Quarantine Devotional – Day 8

Passage to Ponder: Proverbs 4:20-27

“May your eyes look forward and your gaze be straight before you. May the path of your foot be balanced, and all your ways be sure.” --Proverbs 4:25-26 (The Lexham English Bible)

   
  Are you starting to feel like a castaway marooned on a remote island? Are you making marks or cutting notches onto something to keep count of the passing days? Off my schedule, I am finding it hard to keep track of what day of the week it is. I remember when my parents retired from their jobs, my father commented that if it is wasn’t for Wednesday night and Sunday church activities, he wouldn’t know the difference from one day to the next on the calendar. I am starting to understand. 

  My weekly calendar revolves around a regular schedule of activities. I am sure you relate to what I am saying. It seems that the world has been tilted like one of those odd perspective carnival rooms with the slanted floor. It throws off your perspective. Your eyes are tricked into believing that a ball will roll uphill all by itself. It is an optical illusion of forced perspective.

  Solomon gave you advice on keeping your perspective. “May your eyes look forward and your gaze be straight before you.” Some people lose sight of what is in front of them and suffer motion sickness in boats, airplanes, and automobiles. One of the ways to prevent motion sickness is keep your eyes focused on the horizon instead of your immediate surroundings. The same is true in this quarantine. You can spend your days focused on the challenges and lose sight that an end is coming. Heed the words of Solomon’s father, David, in Psalm 62:1 (NLT), “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.” Don’t lose sight of the horizon: the victory has already been won by God, wait peacefully before the Lord for it to come into your life.

  Wait? What do you mean “wait quietly”? I can’t sit around doing nothing! That is not what it means to “wait quietly.” Solomon goes on to explain in Proverbs 4:26 how to do this: “May the path of your foot be balanced, and all your ways be sure.” Keep your foot on a balanced path. Don’t get off the trail! When you wander off the trail God has set before you, you find yourself trekking over bad terrain, tougher climbs, and expose yourself to trouble. Be obedient to God. 

  Walking in the wilderness at night makes it hard to see where the path meets the horizon. This is where faith comes in! You can’t see where the path goes. You can only see a few feet in front of you. But the path is here because someone has traveled this way before. You think, “I hope he knew where he was going because I’m going to follow his tracks!” The One who made the path is God Himself. Follow His footprints. He knows the end of the trail. Keep your feet on the balanced path…one step of obedience at a time. Do this and you will reach the point where the path meets the horizon.
   

Love,
Pastor Larry

Click to View March 22nd Livestream

(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Quarantine Devotional – Day 7

Passage to Ponder: 1 Peter 2:1-17

“Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.” -1 Peter 2:11-12 (The Message)

    
  Whew! What a week it has been! Today is the seventh day of this corona shutdown madness. I am used to things moving at the “speed of church.” If you have ever spent anytime working with committees, you understand the frustrations of “speed of church.” Having little time to wait, I have been making decisions and doing things related to leading our church (and association of churches) much faster than I and many are accustomed. I have probably stepped on some people’s toes this week and seemed to be a bit dictatorial to others. Emergencies don’t have time for speed of church!

  I have tried to keep a few things in mind as I have dealt with people: 1. Just because I am stressed does not give me the right to be rude. 2. Just because the situation requires things to be done faster does not mean that other people won’t have better ideas than me. 3. Every person is experiencing stress in their own lives facing this challenge. 4. My example is a testimony of Christ—either a good one or a bad one. 

  I pray that the Followers of Jesus will become Leaders to Jesus…leading people who are scared and suffering to the voice of the Good Shepherd. One of the ways this will happen is to be model citizens, caring neighbors, and consistent in living. The people who know you have already formed an opinion about you. What is that opinion? If it is good, give them a reason to continue to hold that view. If their opinion of you may be less than stellar, you will have no better opportunity to prove the sincerity of your walk with Christ than right now. As Peter wrote, “Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices.”

  The purpose of being a “Coca-Cola” Christian…you know, “the real thing”…is not to be patted on the back. It is so that “…they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.”  We will all celebrate when this pandemic passes by. Some of us may experience deep sadness and loss. Some of us will have suffered from illness. All of us will have endured hardship. I’m looking forward to celebrating (personal contact!) with my church family (smoked brisket, anyone?), celebrating with my neighbors, and being reunited with relatives. 

  As nice as that day will be, there is a much greater celebration coming! There will be a great family reunion one day when Jesus gathers all God’s children into the Kingdom of Heaven. That celebration will be even sweeter knowing those who have yet to turn to Christ have been “won over to God’s side and [will] be there to join in the celebration when He arrives.”      

