Thank God for Unfair

If you are a parent there is probably a phrase you have heard repeatedly...In our house if 1child gets something and the other doesn't, we will hear..'thats not fair.' After hearing that phrase repeatedly we usually look at the child and say, 'Life's not fair.'

As a parent that phrase seems to make perfect sense but in spiritual matters it doesn't...think about how many times we've been tempted to utter this phrase to God. Take for instance when Adam and Eve sinned...we've all been affected by their decision...to the human mind 'that's not fair...I didn't make that choice.' But we know if any of us had been in that situation we'd done the same thing.

The Bible is full of 'unfair.' David the man after God's own heart made a terrible decision to have an affair with Bathsheba and conceived a child. This led David to also conceive the great cover up. After believing he'd gotten away with it God confronted him through Nathan...David is humble enough to admit his wrong and while he was forgiven it didn't keep him from the consequences. The first consequence mentioned was the sword would never leave his home, which proved true through his children. Within his own home there was rape and revenge. The next consequence is where I've always wanted to say...'God, why it's not fair.' Of course I'm talking about the death of the child they'd conceived...why God chose this course of action has never made sense to me and has scared me...while I still don't understand it completely I saw something I'd never seen before...a picture of Jesus

Jesus was perfect...we committed sin...Jesus died for something He didn't do...but I don't think we've ever argued with God about this being 'unfair.' Because of 'unfair' we have eternal life...because of 'unfair' we are a new creation...

This theory was developed through thinking about things holistically...we can't take one verse and create a theology (children die and suffer because of a parents sin)...in so many instances the Old Testament is pointing us towards Jesus and God gives us word pictures through the patriarchs, the prophets and the entire sacrificial system...in some strange way why couldn't God be pointing us to Jesus through this story as well...as I told those at church tonight, 'I'm just spit balling.'

God is doing a Nu Thang (unashamably stolen from DC Talk circa 1990)

We are stepping out of the boat...we are stepping into a raging river...however you want to say it Providence is about to embark on something nu...we've talked about it but now we are putting it into action. On Wednesday night KidZone will be launched. We launch this with faith that God is going to use it mightly for the kids in our church and community. Like I said, it is a step of faith but one we have to take...many times when God asks us to take a step we pray and pray wanting to know every little detail when at the moment the only thing He is asking us to do is go...I think about the Israelites in Joshua 3:8, 13-17 when they were about to cross the Jordan God didn't part the river before the priests stepped in...He parted it when the priest stepped in. They didn't know before they did but they trusted God...while reading a book by John Ortberg he made a statement regarding knowledge and faith...if we know then it doesn't take faith...so if we know then we don't expeirence a God-movement

Another step we've been taking is being a part of a Eden/Southside Virginia learning center for Laurel University out of High Point...while promoting it earlier this year I got a crazy look from an individual like they couldn't believe we'd do something like this...at the moment their tone frustrated me...now I embrace it because through faithfulness we are going to surprise a lot of people...once again I ask you for your prayers. These are nu things but just like Abraham, when God said go to a new land, he went...we are getting our feet wet 1 way or another...whether it is stepping out of the boat and walking on water or stepping into the water and see what God will do

What a Sunday

I'll admit this sermon was tough to preach...God is faithful

Bad Grammer

Man just happened to notice how bad my grammer was on the last post...most would say don't worry about but it is something I take serious...I may not understand it all but I try

The Link is Up

Really enjoy the opportunity each week to share a message from God's Word each week...hope the link to the slides is helpful

Can't get it off my mind

Tonight on the news there was a story regarding high school football and the dangers...now I'm not a fear monger because I realize danger is all around us...but what caught my attention was the follow-up story about a man who is my age who was injured while playing football. The injury was very traumatic...causing him to be paralyzed from the neck down. At the time the family was without insurance but the school system had a policy that covered accidents like this but now the system has lost the coverage, leaving this man w/ little to no coverage.

The results of this were his mother having to make tough decisions...pay for medication that allowed his 1 functioning lung to continue functioning or pay for their home...she chose the life of her son. Eventually she found a foreclosure notice from the bank on her home...the first thought that went through my mind was 'What is wrong w/ the world in which we live?' It is called business w/o compassion...we have forgotten people.

Luckily for this family there is an organization stepping up to help them...my further thoughts were there are people out there who have found themselves in the same spot...there are families cramming into small hotel rooms because they have no where else to go...then there are those who can't even pay for a room and have found themselves in the street...what have we done...turned a blind eye...we have forgotten people...we have become a church universal w/o compassion...I hope this is not coming across as yelling because I'm really yelling at myself...over the last few months I've been thinking about what can we do in our community...Greater Rockingham County has been decimated by industry going overseas w/ very little replacement...the unemployment rate has remained high...what is the bright spot...God has given us a mission and I'm making a 'world-wide-web' commitment I'm no longer sitting on the sidelines...somehow someway I'm getting my feet wet and I am willing to take anyone w/ me...how can we be Christian's w/ compassion and show it? No idea is 'crazy' and I am even willing to go out w/o a plan except God's plan. Let's turn the world upside down.

Hope this works

Providencers and who ever wants to look the link to the slide from church this morning is on the left under 'Sermon Presentations.' It worked when I tried it. If it doesn't let me know and I'll try to get it fixed.  Hope this is helpful.

Something New

It seemingly took me forever but I figured out how to post the powerpoint slides from Sunday. I'll try to add these for Providencers who may have missed a Sunday or were here and missed something. Hope this is helpful...by the way on this one I didn't mess w/ the editing...I'm learning as I go here...hope all have a great day