I Can't Wait Until...

Proverbs 16:3; Isaiah 41:10; Philippians 3:13-14; 1 Timothy 6:12

Several months back my wife and I went on a day trip to the mountains; Boone in particular. I always look forward to those little day trips to just be able to get away and enjoy being together for a little bit. As we started out I asked her if she wanted to get some breakfast locally or wanted to get on the road and eat somewhere along the way. She commented something to the effect "you can go on, I know how you like to get on the move."

I realized that is what I usually do. I am one of the worst when it comes to wanting to get to the destination as fast as I can. However, on this day, I said "let's just get something here. I'm not worried about what time we get there, as long as we are together."

Is it all just about the destination, or is the journey important? When I look back at vacations and day trips, I have to admit, for me, it was usually about getting to the destination as fast as I could. I would try to get there with as few stops and as quickly as possible. I wonder how much enjoyment I missed out on just being with my family by focusing all my efforts on "getting there."

Too often, our journey through life can be lost in our worry about what tomorrow will bring. We can't enjoy today for worrying about what the future holds. Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 "do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself." He had just instructed us not to worry about where our next meal would come from or if we would have enough clothing, but to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (verse 33).

God wants and expects us to trust Him to meet our needs. He doesn't want us to worry about our lives but longs for us to enjoy a relationship with Him. In fact, He gave His life to make that possible. Just trust Him today and enjoy His presence. He'll take care of the rest.

Matthew 6:31–34 (NASB)“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Pastor Mike Deese

Cross Walk

Isaiah 8:14; Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42-44; Luke 2:34; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:32-33; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Peter 2:4-8

This past Friday, Good Friday, our church participated in a Cross Walk in remembrance of what Jesus did for us nearly 2,000 years ago. About 80 Christians from several denominations walked through Forest City, from First Baptist to the First United Methodist Church, taking turns, three at a time, carrying a 12 foot cross. It was my 2nd year of walking. It is a very humbling and emotional experience. 

What Christ did for us on that cross, and what happened on the third day thereafter, is what separates Christianity from every other religion in the world. Many can accept that Christ was a real man; a good prophet, good leader, and a great example for us to live by, but He was so much more than that. We needed more than a great example. What we needed was a savior. And that is exactly what He did, He came to save us from our sins. He paid the price that you and I could never pay for ourselves. He was the perfect lamb that was slain for you and me, so that we could be reconciled to God, restoring the relationship that we had broken through our sin.

We read many New Testament scriptures, referring back to the Old Testament, depicting Christ as a stumbling block to those that can't accept who He is and what He has done. Paul puts it a different way in 1 Corinthians 1:18 saying For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Is this all just a story to you or do you accept God's Word as truth? Do you believe? Your life depends on it... literally.

1 Peter 2:7–8 (NASB) This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

Pastor Mike Deese

The Invitation

Psalm 62:1; 2 Timothy 1:9-10; Titus 2:11-12; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 4:12

Jesus tells an interesting parable in Matthew 22 as an example of the kingdom of heaven, about a king that holds a wedding feast for his son. The king sends servants to call on those who had been invited, but the guests refuse to come. He sends them out again with a mouth watering invite, announcing all of the wonderful preparations that have been made; a celebration you do not want to miss! Yet, they still refuse to come. Some were just too busy to bother coming, while others mistreated and killed the servants. The king is enraged and sends out his army to destroy the murderers, and their city. The king sends out more servants, this time to the highways, and tells them to invite all who will come. The hall was filled with guests.

There is so much truth here in this little parable. God's desire would be that all would come to accept salvation through His wonderful grace. He provided for your salvation through the death of His Son on a cruel cross. Sin brought death into the world, and the only one worthy enough to pay the price for your sin and my sin was God Himself. He had to send His Son Jesus Christ, to lay down His life so that you and I could have a relationship with Him once again. That truly is His amazing grace. 

But this story doesn't end here. Jesus goes on to say that the king comes in to look over the guests and notices one that is not dressed in wedding attire. He asks for an explanation and the man was speechless. He was bound hand and foot and thrown out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (v. 13)

At first glance, this may seem cruel. How could the king be so brutal? But if we look at the context during the time that this was written, those that were invited to the wedding were given wedding clothes to wear. The king would have made sure that everyone had the opportunity to be dressed properly for the occasion. This man had just decided that he didn't want to play by the king's rules. He wanted in without wearing the proper attire. Of course, the analogy would be that our King provides us with a garment of salvation. We are all invited to come to the wedding feast. We are provided the gift of salvation (clothed in righteousness) through His Son. But we have to first accept the invitation, and then trust in His Son Jesus Christ as our savior, trading our filthy unrighteousness for His perfect righteousness. Have you made the decision to come? Have you trusted Jesus Christ for your salvation? The invitation is currently open but will be ending one day soon. Don't wait another day. Today is the day of salvation!

Revelation 19:7–9 (NASB)“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”

Pastor Mike Deese

In The Word

Deuteronomy 11:18; Psalm 40:8; Psalm 119:9-11; Proverbs 4:20-21; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 2:2-3

I was reminded this morning of a lesson from a book titled Living By The Book by Howard Hendricks. This book was my first study at Fruitland Baptist Bible College and was truly one of my favorites. In turn, I have taught at least 3 discipleship courses at our local church using that book. 

The lesson I was reminded of this morning was on why we need to study the Bible in the first place. Dr. Hendricks makes a great point recalling a story about a man he ran across at a Bible teaching conference that had driven his family 1,200 miles across the country to be at that conference. Hendricks asked him why he came so far and the man's answer; "because I wanted to get under the Word of God."

As Hendricks points out, that sounds pretty good on the surface, but when it gets down to it we need to be not only "under" the Word of God, hearing great teaching and preaching from those that God has called to do such, but "in it" for ourselves. Again as Hendricks puts it, sitting under great teaching "ought to be a stimulus - not a substitute - for getting into it for ourselves." 

There are plenty of scriptures, Old Testament and New, that teach us to study and remember the Word of the Lord. Deuteronomy 6 is one that comes to mind. Verses 6–9 say “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Sounds to me like God is pretty serious about us keeping His Word in our hearts and on our minds.

Our gracious and merciful heavenly father has provided for us His very Word. He longs for us to learn from it through those He has called to teach and preach. But more than that, He longs for us to dig into it for ourselves, asking Him to reveal to us what He would have us learn. Will you make plans to study His Word each and every day? He will guide you if you ask Him.

Joshua 1:8 (NASB) “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.