Pride, Evil, and the Fall
Obadiah

August 29th, 2010

Today we are turning to our third study of the Minor Prophets. As you turn to Obadiah let me tell you that Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, it has only 21 verses. Like Joel, whom we studied last week, we know very little about this prophet of God. As a matter of fact, we know even less about Obadiah than we do Joel. At least we know that Joel’s father’s name was Pethuel. We don’t have any background information on Obadiah. We can’t even be sure which “Obadiah” wrote the letter because there are about a dozen men in the Bible who share his name. What we do know is that God gave Obadiah a message to deliver to His people in Judah about their future and about the people of Edom. Let’s talk about Edom for a minute.

Edom

Edom was south and east of Judah and was an ancient nemesis of God’s people. The country of Edom is also called, “Seir, Hor, and Esau” in the Bible. The land of Edom was about 20-30 miles wide and approximately 100 miles long. One of Edom’s greatest assets was that it was located on the “King’s Highway,” a major trade route that ran from Egypt over to Eilat, in Edom, and then north into Syria. With so many goods traveling through the country the nation of Edom grew very wealthy. The second strength of Edom was its natural fortification from its enemies. The central part of the country was marked by cliffs that are more than 5,000 feet above sea level. Some of you are familiar with Edom, we traveled there when we went to Petra two summers ago. Petra is the ancient city of Sela, the capital of Edom. Those who made the trip will remember that there is only one way into Petra, through a narrow passage, almost a mile long, called a siq. It was said that Petra was impenetrable. The wealth and fortification of the capital city led the inhabitants of Edom to become very prideful and arrogant.

Tension Between Jews and Edomites

Why was there so much animosity between the people of Edom and the Jews? Well, the history of the struggle between the Jews and the Edomites goes way, way back. The tension can be traced to the hearts of two men, Jacob and Esau. You can trace the beginnings of the struggle between the two brothers back to Genesis 25 where Esau came in from the fields starving to death. Jacob had been cooking some stew in the kitchen and Esau wanted something to eat. Jacob, the younger brother, told Esau that he would give him some stew if he would sell him his birthright. Esau, driven by his hunger, sold his birthright to his younger brother. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Day of the Lord: Consider and Prepare
Joel

August 22nd, 2010

Today we are going to turn our attention to the second of the Minor Prophets, the prophet Joel. We don’t know hardly anything about Joel other than the fact that his dad’s name was Pethuel and that he was called to speak to the people of Judah. Just as we saw in our study of Hosea, personal history and background information concerning the life of the prophet are never the focus—it is the message of the prophet that is paramount. The prophet opens his mouth and speaks because God wants the people to hear from Him.

There are differences of opinion as to when God raised Joel up to speak to the people of Judah. Some believe that Joel was a contemporary of Hosea and Amos. This is why Joel is placed between these two prophets in our Bible. Others believe that Joel prophesied later, after the fall of the Southern Kingdom. The timeframe of when Joel’s prophesy was delivered is not nearly as important as are the events that brought about Joel’s prophesy and the message that God had for His people following the devastation—prepare for the Day of the Lord.

There is no question about what had happened in Judah—the land had been devastated and the devastation had affected everyone living in Judah. Let’s take a look at the opening verses of Joel and then we will dig in and see what we can learn. Read along with me from Joel 1:1-7.

1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel. 2 Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? 3 Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. 4 What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. 5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. 6 A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. 7 It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white. (Joel 1:1-7 NIV)

Read the rest of this entry »

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“How Can I Give You Up?”
Hosea 11

August 15th, 2010

In the time that I have been away with my family this summer I have spent a lot of my time reading the Minor Prophets. Calling these twelve men, used by God in such a powerful way, “minor,” is a misnomer to say the least. Amos, Joel, Habakkuk, Zechariah, Malachi and the rest are “Big Daddy Prophets” to say the least. As we take a look at Hosea this morning you will begin to understand how these twelve men are giants of the faith.

