NEVER
“Never” is an unbiblical word! How is it an unbiblical word?
“Never is unbiblical for those who are followers of Christ when discussing future plans!
“Never” is a word one who follows Christ should never use when talking about the future.
I have learned this in my short 33 years. Let me share with you a few stories.
When I became a Christian, I said, “I will NEVER ask anyone to become an Adventist.” i.e. “I won’t be an Adventist preacher.” Here I am loving every day as a preacher within the Adventist denomination, and obviously I am okay with folk becoming Adventist.
Happy Sabbath everyone!
What My Parents Did Right
I came from a fairly functional family, my parents had their issues and fights, but in the big picture my home life was stable. I over the years have teased my parents about some of the problems I have had in my life, and implied that they were to blame, though never really were. But they are responsible for some things I believe I have done right or at least I am attempting to do right.
- My parents showed a lot of affection towards one another as I grew-up. They hugged, they kissed, they walked down the street holding hands, my mom sat on my dad’s lap when they talked at times. I felt secure as a child because of this type of interaction. Their behavior then and even now has helped me in my marriage. Christina and I see my parents as a model of two people who though very different can work together through anything and at the end of each day be one another’s best friend! I believe I am a better husband and have a better marriage because of what my parents did right.
- My parents never shied away from saying, “SORRY”. I never remember a time that I was wronged by one of my parents where they were not quick to say sorry. If they yelled at us kids unnecessarily, or punished us to severly, they always said sorry. I learned from them that it is okay to admit when I am wrong, and sorry is a very easy word for me to use.
- My parents said I love you a lot! I was a kid that was very insecure and got into an abundance of trouble, I was the black sheep of a great family. I did most the things parents never want their kids to do, I never, ever felt I did anything that decreased their love! I believe their unconditional love, eventually helped me to accept God’s unconditional love!
- My parents taught me respect for authority. If any past teachers are reading this, they may disagree:) But though as a young person I showed very little respect to anyone, the lessons were still planted and I know this has allowed me to accept and value God’s Lordship, His authority over my life, even when I don’t always understand what He is doing!
- My parents did not fight my battles. I had to learn to be strong and understand that life isn’t fair, that people can be mean, and that my response to these situations is very important. I wonder whether kids are still learning this? It seems that parents are always quick to blame teachers or a kids peers, or another kids parents. Parents are quick to go in and fight their kids battles and I am afraid we will find as the years pass a progressively more immature, and a more delinquet society!
- My parents believed in character over talent. My dad and I had so many battles during my sports years. I remember us breaking down every single play following basketball and baseball games. We would fight on the golf course and at the batting cages, etc.. Here is the thing though, I never remember verbatim any of those confrontations (probably b/c they weren’t as bad as I’ve created in my head), but I do remember verbatim the time he caught me disrespecting a teammate, and the time he caught me giving a cheap shot to an opponent in a basketball game. My dad wanted me to win, he wanted me to play well, but more than that he wanted me to play with honor. I have tried to keep that in mind with every decision I make in life. The most important thing for me is to do things with honor!
I have great parents and these are just a few of the many things they did right for me and I am trying to do right for my boys.
I LOVE MY JOB!
This is Danny & this has been a 5+ year journey! I love my job! Thank you Jesus
My Recent Health Woes
Hello Blog World. I thought I would share with y’all an e-mail I sent out to my church family tonight about my health:
Happy Sabbath Church Family–
I decided to sit down tonight and write a quick note to y’all in regards to my health. I haven’t preached for two Sabbaths in a row (I am preaching tomorrow) and several individuals have asked if my absence has been due to my health, since I made a brief comment about it a couple of Sabbaths ago. The answer is “yes” and “no”. Yes, I didn’t preach two weeks ago due to my health. No, this last Sabbath was just a planned week off. But let me share with y’all the story as quickly as a preacher can:) Back in February I began to get some rather severe headaches, I am not one prone to headaches so I was a little alarmed, especially when they didn’t go away and began to get worse. I spoke with the resident doctor of our family my brother-in-law Chad and he told me I needed to go see a neurologist, he gave me a number…but that was the end of that. In mid-April the head aches began to subside some and so I thought they were just a random seasonal thing. Then in May they came back and around the same time I also began to experience regular short bouts of dizziness. Again my family urged me to the go to the Dr., but again I ignored them and kept on. Christina kept telling me I needed to go, she has actually been telling me to just get a regular check-up for years!!! I asked her “when do I have the time?” and always assured her, “I am fine.” Well several Sabbaths ago I experienced a couple of those dizzy spells while preaching. A little alarming, but they are 30 seconds or less, so no big deal. Then that next week I about when down while picking something up and I thought, “that could be one of my kids I was trying to pick up.” That day I was up in Fresno and I had some time to kill, and I saw a sign for a walk-in urgent care and so I dropped in. The individual that examined me told me I probably had an inner ear infection and sent me on my way.That night at house of prayer my head ache was just raging and so I decided to ask Dr. Eller who was there what he thought. He did the right thing, HE SCARED ME:). He told me it didn’t sound like an inner ear infection and I needed to get to a Neurologist. Well, through the suggestion of Dr. Eller, I got made an appointment with Dr. Soloniuk-Tays. She got me in right away and in that visit we discovered a perfect storm of symptoms. Headaches, Dizziness, right side weakness, right side reflex deficiency, forehead numbness, left ear hearing loss. Like I said it was the perfect storm of symptoms and even as I was being checked I realized this wasn’t looking good. All the symptoms together pointed to something very bad. I was told not to drive and to rest. And for the next 24 hours Christina and I mentally prepared for the worst. Praying and praising God for whatever would come.
