“Don’t Grow Weary . . . work with all your might.”

I spoke recently with several different members of our church about all of the different ministries that our church offers and how so many of us are involved in one, if not several, of the ministries. I was in agreement with many of those who felt that our church is literally stretched to its capacity in volunteers, workers and helpers. Simply put, we are a church with a true heart to serve our God . . . and that is a good thing!

However, I think we all go through spells where we get tired. We get emotionally tired . . . we get physically tired . . . we even get mentally tired of doing what the Lord has called us to do. We have to become expert managers of our families and our time making sure we keep up with our kids’ soccer games, school events, after school events, hair appointments, car tune-ups, balancing the checkbook, paying the bills, work, meetings, mowing the lawn, cleaning the gutters, lessons, fixing breakfast, packing lunch, planning dinner, shopping, watching TV, keeping up with Facebook, cleaning the house, talking on the phone . . . and it goes on and on. LIFE goes on.

Are you getting tired? You know, that’s ok. But don’t quit!! Rest if you must, but don’t you ever quit!!

In Ecclesiastes 9:10, the Word says “Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you are going.” Kind of an eye-opener, huh?

I coached soccer for many years and with each team, good or bad, young or old, boys or girls (or both), I always told them this: NO MATTER WHAT, LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FIELD. PLAY HARD AND DON’T EVER QUIT! WHEN THE CLOCK HITS :00 , THEN YOU CAN REST. No matter how much we were winning or losing, I told my players to give it everything they got. I also told them that one day, they would not be playing anymore and I wanted each of them to look back and say that they did everything they could for the team.

Let me encourage you today . . . give it everything you got! Are you tired, that’s ok! Rest if you must, but don’t you ever quit!! Whatever ministry you are called to, don’t let anyone or anything hold you back . . . do it to the best of your ability and do it with all your might. I look forward to the day when my heavenly father can look at me and say “Well done!!”

-Pastor Chris Blackburn

My First Missions Trip

This past week, I had the privilege to go with a group from our church to Mission, South Dakota to do a Vacation Bible School and other outreach ministry on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. To be honest, I was nervous about the experience because I had never done anything like this in my life. I knew going in that I would be pushed outside my comfort zone and that I would be asked to do things that I normally do not like to do. Still, I knew that the Lord had something planned for me that week and I simply obeyed.

The trip had its challenges in the beginning . . . bald tires, a gas pedal that would not work in my car, an air-conditioner that went out on a day when the temperature was over 100. All of it was a distraction from what the Lord was calling us to do. A strong brother in Christ spoke to me while I was getting my car worked on in Indiana, some 800 miles away from our destination that I should not worry, the Lord was in control. Of course, he was right.

Upon arrival, there was the distraction of trying to locate a Nissan dealer to get the piece I needed to make my car . Some 170 miles away in Pierre, South Dakota, we found one. Took two trips and nearly 6 hours of driving and time away from ministry work to get it repaired, but the Lord provided what we needed. As it turned out, I got to spend some quality time with another great friend in the Lord who was able to minister to me about some strong holds in my own life. So, as it turns out, God was in that too.

During the course of the week, we performed eight different outreach ministries at different locations on the Reservation. At one point, one of our blow up games got a massive hole in it. We tried the usual forms of repair . . . duct tape, followed by more amounts of duct tape. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that the game would not work. Yet another distraction that had the potential to limit what we could do to entice the children to come hear the message of the Lord.
Turns out, the Lord was in that too.

What happened was one of the many amazing things about this mission trip. The entire team would pull together to use the talents that the Lord has blessed us with. I learned the art of being 10 again and having balloon sword fights with as many as 8 or 9 kids at one time. Others used the art of taking pictures, or to face paint and make animal balloons, or one of many, many things that were done in just over an hour at each location. Turns out, most of the kids at these outreaches could have cared less about us having three blow up games or two. They just wanted our attention and our love . . . which is what God wanted us to give to them as well. Like I said, God was in that too.

