OnFire is an occasional letter on Christian faith and character
Showing posts with label Highfield Baptist Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Highfield Baptist Church. Show all posts
Thursday, August 29, 2013
OnFire #306 Lesson for the Body and Soul
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #306 A Lesson for the Body and Soul
Romans 12:13
“Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
A few days ago, I reached a new running personal best. I ran for 90 minutes, which was 18 minutes longer than I had ever run before. To back up and put this in context, a year-and-a-half ago my limit was about 2 minutes. Since then I have been building up my endurance so that now I regularly run for about an hour and eight minutes, the time it takes me to finish 10km.
My run on Tuesday was about testing my limits. It felt good to arrive back home with this new personal record. And, even better, I could have continued. But my loop had brought me home, it was time for supper, and I felt satisfied with my new accomplishment.
As I ran along a particular section of road, my mind wandered to some of the times I had seen other runners at the same spot and criticized them. “Wow - does he ever look in pain.” “She’s pretty slow.” “I hope I don’t look like that when I run.” Just as these memories came back to me, I wondered if I looked any different. I was near the end of my run, tired, a little sore, slowing down, concentrating on getting home.
“But that’s not fair,” I thought. “I’m at the end of a good long run, a personal best!”
And then it occurred to me, how did I know it wasn’t that way for the others I had seen? I had no way of knowing how long those others had run, whether it was their personal best, what their history had been. It was a good, albeit humbling, lesson on being careful not to judge by appearances.
What’s the connection to Romans 12:13, sharing and practicing hospitality? The link is in the barriers we find when we think about doing these things. For some people sharing and hospitality come naturally, but I have realized this is not the case for everyone. Finding hosts for speakers and missionaries, billets for youth, or encouraging people to host a small group or take part in a program like “Guess Who’s Coming to Lunch” have taught me over the years that these things can actually be quite scary.
Sometimes we feel inadequate for the task. Sometimes we worry our place isn’t fancy enough, or clean enough, or that we won’t be good hosts. In a way, we’re prejudging how people will react to us, presuming that they will come away from our places with bad thoughts about us.
And then, sometimes, if we admit it to ourselves, don’t we just fear we won’t like the people? I hope this would not be the case, but I know from my own thoughts and attitudes - as I’ve just illustrated here - that our fallen human nature tends to go there.
This doesn’t mean we just open our wallets and our houses to whomever asks. We still need to exercise some critical thinking. But sometimes we judge things too quickly, on too little. I’m not going to pretend that sorting all of this out is easy. But at least let’s make sure that we’re not prejudging the people and situations.
I went running last Tuesday to get some exercise. I didn’t realize I would find exercise for my soul as well as my body. In any case, I hope it helps. Blessings, and be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Aug 29, 2013. Troy is the Pastor of Next Generations and Connections at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com, but I’m a little behind in updating things. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com
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Saturday, July 27, 2013
OnFire #304 Pick Up Those Heels
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #304 Pick Up Those Heels
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11
A few weeks ago I made a discovery while jogging on our city’s walking trails. I took about 30 seconds off my time for a kilometre just by picking up my feet. I found that lifting my heels a little higher and stepping a little further took only a little extra effort, but the payoff was big. Like I said, I took about 30 seconds off my time on a kilometre. A real measurable difference, just by picking up my feet.
Let me go back a little to explain something. Jogging is not my favourite form of exercise. Actually, I really don’t enjoy it. It is hard, intensive work, but I do like the benefits it brings to me - fitness, weight control, good blood pressure. The first fifteen minutes are the toughest until my body gets into a rhythm. After 30 minutes, my lungs feel great and I really like that, but until then I just keep reminding myself it will be worth it.
As you might appreciate, attitude in this is everything, and sometimes mine is not helpful. My body is often more capable than my mind tells me, especially if I’m mentally tired. That’s how I started shuffling a little more, not lifting my heels, not stretching my step. “Let’s just get this over with” does get the job done, but not enthusiastically. Picking up my heels didn’t take much energy, but it boosted my running and the difference was notable. All it took was putting a little zeal into my step.
This brings us back to the passage. I don’t know about you, but my zeal goes up and down. Sometimes I’m enthusiastic to serve the Lord, to keep up my spiritual disciples like Bible reading and prayer, and serve others. And, sometimes I don’t feel like it so much.
There are times I need to pick up my feet spiritually, and what I’ve found is that my feelings often follow my actions. I don’t feel like putting a little more into it, but as I get going, I feel better, and put more into it, which increases both my zeal and my energy.
Someone is likely going to write to me saying something like this. “But Troy, surely you realize that our spiritual life is about more than just striving, more than just our effort. You make it sound like we’re trying to earn God’s love.” Point noted. We shouldn’t think that somehow God will love us more if we do more. God just loves us. No more, no less. However, scripture reminds us many times that we have a responsibility to follow faith with action. If we believe stealing is wrong, then we shouldn’t steal. If we believe God is love, then our actions (and reactions) ought to be kind and loving. That’s faith followed by action.
This is about faith and action. As I ran that day and reflected that my running time improved just by picking up my feet a little, I wondered (running does give me lots of time to think...) if perhaps there are times I drag my feet spiritually. I concluded, yes, there are times my zeal lacks, I’m not putting my best into things, I’m not acting like I really believe in God’s goodness, and I need to lift my spiritual heels.
I hope this helps. I would never want to think that I increased someone’s burden by writing about the “Himalayas of the human condition.” Rather, by talking about these things together I hope to encourage us. I have often seen that, spiritually speaking, we get out way more than we put in. As so Paul says, “let us keep up our spiritual fervour.”
Blessings, and be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published July 13, 2013. Troy is the Pastor of Next Generations and Connections at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 13, 2013
OnFire #303 Reflections on Courage
We continue to look at the “Himalayas of the human condition” in Romans 12:9-21. These verses are the high peaks of character transformation.
“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” (9-10)*
Love is more than a feeling. It is active, and looks out for other people. It does all it can to stop evil from coming upon the other person.
One of my great lessons in this happened at a ball game with our youth group in Boston. When we arrived to take our seats at the Green Monster wall, we found that some of our seats were taken. Since there were other seats available just across the aisle, we encouraged the youth to take what seats they could. The game wasn’t a sell-out and so this was not a problem, but our group was not sitting together as we had originally planned.
As the leader, I evaluated things. I was worried about creating a confrontation in a strange city, and while the arrangement was not ideal, it was not bad either. I elected to leave things as they were.
One of my youth leaders, however, a young university student, took it upon herself to gather the tickets from the affected youth. She walked over to the people sitting in our seats, showed them our tickets, and moved them. It was an amazing piece of work. It was brave and just, and I learned a lot that day about taking courage to stand up for others.
“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” (9-10)*
To hate evil and cling to what is good means we need to overcome our own inertia. To do something means we have to change what we were planning to do. Hey, let’s face it, it is usually easier not to get involved. But being devoted to one another is about putting ourselves aside.
We must face our fears for what might happen as we stand against evil intention. It has been said that courage is not the lack of fear, but rather action despite fear. We feared the unknown which a confrontation might bring, but my youth leader took courage anyway.
It takes determination: “I will NOT let this thing happen. I WILL do everything I can.” This is hating evil and clinging to the good.
This is an area where stereotypical markers of courage do not matter. We think of size, strength, age, and position as advantages, but they are not necessary. I have seen some really big guys who lacked moral courage, and some pretty tiny ladies who could make a king cringe. As I write, Nelson Mandela lies in a hospital bed in South Africa. For many years he led people against the forces of apartheid from a prison cell.
Some lessons are hard. I was ashamed of my inaction that day, but what a lesson it was. Better to learn from a mistake than not to learn at all. And perhaps, I hope, I am putting the lesson into practice each day.
I hope this helps. Be on fire. Let us take courage and act, even when we are afraid.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published June 27, 2013. Troy is the Pastor of Next Generations and Connections at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. * New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com
“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” (9-10)*
Love is more than a feeling. It is active, and looks out for other people. It does all it can to stop evil from coming upon the other person.
One of my great lessons in this happened at a ball game with our youth group in Boston. When we arrived to take our seats at the Green Monster wall, we found that some of our seats were taken. Since there were other seats available just across the aisle, we encouraged the youth to take what seats they could. The game wasn’t a sell-out and so this was not a problem, but our group was not sitting together as we had originally planned.
As the leader, I evaluated things. I was worried about creating a confrontation in a strange city, and while the arrangement was not ideal, it was not bad either. I elected to leave things as they were.
One of my youth leaders, however, a young university student, took it upon herself to gather the tickets from the affected youth. She walked over to the people sitting in our seats, showed them our tickets, and moved them. It was an amazing piece of work. It was brave and just, and I learned a lot that day about taking courage to stand up for others.
“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” (9-10)*
To hate evil and cling to what is good means we need to overcome our own inertia. To do something means we have to change what we were planning to do. Hey, let’s face it, it is usually easier not to get involved. But being devoted to one another is about putting ourselves aside.
We must face our fears for what might happen as we stand against evil intention. It has been said that courage is not the lack of fear, but rather action despite fear. We feared the unknown which a confrontation might bring, but my youth leader took courage anyway.
It takes determination: “I will NOT let this thing happen. I WILL do everything I can.” This is hating evil and clinging to the good.
This is an area where stereotypical markers of courage do not matter. We think of size, strength, age, and position as advantages, but they are not necessary. I have seen some really big guys who lacked moral courage, and some pretty tiny ladies who could make a king cringe. As I write, Nelson Mandela lies in a hospital bed in South Africa. For many years he led people against the forces of apartheid from a prison cell.
Some lessons are hard. I was ashamed of my inaction that day, but what a lesson it was. Better to learn from a mistake than not to learn at all. And perhaps, I hope, I am putting the lesson into practice each day.
I hope this helps. Be on fire. Let us take courage and act, even when we are afraid.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published June 27, 2013. Troy is the Pastor of Next Generations and Connections at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. * New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 24, 2013
OnFire #294 Just Average Part 1
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #294 Just Average? Part 1
Hi Folks:
This OnFire is in two parts. It’s a little longer than normal but starts with a parable. I got hit with some major insecurities over the Christmas break and had to work through these things. I thought it might help OnFire readers.
Blessings,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A parable...
There was once a drill sitting on a shelf in a hardware store. He was shiny and new inside his snazzy 4-colour box. He wasn’t fancy, but he wasn’t bargin bin either. He could go forward and backward, and he came with a set of high-speed steel bits in standard sizes. He waited for the day someone would lift him from his place on the shelf and carry him home.
That day finally came when a man entered the store looking for a drill. He was a new homeowner, and he needed a drill to drill a few holes. He didn’t consider himself handy, but he thought it was time to learn, so he headed out to the hardware store that day to find himself a drill.
Our drill was exactly what he was looking for. It drilled holes and it had reverse. He didn’t know if reverse was important, but it sounded good. And just as important, the price was right. Not as expensive as the tools at the other end of the aisle, but much sturdier than ones he had seen at the bargain store.
The drill was excited to be bought by someone so keen and eager. He had been made for drilling holes, and now he was drilling holes. He and his owner drilled holes wherever they were needed - in walls, in boards, even floors and doors. Along the way they discovered that reverse is important, and the drill thought life was just grand.
Until, this is, the homeowner brought home another drill. This drill was similar in that it drilled holes, but it had a heavier motor and a feature called variable speed. It started slow and the more the user pulled the trigger the faster it went. This was important for putting in screws, which the older drill wasn’t really designed for. The homeowner still used the old drill, but not as often as the new one. It was hard not to envy the new drill with its new skills.
