A Tribute To Mamaw Juanita:

"God's Gracious Gift"

Oftentimes we give names to our children, hoping and praying they will live up to them.  We name them after famous people, loved ones, and those who have inspired us.  Such was the case on June 20, 1943, when my great-grandmother Rosie gave the name “Juanita” to my grandmother.  She named her in honor her sister, Juanita, who died at a young age when her silk gown got too close to the stove and caught on fire.  She couldn’t have given her a better name.  The name “Juanita” means “gift from God” or “gracious gift”.  Indeed, her name says it all; she was a gracious gift from God.

Mamaw Juanita was a unique person who experienced joy and heartache, happiness and sorrow, pleasure and pain.  Her 70 years upon this earth stand as a model of faithfulness, steadfastness, honesty and integrity for her family to follow.  She was a rock.  She was Juanita.

Mamaw Juanita’s devotion to her family was seen before she ever had a family of her own.  Because her mother, Mamaw Rosie, and step-father, Papaw Bob, had to leave the house early to work, Mamaw assumed the responsibility of caring for her brothers and sisters when she was very young.  She cleaned the house, watched over her siblings and always made sure a meal was ready when Mamaw and Papaw came in from work.  She was so young and small that she often stood on a crate while cooking at the wood-burning stove.  To many of her siblings, especially her younger brothers Roy and Floyd, Mamaw was a second mother.

On April 8, 1959, at the age of 15, Juanita began a family of her own.  On this date, she married her first husband, my maternal grandfather, Eugene Powers.  The two of them would welcome three children into this world: Terry, Emma (my mom) and Lillian.  The two of them would remain married until his death in January of 1971.  His death left her with the sole responsibility to care for a 10 year old, a 7 year old and an 8 month old baby.  At the young age of 27, she did not shrink from this responsibility, but accepted it and worked hard to provide for her children.

On April 10, 1976, Mamaw married my Papaw Buddy (Buddy Craft).  He loved her with all his heart and took her children in, treating them as he would have treated his own.  He never attempted to replace their dad; he just showed them the love and support they needed.  They would welcome two children into this world my uncle, Dwayne, and my aunt, Wanda, who is only 9 months older than me. 

Mamaw was a hard worker who held many different positions throughout her life.  She has worked a as waitress, a cashier, and at numerous factories.  She often said she enjoyed being a waitress more than anything she ever did.  In fact, many people remember her from her days of being a waitress at the Cozy Corner, and later at the Coffee Cup.

It didn’t take a lot in life to make Mamaw Juanita happy; she enjoyed the simple things.  She liked to drive. She often drove too fast with her left hand hanging out the window, most of the time with a KOOL 100 in it.  She loved playing ROOK, and was a skilled player.  Friday and Saturday nights were nights when the family gathered at Mamaw Rosie’s to play ROOK.  She and her partner, Larry Holderby, were a difficult duo to beat.  When Larry saw her at the hospital he told her to get better so he could get his ROOK partner back.

Mamaw Juanita was a very neat person (and that’s an understatement).  Her house was always clean.  Her dishes were always washed, dried and put up after a meal.  Her appearance was always exact.  She was particular about her clothes, her glasses and her hair.  Her looks have indeed changed throughout the years.  As a child, I had a hard time believing that the woman with the bee-hive hair-do and cat-eye glasses in old pictures was really her…but it was.  After coming out of surgeries, her first request was always for someone to get her glasses and teeth; and a request to comb her hair would soon follow.  She wasn’t vain in any sense; she was just well organized and neat.

I chuckle when I think of the other men who shared a special place in her heart: James Arness, Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Sam Elliott, Elvis Presley and Conway Twitty.  If you were at her house while the television was on, there was a great chance that one of these actors would be on the screen.  She took her Westerns seriously.  She loved Clint Eastwood, but she didn’t like his movie, UNFORIGVEN.  She said that Clint Eastwood wouldn’t have allowed men to beat him up in a saloon, and then crawl outside in disgrace.  And, it was a toss-up between whose voice she liked the most: Sam Elliot or Conway Twitty.

Most importantly, Mamaw Juanita was a Christian.  She trusted in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.  She and Papaw Buddy were baptized together by AW Smith and Grant Cantrell.  Those who knew of her fear of water and snakes know that it took great faith for her to be baptized in a creek.  Thankfully, on the day of her baptism the water was shallow, but it was so shallow that they hit her head on the creek bed, getting mud in her hair.  She was a charter member of Lakeville Baptist Church.  Her brother, Floyd, and I both had the privilege in our ministries of being called her pastor.  She faithfully attended each week until her health prevented it.  Her Bible was marked up with notes and dates of sermons Floyd and I preached throughout the years.  When her health prevented her from attending church, she was fed spiritually by her favorite preacher on television, Charles Stanley.  She had a love for God’s Word.  The last few weeks were spent with her lying in a hospital bed reading a Gideon Bible.

