I know that I am several days behind in my blogging. I am going to use some down time I will have in the evenings next week to catch-up. Thank you for your patience…and remember the ultimate goal is not reading this blog every day, but reading our Bible’s every day!

Exodus 5-8

I was thinking on these plagues spoken of in Exodus 5-8 and I wrote this notation in the margins in relation to chapter 5 verses 1-23.

“Just prior to deliverance difficulties will increase for God’s people.”

The persecution that the Israelites experienced just prior to their deliverance from Egypt will, though not in the same manner, be experienced by God’s people in the last days of earths history just prior to our deliverance.

It was not until the plague of flies when the Lord said,

“I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”’” -Exodus 8:23

Does this mean that the plagues of blood water and frogs effected both God’s people and the Egyptians?

Among the Egyptians there were believers in the midst of all these plagues we discover this truth,

“The one among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses;” -Exodus 9:20

In the ninth plague–darkness–I see a beautiful metaphor for God’s people as this world comes to an end. Just as there was physical darkness in Egypt there will be great spiritual darkness at the end of time. But may the following be said of our homes…

“They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.” -Exodus 10:23

Let us worship the God of that light as we enter into the Sabbath!

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Samuel 21-25

I am pleased to announce that our church board, in support for our renewed focus on evangelism, has approved a plan to develop a full media ministry here at the Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church.

On February 22, 2016, our church board heard presentations by Spencerville members, Brad Thorp (Hope Channel) Andre Brink (Adventist Review), and Dan Weber (NAD Communications). Brad and Andre shared a variety of media ministry opportunities that would expand the reach of Spencerville Church, both locally and globally. Whether it’s through the 20 million DirectTV subscribers that receive Hope Channel in the United States, the 10 million Roku users, or the billions of individuals that visit YouTube daily, Spencerville Church could impact all of these with high-quality, Christ-centered media.

Not only would this ministry reach out, it will also reach in, sharing God’s love with specific groups within our own church family via live-streaming. As an example, we currently have more than thirty homebound members unable to worship with us in person on a weekly basis. We also have members who have moved away but still think of Spencerville as their home church. And we regularly hear of church family members that are sick or traveling, but would like to join us for worship on Sabbath. Possibly members who’ve become disconnected would consider coming back after first reconnecting with us in this way. We could serve all these groups more effectively through the portals of media.

Dan Weber, who is serving as chair of our Media Ministry Committee, then presented a $300,000 media ministry plan whereby we would successfully accomplish a media installation without negatively impacting the beautiful aesthetic of the Spencerville Church sanctuary. The board approved the plan without objection (details are available upon request.).

The cost may surprise you. But God began to provide before we even had a plan. Two individuals, a homebound member and a non-member who loves our church, separately and without prompting have contributed just under 45 percent of the total funds needed.

I am asking you to consider what you can give toward the remaining $167,000. Think of the broad impact that our media presence could have on people’s lives. Jesus will be brought to millions by a simple click on a phone, tablet, iPad, or computer. We desire a positive, Gospel-led media program for our members, our community, and for the world. Would you be willing to sacrifice something extra this month in order to give toward our media ministry project?

If your answer is “yes I can” then just click on this link and follow the instructions.

I thank you in advance for being a part of Spencerville Church’s media ministry vision, and for partnering with us to use every resource at our disposal to make Jesus better known and better loved.

Chad

If you have been to more than one Christian wedding in your life then it is likely you’ve heard 1 Corinthians 13 quoted or seen it printed on the bulletin, invitation or something of the sort. This chapter known as the love chapter has become a text that is seen as a marriage texts. Books have been written about it, songs have been sung about it, and of course many couples have used the text in their weddings.

Maybe even you…

Here is the problem, with the over saturation of this text and the cultural ties that have been made between it and marriage the true context of the passage has been lost.

I hope I don’t shatter anyone with the following statement, but Paul, when he wrote that text was not thinking of marriage. Yes of course the principles of love laid out in the passage are good to apply to marriage, but the text isn’t about love in the husband/wife relationship.

The text is about how to utilize one’s gifts and properly serve within the context of the local church. That we should serve Christ through His church with the love and passion we’ve all applied to our wedding vows 🙂 We are to utilize our spiritual gifts in a spirit of love.

Now that I think about it, the text would be used more accurately if we recited it and asked for individuals to commit to it upon joining the church than in a wedding.

I don’t mind that it is used in weddings or in regards to the marital relationship, but I hope next time you hear 1 Corinthians 13 you’ll pause and ask yourself “Am I serving my church with the love principles of 1 Corinthians 13?”

Tomorrow’s Reading: Exodus 5-8

When is worship vain?

When our preferences are taught as MUSTS!

‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ -Mark 7:7

Mark 7:14-19 is a challenging text for Seventh-day Adventists in regards to our understanding/assertion that there remain unclean foods we should refrain from eating. The in-depth study of this passage is far to extensive for this blog and so I would like to direct you to this link which will take you to an article by my friend, theological mentor, and a Spencerville Church member Dr. Ekkehardt Mueller in which he helps us to better understand the true purpose and function of Jesus’ words in this passage.

In Mark 8:32 Peter is uncomfortable with what Jesus is teaching, so he pulls him aside and rebukes Jesus…quite a bold move if you ask me…but that moment gives context to verse 34–

“And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” -Mark 8:34

It seems in the context of what verse 32 and that which Peter did not like and what made Peter uncomfortable that to “deny himself” is about denying our pride and our perspectives on what “the Christian life should be.”

We don’t get to define the cross we must bear. Jesus defines it for us and we must be willing to deny ourselves and willingly receive whatever cross each of us must take on. Each of us have to give up something in exchange for our souls…not as an act of “works” but because Jesus knows it is that very thing that if we don’t give it up, it will ultimately become our god…little “g”!

What is that “thing” Jesus wants to remove from your life…which means you must bear the denial of that “thing” so that it won’t become your little “god” impediment to The ONE TRUE GOD?

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 13 & 14

In each of these chapters God reminds the people, He’s appealed, just like He did to their ancestors and they have rejected, just like their ancestors did and thus destruction comes.

It is the truth we must all be reminded of. God as He describes it a couple times in this reading, “rose early in the morning” to speak truth and to guide them. The early in the morning means that God has gone before them, yet they have not listened. The truth is God has done the work humanity does not respond.

And then the call goes out in a question,

“Is there no balm in Gilead?” -Jeremiah 8:22a

God was trying to tell them there was He was trying to give them the answer but they would not listen.

Hopefully we will…

Tomorrow’s Reading: Mark 7 & 8

I continue to read Job as I have made this commitment, but I continue to read without great understanding. My previous two posts were easy, but Job has and continues to the struggle of my blogging.

I will share that I appreciate the contrast he makes in chapter 28 between digging for treasures in comparison to the search for wisdom.

For those who fancy themselves wise, based on Jobs understanding of which I believe are accurate, while we can find diamonds, and silver, and gold many places wisdom is only from one source, The Lord.

So the person who says they are wise but is not connected to Jesus…I’d be hesitant to listen to their wisdom.

Have a blessed night!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Jeremiah 7-11