Pastor's Pondering, August 3, 2015

Building Up Our Hope

When I was young, I sang an old hymn called Hold On To God’s Unchanging Hands.   The lyrics were, Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved can stand, build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God’s unchanging hand. Hold to God’s unchanging hand, hold to God’s unchanging hand; build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God’s unchanging hand.

It is astounding how things are changing.  In the sixties, I remember happily looking forward to the boxy Apple Macintosh 512K. Now, I have 8 gigabytes in my cell phone.  In education, politics, science, and industry, our world is changing at a break neck pace.  Most of us are trying hard to keep up with changing paradigms, career patterns, culture, philosophies, and religions.

But thank God that He never changes and lives forever (Psalm 45:6).  He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  His word never changes (Psalm 119:89). The world may redefine behavior and call it acceptable in polite company.  However, what was disobedience to God years ago is still disobedience now. Obeying God still brings great benefits and disobeying has terrible consequences (Proverbs 15:6).

I know that it is important to know what is happening in the world and to appear to understand how people act and think.  However, let us remember that while men will change on a dime, our hope for our future rests on an eternal God. He is consistent and obeying Him will always benefit us.

Psalm 45:6

New International Version (NIV)

6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

Hebrews 13:8
New International Version (NIV)

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Psalm 119:89
New International Version (NIV)

8 Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

Proverbs 15:6

New International Version (NIV)
The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

Pastor's Ponderings, July 27, 2015

What Gives God Pleasure?

Those of us who love the Lord want to please and obey Him.  We go out of our way to know the things that will displease Him and avoid them.  But today let's focus on what actually pleases God.

It is astounding that the great I AM, the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords is so happy when His children do well (Psalm 35:27).  He desires that his children live to their full potential, be healthy and live productive lives. God is not overjoyed when sickness, disease and torment falls upon us, even if it is something we must experience for a season. Unlike popular media who depict a harsh God who is anxious to bring earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes upon the heathen, He actually wants us to thrive in every part of our lives (3 John 1:2)

He also rejoices when more children are added to the kingdom so that they can also live blessed lives (Luke 15:7). He wants us to live lives of faith (Hebrews 11:6), continually praise Him, strive to do the right things and share with those in need (Hebrews 13:15-16). This is the life that pleases God. 

The Bible states that when our lives please the Lord, we receive great benefits (Proverbs 16:7).  Enoch made God so happy that He decided that he did not want him to die but decided to take him to be with Him while he lived (Hebrews 11:5).

This week, let us remember to think about, honor, worship, and praise God for this pleases Him. Know that it is His fervent desire to please us also.

Psalm 35:27
New International Version (NIV)

27 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

3 John 1:2

New International Version (NIV)

2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

Luke 15:7
New International Version (NIV)

7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Hebrews 11:5

New International Version (NIV)

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

Hebrews 13:15-16
New International Version (NIV)

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Proverbs 16:7
New International Version (NIV)

7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them

Pastor's Ponderings, July 20, 2015

What A Wonderful World!

In 1967, Louis Armstrong sang, “What A Wonderful World” written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss.  This song had uplifting lyrics. “I see trees of green, red roses, too, I see them bloom, for me and you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. 
I see skies of blue, and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”  This thought was reinforced when Astronaut Alex Gerst took jaw-dropping pictures of earth from space showing what a perfect world God created.

During the Annual Ann Arbor Michigan Art Fair, we saw booth after booth demonstrating the artists’ magnificent imaginations.  We saw a cacophony of creativity, a kaleidoscope of colors, and carousels of downright cool. God has created a marvelous world (Genesis 1:31)! 

Amazingly, the Creator has poured His wisdom and understanding into man made in His image.  He has given special wisdom to His artists. Through His artistic creativity, He comforts, caresses, and calms us. Bezalel, born a Hebrew slave, became God’s master artist through God’s wisdom (Exodus 35:30-35.) 

Although some miscreants are despicably destroying art and historical artifacts and selling the remainder on the black market, we can still thank God for creating such a marvelous world.  We get a small peek into heaven’s delights when we observe His gorgeous, awesome, and beautiful world. While we can still have the opportunity, please remember to appreciate His wonders.  Let us not allow His wonderful world to pass by us.  God is good!

Genesis 1:31
Amplified Bible (AMP)

31 And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

Exodus 35:30-35
New International Version (NIV)

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—
32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 
33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts.
34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.
35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.