OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #262 Father’s Day Talk
OnFire is different this week. I have adapted a talk I gave to the men of our church on Sunday.
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A Few Years Ago...
You will recall that I have two boys, now 17 and 15. Five or six years ago, when the oldest was 10 or 11, I began to feel some unease about raising them. It felt like I was leaving the side of one map but I didn’t have the next map. I was moving into new territory and I wasn’t sure the kinds of things we would face. More to the point, I wasn’t confident about my own ability to lead and parent them.
I tie this feeling to my parents’ s divorce when I was about that age. In these really formative years I didn’t have an active role model in the home about how to be a dad. Thankfully this sense of unease faded and I learned some important things about God and being a father. Understand, this was not a grand revelation, but came as the result of a process over many months. I hope this will help other dads and encourage the rest of men, whether grandparents, uncles, teachers, youth group leaders, friends and neighbours. We can help each other in this important task of raising children.
The Fatherhood of God
During this time I developed a new sense of the Fatherhood of God. John 1:12 began to have more meaning to me:
John 1:12 - Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God*
I realized once again that I have a perfect Father in Heaven and this eased my worries. Other passages lifted off the page and taught me both about the fatherhood of God and about what being a good father is all about.
Luke 11:11-13
Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
2 Corinthians 1:3ff.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,...
Ephesians 1:17
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
These passages and others were comforting, encouraging, and they taught me about what it means to be a good father.
I Found People Who Were Good Examples
I’ve always been a conscientious parent, but it became even more important to me to find people who were good, strong, positive role models. Thankfully I didn’t have to look far. My grandfather and uncle were especially important. After my parents’ separation I spent a lot of weekends and summers with them and they were good examples of men who lived out faith in Jesus Christ. I had these memories to fall back on, and in addition there were friends and other men in our churches I could look to. They provided examples of godliness, character and diligence which helped a lot.
I Paid Attention to What Works
When I find a good example, especially of someone whose children actively live out their faith in Jesus, I pay special attention to the parenting style, attitudes, actions, home life, discipline and correction, and anything else I can get insight into. Likewise, I also pay attention to what doesn’t work. Generally speaking, several things were affirmed to me.
Our faith has to be genuine. Where I saw sincere faith in parents, children were tons more likely to be engaged in faith.
We can’t live a double life. Where I see an attitude of “do as I say and not as I do,” the children tend to disappear from church life at a young age. At about the same time, I was talking to lots of men who grew up in homes where this happened, and they were deeply cynical about religion of any kind. I became very aware that my children were paying attention to what I taught at church, and if I was not the same person at home as I was on the platform, it was a sure recipe for parental disaster.
Character Counts
I am amazed to hear my boys express opinions which sound a lot like me, even when I don’t remember talking about that topic. They are so impressionable. I was reminded during that time that I need continually to work on my own character because my actions, attitudes and words come from deep within me. Character counts and I was reminded to model godly Christian character for my boys.
Apologize and Make Things Right
I became very aware of the times I blew it. Our children see us at our best, and our worst, and they know when we’ve blown it, so there is no sense denying it or covering our tracks. I broke something belonging to Ian out of anger one night. Ironically, it was a stop sign he had made. What a horrible feeling. I apologized after, and we made a new sign together which still hangs on his door.
I learned something about God’s grace during this time. In His grace, we have a chance to redeem a situation by saying “I’m sorry.” Not that it makes it right - of course not. But we have a chance to model how to handle things when we get it wrong. We show by our example how to apologize and make things right. Thank God for redemption.
Time is Love
At about that time, I realized how busy I was, and would probably always be. And, I also noticed how different from each other my two boys were. I needed a way to get them on their own regularly so that I could pay proper attention to them individually.
At that time I started a weekly appointment with them where I take each one out for breakfast on alternating weeks. This is non-negotiable and the only time we don’t go for breakfast is when I’m out of town. On the rare occasion I need to attend a meeting at that time, I reschedule breakfast for another morning that week. I wanted them to know that for those 30 or 45 minutes, they have my undivided attention.
Its interesting - neither boy talks about these times, but both could tell you whose turn it is. These times have become very important for us.
Not Done Yet
I shared these things on Father’s Day, not because I thought I was the model, but because I hoped it would help. Our boys have a long way to go yet, and so this is stil a work in progress. However, if I felt that kind of unease and fear about parenting my children, then others probably do and maybe something that helped me might help others. I also wanted other men to know that they have an important role, even if they do not have children at home. Just as I found encouragement and wisdom by following the example of those around me, they could be an encouragement and example to the rest of the men and to the children in their lives.
