The Bed was Already Made

2 Corinthians 2:16

“to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?”

He had been in hospice care for months, his liver destroyed, his life slipping from him. I saw him once with many people around, stopped by once and was told he was resting, visited and prayed with him twice when he was in such pain that, through the fog of medication, I do not know if he could understand much of what was happening. In prayer with him, I preached the gospel twice (with his wife in the room) both at the hospital and at his home. But I had been praying for a conscious moment for him, to look in his eyes and share Jesus.

Saturday night I rode the elevator up to the fourth floor and walked into a still and dark room. The bed was made, and he was gone. I found out later that he had died the day before.

I helped the widow find the phone number of the pastor that the family wanted to conduct the funeral, formally the pastor of the little church I serve now.

At the visitation, all I could do way pray that they were weeping for the right reasons, and make sure they knew I was really there if they needed me.

I could spend years listing things that I should have done differently in trying to reach him and the family. But nothing prepared me for that dark hospital room, and no one called me to let me know he was gone. They were understandably busy.

PM

Tract Review - Million Dollar Bill HALLOWEEN

Just wanted to show everyone the Halloween Version of the Million Dollar Bill tract. Everything is the same about it except the picture, obviously!!
We have decided to pre-bag our candy this year and put the tracts in with the candy. No matter what your views on trick-or-treat are (and that isn't the point of this post, so save it), there is nothing better than having the world go door to door for you to evangelize!! We are going to put in this version of the Million Dollar Bill, a pressed penny, and for the adults, John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life tracts. I will do a review on the DWYL tracts later, but they are also excellent for handing out. They are based on Piper's book by the same title, which I highly recommend. If you do purchase it, I suggest you get it with the dvd, as it is only a few extra dollars and well worth it!! The video is about 45 minutes long and great for any type of small group or just for your own personal viewing.

Click on the tracts to see the whole text and purchase some today!!

MP

Tract Review - Wallet

This is a tract that I like to drop in parking lots at stores and at the truck stop. At first glance, people will see the $50 sticking out and realize that they have picked up something different! When you open it, you still don't get the message, you are greeted with pictures of credit cards and other "wallet" type things. Then, as you open it again, there are a series of multiple choice questions, almost in an ethics type layout. Then, as always with any Living Waters tract, the Ten Commandments are used to show the sins and to bring conviction.

Because I don't stick around and watch tracts that I "plant," I don't know if these are picked up by cleaning personnel and thrown away or if my intended victims actually pick them up and read them. So, I can't factor any type of "success" to them, other than the fact that the gospel is presented and that God's Word is going out and will "not return to him empty." (Isaiah 55:11)

Click on the tract to see the whole text and purchase some today!!

MP

Psalm 119:169-176

169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word!
170 Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.

Word of God speak. . .

Memorizing Scripture

I have recently begun using the Fighter Verses that Desiring God ministries puts out. I am also memorizing Scripture with our men's group at church and helping BK with her memory verses at school. I came across a way to memorize verses in Piper's book When I Don't Desire God. He took it from Dr. Andrew Davis, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. I posted the gist of it here and you can download the whole thing from the FBC website. While he is focusing on large portions of Scripture, I am finding it to be very helpful in doing the smaller passages as well as the multiple passages that I am working on.

MP

Sample daily procedure: The following is an example of how someone could go about memorizing Ephesians at the rate of one verse per day:

1) Day one: Read Ephesians 1:1 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to include the verse number.18 Then cover the page and recite it ten times. You’re done for the day.

2) Day two: Yesterday’s verse first!! Recite yesterday’s verse, Ephesians 1:1 ten times, being sure to include the verse number. Look in the Bible if you need to, just to refresh your memory. Now, do your new verse. Read Ephesians 1:2 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to include the verse number. Then cover the page and recite it ten times. You’re done for the day.

3) Day three: Yesterday’s verse first!! Recite yesterday’s verse, Ephesians 1:2 ten times, being sure to include the verse number. Again, you should look in the Bible if you need to, just to refresh your memory. Old verses next, altogether: Recite Ephesians 1:1-2 together once,
being sure to include the verse numbers. Now, do your new verse. Read Ephesians 1:3 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to include the verse number. Then cover the page and recite it ten times. You’re done for the day.