Dr. Bouitt and Jon Jacques got me into an MRI ASAP and at the end of that MRI we discovered that I wasn’t gonna die, at least not yet:)! But obviously things were still wrong. So I’ve been back to see the Neurologist a couple times and to see Dr. Soloniuk again, had some labs, gone to PT, yada, yada, yada. Here is what we know: I have a pinched ulnar nerve in my right arm. I have mild carpal tunnel in my right wrist. I am definitely hearing deprived in my left ear, we don’t know why yet. I have muscle weakness on my right side, I have an MRI on my neck to check for a possible bulging disc after I get back from camp meeting. I have a muscle in my neck that is a difficult muscle to work with but something is wrong with it and it is what is causing my head aches, the numbness in my forehead, and possibly the vertigo since it attaches right behind the ear and has been known I was told to cause dizziness. My total cholesterol is too high, and my bad cholesterol is way to high. We also discovered I do have some extra tissue in my brain but nothing to worry about! I told one member this and they asked if it was then okay to call me fathead? 🙂 All the persons I have seen have been wonderful and I feel blessed to have had such great care. They have all given me much wonderful insight and one common piece of advice, “You need to take better care of yourself.” I am a naturally intense and passionate person, it is my personality, that I probably won’t be able to change much. But my diet, my sleep, my exercise, my time with my family I can control and it is in these places I seek balance and I ask you for your prayers in as well. Some things I learned in all of this:
- That Dr. Eller, Dr. Soloniuk-Tays, Dr. Bouitt, and Jon Jacques are awesome!!!!! (I really already knew this about all of them, but it was just confirmed) I love y’all!
- I learned that folk without God and without a church family need Him and a church family desperately! I LOVED!!!!! and felt so blessed to have our prayer partners praying! To be able to call up brothers and sisters in Christ here locally and across the country that hit their knees in prayer for me. I felt the strength of those prayers! My heart literally aches for people that don’t have that. I think of all the individuals that go through what I went through on a daily basis and in many cases their results aren’t excellent like mine. And yet they have no God that they can turn to and no family that will petition the Almighty for them! We can’t rest ’till everyone has had a chance to be a part of God’s family!
- I realized that though I would not want to go through on a regular basis, it is a good thing to have to stop and take moment or 24 hours to think about the fragility of life. To take account of ones life and where we are at with the Lord is a blessed reality!
- How awesome is the assurance of Salvation! I pray each of you know that if your last breath were tonight that you are saved by our loving Savior!
So that is my story. Thanks for listening. Please continue to pray for me, the dizziness has been a little better. Maybe that is b/c I have been trying to slow down a little. The head aches remain pretty constant but not agonizing, just the minute awareness that something is a little off on a continual basis. I pray it goes away, but I have told the Lord whatever He sees as best. I may need a thorn in my flesh.
I love y’all and let us all continue to reach people for Kingdom Growth! Pastor ChadCars Pull Over In the South
I had only been living in the South a short time, the real South (Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, etc.) not Southern California, I was driving along when suddenly all the cars in front of me began to stop. Not pull over to the side of the road and stop, but literally STOP right where they were at. I couldn’t figure out what was going on. I looked around the cars, I didn’t see anything that would be blocking the cars. I was frustrated, what was going on?! Then I noticed a driver from one of the cars got out of his car and respectfully stood facing the two lane highway going the opposite direction. That is when I noticed something amazing. Over the grass median heading in the opposite direction was a funeral procession. I thought to myself, “this must be someone very important for all these cars to stop.” But as I watched it seemed just like your ordinary run of the mill funeral. I waited patiently, thinking I must be missing something. Then the man got back in his car and we all began to move again.
It wasn’t more than a few weeks later when I was driving along and suddenly all the cars in front of me were stopping. Yep, another funeral procession. In the South it doesn’t matter if you are the President of the United States or Billy the local porch sitter, if you die, people will stop for your funeral procession. I was once in a procession for one of our members that had died. I noticed something else on this occasion. People on the sidewalks even stopped walking, kids got off their bikes, and everyone stood respectfully while the procession passed.
I was happy the day I saw a funeral procession and no one else was around, but I was able to stop and wait respectfully in the middle of the road while cars behind me slowed to a stop as well. No one honked or sped by me. We just sat there, for 5 minutes not moving paying respect to the family and friends of the deceased individual.