I hope this help. 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 June 21, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire is an occasional letter on Christian faith and character
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
OnFire #261 Flick the Switch
OnFire Enouragement Letter
OnFire #261 Flick the Switch
“Don’t forget to turn it on,” a friend reminded me as he showed me how to start the chain saw.
I couldn’t imagine why he would tell me such a thing. After all, it seemed obvious that to begin I should flick the switch from its off position. And yet, since then I have forgotten (many times) and wondered why the machine wouldn’t start after at least 20 pulls.
Sometimes the instruction or advice we receive sounds so obvious we wonder, “Why would anyone need to say that?” Like the line in the chain saw manual operator’s manual which says, “Do not stop chain with hand.” But, I can tell you that there have been times after hitting a rock or nail when I thought about reaching down to check the chain, even though it was running at the time. Sometimes we forget the obvious.
After Paul was stoned and left for dead, he and Barnabas returned to some of the cities where they had preached in order to strengthen the believers and appoint elders. In Acts 14:22, Luke tells us they were “reinforcing the hearts of the believers, calling them to remain in the faith,” and saying that “through many troubles it is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.”
He had to tell them this? Wasn’t it obvious that life was full of hardship? And, how was this supposed to encourage and strengthen them?
This was the piece of advice that reminded me of my chain saw. We sometimes forget the obvious, that life brings troubles. There is something in us that makes us think our hardships should at least fade if we are faithful, but we should not be surprised when we face trials and difficulties.
How was this encouraging? Paul and Barnabas strengthened them by reminding them of their goal - to enter the kingdom of God. There would be much difficulty, but if they remained faithful through the trouble, they would enter the kingdom of God.
A friend once cleared some land but left some trees in the middle of a bog. “Take what you want,” he offered. I needed firewood, so I took him up on the offer. It was tough work, hauling and dragging it out by hand since I couldn’t get a truck in there and I didn’t have a four-wheeler. But the goal was a warm fireplace to relax in front of. I kept reminding myself it would be worth it in the end, and it was.
That difficulty was over in a day or two. Life’s trials often last longer, but Paul reminds us that it will be worth it in the end.
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 June 10, 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 #261 Flick the Switch
“Don’t forget to turn it on,” a friend reminded me as he showed me how to start the chain saw.
I couldn’t imagine why he would tell me such a thing. After all, it seemed obvious that to begin I should flick the switch from its off position. And yet, since then I have forgotten (many times) and wondered why the machine wouldn’t start after at least 20 pulls.
Sometimes the instruction or advice we receive sounds so obvious we wonder, “Why would anyone need to say that?” Like the line in the chain saw manual operator’s manual which says, “Do not stop chain with hand.” But, I can tell you that there have been times after hitting a rock or nail when I thought about reaching down to check the chain, even though it was running at the time. Sometimes we forget the obvious.
After Paul was stoned and left for dead, he and Barnabas returned to some of the cities where they had preached in order to strengthen the believers and appoint elders. In Acts 14:22, Luke tells us they were “reinforcing the hearts of the believers, calling them to remain in the faith,” and saying that “through many troubles it is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.”
He had to tell them this? Wasn’t it obvious that life was full of hardship? And, how was this supposed to encourage and strengthen them?
This was the piece of advice that reminded me of my chain saw. We sometimes forget the obvious, that life brings troubles. There is something in us that makes us think our hardships should at least fade if we are faithful, but we should not be surprised when we face trials and difficulties.
How was this encouraging? Paul and Barnabas strengthened them by reminding them of their goal - to enter the kingdom of God. There would be much difficulty, but if they remained faithful through the trouble, they would enter the kingdom of God.
A friend once cleared some land but left some trees in the middle of a bog. “Take what you want,” he offered. I needed firewood, so I took him up on the offer. It was tough work, hauling and dragging it out by hand since I couldn’t get a truck in there and I didn’t have a four-wheeler. But the goal was a warm fireplace to relax in front of. I kept reminding myself it would be worth it in the end, and it was.
That difficulty was over in a day or two. Life’s trials often last longer, but Paul reminds us that it will be worth it in the end.
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 June 10, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com . Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 3, 2011
OnFire #260 To Be Bold, or Not to Be?
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #260 To Be Bold, or Not to Be?
Hi Folks:
OnFire has been shortlisted for a writing award by the Word Guild in the category, Article: Blog Series. For Word Guild see http://www.thewordguild.com/ For the full list of finalists see http://canadianchristianwritingawards.com/#Shortlist of Finalists
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There is a time to be bold, and a time to back off, and there are times when I wish that it was more clear to me which was which.