Love,
Pastor Larry

Click to View March 22nd Livestream

(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Quarantine Devotional – Day 6

Passage to Ponder: Exodus 20:1-20

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.” --Exodus 20:8-11 (NLT)

    
  Last night I ventured out to West Bend (a smaller city near us for those not familiar with this part of Wisconsin). We needed a few supplies and West Bend is a little closer than the big city. My thinking was also that it might be little safer from the epidemic to stay away from the larger crowds you would expect in the big city. That is probably just wishful thinking, but I will take any mental edge I can get right now! Driving around, I was struck by how little traffic was on the roads. The grocery stores were busy, but most other businesses were empty. This reminded of me of Friday evenings when I was in Israel a few years back.
  
The Jewish observance of the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday evening and ends at sundown on Saturday evening. In modern Israel as Friday afternoon wanes toward twilight, people are hurrying to get home before the Sabbath begins. On my tour of Israel, our tour group was at Yardenit, a beautiful baptismal site on the Jordan River just south of the Sea of Galilee. I chose to be baptized again in the cold January waters for a personal rededication of my love and life to Jesus. We had to hurry after the baptisms to get back to our hotel for supper. I was amazed that everything had become a “ghost town.” Where did the cars go? Where are the people? 

  The people of Israel were at home observing the Sabbath. Our supper was set out buffet style at the hotel, but there were not any hotel restaurant employees around. We served ourselves and put up our own dishes.  A simple breakfast for the next morning was already set out for us—breads & fruits. Later that evening I walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and watched the moon rise over the mountains of the Golan Heights on the other side of the lake. Lost in the moment of the shimmering moonlight on the water, I heard the soft singing in Hebrew of “We Choose the Fear of the Lord” coming from the hotel compound employees gathered in an upper room to worship. 

  Contrasting that with how Christians in America observe the Sabbath (Sunday for Christians), I was embarrassed. The 10 Commandments are given to us in Exodus 20. I think that the most often broken of the 10 is the 4th one, the commandment to observe the Sabbath. Even when we go to church, do we fill up the rest of the day with work? Let’s take a lesson from modern Israel! After worship, the rest of the Sabbath is spent resting. Resting doesn't mean just sleeping or laying around doing nothing. It means focusing on God and spending time with family. On Saturday afternoons in Israel people begin to come outside. While there still aren’t many cars on the streets, the parks are full of families picnicking and being together; families are taking leisure walks together on the sidewalks. Isn’t that what God want us to do on the Sabbath? Spend one day each week relaxing together with Him and with those you have been blessed of God to have in your life.

  “Heavenly Father, You are the God of creation. You ceased Your creative work on the seventh day as an example for me to stop being so busy and to relax with You. Forgive me for neglecting You and help me to keep the Sabbath holy. Thank You, Father, for my family and friends. Help me to have peaceful fellowship with them on this special day each week as we all together to give You praise and express our thanksgiving for being such an amazing God! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Love,
Pastor Larry

(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Quarantine Devotion – Day 5

Passage to Ponder: Psalm 39:1-7

We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.” --Psalm 39:6 (NLT)

     Here we are: 5 days into our societal shutdown. Some of us are finding that staying at home around the clock is going well thus far; others are already suffering from cabin fever and boredom. How do we deal with boredom? I used the search function on my Bible software and looked for the word “boredom” (and its variants) in 17 English translations of the Scriptures. Guess what? None of them contained the word “boredom.” The references to the word “bored” had to do with making a hole such as piercing something or woodworking.

  Sometimes the Bible speaks to us in what it doesn’t say. Why do we not have counsel on dealing with boredom in the Bible? Could it be that the ancients were too busy trying to make a life for themselves that they didn’t have time to get bored? Is boredom a recent arrival in the human experience? The logic here is easy to follow: the people who preceded us were simply too busy trying to stay alive to experience boredom in any real fashion. I have trouble imagining that my grandfather, a Texas rancher, said to his parents that he was bored and there was nothing to do! The cure for boredom is staying busy.

  Now, let’s examine this concept of staying busy. It is good to do your necessary work to earn your income. It is necessary to do the good work of maintaining your home. Yet, the Bible tells you to keep all this busyness in proper perspective. No one had more to deal with than King David. The one time the Bible records that David was lazy and not at the front of the battle, you see a bored David making his greatest mistake: the Bathsheba affair. Read carefully his sobering words in Psalm 39:6. Billy Graham used to say he had never seen a hearse on the way to a cemetery pulling a U-Haul trailer behind it. 

  Make sure you are busy doing what you are supposed to do. At the same time, recognize and make time for what is truly important—your walk with Christ, your relationship with your family, your fellowship with friends and neighbors. Keep it all in proper perspective.

 

  If you find yourself dealing with cabin fever and boredom during the next couple of weeks, get busy! Make productive use of the extra time to invest in what matters most. King David prayed, “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath” (Psalm 39:4-5 NLT). 