Last Friday we were driving through Visalia and came upon a rather large funeral motorcade. Christina asked me, “Are you going to stop?” Sadly I looked at her and said, “We aren’t in the South anymore.”
I love living in Visalia, but every now and then I miss the South! Thanks Dixie for still making honor more important that rushing through life and for teaching me a little about respect for our fellow man!
What U2, Bon Jovi, & AC/DC Teach Us About Church
Most people don’t like change! They say they do, “No really I actually like change,” but they really don’t. I think maybe it is seen as uncool by some especially in my generation to say that they don’t like change, to admit they just prefer the good ‘ole stand-by/status quo ways of doing things, so people say they like change. By the way you can tell if people really like change by how they respond to it and how long it takes them to wrap their head around an idea or if they resist at all. People that really like change don’t usually resist to every “change idea” initially. Some people, I believe, think they do like change simply because they are able to change, but being able to change and liking change are two far different things! And most people don’t like change, and this is frustrating to me as a Pastor, especially as a pastor that likes change! Now let me be honest, I don’t like change in all areas. It took me a long time before I decided l liked Chinese food, Indian food, Thai food (I love them all now, but it took some time). If you go to a Mexican restaurant there may be something wrong with me if I don’t order cheese enchiladas. I still prefer and use a hard copy to do list over the new technology that allows me to digitize all my tasks, unlike my good friend Rodlie who is In Lust Over Wunderlist. I still prefer baseball games that are a 2-1 pitchers duel over the crazy 10 to 9 games of the steroid era! So I don’t like change in all areas.
But where I do like change is in church! Why is this? Because 80% of all Adventist churches in North America are plateaued or dying and I personally cannot just sit around accepting things “as is” when so many people still need to be introduced to Jesus and to learn the full truth’s of scripture. Or while the church I love dies a slow death of irrelevance in North America. So what am I willing to do? I am willing to change in every area without compromising principles in order to reach people for Jesus! What I have discovered is that other people don’t feel the same way as me! And this honestly has at times about driven me CRAZY! Because I have interpreted often, which is what drives me crazy, that people who don’t like change, really HATE change and refuse to like anything different.
So what does this have to do with U2, Bon Jovi, & AC/DC? All these bands are old! AC/DC first entered the rock music scene in 1973, U2 was formed in 1976 and hit it big in 1980, and Bon Jovi in 1983. These bands by the ever changing music world are old! Yet in 2010 Bon Jovi, AC/DC, & U2 were the top concert draws around the world! Old or not, people have gotten used to them and people like what they are used to. It doesn’t mean people don’t like other types of music or other music groups, they just like to come back to some of the old classics.
I think this is good for me to remember as a pastor…maybe it isn’t that most people hate all the changes, they may not like change, but they don’t hate it, they just hate that at least of the few “old classics” still aren’t around. Like singing out of a hymnbook, pathfinders, old school evangelism, etc. So maybe the thing to do is while in the midst of change to make sure we keep around a few of the “old classics” or to at least bring them out for a tour every now and then so that people can know that all they once loved is not completely dead.
Kinda like I have accepted that the new Heritage Singers are a better fit for the time and era in which we live:
I still like to go back and get a little of the “Old School” every now and then:
What Will I Do Without Facebook?
I have decided to delete my Facebook account. Why? Because it is a time vacuum! I have friends that have Facebook and they check it once a week and that is it, if I was one of those people, that would be great. Unfortunately I don’t seem to be one of those people, so I am more the kind that checks it once an hour. What brought me to this point. I am preaching on prayer this Sabbath and I was thinking about the things that I do more than pray…I used to watch more TV than pray…I used to watch more movies than pray…I used to watch more sports than pray…I used to play more golf than pray…all those things have basically been eliminated in my life. But as I was writing my sermon today…I realized that whenever I took a “mental break” or a “stretch break” I was simultaneously checking Facebook. Checking Facebook has almost become a default function in my life. I don’t want anything to be a default programmed function in my life other than Prayer, Studying the Bible, Loving my wife, loving my kids, and doing good to others.
So when I realized all this, the nagging sense that I should take a fast from Facebook kicked into high gear. Then sudden intense resistance! I began to rationalize all the reasons I should stay on Facebook. I began trying to convince myself that I could just check it once a day. I wondered, “What will I do without Facebook?” Forgetting I had lived about 30 years without Facebook. But as the resistance grew so too did the determination to leave Facebook behind. I’ve learned that if I am trying to cling to things that are not of the spiritual nature or rationalize existence of those things in my life, then that is a sure sign it is time to say goodbye. So I say goodbye to Facebook today…in just an hour or so to be exact.
Why am I canceling it completely. Because I know myself…Nuff said! 🙂
I may be back someday, of course I took a 40 day fast from MySpace about 4 years ago and never went back to that, so maybe this will be permanent. Not all my time on Facebook has been a waste, but a lot of it has, so hopefully the time that was wasted will now be utilized for the Kingdom of God!