She spent much of the past months assuring us that she was certain of Heaven.  She often remarked that she wasn’t afraid to die.  She was ready to go.  She trusted Jesus and knew Heaven awaited her.  In one of her last acts of assuring her us, when asked if she was tired and ready to go, she nodded her head and patted the Bible that was on her tray.  It was her way of communicating to us that her faith was strong, her eternity was secure, and her heart was set. 

So, on November 22, 2013, at 2:10 a.m., the time of her departure arrived.  She had fought a good fight; she had kept the faith; she had finished her course.  She inherited the crown of righteousness that the Lord, her Righteous Judge, gives to those who love His appearing.  She loved and longed for His appearing.  And she entered into her eternal rest; she entered into the joys of the Lord.

If any person ever lived up to their name, she, by the grace of God, did.

Arnold Minix: My Hero!

October is Pastor Appreciation month.  In honor of this month, I want to say thank you to a man who has helped me and encouraged me in my Christian life and ministry.  

The First Meeting

It was a Saturday evening in August of 2000 when my phone rang.  I answered it.  With an accent that was either Northern Indiana mixed with Eastern Kentucky or Eastern Kentucky mixed with Northern Indiana (6 of one is half a dozen of another), he asked, “Is Justin home?”

“This is he,” I replied.

“My name is Arnold Minix.  I’m Faye Salyers’s brother,” he said.  Faye was a member at Lakeville so that information gave me a point of reference.

He continued, “I pastor a church in Knox, Indiana.  I was wondering if you’d be willing to preach in our church on September 3^rd.  On Sunday morning, we would have our regular worship service, but on Sunday night, different churches gather together for a fellowship meeting.  Would you be interested?”

I gladly accepted his invitation. 

If you never get a second chance to make a first impression, then Arnold left an indelible impression on me.  My first impression of Arnold – just talking with him over the telephone – was that he was a man of conviction and compassion; of gentleness and grace; of vision and virtue.  His voice was gentle, yet authoritative; kind, yet firm.  He spoke with a love for the church he pastored, unsaved people, and the churches in his area.  There was something unique about him.

If talking to Arnold on the telephone was good, then meeting him for the first time was great.  He was a tall man with a lean frame.  I immediately saw the resemblance he had with his brothers and sisters from Salyersville.  He was as kind, gentle and gracious in person. 

A Growing Relationship

I preached that Sunday morning and Sunday night.  And Arnold assured me that he would be in touch with me to return to Knox and preach a revival.  And he did just that. 

I returned on October 1^st to preach a revival.  And, oh, what a revival it was. The services were truly heaven-sent.  People gathered at 5:30 to get a seat by 7.  By mid-week, congregational singing began at 6 p.m.  Accommodations were made for overflow seating in the Fellowship Hall.  People were saved before church, during church, after church, at home, etc.  It was a genuine move of God.  Something I can’t truly say I’ve experienced since.

I still treasure that week in my heart, not just because I feel we truly experienced a real revival, but because I know I gained a family.  I stayed with Pat and Ron (Arnold’s daughter and son-in-law), who lived next door to Arnold and Alberta, his lovely wife.  During the day, Ron slept (because he worked weird hours at night) and Pat worked at school, so I stayed at Arnold and Alberta’s house.  I can’t tell you how much I still treasure each hour I spent with them.  The conversations we had, the laughs we shared, the prayers we prayed, and the fellowship we experienced were used by God to mold a relationship that was more than a local pastor and an out-of-town-evangelist; it was used by God to mold a relationship between a spiritual father and son.

To borrow a phrase from Forrest Gump, from that time on “me and Arnold was like peas and carrots”.  It didn’t matter where I preached, he was there.  We talked on the telephone regularly, especially on special occasions (birthdays, Christmas, etc.).  While he was pastoring, he made sure I preached in his church at least once a quarter. 

Proverbs 17:17

Scripture says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

2006 was a year of adversity for me for a couple reasons.  First, because of doctrinal differences, our church withdrew from the National Association of Free Will Baptists (those who know me now are shocked, I know), and changed its name from Lakeville Free Will Baptist Church to Lakeville Baptist Church.  Our church voted for the change.  However, many who disagreed with the change left.  To say that 2006 was trying year would be an understatement.

Second, this year become some challenging years for me personally, especially with pastors and preachers I had been close with (or at least thought I was close with).  I understand and respect the fact that because of doctrinal differences I might not be invited to preach in their pulpit, that’s not what bothered me.  What bothered me was how so many acted as if I was an apostate, acted as if I was a heathen because I believed differently than them. 

Thankfully, there were a few preaching brothers who were different.  One fellow preacher (Todd Masters) called to talk to me, to get facts from me (something I wish many of the others would have done).  There were others not named in this post who were supportive, gracious, and Christ-like in their treatment of me.  They may not agree with me on finer points of doctrine, but they proved their friendship and love in their actions.  They were an Onesiphorus to me during a very difficult season in my life and ministry. 

