interested in – at least as long as our interests are not sinful.

We quit about five o’clock. The south fence in this pen was erect and straight. I had helped and felt good for contributing to the benefit of my family in South Dakota. I wonder how much joy God experiences when He helps us.

God's Warning System

2011-07-08T20:00:04Z

This past Friday, our community weathered a tremendous storm. I was told the winds exceeded 100 miles per hour. They destroyed large trees, grain bins, and machine sheds. Roofs were damaged and a few cars lay under the weight of tree trunks. Yet, as I understand the facts, no one was injured during the storm, thanks mostly to appropriate warning sirens and radio reports urging people to take cover.

It is times like this that we especially appreciate the investment in a warning system. When the system was designed and installed, it was during a time of calm. You can be sure the sirens were not lifted to their resting places when winds howled and clouds threatened. They were installed in balmy weather and were tested during times when no danger was pending.

For those who are listening, God also has provided warning to protect his people. The Bible is full of warnings. 1 Corinthians 10:11 tells us that the stories of the Bible were written for our warning. Paul tells us that if we think we are standing firm, we had better be careful. In Galatians, Paul again gives warning when he tells us not to be deceived. Just as a farmer harvests the grain that he plants, we also will experience the consequences of our decisions. Remember, each of us has ability to make choices but we cannot choose the consequence of the choices. A warning alerts us of the consequences hopefully to alter the decision process.

To be of value, a warning must not only be heeded; it must be heeded in proper time. We could have waited too long to go the basement during this past storm. We also can wait too long to follow the counsel of God as given us in scripture.

For many of us, to escape a violent storm as we just experienced, it requires hearing the siren first. In the same way, a day will come when it will be too late for people to heed the warnings of God and turn from their sinful and self-centered ways in order to follow his ways and walk in his path.

As you read scripture, pay attention to the warnings. God may be slow in fulfilling His warning, but He does not cry wolf.

Teach Our Children to Love

2011-05-31T14:23:16Z

I have an electronic photo album on my desk that scrolls family pictures from various events for my viewing. There are times that I find myself fixated on the screen flashing back to family times together, longing to spend time with those very close to my heart, but physically a fair distance across the country.

The pictures remind me not just of my family and friends but of special events with them. I have pictures of my daughter’s wedding, my other daughter’s graduation, family vacations in the Rocky Mountains and gatherings around the kitchen table. We have camping pictures, pictures with grandparents, pictures of Christmas celebrations, and pictures of hugs and laughter. The common element in all the pictures is the smiles on the faces of family enjoying each other.

I know how very blessed I am and that not all share similar experiences in life. This saddens me, especially when I minister to needs of people who struggle in relationships and life in general.

Proverbs 10:1 says, “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.” I am reminded by this verse how much of either joy or grief that can dominate one’s life because of the decisions of children. May I add, that may be more true of adult children than small children.

I am not a believer in spiritual formulas that guarantee success if applied with exactness. Rather, I believe there are spiritual principles that God gives us in his word that generally lead to predictable results, some in the immediate time frame and some over a more extended period of time.

One such principle is found in Hebrews 10:24. This is normally not a verse used in the context of raising children, but it has direct application none the less. This verse says, “Let us consider how we may encourage one another on toward love and good deeds.”

It is clear that we need to think or figure out how to encourage others towards the end of love and good deeds. This is the training part of child rearing but it is not formula based or task oriented. The goal of this instruction is to help others, our children in my context, learn to love and to give. I don’t know if this is possible without demonstrating with our own love and sacrifice. It is so true that we teach much more effectively by the way we live than through words only. No one is quicker to pick up hypocrisy and inconsistency than a child.

When we encourage we give courage. Children need encouragement to do what is right. The media, advertising, and entertainment pull our children towards a life of self-gratification, which is a nice term for selfishness. Love is just the opposite. We need to demonstrate love before our children so they can learn the joy that giving returns to us.

We make the world a better place one life at a time and one family at a time. I wish to encourage you to encourage others, especially our younger ones to love and to give. The rewards are pretty special.