When Paul and Barnabas went out to preach about Jesus, they were bold. We see this in Acts 14 as the two went to Iconium, where they spoke boldly and spent considerable time there (14:3). When a plot developed against them, however, they decided it was time to leave (14:5-6). Clearly, some situations call for boldness, while others call for wisdom to back off.
When we took our youth group to a baseball game in Boston one time we found people in a few of the seats assigned to our group. Not wanting a confrontation in a strange city, I rationalized that it was OK since our seating section wasn’t full and we all had seats, even though our group was now split in two. It was one of my leaders who took it upon herself to get our seats back. It was a time to be bold.
Fear is not a helpful guide. Fear may help us recognize danger, but it cannot tell us whether we need to be bold or back off. Sometimes the very thing we need to do is to stand even when it is not safe.
Paul and Barnabas did not back off just because they were threatened. After leaving Iconium, they went to Lystra where they healed a man. People were so astonished that they thought Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes, 2 Greek gods. To prevent the group from offering sacrifices to them they waded into the crowd, which actually brought them closer to death. A group from Iconium was there and persuaded the mob to stone them. Paul was left for dead and dragged out of the city (14:8-20).
For Paul and Barnabas, it was not about their safety. Sometimes we face stones of opposition because we are doing the right thing. We shouldn’t forget that most of the apostles were martyred.
Be bold? Or back off? I have found some things that help. I pray for wisdom since God promises wisdom when we ask (James 1:5). I try to learn from the mistakes I have made in the past. I look for advice from people who are wise in these matters. And I try not to let fear rule the day. Easier said than done, I know.
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 June 3, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire #260 To Be Bold, or Not to Be?
Hi Folks:
OnFire has been shortlisted for a writing award by the Word Guild in the category, Article: Blog Series. For Word Guild see http://www.thewordguild.com/ For the full list of finalists see http://canadianchristianwritingawards.com/#Shortlist of Finalists
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a time to be bold, and a time to back off, and there are times when I wish that it was more clear to me which was which.
When Paul and Barnabas went out to preach about Jesus, they were bold. We see this in Acts 14 as the two went to Iconium, where they spoke boldly and spent considerable time there (14:3). When a plot developed against them, however, they decided it was time to leave (14:5-6). Clearly, some situations call for boldness, while others call for wisdom to back off.
When we took our youth group to a baseball game in Boston one time we found people in a few of the seats assigned to our group. Not wanting a confrontation in a strange city, I rationalized that it was OK since our seating section wasn’t full and we all had seats, even though our group was now split in two. It was one of my leaders who took it upon herself to get our seats back. It was a time to be bold.
Fear is not a helpful guide. Fear may help us recognize danger, but it cannot tell us whether we need to be bold or back off. Sometimes the very thing we need to do is to stand even when it is not safe.
Paul and Barnabas did not back off just because they were threatened. After leaving Iconium, they went to Lystra where they healed a man. People were so astonished that they thought Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes, 2 Greek gods. To prevent the group from offering sacrifices to them they waded into the crowd, which actually brought them closer to death. A group from Iconium was there and persuaded the mob to stone them. Paul was left for dead and dragged out of the city (14:8-20).
For Paul and Barnabas, it was not about their safety. Sometimes we face stones of opposition because we are doing the right thing. We shouldn’t forget that most of the apostles were martyred.
Be bold? Or back off? I have found some things that help. I pray for wisdom since God promises wisdom when we ask (James 1:5). I try to learn from the mistakes I have made in the past. I look for advice from people who are wise in these matters. And I try not to let fear rule the day. Easier said than done, I know.
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 June 3, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
OnFire #259 Hey Goody Goody
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #259 Hey Goody Goody
Hi Folks:
I’m back form the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. I attended classes on devotional writing, voice, and digital media, and learned a lot about the business side of writing. We had the chance to meet with agents, editors and publishers, and while this was nerve-wracking, it was also encouraging.
Last week Jan and I celebrated 21 years of marriage. Always hard to believe it has been this long. One day at a time really adds up. We went out to eat and went to the musical “King and I” put on by a local high school.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hey Goody Goody - what wrong?”
We were in library class at Athena Intermediate School and things weren’t going well for the teacher. Some of my classmates were less than kind and actively resisted her attempts to gain control. More than once that semester she steamed off to bring back the principal.
Things weren’t going so well for me, either. Not everyone was going along with the crowd, but it seemed that way and I felt the pressure to join in as they dropped books behind her back, mocked her, and ignored her instructions. “Goody Goody” was their name for those who didn’t help. I didn’t like the attention and it stung like a slap in the face. There was a veiled threat of “join us or you’re the next target.”