As I read through the last twelve books of the Old Testament I found myself stopping with each one and saying, “This is the one. This is the next book that we are going to study in morning worship.” Well, needless to say, we aren’t going to study all twelve of the Minor Prophets in depth. Eventually we will take a longer look at the prophet Amos, but before we get to Amos, I want us to take each of the eleven remaining Minor Prophets and try to hit the highpoint of each prophet’s message so that we might see what we can learn. I hope you will join me for the next eleven weeks as we study the messages of these bold men of God.

Our very first study will surely challenge some of you who have been taught that the God of the Old Testament is a “God of wrath” while the God of the New Testament is a “God of love and forgiveness.” There is no more beautiful picture of the love, compassion, and mercy of God than what we will find in this book.

Others of you who believe that God is purely logical and rational will be challenged as well. Let me give you a few examples of what I am talking about. Throughout history God has called His people to do some strange things. He called Moses through a burning bush and then later told Moses to stand at the edge of the Red Sea and hold up his staff so that the waters would part. You think that is strange? I’m just getting started. Try these on for size…

• God told Ezekiel to lay on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 more days to represent the number of years Israel and Judah would be punished. (Ezekiel 4:4-7)
• God called Jeremiah to make a yoke, the kind worn by oxen as they plowed a field together, and then put it on his own neck. Jeremiah wore the yoke to illustrate to the people of God that things were going to get even worse for them because of their disobedience. (Jeremiah 27:1-2)
• In Isaiah 20, God told Isaiah to walk around naked for three years. Isaiah’s nakedness was a sign of the terrible troubles that God was going to bring on Egypt and Ethiopia, or the Cushites. It also served as a warning to King Hezekiah of what could happen to the people of Judah as well. Read the rest of this entry »

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New Mexico Mission Trip

August 10th, 2010

BCC – Thank you for your many prayers! Ashley, Quanesha, Terran, Katie, Jenny, Lacey, Darrell, Alex, OT, Adam, Travis, Preston, and I experienced God in a new way in New Mexico last week. We, also, experienced his people…the Najavo people that is…as we served them. I feel we all have a better grasp on what it means to be a “Good Samaritan” now. There is no way I can do justice to the trip, but hopefully these pictures will give you a taste of what we experienced.

http://www.slide.com/r/SGTAe72g6D_OIIgQ_ForHSza5ZIgHboc?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

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KAA…U KNOW!

July 12th, 2010

We made it back! What a trip?!? We took to close to 70 people to camp this year and we had a blast. We ran around under the Missouri sun, we tested our physical limits, we learned how to “Elevate” our spiritual lives, and we witnessed life change. In our crew we had 12 kids that gave their life to the Lord and we had another 24 kids that rededicated their lives to the Lord. How about that?!?

Thank you BCC! If it weren’t for your support, most of these kids would have never experienced camp. Thank you for using your gifts to minister to a generation that is desperate…a generation desperate to invest in something that is geniune and real.

If you would like to get a glimpse of camp, check out this link:

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An Unbelievable Night!

June 30th, 2010

Hi Everyone,

I got a call from a friend about one month ago asking if we could help with some kids traveling cross-country from Los Angeles, CA. We can always help so I said, “Send ‘em our way.” I had no idea the blessing we would receive when the kids and their sponsors arrived! After visiting the OKC National Memorial the kids and their sponsors arrived on Tuesday evening about 6:30 pm. The youth from Emmanuel Baptist Church joined us as we spent the evening together before they loaded back up at 4 am and headed to Dallas.

Twenty years ago Tonya Williams started driving a school bus in Los Angeles. She fell in love with the kids on her bus and she got involved in trying to help them, motivate them, and challenge them. Back in the old days Tonya would promise a kid, “If you raise your grades I’ll take you to see whatever you want to see.” They live 25 miles from the beach, but that was the most requested visit. For the kids who raised their grades Tonya delivered on her promise and drove the kids to the beach for the day.

