One of my favorite “viral videos” that circulates around the world through the Internet takes place in a food court in a mall, presumably in Canada. As people are eating and resting from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, suddenly a woman with a scarf on, who appears as an ordinary shopper, stands up and starts singing the “Hallelujah” Chorus. Clearly, this is a professional musician, who is soon joined in by another professional musician singing a different counterpart to the first soloist.
Then come other singers, one after another. These are high quality musicians, and the whole act is well choreographed (and well shot too). What throws off the average viewer is the inconspicuous appearance of the singers. They fit right in with the frazzled shoppers. This beautiful video, recorded in November 2010, has now had more than 35 million views.
I have heard that the opening lines of the “Hallelujah” Chorus are the most recognizable piece of music the world over. Of course, the “Hallelujah” Chorus comes from “Messiah,” an oratorio (a sacred opera) by George Frederick Handel. The whole work is heavenly, and its highlight is the “Hallelujah” Chorus. (Sometimes, I view “Messiah” as the zenith of Western civilization.)
I remember when the millennium change-over first hit on January 1, 2000 (although geeks like to say technically the first day of the millennium was January 1, 2001). In one far eastern country’s time zone after another, people the world over were celebrating the new year, the new century, the new millennium. As I recall watching television of the celebration, the one song that I heard more than any other on that day, from various countries, was the “Hallelujah” Chorus. It is universally loved.
Within months of the Berlin Wall coming down, Pepsi had a beautiful TV commercial celebrating the historic event. The piece they chose for that spot was the “Hallelujah” Chorus. It worked perfectly. There’s something deeply touching about that piece of music.
In his book, Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers, Patrick Kavanaugh tells how Handel barely ate during the 24 days he wrote “Messiah.” At one point, the composer had tears in his eyes and cried out to his servant, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself.” He had just finished writing the “Hallelujah” Chorus.
Amazingly, “Messiah” came at a time in his life when the 56-year-old Handel was facing bankruptcy and complete failure. He also had serious health problems. Also, some Church of England authorities were apparently critical of him and his work. He seemed all washed up—with his future behind him. But writing “Messiah” proved to be the positive turning point in his life.
Handel was born in Germany. His father wanted him to study law, but George Frederick had an aptitude for music, which was clear early on. His mother bought him a harpsichord, which they kept up in the attic, secret from his father. By the time he was twelve, Handel wrote his first work. Later, after his father’s death, he tried to study law, but he had no interest. So he studied music at the University of Halle.
In 1712, Handel moved to England and never returned to Germany. While he experienced various successes through various compositions, including operas and sacred operas (oratorios, based on biblical themes), Kavanaugh notes that his failures threatened to overwhelm Handel: “His occasional commercial successes soon met with financial disaster… He drove himself relentlessly to recover from one failure after another, and finally his health began to fail. By 1741 he was swimming in debt. It seemed certain he would land in debtor’s prison.”
But 1741 proved to be the turning point. On the one hand, he gave what he feared was his farewell concert. On the other hand, a friend of his, Charles Jennens, gave him a libretto (a text) for a sacred work. It was essentially 73 Bible verses, focused on the Messiah, both from the Hebrew and the Christian Bible. Furthermore, a charity in Dublin paid him money to write something for a charity performance. “Messiah” was the result, and it was very successful.
It’s interesting to note in this year, 2011, the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible, that Handel’s work was impacted by that literary masterpiece. Every word of “Messiah” comes from that book. Oxford professor Alister E. McGrath wrote, “Without the King James Bible, there would have been no Paradise Lost, no Pilgrim’s Progress, no Handel’s 'Messiah,' no Negro spirituals, and no Gettysburg Address. These, and innumerable other works were inspired by the language of this Bible.”
Charles Jennens’ role in this masterpiece is often lost, even on fans of “Messiah.” He is the one who carefully gleaned through the King James Bible and assembled the verses about the Christ that Handel so brilliantly set to music. I count that 42 of the verses come from the Old Testament, including many passages from the Psalms and Isaiah. Thirty-one come from the New Testament.
“Messiah” was first performed in Dublin in 1742. It was a benefit concert for charity. According to one source, proceeds freed 142 men from debtors’ prison. A year later, King George II was present at the first performance of “Messiah” in London. Is it said that the monarch fell asleep, and at the opening of the “Hallelujah” Chorus, he rose to his feet, thinking it was his cue. Whatever the reason, he stood, and that has been the custom ever since—to stand during the “Hallelujah” Chorus.
About 100 years later, even the aged Queen Victoria, who sat in her wheelchair as the chorus began, struggled to her feet as the choir sang, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” She said, “No way will I sit in the presence of the King of kings.”
So out of one genius’s pain and low point in his life came a work of beauty that continues to uplift millions of people the world over. Kavanaugh notes the secret of Handel’s success, “He was a relentless optimist whose faith in God sustained him through every difficulty.”
By Jerry Newcombe
Senior Producer and host of the television program,
"Truth That Transforms" with Dr. D. James Kennedy
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Preparing for Marriage
I hesitate to write on preparing for marriage, since I did a poor job (and my wife and I are divorced)... However, I think you can learn from my mistakes... Some of the things I did wrong were:
....Focused on physical attraction when dating (instead of becoming friends)
....When my wife and I married, we were both Christians, but had no training on the husband's and wife's roles in a marriage
....She is a dominate woman and I am a passive male [I have PMS (Passive Male Syndrome)].
....We battled over who would lead in the home for a few years and finally I gave up and let her raise our five children... I threw myself in my education and then career (and became an absentee father)
....Eventually, that destroyed our home (and has harmed our children) and led to our divorce.
Since I started walking with the Lord again in October 2007, I have studied how I should have prepared for marriage.... I think Mark Fox (Pastor of Antioch Community Church) says it best as shown below,
"I heard someone say many years ago that most men and women come into marriage just
the opposite of the way they are supposed to.... You should approach a potential lifelong spouse with a magnifying glass, trying to see every little flaw, every character deficiency, every potential problem that would make you wish you had never married the person in the first place!... Then, once you have resolved yourself to love the person like they are, warts and all, and you say “I do” at the altar, then you take off the magnifying glasses and put on the rose-colored glasses... From then on, you approach your mate with acceptance and love and forgiveness, even to the point that you learn to overlook a transgression (Proverbs 19:11).
