PastorTim

Thanks Baby Luke….

 

As is true with many things in life we are tempted to, over time begin to get used to the unimaginable. I heard Chuck Colson years ago describe it as desensitization, Wow, I just spelled that right the first time, anyway, what it means is that we find ourselves surrounded with an issue or practice long enough and over time we just get used to it. He described the hit squad that Adolph Hitler trained to go into surrounding countries and assassinate key leaders so that the Nazi war machine could easily overthrow their enemies. They were simple men, bakers, plumbers and salesman who were trained to kill. Whenever a new recruit would join the squad they were amazed at the nonchalant attitude their senior members had regarding the taking of life. Horrible to consider but the fact was they had just gotten so used to murder that it as an everyday thing for them. Regular people who had been surrounded by death until life meant nothing anymore.

A few weeks ago I received an expected call from an expectant Father. Bill called my cell one morning to tell me hat Karen was in labor. Now Bill & Karen are mom and dad to a precious family in our church. Five great boys are a part of their brood, which was soon to turn to an even half dozen. Due to a few complications Karen was taken to Riverside hospital in Columbus and in a matter of days Lucas Tyler Boggs arrived on the scene a bit underweight and premature but healthy in all regards. Since then he has grown to 5 lbs. 3 oz. and will probably be on his way home the day of this writing. Terri and I were able to spend some time with the new parents, not new at parenting understand, but with their new addition. When we walked into the NICU, which was wall to wall with precious cargo. We were then introduced to the newest member of our congregation, Lucas. Gazing upon this beautiful gift of God I was reminded once again of Gods word……… “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?”...... “For I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him”…….. “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;”…….. “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.”  Kind of blows the    “a fetus has no rights” argument out the window eh? The abortion issue in our country has never been off the table but I am afraid we have gotten so used to hearing about “Roe v Wade” and “Sanctity of Life” that they pass our way without us remembering the magnitude of the issue. I can assure you that it’s still important to God!

My good friend former Congressman Bob McEwen reminds us that our founders found these truths to be self evident, and as he likes to say, that means that, any idiot ought to understand this! “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness…..” Did you catch the order in which these rights were listed? Life then liberty, as my friend likes to say, “Freedom don’t mean much if you are dead!” Based on accumulative data from the two primary sources of U.S. abortion statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Alan Guttmacher Institute), it's estimated that around one million abortions take place annually and more than 44 million abortions have been performed in the U.S. since 1973. Two-thirds of all abortions are among never-married women. Fifty-two percent of U.S. women having abortions are younger than 25 years old. About 13,000 abortions each year are attributed to rape and incest—representing 1 percent of all abortions. It is difficult to know precisely how many partial-birth abortions are performed each year, as state reporting requirements for abortion vary. A report published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health in January 2003 estimates that 2,200 partial-birth abortions were performed in 2000.  According to one New Jersey newspaper, physicians in that state admit performing at least 1,500 partial-birth abortions a year - three times the national number initially claimed by abortion advocates.

Martin Niemoller, a pastor In Germany during World War Two wrote, “They first came for the Communists and I did not speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time, there was no one left to speak up.” Well thanks to baby Luke I am challenged to speak up again and again if need be. Abortion in any form is not part of God’s plan…. It’s just wrong and I’ll not allow myself to get used to it. We can’t afford to let that happen. Thanks baby Luke!

STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT HOPE….

I just know that one and all are extremely thrilled that the political season is in full swing and all of us are knee deep in TV commercials, radio ads and road signs. Just Kiddin! Politicians find themselves at every conceivable event possible doing their best to convince John Q. Public, Joe the Plummer or anyone else that will listen that they are the right choice for the office to which they are campaigning. So as we survey the landscape with visions of fresh polling data swirling in our heads let us still be very thankful for the privilege of living in a Constitutional Republic that affords us this freedom. Let me also at the outset encourage everyone to get out and vote on November he fourth. It is your civic responsibility as well as your Christian duty. It has been said, “The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves.” This great nation was founded as you may recall by men with strong Christian faith and great moral character. It behooves us to apply ourselves to this great process.

