View from the Corner

What a fortune!!

As I finished up my meal at the local Chinese buffet yesterday the waitress brought me my bill and complimentary fortune cookie.  I proceeded to pay my bill then leave and while I was walking to the car, I went through my usual fortune cookie ritual (what, like you don't have a fortune cookie ritual).  When I pulled out the slip of paper that they manage to put into the cookie with out creasing or breaking the cookie, I read these words..."The road to success starts with discontent".  I must tell you I was highly disappointed.  Generally I like fortunes out of the cookies, but this just struck me wrong.  I have to be discontent to start looking for success.....not a chance. 

If it were up to me I would change the saying and put that the road to an unsatisfied life starts with discontent.  Unfortunately, I don't get an opportunity to write the fortunes for the cookie manufacturer.  Why, do you ask, am I so against this saying?  Simple.  It goes against the teachings of the Bible.  Look at 1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with CONTENTMENT is a great gain." In the preceding verses Paul is talking about the false gospels that are floating around and warning Timothy to teach and encourage people to be on the look out for these false gospels..

People, there are a lot of false gospels floating around today and one of the most damaging is the so-called "prosperity gospel."  You know the routine, a preacher stands up, says you can have everything that you want in life, the new house, new car, etc., if you just ask and believe.....sorry that is not exactly what the Bible teaches.  In fact it goes on to say that because we believe we WILL suffer and be persecuted.  God does not promise us a rosy life, devoid of pain, but complete with a large bank account.  What he promises is a hope for a better life to come, a chance to spend eternity with the creator of the heavens and the earth and the stars, moon, planets, galaxies, etc.  Imagine if you will for a moment standing in front of God, looking at a magnificent being, beyond ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.  Singing praises on streets of gold, staring across a crystal sea......

This week is a very special week.  This week we will celebrate the ultimate turning point in history.  This week as millions of people prepare for the easter bunny, some will remember, some will avoid, some will choose not to look for fear of what it could mean, but there was a series of events that occurred during this time frame that would forever shape the destiny of man.  You see, up to this point in history, the only way to atone for sins was to sacrifice an innocent lamb whose blood would cover the sins of your past.  When John saw Jesus coming into the waters at Jordan, he made 2 statements.  First he said to look at Jesus, the Lamb of God that TAKES AWAY the sins of the world, notice he did not say covers.  Second he did not deem himself worthy to baptize Jesus, but Jesus told him that things need to occur this way for all righteousness to be fulfilled. 

If we move forward in time from the beginning to the ending of Jesus' ministry here on earth.  During those last few days here on earth we see an increase in activity, culminating with the last supper, prayer in the garden, betrayal (not just by Judas, but by ALL THOSE WHO FOLLOWED HIM), mock trials, scourging, Crucifixion, separation from God, death, burial, and then the highlight of all of history, the resurrection that occurred on that first Easter Sunday. 

Imagine for just a moment if you will that you become so abhorrent to the people who love you that they completely turn their backs on you.  I don't mean partially, I don't mean treat you unfairly, I mean look on you as if you never existed....that's what happened to Jesus.  Now imagine how bad you feel when you are punished for something that someone else did.  Multiply that by all the someone's in the world, in all time past, in the current and in all time future....that is what Jesus experienced.  Now picture if you will hanging by nails driven through your flesh, spikes shoved in your head, your flesh torn in a thousand places from the chips of bone that laced the whips that the Romans used to beat him with, the spear that pierced your side, the mockery that hung above you, the solders at your feet fighting over the clothes off your back, all of your friends had left you and abandoned you....That is what Jesus felt........

And he did it for you......

My View from the corner...

Can I get a little help, please?

Its funny how life lessons can be learned by watching kids and that as adults, even though we think we are the ones who are supposed to do the teaching, it often times ends up the other way around.  Take for instance a recent trip to Discovery Zone in Charlotte, NC.  We were on the second floor with all of the mechanical stuff and they had this demonstration of the difference between pulling an object from the bottom and pulling it from the top.  As I sat on a bench and watched two teams of kids go at it I saw an interesting dynamic play itself out.

