Good Morning, Meetpastordan readers: it’s good to be back on line.  I was in San Diego last week and did not have my lap top with me.  My intent was to use another while I was there, but that proved to be more problematic than I had anticipated. But I have to tell ya…I missed having the opportunity to write last week, so needless to say, I’m pumped up about getting started again. 

I had about a half dozen topics going through my head, but true to the methodology I outlined a few weeks ago, when I asked God to illuminate the path he wanted me to follow today,  “humility” was clearly the front-runner.  This is such an important topic, and certainly one I need to revisit often, so I believe this is a message for me today as much as for anyone else.  The reality is…this is not at all what I thought I was going to write about, so “my plan” will probably unfold at a later time.

The Bible is resplendent in its reference to humility.  Humility, by its very definition, is the result of being humble. We see it manifested in a person of meekness; modesty in behavior and attitude; deferential or submissive in respect; and unpretentiousness.  Humility can also be clearly defined by what it is not: arrogant, prideful, boastful or narcissistic.  “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5: 5-9)  When Jesus delivered this message two thousand years ago, it was absolutely contrary to worldly teaching.  And truth be told, it is equally hard for the world to grasp this message today.  Why?  Because this is God’s standard. It is contrary to worldly thinking.

In this fallen world in which we live, we are bombarded by a message that says it is all about “me”, “me” and more “me”.  We are told “you’re number one”; “you deserve a break today”; “go for the gusto!” “be all you can be”; “look out for yourself because no one else is going to look out for you”; “you get out of life what you put into life”, etc.  Is there wisdom in this thinking? Yes.  Does it require self-discipline? Certainly.  Well then…what’s the problem?  That answer is clearly and succinctly stated in John 3:30; “He must become greater and greater and I must become less and less.” 

That statement was made by John the Baptist when his followers came to him and questioned why more people were crossing the Jordan River to be baptized by the one John himself proclaimed as the Messiah rather than coming to John for baptism.  His answer showed an insight and a revelation about a “truth” that is rapidly fading from our culture today.  He recognized that his role was to “prepare a pathway for the Lord’s coming; to make straight a road for him.”  John’s role was to call the people to repentance: “Turn from your sins and turn to God.”  He knew he baptized only with water, but the Messiah baptized with “the Holy Spirit and with fire! (Matthew 3:3,11)  In other words, John displayed humility.  He recognized and accepted the difference between his role and Jesus’ role, and he thoroughly supported Jesus’ role.

The Bible takes great care to differentiate between our “sin nature” and “life in the spirit”.   That difference is the very essence of being a Christ-follower.  Let me reuse my best example of this.  When a baby comes out of the mother’s womb, the first response from the baby is to cry. And why is that?  Perhaps it’s the bright lights of the delivery room; perhaps he/she feels alone for the first time and wants to be held by the mother; perhaps he/she wants to be nursed?  For whatever the reason, the first realization of a new-born baby is the reality of “self”.  He/she needs something or wants something.  Therefore, it is entirely possible to go from the cradle to the grave with the focus entirely on “self”, unless, of course, one comes face to face with the reality that “it was my own carnal, lustful, self-centered thinking and actions that got me into this mess that I’m facing right now.  God help me!”

Bob George states in his book, Classic Christianity: “man was never created to be self-sufficient, but rather was created to be in relationship with God.”  The third step of the 12 Step recovery program restates this same message beautifully: “We became willing to turn our will and our life over to the care of God, as we understand Him.”  (I underlined “care” because it is imperative that one grasps the essence of this word.  Take note: it does NOT say “control”.  I am emphasizing that point because I stumbled with this step for a long time because I said “care” when I read it, but I heard “control” in my own head.  It was not until I got this straighten out that I could move on.) And what does a care-taker do for someone?  He looks out for their best interest, provides for their needs, keeps them safe, guides and protects them.  It is the same reason we turn to a financial advisor or have a lawyer on retainer.  So my next question is, “why limit ourselves by choosing a care-taker of only human proportions?”

I know how crazy that sounds to worldly thinking because admitting our own lack of self-sufficiency is generally viewed as a sign of weakness.  But I know where I found the answer because I was the person looking for that “something” that would make me “feel” whole, or to give me “a sense of” value.  And I was willing to follow the worldly path suggested to me.  I read a myriad of “self-help” books and talked to trained therapists.  But the conclusion (actually… I’ll be bold and say the “revelation”) that finally set me free was the same revelation expressed by John the Baptist in John 3:30 a few paragraphs above: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”  My problem was not a lack of me.  My problem was way too much focus on ME!

I will turn now to much better authors than myself to substantiate that reality.  Apostle Paul points out in 1Corinthians 1:18,21,25: “I know very well how foolish the message of the cross (God’s Gift of Salvation to all who will accept it) sounds to those who are on the road to destruction.  But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God.  Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe.  This “foolish” plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans.”  Then Jesus makes it perfectly clear that the truth of scripture is revealed through revelation by the Holy Spirit.  In John 14:16-17, He states: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth.  The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him.  But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”  And Apostle James tells us in 4:10, “When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.” (my underline for emphasis) 

Saint Augustine also stressed the importance of humility in Bible study.  He pointed out that only a humble person can grasp the truth of Scripture.  (DDC 2.41.62).  C.S. Lewis strengthens that truth when he writes in Mere Christianity “that pride is the ‘anti-god’ state, the position in which self and ego are directly opposed to God.”  It is in this same paragraph that we hear his famous statement: “humility is not thinking less of our self, but thinking of our self less.”

It is in humility that we realize our lack of self-sufficiency.  But take it from one who had to crash and burn before that message took root,  that does not have to be an “end of the story” condition.  In fact, a new door has just opened to all who will have the courage to walk through it because this is when we are most teachable.  And let us not forget that God did not create us to be self-sufficient apart from Him.  And that very truth is the stumbling block for the proud and arrogant.

But the good news is, God has told us that if we “seek him we will find him” (Jeremiah 29:13), and that “if we abide in him, he will abide in us”. (John 15:7) When we humbly accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have found the key that unlocks the treasure trove of all wisdom and truth.  The more we mature as a Christ-follower, the more our faith grows and the more we experience the peace and serenity we always wanted, but here-to-fore had been looking in all the wrong places.  Jesus Christ IS ALL we will ever need.  “He IS the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)   So the only way to win is to surrender our will to His will.  A-men!

