After Thoughts

Gettin' under my skin.

2011-11-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

I must confess, there are many things that get under my skin. But nothing does so as quickly or as irritatingly as when people get history or science wrong. I realize that there exists in a culture today a malevolent attitude toward the Bible, and I know that this attitude is only going to get worse. But there is a real bias against anything biblical.

Consider the theory of evolution. Have you been to the zoo lately? Or perhaps you took a trip to the natural history museum. The theory evolution is all on their placards. It usually reads like this..."over 100 million years ago..." They must spend a fortune on this placards since the dates change every 5-10 years. When I was a kid, it was only millions of years. But I digress... Are there no scientists who believe in a young earth - sure there are! In fact, there is a growing pool of scientists who believe in a young earth. Do you think they will ever be asked by the Discovery Channel about the evidence to support a young earth? I doubt it. And Bible believing people are intolerant?

But today, it was taken to an entire new level. My family and I went to NYC to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. The "scholars" told me that the Bible was written many years after the date accepted by most scholars...that the Jewish religion was a "folk" religion, but most Jews were pagan idolaters...and that Jews were of Canaanite descent. This was given by a leading "scholar" and was "backed up" by the archeology found in the area. This news came right after the map on the wall showed the cultural significance and diversity of Judea throughout the ages.

Here is my problem. Just because you find some Canaanite idols in Israel does not mean that the Jews were of Canaanite descent who who had some kind of spiritual reformation, nor does it mean that the real religion of the Jews was idolatry, in particular feminist idolatry (worshipping the divine female). It could simply means that there was a Canaanite influence in the land and many people left Judaism to follow after false gods.

Deuteronomy 7:1 states, God wanted Israel to drive the Canaanites out of the land with many others occupants. Why? Because God knew that if Israel did not drive the Canaanites out, they would subvert the people from following God. Did Israel follow God's instruction? Look at Judges 16:10. "And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute." So what do we find in the archeological evidence today? We see a Canaanites presence and their pagan idols. But the existence of this evidence does not prove that the religion on the Bible was a "folk" religion and idolatry was the real religion of the land. What is does prove is that God knew what he was talking about when he told Israel to drive the Canaanites out of the Land. And that's just a quick look at the word "Canaanites" in the Bible.

I guess what really makes me so mad is that people will go through the exhibit and say. "Yea, that must be right, because an 'scholar' said it." And many of those people will say that they are christian. Warning believer...We are at war! The enemy will do anything to lead people away from God. Be diligent. Study God's word, so that you will not be deceived by the lies of the Evil One.

Oh, and by the way...it was awesome to see the six fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls that were on display.

Generous Giving!

2011-11-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

I have always considered myself a generous giver. I believe in tithing. I believe it is the place all believer should start their giving. A tithe is a tenth of my income. And not to be trite, but I believe it's on all my income, not just what gets deposited into my checking account. I believe in giving God the first fruits, so my tithe check to my local church is the first check I make out after I write my deposit in Quicken©. On top of that, there is missions through my church, missions that I support personally, and special opportunity giving. I don't say that to brag, just that you know I understand biblical giving.

But recently, my world was rocked by a simple little book called The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. I enjoy most of the books from this author, and I find them spiritually encouraging. Our church had recently studied all about Heaven, using this authors book on heaven as a study help. So when Christmas came around I jumped at the opportunity to give our church more resources from this man of God. I hadn't read the book myself, but I was confident in the author ability to reveal scripture clearly.

I have been taking some days off to prepare for the upcoming year at our church. I picked up the little book and started reading. I must confess, I was amazed at how much the book affected me. The author uses scripture after scripture after scripture to drive home the point that we should be laying up treasure in heaven, not here on earth. That's not a new concept for any believer. Yet, most believer's I know get swallowed up into obtaining too many earthly treasures. All the while claiming to be storing up treasure only in heaven. The author was not content to let me stay in my lie any longer. this is where he hit me. He said, we buy a new TV, only to figure out we "need" a new DVD player, then our stand is too small, then we need a surround sound system, then high definition reception, etc, etc, etc.

Nothing is innately wrong with having these things, but his words hit home with me. Why? Just the other day, I was looking at a Bose surround system for my TV. Do I need a Bose surround sound system. No, I can hear my TV just fine. But there is a part of me that says, "Mike, you deserve that surround sound system." I guess you know where that little voice came form don't you. Yea, it was my flesh. I don't deserve a surround sound system. Let me tell you what I deserve...

Maybe at some other time. The author sets forth 6 Treasure Principles that should guide every believer's mind about money and possession. These principles are the foundation for a biblical worldview concerning money. They are all biblically grounded although the dot and line principle is a picture of biblical truth. I loved his antidote for materialism (principle #5).

The best part of the book was the "giving covenant". The book calls its reader not only to contemplate the truths found in scripture but to take action upon what the Bible says to be the way of financial life for every believer.

I encourage this book for all believers, young and old. It will not take a great amount of time to read the entire work, and it is easy reading. I recommend reading it slowly while looking up each passage of scripture. Maybe even take it chapter at a time so one can fully digest these treasured principles. But take warning, It may challenge your ideas about giving...It may even revolutionize your financial outlook!

Reading Update:

2011-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

Sean McDowell paints a pretty realistic picture of modern spirituality. He says, "the spiritual lives of many people have become all about personal preferences and what makes them feel good about themselves and the world rather than what is really true." He references a book entitled Souls in Transition, where the author, Christian Smith, names this spiritual condition "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" and gives it five core beliefs:

A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth.
God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other.
The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
God does not want to particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to solve a problem.
Good people go to heaven when they die.

Have you heard these false beliefs before? Or worse yet, Do you believe some of these false beliefs? We need to get back to the truth of God's word and let his truth rule in our lives! Just a quick update from my reading.

The Other Son, Part 1

2011-09-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Last week we examined the story of the prodigal son. Actually, to be more accurate, we spoke about the reaction of the Father toward the prodigal son. Isn't it great to know that we all identified with the son at one point in our lives. And Isn't it great to be the recipient of the Father's affections.

But did you notice that we did not say anything about the other brother. I want you to consider the story. Who does the prodigal son represent in the context of the story? He represented that which was lost. I know, I know, that as easy. Well how about the Father? Of course, another easy one, the Father represents our heavenly father. But who does the other brother represent? He represents the pharisees...the religious in the story. And quite honestly, his parables portray a gruesome picture of the pharisees and the religious in our day as well. Notice a couple of characteristics about the other brother that saddened the heart of the Father.

First, notice his complete lack of compassion. This is evidenced by his displeasure toward Father's response to the prodigal's return. The son refuses to come in and enjoy the festivities, instead he pouts and gives himself over to anger. Isn't this the a similar response the pharisees have toward Jesus when they observed him eating with publicans and sinners. They were angry that Jesus would waste his time on those kinds of people. Can't you just hear the the disgust.

The pharisees had no compassion! It's a similar condition found in the church today. So what is the problem? Is it that believer's don't know what to do? No, we are the most educated society in history. And even if we don't know, we can get the answer in a few keystrokes. Is it that we are overly concerned about the sins of the world rubbing off on us if we associate with the ungodly? Most believers I know are much more acquainted with sin than they would like to admit. The reason is, we have lost compassion! Jesus is constantly challenging us to look up and see the need in order that the need may affect our heart.

Jesus was challenging the pharisees' compassion for the lost. If they, and we, can approach the lost and prodigal people with compassion, then maybe, just maybe, we will see them return to the family of God.

...More to come...

Seeing God

2011-04-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today, I walked into my office for the first time in at least a week. Oh, I have been in and out before services, or a quick stop to pick things up, but for the most part my schedule has keep me away. It has been and enjoyable week attending a conference in New York, and spending time with my good friend's the Dalys.

But when I waled into my office on Sunday, I noticed the plant was all wilted. It actually looked dead. Shawn actually pointed out the dead looking plant and said, "Dad your plant died." I send him down for some water, but I was pretty confident that the plant had reached its end.

To my surprise, when I arrived this morning I found a revived, vibrant plant that was the epitome of life. How refreshed I was when I noticed this new life. I paused and thanked God for the life in my plant. It may seem strange, but the visible, living plant was a reminder of the invisible, living God. I saw the invisible God in the revived plant. Now the preacher in me would like to draw all sort of parallel between the condition of the plant without proper attention, and the essential of life giving water. But, I am too busy noticing the presence of the invisible God in the visible plant to get all "preachy" Thank you God for the visible reminder of yourself.

Have you seen the invisible God in the visible? Please share your story...

The most tolerant person I know!

2010-09-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

Tolerance seems to be the major theme of conversation in our world today. But as discussed in my last post, tolerance is not the goal of this discussion. At the heart of the tolerance discussion is the idea of pluralism. So let me talk about true tolerance. Tolerance is not the idea of accepting other believes as true but allowing each person to have their own beliefs. True tolerance values the opinions of others because of the value of the individual. Their opinion can be right or wrong, but their value is unmeasurable. Tolerance says, "I value you enough to allow you to have you own opinion." At the same time tolerance does not mean that I will never challenge ones wrong beliefs.

Okay...I have rambled on enough. Let me illustrate this by telling you who is the most tolerant person I know! It's God! Think about this, isn't free will...tolerance! You have the right to make right and wrong decisions. But just because you have that right (tolerance) does not mean that God wants you to continue to make poor decisions.

In fact, you have the right (tolerance) to continue to live a life apart from God. But aren't you glad Jesus did not set back and say, "They has the right to live that way, and we must accept their reality as true (pluralism). Yes, Jesus allows people to live lives apart from him. But he is unwilling to allow them to continue with out the opportunity to know the truth.

Our world says that "forcing" your version of truth on someone is intolerent! But I contend that speaking the truth is not a sign of intolerance, in fact, it is a sign of tolerance and compassion. What about those who do not beleive the truth. Well, God has some tolerant words for them. 1 Corinthians 14:38 - But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

In the name of Tolerance!

2010-09-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

Tolerance seems to be one of the most used words in the religious dialogue these days. But I fear it is also one of the most misused words. A few strokes on the keypad in the Google broswer brings up a quick definition of tolerance. It says, tolerance is "a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own." (from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tolerance) I think most people mistake tolerance with pluralism. Again, a few keystrokes in Google and we find that pluralism is "a theory that reality consists of two or more independent elements." (from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pluralism)

What is the difference? One might ask. Well, simply stated, tolerance says that a person must be willing to allow other people to have their own opinions/beliefs. While pluralism says that one must accept the opinions/beliefs of other people as truth. See the difference...tolerance does not force the ideas on other people, pluralism seeks to have every one's ideas be accepted as truth. Pluralism is the religion of a the relativistic world in which we live!

Follow me for a second. Relativism means there is NO truth, therefore it is up to the individual to develop their own truth! Once one has developed their own truth, they now have a worldview that should direct their every action. But in order for them to live the way they want to live, they must make everyone else be accepting of their truth. Everyone else must be more than tolerant, they must accept everyone Eese's way as valid (pluralism). This is such a slippery slope that started years ago, when the Enemy said, "God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5)

The Devil tempted Adam and Eve with independent living, where they made up the rules for their own lives. Sound familiar! Then he alluded to the fact that once they made up their own rules, God would have to accept them as truth (pluralism). Satan elevated them to the same level as God when he said "ye shall be as gods" simple because they made up the rules for their own lives. Then he implied that God would accept them as "gods". How silly! And what a huge mess that made out of God's perfect creation!

Isn't it great that some six thousand years later we have learned from their mistake. HARDLY! We are making the same mistake all over again. We are setting ourselves up as little "gods" of our own lives. And the most egregious part is that we expect god to be tolerant with us. Or should I say, we expect Him to be pluralistic!

Join me next time as I talk about the most tolerant person I know!

Test Results

2010-08-31T08:54:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday at PHBC, each person was give the opportunity to take a spiritual gifts assessment. Some choose to take them right after Church, while other opted to take it home. I want to give you the opportunity to share your results with others. Just click the comment button below and begin sharing.

Remember, the assessment is only a guide! So include in your comments what the Spirit is saying to you about both the assessment and your spiritual gift. Perhaps you would like to include the following:

What did the assessment say were your primary gifts?

What do you think about the assessment's findings?

How do you plan on using your gifts at PHBC?

Back in the Office!

2010-06-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it is finally here...the day I return to the office. And a new office I might add! My first day back in the office at church has been pretty uneventful. Mail needed to be opened and trashed, books needed to be sorted, phone messages needed to be answered, people needed to be seen, etc, etc, etc. Back to the routine of what I call ministry. I do like the routine!

But mostly I like the people. Saw Joe today...he looked good, but still needs our prayers for strength and healing of the infection in his heart valve. Saw the Whitney and Bias families today...we enjoyed the patio together till the rain made us move inside. Saw Chuck today...he was weak, not one of hi better day. He needs our prayer for peace and strength. Talked to Ray today...what an encouragement. Spoke with Judith today about Unis...she is recovering after surgery and is already at home. She can still use our prayers as she recovers from surgery. Pretty usual day. But then again, pretty awesome. Awesome to be loved by so many. Awesome to get to walk life together with some many wonderful people. Awesome indeed!

