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Frustration

Posted on May 17, 2022 in "Reed" This, BLOG |

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Frustration

Peacefully I’m lying asleep in bed, receiving good rest for my body, and suddenly I am thrown awake by a coughing fit. No cold, nothing caught in my throat, just coughing away because of a small tickle. There are very few things more annoying than having a small tickle in my throat that makes me cough. Seemingly, the fit ends and I lie back down. Right before I fall back asleep, the tickle returns and I am coughing again. Maybe I need a drink of water because my throat has gotten dry, so I get up and take one, but it doesn’t always help. I cough and hack and simply cannot get rid of that small tickling spot on one side of the back of my throat that I feel. What is it? I’ve tried to look in a mirror to see what it is, but I never find anything. This seems to happen a lot, and not only when I’m trying to sleep. Sometimes it happens when I’m singing and leading in worship. I have to stop, turn my mic off, cough, and then try to resume. It’s even more aggravating when the tickle comes during a service. At other times, my coughing can get rather loud, not only annoying me but also those around me. I can even feel it right now as I am writing this while drinking coffee to suppress the irritation. Yet, it remains, even with the occasional cough.

Little irritations can cause a lot of frustration. I’ve never been one who is happy when things don’t work as they should. My mother would remind me of when I was a child and how upset I would get when things weren’t just right with my toys. If the car track wouldn’t stay together correctly, I couldn’t keep playing with it. It irritated me so much that I’d simply put it all back up and try to play with something else. I’d like to say that my dealing with frustration has gotten better, but I know I still have room for improvement.

How are we supposed to deal with frustration? If things or people irritate us to the point of frustration, is that okay, or is it something that we shouldn’t allow to happen? I am reminded of the time in Exodus 32 when God was ready to destroy Israel after they had made a golden calf to be their god even after the Lord had brought them out of slavery in Egypt. His frustration was a righteous anger, of course, so maybe that type of frustration is acceptable. In whatever frustrations we may have, our actions and reactions should exemplify the fruit of the Spirit. Whenever frustration comes, we need to handle it by allowing the Holy Spirit to control our speech and our actions. Galatians 5:22-25 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” So, when we are irritated and that irritation continues until we become frustrated, we don’t want to lash out at others or let our anger get out of control. We need to remember what God’s Word says and submit ourselves under the control of the Holy Spirit. Then, the fruit of the Spirit will be revealed through us, and our actions will be in line with God’s will.

We all have to put up with a dry tickle in our throats from time to time. And we all have to put up with other things that irritate us. If we get to a point of frustration, may we all be quick to hear and listen to the Spirit speaking to us and let Him lead us in dealing with that frustration.

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Compromise

Posted on May 11, 2022 in BLOG, Letters from Pastor Mike |

Compromise

Dear Friends,

No longer do those of the world ask us to compromise our beliefs, morals or principals… They demand it! Frankly, if we are honest, much of their reasoning and logic sounds right, fair or reasonable to us. Unfortunately, those messages are appealing to the “natural or carnal man” within us, not the “spiritual man” that is a result of our rebirth in Christ (Rom. 8:5-10). It is always a temptation to listen to our old nature and compromise. Typically, it will make life here in this world easier but it is a slippery slope because the more we listen, the more “right” it sounds and as soon as we compromise a point of godliness, the easier it is to do it again.

To compromise is to make concessions or accommodations for someone who does not agree with a certain set of standards or rules. There are times when compromise is good and right—compromise is a basic skill needed in marriage, for example, and in other situations in which keeping the peace or unity of the body is more desirable than getting one’s own way.

In certain other matters, however, compromise is not good. The Bible makes it clear that God does not condone compromising His Word or commands: “Be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Deut. 5:32). “Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed” (Psalm 119:2-4). “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law (jot or tittle) will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So, if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 5:18-19). God is holy, and His ways are right and perfect. Concerning matters that God has clearly addressed in His Word, we do not negotiate, bargain, or compromise.

