Not Ashamed

The apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” In Acts 3 there is the story of a lame man who was asking for alms. Peter and John said, “silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give unto you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” A huge crowd gathered around since they knew the lame man who had been healed. Peter delivered a message of salvation. The crowd was in awe of Peter’s message. Then they took note that he had been with Jesus.

Our culture says that it’s foolishness to proclaim the name of Jesus… that to identify as a born again Christian is considered foolishness. This is the theme of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Where is the wise, and where is the scholar? We preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, to the Greeks foolishness, and to the Jews a stumbling block.

According to 1 Corinthians 1:24-31, “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31. That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

Only a few weeks before Peter healed the lame man in Acts 3, Peter had denied Jesus. He said when he was confronted by a maiden, “I am not one of his…I never knew the man.” How did Peter get to the point that he was convinced that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation? Peter had to be delivered from himself. As one military commander said, “I have found the enemy and he is me.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “when Jesus bids a man, “come,” he bids him, “come and die.” In order to live for him we must die to self.

The point of repentance unto salvation is when we come to realize that we can’t make it on our own…that apart from Christ, I’m not wise enough, strong enough, rich enough…that I’m just not good enough to approach a holy God. What changed Peter? Peter received a new nature when he was born again of God’s Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost. Having received Christ’s righteousness in the spirit, when we sin in the flesh by breaking fellowship, 1 John 1:9 says, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and forgive us from all unrighteousness.”

Our challenge is to grow into maturity in Christ…to grow up into Him who gave his live on our behalf. For he who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

We were all born with a sin nature that we inherited from Adam. Brother Lawrence said, “I’m not surprised when I sin, I’m surprised when I don’t.” Paul said, you who have been born again of God’s spirit need to wean yourself from the milk of salvation and feed yourself on the deeper things of the spirit of truth.

Other religions say that there are many roads that lead to God. However Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father except by me. He said that there is a broad way that leads to destruction but I am the narrow way through the narrow gate that leads to eternal life.

The greatest disappointment in life is not to succeed in something, but to discover that you’ve succeeded in something that is not worthwhile….that after having climbed the ladder of success and arrive at the top, you realize that the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.

Our challenge is to join the ranks of the unashamed. We don’t identify with what we’re against. Rather we identify with what we stand for: Stand up, stand up for Jesus. Stand in his strength alone. The arm of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own. Oswald Chambers said, God expects extreme obedience with no questioning or complaining on my part and no explanation on his.

Most men fear the sneer. However, Jesus said, blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.

The devil uses our sin nature to accuse us of hypocrisy, of being unworthy of claiming our righteousness. In Galatians 5:17 Paul said, “the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that ye would.”

How do we stand up for our faith? How do you respond when someone puts you on trial for being a Christian? Will there be enough evidence that they will be able to convict you of being a follower of Christ? As one man’s t-shirt said, “Live your life in such a way that your pastor won’t need to lie at your funeral.”

The devil’s job is to rob you of your testimony…to relegate men of God to a place of irrevelance and insignificance. If the devil shuts your mouth then he will prevent you from your calling. For Jesus said, the works that I do shall they do and greater works shall they do because I go unto my Father. The greater works is to let your “conversation,” your behavior, your manner of living be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. The greater works is to lead others to salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

God has made us able ministers of the New Testament. He has given us each a testimony of his salvation. 2 Corinthians 5 says that he has given us the ministry of reconciliation and committed unto us the word of reconciliation. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. We have been called to introduce them to our Lord Jesus Christ.

We’re challenged to “study to show thyself approved unto God as a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” We grow up into him according to Romans 12:1-2: I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present yourselves a living sacrifice, holy (and wholly) acceptable unto him who is your reasonable act of worship. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For If we walk in the light as he is in the light, the love of God will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Therefore, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…for it is the power of God unto salvation. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, his masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which he hath foreordained that we should walk in it.

The scripture says that whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. Therefore, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Fear the Lord

Jesus Christ came to set the captives free. He said to the Jews that believed on him, “If you continue in my word, he shall be my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” The worst prisons are the prisons in our own minds. Because of the sin nature that we inherited from Adam, we are held captive by sin, fear, guilt and condemnation. However, according to 1 John 4, there is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear.