Perhaps tomorrow will be even better!

Where

2010-05-22T15:23:00.001-07:00

Graduation!

2010-05-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

It is official...It's over...school that is...well, at least until I get accepted into a Ph.D program. (Don't tell my Shannon that i even mentioned that last part!) For now, it is a break. The biggest change is that I get to choose the book I read now. This week has been relegated to rest and recuperation.

I also sent my computer in for repairs while I was away last week. For all those int he IT field you know what that means. Reinstalling and rebuilding the entoire system after the blanked the harddrive to replace the DVD drive. Yea, I don't understand it as well! So I have been switching disks and downloading newset drivers for everything they "uninstalled".

Well, that has been my week thus far. I also started reading a new book...hope to be done by week's end. Anyway, I will write about that tomorrow!

WHY?

2010-05-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

Have you e been asked ever been asked why? I have been asked why hundreds of times and I have asked why hundreds of times. It is an important questions. It cuts right through any particular action and gets right down to the reasoning. Let me say this another way, it goes beyond behavior and straight to the heart.

This is an important question in child rearing. When my kids used to ask the question why, I would usually respond, "because I said so." This is the WORST response. Remember, the question deals with the heart. Because I said so offers no heart direction. When a child asks, "Why should I take a bath", I now offer a reason because I am offering heart direction. My response may be: you kinda smell and a bath will take care of that, your hair is greasy and a bath will take care of that, or a bath may help you relax. Perhaps a rebellious heart needs to be addressed and that can be determined by the tone and context surround the question "Why?"

As you can see, it is an important question. It is a heart question! I often use the question why when speaking with people. Why did you choose that particular path? While visiting other churches I asked, "why" a lot. There is reasoning behind every action.

I enjoy asking why when it when it comes to learning, but I hate asking why when someone has made a mistake. Why did you throw that baseball in the house? Why did you choose that action/behavior? Why did you sin in that way? Again, this question cute right to the heart of the matter, and sometimes people are not ready to answer. Often times people do not want to answer that question. Oftentimes, they may not even know the answer. It's a hard question!

But I hate it the most when I must ask myself why? Why am I acting this way? Why am I thinking this way? Why? Even though it is often a hard question to ask, it is an essential one. One that can lead to growth, repentance, healing and instruction.

Perhaps you need to ask yourself why. Why? It may be surprising what you find in your own heart.

Where this week?

2010-05-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

Hello, this upcoming week for the Carbaugh family is extremely busy. First, we are on the road. I am typing this update from Lynchburg, VA. Shannon is thrilled to be able to see the college where she is currently studying. We will be attending church tomorrow at Thomas Road with some friends who traveled to Israel with us. After services we will be hitting the road again, south toward Atlanta.

Second, it's Mother's Day Weekend, and our plans include attending servics and driving for 6 hours. Not an idea Mother's Day, but then again, Shannon is not a "normal mother." In fact, she is super mommy!

Third, when we get to Atlanta, there is a week full of events. These events include counseling, picking up graduation appearal, graduation practice, the acquarium, a visit with the Daly's, etc.

Fourth, on Thursday, Megan turns 10. Yes her birthday falls right in the middle of our time away.

Fifth, on Thursday, My mother, Aunt and their lifelong friend is coming into Atlanta to be with us.

Sixth, on Friday, I graduate.

Seventh, on Saturday, we drive almost all the way home!

Eighth, on Sunday, we drive three hours back to CT, attend church, and take Megan to Beauty and the Beast at the Shubert for her birthday.

It's going to be busy, but that's where I will be for the next week!

Where?

2010-04-30T18:12:00.001-07:00

For the past few weeks, the Carbaugh family has been visiting churches in CT, this for the next few weeks we will be in churches in New York, Virginia, Georgia, and Massachusetts. The weekend we are in Upper New York visiting a Church that was started in 1978. Since that time, they have grown out of three building and have started 5 other Churches in the capital area of New York. The have graciously invited me to spend 3 hours with the pastoral staff on Saturday and visit their services on Sunday. They are a great church, and I look forward to our worship together this week end.

In Your Face!

2010-04-29T06:57:00.001-07:00

I certainly do not like to be confronted with problems in my life, but often times that is exactly what I need. There are areas in my life where I struggle. It's true, I am NOT perfect. I know that may shatter my image with some of you, but it's true. And some times...just sometimes...I don't like to deal with my own junk! And when I struggle to deal with it, sometimes God send someone to throw it up in my face.

Now, let me talk about this a little bit. When I say God sends someone to throw it in my face, I don't mean God sends someone to give me their opinion. Let me elaborate on this. My opinion is what I believe by examining the things that I see from the outside and is driven by my own personal thoughts. Notice that in this definition there are a lot of "I's". This is the problem Jesus was addressing in the story of the splinter and beam. Remember, Matthew 7:1-5! I could care less about your personal opinion...and Quite honestly, you should care less about mine! In fact, if people would keep their personal opinions to themselves we would have a lot less hurt in this world. (Example, the latest gaffe from England's prime minister while the mic's were still on!) Personal opinions should be kept more...a, what's the word...PERSONAL! Keep them to yourself!

When God's sends someone he sends someone willing to listen! Perhaps, I should spend more time here, but I fear you may not listen to it and skip to the next paragraph. (A little humor, but maybe you get the point.) When God sends some, they put aside their personal opinions and preconceived talking points and genuinely listen to what I have to say. But more importantly, they are listening to God himself. When God has a message to send, He is far more interested in the messenger listening to Him than listening to any other outside influence. For instance, God's message out weights our personal opinion, our misconceived beliefs, the sermon Oprah is preaching, the diagnosis Dr. Phil is making, anything Dr. Spock has to say, or for that matter anyone else! But when God places a message on the heart of his servant, you better pay attention!

Not does the messenger have to listen to God, but they must be willing to communicate the message in the power of the Holy Spirit evidencing His (The Holy Spirit) fruit. So there is both a message to communicate and a manner in which to communicate the message! Many of God's messages have fallen of deaf ears because the way in which the message was communicated was full of anger, condescension, greed, arrogance, etc. According to Colossians 3 these things are of the flesh, not the Spirit!

That's why it is so valuable to find a person who can "counsel" you and be God's person to get in your face! My counselor has counseled me to learn more about being a successful child of God, than a successful Pastor! I may need some personal space for a minute! You need to back up and get out of my face! That's a little too personal. He was right. The struggle in me and the exhaustion in me often comes from me "doing" too much and not "being". Do you know the difference?

Let me see if I can help you, at least let me tell you where my heart has been challenged. What would it look like if I were a successful Child of God? Immediately this list came to my mind:

Read the Bible
Pray
Witness
Obey
Be a proper Steward with my money
Eat less
Exercise more
etc.

Notice that my list always ends up as a list of things to do! And with that line of thinking, when I don't do these things, I am a complete failure. What if I told you that my thinking is being challenged! I can be so busy in the doing that I forget about the being. What if I told you that God is far more interested in your being than in you doing? Sometimes we thing that by doing more we can becomes closer to God. But do you know what that usually causes? It usually causes people to move further away from God! It did me. I was so busy doing things for God that I was missing many opportunities to be with God. Think this is a new problem, or just a problem I am having? Think again, and read Luke 10:38-42. Read closely..."one thing is needful..." WHAT? ...but God, the chairs have to be in place...but God, the restrooms have the be cleaned...but God, I must read 10 chapters today...but God, I must spent 1 hour in prayer today...but God... It is true that the work must be done, but what is needed first is to "be with Jesus." Have you been with Jesus today?

"Dear God, I confess that I have been more worried about the work of the ministry, than I have been about being with. I know that I am forgiven! So help me to choose that one thing that is needed. Help me to value our time walking, or driving, or setting in silence. I am glad to be your child more than anything else. I come to you for everything. I come to your for strength. I come to you for direction. I come to you for the words to say, or write. I want to be successful at just being your child! Thank you for sending Dave to get all up in my face. God, bring that change that is needed for me to BE. I love you Lord."

Church Mission and Strategy!

2010-04-28T07:49:00.001-07:00

Okay, first, I know I am a day late, so if you looked yesterday for this answer and were entirely disappointed that it was not there, you can leave a complaint in the comment section! Anyway, to the the matter at hand. Thanks for all the insightful answers that were posted. Although the exact terminology was not used, you understand what we as a church are trying to do. Let me tell you the exact terminology that is found in our church membership information.

The mission of Pond Hill Baptist Church is "to direct people to be disciples of Christ."

The strategy of Pond Hill Baptist Church is direct people "to TRUST in Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord, to TRAIN people for a lifetime of devotion to Christ and to TEAM with people to reach out to those who may be living far from God."

Our church stationary says, "Directing people to be Disciples of Christ."

Now, the thrust of these simple statements is the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. But what is very obvious is that we have not done a great job of communicating the verbiage of our specific mission and vision, or that our wording is not "simple" enough for everyone to grasp easily. Let me say that is not the fault of anyone who attends Pond Hill. I even has to pull the Membership Seminar information to find the exact verbiage!! Not very simple huh?

Well, it will be!

This is what I am thinking today, so fell free to add your thoughts to mine in the comment section.

Where?

2010-04-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, first, let me say thanks to those who have already responded to the previous post. On Tuesday, I will address formally respond back to that post. I must say that the mission of the church was established by Christ, but how we word that mission may change from church to church. For instance, in Simple Church, one church's mission statement was "loving God, loving others and serving the world". Clearly, the thrust of this statement is the spread of the gospel. In this simple statement, the church has wrapped up their mission in a easy to remember phrase that becomes a rally cry of sorts for all the function of the church. SIMPLE huh! At least simple to remember.

Okay, it's the weekend. May of you may be wondering, where in the world will Pastor be this weekend? Well, I will be in CT visiting two churches in the northern hills. One church is only about three years old, the other is about that same age as Pond Hill. One church is more traditional in format and the other is more contemporary. Both churches are seeing people believe on Jesus Christ and choosing to follow Him with their life.

Reading

2010-04-21T07:23:00.001-07:00

Okay, I have officially started some of the sabbatical reading. Up until this point, all my reading focus has been school. Now, all that's left of school is the final exam, which will be done by Monday! I started with the book Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger.

Here's the point. I need your help. If you are a member or attender on Pond Hill, can you put in two simple sentences what the mission and strategy of our church is? In the comment section, white two simple sentences using the following format;

"The Mission of Pond Hill Baptist Church is... (This has to do with WHAT we are trying to do.)

"The Strategy of Pond hill Baptist Church is... (This has to do with HOW we will accomplish our mission.)

The goal of this little exercise is to see if we are operating with focus, clarity and cohesiveness.

Go ahead comment now. By the way, it should be kept simple! I will comment about this in a couple of day.

Where Have you Been?

2010-04-20T08:31:00.001-07:00

Okay, so by now, you have probably noticed that I have not been that active on my blog. It was intentional! I have needed the past two weeks just to kind of rest and relax, and put my mind in a place that is capable to refocusing. I have not been doing nothing, but just have not written about it. I am entering my third week of Sabbatical leave. so let me recap some of the things that have happened.

The First Sunday away: This weekend my family and I went to New Hampshire. The purpose was to visit a good friend. Shannon grew up with this individual, I attended 1 year of college with he and his wife. they took over a struggling church in New Hampshire a few years back and the change has been incredible. This past Easter Sunday, they had just over 500 people in attendance. It is an exciting church, where God is honored and people can be impacted with the truth of the Gospel. Over the past few year, the pastor and I have spoken many times and he has become a great source of encouragement to me personally. (If you are reading this, thanks for you friendship. It has been more valuable than you can ever imagine. Only in heaven will you truly understand the impact you have made in my life.) It was an exciting worship service and I was drawn closer to God by being there.

The Following Tuesday Night: We were invited the following Tuesday to attend a Pastor Team Meeting in Massachusetts. We were guests, but were treated like part of the team. I thoroughly enjoyed out time there. It was refreshing to know that other churches struggle with the same areas Pond Hill does. These issues include: attendance tracking, helping visitors get connected, church signs, etc.

This past Sunday: The Family and I went to an early service at one church, then drove across town to another service. We attended two services at two completely different churches, one progressive and one traditional. We learned valuable information from both services, and more importantly we were challenged at each to trust God and his Spirit to overcome sin and sin's draw in our lives.

That brings me to today. After finishing my final project for school late last night, today I am going to disappear, not completely. I have a physical in just a few minutes, then its off to the Sleeping Giant for me to get alone with God and spend some quiet time before Him in reflection.

I'll blog again soon!

Godly Counsel

2010-04-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Do you need counseling? No, I am not trying to be funny, but I am a firm believer that every person is in dire need of Godly counsel. Why do you think God said that we was going to send the Spirit to be our Counselor? My thinking goes something like this...

1. God knows what is best for me.
2. God has given us the Holy Spirit to be a constant counselor.
3. Therefore, I need godly counsel.

