Pastor’s Notes

Posted on 9:00 pm02 in Uncategorized |

FAMILIAR FAVOR (1/26/2025)
 
In case you have been living under a rock for the past week, last Tuesday, Dothan experienced the largest snowfall in its entire history, with snow accumulating over six inches. This event was truly “one for the record books.” Of course, when I lived in Pennsylvania, it was not surprising to see snow in late September or even in early April! It was just a common occurrence and, at times, a nuisance. The old adage “familiarity breeds contempt” may not be true for everything, but I am quite certain that in 2025, there were more children in Dothan, AL, excited over the potential of snow than ones in York, PA. Simply put, it is easy to take for granted the things that we experience on a regular basis.
 
When reminding the Israelites of God’s provisions in the wilderness, Moses declared, “Your clothing did not wear out on you, and your foot did not swell these forty years.” (Deuteronomy 8:4 ESV) Concerning this passage, Adam Clarke once wrote, “God so amply provided for them all the necessaries of life, that they never were obliged to wear tattered garments, nor were their feet injured for lack of shoes or sandals.” Over and over, the Israelites saw the wonders of God and experienced His goodness, yet somehow, over and over, they were found griping and complaining. In a way, they acted as if they were entitled to God’s graces. Psalms 78:19 states, “They spoke against God by saying, ‘Can God prepare a banquet in the desert?’” (GWT)
 

How can the same people who witnessed God’s glorious power in parting the Red Sea still question whether He could provide something for them to eat?! They became so familiar with divine favor that they took the Lord’s blessings for granted and sought to appease their fleshly and foolish desires. The sad fact, however, is that none of us would have been any better. If you are saved, you have received something far greater than physical deliverance; you have received spiritual life. Peter said that the believer has been given “exceeding great and precious promises.” (2 Peter 1:4) Paul said that God has “…blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) So how is it that we can so easily overlook the graces of God, which are abundant in our own lives? Hopefully, we will never be blinded to, forget, or disregard the abundant mercies of God, but will “…offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually…” (Hebrews 13:15a)

THE FINAL MOVE (2/2/2025)

This past week, my wife and I finally closed on a home and began moving in all of our family’s belongings. We are grateful for everyone who helped us through our first move to the church offices, our second move to temporary housing, and this third and final move to what we hope will be our home for many years to come.

I have never in my life met a person who enjoys moving. The only real joy one might experience is during the unpacking process, when they discover a special tool, decoration, or kitchenware that was once thought to be lost. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American moves 11 times in their lifetime. Having grown up as a military kid and now serving in ministry, I have already moved 17 times. Not once have I ever said to myself, “Boy, this gets easier the more you do it!”
 
However, there is one move that truly thrills my soul when I think about it. It won’t require packing, filling out copious amounts of paperwork to change my address, or renting a U-Haul. Praise the Lord! Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:3, “…I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” A believer should never feel fully “at home” in this world because his true home is with Christ in heaven. Paul conveyed this truth in his letter to the Philippians when he wrote:
 
“Christ means everything to me in this life, and when I die, I’ll have even more. If I continue to live in this life, my work will produce more results. I don’t know which I would prefer. I find it hard to choose between the two. I would like to leave this life and be with Christ. That’s by far the better choice.” (Philippians 1:21-23, GWT)
 

Every believer should have this kind of joyful anticipation. Sadly, it is easy to become so entangled in the troubles and trivialities of life that the joy of heaven fades from our hearts. When I unloaded the last box in my new home—just a short distance from the church—I breathed a deep sigh of relief. One day, I will experience an even greater sigh of relief when I leave behind the burdens of this world and find my eternal home in the presence of my Savior.

DON’T WASTE HIS GRACE (2/9/2025)
 

The late actor and performer Will Rogers once said, “If ‘pro’ is the opposite of ‘con,’ what is the opposite of Congress?” The fact is that the government is rarely known for being efficient and creative. It is often the exact opposite: wasteful and destructive. Not long ago, the Congressional Budget Office found that Congress provided $516 billion in appropriations for programs that had already expired. Over $300 billion was set aside for activities that expired decades ago, with the oldest having expired in 1980. Another report revealed that federal agencies were only using 12% of the space in their headquarters buildings, costing millions to maintain and furnish these mostly empty spaces.

 

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus told a parable about a master who entrusted his servants with different amounts of money. All of the servants, except one, doubled the money they received. One servant, however, did absolutely nothing with what he was given. When this was found out, the slothful servant was not only chastised for his laziness and negligence, but he lost all that had been given to him, and in the end, received eternal punishment. This parable has often been interpreted that Jesus was teaching about the importance of a believer growing in faith, being a faithful steward of the gospel, and being diligent in building up the kingdom of Christ.

 

In today’s society, to say that you are a Christian carries little weight. It has become a quaint token and nothing more. The reality is that a true Christian is a servant of Christ! They have been called to be faithful stewards in their lives. The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Him [Jesus] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this, I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Colossians 1:28-29 ESV) As a Christian, I have been given something far greater than financial wealth. I have the indwelling of the very Spirit of Christ. It is by the gifts and power of His Spirit that I can shine the gospel light in this dark world. If you read the final parable about the sheep and the goats, which Jesus gave in Matthew 25, you will see how much it complements the parable of the talents and how it hits home to what a true Christian should be doing. The question is simple: Are we being faithful to what has been entrusted to us?