Pete recently talked to a man who thought that he should be doing better in life. He was struggling with his spiritual self image. Pete asked him, “What do you think that God thinks of you?” The guy’s mind went blank and he couldn’t think of a response to Pete’s question. Everyone struggles with fear and guilt. There are two types of fear. One is the fear that is the opposite of faith. The other is the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is characterized by reverence, awe, respect and honor. Walking in the fear of the lord is to love God to the point that I fear not honoring him. Many men think that they should fear and honor God, but they don’t think that God loves them. The devil’s scheme is to question the love of God. As David said, “search me O God and try me to see if there if there is any evil way in me. Cleanse me and create in me a new heart O God. The fear of the Lord is to sense his presence and his love.

Men often feel unworthy. In our own power we can never love enough, give enough, serve enough or perform enough. Most men fear the handwriting on the wall that said, “thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting.” You’re never good enough, righteous enough or rich enough, wise enough or strong enough. We all have a problem with sin, of missing the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. However, God made a way where there was no way. For Jesus Christ who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Pete recalls that when he played baseball, he was struggling at third base. He was hitting well but his pitchers threw balls that caused the batters to pull their hits toward third base. His manager came up to him and said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a worse third baseman.” Pete wrote down his sins when in his daily journal. God asked him, did you confess your sin? When Pete answered “yes,” God said, “I’ve cast that sin as far as the east is from the west and remembered it no more.”

Warren Wiersbe said that the fear of God is a fear that makes us want to serve him from a heart of love. Serving God is not what we’ve got to do but what we get to do. God knows our heart’s desire to love him above all. According to 1 John, even though our heart condemns us God is greater than our heart and knows all things. As we come into the light of his Word through his love, the darkness of sin fades into the background. According to John 3, he that walks in darkness hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought of God.

Christians have two natures. One is the carnal nature of the flesh, the sinful nature of sin and death that we inherited from Adam. The other is the nature of the spirit of life in Christ, the righteous nature that we inherited when we were born again of God’s Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul said, the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that you would. Romans 7 says, “what I want to do I don’t do and what I don’t want to do, I do. O wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from this dead body?” Paul used this picture of one of the worst forms of capital punishment to illustrate the war between our spiritual nature and our carnal nature. As punishment for a terrible crime, the executioner would strap a dead body to the convict who would rot to death with the dead body on his back.

Who shall deliver me from this dead body? The answer is in Romans 8: Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I am made the righteousness of God in him. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus… For the law of the spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Saint Augustine said that after he had come to Christ, the prostitute that he had frequented saw him and called out to him, “Augie, it’s me.” Augustine’s reply was, “but it’s no longer me. I’m no longer the man that I was.” When we’re redeemed, God has made us a new creation. However, the renewing of the mind according to our new nature is the result of deliberate and intentional action. According to Romans 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto him which is your reasonable act of worship. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The key to walking in fellowship is to renew our minds according to the truth of the word of God. The word says of itself, meditate upon these things. Commit thyself wholly to them that thy profiting may appear unto all. According to Philipians 4, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Pete was asked to speak to the Dogers at their chapel. He felt unworthy and prayed that God would give him a word. He opened his bible to Jeremiah 1: “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,”“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 9. Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.”

God said to Jeremiah, Don’t say that you can’t speak because I’ll do the speaking through you, I’ll put my words in your mouth. We all have a testimony. We have all had a life changing encounter with the risen Christ. We’re the only bible that some people will ever read. He has made us able ministers of the New Testament. He has made us worthy of His testimony. He has given us grace to walk in his strength that we would reflect his glory.

Matthew Henry said that many a man recognizes that his worst handicap is his own self. By grace God has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit. Therefore I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live I live by the faith of him who loved me and gave himself for me.

The liberty that we have in Christ is to serve one another in love. According to Proverbs, a man’s gift maketh room for him and bringeth him before great men. We’re called to deliver the message of the gospel of salvation. We’re called to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” …to realize God’s wholeness, with meekness and fear, awe, respect, and love. For it is God who worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure.