God's counsel comes from many places. Often this counsel can be heard by simply listening to the Spirit, sometimes it comes from the lips of a close friend, but sometimes, you need to seek someone out that is skilled in listening and possess the ability to confront specific area of wrong thinking.

I am very grateful for for the counselors God has placed in my life. Specifically, for the next few weeks, I will be meeting with my friend Dave. This first of these meetings happened yesterday, and as usual, Dave has already challenged me and made me a bit un-comfortable. He does so with love and with the intent to help me fall greater in love with Jesus. Please pray for Dave and God's leadership in his life, pray that he will not hold back what he feels the would Spirit prompting him to say, and pray that I would be fully open (vulnerable) in our conversations.

Check back tomorrow and I will let you know a little about where I will be tomorrow!

My First Day

2010-04-06T17:29:00.001-07:00

Well, it is finally here. Today is my first day on Sabbatical. I must confess, there is a lot of confusion about the specifics of a sabbatical rest (SR). So I thought I would make my first SL blog entry about the specifics on this event.

First, "what is a SR?" A quick google search renders the following definition..."a year or shorter period of absence for study, rest, or travel, given at intervals (orig. every seven years) as to some college teachers and now to people in other fields, at full or partial salary." For one year, our church entered into a discussion about how we would define a sabbatical leave. Here is the definition as it appears in our amendment to our church constitution.

"A sabbatical (also known as Sabbath rest or sabbatical leave) is a resource for pastors and their families. It is an extended time away from the routines of normal ministry and daily life. The sabbatical is to be given as a separate time away from the local assignment and not to be considered as the pastor's vacation time. It is a time of special renewal for the pastor that will bring personal nourishment to his soul, a deeper relationship with the Lord, and a clearer understanding of God's vision for the church. A sabbatical helps to prevent ministry burn-out and may give the pastor a fresh perspective for his ministry."

So in essence a SR is a time for the pastor to step away from normal responsibilities to rest, refocus, and re-energize. This is a very biblical concept. The need for rest was mentioned in the very dialogue of creation. (Genesis 2) In the law, God mentions a resting of the land so that it does not become un-fruitful. (Leviticus 25) Jesus often separated himself from his ministry to be ministered unto by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 4:1-12 & Luke 5:16) Not to mention all the times Jesus separated himself from the disciples just for a time of pray. Even though a SR is a biblical concept, rarely do we see it demonstrated in a tangible way. I have heard the term used occasionally when a minister marriage was falling apart or when a minister was having an emotional struggle. But never have I heard it used preemptively and purposefully within the Baptist circles where I fellowship. So, it not surprising to me that people have questions, just unfortunate. (Hopefully, more on this later, unless you want to just right in Kevin and comment about the statistics about pastor's being burned out and leaving the ministry.) (Kevin is my friend from Broken Chains International and deals with this specifically!)

Second, "what is the reason for your sabbatical, Pastor Mike?" Well, honestly, I am tired. I have been running on empty for the past few years. My family, the greatest family in the world and my primary ministry, has bore the brunt of my exhaustion. I have been increasingly impatient, angry, non-existent, and withdrawn. Also, church endeavors have become more of a routine than a joy. It kind of feels like going through the motions not experiencing any real drive or excitement. (I am sure someone somewhere is say, "I can't believe he just said that…doesn't he know his church people may be reading this.") And it is true, so right now, if you are a member/attendee of PHBC, I do not blame you…apart from my call into the Lord's family and my call to my family, you are the greatest call I have ever received. I love each of you with all my heart. It is because of this that I cannot keep going through the motion any longer. I must step away for a small time of rest, to be ministered unto by the Spirit, so that I can come back a better under-shepherd for you.

The specifics of my responsibilities were outlined in my official request for SR. They include:

I would like to refous the vision for the future of Pond Hill Baptist Church. It is easy to establish routines that seem to work in the moment, and then never evaluate those routines compared to what other churches are doing. I will accomplish this task by the following:

Reading and written review: I would like to read Simple Church, Essential Church, Building the Church as a Team, and Leadership Handbook of Outreach and Care
Church Research: I would like to visit ten other churches and evaluate specific areas that are essential to the church (i.e. greeting, music, announcements, service structure, and invitation.
Pastoral interview: I would like to conduct one hour interviews with 8 pastors to discuss the following: Outreach schemes, visitation, church growth, etc. These interviews will last approximately 1 hour.
Pastoral Survey: I would like to conduct an online pastoral survey that would ask about the number one need of pastors, the number one difficulty of pastor's as well as outreach and growth methods.

I would like to spend some time in personal reflection out from underneath the normal burden of pastoral work. I would like to accomplish this by linking up with a local Christian camp for 6 hours per day of uninterrupted devotional time. I will dedicate this time to prayer, scripture reading, journaling and spiritual disciplines.
I will be finalizing my Masters of Divinity work and attending Graduation.

Okay, one final thought to the people of PHBC. I thank you for allowing me to be me and to learn together. I was a young 25 years old when you called me as your pastor, and I have tried diligently to teach and lead you closer to God. It hasn't always been easy, and there are probably many things I would change. But I would never have changed the fact that we have walked together. I have never held anyone at arm's length. I have loved you up-close and personal, some might even say a little too close. These years have been my greatest joy as well as my greatest heartbreaks. We have done it together, and I look forward to many more years of living, serving and growing side by side!

The Capital of Wales

2010-03-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

My day today is designed to get to know two distinguished missionary family who work in the capital city of Wales. The capital city of Wales is Cardiff, and it is very different than the cities in North Wales.

The Richards family, JA and Pam, have been in Wales for just over 20 years. They started a work in North Wales, but were called to South Wales to work in the capital area. They serve one church Sunday morning, then work together with the Owens Family in the evening at Cornwall Street Baptist Church.

Ricky and Jaime Owens also serve at a different church in the morning. Jaime is the daughter of JA and Pam. The Owens joined the work here in 2005!

Today, Monday, It was my pleasure to run around Cardiff with these fine missionaries and see the great need of this area. And just to make sure there were no hidden motives, JA made it clear from the beginning that his goal was to create such a burden for Cardiff that I would return as a missionary to help with the work. There is truly a great need here. Pray that the lord of the harvest would send forth laborers, for the work is great, but the laborers are few!

As a part of our time, We went as saw some local castles. Check out these picture that show the churches and some of our day's travels.

Pictures of Scotland

2010-03-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Hey guys check out some of our picture from Scotland!

On the road again!

2010-03-07T00:24:00.001-08:00

This trip entails a lot of driving. Each day with the missionaries is surrounded by at least 6 hours of driving. And I might add the fact that I am driving on the opposite of the car, the opposite side of the road with many round abouts (rotaries) around which to navigate. Oh and did I mention that the roads are much more narrow here. So I constantly remind myself...protect the passenger... which means keep the passenger away oncoming traffic.

So far, Wednesday, the day we flew in, was a travel day (10 hour drive with a 1.5 hour nap at a road service stop). Friday was a travel day (6 hour drive with a 2 hour service stop for some work). And today, Sunday, is a travel day (4 hour travel between AM and PM services).

Today, we leave Wrexham, North Wales after the AM services and head for Cardiff, South Wales with plans to arrive for the PM services. Please pray for us as we travel!

Kilts, Castles and Haggis

2010-03-06T00:51:00.000-08:00

Scotland is a beautiful country! The day after we arrives in Scotland, we set off to Edinburgh. Our agenda for the day...meet with the other missionaries in Scotland and enjoy a day together. The missionaries in Scotland include: The McCaskill Family, The Bergen Family (Jon Bergen was to Pond Hill last September), and The Mills Family (The Mills family is back in the states for a short Furlough).

We were all meeting in Edinburgh for a jaunt up the royal mile to Edinburgh Castle. We had plans to stop for lunch and just enjoy our time together. You know the old saying, when the Baptist meet the Baptist eat!

Along the royal mile we saw many stores. Some of the most noticeable stores were the kilt manufacturers. They were everywhere. I thought about getting one, but then decided against it. Although Scotland is known for their kilts, we only saw one on the royal mile. And the one we saw was unusual, in that i was primarily a solid color, not a clan color.

We finaly made it to the castle around 2 PM, and enjoyed finally reaching the top. Literally it was all down hill from there. It was a welcomed spot. The Castle is still a working military fortification. But it also houses the War memorial, the Royal Jewels, and many other museums. There were even American from the War of Independence that were held captive in Edinburgh Castle. It was an awesome experience.

And about the Haggis...Oh yes, I did!

Hello from Scotland!

2010-03-03T23:26:00.000-08:00

Well, after 1.5 hour drive to JFK, 3 hours waiting in the airport, 7.5 hours in a plane, 1 hour going through customs, 8 hours driving on the M1 (with 1.5 hour nap at a service area), we arrived in Scotland at the gracious hosts house. We are staying with Dan and Kathi McCaskill, 22 year veteran missionaries to Wales and Scotland. Now time for sleep!

"Welcome to Heaven!"

2010-01-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

“Welcome to Heaven!” Those are the words I am longing to hear. Don’t get me wrong, I have a purpose here that keeps me busy and satisfied. But I know, one day, I will hear my Savior say, “Welcome home son!” We have been studying what Heaven will be like in our Sunday morning worship hour. The series is entitled “Questions About Heaven” and the entire focus has been to open our eyes about the splendors of heaven. The questions we have studied and will be studying are listed below.

What do we really know about heaven? The Bible tells us that heaven is a real place. It is a place prepared for us and with us in mind. We also learned that heaven is a place of beauty. The bible speaks of heaven being a place of mansions, gardens, rivers, and most importantly a place of unions. We also learned that heaven is an exclusive place, in that Jesus has prepared the way to get into Heaven. He said, he was the only access into heaven. Not all roads lead to heaven! You can only get into heaven by believing on Jesus Christ!

Where do we go from here? We found out the heaven is spoken about in two terms, the present heaven and the New or Eternal Heaven! The present heaven is where God dwells now, and where the saints, those people how have placed their faith in God, go now when they die. This is a place of comfort, blessing, worship, Joy, rejoicing, rest and consciousness. But we also learned that one day this present heaven will become a part of the New Heaven and New Earth where God and his people will dwell eternally!

Can You Remember Eden? Have you ever just sat back and imagined what Eden must have been like? Well if you have, you have just gotten a glimpse into what the New Earth will be like. You see all of creation was cursed as a result of man’s sin, but God has promised to restore/redeem that creation and make all things new. God will dwell with man on the New Earth.

Will we “live” in heaven? Have you ever wondered what we will do in heaven? Some people imagine heaven as a large choir loft where we will stand and worship God forever. They never imagine haven as a place of activity! But what kind of activity will we be engaged in for all eternity? The Bible says that we will rule and reign with God.

Can’t we all just get along? There are events in history that seem to bring out the worst in people. Why is that? Why is it that a single event can ignite such heated responses? It is because there is something fundamentally wrong with mankind. But in heaven, that which is wrong will be gone! Then we will truly be able to get along.

Who’s at my table? Have you ever attended a wedding banquet and wondered who was going to be sitting with you at your table? Relationships are an important part of our earthly existence. In Heaven, we will continue to relate to other people, but in a much greater level. We will relate to others in perfection, and not only other people, but all of creation!

What should I be doing now? Heaven is a great place! And that fact should dominate not only our imagination, but also our actions right now. We are told to live with heaven in mind. We are told “to set our affection on things above”. We are told to “store up treasure in heaven”. The truth about heaven has an effect on us as we live our daily lives. We are to live with a heavenly perspective!

Growth in the New Year

2009-12-29T18:56:00.001-08:00

Growth in the New Year!

The New Year is fast approaching and with it comes all the excitement of planning the upcoming events. The past year is just that...past! And now we set our focus on the future. For our church, this past year brought the excitement of the end of our mortgage program and new faces worshiping together with us, but as I look forward to the New Year, I anticipate God doing some amazing things. The theme for our church in 2010 is GROWTH!

This can be taken in many ways. First, it refers to each and every individual in our church taking steps of growth. Each of us can probably identify one or two things in our walk with the Lord that needs to grow. Well, this year, we are going to grow in those areas. One way we are going to do this is by challenging each and every member of our church to read or listen to the whole Bible this year. If you read or listen to the Bible for 30 minutes each day you will be able to finish the entire Bible in one year. You can see the Daily Bible Reading Plan below.

Also, I am expecting the Lord to grow our church this year. This happens as each and every person in our church takes an active role in leading people to Christ. This happens as we speak to others about Christ and as we invite others to church. As a church, we have scheduled three Big Days where we are going to try and double our normal attendance. This will take everyone's help. The first of these days is coming up on January 10th, as we start our "Questions About Heaven" series. Go ahead, start thinking about who you can bring.

Obviously, true growth only happens as God draws people to himself, so we must make these matters a priority in prayer. Why not right now, before you read the next sentence, humble yourself for a moment and ask God for growth. Now, let's go forth expecting God to bring growth to us individually and corporately in the New Year.

