Our Rock in Times of Trouble

Psalms 61:2-3 - From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

Periods of sorrow and hopelessness are timeless. Throughout history even the best of men have experienced these emotions. David, a man after God’s own heart and the author of numerous Psalms was not exempt. Even the Apostle Paul at one point despaired of his own life as persecution waxed hot. It is not ‘if’ such trouble will present itself in our lives, but ‘when’ it will appear.

The good news is that scripture provides guidance on how to navigate the inevitable pitfalls of life. David offers three nuggets of wisdom:

1.     Cry unto Him.

2.     He is our rock.

3.     He is our shelter and high tower.

In a nutshell, when trouble comes we should run to the Lord instead of away. Human nature wants to avoid anything remotely connected to God (His people, word, and church). The world says that we can stand on our own two feet. The flesh strives to solve heart problems with alcohol, drugs, fleshly lusts, etc. All of these simply mask the true issue and serve to drive us deeper into despair. The current statistics that indicate approximately 10 percent of adults and a shocking 20 percent of teens suffer some type of prolonged depressive symptoms supports the fact that what we are generally doing is not working. I understand that mental illness is a multifaceted, complex issue, but a neglect of spiritual matters cannot be ignored.

The remedy is to recognize the rock that towers above all else, Jesus Christ. Cast your cares upon Him. Look to the one that is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast! The one who delivered the elect family of God eternally when he laid down his life on the cross is more than equipped to bless us to navigate us through periods of sorrow and helplessness in the day-to-day affairs of life.

Oh! sometimes the shadows are deep,
And rough seems the path to the goal,
And sorrows, sometimes how they sweep
Like tempests down over the soul.

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Oh! sometimes how long seems the day,
And sometimes how weary my feet!
But toiling in life’s dusty way,
The Rock’s blessed shadow, how sweet!

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Then near to the Rock let me keep
If blessings or sorrows prevail,
Or climbing the mountain way steep,
Or walking the shadowy vale.

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O then to the Rock let me fly
To the Rock that is higher than I
O then to the Rock let me fly
To the Rock that is higher than I!

Blessings,

Michael D. Green, Jr.

"If Only"

I recently read an article denoting some keys to effective growth. One of the author’s suggestions was to avoid using “if-only” statements at all cost. This involves blaming another person or group for your failings. If only someone else were doing a better job, then things would change for the better. In education this might represent inattentive parents or involvement from an out of touch government. In your community this might be blaming politicians or the economy for the current state of affairs. If only we had good leaders… If only there were more jobs…

This thinking can also affect our discipleship! Think about think about the “if-only” statements that we often times revert to regarding the public assembly. “If only so and so were here. They needed that sermon!” “If only Sister _______ would assist more with cleanup, things would be better.” “If only other people would give more, we could better minster to others!”

We are also prone to play the blame game in other areas of our walk. My friends, this is most unproductive. The Bible teaches that discipleship begins with us. In Philippians 2:12, the apostle Paul instructs us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. He then outlines how we are responsible for shining as lights in a crooked and perverse world. The onus is not on those that are evil, but we who have been quickened by the Spirit.

While most problems are generally complex with multiple areas of blame, God expects behavior change and growth to begin with us. Who are you blaming for your surrounding woes? The economy? The government? A different race? Evil people in your community? Slack church members? Scripture requires change to begin with you! What areas of life are you stuck in a rut because you are playing the “if only” game?

Blessings,

Michael D. Green, Jr.

Rest

Ah rest, sweet rest! We have finally reached the stage in life that our youngest is sleeping through the night. What a joyful day indeed! I am thankful for the grace that God gives parents (especially my wife) to keep everyone alive and function throughout the day with minimal, sporadic sleep. But repose from this stage of life is most welcome.

Thus it is with discipleship as well. We should be thankful for the spiritual rest that comes from Above. The Psalmist wrote, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass (37:7).”  It is a blessing to know that we can enjoy peace in spite of the ever-growing wickedness around us. Even when things are not going as we think they ought, we can still rest in Him.

Naturally speaking, a lack of rest can create two situations. One involves impaired judgment. When you are tired small problems can seem monumental. We become anxious, short with others, and easily agitated when sleep deprived. The other condition is resignation to your restless state. What is likely a temporary situation seems to be your lot in life. Neither is pleasant. But what joy and contrast when rest is finally found!

Spiritual rest is a welcome blessing to the child of God. When Israel hardened their hearts towards God in the wilderness, they missed out on rest for 40 years (Hebrews 3). But oh what joy it was when finally given to them. Such it is with us today.  There is peace and clarity when we patiently rest in the Lord. There is a relief in His rest that nothing in the world can offer.

