Not a Normal Wednesday Night

We had a business meeting last night at church. We had to approve a new budget, decide on what to do about our 100th Anniversary Celebration and deal with an issue concerning our cemetery.

I know it shows a lack of trust in our kind Heavenly Father, but I am always nervous at Business Meetings. I'm probably in good company. I don't know any pastor who isn't... especially any Baptist pastor.

But in almost 10 years, we have never had a disruptive Business conference. We have dealt with some difficult issues, but, by God's grace and the committment of His people here to act in a grace filled manner, they have never been bitter and divisive. Not that we have not had them in our 98 year history, but we don't have them now.

But the issues we faced were the kind that might have tested our peace. But they did not!

THE BUDGET: We approved the largest budget we have ever voted on. It is just a hair short of $200,000. But the miraculous blessing was that in thie economy that was a 8% increase over last year. It included pay raises for staff (THANK YOU!), increased funding for our Youth Ministry and funding for a part time Worship leader. This also included the added fuel, utility and insurance costs. But that's not the miraculous part.

100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: in 2009, FBC, Osprey will become a centenarian. So we are planning a party. We voted to empower the committee to organize it as they see fit. But that's not the miraculous part.

CEMETERY ISSUE: We were facing a cash flow issue because of several details. So the church voted to loan (interest free) money to the cemetery to cover the short term needs. But that's not the miraculous part.

The miraclous part was that each issue over the 55 minute meeting was approved unanimously. There were questions, answers and explanations. but without a dissenting vote or even an abstention, every issue was resolved without dissent. That is certainly from God.

There are several reasons why this happened.

• PREPARATION: All those who made presentations had done their preparation homework. There was no "oops, I didn't think about that" moments.
• OPENNESS: Reports are made public. Questions are answered. We have made some foul ups, but they are made openly. Someone once said that, "Baptists are down on what they are not up on."
• LENGTH OF MINISTRY: Because I have been pastor for almost 10 years, our people know that I will be here to live with the decisions we make.
• A HISTORY OF INTEGRITY: We have gone from monthly business sessions to quarterly business sessions to business meetings as we they are needed, because care is taken to make everything public and answer questions honestly. When we blow a decision, it's admitted.

I am so thankful to be a part of this place. We have our weaknesses. We need to constantly be assessing where we come short - evangelism is our major weakness, right now. But instead of seeing those challenges as obstacles, we see them as opportunities to grow and become more fully what the Lord of the church wants us to be.

It's Florida, Again

It seems that our state is destined to be the leader in Presidential elections again, at least the Republican side.

With his victory here yesterday, Senator John McCain, didn't just get all of Florida 57 delegates to the Republican Convention, he became the man to beat for the Presidential nomination. Add to that, the expected endorsement by Rudy Giuliani and there might be the beginning of a shift towards the heroic and maverick Republican Senator from Arizona.

For the Democratic primary, it was pretty much a beauty contest. After promising not to campaign in Florida, Senator Hillary Clinton held a fund raiser in St. Petersburg (fund raisers are not campaigning, she said) and a victory celebration in the panhandle (I guess the panhandle is not really Florida). The Democrats will not assign the delegates for their convention from Florida because the state had decided to move the primary ahead of Super Tuesday. This position is very consistent with the traditional Democratic view that states ought to be subservient to the national party.

Precinct 6 votes in our fellowship hall. This is a very strong Republican area. And it went strongly for Senator McCain. Interestingly, in our precinct, the Democratic vote was 99 for Senator Clinton and 90 votes for Senator Barack Obama. It will be interesting to see what former Senator John Edwards withdrawal from the race will mean for either of them. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22913001/

I would imagine that Senator McCain will hope that former Governor Mike Huckaby will do what he said and stay in the race to draw off some of the Republican social conservatives from his only serious competitor, former Governor Mitt Romney.

Florida's moment in the sun, sorry for the pun, is over for a few months... But we will rise again ... The election is only 9 months away.