Then Tonya met Sonya, another school bus driver who loves Jesus and kids. The two women became friends and sisters for the cause of Christ and the blessing of His kids. For years they have worked with kids who rode their bus and friends of those kids who heard about the lady the kids called their “god momma.” Oh the stories these two ladies can tell!

Years later I get to meet them at BCC. They are traveling with 20 kids from Los Angeles who have raised their grades and spent a year honing their leadership skills at school, home, and in their community. Now they are on a 30 day, 28 city tour of the U.S.A. They will visit 20 colleges from historical Black Colleges to
Ivy League schools. Thirty of the kids who started out on their school bus are in college at the present time! I could go on and on sharing stories with you about what God is doing through the “Godparents Youth Organization” and Tonya and Sonya, but just know that God is working in a powerful way.

I want to thank Pastor Chester West, his wonderful wife, Virginia, Youth Pastor Kevin Shaw, and the kids from Emmanuel Baptist Church for joining us. All of our kids are at KAA in Branson, MO. and the kids from LA wanted to spend some time with kids from our community. The folks at Emmanuel said, “You bet! We’ll be there.” You guys are champs! I also want to thank Ms. Bettye for making the most wonderful meal in the world to feed a hungry crew. You are the best! I am so thankful for the unexpected blessings God sends our way if we will just say, “Yes!”

In His Steps,
Mike

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“And One Last Thing…”
Romans 16:17-20

June 28th, 2010

Wow! It has been quite a journey, but today our study of Romans is coming to a close. If I have counted right this is our 79th study in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. That is crazy isn’t it? In a day when church gurus are telling preachers to keep their sermon series to three or four weeks, we are completing a 79 week study. What if, in the weeks leading up to our study of Romans, I sent out emails and we put up posters announcing our new study—“Join us for a 79 week study on Romans!” I will guarantee you that we would have gotten emails and phone calls letting us know that there was a typo in our publicity materials. 79 weeks! That’s just way too long, but boy am I glad that I was here for every one of those studies. I’ve benefitted so much from all of the hours that we have spent sitting at the feet of the Apostle Paul and learning from this powerful letter that is every bit as relevant for us today as it was for the folks in Rome who read it first.

During our study Paul has laid down the foundation of our faith. He has taught us about the pervasiveness of sin, the wrath and kindness of God, and the glory of our Savior. He has encouraged believers to love one another and then given us clear direction on how to love one another. He has taught us about how we are to relate to those in authority over us. He has taught us about how to accept those whose faith is “weak” and not to stand in judgment over them. We have had an opportunity to learn so much. Read the rest of this entry »

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Father’s Day 2010
“Be The Man!” –Seek God
1 Chronicles

June 20th, 2010

Today is Father’s Day. I want to take a moment to thank all of the men who have taken on the responsibility of being a father. You may have all kinds of titles attached to your name that reflect the respect you have earned in the community, but there is no title more honorable, more weighty, or more demanding than the title of “Dad.”

For many men today we have confused the temporal with the eternal. We give our best effort to that which will eventually go away and lag behind in our efforts at home. Many men are willing to lay down their lives for their job. They would never think of saying, “No” to any request made by the boss. No sacrifice is too great to gain that corner office, promotion, or end-of-year bonus, but when it comes to their home many men do not exhibit the same kind of commitment and willingness to sacrifice.

I believe there are many reasons why this is a reality for many men. For some of us, we didn’t have a dad to show us how to be a man, how a man interacts with his family, or the sacrifices that a man makes for his wife and children. With no model, no mentor, we are left to do the best we can do with what we’ve got to work with. For some other men, the workplace offers us a more controlled environment. We may be in a position of authority where we tell others what to do and they simply do it, we have people to assist us, and serve us, and we like that. At home, we’re not the “boss.” We ask our kids to clean their room and they look back at us like we’ve told them to find a cure for cancer. We bark out instructions like General Petraeus and instead of a salute, everyone within in the sound of our voice rolls their eyes. For some of us men playing golf, hanging out with the boys, and kicking up our heels is fun, carefree, and an escape from the hard work of being a husband and father. Being a dad can be challenging, frustrating at times, but it is the stuff of eternity. God has ordained us to be dads. He has called us to bless our children, teach them His Word, how to recognize His ways, and to press on through the difficulties and challenges with undying conviction and unyielding commitment. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Heart of the Family
Romans 16:1-16