Then there was Arnold.  What would he say?  How would he respond?  Would he think less of me?  Deep in my heart, I knew he would love me the same, but would he be disappointed?  I dreaded telling him about the changes, not because I was afraid of him knowing what had occurred, but I dreaded telling him for the same reason a son dreads telling his father that he has picked a different career path than his father would want.  I didn't want to disappoint him. 

When I talked to Arnold about things, what I found was this: He listened intently, and then offered me his support and love.  He followed up our conversation with these words: “If I was still pastoring a church, I’d have you preaching for me regularly.”  Those weren’t just words he spoke to be speaking them; he meant them.

I knew beforehand that Arnold was a true friend, one I could lean on no matter the situation; but now I knew from experience. 

“Oh Arnold”

When you have a true relationship with people, when you spend quality time with them in their home and share life with them, you watch them closely.  It is easy to put on a façade for 2 hours while in church; it is more difficult to put on a façade week in and week out.

Having spent more hours in the Minix house than I can count, there is one thing I learned from Arnold that I hope to emulate in my life (other than his love for the Lord Jesus Christ): his love for his wife, Alberta. 

I watched closely as Arnold demonstrated his love for Alberta.  You couldn’t be around Arnold and Alberta without seeing the love he had for her.  When he mentioned Alberta his eyes would light up, he would grin, and he would chuckle as he spoke.  He lived out Paul’s command to husbands: “Love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

I watched painfully as Arnold mourned the death of Alberta.  She was sick for some time, but Arnold fulfilled the vow he made to her years ago: “in sickness and in health…until death do us part.”  I had the privilege of preaching Alberta’s funeral.  I took my text from Proverbs 31.  While the Proverb describes a virtuous woman, one verse seems to best describe Arnold’s heart for his wife: “The heart of her husband trusts in her…” (Proverbs 31:11).  I spoke to Arnold several times after Alberta’s funeral.  His voice – the voice that was once strong, authoritative, and confidence – sounded tired, weak, fatigued, vulnerable, and still in mourning.  He often told me, “It hurts so bad.  I’ve lost my parents, close friends, and loved ones, but I’ve never experienced anything like losing Alberta.”

What I Learned From Arnold

There is no way I can accurate describe in a blog what Arnold Minix means to me.  There is no way I can accurate list everything I’ve learned from him.  But it is Pastor Appreciation Month, so to accurate thank Arnold for all he means to me, it would be fitting if I list several lessons I’ve learned from him.  He taught me…

(1) To Have A Love For Jesus.  He loves his Master.  Every time I talk to him about the Lord, tears well up in his eyes as he talks of the Lord’s goodness to him.  Make no mistake, Arnold loves His Savior.

(2)To Have A Love For God’s Word.  Many days Arnold and I have sat in their living room and watched old preaching tapes for hours upon hours.  We have sat and listened to preachers from years ago preach the Gospel.  When Arnold hears the Word of God preached, he doesn’t like, HE LOVES IT!  He genuinely enjoys hearing God’s word preached.  I pray I will be as much of a student and lover of preaching that he is.

(3)To Have A Great Burden For The Lost.  Arnold has a burden for unsaved people, a desire to see sinners come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

(4)To Put Others Before Yourself.  Whether it is preferring a young preacher above himself or putting his children’s needs before his own or loving his wife sacrificially, Arnold Minix epitomizes sacrificial love.  He has the mind of Christ, the mind Paul encourages all believers to “put on” (Philippians 2).

(5)To Be Humble.  It seems odd to have Arnold Minix’s name and pride in the same sentence.  He is a great example of humble servant-leadership.

(6)To Love My Wife Like Christ.  I’ve described it above, but it should be repeated: He love Alberta; he still loves Alberta.  I pray that my love for Shelley is as evident to all around me as Arnold’s love for Alberta was/is.

(7) To Be A True Friend. 

Hebrews 11 is often called “The Hall of Fame of Faith”.  It lists great heroes of faith and the feats God performed through them.  Yet, at the end of the chapter, there’s an unnamed group of people.  All we know of them is they were “destitute, afflicted, mistreated” (Hebrews 11:37). Then the writer bestows this honor on them: “of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38).  He tells us that the world was not worthy for them to live in it.

If you were to ask me to describe Arnold Minix with a passage of scripture, I wouldn’t hesitate; I wouldn’t think twice; I wouldn’t have to think about it.  I know what verse I would use to describe him: Hebrews 11:38, “of whom the world was not worthy”. 

I count it a privilege to call him my friend, by brother, my family; and during this month of Pastor Appreciation, I want to thank him for being a pastor to me.