See ya next year!

Catching Up!

2009-09-29T06:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever pondered that phrase? What exactly does it mean? It could refer to the action associated with a class reunion or similar function. This past week I have spend some time "catching up" with some fond friend in the ministry at a pastor's conference in Canton, Ohio. It is always sweet to stand around with friends and find out what they are doing...how their family is...how the ministry is going, you know...catching up! In a way, the missions letter I just read is "catching up" with that missionary and the ministry to which they have been called.

In a kind of negative sense, "catching up" also refers to my day today, as I return from a week away from the office. It means sorting through a mountain of mail, reading/deleting a multitude of emails, answering an amusing amount of phone messages, plotting the course for the week ahead, touching base with people who need their pastor, etc. All of these things, and probably many more are included in that phrase. After a week away there is much catching up to be done. So today, I sit behind my desk...catching up!

But the sweetest "catching up" I know of is the one Jesus will do when He calls his bride home. This "catching up" is where we get our word rapture. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, we find,

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

The words "shall be caught up" comes from the Greek word harpazo (har-pad'-zo) which means to catch (away, up). (New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary) In other words, one day Jesus is going to catch his bride up and away for this world. And to that I say, "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" Maybe even today, so I can leave this catch-up work behind!

2009-09-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it's started again! I have started a new semester at college. This semester I am taking a class on ethics. I must confess, I hate ethics. To be honest, it's a little above my head. I find the reading extra hard, the logic hard to follow, and the theories circular is motion. But this class finds as it focus as the area of bioethics, in specific, ethics as it relates to birth, abortions, and end of life issues. I look forward to sharing some of the insights I learn here in this forum. As always, please feel free to share you thoughts on the issues. To start, in the class discussion I found this story about a family who struggled with a decision to have a baby that had no chance to live long after birth. Take a look, but I must warn you, it will be heavy on your heart.

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2009/thomas/

Enjoy...and we will talk soon!

Standing Strong in the Face of Uncertainty

2009-05-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

But I want to make a bold statement, which will serve as kind of the premise of our study today. Faith can thrive in times of uncertain0ty. Consider for a second the biblical definition of faith given in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Things hoped for…things not seen, certainly sound a little uncertain. It is in these times of uncertainty that faith become obvious or should I say that faith become provable. Faith says in spite of not seeing things…in spite of only having hope, there is substance in our faith that keeps us moving and keeps us standing strong.

Let’s go back to our story today in Daniel 2. Let’s do a little review of our main characters. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were taken captive to serve in the Babylonian King’s court. These three men received three years of training in the Babylonian culture which was an attempt to re-indoctrinate them to the Babylonian lifestyle. But in spite of the Babylonian effort to cause the men to forsake their God they men stood strong. They chose to believe the sovereignty of God. They chose to stand strong on what they believed. They chose to follow God and walk in faith. But it did not take long for their faith to be tested.

Their first test came while in training, or should I say three year long re-programming effort. These men were challenged to fit in with the behavior and specifically the eating rituals of all Babylonians. But the dietary plan was against the dietary laws of the Jews. So they stepped out on faith and ask for a different food plan. It worked and God blessed these three brave men who stood up for what He had designed for them. In fact it worked so well that at the end of the three years listen to what was said about Daniel and his friends…
Dan 1:20 - And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

Yet in spite of their impressive knowledge and stamina, it did not take long for there to be another trial. Chapter 2 of Daniel starts out by saying that King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream. The dream was so upsetting, that the King immediately called for his wise men to give him the reason for the dream.

The Catch was that by the time the king assembled the wise men, he had forgotten the dream, or so he said. He asked the wise men to tell him the dream and to tell him the interpretation of the dream. This was an impossible task, and the wise men make an appeal on those grounds. Listen to their appeal:

Dan 2:10 - The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

You can almost hear the desperation in their voice. Things they are a chanin’…from the certainty of the kings wise men, to the brink of extermination.

Listen to the King’s response:

Dan 2:12-13 - For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

I want to digress form the story a bit here for a very important point. Did you know that we are in a war? And in this war our enemy will use whatever he can to try to defeat us. You name it…worldliness with all of it lusts…uncertainty with all it fear. He is ruthless. One person said, “The Evil one is willing to sacrifice all his false prophets in the city of Babylon if he can destroy four of God’s faithful servants.” Those who would follow the devil are a dime a dozen…but those who would follow Christ are few.

It is hard to believe that so many terrible things can happen to one person. Yet Daniel was ready to handle every occasion. He was bold in his faith and trials seem to make his faith shine brighter. Here in the face of uncertainty, Daniel’s faith shines bright. Daniel had to remember three truths in order to follow his faith.

Dan 2:14-16 - Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

Remember the immovable power of Faith

The First thing Daniel asked was if he could speak to the King. Now I want you to understand that Daniel did not take an arrogant stand on faith. The Hebrew word here actually means he desired or requested to see the king. There was a proper way to ask for an audience with the King. In fact it may be that Daniel never actually talked to the King, but actually spoke with a high ranking official who reported Daniel’s request to the King.

Daniel was bold in his faith. Daniel did not question whether or not he could do what the king asked. In fact, he said he would be able to show the interpretation. And why not, do you remember what God said about Daniel in chapter 1…

Dan 1:17 - As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Later on, we find out that Daniel was so bold because he had faith that God could reveal and interpret the King’s dream. Daniel stepped out on faith knowing that in the uncertainty, God was still there and he was still faithful.

This is an important fact. In time of uncertainty, God is still certain. We can still lean on his truth, and follow his leadership. The immovable power of faith is anchored in the immovable character of God.

One of my favorite things to do at the beach is to just sit or stand on the beach right where the waves wash up under my feet. The waves are refreshing, but I like most what happens as the waves retreat. As the waves retreat, the water takes the sand around my feet and under my feet away. This has a tingling sensation as my feet resettle just in time of the next wave to hit. Then the entire routine is started all over.

This is like the certainty that the world offers. It is shifting sand. Just about the time you settle in and feel comfortable, another wave hit and the shifting begins again. There is not firm foundation in the world, only uncertainty as the waves of life role in.

I am glad that we have a solid foundation on which to stand when the waves of live come crushing in

Remember the immeasurable value of prayer

The next thing Daniel does is go straight to the Lord. I wonder, what is your first response to uncertainty? Is it prayer?

Notice what kind of prayer Daniel prayed:

Corporate prayer – He asked other to pray with him. Daniel did not want to engage in this battle without the help of his friends.
Fervent prayer – The word “desire” here is actually the same word used earlier when Daniel went to the king. Daniel and his friends went to the Lord
Expectant prayer – Daniel fully expected to get an answer.
Urgent prayer – Time was limited.

God answered his prayer.

Remember the incredible name of God

When God provided the dream and the revelation of the dream, Daniel praised the name of the Lord. Listen to Daniel’s praise…

Dan 2:20-23 - Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.

Daniel knew that only God could provide such an answer to prayer and such an answer to the king’s dilemma. But it even goes further, Daniel made sure that the king knew only his God, the God of Heaven, could do such things.

Dan 2:27-28 - Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.

Dan 2:47 - The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

Why does God need people to stand strong in times of uncertainty? It’s so the world will know the name of our great God. In facts it all about the name of our great God. Daniel understood this, that’s why he says that no one could understand the dream, but god could. In fact you could say that God created or at least allowed the time of uncertainty, so that His name would be known

Many years ago, King George VI of England addressed the British commonwealth on New Year’s Eve at a moment in history when the whole world stood on the brink of uncertainty. Despondency and uncertainty filled the air. The king’s own body was racked by cancer. Before that year was over, his life ended. Unaware of his own physical maladies, he uttered these memorable words: "I said to the man at the gate of the year, ’Give me a light that I might walk safely into the unknown.’ And he said to me, ’Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God. It shall be to you safer than the light and better than the known.’ "

I am not sure what kind of uncertainty you are facing in your life. It may be an uncertainty of…work…finances…family…a relationship…or it could be the uncertainty of an eternal home in heaven. I want to assure you that God is here, waiting for you to remember the truths the Daniel learned. Why not today, trust in God in your tome of uncertainty?

Reading Insights

2009-04-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala. My wife has been after me for about 6 month to reads this book, but I have been busy with other assigned reading material. So in the interim between classes, I decided to read it. Today, my reading became a bit too convicting. Let me share with you some quotes form the book.

"The truth is that 'user-friendly' can be a cover-up word for carnality...The issues is not length [of service], but appetite [for God]."

"It takes more than academic rigor to win the world for Christ. Correct doctrine alone isn't enough. Proclamation and teaching aren't enough...the gospel must be preached with the involvement of the Holy Spirit sent down from God."

"Does anyone really think that America today is lacking preachers, books, Bible translations, and neat doctrinal statement? What we really lack is the passion to call upon the Lord until he opens the heavens and shows himself powerful."

All of these quotes are from Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997.

Just some thoughts to ponder.

Standing Strong in the face of Devastation

2009-04-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Standing strong in difficult times
Daniel

Have you heard the story of the HMS Resolute? The HMS resolute was a vessel in Royal British vessel rigged for Arctic exploration. In August of 1853 the HMS Resolute got caught in the Arctic ice. After staying the Winter in the Arctic, the Captain of the HMS Resolute ordered the ship to be abandoned and led his crew across the ice to find one of the other ships in their exploration.

In September of 1855 the ship was found drifting in the David Straight by a whaling ship from Groton CT. The Captain re-rigged the spars and sails, and arrived at New London, Connecticut on 24 December 1855. In 1856, the HMS Resolute made her trip back to England, but it was not the last time she would see American soil. The Resolute served in the British Royal Navy until 1879 when she was decommissioned and broken up. But that’s not the end of her story.

In 1880 a desk was made from her timbers and presented to President Rutherford B. Hayes as a gift for rescuing the vessel. It has come to be known as the resolute desk and has served many presidents in the oval office.

But that still not the end of the story. In 2009, Prime Minister Gordon Brown presented President Barack Obama the framed commission of the HMS Resolute made from timber from another British vessel. And now you know the rest of the story.

But what does the HMS Resolute stand for? It stands for the ability to stand firm in difficult time. The Resolute lives on and give all a reminder of the ability to outlive current circumstances.

It is not anything new to most people when I say, that times are tough. We are living in difficult times. People are finding their jobs are being "re-structured", which I think is a new way of saying, "we are going to have to lay off people, cut back hours and freeze pay.” At the same time, basic living expenses like milk, eggs, meat, etc. are not getting any cheaper. People are seeing their houses shrink in value or even worse they are not able to afford the mortgage. And don’t get me started about my 401K, or lack thereof recently.

We are living in difficult time, but it is not the first time people have fallen on hard times. I hear a lot of comparisons between the great depression and the current economical climate. But I want to go a bit further back than that. I want to take us on a trip way back to c. 605 BC. Back to a time where difficult is defined as being conquered by the greatest empire at the time, being hauled off as a teenager to a new country, and being enlisted in the greatest re-programming campaign the world had ever seen. These young men had to deal with all this difficulty, yet they were able to stay strong in their faith and even lead the pagan leaders of the day to recognize the greatness of their God. That is "Standing Strong in Difficult Times".

Dan 1:1-4 - In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

Historical Background:

For many years God sent prophets to the backsliding Kings of Judah. Men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel called the Kings back to a right relationship with God. But they did not listen to God’s pleas for repentance, instead they continued in their rebellious ways. Instead of God’s blessings, they incurred His judgments.

In Judah’s 389 year history it had 20 kings. You can count on one hand the Kings that stayed true to God. The following are a few Kings that seem to illustrate a common theme of rebellious behavior leading Judah away from God.

-Abijah - 1 Kings 15:3, And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.
-Athaliah - 2 Chron 21:6, And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
-Manassah - 2 Kings 21:10-12, And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle

Jeremiah contended that Judah had forsaken the sabbatical laws of the Land. Judah was told to work the Land for 6 years and then let the land rest for one. Judah’s covetousness and greed led them to disobey God. So, for 490 years Judah worked the ground w/o any years of rest. Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would be removed from the land for 70 years. Judah was in captivity to Babylonia for 70 years.

Other prophets foretold that God would bring judgment for Judah’s idolatry. Judah began to worship other Gods. The hearts of the kings of Israel were seduced away from worshiping God alone. This led the entire nation into idolatry. God sent the prophets Hosea, Amos and Isaiah to draw the people back, but change was only temporary. Hezekiah led sweeping changed in Judah, but his Son Manassah led the people back again into idolatry. In fact nothing seemed to get Judah’s attention. That is until 605 BC.

In 605 BC, the Babylonian Empire defeated the Egyptian Army at Carchemish and marched toward Egypt. Judah laid right in line with this assault. So in c. 603 BC, Judah surrendered to the Babylonian empire.

The Babylonian forces took heavy losses in Egypt and retreated back to Babylonia. This Led Judah to rebel against Babylon. In 597 BC, the Babylonian forced were once again camped against the wall of Jerusalem. Israel surrendered saving thousands of lives and their city and temple. But about 10,000 captives were taken back to Babylon.

