by A.lt? Nyu Oitondlno |
FAITHFUL PHOTOGRAPHER
I planned to add that, once again, as so many times in the past, William
Lowry of Prospect UMC did a superb job of capturing highlights of
the recent Honoring Ceremony on cameras. (If I keep adding and revising.
I MAY get my response to that special ceremony together yet!) I
also need to add that Sandy Plains member Gary Locklear. honored as
first Native American to head the Rockingham District Native American
Co-op. is another UM photographer, who regularly takes pictures of
events involving the Co-op ministry. "Brother Bob" Mangum is the current
Co-op director.
I've been SO frazzled lately, trying to work on too many different
tasks at the same time (brain overload) that I told my current "Reflections"
typist that I was "frizzled"!
I don't know WHERE I'd be by now, if it hadn't been for the weekend
conference a lot of us attended recently at Lake Junaluska.
LEON AND LAUGHTER
I've read that everyone needs to have at least one "belly" laugh each
day. Like his dad. my husband Leon liked to have a good laugh during
down time, when he was not pushing himself ( and often others) to get a
job done. On the other hand, 1 went through our entire marriage without
learning the art of laughter.
Growing up as the oldest in a Depression-era home where we constantly
had to conserve everything (including cleaning our plates at the
table each meal) did NOT teach me how to laugh.
But in more recent years I've sometimes surprised myselfby suddenly
laughing out loud. (Leon had told me about doing this sometimes in the
middle of the night when he was growing up. One night recently Byron
surprised me by laughing in his sleep. And his laugh sounds a whole lot
like his granddaddy's, even though they have never been together. I'm
sure Leon would have been thrilled to get to know his grandson. Byron
is looking forward to meeting his two grandfathers and the two uncles he
has never seen, when he gets to heaven.)
To get back to my point, I laughed out loud on Wednesday when I
hung up after a brief conversation with Dolly, who is now doing the
typing for this column. I have a note on my desk from the day before,
explaining that I was working on some more things for my column.
"Polly," it says, "I'm working on some other things?I thought I had
stopped calling her ' Polly | in place of Dolly. But I suppose that recently
visiting with a friend I used to see a lot in the late 80s. Polly Cunningham,
and her husband, Dan. has impressed the name "Polly" back onto my
"getting-older" brain. (That may be a "corny" way to put it. But, doesn't
that sound better than "AGING brain" ? even though 1 suppose mine is
doing just that, day by day, during these eighth-decade days, months,
and years?)
Anyway, DOLLY, I apologize! From now on, hopefully, when 1 think
of you, 1 can remember the name of another very special friend, going
back to my VERY first visit to the Pembroke area in the summer of
1956, "Miss Dolly" Lowry. (Now I'm not sure whether I'm spelling either
ONE of your names right. So, this seems like a good place to apologize
for sometimes misspelling other people's manes, even though I want
to get them right, just as-l want them to get mine right.)
CONSOLATION CORNER
JULY 4 ?PLUS 4
Each year, beginning in 1981. June and July give us an assortment of
dates to remember. June 28, my Hunt couple's anniversary and July 4,
Wanda Kay's birthday (along w ith that of trty brother Stan and the United
States of America).
And then there is Donny's Flag Day birthday, a bitter-sweet time of
remembering, and July 8, that last day he and his brother Gordon and
their daddy, Leon, were here in this world with us. They actually left
very early that morning, so I did bid them a mostly silent, temporary
good-bve. on that date, expecting them to return in about 12 hours. (Maybe
it's not so surprising that I still wonder, when someone leaves on a trip,
whether or not they'll be coming back.)
Actually P ve been having more dreams about Leon just lately, 21 years
later. One night I dreamed that I was trying on my wedding dress, because
we were going to get married again, after he had been gone for
years. Another time he was right there, and we were talking about getting
married, maybe for the first time. Then, about dark on Sunday, July
8,1 dozed off long enough for him to appear briefly in another dream. I
gave him a tighter hug than the one I'd given him just before he left on
July 8,21 years ago.