Over that past few months with that roller coaster ride we call Wall Street, the political atmosphere that surrounds us, along with the ongoing war on terror, I have heard much about “Straight Talk” and “Hope”. Our nation has many uncertain and fearful as we journey into the future. A 2008 Gallup poll reveals that North America (USA and Canada) is the second most pessimistic region of the world, with six out of ten (62%) also supporting the view that the world will be a less safe place for future generations, while only 13% believed that the world would be a safer place. It is also worth noting that six in every ten Americans (61%) also held the view that the world would be a less safe place for future generations, with slightly more than one in ten (14%) maintaining the opposite opinion: the world would be either much or slightly safer. With not knowing what lies ahead or which direction our country will take occupying the minds of citizens I am reminded of the promises of HOPE found in God’s word. Listen to Psalm 5:11-12 “Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” And again in Psalm 9:10 “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Lastly, Psalm 28:6-7 “Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” What a joy to know that even in ties of uncertainty and distress we can find HOPE in the word of God.

Well that deals a little with the issue of HOPE, but what a bout STRAIGHT TALK? God’s word, the Bible is nothing less that just that. In fact I recall a meeting Jesus had one night with a very influential leader of a nation who even before he asked the question Jesus gave the answer he was seeking. He was looking for HOPE because the future of his nation was in jeopardy. He was looking for STRIAHGT TALK because there were many questions about the future. So he came to Jesus with a troubled heart. But Jesus knowing his most important need gave him an answer before he even asked. By the way before we read this, Jesus has the answer to the most important questions in your life as well. Listen to selected verses in John 3, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ……………… For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil….. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Talk about STRAIGHT TALK! I think God would say here “I approve this message” don’t you?

Don’t forget to vote on November 4. Bathe your decisions in prayer and we’ll trust God together for what lies ahead. Regardless of what political candidates promise, and regardless of what Wall Street does or what happens in the world for that matter, I am thankful we can find STRAIGHT TALK about HOPE in Gods word.  

SCAR PREVENTION…

I love that phrase; I heard it recently as our church staff was working on a DVD project for visitors here at the Plymouth Heights church. During the process I interviewed leaders from each department of ministry here at the church. In my conversation with Johnny & Janet Perkins discussing the area of ministry they are involved in with children, Janet was sharing how that she and Johnny see so many children and teens with scars in their lives. Not necessarily physical scars so much, but emotional ones that sometimes never have the chance to heal without the influence of the church. She said, “I guess you could say that we are in Scar Prevention”. Isn’t that a great phrase? We truly are called to be a people of influence, and “Scar Prevention” describes it pretty well. What kind of an influence are you?
The church of the Nazarene just this past week celebrated One Hundred Years of ministry. We at Plymouth Heights celebrated with a weekend of events and services. The Church of the Nazarene was neither the invention of one person or group nor the expression of merely one idea. The core of early Nazarene identity derived from the Wesleyan-Holiness Movement, which originated in the 1830s. Its leaders sought to bring John Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection to a place of honor in American Methodism. On October 5, the Centennial Celebration took place across 24 time zones in every local Church. From the Hallelujah March around the Pilot Point Texas tent in 1908 to almost 21,000 local churches today, the Church of the Nazarene has grown in ways that no single tent, sanctuary, or even coliseum could now hold the gathering of our entire church. It was amazing rejoicing over what God has done, what He is doing and facing the future with confidence of knowing we will not take one step forward without His power and Spirit. God’s influence on us is one thing to celebrate, but the bottom line issue is, are we influencing others. Are we in the business of Scar Prevention?
The scriptures remind us that after giving the law to Moses and having him instruct the people on how to live according to God’s Word … came the instruction … “and you shall teach. Diligently seek out … Deut 13:4 “ye shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him…Diligently keep … Deut 6:17 “ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.” Diligently teach … Deut 6:7 “and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thy riseth up.” The greatest form of teaching is by example. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. “Wherefore I beseech ye, be followers of me” Let us be people who give it all you’ve got to teach God’s Word at every avenue that is made available to us.
Two men who worked for the gas company in New York City were reading the gas meters in the alleyways of the buildings. The younger of the two had been boasting about his ability to outrun his older co-worker, who was now in his early 40’s. Accepting the challenge, he decided they should race back to the truck, which was parked at the other end of the block. Both men broke into an all-out sprint down the long alley. While running neck-and-neck, the two men heard someone running right on their heels and breathing very hard. When they looked around, they were astonished to see a 75-year-old woman keeping up with them. They immediately stopped and asked if she was all right and why she was running after them. She replied, “Well, while looking out my kitchen window I saw you two men reading my gas meter, then suddenly begin sprinting to the other end of the alley. I figured I had better give it all I’ve got to get out of here too!” The days that God has placed before you and me are not a time to giving up or getting out … but to give it all you got!
I read that years ago the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light. They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel. As the author was doing his research, he was increasingly impressed by Taylor's saintly character and godly life, and he found it extremely difficult to carry out his assigned task with a clear conscience. Eventually, at the risk of losing his life, he laid aside his pen, renounced his atheism, and received Jesus as his personal Savior. Whether we realize it or not, our example leaves an impression on others. I love the poem, “My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done; 
 Leave countless marks for good or ill, ere sets the evening sun. 
 This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray: 
 Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way”. What scars will remain if we fail? What scars can be prevented if we succeed with the Lords Help? One Hundred years from now, the results will be real, the results will be unchangeable and the results will have defined who we were, or who we cold have been. I want to be about the business of Scar Prevention, how about you?