Judah rebelled again in 588 BC. This time the Babylonian empire laid siege on Judah for 2 ½ years. This time they laid waste to the walls, place and temple. Most of the in habitants were taken away into captivity.

Daniels and his friends were probably taken to Babylon at the time of the first conquest.

Main Characters:

These Three men received three years of training in the Babylonian culture. They would have learned thing like, language, culture, and religion. In essence, this was a re-programming campaign. Even the name of our three character were changed to further show the re-programming effort.

Nothing shows this clearer than the fact that their names were changed:

- Daniel meaning "God is my Judge" was changed to Belteshazzar which means "Bel (implied) will ’protect his life’"
- Hananiah meaning "The Lord is Gracious" was changed to Shadrach which means "Command to Aku". (the Babylonian moon God)
- Mishael meaning "Who is What God is was changed to Meshack which means "Who is like Aku is".
- Azariah meaning "The Lord will help" was changed to Abednego which means "Servant of Nebo." (The 2nd highest God in Babylonian religion)

Even in the name change is shows that the reprogramming campaign was not just to change the individuals learning, but to change their faith.

Application:

There are two major themes that must be understood in order to put the story of Daniel in its proper light.

First, this passage assures us that God is in control even in the worst circumstances. This concept is called the sovereignty of God. What is the sovereignty of God?

One Commentator puts it this way… “The Sovereignty of God. What do we mean by this expression? We mean the supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the god-hood of God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that God is God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Most High, doing according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, so that none can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou? (Dan. 4:35). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in Heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will (Psa. 115:3). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is "The Governor among the nations" (Psa. 22:28), setting up kingdoms, overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties as pleaseth Him best. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the "Only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Tim. 6:15). Such is the God of the Bible.” - A. W. Pink

What is the sovereignty of God? It is the sovereign control of God over all His creation! Even when his creation rebels against Him, His sovereign control draws them back to himself. Consider Jonah. Johan said no, and God called a big fish to find him. That’s the sovereignty of God.

Second, Since God is in control, then I can trust what He is doing. This is the Biblical virtue of Faith. Faith is trust put into action. James does a great job in showing that faith is not just belief, but belief that is put into action in one’s life.

Daniel and his friends all suffered devastation. They were removed from their family and friends probably at the age of 15. They were carried away from their place of home to Babylon where they were challenged to change everything about them. It would have been easy for them just to try to fit in. It would have been easy for them to say that God had forsaken them, and just live anyway they wanted. But they did not. The entire book of Daniel is a memorial to people who stood firm in spite of their current difficulties. They remind us that it is possible stand strong in difficult times.

CONCLUSION:

The fall of Jerusalem looked like a triumph of the pagan gods over the true God of Israel…but in actuality it was actually a victory for the Lord! He kept His covenant with Israel and He fulfilled His promises. In fact, the same God who raised up the Babylonians to defeat Judah {sic. in accordance to his promise to judge Judah for their disobedience} later raised up the Medes and Persians to conquer Babylon. The Lord also ordained that a page ruler decree that the Jews could return to their Land and rebuild the temple.” - Warren Weirsbe, Be Resolute

God is in control! We his people are to live lives of faith that reveal the fact that God is in control.

New Sermon Series at Pond Hill

2009-04-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

This week at Pond Hill are starting a new Series from the book of Daniel. It is entitled, "Standing strong in difficult times". It is not anything new to most people when I say, that times our tough. We are living in difficult times. People are finding the jobs are being "re-structured", which I think is a new way of saying, "we are going to have to lay off people, cut back hours and freeze pay. At the same time, basic living expenses like milk, eggs, meat, etc. are not getting any cheaper. People are seeing their houses shrink in value or even worse they are not able to afford the mortgage. And don't get me started about my 401K, or lack thereof recently.

We are living in difficult time, but it is not the first time people have fallen on hard times. I hear a lot of comparisons between the great depression and the current economical climate. But I want to go a bit further back than that. I want to take us on a trip way back to c. 605 BC. Back to a time where difficult is defined as being conquered by the greatest empire at the time, being hauled off as a teenager to a new country, and being enlisted in the greatest re-programming campaign the world had ever seen. These young men had to deal with all this difficulty, yet they were able to stay strong in their faith and even lead the pagan leaders of the day to recognize the greatness of their God. That is "Standing Strong in Difficult Times".

I am listing below the sermon seeds - the starting point of my study - for the entire series. You study them out and see what you can find as well. I am always open to any thoughts you may have as you study them for yourself.

Standing strong in the midst of devastation...developing the biblical virtue of Faith

Dan 1:1-4 - In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

Standing strong in the midst of Worldliness...developing the biblical virtue of Purity

Dan 1:5-8 - And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Standing strong in the midst of Uncertainity...developing the biblical virtue of Faith

Dan 2:12-16 - For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

Standing strong in the midst of compromise...developing the biblical virtue of Unity

Dan 3:1-6 - Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Standing strong in the midst of success....developing the biblical virtue of Humility

Dan 4:18-20 - This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

Standing strong in the midst of change...developing the biblical virtue of faithfulness

Dan 5:1-6 - Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

Standing strong in the midst of trials...developing the biblical virtue of rest

Dan 6:8-14 - Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

Standing strong in the midst of the end times...developing the biblical virtue of Perseverance

Daniel 7-8, 10-12

Standing strong in the midst of waiting...developing the biblical virtue of Prayer

Dan 9:1-6 - In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

BTW (Thanks Susan)

2009-04-15T11:50:00.001-07:00

Hey, I have updated some of the pictures from Israel. There is even some raw video footage from Bethlehem. I have been finishing off the photos with other peoples picture. So, thanks Richie and Jonathan for making those picture available.

Beit She'an was one of my favorite places. It is the ruins of a Ancient Roman city. The main road feature under ground sewer. The main road has been "rebuilt", at least the columns were set back up, so you could see the massive nature of this ancient city. This road intersects with another main road that has been left alone to show the destruction. It is believed that this was destroyed by a massive earthquake. The massive columns of the main temple, the columns laying in the streets and the arches from the palace, all lay along the ground in the same direction showing the massive damage caused by this earthquake. One column from the temple porch was broken from the force of the quake and one end is penetrating the cobblestone road below.

At one placed the guide took us and people began to sit around on the white blocks around the wall. You can see this picture in the photos. This was once a bathroom. You would actually sit in between the stones and do you business. Then the trough along the bottom would carry the waste away. They had running sewer way back then. You should have seen the people stand up when the guide said what the stones were. Lucky for me, I had my own bottle of hand san.

Enjoy the picture!

Easter Sunday

2009-04-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

What a blast we had this past week end! Our church has been gearing up for Sunday services for the past three months. In fact, our schedule is so packed this month with activity, that I am surprised our people don't pass out from exhaustion. Thanks guys for keeping going, even when the schedule is packed.

First, let me say that we scheduled an Easter egg hunt last Saturday, and God scheduled a day of rain. Needless to say, we rescheduled for this week. But the response is overwhelming. We have about 60 people registered from the Town of North Haven. That means that we have the possibility of being salt and light to at least 30 family this upcoming week. That does not even include the kids form the three churches coming together to make this even happen. I am so excited and ready to minister to those whom God will send.

Second, our Choir did a fantastic job with the Easter Cantata this past Sunday. We had two services, one at 9:00 AM and one at 10:30 AM. We had about 30 people in the Early services, and about 70 in the later service. Of those who came, 10 were guests and 3 were first time guests. After services, one family, who were visiting for the first time, said they felt like the Lord wanted them to be apart of Pond Hill. What a tremendous honor and blessing! I am always amazed at God's working. He is so good!

Please keep us in you prayer as we really try to reach out and impact our community. We have the Easter Egg hunt, followed by our Work Day (two weeks away), Mother Daughter Banquet (early May), and Memorial Day Services (late May). Then, maybe we can rest a bit. We really want to see people changed by the Gospel, and these kind of events seem to be the best way to engage the lost. So keep us in prayer for strength to do the work and for wisdom to know how to engage people with the Gospel.

Heavy Heart

2009-04-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

Recently, my heart has been heavy because of the trial of many or our friends and missionaries. Let me just take a moment to speak of them.

First, our friends Tom and Joanne Foltz, who are missionaries to Tanzania, recently returned home from the field because of a medical issue that just became apparent. Tom was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Upon returning to the states the diagnosis was confirmed in Missouri. His update page can be found at tomandjoannefoltz.blogspot.com. He has started the long process of treatment with Chemo, but there is still a long road of medical issues ahead. Would you join with me in prayer for him right now?

Then, I am reminded of his son, Jonathan, and his wife. They were missionaries to Tanzania as well, until their infant, Trevor, became ill with Infantile Spasms. They are currently missionaries to Rhode Island as they continue to seek treatment for their son Trevor. You can read an update about them at trevorshope.blogspot.com. Again, would you lift them up in prayer right now?

These friends are going through one of those impossible times in life. And it would be impossible to handle these things were it not for the hope that is found in Christ.

Contrast the lives of these individuals, who are it the midst of difficulties yet find such hope, with the headlines of this past week. "Man kills 12 at immigration center in New York State" or "Fight over urinating dog got police to Pa. ambush" or "Shock as Father shoot his five children dead". There seems to be a "scarcity of hope" in the lives of most people.

Our President wrote the book Audacity of Hope. Do you know what that means? It means the fearless daring of hope...the bold or insolent heedlessness (with regard to restraint) of hope. What he is saying is that hope throws off restraint and allows one to succeed. Yet, what I see in our world is a place of little hope. Maybe a better work to consider would be the Scarcity of Hope.

Recently, I heard a sermon on just such a subject. For believer's, we understand that lasting hope only comes from God. The headlines mentioned above should not surprise us when we consider that apart from God there is no hope. The Apostle Paul says that in Ephesians 2:12. And without godly hope, man is only left with himself to meet life's difficulties.

That is why I am so glad there is hope in Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 says, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." The believer is able to stand fast in difficult situation because of the hope we have in Christ. So, friends, stand fast and if you need some to stand with, call me! I will stand with you!

Rest At Last!

2009-03-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Since coming home from Israel, we have been so busy. We arrived home early Friday morning. in time to hit New York traffic for the drive home. We dropped Shawn off for school and went to bed. Friday was kind of a throw away day. Although, no day is really "throw away." what i mean by that is...I was useless. We were able to get all bags unpacked and many loads of laundry done. I only mention this because Saturday, I was back at work.

We returned home from Israel right at the beginning of one of the busiest times in our church calendar. Our annual mission conference happens in March. And you guessed it, it started the Sunday after we returned from Israel. Now that it is Sunday Evening, I want to brag a little, because I would not have been able to survive if it were not for the people with whom I minister.

First, Sunday services opened and everything was already set up. The music for the entire week was ready, thanks Gina. We had a continental breakfast Sunday to kick things off, thanks Larry. The speaker was ready and delivered timely messages, thanks Greg. My sermon Sunday night was enhanced by our missions family, thanks Bill and Ralph. The Bibles that we prepared were a blessing, thanks Scott. And the international dinner was tremendous, thanks Hazel, Lisa, Daphne, Ana, Stacy, Jeannette, Wanda and Larry. In all reality, there were so many people helping, it's hard to think that anyone was idle.

This was different from many of our missions conferences simply because it went from Sunday to Sunday. But the biggest difference was that we scheduled a 4 day Bible project int he middle of our conference. We planned to put together 12,000 John and Romans. I must confess, when I saw the the Bible being unloaded, I was sure we were in over our heads. In fact, I thought... "It's been a good 13 years, they will ask for my resignation on Monday." But I forgot what great people we have at Pond Hill Baptist Church. We worked with Scott Sandy and the Northeast Baptist Seedline. Scott was awesome and he coordinated us in such a way that assured success. We started work on Wednesday morning and completed the work on Friday morning. Whew...I still have a job. And not only that, but our church is energized that we made 8800 Bibles to go to Africa and 3000 Bibles to use here in North Haven.

Tonight was our commitment banquet. We had a regular chicken dinner with matza ball soup and a traditional Ecuadorian meal with beef and chicken empanadas. I, of course, had the Ecuadorian meal. All the food was excelled, and it only confirmed what I already knew. I am so lucky to serve with the great people of Pond Hill Baptist Church. Thakns again guys for allowing me to be your pastor.

With Love,
Pastor Mike

Home At Last!

2009-03-23T12:42:00.001-07:00

It has certainly been a great trip! We have seen the landscape that Jesus saw, walked the paths that Jesus walked and listened to the words that Jesus spoke. And now it's time to soak it all in. The trip was so fast and so packed, that often, you did not have time enough time to sit and contemplate. It's like when we went down into Petra and the guide said, "take 5 minutes and then let's head up." Five minutes, what can you see in such an important place in just five minutes. To be honest I could have used more time in every place we visited. Well, that just means, I will have to go back. I told Shannon, I should take a sabbatical leave and stay for a couple of weeks in the monastery on the Mount of Beatitudes. I could really get into the solitude, but I am not sure I would be that good at the silence part.