What makes compromise so dangerous is the subtle way it approaches us. Compromise, doesn’t involve a wholesale capitulation to worldly ways or ideals; rather, it accommodates them which in turn affirms them. I would guess that most who read this article would affirm the Bible to be God’s Word. You may even say that the writers were inspired by God to write what they did. But inerrant; relevant for today; literal? This is where compromise is so often made by, we modern highly intelligent, humans. “That was meant for the first century not the twenty-first century…” Compromise! “The Bible is more of a philosophical guide rather than a true historical document…” Compromise! “Over the millennia many mistakes have been made in our modern Bibles by copyists and translators…” Compromise! These seemingly logical compromises completely invalidate and de-legitimize the Bible as our guide to eternal life. That’s Satan’s greatest desire! If we truly believe in an eternal, perfect and transcendent God, why can’t we hold to the belief that He would protect and maintain the perfection of His revelation to us? Dear friends, never cross that line. Hold to the inspired, inerrant and always relevant truth of God’s Word!

As we go through this world, we will hear many calls to compromise. The “fleeting pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:25), the “… empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, (Col. 2:8), and “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16) all tempt us to compromise in areas we should not. Usually, the temptation to compromise is heightened by some type of fear, such as the fear of being rejected or criticized by friends, family or others of the world, perhaps even others in the church! But, from an eternal perspective, there are certain lines that should never be crossed because there are times when compromise becomes evil, a tool of Satan. Resist him! (1 Pet. 5:9)

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

Compassion

Posted on May 9, 2022 in "Reed" This, BLOG |

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Compassion

A few days ago, we needed some lightbulbs for the sanctuary, so I walked across the street to the hardware store. As I was returning, I succumbed to the temptation to drop into the convenient store and treat myself to a chocolate covered Payday bar. I know I didn’t need it, but they are really good, and I was getting my exercise by walking across the street. Anyway, as I was waiting to purchase said candy bar, there was a man in front of me purchasing something. I noticed that the young lady that was working there was crying. She seemed to put her hand up to hide behind as she took his money for his purchase and gave him his change. I was already asking the Lord what He wanted me to do. After this man in front of me left, I would be the only one in the store with her. I was thinking it may be an opportunity to minister to her in some way. The man in front of me left and as I approached the counter, she continued to hide her face from me with her hand. I started to ask her if there was something I could help her with when I realized she was talking to someone through an ear device. She never said anything to me and would not make eye contact with me throughout the transaction, but I did overhear her saying she was not able to do something because she didn’t have a key. Another person came into the store, and I felt led go ahead and leave because she had quickly turned away from me after giving me my change. As I left the store and was walking back to the church, my heart hurt for this young lady who evidently was quite upset about something in her life. I prayed for her asking God to help her as I had no idea what she needed, but I knew that He did.

This particular day I had a lot of things on my mind that was bumming me out in a way. Some things and some people that had disappointed me along with some struggles in finding direction in planning had caused me to be a little down. As I encountered this young lady and thought about her afterward, I realized my problems are not that bad. Yes, they are important, and I need God’s help in dealing with it all, but they are not life threatening as this lady’s seemed to be. To be honest, she looked a little malnourished and her clothes were a little worn. From the way she was talking and acting, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was having trouble with a place to live or how to get her next meal. I may be jumping to the extreme, but I don’t know, it just seemed to be dire. I was ready to help if I could, but I wasn’t given the opportunity.

There are hurting people everywhere. If we will look, they are right in front of us. Are we seeing people through God’s eyes? Are we seeing the hurt and are we ready and willing to help? We may not be able to help in every situation, but we need to have compassion for people and be ready to be used by God if the Spirit so leads. When Jesus walked on this earth, He had compassion. “When He [Jesus] saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36 NLT) And He showed that compassion. “Jesus saw the huge crowd as He stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34 NLT) And He had compassion not only for the crowds, but for individuals as well, as seen when He came upon a widow whose only son had died. “When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. ‘Don’t cry!’ He said.” (Luke 7:13 NLT) Then He raised her son back to life. If we will be mindful of the Spirit within us, we can show that same compassion for those who are lost and those who are hurting, and we can be Jesus to them.

Who is hurting around you? Are you looking upon them with compassion and through the eyes of the Lord? Pray and ask God how you can show compassion to someone who needs His love.

