03
Oct '23
Let Me Be Frank… members only
03
Oct '23
21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
Luke 15:21-22
If you wanted to be cool in the 1980’s you had a Members Only Jacket. That being said, I did not own one at the time. I was eighty pounds soaking wet in 1990 with feathered hair and a sports-band holding my coke bottle glasses on. You can gather from the description that I didn’t get an invite. I completely understood why.
A few years ago I was shopping and came across a navy blue Members Only Jacket. It wasn’t as expensive as I thought it was and I bought it immediately. I’d like to think this makes me cool, only time will tell.
The beautiful thing about Members Only is the fact that it wasn’t members only. Anyone could be in the club. Granted, they had to buy the jacket, but once they did, they were in.
Brandon Lake has a new song called, “Coat of Many Colors.” You can listen to it here. I love the chorus.
Red was the blood that saved me
White was the light that pulled me from the dark
Gold was the crown You placed upon my head
That showed me who You are
With mercy and grace
I’ve been embraced like no other
I gave You my heart
You gave me a coat of many colors
In the story of the Prodigal Son the father waits by the window day after day. When he sees his son come into view, he sprints to him. Don’t miss what he does next. He places a robe (coat) on his son, a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. The son came back wanting to be accepted as a servant. The clothing the Father gives him indicates he is restored.
Are you tired and heavy laden? Are you weary and left wondering if our Lord would even take you back? Are your clothes tattered and torn through the trials of this life? Don’t wait another day. Come back. He’s been waiting this whole time.
“With mercy and grace I’ve been embraced like no other. I gave You my heart,
You gave me a coat of many colors.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –
03
Oct '23
Something Don’d on Me… believe
03
Oct '23
Hebrews 1:3 – “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in Heaven.”
In all my sorrows, Jesus is Better…Make my heart believe!
In every victory, Jesus is Better…Make my heart believe!
More than all riches…more than all comfort…Our souls declaring…Our song eternal:
JESUS IS BETTER!
The lyrics to the bridge of this song by Austin Stone Music called “Jesus is Better” that our Praise Team sang last week just ring and resonate in my ear! But I want you to see the power of the phrasing!
In all my sorrows…I would be willing to bet that most everyone reading this has had their share of heart aches and bad days. The songwriter is trying to remind us that even though it looks grim right now, Jesus is BIGGER and BETTER than whatever bad season you are going through! But note the next stanza:
In every VICTORY…we need to be reminded (and reminded OFTEN!) that even on the BEST DAY WE’VE EVER HAD…we still do not DESERVE heaven! We still do not EARN grace! We are not great…even on our GREATEST days! I would also be willing to bet that there have been days that we have looked at what we’ve accomplished and whispered to ourselves, “See! I really AM that great!” And the evidence would not support that hypothesis! Even our BEST EFFORT is not enough!
But maybe the most poignant line in that song is at the end of each of those lines: MAKE MY HEART BELIEVE! Much like the father of that demon-possessed boy in Mark 9, when he cried out to Jesus, “I believe! Help my Unbelief!!” He KNEW the power that Jesus had…just like we do! And he had SOME belief…just like we do! But he wanted MORE…and we need that, too!
We need to repeat it to our hearts…pound it into our skulls, that Jesus IS better!! We need that deep in the core of our being that He is FOR US and not against us! It needs to be our SONG ETERNAL…it needs to come from a declaration deep in our soul … that JESUS IS BETTER! But too often, we sing the song, and quickly revert to our fears and insecurities and bitterness and doubt! We need to KEEP singing it and keep repeating it and keep calling out to Him to make our hearts BELIEVE and TRUST Him more!
When we BELIEVE His Promises are TRUE, we can make it through when the circumstances of our world seem to go badly! Maybe you only see the heartbreak right now…maybe you continue to feel lonely…maybe the anxiety overwhelms you…maybe the “to do” list reminds you of all that YOU cannot seem to get done. Remind your soul of His Great Promise: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! His great power has cleansed you from sin and gives you hope! You may not FEEL hopeful right now…THIS IS THE TIME to remind yourself of Him!! MAKE MY HEART BELIEVE!!
Thank you, Jehovah Jireh, for being my Provider, my Comforter, and my Friend! Remind my soul of all you have done for me and that even on my BEST day, I’m not worthy of your love! I’m just thankful for it! You have my adoration, and you give me HOPE! In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen
Shalom Alachiem, Don
03
Oct '23
Let Me Be Frank… code
03
Oct '23
105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105
We are finishing up our sermon series, EMMAUS CODE and that has me thinking about ciphers (which is just a really fancy word for codes). Here are a couple of my favorites.
