Recently while preparing a message for my people on the subject of weariness, I read II Thessalonians 3:11. "For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies." What an insult it would be to be identified as a busybody. The very definition of the word makes me want to turn and run the other way! It means, "To bustle about uselessly, to busy one's self about trifling, needless, useless matters. It most often refers to one who is officiously inquisitive about other's affairs."
It is no surprise that when Paul clarifies who the busybody is he states, "...working not at all..." I've found that when I'm busy working, I have very little time to be busy in other men's matters. Especially is that true when it comes to matters outside my own church. I'm amazed how much time some folks seem to have to "bustle about uselessly in needless matters" that don't pertain to them.
I hesitate to use this blog to correct erroneous gossip, but it is one of the very few venues that I have at my access. This is not a defense of myself, it is simply an effort to clarify any confusion surrounding a situation that involves me and my ministry.
For the past several years, Dr. Jack Schaap has preached for us here at Fellowship Baptist Church the first week of October. He was scheduled to be with us again this year. There was some confusion about the dates, and there were some complications in communicating between my office and the offices at First Baptist Church. By the time everything had been confirmed and approved, the dates for the meeting were about a month away. I spoke with Dr. Schaap during a visit to Hammond last month, and he and I agreed to postpone the conference. Although he was more than willing to come, I didn't want to have the meeting without having properly promoted and advertised.
Today someone told me that the word "around the country" is that I had cancelled Bro. Schaap and that I was telling all of my college students who attend Hyles-Anderson College to come home. Undoubtedly, that false rumor is being spread by "busybodies". Suprisingly enough, no one called and asked me any questions about our conference or our college kids. We have 18 students at HAC with two more returning to campus in January. We also have students in five other Bible colleges and several state colleges. I marvel at why, "where Fellowship Baptist young people attend college" would be the topic of anyone's discussion outside the walls of Fellowship Baptist Church!
It seems to me that the "word around the country" ought to be that Heaven is sweet, Hell is hot and Jesus is coming soon! Rather than "bustling about uselessly in trifling matters", our time could be better spent loving people, glorifying Christ and honoring God with our lives and in our ministries. In II Thessalonians 3:13 Paul admonished the believers who were exposed to those who were walking disorderly, "But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing." Our task is monumental. We cannot afford to become wearied. Just keep doing well and keep on praying for those are distracted by matters of lesser importance.
Pastor Rick Finley's Blog
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Rough Air
My wife and I were recently flying home from a meeting in Memphis, TN when the captain announced, "We are encountering a bit of rough air. Flight attendants will need to take their seats, the seatbelt sign has been turned on and no one should be moving around the aircraft." Those turbulents changed everything that could be considered normal and routine about our flight.
In recent weeks, many of our folks here at FBC-Durham have encountered "rough air". Four of our men have been diagnosed with cancer. Several of our people have been faced with non-cancerous diseases, surgeries and procedures. The economy continues to take a toll on our church families. Just like our recent flight, things have been anything but "normal" lately.
Recently I was reading in I Peter what God wrote to some folks who were going through some suffering of their own, and I preached to our folks from this passage. I'd like to share a few of those thoughts with our readers.
1. Your Suffering Has No Bearing On Your Salvation
In verses 4-6 of I Peter 1 we read about an eternal salvation that is "kept by the power of God." If you're a believer, no matter what you might be enduring "for a season", you cannot lose your salvation. The child of God can rest assured that salvation is "reserved in heaven for you."
2. Find Your Joy In Knowing That
Our temptation is to look for happiness in our circumstances. We look for eternal happiness in temporary conditions. We are happy if our job is secure, our health is preserved, our marriage is strong or our kids are obedient. God says in I Peter 1:6 that our joy should be found in knowing that our salvation is secure.
3. Learn To See Beyond Your Suffering
It is true, we do go through seasons of suffering. The scripture clearly states, "...though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold tempations..." A season is a period of time that has a beginning and an ending. Your suffering is not going to last forever. It is very important that you learn to see beyond your suffering.
4. Determine To Tough It Out
In I Peter 1:13 Peter writes that we are to "...to gird up the loins of your mind..." In todays vernacular we might suggest, "roll up your sleeves." That means that we're getting ready to go to work. When suffering comes, it is important that we dedicate ourselves to endurance. Grace doesn't come because we sit back and do nothing. Grace comes when we do all that we can.
