Bobservations Column
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz
“Each Sunday, Christians gather together to praise the Lord our God, Jesus Christ.” While this is not an earth-shaking statement, it is a sublime, and obvious truth. That all in attendance here today have come to worship the Lord and learn more about Him might be taken for granted, but it is a reality to be cherished and a freedom to be held dear. By reading, studying, and learning more about God at every opportunity, our freedoms (personally and nationally) become the tangible evidence of the faith that we exercise.
By their faith, the Founding Fathers understood that equality, life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness were self-evident.
> Equality, because: “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;” Acts 17 : 26
> Life, because: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10 : 10
> Liberty, because: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Gal. 5 : 13
> The persuit of happiness, because: “These things (the Gospel) have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. John 15 : 11
> And : “The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 29 : 19
In First John 1:1, John speaks of Jesus: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;” ...this tells us the John knew Jesus personally.
The Apostle John grasped that the Word of God was made flesh and dwelt among us. He understood all that that entailed, and that it was a work of the Spirit of God. Jesus had come to change mankind to life, from death. He came that we might find our hope in Him because of our great need (John 3:15-17). He also warned us of others who come with a similar message, but they are false prophets, false professors, and wolves in sheep’s clothing. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Worship Jesus with us today!
Bobservations Column
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz
To announce that there is sickness, disease, death, and evil in this world would be a moot point. Those things are evident to all, except perhaps the most naïve of individuals.
To proclaim that there are absolute truths in the world would conversely insult the majority of contemporary students and adults who have adopted a post-modernist view of the world that are no absolute truths.
My computer printer might be in agreement with post-modernist thought: it prints in black and white, and in hundreds of shades of gray, not to mention color! The consideration of color or "gray-scale” is a personal preference when printing a page, and that indicates personal choice. In Biblical terms, that exemplifies free-will.
All of this points to the semantics or the Bible. While Psalm 23 speaks of the valley of the shadow of death, Psalm 91 introduces us to the refuge found in the shadow of the Almighty! It is in God’s shadow that we find refuge and safety in a world that brings us fear and shaking in the midst of death and dying.
It is here in Psalm 91 that we are introduced to variations in shadows, and in particular, how the Lord Jesus uses them in our lives. While some are dark and gloomy, others are light and comforting. I recall as a child playing hide’n’seek, that I would look for shadows to hide in, in order to not be found. Now as an adult, I look for shadows to cool off and avoid the heat of the sun.
God’s depiction of shadows in scripture to bring home a point: light dispels darkness. “This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) Analogous throughout the stories of the Bible is that light represents life and freedom, and darkness represents bondage and sin. And in the physical realm of the Earth, light actually creates shadows. It is a free will choice how we use them. We can look for the darkest corners to hide from the light, or we can experience a shadow’s chill, and seek the warmth of God’s marvelous light.
Hide’n’seek is childhood game best played at dusk. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, there is nowhere we can hide from the One who brings us life and freedom. In spite of our attempts to avoid exposure, Jesus already knows where we are.
~ Psalm 17:8 ~
“Keep me as the apple of the eye (which requires light to see), hide me under the shadow of thy wings.” (a refuge from evil)
Bobservations Column
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz
When fairly newly married, and my wife pregnant with our first-born, we wanted to purchase a house in which to raise our family. My parents both became excited about the prospect and my father in particular jumped in with both feet to help find a suitable house. And, find a house, he did.
The one Dad found was beyond our price range however, which simply frustrated us. But he toured the house; talked to the homeowner and their Realtor, and was convinced it was the right house for us. He encouraged us to submit the best offer we could, and we did.
We learned that a full-price offer had also been submitted. But a few days later, the Realtor called to say that our offer had been accepted! Dumb-founded, we bought the house, and stayed there for more than 20 years while we raised our sons.
How did Dad know? One might chalk this up to “Father Knows Best,” but the simple act of conversation gave him insight as to the house’s availability. The owners were anxious to sell. The full-price offer was based on the buyer selling home. Our lower offer was not contingent because we had already sold our home. The homeowner jumped at the chance to make sure the house would be sold in time for their scheduled move.
Some of what we celebrate on this Father’s Day is the loving guidance shown by our fathers. Honor, ethics, fairness, and many other traits we learn as a result of their example to us. That example, good or bad, has even brought many of us to Faith that we might be called the children of God.
God directed Abram out of his home town, and eventually directed him to a mountain “which I will tell thee of.” The specific purpose was a sacrifice, but the land of Moriah was the place where God led Abram to, and there God established a Kingdom, and a throne for all of Abram’s descendants. The world now calls the place Mount Zion, which translates to “Sunny Mountain.” On that mountain, the City of Jerusalem remains to be home to God’s Children.
Jesus said, “In my Father’s House are many mansions,…I go to prepare a place for you.” - John 14:2