Exodus 2

PREPARING MOSES
DOING THE RIGHT THING IN THE WRONG WAY

EXODUS 2

He was the child of a slave, and the son of a queen. He was born in a hut, and lived in a palace. He inherited poverty, and enjoyed unlimited wealth. He was the leader of armies, and the keeper of flocks. He was the mightiest of warriors, and the meekest of men. He was educated in the court, and dwelt in the desert. He had the wisdom of Egypt, and the faith of a child. He was fitted for the city, and wandered in the wilderness. He was tempted with the pleasures of sin, and endured the hardships of virtue. He was backward in speech, and talked with God. He had the rod of a shepherd, and the power of the Infinite. He was a fugitive from Pharaoh, and an ambassador from heaven. He was the giver of the Law, and the forerunner of grace. He died alone on Mount Moab, and appeared with Christ in Judea. No man assisted at his funeral, yet God buried him"

- Dr. I. M. Haldeman

Hebrews 11:23-27 - By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

1. A PERSON’S BIRTH DOES NOT DETERMINE THEIR FUTURE CAPABILITIES.

Exodus 2:2-3, "And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.

2. GODLY PARENTING CAN BE DONE IN ADVERSE SITUATIONS.

Hebrews 11:23, “By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

3. GOD HAS A PLAN EVEN WHEN WE DON’T SEE IT.

4. GOD’S PLAN COMES INTO EXISTENCE WITHOUT OUR HELP.

Acts 7:22-25 - "Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.

FAILURE IS GOD’S PLAN TO GET US OVER OURSELVES

“When you have nothing left but God, then for the first time you become aware that God is enough.”

5. GOD USES PEOPLE WHO BOTH RENOUNCE AND EMBRACE.

Hebrews 11:24-27 - By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen

Moses renounced:
… his past – “he refused to be called the sons of Pharaoh's daughter”
… the temporary pleasures of sin.

Moses embraced:
… affliction with God’s People
… the reproach of Christ

Sermon Series in Exodus

We started a series on Exodus on the 20th of January.

So I will post the notes from chapter 1 today. Chapter 2 will be posted on Monday.

Exodus 1:1-22

1. EVEN WHEN GOD IS SILENT, HE IS WATCHING.

Exodus 2:24-25 - So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

2. GOD SOMETIMES ALLOWS PERSECUTION TO OCCUR TO GET US WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE.
a. God never wanted Israel to stay in Egypt.
b. God’s plan was for Israel to go to their own land.
c. But they had gotten comfortable in Egypt and hadn’t left.
d. So God allowed persecution to come to make them uncomfortable.
e. God’s purpose for us is not our comfort.
f. God’s purpose is to make us conformed to His Will.

3. THE BATTLES WE FIGHT HERE ON EARTH ARE OFTEN, IN REALITY SPIRITUAL BATTLES.

Ø

Genesis 3:15 - And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Ø Matthew 2

4. YOU CAN JUDGE THE MORALITY OF A NATION BY HOW IT TREATS ITS WEAKEST MEMBERS.

Ø The Egyptians Enslaved Them (Exodus 1:1-12)

“Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.”

Ø The Egyptians Intensified the Slavery (Exodus 1:13-14)

“So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.”

Ø The Egyptian King Instructed the Midwives to Kill the Infant Males at Birth (Exodus 1:15-16)

“Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.’”

Ø The Egyptian king Commanded the Entire Egyptian Nation to Kill the Infant Male Israelites (Exodus 1:22)

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, ‘Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.’”

5. SATAN WANTS TO DESTROY MEN.

6. GOD IS ALWAYS TO BE OBEYED IN ANY CONFLICT WITH BETWEEN GOD’S LAW AND MAN’S LAW.
Daniel and 3 men – Daniel 1, Dan 3
The apostles – Acts 4
The aim is not to oppose a bad law, but to be obedient to God

The Patriots Run

I have loved watching the New England Patriots in the pursuit of a perfect season. They have overcome lots of adversity. Some of that adversity was of their own making with the filming of opposing coaches and their defensive signals. Then people complained that the Patriots were running up the score. When the margin of victory was smaller, the critics said they were beatable.