Instead, what many young couples do is just the opposite... They put on the rose-colored glasses during courtship, not wanting to even admit to themselves, much less confront their partners, about a potential problem they may see in this person they think they “love”... Then when they get to the altar and say the “I dos”, the rose-colored glasses are tossed aside in the bushes on the way out of the church, and out comes the magnifying glasses... Every flaw, every blemish, every character deficiency that they joyfully overlooked during courtship is now a thorn in their flesh.
Let me hasten to add that with a potential mate we must not have a holier-than-thou attitude... We must do all we can to lay aside pride or a critical spirit and look with God's eyes, not the eyes of our flesh... But this examination process must be done; otherwise, we are in for big trouble ahead... It is better to never marry at all than to marry in haste and repent in leisure."
From “Planting a Family-Integrated Church”
by J. Mark Fox (2008) pp 27-29
Mark also recommends the following book:
“Reforming Marriage”
by Douglas Wilson
(He requires that potential elders study it)
....Focused on physical attraction when dating (instead of becoming friends)
....When my wife and I married, we were both Christians, but had no training on the husband's and wife's roles in a marriage
....She is a dominate woman and I am a passive male [I have PMS (Passive Male Syndrome)].
....We battled over who would lead in the home for a few years and finally I gave up and let her raise our five children... I threw myself in my education and then career (and became an absentee father)
....Eventually, that destroyed our home (and has harmed our children) and led to our divorce.
Since I started walking with the Lord again in October 2007, I have studied how I should have prepared for marriage.... I think Mark Fox (Pastor of Antioch Community Church) says it best as shown below,
"I heard someone say many years ago that most men and women come into marriage just
the opposite of the way they are supposed to.... You should approach a potential lifelong spouse with a magnifying glass, trying to see every little flaw, every character deficiency, every potential problem that would make you wish you had never married the person in the first place!... Then, once you have resolved yourself to love the person like they are, warts and all, and you say “I do” at the altar, then you take off the magnifying glasses and put on the rose-colored glasses... From then on, you approach your mate with acceptance and love and forgiveness, even to the point that you learn to overlook a transgression (Proverbs 19:11).
Instead, what many young couples do is just the opposite... They put on the rose-colored glasses during courtship, not wanting to even admit to themselves, much less confront their partners, about a potential problem they may see in this person they think they “love”... Then when they get to the altar and say the “I dos”, the rose-colored glasses are tossed aside in the bushes on the way out of the church, and out comes the magnifying glasses... Every flaw, every blemish, every character deficiency that they joyfully overlooked during courtship is now a thorn in their flesh.
Let me hasten to add that with a potential mate we must not have a holier-than-thou attitude... We must do all we can to lay aside pride or a critical spirit and look with God's eyes, not the eyes of our flesh... But this examination process must be done; otherwise, we are in for big trouble ahead... It is better to never marry at all than to marry in haste and repent in leisure."
From “Planting a Family-Integrated Church”
by J. Mark Fox (2008) pp 27-29
Mark also recommends the following book:
“Reforming Marriage”
by Douglas Wilson
(He requires that potential elders study it)
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Dealing with Challenges
Do you face an overwhelming task, burden, challenge, or battle? Is there something God has called you to do or endure that seems too much for you to handle? Do you feel His presence with you in it?
I hope you do. I've encountered all manner of difficulties, conflicts, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles in my years as a pastor. But knowing the Father is near me – loving, defending, and providing for me – has gotten me through every single one.
In fact, there are times when I am studying Scripture or thinking about God's faithfulness, when suddenly I am so aware of His awesome presence that am my filled with emotion and begin weeping. During these times, He doesn't say anything. He simply makes Himself known so that I can understand He loves me enough to manifest His incredible power, wisdom, and authority on my behalf.
This is especially important to me as I think about my mission to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. As you can imagine, this can be challenging at times. There are many hurdle to overcome, nations closed to the gospel, and lost souls to reach. It is a tremendous task that never ends.
I often consider how overwhelming it must have been for the disciples, listening to Christ's Great Commission to them: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-29, emphasis added)...Can you imagine how impossible it must have seemed to them – reaching all the nations?. Yet Jesus' assurance to them made all the difference, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of this age” (Matt 28:29).
Without that promise, the disciples could not have done what Christ commanded. Our Savior's presence with them was imperative, just it is for us today. This is because as believers, He inspires, energizes, enables, and counsels us in very special ways, no matter what we're called to do or what challenges we must face.
So what is it that weighs heavy on your heart today? Has the Lord called you to do something in His name and for His glory? Are you facing financial, health, or relational difficulties? Is there a task before you that is far more than you can handle – a task that you wonder if you can persevere through it?
It is very important to God that you recognize He is with you... Why?... Because the Father does for us those things that you and I can't do for ourselves...What does He do?
First, when we experience the Lord's presence, He inspires us to join Him in His divine purpose...The Father wants to accomplish special things in our lives that are much greater than we are..For example, He spoke from the burning bush and called Moses to deliver Israel out of Egyptian slavery—an incredible mission.. (Ex. 3)...But Moses did not think he could do it...Perhaps you have doubts about what you must do as well..I encourage you to never second guess what God can do through a servant who is willing to obey Him.
Second, when we encounter the Father and Son and realize He is absolutely holy, omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (always with us), omniscient (all knowing), and omni-benevolent (unconditional in His love for us), He energizes us to face any difficulty...Think about the prophet Isaiah..He saw the Lord as He really is – on His throne, His throne in Heaven, completely righteous, majestic, and glorious.. How did Isaiah respond? The prophet immediately observed that the King of Kings was fully worthy of all honor and obedience, Isaiah cried out, “here am I, send me!” (Isa 60)..We too..When we experience the awesomeness of God,we will be fully motivated to serve Him, regardless of the challenges.