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The Bible In Our Homes: Guest Post Jennifer Pettengill
Greetings Parents, I want to encourage you to read this post by a very close friend of Christina and I, Jennifer Pettengill. God is using her to raise a beautiful child of the Lord and to help others do the same. Thanks for the reminders of this post Jennifer! You can read more of Jennifer’s stuff on her blog: Growing to Know Jesus
The Bible in our homes
The more I read, the more I realize that my job raising Calissa has a lot to do with my walk with God. As I run after God, she will see, He will have victory in me, and He will live out His life within me. We have such a wonderful, patient, and giving Father! Here are some quotes that have given me direction with teaching the bible…
“Even when quite young, children notice; and if the parents show that the Word of God is not their guide and counselor, if they disregard the messages brought to them, the same reckless spirit of, ‘I don’t care; I will have my own way,’ will be shown by the children.” Child Guidance p. 509 “Do not think that the Bible will become a tiresome book to the children. Under a wise instructor the Word will become more and more desirable. It will be to them as the bread of life; it will never grow old.” Child Guidance p. 514 “Parents, let the instruction you give your children be simple, and be sure that it is clearly understood. The lessons that you learn from the Word you are to present to their young minds so plainly that they cannot fail to understand. ” Child Guidance p. 514 “The use of object lessons, blackboards, maps and pictures will be an aid in explaining these lessons and fixing them in the memory. Parents and teachers should constantly seek for improved methods. The teaching of the Bible should have our freshest thought, our best methods, and our most earnest effort.” Child Guidance p. 516 * now we have so many more methods that can be used… “Neglect anything of a temporal nature,(then it talks about unnecessary sewing and such being done away with)…but be sure that the soul is fed with the bread of life…. Make the Bible its own expositor, bringing together all that is said concerning a given subject at different times and under varied circumstances. Do not break up your home class for callers of visitors. If they come in during the exercise, invite them to take part in it. Let it be seen that you consider it more important to obtain a knowledge of God’s word than to secure the gains or pleasures of the world.” Review and Herald, Oct. 9 1883Stretching Beyond 10%
It is Sabbath afternoon and I am sitting here pondering the idea of Sacrificial Giving. Have you ever noticed that in the New Testament that when it comes to the issue of MONEY we as humanity seem to be stretched by God beyond the 10% (tithe) of the Old Testament?
“And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” –Matthew 5:40
“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” –Matthew 5:42
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” –Matthew 19:21
“And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” –Mark 12:41-44
“And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” –Luke 19:8, 9
“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” –Acts 2:45
In the above scriptures we see at the very least that sacrificial giving seems to be encouraged, if not expected. I wonder though how many of us actually sacrifice? And by sacrifice I mean “go without” in order to give to another, or to give to God through the church.
Some questions I have? Can someone consider themselves a sacrificial giver if they purchase NFL Sunday Ticket? Can I consider myself a sacrificial giver since we bought a brand new Honda Odyssey Minivan? I am just wondering what sacrificial giving really looks like? These aren’t rhetorical questions I am struggling through these thoughts. Is sacrificial giving the moment I “feel” the giving? What if someone is a miser and giving away a dollar is “felt” by them? Is sacrificial giving taking the time to pause the moment I want something and asking can God if He can use this money for other more important things, and when He says, “yes” as He I am sure often would I then sacrifice my wants for the greater good? Is sacrificial giving based on what we have or what we would have if we weren’t so wasteful with our money? In other words is a person in extreme debt off the hook for sacrificial giving, or do they need give based on what they could have if they had used their money in a God honoring way in the first place? Anyone come to a conclusion in their own life?
I know for Christina and I it is not 10%, just tithe, though I am sure for some it is. But 10% for Christina and I wouldn’t even be thought of at the end of the year. So it is more…but how much more?
Here is where I am at right now with this. Let me know if you think this is right or wrong, or if you have a better thought I would love to hear it!?
I try to give now where I have to think about it! And ask the questions I am asking. The moment I get comfortable with what I am giving, we are giving, I think that is the time to give more…that is how we are going about it at this point in our lives. If I don’t feel stretched and I don’t even think of the amount I am giving anymore and ponder it, then I need to raise the bar on my giving.
What do you think? Maybe someone out there has read some things on sacrificial giving. I am open to your wisdom! Please share!
