So . . . I once met this young woman who eventually discovered I was a pastor. She asked me if I did marriages for gay couples . . . I answered as kindly as I could that I don't and told her why. A little later in the conversation she mentioned that she had a girlfriend, they loved each other and lived together. She wanted to know what I or the church thought about that. She was not challenging me; she really wanted to know. Our conversation was friendly and casual.
My response surprised me. I told her that the most important thing is what Jesus thinks of her and with Him she's just fine. I went on to tell her that He loves her and desires her love. That's what matters more than anything else. "Yeah!", I thought to myself as this conversation was going on, Jesus desires above all to love her... and me.
Sometimes we get so hung up on rules and laws that our presentation to non-Christians, of which my friend was one, sounds so threatening and judgmental. She doesn't need that and Jesus wouldn't hurt her either. He said so somewhere in Matthew 12.
I personally think that we church folks (myself included) can sometimes be too stuffy and legalistic. Maybe that's why Jesus hung out with so many 'outsiders'. It seems that they were more open to the grace of God in their lives. Just a thought.
After meeting Jesus, the disciple Andrew went to get his brother, Peter, so he could meet this Jesus. Can you imagine Andrew telling his brother, "Peter, clean up your life! No more cussing and star gazing. Start going to synagogue more . . . and for heaven's sake, wash your hands 'cause I want to introduce you to the Savior." No, that's not what he did. Nor should we.
Oh, we have to get out there in the world and let GRACE be our guide when we speak to seekers. This young woman really wants to be right with God. She wants to be good enough. Her lifestyle won't make her good enough - only her surrender to the Christ who came to seek and save that which was lost can do that.
By the way, a friend who was with me on that occasion had opportunity to share his faith with her. He introduced her to his Savior.
Maybe you have some thoughts on this - I have lots more . . . maybe a sermon is brewing.
Yours in Christ,
George
5.26.2010
5.19.2010
Heart for Haiti - Music to Move the Soul
Hi everyone. It's Tuesday evening and I just came from church where I listened to the worship band practicing the song, HELP IS ON THE WAY. They make a pastor proud (only in the best spiritual way)! And what a great song. You can hear it this weekend at the Heart for Haiti concert.
Psalm 20 contains these words:
May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may He send you help from the sanctuary.
What a great psalm to go with the concert as more than a hundred musicians and singers will come together in the sanctuary of MPC to ensure that, for the Haitian people, HELP IS ON THE WAY.
The people of Haiti have called upon the name of the Lord and for them HELP IS ON THE WAY. The music in the sanctuary will hopefully move your soul and then move your hand to write a check or reach for your wallet... a promissory note even... whatever it takes.... ‘cause this money will be an expression of our hearts for these folks in distress. It will be used for the rebuilding of this tiny nation - one house, one life at a time.
I am so grateful for all the people who have worked so hard in Christ's name to bring this event to pass... those who dreamed of it and those who made that dream a reality. HELP REALLY IS ON THE WAY... and it comes from God's own sanctuary, not the Mattituck Church, but from the actual heart of God. He put this music on everyone’s heart and now it's time to share it.
I hope all of you who are anywhere near here can come this weekend (see the church website for details)... and if you are not from around these parts please pray for all the musicians and for the people of Haiti. And remember - a check can easily be sent in the mail....make it out to MPC, mark it “Heart for Haiti” and mail it to PO Box 1411, Mattituck NY 11952.
Yours in Christ,
George
Don’t miss the Heart for Haiti-Music to Move the Soul benefit concert. Two identical performances this Saturday at 7:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm. Visit our website at http://www.mattpres.com for concert details.
Psalm 20 contains these words:
May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may He send you help from the sanctuary.
What a great psalm to go with the concert as more than a hundred musicians and singers will come together in the sanctuary of MPC to ensure that, for the Haitian people, HELP IS ON THE WAY.
The people of Haiti have called upon the name of the Lord and for them HELP IS ON THE WAY. The music in the sanctuary will hopefully move your soul and then move your hand to write a check or reach for your wallet... a promissory note even... whatever it takes.... ‘cause this money will be an expression of our hearts for these folks in distress. It will be used for the rebuilding of this tiny nation - one house, one life at a time.
I am so grateful for all the people who have worked so hard in Christ's name to bring this event to pass... those who dreamed of it and those who made that dream a reality. HELP REALLY IS ON THE WAY... and it comes from God's own sanctuary, not the Mattituck Church, but from the actual heart of God. He put this music on everyone’s heart and now it's time to share it.
I hope all of you who are anywhere near here can come this weekend (see the church website for details)... and if you are not from around these parts please pray for all the musicians and for the people of Haiti. And remember - a check can easily be sent in the mail....make it out to MPC, mark it “Heart for Haiti” and mail it to PO Box 1411, Mattituck NY 11952.
Yours in Christ,
George
Don’t miss the Heart for Haiti-Music to Move the Soul benefit concert. Two identical performances this Saturday at 7:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm. Visit our website at http://www.mattpres.com for concert details.
