Keep It Simple

Simple doesn't mean ignorant or unimportant. It means uncluttered and easy to understand. I like understanding things. When I don't, I ask about them or research it.

I remember ministering once to a man dying of cancer. As is so often the case, we are often served in our attempt to serve. He served me in a very special way one day when I asked him what his favorite Bible verse was. It was John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. I asked him why that was his favorite verse. He told me, "because its so simple Pastor, God loved us and came to save us." Wow!

In a world of confusion I love that simple message. Recently I have had some tough conversations with people regarding being saved, and what it means to believe in Jesus. Some people make it so complicated and after awhile my head spins. Here is an example of not keeping it simple. In one of those conversations someone said to me, "well what does the Bible mean by 'world'?" Did Jesus really die for everyone?

You're kidding right? What does it mean by world? The last time I checked the word world means world, that is all the people that have lived, are living and that will live. No one is going to tell me that God didn't love the entire world and send His Son to die for it on the cross.

As I write this I am thankful for a faithful servant (who is now with the Lord )for teaching me that in the midst of deep theological discussions we have a simple message to go back to. If God loves the world then He surely must love me.

Call it simple but don't call it ignorant.

In Christ,
Pastor John

Use Me Lord, But Not in That Way!

Ever thought that way? I have and did recently in Peru on the mission trip. We were speaking at a Pastor's Conference. They were seeking some of our wisdom as North American Pastors. Sounds cool, huh? Maybe I will speak of Christ's second return or on Baptism. Maybe I will speak on how to do outreach. Use Me Lord! So what do I end up talking about? How a Pastor carries on ministry in the middle of a divorce. I was mad. My fellow missionaries looked at me when the question was raised. Of the 5 pastors on this trip I was the only one who had gone through a divorce. They wanted me to speak from the heart and tell my story. I didn't want to because I didn't want to be divorced at that moment. I'm remarried and can't I just forget about the past. But God wanted me to talk. He wanted me to help the young pastor who came up to me afterwards seeking more "wisdom" from my experience. He wanted to know if and how he would make it through his wife leaving him.

Maybe you are in a place in life where you don't want to be. I mean, who signs up to be an expert on the tough subjects of divorce or illness or death. But if we truly want God to use us then we have to be willing to share our story in order to help another person make it. Joseph shared the ugly details of his brothers rejection with them only to remind them that God had a plan in all of it.

If my pain can help someone else get closer to Jesus isn't it worth it? Someone once said that if we learn from our pain then it is not wasted.

I learned another definition of grace on this trip. Grace is God using someone even when they don't want to be used in that way. I could have talked about Baptism that day but God had other plans. (I'd rather He be in control, how about you?) God softened my heart that day.

May God use you, me, Project 52 in the way that He wants not in the way we want.

In Christ,
Pastor John