  “Lord, You alone are eternal. Thank You for the time You have given to me. Help me to make wise use of it. Show me how to keep my priorities focused on what are the most important uses of my time. Let me do more than make a living for myself and my family; let me show them how to truly live in the moment for You! In Jesus Name, Amen” 

Love,
Pastor Larry

(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Quarantine Devotional – Day 4

Passage to Ponder: Acts 8:1-5

“…Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.” -Acts 8:3-4 (NLT)

     This Sunday is going to be different for our church, that is for sure! In fact, it is not going to be just different; it is going to be weird for our church. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines weird as “of strange or extraordinary character, odd, fantastic.” It will be of strange character. It will be extraordinary, meaning out of the ordinary nature of how our church functions. We will be online in some format that I am still working on (watch for an announcement soon).

  Have you entertained the possibility that being out of our ordinary character as a church can be, as one of the ways to define weird, FANTASTIC? In the early church, after Stephen had been martyred, Saul (Paul) began leading a crusade against the church to destroy it. Yet the Bible tells us in Acts 8 that as the church was forced out of their usual routine and safe havens, Believers shared the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. What the enemies of Christ meant to destroy the church only made it stronger. Could God be allowing this pandemic to make the church weird again?

  I grew up reading the King James Version of the Bible. In it, 1 Peter 2:9 reads, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” I like that God says that His people were chosen to be like a holy nation of priests to show Him praise because He saved us from darkness and brought us into His light. God also said that Christians are to be peculiar. Sounds a lot like the word weird to me. God meant for His people to be out of the ordinary.

  Have we quarantined ourselves so long inside the church walls that God has now quarantined us outside the church walls? Has God done this so that we can once again be weird, peculiar? What an opportunity show the difference Christ has made in our lives to our neighbors! Instead of going to church, BE THE CHURCH—His Body touching people with love and grace.

  In the first devotional I shared with you I gave you a “to-do” list. On that list was an action item to contact your neighbors and those who are alone to see how they are doing? Have you done that? Do you know if they have everything they need to quarantine at home? They may need help now. If not now, the time will probably come in this pandemic when our neighbors may need help with supplies. We will all long for contact with the outside world. What an opportunity to make a difference by being a different Christian than normal! Let’s be weird and peculiar Believers!

Love,
Pastor Larry

(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Quarantine Devotional - Day 3

Passage to Ponder: Matthew 6:25-34

“…I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? … Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” –Matthew 6:25-27, 30-33 (NLT)

   As I have been in contact with people from many walks of life in the past few days, some who are members of our church and others with no connection to our church, there is a common thread in each conversation, email, and text message: fear. Now not everyone admits to their fears. Some say things like: “I am concerned”; “I am worried”; “I am unsettled”; “I am distressed”; or, “I hope _____ is going to be safe.” The Bible doesn’t give us an answer for those things. But if we will stop sugar-coating what we are really feeling and own it, the Bible gives us direction on how to deal with it. What is “it”? IT IS FEAR! God has much to say about fear and being afraid!

  I could try to tell you that I am the superhero known as “Super Christian” and that I don’t have any fear. But, you and I both know that would be a lie. Here’s how I notice that I am dealing with fear: “I am feeling tension, pressure. I am bearing the burden of trying to keep my family safe and sane. At the same time, I have a call to shepherd the flock. I want to make sure that all aspects of Brown Deer Baptist Church and the Lakeland Baptist Association are taken care of. Are the members safe? Do they have physical needs? Are their jobs safe? How are the students doing? Will the church be able to pay its bills?”

  Do you see my problem? (Maybe you are suffering from the same ailment.) All the focus is on me and what I am doing to take care of these things. Yes, I have things I must do to fulfill my role as husband, father, and shepherd. Yet, God asks me to just be faithful to Him and He will take care of the rest. I don’t have to worry…rather, I don’t need fear… because Christ has promised that God will supply everything I need! Commit Matthew 6:33 to memory if you have not already done so!  

  Did you know that we are told to “fear not” or “don’t be afraid” in the Bible 365 times! I don’t think that is a coincidence. You can read a new passage every day of the year where God tells us to trust Him, cast our fears upon Him, and be at peace.

Love,
Pastor Larry


(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Quarantine Devotional Day 2

Passage to Ponder: Psalm 5  

“But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield.” --Psalm 5:11-12 (NASB)

   Happy St. Patrick’s Day! While most Baptists don’t go crazy with celebrations on this day, there is something we can learn of great spiritual value from this gentle man of faith—one of the greatest men in church history.

  Patrick isn't really a Saint with a capital S, having never been officially canonized by Rome. And Patrick couldn't have driven the snakes out of Ireland because there were never any snakes there to begin with. He wasn't even the first evangelist to Ireland (Palladius had been sent in 431, about five years before Patrick went). Patrick isn't even Irish. He's from what's now Dumbarton, Scotland (just northwest of Glasgow).

