MIDWEEK MESSAGE #98
Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #98. I really appreciate you allowing me to congest your inbox, but most of all for taking the time to read the message. J
It was a really busy and exhausting weekend but well worth it. To see so many come to the pitch-in and take part in the inauguration of the Care Team Ministry (CTM) was so refreshing. The count was about 50 adults who stayed to participate in the meeting, and then chose a group (or groups) in which to be involved. I can’t speak for Hope East but I can speak for myself: what an exciting time! This type of ministry is so necessary but never more so than right now. As I talked to Hope afterwards she said this has been on her heart for close to two years but she never felt like she got God’s “Go” until just recently. I’m so glad she listened to God and launched the CTM. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do through the ministry and cooperation of everyone. Thank you to all who came, brought food for the pitch-in and then stayed to hear about the teams and chose where to serve.
Okay…after Sunday where I was truly blown away by your response, I have another “blown away” moment. As I stated in last week’s MM, and have been advertising by word-of-mouth on Sundays (and any other chance I have), that this Wednesday is the restart of “66.” I am retooling the class with scaled down material which will allow for a learning but more relaxed atmosphere. I feel that in the past I tried to cram too much into the one hour class time and as a result didn’t get through all the material or just overwhelmed people. The reason I am blown away is I have 22 people who have signed up to participate, many of them NEW people!! If you are reading this and either failed to sign up or want to come to give it a try, please feel free to do so. All I ask is that you let me know so I have enough material for everyone. I don’t want to waste paper by doing a lot of extra copies, but I also don’t want anyone not to have the lessons. You may call the office or you can text/call me.
Two more items of interest:
- I mentioned Sunday about my friends in Ukraine-one a family (Zee’s) and one a missionary pastor (Caleb). If you are interested, I have posted some pictures of Zee’s family and the Sunday morning worship in the basement of the church building on my office door. Please continue to pray for an end to the war in Ukraine provoked by an egotistical, godless maniac.
- My new sermon series, Truth Decay, begins this week with “The Bible is Still the Bible.” I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.
I have allowed some room for a heartfelt message from me to you. This was sparked by some events and words of the past week/weekend and a couple of devotions I read from Alistair Begg in his Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions.
Many of you know I am not on any social media. None. I have chosen to be that way for a reason: I don’t trust myself to say/not say what is right or wrong in the right manner and also because I know it would involve way too much of my time. But the greatest issue I see is the right and wrong use of words. Please let me explain: Newton’s Third Law of Thermodynamics says, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object.
Take, for example, our words. For every negative word, there is an equal or opposite reaction. For every positive word, there is an equal or opposite reaction. The influence of our words is so important and can be so incendiary that the Apostle James wrote that the “tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness.” (3:6) He doesn’t stop there but goes on to say, “it sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” (3:6). Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Our words can serve to encourage, to nourish, and to heal. But they can also cause strife, create dissension, and do harm. Here is something to think about: “A careless word may kindle strife, A cruel word may wreck a life, A bitter word may hate instill, A brutal word may smite and kill.” (Begg-p.65)
The other end of the spectrum is words that help. {Please take a moment to read James 3: 10-12}. The truth of the matter is that our words reflect what is in our hearts. If our words are not Christlike, we must not look first to our mouths but to our hearts. Our tongues contain immense power, and we can leverage them to heal, encourage, help, affirm, enrich, forgive, unite, or to bless OR we can use them to scar, discourage, hurt, downgrade, deplete, hold a grudge, divide or condemn. (Notice the opposites in those words). Remember: “For every action there is an equal or opposite reaction.” Some people pride themselves in telling it like it is but is that really something to be proud of? The real fact is this: “it takes far more self-control to respond in gentleness than to give way to unbridled passion and anger.” (Begg-p.66)
May I please ask a favor of you? Instead of speaking your mind on Facebook or Twitter or whatever you use, why not hold your tongue? Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying, “It is better to keep your mouth shut (pen/keyboard silent) and thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.” You can check the wisdom of those words by looking up two verses of Scripture: Proverbs 17: 27-28.
What will mark your words? Will you commit to using your tongue to bless others or curse others? Will you use it to build others up or tear them down? Will your tongue give life to others or bring death (sap the life out of people)? Let’s honor Christ with our words-verbal or written. Friends bring friends life, hope, blessing and grace.
Rats! I forgot today is not Sunday. J I guess I ought to get off my soapbox (pulpit) and simply say that I hope you have a terrific week. I love you all (and those are not empty words).
Pastor Bill