Justin

Hananniah and The Marks of a False Prophet

I want to introduce you to a prophet.  You might not know his name.  But if you heard him speak, you would be impressed.  He would warm your heart by his charm, captivate your mind by his charisma, and inspire your will by stories of hope.  You would walk away knowing things were about to get better, that things are going to turn around completely.  You would be confident in his message because he speaks with authority; he even declares “Thus says the LORD”.  After hearing him speak, you would know that your Best Life Now was right around the corner.

His name is not Joel or any other preacher who may sit in the golden chairs with Paul and Jan on TBN.  Although, if he were alive today, he’d definitely be invited to sit with them.  His name?  Hananniah, the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gibeon.  We read about him in Jeremiah 28. 

To understand Hananniah and his message, we must first understand the context of the passage.  It takes place as Zedekiah began to reign in Judah.  Zedekiah was the final king to reign over the nation of Judah before they were taken into Babylonian captivity.  At the beginning of his reign, he apparently met with some ambassadors from other nations.  The topic of discussion: Babylon.  Jeremiah was sent by God to address King Zedekiah and the ambassadors.  The message: Submit to Nebuchadnezzar and you will be allowed to stay in the land or refuse to submit and be taken into captivity.  To illustrate his message, Jeremiah made and wore a yoke that symbolized the captivity Judah would experience if they didn’t listen to God. 

Jeremiah also warned Zedekiah about the prophets in Judah.  “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you.” (Jeremiah 27:14)  Again, in verses 16 and 17, Jeremiah warns the King with the words, “Do not listen” to them!

Can you hear the people?  Can you hear what they’re saying about Jeremiah?  “He’s too depressing; I can’t listen to him.”  “He focuses too much on the negative.”  “I don’t feel lifted up after I hear him preach.”  “He needs to lighten up a bit, don’t you think?”

Then, in chapter 28, along comes Hananniah, a post-child for false prophets.  His message and mannerism shows how false prophets operate.  There are 6 characteristics of false prophets that are seen in Hananniah.

(1) They Sound Like True Prophets

His message begins eerily similar to Jeremiah’s.  He says, “Thus says the LORD” (28:2), nearly identical to the declarations of Jeremiah in chapter 27.

(2) They Sound Confident

Just like Hananniah, false prophets normally have a surplus of confidence.  When he speaks of what will happen, he uses a prophetic perfect when he declares that God has “broken the yoke of the king of Babylon” (28:2).  Who would question that?  He is speaking with absolute certainty.  I can hear someone say, “He really knows what he’s talking about, just listen to how confident he is!”

(3) They Contradict God’s Word

His message is in stark contrast to Jeremiah’s message in chapter 27.  Both of them can’t be right; one of them is lying.  The idea that Jeremiah sees it one way and Hananniah sees it another way and we should just leave them alone and let each one do their thing is absurd.  Both are saying, “Thus says the LORD”; their declarations are complete opposites.  Both of them can’t be correct.  Hananniah is twisting and contradicting God’s true Word (something false prophets are notoriously famous for).

(4) They Appear Credible

Hananniah adds some specifics to his declaration, saying that in two years God would bring back the vessels of the LORD’S house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon previously.  Can you hear someone say, “He’s so specific!  He has to be right!”  That’s about the equivalent of a faith-healer standing before a crowd of 10,000 saying, “There is someone here who has lost your job and you are struggling because you have cancer.  God is going to restore your finances and heal your cancer.”  (Of course there is a caveat to being restored and healed; it usually requires a financial contribution.)

(5) They Erupt (Emotionally) When Confronted With The Truth

When Jeremiah confronts him about his message, what does Hananniah do?  Does he appeal to God?  No.  Does he discuss the differences in their message?  No.  He erupts with anger and emotions.  He takes yoke off of Jeremiah and breaks it.  He then declares, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years.”  What does he do?  He reacts emotionally; he doubles down.  Like Hananniah, false prophets love to speak about authority, but they hate answering serious questions.

(6) They Make People Trust In A Lie

This is the most heartbreaking characteristic of a false prophet: They make people trust in a lie (Jeremiah 28:15).  They though deliverance was coming; but captivity was their future.  They thought joy was coming; but mourning was their future.  They thought prosperity was coming; but famine was their future.  

Is Calling Out A False Preacher A Bad Thing?

“You shouldn't do that!”  “They aren't hurting anyone.”  “They inspire people.”  “They are even using the Bible.”  “Who are you to judge?” “Their doctrine doesn't matter, just as long as people listen to them.”  “They must be doing something right, look at the crowds they draw.”  “If they are so wrong, why do I feel so good after I hear them preach?”  “Why can’t you be more like Jesus and just love people?”  “Quit being a know-it-all."  "Your're so judgmental."