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I became a Christian the summer before and I was sure that my life was going to get better. Rather than improve, however, it seemed that some things actually got worse. It didn’t seem fair that being a Christian put me in a tight spot between the crowd and God.
I obviously survived this crisis of faith since I am writing about it now, but it was tough and I can remember the sights, sounds, and even smells of that library experience like it was yesterday. For me it has come to represent how being a Christian can actually make some things about life harder, not easier.
When Barnabas and Paul began to travel to tell people about Jesus, they experienced some tough things. Time and again after Acts 13, we read that they went to a new place, spoke boldly, some people responded by following Jesus, and others responded by trying to kill them, literally. We have to think that, after a while, they began to wonder - isn’t there an easier way? Wouldn’t it just be easier to give up?
But this is not what we see. After one early incident where Paul and Barnabas were forcefully expelled from the region, they continued on their way and “were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52*) This seems to be the way they reacted each time. Rather than discourage them, their troubles empowered them to go on.
There is promise in this for us. Even though it would be easier sometimes just to go along with what others are doing, there is a joy that only comes from obedience. There is a sense of God’s presence that only comes when we stand against the test. Going along with the boss’s crooked scheme may save a job, but it will not bring joy. Gossiping in the lunchroom makes us feel like we fit in, but won’t bring peace. Standing up for what is right may not win us friends, but God blesses with joy and the Holy Spirit.
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 May 25, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire #259 Hey Goody Goody
Hi Folks:
I’m back form the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. I attended classes on devotional writing, voice, and digital media, and learned a lot about the business side of writing. We had the chance to meet with agents, editors and publishers, and while this was nerve-wracking, it was also encouraging.
Last week Jan and I celebrated 21 years of marriage. Always hard to believe it has been this long. One day at a time really adds up. We went out to eat and went to the musical “King and I” put on by a local high school.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hey Goody Goody - what wrong?”
We were in library class at Athena Intermediate School and things weren’t going well for the teacher. Some of my classmates were less than kind and actively resisted her attempts to gain control. More than once that semester she steamed off to bring back the principal.
Things weren’t going so well for me, either. Not everyone was going along with the crowd, but it seemed that way and I felt the pressure to join in as they dropped books behind her back, mocked her, and ignored her instructions. “Goody Goody” was their name for those who didn’t help. I didn’t like the attention and it stung like a slap in the face. There was a veiled threat of “join us or you’re the next target.”
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I became a Christian the summer before and I was sure that my life was going to get better. Rather than improve, however, it seemed that some things actually got worse. It didn’t seem fair that being a Christian put me in a tight spot between the crowd and God.
I obviously survived this crisis of faith since I am writing about it now, but it was tough and I can remember the sights, sounds, and even smells of that library experience like it was yesterday. For me it has come to represent how being a Christian can actually make some things about life harder, not easier.
When Barnabas and Paul began to travel to tell people about Jesus, they experienced some tough things. Time and again after Acts 13, we read that they went to a new place, spoke boldly, some people responded by following Jesus, and others responded by trying to kill them, literally. We have to think that, after a while, they began to wonder - isn’t there an easier way? Wouldn’t it just be easier to give up?
But this is not what we see. After one early incident where Paul and Barnabas were forcefully expelled from the region, they continued on their way and “were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52*) This seems to be the way they reacted each time. Rather than discourage them, their troubles empowered them to go on.
There is promise in this for us. Even though it would be easier sometimes just to go along with what others are doing, there is a joy that only comes from obedience. There is a sense of God’s presence that only comes when we stand against the test. Going along with the boss’s crooked scheme may save a job, but it will not bring joy. Gossiping in the lunchroom makes us feel like we fit in, but won’t bring peace. Standing up for what is right may not win us friends, but God blesses with joy and the Holy Spirit.
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 May 25, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
OnFire #258 “But God Told Me”
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #258 “But God Told Me”
Hi Folks:
First, a correction from last week. Mark had fourth place finishes with Team Canada at the World Sport Stacking Championships. I confused my colours. Bronze is not fourth place.
Jan had her stitches taken out from her carpal tunnel surgery. Get this - she needs to soak her hand in warm, soapy water four times a day. Doing the dishes is actually good for her hand.
Ian turned 17. It still amazes me that I have a child this old. I was 17 when I went to college. I hope I was more mature, but something tells me not to ask a question I don’t want to hear the answer to...
Next week I go the Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. This is THE Christian writer’s conference. I’m excited, but also a little nervous.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A friend of mine has worked in Christian radio for many years and he tells me that they sometimes receive music recordings which are really bad, often accompanied by scribbled notes saying that God had revealed to them that they should be on the radio.