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

The National Day of Prayer

Posted on May 3, 2022 in BLOG, Letters from Pastor Mike |

National Day of Prayer

Dear Friends,

The following selected excerpts are from the National Day of Prayer Task Force website (www.nationaldayofprayer.org):

“The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people to pray for the nation… Because of the faith of many of our founding fathers, public prayer and national days of prayer have a long-standing and significant history in American tradition… The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of ‘humiliation, fasting, and prayer’ in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual National Day of Prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.

The National Day of Prayer has great significance for us as a nation as it enables us to recall and to teach the way in which our founding fathers sought the wisdom of God when faced with critical decisions. It stands as a call for us to humbly come before God, seeking His guidance for our leaders and His grace upon us as a people… The National Day of Prayer belongs to all Americans. It is a day that transcends differences, bringing together citizens from all backgrounds. Mrs. Shirley Dobson, NDP chairman emeritus, reminded us: ‘We have lost many of our freedoms in America because we have been asleep. I feel if we do not become involved and support the annual National Day of Prayer, we could end up forfeiting this freedom, too.”

Personally, I have been involved in many National Day or Prayer gatherings, some large and some small. Just like coming together on Sunday mornings for worship, there is something about knowing that millions of people around the country are gathering at the same time to join our voices in supplication to our Most High God. This year, I am greatly honored to have been asked to lead our community in prayer for our government and military.

The past few years have been a time of unprecedented upheaval in our nation and it is not over. We are a divided people here in this country and acceptable middle ground is becoming harder and harder to find. We have left the path our forefathers set us upon and we are getting more and more lost. As a believer in Christ as Savior and an adherent to the inspiration and infallibility of God’s Word, most of the things I see in our country right now grieve me greatly. Movements and messages touted as “progressive” are generally anti-scriptural, anti-moral and anti-God. All of us who react negatively to this “progressive” agenda are labeled as bigoted, intolerant, ignorant, chauvinistic, intractable, unjust, even crazy. Why? Because, as our brother Paul Reed said to me over lunch, “because we believe in a living, eternal God, we believe that He can inspire men to write and maintain, through the centuries, a living, eternal document (the Bible) that is always relevant and true regardless of the day and age in which we read it.” He is exactly right! So, we who love Christ and do our best to follow His commands, hold to the Word unapologetically and without compromise regardless of the attacks, those fiery darts of the devil, that are thrown our way.

I hope that you will join me this Thursday at noon, either in person at First Baptist Brunswick or in a spirit of prayer wherever you happen to be. We do need to pray for our country and all of its various aspects. However, most of all, we need to pray that this country and its people will repent and return to God and His Word. That God alone will be lifted high and glorified as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Government cannot save us. We must lead our country, starting right here, one person at a time, to the only One who can!

Only by Grace,

Pastor Mike

Facing the Sun

Posted on May 3, 2022 in "Reed" This, BLOG |

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Facing the Sun

This past Sunday morning I was driving down highway 17 on my way to church. I looked over in the median and noticed a lot of yellow flowers. They seemed to just be wildflowers that were only six to eight inches tall with a bloom that was no more than two inches in diameter. What caught my attention is how they were all turned one way, facing the sun. I looked as closely as I could, while keeping my truck in-between the lines, and never saw even one flower facing any other direction. Every single yellow flower bloom that I saw for over a mile was facing the sun. The plants automatically faced what gave them light, warmth, energy, and life. Those plants don’t have eyes or brains, but somehow knew to face the sun in order to receive the most from its life-giving rays.

What a beautiful example of what we should do every morning, I thought. These plants were doing exactly what their Creator intended for them to do. God’s creation was praising Him simply by facing the sun for what it gives them – life and nourishment. As the sun rose that morning, these flowers turned to face and look at it. When we wake up each morning our first thought should be to turn and face the Son, our Savior, who gives us life and nourishment. The Son, Jesus, is the one who gives us what we need. Part of our praising Him is acknowledging Him when we first wake up, giving Him our attention, and giving Him our day. Creation does that by facing the sun, the source of life that their Creator has given them. We should do the same and face the Source of life our Creator has given us.

What do I do when I first wake up each morning? Are my thoughts on Jesus or on the things I have to do that day? Am I joyfully facing my Savior and anticipating another day with Him, or am I wishing I could just go back to sleep? Do I greet Him with a smiling good morning? Do I greet Him at all or even acknowledge He is there? May we all greet our Savior each morning when we awake. May we all start our day thinking of, speaking with, and looking at Jesus – facing the Son.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim Your unfailing love in the morning, Your faithfulness in the evening.” Psalm 92:1-2 NLT

“In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly.”