Now that we are home, it is time to catch my breath. The end of March, is always the best time of the year for me at our church. It's mission time. I know mission happens every day, but the end of March our church focuses on world evangelism. We call our mission program Mission Involvement. I believe Mission is more than just sending money; it is partnering with missionaries around the world to do the work of Christ. We are constantly trying to find ways to get involved in missions, not just support missionaries.

This year, we have three days of services, followed by three days of putting Bibles together. this is the second time we put Bibles together, but I am especially excited about this years project. We are planning to put together 9000 John and Romans for the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa. Let me tell you why I am so excited. First, this is the largest project we have ever endeavored to complete. Our project guide believes we can do it, but there is a little fear in me that we have bitten off more than we can chew. "Father, we need to help to complete the task for you glory."

It is also exciting because two summers ago, we had an intern at our church for the summer. Eli and Ann were students at Boston Baptist College. We were able to have this young couple at our church for 13 weeks during the summer. This family was from Cape Verde and had already established two churches. In the back of my mind I can't help but wonder if maybe some of these Bibles that we are putting together are going to further those works. No matter where these Bible are going, it is a pleasure to partner with those who are giving the gospel out in Cape Verde.

Well, I was so excited to get home and get a little rest, but as you can tell, there is no rest available this week. Maybe next week. And on top of everything, I am sick! We can thank Shannon for that one!

Israel Trip Day 10

2009-03-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Our final day in Israel was like the calm before the storm. the morning started with a yacht cruise on the Red Sea. Well, actually, it was the gulf of Aquaba. This was to be a time of relaxation, but I was looking forward to getting int he water. I could spend hours snorkeling. In fact, on my honeymoon, Shannon and I did just that. We spend an entire day, on the water taking in the underwater sights. I just wish on that say I had worn more tan lotion. You guessed it, I got burned so bad that I did not wear a shirt for 2 days and slept on the couch. This time I was prepared.

After our cruise, I t was time to check out and start the long voyage home. It started with a flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv. the flight itself was only 35 minutes, but it took four hours to check in, get loaded, and unloaded. Then a bus ride to dinner only to return back to the airport 4 hours early to check in for the flight to New York City.

One AM finally came and we pulled away from the terminal for an 11.5 hour flight. I must confess it was not one of the smoothest flight I ever took. But I was able to sleep a little. But I was conferable in my shorts and polo shirt.

We arrived in New York at 7:15 AM, an were rudely greeted by 34 degree weather and falling snow. Welcome home to the USA, and more specifically, welcome home to winter. Now it is time to resettle into this time zone. Time for some sleep. The words are getting blurry and I am starting to not make sense.

I will talk to you soon. It is ogfdkl as if og,ne and good night!

Israel Trip Day 9 Revisited

2009-03-21T17:55:00.001-07:00

Hello again. I thought I would finish up my thoughts on Day 9....

We had just walked for 35 minuted though the siq (the narrow passage) leading to Petra. We got to the bottom and the tour guide says, "take 5 minutes and look around." Now, I have never been to Petra before, but I knew 5 minutes was not near enough time. In fact, to see the full expanse of Petra would take days. So I asked if I could walk down as see the theatre. the tour guide pointed down the way a bit and said, "when you are done, head back up to the top."

I do not know if you know this, but I am in my element when in "explorer mode". Shannon keeps me balanced. We ventured off to see what we could find in the limited time we had. If you click the link above, you can see more of the full expanse that Petra offers the average hiker. We made it to see the theatre and some dwellings, but we did not have time to go up the gorge to the top and see the Church structure. It was an amazing site.

About and hour later, we made our way back up the siq, and into the nearby restaurant for lunch. Shortly, we back on the bus and ready for the 2 hour drive back to Israel. No rest for the weary though, I had to take a final and pack for our departure in the morning. I will have time to rest on the plane! LOL!

Israel Trip Day 9

2009-03-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

Today started early. The days plans took us into another country. As many of you know, when you enter another country, it can take a great deal of time. So our day started off with a brief ride to the Jordanian border and a lot of waiting around. We passed through the Israeli border point quickly, but when we went to the Jordanian side, they took our passports and told us to wait on the other side of the road. Conveniently, they had a souvenir shop right there. How thoughtful!

So we waited around like all the other people who were "passportless" and souvenir shopping. Oh, yea, they also has coffee, but it was really strange. then out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of someone looking around the shop. It was Montel Williams. He was vacationing in Eilot and Jordan. in fact he wsa going to the same place we were going. We saw him off and on throughout the day.

His bus left and soon we were called to get our passports. Off to the Jordanian desert for a two hour bus ride through the Edom Mountains. Our destination for the day is one of the 7 new wonder of the world, and is one of the place I alwasy wanted to visit. Two hourse later we arrived at Petra. Petra, for those who do not know, was a city carved out of stone. It was occupied up until 1983. It is also mentioned in scriupture. Consider the following...

SELA (celah), "the rock," Greek, petra, (2 Kings 14:7); Isa 16:1, translated "send ye the lamb (tribute) from Sela through the wilderness to the" king of Judah; Amaziah had subjected it (2 Kings 14:7). See for its rocky position Judg 1:36; 2 Chron 25:12; Obad 3; Num 24:21; Isa 42:11; Jer 49:16. The city Petra, 500 Roman miles from Gaza, two days' journey N. of the gulf of Akabah, three or four S. from Jordan. In Mount Seir, near Mount Hor; taken by Amaziah, and named Joktheel, i.e. subdued by God, man without God could not take so impregnable a place (Ps 60:9; Josh 15:38); afterward in Moab's territory. In the fourth century B.C. the Nabathaeans' stronghold against Antigonus. In 70 B.C. the Arab prince Aretas resided here. The emperor Hadrian named it Hadriana, as appears from a coin. - Fausset's Bible Dictionary

The tour guide said it was a mile walk down to the site, but I think he lied. After about 35 minuted of walking we arrived at the first major sight called the treasurery. It is at least 5 stories tall. Around the corner was more interesting sites.

We have limited internet access here, that is why I have not updated the picture. I will update them as soon as I get better internet access. In fact, I have run out of time now, so I must let you go. I will finish this post later. We will be home on Friday.

Israel Trip Day 8

2009-03-17T13:08:00.001-07:00

Today we started with a tour and a service at the Garden Tomb. We learned that the exact location is really not known, but that there is great evidence that the death, burial and resurrection actually took place right where we were. The site was located right outside of the Damascus Gate of the Old City. The Romans used this areas as a rock quarry for building on the Temple Mount. We know the Romans liked to crucify people in a public place, near a major road. Also on a side of the quarry there looked to be a skull formed in the natural rock. This was another clue. We also know that the tomb was not far from Calvary. The Garden Tomb was near located in a garden. We also know that the Tomb was new, carved out of stone. The Garden Tomb was new, even to the point that it had an empty space next to the place where Jesus laid. There was also a cross with the letters alpha and omega painted in the tomb.

There was much evidence that this was the place, but the greatest reality of the tomb is...It is empty! Our Savior lives and because of that we live.

After the tomb we loaded on the bus for a 6 hour ride south to Eilat. Tonight we rest in comfort at the Queen of Sheba Hilton in Eilat Israel. tomorrow we head into Jordan to visit Petra.

Israel Trip Day 7

2009-03-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Today we visited the Temple mount. It was hard to be there. It is on Israeli soul, but it is controlled by the Muslims. Of course, we know that the Dome of the Rock stands where the Temple of Israel once stood. To think that the place where God should be worshiped is now a place of pagan worship was a little was a little discouraging. But remember, that while the temple was standing, even then, God's people rejected the Messiah. So not far off int he distance was our site for tomorrow..Golgotha and the empty tomb.

Then we went to the Holocaust Museum, "Yad Vashem". If you would like to know more about this museum, please click the link provided. It was an emotion walk though the chronology of the Holocaust. the tour ended in a circular room with shelf after shelf, filled with book after book, with page after page of those who died at the hands of the Germany genocide machine.

Our last sop of the day was in Bethlehem. Bethlehem is under the Palestinian Authority. So, we had to change guides and buses. No Israeli is allowed on Palestinian soil and no Palestinian is allowed on Israeli soil. There are, of course, some exceptions. So, today, Shannon and I found ourselves on Palestinian soul visiting the church which stands over the place thought to be where Jesus was born.

Our tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. I did not expect this to be. If fact I thought we would be treated like we were a nuisance. Come to find out, one of the top industries in Bethlehem is...tourism. I am still not sure I understand the Palestinian/Israeli dynamic, but one thing I am sure of...Jesus died for both. And until they both realize this truth and turn to him for salvation, any type of peace will be fleeting.

Tomorrow, we be at the Garden tomb for our main services. Then we will be walking the "Via Dolorosa."

Israel Trip Day 6

2009-03-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

It was a rainy day today! And usually rainy days are bad days for seeing the area sights, but here, rainy days are a blessing. Israel is in the midst of a 17 year drought. So, the rain is a great thing, even if it messes up the photo opportunities.

We started the day at the top of the Mount of Olives Did you know that the majority of the Mount of Olives is a grave yard. The Talmud says that when the Messiah returns through the Eastern Gate, the believers will be resurrected and will walk across a bridge to Jesus from the Mount of Olive. Therefore, if you want to be first, you need to be buried on the Mount of Olives.

You can see from the picture that the Mount of Olives is right across from the Eastern Gate. This is the gate through which the prophesied Messiah will enter and establish His kingdom. If you notice in the picture, the Muslims have made that area a grave yard as well. This is because a grave yard is an unclean place, and no righteous person would enter the Temple Mount "unclean". Notice also that the eastern gate is cemented closed. I guess you could say that the Muslims are a little scarred of this coming Messiah.

At the bottom of the hill we stopped in a small grove of olive trees. Theses trees have been in this place for nearly 2000 years. In fact, 2000 years ago most of the Mount of olives was a garden. We know it as the Garden of Gethsemane. What a change, from a place of peace to a place of death. It is really sad to see, but we know that is not how it will remain.

The day was cut kind of short, but we also visited the Tomb of King David and the location of the Upper Room. Tomorrow, we visit the Temple Mount.

Israel Trip Day 5

2009-03-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

A new day brings new destinations. If there is one thing I dislike about taking tours like this is... Well, let me tell you some interesting things that have happened so far. There are around 350 people in our group, and the group is divided into church folks, mainly from Thomas Road Baptist Church; and college age folks from Liberty University. We are staying at two locations, but on some occasions we eat together. This is a logistic nightmare. Have you ever gone to a sit down restaurant where 350 people arrived at the same time? Better yet, Have you ever been in a restaurant where 350 people were seated at long table where you were seated shoulder to shoulder? This can sometimes be tedious.

To make matters even more stressful, you are in a foreign country, eating foreign foods. Even the McDonald's are different...there is no cheese on the burgers because that would not be kosher. Of course, they do have nuggets! Our first lunch was a bit trying for Shannon. They first served all 350 of us appetizer of some kind of toast and falafel. For those who don't know, because I sure didn't know, that's a hush puppy made out of chick peas and pine nuts. I am sure they would disagree with my simple definition, so I have provided and link for you to look it up yourself. But then the main course come out. It was fish. Shannon does not much like fish, especially when the fish is starring right back at ya'! That's right, the fish was still in tact with fins, gills, head and eye balls, oh, yeas and bones, lots and lots of bones. The scales and inside were removed allowing the fish to be cooked whole and slapped down on our plates. Needless to say, Shannon did not eat much. I, on the other hand, ate just fine, although I could have used some tartar sauce.

Today, we left at the normal time and check out of our hotel in Tiberius and made our way to the Yehuda Desert. Three stops for today before checking in to our hotel in Jerusalem.

The first stop was Masada. This fortress places high upon a plateau was built by Herod the Great, but is most often remembered as being used by the Zealots to make a stand against the Romans Army. Read the link above to gain more information about this fascinating place. I must confess, this is one of my dream come true. I have always wanted to see Masada and scurry around on this major archeological find. I love archeology and especially biblical archeology. I have been a subscriber to Biblical Archeology for many years. I have read many article on Masada, but nothing could compare to feeling the breeze from on top of the plateau. On one end of the fortress Herold built his sprawling palace. It has many levels, but sets precariously on the North end of the plateau. This palace uses the end "steps" of the plateau cliffs as the perch for two lower levels. The only way to get to them is the climb down a three story stair case that is hanging off the side cliff. Then walk a small path on the cliff that leads to another two stories of stairs hanging off the cliff. oh, and did I tell you could see right through the stairs. It was so awesome! I went down, took some pictures, then made my way back to the group. You can see the picture by clicking the "Masada" link on the left column.

We left Masada and went to another archeological find. This find was the most significant find relating to scripture. We went to the Caves at Qumran. This is where some ancient scripture were found hidden away in some caves. Again, I would love to spend more time with the significance of this find, but it is past midnight and I have a 6:30 AM wake-up call. We will talk about it soon when we actually get to visit the Museum that holds the dead sea scrolls.