4) Day four: Yesterday’s verse first!! Recite yesterday’s verse, Ephesians 1:3 ten times, being sure to include the verse number. Again, you should look in the Bible if you need to, just to refresh your memory. Old verses next, altogether: Recite Ephesians 1:1-3 together once,
being sure to include the verse numbers. Now, do your new verse. Read Ephesians 1:4 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to include the verse number.
Then cover the page and recite it ten times. You’re done for the day.

This cycle would continue through the entire book. Obviously, the “old verses altogether” stage will soon swell to take the most time of all. That’s exactly the way it should be. The entire book of Ephesians can be read at a reasonable rate in less than fifteen minutes. Therefore, the “old verses altogether” stage of your review should not take longer than that on any given day. Do it with the Bible ready at hand, in case you draw a blank or get stuck . . . there’s no shame in looking, and it actually helps to nail down troublesome verses so they will never be trouble again.

Tract Review - Million Dollar Bill

The Million Dollar Bill was initially one of my least favorite tracts to give out. The original tract, that I still have about 80 million worth, was difficult to read, as the message was around the outer edge of the back in very small print. However, I must not have been the only one who thought that, as Living Waters updated it and actually made it better!
The first one had Grover Cleveland on the front and the Lincoln Memorial on the back. You can see that has been changed to Rutherford B. Hayes and to Washington crossing the Potomac River. The message is much easier to read now, which takes the strain out of it and makes the message much easier to find. With the first one, I had to point out that the message was even there!
On the new one, the message is framing Washington and is a larger print.

These tracts have a way of opening up discussions on the value of money versus eternity. I have had several people ask for more because of a perceived "collectible" feel to them. Like most of the tracts from Living Waters, the message is simple, with the Ten Commandments being used to bring conviction before introducing Jesus as the means of redemption.

I normally just ask people if I had given them one million dollars yet. Most laugh and then are truly delighted to take the tract when I give it to them. Then I turn it over and point out the message. With a few, I have been able to then engage in conversation, mainly just asking about their knowledge of the 10 Commandments, using my arm as a visual aid. So far, no one has hit me.

Darn it!

Click on the tract to see the whole text and purchase some today!!

MP

I Am Weak

On Saturday, I had an accident.

I work a part-time job, doing whatever driving that I am asked to do. I was hauling asphalt on this particular day. Now, most of us know asphalt as the road that you drive on or what is used to patch the road you drive on. This particular variety, AC5, is used for roofing shingles. When loaded, it loads around 1000 gallons a minute, at a temperature of 360 degrees. I guess it's that temperature, because if it hits you, you turn around and run.

While on my fifth load, the valve stuck and I got splashed with it. The problem was, I couldn't get to the valve and shut it off without further burning myself. While I did get it shut off, it wasn't until I had released around 3500 gallons onto my customers ground and spillway.

I'm okay, thanks for asking.

The weakness comes in here. While the asphalt was boiling out, I shouted several words of profanity, running around trying to get the valve shut off. Some would say that it was only natural, and I would agree with that. But I actually saw it as a great weakness on my part. Other than repeating things that others have said, I rarely use any form of profanity. I am around it enough that it still offends me. So why did I use it in my panic?

Several times in Scripture we are told to cry out to God. In joy or in pain, we are told to do so. Was this any different? I believe that God could have stopped the flow for me, if I had only called on Him to do so. At the very least, He could have slowed it to the point that I could have gotten in to shut it down.

After it was over, I just sat down and asked for forgiveness. I confessed my weakness and asked for the strength to do better. I was reminded of the father who asked that Jesus heal his child. In Mark 9:24 we see him cry out and ask Jesus to help his unbelief. May I make that my prayer today. In every situation, let the name of Jesus be on my lips in times of joy and times of pain. In calm and panic, may I look to the Creator to help and comfort.

MP

Kizziah Kolumn

I just wanted to point out a link in our blog roll, Kizziah Kolumn. David Kizziah is the son-in-law of my pastor and headed to the foreign mission field. I'll skip saying to much here, just go check out the blog and add them to your prayers!!

While our emphasis on A&S may be on personal evangelism, we need to be sure and keep foreign missions in our prayers.

I've got some tract reviews and stories in the wings as well as something I am working on about the Great Commission, SO STAY TUNED FOR MORE!!!!!!!!

MP

SWEET???