Umm... That's Not a Cat

Have you ever had one of those moments when everything seemed to freeze in time? Time stops, you know not whether you are even breathing. No noise, no movement, eyes lock in stare mode and it is as if someone needs to say…. “You are now entering the twilight zone!” I had noticed that something, I assumed a neighborhood dog, had been trying to get into our trashcan recently. The small hole in the side of the bottom had been reached into and each Monday morning I could see the evidence of little pieces of paper and plastic on the ground. I’ve got to fix the hole or get a new can I would say to myself each time it happened but as with so many things I just never got around to it. First let me say how thankful I am for full moons. There was just enough light at 5:30 in the morning for me to get a good sense of my surroundings. Secondly I am thankful for an understanding little critter that could have made my Monday very unpleasant if he or she so choose. Picture to moment with me if you will. A sleepy Pastor who takes out the last bag of trash ready to deposit it in said trashcan only to turn the corner of the garage and come face to face with a cute little black cat, or so I thought. Now here’s the moment I was describing to you earlier…. We each froze as my blue eyes met it’s steely little black ones. I stood still as my brain processed the thought “Umm, that’s not a cat”. Cats usually don’t have those distinctive white stripes down their backs and such bushy tails. One of my worst nightmares was about to come to pass and in those fleeting moments, “it’s funny really what goes through ones mind isn’t it?”, in those fleeting moments I began to think about the appointments I would have to cancel, the visits I couldn’t make, the laughter from my dear friends as my new found aroma would translate into quite a memorable story that would stick around for years… I was actually pondering these things as I prepared for the little guy to turn and raise his tail and bless me with, well you know! But to my surprise and relief he just looked at me, or maybe he was looking at the bag of trash I’m not sure. He just looked my way, then back to the trashcan began reaching again back into the hole in the bottom side of the can like I wasn’t even there! Well it didn’t take me long to unfreeze, shift into reverse and head back to the house escaping what could have been a really bad start to a Monday morning. I was amused by a recent Reuter’s story of someone less fortunate than me when meeting an uninvited guest like mine. “Monday, September 15, 2008…A Pennsylvania cat lover got a smelly surprise this week when a neighbor's cat turned out to be a frightened skunk. Not only did the skunk spray the woman, but it ran into her Mount Carmel home. Police spent hours at the home before leaving the scene; there was no immediate word if they were able to remove the animal.” As I sipped my coffee in the house getting ready to leave for the office I became very thankful for the Lords help in preventing what could have been. Have you ever had a "what could have been moment"? I always think of these two words in those moments, “But God”.
Listen to Paul’s reminder to the church at Ephesus, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Aren’t you thankful for those two words, But God? When we were lost, He made the difference. When we couldn’t help ourselves, He made the difference. When we were hopeless He made the difference. And yet today as we love, serve and follow Him, He protects us and makes the difference. More than an unwelcome encounter with a trash-loving skunk, we face the reality of sin and it’s effects on our life if get to close and involved with its snares. But Thank God He’s there even in those moments we freeze.
The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves. On the night of a boy's thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills, he was put to one final test. He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone. Until then, he had never been away from the security of the family and the tribe. But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away. When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of a thick woods and he was terrified! Every time a twig snapped, he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce. After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest. Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of the path. Then, to his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with a bow and arrow. It was his father. He had been there all night long. He’s there friend, even in the moonlit hours of the morning behind the garage. Thanks Lord!