We finished our day with dip in The Dead Sea. Yes, it is really salty. The Sea contains about 27% salt. The oceans only have about 3-4%. So hopefully, by the time I get home my skin will be soft and shinny. Then we loaded the buses and headed toward Jerusalem.

Oh yea, guess what was for dinner...beef tongue!

Israel Trip Day 4

2009-03-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

It has been such a treat to be in Israel for the last few days. For those days, we have walked the paths of Jesus’ earthly ministry. We have been to The Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Caesarea, The Jordan River, and the Sea of Galilee. Our feet had stepped where the feet of the Master once walked, and it has been quite humbling. Today we went to another significant site.

Okay time for a little Bible Study. Take you Bible out, if you would, and read the story of Peter’s Famous confession of who Jesus really is. It is found in Mark 8:27-30. The Ruins of Caesarea Philippi were once a place where Jesus walked and taught his disciples. Listen to the words of one Bible scholar, “From Bethsaida Jesus and His disciples came hither, and on the way Peter made his famous confession, after which Jesus began to tell them of His coming passion (Matt 16:13 ff; Mark 8:27 ff). Some think that on a height near Caesarea Philippi Jesus was transfigured.” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

This city was the location of a spring that feeds the Sea of Galilee and later the Jordan River with natural water. It was a place of great value to the people, but it was a place that was given totally to idolatry. From its earliest existence, it had been a place of idolatry. And now Jesus walks the streets to give a new kind of spring…a spring of everlasting water.

From Caesarea Philippi we traveled south along the Golan Heights. We learned about the importance of the Golan Heights and event learned much about Israel battle for survival as a nation. Our final stop of the day was an overlook of the entire Sea of Galilee area. Directly across from this overlook was Tiberius, where we have been staying, and not far from us was another significant place. A little north of where we were at, there was a place referred to in the Bible as the land of the Gadarenes. I will not say anything further about the place, but leave it up to you to find out what happened there. If you know, just leave a comment below.

I want to let you know that I am in the process of setting-up a picture site that you can see all the pictures. So this entry will not have any picture. Hopefully, I will have it set up by tomorrow. He are changing hotels tomorrow as we transition our attention away from Galilee toward Jerusalem. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Israel Trip Day 3

2009-03-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

Today’s journey took us away from the Sea of Galilee to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was about an hour drive though the mountains, hill, and finally to the flat coastal area. All seven buses arrived around the same time, so we immediately went to the theatre. Charles Billingsley lead the worship and provided a couple of songs as specials. Both Jonathan and Erjin gave small devotions and from scriptures that took place at Caesarea. Caesarea was named after Caesar Augustus to show Herod the King allegiance to the New ruler of Rome. The entire city was built to hone Rome. Two key features of the city were the Theatre and the Hippodrome (the place where Chariot races took place). We also saw the remnants of the palace that overlooked the Mediterranean Sea. It Even has access from the palace right down to the water’s edge.

From there, we drove to the Jizra’el Valley. Actually we were on top of a mountain that over looked the valley. The mount was called Mount Megiddo. Our guide led us to read from Revelation about the day the Lord Jesus will return to this area. When you look over the topography of the area, you can truly see why this would be the place for the Lord to come and save His chosen people. This valley runs directly from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan Valley which in turn runs the entire length of Israel.

But the highlight of the day was our trip to Beth She’am. This again was a Roman city that was completely restored by an earthquake. The remains have been unearthed and the entire site is an archeologist dream come true. The city lies just beneath a mountain that is actually the covered remains of the city being destroyed and rebuilt over the centuries. The city is one of the first cities with running water. The main water drain runs right down the middle of the street, with trenches running into the local businesses. In one section, the columns which had once lined the streets all lay flat in the same direction, demonstrating the awesome destruction inflicted by the earthquake. This city also included a theatre, a place of worship, a ruler’s mansion, many places of business and traditional homes.

One of the realizations that one makes on a trip of this sort, is just how to place everything together. It’s one thing to look at a map and see where the events take place, but it is something else to actually see the land, breather the air, and walk on the dirt. It also awakens one’s mind to the greatness of our God. Not only has he saved us, but he continues to care for us. Even though we sometimes ignore Him, like many in Israel have, Still He is good to us. Israel is truly a land that is alive. The valley today was green with life. On top of Mount Megiddo, there were date palm trees. These kinds of trees are not even nature to Israel, but the excavators who worked the land years ago ate the dates and spit out the seeds on the top of this mount of rubble. The trees grew, and now they produce fruit. Every obstacle thrown at the Israeli people, they overcome. Some would say by the knowledge of their agriculture engineers, but I choose to believe it is the hand of God. Even though they have chosen not to believe, God is so good to them. And the same God that is gracious with people, who have turned their back on Him, is my God. And He is good to me!

Israel Trip Day 2

2009-03-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

It all started at 6:30 AM. The phone rang for our wake-up call. Shannon, of course, was already awake and finished with her devotions. I on the other hand was not, and quite honestly could have done without the rude interruption of my beauty rest. But it was necessary to get up, because the bus was going to leave at 8:00 AM sharp.

Breakfast included fresh fruit, cheese, baked breads, olives, eggs, mushroom gravy, a baked tomato with fresh cheese, and assorted breakfast beverages. Then off to the bus, for a busy day of touring.

the first stop was The Mount Of Beatitudes. On top of the Mount there is an 8 sided chapel that serves as a reminder of the Sermon that Jesus shared there. It is believed that Jesus shared that sermon down toward the bottom of the mount, but the chapel sets at the top of the hill giving it a splendid overlook of the Sea of Galilee and the area where Jesus completed 80% of his earthly ministry. The actual location of the delivery of the sermon is down toward the bottom of the hill marked by simple iron fencing.

The next stop was the Byzantine Chapel that marks the placed where the feeding of the 5,000 took place. This simple chapel is filled with mosaic tile work depicting the miracle that Jesus preformed here. At the alter of the chapel is a stone that is said to be the very rock where Jesus broke the bread and fishes to feed the multitude.

The next stop was in to Capernaum. This was a excavation site that showed the many unearthed building including what many believe to be the traditional dwelling of Peter the Apostle.

Israel Trip Day 1

2009-03-10T12:29:00.001-07:00

Well, we have arrived safely. After a 2 hour car ride to the airport; 9 hours in the airport; 10 hour flight; one and a half hour to get through customs, get our luggage and get loaded on the buses (7 - 50 passenger buses); a 2 and a half hour ride to Tiberius; and a few minutes for an evening meal, Shannon and I are ready to turn in for the evening. In case you didn't do the math while reading, that is about 24 hours of travel time with only about 3 hours of sleep. Shannon got a little more sleep than that, but she is also feeling the need to turn in.

It is now 9:30 PM here and we are unpacked in our hotel and are about to call the kids, just to let them know we are safe. We have one that worries, so we do not what to add to that pressure.

I would love to tell you all we have seen thus far. The inside of JFK international airport. ?They have quite a nice mall to visit while you wait for your flight. The inside of an El AL 747-400 airplane. And although this one was huge and had two decks, if you have seen the inside of one airplane, you have seen them all. The Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. As we were leaving the airport, we noticed many grapefruit orchards. But by the time we headed down the road the sun set and all we saw for the next two hours was lights on the hilside.

So for now, that's all...but tomorrow we will have more, since we are slaited to tbe baptized in the Jordan River.

Pastor and Shannon

Vacation Time

2008-08-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

It's the greatest time of the year. No, it has nothing to do with church events; nothing to do with school; and nothing to do with work of any kind. It's not that I dislike any of those things, but in comparison to this week, they pale in comparison. This week, actually the next 12 days, it's just me and the family. It is hard to chisel out time for the family during the normal routine of life. Oh, you get the meals together, family devotions, Monday's off, etc. But it's not like 12 days with nothing but family.

This year our family is vacationing on the beaches in Florida. We have 7 days in Palm Beach and 2 days in the Florida Keys. We have plans for snorkeling, glass bottom boats, swimming, science museums, Safari, a butterfly museum and a Japanese Garden. And still we have lots of time to relax. We are so looking forward to vacations. Only one problem...We have to catch the flight out.

We leave for Florida at 3:00 AM on Friday Morning. Have you ever tried to get a family of five with three kids, and a grumpy morning Father (not you papa Rush) out of bed at 3:00 AM. It is a major miracle. We were late on leaving, but it's okay, because the plane was over a hour late leaving NY. We arrived safely at our first hotel a little after 1:00 PM. So far it was a good start to our family vacation. Check int tomorrow as I give more updates and picture of our vacation.

The CT Carbaugh's

Mission Trip Day 6

2008-07-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

This morning we said our goodbye's to the LaLonde Family. We gave our hosts all the extra food and Canadian money we had in hope that it would be a blessing to them. We had a time of prayer and then hit the road.

Looking back over the trip, I have received a greater vision for the work here in Canada. My wife was talking to the kids, asking how they could pray for our missionary family more specifically. As I listened to their specific prayer requests, like... pray for Kendra and her recovery...Pray for Joe... I really understood the need for missions trips. Missions trips expands our vision for world evangelism, as well as breaks our hearts for those who minister abroad. In each of our missions trips the relationship between myself and the missionaries have grown. No longer are they pictures on a page, or a line on a prayer list; they are my friends. People who are like me in so many ways, and yet minister is so many differing places.

I challenge you to consider going on the next missions trip. Start praying now, and let God take care of the rest. I will see you soon!

Mission Trip Day 5

2008-07-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we awoke to a steady rain. In fact, we are expecting rain for the next few days. Church begins at 10:00 and we are planning to be there by 9:30. Sunday is always an exciting day for a pastor. It is the day we get to teach and prepare people for the Kingdom. In Quebec, it is no different. There is a genuine excitement in the air. There have been rumors about visitors planning to visit, and there is always the thought that God could bring someone unexpected.

When we arrived at the church, Pastor LaLonde was already there preparing for the days events. It was going to be a grand service. We were going to start off by having some testimonies and then having some "coffee and". I was going to be preaching with Pastor LaLonde doing the interpreting. This will be the first time I have spoken with an interpreter.

When service began, a visitor had come. It was a lady who was in language school with another missionary couple. I do not know her spiritual condition, but I prayed that she would understand the message of Christ.

Sorry folks, my laptop died. I have recharged it and am ready to complete this blog!!!

After services we have crapes with the LaLonde Family; Tim, Kim, Kendra, and Joe (all pictured above). They have truly been exceptional hosts. We have enjoyed the fellowship and look forward to many more years of partnership reaching the field Quebec. I have even spoken to Tim about the possibility of coming up for a few min-trips. You know, drive up Thursday, distribute Friday and Saturday, have services on Sunday and drive back Sunday afternoon. This would not be for the faint of heart, but would be a great time to see what a missionary does on the field.

Also pictured to the right is the Roy family (Guillaume, Christine, Cam, and Benjamin). Together, these two families have linked ministries to multiply their effectiveness. It demonstrates a great co-operation between men of God who are willing to work together to further the gospel. I applaud them and will be praying for further wisdom to reach the people of Quebec. And I know that you will be praying with me.

Tomorrow we head home. We will see you soon!

Mission Trip Day 4

2008-07-12T16:52:00.001-07:00

Tired and sore, are how we start the day today. After yesterday and all the walking we did we all woke up this morning sore. Except of course the kids, they bounded out of bed ready to conquer the world. Today was a restful day full of fellowship and celebration. But it all started with breakfast.

This morning, mom woke up early and cooked breakfast for everyone. We had pancakes, sausage links and patties and fresh fruit. We all sat around the table and ate together. It even included a cup of coffee and chocolate milk. It was a relaxing way to start the morning.

After breakfast we headed off to the LaLonde's house to meet them before we head over to the Roye's house. The LaLonde Family and the Roye Family are partners in the ministry here in Quebec. Today in Benjamin Roye's 6th Birthday, so we went for a picnic to celebrate the event. It was a great time of celebrating with Benjamin and the rest of the church.

Around 3:00 PM, we left the Roy's place and headed out to see some more of Quebec. The first stop was a homemade ice cream and chocolate shop, where we sampled some of the local sweets. Then off to the Montmorency Falls.

At the falls, we took a gondola ride to the top and walked along the edge for a while. Then we came to a bridge that spanned the top of the falls. As you walk across a bridge of this kind, you cannot help but be a bit excited and scared. The noise of the falls and the rhythm of the flowing water shook the bridge a bit, which added to the excitement of the swaying bridge. It felt good to set my feet on solid ground. I am not a fan of heights, but the excitement of such a sight was to great to pass up. You travel from the top of the falls to the bottom of the falls by a set of stair cases that travel down the side of a cliff.

The reward for the long trail down is the "spray patio". At the bottom of the waterfall, where the water cascades off the rock below, a fine mist like spray gallops through the air. The kids loved this place because you can get soaked, and I must say, they did. It was refreshing after the 396 steps down the side of the cliff.