When one side was constantly winning all of the kids that came up to the object automatically jumped on the side of the.....looser, you thought I was gonna say winner didn't you.  Nope, these kids saw other kids they didn't even know and for the most part went to the loosing side to help out.  I even saw some that were on the "winning" team leave that side and head over to the other.  As I thought about this I thought about our life as adults. 

Sure, our teams are different and sometimes switching sides simply isn't possible, but most of us go through life oblivious to the fact that we are on the winning team and there is a whole different world out there that needs our assistance.  For example, the top 5% of the world's richest people live in America.  The average family income is around 46,000 / yr and that is in the top 5% of the world's richest people.  Many of us walk around feeling sorry for ourselves and moaning and complaining about how little we have when in reality we have ours and someone else's at the same time.  I just think that the world would be a better place if we helped each other out a little.

Something else that I was thinking about while watching these kids was the way that they would fall into positions where needed.  Most kids would look for an empty spot on the rope and grab a hold.  Most of us in life do one of two things, either we push our way forward, trying to make our on whole, or we sit back and wait until the hole of our dreams opens up and allows us to help out.  Most of these kids looked for any amount of room and adapted to what ever was open at that moment, much to our enjoyment (some of the kids at the front were too little and would get lifted off the ground).  But we as adults simply want that comfortable place where we can fit ourselves into, not leave a bump on the world and disappear into mediocrity.  What if we stopped getting comfortable until the whole world was comfortable.  Don't get me wrong I love my recliner, I love to relax, and my nap is my second favorite part of the day (right after lunch) but here is the truth of the matter, what makes me think that I have the right to sit in a recliner, sip on tea, and munch on luxurious triscuits when there are millions of people in the world without that option.

Just my View from the Corner....

Observation

I was driving in Florence, SC the other day and a sign grabbed my attention.  It was a marine Corps recruitment billboard with this statement "The Marines don't take applications, they take commitments".  I thought to my self, wow.  If people would approach Christianity the same way, imagine how the kingdom of God would prosper......

Just my View from the Corner...

Excuse me, Do you have a washcloth?

I think one of the greatest things about life is the fact that we never quit learning, or at least we shouldn't.  Yesterday I went and visited a friend of my wife who has been in the hospital for a few weeks now with some serious issues.  Last night,as we were discussing the visit, my wife made the comment that she wished they had put rolled up washcloths in his hand while he was in a medically induced coma.  I probably looked at her kinda funny, but I couldn't help my curiosity, and I had to ask what the wash cloth deal was all about.  My wife, loving medical stuff of all sorts, jumped at the opportunity and proceeded to explain to me how the washcloth would help to retain the natural shape and maybe even some of the muscular strength in the hand (because of the involuntary grip reflex) of a comatose paitent.  As I thought about this I realized that this was something that I could apply to the life of a Christian.

WHAT?!?

Yep, you heard me right a Christian.  How you ask?  Well, look at it this way, replace the wash cloth with the Bible, the comatose part with the spiritual life of your average Christian, and the shape retention with the affect that the Word of God has on your spiritual life.  I know, sounds weird right, but I guess that's me and the whole non-linear thinking kinda thing.  But the reality of it is that most Christians use their Bible for one or two things, as a paperweight or a dust collector.  Sure, they may take it to church, parade it around in front of their church friends, maybe even turn to the scripture that the Pastor is talking about.  However, when they get back home, it goes to that same spot, you know the one that is outlined in dust, and that is where it stays till the next appointed time to take it out and parade it around.  I know, I used to be the same way, in fact at one time, mine had just as much dust as what it was sitting on.  Sure, I went to church, listened to the Sunday School teachers and the preachers and followed along in the pew bible, looked at the pretty pictures, but never really just sat down and read it for myself.  Give me a Clive Cussler novel and I could camp all day, give me the Bible and I would be asleep in 5 minutes.  I was spiritually COMATOSE.