A1Z26 – This code is pretty easy to crack. A = 1, Z = 26, and each letter in the alphabet has a number.
19-5-5, 9 20-15-12-4 25-15-21 9-20 23-1-19 5-1-19-25.
Atbash – This code uses the alphabet only. You just line up two alphabets (one forward and one backward) and then encode your message.
SZIWVI GL URTFIV LFG, ULI HFIV.
There’s also morse code, phone code, a grid cipher, and a pigpen cipher (shown above). All of this is intriguing, but is there a way to crack the code? There is, but you need to know how someone encoded the message to decode the message. In other words, you need to know the writer.
We’ll never know God’s heart if we don’t read His words. We’ll never know God’s peace if we don’t trust His strength. Trust equals faithfulness over time. The more we read, the more we know. The more we know, the more we trust. The more we trust, the more we surrender.
There are things in this life that we may never understand. There are parts of God’s mercy and forgiveness that still blow my mind. The Bible is a lens that helps us see the world accurately. The Bible is a lens that helps us see ourselves accurately. His Word is a lamp that lights our way to Him. I love that this verse highlights WHERE the light hits. Not in front of us to see what’s coming, but at our feet so we can take the next sure step.
I know Marea. My wife is for me in every way. I know her heart, I know her smile, I know when she’s hurting… I know her because I have spent so much time with her. The more time I spend with God (in prayer and reading the Bible), the more I learn about His grace, forgiveness, and love. I could spend a lifetime getting to know Him, but I’ll start here.
ILSB DLA, ILSB LQEBOP
This weekend we’ll look at the story of Joseph. I have been struck by the consistency and steadiness of his heart throughout turmoil and struggle. He knew what God promised long ago, but God’s not on our timetable. He didn’t get restless, he didn’t question, he just continued to trust the Lord. Why? Because God is faithful. Trust over time equals faithfulness and I pray that He continues to light your path.
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –
03
Oct '23
Something Don’d on Me… pain
03
Oct '23
“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18
How do YOU deal with PAIN? Joseph Scriven was born September 10, 1819, in Ireland. He was enrolled in Trinity College in Dublin and was graduating. As he was in school, he fell in love with a young lady, and they were excited to start their life together. But on the day before their wedding, she was thrown from a horse while crossing a bridge, and she drowned in front of him.
The sorrow he felt was great, and it caused him to wander from town to town. By age 25 his travels had taken him to an area near Port Hope, Canada. He became highly regarded by the people of that area. He tutored some of the local children in their schoolwork. It was there he met a wonderful young lady, Elisa Roche, and again fell in love. They had exciting plans to be married. However, tragedy reared its ugly head once again and she died of pneumonia before they could wed.
Joseph spent the rest of his life in Port Hope, Canada and was often known to serve people that had no money. In his times of grief, he started writing in a journal. He wrote the words to what we know as this beloved hymn, in hopes that it would bring some comfort to his mother. He even wrote in his journal that these words were “twixt the Lord and I-we did it together.” An attorney named Charles Converse, later added the melody…a simple song that still touches lives today.
How could he do that? How could he write that third line? “Oh what PEACE we often forfeit…” In the face of his pain, he found his peace not in a bottle or in this world, but in a TRUST with a God that sees all of our pain! He DIDN’T let the pain of his situation take away the PEACE of his broken heart!
What are you facing? Are you dealing with TRIALS…or TEMPTATIONS…is there “trouble anywhere” in your life? Maybe God is whispering to you right now… “Take it to ME in prayer!” Let GOD carry the burden that you are carrying…just as Scrivner let God carry his incredible grief.
Perhaps, one of the greatest acts of WORSHIP, is obedience in the MIDST of your pain. May you celebrate HIM instead of focusing on your hurts.
May the God that carries the universe on His shoulder, carry the struggle you are dealing with today!
Shalom Alachiem…Don
23
May '23
Let Me Be Frank… desert places
23
May '23
The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Isaiah 35:1
While I was studying, I came across this verse in Isaiah. When I looked at it in three different translations the heading for the chapter was different in each one. Three headings, same chapter. Three ideas, one article. Here we go.
