Celebrate!

This has been quite a week for the Quick home; we have been in a celebratory mood here. Hannah graduated from high school Thursday and next week will wing her way to Germany for a reunion with her exchange-sister Annett. Bella completed pre-K and now views herself as a “big girl.” And not to be outdone by her sisters, Anna has been promoted to the second grade…an achievement that we sometimes wondered would be realized this year! Yeah, God is good, but our lives have been counter-balanced by the fact we are leaving this community soon. Aside from the boxes that are piling up in the parsonage, I was bummed out this week as I packed my books up in the church office…a tangible sign of our pending move. I have also been blessed by many from the community and from our churches, expressing their well wished for us as we move to Sumner. My response to all has been that I feel God is calling us there. It is sad to leave friends here, but I must believe that God has more friends there waiting for us. I’ve felt saddened to think that I will no longer be a part of what God has planned here at Sesser and Valier, but I believe God is also at work at Beulah UMC and that God wants me to be a part of that work for a time. This is an exciting time for both the church and the Quick’s, but it’s also a time for goodbyes, and while I want to properly offer those goodbyes, it will have to wait until the celebrations are over!

Look Up!

If you listen to much news, you gotta be depressed: Korea is attempting to strong-arm the world; the battle continues over gay marriage; Roland Burris appears to be in hot water…again; daily there seems to be child abductions; and this morning I heard of the tragic death of Mike Tyson’s 4 year old daughter. There just doesn’t seem to be any good news in our world! Well, here it is…not good news, but great news: God is still in control and seated on his throne. He isn’t wringing his hands wondering what will happen next; he hasn’t broken a sweat, worried about the headlines. We serve a sovereign God who, while no doubt disappointed with the way we behave from time to time, is so far above our circumstances and scruples that he cannot be shaken. So what good is a God like that? He longs to be in relationship with us! Any difficulty or dilemma can be surmounted by whole-hearted prayer to the Father. A given difficulty can only confront you on its own level. Rise above that level through prayer and the difficulty melts away. God is there waiting for us to seek his face.

Lest We Never Forget

As I’ve reflected on Memorial Day and the cost of our freedoms, my mind drifted back to yesterday’s service and the special by the choir, “Blades of Grass and Pure White Stones.” While the choir did a tremendous job on the song, it’s the pictures of Arlington National Cemetery that have stuck in my mind. The rows and rows of white stones and crosses that go on as far as the eye can see, each representing someone who gave their life for our freedom is astonishing. Knowing that Arlington only holds a fraction of those who have over the years given their lives in service to our great nation is nothing short of mind-boggling. Unfortunately, I am afraid we take our freedoms for granted, each of us at least for a time. I’ll confess there was a time when I was too busy with life to be concerned with the freedoms I enjoyed. But as I grew older, I came to realize that blood was shed for our freedoms, lots of blood. And today we enjoy the benefit of the combined effort of all those who gave their lives…the least we can do is remember.

At It Again!

Well, I am at it again! You may recall the Department of Homeland Security, in mid-May, wanted me to bring Eulalio to St. Louis for deportation. I would have done that except he already returned to Mexico last January! I was able to prove from paperwork that I had received from him and from the government that he had returned and fulfilled the conditions of his bond…although I am still at a lost as to how I had received copies of the documentation to prove it and they had not! Regardless, yesterday I received word that everything was in order and I could ask to have the bond money returned…do some people not want their money back? Well, this morning I am asking for prayers and for what may be nothing short of a miracle. I have mailed the request and I ask that you pray it will be returned to me within 30 days. Yeah, I know that getting the Department of Homeland Security (or any government agency) to move that quickly may be more than even God can do, but I ask that we pray. With our pending move, I really don’t want to complicate the process by giving them a new address for after July 1! Also, please pray that Eulalio’s progress in Mexico is steady and measurable, and that he may soon be reunited with Bella.

How Big Is Your God?

So, continuing our thoughts on the early church…Stephen, a man chosen by others to wait on tables (that may mean literally serving others, or it may mean administratively taking care of funds) now begins to “do great wonders and miraculous signs among the people when opposition arises” (Acts 6:7-8). Here’s a guy who following the leading of the Almighty (no one would argue that) moves far outside his comfort zone of serving God, all because he is “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). So here’s my question, “How many times has God called you outside your comfort zone to serve Him and you refused?” At our Wednesday night healing service I shared how Smith Wigglesworth said we are our own worse enemy. It’s not Satan, it our lack of faith, our inability to focus solely upon God that derails us. God calls us, but we do not respond because of a fear of the unknown (we’ve never done that before), or the cost is too high (in order to follow God’s will we must surrender our own). And we have every reason to be concerned, after all it cost Stephen his life. So is your God bigger than your fears, or are you following a small, powerless God?

Nomination Committees Beware!

As I lay awake earlier this evening in bed the Lord turned my thoughts to the first century church. What caused this tremendous movement to flourish under such adverse conditions for so many generations? If you think being a Christian is difficult in our world, you must read what the first, second, third century church endured And remember, that church did not merely survive, it thrived! Why is it we cannot seem to replicate that movement today…regardless of the good programs available? I believe God has shown me an answer to my question…an answer you may not like: unqualified lay leaders. Now, before you get out the tar and feathers and hunt me down, let me say this. I acknowledge the many failures of clergy. Both God and we know too many pastors who should have never been allowed in the pulpit and have crippled churches. Some are truly gifted people, but they are not pastors. However, having said that, Acts 6:3 gives us the qualifications of lay leaders in the church…as far as I can tell the only list of qualifications. As stated in the Contemporary English Version, they should “be respected and wise and filled with God's Spirit.” Forget the times we have sinned by putting someone in a position because we wanted a name to fill a slot, think of the people who truly lead the church…any church, any tribe. Can you say they are respected, wise, and filled with the Holy Spirit? Many are not. Seems to me too often we put people in positions because they want in those positions or because they have always done that! I also realize the terms "respected" and "wise" are subjective terms…but filled with the Holy Spirit seems both concrete and critical to me…what do you think?

