ONLY SAY THE WORD

The Word of God has power to change your life!  As you enter this New Year, would you commit yourself to open your Bible daily, consume it, digest it, and trust God to grow you as your are nourished from it?  A great place to begin would be to go to the house of God where the Word of God is faithfully taught tomorrow, New Years’ Day 2023. Studying personally is essential, but so is the study with fellow believers. In small groups, in the music, in the message, and as you exhort one another—this could be a transformative year for you—transformed by truth! 

APPROVED

“Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 CSB)

The commendation of a pastor by the congregation is important.  However, the truth is that a shepherd of God’s flock has a higher pursuit— approval by the Great Shepherd.  Commitment in the study of God’s Word with a passion to be correct in the sharing of God’s Word is the elders’ great assignment.  He must do many other things, but feeding the flock of God is paramount.  If he fails here, then he fails.  Hopefully, the sheep will appreciate the meal, but even if they turn their noses up at it or look for another pasture where more sweet treats are offered, the man of God must dig into the Word of God, stand upon it, and speak it with accuracy and authority.  For this, he will give account to God.

Pole Creek is a good church.  Not a perfect church, but a good one.  We have been favored of God by men who have been devoted to preach the Word and a membership largely that has received it with joy and sought to apply it in daily living.  I have sought to be faithful for the quarter century I have been with you.  I have every reason to believe that the next man up will do the same.

It is important to recognize your pastors for their efforts to be sharper swords in God’s hands.  They would not seek such recognition, but I think it appropriate.  During 2019, your staff has been diligent in study.

In June, Ben Heise received his Associate of Arts in Religion/Christian Ministry from Fruitland Baptist Bible College.  He drove back and forth to Hendersonville—often at night for classes—and yet was faithful to his work here at Pole Creek.  Now, he is pursuing his BA from Spurgeon College.

In December, Chase Harris completed his Master of Arts in Christian Leadership from Luther Rice Seminary.  Chase did all that while still building a vibrant student ministry.  His availability for young people and their needs has been undiminished by the volume of study he has had to do.

I appreciate all of our staff—paid and volunteer—who are making an eternal difference.  I thought it appropriate to acknowledge the commitment of these men to diligence in study in correctly teaching the Word of God.

Let me mention in closing that our music ministry is directed by one faithful to God’s Word—Steve Schultz.  You will not get fluff, but truth in the songs that we sing.  He is always concerned about sound theology and not just how a song sounds.  You may not be aware that Steve holds a Master of Christian Education from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

What about this old head?  I have enrolled in Southeastern to complete my Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership!  I hope to knock that out this year, being only four courses needed.  It has been a while since I have been in school, so pray for me!

Happy New Year!  May God give us 2020 vision!

Pastor Dennis

OVER THE HUMP AND OUT OF THE SLUMP!

Wednesday—“Hump Day”—as it’s often called, marks the middle of the workweek, and, frankly, can be a turning point to sharpen our focus and help us finish out the week strong.  It can also be a time where we forget about duty, grow weary of working, pine away for the weekend, and finish with a whimper.

Spiritually, we may wonder why we get in a slump after Sunday worship and rather than it being a springboard to greater heights of devotion to God, we plop down into stagnation.  Our good intentions become victims of our lack of convictions.

Wednesdays at Pole Creek may provide the fuel for your spiritual fire to be rekindled!  It may help you get over the spiritual hump and out of the slump!

Beginning August 14, we dive back into the deep end on Wednesday evenings! That’s a lot of consecutive exclamation points! 

Meals resume at 5:30 PM.  Our wonderful kitchen crew will enable us to get something to nourish our bodies as we get ready to nourish our souls.  After a long day at work or school, a delicious meal waiting for you sounds appealing, doesn’t it?

·      Music rehearsals (with a lot of worship and fellowship experienced during that time) return at 6:00 PM for the kids and 6:30 for adults.  Singing about and to the Lord—even in practice—is exhilarating!