Joy of the Redeemed
I know a teacher who greets her students with a hug or a high-five… they get to choose. She can also say “good job” in a sing-song-y voice and the entire class will start singing right along with her. Joy is contagious and, sometimes, joy is hard to come by. Long nights grading, lesson plans, new mandates from the state… it seems like a mountain of work for little to no recognition. But all the teachers I know don’t do it for the recognition.
There is something that happens in a heart when joy is sparked. A desert full of insecurity and apprehension can melt away. Strategies for learning weave in and out of “you can do this” and “let’s try again.” Even a desert can blossom. The joy of the redeemed reaches out and says, “keep going.”
The Ransomed Shall Return
Mother’s Day should be a celebration, but sometimes it’s a reminder. For six years my mom probably waited for me to call or send a card. Her prayer for repentance continued but sometimes, in the wilderness, it’s hard to keep praying.
Mothers give their heart away knowing it could be broken. They do it because of their love for their children. The ransomed in Christ shall return. If they were His, they are still His. Moms – never stop praying for your kids. The desert and parched land will be glad you lifted your hearts to the Lord.
Hope for Restoration
It’s hard to keep things alive in the desert. There are certain plants that work well in this area and some that don’t stand a chance unless you have millions of dollars for a water bill. We have two red yuccas in our front yard. They’ve sprouted minimal new blossoms the last few years and we were worried they were on their last leg. Someone told us to clip down the dead stalks before the spring.
Did you know that overwatering a red yucca can be fatal to the plant. Their root will rot, and they will die. We want the Lord to take us away from the desert. Stop the struggle and heartache. But, just like this red yucca, the desert teaches us that all we need is a steady supply of Living Water and our dead stalks pruned. We can’t grow if we keep feeding the dead things in our lives.
There is Hope for restoration in Christ. No one or no thing is too far gone for God to restore. The ransomed shall return. Isaiah is a book of new beginnings and Jesus Christ specializes in them. He is making all things new. There is joy for the redeemed. Joy doesn’t come from your current situation. Joy is knowing that the One who created you also purchased you with the blood of Jesus. Rejoice and blossom today, friends. You are created to make a difference wherever you are… even if it’s in the desert.
May hope abound today.
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –
23
May '23
Something Don’d on Me! momentary
23
May '23
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” II Corinthians 4:17
I argue with God. Don’t get me wrong…I’m not proud of that! And usually (translated EVERY TIME) I lose. But still I argue.
And I read a verse like the one above…and I find myself arguing with Him again. “But You don’t understand God…this doesn’t feel LIGHT and it sure doesn’t feel MOMENTARY! It feels like this goes on and on and it gets heavier each time.”
Have you ever been there? The bills keep piling up. The conflict at home never lets up. The kids…oh the kids…can I just get a break from them? The stress…the exhaustion…the pressure…makes you just want to shout “Calgon*, take me away!” (*=NOTE TO READERS UNDER 30-Calgon was this product that people used to use where they would put these drops in their bathtub, and all their problems would be whisked away while they soaked in a bubble bath…at least that’s what the ad said…but I digress.)
Our problem, I think, is we often see these “problems” in OUR time. But OUR time…well, we have a limited frame of measure there. I only know 56 years on this planet! That’s it. That’s my ENTIRE frame of reference! Some of you know a few more years…some not quite that many. But it’s still ALL we know! But our God knows a LOT more years than that! And in HIS time frame, my 56 years is just a fraction of a blink of an eye!
Maybe what we need to do is to focus on the LATER part of that verse: “working for us a far more exceeding weight of glory!” What these struggles are doing right now…are helping us to see His eternity. And how great is going to be to share that eternity with HIM! Paul goes on in the next verse to say, “So we don’t look at the troubles we see NOW; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now (meaning the troubles we are dealing with today!) will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” II Corinthians 4:18
The struggles are making us stronger. It’s true. It may FEEL like a hurt right now…but it’s getting us to see a better version of us! Some of our young people- Cody Webster, Caden Smith and others-run Cross Country & Track. They KNOW what it means to do long runs…it gets them better prepared for the next running meet. Maybe they see what Paul was talking about. Maybe you and I need to learn that lesson too. Fix our gaze…on the things that last. On the eternal glory…and get our eyes and minds OFF of the momentary pain. He promises us, that the end is way better than the now!