  Patrick was 16 years old in about the year 405, when he was captured in a raid and became a slave in what was still radically pagan Ireland. Far from home, he clung to the religion he had ignored as a teenager. Even though his grandfather had been a priest, and his father a town councilor, Patrick did not know Christ as Savior. Forced to tend his master's sheep in Ireland, he spent his six years of bondage mainly in prayer and came to faith in Christ. He escaped at the suggestion of a dream and returned home.

  Patrick was in his mid-40s when God called him to return to Ireland. Palladius had not been very successful in his mission, and the returning former slave replaced him. Intimately familiar with the Irish clan system (his former master, Milchu, had been a chieftain), Patrick's sought to convert chiefs first, who would then convert their clans through their influence. His former master, Milchu, was one of his earliest converts.

  Though he was not solely responsible for converting the island, Patrick was quite successful. He made missionary journeys all over Ireland. In 433 A.D., history tells us that St. Patrick was praying for God’s divine protection in his work and ministry in Ireland while facing powerful enemies. He wrote a prayer called “St. Patrick’s Breastplate,” which is still widely known and recited today. Click on the link and be blessed by this prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQc4qS7TF-k

  God soon opened the door for him to share Christ with the Irish King Laoghaire and his subjects. This allowed Patrick to be a part of bringing them out paganism’s dark hold to the saving power of Jesus Christ. Patrick was a man who knew much about darkness, hardship, and enemy territory.

  Patrick’s life is such an example to us still today, that even in the darkest of times, God’s Sovereignty shines over His people. God will come to our aid. God will bless us and let His favor surround our lives. Because He’s a good and loving God, nothing escapes His notice. He watches over us, and we can trust that our lives and circumstances are held securely in His hands.

Love,
Pastor Larry


(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Coronavirus Quarantine Devotion 1

Passage to Ponder: Psalm 106  

Save us, O LORD our God! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you. -Psalm 106:47 (NLT)

   Many of you are aware that I like to cook and find it relaxing. Today, as I spend more time than usual at home, I am going to make a couple of pumpkin pies. There is a very specific reason I am making the traditional Thanksgiving dessert instead of my favorite pecan pie recipe. As my family gathers for supper tonight, I want us to focus on giving thanks to God for His blessings on us! 

   What blessings? While many are living in fear and panic, I am thankful that my God has this disease covered! My God is not taken by surprise! My God has promised to always be with me and my family! As the old saying goes, “I don’t know what tomorrow may hold, but I know Who holds tomorrow!” I am thankful that my family is together (many right now need our prayers and support as they are separated from loved ones). I am thankful that while we may not have all we want; we have what we need to endure this temporary trial. 

   I encourage each of you to meditate on Psalm 106. Trust in the Lord to save us and gather His people from among the nations. Give thanks to His holy name…rejoice and praise Him! God has gifted His people with an opportunity to demonstrate our love for Jesus, our love for one another, and our love for our neighbors. 

May I be so bold as to give you a "to do" list for today? 

1. Give thanks to God! Pray and ask for His mercy on you, your family, and your neighbors. 


2. Get in touch with your neighbors and those you know who might be alone in this frightening time. Set up routine contact with them to check on their well being and to see if there is anything they need? 


3. Make a decision to be “salt and light” in your circle of influence. 

Love,
Pastor Larry

(This is from a series of devotionals written during our time of restricted meetings and activities due to the coronavirus.)

Bible Storying at Brown Deer - Sept. 12, 2015

Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: ‘I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.’” (Matthew 13:34-35, NLT)

If you’ve read many pastor articles in the last six years here at Brown Deer, you may have noticed something:  Pastor Larry likes to tell stories. People connect with stories. People remember stories. You can give someone a list of facts to memorize, and the task may seem ominous. But tell them a story or a joke, and they can remember intricate details verbatim.

That is why it gives us great pleasure to announce Brown Deer will be hosting a Bible Storying workshop this fall. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, September 12, 2015 and guard that date! This valuable training will better equip VBS workers, Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, parents, and anyone who’d like to understand how they can use Bible stories when their own children, friends, or co-workers ask spiritual questions.

Not just for international missionaries. While it’s true Bible Storying methods were originally embraced by our mission staff overseas to better engage non-literate cultures with the gospel, church leaders in the United States have realized that our American culture is swiftly changing into a more oral learning culture as well, and are scrambling to adapt. You may have experienced this yourself if you’ve ever typed up a detailed, carefully-worded e-mail and received a question 5 minutes later from someone who barely skimmed your masterpiece containing the answer to that question.

I still vividly remember the typing class (ermmm.. keyboarding, sure it was keyboarding class, haha!) I took my senior year in high school. Most students took it as a freshman, but my learning goals were more complicated and this was my only opportunity. So, I had the privilege of taking that class in an electric room with 15 freshman boys.

