Hello Everyone!

I suppose I should have expected that while reading the book of Job, I would encounter issues of application in suffering.

Actually, that is not a bad encounter, because I have a better understanding of one verse in Paul??Ǩ?Ѣs letter to the Colossians (1:24) where Jesus Christ??Ǩ?Ѣs suffering seems to be incomplete; I was reminded of the value in reading Christian biographies for encouragement in troubling times; and I discovered a source where one pastor gives a superior, thought-provoking summary of his readings about these faith-inspiring Christians.

The verse in Colossians has puzzled me because I didn??Ǩ?Ѣt understand what Paul meant by ??Ǩ?fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.??Ǩ We believe the teaching of the Bible concerning Jesus Christ??Ǩ?Ѣs atonement??Ǩ?His suffering, death, and covering over??Ǩ?for man??Ǩ?Ѣs sin was paid in full. Jesus said, ??Ǩ?It is finished.??Ǩ A hymn we love to sing, Jesus Paid It All, also reinforces this truth. So, why did Paul say ??Ǩ?fill up??Ǩthe afflictions of Christ??Ǩfor the church??Ǩ? What does that have to do with Job??Ǩ?Ѣs suffering, or our??Ǩ?Ѣs?

The way Paul, Job, you or I respond to??Ǩ?trials, problems, afflictions, troubles??Ǩ?the suffering God allows, is observed by those around us. ??Ǩ?God??Ǩ?Ѣs design [is] to complete the sufferings of Christ [not His substitutionary death], by making them more visible and personal and precious to those for whom he died.??Ǩ Can the problems another faced help me today? Does the response of an afflicted person encourage my faith? Could my trials assist others to trust Jesus Christ for salvation? In every way, the answer is yes. But, we don??Ǩ?Ѣt always understand how or why (that was, in part, Job??Ǩ?Ѣs dilemma).

John Piper is the pastor who challenged me to glean from the biographies. Piper is the author of the book many of us read last year as a follow-up response to Mel Gibson??Ǩ?Ѣs Passion of the Christ movie. Piper has made it an annual goal to read everything he can on one Christian leader during that year. In 2004 his choice was George Muller (http://desiringgod.org/library/biographies/04mueller.html), or ask me for a copy.

Muller is best remembered by how he was used by God to establish orphanages in England. Muller decided that if God wanted him to do this, God would verify it by providing everything needed (housing, food, clothing, children, finances, etc.) without Muller??Ǩ?Ѣs asking for provisions from anyone other than God Himself. In days gone by, I read a short biography about Muller, and was impressed that he would make such a demanding commitment. That book not only reported how God provided, but gave insight to times of temptation and momentary lack of faith. But, I never understood why not asking others for help was such an important principle for Muller to adopt, until I read John Piper??Ǩ?Ѣs summary. From Muller??Ǩ?Ѣs own writings, Piper learned that the London Missionary Society had no problem incurring huge debt to finance the advance of the Gospel. When creditors tried to collect, they found excuses, delays, and opposition from ??Ǩ?those Christians.??Ǩ

What does this have to do with suffering? George Muller chose to let the Scriptures guide his faith and practice. His practice (dictated by his understanding of the Word) was that he should not go into debt so that Christ??Ǩ?Ѣs name and work would not be slandered.

God chose to do an incredible work through Muller, providing for his every need, but not all at once, nor with reserve, and not even in abundance (how different things seem today). Muller??Ǩ?Ѣs trials, problems, and suffering was a visible demonstration to the Christian world and to the skeptics that God does take care of His own??Ǩ?that God really can be trusted.

God may not call me to do as great a work as Muller, but He does call me??Ǩ?and you??Ǩ?to trust Him. In reconciling issues about suffering, because of our reading in the book of Job, I found myself asking, ??Ǩ?when I encounter trials and suffering, am I living and responding in the way God desires, that says to those who are watching, ??Ǩwhat do you know, God really can be trusted!??Ǩ?Ѣ??Ǩ?

Hello Everyone!

Do you ever wonder if God plans a ??Ǩ?theme of the week??Ǩ on some doctrine or character He wants to perfect in you? If that is so, I don??Ǩ?Ѣt know that I could state emphatically just what this week??Ǩ?Ѣs theme was for me, but it sure seems like several incidental circumstances were headed the same direction.