Life continued in this way until THAT Christmas when the homeowner opened his presents to find a bright and shiny new cordless drill. It boosted forward and reverse, variable speed, a clip on the side to hold driver bits, and it didn’t a key to tighten the chuck. And, of course, it needed no cord. True, it didn’t have as much power as the other drills. And it didn’t have the same stamina – it always seemed to die in the middle of a job. But, how easy it was to carry the newest drill up the ladder and down the stairs, and around the corner to exactly where it was needed.
Time passed and the homeowner continued to add new tools as he did more things around the house – screw drivers and chisels, and even a few saws. He was especially fond of a specialized tool with mini grinders and tiny bits so small our drill couldn’t even hold them with his large teeth.
Our drill didn’t know how to feel. He knew he had important skills and abilities. He could drill forward and backward, he had plenty of power, and as long as he was plugged in he never ran out of juice. But the other drills seemed faster and fancier. At least he was more portable than the old drill press the owner brought home.
He felt so, so? What was the word? He felt so average. He didn’t like that. He wanted to stand out, to be special. But what if he was just average? Just mentioning the word depressed him. He didn’t want to think it, but what if he really was just average?
It’s not only imaginary drills who feel this way at times. This feeling of “just average” goes kind of like this, that if we’re not notable for some good reason, then we have failed. Its a feeling that, “I’m just an ordinary person. What good am I if I’m really just average? What good can I do if I don’t stand out from the crowd?”
I want to talk about being “just average,” and not only because I try to help people deal with this issue all the time. This year over the Christmas season I got nailed with this thought. I found my soul tugged back and forth as my heart ached with a feeling of insignificance while my head tried to counter with what I know is true. It’s hard to argue with a feeling, I know. Thankfully, however, feelings come and feelings go, and the feeling seems to have passed. But wanting to be true to the spirit of OnFire, I figured if I go through these things others probably do also. So here it is...
At least three things can help us battle this feeling. First, the Bible is filled with examples of how God uses ordinary people. Who was Noah? Abraham? Moses? Ruth? Boaz? David? Mary? Joseph? John, James, Andrew and Simon? No one, really. But God used them in powerful ways.
True, there are some people in the Bible who we might expect to do well. Daniel and his friends were chosen for service because they were the cream of the crop. Saul/ Paul was pretty bright, but was making his mark against Christians.
Many - perhaps most - of the people we see in the Bible were ordinary people. God uses ordinary people.
...To Be Continued... in the next OnFire, we’ll take a look at the final two reasons.
I Hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Jan 24, 2013. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com
OnFire #294 Just Average? Part 1
Hi Folks:
This OnFire is in two parts. It’s a little longer than normal but starts with a parable. I got hit with some major insecurities over the Christmas break and had to work through these things. I thought it might help OnFire readers.
Blessings,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A parable...
There was once a drill sitting on a shelf in a hardware store. He was shiny and new inside his snazzy 4-colour box. He wasn’t fancy, but he wasn’t bargin bin either. He could go forward and backward, and he came with a set of high-speed steel bits in standard sizes. He waited for the day someone would lift him from his place on the shelf and carry him home.
That day finally came when a man entered the store looking for a drill. He was a new homeowner, and he needed a drill to drill a few holes. He didn’t consider himself handy, but he thought it was time to learn, so he headed out to the hardware store that day to find himself a drill.
Our drill was exactly what he was looking for. It drilled holes and it had reverse. He didn’t know if reverse was important, but it sounded good. And just as important, the price was right. Not as expensive as the tools at the other end of the aisle, but much sturdier than ones he had seen at the bargain store.
The drill was excited to be bought by someone so keen and eager. He had been made for drilling holes, and now he was drilling holes. He and his owner drilled holes wherever they were needed - in walls, in boards, even floors and doors. Along the way they discovered that reverse is important, and the drill thought life was just grand.
Until, this is, the homeowner brought home another drill. This drill was similar in that it drilled holes, but it had a heavier motor and a feature called variable speed. It started slow and the more the user pulled the trigger the faster it went. This was important for putting in screws, which the older drill wasn’t really designed for. The homeowner still used the old drill, but not as often as the new one. It was hard not to envy the new drill with its new skills.
Life continued in this way until THAT Christmas when the homeowner opened his presents to find a bright and shiny new cordless drill. It boosted forward and reverse, variable speed, a clip on the side to hold driver bits, and it didn’t a key to tighten the chuck. And, of course, it needed no cord. True, it didn’t have as much power as the other drills. And it didn’t have the same stamina – it always seemed to die in the middle of a job. But, how easy it was to carry the newest drill up the ladder and down the stairs, and around the corner to exactly where it was needed.
Time passed and the homeowner continued to add new tools as he did more things around the house – screw drivers and chisels, and even a few saws. He was especially fond of a specialized tool with mini grinders and tiny bits so small our drill couldn’t even hold them with his large teeth.
Our drill didn’t know how to feel. He knew he had important skills and abilities. He could drill forward and backward, he had plenty of power, and as long as he was plugged in he never ran out of juice. But the other drills seemed faster and fancier. At least he was more portable than the old drill press the owner brought home.
He felt so, so? What was the word? He felt so average. He didn’t like that. He wanted to stand out, to be special. But what if he was just average? Just mentioning the word depressed him. He didn’t want to think it, but what if he really was just average?
It’s not only imaginary drills who feel this way at times. This feeling of “just average” goes kind of like this, that if we’re not notable for some good reason, then we have failed. Its a feeling that, “I’m just an ordinary person. What good am I if I’m really just average? What good can I do if I don’t stand out from the crowd?”
I want to talk about being “just average,” and not only because I try to help people deal with this issue all the time. This year over the Christmas season I got nailed with this thought. I found my soul tugged back and forth as my heart ached with a feeling of insignificance while my head tried to counter with what I know is true. It’s hard to argue with a feeling, I know. Thankfully, however, feelings come and feelings go, and the feeling seems to have passed. But wanting to be true to the spirit of OnFire, I figured if I go through these things others probably do also. So here it is...
At least three things can help us battle this feeling. First, the Bible is filled with examples of how God uses ordinary people. Who was Noah? Abraham? Moses? Ruth? Boaz? David? Mary? Joseph? John, James, Andrew and Simon? No one, really. But God used them in powerful ways.
True, there are some people in the Bible who we might expect to do well. Daniel and his friends were chosen for service because they were the cream of the crop. Saul/ Paul was pretty bright, but was making his mark against Christians.
Many - perhaps most - of the people we see in the Bible were ordinary people. God uses ordinary people.
...To Be Continued... in the next OnFire, we’ll take a look at the final two reasons.
I Hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Jan 24, 2013. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com
Friday, November 30, 2012
OnFire #291 I’ve Got Nothin’
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #291 I’ve Got Nothin’
Most weeks it is not much trouble to write OnFire. I usually have an experience from which I’ve learned something and I pass it along. Often I reflect on some of the more unusual moments I have. They stand out, since they are a little odd, and I often glean a little life lesson which reminds me of a passage from the Bible.
This week I’m coming up empty, without some incident I feel I can write about. Its not that there haven’t been some weird moments, like last week when I returned to my locker after a workout at the gym, and couldn’t remember which one was mine. I knew the section where it was, but I often rely on the fact that many locks look different from my generic silver combination lock. This time I scratched my head as I gazed upon an entire row of generic-looking silver combination locks. I hope no one thought I was trying to break into someone else’s locker as I tried all of the locks to find mine. Perhaps I should pay more attention, a fact Jan sometimes wishes, because I don’t always notice when she returns from the hair dresser. I’m working on that one...
I’ve thought and thought about that lock incident and keep drawing blanks. It has the potential for a good story, but without application there isn’t much point. I usually don’t try to force the issue since then I would be drawing from my head and not my heart, and it would probably feel a little artificial.
Moving on, I’m illustrating that I often don’t have trouble drawing lessons from some of life’s little moments and passing them along, but this week I’m coming up short. As the saying goes, “I’ve got nothin’.”
This is actually a feeling I’m a little used to. Even after a while in ministry, I often arrive at church thinking I haven’t prepared well enough. I see the difference between what I have and what could be, and wish I had just a little more time to get ready. Its a variation on “I’ve got nothin’.” I know I did as much as I could under the constraints I had and I wasn’t wasting time, but it doesn’t feel like enough.
At these moments I often pray something like this: “Lord, I’ve done all I could. If anything is going to come from this, it has to be from you.” It’s a very humbling prayer to acknowledge that my effort may not be good enough. But the reality is that God is so much more powerful than I am, and He can work in ways I cannot. This can never be an excuse for not doing my best. But rather, it gives hope in the context of my own weakness and deficiencies.
Here’s the neat thing. I can point back to so many times when I’ve had that feeling, and reached out in prayer to God because I felt so inadequate, and the result worked out so beautifully. Much better than I had planned or hoped. At those times I thank the Lord because I know it wasn’t me. I see this as an example of God’s strength demonstrated in our weakness: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9*)
I told Jan I was going to write about “nothing” this week. I hope my “nothing” gives you something at those moments when you feel inadequate for the task. I hope this helps. Be on fire.
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Nov 30, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #291 I’ve Got Nothin’
Most weeks it is not much trouble to write OnFire. I usually have an experience from which I’ve learned something and I pass it along. Often I reflect on some of the more unusual moments I have. They stand out, since they are a little odd, and I often glean a little life lesson which reminds me of a passage from the Bible.
This week I’m coming up empty, without some incident I feel I can write about. Its not that there haven’t been some weird moments, like last week when I returned to my locker after a workout at the gym, and couldn’t remember which one was mine. I knew the section where it was, but I often rely on the fact that many locks look different from my generic silver combination lock. This time I scratched my head as I gazed upon an entire row of generic-looking silver combination locks. I hope no one thought I was trying to break into someone else’s locker as I tried all of the locks to find mine. Perhaps I should pay more attention, a fact Jan sometimes wishes, because I don’t always notice when she returns from the hair dresser. I’m working on that one...
I’ve thought and thought about that lock incident and keep drawing blanks. It has the potential for a good story, but without application there isn’t much point. I usually don’t try to force the issue since then I would be drawing from my head and not my heart, and it would probably feel a little artificial.
Moving on, I’m illustrating that I often don’t have trouble drawing lessons from some of life’s little moments and passing them along, but this week I’m coming up short. As the saying goes, “I’ve got nothin’.”
This is actually a feeling I’m a little used to. Even after a while in ministry, I often arrive at church thinking I haven’t prepared well enough. I see the difference between what I have and what could be, and wish I had just a little more time to get ready. Its a variation on “I’ve got nothin’.” I know I did as much as I could under the constraints I had and I wasn’t wasting time, but it doesn’t feel like enough.
At these moments I often pray something like this: “Lord, I’ve done all I could. If anything is going to come from this, it has to be from you.” It’s a very humbling prayer to acknowledge that my effort may not be good enough. But the reality is that God is so much more powerful than I am, and He can work in ways I cannot. This can never be an excuse for not doing my best. But rather, it gives hope in the context of my own weakness and deficiencies.
Here’s the neat thing. I can point back to so many times when I’ve had that feeling, and reached out in prayer to God because I felt so inadequate, and the result worked out so beautifully. Much better than I had planned or hoped. At those times I thank the Lord because I know it wasn’t me. I see this as an example of God’s strength demonstrated in our weakness: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9*)
I told Jan I was going to write about “nothing” this week. I hope my “nothing” gives you something at those moments when you feel inadequate for the task. I hope this helps. Be on fire.
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Nov 30, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
OnFire #286 Peeling Back Old Shingles
Onfire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #286 Peeling Back Old Shingles
For the last week I’ve been using any spare time I have to replace the shingles on our carport. They were long since past their best-before date, curled and brittle. A few years ago we replaced the shingles on our roof, but we put off doing the carport to save money. We couldn’t put it off any longer as wind damaged shingles last year, and the condition of the rest of them told us it was not wise or prudent to delay.