HONEST PRAISE

Oh the things I get to do! Last week here at the Plymouth Heights church we hosted a concert featuring Grammy winning artist Russ Taff. Of concerts, well we’ve had a few, and what events they are. Bringing folk together from as far away as Cleveland Ohio and Princeton WVA. It was a night of Praise and celebration to the one who redeemed us gave us Hope Joy and Peace through Jesus Christ! So many worked hard to bring this event to fruition and as I often the case Pastor Tim gets off pretty easy. My part in the process the day of the concert was to pick Russ up at his hotel, do an afternoon of TV with him at the local Daystar affiliate in Ashland Kentucky, visit in the car as we traveled, drink coffee and laugh. “Boy did we laugh!” All of which I might add, I was not only glad to do but enjoyed immensely. After reading the bio from his website russtaff.com in my show prep for the day I thought I had a good idea on what to expect in our time together. What I experienced was a cut above.
As per his website bio, “Russ Taff was born the fourth of five sons to a fire-breathing Pentecostal preacher father and a gospel music-loving mother. He learned early on that when he sang, people sat up and responded with feeling. Some of his earliest memories are of being balanced on the church altar by his mother's strong arms while he belted out a gospel chorus to the rollicking encouragement of the tiny congregation. His trademark rich, emotion-drenched vocals were formed in that fertile environment.” The fellow Christ Follower I was blessed to meet was as transparent and real as is anyone. Throughout the years I have worshiped with Russ’ music with the Imperials, his solo projects and more recently with the Gaither Vocal band and the Gaither Homecoming series. I always sensed a rare honesty in his music that seemed to stem from a life that was truly experiencing the lyric as much if not more that he was just singing it. On Friday I was even more convinced that this was true of Russ. After Russ and I recorded the show I was hosting that day he began recording for another show that is produced at the studio which would go to satellite so I wondered off with my laptop in tow to work in an unused office until he was ready to go back to the hotel and get ready for the evenings event. After an hour or so of catching up on e-mails and returning calls I slipped back into the studio just as they were finishing up. The last song he recorded was what I would call one of his trademark songs, Praise The Lord. Listen to the words….. “When you're up against a struggle, That's shattered all your dreams, And your hopes been cruelly crushed, By Satan's manifested schemes. And you feel the urge within you, To submit to earthly fears, Don't let the faith your standing in
Seem to disappear, Praise the Lord. He will work for those who praise him
Praise the Lord. For our God inhabits praise. Praise the Lord. And those chains that seem to bind you, Serve only to remind you. As they fall powerless behind you. When you praise him. Satan is a liar and he wants to make us think That we are paupers, when we know ourselves, We're children of the king. So lift up the mighty shield of faith, For the battle must be won, Remember Jesus Christ has risen. So the works already done. Praise the Lord. He will work for those who praise him, Praise the Lord. For our God inhabits praise. Praise the Lord. And those chains that seem to bind you, Serve only to remind you. As they fall powerless behind you. When you praise him.” I sat there in the back of the studio, the cameramen fast at work, the audio & video technicians hard at work in their respective rooms and the artist, the vessel, the servant doing what he had done thousands of times to millions of people, expressing with a full heart honest praise to his God. I have got to tell you, I was moved in my spirit again, just me, all alone in the dark, my heart was moved to worship. Through the obedience of the song writer, and the obedience of the singer, God was exalted for who He is and what He can do, and my heart was touched. I love Russ’s sense of humor and his genuineness, I really believe he’s one of those guys you could easily become best friends with in a hurry. But what I appreciated more than anything was how he has allowed God to use his life to communicate the Gospel not just through words but also with the gift of honest expression in worship. No show, no frills, no attitude of superiority, just a real guy worshiping His Savior! I like that!
You see Honest Worship gives Praise God from a Hurting Heart. Psalm 28:7 says. “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Honest worship gives Praise God from a Thankful Heart, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.” 1 Chronicles 16:25. Lastly Honest Worship gives Praise to God from a Honest Heart. Listen to Psalm 9 and verse 1, “will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.” Let us offer God praise today…. Honestly!