Generic Christian

Generic Christian

Contents may vary in

Color, size, shape and texture.

Esther 4:12-14

12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.

13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 

14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

   There was a short-lived fad in the 70s and 80s of buying generic foods.  They came in plain white wrappers with blocky black lettering.  Usually there was a note on the labels that read, “Contents may vary in color, size, shape and texture.”  This type of food was simply food that was good enough to eat but was not good enough to be classified Grade A.  Perhaps the tomatoes did not have a uniform color.  The macaroni might not have been all the same size.  The eggs might not have been all "egg-shaped."  My mother once bought a bag of flour that was only coarse ground.  It looked a little strange, but still baked into some good doughnuts. 

   The surprising thing about generic foods was that most of them tasted pretty good.  They did what they were made to do - feed hungry families for less money than name brands.          

   Most Christians I know are what you might call Generic Christians, and we should have a tag on us reading, “Contents may vary in age, education, experience or talents.”  We have different colors, and are different sizes, and have different shapes, and have more (or less) wrinkles than others around us.  But we all have the same family; we're all children of the same Father, we are all called Christians.  Our purpose is to do what we are called to do and do it as well as we can and minister to as many as we can in the time we have.

   Spoiler alert!  God does not expect us to be perfect.  He expects us to do our best with the knowledge we have been entrusted with.  And if you fail, He expects us to pick ourselves up and try again. 

   Joseph was a generic young dreamer, sold into slavery.  God took him from his prison and made him the second most powerful man in the most powerful kingdom of its time.

   Moses was a generic old man over 80 years old who stuttered.  God took him to Egypt to lead His people out of slavery. 

   David was a generic young man sitting on the side of a hill tending sheep and singing songs.  God took him to the throne of Israel to lead His people.

   Daniel was a generic prince who was in chains and taken to a foreign city.  God made chief advisor to the most powerful king in the world and later to the one who conquered Babylon.

   Esther was a generic young woman.  God took her to the palace to make her a queen and used her to save His people from destruction. 

   Remember the words of what Esther's uncle Mordecai:  “Who knows if you have come to be where you are for such a time as this?”   We may be Generic Christians, but we can do awesome things if we let God work through us.

Stephen Cram                                            August 31, 2014

Colossians 2:8

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.

Do You Tremble At His Word?

Do You Tremble At His Word?

Isaiah 66:1&2

“Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.

  I still find verses that speak new lessons to me, even after nearly 39 years as a Christian.  I believe you can never get to a place where you can say, “I’ve learned all the Bible can teach me.”  The Bible contains too many truths to learn in a lifetime.

   Anyway, I read through the last chapter of Isaiah and this verse leapt out at me.  God has made all things and knows all things so what is it He could possibly be looking for? 

   According to verse 2 He is looking for someone who is humble and meek of spirit and who trembles at His Word.  It made me stop and ask myself if I still tremble at His Word.  And I had to be truthful:  I don’t.  Have I become too comfortable with His Word?  Do I take it granted and not hold it in the esteem I should?  It is God’s Word!  It is the words that come from the very heart of God Almighty. It is the one book that gives us answers to life and to how to live that life.  It is invaluable and it is awesome in wisdom and instruction.  And we get home from church and throw it on a table and there it sits.    

   This verse made me stop and ask God for forgiveness for not holding His Word in the proper esteem.  Oh Lord, I don’t see Your Word like that.  Am I so busy teaching it that I don’t see it for the wonder it is?  Somewhere along the line, I stopped trembling at Your Word.  I must realize You are looking at the earth for someone who trembles still, someone who hears Your Word and cries out, ‘Wow! That came from God!  I just read words sent to me from God almighty, from the great I AM!’”

   When you view the Word of God like that, you realize how much you need to listen, how much you need to absorb those words into your spirit.  Not just study the Bible, but to see that they are the very words of God.  Lord, rise up a people that will take the Bible literally and seriously!

   Can you imagine yourself sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him talk?  When you read the Gospels, you are!  Can you imagine traveling with Paul hearing him preach?  When you read the epistles, you are!  Read the Transfiguration on the Mount and see the three disciples tremble when God’s voice calls out from heaven.  You can pick up the Bible and see God’s Words calling to you from heaven!  The Words come from the very Throne of God!

   If you have not read Psalms 119 recently, do so.  You will hear the heart’s cry of a man who trembled at God’s Word.  David learned the value of God’s Word and he knew the power they contain.  He knew his life was forever changed by those words and wanted to know all he could learn from them.

   I want that in my life.  I want to regain my awe of the Bible and the mysteries revealed in it.  I want to tremble at His Word again.

Stephen Cram                      August 24, 2014                                             

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.

IU2B

 IU2B

Acts 20:35

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

“I used to be an athlete.”

“I used to be in band.”

“I used to be a good golfer.”

“I used to be in good shape.”

    If you listen to those around you, you know there are a lot of IU2Bs (“I used to be”).  For many people, it seems that their best accomplishments were in their past.  So when folks brag on themselves, excuse me, talk about themselves, it’s easy to jump to an “IU2B” comment.  Nothing wrong with a good “IU2B” story once in a while, but don’t try to live in the past and let the present go to waste.  Living in the past means giving up the dreams and plans for the future. 

  Did you “U2B” a Sunday school teacher in a church?  Do you teach now or do you live with “IU2B” memories about teaching? 

   Did you “U2B” one who prayed for family, friends, co-workers?  Do you pray now or do you rely on those “U2B” prayers?     

   Did you “U2B” one who helped people in need?  Do you help today or are you “too old” or “too busy” or “too important” to help and just remember those “U2B” times helping.