People Need the Lord: A Guest Post by Noemi Roman
Noemi Roman is the Bible worker of the Visalia Seventh-day Adventist church and she is also working with our team to plant our new campus/church The Ark. Yesterday she was out inviting community people to The Ark’s Cookout, a connecting event this Sunday. The following is the story of an encounter she had with a lady by the name of Victoria:
Last night my sister and I while knocking on doors inviting people to the new church, knocked on a door of a lady who was on the phone. Not wanting to bother her, I was about to just leave the flyer on the door, but before I could pull it from my hand, she motioned for me to open the door and come inside. By the time we were through the front door, she had us two cold Pepsi’s and a apple apple juice (for Isaiah) in our hands motioning for us to sit down on the sofa. As we talked she told us that she needed to be saved and was scared she was lost. She questioned what was different about our church and said that even though we were nice, she probably wouldn’t attend because she felt like such a sinner, and had no knowledge of God. All she knew of Him was from what she had seen from The Passion of the Christ, she told us that if any of that was true and if He was willing to endure all that for us then she really wanted to be saved. We told her that God loved her and that it was by Grace alone, through faith, to the Glory of God alone that we are saved. Yvonne was so loving to her and asked her if she had ever considered bible studies. Her answer was no, because she felt embarrassed because she hadn’t read the bible and didn’t think she could understand it. She explained that her life had been spent making bad choices and that if we only knew, it would make us think different of her. WOW! I told her that God loved her and despite OUR failure, His love continues and will always continue. She looked at us so puzzled and said she had never heard such things. I thought how could someone not know that God loves them? God loves us so much and yet the Devil tries to blind people into not seeing who God really is~ A loving compassionate Father who at the thought of not spending eternity with us, jumped off a throne and land on cross just to save us and show us how much He values us. Giving up His life shows us our value. I praised God that she had seen The Passion of the Christ, that if that was the only knowledge she had of Him, PTL because that is the Gospel! (Despite some of the different portrayals of Christ in the movie vs bible).
As we were leaving she walked us out and I felt impressed to ask her if I could pray with her. Her eyes began to fill with tears and she asked if we could go back inside just the two of us. We went to her room and I grabbed her hand and prayed for her, I asked God to pour His Spirit on her and show her that He died to save especially her, that her name Victoria is engraved in the palm of His hands and that despite whom she sees, God sees a beautiful daughter whom He loves. I poured out my heart because I wanted her to know that she was loved and that we weren’t there by chance, God had led us to her house specifically. She cried the entire prayer. As I was leaving she hugged me and asked what she could bring on Sunday.
God is so good and meeting Victoria yesterday reminded me just how much God loves us. I left so blessed and so encouraged. There are so many people out in this world that don’t really know who God really is and how much He loves them. Thank you God for leading us to Victoria yesterday. Our group knocked on over 100 other doors and personally invited each of them. Please keep this Sunday’s event in prayer, pray for the last 200 invitations that were personally asked to come in prayer.
Random Thoughts on Facebook
Here are some random thoughts on Facebook, why I love it, and why I hate it!
Let us start with the LOVE list:
- There are friends I have connected with on Facebook that I had lost contact with years ago, and while our contact is not extensive it is nice to have knowledge of their life and to share with them a ‘bit of my life.
- A great resource to share church information and to connect with folk interested in the same groups or communities!
- I love being able to easily invite folk to events that are happening for our church or for social occasions.
- It is awesome when prayer is needed and their is a request made and you see the firestorm reaction.
- More people read my blog, “Outside the Pulpit” from Facebook than from any other avenue.
- I like being able to congratulate folk on big milestones and achievements in their lives.
- Having access to information like THIS so that I can join the cause!
- Seeing pictures of my kids that my little sister takes all the time. I feel like Christina and I don’t need to worry about storing memories, since Erin does that for us:)
Okay now things I hate about Facebook:
- That awkwardness I feel when someone asks me to be a friend on Facebook and I have NO IDEA who they are!
- That it sucks up WAY TOO MUCH OF MY TIME!
- The farm things and all the little give away non-sense people link me too…hmmmmm (clearing throat) “MOM”
- That there are reports of Facebook being listed as a cause in 1 of 5 divorces, which is something in the past I would have laughed at, except for I know two couples that are divorced or getting divorced in part because of Facebook liason connections.
- That I see things on Facebook that I wish I didn’t know about…have actually had to block some folk because the stuff that is put up on their page just makes me sad.
- That is used as a gossip and back biting forum…only the gossip is not just to one person, but to 1000’s!
What about you? Do you love or hate Facebook?
8 Truths That Have Penetrated Because of Kids
I’ve learned more about God’s love for His children from my two sons than from anything else I have experienced in my life!
Here is what I have learned: (a lot of these are what I have learned from my oldest, because he is 2 going on 3 and Landon is 10 months:)).
1. Grace comes easy to God. I’ve already forgiven Dayton before he says sorry.
2. God’s discipline is done in love. I can honestly say there is only one time that I disciplined Dayton in anger, otherwise my discipline has genuinely come from a loving place.
3. God’s discipline helps me grow as an individual. Christina and I have seen changes in our son in the positive through discipline.
4.God is obsessed with saving me/humanity (His children). I know this because lately the greatest thing on my mind and in my prayers is, “please Jesus help me to raise my boys to love You!” I am desirous above all other things that my children will be in the Kingdom of Heaven with their Creator & Savior.
5. God’s love is limitless. I love fully both my boys and I want more children because although I never knew before I could love this much, I know that no matter how many children I have I will still have enough love to give.