We gather together with likeminded men so that we can build each other up. We’re most like the people we spend time with. According to 1 Corinthians 15:33, bad company corrupts good morals. Therefore as Psalm 1 says….. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Solomon, was known for his wisdom. At the end of of his discussion of the duty of man in the book of Ecclesiastes, he wrote by inspiriation: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

As we fear God by loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
MIchael

Remembering Sam Parsons

After a fifteen month struggle with stage four pancreatic cancer, Sam Parsons passed away peacefully last Wednesday evening with his family at his side. He leaves behind his daughter Alyssa and his sons Rick and Travis and their families. His daughter said that Sam wanted to be here last Wednesday to tell his men good bye. However she knew that he wouldn’t able to be here in person. She promised her father that she would personally tell us this week that his heart’s desire was to see everyone one last time, to say good bye, and according to the title of his book, to “Die in the Sanctuary.”

Sam taught us the humility of serving at any time and at any place. His love for God was always front and center. Even though he led us in worship, in the words of author Os Guinness, Sam performed for “an audience of one.” Sam’s love for his Lord was always on display. His songs of prayer and praise introduced us to his Lord and Saviour. He was like John the Baptist who said, “I’m not the bridegroom. I’m just here to introduce the bride to her bridegroom.”

Pete ministered with Sam Parsons for over 23 years. Pete jokes that Sam thought he was the cake and Pete was the icing. Many men came to our band of brothers to hear Sam lead our worship and to inspire us with his songs and prayers of faith, hope and rejoicing.

Sam’s life reminded us of the story of Jehoshaphat, the good king of Judah who prayed to God when he was surrounded by his enemies. He prayed, Lord we have no battle plan, we’re outnumbered, and we don’t know what to do. God answered, “I will fight the battle for you.” Jehoshaphat put t the choir on the front lines of the battle to sing praises to God. Likewise, Sam taught us that the purpose of our lives is that we should be to the praise of the glory of His grace because He has made us acceptable in the beloved.

Sam ministered to the elderly in nursing homes. He sang songs of encouragement and faith to bind up their emotional wounds and to encourage them in the Lord. Sam recalled a woman he ministered to who was paralyzed and in pain. He asked her how she endured the pain and remained joyful through such suffering. She couldn’t talk but she could move her head and used a chopstick to point to the letters on a board to answer Sam’s question. She spelled out the scripture reference Romans 8:18. This verse says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Sam says that this response inspired him to write a new song entitled, “The Best is Yet to Come.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

Sam taught us how to love from Christ’s heart behind our heart. He taught us that love is an action verb. Whether singing and praying with elderly shut-ins in nursing homes or leading worship at our Influencers band of brothers, he taught us that the liberty that we have in Christ is to serve one another in love. It’s one thing to know bible verses. However, 1 Corinthians 8:1 says, “knowledge puffs up, but the love of God builds up.” Sam’s life reminded us that we are the only bibles that some people will ever read. According to 2 Corinthians 3:2, “Ye are our epistle (God’s love letter) written in our hearts, known and read of all men…

Darrel in our Fullerton group said that when Sam announced that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he said to Sam, “Brother, you can’t die. I want you to sing at my funeral.” Sam said, “then you better die fast.” It was difficult to imagine that a guy who was so willing to lead others to eternal life had such a short time to live. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that it is appointed for all men once to die and then comes the judgement. For those of us who have been saved by grace, the judgement is of righteousness and not condemnation. Romans 8 says that the law of righteousness in Christ has made us free from the law of sin and death. For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

Rudy Lara says that Sam was his role model. Ten years ago Rudy heard from his doctor that he had cancer. He questioned why God allowed him to suffer and stopped coming to church. He loved Sam’s music so he said to himself, I’ve got to go back to church to see Sam and sing with him. Sam showed us that despite sickness and suffering, we can sing praise to our Lord with a heart of joy and gratitude.

Sam taught us all how to finish well. His last days reminded us of Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:8-9: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Men of God who have gone before us have left us a legacy of the love of God. We remember Sam’s smile, his heart of love for his lord, and his praise in worship and prayer. Worship gives life and Sam lived to give life by leading us to “tune our hearts to sing God’s praise.”

We will miss our brother Sam but we look forward to the day that we will see him again when this life is finished. In the words of an old Hymn: Until then my heart will go on singing. Until then with joy I’ll carry on. Until the day mine eyes behold his glory. Until the day God calls me Home…

As Sam’s life was an example of prayer and praise to his Lord, May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,

The Truth Shall Make You Free

A prayer from the Puritan prayer book says, “Gracious Lord, I see the smile on your face. You have reconciled me and have anointed the shield of faith to strengthen me for every conflict by your grace to conquer every foe. As a floodgate of your tender mercy, quicken me and strengthen me. Strengthen me so I will hold on to you and not let go. Let me walk humbly to do the work to be engaged in. May I never forget that your eye always sees and your ear always hears. That your word is a light unto my path and a lamp unto my feet.”