Walking the fence. A few hours this week were devoted to the fence episode which happened on Christmas Eve. Retrieving the police report. Having the police report corrected. Waiting to speak to the officer (and never connecting). Phone calls to the insurance agent and with the claim adjuster. Soliciting bids for repairs. These things are time-consuming interferences from what I would like to think are more important works. Maybe they are distractions with a purpose??Ǩ?for me to learn something. Is it possible that a fence could be teaching me both the conflict and harmony between justice and mercy? To what extent should we pursue justice? Does the pursuit of justice diminish the possibility of extending the good news of Jesus Christ, that He is full of mercy? Does the direction I take reveal the true nature of my heart?

Classmates. There is a function in the Internet that will let groups of people send and receive the same emails (by contrast, the iBulletin is a receive only group, if you choose to send a reply, I am the only one that receives it). Someone put together the components necessary to create a group for us who attended and/or graduated from Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College (abbreviated ??Ǩ?PC,??Ǩ long before everyone wanted to be ??Ǩ?PC,??Ǩ that is, politically correct).

When the gate was opened, several began sending emails. Like children with a new toy, the emails poured in to our computers, and for many, back out again. And, it was exciting to recognize names (but not really know who they were). Some who have not heard from former classmates since their days at the college are making acquaintance again, and catching up on the last 20 to 30 years.

Occasionally, there would be an email that indirectly or directly conveyed hurt from choices made that resulted in further adversity.

After wrestling with my own insecurities, I began to wonder why God had spared me from so many heartaches (is it possible to not consider adversity as problems?). I still don??Ǩ?Ѣt know the answers, but as I was thanking God for His goodness, that little voice asked, ??Ǩ?if you think God has been so good, then why are you so selfish???Ǩ Don??Ǩ?Ѣt you just hate being interrupted while ??Ǩ?waxing eloquent??Ǩ with God? I had no defense.

Put into perspective. I heard Karyn Johnson, wife of Pastor Jeff at Calvary Chapel in Downey on the radio, speaking about their adoption ministry, the House of Ruth. She stated that 500 babies are aborted in the City of Downey each month. That comment brought the usual gloss of ??Ǩ?millions around the world??Ǩ up close and personal to ??Ǩ?right next door.??Ǩ I thought again about justice.

I read this statement, and as with Johnson??Ǩ?Ѣs, have no way to prove its accuracy, but it helps me understand the possible extent of the horrors of our world a little better. I wondered once more about God??Ǩ?Ѣs mercy.

??Ǩ?It is worth adding in parenthesis that Dr David Barrett estimates that over 150,000 Christians currently die each year as a result of their faith??Ǩ?a similar figure to the [tsunami] tragedy??Ǩ (Web Evangelism Bulletin, issue 108).

And, with or without a theme, that God is fully, intimately aware of and intricately involved in every detail for each one of us is??Ǩ?a marvel and completely incomprehensible.

Hello Everyone!

It??Ǩ?Ѣs About Time
The extended break in our Bible reading comes to an end this week, as we begin reading in a way I have never attempted before. Our plan is to read in time, as the events happened. Each week the bulletin will contain the reading for the week. It is not that we don??Ǩ?Ѣt want you to know what is ahead. This plan requires more space for printing (a total of 10 double column, tiny print pages).

Beyond the mechanics of the reading scheme, we want to become very familiar with how particular events fit together to advance God??Ǩ?Ѣs promise to deliver His people from their sin. Our reading, coupled with additional written aids and Pastor Rigsby??Ǩ?Ѣs weekly Wednesday night teaching should prove to be profitable for everyone who joins with us in reading the Bible chronologically. Will you ??Ǩ?step (back and) in time,??Ǩ too?

Something Old, Something New
Three years in the making, you have received (or have access to) the fourth generation Reading Guide for Genesis. Improvement in content has always been the most important goal in these guides. This year, along with more new content comes a new layout. Each week, different books will be available, generally corresponding with our reading. Those who download the pdf version will appreciate the smaller file size (which means less download time). Our desire and prayer is that these guides will assist you (or others) in reading God??Ǩ?Ѣs Word.

Can I have a nickel?
I have a new appreciation for the lady in the New Testament who lost a valuable coin and searched diligently until she found it. The end of the calendar year means closing out the financial records for the church. This task is much easier with the advent of computers. But, computers can only do what they are told. When the monthly balance was $40.67 more than the annual balance, I knew I had to begin sweeping. If I was smart, I would have done a simple search for that amount to see if it was a single misplaced figure. Instead, I manually added hundreds of numbers to verify that the calculations were correct. Then I analyzed all of the formulas in the spreadsheet to make sure nothing was inadvertently left out. Next, I compared monthly totals with annual figures. Finally, I found it, although, quite by accident??Ǩa single figure in the wrong cell. I realized the simple search idea the next day, after hours of combing the records.