Shalom Alacheim,
Don
23
May '23
Let Me Be Frank… recaptcha
23
May '23
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32
I didn’t really notice at first… Our website seemed fine, but just underneath the surface malware was beginning to clog our bandwidth. I was still able to maintain the site – update podcast, change a banner or two, switch out YouTube hyperlinks – but one day nothing would work. And then the reCAPTCHA’s started.
Every time I would try and log in to our website, I would get hit with one of these. “Select all the crosswalks, look for all the bicycles, highlight the invisible monkeys.” (I made the last one up, but some of these are crazy.) Nothing I did on my own could fix the problem. The website was operating at a crawl, and something had to be done.
Paul says get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger. I would throw unforgiveness in there too. It’s hard to forgive when someone has done the unforgivable, and it’s easier to hold a grudge than to extend a hand in friendship. The Lord calls me to forgive and let go… He calls us to forgive and let go… and I think I know why.
When we harbor anger, bitterness, and rage the Lord still hears our prayers, but we must complete a reCAPTCHA. There are things in our heart that are bogging down our system. And just like the malware in the website, some of our bitterness is buried so deep we aren’t even aware of it. We’re running at half speed in the Lord, but we’ve grown accustomed to the pace.
In the end, the only way to fix the website was to reach out to the hosting partner. It’s funny that their name is TruePath (and you can bet there is a play on words coming quick). There is one True Path to redemption, forgiveness, and compassion. You cannot take care of the malware on your own. You try and fix it, but you just keep hitting roadblocks (reCAPTCHA’s).
There is a better way, but it won’t be easy. “Let go and let God” sounds trivial but it’s the best explanation for it. Let go of anger, bitterness, malice, unforgiveness… and let God take what you weren’t meant to carry.
When you get rid of malware you better have a plan in place to hold it at bay, because there will always be new threats to your system. Stay rooted in the Lord through Bible study, prayer, and worship. Don’t let little things become big things. Extend grace – to yourself and to others.
The Lord is our True Path to a beautiful life. There is beauty in the mess. There is peace in the chaos. There is hope in the desert. Jesus is not finished with you. Check in with Him today.
May hope abound in our hearts.
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –
23
May '23
Something Don’d on Me! yawn
23
May '23
“I go to bed and sleep in peace. Lord, only you keep me safe.” -Psalm 4:8
Yawn…yawn…yawwwwwwwn. Just say the word…and I bet you will! You’ve been yawning your whole life…but WHY?Scientists know what yawning is-it’s an involuntary reflex, meaning you can’t control it. But they still don’t know WHY we do that!
Some think it is to “Cool off” our brains so they don’t get too hot. Others think it is a way to “wake up” our bodies with excessive oxygen and raising your heart rate. We yawn when we’re sleepy, we yawn when we’re bored, and we even yawn when the Preacher won’t stop yakking so we can get to El Rancho! But with all the theories out there, they still don’t know the EXACT reason for yawning.
We still don’t know the exact reason.
Ponder that sentence for just a second. We know there IS yawning. We know it’s a reflex. We don’t doubt the legitimacy of yawning. We just don’t know what the purpose is. Sometimes we laugh about it…other times, it reminds us how tired we really are.
Now go back and re-read the previous paragraph, but where it says “yawning”, replace it with the word “pain.”
We know there IS pain-we don’t doubt the legitimacy of it. But we often don’t know the PURPOSE of the pain we are amidst. And it’s easy to wonder if there EVEN IS A PURPOSE to it. I see so many people around here dealing with struggles, and it hurts. And sometimes I can’t see a reason for their pain. I wish I had an out for them or a “That Was Easy” button. I wish I had even some understanding of what they are going through. But we rarely do.
Much like a yawn, I have little control over my pain. And much like a yawn, we don’t really know WHEN pain is going to happen. But that verse is Psalm 4 is a great comfort: “…for You Alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Whether you are sleepy or bored or wide awake, our God SEES what you are going through, and is aware of it. YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE. You will not go through your pain alone! God always knows what you are going through and is not ignoring you. He’s right there when you are hurting, and He is right there when you are celebrating great things happening in your world, too! And when it is time to sleep, He is there with you.
I pray that you feel His Presence today. I pray that you KNOW in your core that God is watching over you. And I pray that you REST in the safety of His Arms.
Just for fun, write the word “YAWN” on a piece of paper and put it on the Fridge. Count how many times your family members yawn after seeing it. And then remember that God saw that too…and that’s nothing to yawn at!
Shalom, Don
02
May '23
Let Me Be Frank… sneak into the sanctuary
02
May '23
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)
“People need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed.”
