Bishop Wills’ Life Journal Entry for October 31, 2007: “Worldly Concerns”
October 31, 2007
Worldly Concerns
S: Mark 8:3
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.
O: When Peter rebukes Jesus for saying he will die and then be raised again, Jesus is clear about his role. He belongs to God only. He is not here just to lead a joyful group of followers to heaven, but rather to teach them about denying themselves and following his teachings and life no matter what the cost. They have yet to really love God with all their hearts. They have only earthly concerns right now.
A: This morning as I sit here, I am filled with so many earthly concerns and feel stretched and out of balance. As much as I want to love God completely, I feel tired and unconnected to be able to lead either Conference well. My earthly concerns about people and the functioning of both Conferences rob me of being able to really spend time with God and learning to love God with all my heart.
Even as I sit here this morning with the Lord, my mind is flooded with many concerns and how to meet the many needs which are before me.
I think what this is teaching me is to let God and others come along side of me to help in ways I cannot right now. Right now I must be concerned only with the concerns of God. I want to feel the power and leading of the Holy Spirit so that my heart will be as soft as it can be so I can be a vessel of God’s love to those around me and to those who I have not yet met.
The disciples worried too much about bread and not enough about what Jesus was teaching them. He fed to big groups of 4,000 or more with only a tiny bit of food. The disciples get in the boat and they worry about not having any bread when the “bread of life” is right there with them.
I think the Lord is saying to me this morning, if I spend time letting Jesus touch my heart, then the human concerns will work out by following Jesus completely.
P: Father I ask for you only to guide my life. Help me today focus on you and to let go of worldly things which take more of my heart than I give to you.
Love,
Dick
Y: I will seek to be led by the Holy Spirit today and to trust God’s love in my heart to guide my path today.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Bishop Wills' Life Journal Entry for October 22nd, "Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing"
S: Acts 15:9--He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
O: One group called the Judaizers said that salvation in Christ must be built upon the foundation of the Law of Moses. The second group, led by Paul, said that obeying the Law was not necessary at all for salvation. Christ himself was enough. Jesus himself fulfilled the Law and to accept him with your whole heart was all that mattered.
A: As I sit here this morning, I am aware of the customs each church has in our local churches. These customs are important and we should try our best to uphold those customs as long as they are not contrary to Scripture. Even with the customs of each local church, I am convinced that the new life is by faith in Christ. Salvation is not by works but by grace, the free gift of God.
I know in my own life as a pastor, I like certain customs in a local church to be followed. But this morning I am convinced that local church traditions are to be respected. Most local church traditions contain the wisdom of the past and those traditions should be respected by new clergy and new persons who have accepted Christ as their savior.
Sometimes local church traditions are not of wisdom nor of Scripture. If we are not careful they become chains which burden people down and actually keep persons from knowing this new life in Christ. One church I served had a policy against having women ushers. As the pastor I had to be patient and keep teaching the importance of women in the life of the New Testament Church. I kept suggesting for 5 years. Then one day the head usher invited a woman to be an usher with the men. One man quit our church. The other men came to find this woman had the gift of hospitality and everyone loved her. While a bit uncomfortable with the change in tradition, our church became better and soon children and youth were ushers as well. Men only ushers was a tradition which is not supported in the New Testament and this tradition had to be changed. Thus is the patient loving work of the pastor and the Holy Spirit.
P: Lord, change whatever is binding me from following Christ completely in my life. Give me a loving spirit which You will use to help us “keep the main thing, the main thing” (which is new life in Jesus Christ).
Love, Dick
Y: I give up anything which blocks people from knowing Jesus.
S: Acts 15:9--He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
O: One group called the Judaizers said that salvation in Christ must be built upon the foundation of the Law of Moses. The second group, led by Paul, said that obeying the Law was not necessary at all for salvation. Christ himself was enough. Jesus himself fulfilled the Law and to accept him with your whole heart was all that mattered.
A: As I sit here this morning, I am aware of the customs each church has in our local churches. These customs are important and we should try our best to uphold those customs as long as they are not contrary to Scripture. Even with the customs of each local church, I am convinced that the new life is by faith in Christ. Salvation is not by works but by grace, the free gift of God.
I know in my own life as a pastor, I like certain customs in a local church to be followed. But this morning I am convinced that local church traditions are to be respected. Most local church traditions contain the wisdom of the past and those traditions should be respected by new clergy and new persons who have accepted Christ as their savior.
Sometimes local church traditions are not of wisdom nor of Scripture. If we are not careful they become chains which burden people down and actually keep persons from knowing this new life in Christ. One church I served had a policy against having women ushers. As the pastor I had to be patient and keep teaching the importance of women in the life of the New Testament Church. I kept suggesting for 5 years. Then one day the head usher invited a woman to be an usher with the men. One man quit our church. The other men came to find this woman had the gift of hospitality and everyone loved her. While a bit uncomfortable with the change in tradition, our church became better and soon children and youth were ushers as well. Men only ushers was a tradition which is not supported in the New Testament and this tradition had to be changed. Thus is the patient loving work of the pastor and the Holy Spirit.
P: Lord, change whatever is binding me from following Christ completely in my life. Give me a loving spirit which You will use to help us “keep the main thing, the main thing” (which is new life in Jesus Christ).
Love, Dick
Y: I give up anything which blocks people from knowing Jesus.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Bishop Wills' Life Journal for October 10, 2007 - "Baruch and Billy Carr"
S: Nehemiah 3:20
Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
O: Everyone had to work on the wall and everyone was happy about it , especially Baruch.
