The day we are born

Today is Jessica's birthday.  I could be all sweet and talk about how wonderful she is here, but that would annoy most of you as much as it annoys me when I have to listen to you do it.  Plus she doesn't need the big head.

I'll go a different route.  I am very thankful to her parents for raising her so well.  I know Denton and Robin had their hands full, she hasn't changed that much.  They did a great job, and I am thankful.  I hope the parents of the women that will be in our boys' lives will do as good a job.  I try to keep that at the forefront of my mind when raising our boys.  I want them to be the boyfriends/husbands I would want my daughter to be with (thankfully I don't have to worry about that one, I couldn't handle that stress).  Manners and respect for the opposite sex still go a long way.  Our kids watch everything I do and say to and about Jess.  I hope I am being a role-model that is worthy of being called a dad and husband.  If we do as well raising our kids as both our parents did, our boys will be great family men.  So somebody better be busting their tails to get some women worthy of their love!  I am scared.

Fred and Me

I have had many thoughts about what I needed to blog, but never the thought to get it done.  I thought about the odd feeling of joy and sadness at the killing of Osama bin Laden.  I had joy because justice was served, sadness because he needed Christ just like the rest of us.  Lots of thoughts for Mother's Day, spring time, and just life in general.  What got me to finally sit down and write a thought was Fred.  I was sick the last few days and was treated to repetitive runnings of the movie "Cars."  Though I like the movie, kids have a way of overdoing things.  Even more so when one grows out of something just as the younger one is just getting started.

Fred is an old rusty car that shows up a couple of times in the movie.  He first appears when McQueen meets him at the sponser's tent following the race.  McQueen greets him nonchalantly as "Fred" because "Fred" is on his license plate.  It is the equivalent of the kids whose parents all of their belongings with their names in big letters.  Fred is overjoyed that Lightning McQueen knows his name, in fact he feels he is now a big shot.  He shows up again at the end of the movie trying to enter the pits because McQueen knows him.  While trying to get in, Mario Andretti sees him and greets him by name.  Fred promptly becomes overjoyed that Mario knows his name and feels he should for sure be allowed in now!

This all matters to me because it is so similar to our relationship with God.  He knows us by name!  Not only does He know our names, but He knows every little detail of our lives.  He even knows how many hairs we have on our heads, or bodies if you are anything like me.  The best part is, even though He knows everything about us, He loves us!  It is still amazing to me just to think about it.  Unconditional love from the most powerful being in the universe.

There is another parallel that is just as important.  Even though He knows us, that doesn't get us into Heaven.  Just like Fred, knowing someone doesn't mean we have a relationship with them.  We need our "pit-pass" just like Fred did.  God loves us so much he provided those for us to with His death on the cross.  All we have to do is accept our pass, let Him be the one bringing us in the gates, and follow Him to the finish line.

I just have to say it one more time, "Jesus Christ knows my name!"

Way Too Simple

One of the best parts about the Gospel is its simplicity.  There are plenty of aspects of Christianity that are confusing, or just hard to understand, but not the Gospel.  Pastor Bob Hart always states that it had to be that way, I think he's right.  Christ came and died as the sacrifice for our sins, then rose again on the third day.  All we need to do is allow his sacrifice to be our payment so that we can be reconciled to God.  Through Christ we are declared "perfect" before God.  I want my parents to hear Christ tell God that I am "perfect", I think they will have a hard time accepting it otherwise.

Maybe the simplicity of the message is why Easter is the easiest time of the year to share Christ with others.  More non-religious people attend church on Easter than any other time.  We are thankfully a long way from Easter being relegated to "happy spring day" or some other politically corrupt phrase.

This week at Bible Fellowship Church we will be examining what Christ did with his last week on Earth.  Next week we are celebrating the resurrection with a Sunrise Service at 7:30, then breakfast, an Easter egg hunt for the kids (I have ridiculous amounts of candy filled eggs in my basement - don't worry, Wes hasn't found them), and our Easter worship service in which we will focus on what the resurrection means to us today.  Pray that God will penetrate the hearts of the lost with the Gospel message this Easter across our great country and the world.

Lady Killers

I read a great article a few months ago about pastor's wives and some of the biggest difficulties they face entitled "Spouse Killers in the Ministry".  I know Jess has faced all of them at times, and she has had her battles.  I thank God everyday that he blessed with me with such a wonderful wife that can not only support me and the ministry God has called me to, but also serve in her own capacity.  It's true that often more is expected of a pastor's wife than other women in the church, and God seems to usually supply His pastors with someone more than capable of filling that role while complimenting the ministry of their husband.  For my pastor friends, you understand how valuable our spouses are in both life and ministry. 