I’ll spare you the details of the pranks I endured and the images in my mind I still to this day cannot un-see. But there was one boy in particular whom I still remember both for his laughter at those pranks, and for the predictable question he asked everyday of our teacher. Let’s call him, “Dave”.

At the beginning of almost every class, our teacher would review or introduce new skills, then she’d hand out an assignment with directions printed at the top. Every other student would read the instructions and begin typing. A few moments later, “Dave” would look around in confusion at everyone else typing, and exclaim, “What do we do?”

I’d always smirk and shake my head; but looking back, it’s obvious that “Dave” was an oral learner. If you watch how-to videos instead of reading printed instructions, or if you prefer to have someone show you how to cook a dish rather than to follow a written recipe; you may be an oral learner as well.

In Real Life Discipleship, Jim Putman notes that the Holy Spirit has used Bible Storying in the church he serves to change hearts in ways he’s not seen with other teaching methods nor curriculum. “Even if people like learning through reading,” he writes, “reading by itself is not the best way to move information from the head to the heart.”

So on behalf of Pastor Larry, I invite you to come and learn how you can better apply the stories of the bible practically in your own lives, in the lives of your children, and in the lives of the community whom we are serving together.

                                                                                                 ~Ramona

The Blessing of Faithful, Humble Service

“…I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” --Exodus 20:5-6  (NASB95)

  My son likes to play chess. I don’t play chess against him very often because I don’t like routinely losing to him. I think he stays awake at night dreaming of new strategies for beating me. I’m not sophisticated at chess and rarely think more than a move or two ahead. My son, on the other hand, is thinking many moves ahead and that is why he wins. He envisions the entire game. Frankly, when I play chess I do well to remember the “horsey” goes two and one to the side. Or, is it one and two to the side?

  There is one thing I have noticed about playing chess. Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back into the same box. There is a lesson to learn in that observation. In life, whether you are the most rich and powerful or the most poor and weak, we all end up in the same box when it is over. So, after I’m in the box what kind of legacy will I  leave for those who come after me?

  I don’t need to worry about that because God has taken care of it. He promised in Exodus 20 that if I will simply love Him and live by His truth, God will visit the generations that follow me with His lovingkindness. I don’t have to be a king in the eyes of men to leave a lasting legacy. I just need to be faithful pawn in the eyes of God. 

  Warren Wiersbe writes of John Wesley's father, Samuel, who was a dedicated pastor. There were those in his parish who did not like him. On February 9, 1709, a fire broke out in the Wesley home at Epworth, set by one of Samuel Wesley’s enemies. Young John, not yet six years old, was stranded on the upper floor of the home. Two neighbors rescued the lad just seconds before the roof crashed in. One neighbor stood on the other's shoulders and pulled young John through the window. Samuel Wesley said, "Come, neighbors, let us kneel down. Let us give thanks to God. He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go. I am rich enough." John Wesley often referred to himself as a "brand plucked out of the fire" (Zechariah 3:2; Amos 4:11). In later years he often noted February 9 in his journal and gave thanks to God for His mercy. Samuel Wesley labored for 40 years at Epworth and saw very little fruit; but, what his family accomplished!

  Let us all seek to be like Samuel Wesley: faithful and humble servants of God. God will then bless a thousand generations after us!

                                                         
Love,
Pastor Larry

Rest is Commanded Because We NEED It & God Loves Us

“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 (NASB95)

  Friday, January 17, 4:00 PM – The group of pastors on the recent Israel were at a baptismal site at the Jordan River. We had to hurry because the gates would close at 5:00 PM even though there was plenty of light left in the day and plenty of people wanting to rent robes in order to be immersed in the icy waters. Why was this place closing? If you have been to Israel, you already know the answer is found in the dateline. The Jewish Sabbath begins at 6:00 PM on Friday evening. The workers at the site needed to leave at five o’clock in order to be home when Sabbath began. It is not just a tradition there—it is an expectation of society based on the Law of Moses.

  After drying off and warming up, we drove back to our hotel on the Sea of Galilee. All the shops in Tiberias, a bustling tourist city, were closed. Even the gas station and convenience store along the highway in little Magdela was closed. By the time we reached the hotel it seemed that our tour bus was the only vehicle on the roads. At the hotel which was located on a kibbutz (Israeli collective farm) I could hear the singing and worship in the synagogue on Friday night. It was so beautiful and peaceful.

  On Saturday morning the tour continued on to Tel Dan and Caesarea Philippi. Again, I was struck by how deserted the sidewalks were and how few cars were on the roads. It was as if the people had disappeared—actually they were sleeping and resting quietly at home. The morning haze burned away by midday and the people began to emerge. The traffic was still light but the sidewalks were filled with families taking walks together. The parks were filled families picnicking and playing games together. The trails were filled with families riding their bikes together. Families. Together. 