But none of that mattered to the Patriots. They were interested in just one thing: Winning the Super Bowl.

• If that meant they had to win every game this year they would pay that cost.
• If it meant that they would be in the rifle sights of every other team, they would willingly pay that cost to achieve their goal of winning a Super Bowl.
• If it meant ignoring the comments by the last undefeated team – the 1972 Dolphins, who lucked their way into beating the obviously superior Redskins - they ignored what was said.

I am reminded of what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

The 2007/08 Patriots have paid the physical, mental and emotional price to put themselves in a position to win their prize, a wonderful prize... but one that will have a new name on it at the end of the next football season.

Dare we do less in serving Jesus?

Calvinism

Let me get this in the open right now...

• I am not a 5 point Calvinist. I would agree with 4 of the points. There are those who think that if you are not in agreement with each of the points, you can't call yourself a Calvinist, so I don't.
• It would probably surprise you which point I disagree with classical Calvinism about.
• I am not an Arminian. Fully grown Arminianism would, to my thinking, result in a works based salvation.
• I am not an intellectual. My friends already know this.
• I do not care to debate the fine points of theology. I know what I believe, but I am certain that there are doctrinal issues about which I am incorrect. The problem is that I don't know which ones I am incorrect about. As I find out I am wrong, I change. But I won't debate.
• I care more about theology that changes the way I behave than I am about theology that allows me to win debates

I remember a comedy skit with Bob Newhart playing the part of a psychologist who charged $5 for 5 minutes. There was no charge for any length of time after 5 minutes. The woman went through her list of neuroses. Newhart stopped her and told her he thought that he could help her. He could answer her questions and help her in her quest for mental health.

She got out her notebook and was ready to write down the pearl of wisdom that was about to come from her new cheap psychologists mouth.

His 2 words? STOP IT!

With that in mind, let me say a word about the debate on Calvinism in our convention: STOP IT!

Stop attacking Calvinists/Arminians in messages preached at Pastor's Conferences. Stop trying for the cheap "amen" in meetings with the false accusation that one doctrine or another leads to a failure of evangelism.

Our conventions failing evangelism numbers has nothing to do with Calvinism/expositional preaching/seeker sensitive services/contemporary music/the Biblical translation we are using/ or any of the straw men.

Our numbers are falling because we go through our day and fail to strike up one conversation about our Saviour. Or as one of our missionaries says, our failure to "say a good word about Jesus". And this has nothing to do with whether we believe that God unconditionally elects people to salvation or that we believe that God elects people based on his foreknowledge of their belief in Jesus.

There are enough real enemies of the Bible, our Savior and the Gospel message for me to waste a minute shooting bullets in a theological war. I am going to the people God has given me to pastor about what I believe about the "Doctrines of Grace". I will point out differences. But in the end Calvinists and non-Calvinists are not the alliance of convenience of the Soviets and the US/Great Britain in World War II. We are brothers in Christ. We are joined at the heart for the sake of the Gospel.

Oh yeah... which point of classical Calvinism do I disagree with? I'll tell you in a few weeks when we begin our Sunday night Q and A on the Baptist Faith and Message. :)

Now For Something Really Important

Let's talk Yankee's baseball!

Here are 2 good Yankee blogs:
http://blog.nj.com/yankees/
http://blogs.trb.com/sports/baseball/yankees/blog/

With a new Joe (Girardi) managing, expect some shake up in the dugout. This might not be seen with the players in the line up but with the fire that is put under them to perform. I expect better handling of the pitching staff which was the other Joe's (Torre) weak point.