Psalm 5:3 NIV

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

High Places

Posted on Apr 26, 2022 in "Reed" This, BLOG |

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High Places

As I arrived at the church office this morning, I drove into the back parking lot and had to come to a stop. There was a truck partially blocking the drive. The doors on that truck were also open, restricting room to get around it. I was a little perturbed until I noticed just beyond the truck was a ladder that extended all the way to the top of the building with a man standing at the top working under the eave. He may have parked as he did for his own safety from people like me. I carefully eased around the truck and ladder to reach a spot to park. As I got out of my truck and walked toward the door of the building, I looked up to see what the man might be working on. I couldn’t tell, but what I immediately thought was this guy was either brave or crazy. To be standing at the top of a thin aluminum ladder sitting on asphalt that was extended three stories high made me nervous just looking at him, let alone being the one on the ladder. I’ve been on a ladder like that almost that high and didn’t like it, and my ladder was sitting on dirt. I don’t mind heights. I’m perfectly fine standing on a high place like a mountain, a building, or a bridge because I feel safe and secure. But a thin, slim, flexible, aluminum ladder that can easily slide out at the bottom or slide over at the top is not a place I want to be. I’ve climbed a water tower and a fire tower several times and felt fine. But those are stationary. The chance one of those would fall over while I was on it was very small.

Some people are afraid of heights. My father was somewhat that way because of an incident that occurred when he was a child. He and his mother were riding a Ferris wheel and were near the top. The bolt on one side had come loose and they were hanging to one side and praying the bolt on the other side would not give. They were yelling down to the workman, but he couldn’t hear them as he was letting other passengers off and on in the other seats. Slowly the wheel turned until finally they were close enough for the workman to hear them and he got them down before their seat gave way. Other people never experienced anything that frightening, yet they still don’t like heights.

As I’ve thought about it, it’s not really a fear of heights, it’s more a fear of falling. As humans, we were not made to be able to fly on our own. A bird that falls out of a nest that is high in a tree is perfectly fine to deal with falling because it was designed and made to fly. That bird can spread its wings and gracefully glide through the air and even fly back up to the nest. We humans cannot do that. Yet, many people still enjoy being in a high place. It’s fun to be on the top of a mountain and able to look out over the valley below and see for miles and miles. Or to look out the window of a plane and see a vast area of landscape beneath. I enjoy while driving across the Sydney Lanier Bridge looking out to see the tidal rivers and marsh, the islands, St. Simons Sound, and even the Atlantic Ocean. Even climbing the lighthouse and looking out over the trees and water can give a deeper appreciation for God’s creation as one sees it from above. High places give us a different perspective. We see things that we may see every day, but from a different angle and we have a different view. These different views almost always lead me to praise God. The high places allow me to see things I haven’t seen before, and I can praise God for that part of His creation. I can praise Him for the beauty that my eyes can behold at that time. I can praise Him more because I can understand a little more who He is as He is revealed to me in a new way. My appreciation for His greatness is renewed and strengthened because of His majesty that is around me and below me. I feel closer to Him because He has revealed to me another part of Him.

Shaky ladders should probably be avoided. But seek out high places where you can see God’s creation in a new way. Let the different views of His creation lead you to praise Him.

“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased.” Revelation 4:11 NLT

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Updates to Our Governing Documents

Posted on Apr 20, 2022 in BLOG, Letters from Pastor Mike |

Updates to Our Governing Documents

Dear Friends,

By now you should have received and I hope looked over the revision recommendations for our church’s governing documents. This Sunday night, following our covered dish fellowship dinner, we will have an after-dinner family discussion about these updates. This will be a time for everyone to voice their questions and receive answers from the committee members who are recommending these revisions. This will not be an official church conference meeting. There will be no motions made from the floor, no seconds and no voting. This is our family, getting together after dinner, for a friendly talk.

