Thou Art With Me
Within the 23rd Psalm in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit through the pen of King David created one of the most well known passages in the Bible. A beautiful presentation of God’s peace, provision and protection are outlined for those who have truly chosen the Lord as their Shepherd. This passage carries such life within its lines that there is no wonder that this Psalm is quoted at funerals more than any other in our Lord’s text; a time when families are searching for life and meaning.
One portion of this chapter stands out for me this month and is found in the 4th verse. It reads …”I will fear no evil; for You are with me…” NKJV. YOU ARE WITH ME. This premise is encapsulated in one of the names given to God Himself; that being “Jehovah Shammah.” Jehovah being the name of God for the people of Israel; Shammah meaning “is there.” He is the God who is always there. This might at times be a little disconcerting when we are screaming at someone who just cut us off on the highway or when taking a shower in the morning! However, for me I receive great comfort knowing that he is with me when I am hurting. He is with me when I have a bad day and things just are not going my way. He is here with me when I am in Huntington and my family is in Indianapolis and I feel very alone. My God is Jehovah Shammah, He is always here with me and will always be there with you, too. Just call on Him, He is there.
Be blessed,
Pastor Chris
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Have You Tebowed?
For those of us who are fans of professional football, this season has brought about a new phenomenon that many in the news media have picked up on. It is called Tebowing! Tebowing is the act of getting on one knee, placing one fist on the forehead in “The Thinker” pose and praying to God to give Him glory for the moment. Tim Tebow, quarterback for the Denver Broncos, invented the practice by praying after each game thereby bringing on a variety of responses. Those responses ranged from avid appreciation from other believers to outright anger on the part of those who think that prayer does not belong on the football field. The crazy thing, football players have been praying on the field since the games inception, so why all the hoopla?
With the recent success of the Broncos getting into the playoffs and beyond, Tim’s prayers and thanksgiving to God before the media have been in the face of fans, players and coaches all around the league. Anytime the Good News of Christ becomes unavoidable by the public, people get offended. Jesus said it would happen. In John 15, Jesus told us that the world would hate those belonging to Him. Verse 18–19 in the Message Bible says this, “If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.”
Tim Tebow has made the commitment to live on God’s terms and not the worlds. Because he refuses to hide his faith, displaying his love for Christ through the avenues available to him, those offended by God are not pleased. Tim has the courage to display his faith in a world that has walked away from God. God calls all his children to have that same level of courage. Paul says in Romans 1:16 – “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ…“ (KJV). The Message Bible says it like this, “It’s news I’m most proud, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else.” So next time you have a chance to give glory to God, do the Tebow!
Be blessed.
Pastor Chris Hayden
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Please God or Please Man
Have you ever felt like people would be unhappy with you no matter what you tried to do? If you turned left, this person or group would be angry with you, yet if you turned right, this other person or group would be angry with you? And no matter what your decision is, someone or some group will not like it? In those situations, sometimes doing what should be done is not always easy. And even among Spirit-filled believers, compromise can be rejected. Peter experienced this. He was torn between either siding with the Jewish Church in Jerusalem or to stand with his friend the Apostle Paul. The Christian Jews at Jerusalem believed that the gentiles needed to adhere to Jewish law to join the Church while Paul claimed that these believers were free in Christ and were not bound by the tradition of the Jews. What to do, O’ what to do?
At first, Peter sided with both, yet abandoned eating with Gentiles when Jewish believers were around. Paul confronted him with his double mindedness in Galatians the 2nd chapter. In the end, however, Acts 15 tells us that Peter does the right thing as he stands with Paul and Barnabas as they address the Church at Jerusalem on the right of the Gentiles to join the faith without adhering to Jewish tradition. Peter decided that it is best to please God rather than to please man.
Paul says this in Galatians 1:9-10 – “As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Paul’s advice, be a pleaser of God, not of men. Sometimes doing what God wants brings vitriol from those resisting Him. The question we need to ask ourselves is this, “What would please God?” Then do what pleases God, not man.
Be blessed.
Pastor Chris Hayden
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