Hi guys,

MP called the other day and clued me in to this little event. Surprised me greatly I guess and I'm still not real sure what my opinion is but here's some further info on the former Stryper dude.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Sweet
I think I'll take the time to check up on some of the other guys I used to listen to occasionally just to see if any others have been park rangers!

TL

Oh, For Grace to Trust Him More

Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

Hebrews 13: 13-14

By way of introduction: I am a brand new pastor, not even two years into serving in my first pastorate. I am married with two kids, three cats, too many dogs, and the laptop I am writing this on is partially held together with duct tape. I have not been to Seminary, but am looking at ways to get headed in that direction. I am a school teacher by trade, and a child of God's by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. His call on my life to preach and to pastor was really one of those "I was the last to know" sort of things. Really, my heart is just to love and obey my God, to share the unimaginable grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus, to cling to His unchanging word, and to follow Him wherever He leads. So far it has lead to places that I never thought I would find myself. One of those places is on my face before Him in fear and love and praise and wonder over and over. Another of those places was through what I believe was some chastisement. Yet another was to surrender to a call to preach. I am leaving a lot out , but there will be, I pray, time for all that later.

I wanted to begin with a post about one more place that God is leading: India and Nepal. I'll be going there, Lord willing, soon. Its only for a few weeks, but I have never even been out of the country, and this is only my second mission trip. My first was to Michigan for six days. Needless to say, I ask that you pray for me and for my family as well as the church I serve and the young man who, Lord, willing will be filling the pulpit.

The plan is to help the Body in Nepal and to minister to my brothers and sisters in whatever way I can. There is a bit more to it, but right now that is enough to pray on. There are literally hundreds of people who are more "qualified". People who have given up everything and trained long and hard to get the chance to do what has simply opened to me by God's providence. I have a family that is worried, kids who are trying to get their brain around all of this, and the best wife on earth, who is trusting in God through everything, but still not completely o.k with the trip. In other words, she is trusting God, but I have yet to see any cartwheels in the yard in celebration of the event. (Let's keep in mind, she thought she was marring a teacher. It is amazing to watch God grow both her and us.)

Violence and murder against Christians and the destruction of churches in India had been in the news lately. These and other dangers could be waiting in Nepal. There are those who do not want me to go on this mission, that has been made clear. Still, I look at all the doors that have been opened, the clear commands in scripture, and see that this is not up to me. I have to follow.

I have been taught that a good question to ask at this point, as I prepare to go, is: What is my Heavenly Father revealing about my own sinful heart as I walk this? Here is the short answer: The disconnect between my head knowledge and my faith is not longer acceptable. I cannot just know that I am to cast my care upon Him because he cares for me, I have to live that. To step out on it, is far removed from chasing the verbs around or cross-referencing .

See, if Hebrews 13: 13-14 is a real part of my life in Christ, and not just one of the scripture references in John Piper's sermon at Together for the Gospel 08, then I have to live it and walk it and trust my God.

I have to live the truth of the First century Christians leaving Judaism forever and going out to where Jesus suffered, outside Jerusalem, because we have a High Priest that it sympathetic, tempted in all ways and yet without sin, in Jesus Christ who suffered for our sins and took the wrath we deserve. And I have to live going to Him, outside of all I recognize and find "safe". Leave my "zone", leave my air conditioning and all the safety of food I trust, water I trust, and leave threats to my life and faith that I am learning (to my shame) that I trusted and allowed for far too long. Threats like apathy and self-righteousness and lust and greed.

I have to pray for grace to face a physical body that is not able to go ten miles with a loaded pack. A body that I ignored and abused until seized with panic that it is broken and is failing. I have to live the truth of His reproach, then the truth of sharing it. My Savior was rejected and a man of sorrows. He was scorned by those He came to save. I have to pray for the grace to share in that and to rejoice .

And the truth that I have no lasting city here. This place cannot be my home. A sojourner, a soldier, a slave, and a pastor and a teacher, yes - but, I am not here to colonize within the enemies kingdom. I am here to preach the gospel of grace, to run the race before me, and to battle the sin in my flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. But most of all to glorify God, and , yes, to enjoy Him forever. Having no lasting city for me right now means falling out of love with what I have turned my "world" into. And praying that Jesus would be more and more my world.

India, Nepal, America. No lasting city here, only the amazing chance to go, at a time of danger, to a place half a world away, and wash the feet of the saints. I ask that you pray for me, that I may have grace to trust Him more, to bear up and follow in obedience.

PM