June 13th, 2010

In a pluralistic society like our own there are many different ideas about Christianity. What is it? I Googled the phrase “What is Christianity?” this past week and here are some of the answers that came back to me. Christianity is…

• A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior.

• Christian – a religious person who believes Jesus is the Christ and who is a member of a Christian denomination

The website GotQuestions?org provided the following answer to the question, “What is Christianity and what do Christians believe?”

Answer: The core beliefs of Christianity are summarized in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, was resurrected, and thereby offers salvation to all who will receive Him in faith. Unique among all other faiths, Christianity is more about a relationship than religious practices. Instead of adhering to a list of “do’s and don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to cultivate a close walk with God. That relationship is made possible because of the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. (Gotquestions.org. http://www.gotquestions.org/christianity.html)

There are lots of additional answers that I read on the internet and the truth of the matter is that many different people understand Christianity to be many different things. Christianity is the term used to describe the system of beliefs established throughout the life and ministry of Jesus. It is monotheistic—we worship only one God. By following Jesus’ teachings we will grow in our relationship with God, but something is missing in all of these descriptions.

When we say, “Yes!” to Jesus and surrender our lives to Him, it radically alters the way we relate to one another. Those who were once neighbors, co-workers, teammates, classmates, friends, enemies, and family members become family in a totally different sense of the word. “Family” is one of those words that we like to see through the brush of Norman Rockwell. We like to idealize the word “family,” make it out to be more than most of us have experienced in our own families, and yet, apart from Christ, families are as prone to fall apart and disintegrate as fast as the U.S. economy.

The word that best describes Christianity is “relationship.” Our relationship with God was broken because of our sin. God sent His Son, Jesus, into this world to pay the price for our sin, reconcile us to God, and allow us to enter in to a new relationship with God. As a result of this action, on God’s part, He empowers us to live out a new relationship with others. In the place of brokenness, manipulation, bitterness, resentment, and divisiveness, we are to experience love, unity, joy, forgiveness, service, and reconciliation with all our brothers and sisters in Christ. These are impossible apart from what God has done for us through the Cross and His Son’s selfless giving of Himself on our behalf. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Blessing in the Struggle
Romans 15:20-33

June 6th, 2010

I’ve been thinking about the Apostle Paul’s words written to the church in Rome. I’ve thought about his unparalleled teaching, his deep understanding of the things of God, and his ability to communicate God’s truth to others. God had given Paul an ability to think, comprehend, and communicate godly truths like few who have ever lived. Yet, at the same time, there is no question that Paul had spent countless hours pouring over the Hebrew Scriptures, forming his messages in his heart and his mind, and meditating on how the teachings of the Old Testament shed light on the coming of Jesus.

Paul had a brilliant mind, but he was not an academic, he was a missionary. His heart was to share the Good News with those who had never heard the message of Jesus before. He ventured off the beaten path, he traveled to places where other followers of Jesus would have never considered going, and he rubbed shoulders with those, who years earlier, he would have never even given the time of day.

By the time he wrote the letter to the church in Rome he was well past “halftime” in his ministry and life. He didn’t know it, but he was headed to the finish line. Paul’s three missionary journeys had taken him through hardships and trials as well as allowing him to experience the joy of seeing new churches established and many people come to know Jesus as Lord of their life.

As a result of his conversion, the Apostle Paul’s life was radically altered. From the day he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he chose the road less traveled. The great American poet, Robert Frost, wrote a poem that was published in 1916 called, The Road Not Taken. In the poem he writes,

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. (Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken, 1916)

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