A Night to Remember

The time is quickly approaching. November is flying by. Before long we will soon see lines at the doors of our church waiting to enter and see the latest installation of “The Majesty of Christmas.” Many of you know that I grew up not far from Victoria and also served as the pastor of First Baptist Churches in Louise and Ganado. I remember the days of coming to see these pageants and jealously wishing that the churches I served could make such a presentation related to Christmas.

One year in particular stands out in my memory. Kimberly invited a friend from work to attend the pageant with us. This friend brought her mother along. Her mother was elderly and had to use a walker to get around. We were standing in line, waiting patiently, when one of the greeters came to us and said for us to come to the front of the line since one of the members of our party had mobility issues. We moved up and I made some joke about bringing her with us in the future so I wouldn’t have to wait. The pageant that year was great and it opened the doors for some great conversations between Kimberly and her friend.

Why do I tell you that story? Because it happened over 15 years ago and I still remember. While “The Majesty of Christmas” may simply feel like something we do, it has the potential to make a lifetime of difference. I would encourage each of you to pray about what your role might be this year. Certainly, some of you are in the presentation. However, we still need friendly faces, greeters, and people to help out in a number of ways. While you may only think of it as a commitment of a few nights, know that people will remember those nights for years into the future.

Also, we need to pray for those who will be our guest. Pray that God will move in their hearts. Pray that they will hear the gospel clearly. Pray that they will respond as God speaks to their hearts. You never know just what God might do if we give Him the chance.

Honored to be your pastor,

Darrell

God, the Election, and How to Proceed

Next week we will go to the polls and elect the next President of the United States of America. There is no way to capture in words what a volatile election cycle this has been. Neither candidate exactly portrays what we would like a president to portray. Corruption, anger, distrust, and a general sense of vileness has been front and center for the last year or so. It is sad to think that we, as a nation, have come to this point.

In a very short and shockingly swift manner, America has moved from our Judeo-Christian roots to a very Humanistic society. The question is no longer a question of being a godly nation, but one of personal and social rights. The church has gone from central in our communities to a marginalized organization. So fast has this shift been that we are struggling to figure out what our response ought to be. While I would not begin to pretend for a minute that I can answer all of these questions, I would offer the following advice for the days ahead:

Remember that all authority is established by God. Romans 13:1 tells us, “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” While we might not like who gets elected as President, we must accept that it is God’s will and that He is working according to His purposes. Rarely do we understand what God is doing in times like these, but we must proceed in faith.

Remember that God is Sovereign. Daniel 4:17 reminds us, “…the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” While it is easy to look at the election as a game of chance or a simple competition, it is not so. God, by His sovereignty, establishes the leadership that He wants.

Pray Faithfully. While we may not be able to obtain the outcome we desire from the election, we can be faithful to pray for the one who wins. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 commands us, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” God can do more in a moment than we can in a lifetime. Prayer is not a passive waste of time. Prayer moves the very hand of God, breaks the heart of man, and brings about the will of God.

Dear Christian, do not lose heart. God is still in control and is not surprised in the slightest by what is going on these days. He is firmly seated on His throne and His position as ruler of the universe is as secure as it has ever been. These are days that Christians can truly show themselves to be a people of faith, trust, joy, and peace. Our God is not shaken.

Honored to be your pastor,

Darrell

A Call to Freedom

Scripture tells us, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). I have been giving a lot of thought to this truth as of late. God is calling us to walk in a relationship with Him that is reflective of the parent/child relationship. Obviously, this is not a call to immaturity, but a call to trust. We are to trust our God like a child trusts his or her parent. If we can really lay hold of this, it will dramatically impact our lives.

Children do not worry about paying house notes or rent. I assume they know that they get paid, but it is not their burden. Children are not fretting about whether or not the bills are going to get paid, they just trust that they will get paid. Children do not spend a lot of time fretting over family dynamics, they just live in their own little joyous world.

It seems that God is calling us to trust Him in a way that leads to dependence. Yes, we have a house note or rent, but we must trust that He will provide. Of course we have bills, but we must trust that He will provide for those as well. Anyone who has lived more than a few years knows that family and relationship dynamics can be complex, but we must trust that God will move in His time and His way when these become strained.

The call of Christ is not a call to ignorance or oblivion, but a call to faith. It is not that we are unaware of responsibility or complications, but that we are to walk in freedom in spite of these things. When the weight of life really begins to bear down on us, we should be able to step back and say to our Heavenly Father, I trust you. I do not know how or when this will work out, but I trust that it will and that it will be according to your plan.

If you hang around the church or Christians very long you will hear a lot of trust talk. The question for those of us who claim to be Christ followers is this; do we truly trust? That is not a question that I want to answer many times. However, we must recognize that the call of Christ is a call to freedom. Not just a freedom from sin, but a freedom from fear, worry, and uncertainty. Let’s make it our goal today to walk in childlike faith.

Honored to be your pastor,

Darrell