That was then, this is know and my relationship with Christ has grown exponetially, still have miles to go, but during that increase, there has had to be something that helped shape my spiritual life.  See, you can go to church, listen to preaching, do sunday school, fellowship with other Christians, and all the other things that we use to define the normal Christian life, but if you don't read, study, and seek to understand the Word of God, then your spiritual life is shapeless.  One of the things that I have defintely determined is true in my life is that it only takes one day to begin to lose that shape.  To fall out of my spiritual discipline, and begin to have a spineless, shapeless spiritual life.....not a good thing. 

So you say, but I can't understand it, its boring, I been in Church all my life, I know it all, I have read it from cover to cover, years ago, so why continue to read it......Good questions, I have an aswer for you.  You can understand it, God will give you the ability, maybe you don't grasp it the first or second time through, but if you continue to read it, truths will be revealed.  But a word of caution, do not do it just to say you did it, determine in your heart, before you read a word, that you will be still and attentive, listening for God to speak.  It's boring.....no way, how could something that contains the stories that the Bible contains be boring.  What stories you ask, read them for yourself, but I warn you, recognize that you have to do the above before you will begin to see the excitement and drama that unfolds within the pages.  As for the rest, come on, we all know that just because one goes to church does not mean that you will know it all, I faked church for years....And just because you have read it once doesn't mean that you got it all, in fact, I will be willing to bet that there are people out there who have read through the Bible many times, but still get something new and fresh from it most times....you see a lot of times it depends on your approach....

Whatever you do though, take my advice, read, study, immerse yourself in the Bible, then you will see for yourself that God's Word is the rolled-up washcloth for your comatose spiritual life....

And that is my view from the corner.

Star Player, or Bench Warmer

No matter how old I get, or where I go in life one thing I can always look back on with a smile is the time that I spent playing Dixie Youth baseball in my home town of Lamar, SC.  Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a star by any means, but there are some great memories of that time.  I remember getting started my first year, I played in the outfield, when I played, and was more interested in digging a hole in right field than I was with what was going on at home plate.  I really don't remember much about that first year or two except that I was a great bench warmer.  My stats as a professional bench warmer rank right up there with the best of them...in fact if you look at my total sports career, which consisted of Dixie Youth Ball, Pee Wee Football, JR High and JV Basketball and finally a one year stint as a golf course inspector (I spent more time inspecting the course looking for my ball than I did playing) I was a professional when it came to sitting the bench.  I look back now and laugh and realize that the bench was probably where I belonged, I was not destined for fame as the professional my mind conjured me up to be in those days. 

Now that I am older and my playing field is a different place I am no longer content with nor do I wish to ride the old pine pony.  What field am I talking about, well of course it is the field of life.  If I were to choose to sit back, relax and simply allow the river that we are on called life carry me wherever it so desired, then I would be like Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom after jumping out of an aircraft, sliding down a mountain and then plunging 1000's of feet to a river.  Life, well just like the commercial says, it comes at you fast and if you are not prepared for what is coming then you are up the creek so to speak.

It is interesting when I take a look back at the ebb and flow of the past and think about what the future holds and I realize that I am focusing my attention in the wrong place.  The past holds pain, the future is uncertain, but right now I can live freely.  The big question I thing a lot of people want to ask is, what is life about?  I am here to tell you it is about freedom, not American Freedom, not the freedom for which we fight, but the freedom that we can do nothing to earn.  The freedom that is given to us by the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Whoops, was that a curve ball, did you not see that coming.....sorry wasn't really looking for a sneak attack, simply expressing myself from the heart.

So, what is the Gospel you say.  Well here's the thing some people would have you to believe that it is a gospel that promises earthly wealth, well-being, and absolutely the best life available.  I, however, could not live with myself if I didn't just say the truth, I am kinda blunt that way.  The Gospel, or Good News, is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life as wholly man and wholly God, was rejected by his own people, crucified to death to atone for the sins of every person who has, is and will live, was resurrected again on the third day providing salvation to all who believe, ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for us, and will come again in the clouds to the sounds of Gabriel's trumpet to rapture up those who believe and take us to eternal glory with God the Father.  That is the Gospel that I am talking about.  A Gospel of salvation, hope, redemption, justification.  A Gospel that can simply reach into a person, wipe the sins from their life and then begin a new work within them, something that will so radically change that person that from that point on their entire life is devoted to the work of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