There is much to share about this trip. Some 138 kids and adults were saved that week. Personally, my life was changed with each face and each interaction with everyone I met. We witnessed the beginnings of a miracle for the small church we performed the Vacation Bible School at. Those stories will be for another time and maybe another blog.

What I want to close with is this . . . don’t let the little distractions in your life cause you to miss out on what God has in store for you. There were a few times I would get frustrated or discouraged. When that happened, the Lord found ways to speak to my heart . . . through a brother in Christ who would encourage me or the smile of a child who just simply wanted me to watch them jump on a blow-up game. I rediscovered a peace of allowing God to be in control and trusting Him to take care of the little distractions.

-Pastor Chris Blackburn

Wisdom In An Age Of Drama...

As is the case with many of us, I occasionally will take the time to watch a few of the reality shows on TV that focus on the day-to-day drama of people that we don’t know and really don’t care that much about. It seems that we can relate to their situations or to their storylines and that is what draws us in to the show. I have found that some shows will draw me in to the point where I want to watch from week to week to see how everything will turn out.

Unfortunately, the drama on these shows never really resolves itself. Nobody seems to really learn anything . . . nobody seems to have a real change of heart . . . and their lives never really have any significant change. Although it may seem that they have a personal “Ah Ha!!” moment at the end of each episode, the drama finds a new script, new characters and new plots each week. In reality, nothing really changes. Quite frankly, they are addicted to the drama of their lives. They profit by selling it to a public thirsty for more drama.

The real scary part of these latest reality TV shows is that there is a growing lust for more and more drama while nobody really learns anything from them other than to speak, think and act in an immature fashion despite their age or lot in life. This does have an impact on our society and our kids. It has an impact on Christians and non-Christians alike. Quietly, many of us want to be just like them.

In the Bible, the book of Proverbs speaks often about wisdom. Wisdom, quite frankly, is the opposite of drama. If we all made choices to live in a Christ-like manner in every life decision we made . . . in every word we spoke . . . in every thought we have . . . many of us could avoid and would choose to avoid the drama we develop in our own lives and, quite frankly, would turn away from the TV filled reality shows that distort the way we should interact with one another.

Proverbs 3:29-32 states “Do not plan to do something wrong to your neighbor while he is sitting with you and suspecting nothing. Do not quarrel with a person for no reason if he has not harmed you. Do not envy a violent person. Do not choose any of his ways. The devious person is disgusting to the Lord. The Lord’s intimate advice is with decent people.”

After reading that, I was convicted in my own heart about my own desire to watch many of the shows. If you find that you gain pleasure watching these shows or that you favor a particular character because of how they behave, take a moment and read . . . study if you will, Proverbs Chapters 1 -4 which talk about wisdom. God’s Wisdom is ours for the asking.

BTW, if you really want to take a bite out of most reality shows . . . go and read Proverbs chapter 5 on adultery . . . or chapter 6 which talks about avoiding disaster by the way you think and act . . . or chapter 7, which is even more advice on avoiding adultery . . . I’m just saying. It is time we start to look at the world around us and how we choose to interact with it.

-Pastor Chris Blackburn

What Would You Ask For?

Last Sunday in Children’s Church, I asked our kids a question. “If God were to come to you right now and say that he would give you any one thing your heart desired, what would it be?” Of course, there were the safe answers such as God’s heart, eternal life and to go right on to heaven now. Some of the adults in the room stated they would like to have all the money in the world or to have all the financial debts removed. There were some other, more selfish answers such as a Lamborghini car, all the puppies in the world, a horse and the ability to have superpowers. After making a list of all the answers, I spent some time talking about the condition of our heart. You see, we can tell the condition of our heart when we find out what we are most focused on in life. The Bible clearly states that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. When given a quick opportunity to answer the question, the kids and adults in the room blurted out those things that were the most pressing in their hearts. It is not that any of these items are bad things to ask for, but we must ask ourselves . . . would God be pleased with our choice.