"SUICIDE FEELINGS"
Even some of us Christians (myself included) have experienced "suicide
feelings" when we were under too much pressure. It's been a long
time since 1 felt that the world might be happier without me. And I did
not follow through on even PLANNING to take my own life. But. when
w e are depressed and/or under too much pressure of one kind or another
(as I learned firsthand) we may feel so desperate that this seems to be
the ONLY way out of our situation. I'm certainly not BRAGGING about
having felt this way. In fact. I have felt guilty about the feelings I had at
that time, about just giving up on my current role in life. But. the one
GOOD thing that can come out of having had this experience (and all
the other difficult experiences of my life is that I can better understand
others who are dealing with similar problems.
As Christians, we are constantly reminded (in the Bible and by other
Christians) that we are to simply "Trust in the Lord" and He will bring us
through ANYTHING and eveiything! Over and over. I've learned how
very true this advice is. In fact. I snare this "Good News" to hurting
people on a regular basis.
But there have been many times in the past when I forgot. When the
problems surrounding me seemed SO glad that 1 (and a number of others
I've known) were able to work through those feelings.
But I don't believe that ANY ONE of us human beings has the right or
the ability to stand in judgment over the way another person eventually .
ENDS UP ending his or her life. Instead, when this happened, you and'l
need to BE THERE to offer love and encouragement to all the members
of that person's family, as well as friends who may also be suffering.
As one person, I know I can't reach out to everyone, even though God
has taught me to care deeply about each person on thii.planet. That's
why I keep asking that you join me in praying for all individuals and
families who are suffering, right here in this community and all around
our world.
Thus Saith God's Word
Rt'w Ted Brooks. Pastor of West Saddletree liunti.st Clitirc/i
\ )
For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord; therefore,
they shall not prosper and all their flocks shall be scattered." (Jeremiah 10:21)
"He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice saying, cause them that have
charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon
in his hand." (Ezekiel 9:1)
"Which say, it is not near; let us build houses; this city is the caldron, and
we be the flesh." (Ezekiel 11:13). We need to look again and see what evils
that provoked the indignation of the Lord. They are social rather than
religious- idolatry, the worship of Assyrian gods.
Ezekiel said: "He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, to give w arning
to those who were in charge of the cities."
The language of the prophet is sometimes crude and offensive to the
modern ear'and his actions appear to be weird and childish. The stem and
austere prophet portrays the severity rather than the kindness of God. his
judgments rather than his mercies. But see something wrong here. God saw
some prophets, pastors, false shepherds who had become brutish and had a
prayerless life. They had hot entered the work as a pastor who came to the mine
with the ability to dig for gold. A false pastor will make an attempt to dig and
has not sought God.
A false pastor will fail to recognize God on his throne, the good shepherd,
the vine, the life giving Spirit, the river of life and the New Jerusalem. When
the cry of God has entered the ears of the true pastor, his teaching for example;
sin and judgment, the responsibility of the individual, the function of the true
pastor, the need for a change of heart, the work of the spirit, the sovereignty
of God over all nations, speak directly to our own situation.
False pastors are the men that devise mischief, give wicked counsel in the
city (Ezekiel 11:2). When there is no cry in the ear, there is evil counsel of
unbelief.
Today much is said. "We all have warts," my friend. The scripture tells us,
"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the devil. Ye cannot be
partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils." (I Corinthians 10:21)
"What part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (11 Corinthians 6:15)
Listen, my friend, a true pastor is a man-under authority, speaking and
acting under divine constraint. "The Lord took me from following the flock
and the Lord said unto me, go preach." (Amos 7:15)
A false pastor that has a prayerless life with God, will boast about sin but
when Amos came upon the scene his message was, "1 will punish you for all
your iniquities." (Amos 3:2) A true pastor is the herald of judgement, the
prophet of doom. God will not revoke the punishments. (Amos 1:3) Amos
went down town and preached bribery in the courts, heartlessness, brutality,
prostitution, self-indulgence, the evil of luxury, the dispossession of the
helpless, and the oppression of the poor.
Oh my friend, God hates festive pilgrimages and solemn assemblies. He
rejects costly offerings and burdensome songs. What he does require is
abundant justice and unceasing righteousness. (Amos 5:21-24) It is not the
worship in the sanctuary, but obedience in life. L
No man, my friend, can be in right relationship with God who is not in rigpt
relationship with his fellow man. (Matthew 5:23-24) |
We are dealing with the Lord himself in our ordinary human relationship.
He who does not love the brethren he sees cannot love the God he does not so#.
