Every day I am amazed how far our influence in simple things can reach into the world. In a hurting world, our influence of a greater hope is needed more than ever in our lifetime. People are hurting. They are hurting physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The effects of the Covid-19 virus, many people losing or changing jobs, the current lection crisis and the added bonus of a crazy news cycle has cause many to feel discouraged and disappointed. It is during this time that we, as Christians, can become a powerful influence on people.
The radio personality Paul Harvey once said that every day we influence 150 people directly and 450 people indirectly. To think that we have the ability to influence around 450 people each day is daunting, but a great opportunity. My amazement grows even more when I see how parent’s actions flow into the lives of their children. The influence we have on others, directly and indirectly, is significant, but the influence we have upon our children is most significant.
It makes me ask the question, “What are we teaching our children?’
I can assure you if you are not teaching your children, someone or something else is.
[bctt tweet=”I can assure you if you are not teaching your children, someone or something else is.” username=”PreachersPen”]
Our duty as parents should be the same duty the Israelites were given by God – to teach our children His word. At the end of life, it will not be the ballgames they played, or the performances they had, it will be the eternity they have gracefully gained.
Take Deuteronomy 6.4-8 as an example:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-8; ESV)
Did you notice the remarkable things in those verses?
First, the word of God must be in the hearts of the parents before they can teach them to the children. Remember, if you are not teaching your children, then someone or something is. You need to be aware of the influences in your child’s life. Children need to be actively taught from their home. It is not the job of the Bible School to teach your children; the teaching must begin first in the home.
Second, the parents were to teach the children the precepts of God everywhere: inside, outside, in private, in public, simply everywhere. Are parents teaching children the word of God today? This is where your influence, as a parent will matter the most. If your children and not seeing how the Word of God is active in your life, then they may not understand the power of Christianity.
Our influence reaches to our children, no matter what we do. Let us commit today to becoming the Christ-like example our children need, not necessarily the example they might want.
Just a thought,
It is difficult to believe that we are now finding ourselves in another election cycle. While I am not an expert on elections, this election seems to follow the increased chaos attributed to the year 2020.
As the elections draw near, it is important that Christians pray. To be honest, I am not concerned if you are voting or not. I am more concerned if you are praying.
Put your political beliefs aside for a moment and ask yourself, “Am I praying more or talking about politics more?”
It is a hard, but a valid question we need to consider as the time is drawing near for millions of citizens to head to the voting booths and choose our next elected officials.
Are you praying for the election process?
I would encourage you to head over to the newest effort of the Preacher’s Pen called, “Pray for the Election.” This is not a political website, but a prayerful one. It is not our aim to tell you which political candidate to choose, but to encourage you to pray for all candidates, our nation and its citizens.
Head on over to the Pray for the Election website.
You can also join our Facebook page, follow the Twitter account or follow on Instagram.
Put pray before politics.
Just a thought,
On April 13, 1912, Alexander Holverson wrote a letter to his mother aboard the one ship which was thought to be the greatest ship ever built. His letter would be finished one day before the ship would hit an iceberg.
In his letter, Alexander described the ship as “a giant in size and fitted like a palatial hotel. The food and drink is excellent.” Alexander mentioned seeing millionaire John Jacob Astor. About Jacob Astor, he said, “He looks like any other human being even tho he has millions of money.”
This letter, salt stained from the ocean, was found Alexander’s pocket notebook when his body was recovered. Alexander’s wife, Mary, survived the sinking of the Titanic, by boarding lifeboat #8.
Alexander’s letter was sold in 2017 for $166,000 by the Henry Aldridge & Son auction house in London. The letter is considered “the most important Titanic letter we ever auctioned” as classified by the Henry Aldridge & Son auction house. The rarity and the historical context added to its value.
One sentence which stands out in the Alexander’s letter says, “If all goes well, we will arrive in New York Wednesday AM.” However, as you know, the Titanic, did not make it. The Titanic sank early on Monday morning.
Life is uncertain. Surely, Alexander never thought the Titanic, on its maiden voyage, would sink to the bottom of the ocean. The Titanic was to be the greatest ship in the world. It was the ship of dreams. However, the voyage never finished.
As Christians, we know that life is uncertain. We should remember the word of James, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4.15)
Life is uncertain, but your eternity does not have to be.
Just a thought,
Source: Houston Chronicle, 10/23/17, p.A8
I know many people would prefer to say, “We are the church and we go to the building”, but the term, “go to church” can mean when one attends or goes to the assembly.
The question this week is, “Why do you go to church?”
In a recent article found in the Spring 2020 issue of Preaching magazine, J. D. Greear cites some research from Great Britain regarding religious practices. The research referenced that “70% of British people never anticipate going into a church in their lifetime.” These results shown the British may be more secularized than anyone may think.
Dr. Greear also stated that these results did not indicate they were mad at the church or trying to avoid it. The research shows those surveyed could not see a reason to go to church.
Can you imagine 70% of a nation (if the survey is consistent) would see no reason to attend services of the church? What if those results were the same in our country? What about in our state? What about in the Gadsden area?
Acts, the book of history in the New Testament, reveals that the early church met together every day and found encouragement. Not only did they continue to teach one another (Acts 5.42) but they also shared what they had with each other (Acts 2.44).
Not only did the early church meet to worship (Acts 2.42) but they continued to meet because of their relationship. It was necessary for them to meet to “stir up one another.” (Hebrews 10.24)
So, back to the question, “Why do you go to church?”