So if this is the Gospel that the Church should be following, why are their so many other gospels out there, well let me put it this way.  Remember I started off by talking about my ability to hold down the pine benches.  There are a lot of people who are just like I was, they are content to hold down those pine benches, except their pine benches deal with life.  They want to stand on the sideline, drink gatorade and chew bubble gum.  They have no desire to get their uniform dirty.  I am here to say to you and to those riding that pine pony that the time has come to make a decision, there is no straddling the fence, there is no middle ground in this discussion.  To put it simply and succinctly, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, ask for his forgiveness, seek his face, or go to hell....the pine bench, well let's justt say that pine burns pretty easily. No watering down the gospel, no false teaching, justt the straight up truth.  We need more of that in this world.

And that is my View from the Corner.

Oh, For A Litte Gas...

Have you ever been that person, you know the one beside the road, staring at the gas gage thinking, why didn't I stop earlier?  Well, that was me, last Friday, one week ago today.  I guess the first thing that most people think about is, did you learn a lesson from this?  I guess my answer would have to be a resounding and qualified YES!!

So now, here's the thing, what did I learn?  Was it to make sure I get gas before it runs out? Was it to constantly worry about how or when to get gas so that I am not stranded beside the road? Was it that I should keep an emergency gas can in my too full anyway trunk?  Not really.  I think the one thing that I really learned in this, the one thing that was pointed out to me as if it were a flashing marquis sign was this timeless truth.....

GOD IS IN CONTROL AND HE HAS IT COVERED!!!

You may say, well that's a silly thing to learn from an experience like this, but I look at it this way.  When I set out walking to get some gas I set in my mind that I was going to trust him and rejoice in all things, as we are told to do.  As I walked away from my car, I did the normal things that people do, I began to make a plan of attack.  I would walk to Wal-Mart, buy a small gas can, put a little gas in the can, walk back, etc..  Along the way though God stepped in and said, I have a better plan.  A lady pulled up, offered to help me out, HAD A GAS CAN, and was already heading to the gas station anyway.....coincidence (this is a thing in which I have no belief) or the hand of God (most definitely).  There were a million variables that had to be just right for that situation to end up like it did, just at the right time, just at the right place, etc. for that to have been a coincidence.....sorry, just can't see that being a reality.

Our lives are just like this.  We go through life from situation to situation continually planning and struggling and working, trying to make sure that we are covering our basics, that we have this or that we have that, but I am here today to let you in on this little secret, GOD HAS IT UNDER CONTROL.  Do you like being worried, stressed, harried, overworked, underpaid, trying to keep up while continually falling behind?  If you do, then you are not being honest with yourself.  GOD DID NOT DESIGN US THIS WAY.  God tells us in 1 Timothy 6:17 - 19 that not only does he provide us with all things to enjoy, but that we are called to have a life that is REAL.  If we are so busy wrapping ourself up in our stuff, our activities, our social lives and so on that we are like the guy on the spinning plates video that we have to keep running from thing to thing so much that we simply do not have time to enjoy what God has given us then we have allowed ourselves to be defined by things of this world.  Things that Jesus tells us "moth and rust can destroy and thieves can break in and steal".  So ask yourself this question, if, tomorrow when you get up, all your stuff is gone, house, car, clothes, toys, games, everything and you are left with nothing save clothes on your back and the food you need for the day, does who you are in your heart cease to exist, do you become less of a person, are you limited by the fact that you have no more stuff, or do you hold your head up in defiance of stuff and say I have no need for worry, because I have an eternal Father holding me in his hand's and he had it under control.  My hope and prayer for you today is that you will place it all in God's hand.  Pull out your Bible, dust off the cover, turn to the book of Matthew (first book in New Testament, second part of the Bible) flip through to Chapter 6 read verses 19 - 34 apply it to your lives, if you need help understanding it find a friend or Pastor who is a strong Christian and ask for help, better yet, read it again and again and as God for help, let Him lead you and show you the way.....

Just my View from the Corner

In Christ,

Rev. Brad Jordan, Pastor

Cornerstone Baptist Church, Hartsville, SC