So, like I mentioned, I’ve been working away on this over the past week. It isn’t a large area, isn’t very high off the ground, and isn’t steep. Our son Mark and a man from our church helped on Saturday. Monday I finished 14 rows and now there are only a few rows left.
I had a little surprise when I peeled back the shingles nearest the house and found some rotten wood, signaling that water was a problem in that area. I think I understand how it got in. This is important as I want to avoid costly issues in the future. Thankfully the damage wasn’t structural, and it confirmed for me that it was a good idea to change the way it had been done compared to last time. This way should make it a lot harder for water to leak under the shingles.
Tearing off those shingles reminds me of the process of transformation we have as believers. We find this process of change in verses like these:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
We are, or ought to be, in a continual process of peeling back old ways and replacing them with new ones, of getting rid of negative and harmful character traits and replacing them with new traits of godliness.
It sounds simple enough. After all, it is easy to point out the weaknesses of others, but they are harder to see for ourselves. We are often blind to our own faults and weaknesses until something happens to show us up, and then we stand uncomfortably exposed.
The better approach is continually to ask God to reveal the changes we need to make in our behaviour, our actions, thoughts and attitudes. As we come to understand these things, we can make the changes we need to be transformed.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Sept 19, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #286 Peeling Back Old Shingles
For the last week I’ve been using any spare time I have to replace the shingles on our carport. They were long since past their best-before date, curled and brittle. A few years ago we replaced the shingles on our roof, but we put off doing the carport to save money. We couldn’t put it off any longer as wind damaged shingles last year, and the condition of the rest of them told us it was not wise or prudent to delay.
So, like I mentioned, I’ve been working away on this over the past week. It isn’t a large area, isn’t very high off the ground, and isn’t steep. Our son Mark and a man from our church helped on Saturday. Monday I finished 14 rows and now there are only a few rows left.
I had a little surprise when I peeled back the shingles nearest the house and found some rotten wood, signaling that water was a problem in that area. I think I understand how it got in. This is important as I want to avoid costly issues in the future. Thankfully the damage wasn’t structural, and it confirmed for me that it was a good idea to change the way it had been done compared to last time. This way should make it a lot harder for water to leak under the shingles.
Tearing off those shingles reminds me of the process of transformation we have as believers. We find this process of change in verses like these:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
We are, or ought to be, in a continual process of peeling back old ways and replacing them with new ones, of getting rid of negative and harmful character traits and replacing them with new traits of godliness.
It sounds simple enough. After all, it is easy to point out the weaknesses of others, but they are harder to see for ourselves. We are often blind to our own faults and weaknesses until something happens to show us up, and then we stand uncomfortably exposed.
The better approach is continually to ask God to reveal the changes we need to make in our behaviour, our actions, thoughts and attitudes. As we come to understand these things, we can make the changes we need to be transformed.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Sept 19, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Friday, September 7, 2012
OnFire #285 Free At Last
OnFire Encouragement
Letter
OnFire #285 Free At Last
Hi Folks:
The big news is that Ian is settling into life at college in Fredericton - the Maritime College of Forest Technology. This is a big change for our family, harder for his parents than for him, I suspect. But he is doing well, enjoying his classes.
This week we kick off our Sunday school at church with a gospel illusionist at 9:30. I’ll lead some songs, and we’ll honour one of our classes for their 100th anniversary. If you are in the Moncton area, come visit Highfield Baptist. I think we’re going to have a great morning.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Free, free at last!” This is what I thought as I watched my mother’s car pull away from the university. It was 1985, and while she was shedding tears of sadness, I was shedding tears of joy that I was free to test my wings. I was 17 and ready to explore the world on my own, no longer under the watchful eyes of my family.
These memories were all too fresh the other day as we left Ian at his college. What a conflicting ball of emotions I felt. I was sad that a chapter in our lives was drawing to a close. Routines that included Ian at home would change, and I can’t walk this part of the journey with him. “Suck it up,” I told myself. “You’re not the first parent to go through this.” So, there was sadness.
Strangely, a small bit of jealousy was part of the mix. Here were all these young kids just starting out on their adventures. All their hopes and dreams are so fresh. Why is the beginning of the adventure always the most exciting part? I like where my adventure has taken me thus far, but there is something exciting about being at the beginning. Ah, but I digress...
I was, and am, nervous for Ian. Is he ready for the stress and pressure of student life? And, how will he handle his new-found freedom? The issue here is one of character. Who, really, is he? I am confident in him, but yet the answers to these questions can only be found in time, and in the context of his new freedom. We will only discover his true nature as we see how he handles himself.
Students are not the only ones who demonstrate their character by how they handle freedom. Indeed, it is the same for all of us. The apostle Paul wrote about freedom in Galatians. Freedom is not meant to be about just doing “what I want,” which leads to all sorts of selfish behaviour. Rather, the Christian demonstrates freedom in Christ differently. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23*)
Freedom is a test of character. We can use freedom (freedom from others watching, freedom to spend our time or money as we want) simply to indulge our own desires and pleasures, or we can use our freedom to honour Jesus Christ. The choice is ours, and how we use our freedom shows who we really are, the true nature of our character. We expect to find apples on apple trees. Likewise, these are behaviours which people ought to find in us as followers of Jesus Christ.
These verses are on my “top ten” list because they are reminders to me, a kind of inventory to see how I’m doing. At times I slip toward selfishness, but this group of character traits calls me back.
Hope this helps. Be on fire.
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Sept 7, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #285 Free At Last
Hi Folks:
The big news is that Ian is settling into life at college in Fredericton - the Maritime College of Forest Technology. This is a big change for our family, harder for his parents than for him, I suspect. But he is doing well, enjoying his classes.
This week we kick off our Sunday school at church with a gospel illusionist at 9:30. I’ll lead some songs, and we’ll honour one of our classes for their 100th anniversary. If you are in the Moncton area, come visit Highfield Baptist. I think we’re going to have a great morning.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Free, free at last!” This is what I thought as I watched my mother’s car pull away from the university. It was 1985, and while she was shedding tears of sadness, I was shedding tears of joy that I was free to test my wings. I was 17 and ready to explore the world on my own, no longer under the watchful eyes of my family.
These memories were all too fresh the other day as we left Ian at his college. What a conflicting ball of emotions I felt. I was sad that a chapter in our lives was drawing to a close. Routines that included Ian at home would change, and I can’t walk this part of the journey with him. “Suck it up,” I told myself. “You’re not the first parent to go through this.” So, there was sadness.
Strangely, a small bit of jealousy was part of the mix. Here were all these young kids just starting out on their adventures. All their hopes and dreams are so fresh. Why is the beginning of the adventure always the most exciting part? I like where my adventure has taken me thus far, but there is something exciting about being at the beginning. Ah, but I digress...
I was, and am, nervous for Ian. Is he ready for the stress and pressure of student life? And, how will he handle his new-found freedom? The issue here is one of character. Who, really, is he? I am confident in him, but yet the answers to these questions can only be found in time, and in the context of his new freedom. We will only discover his true nature as we see how he handles himself.
Students are not the only ones who demonstrate their character by how they handle freedom. Indeed, it is the same for all of us. The apostle Paul wrote about freedom in Galatians. Freedom is not meant to be about just doing “what I want,” which leads to all sorts of selfish behaviour. Rather, the Christian demonstrates freedom in Christ differently. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23*)
Freedom is a test of character. We can use freedom (freedom from others watching, freedom to spend our time or money as we want) simply to indulge our own desires and pleasures, or we can use our freedom to honour Jesus Christ. The choice is ours, and how we use our freedom shows who we really are, the true nature of our character. We expect to find apples on apple trees. Likewise, these are behaviours which people ought to find in us as followers of Jesus Christ.
These verses are on my “top ten” list because they are reminders to me, a kind of inventory to see how I’m doing. At times I slip toward selfishness, but this group of character traits calls me back.
Hope this helps. Be on fire.
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Sept 7, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Monday, August 20, 2012
OnFire #284 Peace and Joy Prevail
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #284 Peace and Joy Prevail
While we were on PEI for vacation this summer, friends of ours joined us and brought their motor boat. One day while on a cruise of the river a loud buzzer warned that the engine was overheating. As it turns out, a piece of seaweed had clogged the water intake. Once we cleared it, the pump was free to do its work, and we were soon speeding up the river once again.
It’s too bad we don’t have some sort of internal warning like that buzzer to alert us that we are anxious and fearful about something. Sometime in the middle of last week I realized that I was not a good judge of my own emotional state, but rather had been stressing about problems. In fact, I understood that I had been worried for some amount of time, distressed even, and had not realized it. I wonder how often in the past this has happened to me without realizing it....
In any case, perhaps it was in response to thinking about this week’s verses, which I have often used to help other people. Curiously, I was thinking about how to write about them for you, when I needed to apply them for myself.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7*)
These verses rate highly on my “everyone should know list” because they show us how to replace anxiety, stress and fear with joy and peace. Rather than “chewing and stewing” like we so often do, we can experience deep and genuine peace even though “the wheels are coming off the cart,” as people like to say here. When we have real peace, we feel joy and blessing instead of fear, and we can even pass it along to others instead of being grumpy and grouchy with the people around us.
I have come to believe that a lot of what we do when we’re afraid and anxious is about coping with our distress, not about actually taking it away. We tend to do things to make ourselves feel better, if only for a short time, but it doesn’t actually remove the apprehension we feel.
Here we’re not talking about drugs and alcohol, although lots of people certainly resort to these measures. How many times do we turn to food, or a movie, or a cup of coffee because it feels good, and we need a break? How often do we pour ourselves into work or a project, to cooking or cleaning because it helps us forget our problems, at least for a little while?
What we have in these verses is not about coping, but an actual remedy for our restlessness about the future. “ ...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” It must seem silly to God when we won’t give Him the things that are too big for us to carry. He is more than capable, and He is more than willing to lift the burden for us.
The word “petition” implies that we’re going to need to repeat the exercise of prayer. We are prone to worry and so we must be prone to pray. Like weeds creeping in the garden, we need to cut back worry with prayer.
“Thanksgiving” is important, too. Do we believe God will help us? We can thank Him for it even before we see the results because we know it is as good as done.
I have discovered I am a poor judge of my own state, but that doesn’t matter so much. Once I understand that I am agitated, I can take these things to the Lord, and I know that he will replace my fear with His peace.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Aug 20, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #284 Peace and Joy Prevail
While we were on PEI for vacation this summer, friends of ours joined us and brought their motor boat. One day while on a cruise of the river a loud buzzer warned that the engine was overheating. As it turns out, a piece of seaweed had clogged the water intake. Once we cleared it, the pump was free to do its work, and we were soon speeding up the river once again.
It’s too bad we don’t have some sort of internal warning like that buzzer to alert us that we are anxious and fearful about something. Sometime in the middle of last week I realized that I was not a good judge of my own emotional state, but rather had been stressing about problems. In fact, I understood that I had been worried for some amount of time, distressed even, and had not realized it. I wonder how often in the past this has happened to me without realizing it....
In any case, perhaps it was in response to thinking about this week’s verses, which I have often used to help other people. Curiously, I was thinking about how to write about them for you, when I needed to apply them for myself.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7*)
These verses rate highly on my “everyone should know list” because they show us how to replace anxiety, stress and fear with joy and peace. Rather than “chewing and stewing” like we so often do, we can experience deep and genuine peace even though “the wheels are coming off the cart,” as people like to say here. When we have real peace, we feel joy and blessing instead of fear, and we can even pass it along to others instead of being grumpy and grouchy with the people around us.
I have come to believe that a lot of what we do when we’re afraid and anxious is about coping with our distress, not about actually taking it away. We tend to do things to make ourselves feel better, if only for a short time, but it doesn’t actually remove the apprehension we feel.