These are just a few of the questions and statements you often hear when you call out someone – most of the time a well-known televangelist – for preaching or teaching heresy.  It is seen as prideful, arrogant, mean-spirited, hateful, un-Christlike, divisive, and just plain wrong.  You are seen as majoring on minors, as building yourself up by tearing someone else down.

But does it matter?  Should we care about what we are listening to and what others are hearing?  Let me ask you this: Would you entrust the life of a loved one – your spouse, your parent, your child – to just any physician?  No, of course not.  We are particular about which doctors we see, as we should be.  But why do we take more precaution concerning the doctor who treats our body than the preacher who feeds our soul?  Could it be that we see the damage inflicted to our body by a quack doctor as more severe than the damage inflicted to our soul by a false prophet?  I think so.

Doctrine matters because souls matter.  (Please do not see this as an endorsement of a state-church or an endorsement to put false prophets on trial in American court rooms because it isn't!)  500 years ago, when false prophets were tried, convicted and punished (by death) the line of reasoning was this: False teaching is spiritual murder because false doctrine kills the soul.  And because it is worse to kill the soul than the body, false prophets were held accountable.

We don’t try false prophets in courtrooms today.  But as shepherds of God’s flock, we are responsible to call out false prophets and false doctrines, heresy that damns souls to Hell.  You see, it is not unloving to call out false prophets; indeed, it is loving.  A person who lovingly calls out false prophets for preaching error is not being a grouch; they are being gracious. 

Here’s the question we must ask and answer (and we will over the course of the upcoming week): What would Jesus say to false prophets?  What would Paul say about it?  What about Peter, John, and Jude?  Does the Bible say how we should respond to false prophets? 

Let us prayerfully heed Jesus’ words: “Pay attention to what you hear” (Mark 4:24).

The Proper Way To Leave A Church

People leave churches.  That’s nothing new.  If you’ve been in leadership at a church for any length of time, you’ve seen people leave.  People leave for a variety of different reasons: Doctrinal disagreements, worship style, programs (or lack thereof), jealousy (they or their children are not the center of attention), etc.  Yet, while people leave church, I can’t help but wonder: How many have left properly?  When people leave a church, I’ve observed that there are at least 4 types of people:

1. The Silent Dropout.  This person just quits attending.  Normally, it doesn’t happen overnight.  They begin by missing 1-2 Sundays per month; then 3; and then they’re gone.  They don’t cause a blowup on their way out; they silently slip through the back door.
2. The Avoider.  Like the Silent Dropout, this person also leaves.  Most of the time, there is much more going on with this person.  They have a reason for leaving; they just haven’t told the leaders what it is.  Most of the time, they are upset about something.  When leaders at church attempt to reach out to them (call, text, email, etc.), they get no response.  When this person sees church leaders out, they attempt to avoid them.  If they do talk, it is small talk that ends before the church leader has the chance to ask them about where they’ve been.  Deep down, this person knows they probably don’t have a biblical reason for leaving, and they don’t want to be confronted with this.
3. The Ring Leader. The circumstances surrounding this person’s leaving is seldom good.  Most of the time there is a blowup or major disagreement.  During the process of their leaving, they burn the phone lines up, calling people to see how many members agree with them.  In fact, I’ve known people who have called more members in one week (when they’ve decided to leave) than they had the entire time they were a member!  (There’s something horribly wrong about that.)  This person is not content to leave and find another church that they agree with; they want to destroy the church they are leaving.  Sure, they will talk about their love for their former church, but behind the scenes they are trying their best to destroy it.
4. The Model Example.  These people disagree with the leadership or the direction of the church.  It is normally doctrinal; it could be something else.  They, out of love and respect for church leadership, tell the leaders (most often the pastor) that they are leaving.  They tell them the reason they are leaving.  And they leave.  Unlike the Ring Leader, they are not interested in being a new Moses.  Unlike the Avoider, they are not afraid of explaining to the pastor why they are leaving.  And unlike the Silent Dropout, they don’t make the pastor run them down to find out what’s going on.  They take the initiative. 

As a pastor, I’ve seen and dealt with each person listed.  When anyone leaves your church, it hurts.  What hurts more than anything is when people follow the example of the Avoider (2) or the Ring Leader (3).  It still hurts when someone follows the Model Example (4), but it is different.  They have shown true love, Christian maturity and accountability by explaining their decision to leave. 

If you are member of a church, please resolve now that, if ever you leave your church you will do it right.  You will follow the example of 4.  You should follow this example because you’re responsible to your church, to your brothers and sisters, to your leaders (who, in turn, are responsible for you), and to your Lord.  

Tornadoes, Tragedies and the Trustworthiness of God

I’m sure your yesterday evening/night was spent much like mine: glued in front of the television watching the reports coming out of Moore, Oklahoma, as the search and rescue teams looked for survivors after a deadly EF4 tornado destroyed everything in its path.  My heart broke as I heard reports of devastation and death: children killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School, a mother and her child killed as they attempted to get into a deep freeze, and the stories go on and on, each one as lamentable as the other.