Sam Parsons who passed away last week reminds us that every relationship in this world will end in pain and sorrow except for one. Jesus said I will never leave you nor forsake you. Although we grieve for believers who have passed away, we grieve not as others who have no hope. We look forward to the coming of our Lord when we shall see him as he is. The joy is in the rejoicing in the hope that we have in our eternal fellowship with our Lord. We can celebrate the memory of those who have gone before us.

In John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the Jews who believed on him, …”If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Those who believed are those who were convinced in their hearts that Jesus was their Lord and Saviour. Most of the people in the crowd were not really his true disciples. Jesus said, If you continue in my word, then are you my true disciples. The Jews recited Deuteronomy 6:4-5 known as the the Sh’ma, the Hebrew word for hear: Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Those who remain in Him and continue in the truth of the Word of God, then they shall know by experience the truth of the Word of God. Psalm 1 reminds us that blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

We’re encouraged to commit our minds and hearts to meditate upon the Word of God. For all scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, and correction, for instruction in righteousness. The purpose is that the man of God may be furnished, throughly furnished unto all good works. When we live according to the word of God, then we are fully equipped unto the works to which he’s called us.

When the world cheats, slanders, and humiliates us, are we furnished and equipped to be about our Father’s business? The word of God and prayer is our defense and offense in the spiritual battle.

Pete wrote down all of his physical ailments including sleep apnea, a heart murmur, and back pain. God told him, “these things are your friends. For my strength is made perfect in thy weakness, my grace is sufficient for thee.” In Romans 5, Winning the battle means that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

We live in an upside down culture where the world calls good evil and evil good. The devil is the accuser and Satan is the deceiver. Jesus said, ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

Jesus turned his world upside down. The religious leaders of his day had made up a series of laws that no one could follow. Romans 8 says, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ has made us free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.

Jesus asked the crowd, “why do you call me Lord and yet do not do the things that I say?” Jesus said, “If you continue in my word then you are my disciples indeed.” Followers of Christ are those who do the master’s will. Doing the will of the Lord goes way beyond sin management. The Greek word for sin is “hamartia.” It literally means “to miss the mark.” However, the emphasis is not on the missing but rather on the mark itself. The way to keep from sinning is to press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus said, If you’re compelled by law to carry a Roman soldiers’ burden one mile, then gladly carry his burden one more mile. The first mile is motivated by obligation to Roman law but the second mile is motivated by love. According to Galatians 5, the freedom that we have in Christ is not a license to sin, but to serve one another in love.

When the people asked Jesus about his plan, he pointed to Peter a lowly fisherman and Matthew a despised tax collector and said, “those guys, they are the plan.” We who were dead in trespasses and sins are God’s plan. Jesus said, the works that I do shall they do also and greater world shall they do because I go unto my father. The greater work is to lead others to salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. For he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

We have a moment by moment decision to walk in fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ. A disciple is a disciplined follower. Oswald Chambers said that if God has to break your heart to teach us what is really important, then thank him for breaking our hearts. He’ll pick up the threads of our broken hearts and weave them together again. In the doing of the Word, then we shall know the truth by experience and the truth shall make us free. Jesus came to heal the broken hearted and to set the captives free. Galatians 5 says, Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Only use not Liberty as a license to sin, but in love serve one another. Our freedom is to serve Him by serving others from a heart of love.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Tribute to Sam Parsons

Our dear brother and Worship Leader Sam Parsons kept the faith and has finished his course. After a fifteen month battle with stage four pancreatic cancer, God called him home. Even though we mourn with his family, we grieve not as others who have no hope for Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life…though he were dead, yet shall he live.

Sam was a man of God… absolutely. A man of God is God’s man. He understood that our identity is not in who we are but in whose we are. His was a life well lived to the honor and glory of his Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said that the works that I do shall ye do also and greater works shall he do because I go unto my father. Sam lived his life as a follower of Christ. Jesus’ mission statement was summarized in Isaiah 61:1-3, which Jesus quoted in Luke at the beginning of his ministry: “THE Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Sam personified this passage in Isaiah. He was called of God to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He ministered to the elderly in nursing homes to bind up the spiritual and emotional wounds of the broken hearted. He sang familiar old songs as well as songs of the faith. He always had a word of encouragement and shared the gospel of salvation and the hope of the resurrection.