Here we’re not talking about drugs and alcohol, although lots of people certainly resort to these measures. How many times do we turn to food, or a movie, or a cup of coffee because it feels good, and we need a break? How often do we pour ourselves into work or a project, to cooking or cleaning because it helps us forget our problems, at least for a little while?
What we have in these verses is not about coping, but an actual remedy for our restlessness about the future. “ ...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” It must seem silly to God when we won’t give Him the things that are too big for us to carry. He is more than capable, and He is more than willing to lift the burden for us.
The word “petition” implies that we’re going to need to repeat the exercise of prayer. We are prone to worry and so we must be prone to pray. Like weeds creeping in the garden, we need to cut back worry with prayer.
“Thanksgiving” is important, too. Do we believe God will help us? We can thank Him for it even before we see the results because we know it is as good as done.
I have discovered I am a poor judge of my own state, but that doesn’t matter so much. Once I understand that I am agitated, I can take these things to the Lord, and I know that he will replace my fear with His peace.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a biweekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Aug 20, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
OnFire #283 Lessons from the Treadmill
OnFire Encouragement
Letter
OnFire #283 Lessons from the Treadmill
While I was on PEI for vacation, I ran in a 5km “fun run,” a semi-competitive race organized as part of a local summer festival, the O’Leary Potato Blossom Festival, for those who are wondering. I had been looking for a 5km race to try and this one was close to my mother’s cottage, so at the appointed time I showed up, paid my money, stretched and finally lined up on the starting line.
My goals in the race were very modest - not to embarrass myself by tripping over my own feet, and to finish without walking. I set a comfortable pace under the warm morning sun and hoped I would be OK. Lots of people passed me, but I wasn’t running to compete, I was running to cross the line.
At about the half-way point, it was fun to pass some of the people who were now walking. I kept on plodding, one foot after another.
A fun thing happened at about the 3.5km mark. I passed a girl about 11-years-old who was walking. As I pulled up beside her I asked, “You’re not going to let an old, bald, fat man beat you to the finish, are you?” About 30 seconds later she passed me and I didn’t see her again until the end.
What a joy it was to see the finish line. People were gracious enough to clap. I made it, and actually managed a decent time for a first timer. I had never, ever, run that far before in my life, so 31:28 wasn’t too bad.
When I joined the gym back in January, the longest I could run on the treadmill was about 2 minutes. I went twice a week all winter, and gradually built it up until I could run a whole mile. I kept working on my endurance until I figured out that 5km was within reach. What a difference training all winter made in my strength and endurance.
Romans 5:3-5 says, “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”
Paul reminds us that suffering is not in vain. We often think that our trials and difficulties are nothing but frustrations and problems which hold us back from what we hope to do in life. On the contrary, suffering can produce good things in our character.
There are character traits which we can’t develop without facing challenges and troubles. That’s not so different from my time in the gym. I would not have been able to run that race if I had not strained and tested those muscles all winter.
I want to be clear. God does not bring suffering into our lives to teach us lessons. However, God is a redeeming God, and He brings good from the bad by doing this work in our hearts.
I wish there was another way to strengthen my body to give me more power and endurance. Likewise, I wish there was another way to gain perseverance, character and hope. However, it helps me to know that my struggles are actually workouts for my soul, strengthening my faith and developing deeper levels of perseverance.
Some struggles seem hard at the time, but someday we’ll look back and see that we have gone on to handle even tougher ones. And that gives us character and hope to trust in God as we face the next challenges.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Aug 8, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #283 Lessons from the Treadmill
While I was on PEI for vacation, I ran in a 5km “fun run,” a semi-competitive race organized as part of a local summer festival, the O’Leary Potato Blossom Festival, for those who are wondering. I had been looking for a 5km race to try and this one was close to my mother’s cottage, so at the appointed time I showed up, paid my money, stretched and finally lined up on the starting line.
My goals in the race were very modest - not to embarrass myself by tripping over my own feet, and to finish without walking. I set a comfortable pace under the warm morning sun and hoped I would be OK. Lots of people passed me, but I wasn’t running to compete, I was running to cross the line.
At about the half-way point, it was fun to pass some of the people who were now walking. I kept on plodding, one foot after another.
A fun thing happened at about the 3.5km mark. I passed a girl about 11-years-old who was walking. As I pulled up beside her I asked, “You’re not going to let an old, bald, fat man beat you to the finish, are you?” About 30 seconds later she passed me and I didn’t see her again until the end.
What a joy it was to see the finish line. People were gracious enough to clap. I made it, and actually managed a decent time for a first timer. I had never, ever, run that far before in my life, so 31:28 wasn’t too bad.
When I joined the gym back in January, the longest I could run on the treadmill was about 2 minutes. I went twice a week all winter, and gradually built it up until I could run a whole mile. I kept working on my endurance until I figured out that 5km was within reach. What a difference training all winter made in my strength and endurance.
Romans 5:3-5 says, “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”
Paul reminds us that suffering is not in vain. We often think that our trials and difficulties are nothing but frustrations and problems which hold us back from what we hope to do in life. On the contrary, suffering can produce good things in our character.
There are character traits which we can’t develop without facing challenges and troubles. That’s not so different from my time in the gym. I would not have been able to run that race if I had not strained and tested those muscles all winter.
I want to be clear. God does not bring suffering into our lives to teach us lessons. However, God is a redeeming God, and He brings good from the bad by doing this work in our hearts.
I wish there was another way to strengthen my body to give me more power and endurance. Likewise, I wish there was another way to gain perseverance, character and hope. However, it helps me to know that my struggles are actually workouts for my soul, strengthening my faith and developing deeper levels of perseverance.
Some struggles seem hard at the time, but someday we’ll look back and see that we have gone on to handle even tougher ones. And that gives us character and hope to trust in God as we face the next challenges.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Aug 8, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
OnFire #282 Fireworks, Facebook, and Faith
Onfire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #282 Fireworks, Facebook and Faith
Hi Folks:
What a great few weeks it has been. Our oldest, Ian, graduated from high school. What a proud moment it was to see him walk across the stage and to play drums in the grad song. He’s working for the summer picking orders at a car parts distributor. The next milestone will be dropping him off at college in September.
Sunday we attended the 100th anniversary of Camp Wildwood, our local Christian camp (www.campwildwood.ca). I worked there one summer as a lifeguard and swimming instructor and so it was good to celebrate with them.
The German student who has been living with us since January will leave for home tomorrow. He has been kind and helpful and we will miss him. We took him sightseeing at New Brunswick’s famous Hopewell Rocks (www.thehopewellrocks.ca) yesterday. While there we saw a nest of peregrine falcons being fed – what a neat experience that was.
That’s about all our news. Blessings
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday was July 1, Canada Day, and we celebrated as many did by going downtown to watch fireworks. The show here in Moncton started kind of low and slow, but then the big ones came out – the ones which start with a “whump” and streak high into air to explode with the biggest booms. We were treated once again to showers of burning white, red, green, and blue.
The real crowd-pleaser here this year was a kind of twice-exploding firework. Just when it looked like the last embers had burned out, it exploded with a larger burst than the first. All of us “ooo-ed” and “aaah-ed” at those big double-bangers. What a surprise it was to see another when we thought it was finished.
I left impressed with this firework I hadn’t seen before, so I was a little surprised when I saw comments in the “Twitter-Face” world about how lame the show was. Really? I thought it was pretty cool, especially the twice-exploding ones. How did we see the same thing and think about it so differently?
It took me a while to see the irony in the situation. Earlier in the show, I had almost convinced myself that it wasn’t going to be good. “Low and slow,” I thought. “Is this what our tax dollars paid for?” But then something in me suggested 1) that it was too soon to judge the whole show, and that 2) fireworks were cool in and of themselves, so I should stop complaining.
The experience was a good reminder that perspective makes a difference. I came out on top of this one, but only after squabbling with myself. I had to decide I was going to enjoy the show, to choose a different way of thinking about it.
This is not so different from faith. Faith means we decide to believe that things will not always be the way they appear to be right now. This is a matter of perspective, that we choose to look at things from a different angle in our way of thinking. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb 11:1)
Two people look at the same situation. The first person decides it is a lost cause. The person of faith looks at it differently and says, “It only looks lost. I know God has other things in store, so I choose to think differently.”
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published July 3, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #282 Fireworks, Facebook and Faith
Hi Folks:
What a great few weeks it has been. Our oldest, Ian, graduated from high school. What a proud moment it was to see him walk across the stage and to play drums in the grad song. He’s working for the summer picking orders at a car parts distributor. The next milestone will be dropping him off at college in September.
Sunday we attended the 100th anniversary of Camp Wildwood, our local Christian camp (www.campwildwood.ca). I worked there one summer as a lifeguard and swimming instructor and so it was good to celebrate with them.
The German student who has been living with us since January will leave for home tomorrow. He has been kind and helpful and we will miss him. We took him sightseeing at New Brunswick’s famous Hopewell Rocks (www.thehopewellrocks.ca) yesterday. While there we saw a nest of peregrine falcons being fed – what a neat experience that was.
That’s about all our news. Blessings
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday was July 1, Canada Day, and we celebrated as many did by going downtown to watch fireworks. The show here in Moncton started kind of low and slow, but then the big ones came out – the ones which start with a “whump” and streak high into air to explode with the biggest booms. We were treated once again to showers of burning white, red, green, and blue.
The real crowd-pleaser here this year was a kind of twice-exploding firework. Just when it looked like the last embers had burned out, it exploded with a larger burst than the first. All of us “ooo-ed” and “aaah-ed” at those big double-bangers. What a surprise it was to see another when we thought it was finished.
I left impressed with this firework I hadn’t seen before, so I was a little surprised when I saw comments in the “Twitter-Face” world about how lame the show was. Really? I thought it was pretty cool, especially the twice-exploding ones. How did we see the same thing and think about it so differently?
It took me a while to see the irony in the situation. Earlier in the show, I had almost convinced myself that it wasn’t going to be good. “Low and slow,” I thought. “Is this what our tax dollars paid for?” But then something in me suggested 1) that it was too soon to judge the whole show, and that 2) fireworks were cool in and of themselves, so I should stop complaining.
The experience was a good reminder that perspective makes a difference. I came out on top of this one, but only after squabbling with myself. I had to decide I was going to enjoy the show, to choose a different way of thinking about it.
This is not so different from faith. Faith means we decide to believe that things will not always be the way they appear to be right now. This is a matter of perspective, that we choose to look at things from a different angle in our way of thinking. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb 11:1)
Two people look at the same situation. The first person decides it is a lost cause. The person of faith looks at it differently and says, “It only looks lost. I know God has other things in store, so I choose to think differently.”
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published July 3, 2012. Scripture taken from New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
OnFire #279 Squizzeled is Not All Bad
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #279 Squizzeled is Not All Bad
Squizzeled is the word some fishermen on the Bay of Fundy use to describe the appearance of lobster buoys which have been compressed after been driven underwater by the tide. Bay of Fundy tides produce strong currents which drag them down and in many places they only surface at slack tide, when the waters change direction.
I wouldn’t have believed it, but I’ve seen it for myself. The foam buoys start round when they are new, but over time the pressure of the deep water compresses them and they develop wrinkles – squizzeled. I guess the word is a combination of squished and wrinkled.
There are times when the demands and duration of stressful situations leave us feeling squizzeled. We have been submerged for so long that when we finally surface at the other side of a difficult season, we feel like those buoys - pressed in, squished, shrunken.
Our church has called a new senior pastor and he will begin during the last week of July. This is great news and already I can feel a burden lifting. For the last year I’ve been submerged in the details of trying to plug holes in our ministries, and now that our new pastor is coming I can relax a little, which is good, because I passed tired a long time ago and now I’m depleted and weakened. I’m feeling squizzeled.
