A Decade of Love

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Ten years ago--June 17, 2001--I was blessed by God to marry the love of my life. Over the past decade, God has done so much in my life and one significant instrument of His divine work has been my godly and devoted wife. I am astonished at God's favor and amazed by His grace. My life has been filled with good things, not necessarily all pleasant things, which reflect God's amazing faithfulness and goodness.

I am grateful for an excellent wife who is a source of honor and not shame (Proverbs 12:4). I am constantly challenged by Laurie's commitment and dependability. I am proud to be a partner with her in the rearing of our children.

Laurie, I am so happy to have had you by my side over these past ten years. May God continue to fill our hearts with His grace and our home with His love. I love you! Thanks for the thousands of ways that you communicate your love for me in return.

A Heart for Missions

On Sunday we hosted a special missions night at New Beginnings. Over 90 people turned out, including several of those who are supported financially by our church and serve the Lord in area missions. It was great to reconnect with these servants of God who are seeking to make a difference in the lives of others. Tito Pagano, former Director of Word of Life in Chile, brought the message which he titled "A Heart for Missions" from Romans 1:13-16. Tito spoke in his native Spanish language while his son-in-law, Sergio Belloso (who is an elder at NB), translated. It was a powerful challenge for our people to refocus on our personal role in spreading the kingdom of God.

Stephanie Nitschke, a member at New Beginnings, is leaving for a year of service in the country of Uganda. The Lord provided nearly $1,000 through a free-will offering to help Stephanie take the gospel to the needy people of that country. God is so faithful!

Here are a few snapshots from the night's festivities:











May God continue to stretch our vision for missions at New Beginnings.

Answering the Call

A significant theme of Scripture is the astounding interplay between God and specific human personalities. Often we speak of this as God's special "call" upon the life of certain humans. I sometimes think that we take for granted how incredible it is that a supremely holy and eternal God choose to "put His word into the mouths" of the prophets and apostles of Bible times. How amazing is it that God graciously gives the knowledge of His will and character to a race of fallen people?

God created man for His pleasure and to enjoy personal, intimate fellowship and communion with Him. However, mankind choose the path of rebellion and sin, and consequently was expelled from the Garden of Eden forever. Still, throughout history, God has chosen to communicate to man through messengers who were uniquely called to carry God's words to His people. God, in His mercy, has passionately pursued His people by shedding divine light through human vessels upon the path that leads home.

God called Abraham (Genesis 11-24) to leave the familiar land of his fathers and to journey to new land of promise. God told Abraham that he would be the father of a new race of people--people who would be counted righteous by faith, rather than trying to prove their own "goodness" by their deeds. God called Moses to boldly lead His people out of Pharaoh's hand in Egypt (Exodus 3). God spoke with Samuel, David, Solomon, Elijah, and Isaiah. Of Jeremiah, it was said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (1:5). And later, God said, "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant" (1:9-10). Indeed, God choose to "speak to our fathers by the prophets at many times and in various ways" (Hebrews 1:1).

We are probably more familiar with Jesus' call upon an unimpressive group of Galileans to "Come, follow me" (Mark 1:17). Or, perhaps we especially think of Paul as the "Apostle to the Gentiles" and one who was uniquely called of God to preach the gospel to the whole world (Romans 1:1). The sovereign call of God kept Paul focused on his mission despite tremendous hardships and abuse. Paul was so persuaded of God's presence and power in his ministry that he said, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:16).

The reality for every child of God is that they are called to bear fruit for the glory of their Heavenly Father (John 15:16). We are all called to walk in the good works that God prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10). We are all called to walk wisely and in purity before the world (1 Thess. 4:3, Eph. 5:15ff). God has a common call upon every believer to bear witness before the world of His transforming grace and power.

On another note, I am completely humbled to say that I have just received a special "call" to serve New Beginnings as pastor. Over the past three years I have been employed with Church Extension ministries as a church planting pastor designated to Woodbury Heights, New Jersey. Now that New Beginnings has graduated and is self-supporting, they have graciously decided to extend the invitation for me to stay on as the permanent pastor. Please pray for our church as we move ahead in the grace and for the glory of God!

Being Honest About Being Lost

Have you ever been lost? Chances are that you have been. (Although, thanks to our modern GPS gadgets, "being lost" may be a thing of the past.) How did you feel when you realized you were lost? Did you stop and ask for directions? Or, did you "man up" and just figure it out (...several hours later...) all on your own?

I've been unusually immersed this week in the Scriptures, books, and conversations regarding the reality of man's "lost" condition apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Don't misunderstand me, I recognize this theme as a reality every week, but it has just been especially intense over the past few days. One clear observation from all my prayer and study is this: God repeatedly points out man's condition of "lostness" whereas man continually denies such a reality. God, in his holiness, declares that "...the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth" (Romans 1:18). But man denies that there is any problem at all (Romans 3:10-12).

The Bible actually uses another term for this idea of "lostness"; the term is death. It says, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). The Apostle Paul says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And again, he says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (6:23). This is what it means to be spiritual lost--we are relationally seperated from God and "dead" due to sin.

The depth of man's lostness is such that "no one seeks God" (Romans 3:11). The Bible, and frankly our own personal experience in the world, testifies to our continually craving for everything but God. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Not only is man lost apart from God, he is sickeningly satisfied to remain that way.

So, how does anyone ever come to the understanding that they are lost and in real danger? This is the great story of the Bible. In response to man's sinfulness, the Lord sends Jesus to be the sin-bearer. In light of our rebellion, God provides a righteous Redeemer. The Bible says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). When we like wandering sheep had lost our way, God sent the Good Shepherd to find us and bring us back into His heavenly pen (John 10).

It is actually the work of God's Spirit which brings personal conviction of sin and prompts the child of God to repentance unto life (John 6:44; 16:5-15). God, in His mercy, touches our eyes to see the reality of our lost condition (Acts 9). In His grace, God tenderly brings fresh life into formerly dead hearts. That's the sort of God who has revealed Himself through Christ and the Word.

The Bible says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). If you aren't walking with Jesus, my friend, then you really are lost. Isn't it about time that you come clean about this? Isn't time to be honest about being lost?

Hide & Seek

I've been thinking a lot about the following verse: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3).

Here are a few questions that I'm being challenged by in my own life as a disciple of Jesus Christ:
+ Am I actively and progressively seeking the face of God?
+ Just how "dead" am I to sin and the world?
+ Do I genuinely desire for ALL of my life to be "hidden with Christ in God"?
+ Do I love God more today than I did yesterday?

I am constantly reminded, through both my own walk and through interaction with others, of the reality and power of sin. Sin...wickedness...rebellion against God...selfishness...pride...materialism...(and a hundred other horrible things) all remain a practical problem for the sincerest follower of Jesus Christ even though one's position has been secured in the family of God.

In one place, Paul could write, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2). And then just one chapter later, he writes, "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (6:1-2).

Lately I have been really meditating upon the glorious reality that Jesus is more than the righteous substitute for our sinfulness, He is the very source from which we live and seek the glory and pleasure of God. Instead of hiding from God and seeking the cares of the world, we are to hide ourselves in the person of Jesus Christ through humble, child-like faith and seek after the things of God.

"If you have been united with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God," Paul says in Colossians 3:1. A lot of our issues with sin will be dramatically cleared away if we will "hide-and-seek" in Christ.

Who/What are you seeking after these days?