Often these recordings are bad on several levels. To begin, the recording itself is of poor quality, using old tape technology, a cheap microphone and a department store keyboard, with people singing and strumming in the background. The musicianship may also be poor, with off-tune singing and out-of-tune instruments.
How do you argue with God? Did the letter not say that God spoke? Their approach was simple. “When God tells us the same thing, then we’ll put you on the radio.”
After returning to Antioch from their mission to deliver relief money, Barnabas and Paul were appointed to travel in order to spread the news about Jesus Christ. The way this happened is fascinating. Acts 13:1-3 tells us they were with a group of other prophets and teachers, worshipping and fasting, when the Holy Spirit revealed that the two should be set apart for this work.
The issue of discerning God’s voice can be tough. We once got caught in the middle of a tiff between two sets of friends over an apartment. It was promised to one couple, but the other couple kept saying, “But God told us we should have it.” We need to be careful about playing the “God card.” In the end it went to the couple to whom it was originally promised.
There are some important principles we see in these three verses. First, they were prophets and teachers, well-respected, trusted and time-tested leaders with level heads and maturity. Only after they had proved themselves faithful in smaller matters did God lead them in something bigger.
They were worshipping and fasting together. When it comes to church matters, it is hard to take people seriously if they don’t worship regularly with God’s people. That they were fasting highlights their involvement. Their spiritual practices came at a personal cost. They weren’t dabbling, playing around at the edges.
There was a group involved. One or two might easily confuse their own desires with the voice of God, but a group has more credibility.
They sought confirmation in ever-widening circles. We see five prophets and teachers listed as part of the church at Antioch, but it is evident that there is a larger body which confirmed God’s leading. Someone had the original direction, the five agreed, but it was the larger group which agreed to send them out.
There was a process of spiritual discernment that involved the larger body. They needed time to confirm God’s leading and they needed the rest of the body to be involved. It was only after fasting and praying that they laid hands on them to confirm this was, indeed, from the Holy Spirit.
In my experience, people are often 1) not willing to test the direction, or 2) impatient with confirming God’s leading in ever-widening circles.
First, the words, “God told me that...” are serious. We will either be right... or wrong. If we’re wrong, we’d better figure it out. Second, a sense of God’s leading does not entitle us to run roughshod over people or to question the depth of their spirituality if they suggest we test the matter.
Third, God does not lead contrary to his already revealed will. It is not God’s voice which suggests someone ought to steal, cheat, or have an affair, for instance. As a pastor, I have heard all these things.
Fourth, a sense of urgency should not blind us to the need of confirming God’s leading in ever widening circles. Again, what do we have to lose? If we’re wrong, we need to know, but if we’re right it will be confirmed. Generally speaking, the bigger the idea, and the more people involved, the wider the circles need to be.
And finally, we haven’t talked about the issue of timing. Even if the direction is from God, this does not mean that we should act immediately. Obedience sometimes means waiting for the right time to act.
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 May 4, 2011. *Scripture taken from the 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.
OnFire #258 “But God Told Me”
Hi Folks:
First, a correction from last week. Mark had fourth place finishes with Team Canada at the World Sport Stacking Championships. I confused my colours. Bronze is not fourth place.
Jan had her stitches taken out from her carpal tunnel surgery. Get this - she needs to soak her hand in warm, soapy water four times a day. Doing the dishes is actually good for her hand.
Ian turned 17. It still amazes me that I have a child this old. I was 17 when I went to college. I hope I was more mature, but something tells me not to ask a question I don’t want to hear the answer to...
Next week I go the Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. This is THE Christian writer’s conference. I’m excited, but also a little nervous.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A friend of mine has worked in Christian radio for many years and he tells me that they sometimes receive music recordings which are really bad, often accompanied by scribbled notes saying that God had revealed to them that they should be on the radio.
Often these recordings are bad on several levels. To begin, the recording itself is of poor quality, using old tape technology, a cheap microphone and a department store keyboard, with people singing and strumming in the background. The musicianship may also be poor, with off-tune singing and out-of-tune instruments.
How do you argue with God? Did the letter not say that God spoke? Their approach was simple. “When God tells us the same thing, then we’ll put you on the radio.”
After returning to Antioch from their mission to deliver relief money, Barnabas and Paul were appointed to travel in order to spread the news about Jesus Christ. The way this happened is fascinating. Acts 13:1-3 tells us they were with a group of other prophets and teachers, worshipping and fasting, when the Holy Spirit revealed that the two should be set apart for this work.
The issue of discerning God’s voice can be tough. We once got caught in the middle of a tiff between two sets of friends over an apartment. It was promised to one couple, but the other couple kept saying, “But God told us we should have it.” We need to be careful about playing the “God card.” In the end it went to the couple to whom it was originally promised.