To that end, there are a few things that I would like to remind all of us to do and remember as we come together as a family of faith:

First, please come prepared. We emailed or mailed everyone twenty-one pages of text that included Monty’s letter, the church constitution, the church by-laws and the explanations behind the revisions that are being recommended. I am afraid that if you try to read through all of these during dinner while talking to friends it will be difficult to follow or effectively participate in the discussion. While you are reading through the documents please jot down any questions or thoughts you may have. That will allow our discussion to keep moving and not bog down.

Second, please don’t jump to conclusions or assume a hidden agenda. The purpose of these updates is to bring these documents into alignment with how we are already operating and to clarify processes in order to avoid future confusion or misinterpretation. Our desire is solely to protect the members of the church individually and to protect the integrity of the church collectively.

Third, please don’t be shy or think that your thoughts are unimportant. We are a family of faith. As such, no one is more or less important than anyone else. If you have a question, please ask it. If you think something might be worded better, please share it. If you have a concern, please explain it. No one will be mocked or ridiculed for speaking up. It’s been said, “the only dumb question is the one you don’t ask.” The committee has put in a lot of time and thought on the wording and the intent of all these revisions. We will happily explain ourselves and consider other thoughts and ideas.

Forth, please strive for unity in our family. 1 Peter 3:8 (ESV) says, “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” When we come together, we are not Democrats or Republicans from opposing sides of the aisle. We are a family that loves each other. We are brothers and sisters in faith (1 Corinthians 1:10). We are joint heirs with Christ in the family of God (Romans 8:17). We are all baptized by One Spirit into One Body of many parts with Christ as the Head (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Unity is of God; divisiveness is of the devil (Luke 11:23). As we are discussing these documents and the needed revisions, I hope we will all remember that we have a common goal and purpose. To the ends of protecting the church, expanding Christ’s kingdom and glorifying God, let us treat each other with dignity and respect as we ourselves desire to be treated.

Finally, please pray. Pray for this whole process. Pray that everyone will understand the spirit in which these updates are made and presented. Pray that we would be faithful to God’s character and His Word as we talk together as a family about these recommendations. Pray for our unity. Psalm 133:1(ESV) “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

Pain

Posted on Apr 19, 2022 in "Reed" This, BLOG |

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Pain

Last Wednesday, my mother was in the hospital and was asking to see all of her children. I found a ticket that afternoon and was on a plane early Thursday morning flying to Dallas, Texas. As I arrived at the hospital mid-morning, I was met with bright eyes and a beautiful smile from my mother who then struggled to say my name. But she knew who I was, and she did say my name, as well as answering my “I love you, mom” with an “I love you, too.” It’s never easy to see someone in a hospital bed, especially when they are ill or in pain or struggling in some way. But when that someone is your mother, that difficulty is ramped up a thousand times more. Thankfully, she fell back to sleep before I could no longer hold back my tears. She was already on some morphine to ease her pain. The doctor came in to tell us of the bad condition of her spine with the results of the MRI. That was the cause of her pain and those nerves being pinched were shutting down her organs. We knew there was nothing that could be done to reverse that and her time with us on this earth would soon be coming to an end. Our greatest concern was for mom to be comfortable. It hurt us so much to see her in pain. Unfortunately, we would see her in pain again when she was moved back to her assisted living apartment Friday afternoon. Transferring her from the ambulance gurney to her bed was difficult. I was praying and hoping this pain would pass quickly. Mom finally had relief again when the meds came through from hospice and shortly after receiving them, she felt better. That evening, when I said my final goodbye, there was a calm about her, and she was resting peacefully.

I flew back home Saturday morning. Mom didn’t wake up any all that day and almost all of Easter Sunday. One of her sisters was visiting and talking to her when she opened her eyes for the first time in two days Sunday evening. And it would be the last time as shortly after that, mom went on to heaven. She left all the pain and suffering behind. She was free from her earthly body and all its physical limitations, restrictions, and flaws. She immediately was in the presence of Jesus and seeing Him face to face for the first time. “Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8 NLT)

