Month / January 2015

by In Light Of The Cross

Proverbs in Light of the Cross; The Blessing of Work

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Proverbs 6:6 NLT
God placed our first parents in Paradise, surrounding them with all that was useful and lovely. In their Eden home nothing was wanting that could minister to their comfort and happiness. And to Adam was given the work of caring for the Garden. The Creator knew that Adam could not be happy without employment. The beauty of the Garden delighted him, but this was not enough. He must have labor to call into exercise the wonderful organs of the body. Had happiness consisted in doing nothing, man, in his state of holy innocence, would have been left unemployed. But He who created man knew what would be for his happiness; and no sooner had He created him, than He gave him his appointed work. The promise of future glory, and the decree that man must toil for his daily bread, came from the same throne. . . .
When the body is inactive, the blood flows sluggishly, and the muscles decrease in size and strength. . . . Physical exercise, and a free use of air and sunlight–blessings which heaven has abundantly bestowed on all–would give life and strength to many an emaciated invalid. . . . Work is a blessing, not a curse. Diligent labor keeps many, young and old, from the snares of him who “finds some mischief still for idle hands to do.” Let no one be ashamed of work, for honest toil is ennobling. While the hands are engaged in the most common tasks, the mind may be filled with high and holy thoughts.
Drowsiness and indolence destroy godliness, and grieve the Spirit of God. A stagnant pool is offensive; but a pure, flowing stream spreads health and gladness over the land. No man or woman who is converted can be anything but a worker. There certainly is and ever will be employment in heaven. The redeemed will not live in a state of dreamy idleness. There remaineth a rest for the people of God–a rest which they will find in serving Him to whom they owe all they have and are.-Ellen White, Our High Calling, Page 223

by In Light Of The Cross

Proverbs in Light of the Cross: Co-Signing For A Friend’s Debt

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger— if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said— follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased.  Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net. Proverbs 6:1-5 NLT

A friend encouraged me to share his story as a warning for others. His son had bought a nice new sports car. His son got his grand parents to co-sign for the loan which was several thousands of dollars. However the grand parents did not have the money for the debt, but were quite sure their grandson would be able to pay it on his own and establish his own credit. He was a very responsible young man.

Tragically, my friend’s son was hit and killed while riding a motorcycle, when he stopped by the side of the road. Not only did the family have a terrible tragedy to deal with emotionally, but the grandparents who co signed for the loan, were now in dire straits as they had to take over a car loan they had no money for. When they co-signed for their young grandson they never imagined this would happen!

Fortunately God provided. Another family member stepped forward  (Hurray for family!) and covered the loan and saved the grand parents.  My friend, who also happens to be one of my first Bible study students who I am still friends with today, wants to share his story as a warning to others who are tempted to co-sign for some one else’s debt. There are many reasons why Solomon said what he said, and this is one of them. Thank God for saving the dear grand parents from this terrible ordeal.

by In Light Of The Cross

Proverbs in Light of The Cross; Character Traits

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

 

An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him.
He will die for lack of self-control;    he will be lost because of his great foolishness. Proverbs 5:22-23 NLT 

 

Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. Every sinful indulgence strengthens the soul’s aversion to God. The man who manifests an infidel hardihood, or a stolid indifference to divine truth, is but reaping the harvest of that which he has himself sown. In all the Bible there is not a more fearful warning against trifling with evil than the words of the wise man that the sinner “shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” Proverbs 5:22.  
Christ is ready to set us free from sin, but He does not force the will; and if by persistent transgression the will itself is wholly bent on evil, and we do not desire to be set free, if we will not accept His grace, what more can He do? We have destroyed ourselves by our determined rejection of His love. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” 2 Corinthians 6:2; Hebrews 3:7, 8.-Ellen White, Steps to Christ, Page 34 

Do not listen to the enemy’s suggestion to stay away from Christ until you have made yourself better; until you are good enough to come to God. If you wait until then, you will never come. When Satan points to your filthy garments, repeat the promise of Jesus, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. Tell the enemy that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. Make the prayer of David your own, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7. -Ellen White, Christ Object Lessons, Page 205

by In Light Of The Cross

Proverbs in Light of the Cross: A Memorial Tribute to Pastor Andrew Pearce

Pastor Andrew Pearce

Pastor Andrew Pearce 1971-2014

The godly are directed by honesty..Proverbs 11:5 NLT

I was shocked and saddened by the news that my long time friend and colleague, Pastor Andrew Pearce had died in a car accident last Christmas at the age of 43.

He was teaching school in the Philippines at the time of his death.I met him in the mid ’90s when he came to be a student pastor at the church I was doing Bible work in, at Weatherford Texas. Andrew was genuine, humble and personable and we all loved him. I remember one fellowship lunch when a four year old boy asked Pastor Andrew his name. Instead of saying, “Pastor Pearce” Or Pastor Andrew” he replied with a friendly, even childlike smile, “My name is Andy!” He hit it off with the little boy, just like he did the rest of us.

Later Pastor Andrew went to Oklahoma where he pastored a church on a small stipend. By this time I was working at UPS as well as a second job, and was doing well for myself. I sent Pastor Andrew money to help with his stipend. The first time I did so, he wrote back telling me how he had just had an emergency repair bill that he did not know how he was going to pay, until my check came. He called it a miracle.

Later, Andrew got on full time with the Oklahoma conference with a full salary. He wrote me to thank me and let me know that he no longer needed my money every month. Andrew was godly and directed by honesty because he did not have to let me know that.

