Guest Post by Gary Geiger
How well do you know your friends?
Many people who read the story of Job no doubt have heard of his false friends. Eliphaz was one of Job’s friends and the first one to speak to Job about his situation. Many of us have fleeting friends, ones who flee when the entire weight of the circumstance is revealed. True friends have distinctive traits: they have a tendency to desire what is best for the other; they are honest even in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one’s counterpart, and there is mutual understanding and mutual compassion. Eliphaz was in a difficult situation. He was the first to speak to his friend whose world had collapsed and who was suffering considerable physical and mental pain. How would you approach such a person? Say you’re sorry, say; I’ll pray for you or try to identify with your friend. Eliphaz does the best he can and approaches Job in a friendly way (4:2). He thinks that Job is not truly guilty (4:7). He treads lightly with a gentle hint (5:8). He begins to reason with Job in a gentle and probing manner. He reminds Job when he was a pillar of strength and how he encouraged others when their world collapsed. He asks Job to apply the same advice to his own situation (4:2-6). Finally; Eliphaz gets to the point. He directs Job back to God and furthermore he predicts good things for Job’s future (5:8-9). Eliphaz lists the benefits of turning to God and repenting:
“He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.” (5:19)
1. Protection (5:20)
2. Strengthening (5:21)
3. No Fear (5:22)
4. One with Nature (5:23)
5. You shall be in Peace (5:24)
6. Great Seed (5:25)
7. Long Life (5:26)
As Christians we can all relate to this. The next time your faced with a situation where a friend of yours is hurting from a physical or mental pain remember the way Eliphaz spoke to his friend, remember how he encouraged his friend. Help your friend to see that his circumstance is temporary. Help your friend to see that God has great things in store for their future if they faint not!!!
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Guest Post by Sara Scates
I don’t exactly remember when it started. One day, she just wouldn’t get in the bathtub. So I didn’t make her. Judge me if you want; she got in bed dirty that night. The fight just wasn’t worth it. Afterall, I was ready for bed too. But on the second night when she refused to bathe, I couldn’t just ignore her again. She really needed that bath. So we began the struggle. Every night it was the same. It started with me asking her to come and get in the bathtub, to which she would reply, “I don’t want.” I, in my kindest, sweetest Mommy voice would explain to her that she is the child. That she does not always know what is best for her and she does not always get what she wants. I would tell her that this is about her health and well-being; everyone has to take a bath! She’d just look at me, not getting it.
I then went on to trying a different approach. I’d say excitedly, “Lexi! Its time! Let’s go play in the bathtub!” And she’d blink her eyes very fast, big crocodile tears beginning to run down her cheeks. Her one more plea for sympathy. When she saw that the tears were not getting her anywhere, she would begin to shriek, “No bath, no bath, NO BATH!” as if the water would indeed melt her beautiful brown skin. I’d try saying it more sternly the next time. “Lexi! Bath time!” My next step would be to lift her to her feet and half drag her down the hall to the bathroom. Her sorrow would then turn to anger. She’d make her best “I don’t like you Mom” face, fold her arms and plop to her bottom. “I DON’T WANT!”, she would repeat. So I would pick her up. She would kick and scream and eventually I would succeed at getting her into the bathtub. She would then begin to flail around in there for a bit, much like a cat would do if you attempted to bathe it. She would let me know with her wails that I was ruining her life and she may never be happy again. My how these daily episodes put a damper on our mornings, and nights, and occasional middle-of-the-nights.
And then after she was wet, I was wet, and I began to ponder whether its really that important for children to bathe daily anyway, the same thing would happen every time… As she splashed more and more and the bubbles became more and more bubbly, she would remember. She really liked the bath. Bathtime was fun. Not to mention a really great way to get clean. In fact most of the time, she wouldn’t want to get out of the bath. You see, the bath time struggle was not at all about the bath. It was about obedience. She was a toddler and she simply did not want to obey. She thought it should be her decision whether or not she got in the bathtub. She was a toddler and was trying to figure out just how much control she had in her little life.
Maybe the fact that this went on as long as it did was a result of me being a young, unexperienced mother. Looking back I suppose I should have disciplined her more severely for her disobedience. But the reality is, little disobedient Lexi reminds me so much of grown-up, present-day Sara. Like Lexi who didn’t have the insight to know what was really good for her, I sometimes cross my arms and pout and shout “I don’t want!” when God instructs me on what is best for my life too. I have it in my head that I want to do what I want to do. I wake up each morning and prepare for bed each night thinking of what I think is best for my life. When God calls out “Sara! Its time!” and begins to speak to me and show me what He has for me to do, my gut instinct is many times- run the other way, no not today, He doesn’t really know whats best for MY life. But guess what, He does! And if I would just obey Him, the FIRST time, how much more joy-filled my mornings, and nights, and middle-of-the-nights would be!