Third, the Father's presence enables us to accomplish extraordinary things. What made Moses believe he could part the Red Sea; David consider he could fight Goliath ;Peter trusted he could walk on water; or Paul thought he could preach before the Roman rulers Festus, Felix, and Agrippa?..In each case, it was because of their confidence in the living God...As Luke 1:47 teaches, “Nothing will be impossible with God.”
Fourth, when we experience the Father's presence, He counsels us with His perspective regarding our circumstances..From our earthly earthly viewpoint, everything may be falling apart..But the Lord, who sees the end of a matter from the beginning, is aligning His resources to help us..Like David, we can say, "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You..In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid..What can mere man do to me?” (Ps. 56:3-4).
Friend, no matter what trouble you encounter today, I ask you to surrender your life to the Lord and watch what He does..He will make Himself known to you in powerful ways that fit your life perfectly..Therefore, spend time in His awesome presence..Allow Him to inspire you with His plans, energize you to face difficulties, enable you to accomplish extraordinary things, and counsel you on how to find victory in every circumstance..Don't miss out on one of the choicest blessings we as believers can ever enjoy – experiencing the presence of the living God.
Charles F. Stanley
August 2011 Prayer Letter
I hope you do. I've encountered all manner of difficulties, conflicts, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles in my years as a pastor. But knowing the Father is near me – loving, defending, and providing for me – has gotten me through every single one.
In fact, there are times when I am studying Scripture or thinking about God's faithfulness, when suddenly I am so aware of His awesome presence that am my filled with emotion and begin weeping. During these times, He doesn't say anything. He simply makes Himself known so that I can understand He loves me enough to manifest His incredible power, wisdom, and authority on my behalf.
This is especially important to me as I think about my mission to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. As you can imagine, this can be challenging at times. There are many hurdle to overcome, nations closed to the gospel, and lost souls to reach. It is a tremendous task that never ends.
I often consider how overwhelming it must have been for the disciples, listening to Christ's Great Commission to them: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-29, emphasis added)...Can you imagine how impossible it must have seemed to them – reaching all the nations?. Yet Jesus' assurance to them made all the difference, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of this age” (Matt 28:29).
Without that promise, the disciples could not have done what Christ commanded. Our Savior's presence with them was imperative, just it is for us today. This is because as believers, He inspires, energizes, enables, and counsels us in very special ways, no matter what we're called to do or what challenges we must face.
So what is it that weighs heavy on your heart today? Has the Lord called you to do something in His name and for His glory? Are you facing financial, health, or relational difficulties? Is there a task before you that is far more than you can handle – a task that you wonder if you can persevere through it?
It is very important to God that you recognize He is with you... Why?... Because the Father does for us those things that you and I can't do for ourselves...What does He do?
First, when we experience the Lord's presence, He inspires us to join Him in His divine purpose...The Father wants to accomplish special things in our lives that are much greater than we are..For example, He spoke from the burning bush and called Moses to deliver Israel out of Egyptian slavery—an incredible mission.. (Ex. 3)...But Moses did not think he could do it...Perhaps you have doubts about what you must do as well..I encourage you to never second guess what God can do through a servant who is willing to obey Him.
Second, when we encounter the Father and Son and realize He is absolutely holy, omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (always with us), omniscient (all knowing), and omni-benevolent (unconditional in His love for us), He energizes us to face any difficulty...Think about the prophet Isaiah..He saw the Lord as He really is – on His throne, His throne in Heaven, completely righteous, majestic, and glorious.. How did Isaiah respond? The prophet immediately observed that the King of Kings was fully worthy of all honor and obedience, Isaiah cried out, “here am I, send me!” (Isa 60)..We too..When we experience the awesomeness of God,we will be fully motivated to serve Him, regardless of the challenges.
Third, the Father's presence enables us to accomplish extraordinary things. What made Moses believe he could part the Red Sea; David consider he could fight Goliath ;Peter trusted he could walk on water; or Paul thought he could preach before the Roman rulers Festus, Felix, and Agrippa?..In each case, it was because of their confidence in the living God...As Luke 1:47 teaches, “Nothing will be impossible with God.”
Fourth, when we experience the Father's presence, He counsels us with His perspective regarding our circumstances..From our earthly earthly viewpoint, everything may be falling apart..But the Lord, who sees the end of a matter from the beginning, is aligning His resources to help us..Like David, we can say, "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You..In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid..What can mere man do to me?” (Ps. 56:3-4).
Friend, no matter what trouble you encounter today, I ask you to surrender your life to the Lord and watch what He does..He will make Himself known to you in powerful ways that fit your life perfectly..Therefore, spend time in His awesome presence..Allow Him to inspire you with His plans, energize you to face difficulties, enable you to accomplish extraordinary things, and counsel you on how to find victory in every circumstance..Don't miss out on one of the choicest blessings we as believers can ever enjoy – experiencing the presence of the living God.
Charles F. Stanley
August 2011 Prayer Letter
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Four Wlliam T. McConnells
There have been a line of four William Thomas McConnells in my family.... All of them have some things in common..... They have all been: bright, strong-willed, opinionated and articulate.
The first William Thomas McConnell was my grandfather, and he was called “WT”.
He was a career Democrat politician in Robertson County, KY, and held every elected office over time (he was most often the sheriff)
WT was good friends with Alben Barkley (the Vice President under Harry Truman, also known as the “Veep”)..... I would describe WT as a “demanding dictator”.... He was very impressive looking: Tall (6' 4”), ramrod straight, with white hair.... When Dad was a teenager, he was the only child left of the seven children..... Each morning WT would give his wife (Willie Kate) a punch list of tasks to be done on their farm that day...... Then he would go down to the courthouse in Mt. Olivet and chew the fat with the county leaders...... When he came home, he expected a hot meal to be on the table, and all the tasks to be completed.... [More on this in my blog post called “WT”].