As I have been thinking about this state I’m in, I see it is not all bad. I am tired, but I sense an opportunity now to remake my routines. I don’t want to fall blindly into some other numbing routine, but rather, I sense a chance to think about the things I need to put back into my life to regain some life balance and build up my spirit.
I plan to add back into my spiritual life the kinds of things I know rejuvenate me. I’ve kept up Bible reading and prayer, but I haven’t been able to journal or take personal spiritual retreats. In the past I have connected with God in powerful ways through these and I plan to add them back to my routine.
I know I need to reengage some of the important people in my life. My family has been understanding, but as I look back, I see that my busyness has risked something with them. Sometimes when we are submerged, people move on without us. I need to reengage them.
I need to reevaluate and reinvent my schedule. What are the important things I want to do? I’ve already talked about putting some spiritual disciplines and family time back in my routine. I need to determine what other major areas I will focus on. I will obviously need to work this out prayerfully and with our deacons and new pastor, but now is the time to consider these things. The hard part will be that some things won’t go back in the schedule and I’ll end up disappointing someone.
So, while squizzeled is uncomfortable, it is not all bad. It presents the opportunity to reevaluate and reconsider. We’ll all face difficult seasons at times, but when we resurface, we have the chance to remake our routines.
I hope this helps. Be onfire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published May 17, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Monday, March 19, 2012
OnFire #276 Lessons from the Fish Tank
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #276 Lessons from the Fish tank
Hi Folks:
My latest post on Pastor of Everything Else is “What To do When the Senior Pastor Resigns.” So far, I’ve spent a total of almost three years of my nine years in associate ministry without a senior pastor at the helm. Feel free to pass this along to associate pastors you may know.
http://www.pastorofeverythingelse.blogspot.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few weeks ago I began to see signs that our koy and goldfish were distressed. Not the “I’m overwhelmed and I’m going to flip out” kind of emotional distress, but the lethargic, not eating, kind of distress which signals that the fish were weak and might not survive.
To explain, these are fish that I brought in from our backyard pond because last year’s fish didn’t survive the winter in the shallow water. A friend gave us a tank and all winter we’ve been keeping 3 koy and 4 goldfish. I couldn’t catch one goldfish, and so it remains somewhere in the pond, forever traumatized by my efforts to net him.
Anyway, one by one and two by two I lost all of the fish over the next couple of weeks. They died despite my best efforts to change the water and filter and clean the gravel. I felt really bad that I tried to save them from freezing, only to have them die in my fish tank later from problems I was ill-equipped to handle.
It was hard not to reflect on those fish and see my life. I sometimes wonder if I’m pouring time and energy into situations and problems which will only be a wasted effort. How depressing that thought is! And yet, it is one of my secret fears. Is all this trouble for nothing? I’m generally a positive, hopeful person. It’s something people like about me. But deep down, when things aren’t going so well, I have these fears.
I have to be careful because some people think I write OnFire like a diary or journal. They think I must be writing about church life or my current mood. This is not always so. I write OnFire because I think that if I talk about the secret feelings we’re afraid to say in public, then we’ll all be better off for it. If I feel this, then others do, too, and so let’s do this together. “I’m not the only one!” is what I hope people will think.
I was surprised when I had these thoughts, and I had to work through them. It really came down to this. As frustrating as things are sometimes, as difficult and discouraging as they may be, I cannot surrender to these fears. Even as these thoughts occur, I must reject them and choose instead to trust that God is good and He is not finished with me.
This is one of the thoughts I cling to. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,” Paul wrote. (Phil 1:6)
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Mar 19, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #276 Lessons from the Fish tank
Hi Folks:
My latest post on Pastor of Everything Else is “What To do When the Senior Pastor Resigns.” So far, I’ve spent a total of almost three years of my nine years in associate ministry without a senior pastor at the helm. Feel free to pass this along to associate pastors you may know.
http://www.pastorofeverythingelse.blogspot.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few weeks ago I began to see signs that our koy and goldfish were distressed. Not the “I’m overwhelmed and I’m going to flip out” kind of emotional distress, but the lethargic, not eating, kind of distress which signals that the fish were weak and might not survive.
To explain, these are fish that I brought in from our backyard pond because last year’s fish didn’t survive the winter in the shallow water. A friend gave us a tank and all winter we’ve been keeping 3 koy and 4 goldfish. I couldn’t catch one goldfish, and so it remains somewhere in the pond, forever traumatized by my efforts to net him.
Anyway, one by one and two by two I lost all of the fish over the next couple of weeks. They died despite my best efforts to change the water and filter and clean the gravel. I felt really bad that I tried to save them from freezing, only to have them die in my fish tank later from problems I was ill-equipped to handle.
It was hard not to reflect on those fish and see my life. I sometimes wonder if I’m pouring time and energy into situations and problems which will only be a wasted effort. How depressing that thought is! And yet, it is one of my secret fears. Is all this trouble for nothing? I’m generally a positive, hopeful person. It’s something people like about me. But deep down, when things aren’t going so well, I have these fears.
I have to be careful because some people think I write OnFire like a diary or journal. They think I must be writing about church life or my current mood. This is not always so. I write OnFire because I think that if I talk about the secret feelings we’re afraid to say in public, then we’ll all be better off for it. If I feel this, then others do, too, and so let’s do this together. “I’m not the only one!” is what I hope people will think.
I was surprised when I had these thoughts, and I had to work through them. It really came down to this. As frustrating as things are sometimes, as difficult and discouraging as they may be, I cannot surrender to these fears. Even as these thoughts occur, I must reject them and choose instead to trust that God is good and He is not finished with me.
This is one of the thoughts I cling to. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,” Paul wrote. (Phil 1:6)
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Mar 19, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Monday, March 5, 2012
OnFire #275 The Creepy Guy Emerges
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #275 The Creepy Guy Emerges
We have a concrete figurine in our backyard, one of those little fishing boy statues which sits by our goldfish pond. Not long after we moved in we affectionately named him, “The Creepy Guy in the Backyard” because all he does is hang around and stare blankly into space. By the way, we like the Creepy Guy, even though we gave him this name, and the boys have resisted our suggestions that we should give him a new coat of paint. They like the “character” he has right now and he would be “too pretty” if we freshened him up.
As I write, the Creepy Guy is melting from the snow bank. With a few warm days his hat and eyes have emerged. I like the way he seems to peer above the snow and I think of him as a symbol of the changing seasons. There is hope for warmer and longer days ahead.
In my last OnFire I wrote about the difference between real and perceived limits. I wrote it on what I call a “low motivation day.” I get these occasionally, not regularly, but once in a while, when I am tired and not feeling like I can push myself. I’ve learned over the years that they last about a day so I just plan to do simple tasks which don’t require a lot of brain power or emotional strain. And then the next day I go back to my normal pace.
That didn’t happen. My low motivation day turned into the better part of a week. I have to be honest, it was a little unnerving. I like to work hard and to push myself. And yet I couldn’t seem to muster my full amount of energy. I put myself on “light duty.” The reality was I couldn’t do much more, anyway.
I’m still not sure what happened, other than I was probably exhausted, spiritually, mentally and physically. The next week was better, last week better again. I wouldn’t say I’m back up to 100%, but then again I’m not sure I want to go back to running at 100%. I recently told one of our church leaders that there are seasons when we go flat out, when it is necessary, and it even feels good to put it all out there. But, I said, we can’t do that all the time. (Someday we’ll all be better at taking our own advice.)
Somebody is going to read this and be worried about my health and my mental or spiritual state. A lot of my relatives are on the OnFire list, including my mother. I’m OK. Really.
Here’s the thing, the reason why I’m writing all this. I figure that if I go through something, other people are going through the same thing, too. And that by sharing my experiences it helps and encourages other people. We’re not alone in this journey.
It’s OK if we’ve been running at 100% and we get tired and need to back off. Really. There really are limits. And it is OK to tell someone we’re tired. We often do much better at telling other people they can take their breaks. Somehow we think we’re unique and so we don’t need it for ourselves.
I think there are lots of reasons why we feel others can and should take breaks, but we can’t. 1) Something won’t get done. Well, sometimes things need to go undone before someone else will step up. 2) We need to prove we can handle it, that we’re tough enough for the job. But, who are we trying to prove it to? 3) Out of a sense of duty. This is my poison, and it’s a tough one because I’m often motivated by the feeling, “It’s the right thing to do.” I’m not sure I have the answer to this one, other than to say, sometimes I just can’t go any further, and that’s OK.
I’m guessing someone in OnFire Land needs to hear this today. I can’t be the only one riding this train. Be encouraged. It’s OK to admit we’re tired and that we’ve reached our limits. Furthermore, it’s even OK to say No.
The Creepy Guy is melting out of the snow bank. We’ll emerge from being buried, too.
I hope this helps. Be OnFire. Oh, and don’t take the “Creepy Guy” metaphor too far. I’m not suggesting that you or I are “creepy.”
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Mar 5, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #275 The Creepy Guy Emerges
We have a concrete figurine in our backyard, one of those little fishing boy statues which sits by our goldfish pond. Not long after we moved in we affectionately named him, “The Creepy Guy in the Backyard” because all he does is hang around and stare blankly into space. By the way, we like the Creepy Guy, even though we gave him this name, and the boys have resisted our suggestions that we should give him a new coat of paint. They like the “character” he has right now and he would be “too pretty” if we freshened him up.
As I write, the Creepy Guy is melting from the snow bank. With a few warm days his hat and eyes have emerged. I like the way he seems to peer above the snow and I think of him as a symbol of the changing seasons. There is hope for warmer and longer days ahead.
In my last OnFire I wrote about the difference between real and perceived limits. I wrote it on what I call a “low motivation day.” I get these occasionally, not regularly, but once in a while, when I am tired and not feeling like I can push myself. I’ve learned over the years that they last about a day so I just plan to do simple tasks which don’t require a lot of brain power or emotional strain. And then the next day I go back to my normal pace.
That didn’t happen. My low motivation day turned into the better part of a week. I have to be honest, it was a little unnerving. I like to work hard and to push myself. And yet I couldn’t seem to muster my full amount of energy. I put myself on “light duty.” The reality was I couldn’t do much more, anyway.
I’m still not sure what happened, other than I was probably exhausted, spiritually, mentally and physically. The next week was better, last week better again. I wouldn’t say I’m back up to 100%, but then again I’m not sure I want to go back to running at 100%. I recently told one of our church leaders that there are seasons when we go flat out, when it is necessary, and it even feels good to put it all out there. But, I said, we can’t do that all the time. (Someday we’ll all be better at taking our own advice.)
Somebody is going to read this and be worried about my health and my mental or spiritual state. A lot of my relatives are on the OnFire list, including my mother. I’m OK. Really.
Here’s the thing, the reason why I’m writing all this. I figure that if I go through something, other people are going through the same thing, too. And that by sharing my experiences it helps and encourages other people. We’re not alone in this journey.
It’s OK if we’ve been running at 100% and we get tired and need to back off. Really. There really are limits. And it is OK to tell someone we’re tired. We often do much better at telling other people they can take their breaks. Somehow we think we’re unique and so we don’t need it for ourselves.
I think there are lots of reasons why we feel others can and should take breaks, but we can’t. 1) Something won’t get done. Well, sometimes things need to go undone before someone else will step up. 2) We need to prove we can handle it, that we’re tough enough for the job. But, who are we trying to prove it to? 3) Out of a sense of duty. This is my poison, and it’s a tough one because I’m often motivated by the feeling, “It’s the right thing to do.” I’m not sure I have the answer to this one, other than to say, sometimes I just can’t go any further, and that’s OK.