There are some important principles we see in these three verses. First, they were prophets and teachers, well-respected, trusted and time-tested leaders with level heads and maturity. Only after they had proved themselves faithful in smaller matters did God lead them in something bigger.
They were worshipping and fasting together. When it comes to church matters, it is hard to take people seriously if they don’t worship regularly with God’s people. That they were fasting highlights their involvement. Their spiritual practices came at a personal cost. They weren’t dabbling, playing around at the edges.
There was a group involved. One or two might easily confuse their own desires with the voice of God, but a group has more credibility.
They sought confirmation in ever-widening circles. We see five prophets and teachers listed as part of the church at Antioch, but it is evident that there is a larger body which confirmed God’s leading. Someone had the original direction, the five agreed, but it was the larger group which agreed to send them out.
There was a process of spiritual discernment that involved the larger body. They needed time to confirm God’s leading and they needed the rest of the body to be involved. It was only after fasting and praying that they laid hands on them to confirm this was, indeed, from the Holy Spirit.
In my experience, people are often 1) not willing to test the direction, or 2) impatient with confirming God’s leading in ever-widening circles.
First, the words, “God told me that...” are serious. We will either be right... or wrong. If we’re wrong, we’d better figure it out. Second, a sense of God’s leading does not entitle us to run roughshod over people or to question the depth of their spirituality if they suggest we test the matter.
Third, God does not lead contrary to his already revealed will. It is not God’s voice which suggests someone ought to steal, cheat, or have an affair, for instance. As a pastor, I have heard all these things.
Fourth, a sense of urgency should not blind us to the need of confirming God’s leading in ever widening circles. Again, what do we have to lose? If we’re wrong, we need to know, but if we’re right it will be confirmed. Generally speaking, the bigger the idea, and the more people involved, the wider the circles need to be.
And finally, we haven’t talked about the issue of timing. Even if the direction is from God, this does not mean that we should act immediately. Obedience sometimes means waiting for the right time to act.
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 May 4, 2011. *Scripture taken from the 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.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
OnFire #257 Things We Assume Work
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #257 Things We Assume Work
Hi folks:
What a full few weeks it has been leading up to Easter. Our senior pastor has resigned, effective in June, and so we are going through pastoral transition. I will remain in family ministries to maintain stability for a future senior pastor. We have an interim pastor coming in.
Jan and Mark went to Dallas for the World Sport Stacking Championships. Mark had second, third, and fourth place finishes in individual events in the 15-year-old category. Team Canada won three bronze medals. His picture appeared in the paper at this site: http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/search/article/1399786
Jan had her surgery for carpal tunnel last week. She is getting by on regular acetaminophen and is already feeling some relief. It will take about 6 weeks to recover from the surgery, and then there will be therapy. At some point in the future she will have the other hand done also.
You will remember that Jan’s brother, Bruce, died suddenly in January. We will have the memorial service this Saturday in Saint John. Please include Jan’s family in your prayers since this opens up their wound once again.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I started to repair a section of ceiling which was damaged by a leak in our bathroom. As I pealed away the blistered paint and applied new drywall compound, I was perplexed to find that one section wouldn’t dry. Since the original damage happened two or three years ago, it didn’t make sense that it would still be wet, so I went looking for the problem. As I opened up the access hatch to our bathroom plumbing, there it was: a small drip in the shower diverter.
As I drive around our city, I can see the evidence of a long, hard winter. Our neighbour replaced his wind-damaged roof last week. A barn near our house collapsed under the weight of so much snow. A steel shed from one of those do-it-yourself kits looks like a giant smacked it from above. The top was flat and the sides bulged round.
We never think about our plumbing until we find a leak. We never think about the roof over our head until it stops doing its job. Integrity is a quality no one notices until it is missing.
This seems to be true in people as it is in buildings. We never think about integrity until there is a problem. We assume people around us act in good faith and, in fact, we count on it. Every time we pay a cashier, swipe a card, sign a contract, leave our car with a mechanic, hire a tradesman, invite a guest into our home, or drop off the children to a program, we trust that the people involved are honourable. That’s why we feel betrayed when we discover that integrity has broken down.
Integrity was the issue for Barnabas and Saul when it came time to deliver a gift to the believers in Jerusalem. A prophet by the name of Agabus predicted there would be a severe famine and so the Christians in Antioch decided to send money to their brothers in Judea. Acts 11:30 records simply, “This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”*
This seems to be another one of those insignificant verses we pass over on the way to some deeper insight, but we should not miss the fundamental issue of character. They had earned the trust required to deliver this money and they did not disappoint. How refreshing it is when we find people who are absolutely trustworthy.