The name on my Dad's birth certificate was “Will Junior”. He was the youngest of seven children...... He later changed his name to “William Thomas McConnell, Jr....As an adult he was called “Bill”..... I would describe Dad as a “workaholic charismatic leader”...... As, you can tell, I was in awe of my Dad........ I felt like a failure because I couldn't live up to my lofty view of him..... I was so glad that he named me after my Mom (Robert Redding), instead of himself....When Dad retired, he had trained four other men to replace him.....At his company (Lincoln Income Life Insurance Company) he did the following jobs:
....Treasurer
....Wrote the insurance policies that Lincoln Income sold
....Director of personnel
....Company attorney
Dad seemed to have a pretty good relationship with WT......I think WT would give him helpful advice (and Dad was WT's attorney, and handled his estate)
The next person with that name is “Bill Tom”.....As an adult, he is known as “Bill” (just like my Dad).....Bill Tom was eighteen months younger than me (and we continue to be very close)....The words I would use to describe him growing up are “Black Sheep Rebel”.... Bill Tom had MAJOR problems with obeying Dad, as a teenager...Anything Dad would tell Bill Tom to do, he would do just the opposite.....Bill Tom was always an adventurous young man, with lots of friends and always dated the prettiest girls......Fortunately, later in life, Dad became Bill Tom's close friend and mentor.
The last person with that name is “Mack”, (Bill Tom's oldest son).....I haven't spent much time with him, and don't know that much about him....He is brilliant (having inherited the “Redding brain” from my Mom) and very witty....Unfortunately, he also inherited the Redding's main problem (but he is dealing with that)....I've haven't had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Mack about anything, really,....So, I can't tell you more about him.....He hasn't had any sons (so, that looks like the end of the line for men named “William Thomas McConnell”).
The first William Thomas McConnell was my grandfather, and he was called “WT”.
He was a career Democrat politician in Robertson County, KY, and held every elected office over time (he was most often the sheriff)
WT was good friends with Alben Barkley (the Vice President under Harry Truman, also known as the “Veep”)..... I would describe WT as a “demanding dictator”.... He was very impressive looking: Tall (6' 4”), ramrod straight, with white hair.... When Dad was a teenager, he was the only child left of the seven children..... Each morning WT would give his wife (Willie Kate) a punch list of tasks to be done on their farm that day...... Then he would go down to the courthouse in Mt. Olivet and chew the fat with the county leaders...... When he came home, he expected a hot meal to be on the table, and all the tasks to be completed.... [More on this in my blog post called “WT”].
The name on my Dad's birth certificate was “Will Junior”. He was the youngest of seven children...... He later changed his name to “William Thomas McConnell, Jr....As an adult he was called “Bill”..... I would describe Dad as a “workaholic charismatic leader”...... As, you can tell, I was in awe of my Dad........ I felt like a failure because I couldn't live up to my lofty view of him..... I was so glad that he named me after my Mom (Robert Redding), instead of himself....When Dad retired, he had trained four other men to replace him.....At his company (Lincoln Income Life Insurance Company) he did the following jobs:
....Treasurer
....Wrote the insurance policies that Lincoln Income sold
....Director of personnel
....Company attorney
Dad seemed to have a pretty good relationship with WT......I think WT would give him helpful advice (and Dad was WT's attorney, and handled his estate)
The next person with that name is “Bill Tom”.....As an adult, he is known as “Bill” (just like my Dad).....Bill Tom was eighteen months younger than me (and we continue to be very close)....The words I would use to describe him growing up are “Black Sheep Rebel”.... Bill Tom had MAJOR problems with obeying Dad, as a teenager...Anything Dad would tell Bill Tom to do, he would do just the opposite.....Bill Tom was always an adventurous young man, with lots of friends and always dated the prettiest girls......Fortunately, later in life, Dad became Bill Tom's close friend and mentor.
The last person with that name is “Mack”, (Bill Tom's oldest son).....I haven't spent much time with him, and don't know that much about him....He is brilliant (having inherited the “Redding brain” from my Mom) and very witty....Unfortunately, he also inherited the Redding's main problem (but he is dealing with that)....I've haven't had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Mack about anything, really,....So, I can't tell you more about him.....He hasn't had any sons (so, that looks like the end of the line for men named “William Thomas McConnell”).
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Two Important Decisions
I sometimes ask people this question: What is the most important decision you will ever make in your life?
For me the answer to that is easy. It was the day I admitted that I was sinful (selfish) and asked Jesus to be my Savior and Lord. I made that decision on May 22, 1965 in my Sophomore year at Ohio State.
This is my second question: What is the second most important decision you will ever make in your life?
Again, for me the answer is easy (but actually doing it is often VERY difficult).
It is to obey Jesus when the Holy Spirit prompts me to do something. Sometimes I obey as follows:
….Immediately
….After a few minutes
….After a day or more
….Sometimes it has even taken me years to obey Him
I find that the longer I put off obeying Jesus, the less I hear the Holy Spirit prompting me.
So, there is a real danger in not instantly obeying Jesus.
It is when I am consistently and instantly obeying the prompts of the Holy Spirit that I am truly joyful.
I have appreciated many things that Charles Stanley (Pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta) has said. Among his quotes are the following:
“To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us
To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit
Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him
Disappointments are inevitable; discouragement is a choice
God blesses us so that we might bless others
We learn more in valley experiences than on our mountaintops
Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God
Our intimacy with God - His highest priority for our lives - determines the impact of out lives”
For me the answer to that is easy. It was the day I admitted that I was sinful (selfish) and asked Jesus to be my Savior and Lord. I made that decision on May 22, 1965 in my Sophomore year at Ohio State.
This is my second question: What is the second most important decision you will ever make in your life?
Again, for me the answer is easy (but actually doing it is often VERY difficult).
It is to obey Jesus when the Holy Spirit prompts me to do something. Sometimes I obey as follows:
….Immediately
….After a few minutes
….After a day or more
….Sometimes it has even taken me years to obey Him
I find that the longer I put off obeying Jesus, the less I hear the Holy Spirit prompting me.
So, there is a real danger in not instantly obeying Jesus.
It is when I am consistently and instantly obeying the prompts of the Holy Spirit that I am truly joyful.