I’m guessing someone in OnFire Land needs to hear this today. I can’t be the only one riding this train. Be encouraged. It’s OK to admit we’re tired and that we’ve reached our limits. Furthermore, it’s even OK to say No.
The Creepy Guy is melting out of the snow bank. We’ll emerge from being buried, too.
I hope this helps. Be OnFire. Oh, and don’t take the “Creepy Guy” metaphor too far. I’m not suggesting that you or I are “creepy.”
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Mar 5, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
OnFire #274 Living between the Red Lines
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #274 Living between the Red Lines
Last weekend the saga of the snowblower came to an end. After restarting the motor to finish the driveway, it revved way too fast and then there was a loud “pop.” The pushrod, broken and no longer bound to the crankshaft, smashed the thin walls of the engine. Judging from the pieces sprayed across my driveway, the motor will never start again.
I really enjoyed that little snowblower. I learned a lot about tuning the engine and I took a certain amount of pride in keeping it going. It was a nice mental break from what I normally do.
There are times I feel like that little machine, times when I wonder if life will rev to the point when something comes apart. I can’t be the only one who sometimes wonders how much more can be piled on and added before things suddenly go pop. That’s not a comfortable thought. Life doesn’t come with a red line to tell us where our limits are.
Now here’s a funny thought. I was at the gym the other day. Exhausted. Not really feeling like I wanted to be there, but knowing it was important to get some exercise, I hopped on the first machine to get some cardio. I wasn’t expecting good results. Just finish the workout, I thought, and go home for nap. A few minutes in, I felt my body respond to the challenge and the numbers on the electronic screen said I was working as hard as I normally do. I finished the weights and machines at full form. It made me wonder if it was mind over matter, that I was capable of more than I felt I was.
Some limits are real and some are imagined. If I go into the danger zone of the cardio monitor, I need to back off because my heart is at risk. Other times I need to push through because my limit is actually beyond where I think it is.
Reality is probably between these two lines, between where we think the limits are and where things go pop. It takes faith to work beyond our imagined limits, and discernment to know the real ones.
Paul knew something about living close to the limits, for real. “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope.” ( 2 Corinthians 1:9-10)
Discovering new limits means finding new trust in God. First, we have to hang in there to trust him more. And second, we discover new ways in which God is faithful. In both these ways we find new trust in God. Only when we run out of our strength do we discover God’s, and its a good thing, for at that point we don’t have what it takes. Paul writes, “On him we have set our hope.”
Hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Feb 15, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #274 Living between the Red Lines
Last weekend the saga of the snowblower came to an end. After restarting the motor to finish the driveway, it revved way too fast and then there was a loud “pop.” The pushrod, broken and no longer bound to the crankshaft, smashed the thin walls of the engine. Judging from the pieces sprayed across my driveway, the motor will never start again.
I really enjoyed that little snowblower. I learned a lot about tuning the engine and I took a certain amount of pride in keeping it going. It was a nice mental break from what I normally do.
There are times I feel like that little machine, times when I wonder if life will rev to the point when something comes apart. I can’t be the only one who sometimes wonders how much more can be piled on and added before things suddenly go pop. That’s not a comfortable thought. Life doesn’t come with a red line to tell us where our limits are.
Now here’s a funny thought. I was at the gym the other day. Exhausted. Not really feeling like I wanted to be there, but knowing it was important to get some exercise, I hopped on the first machine to get some cardio. I wasn’t expecting good results. Just finish the workout, I thought, and go home for nap. A few minutes in, I felt my body respond to the challenge and the numbers on the electronic screen said I was working as hard as I normally do. I finished the weights and machines at full form. It made me wonder if it was mind over matter, that I was capable of more than I felt I was.
Some limits are real and some are imagined. If I go into the danger zone of the cardio monitor, I need to back off because my heart is at risk. Other times I need to push through because my limit is actually beyond where I think it is.
Reality is probably between these two lines, between where we think the limits are and where things go pop. It takes faith to work beyond our imagined limits, and discernment to know the real ones.
Paul knew something about living close to the limits, for real. “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope.” ( 2 Corinthians 1:9-10)
Discovering new limits means finding new trust in God. First, we have to hang in there to trust him more. And second, we discover new ways in which God is faithful. In both these ways we find new trust in God. Only when we run out of our strength do we discover God’s, and its a good thing, for at that point we don’t have what it takes. Paul writes, “On him we have set our hope.”
Hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Feb 15, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
OnFire #273 The Snowblower Saga
OnFire Encouragment Letter
OnFire #273 The Snowblower Saga
Hi Folks:
Thank you to so many for your encouragement over the last week. About 180 people went to my new blog for associate pastors in two-pastor churches, Pastor of Everything Else (www.pastorofeverythingelse.blogspot.com). Comments were positive and encouraging.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I write this morning, we have a snowfall warning for 15-20 cm. It makes me kind of excited because we were given a snow blower last summer and I want to try it out. We had less than 10cm a few days ago, and it seemed to work well, but I’d like to try it out with a little more snow.
Some of you will remember that we’ve had a little trouble with the snowblower. It was a saga, really. The first snowfall we had I couldn’t start it. Then I thought it was working, but it wouldn’t handle much snow. Then it wouldn’t stay running. And finally, it wouldn’t throw the snow. I was beginning to wonder if it would ever work, or that, heaven forbid (read sarcasm here) I would need to take it to the shop!
In the middle of all of this was my schedule and a cold snap. When I was free to work on it, it was too cold to work barehanded outside, and when it was warm enough, I was stuck in meetings and appointments. Finally I had some free time last week on a mild day. I discovered some really useful tuneup videos on YouTube and I set out to advance the saga to another scene.
To avoid making this story any longer than it needs to be, after I adjusted the carburetor, lubed the auger gearbox, and tightened the idler pulley it worked beautifully.
It took me quite a while to work out all these issues, trying different things to see if they worked. Sometimes possible solutions showed promise only to let me down later. There was more than one problem, which complicated things. And to top it all off, these issues were all new to me. Sounds like a lot of problems we deal with.
It was tempting just to give up on it, list it on the internet “as is,” but I wouldn’t have gotten it to work if I had done that. If these last steps hadn’t worked, my next plan was to check with my neighbour to see if he could help. And if not, then to take it to the shop. It was becoming a matter of pride – I wasn’t going to let this thing beat me.
Dealing with a snowblower is a minor thing when we consider all the issues and problems of life, but it illustrates a greater principle. Perseverance is steady persistence, to pursue a goal even when things take longer or are more difficult than we imagined. Not to give up when we get frustrated. To ask for help from people who know more than we do.
James writes, “We consider blessed those who have persevered.” (James 5:11) We musn’t give up. “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (1:4).
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Feb 1, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #273 The Snowblower Saga
Hi Folks:
Thank you to so many for your encouragement over the last week. About 180 people went to my new blog for associate pastors in two-pastor churches, Pastor of Everything Else (www.pastorofeverythingelse.blogspot.com). Comments were positive and encouraging.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I write this morning, we have a snowfall warning for 15-20 cm. It makes me kind of excited because we were given a snow blower last summer and I want to try it out. We had less than 10cm a few days ago, and it seemed to work well, but I’d like to try it out with a little more snow.
Some of you will remember that we’ve had a little trouble with the snowblower. It was a saga, really. The first snowfall we had I couldn’t start it. Then I thought it was working, but it wouldn’t handle much snow. Then it wouldn’t stay running. And finally, it wouldn’t throw the snow. I was beginning to wonder if it would ever work, or that, heaven forbid (read sarcasm here) I would need to take it to the shop!
In the middle of all of this was my schedule and a cold snap. When I was free to work on it, it was too cold to work barehanded outside, and when it was warm enough, I was stuck in meetings and appointments. Finally I had some free time last week on a mild day. I discovered some really useful tuneup videos on YouTube and I set out to advance the saga to another scene.
To avoid making this story any longer than it needs to be, after I adjusted the carburetor, lubed the auger gearbox, and tightened the idler pulley it worked beautifully.
It took me quite a while to work out all these issues, trying different things to see if they worked. Sometimes possible solutions showed promise only to let me down later. There was more than one problem, which complicated things. And to top it all off, these issues were all new to me. Sounds like a lot of problems we deal with.
It was tempting just to give up on it, list it on the internet “as is,” but I wouldn’t have gotten it to work if I had done that. If these last steps hadn’t worked, my next plan was to check with my neighbour to see if he could help. And if not, then to take it to the shop. It was becoming a matter of pride – I wasn’t going to let this thing beat me.
Dealing with a snowblower is a minor thing when we consider all the issues and problems of life, but it illustrates a greater principle. Perseverance is steady persistence, to pursue a goal even when things take longer or are more difficult than we imagined. Not to give up when we get frustrated. To ask for help from people who know more than we do.
James writes, “We consider blessed those who have persevered.” (James 5:11) We musn’t give up. “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (1:4).
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Feb 1, 2012. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
OnFire #270 Christmas, Star Trek and From Away
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #270 On Christmas, Star Trek, and From Away
I grew up on Prince Edward Island, a beautiful place but not without its interesting ways of doing things. There is an expression every Islander learns from an early age to describe someone not born on PEI. “From away” is the phrase used to explain that someone does not hang from the branch of an Island family tree.
It is important for Islanders to be able to “place” someone, and so introductions and initial conversations often revolve around where people grew up, where their families live, maiden names, parents’ names. I call it the Family Name Game, and most Islanders of a certain age do it instinctively. You introduce yourself and the wheels of the other person’s mind start turning.
“Dennis.... Are you related to the Dennis’ in Ellerslie?” Everyone in Prince County knows Dennis Motors and wonders if there is a connection. If I’m talking with someone who lives closer to the middle of the Island, they might ask if I’m related to anyone in Charlottetown because a number of Dennis’ live there. This is how the name game works.
“No,” I reply. “My dad is from O’Leary.” (The original Dennis family settled near Ellerslie, but two descendants moved near O’leary and that’s where my family comes from).
“Yeah?” The response at this point is always hopeful. They are close to making a connection - they know someone in O’leary or have relatives there - “What’s his name?”
My father knows a lot of people, so sometimes this helps to make a connection. Sometimes not. They’ll probably ask about my mother’s family, or I might volunteer the information. This often helps because the name is common in that area. (I can almost predict that the Islanders reading this are now thinking about emailing me for the information because they don’t have enough info to finish putting the family connections together. The instinct is powerful.)
They will probably follow up by asking if I know someone they know. There are extra points if I do, with an additional measure of goodwill if the person is related to either of us. This is how the name game works. With my Island family credentials firmly established, conversation moves on to some bit of Island news, weather, or politics. There is a mutual feeling of trust because we share a common bond as Islanders. (Of course, if the family name has bad history this can also work against someone. Thank the Lord for great families!)
My wife was not born on PEI but the name game is played with predictable results. Her maiden name is not an “Island name,” which results in polite inquiry: “Where is your family from?” As soon as she tells them her parents live off-Island, the topic changes with a gentle, “Oh...” And forever after it will be said that I married a girl “from away.” There is no harm or malice intended. It is simply a signal to other Islanders that she cannot be “placed” in a family they may know. I’m sure this kind of thing happens in other places, too.
There is something comforting about connecting with someone from the same area because we share background and roots. We get the inside jokes and understand the idiosyncrasies of the people. It is not something which can be bought or earned. It comes from knowing the same people, going to the same schools, walking the same routes, knowing the same people, being born in the same place.
This is why it is so important that Jesus came to earth and was born as a baby. If had he been beamed in from heaven like a figure in Star Trek, he would be “from away” and could not have been “Immanuel - God With Us.” Jesus came to us as fully God but also fully human. He was born, learned to walk, grew up first as a child, then was a teen, and finally a man.