Living a Life of Love

2011-04-20T01:11:41Z

I recently attended my grandmother’s funeral in South Dakota. Grandma was one hundred years old last summer. We celebrated her birthday only months ago. It was a joyful event with family from around the country. Now, family gathered one more time, perhaps the last time as a unit, to celebrate her life on earth and place her body to rest.

My grandmother was known for her knitting, crocheting, and embroidery. She made hundreds of blankets and doilies and gave them all away. Grandma was known for her fine needle work. If she discovered a mistake in a piece of work, she would undo the fabric to get back to where the mistake happened in order to remove the flaw and then slowly tread forward for hours to get back to where she left off. My grandmother was known for never complaining. She always had a smile and a kind word to share. She lived a good life for a long time.

We don’t always get a complete picture of a life at a funeral, partly because we choose to remember the best, not the worst in a person. But we do often get a pretty good idea of what was important to a person. It is these things that we remember a person by. I will remember my grandmother for all the above mentioned traits.

This causes me to wonder what people would remember me by if I were to die today. What would they say was important to me? Or, in the present tense, what is important to me today? That is likely what people see.

Most of us have something that we enjoy such as knitting, fishing, sports, or maybe even work. In and of themselves, there is nothing wrong with these interests. But it seems like a sad commentary when these types of things rise above the value of relationship to God and to family. In a movie I recently watched, a negligent irresponsible father was asked if he loved his wife and family. His reply was, “Of course, but I love myself more.” Granted this was a movie, but it sadly speaks for many whose lives are self-centered and without lasting meaning.

As usual, the Bible has an answer for us... Ephesians 5:1-2 reads, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” There is not much I can add to such Godly instruction. Enjoy your day!

Faith That Speaks After We Die

2011-02-09T01:19:40Z

In January my father-in-law passed away in South Dakota at the age of 91. Morris was a Christian man who lived his life in faithfulness to God and to his family. At his funeral, family and friends shared memories of this man and his influence in their lives. There were the usual comments about a wonderful personality, a good sense of humor, and his love for his family. But the point that came out over and over -- to the extent that it was the most common and admired quality -- was his love for God and His word, the Bible.

In the book of Hebrews, the eleventh chapter, the writer speaks of faith, and great men and women of faith. The very first man mentioned is Abel. Abel was the son of Adam and Eve. Abel and his brother Cain each offered a sacrifice to God as they were undoubtedly taught to do by their parents. Scripture tells us that God accepted Abel’s sacrifice but rejected Cain’s. In Hebrews, we read that “by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain.” If you know the Bible, you may remember that Cain became angry and jealous to the point that he killed his brother.

Verse four tells us that "by faith Abel was commended as a righteous man and by faith he still speaks even though he is dead."

First I note that Abel was a man of faith and it was his faith which won God’s approval. It was not the object he sacrificed that pleased God, but his heart that acted out of faith and obedience.

Cain’s heart obviously had some issues, as is evidenced by his actions when his sacrifice was not good enough. As is true for all of us, Cain’s reaction disclosed what was in his heart. His reaction of jealousy and anger demonstrated how his relationship with God was not right before he offered his sacrifice. When God confronted Cain after the murder, he showed no remorse.

What I see next in this commendation of Abel is that by faith, Abel continues to speak even though he is dead.

At the funeral I heard the speaking of a dead man through the lives of people he invested in while he was alive. I saw evidence of lives influenced to live for God by the one we buried that day. In a sense, I heard Morris still speak for God, much like he spoke for God while still alive. And I can see that this influence was being passed from children to grandchildren and then to great grandchildren.

All of this godly influence did not begin with a sacrifice or a good deed or a religious act. It began with faith in the living God. It was this faith which God commended in the life of Abel, and I believe the same faith lived in Morris and is living in the lives of many he influenced.

We can’t consider this without thoughts of the spiritual legacy we will leave once we depart from this life. Assuming you are interested and that you care about the family and friends in your lives, start by considering the level of faith you have in God, understanding that faith comes by hearing, reading, and understanding God’s word. Build your faith in God with the intention of not only getting closer to God, but to leave a spiritual legacy that speaks long after you are gone.