Praise God for Roy’s Successful Surgery

Roy Beveridge is the heart of Grace Community Church of Caroline.  His heart to serve and to care for our church is remarkable.  We’re very thankful for his successful heart surgery and that he is able to return home for care. 

Here is the video we showed at Church this morning from Roy’s hospital room: 

Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Job 13:15)

(Written in 2007 – has been in the drafts section)

Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Job 13:15 KJV).

This verse reverberated in my heart first thing this morning.   And for a minute or two I just stood in awe and wonder – because that is exactly where we are at the moment, with the economy of our country and the world crashing around us.  Job had experienced a series of disasters to family and home the magnitude of which most of us could not imagine experiencing.  And yet he still trusted his Lord and Savior.

And later in a few more chapters he declares “For I know that my Redeemer lives,  and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,”(Job 19:25-26 ESV).

These verses and others like them confirm in my heart the truth that God loves me.  He loves us with His whole heart.  And we can trust Him fully, completely.  “He, God Himself, has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down, nor relax My hold on you! Assuredly not!”  (This is the Amplified version of Heb. 13:5 – which shows how strongly the Greek text emphasizes the fact.) (I always get a smile on my face when I read the Amplified version 🙂

In my 67th year upon the earth, I have entered a new chapter of learning what it means to fully trust Him, to believe in God completely. For example, last week my wife and I had to make an emergency trip to Ohio to be with my elderly parents during a medical problem that hit them suddenly. Neither my wife nor I wanted to make the trip so soon after the last one, and we just did not have the emotional strength to deal with the stress of it. But we prayed for the Father’s grace to give us what we needed to serve them, and He so graciously supplies “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Eph. 3:20 KJV), that the trip seemed effortless – I stand amazed in His presence…

Why has it taken 2/3 of a century for me to begin living in His grace?

Happy Birthday, Angela!

From the insane Rathbuns….

We’re happy you’re part of our family!

“Just Live it” Series – Being in the World

Do not Hide your Light

On March 1, 2009 I shared my heart in a sermon regarding being in the world, but not of it and what that really means. My premise is that too many Christians have missed that fact that Christ’s mission was to the non-believer and that he was effective because (well other than being God) He engaged people and built relationships.

The church of today is far too content to “play church” on Sunday morning and to turn their nose up against those who don’t believe; forgetting that the only difference in some of us is that we yielding to the call. I am the chief sinner amoung you and I struggle every day with religion. Organized Church has become the land of the Pharisee and not refuge for the broken sinner. We must stop play-acting for our Church friends to the exclusion of the rest of the world. Life-style evanglism is the most effective tool we have go show Christ’s love. Not yelling from street corners, not rebuking young scared girls in front of clients, not “preaching” hatred against our elected officials. We are called to be more Christ like. Read the references in the slide to see how Christ engaged the “sinners’. BTW: We are all sinners….

One of our first steps is to know when to take a stand. This video clip is a great introduction to not being afraid of “man”, but in being a “light to the world”, even when it’s not comfortable.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about "Video – Unashamed Christain – tangle.com", posted with vodpod

Here are my slides and references from the sermon:

Happy Valentine’s day to my girl…

Upcoming Sermon: January 11, 2009 – Let the Rocks be Silent!

---

Once again, on January 11th, 2009 I get the privilage of sharing a message with the church.  I’ll be sharing on the importance of Worship in our Christian walk.  Between now and then, I’d love if you’d comment below on what you think Christian Worship is!

New Meetings on Saturday Evenings – The Tribe

Beginning Saturday February 7, 2009 at 7:00 pm and then every 1st Saturday thereafter, Grace Community Church of Caroline will host a time of ministry open to everyone. We will be meeting in Ladysmith, near I-95. You can get more information HERE.

Sharing the gospel out of love, not guilt

Pastor Cash got me thinking about this a year or so ago, talking about being intentional about sharing the gospel.  But he said it in a new way.  Let me explain.

I was brought up with the thought:  we are to look for chances to show people the Roman Road and lead them to the sinner’s prayer – all in one encounter.  I went to soul-winning workshops, etc.  And I was made to feel guilty if I did not do it.  We even went out from one workshop two-by-two, door-to-door, and forced it down a few folks throats – not from love of others, but from wanting to please our workshop teacher and knowing I would feel guilty if I didn’t do it…. And I turned away from this in disgust for many years.  (On the other hand, the Lord can use encounters in spite of our motives to win new souls into the Kingdom, praise His Name).

The new way I see through Cash’s message is this: as I walk through the day, walk it in His love, being sensitive to His voice, letting Him awaken in my heart an interest in the ones I encounter; to show kindness and willingness to listen to what they say, listening with the heart; asking if I could pray for them if I sense a heaviness or sadness in their demeanor.  And doing things like this: instead of paying for the gasoline at the pump, go in and pay inside and meet the proprietor; also go back to the same place next time to further the budding friendship.  Use local stores to make routine purchases.  Go out of the way (the rut) to meet the neighbors – let Jesus get me over my shyness (pride?) to take the first step at starting a conversation with them.

Anyway, that is the flavor of what I am thinking…

May the Lord bless everyone this week and fill each one with His love so that you may be “a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;”  II Cor. 2:15

In His love,
Boyd

A comment on Single-Issue-Dominating-Politics

I ran across an excellent dialog about the election coming next week. The conversation, between a professor and two of his students, helps the students to think through the current situation: when neither candidate is attractive, but voting against the one that will lead to the greatest evil is a good thing to do.

It is at Ballot Box Blues

Boyd

Watching the “Last Enemy”

We watched the 3rd episode of the PBS program, “Last Enemy”, last night, and afterwards I was reminded of something I wrote several weeks ago (in response to a blog at http://spurgeon.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/bavinck-man-is-an-enigma/).  I said, in part:

“… I wonder if believers’ consciences would remain clear if they thought about the effect upon the actors, actresses and film crew, of the [nude scenes]… Have they considered the impact upon the participants as the film makers go through the process of the cast acting out sin before the Lord? Or have they even asked the obvious question of what watching and listening to such art does to their own hearts?”

The unclothing is this case does not show “R rated” stuff, but it is clear that the actors are in the buff in front of each other and the camera crews.

The cultural shift is so subtle.  I would have thought nothing about it except for the previous discussion on the blog referred to above.  But the media and Hollywood has so degraded our standards to make out-of-wedlock sex seem almost normal, even to Christians.  How can that be?  How could we have drifted so far away from God’s design for marriage?  And of course, that is just one example – the easiest sin to identify.

As Cash said a year ago or so, he found himself watching a series on TV that emphasized the right of “getting revenge”.  And he quit watching because he realized it created within him unwelcome thoughts – those thoughts that are the antithesis of Phil. 4:8(ESV): “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

So, bottom line, as for me and Leslie, we will not be watching the final parts of this series.  I am not suggesting that others follow suit.  But I am suggesting that we think about the implications of these type productions and ask the Lord what we should do.

In His love,
Boyd