Because you see, once I face the reality that I don’t really know whats best for my life, even as an adult- I begin to submit to HIS will. I hop in the tub gladly. Only then do I experience real joy, real peace, real fun, real washing away of all the filth and grime I was covered in. I find myself in the very center of His will. And its at that point that I realize, ‘hey, its not so bad in here afterall!’ I shudder to think what I may have missed in my disobedience. I am so thankful that God in His grace does not allow me to win. Usually, the fight is not really about what He is asking me to do. It is not about the bathtub. It is about me, trying to figure out just how much control I have over my little life. Just like Lexi at bathtime. I would like to tell you that I always do exactly what the Lord asks of me. I would like to tell you that I always seek Him first when a difficult situation presents itself. But most times I don’t. Sometimes I still think it should me my decision what I do with my life. He asks, and reasons, and encourages. He gently explains that I do not know what is best for me and that I do not always get what I want. And I just look at Him, not getting it. I whine and sob and shriek, just like a tired, angry toddler who doesn’t want to take a bath. And so He picks me up, exhausted from struggling, and plops me in the center of His will for my life. And then a funny thing happens. After I’m done kicking and screaming and struggling, I remember. I like being in the center of God’s will for my life. It feels a whole lot like being held all wrapped up inside a warm towel. God’s plan is usually pretty great. It is a whole lot better than mine anyway. I am so glad that He doesn’t allow me to win. Instead he just tries another route, hoping that I will soon see that He really is right about what is best for my life and submit to what He wants me to do.
If you were to walk into my house at bathtime a few years back, you might have thought I was a pretty horrible mother, letting my child kick and scream and wail on the floor like that. But I think sometimes He allows us to throw a fit, to be horribly resistant, to appreciate how awesome it is when we finally obey. I am happy to report that one day, Lexi began remembering how much she liked the bath before she began crying. She eventually got to a point where she would come running when I would tell her it was bath time. I am praying that one day soon, I will begin remembering how much I love and desire God’s plan for my life before I begin questioning and arguing and insisting that my desires are greater than His. Maybe I’ll even get to the point of submitting the first time He asks something of me.
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Guest Post by Sara Scates
Our Pastor: Worthy of Double Honour
May is a busy month for celebrating. Last Sunday we celebrated mothers. They are certainly very deserving of a day to be honoured. Ephesians 6:2 says, Honour thy father and mother. Whether you know it or not, last week was also Nurses Week and Teacher Appreciation Week. These two professions, in my opinion, are worthy of a time set aside to be recognized. Both nurses and teachers spend a great deal of time ministering to the needs of others. Before the month of May draws to a close, there will also be days designated specifically to commemorate fallen soldiers, active military personnel, and police officers. There may be more observance-type holidays that I’ve missed for the month of May and there are most definitely countless more marked on the calendar throughout the year. The Bible is filled with verses encouraging us to: honour, remember, and salute. BUT- there is only one position that God’s Word states is worthy of “double honour.”
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word or doctrine. 1 Timothy 5:17
Under the inspiration of God, Paul is writing here in this passage that faithful Pastors are counted worthy of double honour. Can we agree that we could all do a little bit better at honoring our Pastor? Maybe he hit a sore spot as he was preaching God’s Word a few weeks back. Maybe he didn’t greet you personally when you passed by last Sunday after church. Maybe you had an urgent prayer request and he wasn’t able to take your call right away. Despite all these things, the Bible urges us to doubly honour our Pastor. Honouring our Pastor is not so much about ‘who he is’ but rather, ‘what he does.’
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13
When we, as church members, do not ‘highly esteem’ our Pastor and do not properly respect him, we are hindering his work and rendering him ‘unprofitable’ to the church and the cause of Christ.
Hebrews 13:17 says, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
In summary, I am saying that along with celebrating mothers, and teachers, and nurses, and veterans, and police officers this month- why don’t we take time out today and EVERY day to doubly honour and highly esteem our Pastor like the Bible is encouraging us to do? Not doing so, as stated at the end of Hebrews 13:17 above is unprofitable for you.
Pastor has been encouraging me to ‘Guest Blog’ on this site for some time now. I know that this is not what he had in mind. I’ll actually be surprised if he leaves it posted once he discovers that I posted it. But, after being present for Kids Club and Bible Study tonight and just engaging in a short conversation with him, God laid this on my heart. We are in the midst of a large-scale effort to see souls saved at Jersey Shore Baptist Church. Pastor is burdened for the people of this area and by way of the campaign we are in and the revival approaching, he is hoping to help more people realize their need for a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan is disgusted by the thoughts of that! Satan would love to destroy our Pastor. Through bus mishaps, congregation conflicts, sickness and injury, financial woes, etc Satan is hurling one dart after another at our Pastor trying to bring him down and the whole church along with him. Praise God we already know who comes out on top!
So, from one church member to another: Can we team up and obey, honour, and esteem our Pastor? He needs our prayers daily. He needs our support- via our attendance at services, our tithes and offerings, and in helping him to do the work of the Lord. And, he needs our encouragement. He mentioned in his devotional yesterday about how its hard to come by men that willingly serve the Lord without looking for a pat on the back. I’d say Pastor is one of these men. In the ministry, if he was only looking for a pat on the back, I think he would have tired from that long ago. He’s still in it because he loves the Lord and he loves serving the Lord through serving men. I think he could benefit from a pat on the back every now and again. I challenge you to find a way to be an encouragement to him sometime soon. The calendar might not read “Pastor Appreciation Day” but why don’t we celebrate anyway?! Drop him a card. Send him a text message. Thank him for staying faithful to the work God has called him to do. Designate part of an offering to his family if you feel so led. Bake him oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Or, PRAY for him. When Satan is seeking to destroy him, it’s up to us to uplift, edify, and encourage him.
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 7 comments.