Pete and Sam were called together over twenty three years ago to preach and to lead worship. Sam had a shepherd’s heart. His joy was to sing praises to his Lord and to proclaim the gospel message. He set the captives free by demonstrating the liberty we have in Christ. According to Galatians 5, Liberty is not an occasion to sin, but to serve one another in love.

The gospel is both bad news and good news. Sam’s calling was to proclaim the good news of his Lord Jesus Christ. Pete’s granddaughter asked him why God allowed her grandmother Suzan to die instead of healing her from cancer. God reminds us that healing will be either in this life or the next. Romans 8:18 says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

One man in our Irvine band of brothers had a stroke several years ago. He was surprised when Sam came into his hospital room with his guitar. He sang five worship songs and prayed with him. The nurses wept tears of joy while they all sang praises to God.

Many men in our lives teach us how to walk with the Lord and please him. Men of God also teach us how to die in Christ….to finish well. It is appointed for all men once to die and then comes the judgement. For follows of Jesus Christ the judgement is a righteous judgement, for he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Sam taught us how to pray and how to praise. Prayer is to align our heart with God’s heart and our will with His will. When our delight is His delight, He will give us the desires of our heart. Praise is the outpouring of a heart of love and gratitude. Sam taught us the meaning of the words of an old hymn: Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy praise. He taught us how to tune our hearts in prayer and praise to God’s “resonant frequency” that will resound into eternity.

Sam will be missed. However we rejoice in the hope that we will see him again. The words “eulogy” and “benediction” have a similar meaning. One word is from Greek and the other is from Latin but they both literally mean “good word” in English. A benediction is a good word of blessing to the one who is leaving. The phrase “good bye” in English is a benediction. Good-bye is a contraction from the Old English meaning “God be with you ’til we meet again.” Good bye dear brother Sam.

As Sam’s life was a living epistle, God’s love letter known and read of all men, May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Level Four Friend

Jerry Leachman could be proud of his worldly credentials. He played linebacker for Bear Bryant at Alabama. He ministered to important national figures for over three decades in Washington DC. He served as chaplain for both the Washington Redskins and for Fox News. He also led a ministry group of national broadcasters. Jerry was influential in organizing the National Prayer Breakfast. His wife Holly was a close personal friend and confidant to two First Ladies: Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush. Despite his worldly credentials, Jerry says that there is only one credential that really matters: that he knows his Lord Jesus Christ…that Jesus Christ is his intimate friend.

After thirty two years in Washington, DC, Jerry followed God’s direction and moved to Colorado west of Pueblo where he directs a guest ranch. The Lord always affirms hospitality. In the Old Testament, God’s people were honored to entertain guests because they believed that in entertaining strangers they could be ministering to angels unawares.

According to God’s word, there will come a time when men’s hearts will be overtaken by fear. Our hearts and minds are influenced by the food we feed our minds. However, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. According to Isaiah 40 beginning in verse 10: Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
14. With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
15. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.”

26. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
27. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

God says to look into the heavens for the heavens declare the handiwork of God. There is a famous picture of the Sombrero Galaxy taken from the Hubble Telescope. This galaxy is 38 billion light years away. It consists of 2 billion stars that are bigger than our own sun. There are over 200 billion galaxies like the Sombrero Galaxy. Several years ago the Voyager space probe left our solar system and entered interstellar space headed toward one of the closest stars in our galaxy about 17.6 light years from earth. At 30,000 miles per hour Voyager will approach to within 1.7 light years of this star about 40,000 years from now. Who are we compared to the vastness of God’s universe? According to the Psalmist, “Who is man, O Lord, that thou art mindful of him?

The first verse of the bible says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. According to John chapter 1 nothing was made without Him. Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last, the beginning and the end. Jesus Christ was and is the reason for the creation.

Despite the vastness of God’s creation, One of the last things that Jesus said to his disciples before his crucifixion was, “I call you my friends.” Friendship is a central teaching of the New Testament. Our relationship with Him is the basis of Christianity. The question is “what kind of friend are you?”