  I suspect that the divorce rate is pretty low in Israel. I also would not be surprised to learn that Israeli teens have fewer addictions, social maladjustments, and other similar problems as their American counterparts. Could it be that God knew what He was doing when He commanded us to keep the Sabbath (the 4^th of the 10 Commandments)? Of course! God made the Sabbath for us because we need it.

  I was convicted about our breaking of this commandment even when we worship on Sunday. We don’t rest on Saturday night. We rush and fuss to get to church. We are impatient if Sunday school and worship takes too much time. We rush to lunch and then families scatter in different directions. I challenge the families of BDBC to rest on Saturday evenings and enjoy worshipping as a family. I challenge you to spend time playing together on Sunday afternoons. Our families need the Sabbath. God made the Sabbath for us because He loves us!

                                                         
Love,
Pastor Larry

Wednesday Evening Programs Cancelled (Jan. 30, 2013)

Dear BDBC Family,
 
  After speaking at length to Rob this afternoon, we believe it would be best to cancel Wednesday evening classes for the safety of our church family. A new system of snow has developed and conditions are deteriorating rapidly just north and west of the area.

I am in the process of contacting the news stations...

                                                                                          Love and stay warm,
                                                                                          Pastor Larry

Thanksgiving: Focus on God; Not News

“To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord.” Psalm 116:17 (NASB95)

   I am a news “junkie”—I have followed news closely for many years. I read newspapers (online) and listen to news radio when I am driving. My kids suffer through news radio when they ride in the car. Their only hope of deliverance is when Ramona is in the car too. Their predictable pleas are, “Mom, please make Dad put music on or turn the radio off.” Being a man who wishes to avoid intense family fellowship while driving, the music plays and leaves me wondering things such as “What if there is a traffic alert…What if bad weather is approaching…What if animals escape from the zoo…What if zombies are on the loose…What if our political leaders suddenly decide to put the interests of the country ahead of their own interests?” (I know the zombie thing is more likely to happen than the politicians getting their acts together.)

   Having confessed to being a news-aholic, I have noticed that I’m not paying as much attention to news lately as I used to. You know the reason. As with most people, giving heed to the news leaves me depressed and despondent. I don’t dare ask if things can get worse because I know they most certainly can get worse—much worse. Here’s a radical thought: instead of griping about what we think is wrong, focus on Who is right. That is the key to truly being thankful at Thanksgiving. God has blessed us. We have lost sight of those blessings because we have lost sight of the Blesser.

   The first official observance of Thanksgiving for the United States of America was issued by George Washington in 1779:

   Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; Whereas, both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness!" Now therefore, I do recommend next, to be devoted by the people of the states to the service of that great and glorious being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be, that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country.

   If you noticed the date, you realized that in 1779, we had not yet won our independence and war filled our land. Yet, Washington reminded us to focus on God and not the news of the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Pastor Larry

Hear it! Believe it! Connect it! (Romans 10:8-17)

Theme Verse for This Week's VBS/Kid's Camp:

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Jesus Christ. — Romans 10:17 (HCSB)

     It is amazing how little people know about the Word of God, especially here in America where virtually everyone has access to the Bible. This was demonstrated by Tonight Show host Jay Leno. Leno frequently does "man-on-the street" interviews, and one night he collared some young people to ask them questions about the Bible. "Can you name one of the Ten Commandments?" he asked two college-age women. One replied, "Freedom of speech?" Mr. Leno said to the other, "Complete this sentence: Let he who is without sin..." Her response was, "have a good time?" Mr. Leno then turned to a young man and asked, "Who, according to the Bible, was eaten by a whale?" The confident answer was, "Pinocchio."

 Such misunderstandings, while seeming to be humorous, are tragic. The importance of God’s Word is reiterated throughout its pages and no more powerfully than in Romans 10:17 where it states, "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ."

[Romans 10:8-17]

8  On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim:  9  If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11  Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame, 12  for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. 13  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14  But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things! 16  But all did not obey the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? 17  So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

 
1. HEAR IT!
Romans 10:14 declares, "…how can they believe without hearing about Him?..."

Proverbs 29:18   "Without revelation people run wild, but one who listens to instruction will be happy. "

Romans 10:17 declares that faith is the result of hearing God speak through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

   The Word of God produces faith in the matter of Salvation. In 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 the Apostle Paul says, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

   As a pastor, sometimes I feel like I’m in sales and promotion. Help me remember at the heart of it all, is not to "get" the word out, but to "let" the Word out. The Word of God produces faith in the matter of spiritual growth.

   Dwight L. Moody once wrote, "I prayed for Faith, and thought that someday Faith would come down and strike me like lightening. But Faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, ‘Now Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.’ I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever since."  (Dwight L. Moody, Leadership, Vol. 10, no. 4.)

   2 Timothy 3:16-17  "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

   John R. W. Stott said, “A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus, we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him.”

