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Faith Matures in Obedience

February 8, 2012 in Discipleship, Pastor Josh by

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That question puzzled ancient philosophers and still today can evoke stutters, “um’s” and head scratching.  For the followers of Jesus, we can put that question into the corner pocket every time — the chicken. Genesis 1:20 is pretty clear, God made all the living creatures. Even chickens.

But ask your same group of confident Christians, “Which comes first: faith or obedience?” You will again get some stutters, “um’s” and head scratching. Do I have faith that leads to obedience? Or does my obedience lead to faith?

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Pressure & Persistence

February 1, 2012 in Pastor Josh by

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

If you have ever read Proverbs 27:17 and thought, “Man…that would be a great verse to have printed on a t-shirt,” you are not alone.  It’s just the type of verse you would expect to see printed across the hoodie (Maybe the first part of the verse on the front, the end across the back?) of a guy leaving a men’s breakfast. And it would be a good choice.

Few things are as effective in molding Christian character as solid biblical friendships.  The fruit of which yields accountability, encouragement & counsel:

Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. 
Proverbs 27:5-6, 9

The trouble is, few people really stop to consider exactly how iron sharpens iron? I assure you, it is not by simply being together. Throw two dull knives into a drawer and bring them out at Thanksgiving, trust me when I say, ain’t nothing good happening to that turkey. Those knives are still dull.

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God Who Sees All

January 27, 2012 in Discipleship, Pastor Josh by

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.  Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.  Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. Proverbs 4:25-27

God Is Infinite. That is, He sees all time all at once. He has no beginning or end. This is truly migraine inducing to get your head around: Our God sees it all, yet is willing to deal with us “time-constrained” individuals in time and according to it, all to accomplish His plans and purpose,

Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose. Isaiah 46:9-10

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Happy New Year (or Day)

January 5, 2012 in Pastor Josh by

I have never been a big New Year’s Eve guy. I think it stems from the many much hyped and overwhelmingly-not-so New Year’s Eve’s I have experienced. Over time I just became sort of apathetic to the whole thing, I just hope I don’t misdate any checks, became my biggest concern. This year, however, was a little different.

When I was reading Genesis 5 and the list of descendants between Adam and Noah, I was impacted. I will readily admit that I do not often find much application in the genealogical lists found in Scripture, but this time it was different. Wedged in the middle of some awfully old guys is this,

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.  Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.  Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.  Genesis 5:21-24

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Good News of Great Joy

December 24, 2011 in Pastor Josh by

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:8-14

Last night we had the memorial service for a tender little one born at 25 weeks and entering into the presence of the Lord only days later. The stark reality of death juxtaposed the merriment of the Christmas season can seem like opposite ends of a spectrum. What could be further apart?

The reality is, however, that the true merriment of the Christmas season, the good news of great joy is that we have a Savior who has conquered the power of death! Christmas is a joy because death is reality. While death is a certainty; so is the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This Christmas season might your heart and soul be full of the joy that comes from the confidence found only in Jesus,

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

That is the message of good news and great joy for all people. From our family to yours, I pray you know it.

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Josh

Advent Reading Schedule

November 30, 2011 in Discipleship by

Christ is coming. He has come, and He will come again. This is the message of Advent.

This week marks the beginning of the Advent season. “Advent” is from the Latin word for “coming” — translated from the Greek word parousia. It’s a stretch of four weeks where we reflect on the coming of Christ.

During the four Sundays leading up to Christmas and on Christmas Sunday, Salem Chapel will be in the series God Became Man going through the first 18 verses in the book of John. Join us as we celebrate the coming of our Savior by reading through the entire book of John during the month of December.

Download your copy of the Advent Reading Schedule.

Stay Tender, Stay Ready | Remaining Committed to Pursuing My Savior

November 29, 2011 in Discipleship by

Read the previous posts in the Stay Tender, Stay Ready series: Introduction, Ensuring You Know & Ensuring I Am Not a Slave To Circumstance. 

As I desire to keep my heart tender and ready to receive instruction from the Lord, I must acknowledge the spiritual battle within me. I am a rebellious guy. I find myself set against the Lord’s direction for me and I must confess that as sin.

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.  For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”
Romans 7:18-19

This is a battle of my will and I often attempt to fight it in my own strength — that is of course, if I want to change!  I can be, in my stubbornness, unwilling to make the changes that God desires and over time that leads to a hardness of heart that can be very difficult to change.  So how do I become tender when I am not ready to do so?

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