5. Be Holy
Peter addresses holiness in I Peter 1:14-16. Many times we refer to these verses when challenging God's people about their behavior in the world. I certainly believe in old-fashioned holiness, but in it's context, the challenge is to be holy in the midst of suffering. Don't get mad at God! Don't gripe and complain! Don't allow yourself to become bitter! Be holy "...as he which hath called you is holy..."
6. Allow Your Suffering To Bring You To Christ
Suffering shouldn't separate us from Christ, it should draw us to Christ. In I Peter 2:25 Peter alludes to this when he writes, "...but now are ye returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." I recently read that if a sheep sees green grass on a levee, he will jump down onto that levee and eat until the grass is gone. The sheep then realizes that it cannot get back up. The shepherd must wait until the sheep is so weak that it cannot walk before he attempts a rescue. As long as that sheep has energy, he will try to save himself. Many times that provokes him to jump to his death. As suffering sheep, we must allow our struggles to bring us to our Saviour.
"Rough air" on a flight changes everything. You can't get up and walk around to get comfortable. The flight attendant can't bring you a snack and a beverage. Your heart may race and you may wonder if you're going to make it. The only thing one can do at that particular moment is to trust the captain. He can see things from his vantage point that you can't see. His radar tells him where he should go for things to get smoother and how long it will take him to get there. Thank God that our "captain" knows exactly what we need when "rough air" invades our lives.
In recent weeks, many of our folks here at FBC-Durham have encountered "rough air". Four of our men have been diagnosed with cancer. Several of our people have been faced with non-cancerous diseases, surgeries and procedures. The economy continues to take a toll on our church families. Just like our recent flight, things have been anything but "normal" lately.
Recently I was reading in I Peter what God wrote to some folks who were going through some suffering of their own, and I preached to our folks from this passage. I'd like to share a few of those thoughts with our readers.
1. Your Suffering Has No Bearing On Your Salvation
In verses 4-6 of I Peter 1 we read about an eternal salvation that is "kept by the power of God." If you're a believer, no matter what you might be enduring "for a season", you cannot lose your salvation. The child of God can rest assured that salvation is "reserved in heaven for you."
2. Find Your Joy In Knowing That
Our temptation is to look for happiness in our circumstances. We look for eternal happiness in temporary conditions. We are happy if our job is secure, our health is preserved, our marriage is strong or our kids are obedient. God says in I Peter 1:6 that our joy should be found in knowing that our salvation is secure.
3. Learn To See Beyond Your Suffering
It is true, we do go through seasons of suffering. The scripture clearly states, "...though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold tempations..." A season is a period of time that has a beginning and an ending. Your suffering is not going to last forever. It is very important that you learn to see beyond your suffering.
4. Determine To Tough It Out
In I Peter 1:13 Peter writes that we are to "...to gird up the loins of your mind..." In todays vernacular we might suggest, "roll up your sleeves." That means that we're getting ready to go to work. When suffering comes, it is important that we dedicate ourselves to endurance. Grace doesn't come because we sit back and do nothing. Grace comes when we do all that we can.
5. Be Holy
Peter addresses holiness in I Peter 1:14-16. Many times we refer to these verses when challenging God's people about their behavior in the world. I certainly believe in old-fashioned holiness, but in it's context, the challenge is to be holy in the midst of suffering. Don't get mad at God! Don't gripe and complain! Don't allow yourself to become bitter! Be holy "...as he which hath called you is holy..."
6. Allow Your Suffering To Bring You To Christ
Suffering shouldn't separate us from Christ, it should draw us to Christ. In I Peter 2:25 Peter alludes to this when he writes, "...but now are ye returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." I recently read that if a sheep sees green grass on a levee, he will jump down onto that levee and eat until the grass is gone. The sheep then realizes that it cannot get back up. The shepherd must wait until the sheep is so weak that it cannot walk before he attempts a rescue. As long as that sheep has energy, he will try to save himself. Many times that provokes him to jump to his death. As suffering sheep, we must allow our struggles to bring us to our Saviour.
"Rough air" on a flight changes everything. You can't get up and walk around to get comfortable. The flight attendant can't bring you a snack and a beverage. Your heart may race and you may wonder if you're going to make it. The only thing one can do at that particular moment is to trust the captain. He can see things from his vantage point that you can't see. His radar tells him where he should go for things to get smoother and how long it will take him to get there. Thank God that our "captain" knows exactly what we need when "rough air" invades our lives.
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