Andrew also invited me up to Oklahoma to preach in his three church district. He let me stay with him and his family. He also saw to it that the churches took up offerings to help me with my traveling expenses. One night I came up to preach, and he told me a family in one of his churches had just lost a young boy. They were poor  and did not even have the money to bury him. Andrew told me they would be taking up an offering for the family, but he was going to see that I still got my offering. The next morning while on the platform with Andrew, I heard a testimony from the congregation about how poor that family really was. The Holy Spirit told me to tell Andrew not to take up any offerings for me that day. It was all to go to the family. When I whispered to Andrew there on the platform to cancel my offering, he hesitated before I assured him this was God’s plan. Andrew was a godly man directed by honesty, who wanted to do what was right for the family as well as me.

Once Andrew invited me up to hold one of my In Light of Cross weekend seminars. Weeks after the seminar he told me about a tremendous change he had seen in a lady who used to be very bitter and angry all the time. He told me, she told him that my sermon on forgiveness had touched her heart and changed her not jut for a while, but for good. Andrew was very excited about this and thanked me for coming. Andrew was happiest when he saw others doing well. Andrew knew what it was like to be a humble missionary with a small salary, but he received more satisfaction from encouraging others and building up there ministry than he did from seeing himself succeed.

While still working for UPS in Fort Worth my second job ended when the owner of the company sold out. All the way from Oklahoma Andrew hooked me up with another company in Fort Worth where I could work part time. Regardless if it was my spiritual life or secular work Andrew was always interested in helping me and others and seeing us all succeed.

He was a great friend. He was a great colleague. Most of all, he was a goldy man, whose whole life was directed by honesty. He did what was right, not for himself but for everyone. We will miss Andrew until we meet in heaven. Meanwhile I pray for God to give us all the same spirit He gave Andrew, so we all can finish God’s work.

by In Light Of The Cross

Proverbs in Light of the Cross; Guard Your Heart

DTTFL

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

 

 

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 NLT

The restoration and uplifting of humanity begins in the home. The work of parents underlies every other. Society is composed of families, and is what the heads of families make it. Out of the heart are “the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23); and the heart of the community, of the church, and of the nation is the household. The well-being of society, the success of the church, the prosperity of the nation, depend upon home influences. -Ellen White, Ministry of Healing, Page 349.

Okay I just now had a God moment! Just as I was putting this post together on guarding your heart, Steve Green’s Guard your Heart, started playing on my Pandora App! Obviously God wanted me to share this with someone. Maybe that someone is you?

by In Light Of The Cross

Proverbs in Light of the Cross; The Perils of Being a Creative Thinker

 

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.Proverbs 2:2 NLT

In grade school, my teacher was talking about the possibility of solar powered cars. A sincere question came to my mind. I raised my hand and asked, “How would these cars run in the dark?” My teacher was angered by my question. I can’t recall if she actually called it a stupid question, but she sure made me feel stupid! She told me that, obviously, there was a battery that stored power for night time, and then said I should stop thinking of stupid questions.

I was hurt. I thought I had asked a good question. (I just now took a moment to Google it, and it appears I am not the only person who has ever asked that question.) Tuning your ears to wisdom and concentrating on understanding can take you outside of the box. I have learned a lot of people don’t like to think outside the box.

I have had several people over the years tell me that they love my sermons and writings because I make them think of things they have never thought of before and see things in a different light. People call that creative thinking. It’s a good thing, but it comes with risks. When some people say, “I never thought of it that way before” they mean that is brilliant. When others say, “I never thought of it that way before” they mean that is stupid!

My grade school teacher is not the only one who has ever treated me that way. I have paid people what I thought were sincere compliments, only to have them snap back and call me a smart aleck or worse. I felt stunned, wondering how in the world did they turn that into an insult? I have raised ideas in church meetings only to have people laugh at me.

I first served as a head elder of a church when I was 22, and some people thought I was too immature to be a head elder. I probably was. Probably still am. Some of my ideas they thought were silly. For example, I started prayer meetings at 7:23. Why such an odd time? Because that way people would not have a hard time remembering if it was 7:00 or 7:30. 7:23 sticks out in the brain. Plus who says you have to start at 7:00, 7:15 or 7:30? Since then I have noticed how many sporting events and things start at 7:07 and other “odd” times.

My point is that a lot of ideas some people find laughable, others find brilliant. So I am happy when people tell me I make them think outside the box. I think the box should be thrown away.

I am not comparing myself to Jesus, but He lived outside the box Himself. Off-beat ideas like praying for God to bless your enemies, going the extra mile, and a little child being the greatest, really had people thinking in ways they never had before. But with a little wisdom and understanding, people realized He was not so crazy after all.

I’m writing this just to let those who think outside the box know they are not so crazy. God created us in His creative image. We see His creative thinking both in creation and in the plan of redemption. Therefore when we “let this mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5) we will have minds that think creatively like Jesus.

So, no matter how stupid a teacher may have made you feel, keep up the creative thinking. Keep asking creative questions. I have learned that when some people are asked a good question they can’t answer, pride won’t let them say they don’t know. Instead they try to minimize the question, and make it look like a silly question that should not be asked, when in reality it is was a great question that warrants an answer, maybe even a creative answer.

Keep up the creative out-of-the box thinking. People loved Jesus for it. People have told me they love me for it, and they will love you too!

you may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.