5.05.2010
Save the Children
Last week at Bible study during a discussion about abortion, one of the participants referred us to Luke 1:44. Mary had gone to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Elizabeth says to her, "As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leapt for joy." Not fetus, but “baby” - a real, live human being. My son and daughter-in-law are experiencing that joy as they prepare to bring a new life into the world next October.
While I do not wish to and cannot judge certain circumstances that lead to taking the life of a baby, I am adamant that it is unconscionable to kill a little life as a means of birth control or to rid ourselves of inconvenience and responsibility. I am not a pro-choice person because I do not see a child as having the ability to make a choice. He or she is not a piece of property but a flesh and blood creation of God in partnership with a mother and father.
I am truly thankful for and in awe of parents who have chosen life for their unborn child even in the most difficult of situations. They deserve a special place in the Kingdom of God. And praise God for adoptive parents who rescue children and give them life and love.
And now that brings me to being pro-life. Being pro-life does not mean just standing in front of an abortion clinic with a placard; it means caring for all life - the life of the child and the life of the mother. It means helping a mom or parents to find a way to raise their child who might not have otherwise come into this world. It means health insurance for every child. It means adoption. It means caring for the children of the world; Haiti’s children, for example, where the possibilities for life are now so limited for so many. It means celebrating life and protecting life for the unborn and the born. And dare I say being pro-life means taking a more just view of war and capital punishment, both of which tend to cheapen life.
Let us be a pro-life people for all people.
In Christ,
George
While I do not wish to and cannot judge certain circumstances that lead to taking the life of a baby, I am adamant that it is unconscionable to kill a little life as a means of birth control or to rid ourselves of inconvenience and responsibility. I am not a pro-choice person because I do not see a child as having the ability to make a choice. He or she is not a piece of property but a flesh and blood creation of God in partnership with a mother and father.
I am truly thankful for and in awe of parents who have chosen life for their unborn child even in the most difficult of situations. They deserve a special place in the Kingdom of God. And praise God for adoptive parents who rescue children and give them life and love.
And now that brings me to being pro-life. Being pro-life does not mean just standing in front of an abortion clinic with a placard; it means caring for all life - the life of the child and the life of the mother. It means helping a mom or parents to find a way to raise their child who might not have otherwise come into this world. It means health insurance for every child. It means adoption. It means caring for the children of the world; Haiti’s children, for example, where the possibilities for life are now so limited for so many. It means celebrating life and protecting life for the unborn and the born. And dare I say being pro-life means taking a more just view of war and capital punishment, both of which tend to cheapen life.
Let us be a pro-life people for all people.
In Christ,
George
4.27.2010
Aliens and Sojourners
I’ve been thinking. It’s too bad that the Native Americans didn’t have a tough immigration bill to keep all those Europeans from invading their land. And they sure could have used a tough police force in the Old West to “profile” any rider that came over the ridge.
The immigration bill passed recently in Arizona does not reflect the Christian values upon which we say our nation was founded….
The land in which we live is God’s land. We do not own it. God owns it. We are, as it were, borrowing it. It is a gift from God while we sojourn here. In Leviticus 1:33-34 the Bible reads:
When an alien lives with you in your land do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
The word of God makes it clear that we are to love the aliens who come within our borders. As a matter of fact, we are all aliens on this earth. God is not partial to America. America doesn’t need protection from further intrusion of those who, like all of us, seek a better life or just some kind of “daily bread” for themselves and their families.
If we truly believe that safety and security are issues, then let’s find just ways to govern our borders. Let’s find fairer ways to assimilate folks into our labor system, medical system, and our way of life.
The new law in Arizona calls for people to carry identification papers. It also says that if anyone is caught driving an undocumented immigrant, say to church for example, the driver will be arrested. This is Caesar’s law, not God’s.
In the last judgment Jesus will say to us that whenever we welcomed “the stranger” we welcomed Him. Let’s not turn Christ away or mistreat Him.
Pray that Congress will find a compassionate, Godly way to address the issue of immigration.
I invite your responses. Use the comment feature.
Sincerely,
George
The immigration bill passed recently in Arizona does not reflect the Christian values upon which we say our nation was founded….
The land in which we live is God’s land. We do not own it. God owns it. We are, as it were, borrowing it. It is a gift from God while we sojourn here. In Leviticus 1:33-34 the Bible reads:
When an alien lives with you in your land do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
The word of God makes it clear that we are to love the aliens who come within our borders. As a matter of fact, we are all aliens on this earth. God is not partial to America. America doesn’t need protection from further intrusion of those who, like all of us, seek a better life or just some kind of “daily bread” for themselves and their families.
If we truly believe that safety and security are issues, then let’s find just ways to govern our borders. Let’s find fairer ways to assimilate folks into our labor system, medical system, and our way of life.
The new law in Arizona calls for people to carry identification papers. It also says that if anyone is caught driving an undocumented immigrant, say to church for example, the driver will be arrested. This is Caesar’s law, not God’s.
In the last judgment Jesus will say to us that whenever we welcomed “the stranger” we welcomed Him. Let’s not turn Christ away or mistreat Him.
Pray that Congress will find a compassionate, Godly way to address the issue of immigration.
I invite your responses. Use the comment feature.
Sincerely,
George
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