Not long ago on a Sunday evening we looked together at the story of Esther. Although God is not mentioned, we see Him at work throughout the events that occurred. To follow up with a few more ideas, I’d like to share three important themes in the story that Wes McAdams from the church of Christ on McDermott Road in Plano wrote about recently.    – Brian

On Sundays, we have been studying the parables of Jesus. The parable we will talk about this Sunday illustrates the importance of forgiveness. Last year Dan Winkler released a book entitled, Forgiving, Forgiven and Free: The Peace of Living Without a Past. In the book’s preface, Michael Whitworth considers some of the reasons we have a cultural pressure not to forgive.

“Forgiveness seems thoroughly unnatural or inhuman. Americans believe in ‘justice for all’ and value law and order. Whenever I have taught and counseled on forgiveness, many people have confessed to the seeming injustice of it all. When we forgive those who have wronged us, it feels like we are letting them off the hook—that justice isn’t being done. Is forgiveness fair? Forgiveness can also feel cowardly. Isn’t it something only weak people do? It takes courage, we tell ourselves, to stand our grand and bear the standard of injustice. Letting others off the hook for their sins is giving in; it’s surrender. I’ve discovered that these twin ideas—the ‘injustice’ and ‘cowardice’ of forgiveness—are more deep-seated than we imagine. Why else would be choose to live without forgiveness? Why would we decide to live without forgiving others, without forgiving ourselves, and without God’s forgiveness so graciously offered up to us in Christ?”

I believe that part of the answer to Michael’s last question is that we do not always consider those three things to be connected. Jesus states clearly in Matthew 6:14-15 that how we forgive others is connected to how God forgives us. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. “

Forgiveness may be one of the most difficult commands of God for some of us to follow. When we buy into the cultural lie that is cowardly or unjust, it becomes even more difficult for us to do. There’s a reason that Peter’s suggestion of forgiving seven times seemed over-the-top to him. Still it is a command of God, and it is something we desire to receive from others and from Him. Let’s be people who forgive out of love for one another and because of the way He forgives us.

– Brian

It has been a great week here at Southwest. We’re thankful for everyone who worked on VBS in decorating, cooking, teaching, acting, games, clean up and countless other ways. It’s always a fun, tiring week, and it is encouraging each night to hear kids talk about the lessons they have learned about God and His word. Those kids will grow into adults who we pray will live out the lessons they learned this week.

On Wednesday, we had an excellent lesson in our summer series from my friend, Nathan Mellor. If you were working with VBS or were just unable to be here, I would encourage you to listen to the audio of his lesson on the church website. It is a great reminder of the importance of service and humility, and it fits very well with the parables we talked about on Sunday.

As we were getting ready to leave the building Wednesday, Nathan (the guest speaker) noticed that Nathan (my son) might be taller than I am. I attribute it his thicker hair, but he may actually be. David already passed me about a year ago. I’m glad they are growing, but it really took me by surprise. There are people who are even more surprised though. Friends who haven’t seen them in a while can’t believe it, because they remember the younger, smaller version of our boys. The whole thing made me think about our spiritual growth. Would people around us or those who have not seen us for a while be amazed by our growth in our walk with God? We talked about that kind of growth recently in the parables from Matthew 13.

Our summer series got off to a great start Wednesday as we were reminded of the significance of the birth of Jesus. As we spend our summer seeing how lives were changed by encountering Him, we should acknowledge our walk with Jesus is not a once-a-week activity. It is a changed life. For many Christians, it is a struggle to translate the truths we talk about while we are together to the rest of our weeks living everyday life.

• Busyness: Our schedules can get in the way of our study and prayer and other good things God has equipped us to do. Prioritize.
• Mobility: The ease of getting from place to place has made it more and more difficult for us to be still. Slow down and unplug sometimes.
• Debt: The desire to have can take away our ability to do good for others and replace that with worry. Money really won’t buy happiness.
• Conformity: Our culture will tell you there is a better way to live than what God asks of us. Remember who designed you.
• Security: We want so badly to be in control. God wants us to submit to Him.
• Regulation: There are rules about everything now. Regardless of those rules, we can continue following the greatest commands: love God and love people.

I enjoyed this recent article by Jacob Hawk, the Preaching Minister at Faith Village Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, and I want to share it with you. Jacob will be speaking in July for our Wednesday night summer series.   – Brian

This past week I was blessed to see the new movie, Paul: Apostle of Christ. Though there was theatrical longitude in writing the script, it was fairly accurate to the biblical account of Acts, and remarkably accurate to the historical account of Christian life in Rome some 30-35 years following the death of Jesus. In those days, professing the name of Christ as a “Christian”, a “follower of the Way”, wasn’t casually done for acceptance or social benefit. It was literally a statement of life or death.