A: This morning I think how hard and what a big task it was to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. It would seem to me to big a task for such a small group of people without building skills. But because the people who were there had a leader who could see what could be with faith in God, they believed God had a better future in store for them. The wall could be rebuilt!
Obviously Baruch caught the writer’s eye. He not only worked on the wall, but was doing it like Billy Carr (a layman who led our VIM team to rebuild a house in Mississippi). He could do the work of 10 ordinary men. I only saw piles of lumber and he and his crew could see what it would look like and mean to the family when finished. Billy kept reminding our team what we were doing was for God and God would see that we finished what was to be done.
I hope to have that kind of leadership when it comes to our pastors and churches. So many only see what is in front of them i.e. a declining church in maintenance mode. I want them to see what can be and will be if they trust God with all their heart. I want our lay people to see their church as a mission not a fortress.
P: Father, this morning I pray for the spirit of Baruch and Billy Carr. Help this spirit spread to all our churches. Help each of do something great for God.
Love, Dick
Y: I will not settle with what is.
S: Nehemiah 3:20
Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
O: Everyone had to work on the wall and everyone was happy about it , especially Baruch.
A: This morning I think how hard and what a big task it was to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. It would seem to me to big a task for such a small group of people without building skills. But because the people who were there had a leader who could see what could be with faith in God, they believed God had a better future in store for them. The wall could be rebuilt!
Obviously Baruch caught the writer’s eye. He not only worked on the wall, but was doing it like Billy Carr (a layman who led our VIM team to rebuild a house in Mississippi). He could do the work of 10 ordinary men. I only saw piles of lumber and he and his crew could see what it would look like and mean to the family when finished. Billy kept reminding our team what we were doing was for God and God would see that we finished what was to be done.
I hope to have that kind of leadership when it comes to our pastors and churches. So many only see what is in front of them i.e. a declining church in maintenance mode. I want them to see what can be and will be if they trust God with all their heart. I want our lay people to see their church as a mission not a fortress.
P: Father, this morning I pray for the spirit of Baruch and Billy Carr. Help this spirit spread to all our churches. Help each of do something great for God.
Love, Dick
Y: I will not settle with what is.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Bishop Wills’ Life Journal for October 8, 2007 – “Not the buildings but the hearts of people is what has eternal significance”
Not The Buildings, But The Hearts of People Is What Has Eternal Significance.
S: Luke 21: 5-6
One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, “All this you are admiring so much – the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of ruble. (The Message)
O: Every church one day will die and the building will no longer be a church.
A: It is important that we take good care of our churches. How our church looks says something important about how much we honor God. It seems to me to be a matter of stewardship. We must take very good care of God’s buildings and make sure the lawn is mowed and the buildings are kept in good order.
With that said, it is important for us to remember no a single New Testament church is alive and vital today. Take good care of the buildings, but do not worship them. Just be good stewards of the buildings the Lord has given us. It is good, if we remember we do not worship the buildings. They are something to be used for matters of faith.
Remember, 500 years from now our local church will not be around. It will be something else, but not a vital congregation. This was such an important lesson for me to learn. So, if our church buildings and property will not last, then what do we have to cling to? What will last?
For me, it has been important to remember that the only thing which lasts forever is what God does in the hearts of people. This will have eternal significance. Do not worship church buildings. Worship the living Lord and what God does in the hearts of people. This is the only things which will last for eternity. In the mean time, let’s take good care of our church buildings, but just don’t end up worshipping the buildings. Worship God and use church buildings to allow the Lord to work in the hearts of people…….all kinds of people, especially those people no one else wants.
P: Father forgive me when I worship our church buildings and miss my worship of you. Help me be a good steward, but help me remember what you do in my heart and the hearts of people has eternal significance. Love, Dick
Y: I will work to share what God is doing in the hearts of people because that has eternal significance.
Not The Buildings, But The Hearts of People Is What Has Eternal Significance.
S: Luke 21: 5-6
One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, “All this you are admiring so much – the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of ruble. (The Message)
O: Every church one day will die and the building will no longer be a church.
A: It is important that we take good care of our churches. How our church looks says something important about how much we honor God. It seems to me to be a matter of stewardship. We must take very good care of God’s buildings and make sure the lawn is mowed and the buildings are kept in good order.
With that said, it is important for us to remember no a single New Testament church is alive and vital today. Take good care of the buildings, but do not worship them. Just be good stewards of the buildings the Lord has given us. It is good, if we remember we do not worship the buildings. They are something to be used for matters of faith.
Remember, 500 years from now our local church will not be around. It will be something else, but not a vital congregation. This was such an important lesson for me to learn. So, if our church buildings and property will not last, then what do we have to cling to? What will last?
For me, it has been important to remember that the only thing which lasts forever is what God does in the hearts of people. This will have eternal significance. Do not worship church buildings. Worship the living Lord and what God does in the hearts of people. This is the only things which will last for eternity. In the mean time, let’s take good care of our church buildings, but just don’t end up worshipping the buildings. Worship God and use church buildings to allow the Lord to work in the hearts of people…….all kinds of people, especially those people no one else wants.
P: Father forgive me when I worship our church buildings and miss my worship of you. Help me be a good steward, but help me remember what you do in my heart and the hearts of people has eternal significance. Love, Dick
Y: I will work to share what God is doing in the hearts of people because that has eternal significance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)