A SPECIAL NOTE: The Baptist Church Planters office has reminded me a number of times and I need to pass the information on to you. The mission is no longer using the P.O. Box address in Elyria, OH. Please send all mail and support checks to Baptist Church Planters, Inc. 36830 Royalton Road., Grafton, OH 44044. Thank you.
A PERSONAL BEARD STORY – I have never really wanted a beard or mustache. Recently, due to time in the hospital and trying to recoup at home I haven’t been too concerned about shaving. A kind nurse did shave me one day in the hospital. Anyway, this reminded me of the time when we took a couple weeks vacation to try and fix up and clean up around our mobile home and five acres in Arkansas. I thought it might be a good time to see if I could grow a beard so I didn’t shave. Immediately following the vacation we were scheduled to participate in a missions conference in Iowa. We arrived at the pastors home (a dear friend of ours) and waited for the arrival of the other missionaries to have dinner together on Saturday. I had fully intended to shave off the scraggly beard before the Sunday service but my plan changed. Another missionary arrived from a different mission board and he began chiding me for my unshaven condition and telling me how his mission would never allow a missionary to so conduct himself, wearing a beard. I must admit the old nature kicked in and I had a talk with the pastor about it to see if he would mind if I wore my new beard during the mission conference. He said he didn’t mind and that there were several men in his church who had beards. So, in my stubbornness and in response to the criticism of a foreign missionary I wore that beard (that I didn’t even like) all through the conference. Isn’t it strange the way we react to criticism from others? All this was probably a reaction to the years when long hair was being an issue, etc. When you really stop to analysis the matter biblically, many Bible characters wore beards, as did our Lord and Savior. Yet, sometimes people become legalistic in their attitudes without biblical authority. We often react to criticism in a manner even contrary to our own preferences. There must be a little flesh mixed in there someplace.
MUMBAI KILLINGS – Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of those who have been murdered. The news has been full of the details the past several days. I don’t want to seem unsympathetic toward those families who lost loved ones but a thought does come to mind. One man and his daughter that was killed had gone there as a part of a group that were attending a seminar on meditation. Why in the world would anyone have to travel so far to learn about meditation? This reveals to me that the meditation movement is another form of religion. Why else the dedication? Why else put such dedication into it? I am not minimizing the importance of meditation if it is focused on the right thing. Most of us as believers probably fail to meditate as much as we should on the Scriptures and on our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Shame on us! But a form of meditation that takes people to an extreme that makes it another form of religion surely cannot be of God. We have a world filled with people whose minds are concentrating on something other than the True God. What say you?
HOME NURSE – One of the home nurses that come 2-3 times a week is quite a talker. Especially when it comes to politics, particularly prior to the election. I usually try to get the discussion turned toward religion. She was very fearful of the outcome of the election and the possible effects upon her family. At one point she even talked of moving out of the country if Obama were to be elected. I tried to assure her that God was in control and nothing would transpire except as God allows. I finally had an opportunity when no one else was around to ask her the big question, “Have you ever received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?” She assured me that she had, for which I was thankful. I was then able to assure her that before the terrible things she fear that would come upon her family and the world, we would be taken away by the Rapture. It is amazing how many people belong to churches that have never taught them about God’s program relating to the Rapture, Tribulation, etc. How thankful I am for those early years when the pastor taught those matters and also for the Scofield Bible that had such good helps regarding these matters. I knew of these important truths early in my Christian experience. Too many pastors are failing in their responsibilities of teaching the basics of faith. Further, people are not being directed to purchase Bibles with proper helps so they can study these matters for themselves. As individual Christians we need to seek opportunities to help people get on the right track and know there are good helps available in this area of understanding the Bible. So many professing Christians today are lacking vital doctrinal truths and we should be ministering to them in these basic doctrines. Every born again Christian has a God given responsibility to share these matters of faith. If more took on this responsibility they would be leading others into their Biblically sound churches as they share these truths.
THANKSGIVINGS OVER – At least the day of Thanksgiving is over, but the spirit of thanksgiving should continue on in our hearts and attitudes. I am fearful that we place a lot of emphasis on this matter as a special day but forget to express the same in our every day living and attitude. Attitude says a lot to those around us. If we are seen and known for a thankful, grateful attitude I believe it will draw others to us, giving us new opportunities to share our faith. You might find Colossians 4:1-6 helpful in this regard. In verse four Paul said, “that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” To do so requires “prayer” with “thanksgiving” “that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.” The verse 6 “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” It is a great passage worthy of much meditation and consideration to help with our witnessing..
SUPPORTIVE CORRESPONDENCE – We don’t receive a lot of correspondence or emails from supporting churches and individuals but when we do, it is a great encouragement to our hearts. This past week we received a brief letter from our sending church, Rustic Hills Baptist Church in Colorado Springs. There was just a brief paragraph informing us that the people signing it were praying for us. Then following that paragraph were the signatures of the various church members. A great idea for other churches to consider in letting their missionaries know they are praying for them.
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