When we see such devastation, when we look at the loss, and when we feel the pain caused by disasters such as this, we tend to ask a few questions.  First, we ask, “Why?”  Second, we ask, “Where was God during this?”  Third, we ask, “How can a loving, gracious God allow something that produces so much hurt and pain?”  Fourthly, we ask, “Did someone’s actions cause this?  Is this disaster the direct result of personal sin?”  Some of these questions will never be answered in our lifetime (and that’s not a copout; that’s reality).  But there are several passages of scripture that can shed light on our questions and give hope in our despair.

Oftentimes, events, especially natural disasters of this nature, cause us to put things in proper biblical perspective.  In light of the disaster, there are 5 pastoral observations that I want to make.

1.     We Control Nothing.

Who among us had enough strength, enough power, and enough authority to stop what occurred?  Of course the answer is: No one.  For a control-hungry people, the fact that we face events in life that are completely out of our control is difficult and disturbing.

The fact that we aren’t in control begs the question: If we are not in control, then who is?  The answer is this: God is in control.  Do not think that God lost one ounce of His control and sovereignty on May 20^th.  It wasn’t as if God was in control, and then He lost it for a moment, thus prompting the tornado and destruction.  If He ever lost control the result wouldn’t be a powerful EF4 tornado, but the end of all things.  Please, don’t think that God loses control in Tornados, Hurricanes, or other natural disasters. 

Scripture is filled with declarations of God’s sovereign control over all things.  “29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”  (Matthew 10:29)  “27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”” (Matthew 8:27)  A quick note: The winds obey Jesus, not Satan.  Satan has NO authority over winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes.  Even the smallest, nonessential issues are a product of God’s sovereign control: “33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:33)  After the national tragedy of Judah falling into captivity in 586 B.C., Jeremiah wrote, “37 Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?” (Lamentations 3:37)

In disaster and devastation, the only thing we can cling to is God’s sovereign control over the all things.

2.     We Must Not Boast About Tomorrow.

James 4:13-16 says, “13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

I couldn't help but wonder this while looking at all the destroyed homes and listening to the reports of death: How many people, when they built or bought their home, expected it to be destroyed in this fashion?  How many people woke up that morning thinking it would be the last time they saw their children?  How many people woke up realizing May 20^th would be their final day upon this earth?  Sadly, we tend to treat the future so flippantly that it is classified as “evil” in James 4:16.   

Let us rejoice in the gift of today.  May God forgive us and remove from us the presumption that tomorrow is a guarantee! 

3.     We Live In A Cursed, Groaning World.

Paul says this in Romans 8: “¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Tornados, hurricanes, and other natural disasters were not originally in the design of God’s creation.  You would not find a Katrina or an EF4 tornado prior to Genesis 3.  When God created all things he summed it up with these words, “It was good.”  It was only after Adam sinned and the entire creation fell under the curse of sin that disasters followed.

The Degree Of Suffering Doesn’t Correlate With The Degree Of Wickedness

One of the most helpful passages is Luke 13:1-5.  Here, we read:

“¹ There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? ³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

This passage is remarkable.  Some people came to Christ, telling him about how Pilate had killed a group of Galileans while they were offering sacrifices (that is what it mean when he mingled their blood with their sacrifices).  Their assumption was this: For them to have suffered this terrible death, they must have sinned terribly.  Jesus’ response was this: The Galileans didn’t suffer to this degree because they were worse sinners than others.  In fact, Jesus told them that unless they (those who were questioning Christ) repented, they, too, would perish.  He then references a disaster: The tower of Siloam fell on 18 people, killing them.  Again, Jesus asks them if they were worse sinners than others because they were killed in this event.  The answer again is this: No!

To bring this home, let’s ask this practical question: Were the people of Moore, Oklahama, worse sinners than the people of Salyersville, Kentucky?  Moore, Oklahoma not only experienced devastation, they also experienced death (something Magoffin County was spared on our March 2^nd Tornado in 2012).  Were the people of Morgan County, Kentucky, worse sinners than the people of Magoffin County?  After all, Morgan County experienced fatalities on March 2, 2012, but Magoffin County didn’t.  The answer is, “No.”  God forbid that we have this mentality! 

Natural Disasters Are A God-Given Reminder Of Sin’s Destruction

One might not see it, but natural disasters, while acts of power and devastation, serves as a tool of grace.  While that statement seems odd, I hope we can see the biblical purpose of it.

John Piper described the why best when he said:

“God put the natural world under a curse so that the physical horrors we see around us in diseases and calamities would become a vivid picture of how horrible sin is.  In other words, natural evil is a signpost pointing to the horrors of evil…He disordered the natural world because of the disorder of the moral and spiritual world – that is because of sin.”