Other books were given for our information; the Bible was given for our transformation.

2. BELIEVE IT!
   You can read the Bible everyday of your life and still be unaffected by its pages and unchanged by its power, unless you are willing to believe it and receive it. Again, Dwight L. Moody said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.”

   Notice how Paul says you must believe before you can have saving faith in Romans 10:8-11.

8  On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim:  9  If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11  Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame…”

   Paul also wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”

   Long before contemporary authors Josh McDowell and Lee Stroebel researched the truth of the Bible, American Jurist Salmon P. Chase (1808-1873) wrote, "There came a time in my life when I doubted the divinity of the Scriptures, and I resolved as a lawyer and a judge I would try the book as I would try anything in the courtroom, taking evidence for and against. It was a long, serious, and profound study; and using the same principles of evidence in this religious matter as I always do in secular matters, I have come to the decision that the Bible is a supernatural book, that it has come from God, and that the only safety for the human race is to follow its teachings."

   Remember the plea of Colossians 3:16. “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” 

3. CONNECT IT!
Notice again Romans 10:14-15.

14  But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things!
Jesus commanded us in Mark 16:15 to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

   Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Christian leader who gave his life opposing the Nazis, studied for a year in New York City. He was uniformly disappointed with the preaching he heard there: "One may hear sermons in New York upon almost any subject; one only is never handled, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ, of the cross, of sin and forgiveness."

   Don McKenzie told this story. One night very late in the evening, a pastor was called to the hospital. As he was walking down the semi-dark hall, with no people around, a man suddenly ran out of one of the patient rooms. He ran up to the pastor – the pastor had never seen him before--and said to him with joy in his face, "She’s going to make it. She’s better. She is going to make it," and then he made his way on down the hall. The preacher has not seen the man since. He does not know who the man was talking about. Apparently “she” was someone very near and dear to him, and he had just received good news. He could not wait to share it. He did not even have to know the person with whom he shared it; it just flowed from him because he had received good news, and good news is to be shared.

   The Apostle Peter said to those who opposed the Gospel in Acts 4:20, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 

   Luigi Tarisio was found dead one morning with scarce a comfort in his home, but with 246 exquisite violins, which he had been collecting all his life, crammed into an attic, the best in the bottom drawer of an old rickety bureau. In his very devotion to the violin, he had robbed the world of all that music all the time he treasured them; others before him had done the same, so that when the greatest of his collection, a Stradivarius, was first played, it had had 147 speechless years. Yet, how many of Christ’s people are like old Tarisio?

   In our very love of the church we fail to give the glad tidings to the world; in our zeal for the truth we forget to publish it. When shall we all learn that the Good News needs not just to be cherished, but needs to be told? All people need to hear it.

  The value of the Bible is not knowing it, but obeying it. Knowing the Bible is of little benefit unless you practice it.

   The best thing to do with the Bible is to know it in the head, stow it in the heart, sow it in the world, and show it in the life.

Godly People Will Have Trials

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:19-22 NASB95

Godly people WILL have trials. It is not optional! God promises that His people will be a tested and tried people. We are forged into spiritual warriors in the furnace of affliction instead of being pampered with peace and pleasure. Jesus said that as long as we are in this world, we will have troubles.

I know what some of you are thinking: “Pastor, I don’t like what you have written and now you’re making me depressed.” If that’s your line of thought, you are missing the point. Don’t misunderstand me—I don’t go out of my way to find trials because I enjoy them. But, when those tribulations come, I know that God has turned up the furnace’s heat because He is doing some refining and purifying of my faith.

Can you name one great man or woman of faith in the Bible who didn’t find themselves broken by hard times? You know the answer. There isn’t one. Do I possess a faith stronger than Job? David? Abraham? Noah? Elijah? Jeremiah? Peter? Paul? John? What makes me think that I shouldn’t have seasons of testing like those fellows?

Yes, if those great men of faith went through the fire, surely I will find myself sweating at times in my life too. Mother Theresa once said, “God will never give you more than you can handle, but there are times I wish He didn’t trust me so much!” While that quote is humorous, it is wrong. In fact, God often gives us MORE than we can handle! It is that moment of being so burdened that you break that your faith finds its legs and stands. You learn that God is real and He keeps His promises. Your faith grows. The metal of your character becomes more refined and the steel of faith is strengthened.

From ancient times, those who made useful tools from forged metal have left a personalized mark in the metal. For example, look at a quality knife or a gun and you will see the manufacturer’s mark imprinted in the metal. God leaves his mark on you after the forging in the furnace of trials so that others will know Who made you into a person of great faith!
Love,
Pastor Larry

No Classes Tonight

Brown Deer Baptist family: All classes and family supper are canceled for tonight. Authorities are warning of snow drifting/blowing onto roads into the evening hours and discouraging travel. Stay warm and see you Sunday!