True Confessions!

I have been terribly negligent when it comes to posting on my blog the past couple of weeks. The pending move has taken much of my time. Add to that Hannah’s graduation and the time we’ve spent preparing for her trip to Germany (she is going to visit Annett during the month of June) and her move to college this August…then there’s my duties for Junior High Church Camp; something had to go! I am going to be intentional about posting…but I confess that I also see some missed days in the near future. Until then, I will try harder…I promise. But for now some continue to struggle with my move. I am glad to hear some believe God is behind this move, but if you’re not there yet, you need to know that Jesus knows how you feel…he understands. We are precious to him…each of us. So precious that he became like us so that we could come to him. When we struggle, he listens. When we yearn, he responds. When we question, he hears.

I Choose to Follow Jesus!

As many of us wrestle with the changes that will arrive on July 1, I came across a wonderful reading by Rueben P. Job, a retired bishop of the United Methodist Church. It is from the devotional “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God.” The theme of the day is “taken where you do not want to go,” and who of us hasn’t been there before? Bishop Job’s words that I intend to commit to memory are, “We choose to follow Jesus and then Jesus chooses where we will go. It is that simple.” Those are profound words, not only for a United Methodist pastor (although they seem extremely relevant for me), but for every follower of Jesus Christ. We have all at some point in our walk found God leading us where we didn’t particularly want to go…and at times we intentionally made the decision not to go! Though I will confess that the times when I chose my preferences instead of God’s, the outcome was regrettable. So having said that, I am looking forward to what God has planned for me and my family in Sumner. I also believe God intends to do a mighty work here through your new pastor, Julie Smith. If you will only welcome her and her family as you welcomed me and my family five years ago, and follow her leading as you’ve followed mine, this church will continue to prosper as together you make disciples for Jesus Christ.

The Faith Walk

Faith enables us to see God on top of all our problems. If we see only the problems, we will get depressed and start making wrong decisions. When we have faith, we see God bigger than any mountain and we know He is going to take care of us. If God is for you, it doesn’t matter how many demons of hell try to oppose you. If God is for you, it doesn’t matter what your opponents whisper in the ears of people. Unbelief has a devious way of envisioning negative things. When you walk in faith, you get out of bed in the morning saying, “Surely goodness and love will follow me this day because I dwell in the house of the Lord” (Psalm 23:6). But if you walk in unbelief, you get out of bed saying, “Oh no! Is this the day I am going to lose it all?” Unbelief loves to paint the bleakest picture it can. It loves to get us to focus on the obstacles and how big they are. It causes us to see the shadow cast by the mountain we face and forget that there is a shadow because somewhere there is a light shining toward us. Those who walk in faith are still realists. They will admit that they don’t know exactly how everything is going to work out; but they insist God will supply regardless of the outlook.

Comfort in Anxious Days

Many are anxious these days. 1 John 4:4 gives us assurance: “God’s Spirit, who is in you is greater than the devil who is in the world.” Max Lucado writes in Grace for the Moment:

"Satan has no power except that which God gives him. To the first century church in Smyrna, Christ said, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you the devil will put some of you I prison to test you, and you will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10). Analyze Jesus’ words for a moment. Christ informs the church of the persecution, the duration of the persecution (ten days), the reason for the persecution (to test you), and the outcome of the persecution (a crown of life). In other words, Jesus uses Satan to glorify his church… Even when Satan appears to win, he loses."

Our Lord knows all about our struggles and intends to use them for the glory of the Father. If that does not give you comfort in the midst of the storm, what will?

Changes

As many of you know, I have been distracted the past couple of days. Life is so filled with activity that we must constantly adjust, adapt, and accommodate ourselves to changing situations. Change is a constant in our world, even in the church…perhaps more so here! However, the Scriptures liken Jesus to a rock. A rock is stable. Rock will be there after the storm has passed. Rain doesn’t wash it away, lightning doesn’t move it. We should find comfort in that. This promise is from our Creator, “I am the Lord, I do not change,” (Malachi 3:6) tells us that day after day He is on the job. God never takes vacations, days off, or leaves of absence. Anytime, anywhere, under any circumstance, we can breathe His name and be assured of an instant audience. When we are uncertain of our future, what an encouragement to know the Lord who watches over his people neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121: 4).

Lord, Hear Our Prayers!

Revivals have never been dominated by eloquent or clever preaching. Much more time has been given to prayer, weeping, and repentance than to sermons. In the “Prayer Meeting Revival” of 1857-59, there was virtually no preaching at all. Yet, some say it produced the greatest harvest of any spiritual awakening in American history! How did this happen? A quiet businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier started a Wednesday noon prayer service in New York City, and six people showed up to pray. Soon more gathered; there were twenty, then forty, then they decided to have daily meetings, then it spread to other churches. Within months the scene was replicated in Boston, New Haven, Philadelphia, Washington, and the South. By the next spring 2,000 gathered daily in Chicago to pray, where a 21 year-old Dwight L Moody dedicated his life to Christian service. Do you really think that what we lack today is preachers, books, Bible translations, or doctrinal statements? No, what we really lack is the passion to pray…to call upon the name of the Lord until he opens the heavens and shows himself powerful. This Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. Take the time to gather with others for a time of prayer…you never know just what God might do!