Summer Break, Stress, and Calm. Oh My!

 

Ahhhhh!

Just in case you were wondering about that strange sound coming from the Green household. No worries! It is simply a sigh of relief that summer break has commenced. That wonderful time of decompressing from the fast-paced days of early alarms, endless meetings and all of the expectations that come along with the education profession. I have been going to school in varying capacities for over thirty years and the one consistent thing about them all is that summer break is always a welcome sight. Couple that with a particularly demanding season as a pastor and physical difficulties at home and we are extremely glad to enjoy a change in pace.

We hope to be able to visit our friends and relatives in Florida and Alabama this summer, which will encompass over two weeks of our break. When we return home there are also some components of the kid’s education that we need to complete and also some church meetings that we are looking forward to attending. BUT, the theme of this summer is CALM. That sounds easy enough doesn’t it?  Experience proves that it is much easier said than done when reality, expectations and time (or lack thereof) inevitably collide in the game of life.  Despite the challenges, we would all benefit from a healthy dose of calm in our lives. Let’s examine this subject from a biblical standpoint:

Philippians 4:5-7 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Do you notice the beautiful progression of this passage? Herein contains some crucial steps to achieving calm in your life. Step one is moderation. The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defines it as: calmness of mind; equanimity; as, to bear prosperity or adversity with moderation. In other words we should confront the inevitable challenges of life without extreme emotional reactions. Both good and bad are to be responded to in a moderate manner. We should not overreact either direction. Why? Because the Lord is always with us!

The next step involves replacing worry with conversing with God. I confess that a large amount of my thought life is consumed with ‘what ifs’ that might never come to fruition. It is my nature to overanalyze every little aspect of life. But the Apostle Paul admonishes us to replace such with petitions to God. Worry is fruitless. Talking to God is always productive and time well spent!

Finally, the fruit of these two habits is supernatural peace. That is the calm that I desire! That is the example that we desire to cultivate in our home this summer and beyond. The demands of life will always be present. There will always be roadblocks along the journey. But what a wonderful joy to know that obedience to God and adherence to the simple pattern that He breathed into scripture can produce peace in the midst of incredible challenges!

Blessings,

Michael D. Green, Jr.

Fort Wayne PBC

Treatment of God’s Children

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

As part of the body of Christ we must take great care in how we treat our brothers and sisters in the church. It is not an accident that the above passage is one of Jesus’ first sermons specifically directed to the church. He recognized the challenge that we would encounter when interacting with one another.

The word ‘despise’ conveys the meaning of looking down with contempt on another. It also means to regard as negligible, worthless or distasteful. Such an attitude is accepted in many avenues of life in our modern world, but should not be present in our churches. Remember, that we are called out to live differently as disciples of Christ.

What are some ways that we despise or look down on out fellow believers? One way is by being a respecter of persons? In the church setting this generally occurs when people separate themselves or isolate others by forming cliques. It is human nature to gravitate towards people that are most like you. As a high school teacher I witness this phenomena daily. We want to associate with those who share the same interests, backgrounds, upbringings, etc. But discipleship requires us to step out of this comfort zone and embrace all members within our local body of believers.

Earlier in Matthew 18, Jesus says that it is better for us to have a millstone hanged around our neck and drown than offend one of his children. Those that make up our congregations should feel loved valued when in our midst and we must do all within our ability to avoid offending them. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be a shelter from the storms of life and a welcome change from all of the contention and divisions that exist in our world.

James writes, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons (James 2:1).” When we assemble with the saints, all natural differences should be checked at the door. There are no big “I’s” in the church. We must remember that we share the common bond of being sinners saved by the grace of God. Before the King of Kings we are equal. We all deserved eternal condemnation. Yet Christ died to save those who were elected in Him before the foundation of the world. In Ephesians 2, Paul references Christ as, “our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (v. 14).”  Jew, Gentile, rich, poor, famous or unknown; all are equal through the blood of Christ!

God help us to break carnal habits and take time to minister to everyone that the He allows us to have contact with in His church. Next Sunday I encourage you to adjust some of your old habits to facilitate this change. Relocate your seating during public worship and fellowship to position yourself near new visitors or closer to those that you have had little prior contact. This move shows that you value others and desire closer fellowship. It is also a good practice to purpose to visit and/or communicate with all members of your church on a regular basis. Perhaps creating a list or schedule can assist you in this practice. It is amazing what a small change such as this can accomplish. I am certain that the Lord will bless any move in this direction. It is not just the job of the pastor to make sure that everyone is visited. We all have the blessed responsibility to embrace all of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Blessings,

Michael D. Green, Jr.

Fort Wayne PBC