Samuel Johnson
I missed Easter when I was in Albuquerque… not missed as in “longing for” missed as in “didn’t go.” Straight out of college and going nowhere fast… Now, I could tell you the resurrection story and I knew the hymns we would sing by memory, but my heart wasn’t in it. God was going to have to fix me before I went back.
“You met me at my lowest moment. You saw me at my very worst. When I expected disappointment Love was all I heard.”
It’s harder than you think to sneak into a sanctuary on Easter. It doesn’t matter how quiet you are, someone is going to turn around. And others are sure to follow.
“My sin was deep, Your grace was deeper. My shame was wide, Your arms were wider. My guilt was great, Your love was greater still.”
Even knowing the end did not stop Jesus from feeling the heaviness of the moment as He knelt to pray. In His humanity He spoke, “Take this cup from me.” In His divinity He resolves, “I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” Jesus bows low as He takes the weight of the world on His shoulders in the garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus is intimately aware of our shortcomings, and He loves us anyway. Jesus knew the garden of Gethsemane would lead to the cross of Calvary, and He died for us anyway. People need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed. Jesus didn’t want me to clean up before I approached Him… He just wanted me. I braced for what was coming and Love met me.
“My sin was deep, Your grace was deeper. My shame was wide, Your arms were wider. My guilt was great, Your love was greater still.”
Jesus loves you. He is pursuing your heart. He died for your sins.
He suffered in your place. He reigns on high. He is coming back again.
And He is very fond of you.
He suffered in your place. He reigns on high. He is coming back again.
And He is very fond of you.
You never know who’s going to sneak into the back of a sanctuary on Easter weekend. Treat that person with mercy and grace. Bring them to the foot of the cross. His love is greater still.
May hope abound in our hearts today.
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –
02
May '23
Something Don’d on Me! encourage one another
02
May '23
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”
I Thessalonians 5:11
It’s called Magnolia Lane, and it is lined with 61 Trees of the same name on each side of the 300-yard driveway. It’s a hallowed lane that leads to the clubhouse at the famed Augusta National Golf Course Club House. And in this weekend, swarms of media, fans and onlookers will flood the walkways of this meticulous 300 acres for The Masters! The world’s best golfers will compete over 4 days for a purse of over $11 Million! Even those who usually have no interest in golf, recognize and will even tune in for some part of the Masters! Probably the most famous golf tournament in the world, the home of the “Green Jacket”, the pageantry, the well-groomed greens, the flowing fairways, the Eisenhower Tree, Rae’s Creek, and of course-Amen Corner, Augusta is truly a spectacle of beauty.
I’ve always loved the name and the story of Amen Corner. It actually comes from the 1958 Tournament and the great Arnold Palmer! He was playing particularly well on holes 11, 12 and 13, and ended up winning the tournament because of some incredible play and utililzing of the rules that applied there that day. (You can read more about it here: https://www.liveabout.com/why-is-amen-corner-called-that-1564582)
The sportswriter that covered the tourney-Herbert Wind-coined the term “Amen Corner” and it stuck! He said the inspiration for the term was an old jazz tune that recalled the Amen Corner in New York from the late 19th Century. There was a place there that printed Bibles, and the street preachers would gather around there and shout out their testimonies, as others yelled “Amen”…hence the name. Many Bibles from the mid-1900’s listed their place of manufacture as Amen Corner, NY!
If you’ve been in church any amount of time, you’ve heard the word “Amen.” Sometimes at the end of prayers, sometimes by Tom Banks or others in agreement with something being said…it literally means “So be it”. When you are saying that you are wanting that thing to happen! From praying for the sick, to declaring the goodness of God to even cheering on a great shot…you are ENCOURAGING things to happen! What an idea…to have an AMEN CORNER in life!
What if WE became the “Amen Corner” of Portales?!What if we ENCOURAGED people, instead of ranting on Facebook? What if we BUILT UP other businesses and families? What if it was our reputation to be the CHEERLEADERS of the people around us??! What a great reputation that would be! I believe it is…let’s keep it UP!
As we move through “Holy Week” and focus on the great sacrifice of our Savior, may we be moved to TREAT people differently! May we “encourage one another while it is still ‘Today.’” (Heb. 3:13) May we shout “AMEN” from the rooftops and testify to the great love that our Father shows to each of us!
Amen and Hosanna, Lord! YOU are the one that changes everything!
Shalom Alachiem – Don