I have appreciated many things that Charles Stanley (Pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta) has said. Among his quotes are the following:
“To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us
To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit
Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him
Disappointments are inevitable; discouragement is a choice
God blesses us so that we might bless others
We learn more in valley experiences than on our mountaintops
Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God
Our intimacy with God - His highest priority for our lives - determines the impact of out lives”
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
AC and Susie
As I have mentioned earlier (“No-Hitter and AC”), AC Pryor became my best friend in Junior High School. After he graduated High School he married a lovely girl named Susie. This story is about a time that my former wife Carole and I visited with AC and Susie.
Every time we went back to Louisville, KY to visit my family we would make arrangements to spend some time with the Pryors. The Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1970 (while I was finishing my Masters degree at Purdue) we had what turned out to be a life-changing meeting with AC and Susie. AC has written about this night in his book, “The Sound Mind Investing Handbook” by Austin Pryor (see Chapter 25). [I'll refer to this book as SMIH below].
We went to their home that night and had a wonderful dinner. Afterward we started talking and sharing how excited we were about having a personal relationship with Jesus. I had been praying for AC and Susie ever since 1965 when I met Jesus, that they would come to know Him as Carole and I did.
As AC says in his book, “After dinner, it wasn't long before Bob shifted the conversation to spiritual matters. He saw us living the comfortable life and asked Susie at one point: “Susie, are you happy?” And she answered, “We've really got a lot to be thankful for.” He said: “I can see that. But are you happy?” And she paused, then simply said, “No.” (see SMIH pp 298-299).
It was then that I got to share with AC and Susie the answer to the question, “Have you made the wonderful discovery of the Spirit-filled life?” This information is found in a little blue booklet by the same name. That night I shared the information from the booklet. We said that the Bible explains that there are only three types of people in the world (see 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3):
o..Natural People...(Those who have never asked Jesus to be their Savior and Lord)
o..Spiritual Christians...(Those who are directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit)
o..Worldly (Carnal) Christians...(Those who have received Christ, but who live in defeat because they are trying to live the Christian life in their own strength)
The Bible teaches the following four principles for living the Spirit-filled life:
First:....God has provided for us an abundant and fruitful Christian life.
The promise of the abundant Christian life given in 1 John 10:10.
The key to fruitfulness is abiding in Christ (obeying Christ moment by moment) as shown in John 15:4-5.
The nine-fold fruit of the Spirit (the result of obeying Christ) is given in Galatians 5:22-23.
(These are love, joy, peace, patience ,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). Also we are promised that the Holy Spirit will give us power to witness in Acts 1:8.
The question that follows is “Why is it that most Christians are not experiencing the abundant life?” The answer is given in the second principle:
Second:...Worldly (Carnal) Christians cannot experience the abundant and fruitful life.
The worldly (carnal) Christian trusts in his own efforts to live the Christian life.
He is either uninformed about, or has forgotten, about God's love, forgiveness,, and power. He has an up-and-down spiritual experience. He cannot understand himself – he wants to do what is right, but cannot. He fails to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life. (And this only comes by continually obeying what Christ leads you to do).
The fruit of a worldly (carnal) Christian are just opposite of the fruit of the Spirit, some of which are: legalistic attitude, impure thoughts, jealousy, guilt, worry, discouragement, critical spirit, frustration, aimlessness, fear, unbelief, disobedience, loss of love for God and others, poor prayer life, no desire for Bible study, etc.
The third principle gives us the only solution to this problem:
Third:...Jesus promised the abundant and fruitful life as the result of being filled (directed and empowered) with the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit-filled life is the Christ-directed life by which Christ lives His life in and through us in the power of the Holy Spirit (see John 15). One becomes a Christian through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, according to John 3:1-8. From the moment of spiritual birth, the Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at all times (John 1:12, Colossians 2:9-10, John 14:16-17). [Though all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, not all Christians are filled (directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit on an ongoing basis]. The Holy Spirit is the source of the overflowing life (John 7:37-39). The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ (John 16:1-15). When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is a true disciple of Christ.
Principle 4 gives the answer to the question, “How, then, can one be filled with the Holy Spirit?”
Fourth:...We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith; then we can experience the abundant and fruitful life that Christ promised.
You can appropriate the filling of the Holy Spirit right now if you:
o..Sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
o..Confess you sins (agree with God).
o..By faith, thank God that He has (already) forgiven all of your sins – past, present, and future – because Christ died for you.
o..Present every area of your life to God (Romans 12:1-2)
o..By faith claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit, according to the following:
His command: Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
His promise: He will always answer when we pray according to His will (1 John 5:14-15)
When we left AC and Susie that night, we left a copy of that blue booklet with them. I found out later, that before they went to sleep that night, they both prayed and asked Jesus to be in control of their lives and that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit (see SMIH pp 300-302).
Since then they have been a godly couple and have been wonderfully used by Jesus. I am always encouraged when I talk to them (even when I am down).
Every time we went back to Louisville, KY to visit my family we would make arrangements to spend some time with the Pryors. The Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1970 (while I was finishing my Masters degree at Purdue) we had what turned out to be a life-changing meeting with AC and Susie. AC has written about this night in his book, “The Sound Mind Investing Handbook” by Austin Pryor (see Chapter 25). [I'll refer to this book as SMIH below].
We went to their home that night and had a wonderful dinner. Afterward we started talking and sharing how excited we were about having a personal relationship with Jesus. I had been praying for AC and Susie ever since 1965 when I met Jesus, that they would come to know Him as Carole and I did.
As AC says in his book, “After dinner, it wasn't long before Bob shifted the conversation to spiritual matters. He saw us living the comfortable life and asked Susie at one point: “Susie, are you happy?” And she answered, “We've really got a lot to be thankful for.” He said: “I can see that. But are you happy?” And she paused, then simply said, “No.” (see SMIH pp 298-299).
It was then that I got to share with AC and Susie the answer to the question, “Have you made the wonderful discovery of the Spirit-filled life?” This information is found in a little blue booklet by the same name. That night I shared the information from the booklet. We said that the Bible explains that there are only three types of people in the world (see 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3):
o..Natural People...(Those who have never asked Jesus to be their Savior and Lord)
o..Spiritual Christians...(Those who are directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit)
o..Worldly (Carnal) Christians...(Those who have received Christ, but who live in defeat because they are trying to live the Christian life in their own strength)
The Bible teaches the following four principles for living the Spirit-filled life:
First:....God has provided for us an abundant and fruitful Christian life.