Integrity is about what we do when we think on one is paying attention. What will we do when we think we won’t be caught? What will we buy? How will we spend our time? Where will we go? How will we treat people? Can people trust us to do the right thing? Can they count on us to avoid doing the wrong thing?
Barnabas reminds us that integrity needs to be our centre, our basic operating principle. 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 April 26, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire #257 Things We Assume Work
Hi folks:
What a full few weeks it has been leading up to Easter. Our senior pastor has resigned, effective in June, and so we are going through pastoral transition. I will remain in family ministries to maintain stability for a future senior pastor. We have an interim pastor coming in.
Jan and Mark went to Dallas for the World Sport Stacking Championships. Mark had second, third, and fourth place finishes in individual events in the 15-year-old category. Team Canada won three bronze medals. His picture appeared in the paper at this site: http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/search/article/1399786
Jan had her surgery for carpal tunnel last week. She is getting by on regular acetaminophen and is already feeling some relief. It will take about 6 weeks to recover from the surgery, and then there will be therapy. At some point in the future she will have the other hand done also.
You will remember that Jan’s brother, Bruce, died suddenly in January. We will have the memorial service this Saturday in Saint John. Please include Jan’s family in your prayers since this opens up their wound once again.
Blessings for your week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I started to repair a section of ceiling which was damaged by a leak in our bathroom. As I pealed away the blistered paint and applied new drywall compound, I was perplexed to find that one section wouldn’t dry. Since the original damage happened two or three years ago, it didn’t make sense that it would still be wet, so I went looking for the problem. As I opened up the access hatch to our bathroom plumbing, there it was: a small drip in the shower diverter.
As I drive around our city, I can see the evidence of a long, hard winter. Our neighbour replaced his wind-damaged roof last week. A barn near our house collapsed under the weight of so much snow. A steel shed from one of those do-it-yourself kits looks like a giant smacked it from above. The top was flat and the sides bulged round.
We never think about our plumbing until we find a leak. We never think about the roof over our head until it stops doing its job. Integrity is a quality no one notices until it is missing.
This seems to be true in people as it is in buildings. We never think about integrity until there is a problem. We assume people around us act in good faith and, in fact, we count on it. Every time we pay a cashier, swipe a card, sign a contract, leave our car with a mechanic, hire a tradesman, invite a guest into our home, or drop off the children to a program, we trust that the people involved are honourable. That’s why we feel betrayed when we discover that integrity has broken down.
Integrity was the issue for Barnabas and Saul when it came time to deliver a gift to the believers in Jerusalem. A prophet by the name of Agabus predicted there would be a severe famine and so the Christians in Antioch decided to send money to their brothers in Judea. Acts 11:30 records simply, “This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”*
This seems to be another one of those insignificant verses we pass over on the way to some deeper insight, but we should not miss the fundamental issue of character. They had earned the trust required to deliver this money and they did not disappoint. How refreshing it is when we find people who are absolutely trustworthy.
Integrity is about what we do when we think on one is paying attention. What will we do when we think we won’t be caught? What will we buy? How will we spend our time? Where will we go? How will we treat people? Can people trust us to do the right thing? Can they count on us to avoid doing the wrong thing?
Barnabas reminds us that integrity needs to be our centre, our basic operating principle. 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 April 26, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
OnFire #256 Direction and Timing
OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #256 Direction and Timing
I was in my car one day when I drove past the house of one of our church families. I knew them well and had been to visit them many times. I wasn’t aware of any great need or a reason why I should drop in on them, but this day I felt practically compelled. A few kilometres passed as I decided whether to go in. Should I? Shouldn’t I? What was I “supposed” to be doing? Was I scheduled to be anywhere else? Was this something I needed to do in the near future, or that day?
I turned around and when I knocked on the door it opened to a place in crisis. I’m not going to fill in the details of their particular issue, so no worries if you think I’m telling your story. Indeed, several people on the OnFire list may think I’m telling their story because this sort of thing has happened to me often enough that I take these promptings very seriously.
God’s direction and timing in apparently unimportant moments are a big part of the story about Barnabas in Acts 11:25-26. Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Paul and brought him to Antioch. These verses look insignificant, but this act will prove to be extremely important in the spread of the good news about Jesus since Paul and Barnabas will be sent out in Acts 13 to preach and establish churches in many cities throughout the ancient Roman world.
How did Barnabas decide that he needed to find Paul? Was it simply a desire to see a friend? Did something in the conversions of the Gentiles spark Barnabas’ imagination? Did he see an opportunity for the gospel since Paul had already engaged Grecian Jews in Jerusalem? Why not just go back to Jerusalem with his report? Did he figure that Tarsus, 250km by land and less by water, was closer than Jerusalem, which was more than 500km away? Did someone back in Jerusalem suggest that Barnabas find him? Was it a spontaneous decision or part of something planned in advance?