6. God sees His children as beautiful. I am sure my kids aren’t the most beautiful kids that exist in the world (though pretty close:)), but to me I see the handsomest young boys ever created.
7. God’s love is not influenced by my actions. Landon cried for almost 2 hours straight the other night…never once did my love waver!
8. Jesus would have died even if it was for just me and no one else. I would lay down my life in a heartbeat for either one of my boys.
Thank you God for helping me to know more about you through my two sons, so that I may love you more in my life!
New Blog Name?
Hey Y’all–
Right now my blog is called “Chad Stuart’s Prose”. I feel like I want a new blog name.
Help me name my blog! Send me your suggestions.
Thanks,
Chad
It’s Not My Right, It is My Privilege
So driving to my Coaching Network yesterday I was pondering the reality that I believe the time is coming when as a Seventh-day Adventist Minister will have to work for free…or at least only at the level my basic needs are provided for. I can’t really lay out for you all the reasons I feel that day is coming, I just believe it is.
Then during our Coaching Network during our Pressure Points time, one pastor discussed providing all his team with cell phones and paying for their bill. There was immediate push back on this issue. The leaders of the Network and other sage folk in the Coaching group showed several ways and examples of how this then becomes an area of entitlement. Where people think they “should” have their phone paid for by the church and become disgruntled if this “privilege”, which they have come to believe is their “right” is taken away or not available to them anymore.
That entire discussion and what I was thinking about on the way to the Network had me pondering on the way home from the Network, how we that work for the church or a religious organization need to be very careful about the condition of our hearts in regards to the “privileges” we have in working for the Kingdom of God. I believe too often our hearts may go astray and begin to see it as our “right” to have insurance, retirement, a salary, our phones paid for, assistance with schooling. None of these in fact our “rights” though, these are simply “privileges” and if they were all to leave us tomorrow if our hearts are in the right place it shouldn’t change at all the way we feel about doing ministry!
This past year the pastors in my conference received a 3% pay cut. Now no one likes to get a pay cut, but as I heard different discussion around the proverbial “water cooler” it made me wonder, “If this is how these folk feel about a 3 % cut, what is going to happen on the day we get a 100% cut?”
The question I believe all who work in ministry must ask ourselves is, “Would I still give all my life for ministry? Would I be broke for the sake of ministry if all the “privileges” were taken away? Do I work for the “privileges” or for the PRIVILEGE of being a full time servant of the Most High God?!” If we wouldn’t be doing what we are doing on the day we will no longer get a pay check, or our cell phones paid for, or insurance, or retirement, or school assistance, then I think it may be time for folk to find a new job! The full time ministry is a LIFE CALLING, not a job!
Just a few thoughts!
A mixed bag of a day!
So today was a mixed bag…there was one really awesome thing…I am in a coaching network for the next 6 or so months and today I attended my first session and learned a TON! Otherwise the day was kinda rough…
Since I had to drive all the way to the Milpitas I was up a little before 5 a.m., as was Christina since she is a crazy light sleeper and actually the one that came around to my side of the bed to turn off my alarm :). The best thing would have been for us to be able to get up and get ready quietly and peacefully, but well before they were supposed to be up both boys were up and ready to vie for our attention.
Then I drove 3+ hours to the Coaching Network. Again I learned a ton and had a great time. But my stomach hurt most the day and the only pizza they ordered was covered in meat, guess I forgot to tell them I am a vegetarian.
On the way home I got stuck in some traffic. And while in traffic suddenly had to go to the bathroom very badly! That was rough!
Driving home I listened to the Mavericks vs Heat game. I am not a Heat fan at all yet I lost the signal when the Heat were up 15…I was bothered that I had listened to that whole game and then the Heat were just going to blow them out. Oops…I guess after my signal died the Mavs went on a crazy run and won the game, of course I missed it…my trip home took about 4 or so hours.
Oh and I forgot to mention probably the most frustrating thing of the day…while I was standing in the shower trying to wake-up…the water running over my head, reminded me of the water running into our pool…
Yep, I had decided the evening before to add a little water to our pool…only problem is I never turned off the hose…so our backyard was flooded, that is a nice waste of water and going to be a pretty bill.
I guess today was just an average day…mixed…full of some frustrating things and some highlights…
But as I get ready for bed…the day becomes great because I am thinking of four things:
1. God loves me and has forgiven my sins
2. My wife is healthy and happy
3. My two 1/2 year old looks like an angel while he sleeps
4. My 9 almost 10 month old was just crying and self soothed himself back to sleep without us having to go back in there
Those four individuals really make up the primary good in my life and so every day ends well because I am with them:
God, Christina, Dayton, & Landon.
May tomorrow be just as blessed!
The Ark
The Ark exists to impact EVERY life by boldly calling people to follow Jesus, transparently loving others (as Christ does!), obediently serving the community, faithfully teaching the full truth of the Bible, and intentionally training witnesses for the Kingdom.