I don’t like pain. I don’t like seeing other people in pain. I certainly did not like seeing my mother in pain. The experience of being in pain or sensing pain is not pleasant. Because we live in a fallen world, we experience pain. We experience pain in our own bodies. We can observe others experiencing pain. We experience pain when our loved ones die. We miss them and it hurts when we know we will not be able to see them or talk with them on this earth anymore. But God understands this pain. He watched His Son die on a cross that He didn’t deserve because He was paying for the sins of the world. Jesus suffered that separation from His Father when sin was placed upon Him, and He became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus suffered great pain because He loves us. He wants us to have a relationship with the Father so we will never have to suffer the pain of being separated from Him. And just like Jesus did not stay in the tomb but rose from the dead, we too can rise from this earthly death to live forever with Him. Knowing we have this hope, we find joy in knowing our Christian loved ones who have died are with the Lord and we can see them again. That hope along with the love of God is what helps us through pain. Our Heavenly Father is always with us comforting us, encouraging us, and carrying us through those times of pain and suffering. He promises to never leave us or forsake us, and He always keeps His promises. And one day, all of His children will be free from all pain. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4 NLT)

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

An Awesome God

Posted on Apr 12, 2022 in "Reed" This, BLOG |

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An Awesome God

I have been battling with the live oak trees over a few weeks now. We have a lot of them around our house and those little squiggly pollen things have been all over the place, along with all the oak leaves that have fallen starting a week or so before. Trying to keep the front steps and the driveway clear of all of them has been a chore, as many of you I’m sure can relate. And once the oak pollen came out, my sinuses have given me fits. It’s been over ten days of trouble. At night, I’m disturbing Debbie even more with my snoring. I have to get up several times through the night and try to clear my nose so I can breathe. It’s crazy.

I got to thinking. We breathe in through our nose which has all these small hairs to try and grab particles in the air and catch them before they go too far. These particles can be dust, pollen, germs, or other small things, some we can’t even see, that are just floating around. A lot of these things are caught and not allowed to go any farther into our sinuses, but some make it through. These are the ones that cause problems. They are foreign invaders, and our bodies respond by trying to destroy them or trap them another way to get rid of them. So, our sinuses begin to produce more nasal fluid so these particles will get stuck in it. Then, we have runny noses and postnasal drip in the back of our throats. Unfortunately, many times this fluid will get stuck up in our sinuses where it can cause an infection. All of this begins to make us feel bad in several ways and we have to deal with it until the pollen stops and we get all of it out of our system. Now, I’m not a doctor. This is just my understanding from what I remember in my life science classes back in school, which was quite a while ago. But, I think I’m close to being somewhat correct in my thinking.

Anyway, what amazes me is the design of our bodies. Thinking just about our breathing, our noses and sinuses fend off countless invaders all the time that keep us from getting sick. We may have certain allergies that will affect us more than others, but we are healthier because of how we were designed and made. God is the only one that could have designed us. There was no big bang that made it happen. We didn’t evolve into what we are today or humans would have died off long ago. The extreme complexities and brilliant intricacies in the human body that we have been able to discover can only point to us being made by God. And what about all the other things in our bodies that are not understood by doctors and scientists, or even things that may exist and haven’t been found? None of us can fully understand the human body, and yet God has made us all and knows every single detail about every single one of us. And His great design allows us to not only exist and survive, but to thrive.

As I continue to think about the human body and how it works, I am more and more in awe of my Creator. I become more aware of how great He is and how little I actually understand of life, myself, and Him. I see more clearly how small and insignificant I am in the grand scheme of things. Yet, my Creator, my God, knows me and loves me more than I can comprehend. He loves me so much that He is willing to be my Savior. He knows and loves all of us the same way. How great is our God! Words cannot express how grateful I am for His love. There are so many things running through my mind about the goodness of God right now, but I don’t have time and space to write it all down. When we begin to think about and list the greatness of God, we can go on forever.

Many of us may be suffering from allergies. But as we go through this time, we don’t have to let it get us down. We can try to see the goodness and greatness of God at work. It’s not always easily found, but it’s there.

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.” Psalm 139:13-14 NLT

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

What is God Like?