There is something twisted and cruel about the fact that I have to do so much basic math, especially since I seem to recall that I had great difficulty with arithmetic in grade school (which might have been one of those ??Ǩ?why do I need to know this stuff?, I will never use it??Ǩ attitudes). God has a tremendous sense of humor, an intuitive perception of justice, and an overwhelming disposition for mercy. I would say I am laughing all the way to the bank, except I don??Ǩ?Ѣt do that part.

Just one more thing??Ǩ
These are only three of my week??Ǩ?Ѣs activities. Was it time well spent? I looked for the source of the quote ??Ǩ?never sacrifice the future on the altar of the present,??Ǩ (or something like it) but couldn??Ǩ?Ѣt find who is attributed with first saying it (although I did discover that a lot of preachers have used it in sermons posted on the internet). These two weeks have certainly been excessively event-filled. In retrospect, I think, to phrase the quote differently, temporal things (even the necessary ones) dominated over the eternal. But, since I can??Ǩ?Ѣt verify who said it, I will use another that presses me on the importance of redeeming the time.

??Ǩ?The last thing that we find (in making a book) is to know what we must put first.??Ǩ (Blaise Pascal).

Ouch! Still, sage advice, and that from an old mathematician.

Hello Everyone!

For two weeks I have wanted to simply say ??Ǩ?thank you??Ǩ for remembering in your prayers the Lord??Ǩ?Ѣs work here in Bell Gardens and in our family of congregations. But I have been hindered by circumstances of biblical contortions!

When the lady rammed her car through the fence, I sang, ??Ǩ?who fought the battle of Jericho???Ǩ In our case, we still don??Ǩ?Ѣt know. It is a good thing Joshua didn??Ǩ?Ѣt have to write a police report during the holidays, it would have taken longer.

With all of the rain, my dad has spent a lot of time on the church roof. I hope he remembered he was to patch the holes, not create one for the paralytic to be lowered through.

I became convinced there is a missing comma in the verse ??Ǩ?Suffer the little children to come unto me??Ǩ.??Ǩ I learned this week, after two days with seven 4 to 6 year olds, that verse should read ??Ǩ?Suffer, (the little children come unto me), and forbid them not.??Ǩ And, I didn??Ǩ?Ѣt.

The rain was pouring and Lake BeGeeBeeSea was to capacity as I floated the refuse barrels to the street. The sanitation engineers had already passed. Trolling to the other street, I saw there was hope. Is there some unwritten rule that whenever you are in a hurry, the foulest smelling barrel with the most messy contents must always capsize? What did Jesus say about the trash heap??Ǩ?the worm never dying and the fire never going out??Ǩ?or something like that? He was right on the mark!

Then while filling the baptistery, I thought about all the trouble John had with those who complained the water wasn??Ǩ?Ѣt hot enough. Let??Ǩ?Ѣs see, how does that go? ??Ǩ?Cold hands, warm heart??Ǩfiery sermon, lukewarm??Ǩhmmm.??Ǩ

When the mother ran into the church house crying that something was wrong with her baby (and there was, the child was unconscious but breathing), I was taken back at how remarkably odd it seemed for Jesus to say, ??Ǩ?the girl is not dead, but sleeping??Ǩ (when she really was dead and wasn??Ǩ?Ѣt sleeping). Is it no wonder they ridiculed Him?

While working through stacks of papers on my desk (I think there is a desk), the lady suddenly appeared at the door. ??Ǩ?Where do you want your bread???Ǩ Outside, her husband and son waited, eager to unload bread made that morning. I don??Ǩ?Ѣt care how Jesus did it??Ǩ?He can do anything. But, who was this lady? How did she know my name? Where was she from? I soon discovered and gratefully accepted their kindness. There must be enough to feed 5000 (O.K., maybe the yeast is getting to me).

And finally, I know Paul instructed Timothy to ??Ǩ?Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.??Ǩ Uh-huh, as if Timothy didn??Ǩ?Ѣt ??Ǩ?no??Ǩ any better! Apparently, neither do I.

So, if you will, please accept this as an adequate excuse for inadequately expressing our thanks, and my appreciation and gratefulness for always remembering us in your prayers.

P.S. Be sure to save those 2004 calendars. They will be usable again in 2032!