Please pray for this movement! Our first preview service is this Sabbath/Saturday at 4:30 p.m.. if you are around feel free to join us it is at the Willow Glen Elementary School in Visalia, CA.
Thank you for your prayers!
Josh Cunningham: Into Tomorrow
If you don’t like Christian music, at least not what is played on the radio 99% of the time, you will like the album below. Even if you do like more of the pop Christian music out there, but also appreciate some soulful, folk, bluegrass style of music you will like this as well!
A fella I know, Josh Cunningham, has released his first solo Christian album. Josh is a very accomplished musician, he has been a part of the Australian band The Waifs for close to 20 years. The Waifs a multi-platinum selling group, and winner of several ARIA awards (Australia’s version of the Grammy’s I guess). Josh several years ago gave his heart to the Lord and while continuing to be a part of the Waifs has also been working through ARISE as a Bible worker and utilizing his skills as a musician to spread the Gospel.
His new Album Into Tomorrow is available through his above website or if you are like me and work in the wonderful world of Apple:) You can go to itunes and purchase it there as I did.
Folk I would urge y’all to go have a listen and pick this album up. I have been listening to it the last couple of days and it is tremendous…I thought I may just be bias because I know Josh. So I had my little sister have a listen, she is very critical about music, and I think fancies herself as a ‘bit of a music connoisseur…I knew she would tell me if she thought it was junk as she has done about other things I have liked in the past, and she said, “I really like this!”
So go listen and buy this spiritually deep, mellow, accoustical brilliant album!
Harold Camping & The End of the World
If you haven’t heard Harold Camping is predicting that the end of the world will take place May 21…that is tomorrow in case you were wondering. Maybe as you are reading this for some of you Down Under. I wanted to take a moment to share a few thoughts I had regarding this prediction.
Harold Camping’s prediction and the prediction of William Miller in 1844 should not be seen in the same light. William Miller came to the wrong conclusion but the process by which he got to that conclusion is still in existence today within Adventism and without. Camping uses numerology to get to his conclusion, William Miller used a Bible based exegetical process.
That said, my second thought is that while William Miller’s methodology was more sound his prediction was still wrong! His prediction was wrong, just like Theudas in 44 AD and probably John Denton’s will be in 2034 A.D.. (There have been 242 known apocalypse predictions since the life of Jesus). We should never get caught up in predictions! God will come when God will come. Our only hope for being prepared is to live each day completely committed to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour!
As Adventists I hope we would not mock Harold Camping, we should remember that in our history many of our forefathers were once confused as well! I have heard many folk comment about how stupid and foolish people must be to believe such claims. Was our church founded by stupid fools, or people that were sincere, just sincerely deceived? I believe that rather than mocking the followers of Camping we should pray that just as God led our founders to discover greater truth as they went back to their Bibles following “The Great Disappointment”, that the folk following Camping will in their disappointment do the same and come to a greater understanding and appreciation for the Word of God!
My friend Kessia Reyne Bennett tweeted the following: “Seems like so many people are insisting that heaven isn’t coming on May 21st but we haven’t stopped to ask why we’re so glad that it’s not.” I believe this statement is very thought provoking. I can think of only one reason that we should rejoice that Heaven isn’t broaching our solar system: Because it means we have more time to reach more people for Jesus. If this is not the reason you are glad that Heaven is not here, than there should be an examination of our heart. In all of us I believe there should be tinge of sadness each day that this world and it’s sin continues on! Probably something we rarely think about, but this world is not our home…and every day I am away from my earthly home I spend a moment thinking about my wife and my boys and wishing I was with them. Do we do that in regards to our heavenly home?
I believe people need to be careful. I like sports, and I like some sports talk radio. One of my favorites is Colin Cowherd. Well today I was very disappointed, Cowherd labeled his email inbox: the Judgement Day inbox. He was mocking what Camping was saying was going to take place. In the process of mocking Camping, which I don’t believe is right either, but they were truly mocking God. I think folk need to be careful, just because May 21st, 2011 may not be the day of judgement, a judgement day will come and folk will have to give an account of the words they spoke and did not speak, and the deeds they did and did not do.
These are some of my thoughts on this Sabbath evening. I look forward to worshiping our Lord tomorrow and I live with the knowledge of the truth, though I do not know the day or the hour “He who is coming will come and will not delay.” –Hebrews 10:37
Don’t Be Lazy and Blame God!
