“The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters but a man of understanding draws them out.”

Proverbs 20:5 

            Oh, to be that man of understanding. If we are going to come alongside a perplexed and perhaps despairing brother or sister with a word of endurance, encouragement, or correction then it behooves us to understand that “only God can untangle all the snarls in a soul” (Corrie Ten Boom).           

So a large part of our being a man of understanding is the knowledge that we are deeply dependant on God to supply what this thirsty soul needs.  It could be that a well-timed verse worked for you and so you assume that it will work for the needy ones God sends your way. After someone pours out their heart you tell them the equivalent of, “Take these two verses and call me in the morning,” and then they may go away feeling as if no one understands them.

            I consider it an honor to be trusted with a hard thing and it may be that the hard thing is a task I must perform.  But I am finding that most often it is a person in need of someone to speak meaning into the chaos they are experiencing in their life. Who am I to do such a thing? But what I am– and what I hope to encourage you to be– is available.

            There is a good chance that what you are confronted with is bigger than you are. Welcome to my world. Here’s what I do…“Trust in the Lord with all [my] heart and do not lean on [my] own understanding. In all [my] ways acknowledge him and he will make [my] path straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6.  

            Just by listening, allowing someone to share their burden with you and offering no more than a simple prayer asking God “to show them the path of victory through this difficulty,” you will bring some relief.  But leave room in your encounter for God to speak through you to untangle some of the snarls in their soul.

Pastor Doug

“Zacchaeus said, ‘Look, Lord… if I have cheated anybody out of anything I will pay back four times the amount.’”  Luke 19:8 

            I am convinced that one of the most important principles that I picked up on in my early days of learning to walk with Jesus was the principle of restitution. I had repented of the sins that I was conscious of and was resting in the forgiveness that removed the weight of guilt, but there appeared to be something more that I was being called to do. I wrote a letter to my parents asking them to forgive me for the agony I had caused them as a teen. There were other letters and apologies that seemed the right thing to do.

            Then I was confronted with all that I had stolen during my teen years. “What can I do about that, Lord?”  I had moved away from where I grew up so I sent letters and checks to more than cover what I had stolen. I thought I was all done doing that when one day the Lord brought to my attention all the gas I had stolen from a Sears warehouse that had been near my home. Working at a Sears in Medford kind of complicated matters a bit, so I just prayed and asked the Lord how I could make this right.

            On my next trip down to the Bay Area I called and made an appointment with the manager of the warehouse and brought a check with me that I felt was the right amount. I was somewhat nervous as I could think of many different ways that this scene could play out. I told the manager that as a teen I used to come down on Sunday mornings and steal gas from his trucks and that now I had become a Christian and I wanted to make it right.  I asked if he would please accept this check as restitution.  His response calmed any fears. “Wow! This is amazing! Just last night in our Bible study we were talking about restitution.  Of course I will accept your check.” We talked for a few minutes longer as he wanted to hear how the Lord had prompted me to follow through on this largely ignored practice. I left knowing that I had pleased the Lord and that he had been pleased to prepare the way for me to clear my conscience.

            I tell this story because I know that some of you bear the weight of unfinished business with someone you have wronged. The Lord has forgiven you, but there seems to be something left for you to do. May I encourage you to write that letter, send that check, make that call, or make the contact that will quiet your conscience. The lightness of heart that follows is worth it.

Pastor Doug

“Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.’ (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines)”

Judges 14:4-5

            The story in Judges tells us that Samson’s parents were not too pleased with his selection of a wife, and rightly so. But they could not have known at the time that God had determined to use Samson’s character flaws to bring about His desired end.

            Wouldn’t we all love to have a testimony of having made all the right decisions in life? To have gone from strength to strength with a long list of worthy accomplishments that will matter in eternity? I am certain that most of you reading this have in mind a poor decision on your part (or someone else’s that affected you) that you can now see, in hindsight, had an unseen handprint that kept you from greater harm and somehow even brought redemptive purposes out of it.

             What does this knowledge do for you today? I believe it should have a calming effect on your life to know that God was at work in and around those decisions, both good and bad, without you knowing it. Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “Life must be lived forward, but it can only be understood backward.” The understanding gained should lead to a more peaceful today and a more confident tomorrow as we lean into the One “who is able to work out everything in conformity to the purpose of his will.” Ephesians 1:11

 Pastor Doug

“ A good name is more desirable than great riches.” Proverbs 22:1

“ …those who rail against me use my name as a curse.”  Psalm 102:8 

            To move on in discipleship one must be weaned off others’ opinions of themselves. Oh sure, others’ opinions matter, we just can’t live for them or by them. Our motivation should be “to make it our goal to please the Lord,” 2Cor. 5:9, knowing that “to our own master we stand or fall.” Romans 14:4.