      Missions and more for kids happens with the kickoff of TeamKID at 6:30 PM.  KID stands for Kids In Discipleship and is a fun-filled, action-packed way for kids to learn Bible stories, memorize Scripture, learn about and be involved in missions in living out God’s commands.

·       Meaningful Bible study in a small group setting cranks up as Pastor Ben leads “The Foundations,” a 12 week study to drive you deep into the Word of God for a solid foundation to answer humanity’s toughest questions.  Our teens face these questions—indeed mockery—from the disciples of Darwin, and so Pastor Chase will be bringing the students into this study, as well.

Then, on Wednesday night, August 28 at 6:45 PM in the auditorium, I will lead us in the fall study of the Gospel Project.  This will enable those who are workers on Sunday to attend Bible study, and for teachers to get a preview of the coming Sunday’s study to “jump start” them, plus, there will always be people who cannot come on Sunday and this gives them an opportunity for fellowship in the Word!

WOW—the Wonder Of Wednesdays at Pole Creek!  Let us help you get over the hump and out of the slump!

Excited for Jesus,

Pastor Dennis

A BUFFET OF BLESSINGS

I love buffets.  You come to these long lines of delicious foods of all varieties, and you can zero in on what you like, take ample samples, and stuff yourself.  The book of Proverbs is much like that from a spiritual standpoint—a buffet of blessings.  You certainly get that kind of variety in chapter eighteen.  Today, we will look at a few tasty truths to nourish our souls.  Remember, Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matt.4:4). 

1.  GOD IS OUR SAVIOR.  “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (v.10). Salvation is not found in our works, but in God’s.  Calling upon His name is our salvation (see Rom.10:9, 10, 13). God’s name represents His nature.  It stands for all He is, so to call on Him is to find a refuge. Not only does He save us initially when we call on Him and He makes us righteous, but as we righteous ones live in this hostile world, He remains our Defender, as we pray to Him, and find Him mighty to save.  As Luther wrote, “A mighty fortress is our God.”

2.  WISDOM IS OUR TEACHER. “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (v.15).  The wisdom of God is found in the Word of God, and a prudent person seeks it diligently.  Each day, we should come to the Lord to teach us from His Word.  Read your Bible.  Read great writers who have walked with God. Listen to your pastor and Bible teachers who dispense doctrine. You will be blessed if you feed at the table of truth.

3.   MARRIAGE IS OUR GIFT. “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD.”  (v.22). There are a select few to whom God blesses with the gift of singleness. But, most of us will marry.  Make sure you get God’s gift for you, and don’t open someone else’s!  There are those who made an impulse “purchase,” only to unwrap it and find it came from Satan’s store and not God’s gift shop!  There is a great difference between a Ruth and a Jezebel.

4.  FRIENDSHIP IS OUR HELP.    “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (v.24). If you have a good friend, you have someone who will stick with you in the fiercest storms. Where family might not support you, you can count on a faithful friend. How do you get friends like that?  Be such a friend!  We reap what we sow.

I hope you enjoyed this meal prepared for you today!  Breakfast with the Bible—yum!  Thank you Lord for your salvation, Scripture, a sweet spouse, and supportive friends with which I am blessed!

A BOOK LIKE NO OTHER

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,

Who walk in the law of the LORD!  (Psalm 119:1)

The Bible is a Book like no other.  There are other books that are inspiring, but no other book is inspired like this Book—for God is the source, as well as the subject, of its message.  No other book has affected history like His story contained in its pages.  To read and heed the Scripture is to have the blessing of God in this world and in the world to come.

Psalm 119 is at the heart of this best of books.  It is no accident that in this Divine library of 66 books, that this longest chapter in the Bible extols the veracity and virtue of the Word of God.

