Friendship

 "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

I have never been through a divorce. Kathy and I were married as teenagers and she died a grandma. We were married until death did us part. So divorce was not something that I experienced.

The closest that I have come to divorce is when I feel like I have lost an old friend. I have been through this many times over the years. Men who I considered friends have turned on me or disappeared or vanished into the darkness of forgetfulness. Usually this does not bother me. But sometimes it hurts. When it hurts is when it feel like divorce. They are still around, but they have offended me or I have offended them and our friendship has died.

I am not of the opinion that dissolved friendship proves there never was true friendship. There are men who know things about me that no one else knows. I know things about them. We have shared hopes and fears and secrets. And now, they are gone.

Sometimes it is not a breach in relationship will break that bond. Sometimes it is absence or changing circumstances or family responsibilities. Some friendships just fade away. But some end and that's the end of it. I find myself wanting to call and knowing that I must not.

The final word on this is that Jesus never gets in a huff or throws a fit. He is that friend who is closer than a brother. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is ever faithful.

Why Do We Still Fast?

The Fellowship fast is upon us. I used to participate. I fasted and prayed and nothing happened. Nothing changed. No one responded. So a long time ago I decided that fasting was not for me.

Now, when I see a pastor stand in the pulpit challenging us to fast and pray with a straight face, I just ignore him.

This fast was pastor Mitchell's idea. He is gone. Why do we still do this? 

Christmas Carols?

Pentecostal churches do not know how to play traditional songs. They cannot play Happy Birthday to You . And they cannot play Christmas carols. I have been struggling to sing Christmas songs that I know, but not the way we sing them. We sing what I call a rockabilly version of Silent Knight. We lift our hands to songs about Christmas because they are slow.

Last night Pastor Rubi told the story of Silent Night and then we sang it as it is supposed to be sung. I was moved by the experience. I felt lifted up in singing.

Most traditional songs are not meant to be clapped to and they are not worship songs. But Pentecostals think that all music is either fast songs to clap to or slow songs to lift your hand during. They seem to feel uncomfortable just singing a song filled with emotion.

Some days I feel like Rip Van Winkle just waking up from a nap and finding the world around me has changed.

No More Apologies

 I think that it is time to stop apologizing for everything. Especially as men. It is not all my fault. There is nothing in my life that I am sorry for. I do not owe any woman an apology. I do not owe any pastor a reason for what I do or do not do. If Christ has a problem with me, he knows where I live and He still has a voice to speak and He still has power to move.

I think that it is time for good Christian men to stop saying sorry and to stop taking the blame for everything.

Peter preached his first sermon and 3000 men got saved. What did Peter do to draw that kind of crowd? What kind of outreach did they have and how many flyers did they pass out? The answers are: nothing, none, and zero.

I do what I can do and I will not make an apology for what I do not do.

Greater Things

 I was reading this morning about the death of Moses and the beginning of Joshua's leadership. Moses is greater in stature and influence than Joshua. Moses was the father of the nation. Joshua did not build the nation, but he did give them a home. Joshua was not called to be the second coming of Moses. Joshua had a different calling which he fulfilled. 

No one can ever take the place of the founder. He forever holds a place of honor among the people. Joshua's role was important. He helped fulfill God's promise to the people of houses and lands and a home. 

No one can take pastor Mitchell's place. He is unique in our Fellowship. Let's pray for pastor Greg; that he can take us into places where we have never been before.

"But as it is written: eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him." 1Cor.2:9

"...greater works than these he will do, because I go to my father." John 14:12

It seems that the death of the founder unlocks things that the founder himself did not do.  Greater things, greater works.

"Moses my servant is dead. Now, therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving them-the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses." Joshua 1:2-3

Joshua's calling was linked to the work that Moses had done. But Joshua was taking the people into an area that Moses was forbidden to enter. I wonder what things pastor Mitchell wanted to do but was never allowed to do? David was forbidden to build the temple, Solomon his son built it for him.

Building A Legacy?

 Pastor Greg is a good man. He took on a huge responsibility. He is a man of God. His father was the instrument for building our Fellowship. Pastor Greg will never build anything like this in his lifetime. The best he can do is to preserve what his father built.

I wonder if pastor Greg's legacy will be that through his influence, every sermon no matter what the topic, will be about evangelism. Either the whole sermon or at least a noticeable part of the sermon will be on witnessing and evangelism. I once heard pastor Greg preach nine sermons in a row on evangelism, claiming Divine inspiration for doing that.

Can I share a little secret? One, we are not new converts anymore. All of my friends are in church. My salvation story is 50 years old. My effectiveness in witnessing is over. Second, when you preach the same thing over and over, people no longer hear you. They tune you out and hope for a better day.

The only way to build something great is to start over somewhere new and do it all over again. Then you will have something that you built.