   What is your “IU2B” story?  What is your flimsy excuse today for not doing what you know yourself capable of doing?  “Kids get on my nerves.”  “People are hypocrites.”  “They have enough help.”  “I’m no good at doing anything.”  “My back hurts.”  Why not be honest here?  Maybe the truth is “my attitude is bad,” which is probably closer to the truth. 

   Why not rejoice in the day that God has given us.  Why not rejoice that He gives us opportunities to work for His kingdom.  Why not put down the TV remote or the computer mouse and take up the slack on some job that needs to be done?  If you just go to church to help hold down the pews, thanks, but there are enough people holding them down now.  The pews don’t need your help, the people do.  Senior saints, marrieds, divorced, parents, single parents, teens, kids, toddlers, pastors, secretaries, teachers, just look around and there are people everywhere who could use help.  They cross all the age groups and social strata and their needs are endless.  Just imagine the blessing you could be to these people if you get over yourself and put aside the “IU2B”s and get on to some new challenge. 

    I hope your past was full of achievements and blessings.  But now, I pray that you can be more focused on the present than on the past.  Make your goal that your “IU2B” story was that you used to be an “IU2B” who lived on old memories.

   Get in there and get to work.

Stephen Cram                                               August 17, 2014

Stephen Cram                                                                   

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.

The Unexpected

The Unexpected

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

   Last weekend, the residents of Toledo, Oh and surrounding areas, about 400,000 people, woke up to find their water contained a neural toxin and they could not drink it, wash in it, or even touch it.   The water from their faucets was unsafe and unusable.  Earlier this year, a chemical spill in West Virginia tainted the water to 300,000 residents of Charleston and surrounding areas.  This was a crisis that hit unexpectedly and what was reliable and became dangerous.

   When emergencies happen, our lives can become disrupted in unexpected ways.  My diagnosis of cancer in May disrupted my life and my wife’s life in unexpected ways.  We had plans for this summer, a vacation and a few day trips.  I planned to redo my backyard garden.  All our plans fell by the wayside and this summer became a blur of pain, treatments, doctor appointments and weariness. 

   Over the years I have talked to many people who have been hit with unexpected circumstances and had lives disrupted.  Loss of jobs, sickness, divorce, and many other things can sink your plans and leave you dazed and hurting and frustrated.  We can’t really protect ourselves from the unexpected, but once it happens, our response becomes very important and is a measure of who we are. 

   John F. Kennedy said, “The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger - but recognize the opportunity.” And this is the secret to coming through a personal crisis.  You face the danger, you face the change, and you face the confusion with courage.  JFK also wrote a book, and it was named, “Profiles in Courage.”  He was familiar with crises in his life and never gave in to fear or panic.  Also, as he worked through these crises he used them as opportunities to grow stronger and smarter.

   When the unexpected hits you, DO NOT give in to fear and panic.  The enemy wants you to fail and he knows if you succumb to fear and panic you will be worse off than you already are. You may find yourself helpless in the face of the crisis, but you do not need to give in to fear.  When I lay on a gurney in the ER and the doctor gave me the “long face” and said the word “cancer,” I could feel the tendrils of fear wrapping around my heart.  But I immediately began to pray in the spirit.  I would rather have God’s “peace which passes all understanding” in my heart than fear and panic.  It took me more than a week of intense praying to free myself from the enemy’s fear attack.  And make no mistake, the enemy uses fear as a weapon on you in your most vulnerable moments.  I testify to that.  But when he attacks, you can give yourself to fear or give yourself to prayer and let God’s love wash away the fear.  1 John 4:18 tells us that perfect love, (and perfect love comes only from God,) casts out fear.  One translation says it expels fear.  I like the sound of that – EXPELS fear.  Begone fear!  You have no place in my life!

   It will be hard to remember to pray before anything else when an unexpected crisis hits you, but if you do you will ahead of the enemy’s attack.  As someone said to me during my crisis, and I pass on to you:  “When you hit rock bottom, you find that Jesus is the rock at the bottom.”

Stephen Cram                                      August 10, 2014                             

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.

We Are Fishermen - A Parable

We Are Fishermen 

A Parable

(by:  An Anonymous Writer)

   Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves Fishermen.  And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around, and the fish were hungry.  Week after week, month after month, and year after year, those who called themselves fishermen met to talk about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing.

   Week after week, month after month, and year after year, they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen.

   Continually they searched for new and better methods of fishing and for new and better definitions of fishing.  They sponsored nation-wide and world-wide congresses to discuss fishing, promote fishing, and hear about all the ways of fishing.  They researched the new fishing equipment, the fish calls, and any new bait.  In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish.  All the fishermen agreed that what was needed was a board which could challenge fishermen to be faithful to fishing.

   Large training centers were built whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish.  Over the years, courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, where to find fish, and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology.  But the teachers themselves did not fish.  They only taught fishing.  And those who were sent out did exactly as those who sent them.  They formed groups and held special meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to declare how important fishing was.  They talked about the great need for fishing.  They prayed much that many fish might be caught.  They analyzed the fish and discussed what is necessary in order to catch fish.  

   But one thing they did not do, was to actually go fishing to catch fish.

My question for you is this:  Is a person a fisherman if he never catches fish?

Matthew 4: 18-20

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

   Are you a fisher of men?  You should be.  There are literally thousands of hungry fish all around you.  You walk through schools of fish just waiting to be caught by a savvy fisherman.  So why aren’t you fishing?  Let down your net and see the catch!

Lord, I live in the midst of schools of fish.  Remind me that my purpose here is to catch the fish, not to stand and watch them as they pass by me.

 

Stephen Cram                                                          August 3, 2014

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.