The promise of the abundant Christian life given in 1 John 10:10.
The key to fruitfulness is abiding in Christ (obeying Christ moment by moment) as shown in John 15:4-5.
The nine-fold fruit of the Spirit (the result of obeying Christ) is given in Galatians 5:22-23.
(These are love, joy, peace, patience ,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). Also we are promised that the Holy Spirit will give us power to witness in Acts 1:8.
The question that follows is “Why is it that most Christians are not experiencing the abundant life?” The answer is given in the second principle:
Second:...Worldly (Carnal) Christians cannot experience the abundant and fruitful life.
The worldly (carnal) Christian trusts in his own efforts to live the Christian life.
He is either uninformed about, or has forgotten, about God's love, forgiveness,, and power. He has an up-and-down spiritual experience. He cannot understand himself – he wants to do what is right, but cannot. He fails to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life. (And this only comes by continually obeying what Christ leads you to do).
The fruit of a worldly (carnal) Christian are just opposite of the fruit of the Spirit, some of which are: legalistic attitude, impure thoughts, jealousy, guilt, worry, discouragement, critical spirit, frustration, aimlessness, fear, unbelief, disobedience, loss of love for God and others, poor prayer life, no desire for Bible study, etc.
The third principle gives us the only solution to this problem:
Third:...Jesus promised the abundant and fruitful life as the result of being filled (directed and empowered) with the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit-filled life is the Christ-directed life by which Christ lives His life in and through us in the power of the Holy Spirit (see John 15). One becomes a Christian through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, according to John 3:1-8. From the moment of spiritual birth, the Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at all times (John 1:12, Colossians 2:9-10, John 14:16-17). [Though all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, not all Christians are filled (directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit on an ongoing basis]. The Holy Spirit is the source of the overflowing life (John 7:37-39). The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ (John 16:1-15). When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is a true disciple of Christ.
Principle 4 gives the answer to the question, “How, then, can one be filled with the Holy Spirit?”
Fourth:...We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith; then we can experience the abundant and fruitful life that Christ promised.
You can appropriate the filling of the Holy Spirit right now if you:
o..Sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
o..Confess you sins (agree with God).
o..By faith, thank God that He has (already) forgiven all of your sins – past, present, and future – because Christ died for you.
o..Present every area of your life to God (Romans 12:1-2)
o..By faith claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit, according to the following:
His command: Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
His promise: He will always answer when we pray according to His will (1 John 5:14-15)
When we left AC and Susie that night, we left a copy of that blue booklet with them. I found out later, that before they went to sleep that night, they both prayed and asked Jesus to be in control of their lives and that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit (see SMIH pp 300-302).
Since then they have been a godly couple and have been wonderfully used by Jesus. I am always encouraged when I talk to them (even when I am down).
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Lessons from Richard King and Jesus
When I was growing up in Louisville, KY, I would listen to a radio show out of Cincinnati, OH with a funny announcer named Richard King. One of his favorite things to do was play music and then make a horrible sound like “BBBBBBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ”. After doing that for a while, he would come on the air and say “The trouble is in your set!”
I found that very funny, but later, it reminded me of a parable that Jesus taught.
Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank [or 2 by 4] in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” - Matthew 7:3-5 NIV
This reminds me that when I disagree with someone, I need to carefully examine my own life, before I can criticize that other person. Only when I have examined my life, confessed my own sins and repented of my sinful ways, can I clearly see problems in another person's life,
Several years ago, there used to be a Christian band that called themselves “PlankEye”. I thought that was a wonderful name, and think of it when I am tempted to criticize others.
I found that very funny, but later, it reminded me of a parable that Jesus taught.
Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank [or 2 by 4] in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” - Matthew 7:3-5 NIV
This reminds me that when I disagree with someone, I need to carefully examine my own life, before I can criticize that other person. Only when I have examined my life, confessed my own sins and repented of my sinful ways, can I clearly see problems in another person's life,
Several years ago, there used to be a Christian band that called themselves “PlankEye”. I thought that was a wonderful name, and think of it when I am tempted to criticize others.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
My Other Brother Bill
I have two brothers called "Bill McConnell".... Both pastor Christian (Disciples of Christ) churches (of about 400 Sunday attendees)...You know my youngest brother Bill as "Willie" on my blog (Bob's Blog).....The older Bill is 18 months younger than I am and we have always been very close.... He writes a blog for his church (Legacy Christian) that is also posted on Twitter (and sometimes Facebook)... The following is one of his blogs, "Pretty Good", which includes a description of himself.... Bill may be the most unique pastor you have ever met.... I trust you find his humor entertaining, as I do.
Warning....He is blunt and a little crude
Pretty Good
A couple of months ago I attended a meeting where the leader wanted to play one of those "let's get to know each other" games. These games are often played in meetings I attend because I am a minister and thus attend meetings with other minister types. And, generally speaking, either by natural inclination or through training, minister types tend to be touchy/feely people. I just hate those games.
Before you insist I enter therapy to gain insight into my problem, I am pretty sure I know why I hate that crap. First of all, I am not a touchy/feely kind of guy so the get to know you better/share your inner being with me goofiness just drives me up the wall. My lack of desire to "share" with you is probably because I really have no interest in getting to know the other people in the group and because I am not particularly interested in them getting to know me. Here is what I am thinking: "I came for the meeting. The meeting has a purpose or I would not have come to the meeting. So let's get on with the meeting because the sooner we get on with the meeting the sooner we can finish the meeting and I can leave the meeting." The nice way to look at this attitude is that I am mission oriented. Another take could be that I don't particularly enjoy being around people. I say let's go with the mission oriented idea.