The Bible is the best of books in the direction it furnishes (v.1-8).  Throughout these opening verses, the writer stresses how our walk in life is directed by the Word of God.  The Psalm begins with this:

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,

Who walk in the law of the LORD!  (v.1)

 

God’s Word gives us solid footing for our steps.  The world’s constantly shifting opinions and philosophies are quicksand, but God’s truth marks out a stable path for us to navigate safely our journey from earth to heaven.  The Scriptures are a roadmap to guide us home.

The Bible is the best of books in the delight it brings (v.9-24).  The author of this Psalm does not come to God’s Word with an attitude of obligation, but a spirit of anticipation.  He doesn’t see reading the text as a mere duty, but as a delight.  For instance, he exults:

I will delight myself in Your statutes;

I will not forget Your word.  (v.16)

 

The Word of God is a fountain of joy from whence flows rivers of pleasure.

The Bible is the best of books in the dedication it inspires (v.25-40).  Being devoted to grasp the meaning of Scripture will cause that message to grasp us and bring out devotion to obey it.  For example:

Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;

Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.  (v.34)

 

Our culture has moved away from objective truth to subjective experience.  The church has been impacted by this, and too often prefers entertainment in songs rather than exposition of Scripture.  They want a little pop psychology with a verse or two of Scripture thrown in—a sermonette that produces Christianettes. 

David Wells speaks to this troublesome trend by noting: “Sustaining orthodoxy and framing Christian belief in doctrinal terms requires habits of reflection and judgment that are simply out of place in our culture and increasingly disappearing from evangelicalism as well.” 

Devotion to studying and meditating deeply on the truth of the text will lead to dedication and submission to those truths—and a shallow, superficial understanding will yield that kind of faith, as well—if it is any faith at all.

I am far from being all God wants me to be.  There has been come progress, however, in that direction.  Without question, the most significant factor in my spiritual growth has been a consistent pattern of daily study of God’s Word.  There is no substitute for the proper nutrition of feeding your soul on the best of books.

 

 

SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL SERVICE

 

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:10

What makes a successful athlete, businessman, or musician?  There are many contributing factors, but a chief characteristic is the successful man or woman has clear objectives and consuming commitment to reach those goals.  That it true of spiritual success stories, also.  The Apostle Paul underscored that in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  The Old Testament prototype we will examine today is a man named Ezra.

The first secret of successful service modeled by this man is to DESIRE THE WISDOM OF GOD: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD….”  The writer of Proverbs extols the virtue and value of God’s wisdom.  When young Solomon might have chosen anything from God’s treasure chest, the young king chose the riches of Divine wisdom.  That was the channel through which God’s blessing flowed into his life, and through him into his reign.  Ezra was gripped with the same passion for the treasure of truth.  The wisdom of God is found in the Word of God.  Successful servants of God, are diligent students of Scripture.  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (2 Tim.2:15)  Have your prepared your heart to seek God’s wisdom in His word like Ezra?

The second secret of successful service seen in this scribe is to DO THE WILL OF GOD: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it….”  James enjoins us to, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (1:22).  This implies that we can:

• Find the Will of God.  God has fashioned us for His purposes, and furnished us with His gifts.  He wants us to discover His design to make an eternal difference.
• Follow the Will of God.  God never calls us to a task unless He also supplies the tools.  God never fails to provide.  Daily decisions determine destiny!
• Finish the Will of God.  This is a spiritual legacy.  Some leave behind footprints in sand, washed away by the tides of time, while others set their steps in cement, and mark out a path for others to follow to the finish.

The third secret of successful service exemplified by Ezra is to DECLARE THE WORD OF GOD:  “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.”  Spiritual success stories are written in the hearts and minds of those shaped by the influence and instruction of the servant of God.  The baton of truth is carried faithfully by the man or woman in their leg of life’s race, but then is transferred to others, who then will do the same.  This is discipleship, and is the indispensable mission of the church, and the indisputable mark of a successful servant.  That’s what I’m trying to do today, and what I pray you will seize and relay on to another—and we will celebrate together in victory in glory!