The other day a decision was made in a committee that I did not agree with. I found out about this decision while I was heading to the Fresno Zoo with my family. We met my Mom there and I guess I was wearing an unhappy look on my face (I don’t hide my emotions well) because she asked Christina what I was bothered with and then she said to me, “Christina told me Chad, don’t let it bother you. You can be happy. We know it’s God will right?!” I want to talk just a minute about “God’s Will.” I believe that we as Christians sometimes see God’s will as the way out for everything, and I believe this is lazy thinking and lazy Christianity. I believe everything happens by the permission of God, thus we could say everything happens by God’s will, but what I don’t believe is that everything is God’s providential will. Sometimes things happen, bad things, that are not God’s providential will. Sometimes decisions are made, bad decisions, that are not God’s providential will. In these instances the bad things and the bad decisions are God’s permissive will. We should never be happy with God’s permissive will, it means that we are out of line with what God really wanted, but He gave us our way, and since our ways are not God’s ways, this is never a good thing! Now it isn’t always immediately clear to see if it is God’s providential will versus God’s permissive will, but to simply always chalk things up to “God’s will” and say then we are okay I think can make us lazy, because then we can basically make or take any decision and say, “God’s will”, dust off our hands and walk away. But God’s permissive will which is allowing us to have our will can go terribly wrong:
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” 1 Samuel 8:4-9
God gave the people their will, it was His permissive will. He even chose the King for them, Saul. If you read the rest of the Old Testament you will quickly see that this decision did not go as planned for the Israelites. And when they got a bad king they would blame God, I mean after all it was “GOD’s WILL”
Yes everything is God’s will, but let us be careful not to be lazy and accept His permissive will when what we need is God’s providential will!
Calling All Parents, Adventist Education Needs You!
Earlier today I posted on the Superiority of Adventist Education. Today I want to make an appeal to all parents that do not yet or have not yet decided to send their kids to an Adventist school. Here is the reality, as much as I believe we should send our kids to Adventist schools and as strong academically as our schools are, we could still do more and there are still changes that need to be made! The only way I see these changes being made is through parents that are interested and engaged, and the more parents interested and engaged the greater reality for greater change!
Why is this so? Because we can only really change what we are a part of! Here are two thoughts connected to this point:
First, many times we make statments like, “When that school changes then I will send my kid there.” The reality is, “that school” can’t change unless you do send your kid there. Why? Because you, the ones that want change, won’t be engaged to change things unless you have something invested in it! I would love to say we all are extremely altruistic and completely generous in our service, but the reality is, most of us don’t engage and lend our energies to things that don’t benefit us directly, which is why people can say they want to help SDA schools, but unless their most precious possesion, i.e. their kids, are at said school, they won’t really be a part of the change process.
Second, an outside voice is not as well received as a voice that is invested or part of the “team”. Here is a story to illustrate this point. Shortly after 9/11 I was at a conference for Adventist University chaplains and their teams. During one break a group of us were sitting around discussing 9/11 our thoughts, our theories, even some of the conspiracy theories. One individual in the group happened to be a Canadian and from one of our sister colleges in Canada, this individual with I believe no true malice in mind made a statement though that was not for an outsider to say. In fact this individual made the comment and immediately three or so individuals got riled up and responded defensively. The Canandian then became defensive and said, “I am only saying what several of you have also alluded to.” I then said to this individual, “Yes, but we are all Americans.” And that really was the reality, we were Americans, we were the ones attacked, we could say what we wanted, but the moment a non-American jumped in we all got our noses bent out of shape. If you don’t send your kids to an Adventist school, or don’t plan to, but want to then tell people what is wrong with their school, it is not well received. We can all agree that people shouldn’t feel this way, we should accept truth wherever it comes from, but we know that is not reality. Think of it this way. How many of you have been irritated with those people who talk about kids and how to raise kids that don’t have kids? I am raising my hand! Then what is worse is when they try to compare raising an animal to your child. Hey sister your cat, your dog, is nothing like having a kid! We have a hard enough time listening to advice from other parents, but we will at least listen, because we know they at least have some understanding, but someone that is not a parent we just shut them out completely! It is the same with our schools. If you aren’t in it your voice is shut out! Unfortunate, but true!
Which is why we need you and your kids in our schools!
I can immediately hear someone thinking, “Well I am not going to sacrifice my kids.” Read yesterdays post, you aren’t sacrificing your kids! In fact many of us that make that statement are products of Adventist Education. And as much as I have made the schools of my upbringing far superior to the Adventist schools I see now, the truth is they really weren’t. I still remember the vice-principal who came up to me at the end of my senior year and said, “Chad I am proud of you for sticking with Jesus. There were faculty members after your conversion that said, ‘it won’t last it is only a fad. Chad can’t change.” Yes those were “Christian” teachers at an Adventist school. I still remember as well the teacher that tried to prevent a number of the students from going to a prayer conference stating bluntly that we were taking “to many religious trips.” Or what about the girl that cursed me out in the hallway in front of a teacher. There were no repercussions. Or what about my own foul mouth before my conversion on the court and off…rarely was there any consequence to this. Yes, this was at an Adventist school. It wasn’t perfect. But it was still better than any other alternative and when my heart was finally softened to hear the voice of Jesus, it wasn’t the church or my parents that reached me, it was through the activities and the connections at the school. So believe me when I say, you are not sacrificing your kids…you are giving them the best chance possible and with you involved in changing what does need to be changed at our schools, you are giving them an even better chance!