John 1:14 says, “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelled among us.” Hebrews 4:14 tells us, “We do not have a high priest who unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way as we are....” It makes me wonder - was Jesus ever bullied at the synagogue? Did he have pimples? Did girls have crushes on him? What did he do when an attractive woman walked into the room?
Of course, I fully believe Jesus treated people with utmost decency and respect. I’m simply thinking out loud to make a point. We can trust Jesus with anything because there is nothing we face which Jesus didn’t face. He encountered it all, maybe not in exactly the forms we do, but the essence of the testing was the same. Jesus was not “from away.” He gets it because he was born here.
May this Christmas be a reminder that Jesus is “Immanuel - God with Us.” May this thought add extra meaning to the holiday season, and point us, not to the gifts, food and parties, but to the Saviour who was born to be one of us. Hebrews 4:16 sums it up: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
I hope this helps. Have a Jesus -centred Christmas and we’ll connect in the New Year. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Dec 15, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
OnFire #270 On Christmas, Star Trek, and From Away
I grew up on Prince Edward Island, a beautiful place but not without its interesting ways of doing things. There is an expression every Islander learns from an early age to describe someone not born on PEI. “From away” is the phrase used to explain that someone does not hang from the branch of an Island family tree.
It is important for Islanders to be able to “place” someone, and so introductions and initial conversations often revolve around where people grew up, where their families live, maiden names, parents’ names. I call it the Family Name Game, and most Islanders of a certain age do it instinctively. You introduce yourself and the wheels of the other person’s mind start turning.
“Dennis.... Are you related to the Dennis’ in Ellerslie?” Everyone in Prince County knows Dennis Motors and wonders if there is a connection. If I’m talking with someone who lives closer to the middle of the Island, they might ask if I’m related to anyone in Charlottetown because a number of Dennis’ live there. This is how the name game works.
“No,” I reply. “My dad is from O’Leary.” (The original Dennis family settled near Ellerslie, but two descendants moved near O’leary and that’s where my family comes from).
“Yeah?” The response at this point is always hopeful. They are close to making a connection - they know someone in O’leary or have relatives there - “What’s his name?”
My father knows a lot of people, so sometimes this helps to make a connection. Sometimes not. They’ll probably ask about my mother’s family, or I might volunteer the information. This often helps because the name is common in that area. (I can almost predict that the Islanders reading this are now thinking about emailing me for the information because they don’t have enough info to finish putting the family connections together. The instinct is powerful.)
They will probably follow up by asking if I know someone they know. There are extra points if I do, with an additional measure of goodwill if the person is related to either of us. This is how the name game works. With my Island family credentials firmly established, conversation moves on to some bit of Island news, weather, or politics. There is a mutual feeling of trust because we share a common bond as Islanders. (Of course, if the family name has bad history this can also work against someone. Thank the Lord for great families!)
My wife was not born on PEI but the name game is played with predictable results. Her maiden name is not an “Island name,” which results in polite inquiry: “Where is your family from?” As soon as she tells them her parents live off-Island, the topic changes with a gentle, “Oh...” And forever after it will be said that I married a girl “from away.” There is no harm or malice intended. It is simply a signal to other Islanders that she cannot be “placed” in a family they may know. I’m sure this kind of thing happens in other places, too.
There is something comforting about connecting with someone from the same area because we share background and roots. We get the inside jokes and understand the idiosyncrasies of the people. It is not something which can be bought or earned. It comes from knowing the same people, going to the same schools, walking the same routes, knowing the same people, being born in the same place.
This is why it is so important that Jesus came to earth and was born as a baby. If had he been beamed in from heaven like a figure in Star Trek, he would be “from away” and could not have been “Immanuel - God With Us.” Jesus came to us as fully God but also fully human. He was born, learned to walk, grew up first as a child, then was a teen, and finally a man.
John 1:14 says, “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelled among us.” Hebrews 4:14 tells us, “We do not have a high priest who unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way as we are....” It makes me wonder - was Jesus ever bullied at the synagogue? Did he have pimples? Did girls have crushes on him? What did he do when an attractive woman walked into the room?
Of course, I fully believe Jesus treated people with utmost decency and respect. I’m simply thinking out loud to make a point. We can trust Jesus with anything because there is nothing we face which Jesus didn’t face. He encountered it all, maybe not in exactly the forms we do, but the essence of the testing was the same. Jesus was not “from away.” He gets it because he was born here.
May this Christmas be a reminder that Jesus is “Immanuel - God with Us.” May this thought add extra meaning to the holiday season, and point us, not to the gifts, food and parties, but to the Saviour who was born to be one of us. Hebrews 4:16 sums it up: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
I hope this helps. Have a Jesus -centred Christmas and we’ll connect in the New Year. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Dec 15, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
OnFire #269 Seasons of Intensity
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #269 Seasons of Intensity
Hi Folks:
One fall when I was in seminary, I noticed the leaves were gone. That wasn’t so remarkable since it happens every year. What caught my attention was that I couldn’t remember that the leaves had even changed colour. It was a little freaky.
There are seasons when we go through intense times. I’m in one right now since our church is searching for a senior pastor. We have a part-time interim senior pastor and a part-time worship pastor. Even still, there are extra responsibilities. I’ve been through this process before. When I was a youth pastor our church went two years without a senior pastor. I survived and even discovered some strengths, so that experience is helpful now.
But I’d be lying if I said there isn’t pressure and frustration. A lot, actually. I was trying to think of an appropriate metaphor or analogy, but I haven’t had the time. It takes a lot of energy to deal with the wide range of emotions I go through on a daily basis - the surge of adrenaline to deal with something important quickly, the disappointment of letting someone down, the frustration of having to put off even important things, the insecurity of making decisions normally made by someone else, the pressure to meet deadlines.
It's a wild emotional ride between the extremes of being overwhelmed on the one hand, and the excitement of feeling like we’re on the edge of a breakthrough, on the other.
I’m betting there are people who can identify with this experience, that I’m not the only one who feels these things, and so I wanted to pass along some thoughts that are helping to keep me from feeling like I’m going to lose it.
“Someday this will all be worth it in the end.” Someone told me this during their family crisis one time, and it has stuck. I keep it on my bulletin board, and it is a variation on Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord.”
“Don’t do anything to make it worse.” Or, stated in another way, “Don’t do anything stupid.” Temptations look sweeter and distractions look more interesting when we’re tired and under pressure. Giving someone a piece of our minds is generally not a good a idea. Revenge is never worth it.
“Treat people like people.” I have to guard my tone, especially. And, my thought filter doesn’t work as well. Sadly, the people closest are the ones to see this side of me. I have to be very careful.
“Be more careful with major decisions.” These decisions may be life decisions or purchases: buying or selling property, changing jobs, change in marriage status. Stress changes the way we think and so we have to be careful not to think the first idea is the best one. We need to get more advice and take more time.
“Maintain important life routines.” While we can’t always control the circumstances which swirl around us, structure helps us put one foot in front of the other. I go to bed and get up at regular times and try to eat on schedule. I help get the kids off to school in the morning because this is part of a routine. And each week I take one of the boys for breakfast.
“Eat properly and get exercise.” This is part of routine, but more than this, when we’re under stress we have to take better care of our bodies. These days I’m doing things like parking further away from the door, taking the stairs when I visit at the hospital, or getting off city transit at an earlier stop to make sure I add some exercise even in small ways without taking a lot of extra time in my day. My dream would be to go to the gym or pool, but there isn’t time or money for this, so I add exercise in other ways.
“Look for the bright side.” Last night my snow blower wouldn’t start. It started in the summer, and it started a couple of weeks ago, but not last night when there was 20cm of snow in my driveway. Grumble, grumble. But, on the other hand, I got some exercise. That’s the bright side.
“Don’t give up Bible reading and prayer.” OK - I’m the “trained professional” in this area, and I face this pressure all the time. My guess is other people do, too.
“Put one foot in front of the other.” Every once in a while I have what I call a “low motivation day.” I feel blaw, unmotivated, not like working. I do anyway, but take care of some things that don’t need as much brain power. I find the feeling passes as I keep going.
"Problems don't get better by procrastinating." Some problems are not the crises they first appear to be, but generally speaking I find it better to tackle things quickly. When I put them off they always seem to come back, worse than before, and make more work. If I have to tell someone about a problem, expecially a mistake I made, I have found it better to get it out of the way. Bad news early is better than bad news late.
“Find ways to add fun-factor.” After not being very involved in youth ministry for a few years, this fall I stepped back in to help our youth groups. It was an extra that I couldn’t really afford time for, but it was too important for the youth of our church’s families, mine included. This has turned out to be a real joy. I’m also working with a youth band again and we did a worship service in our church a few weeks ago. This has been life giving, a real joy which adds “fun factor.”
“One day at a time.” This is my mother’s favourite, and I have found it to be true. We need to plan but worry is something different. As Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
Life inevitably brings seasons of intensity. I’m in one right now, and maybe there are OnFire readers in their own season. As always, I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Nov 24, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire #269 Seasons of Intensity
Hi Folks:
One fall when I was in seminary, I noticed the leaves were gone. That wasn’t so remarkable since it happens every year. What caught my attention was that I couldn’t remember that the leaves had even changed colour. It was a little freaky.
There are seasons when we go through intense times. I’m in one right now since our church is searching for a senior pastor. We have a part-time interim senior pastor and a part-time worship pastor. Even still, there are extra responsibilities. I’ve been through this process before. When I was a youth pastor our church went two years without a senior pastor. I survived and even discovered some strengths, so that experience is helpful now.
But I’d be lying if I said there isn’t pressure and frustration. A lot, actually. I was trying to think of an appropriate metaphor or analogy, but I haven’t had the time. It takes a lot of energy to deal with the wide range of emotions I go through on a daily basis - the surge of adrenaline to deal with something important quickly, the disappointment of letting someone down, the frustration of having to put off even important things, the insecurity of making decisions normally made by someone else, the pressure to meet deadlines.
It's a wild emotional ride between the extremes of being overwhelmed on the one hand, and the excitement of feeling like we’re on the edge of a breakthrough, on the other.
I’m betting there are people who can identify with this experience, that I’m not the only one who feels these things, and so I wanted to pass along some thoughts that are helping to keep me from feeling like I’m going to lose it.
“Someday this will all be worth it in the end.” Someone told me this during their family crisis one time, and it has stuck. I keep it on my bulletin board, and it is a variation on Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord.”
“Don’t do anything to make it worse.” Or, stated in another way, “Don’t do anything stupid.” Temptations look sweeter and distractions look more interesting when we’re tired and under pressure. Giving someone a piece of our minds is generally not a good a idea. Revenge is never worth it.
“Treat people like people.” I have to guard my tone, especially. And, my thought filter doesn’t work as well. Sadly, the people closest are the ones to see this side of me. I have to be very careful.
“Be more careful with major decisions.” These decisions may be life decisions or purchases: buying or selling property, changing jobs, change in marriage status. Stress changes the way we think and so we have to be careful not to think the first idea is the best one. We need to get more advice and take more time.
“Maintain important life routines.” While we can’t always control the circumstances which swirl around us, structure helps us put one foot in front of the other. I go to bed and get up at regular times and try to eat on schedule. I help get the kids off to school in the morning because this is part of a routine. And each week I take one of the boys for breakfast.
“Eat properly and get exercise.” This is part of routine, but more than this, when we’re under stress we have to take better care of our bodies. These days I’m doing things like parking further away from the door, taking the stairs when I visit at the hospital, or getting off city transit at an earlier stop to make sure I add some exercise even in small ways without taking a lot of extra time in my day. My dream would be to go to the gym or pool, but there isn’t time or money for this, so I add exercise in other ways.