The variations on the get to know you games are limited so they are pretty predictable. Sooner or later we almost always end up with one of those "Who are you questions?" Answering that question invariably takes us through a cycle of answers as the group leader attempts to "empower" us to share who we really are. The first round of the cycle is where we tell each other what we do for a living. Since our deeply sensitive group leader can't leave well enough alone, he or she knowingly smiles and tells us that our jobs don't define who were are. The leader is wrong but at this point I choose to not correct the leader.
So we go around again and try to sound a little more profound on our second try. We say things like "I am a husband… a father… a Christian." There are smiles all around and it is obvious that our more insightful, more touchy/feely answers, are better and more correct answers. Since this isn't my first rodeo, occasionally I jump ahead and give the "correct" answer the first time around. I do this for several reasons. Because it throws the leader and his or her plan off course and that is fun to watch. Or because it speeds up the process and we can get on with the meeting. Or because it weird's out the people in the meeting who already know me.
At this particular meeting I jumped right in and answered the "Who are you?" question honestly. It was not my intention but my answer kind of kinked things up when I told the group, "I am a failure." It took a couple of seconds for my answer to sink in and the shock waves to settle. And then they all piled in with their heartfelt reassurances that of course I wasn't a failure, I was wonderful, blah, blah, blah. I smiled because their words were less for me and more for them. They needed to make me take that back. They thought they were trying to make me feel better, but they were just trying to make themselves feel better because we humans can deal with just about anything but the truth. I find it fascinating, but it seems that most often speaking the truth is perceived as being rude or mean.
If you ask me who I am (And I realize you haven't, I can answer that question. I am a son, a brother (five times), a husband (twice), a father (several times), a grandfather (several more times), a minister (more places than I really want to recount), a writer, a firefighter and EMT, a teacher, a police and prison chaplain, and a Christian. And pretty much a failure at all of these.
When I say that I am a failure I do not mean that I am a dismal, pathetic failure. Mine is not a life that is in the crapper. It isn't a "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me I going out in the yard and eat worms," "Buddy could you spare me a dollar," failure of a life. Let me put it like this - You wouldn't want to be married to me. I expect any day to be arrested for impersonating a minister. If nice is the definition of a good Christian, I am never going to make the grade.
I have done many things but none of them really well. Sure, I have, as a Christian and as a minister, led a bunch of people to meet God. And, as an EMT, I have delayed that God meeting for a few people. My kids don't hate me and my church thinks they have probably had worse ministers. I can't preach my way out of a paper bag but I can put a few holes in the bag.
It's not so much that I am a failure, it is just I haven't done anything all that well. I am a jack of all trades and a master of none. I haven't excelled at much of anything and some of the things I have tried to do have ended with me face down in the turf. Pretty good would describe me. I played sports in high school and I was pretty good but not college scholarship material. I have graduated from high school, college and a couple of graduate schools and I was a pretty good student. I have written several books and one of them was pretty good.
Perhaps I have a problem with expectations. Over the years I have managed to get to the point that I have almost no expectations of others but my expectations for me remain high. I would, sometime in my life, love to pass up pretty good and do at least one excellent. That wouldn't be as much of a problem as it is but I am running out of time. I am feeling a time constraint. To steal a line from 30 something childless women, my biological clock is ticking. I am no longer young. Heck, I am no longer middle aged, unless I am going to live well past 100. Not much chance of that since I get a sense from my doctor that he will be pleased if he manages to drag my pathetic body past 65 and into retirement.
You didn't ask, but that is who I am. A guy who is neither pretty nor good who has done most things in life pretty good but is still hoping for better.
Warning....He is blunt and a little crude
Pretty Good
A couple of months ago I attended a meeting where the leader wanted to play one of those "let's get to know each other" games. These games are often played in meetings I attend because I am a minister and thus attend meetings with other minister types. And, generally speaking, either by natural inclination or through training, minister types tend to be touchy/feely people. I just hate those games.
Before you insist I enter therapy to gain insight into my problem, I am pretty sure I know why I hate that crap. First of all, I am not a touchy/feely kind of guy so the get to know you better/share your inner being with me goofiness just drives me up the wall. My lack of desire to "share" with you is probably because I really have no interest in getting to know the other people in the group and because I am not particularly interested in them getting to know me. Here is what I am thinking: "I came for the meeting. The meeting has a purpose or I would not have come to the meeting. So let's get on with the meeting because the sooner we get on with the meeting the sooner we can finish the meeting and I can leave the meeting." The nice way to look at this attitude is that I am mission oriented. Another take could be that I don't particularly enjoy being around people. I say let's go with the mission oriented idea.
The variations on the get to know you games are limited so they are pretty predictable. Sooner or later we almost always end up with one of those "Who are you questions?" Answering that question invariably takes us through a cycle of answers as the group leader attempts to "empower" us to share who we really are. The first round of the cycle is where we tell each other what we do for a living. Since our deeply sensitive group leader can't leave well enough alone, he or she knowingly smiles and tells us that our jobs don't define who were are. The leader is wrong but at this point I choose to not correct the leader.
So we go around again and try to sound a little more profound on our second try. We say things like "I am a husband… a father… a Christian." There are smiles all around and it is obvious that our more insightful, more touchy/feely answers, are better and more correct answers. Since this isn't my first rodeo, occasionally I jump ahead and give the "correct" answer the first time around. I do this for several reasons. Because it throws the leader and his or her plan off course and that is fun to watch. Or because it speeds up the process and we can get on with the meeting. Or because it weird's out the people in the meeting who already know me.
At this particular meeting I jumped right in and answered the "Who are you?" question honestly. It was not my intention but my answer kind of kinked things up when I told the group, "I am a failure." It took a couple of seconds for my answer to sink in and the shock waves to settle. And then they all piled in with their heartfelt reassurances that of course I wasn't a failure, I was wonderful, blah, blah, blah. I smiled because their words were less for me and more for them. They needed to make me take that back. They thought they were trying to make me feel better, but they were just trying to make themselves feel better because we humans can deal with just about anything but the truth. I find it fascinating, but it seems that most often speaking the truth is perceived as being rude or mean.
