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Doing Your Best (August 2008)
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit . . .
but it is the same God
who works all in all. 1 Corinthians 12:4, 6
Think for a moment about how you would live your life if you were
deaf and blind. Would you attempt college? Write books? Learn different
languages? Become a political activist? If so, then you would
be in good company with the extraordinary person who was Helen
Keller. She accomplished everything mentioned above and then
some. Needless to say, she knew how to do the best with what she
had and therefore made the world a better place.
Are you doing the best you can for God with what you’ve been
given; or are you stuck, comparing yourself to those who have something
that you don’t have?
Seniors, God has given each one of us unique gifts and abilities; and
just like Moses with his rod, David with his sling, the lad with his
lunch, and the widow with her oil, God will take what you have and
use it for his purpose if you embrace what you’ve been given and
offer it up to him.
If you ever feel you have nothing of worth to give back to God, ask Hhim to reveal to you the special gift He has given only to you, and
then do the very best you can with what you have!
Please think of the possibilities you have right here at Lexington
Baptist Church to give back to God.
If you are trying to figure it out
and would like to talk with someone, give me a call at 996.8827.
“When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is
wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” (Helen Keller) |
Do Not Lose Who You Really Are (June 2008)
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. James 5:16
I was reading a story of a young father who had been raised as an orphan. When he had children of his own, he didn’t know how to handle them. He would alternately ignore them and discipline them in anger. Once after a particularly embarrassing loss of temper, the father put his head in his hands and with desperation in his voice said, “Son, you don’t understand. I’ve never had a father. I have never seen how fathers do it. I feel totally helpless. I don’t know how to be a parent. I want to be a good parent, but I don’t know how. Help me!” The boy took his father in his arms and the two of them wept together. From that point on, father and son were close.
None of us are perfect; and sometimes our best approach is to be honest, transparent, and down-to-earth. I have even chosen to answer a question with “I don’t know, but I will find out,” instead of trying to answer or giving an opinion without thinking it through.
Our children and our friends need to see our humanness, and transparency will keep us honest with ourselves, our God, and our friends. There is nothing wrong with saying “I don’t understand,” or “I don’t know.”
In today’s society, we really need to find out with whom we can be honest. Think now — with whom can you be honest today?
I have known men and women who in real life had deceived others for so long that they lost who they really were. The person who cannot reveal himself or herself cannot love, and he or she who cannot love is the most unhappy individual on the planet.
The most important thing in this scripture is that we pray for one another! |
Reaching the Ark! (May, 2008)
For this very reason, make every effort to add to our faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 2 Peter 1:5-9
Claire and I endured many sports and events in which our children were involved. I remember one event when Rob was the quarterback in a football game and it was 31 degrees outside. I can remember asking Claire, “Do you think Rob will remember our sitting in this cold weather for the whole game?”
I have even known some athletes to choose what sport they would play depending on whether it was inside or outside. An athlete could be forgiven for choosing basketball (plays indoors) or baseball (plays in the summer) instead of football (which sooner or later will play in freezing rain, sleet, or snow). When the wind is freezing and the line markers are covered with snow, or the field is so wet and muddy, the pro footballers break the game into small pieces: “A quarter is only fifteen minutes. Four of those, with a warm break at the half, and I’m done. I can do that.”
It takes perseverance to make it through a freezing cold game. And it likewise takes perseverance to make it through the challenges of life. Like a sporting event, life doesn’t last forever. We are here for a limited time before being transformed into the warmth and glory of the presence of Christ in heaven.
When he wrote that “tribulation produces perseverance,” Paul went on to say that “perseverance (produces) character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:4). Everyone wants hope in times of tribulation, but the things that connect between tribulation and hope are perseverance and character.
If God has called you onto an uncomfortable playing field right now, remember that tribulation leads to hope — if you persevere.
Charles H. Spurgeon was quoted saying something that I think is pretty incredible: “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”
So if you think you are a snail, persevere — you will reach the ark!
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Lexington Baptist Church • 308 East Main Street • Lexington SC ©2008 Lexington Baptist Church |
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