(Matthew 25:31-40; I John 4:7-21) i
Oh, my friend, a true pastor will tell his deacons this. He will preach it trom
the pulpit. God and Amos were walking together. (Amos 3:3)
My friend, in I Corinthians 5:11 we are told not to associate with any socalled
brother if he is an immoral person or covetous or an idolater or a reviler
or a drunkard or a sw indler, not to eat with such a one.
My friend, there are those who are saved, but all are not drunkards or
covetous persons. The church my friend is not immoral. The true church has
been to Calvary and been washed in the blood of Christ, our Lord, and his
"blood cleanses us from all past sins."
The problem is a false pastor has abandoned the nation so that it is even
possible to not know truth. When a false pastor speaks "all have warts," in
other words he say s there is no absolute body of truth that should govern our
thinking and behavior. Everybody has ideas. Everybody has opinions, but
nobody has the truth. The lack of truth has led to a conscienceless society in
which people can sin big time and feel no emotional or spiritual pain. God
created pain whether physical or spiritual to tell us something is wrong and
to keep us from going as fast as we could go. But when people do not have truth,
they don't have anything to give them pain. When they make wrong decisions
they become seared. (I Timothy 4:2) Also read Ezekiel 4:16-17. Ezekiel left
us with these words: "Even every man with his destroying weapon in his
hand." (9:1) Brother'Paul said of these weapons of our warfare that they are
not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;
casting down'imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ. (II Corinthians 10:4-5) Notice Ezekiel said of this destroying
weapon that it is in our hand.
The weapon in Amos' hand was "Thus Saith God's Word" that God is a God
of Judgement and the God of wrath. What Amos came to say was that God is
not only a light, but as darkness as well therefore not only was he a God of love
but a God of wrath.
Amos was aware of.the inescapable presence of the almighty God. Amos
was a God intoxicated man. He was vividly aware of the reality of God. The
Lord of hosts in all his power and majesty. God declared to Amos, "I will send
a fire on the wall." (Amos 1:10) Now you are probably asking this question:
"What about us?" Listen to these words "As if a man did flee from a lion and
a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and
a serpent bit him." (Amos 5:19) Also "Though they be hid from my sight in
the bottom of the sea, thence I will command the serpent and he shall bite him."
(Amos 9:3) "Though they climb up, I will bring them down."(Amos9:2) How?
"Every beast of the forest is mine." (Psalms 50:10) "The beast of the field
multiplied against thee." (Exodus 23:29)
Look around you, my friend, alligators are eating people. Sharks are
coming ashore and eating people. Horses are turning on their riders. Dogs are
attacking children. Do you not see God is angry because these nations of ours
have ripped up the women while child? Do you not see "It's because he did
pursue his brother with the sword and didcast off all pity? God said "I will send
a fire upon man." God, my friend, wants us to walk together and to agree upon
his word. Agree that heis active in solar eclipses and earthquakes. (Amos 8:9,
6:11) God himself declared "He who does not love the brother he sees cannot
love the God he does not see." (I John 4:7-21)
My friend, God has a consequence for sin. One day he will make a visit upon
a people who are not obedient. When he does. Job said, "What shall answer
him?" (Job 31:14)
This nation of ours has taken on too much. Wicked counsel has been passed
out like truth. Man now has said in his heart "Thou wilt not require, God hath
forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see it." (Psalm 10:11-13)
God has said it. "I will send a fire." My friend, every aborted child will be
yonder to witness against these nations or ours. Those who sold the righteous
for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. (Amos 2:16)
God will one day do a follow up. "Be sure your sins will find you out. You
may silence the preacher, but God has warned us. You may out run the lion,
but a bear will give chase. Hide in the wall ofyour house, he has declared "All
the beasts are mine". Escape will be impossible, lest when you expect him he
will appear and remember you can't get his attention if you have unforgiven
sins. God does not skip over sin. That is why we are told to confess our sins.
God will not listen to us when sin is unconfessed. No one, I say again, no one
gets away with sin. People go to hell for rejecting the blood of Jesus Christ and
remember, if you can't love whom you have seen, how can you love,whom you
have never seen?
George Washington Parke Custls, the grandson of First Lady
Martha Washington, became the adopted son of her second husband,
President George Washington, and the father-in-law of Confederate
General Robert E. Lee.
When you
let anyone