            It is a wonderful thing when we hear our name used in context of success, and it is somewhat of a drag to have our name become synonymous with failure or mediocrity. We must rise above both views and surrender our souls and image to the one whose opinion matters most.

            Think about our Lord. Paul writes in Philippians 2:9 that Jesus was given the name above all names and yet is there anyone in history whose name has been used more often as a curse than his? As a mechanic I worked with some guys whose mouths seemed to have a direct line to the sewer. One in particular, a fairly decent fellow in comparison, could not complete a sentence without a reference to our Lord. This galled me and I wondered what I should do. The day came when he and I were alone in the battery room.

“Ben, can I talked to you a moment?” I asked.  He grunted in the affirmative.

“If I was to drop this battery on my foot and stomp around saying (I used his wife’s name), how would that make you feel?

“I’d probably be pretty ticked off!”

“And rightly so.” I added. I went on to tell him how I felt when he used my Lord and Savior’s name in such a worthless manner. He responded quite favorably and there was a marked improvement in his speech.

            I tell that story because it may be ordained for you and me to have times when our name is used as a curse and we are invited to share in this suffering of our Lord. May I suggest that you not respond at an elementary school kid level and simply entrust yourself to your Father and continue to do good. The good name will follow in due time.

Pastor Doug

            One Sunday morning during worship with the 3^rd-6^th graders, we were singing the song “Hosanna” and I asked the children if they knew what that word meant. After a flurry of answers, all wrong, I finally told them that it means, “Save now.” 

            Later that same day, one of the boys was gold panning with his dad in one of the local rivers. Somehow the boy slipped into the water and got caught in the current. Almost immediately he began to cry out, “Susanna! Susanna!” His dad (not named Susanna) jumped in and made his way towards his son, who was still calling out, “Susanna!”  The boy and his dad eventually made their way safely to shore and back to the car to head home. On the way home the dad finally asked his son why he was calling out “Susanna” when he was heading down the river? “Because dad, today we learned in Sunday School that Susanna means, ‘Save now’!”

            I have no problem believing that God, smiling as he did so, answered the prayer of this young boy as he called out for help. Even though he did not use proper terminology, he did know who to ask, and we would be wise to follow his example. Ask, even though you may not be able to word it properly. I take great comfort in Romans 8:26-27 which reminds us of what we already know, that “We do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express…  and in accordance with God’s will.”

            May I encourage you to reawaken a simple childlike faith that would free you to fling up heartfelt prayers at a moment’s notice without getting too caught up in all the proper wording.

 Pastor Doug

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” John 4:34 

            Think of some of the things that bring us satisfaction in this world; feeling loved and accepted, a full belly, a quenched thirst, accomplishing a goal, completing a project, a good days work, and the list goes on. As enjoyable as these things are, do any of them come close to the satisfaction felt when used by God?

            Jesus seems to be making reference to this deeper satisfaction in John 4 when he is used by the Father to lift the soul of a hopeless woman. Physically speaking, the disciples knew that Jesus should be hungry and they completely misunderstood when he told them, “ I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” John 4:32

            Spiritually speaking, the cup of living water given and accepted somehow satisfied or diminished Jesus’ physical appetite at that moment. Wow! Is this food available for you and me? I believe it is and I would venture to guess that many of you have tasted it.

             May I encourage you to develop an appetite for this food, that is, to do the will of him who sent you and to finish his work. An important part of my job description is to prepare God’s people for works of service and that is what I hope to do. So offer yourself this day to walk in the good works that he has prepared in advance for you to walk in and simply go about your day in the ready position. 

            When God does use us to bless or nourish another soul we must be careful as servants of the Lord to not make trophies of these moments.  Rather we should thank the Lord that he has trusted us to represent Him in this moment and ready ourselves for the next.

Pastor Doug

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”  Psalm 34:4 

            Having spent all of my conscious years encountering new fears or enslaved by old ones, I could barely contain a laugh when I would see the “No Fear” t-shirts or decals on kids or cars. Does that make them tougher than I, who am chock full of fears but not afraid to admit it? Are they more manly than I because they try to convince themselves that they are without fear with their clothing and unfounded confidence, but in reality are shackled with fears on every level and in every arena?

            This verse in Psalms was written by one of the toughest men who ever lived, King David, and it warms my heart. I hope it warms yours as well. David was not without fear, but he refused to live in submission to it. The mighty men of Israel feared Goliath more than they trusted God and they came oh so close to living in slavery as a result. But David trusted God more than he feared Goliath and he went forward in spite of his fears.

            God knows we will have fears, yet he calls us to be faithful. As your trust in God grows then fears will fall by the wayside as you realize the depth of his love for you. First John 4:18 tells us that, “perfect love drives out fear…”

            To those looking on, faithfulness may give the impression that you have no fear and that is okay. What it really is, though, is living free, available and abandoned, trusting him at his word that says, “Never will I leave you and never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5. The enemy loves to play on our fears, especially our fear of death, fear of failure or fear of confrontation, in order to keep us from this availability and abandonment to God. David wasn’t delivered from some of his fears, he was delivered from all of them. What say we join him? Let’s seek the Lord regarding our fears and ask him to put us on a path of victory to overcome them.

            So we say with confidence, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6

 Pastor Doug

and I in him, he will bear much fruit…” John 15:5 

            In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon tells us that life is made up of seasons and if I could be so bold as to tie this in with what Jesus says in John 15, we could conclude that these seasons are not as random as one might be tempted to think. Jesus says that he is the vine, we are the branches and the Father is the vinedresser. And he goes on to say that the purpose of these branches is to bear fruit to the Father’s glory; fruit, more fruit and much fruit. We all know that the seasons are necessary for the production of this fruit.

            Perhaps these seasons would be easier to embrace and endure if our Heavenly Father published something along the lines of a farmer’s almanac every year so we could prepare for these seasons of change, but he doesn’t. That is because trust is crucial in this fruit bearing process. Will we stand firm in our faith in seasons of prosperity and seasons of pain?  Will we lose heart in a season of war or drop our guard in a season of peace?  Will we complicate our world in a season of gathering and refuse to release our grip in a season of casting away?  Will we be too heavy hearted after a season of mourning to learn how to laugh or dance again?  Will we be too stubborn to let go of the known and familiar when it is obviously time to uproot or tear down? In a season of frustration or injustice could we possibly submit to silence?

            You may not be able to title the season you find yourself in, but please know that this season too will pass and that our Heavenly Father knows exactly what he is up to.  Resist the temptation to complain or argue and lean into his unseen hand at work in your life.

Pastor Doug

            New cars are not supposed to have any leaks, squeaks or rattles when they are rolled off the lot, but at the dealership where I worked, enough of them did that would require the hiring of a man designated to find them. It was, by far, the least desirable position among the mechanics and would require a keen eye and ear for finding flaws.

            When humanity was rolled off the showroom floor we were without leaks, squeaks and rattles until sin marred the original model. There is not one model that has been spared from having flaws, so what are we to do with sin’s effect on our personality and appearance?  The advertising world claims to be able to hide everything from foot odor to hair loss and all the flaws between, but may I suggest a more excellent way for a believer to deal with their own leaks, squeaks and rattles.

            First of all, know that your identity is found in Christ and not in the flaws. Others who may feel called to the position will try to label you according to your flaws but don’t let the label stick. Colossians 3:3 says, “You have died and your life is hidden with Christ.” 

            Second, understand that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. That which may appear to us and others as a hindrance to our being used by God could be the very thing that causes us to give up trying to be perfect and simply offer what we are, as we are, to Him.

            And last, be transparent about this vehicle with all its leaks, squeaks and rattles and you will release others to be transparent too.

 Pastor Doug

            1. 22:15 “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will remove it from them.”  It is there from day one and we must make the most of every opportunity to extract foolishness as it rears its ugly head.

            2. 1:7, 12:1, 15:5 tell us that fools despise correction and discipline. When a parent, teacher, coach, etc. attempts to correct foolish behavior the fool sees them as the problem rather than themselves.

            3. 14:3, 15:20 A fool talks back or down to his mother.

            4. 12:16, 14:29, 20:3, 29:11 A fool shows his annoyance at once and gives full vent to          his anger.

            5. 10:8, 10:19, 18:6-7  A fool talks too much and his mouth gets him in trouble.

            6. 10:23, 13:20  A fool surrounds himself with other fools.

            7. 17:12, 23:9, 27:22  A fool is unapproachable and unteachable.

            8. 19:3  A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord.  A fool blames God for his trouble.

            Finally, unless this pattern is broken and the discipline of key individuals or events in the fool’s life sink in, the end result will be a grown fool who lives as if God does not exist. What then should we do when we are around a fool? Proverbs 26:4 provides an answer… “Do not answer a fool according to his folly or you will be like him yourself.” Pray for wisdom, but often the wisest response is silence till we are given insight into what is needed to break this lifelong pattern. What is needed may be the very thing God used to break the pattern of foolishness in you.

Pastor Doug