Either you are a friend or you are a “user.” A user acts friendly but his ulterior motive is “what’s in it for me?” Jesus said, “greater love hath no man but that he would lay down his life for his friends.” When the crowds were following Jesus, he turned to them and said, “You follow me just because you witnessed the miracle of feeding the five thousand.” They didn’t follow him because they were his friends. They were users: they just wanted to get something in return.

The theme of capitalism is “give people what they want.” A sales transaction is for the value of “what’s in it for me.” The buy-sell transaction is an exchange of value for goods and services. This “economic exchange” temporarily satisfies our self seeking desires. However, the love of God is a higher motive. Friendship is based on the love of God. Love “seeketh not her own.”

There is a difference between a covenant and a contract. A contract is based on mistrust. A contract is a legally enforceable promise where there is a penalty for non-performance. However, a covenant is based on trust. A contact is transactional….a temporary exchange of value. It is a quid pro quo transaction and is over when the agreed upon exchange of value is completed. In contrast, the value of a covenant is not an exchange of valuable goods or services. The value of the contract is the relationship itself.

The covenant of marriage is a vow in the presence of God and witnesses. The root word for Vow in Hebrew means “debt.” You become a debtor to the one to whom you make a vow. The debt is paid in the fulfillment of the vow. A covenant cannot be broken without lasting consequences. A contract can always be breached or modified. However, the debt of the marriage covenant remains “until death do we part.”

Jerry remembers passing a little pickup with a sign that read, “any load, anywhere, anytime.” That’s a covenant relationship. A covenant relationship is a level four franchise friendship.

The first level of friendship is an acquaintance. These are the people you see everyday and say “hello” when you meet them. A second level friend is a team mate. These are people you work with to achieve a common goal. The third level of friendship is a person with whom you spend discretionary time. You make a deliberate effort to spend time with your level three friends. Most men never go beyond this third level of friendship.

A level four friend is a franchise level intimate friend. A franchise player friend cannot be traded. This type of friend is committed for life. A level four friend is committed to a covenant relationship and will never leave you or forsake you. These friends collaborate with you to make important life decisions. A level four friend will do anything to make his friend successful.

Most men are people-pleasers. They seek validation from others. However men can never validate anyone. The only true validation is from our Heavenly Father.

There are two flagship mottos for level four friends. The first motto is: “Losers make excuses but friends take responsibility.” If we miss the mark, then say, “I messed up. Please a forgive me for falling short.”
The second motto is, “You can fake caring but you can’t fake showing up.” Jerry recalls that three and a half years ago he suffered a massive heart attack and was in a coma for three days. He had a franchise player friend who heard about his heart attack. His friend said to himself, “How can I live without Jerry.” He immediately took the next flight to DC to see his friend. He stayed up for three days and nights without eating or sleeping to pray at Jerry’s bedside. This is the example of a level four friend.

It’s important to make a list of your level four franchise level friends. Start with your wife and children. You have to be a level four friend to have a level four friend. The characteristics of a godly man are the virtues of a level four friend. Jesus Christ himself is our level four friend. The central teaching of Christianity is friendship. Christianity is a true friendship “relationship” with our Lord Jesus Christ. When we develop a level four friendship with Jesus, we can be a level four friend to our most intimate friends.

According to Ephesians 3:20, “now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.” As we trust the Lord with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding, he will bless us more than we could even ask or think.

Jerry was asked to meet with five generals at the Pentagon. The day before his appointment he had been jogging and was feeling anxious. He thought to himself, “I’m not worthy to meet with them.” He prayed that his level four friend Jesus Christ would speak through him and that his words would be a blessing. God answered him with this four part prayer: 1. Lord Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. 2. Lord give me favor and cause men to love me and bless me (for thy sake and for thy blessing.) 3. Lord give me power over people when I speak as I tap into your power. 4. Lord give my wife power over people as she taps into your power for your glory.

The bible says in Proverbs 18:6, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” The gift is the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. The riches of the glory of the mystery is “Christ in you the hope of glory.” He has made us able ministers of the New Testament. When we delight ourselves in the Lord he will give us the desires of our heart. When our desire is His desire, then it is God who works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.

God wants us to be franchise player level four friends to those he has surrounded us with in our inner circle. Jesus Christ himself is our example of our most trusted and intimate level four friend. There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and grief to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. …Casting all your care upon Him for he careth for you.

As level a level four friend of those whom God has blessed us to love, May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace, Your brother in Christ,
Michael