In I Kings, there is the story of Solomon. God appeared in a dream to Solomon one night and told him He would grant Solomon any one thing his heart desired. After giving it some thought, Solomon asked for wisdom. I Kings 3:4-15 is where the story begins. In verse 6 Solomon responded “You’ve shown great love to my father David, who was your servant. He lived in your presence with truth, righteousness, and commitment. And you continued to show him your great love by giving him a son to sit on his throne today. Lord, my God, although I’m young and inexperienced, you’ve made me king in place of my father David. I’m among your people whom you have chosen. They are too numerous to count or record. Give me a heart that listens so that I can judge your people and tell the difference between good and evil. After all, who can judge this great people of yours?”

Verse 10 says all we need to know about Solomon’s choice . . . “The Lord was pleased that Solomon asked for this. God replied “You’ve asked for this and not for a long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies. Instead, you have asked for understanding so that you can do what is right.” We can see from later scripture that Solomon was blessed indeed with wisdom. So much so that men came from all over the world to learn from him. On top of that, the Lord blessed him with a long life and with riches beyond compare.

Interesting thought though . . . where are all of those riches now? There is no mention in any museum of the great throne made of pure gold that Solomon had (which no doubt would be worth in the millions or possibly billions). There was so much silver in Solomon’s kingdom that it literally had no value. All of his household items were made of gold. Anyone know where those things are now? No doubt, these things have been lost in time and may never be recovered.

So, what can we learn from this story? Maybe we should each examine our heart a little more closely and ask ourselves what is it that our heart desires? Are we asking God for material goods that would possibly make our lives better in our own eyes (say, a new car, a new house, a better job) or are we really asking God for those things that would make us better servants to others in His kingdom? Material goods will not last. The Bible says we should store up our treasures in heaven and not on this earth. Stop worrying about what you have or what you would like to have. Instead, let’s ask God to give us what we really need to be effective servants in His kingdom.

-Pastor Chris Blackburn

Being Content...

A few days ago, I passed a billboard at a church near West Virginia that had posted “For The Person Who Is Praying For Snow, PLEASE STOP, God Has Heard You!”. I think this sign is funny, but it does reveal a little about each of us during this very difficult stretch of winter weather.

I think most of us have had our fill of snow this winter. We are all a little tired of shoveling snow and having to stay indoors being restricted to our homes because the roads are not safe to travel, especially in the evening hours. Parents are getting more impatient with each day as schools continue to announce that they are closed. We are bothered by long lines at the grocery store to buy milk, juice and bread . . . and are even more disturbed to find they have run out of these essential items. Snow shovels break, and then we discover the local hardware stores no longer have snow shovels in stock. As the frustration of winter and the severe weather continues to build, we even suffer from cabin fever. If you are like me, you are longing for spring days with sunny skies, moderate temperatures and a renewed spirit that usually comes with that season of the year.

However, we should examine ourselves during these kinds of trials. To some, this kind of weather may not seem like such an ordeal, but to others, it is the worst time of year. Are we struggling to be happy in these dreariest of days? Or, are we “content”? Paul wrote a letter to the people of Philippi giving them the secret to being content regardless of their circumstances. It is in this scripture that we can examine our own hearts and emotions during these hard winter months.

Philippians 4:11-13 says “I’m not saying this because I’m in any need. I’ve learned to be content in whatever situation I’m in. I know how to live in poverty or prosperity. No matter what the situation, I’ve learned the secret of how to live when I’m full or when I’m hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

So, despite all of the limitations that 18-36” of snow can bring and the problems that come with all of the recent bad weather, ask yourself this question . . . am I content? If not, stop looking at the weather forecast for good news. Instead, open up The Word of God and read what He has done for you and what He promises to do for you! Pray and ask God to speak to your heart. Pray for those who are in need. If nothing else, look for ways to be an encouragement to others by giving them a quick call, write a letter or even offer to help shovel a driveway.

In the meantime, if YOU are the one praying for all of this snow . . . you can stop, He HAS HEARD YOU!!

In Him,

Pastor Chris Blackburn