“Look for the bright side.” Last night my snow blower wouldn’t start. It started in the summer, and it started a couple of weeks ago, but not last night when there was 20cm of snow in my driveway. Grumble, grumble. But, on the other hand, I got some exercise. That’s the bright side.
“Don’t give up Bible reading and prayer.” OK - I’m the “trained professional” in this area, and I face this pressure all the time. My guess is other people do, too.
“Put one foot in front of the other.” Every once in a while I have what I call a “low motivation day.” I feel blaw, unmotivated, not like working. I do anyway, but take care of some things that don’t need as much brain power. I find the feeling passes as I keep going.
"Problems don't get better by procrastinating." Some problems are not the crises they first appear to be, but generally speaking I find it better to tackle things quickly. When I put them off they always seem to come back, worse than before, and make more work. If I have to tell someone about a problem, expecially a mistake I made, I have found it better to get it out of the way. Bad news early is better than bad news late.
“Find ways to add fun-factor.” After not being very involved in youth ministry for a few years, this fall I stepped back in to help our youth groups. It was an extra that I couldn’t really afford time for, but it was too important for the youth of our church’s families, mine included. This has turned out to be a real joy. I’m also working with a youth band again and we did a worship service in our church a few weeks ago. This has been life giving, a real joy which adds “fun factor.”
“One day at a time.” This is my mother’s favourite, and I have found it to be true. We need to plan but worry is something different. As Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
Life inevitably brings seasons of intensity. I’m in one right now, and maybe there are OnFire readers in their own season. As always, I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Nov 24, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
OnFire 267 Mini Beetles Cereal
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #267 Mini Beetles Cereal
What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? Half a worm.
I thought about this lame old joke as I cleaned out some cereal. It had been in our cupboard for a while, but not finding it stale I dumped it into my bowl. A few moments later, I glanced down and noticed some dark pieces floating in the milk. My first thought was that they were bits of cereal, but a hunch told me I should investigate further. Unless I accidentally picked up a box of “Mini Beetles” instead of our usual variety, there were insects in my food.
It only takes a little bit of something to affect the whole lot. A little salt makes soup tasty. A little catalyst makes epoxy harden. And a few bugs ruin breakfast.
In Matthew 16, Jesus uses the analogy of yeast to convey the idea that a little teaching can completely change us, for better or for worse. In case we need reminding, bakers add yeast to bread dough so that it rises. It doesn’t take much, but once it mixes thoroughly it affects the whole batch.
That was the point, actually. Not long after Jesus fed thousands of people by multiplying the lunches of a couple of boys, the Pharisees and Sadducees challenged Jesus to produce a sign to prove he was legit. We often paint these spiritual teachers as mean ogres, but we must remember that they were very popular and highly respected. These revered religious leaders held a lot of sway among the crowd, including the disciples. Jesus saw this and warned them about the “yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (16:6)
The disciples thought Jesus was trying to protect them from cheap bread, but he had something else in mind. “You of little faith... do you still not understand?” (16:8-9) In Mark 6 we see the same story from a slightly different perspective: “...Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?” (6:17-18)
The disciples were not firm in their faith about Jesus, and the constant questioning and pressures from the Pharisees and Sadducees produced conflicting thoughts. The disciples ought to be able to see for themselves that Jesus was the real deal, but the doubts and teachings of these popular spiritual leaders were attractive and it was hard to resist the pressure. It was easier, perhaps, to follow the crowd even though it would be a denial of all they had witnessed.
“You of little faith.” These are tough words. No one wants to be seen as small or little. Jesus challenged them to commit. Had they not seen? Had they not heard? In just a little while, Jesus would ask them, “Who do you say I am?” Could they see for themselves that Jesus was the One? (Matt 16:15)
This is an important word for our day and age. Never before have we had such a wide array of views available to us so easily. And, what is more, never have there been so many people questioning who Jesus is. Sorting through all these opinions can be difficult, especially when some of these people are popular speakers and writers.
It is always important to remember what Jesus has done for us. We have the proof of who Jesus is by what he has done in our lives. Has he made us kinder and more compassionate? Has he healed relationships? Has he changed us to make us better people? Do we feel more peace and security? Has he provided in difficult situations? Does he give us hope for the future? These are as much a sign to us as the miracles in Jesus’ day.
There will always be people who doubt, but let us not forget what Jesus has done for us so that our commitment may be strong.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Oct 29, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire #267 Mini Beetles Cereal
What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? Half a worm.
I thought about this lame old joke as I cleaned out some cereal. It had been in our cupboard for a while, but not finding it stale I dumped it into my bowl. A few moments later, I glanced down and noticed some dark pieces floating in the milk. My first thought was that they were bits of cereal, but a hunch told me I should investigate further. Unless I accidentally picked up a box of “Mini Beetles” instead of our usual variety, there were insects in my food.
It only takes a little bit of something to affect the whole lot. A little salt makes soup tasty. A little catalyst makes epoxy harden. And a few bugs ruin breakfast.
In Matthew 16, Jesus uses the analogy of yeast to convey the idea that a little teaching can completely change us, for better or for worse. In case we need reminding, bakers add yeast to bread dough so that it rises. It doesn’t take much, but once it mixes thoroughly it affects the whole batch.
That was the point, actually. Not long after Jesus fed thousands of people by multiplying the lunches of a couple of boys, the Pharisees and Sadducees challenged Jesus to produce a sign to prove he was legit. We often paint these spiritual teachers as mean ogres, but we must remember that they were very popular and highly respected. These revered religious leaders held a lot of sway among the crowd, including the disciples. Jesus saw this and warned them about the “yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (16:6)
The disciples thought Jesus was trying to protect them from cheap bread, but he had something else in mind. “You of little faith... do you still not understand?” (16:8-9) In Mark 6 we see the same story from a slightly different perspective: “...Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?” (6:17-18)
The disciples were not firm in their faith about Jesus, and the constant questioning and pressures from the Pharisees and Sadducees produced conflicting thoughts. The disciples ought to be able to see for themselves that Jesus was the real deal, but the doubts and teachings of these popular spiritual leaders were attractive and it was hard to resist the pressure. It was easier, perhaps, to follow the crowd even though it would be a denial of all they had witnessed.
“You of little faith.” These are tough words. No one wants to be seen as small or little. Jesus challenged them to commit. Had they not seen? Had they not heard? In just a little while, Jesus would ask them, “Who do you say I am?” Could they see for themselves that Jesus was the One? (Matt 16:15)
This is an important word for our day and age. Never before have we had such a wide array of views available to us so easily. And, what is more, never have there been so many people questioning who Jesus is. Sorting through all these opinions can be difficult, especially when some of these people are popular speakers and writers.
It is always important to remember what Jesus has done for us. We have the proof of who Jesus is by what he has done in our lives. Has he made us kinder and more compassionate? Has he healed relationships? Has he changed us to make us better people? Do we feel more peace and security? Has he provided in difficult situations? Does he give us hope for the future? These are as much a sign to us as the miracles in Jesus’ day.
There will always be people who doubt, but let us not forget what Jesus has done for us so that our commitment may be strong.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published Oct 29, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
OnFire #263 Stacking Stones
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #263 Stacking Stones
Summer means that OnFire will not be regular as we have vacation Bible school, a youth mission, vacation, and our annual Baptist assembly. I’ll send out as I’m able, but I know it will not be regular over the next few months.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While on a canoe trip with some friends a few years ago, we came across a rock cairn. We were expecting it because we had read about it in our guidebook, and one of the guys also knew there was a geocache located there. Even still, I was a little surprised to see this pile of stones in the middle of the wilderness. I’ve forgotten the story of why it is there, but a pile of stones like that means something.
Not long ago I was reading in Joshua 4 and came to the passage where the Hebrew people crossed the Jordan. What a great day it was. After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, they finally went into the Promised Land. And, what a miraculous set of circumstances it was. Just as their fathers and mothers had crossed over the Red Sea on dry land, they crossed the Jordan on dry land when it was at flood stage.
To commemorate the occasion, a man from each tribe picked up a rock from the river bed where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant had stood, and carried it to their camping location that night. The twelve rocks became a lasting marker of what the Lord had done.
As I read this passage, I was struck by the fact that someone had to carry those rocks. 12 men had to lift them from the river bed, hoist them to their shoulders, and carry them to wherever their camp was that night. We’re not talking river pebbles. To make an effective marker out of twelve stones, they would need to be large, as big as the men could carry. 12 marbles would never make someone stop and ask, “What happened here?”
It occurred to me that sometimes God asks us to pick up a big stone and to carry it for a while. Life hands us an additional burden which we must bear for some time.
That thought wasn’t very encouraging when I first had it. I considered that I had enough burden to carry without thinking of more. But thankfully another thought occurred. They only had to carry them from the river to the camp. I’m sure to those men it seemed long enough, perhaps too long depending on the location in the area of at Gilgal. But it was not indefinite or forever.
My problem is that I would like to know “How long?” There are some answers we just don’t have, but these words seemed to suggest that it would not be forever. There would be a time to set the burden down.
It’s not everyday that passages lift off the page, but that was a neat day and I had one more thought. At the end we’d be able to say, “Look what God has done.” In the same way those stones represented God’s power and strength to bring the Hebrews across the Jordan River, there would be something we can point to as a reminder that God was with us.
It’s not enjoyable to pick up a rock, to lift a burden for even a short time. But I drew some comfort that day and I hope it provides some comfort for you.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published July 5, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire #263 Stacking Stones
Summer means that OnFire will not be regular as we have vacation Bible school, a youth mission, vacation, and our annual Baptist assembly. I’ll send out as I’m able, but I know it will not be regular over the next few months.
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While on a canoe trip with some friends a few years ago, we came across a rock cairn. We were expecting it because we had read about it in our guidebook, and one of the guys also knew there was a geocache located there. Even still, I was a little surprised to see this pile of stones in the middle of the wilderness. I’ve forgotten the story of why it is there, but a pile of stones like that means something.
Not long ago I was reading in Joshua 4 and came to the passage where the Hebrew people crossed the Jordan. What a great day it was. After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, they finally went into the Promised Land. And, what a miraculous set of circumstances it was. Just as their fathers and mothers had crossed over the Red Sea on dry land, they crossed the Jordan on dry land when it was at flood stage.
To commemorate the occasion, a man from each tribe picked up a rock from the river bed where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant had stood, and carried it to their camping location that night. The twelve rocks became a lasting marker of what the Lord had done.
As I read this passage, I was struck by the fact that someone had to carry those rocks. 12 men had to lift them from the river bed, hoist them to their shoulders, and carry them to wherever their camp was that night. We’re not talking river pebbles. To make an effective marker out of twelve stones, they would need to be large, as big as the men could carry. 12 marbles would never make someone stop and ask, “What happened here?”
It occurred to me that sometimes God asks us to pick up a big stone and to carry it for a while. Life hands us an additional burden which we must bear for some time.
That thought wasn’t very encouraging when I first had it. I considered that I had enough burden to carry without thinking of more. But thankfully another thought occurred. They only had to carry them from the river to the camp. I’m sure to those men it seemed long enough, perhaps too long depending on the location in the area of at Gilgal. But it was not indefinite or forever.
My problem is that I would like to know “How long?” There are some answers we just don’t have, but these words seemed to suggest that it would not be forever. There would be a time to set the burden down.
It’s not everyday that passages lift off the page, but that was a neat day and I had one more thought. At the end we’d be able to say, “Look what God has done.” In the same way those stones represented God’s power and strength to bring the Hebrews across the Jordan River, there would be something we can point to as a reminder that God was with us.
It’s not enjoyable to pick up a rock, to lift a burden for even a short time. But I drew some comfort that day and I hope it provides some comfort for you.
I hope this helps. Be on fire.
Troy
OnFire is a weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published July 5, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
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