We have been blessed to be involved in ministries where the church has always been wonderful to Jess for the most part.  Not forcing her to do things she doesn't feel led to do, not forcing her to change to match their personal preferences, and always respecting her sacrifices to minister, and allow me to minister, how God leads.  Having said all that, I know she still deals with all of the major issues mentioned in the article, as do most other pastor's wives.  I pray that God continues to give her the ability to focus on God and His love and will for her and our family.  I pray the same for all my friend's families who are in ministry (lay and pastoral).  They are crucial to being able to fully serve God in the capacity He has called us to.  A Time Magazine survey sited the number one cause of pastor's leaving the ministry to be pastors' wives' issues.  Satan has been attacking the wives of pastors as much as he attacks the pastors.  It is my guess that pastors receive far more prayer for God's help, we should all be lifting up the ladies as well.

Teachers

I just wanted to say something about teachers.  Jayden received a package from his classmates and teacher from his previous school today for his birthday.  He has received a package every few weeks from them.  His teacher at Duanesburg was Mrs. Westfall.  It is wonderful that she continues to have a positive impact on his life even after he has moved out of the area.  I'm sure she is using it to teach the kids about keeping up with friends long distance and the likes, or at least hope she is.  The point is that she doesn't have to do it.  The teachers Jayden had there continually went above and beyond what was required, expected, or even asked of them.  His current teacher is fine, but the personal effort and touch just doesn't show up like it did before.  With all the complaining some people do about the education systems, the teachers unions, the costs involved, and whatever else is wrong, it is comforting to know that there are teachers out there who continually rise above their job to be true teachers and mentors to the children.  These are the ones who often go unnoticed.  To all the teachers who actively pursue excellence and attempt to make the world better one child at a time because they want to, not because it's their job, I say Thank You!

Pastor Jeff Ford

Apocolypse Now

We just finished up with our Wednesday night prophecy series.  It was different to say the least.  I think I made it clear that I love prophecy, but there is so much that is based on other peoples' opinions that I don't see myself as a great teacher on it.  Not to mention the fact that most people who are really into it listen and read opinions of people who spend their lives trying to explain what they think.  I'd rather focus my teaching on things that are concrete.  Not to say prophecy (and teaching it) isn't important, because it is, but it is easy to spend too much time focused on the future to make a difference in the present. 

I wanted to end my series with a warning, but we ran out of time.  As I grew up, I heard the same statements that we are hearing today regarding the imminent end of the world.  It is necessary to keep Christ's return at the front of our minds.  The problem is that it can also steal one's joy if they focus too much on it.  Christ wants us to look for His coming, but He also wants us to appreciate the life we have here in Him.  We can enjoy all the goodness around us, His wonderful Creation, time with our loved ones, and the only chance we will have to serve Him in a dark world.  The problem with focusing on the "doom and gloom" is that we forget that He saved us so our joy may be full.  I've already posted about the problems older pastor's have faced due to failure to plan for retirement because the Lord would come back before they reached that point.  It is important that people have HOPE.  Hope in a future with Christ, and hope that He will bless them on Earth.  I personally can't wait to see my kids grow up.  I want to see what they do with their lives.  I trust that God will use them in some mighty way, if they will stay close to Him.  We need enjoy what God has given us now, and not steal that hope from the next generation.  Yes, we should pay attention to how bad things are and how close the return of Christ must be getting.  We also need to pay attention to how much God blesses us everyday on Earth, and enjoy the time we have here without focusing only on the negative.  I personally just have hope that Westley will be potty trained before Christ comes back, because I don't think there are diapers in Heaven.

Heaven

We finished up talking about Heaven this week.  I know I can't wait.  In all honesty, I am sick and tired of some of the problems of this world.  You know how it feels when a struggle is taken away (not just defeated, but completely removed suddenly)?  I think I may be floating around Heaven for a while just because of the lightened load.  Everyday we are faced with things that just bog us down.  Christ tells us to cast our burdens on Him, and we try to, but sometimes we just can't let go.  In Heaven, Christ will TAKE them away.  No casting necessary.

One of the other things that came up in my studies was being together with ALL the saints.  I can't wait to be reunited with some of my friends over the years who are spread all over the world.  I may never see them again on Earth, but in Heaven we will have plenty of time to catch up.  I have family all over the country that will be great to not be separated from anymore in Heaven.  Like I've decided I want on my gravestone, "Party At My Place!"  See you there!  (See John 14:1-6 for the directions)