Dave and Aziz over at blog nj see this as the line up at least for opening day

1. Damon / LF or DH
2. Jeter / SS
3. Abreu / RF
4. A-Rod / 3B
5. Posada / C
6. Cano / 2B
7. Giambi / 1B or DH
8. Matsui / LF or DH
9. Melky / CF

The biggest question mark will be the pitching and primarily the use of Mike Mussina (if any, at all) and Joba Chamberlain. Now if we can ever get any traction on the Johann Santana deal... the Yankees might just return to their rightful place.

Congress and Baseball

If you want another proof why our Founding Fathers wanted the size of the Federal Government limited (check out the 10th Amendment of the Bill of Rights), you have no farther to look than yesterday's Congressional farce of a hearing with the now sainted George Mitchell, MLBPA's head Donald Fehr and MLB's Commissioner, Bud Selig.

Baseball leadership and Congress can now congratulate themselves. They agree that players used steroids and HGH. They have now added Ritalin to the list of possibly abused uppers. Apparently baseball is having a vast influx of players with ADD.

Congressman couldn't pronounce the name of ball players who were named in steroid abuse cases (Palmeri rather than Palmeiro), didn't pronounce the commissioners name correctly (Sellick rather than Selig) and misspoke about how many hits Palmeiro had (300 rather than 3,000).

If they don't know the basics of who they are talking with, how can they ever know what to do? But they got on television, and that is what they really wanted. Why else would they be asked to appear before the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee? I didn't know baseball was a part of the government that needed reforming. They won't fix social security. They won't tackle immigration. So they "fix" baseball.

But then there was the suggestion that every ball player give a blood sample now, so that when a test is developed to determine HGH usage (Human Growth Hormone, in case a Congressman is reading this) they can then be tested. Apparently they know neither baseball nor the Constitution.

What to do about performance enhancing drugs is a good question. They help an athlete recover quicker from hard work outs thus producing bigger, stronger athletes. No one can argue that they have helped Barry ("I didn't know that the cream and the clear were really steroids") Bonds or Mark ("I'm not here to talk about the past") McGuire.

But if they really worked, I would suggest adding them to the Congressional cafeterias.

Great Day Yesterday... Great Days Ahead

Looking backwards...

• Wasn't Stan Telchin terrific! He was outstanding with his "Christ in the Passover" and catching us up on what "Jews for Jesus" has planned in the next several years. I don't think we'll ever do the Lord's Supper the same way again.
• Thanks for how great the Christmas Missions offering for International Missions -how's that for a mouthful - turned out. We had planned on $5,200 and received, at last count, $5,700.00. You people are just about the most giving people in the world. Thanks for being so open to obeying God with your money.
• The Cowboys lost and TO cried! How can a day get better than that?
• Great discussion and teachings on the Holy Spirit last night! Love the conversations we get into during our small group sessions.
• "Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit" small group has been growing and moving.
• The Adult Bible study class had to move into the auditorium because their class room was too small! What a problem!
• Did I mention tht TO cried? For a millisecond I almost believed they were real.

Looking Forward...

• We have our church wide Birthday Party this next Saturday...
• Next Sunday we start our new series on Exodus. This will be exciting.
• "Overcoming Temptation" will be our next Sunday night service.
• Going to Bush Gardens this Friday... will see how many times I can ride Shekira and Montu.
• We vote on our first $200,000 budget on January 30. In a day when churches are cutting back, God is leading us to move forward.

(Corrected thanks to my friend, Les!!!)