Posted on Apr 6, 2022 in BLOG, Letters from Pastor Mike |

What Is God Like

Dear Friends,

Let’s talk about God. The gods of men come in all shapes and sizes. People worship big gods and small gods, gods with stunning beauty and gods with multiple arms and legs. Some gods live nearby and other gods live far away. A few fit in our pocket until we trade them in on bigger gods. Some are parked in our driveway until we decide we want a god with more power or a brighter shine. Many of us worship ourselves as gods or we treat our children as if they were. There are smiling gods and gods with bloody claws. Some gods will listen and work on our behalf while others leave us to the whim fate. As Christians we quickly denounce these lower case “g” gods as false, idolatry and evil. We say, “There is only one true God, the creator God, the God who has revealed Himself in the Scripture.

So, what about our God? What is He like? We don’t find an essay in the Bible that zeros in on the full nature of God. Even Jesus, God the Son in the flesh, only hinted at the attributes of God in parables. He never sat down and wrote an autobiography. While the Bible is not an exhaustive treatise on everything there is to know about God it does contain a number of His attributes, His nature spread throughout the pages. Perhaps more importantly however, we find examples of how He interacts with human beings. And through these accounts we have access to many deep insights about Him.

When you stop and think about it, it’s amazing that human beings can know God in the personal way that we do – that we can develop a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. King David asked in Psalm 8:4, “What is man that you are mindful of him…?” What is man indeed… Still, the testimony of God’s people through the ages is that God is mindful of us and has provided a way for us to get to know him in a very personal way. Unfortunately, many of the beliefs that people have are way off the mark, scripturally.

The Pouncer God is the idea that God is out there just waiting to pounce on us whenever we step out of line. God’s attributes of all-knowing and all-seeing have been warped into the impression that God is spying on us through a hole in the ceiling, waiting to cut loose with His wrath and judgement. The famous preacher of colonial times, Jonathan Edwards, preached what is one of the most famous sermons in American history, “Sinners in the hands of an Angry God.” He said, “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: His wrath towards you burns like fire; He looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast in the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in His sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his sight, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.” That sermon helped start the Great Awakening but it’s easy to get the impression that God is just looking for the smallest excuse to cast us into the fire. The Bible, however, assures us of quite a different attitude in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

At the other end of the spectrum is the Pushover God. He’s got a softer heart than Santa Claus because, although He knows who’s been naughty and nice, He’s going to give everyone the Big Present: eternal life in Heaven. People who share this view would ask, “How could a loving God send people to Hell?” The answer is, of course, “He won’t! God is love and love always forgives.” However, the Bible teaches us in 2 Thess. 1:6-9, “God is just: … He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power”

A different variation of the pushover god, that is very popular today with preachers of the prosperity gospel, is the Sugar Daddy God. God has everything and He loves us soooo much that He wants us to have everything we could ever want or need too. For these believers, their favorite verse is James 4:2, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” Unfortunately for these people the next verse, James 4:3, also says: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

So, what is God truly like? Well, it has been said that, “if humans could understand God, He would not be God.” There is truth in that. God is more than our finite minds can grasp. It’s not that He is confusing or hard to conceptualize. God is simply beyond human understanding. One of my favorite chapters in all the Bible is Job 38 where God is answering Job’s complaints out of a storm: 38:4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” 38:8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, 38:11 “… This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?” 38:16-17 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?” 38:19-20 “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?” 38:22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail,” 38:35-36 “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’? Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind?” God questions Job this way for two chapters, 71 verses, contrasting God’s infinite greatness with man’s finite smallness.

Although my feeble brain is unable to fully comprehend God, I am reassured by this. I do not want to serve a god who is no greater than I. Although God made us in His image, He is more than a super-duper version of humanity. There is an awesome, otherness about God. He is the supreme power in and the source of all existence.

In God’s gracious understanding of our needs, He has given us some understanding about Him through His Word that we can hold on to. Here are just a few of His attributes given to us in the Bible: Infinite and eternal (Col. 1:17), unchanging (Mal. 3:6), all-powerful (Psalm 33:6), all-knowing (Isa. 46:9-10), everywhere-present (Psalm 139:7-10), wise (Rom. 11:33), faithful (Deut. 7:9), good (Psalm 34:8), just (Deut. 32:4), merciful (Rom. 9:15-16), gracious (Psalm 145:8), loving (1 John 4:7-8), holy (Rev. 4:8), and glorious (Hab. 3:4). Obviously, there are many more listed and shown in the pages of scripture as well. This is just the beginning of our knowledge about our amazing God!

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike