Many of you know that we have moved from Ohio to Texas. It has been a good change for us and we look forward to what God is doing at Oak Ridge Baptist Church. With the change in location, also comes a large change in the amount of time I have. I hope to keep this blog updated more often and use it is a tool, now that we are getting settled in!
Author Archives: Pastor Chas
Kids
At what point in our history did children become a burden instead of a blessing? Last week I took Amy out to eat for her birthday and we sat next to a mother and daughter. The girl might have been six and during the entire conversation, not one positive word came out of the mother’s mouth. In fact, her continual griping about the little girl being too loud was much more disruptive than the fun the little girl was trying to have. At one point during the meal, the daughter was very confused and asked the mother, “what happened?” The lady quickly answered, “you happened!” Then today as I was sitting in a parking lot I listened to a father yell at a little boy, about 8, “God d*** you!” I prayed for the little boy and wondered if the father actually realized the magnitude of the phrase he used so lightly, yet hatefully.
I will be honest with you, in both those cases, I was ready to come out of my seat and let the parent have a taste of their own medicine. At the end of our meal, I approached the table beside us and told the woman that she had the most well-behaved little girl I had ever seen, she was polite, respectful, and well-mannered. The lady was speechless, but the little girl beamed, I think her name was Brianna. I didn’t get that chance with the father and his son.
Somehow children have become something that get in the way of career plans, financial stability, and having a successful life. With this shift in attitude, we still wonder why so many of the youth in our towns act in certain ways. I see kids walk by my house every day (the youngest might look 6) on their way to the park, with the only parental supervision being a cell phone, on which they are too busy texting to watch for cars. People even laugh when they hear things like, “children make a rich man poor.” I want to tell you that children make a poor man rich!
The only thing of value left on this earth when you leave it, is your children. They will be the ones that carry on in the manner in which you trained them, be good or bad. They are a blessing from God, Psalm 127:3-5, and we will be held accountable for the way in which we raise them, Matthew 18:6. I want to encourage you; the next time you begin to quip about your children, degrading them in public or tearing them down, stop. We want to be part of the solution not the problem. Everyday I pray that God makes up for my mistakes as a father and covers them up with his grace and mercy. Remember, our children live out what they are taught in word and action.
Levi Update: Geneticist and Cardiologist
Thank you all for your continued prayers. I took Levi back to Akron yesterday for his two month follow-up with Dr. Robinson (Geneticist) and Dr. Kahn (Cardiologist). Dr. Robinson said that Levi looked good, meaning his abnormalities do not look like they are linked in any way. They seem to be isolated instances and because of this, we were released from his care. Dr. Robinson said the neurologist would take it from here and we would not come back to his office unless the neurologist found something new.
The cardiologist was a little different. This was our first appointment of the day and it took us a little over two hours. Dr. Kahn examined Levi and he had an ECHO and EKG done. The EKG came back good, but he was concerned about the results of the ECHO. The right side of Levi’s heart is pumping well and strong. It is exactly what should be seen in a 7 week-old baby. The left side of his heart is not pumping as strong. There is a noticeable difference in how vigorously these two sides are pumping. We will go back on May 16th and they will do a heart function test. Dr. Kahn said that this is normally accompanied by abnormal coloration fo the skin or eating/digestion problems. Levi has neither, so he is not sure what is happening. Hopefully we will know more after the 16th.
Many have asked about Levi’s brain. The two abnormalities (agenesis of the corpus callosum and enlarged ventricular horns) are still there. As of now, Levi is doing what he is supposed to, with the only exception being an over active moro reflex (this was found by Dr. Robinson, but he said the neurologist would watch it). There is still no way of knowing how these two abnormalities will affect his later development. We will continue to do routine visits to the neurologist (the next one is in June) to monitor his development. They want to watch him closely and try to prevent any surprises. The larger ventricular horns make him prone to seizures, but we are to just watch him and see if we notice anything unusual.
As we know things, we will keep you updated. Thank you for all your prayers!
A Battle Exists
Ever have one of those moments where you forget what you were doing? Then, you have to go back and retrace your steps and hope that same thought will make its way back through the confusion, to the forefront of your mind. I meet people every day that have forgotten the truths of Christianity. They started out on a great path, but somewhere along the way, they forgot what they were doing. One of these truths is the reality of Satan and the presence of his attacks. This was brought to my attention as I visited with a young man who is getting baptized this Sunday. I am thrilled that we will be able to celebrate Easter with two baptisms this Sunday!
I sat down with him last week to visit with him and make sure he understood the decision he had made and why he was getting baptized. I can honestly say this young man knows what he is doing and has experiences the salvation that only comes through Christ. It was a great visit that got very interesting at the end. I asked him if he wanted to pray, and tears filled his eyes. I asked him what was wrong and it took him several minutes to be able to tell me. After several broken words and tries, he finally said, “Every time I pray, Satan comes and tells God, ‘you can’t talk to him, he is mine.'” We talked and prayed, and then did it several more times.
Somewhere along the way, we forgot that we were at war. This is not an option, but the reality of our spiritual life. When we are saved, we switch sides and start playing on the opposing team. Satan is real; we have a real enemy; we are in a battle. Ephesians 6 is very clear about this reality. Have you forgotten? Do you need to retrace the steps of your spiritual journey and refresh your memory about the battle at hand? Join us this Sunday as we celebrate victory, Easter.
Where is God When It Hurts?
No matter how many times it happens, it always amazes me how God orchestrates things in our lives. Several weeks ago we started a sermon series in Malachi and since then we have been walking through this book. I missed last Sunday because we were in Akron, and when I sat down this week to finish preparing, God let his glory show once again as I read this week’s passage. I couldn’t make past one verse.
In Malachi 2:17, a new section starts and as in other cases, it begins with a question and answer. God tells the people that they have wearied him by their thoughts and this verse concludes with the question that had plagued the Israelites, “Where is the God of justice?” They were God’s chosen people. If this really was the case, why had they been conquered by empires and through the generations from Solomon to present been suppressed and oppressed by their rulers. It seemed like God was on the side of the heathens, not his chosen people. Now there were many things in the history of Israel that led to their situation in Malachi, but there question is legitimate and is in the hearts of many today.
When we began to learn of all the problems Levi may have and were warned of the many complications that could accompany his birth, I was asked several times, why. They thought that because I was a pastor, God wouldn’t let anything like this happen. In their minds, these types of things only happen to people who defy God, not those that try to follow him. I was even asked by one person that isn’t a Christian, where was God in all of this? Did this situation not make me doubt? I want to share from my heart.
I praise God for what he has done in our family and how he has worked miracles in Levi’s life, but long before we had kids, Amy and I surrendered our lives to be used by God however he desired. Where was God in this situation? Everywhere! Why was he allowing this to happen? For his glory and purpose. Over the past weeks we have been able to share Christ with many people. And the way God has worked within us has poured out into the lives of others. We were able to meet, share, and pray for people that we would have never met otherwise; thousands of people were united in prayer over the life of one little boy; time and time again God showed his provision; he challenged us to pray more; he challenged others to pray more; he granted peace beyond what the world can explain; we were brought to our knees and raise with hope; he was there the whole time!
I am not sure what is happening in your life and the circumstances you are facing. I don’t know what lies in your past or the deep wounds that haven’t been healed, but I know that God that loves you and cares for you, working all things out in the end. As we have been studying through Malachi, it is easy to forget the beginning of the book. Malachi 1:2, ” ‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord.” How has he loved you? John 3:16. He loved you that much and no greater love has ever been shown, John 15:13. As a believer, the Lord is our shepherd, what more could we want? He is there when it hurts. He is there when it seems like everything is going wrong. He is there when the hope of the world has failed. He is there in pain and he is there in sorrow. He is there with comfort and he is there with open arms. He is there with love; never let Satan convince you otherwise. The joy of the morning always trumps the darkness of night.
Join us next Sunday as we look at the hope that is to come.
Grace in Truth 