We can’t “see” the calamities associated with sin.  Why?  Oftentimes, the calamities associated with sin are unseen, in a sense.  But when the natural order is placed under the curse of sin, disaster ensues.  What do the disasters prove?  They demonstrate how serious, deadly, and devastating sin is.

Why do hurricanes hit the shore?  Sin.  Why do tornados obliterate towns?  Sin.  Every disaster is the direct result of one man’s sin: Adam’s.  D.A. Carson said, “God uses disaster as a mega-phone to call attention to our guilt.”

When we survey the damage, look at the debris, feel the hurt, and hear the stories of death, let it serve as a reminder to us of the devastating effect sin has on people!  You want to know what sin will do to your life?  Look at what an EF4 tornado did to Moore, Oklahoma: that will be your life if you follow sin!

Creation Is Waiting

Each disaster, each diagnosis of cancer, each death is this created order groaning, crying out, and longing for a brighter day.  Paul calls that day the “revealing of the sons of God”.  In other words, creation is waiting for the day when God’s children will be revealed as such: His children without any hint of sinful nature; we shall be perfectly like Him.  When this occurs, the natural order will revert to pre-Genesis 3 tranquility.  Why will this occur?  Revelation 22:3 says, “And there shall be no more curse.” 

4.     We Rejoice In A Hope That Can’t Be Destroyed

Romans 8 says that God also gave creation “hope”.  The hope he is referencing is the promise of Genesis 3:15.  In that promise, while God is speaking the curse of sin upon creation, He gave hope in these words: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  God promised a deliverer, a Savior, a Christ!  The hope is this: Christ will restore creation to its original “good” design through His death, burial and resurrection! 

How Can We “Rejoice” In That?

I choose the word “rejoice” carefully.  When we watched the coverage, “rejoice” isn’t a verb that comes to our mind.  Sad?  Indescribable?  Horrific?  Devastating?  Maybe.  One doesn’t think of the word rejoice when they are standing in a pile of rubble that 24 hours ago was their home; nor do people think of the word rejoice when they see their loved one lose every worldly possession they have in a matter of minutes; nor do people think of the word rejoice when they have a loved one leave this world unexpectedly.  Yet, my biblical challenge is to rejoice.  And we can do just that.

For the child of God, our rejoicing is based on our hope.  If our hope endures, our rejoicing will endure.  If the object of our hope is destroyed, then our rejoicing will be destroyed as well.  In other words, if one’s hope is in a house, then a tornado can take it away.  If one’s hope is in a car, then hail can damage it.  If one’s hope is in physical well-being, then death can snatch it.  But if our hope is anchored in something eternal, then a tornado, hail, wind, or death can take away my rejoicing and joy.  Jesus said, “…no one will take your joy from you.” (John 16:22)  Jesus put this perspective on it: “¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

I encourage you: Have your hope anchored in something that a storm can’t take away.  Have your hope anchored in something that sickness can’t take away.  Have your hope anchored in something that death can’t take away.

5.     If You Were Frightened By The Sights Of An EF4 Tornado, Can You Imagine What the Judgment of God Will Be Like?

In most people’s heart (mine included), there is a fear of that which we cannot control, especially when that is a strong tornado that is leveling everything in its path.  Yet, that uneasy feeling and fear that gripped our heart when the sky turned black and the wind roared will not compare to the feeling we will have when we stand before God.  What is more terrifying than staring down a deadly tornado?  Standing before the God of the tornado.

Revelation describes how men will respond to the coming of Christ: “¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, ¹⁷ for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17)

It is the living out of the old Negro spiritual:

I ran to the rocks to hide my face.
The rocks cried out, “No hiding place.”

Did God Turn Away?

We've all experienced it: You’re watching a television show and it goes to commercial, and the first commercial you see is that of starving children in a 3^rd world country.  They show children sitting on the ground, living in grass huts, and rummaging through garbage trying to find something to eat.  It breaks your heart.  You think about giving money, but the thought enters your mind: “If I knew they’d really get the money, I’d give.”  You watch it for a few more seconds, and then, after you've taken all you can withstand, you turn the channel – you just can’t bear to see the misery.

Did God “Turn The Channel” During The Crucifixion?

My question, especially as we near the Easter season, is this: Did God react the same way when Jesus was on the cross?  We've heard it said over and over again that God “ couldn't bear to see His Son”, so He turned away.  It’s the picture of a heartbroken God who can’t bear to see what is happening to His Son.  Even Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).  Did He turn away?  Did He refuse to look at the cross?  In what sense was Jesus forsaken by the Father?

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Well, in one sense, there is a divine mystery that one can never fully understand or explain.  Martin Luther once studied Matthew 27:45-50 for a long time, even going into seclusion and refusing to eat.  After much study, he came forth and said, “God forsaken by God – who can understand it.” 

