MIDWEEK MESSAGE 17
Good morning! Well…at least it is to me as I write this. Maybe I would be safer saying, “Good 2nd week of July to you!” Sounds sort of strange to say that (no comment from the peanut gallery) so I’ll just say, “Hi and hope you are all doing well today.”
This past Sunday I took the day off. We left early Friday for Ohio and watched Braden play a game Saturday morning then came home. We did something different. We took the National Road (Route 40) home. We picked it up at Rt.42 in Ohio and took it all the way to I-465. I told Jo it was a pleasant drive; a few small towns along the way; but much more pleasant than driving 75 with semis bearing down on you because the speed limit does not apply to them. It took us a tad longer but it reminded me of the movie CARS where the old town was forgotten and bypassed when the interstate came in. Rt.66 was a distant memory. We have been taking 40 to Richmond but this was the first time we drove a much longer route. I learned something: sometimes the fastest way to get somewhere is not always the most pleasant or most relaxing.
We attended worship with some friends in another town, but I must admit, Jo cheated. She turned on the livestream to see how it was going (without sound of course). I know I missed being here with all of you. But I’m sure Ryan did a good job. Thanks to Ryan for taking a very hard passage to preach on. I took all the easy ones and gave him the hardest. 🙂 I sure do appreciate knowing the pulpit is covered well.
I NEED YOUR HELP! This current series of “Promises, Promises” finishes the last week of August. I have begun brainstorming a new series I’m calling “Questions.” At this point I’m thinking it will run from September 6th to possibly November 22. Then comes Christmas! (I thought you would appreciate me putting that reminder in there for you). Anyway, as I was brainstorming questions people/Christ-followers ask, it struck me to ask you. What questions do you have that you would like me to consider preaching on? Here are the guidelines;
- Absolutely NO political questions. In last week’s Midweek Message (#16) I said this pulpit will not deal with personalities or politics. I will not endorse or speak against a person by name. So if you ask me to endorse one of the presidential candidates that question will find File 13 real quickly.
- That being said, I also believe the unborn and SSA (Same Sex Attraction) are moral issues and not political, so keep that in mind.
- Not all questions will be answered, but those that are will be answered biblically. Some may be carried over into another series next year. I’m already thinking of a theme for 2021. Maybe something like “Things will be better in 2021” or “Let’s forget 2020 happened.” I saw a meme the other day that showed the DeLorean (Back to the Future car) with the words, “Whatever you do Marty don’t punch in 2020!” Anyone else feel that way? 🙂
- There are probably more guidelines so I’ll make this disclaimer here: Some questions will not be able to be answered by me (or Ryan). Therefore, it will go unanswered.
I just finished reading an absolutely phenomenal book by Dr. Lee Warren called I’ve Seen the End of You. Dr. Warren is a neurosurgeon whose specialty is brain surgery. He is also an Iraqi veteran and a victim of PTSD. When I saw his book on my desk (and yes, I ordered it), I thought, “Oh man, this is going to be beyond me.” But once I started I had trouble putting it down. Here are some quotes from his book to invest in your week:
- If you have questions, ask away. Just be prepared when God answers. (p.5) Quote from Pastor Craig Groeschel
- Doubt is not the absence of faith. You can doubt and believe at the same time. (p.45)
- You can’t fix stupid, but you often have to operate on it. (p.48)
- Prayer does not move God to do things He is disinclined to do…Prayer is God’s way of bringing our priorities into line with His. (p.113) Quote by Pastor John Piper
- The reason Jesus stopped in the garden to pray, to ask for a different outcome, even though He knew the answer already was because the purpose of prayers isn’t to bend God’s will to ours. The purpose of prayer is to bend us to God’s will. (p.150)
Well…I come to end of this chit-chat. I look forward to hearing from you if you have any questions. And I’ll end this with saying, “I love you all” and look forward to when I can see you in person.
Pastor Bill
