service
Haiti has been in the news a lot lately. President assassination, earthquake, Haitians on US southern boarder being deported, and the kidnapping of 17 missionaries. It is no wonder people were dismayed that a team from CC Perris Valley were scheduled to go to this seemingly forsaken country. But remarkably a group from my congregation felt called by God to join me
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photo: Tim Marshall, https://unsplash.com/@timmarshall
A frequently remembered and quoted text is the apostle Paul’s encouragement to have the mind of Christ. But do we grasp the totality of his words?
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8
Likely when reading this verse you raise up praise for what he did to make possible your salvation. This would be a just response. However, the words are not written to induce praise but a change of mind following the servant character of Jesus.
So the question must follow, “How did Jesus demonstrate what a servant is? Paul answers, “...humbled himself (though equal to God) and became obedient (to God his Father), so much so that he was willing to sacrifice himself , even to the point of death. Humility was the mind of Christ and the manifestation of this mind was his leaving his home in heaven and coming to this world as a man to give himself for the undeserving. Jesus the great missionary fulfilled the great commandment to love God and love others (Matt. 22:37-40).
So to have his mind is to have his ministry of service to sacrifice for the spiritual benefit of others. This is the foundation of all ministry and missions. Our life given for the lives of others. You can’t have his mind without the other.
I pray that you would give yourself to Paul’s encouragement to join our Lord in service and perpetuate his mission.
Blessings
Pastor Bob
Photo credited to Charlie Kellog https://www.flickr.com/photos/papa_charliegeorge/
When hearing this proverb what may be envisioned are two swords clashing with sparks flying. But the author likely was imagining the local farmer sharpening his tools. It didn't cause sparks as that would heat the metal to much but there would be friction as the sharpening wheel turns and the tool is methodically and purposefully held against the sharpening wheel.
Why the need to be sharpened? The tool has become dull, the edge is uneven or worse damaged. This hinders the tool's ability to do its job well. So the sharpening is favorable and for the benefit of the tool. It is a slow caring process meant to improve the tool to be its best. The final result is a tool ready for service and to fulfill its purpose.
So how does this pertain to you and I as believers, as members of the Body of Christ, as disciples of Christ? When we engage with one another, get close to one another, joining arms in service with one another, it is inevitable that we will have opportunity and circumstances that will cause friction between one another. Sound uncomfortable? of course. Is this a bad thing? Not at all. It is an needed thing? Yes it is. But is it for the better? You bet ya. For end result is a stronger character, a spiritual maturing, an improved servant and a more perfected tool for the Lord.
The sad thing I find is that many are afraid of experiencing sharpening. It's actually seen as a negative, something to avoid, even an offense. The love of the friend is somehow forgotten and an adverse response follows. The result? No strengthening of character, no growth in maturity and the servant goes no further in his service for the Lord. There may occur a ending of the friendship. Maybe even a resentment and turning from the faith. I believe you can not strengthen, mature or better what isn't there in the first place. Just like the tool being flawed beyond repair or sharpening because the metal wasn't well made in the first place. So it is that the person who's life does not rest on the Lord, or his truth, or his spirit, will not respond well to the sharpening.
I have come to appreciate those who have been instruments of the Lord to sharpen me. Those dear friends that have shown me grace like an ocean breeze but have also played the sharpening wheel in my life to produce a better me. Because I know their love an commitment to the Lord and to me I assured they intend good and not evil and know they are God's instrument. May we receive the sharpening wheel of the Lord as easily and openly as we receive his generous blessings and kind touch. May we see its benefits and respond with anticipation of being better than we were and ready for service.
Blessings
pBob
So I pastor a small church, or do I? According to the information I have seen on the internet the average church congregation in this grand country is 75-80 adults. In an age of "mega-churches, any church may be perceived as small, but 2000 plus congregation churches are actually few. Yet pastors measure their success by them like a company measuring their market share.
Living in So Cal where there are a number of churches within 30 minutes that have 1000 plus congregations it would be easy to see our attendance as small. But since when was quantity a sign of ministry success unless success is measured by warm bodies rather than actual servants and disciples of Christ ready to take up their cross.
Consider the ministry of Jesus, he had multitudes gathering to hear his sermons, houses filled so that you couldn't get through the front door, throngs so dense that the disciples couldn't get how Jesus sensed the touch of one ill stricken woman. Yet, there was only 120 passionate people gathering in that upper room following His resurrection.
I am of the view that the church was not meant to be gathered in a mass but to spread and so it did with churches in towns, villages and cities from Jerusalem to the outer most parts of the world. Some of which were smaller than my congregation. Sure that was the culture and nature of the times but consider the benefits. Today, I hear pastors dismayed because another church was planted in their town like salesman seeking to protect their territory. But why is this an issue?
But while I am not against another church starting in my town I am more so a proponent of planting churches where the Gospel is not preached or sparsely preached. This is why I emphasis foreign missions so much.
The bottom line is that I do not see our fellowship of believers as small, not in todays terms and not in Biblical terms. This is because I measure size by the spiritual growth and maturity of the congregations and in this case we are growing, growing in His love, grace, truth and Spirit. Is there any other growth to measure a church or a believer? Consider these words of Jesus that set the bar for us as believers. As a pastor my calling is to see His will fulfilled in the congregation He has given me to shepherd.
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32.
"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:35
"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:27
Blessings
pBob
You will be touched by this video because of the little kitten being saved by the fire fighter but there is another aspect to this rescue that is not seen.
I served as a fire chaplain for several years and would be called to debrief fire fighters after they experienced a tough incident that was very traumatic, as when there was a loss of life. Fire fighters are not simply trained to put out fires but are trained and have the focus to save lives. When they are not able to do so it can be demoralizing and emotionally traumatic. So whenever they can save a life, even a kitten's, it has a very uplifting and beneficial affect on them.
Their is something very rewarding and satisfying about saving a life even for those of us who are pastors. To be able to lead a person out of their troubles, to deliver a marriage from destruction, to comfort a family who is grieving, is very rewarding and benefits our own souls because that is why we are in ministry. But when the opposite result happens, though he has poured out his heart and used every bit of experience and wisdom, it can be devastating to a pastor's moral and weigh heavily upon him. This is why Paul the apostle listed his burden for the church along with other challenges he experienced in ministry (2Cor 11:28).
But praise be to our LORD that he has not called us to carry that burden but to fulfill our ministry faithfully and do our ministry to our utmost while trusting him with the outcome. Still, every victory counts, every life saved no matter how insignificant the issue, is uplifting and beneficial to the soul.
Blessings
pBob