Family Devotionals For Today

Good morning!

Since services are canceled today, I thought I would encourage you to have a family Bible & worship time today.  I will share the message planned for today, "It's a Wonderful Life" from John 9, on December 26. Until then, meditate on the 9th chapter of John's Gospel and think about the  parallels between the blind man, yourself and the main character George Bailey from the movie from which the sermon title is taken.

A Plan for Family Worship:
Gather the family and offer prayers of thanksgiving and praise.
Ask each family to share a favorite Christmas hymn and discuss why it is special to that person.
Read John 1:1-18. Discuss why John's Christmas story is so different from its presentation in Matthew & Luke.
What are the main ideas God wants us to get in John 1 about the coming of Jesus?
Have every member of the family pray for another member of your family.
Sing one of the favorite Christmas hymns together.

  Love,
  Pastor Larry

BDBC Church Cancelled This Morning

Dear BDBC Family,
 
  After speaking at length to Benjamin this morning, we believe it would be best to cancel church services today for the safety of our church family. It was a difficult decision to reach. I was willing to have services, but we agreed that it might be dangerous to travel home after services. The weather is supposed to deteriorate through  the morning with additional snow, falling temperatures and icing roads. The winds will be blowing snow in Milwaukee soon. Visibility is greatly reduced at my house already.

  Christmas music practice for adults and children will be moved to Wednesday night at 6:45 PM. The adults who are not part of the Christmas music programs will have a prayer meeting. Supper will still be at 6:00 PM on Wednesday.

                                                                                        Love and stay warm,
                                                                                          Pastor Larry

Blizzard Alert for BDBC

Dear BDBC Family,

  As you may be aware, at 2:00 PM this afternoon the National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Milwaukee and surrounding counties for tonight through 6 PM Sunday. I will make a determination regarding whether we will have Sunday services at 7:00 AM. Should services be canceled, I will send another email. There would also be a notice posted on the church website. The following media outlets will have information regarding a possible cancellation of our services:



Television Stations:
    WITI- Fox 6
    WISN-12 (abc)
    TMJ-4  (nbc)


Radio Stations:
    WTMJ 620 AM
    LAKE 94.5 FM
    WKLH 96.5 FM
    102.9 FM
    98.3 FM
    106.9 FM

Please call me if you have any questions or concerns.
                                                
God bless you and stay warm!
Pastor Larry

The Fellowship of Faith

“I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through
the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.”
Philemon 6

Sunday afternoon was my favorite time of the week when I was the “preacher boy” pastor of the country church during my college years. Following the morning worship I was invited to a member’s home for lunch. As a single college student, I definitely enjoyed the down-home cooking--especially at the Musgrove homestead. Guy and Myrtle Musgrove were in their mid nineties and had been married for 75 years. They were both spry and full of life from country living. The “kids” (70 year old Odell and wife Ada Faye) lived in a house about a hundred yards away.

When it was the Musgrove’s turn to host me for Sunday dinner, Myrtle always butchered one of her chickens and made sure it was fried to perfection. Myrtle also believed that instant mashed potatoes and gravy made from a mix in an envelope was sinful and had to be condemned somewhere in the Bible. Homemade biscuits and vegetables from the garden rounded out the meal. Dessert was coconut cream pie topped with a meringue about six inches thick.

We used to joke that when the chickens in the yard saw my maroon car coming down the lane through the pasture they all ran under porch to hide—those Rhode Island Reds knew that the slowest one might be lunch! The food was great, but the fellowship was even better. Oh, how we laughed about the time Guy caught a possum and put it in a daughter’s-in-law car. There was also the time when 95-year-old Myrtle “got caught” painting the ceiling in her kitchen. She was standing on the counter in the kitchen when her son found her. She had posted Guy on the porch to be the lookout, but he had fallen asleep.

Yes, we had a great time laughing about the adventures of the Musgrove bunch. Sooner or later each Sunday, someone would say something like, “Preacher, I was readin’ in the Bible the other day where Jesus said…” “What do you think He was sayin’?” It was at this point that teaching deeper than any sermon would take place. Their faith and my faith grew as we explored the Scriptures and had real-life discussions about living for Christ. We would pray together and encourage one another. Ada Faye is the only one still living in this world, but we still keep in touch and she prays for me and my family daily—what a blessing because of fellowship!
This is part of what Paul is speaking of Philemon 6 as he writes of “the fellowship of your faith.” Christians grow stronger in the faith through fellowship. At Brown Deer Baptist Church, our small family group ministry is having a new beginning. One group has begun to meet at the Geiger’s home twice per month. Other groups can be formed. If you are interested in hosting or being part of a new small group ministry, please let me know. The study does not require extensive preparation and the Bible study is fresh and leads to great discussions. Groups can set their own meeting times and determine how often they will come together for fellowship, study and prayer.

Love,
Pastor Larry