Of course we don’t have the answers we would like, but we can see important lessons for us in these simple verses.
God is constantly working to align events for His purposes. Paul’s life was in danger in Jerusalem so the leaders sent him to his home city of Tarsus. God used this “set-back” to advance the gospel outside Jerusalem.
Barnabas was sensitive to God’s direction and timing. These are both crucial for the faithful follower. Not every idea is a good one, and not everything should be done right away. Even when we feel the direction is solid, God may simply be planting the seeds for something to happen later.
God uses both the “spontaneous” and the long-term . Sometimes we glorify on-the-spot leading as in the story I told earlier, but let’s not make the mistake of thinking that the Holy Spirit is only “spontaneous.” Sometimes direction takes months or years to come together. Anything involving more than one person to plan will take some amount of time. I have served on boards where we planned changes for years in advance.
Erring on the spontaneous is not my weakness, quite the opposite. As any of my friends will tell you, I often labour over decisions and so I sometimes need to remember that God may also lead in the moment. Either way, we must always be careful to discern whether direction is from God or simply a distraction.
God sometimes “interrupts” our plans. Barnabas went to Antioch for one reason, and God used him for another reason. I hope I’m sensitive to God’s direction so that I am effective in my faith and do not wander aimlessly from one thing to another. At the same time, I also hope I am sensitive enough to recognize when God’s plan interrupts what I wanted to do for the day.
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 April 13, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.
OnFire #256 Direction and Timing
I was in my car one day when I drove past the house of one of our church families. I knew them well and had been to visit them many times. I wasn’t aware of any great need or a reason why I should drop in on them, but this day I felt practically compelled. A few kilometres passed as I decided whether to go in. Should I? Shouldn’t I? What was I “supposed” to be doing? Was I scheduled to be anywhere else? Was this something I needed to do in the near future, or that day?
I turned around and when I knocked on the door it opened to a place in crisis. I’m not going to fill in the details of their particular issue, so no worries if you think I’m telling your story. Indeed, several people on the OnFire list may think I’m telling their story because this sort of thing has happened to me often enough that I take these promptings very seriously.
God’s direction and timing in apparently unimportant moments are a big part of the story about Barnabas in Acts 11:25-26. Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Paul and brought him to Antioch. These verses look insignificant, but this act will prove to be extremely important in the spread of the good news about Jesus since Paul and Barnabas will be sent out in Acts 13 to preach and establish churches in many cities throughout the ancient Roman world.
How did Barnabas decide that he needed to find Paul? Was it simply a desire to see a friend? Did something in the conversions of the Gentiles spark Barnabas’ imagination? Did he see an opportunity for the gospel since Paul had already engaged Grecian Jews in Jerusalem? Why not just go back to Jerusalem with his report? Did he figure that Tarsus, 250km by land and less by water, was closer than Jerusalem, which was more than 500km away? Did someone back in Jerusalem suggest that Barnabas find him? Was it a spontaneous decision or part of something planned in advance?
Of course we don’t have the answers we would like, but we can see important lessons for us in these simple verses.
God is constantly working to align events for His purposes. Paul’s life was in danger in Jerusalem so the leaders sent him to his home city of Tarsus. God used this “set-back” to advance the gospel outside Jerusalem.
Barnabas was sensitive to God’s direction and timing. These are both crucial for the faithful follower. Not every idea is a good one, and not everything should be done right away. Even when we feel the direction is solid, God may simply be planting the seeds for something to happen later.
God uses both the “spontaneous” and the long-term . Sometimes we glorify on-the-spot leading as in the story I told earlier, but let’s not make the mistake of thinking that the Holy Spirit is only “spontaneous.” Sometimes direction takes months or years to come together. Anything involving more than one person to plan will take some amount of time. I have served on boards where we planned changes for years in advance.
Erring on the spontaneous is not my weakness, quite the opposite. As any of my friends will tell you, I often labour over decisions and so I sometimes need to remember that God may also lead in the moment. Either way, we must always be careful to discern whether direction is from God or simply a distraction.
God sometimes “interrupts” our plans. Barnabas went to Antioch for one reason, and God used him for another reason. I hope I’m sensitive to God’s direction so that I am effective in my faith and do not wander aimlessly from one thing to another. At the same time, I also hope I am sensitive enough to recognize when God’s plan interrupts what I wanted to do for the day.
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 April 13, 2011. *Scripture taken from the New International Version. 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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