Random Thoughts

• Great day yesterday! People committing their lives to follow God's will no matter the opposition.
• Next Sunday's "Christ in the Passover" with Stan Telcher from Jews for Jesus will be terrific. We will also be celebrating the Lord's Supper.
• My Redskins are gone and that sucks! But for one brief shining moment, it looked like the spirit of Sean Taylor would give them the 1 man advantage.
• The Bucs are gone and, well, who cares?
• I guess I am now a Colts fan.. actually a Tony Dungy fan.
• Hillary loses in Iowa... is losing ground in New Hampshire ... has lost most of her lead in the U.S. as a whole.
• An amazing thing is happening in American politics: A black man named Obama is defeating a woman for the Democratic nominee for President. A Baptist preacher is beating a former republican governor of Massachusetts. I'm still trying to wrap my arms around what those mean.
• The Yankees pitchers and catchers report in a few weeks... Maybe Johan Santana will be among them. And, thankfully, Roger Clemens won't be.
• If you want to enjoy a thrill ride, go see "National Treasure: Book of Secrets".
• Our daughter, Becky was in town last week. She's gone back now.... We both miss her.
• Dr. Al Mohler will be nominated to be SBC President. I like him.
• Oh yes, the BCS National Championship game is tonight... another national championships game, another Ohio State loss.

And one more... the shoulder-licker did NOT make another appearance in church this week.

Go to Heaven Rejoicing...

It was a small funeral. 4 family members, 4 church members, the funeral director and I were the only ones gathered on a Florida cold afternoon around an open grave.

I had the privilege to have been asked to perform the grave side service for a member of our church who had died. When I came here as Pastor, she had already moved into an Adult Living facility in north Sarasota, so she never was very active. But she would come when she was able. But in the last 6 years, she has been unable to make the trip. Other people in our church were far more faithful in visiting her and catching her up on the news of the church. But as the church grew and people moved, she knew less and less people.

But as I prepared for the service, I talked to those who knew her. In spite of family difficulties, she would be seen walking to church.

There she would take her place in the nursery caring for children, making certain that their first impression of the church and God were positive, loving memories.
Then during the week, she would walk over for Wednesday night services and again care for children, so people could pray together.

She also came to clean during the week. This may be a place to worship God, but it still gets dirty and she would clean the buildings. People could bring their friends to a church building and know it would be "guest ready" just like we want our homes to be when we invite people in to our homes.

As I thought about this dear lady, almost forgotten by time, I had some thoughts about her

• There were people who came to Jesus because of her ministry in the nursery.
• There were people who surrendered to the mission field because there were no babies crying in the service to be used to distract them from hearing the call of God.
• People were trained to study God's Word because parents knew their child would be cared for while they taught other children or adults.
• Parents in church would know their babies were loved and watched over while they sat in services.
• Pastors would have one less worry on Sunday morning because he knew that the nursery would be cared for.

The church of Jesus Christ is not a building. It's not a nebulous concept. It is people. People who serve the Lord Jesus because they love Him and love his people.

FBC, Osprey has lots of people like Bobbie in our past. We have lots of people like her in our present. They are the church. And when their time, like Bobbie's time was yesterday, they can go rejoicing because they have done the will of God from their hearts and served their Lord and their generation.

The 8 who were there were in the presence of greatness.

Always Check Your Six

That's what we said in the army. The meaning is that you always look behind you. I guess this bank robber in Boston hadn't served.

With all his nervousness about robbing a bank, he failed to notice the uniformed police officer standing in line behind him. Here's the story

http://www6.comcast.net/news/articles/odd/2008/01/01/ODD.Clueless.Bank.Robber/

There is no honor among thieves... apparently there isn't much intelligence either.

Some New Year's Hopes

What I would like to see in 2008:

• Jesus to return and begin setting all things right.
• FBC, Osprey to be the church God wants us to be.
• FBC, Osprey to have the pastor God wants them to have and that they deserve.
• My missionary friend to be released from his captors.
• A stable enough government in Iraq that our soldiers could come home.
• A President elected who would be committed to God's wisdom and representative, constitutional government.
• Christians to be more committed to Jesus than they are to their political party.
• No new Christian scandals.
• Real grass to grow in my yard rather than the wonderful crop of weeds.
• Christians to have more on their political litmus list than abortion and national defense.

There are more personal ones, but if I write them out, I have to do them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!