Just a thought,
A few days ago, the church phone rang. A local funeral home was calling for a family requesting a church of Christ minister to perform a funeral, and the funeral would be the next day.
Over my brief years in ministry, this situation has happened various times. A loved one dies and it leaves the family with hard decisions, but many of those are quick decisions. Typically, without knowledge of an area, the family reaches out to a funeral home and asks them if they can find a minister. A few days ago, the call came to me.
Typically, these calls are unique. The one who passed may not have family in the immediate area, and the family needs some help. Other times, the family is unfamiliar with churches in the area, so they ask the funeral home to pick one. Still other times, like this one, the family is specific with their requests.
After clearing some time and moving some things around, I spoke with a member of the family regarding the loved one. He spoke of the quick decisions they needed to make in such a short period. Family would come in from another state, local friends may show up, but they were not sure. It was a confusing time for them.
Funerals are one of the difficult things to process in a time of a loved one’s death. There are decisions needing to be made, but the overwhelming thought of making those decisions, the cost and the time arrangements can be difficult.
Emotions run high at times like this. Families might see each other for the first time in many months or even years. Travel plans have been made as quickly as possible and the hope is everyone makes it and keeps it together.
When I arrived at the funeral home, the mood was quiet. Various family members scattered throughout the viewing room were talking and catching up on old times. Some sat quiet; possibly in thought of the man lying in the casket. Still others were just there. Their facial expressions held no emotion. It was almost like it was a formality.
There are situations you talk about when getting an education to prepare you for those future moments, but there was never a course on how to handle situations like this. What is a preacher to say? How does a minister conduct a funeral of someone he does not know?
To add to the confusion for a moment, there was no obituary. The family had decided against one.
Typically, a preacher can gain some insights from an obituary. It lists the occupation, the family, hobbies, church affiliation or even a passing thought; but without an obituary, there is not much there.
So, what do you say in a time like this?
With no insights from the family, all I had to go on was a name, a birth date, and ending date and a church affiliation.
The morning before the funeral I poured over thoughts, articles and information about the eyes of this man’s life. The information was massive. The advancements in technology during his lifetime were staggering. The world events were historic.
The man was born 24 days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He grew up in the shadow of World War II. When he was 10 years old, the first coast-to-coast phone call was made in our country. He experienced the excitement as man Alan Shepard soared into space to become the first man in orbit. He would watch with others and man set foot on the moon. He would see prosperity and recession. His life would see many things.
Religiously, I know he attended church around here. His son, in a brief conversation, told me of growing up at a congregation near me. He spoke of his father’s attendance.
As the service began, I spoke of the times of the man’s upbringing and how things were different throughout his life. How many of the things he probably experienced seem odd to us today, yet he continued through those times.
Psalm 28 became my text. While some focus on Psalm 23, the end of Psalm 28 speaks volumes to someone who follows God.
Blessed be the Lord!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
The Lord is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
(Psalm 28.6-9; ESV)
What encouraging words of David as he speaks of the exceptional power and saving grace of God toward His people. David knew first-hand the protection and the mercy God has upon those who are His children.
While you are speaking, looking out over an audience wearing masks has been odd. It is difficult to read facial expressions because over half of a person’s face is covered. Preaching has been unique in this regard, but this funeral was a little more unique.
As I spoke of the protection of God, I noticed no tears. No one seemed to be emotional about the passing of this man. Instead, it was a little eerie.
Typically, you can still see people’s eyes and you can see them tear up or wipe their eyes, but not that day. No one made a sound. There was not even an allergy sniffle. You can blame it on Covid-19 the Coronavirus or whatever you want, but it was unique.
After the service was over, no one spoke. I spoke with the son one more time. He thanked me for my time and I told him it was my honor. Everyone went to their cars.
Driving home, my mind raced of the oddity that I had just experienced. What if that was my family?
Was there some big event that happened among the family and I did not know about?
Maybe everyone had already grieved and the funeral was a time of closure for them?
Maybe everyone was just in shock of the passing?
What if the family had no relationship with each other and they did not know how to act?
Maybe this man and said his goodbyes and gave the family a word of peace before he departed this life?
What if the family genes had no tear glands?
I was grasping at anything to make the situation better. Even today, several days removed from the event, it still crosses my mind.
I wonder what it will be like when one of my family members passes? Will the family show up? Will we stare at each other? Will we tear up knowing that someone has left the Earth?
What will it be like at my funeral? Will my children show up and talk? Will they give an emotional tear to me leaving this life? Will anyone even notice?
These questions are what some struggle with their entire life. I have seen it first hand in the lives of Christians and non-Christians. I have watched people hold on until the last moment because they did not know what would happen after they passed.
I have heard people tell their families to get along after they are gone. I have been asked to help families stay together after someone leaves the Earth.
Death is a mysterious event. For some, it is a blessing. For others, it is scary. Some cry on their way to the other side and others scream until they cannot scream anymore. It is just a mysterious event that each one of us will go through at some point.
How do you handle death?
The recent events of a man I did not know made my mind spin. I wonder about his family, his life, his last moments.
Being in ministry for 23 years now, I have learned a few things. One of those things being, you can learn much about a person or a group of people at a major life event; birth, death, baptism, etc. You can see how a family reacts and responds and see the relationship they have or have had.
My thought today is this, how is your family?
Some families will only be together at a funeral home. It might be a tragic event that brings them close.
My appeal to you is not to let that be the only time your family gathers.
Don’t let your next gathering be an oddity at the passing of a family member.
Just my thoughts,