The only thing left in our day was to eat dinner and go home to get ready for Sunday. Please be in prayer for me tomorrow. I will be preaching with an interpreter for the first time. I look forward to reporting to you tomorrow about our exciting time at church. Until then, keep praying for the people of Quebec.

Mission Trip - Day 3

2008-07-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the day of distribution has come and gone. It was a very busy day. My pedometer reads roughly 27,000 steps and a grand total of 9.7 miles. I must confess, not all of those were distribution steps, but all of them made for a very busy day. It all started...

"Mike...Mike... do you know it's 9:15?" My mother whispered through the door. I has awoken earlier and must have slipped back to sleep. I was important, because we were to meet up with the missionaries at 9:30 at the church for the start of distribution. We were going to be late, ans there was nothing I could do, but prompt people along.

We arrived a bit late to see our missionary host loading the cars and making everything ready to distribute. We were divided into teams with each team having an English speaker and a French speaker. Then off to the doors. We distributed packets from 10:30 - 1:00 PM. While we were distribution, there was another group back at the church putting together more packets. We were able to finish three large areas of the map. It was a good day of distribution.

We left for lunch and to try some authentic Canadian food. Pastor Tim and Pastor Roye' has been talking about a Canadian disk called "puttin" of something like that. It was french fries with cheese and gravy. So we had to try some. Mom, Shawn and I all tried the dish. Mine included some "sloppy Joe" type meat on the top. I must say, it was pretty good. Shannon had a Canadian roast beef sandwich.

After much fellowship and eating we decided to call it a day and head into the "old City". SO about 4:00 we headed into Quebec City. It was a great time, but it included about 4 miles of walking. The old city was beautiful. In fact, Quebec is celebrating its 400 year birthday this summer. Pastor Tim, did a great job filling us in on the history of Quebec and the uses of all the building on the old city.

All in all, it was a great day. Much work for the Lord was completed and there was genuine fellowship between the believers. It is so amazing to partake in the work with our missionaries. I hope that you will make plans to go on a missions trip soon. Talk to you tomorrow.

Missions Trip Day 2

2008-07-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today, we packed bags for distribution. We brought about 8000 trifold brochures, and we probably packed about 7000. In the end, we were scrounging for supplies to finish the full 8000. It rained today, so we were unable to do any distribution. Maybe tomorrow.

We stopped packing about 6:00 AM and met with the missionaries for dinner. We had made White Chicken Chili for dinner and the missionary provided a salad and some veggies. We all had a great time. Then we presented some gifts for the missionaries. For Joseph (13) we provided a new water gun with refilling backpack and a new MP3 player. For Kendra (23), 7 new books for the series' she has been reading. For Kim, Tim's wife, spending cash for an upcoming vacation, and for Tim, Microsoft publisher 2007. They were very appreciative for the gifts of love that our church provided. It is always a blessing to see our missionaries, and even a greater blessing to be an encouragement to them.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Missions Trip Day 1

2008-07-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Greetings from Quebec Canada. We have arrived! The first day was comprised mostly of driving. We left about 7:30 AM and drove until we reached Quebec City. We stopped only for restroom breaks and to get a bite to eat. We stopped to eat a picnic at a park in Vermont, only to have our plans twarted by a passing storm. We looked at the park while the rain pelted the windows of the van. We had hoped to stay around the park for a while and stretch our legs, but as the rain continued to fall, we decided to continue on our journey.

Only six miles later we were at the Canadian border. We made it through with no probelems, and we did not even have to unpack out van. ``Thank you Father, because you know how hard we worked to pack everything in its proper place.`` The only hang-up came when they asked us the name of the church we would be helping. I did not know the name of the church. Afterall, I`ve only seen it written in French. ``Luckely`` I did not have room to store all the fliers in the intended loaction, so I had to store one small box under my seat. There at the bottom of the flier was the name of the church. The border guard looked at the flier and told us to pass on.

I anticipated Canada looking very similar to Vermont, but to my surprise, I started noticing changes almost immeditely. This one tree seemed to predominate the horizon. It was tall and norrow. The leaves hung close to the trunk and branches. Maybe it looked this way because of the previously mentioned storm that had preceded us into Canada. My mother remarked how the trees seemed to be smaller. As I looked, they did not seem to be as tall as the trees were in Vermont. But the largest difference was that the lanscape seemed to get much flatter. Vermont was a winding road that seemed to rise and fall over and around every hill. This was further demonstrated by the gas economy rating. While in Vermont the meter reat about 18 miles per gallon, but in Canada we peaked at 22 miles per gallon.

Three hours after the border we arrive in Quebec City at 5:00 PM. You got it, right in the middle of traffic. have you ever been in rush hour traffic, in a city you did not know, where all the road signs were in an different language. Not very easy to deal with. Yet we made it, with a little help from Richard. (Richard, is our name fo the GPS).

No sooner did we arrive, than Bro Lalonde called as said he would meet us at the hotel and take us for a quick bit to eat, then off to Wednesday evening services. It was unusual to hear the hymns in a different language, but we hummed right along with the congregation and worshiped our great God. Pastor Roye` preached and Bro Tim intrepreted for us. It was a great service. By the time we got home, we were exhausted and ready for bed. All in all, not a bad days worth of work for our first day on the mission field. Tomorrow, we begin to get our hands busy with the work of the ministry here in Canada.

Ordinary Men

2008-01-31T11:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about the Apostles as twelve ordinary men? Sometimes we look at the people in the Bible as super spiritual people to whom we could never measure up. These ordinary men were used by God in extraordinary ways. Let's take a quick look at who they were are what they left to follow Jesus. We will list them in chonological order of when they met Jesus.

John 1:29ff:

Andrew - The brother of Peter, a fisherman from Bethsaida. He was so excited to find the Messiahd that he first went and ound his brother.

John - He is note mentioned by name in John but scholars agree he was the other disciple who left to follow Jesus with Andrew. He is often reffered to as the apostle who Jesus loved.

Peter (Simon) - A fisher from Bethsaida, usually associated with the foundation of the church. He was also known for his quick tongue. You may also know him as the only other person beside Jesus to walk on water.

Philip - Philip first found his friend Nathanael, and this evangelisitc zeal was later empazsized by his title, "the evangelist" because we see his traveling out of Jerusalem after Christ's ascention

Nathanael - Nathanaul was doem Cana in Galilee, and is probably the Bartholomew mentioned in Matthew 10.

Matthew 4:18ff

James - He was the bother of John, anf a fisher by trade. Together these brother were called the "Sons of Thunder".

Matthew (Levi) - This tax collector turned apostle is best known for his evangelistic party that he orchestrated to mix his new friends, with his old friends.

Luke 6:15-16

Thomas - ThomasHe was also called Didymus (John 11:16; 20:24), which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name.

James the son of Alphaeus - He is often called James "the less". He was the author of the book of James.

Simon called Zelotes - Simon was a zealot, who was a person identified for their zeal for protection the laws of Judiasm.

Judas the brother of James - He is generally identified with Lebbaeus (Matt 10:3) and Thaddaeus (Mark 3:18).

Judas Iscariot - We known him as the traitor/betrayor.

What I find to me so amazing is that these ordianyr were used by God in such an extraordinary way. It gives great hope for an ordinary person like me, that I can be used of God in extraordianry ways.

The Ordinary Jesus

2008-01-22T07:07:00.001-08:00

Isn't it amazing what we think about a person based solely upon what we see? I must confess, that too often, I make the same kind of stereotypes based upon what a person wears or how many piercings they have or how they carry themselves, or even what color their skin is. This is a dreadful problem that plagues all humanity. In fact as I prepare this sermon, the Sunday before Martin Luther King day, I am ashamed to say that we have not yet fully learned the idea of equality between gender, ethnicity, social status, and so many other areas that divide us.

When to comes to the Bible we often do the same things. I can't tell you how many times I have hear a person say that they wish they were like the Apostle Paul. In their minds he was a "Super Christian." Or any other great hero of the faith. One day we will fully see that the same Spirit Paul followed, is the same Spirit that indwells every believer. It wasn't some super "Christian gene" that ran through the apostle, but a ability to clear His life of every obstacle that kept his from submission to the Spirit. Still the stereotype continues, Paul the Super Christian.

I fear though, that this type of mentality might do the greatest damage to our understanding of Jesus. So I want to introduce you to the "Ordinary Jesus". Now I know that that sounds funny. Even me typing it sounds kind of sacrilegious. But what I mean is that Jesus was a man, and ordinary man, a human, just like you and me. And the Bible goes through great lengths to prove it.

In John 1, God was "made flesh" like you and me and walked with us. In Galatians 4:4, the scripture says that he was "made of a woman", and "made under the law", reminding that we had a fleshly birth and was made subject to all the laws of nature and man. Romans 8:3 says that Jesus was sent in "the likeness of sinful flesh", again alluding to the fact that Jesus faced all the lusts and desire that we face. Then the icing on the cake goes to Philippians 2:7-8 where Jesus was made...
...of no reputation
...in the form of a servant
...in the likeness of man
...in humility
...for obedience
...for death
...for the cross

All of these scripture cry out ORDINARY: born like a normal man, lived under the law like a normal man, struggled with the lusts like any man, and died like an ordinary man. the one thing that stand out in the normal life of Jesus was the fact that his desire was not toward sin from the beginning. He did not have Adam's sinful curse placed upon his life. But He still faced the call of sin.

In my opinion, it is this ordinary side of Jesus that often get overlooked. We focus on the divine side of Jesus, and rightly so. His miracle are much more known than adolescence. His teaching are much more know than his schooling. But a proper understanding of his "ordinary" side is of great value. In fact, I believe that a proper understating of the "ordinary Jesus" offers us extraordinary hope. Let's look together at Matthew 3:13-4:11 and see what I call three proofs of Jesus Ordinary side. The story is of the baptist and temptation of Jesus. Take time to read them in your Bible, then look over the three proofs that I have listed.

Proof #1:Jesus Followed the Path of Righteousness

I love this story because of the fact that is shows Jesus dedication to the plan of the Father. Earlier in the Life of Jesus He told his parents that he must be about his father's business. The only reason for Jesus to be baptised was to show his willingness to follow the Father's agenda and not his own. That's what baptism is, and submission to the Father's plan. Jesus followed that plan to perfection, and that pleased the Father.

Proof #2: Jesus Endured Temptation

In Jesus temptation, I believe the Devil was coming after Jesus in one sense to see if Jesus was really human, or if he was God incognito. You know, just God disguised as a man, not God as a man. But Jesus does not tip his hand. Satan comes first with things that are not all that bad, and certainly not against the law, but they were tempting Jesus to live life outside the realm of the ordinary. What is the ordinary way to get bread...cook it. And what happens when you or I stub our toe. Okay, Let's not get too graphic here. but certainly the norm is not to turn stone into bread and to have angels come in an rescue us from every difficulty that we face. Certainly the last temptation for God to worship the Devil was not acceptable at all. Satan was defeated. I like what one author said.
"As I look on the temptation, I see that Satan proposed an enticing improvement. He tempted Jesus toward the good parts of being human without the bad: to savor the taste of bread without being subject to the fixed rules of hunger and agriculture, to confront risk with no real danger, to enjoy fame and power without the prospect of painful rejection - in short, to wear the crown but not the cross." The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey, p. 72

Proof #3: Jesus Defeated the Devil with Scripture

If I were Jesus about this time I would have called on the Father to "thumb" the Devil out of the way. Certainly Jesus could have done that, but instead he used scripture to defeat the temptation of the Devil. Why, Because He wanted us to see how to do it. He wanted ordinary you and me to know that he was just like us, only without sin

Here is the great news. The "Ordinary Jesus" offers us ordinary hope. Once we have come to grips with the ordinary aspects of Jesus, then we can truly see our identification with Jesus. Peter says that Jesus left "us an example, that we should follow in his footsteps." But if Jesus is God incognito, then that is impossible. But If Jesus was just like me, then I can. I can follow in his footsteps. I can follow the paths of righteousness. I can yield myself to the Spirit's control. I can resist temptation. I can be victorious. and the list could go on and on. Here is the extraordinary hope, because of Christ, I can life the Christian life.

Oh, and there's one more thing. Sometimes, I fail to resist temptation. Sometimes I fall Short of God's original plans. Sometimes I blow it big time. And when this happens Hebrews 4:15, tells us that because Jesus was an ordinary man, he knows how I fell. He does not know the aspect of the failure, but he does know the depths of the temptation. And He is able to forgive, comfort and guide till victory is achieved (Heb 2:18).

I pray that you would see all your sufficiency that is in Christ and experience the power of Chirst in you the hope of glory!

The Pastor's Pen

2007-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Pastor's Pen is a blog site established to show the weekly studies of Pastor Mike of Pond Hill Baptist Church. They relate not only to the present sermon series, but additional thoughts that come from personal studies. They are not just posted to be informative, but to be interactive. Therefore, I welcome you thoughts and comments in my personal study. "As iron sharpens Iron," your thoughts could bring great insight into my line of thinking. I will blog about those thoughts that add to my understanding. I look forward to studying together.