So my question to you is: on a scale of 1-10, where are you on the humility chart?

May God bless ya, and feel free to respond to this posting, and please share this with other social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

Last week when I was at St. Patrick Center for my men’s class, one of the guys asked me if the “golden rule” was a direct quote from the Bible or if it was “just a social nicety”.  At first I thought that was an odd question, and quite frankly wasn’t sure about it being a direct quote.  But whether it is or not seemed irrelevant because “treating others as we would like to be treated” is the essence of all Biblical teaching. For this session the “golden rule” became the topic for the class discussion, and as usual, the discussion was lively.

At the outset most of the men felt the idea of “treating others as you would like to be treated” was a “good idea”, however they were quick to add, “but in reality…how many of us do that?”  The next question, as expected, was directed to me.  “Do you do that?” they asked. Humm…seemed to me the door was just opened for a teaching opportunity.

When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees, “which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses”, he replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.  All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” This, in essence, is the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

Under the Old Covenant, people tried to earn God’s acceptance by working hard to “meet” (or achieve”) the demands of the commandments. Under the New Covenant, our acceptance by God is not based on our behavior or our works, but on our new identity in Christ.  After we accepted God’s Gift of Grace, when He looks at us he sees us covered with the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 8:12 tells us: “And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins.”

But as another man in class was quick to point out, “How does that help me love the people I find downright un-loveable?” I pointed out that God’s Gift of Grace is perfect and that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are immediately grafted into God’s family.  Therefore we are heir to forgiveness of sin, eternal life AND the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  I then explained what that means.

The night before his crucifixion, Jesus looked at the twelve men in front of him and he knew they were a weak lot. But none-the-less, these are the same men that he would have to depend on to carry the message into the world of who he was, why he came, and what it means to mankind. The Gospel of John 14:15-18, relates these words to his disciples. “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him.  But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.  No!  I will not abandon you as orphans…”

Jesus knew that whatever strength, courage, wisdom, inspiration they had, they drew it from him, as clearly indicated by the last two sentences above, “he lives with you now and later will be in you. No! I will not abandon you as orphans…”  Jesus repeated this same promise when the disciples received the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20: “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Throughout the New Testament we are constantly reminded of the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is the part of God’s salvation package that enables us as Christ-followers to live up to His standard. And remember, God’s standard under the New Covenant is the same as the Old Covenant. The only difference now is “how” we meet His standard.

Under the Old Covenant it was about our work and effort. But unfortunately that work and effort did not erase our sin; it only covered it until the next Day of Atonement. Hebrews 10:1,10,14 clearly explains the contrast and the answer: “The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. For by that one offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy.”  And who are the ones being made holy?  Those of us who are in Christ!  And how long are we perfected? Forever!

Notice the tense of the word “making” in the last sentence of the scripture. Making indicates there is a process involved in “becoming” more Christ-like. And so it is for Christ-followers. It all begins with an effort…a conscious effort on our part to be different. Ephesians 2:10 describes clearly the maturation required for moving from a “new Christ-follower” to becoming His “masterpiece”. And it’s not about our effort any longer, but about asking the Holy Spirit to empower us to achieve God’s purpose.

So back to the original subject of loving those who we, for one reason or another, find un-loveable…Jesus was certainly well aware that this was a fallen world!  And he also knew that future disciples (those of us in Christ) would face the same challenges that the original twelve faced when it came to carrying His teaching into the world. That’s why he said he would not leave us as orphans. That’s why we still have Jesus’ spirit (the Holy Spirit) inside of us to empower us with wisdom, courage, strength, perseverance, patience, whatever it is we need, to “cast that mountain into the sea”. The Holy Spirit empowers us to handle challenging situations in a way that brings honor and glory to God.

Under the New Covenant, as Jesus pointed out, when our concern is about loving God and loving our fellow man, we automatically live the other eight commandments. For instance, if our concern is loving God and bringing honor and glory to him, we don’t take his name in vain; we don’t participate in idolatry by putting any other false god(s) in front of him; and we spend time in relationship with him. If we are concerned about loving our fellow man, we don’t bear false witness against him; steal from him; or become involved in an adulterous relationship with his spouse.

Let us not forget that the term “love” that is referenced in the Bible is agape love, which is quite different from the meaning of the term “love” that has become part of our culture’s lexicon. For instance we love chocolate; we love Fridays; we love classical music, or pop-art paintings. I mean, on some days we even love the Rams, right?  (but make no mistake, that is an example of conditional love!)

Apostle Paul clearly defines agape love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever…”  Now add to this that God’s love is unending, unfailing and nothing can separate us from His love. Now my friends, we get a glimpse of God’s love and what is expected of us in return. Is that impossible? Absolutely! Of our own volition it is impossible.  But when we call on the Holy Spirit to empower us to become the person God created us to be, we are already victorious!

1 John 4:4 sums up who we are today: “The Spirit that is in me (the Holy Spirit) is greater than the spirit that is in this world.” (satan)

And that, my Friends, is the only way we can live up to God’s standard in this fallen world.  But when we stand on the truth of 1John 4:4, we are in the process of becoming His masterpiece!

So my question to you is….do you rely on the Holy Spirit to empower you to be all that God wants you to be? Can you give some examples??

Feel free to respond to this posting, and feel free to share this with your social media friends.

May God Bless Ya…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever been to an action hero movie such as Star Wars or Superman?  The commonality of those two movies, and all movies of that genre, is the hero has an extraordinary power.  For instance, Luke Skywalker’s ability emanated from “the force” that was with him. And Superman was a “strange visitor from another planet who came to earth with power and ability far beyond that of mortal men.”  The hero always wins the battles and, of course, at the end of the movie always rides off into the sunset with the beautiful heroin.  And the moral of the story…good prevails over evil!

So the question is…how many of you have left the theater thinking, “Wow!  I wish I had that power and ability.  I wish I were an action hero!”  But then rational thinking kicks in and you admit to yourself, “oh, well…that was only a movie; it was a Hollywood creation and not reality!”  If you have experienced that thought process, I am here to enlighten you to a reality that involves a “power” much greater than that which Luke Skywalker of Superman experienced.  And the Good News is…that power is available to anyone who chooses to accept it.

The power I am talking about is also a supernatural power, but not a Hollywood creation.  Have you ever heard of Moses?  He parted the Red Sea with his staff so the Israelites could walk across on dry land and escape the Egyptian army that was in pursuit.  And what about David?  How could this boy of about fourteen years of age wrestle with and defeat lions and bears with his bare hands, not to mention killing the Philistine giant, Goliath, with a stone?  And what about Peter, the same disciple who denied Jesus three times; the disciple who was absent at the crucifixion because he was in hiding and fearful for his own life.  Well, this same fearful Peter, after being empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, spoke so boldly to a crowd of non-believers and saved three thousand that very day. (Acts 2)  These examples are only three of literally hundreds found in the Holy Bible that demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit and his transforming power.

No doubt Jesus died to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind.  That is God’s Gift of Grace to us.  But does that mean all of mankind is now saved?  It is imperative that you do not misunderstand the truth of this scriptural fact.  God provided the necessary sacrifice on our behalf because of his unconditional, unending, unfailing love for us.  However, that act from Him requires an act of faith from us, and that, My Friends, is our acceptance of his gift. Romans 3:22-25 explains this most clearly: “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  For we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.  For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty.  He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.  For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy His anger against us.  We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.” (underlining is mine.) 

In other words, when we admit our own insufficiency and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are immediately grafted into God’s family because of our new identity in Christ. And this new identity is possible only because of His Gift of Grace to us. We did nothing to earn it and we certainly didn’t deserve it. But that new identity promises us forgiveness of sin, eternal life, and makes us eligible for all the blessings in the spiritual realm and all of the blessings and promises throughout the Bible.

That is awesome news, Right?  However, the day after we accept God’s Gift of Grace, we awaken and discover we are still living in this fallen world.  Even though we have made a decision to turn our will and our life over to the care of God, our circumstances have not changed.  If we had financial, marital, legal, or employment problems, we still have them.  If we had a health issue, an emotional issue or an integrity issue, we still are faced with that “mountain”.  But what has changed is how we are going to deal with these matters.  Instead of being over-whelmed and totally perplexed by these issues, we now have a new source of power, wisdom and strength to guide and comfort us as we roll up our sleeves and dig in.  We now have the answer to everyone’s question…how do I let go and let God?

Knowledge of the Holy Spirit, what he is AND what he is not, is of utmost importance to successfully living the “Christian life” we called to live.  It is also the reason so many Christians fall short of that calling. (More on that later.)  But being a Christ-follower is a process, a growth process to be exact, that requires becoming more Christ-like as we pursue this new path.  2Corinthians 5:17 tells us that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, a transformation occurs: “Anyone who is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old is gone, the new has come.”  The “old” refers to shedding our sin nature, or as our culture describes it…our human nature.  The “new” refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live the life we are called to live.

This paragraph is the key to our success.  The Holy Spirit provides a new way for us to face life’s trials and tribulations. Instead of trying to rely on our self- sufficiency or worldly wisdom to tackle these problems, we now call on the Holy Spirit to empower us with courage, strength, wisdom, patience, perseverance, whatever it is we need, to be victorious in our effort. Notice the Holy Spirit does not fix our problems for us, but rather empowers us to be successful in a way that brings honor and glory to God.  This is an integral part of our growth process.  And the more we rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance, the more Christ-like we become.  Galatians 5: 17-18 spells this out most clearly: “The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.  But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer slaves to your sin nature.”  And Ephesians 2;10 talks about the transformation process that is taking place in us: “For we are (becoming) God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”   (And the moral of this story is: we do not rely on our own effort to solve the problem. Instead we  rely on our supernatural power  (the indwelling Holy Spirit)  to empower us to face and overcome life’s issues.  Hummm…isn’t that reminiscent of the action hero movie?)

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are spotless in God’s sight. And that distinction is not a result of our behavior or our actions, but because of our new identity.  Now we are in Christ, and that is the determining factor.  All of us will continue to stumble during the process of becoming more Christ-like, but as long as we get up and keep trudging down that path God has illuminated for us, in His eyes we are Saints!

As I mentioned earlier, I believe that lack of awareness of the Holy Spirit (who he is and what he does and does not do) is the reason so many Christians struggle with living the life we are called to live in this fallen world.  No doubt that calling is a challenge today, and no doubt we need all the help we can get to carry our God’s plan. But I make that statement based on my years to teaching the book “Classic Christianity” by Bob George.  Over the years I have discovered that even life-long Christians do not understand the power they have as Christians, and based on the “light-bulb” moments that occur throughout the classes, being exposed to empowering by the Holy Spirit is new information for most.

Therefore, if you are a member of a church that dwells on the “gospel of grace” and teaches about the power of the Holy Spirit and your new identity in Christ (THAT YOU ARE: forgiven, acceptable, worthy, grafted into God’s family, heir to all the promises in the Bible  as well as “all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm” (Ephesians 1: 3) and unconditionally loved (as opposed to being on “spiritual probation”, a term used by Pastor Ron Tucker last weekend at Grace Church St. Louis, and a term I have consequently borrowed), take time to thank God for that blessing.  This knowledge is absolutely indispensable when pursuing the abundant life Jesus promised all Christ-followers . (Ref. John 10:10)

I would like to close with this statement.  Because of your identity in Christ, you are not only guaranteed eternal life with God, Jesus and all other Christ followers but you can begin experiencing God’s Kingdom on Earth right here, right now.  Because you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, you are already guaranteed victory over this fallen world. 1John 4:4 tells us, “The Spirit that is in me (the Holy Spirit) is greater than the spirit of this world.” (satan)  If you would like even more encouragement, open the Bible to Ephesians and read 1:3-14, realizing that you are heir to every promise stated therein because you are in Christ!  In other words, if you are in Christ, you’re in!

So my question to you is…are you living the abundant life Jesus promised?  Why or why not?

Please feel free to respond to this posting, and please feel free to share this message with your social media friends.

May God bless your process of growth,

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

Good morning, my friends!  Even though it’s 0-dark:30,  I feel great this morning. Right before I fell asleep last night, I asked God to put on my heart the subject he wanted me to write about today. And in typical fashion, when I opened my eyes this morning, his directive was clear.  I’m not surprised this subject was illuminated because I have been talking about its importance recently with my clients. But as you will see, the profundity of the message can be viewed as a scriptural truth as well as Step 11 in the Twelve Step recovery program. Standing on this truth as part of our platform of faith will always serve us all well.

“We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out.” Every time I read this, as well as the other eleven steps, I am convinced that Bob Smith and Bill Wilson (the founders of AA) were also inspired by the Holy Spirit as they put this program together. The order of the steps, the scriptural foundation of each step, and the methodology contained therein is virtually flawless, as substantiated by the millions of people who have turned their lives around as a result of this approach.

Let’s examine in detail the truths contained in this step. “We sought” means we took the initiative to get into action. God tells us “if you seek me you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:13) And again in John 15:4, “Abide in me and I will abide in you.”  In other words, it’s up to us to initiate the process, but God states very clearly that he will join us in our endeavor.

And the way we connect with God is “through prayer and meditation.” Prayer is a time to praise God, a time to give thanks for his many blessings, a time to repent, a time to ask for his wisdom and guidance. The Bible has much to say about prayer. We are told in 1Thessalonians 5:16-17, “Always be joyful. Pray without ceasing.” James tells us, “when you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.” (James 4:10); and again in 5:16 he tells us, “the prayers of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” 

Prayer is our way of communicating with a loving God who wants nothing more than to hear from us. But communication is a two way endeavor. We pray to him giving thanks; asking for wisdom and guidance, or perhaps we are petitioning God. That’s our half of the endeavor. But the second part of the engagement is “meditation” – taking time to listen to what God has to say. And how many of us actually take time to do that?  We are told in Joshua 1:8: “God says to meditate on His word day and night so we will obey it.” The psalmist says “his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2).  It is imperative that we also take time to listen as well as to speak, as directed in Psalm 46:10, “Just be still and know that I am God.” 

The step goes on saying “to improve our conscious contact with God”.  I believe the key word here is “conscious”, meaning we initiate the communication with a purpose in mind. Perhaps we are facing a problem that needs attention. But the good news is…now we know where our source of wisdom and strength is found. We turn to God because we have established a relationship with him through prayer and meditation, and we have experienced the positive results. The enlightened perspective concerning this relationship can be found in John 3:30, “He must become greater and greater and I must become less and less.” Wow! How powerful is that? But when we rely on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to empower us to become the person God created us to be, that is exactly how it happens.

Next we are focused on “praying only for knowledge of His will for us”. Back in Step III of the Twelve Step program, “we made a decision to turn our will and our life over to the care of God, as we understood him.” We did that after admitting our powerlessness in dealing with our addiction (or any other life issues that contributes to our life being “unmanageable”), AND we came to realize our need for a higher power. When the reality sets in that the problem we are facing is most likely the result of our “self-will” run amuck, the more willing we are to surrender our will for His will. But you ask…how do we know what His will is?

Well, it begins in a state of humility (admitting our own insufficiency) and our willingness to seek His truth as found the Holy Bible. In this Book, God reveals himself to humanity; who he is, what he says, what he says about us, what his standard is, what his promises are, and how we achieve those promises. This book is the source of all truth and knowledge as stated by Apostle Paul in Colossians 2:2: “I want you to have full confidence because you have complete understanding (knowledge) of God’s plan, which is Christ himself. In him lay hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” And Paul reiterates that same message in Ephesians 17-18: “I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.  I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised…”

The more we grow in our knowledge of God’s unfathomable love for us and his desire for a relationship – an eternal relationship, the more crystal clear His will becomes. God’s will for all mankind is to accept his “Gift of Grace”, which is Jesus Christ. Being in-Christ is the answer to living the life God has called all us to live TODAY, and it is the only way to experience eternal life! Being in-Christ is the only answer. (Ref. Ephesians 1:3-14)

And the fourth and final part of Step 11 is “the power to carry it out.” God’s salvation plan for us is perfect. Not only are we assured eternal life with God, Jesus and all other Christ-followers, but he has empowered us to begin experiencing His Kingdom on Earth right here, right now.  And how do we do that? We now have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to become the person God created us to be.  That is how we overcome addictions; gain confidence and courage; rearrange our priorities in life; redefine our self-image; and become the “masterpiece” referred to in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are now God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”  This is also how we begin experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised us in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly (to the fullest. NLT)

For clarity sake, Jesus is referring to a life that is spirit-driven. Paul defines this life-style in Galatians 5:22,“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this is us; love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Let’s contrast that with the life we all lived before we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Paul tells us in Galatians 5:19-21 “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature (human nature), your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, hatred, out-bursts of anger, selfish ambitions, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin.” Any of that sound familiar?

Step 11 is built on such solid Biblical principles, I believe it should be a staple in every Christ-followers platform of faith.  Because we are in Christ, we are already assured victory over the world. 1John 4:4 tells us “the Spirit that is in me (the Holy Spirit) is greater than the spirit in this world.” (satan).  If you accept that verse as God’s truth, it’s time to step out in faith and begin living the abundant life Jesus promised all of his followers. It’s an awesome way to live!

Belated Merry Christmas to one and all, and Happy New Year too!  Feel free to share this posting with your other social media friends, and feel free to respond to me regarding this posting.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

Yesterday I had the opportunity to be part of a wonderful group of people who understand and were willing to display the value of giving.  We came together under the banner of “concerned musicians for the restoration of Ferguson”, and forty three of us went to Ferguson with the sole intention of bringing the joy of the season and the true spirit of Christmas to a community that has been ravaged by the ugliness of anger, frustration and hatred. 

The collective spirit of “good will” was sky-high among the musicians.  Smiles were plentiful and the attitude of “compassion and the desire to serve” could not be contained.  Even after an hour of playing (in “chilly” weather, I might add), the comments center on how great it felt to be part of the experience.  One member wrote in a note to me last night, “frozen fingers but warm hearts.  I was thrilled to be there!”

That, my friends, is the true meaning of Christmas.  It’s a time for giving and for sharing. Jesus certainly exemplified “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) through his actions, and he wasn’t necessarily referring to material gifts.  Giving and serving others reflects the state of our heart, and if we have the teachings of Jesus in our heart, we intuitively have the desire to serve our fellow man.  And what did Jesus teach?  Love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness and service to others.

In our culture the term “love” has gotten watered down to the point of being almost meaningless.  For instance, we love our pets; we love our jobs; we love this song or that song; we love ice cream.  In fact, sometimes we even love the Rams?  (an example of conditional love!)  But in the original Greek language of the Bible, there were four words to designate four different levels of love.

The term Eros indicated a physical attraction, a sensual-type of love.  That is the root word for our term “erotic”.  Philia indicated a deeper love; a friendship; valuing the “whole person”.  That is the root word for our term “Philadelphia”, meaning “city of brotherly love.” Storge indicated a familiar-type love between parents and their children or between siblings.  It is sometimes referred to as a “natural love”.  But Agape  love is the highest form of love.  It is self-sacrificial love, the type of love Jesus demonstrated when he was here on this very earth.  Apostle Paul shared with us the true meaning of agape love in 1 Corinthians, 13: 4-8.

“Love is patient, love is kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  Love does not demand its own way.  Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth prevails.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.  Love will last forever.” 

Wow!  How powerful are those words!  And Wow! again…those words do indeed set the bar particularly high.  Higher in fact that I am capable of achieving. But truth be told…higher than any of us are capable of achieving.

Through the world’s view, these same words sound “nice”, but in fact are pure jibberish, as substantiated by the astronomical divorce rate. (Sidebar: depending on where you or I look for this statistic, that number will vary based on a myriad of factors.  But based on a fair amount of snooping, I am comfortable saying is it is between 52% and 61%)  The point is, in our culture, when there is trouble or something has “run its course”, it’s easier and certainly more acceptable today to bail because after all, we have every “right” to search for that perfect “soul mate” so we can be “all we can be!”  Need I point out that we live in a self-serving culture?

But as Christ-followers, we are called to strive toward agape love, the same way we are called to live up to the Beatitudes as pronounced by Jesus in his  “sermon on the mount”. Now talk about impossible!  Geeeesh.

I have pointed out many times before, as Christ-followers we can begin experiencing Heaven on Earth right here and now because we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to empower us to do what we absolutely could not do of our own volition.  That is how we can be humble yet powerful; how we can bite our tongue when we want to lash out; how we can forgive our enemies; how we can live up to the standard of agape love.

But this is a process.  Our goal is to strive to become more Christ-like each day.  And will we fall short?  Absolutely!  But as long as we get up and keep asking the Holy Spirit to empower us to be the person God created us to be, we can continue to strive toward becoming the “masterpiece” Paul refers to in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Whether one has the teachings of the world or the love of Jesus in their heart is blatantly obvious.  Paul points out the glaring difference in the Book of Galatians.  “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature (our culture refers to this same state as “human nature”), your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, hatred, out-bursts of anger, selfish ambition, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other kinds of sin.”  He then warns us, “Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (5:19-21)

He then compares that sinful state to a Spirit-filled state.  “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (5:22-23)

What Ferguson witnessed three weeks ago and what they saw yesterday was the previous two paragraphs playing out.  The contrast is undeniable.  One event brought a smile to God’s face; the other brought a tear to his eye.  One heart was filled with worldly teachings; the other heart was filled with the teachings of Jesus.  Therefore, in my humble opinion, the state of our heart determines who we are.

My Christmas wish for this season is that everyone reading this would pray for a revelation in our culture to the age-old proclamation: “Repent. Turn from your sins and turn to God”.  I believe the solution to our culture’s downward spiral does not rest in such terms as Republican, Democrat, liberal or conservative, but only the revelation of our need for a loving, powerful God.

Merry Christmas to one and all, and let’s pray for a better New Year.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

When my alarm went off today a 0-dark:30, I hopped out of bed with an unusual spunk in my get-along!  I still had the concert music ringing in my head from the Saint Louis Wind Symphony’s performance yesterday at the Foundry Art Center in St. Charles, MO.  We played a wonderful Christmas concert to a very enthusiastic audience.  Nothing puts me in the Christmas mood more than Christmas concerts.

And next week many of those same musicians, plus friends from three other community bands in the area, are joining me and Pam in Ferguson, MO to bring “A Christmas Present to Ferguson”.  Forty-plus (and growing) musicians have volunteered, under the collective banner of “concerned musicians for the restoration of Ferguson”, to come together to share the joy of this season with a community that has been besieged by the face of Evil.  Our agenda is to celebrate the birth of Jesus and the re-birth of Ferguson.  1John 3:18 tells us, “we are to do more than profess our love for our fellow man; we are to show it by our actions.”  This extraordinary group of musicians have stepped up to answer that charge!

The Christmas season is, as the song says…“the most wonderful time of the year”. And how could it not be?  It’s all about loving and giving, which only reflects the nature of our awesome God!  We are told in in 1John 4:19, “we love because he first loved us.”

I have written many times that I believe the two fundamental principles from which everything else in the Bible germinates is: God is love; and God wants a relationship with us.   We are told in the first chapter of Ephesians that “even before the world was created, God had a plan”.(Vs. 4)  And that plan was to send a Savior to do for man what man would prove without a shadow of a doubt he was incapable of doing for himself.  Romans 5:6,9 reinforces that last statement: “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Jesus, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment.” That’s what this season is all about.  It’s about God’s Gift of Grace and the restoration of a fallen mankind to God!  What could possibly be a greater gift than that?

But the arrogance of man is still alive and well.  The thought of a sovereign God; an omnipotent, omniscient God; God the creator…those attributes are so far outside man’s paradigm of thinking that rational thought will never grasp the reality of who He is.  His Word tells us that truth is only revealed through seeking and revelation.  But because God IS all of those “qualities” (and so much more), He knew man would struggle with those issues. That’s why he spoke through the Prophet Isaiah and stated; “My thoughts are not your thoughts; my ways are not your ways.  As high as the heavens are above the earth, my ways are not your ways, and  my thoughts are not your thoughts.”  And Psalm 46:10 tells us,“just be still and know that I am God.”  I believe these two scriptures are God’s way of saying, “don’t try to figure me out.  You’ll never be able to do it through your limited capability!”

The same lie Satan used in the Garden to seduce Eve is the same lie he still uses today to separate man from God.  “…your eyes will be opened…you will become just like God.” (Genesis 3:5)  In other words, you won’t need God.  You’ll be totally sufficient.  And the more he can convince us we are “all we need”, satan has us right where he wants us; WORKING HARD TO BE ALL THAT WE CAN BE.

Apostle Paul addresses this beautifully in 1Corinthians, 1:18 when he states: “I know very well how foolish the message of the cross (salvation) sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God.  As the Scriptures say ‘I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.”   I can personally relate to that statement.

Before I became a follower of Jesus Christ I considered myself a pretty smart guy. I was, after all, a college professor.  I must be a smart guy!  But I gotta tell ya, the story of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Grace sounded like a fairy tale to me. I enthusiastically proclaimed on many occasions, “How can any rational, logical, intelligent person (like myself) be expected to believe such nonsense?”  Well, today I realize  my shortcoming was simply this…I had not been exposed to the truth.  I had not connected the dots to realize who God IS and who Jesus Christ IS.  In other words, I was full of myself, but ignorant of the truth.

Man has always taken the truth of God’s Word and tried to create a grey area around it so there is some wiggle-room to pursue his own agenda with impunity.  In this fallen world, where secular pursuits are popular and political correctness is rampant, the less restraint we have from those old musty, out of date rules called the Ten Commandments, the easier it is to rewrite morality according to the worlds standard.  Simply put…the truth of God’s Word is inconvenient to the way our culture has chosen to live.

Therefore, when it comes to the Christmas season and the celebration of the birth of the Messiah; a King; a Savior; the Son of God…it distracts from the material values of the world.  Our culture can relate much more to shopping and amassing material possessions than it can to a virgin birth in a stable two thousand years ago.  Sad as that is…it’s unfortunately true.

So when we take the love of God through Jesus Christ out of Christmas, it’s a dangerous step toward eradicating the concept of love for our fellow man, compassion, mercy, grace and forgiveness.  Why?  Because all of those qualities are the very essence of Jesus Christ.  And what standard will we be left with?  Galatians 5 sums it up very clearly: “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature (our culture calls this your “human nature”), your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, envy, drunkenness and other kinds of sin.  Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.” (CAPS are my emphasis)

That is why Christmas celebrations like the one at the Foundry yesterday and the up-coming one in Ferguson next Sunday are so important.  When we keep the true “reason for the season” in our hearts, we exude the values of love for our fellow man, compassion, mercy, goodness, grace and peace.  I firmly believe that if the pilots flying the planes on 9/11 would have had the teachings of Jesus in their hearts, 9/11 would never have happened.  The same can be said for the ugliness that erupted in Ferguson.

Jesus IS the only reason for the season.  Come out and help us celebrate that truth next Sunday in Ferguson.

Merry Christmas to Y’all…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 One of the qualities of the Bible that speak to its undeniable authenticity is the prophecies.  While there are hundreds of history books on every subject imaginable, this Book is resplendent with examples of prophetic words predicting future events that have been fulfilled with pin-point accuracy.  Hundreds of prophecies throughout the Bible have already been fulfilled, as evidenced by Jesus statement in Matthew 5:17-18, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come.  I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth pass away, even the smallest detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose is fulfilled.”  And we must not minimize the last part of that statement. “Until heaven and earth pass away…until its purpose is fulfilled” tells us that some prophecies have not yet been fulfilled, and it also tells us that some could be repeated. 

I have written a few times before about the crazy world in which we live, and have unabashedly laid it at the feet of a culture that is both morally and spiritually bankrupt.  How did we get to this place so quickly?  Even as a child and into my twenties, boundaries of decency still existed. But today, what used to be revered and held as sacred is now mocked, ridiculed and vilified.  What used to be tasteless, shameful, or down-right disgusting is now center stage and basking in the spotlight!  And that is not an innocuous statement!  Unfortunately it includes life and death matters.  So how did this happen?  Is it because as a culture we have been both numbed-down and dumbed-down by “political correctness?”  Humm?

I now want to turn your attention to Psalm 2, written about a thousand years before the birth of Christ. I heard Pastor Ron Tucker from Grace Church St. Louis preach on this subject yesterday and it inspired me to share this with you today.   The God of Israel spoke through David and gave a very clear picture of coming events.  As you read this Psalm, ask yourself if the parameters outlined for the coming events are as evident in the world  today as when David received this prophecy.   The famous English preacher, Charles Spurgeon refers to this Psalm as a Drama in four acts.

1.Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans?

2.The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the

   Lord and against his anointed one.

3.“Let us break Their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from this slavery”.

Act 1. Vs.1-3  The kings and rulers of the earth defy God.  They counsel together against him and against His anointed one (Messiah, Christ). “Let us break Their chains (God’s Word) in pieces and free ourselves from this slavery.” His truth is too confining…too contrary to the way we want to live.  We need to be free of these rules so we can set our own standards of morality. After all…we are self-sufficient: we can be our own god(s).

4. But the one who rules in heaven laughs.  The Lord scoffs at them.

5.Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury.

6. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in

    Jerusalem, my holy city.”

Act 2. Vs. 4-6 The Lord responds.  He laughs at their arrogance and sets himself against their plans.  They experience his terrifying wrath and fury.  The Lord has already placed his anointed one (“my chosen king”) on the thrown of his New Jerusalem (Hebrew: Zion, my holy mountain). Jesus will return in triumph.

7. The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son.

    Today I have become your Father.

8. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the

    earth as your possession.

9. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.”

Act 3. Vs. 7-9 Jesus prays in agreement with the Lord’s decree.  Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, has been given authority over all of his Kingdom on Earth. He will destroy all enemies and will reign forever!

10. Now then, you kings, act wisely!  Be warned you rulers of the earth!

11. Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed

      in the midst of your pursuits – for his anger can flare up in and instant.

      But what joy for all who find protection in Him.

Act 4.  Vs, 10-12  David prophesies (warns).  He warns the rulers of the world to act wisely; to serve the Lord with reverent fear.  He is very clear about the penalty for rejecting the anointed one, Jesus: “you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits!”   But God shows his love and mercy until the very end: “But what joy for all who find protection in Him.”

The message of this Psalm is crystal clear.  When rulers and nations turn against God and reject his Word and his only begotten Son, “you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits.”  Just look at the results of a concerted effort to remove God and his Word from our culture and the new morality that is becoming the norm.  Or look at the assault on Christianity world-wide and the hatred and Evil that is replacing the message of  love and Goodness.

God has spoken.  It will happen, and history has shown that to be true. Throughout the Bible when people or nations were in line with God’s will, they were blessed.  When they were out of line with his will, they experienced the wrath of God.  This Psalm is as much of a message to our world today as when it was written.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are his body.  Let us pray in His name for revelation of his truth, not only in our country but throughout the world.  And let us also ask for wisdom, courage and strength to carry the Gospel of Grace to unbelievers we know so they too can experience His love, mercy and grace.  Matthew 24:35 tells us: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will last forever.”   And Hebrews 13:8 tells us: “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.”     A-men!

My question for you is…Have you experienced His love, mercy and grace?  Have you shared that blessing?

Feel free to respond to this message, and please share it with other social media outlets. May God Bless Ya…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day, meetpastordan.com  Readers:  Following last week’s blog entitled “Ferguson – Our Time for Action”, I said I would follow up with you on ways in which we might become involved in serving the innocent victims of Ferguson.  I began by looking at organizations that were already set-up to coordinate such activities and ways we might plug into what they were already doing, but that proved to be much more difficult than I had thought.  I got various leads, and we tried to follow up on all leads, but many did not do what I had in mind – which was to ask the business owners  “how we could be of assistance to them?” or “what do you need?”  Then a few leads never returned my inquiry.

Midway through the week, I found myself pulled in a completely different direction, thinking of what we might do to help heal the wounds of all the residents of Florissant. After talking with a friend of mine who is in the Clergy in Ferguson, we decided to focus on a Christmas gift to the City of  Ferguson.  We are now in the planning stages for such an event.  While there are still loose ends, the target date is Sunday, December 21^st.  The event is to be a surprise, so I don’t want to divulge any more information at this time. But as things get solidified, I will provide more details and ways you might become involved.

The whole purpose of my blog on December 1^st was to find –or make – an opportunity to show the face of love and compassion to the people of Ferguson.  That has not changed.  Please continue praying for peace and healing in Ferguson, Mo.

Good Day, Friends of “meetpastordan.com”.  I just received a jolt as I prepared to start writing this week’s blog.  I was reviewing something in the back office of my website and discovered – unbeknownst to me – this will be blog no. 71!  Wow!!  If anyone would have verbalized that as a possibility when the website was under construction, I would have laughed at them.  In fact, I twice opted out of even having a blog section on the website because I would be the first to admit…I Never Ever considered myself to be a writer.  Truth be told, I didn’t even like the arduous task of writing. But I kept wrestling with the blog idea; it wouldn’t go away, so I finally relented.

So here is the truth behind each week’s blog.  From week one until about fifteen minutes ago, the process has always been the same.  In my dimly lit office in the wee hours of the morning, I take a couple sips of coffee, pet Glenn and Cliff on the head, lean back in my chair and remain quiet for a few moments.  Then I pray; “God…give me the subject you want me to write about.  Then I ask Him to help me to get out of the way so the Holy Spirit can work through me to produce a product that brings honor and glory to Him.”  After a few more moments of “being still and knowing that He is God”, I assume the position behind my keyboard and away “we” go.  My role in this blogging endeavor has never changed; I show up each week and am a willing participant in the process.  Whatever happens next is way beyond my capability.

Sometimes subjects are so obvious even I can see them.  And such has been the case with Ferguson this past week. From last Monday evening until today, there has been no shortage of events to write about, but when I asked God to light the path he wanted me to follow, his answer was a bit of a surprise.  As I understood his directive, it was this: “Two weeks ago I gave you and action plan.  This week, I want you to call that plan into action.”  As I pondered that directive, its perfection became obvious:  we are called to be God’s light in this dark world.   Galatians 6:9 puts it this way; “Let us never tire of doing  good…”  This IS our opportunity! (Refer to November 17: http://meetpastordan.com/ferguson-our-opportunity/)

Satan will try to use any situation to his advantage. And as I predicted in the blog referenced above, nothing did escape the spot-light of the media. If you turned on your television even once in the past week, you saw for yourself how this tragedy has been sensationalized. From those who claimed to be victims of injustice shouting “burn the bitch to the ground” to a bands of marauders breaking windows, entering private businesses with the intention of looting – then igniting fires before they left – we saw an “up close and personal” view of Evil. Luke 6:45 tells us, “A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart.  Whatever is in your heart determines what you say” and what you do.  Satan and his evil minions certainly made their presence known in Ferguson this past week.

No doubt the initial situation regarding the shooting of Mike Brown by Officer Darren Wilson was a tragedy. But within hours the matter became so convoluted with extraneous agendas; racial overtones; distrust and hatred, the core issue seemed to lose its predominance as the reasons for unrest expanded.  The desire for justice “claimed” to be the central theme, but what about the merchants and small business owners?  They did nothing to deserve the punishment inflicted on them by mob-rule! They were innocent victims.  Does the mob’s desire for “justice” take precedence over other people’s rights??

The lawless behavior we witnessed during this fiasco has left in its aftermath a new class of victims: innocent business owners and the people they employ.  They had nothing to do with the original tragedy. They just happened to be ambitious, committed merchants who wanted to contribute to Ferguson and its future.  Through some deranged thought process, they were singled out as “an example of what is wrong” in Ferguson?; in America?; in the world?  Who knows!  But in the collective mind of the frenzied mob, someone owed them something and someone was going to pay!  The face of Evil has reared its ugly head in Ferguson.  Now it’s OUR time for action.  Good WILL conquer Evil!

I believe it’s time to turn the focus away from political agendas and racial overtones that have shrouded this tragedy from day one, and to focus squarely on helping the new victims of this tragedy. It is also the time for US, as Christ-followers, to show up with a message of hope for the entire community of Ferguson.  We have seen Evil.  Now it’s time to show the love of Jesus.  We want to be part of the rebirth of Ferguson.  We are committed to loving our neighbor and to serving our fellow man.  What can we do to help?  To be a Christ-follower is much more than a label.  It’s a way of living, and we must seize this opportunity to show the face of love and compassion.

My plan was to invite you to a strategic planning meeting so we could work together on how we could best show up as “Jesus’ Disciples for the Rebirth of Ferguson”.  My wife and I had already outlined an agenda, but yesterday I heard of a respected organization that is doing just what I have been talking about, so I have a call into them regarding how, or if, we can plug into what they already have established.  There is really no reason to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.  As soon as I have more information, I will send out another notice in the next few days.

In the interim, I would like to ask each of you reading this to ask God how you can best  serve the needs of those innocent victims or what you can bring to Ferguson to help it get pointed toward a bright future.  We all have talents that would be most useful and appreciated. Please ask God to guide your path to a commitment of action.  It’s our time to “be the sermon”.

More details will come in a few days.

May God direct your path in this matter of loving and serving your fellow man.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

If one is bold enough to talk about truth, one first has to define what truth he is talking about. And there are many truths (or laws), such as the law of gravity, mathematics, physics, aero-dynamics, electricity, nature…even truths of life (ie. if you place your hand on a hot surface, you will get burned; if you disturb a hornet’s nest, you’d better run). And why are they truths (or laws)? Because they never change!

But for my purpose, I am talking about God’s truth as found in the Word of God. The derivation of the term “Word” comes from the Greek word “logos”, which means logic or rational thinking. In other words, the Word of God is God’s truth; it tells us who He is, how He thinks, what he thinks about us, what his standards are, what his promises are, and how we can achieve those promises. And truth be told…without opening the Book, we will never be able to grasp with our finite reasoning the magnitude of God’s love, truth and amazing Grace. And He was specific about this when he spoke through the Prophet Isaiah and stated, “My ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts. As high as the heavens are above the earth, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways.” (Isaiah 55:8)

In John 8:32, Jesus told his disciples, “if you follow my teachings, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” As I read that powerful message, I see four distinct parts: 1. “If you”...are you willing to participate in the process of following? It all starts with our willingness to participate. 2. “follow MY teachings”…Jesus was very specific about what teachings we are to follow. 3. “you will know the truth”; Jesus was the perfect representative of God’s word in everything he said and did. John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He was full of grace and truth.” 4. “and the truth will set you free”… it is KNOWING GOD’S TRUTH that sets us free.”

And what did Jesus teach? He taught about loving and honoring God; loving our neighbor; forgiveness, mercy, grace, servant leadership, and the pathway to eternal life. Jesus was very specific in John 14:6; “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Is that exclusive? No…the invitation is open to all mankind. But the choice is ours.

Now that I have defined the “truth” I want to write about, let me share another truth with you. Ready? NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR THE TRUTH! And why is that? Because it is contrary to the way they have chosen to live their life. Remember the rich man that asked Jesus what he had to do enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Once he heard the sacrifice required, he turned and walked away. That same mindset exists today. If the truth becomes inconvenient and conflicts with a lifestyle, or perhaps an agenda, sometimes people walk away, or sometimes they begin the process of redefining or manipulating the truth.

Let’s look at our social climate today. In terms of Jesus’ teaching as outlined above, let’s compare that with the current anger and hatred of other people and other ideas; the name-calling and labeling; the finger-pointing; the lack of personal responsibility; the lying, cheating and stealing at all levels; the vilifying of achievement and success; the increasing sense of hopelessness; the decline of honor and integrity in our leadership and our pathetic acceptance of that as, “just the way it is today” by a culture that has been both numbed down and dumbed down! Then there is the constant bombardment by a liberal-progressive agenda that calls into question the fundamental principles on which our country was founded and shrouds moral and ethical questions with a hefty “grey area” thus permitting particular agendas to move forward by questioning the value, validity and cultural relevance of “the Truth” as outlined above. Think about it. What used to be revered and held as sacred is now mocked, ridiculed and vilified. What used to be tasteless, shameful, or even down-right disgusting is now center stage and basking in the spotlight.

For a specific example, let’s look at the sixth Commandment: Thou shalt not kill. Those four words are not hard to understand. It’s even hard to misinterpret the intended meaning. So how does that Commandment line up with the supported view of abortion? Well, they begin by taking the emphasis off of “killing” and put it on the object of abortion. “Does life really begin at conception?” “When does it progress from a mass of cells to actually becoming a baby?” “Will this mass inside of me feel the abortion process?” The greater the “grey area” around the issue, the more room to redefine and manipulate the issue.

Since I believe our culture’s problem is a spiritual problem, I believe the answer can only be found in a spiritual awakening founded on the truth of God’s Word. But that will take an incredible commitment and more than a modicum of courage, because the unfortunate trend in many church communities today is to preach a message that “feels good”, but steers clear of the controversial issues that have contributed to our moral decay. In fact, some well-known preachers have spoken freely about the need for scriptures to be up-dated to be more culturally relevant. I can only refer to Matthew 24: 35; “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will endure forever.”  It seems clear to me that God’s intention is for a culture to adapt to His Truth rather than His Truth being modified to accommodate a culture.

If you belong to a church community that preaches the full Gospel of Grace and has the commitment and courage to stand strong on the truth of God’s Word, consider yourself blessed. I am a member of Grace Church St. Louis and that church exemplifies the truth of the first sentence. I believe our culture is ready for – no, even desperate for – The Truth. That is why I am so proud to be part of that church family.

So the question frequently asked by our culture is, “What is truth?” It is interesting to note that was the same question Pilate, the Roman governor, asked Jesus. Jesus’ answer was, “I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” (John 18: 37) Acts 4:12 will put the period at the end of this posting. “There is salvation in no one else! (but Jesus) There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them.”

So my question to you is…have you accepted the truth of Jesus? Is He your Lord and Savior?

May God Bless ya, and feel free to share this with other social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)