If you ask me who I am (And I realize you haven't, I can answer that question. I am a son, a brother (five times), a husband (twice), a father (several times), a grandfather (several more times), a minister (more places than I really want to recount), a writer, a firefighter and EMT, a teacher, a police and prison chaplain, and a Christian. And pretty much a failure at all of these.
When I say that I am a failure I do not mean that I am a dismal, pathetic failure. Mine is not a life that is in the crapper. It isn't a "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me I going out in the yard and eat worms," "Buddy could you spare me a dollar," failure of a life. Let me put it like this - You wouldn't want to be married to me. I expect any day to be arrested for impersonating a minister. If nice is the definition of a good Christian, I am never going to make the grade.
I have done many things but none of them really well. Sure, I have, as a Christian and as a minister, led a bunch of people to meet God. And, as an EMT, I have delayed that God meeting for a few people. My kids don't hate me and my church thinks they have probably had worse ministers. I can't preach my way out of a paper bag but I can put a few holes in the bag.
It's not so much that I am a failure, it is just I haven't done anything all that well. I am a jack of all trades and a master of none. I haven't excelled at much of anything and some of the things I have tried to do have ended with me face down in the turf. Pretty good would describe me. I played sports in high school and I was pretty good but not college scholarship material. I have graduated from high school, college and a couple of graduate schools and I was a pretty good student. I have written several books and one of them was pretty good.
Perhaps I have a problem with expectations. Over the years I have managed to get to the point that I have almost no expectations of others but my expectations for me remain high. I would, sometime in my life, love to pass up pretty good and do at least one excellent. That wouldn't be as much of a problem as it is but I am running out of time. I am feeling a time constraint. To steal a line from 30 something childless women, my biological clock is ticking. I am no longer young. Heck, I am no longer middle aged, unless I am going to live well past 100. Not much chance of that since I get a sense from my doctor that he will be pleased if he manages to drag my pathetic body past 65 and into retirement.
You didn't ask, but that is who I am. A guy who is neither pretty nor good who has done most things in life pretty good but is still hoping for better.
Friday, March 4, 2011
My First Major Illness
In 1962, when I was a Junior in High School, I had symptoms of my first major illness. Sometime in the school year I started passing a lot of blood in my urine. We were living in Ten Broeck at the time and I was going to Eastern High School (which is in Jefferson County and a far eastern suburb of Louisville, KY)
I remember that my Dad and Mom (Pa and Lady) would take me to downtown Louisville after school one day each week to visit a kidney doctor, and I'd take blood and urine tests. Initially he told my parents that it was possible that I had kidney cancer. As I look back, I can imagine how hard that must have been on Pa and Lady. I was Pa's favorite son and Lady's joy (she always told us that the happiest day of her life was when she gave birth to me). Now, they had to face the fact that I may have cancer (and soon die). Of course I knew nothing of this. I just had to rest after school each day and take these tests once a week (I felt fine).
Eventually the doctor said it was nephritis (kidney infection) and all I could do was continue to rest after school. I didn't change my diet, just exercised less. After a while (I think one or two months), I returned to “normal”, and played baseball that Spring and Summer.
So, to me, this illness was no big deal (just a minor slowdown). But looking back on that with the eyes of a parent, it is much different. I now see the stress I put Pa and Lady through because of all the illnesses and other problems in my life (while being their “special son”).
Pa became a Christian in 1965 (and Lady started walking close to the Lord then). However, the bulk of my health and other problems lay ahead. For me, my illnesses have been learning experiences to help me grow closer to Christ. But what agony my parents must have suffered to see their special son go through illness.(and not have any control over the situation)! However, I can testify that my problems made them stronger as individuals (and as a couple). I now see that God planned this for our good (Romans 8:28). However, I now see that the dark valleys that I went through were much harder for Pa and Lady than me.
None of my four living children have had any major health problems that I can remember. So, I haven't had to wait as one them suffered through a major health problem. Even the death of my oldest son, Bo, happened so quickly (in a car wreck) that I just reacted to it.
I know that the same Holy Spirit that walked with me through each of my traumatic experiences was with Pa and Lady, His fruit includes love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). I guess what they did was turn me over to the Lord and stand on the truth of His Word. The hard times that all three of us went through has been a tool that burned the truth of God's Word into our lives.
I remember that my Dad and Mom (Pa and Lady) would take me to downtown Louisville after school one day each week to visit a kidney doctor, and I'd take blood and urine tests. Initially he told my parents that it was possible that I had kidney cancer. As I look back, I can imagine how hard that must have been on Pa and Lady. I was Pa's favorite son and Lady's joy (she always told us that the happiest day of her life was when she gave birth to me). Now, they had to face the fact that I may have cancer (and soon die). Of course I knew nothing of this. I just had to rest after school each day and take these tests once a week (I felt fine).
Eventually the doctor said it was nephritis (kidney infection) and all I could do was continue to rest after school. I didn't change my diet, just exercised less. After a while (I think one or two months), I returned to “normal”, and played baseball that Spring and Summer.
So, to me, this illness was no big deal (just a minor slowdown). But looking back on that with the eyes of a parent, it is much different. I now see the stress I put Pa and Lady through because of all the illnesses and other problems in my life (while being their “special son”).
Pa became a Christian in 1965 (and Lady started walking close to the Lord then). However, the bulk of my health and other problems lay ahead. For me, my illnesses have been learning experiences to help me grow closer to Christ. But what agony my parents must have suffered to see their special son go through illness.(and not have any control over the situation)! However, I can testify that my problems made them stronger as individuals (and as a couple). I now see that God planned this for our good (Romans 8:28). However, I now see that the dark valleys that I went through were much harder for Pa and Lady than me.
None of my four living children have had any major health problems that I can remember. So, I haven't had to wait as one them suffered through a major health problem. Even the death of my oldest son, Bo, happened so quickly (in a car wreck) that I just reacted to it.
I know that the same Holy Spirit that walked with me through each of my traumatic experiences was with Pa and Lady, His fruit includes love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). I guess what they did was turn me over to the Lord and stand on the truth of His Word. The hard times that all three of us went through has been a tool that burned the truth of God's Word into our lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)