While there is a mystery surrounding that cry, we must understand what it is not.  It is not a cry that marks the complete abandonment of God’s presence from the cross – that He was so overwhelmed by the sight of His Son that he turned away. 

God was very present when Jesus was dying on the cross.  “In what sense was the Father present while Jesus was on the cross?” one might ask.  The Father was present with Jesus on the cross in the same way He will be present with unbelievers in Hell; He was present in judgment.  People are of the opinion that God is not present in Hell.  They are wrong; Hell is the undiluted, perfect exhibition of God’s wrath against sin.  Those in Hell will forever experience the holiness of God through His wrath that is poured out upon sin.  In the same manner, Jesus, when He was on the cross, experienced God’s wrath against sin.  The one who had heard the Father say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17), now feels the hatred of God due sin and the wrath of God upon sin. 

We will never truly appreciate the price Jesus paid for our atonement until we realize this hard, yet Biblical truth: What the Father did to Jesus while He was on the cross was far worse than what the Roman soldiers did to Jesus!  Isaiah 53:4 says that the Jehovah’s Servant (Jesus) was “smitten by God”; Isaiah 53:10-11 says, “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.”

Those who know Christ should rejoice forevermore because God’s wrath due our sin has been completely exhausted!  It was completely poured out upon Jesus.  My sins have already had God’s justice poured out upon them.  He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” so that we may cling to the promise: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).  

Read The Entire Sermon PLEASE!

Have you ever preached a sermon and someone quote you completely out of context?  Have you ever heard them quote you and you want to say, “That wasn’t ALL I said; and, furthermore, you’re quoting me incorrectly”?  If so, you’re in good company.  Jesus’ most famous sermon is often picked apart, quoted out of context, and cherry-picked to death!  By no means do I pretend to know the mind of Christ, but one would assume He is saying to a culture that loves to quote bits and pieces of Matthew 5-7: “Read the entire sermon!” 

Without a doubt, the most quote phrase in America today is taken from Jesus’ sermon.  It is found in Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  Many pluck this verse away from its context and use it to justify their rebellion against God.  People who lie want to say, “You can’t confront me about my lie because Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’”  People who cheat in business will say, “You can’t confront me about my crooked business practices because Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’”  People involved in sexual immorality – be it pre-marital or extra-marital or homosexuality – will say, ‘You can’t confront me about my sexuality because Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.”  They quote Jesus as if He is standing in their corner, turning a blind eye to their sin – all because He said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” 

Trust me, when people quote this verse to defend their actions, they are not interested in the words of Jesus.  That may be a bold statement, but here’s how I know it is true: THEY NEVER QUOTE ANYTHING ELSE HE SAYS IN THE SERMON.  Let’s just think of some of the truths Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount – the very same sermon in which He spoke the words “Judge not, that you be not judged” – and see if you can recall one instance in which the following verses are used by the people who cling to Matthew 7:1.

·         Matthew 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

·         Matthew 5:27-30, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”

·         Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

·         Matthew 7:6, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”  This one is interesting.  Jesus just said, “Judge not, that you be not judged”, in verse 1, but then tells the disciples to avoid giving holy things to the dogs and pearls to pigs.  He is not speaking of animals; He is speaking of people!  Jesus calling people dogs?  Jesus calling people pigs?  QUESTION: How can you make that judgment if judging is wrong?

·         Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Wow!  In this sermon, Jesus covers a variety of topics: Hypocrisy, Lust, Adultery, Retaliation, Loving Your Enemies, Fasting, Worry, Laying Up Treasures in Heaven, and – most shocking to our society – HELL.  Yet, all we hear our society quote from this sermon is “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  I think our society would do well to read the entire sermon and quit cherry-picking the words of Jesus to justify their sin.  Just READ THE ENTIRE SERMON. 

I Love The Church BECAUSE I Love Jesus

When you love someone, you oftentimes find yourself loving what they love.  We see it all the time with couples and sports.  A girl – who has no earthly idea what a football or basketball is – will date or marry a guy who has a favorite sports team.  The girl miraculously transforms into an avid (borderline rabid) fan of that team.  Why?  Because the love she has for her guy produces a love for something that he loves: his favorite team. Her love is a selfless love. 

The same should be true about our relationship with Jesus and the Church.  Have you ever heard it said, “I love Jesus, but not the church”?  People who say this seem to think that it is possible to have a flourishing, loving relationship with Jesus without loving the church.  But if you know Jesus, if you love Jesus, if you are so one with Jesus that you love what He loves, then this statement is absurd.  It is impossible to know Jesus and truly love Jesus without loving the church.  Why do I say this?  Because Ephesians 5:25 says that Jesus “loved the church and gave himself up for her” (ESV).  If Jesus loved the church enough that He died for her, it is contradictory to think that I can love Him without loving the church, his bride.

This sermon looks at the importance of loving Jesus through loving the church and being a faithful member of a local congregation.  

"i LOVE my church...BY JOINING"