 

The actor playing the role of Paul made some wonderful statements throughout the movie, many coming directly from Scripture, but one statement really stuck with me—“We can’t ever forget what it was like to be lost, and we can’t ever forget what it was like to be found.” Such beautiful, convicting, God-honoring words. However, the statement also troubled me, because at times in my life, I’ve forgotten what it was like. Or maybe better said–I didn’t know how to remember it. Let me explain.

As I write this on Thursday morning, it is the National Day of Prayer. Our nation had a long history of prayer before Harry Truman signed a law in 1952 setting aside the first Thursday in May for this purpose. I know that a setting aside a specific day annually for prayer is not a mandate from scripture, but I enjoy days like this where an increasingly secular culture takes a moment to remember God. It is also a good time to think about what scripture does say about prayer and the important role it plays in our relationship with Him. Jesus teaches us quite a bit about prayer in Matthew 6:5-13.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 

“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

What can we learn from the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 6 about how we should pray?

If you are not here regularly on Wednesday nights or you are part of another class, you might not know that our adult auditorium class just finished discussing themes in the book of Proverbs from a study called “Practical Proverbs” by Scott Franks.  The book is filled with short sayings that are long on wisdom. Wisdom is described in the Bible Knowledge Commentary as “having the ability to cope with life in a God-honoring way.” That is something we should all be striving to do. I wrote about the first half of that study several weeks ago. You can read that post by clicking here. As for the second half of the study, these are some of the big ideas that we talked about during our time together on Wednesdays.

Anger

There are good and bad kinds of anger. Good anger is often a reaction to injustice and motivates us to improving the situation and righting the wrong. Usually bad anger is selfish and leads to bad decisions. “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” (Proverbs 29:11)

Quarreling

Some of us enjoy a good debate, but we can also be prone to pointless quarrels. The key to avoiding them is understanding their source and not fanning the flame once quarrels have started. “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.” (Proverbs 26:20)

Marriage

It may seem humorous that the discussion of marriage came on the heels of lessons about anger and quarreling, but we realize the negative impact those things can have on a relationship. Our relationships should instead be filled with respect, honor and praise. “Houses and wealth are inherited from the parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:14)

Parents & Kids

Steven Covey talks about the “law of the farm.” Farmers understand that they should only expect a harvest of what they have planted and cultivated. If we have a desired outcome for our children’s lives, we must plant those seeds and nurture them through prayer, love and discipline. “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching; indeed they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck.” (Proverbs 1:8-9).

Work

From the time man was placed in the garden, he was given a job to do. We have a need to do work, but how and why we do that work matters. We should not find our meaning in work, but it can be fulfilling. “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.” (Proverbs 12:11)

Balance and Contentment

– Brian

I cannot restrain a few thoughts, and maybe just a dash of advice, on living each day to the fullest. If I could turn back time, I would try to be a better husband by telling my beloved every day how much I adored her and by spending more time with her and our children and less time on my business. I would go to more school activities, more PTA meetings, more ball games… I would spend more time reading my Bible, more time in prayer, and more time walking closer with God, realizing that life without God has no meaning. I will tell everyone to spend less time or worry about what to eat or what clothes to wear. If you are an American, you already have too much food and too many clothes.

For a young person, seeking advice from someone who’s been there and done that, I can tell them a few things I have learned during my ninety years on Earth. Continue your education all your life, whether it be in the classroom or from your life’s experiences. Read the Bible… it will convert your life to Christian principles and give you peace. Pray often to your God, and He will lead you to your life’s service. Search until you find the right person to marry…this is the second most important decision in your life. When you get a job, do it with all your might. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (Ecclesiastes 9:1)

At the end of your life, you will find that the most important advice is to fear and to love God and keep His commandments as Solomon in his wisdom tells us. “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Fearing God is to realize that God is the Creator of man, the universe and all. That by your faith and His amazing grace, your life is in His hands. Fearing God will light the path of your life as long as you live. As I continue on life’s road to my end, not knowing where I will be or when it will end, my belief sustains me. I am persuaded that God will keep me until that day He calls me to Heaven for a life change with a new body that will not wear out. I will enter His kingdom with the certainty of my faith.

I offer a prayer of benediction: I wish for you the best for your life on this Earth, may God bless you, and may you have everlasting life. “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Thank you, Reese, for living out a parable to encourage all of us.

– Brian