Downsville Cob

The AIG Blowup

2009-03-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

This past week I have heard (as I am certain many of you have) all sorts of elected officials ranting and raving about the bonus packages to be handed out to AIG employees. When I first heard the news I have to say that my reaction was one of disbelief followed by some outrage.

What stopped my outrage were quotes I heard from people threatening those who were to get the bonus payments. One man wanted the AIG employee and all of his/her family strangled with piano wire. Another simply wanted them all executed in the parking lot of AIG.

WWJD? The Bible calls for us to have compassion on those who are hurting and in need. Does this include someone getting a huge bonus for attempting to "defuse the bomb that they created"? No, they don't deserve compassion for that reason but for the fact that the reaction to this news is so out of character for our society. We are seeing the loss of Christ's message to the world these days because of economic concerns.

So many people, even those who attend church regularly, have no faith in the power of the Trinity. The threat to our way of life - to our homes - our cars - our plans - is overshadowing our relationship with the Savior. For those who have no relationship with the Savior now is the time for them to hear and accept it. For those who have one but are not acting like it now is the time to return to the WORD to seek comfort and guidance.

It is going to get worse. When I was growing up I didn't even know that a trillion was a number. Now we hear it so often it means nothing. We can no more understand a trillion dollars than we can fully comprehend what Heaven is really going to look like. But we cannot lose sight of our Heavenly rewards while fearing the loss of our earthly rewards.

It is going to get worse. The term being mentioned often by economists is hyperinflation. The price of nearly everything we need or want is going to skyrocket because of the path our leadership has chosen. The AIG debacle will be small potatoes in the coming year unless we find a way to inject the love of Jesus back into our economy. God understands a trillion. He knows that many pebbles personally. He knows that many hairs on the heads of His followers.

Jesus would not threaten the AIG employees. He would remind us to pray for this situation. The world has become reactive. Jesus was and always will be proactive. The world is mad because someone is getting something for doing the wrong thing. Jesus wants to call those who are angry to remind them that there is a retirement plan that requires no monetary input. Jesus wants to call those who are angry to turn all that over to Him and to point their lives toward eternity instead of wallowing in the short term of this world.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus calls us to let all those who are angry know that they can, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.". We need to get the word about the WORD out into the world so that they can let go of the anger and trust in God, like it says on our coins.

Wilk

Without One Plea

2009-03-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

As we begin Lent a familiar tune has been stuck in my head - Just As I Am. We need to be focusing on the fact that the LORD accepts us as is. He doesn’t expect us to beg for mercy. He accepts us “without one plea”. He paid the price in His own blood for all of our shortcomings. You know that. You have heard that all your life but have you ever put yourself in His place?

Think back to social situations in which you felt completely out of place. Some years ago we took the girls on vacation and stayed in a Bed & Breakfast in Louisiana. One of the claims for this place was that breakfast was served by candlelight using fine china. All the recipes were supposed to have come from an 1815 cookbook. The setting was beautiful and the food was wonderful. Interestingly, though, the only memory my daughters have of the experience is one of being afraid they would break a dish. They felt like they didn’t belong there.

We have all had similar experiences. The feeling that everyone is looking at you because you don’t belong here is almost overwhelming. You do not feel welcome Just As I Am. Yet, there is one place where we don’t really belong but we are welcome. There is one place where we have not earned the right to stand and be welcomed. There is one place we can never be good enough, nor smart enough, nor brave enough, nor rich or poor enough. We can’t dress well enough or talk well enough to deserve His Love. Christ accepts us in spite of what we are. He will welcome us into His Kingdom and introduce us as “heirs and co-heirs” for all to hear. No one will look down on us on that day.

What we need to focus on during Lent is the acceptance of me and you Just As I Am and quit worrying about breaking the china. It’s unbreakably held together by His Love for me and for you!

Bending An Ear

2009-01-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

Psalm 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

A MOTHER’S EARS

On a crowded playground with dozens of children running and screaming a mother can pick out the sound of her child calling her name. When “MOM” is called only one mother will respond. That is true because the mother is tuned to the very frequency, the very tone, the very accent of her child and is able to hear it over all the other noises.

When I was a young boy my father would call us home with a loud whistle he had some how developed in his childhood. It could be heard all over the neighborhood and meant "come home now!".

This discernment of one voice over many is based upon our familiarity with each other. We hear a sound or a voice we recognize and it cuts through all the other noises around us.

In the examples I just mentioned one was a parent calling a child and one was a child calling a parent. Both are extremely important to our ability to communicate in times of trouble.

Jesus expresses this when describing Himself as our Shepherd.

John 10:1-10 [1] "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. [2] The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. [3] The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When we are in trouble we need someone to call who will listen and respond:

[7] In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

When we are children on a playground and get hurt we don’t think to call 911. We call the one who has taken care of us all our lives.

When we parents can’t find our children we call out to them directly. We don’t call 911 to report them missing. We go out looking for them.

Jesus tells us of a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep behind while he goes to rescue the one lost sheep. As he searches the sheep will hear the familiar voice and respond - leading the shepherd to the rescue.

LUKE 15:3-7

3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

God knows your voice. He can pick it out of the background noise and He responds. We are His which is why He will answer "in the day of my trouble". When He answers we must respond to the voice of God. It is a conversation and each of us is called to listen. Without listening there can be no resolution.

Have you called on the Lord in times of trouble? Most of us have. We find ourselves overwhelmed and call on the only friend we know who cannot fail.

Have you called on the Lord in times of plenty? Do you remember to thank Him just like you remembered to call out to Him for help? There is only one voice we need to know for eternal salvation. You recognize your child's voice and the Heavenly Father recognizes His children's voice.

Recognize the Shepherd's voice and follow only it.

Wilk

Jesus Never Wished You Good Luck

2009-01-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

Matthew 21:21-22
[21] Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. [22] If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

For a number of years my Mother-In-Law lived with us. She grew up during the Great Depression and she learned quite a few superstitions. You know some of the more common ones, of course:

Break a mirror – 7 years bad luck
Black cat walks across your path – bad luck
Walk under a ladder – bad luck
Rabbits foot for good luck
Spill salt – toss it over your left shoulder or you will have bad luck

She had a few I had never been told – one of which has stuck with the rest of her family – NEVER PUT SHOES ON A TABLE – once again, it’s bad luck.

I used to ask my Mother-In-Law to show these rules to me in the scripture but she never did.

You get the picture. Luck seems to play a large roll in the lives of many people. When you start a new job or even a trip people wish you “Good Luck” as if this will ward off any problems.

If we look back upon any serious stretches of bad luck we feel we have had, it is usually caused by some failure other than the black cat or the ladder. Quite often it isn’t bad luck - it’s our failure to prepare properly or the failure of something over which we have no control.

As Christians we do not live on luck. You can't touch luck because it really doesn't exist. If you could touch it you could control it - you could use it to your advantage. If you could use it you would never have bad luck. We live by faith.

Hebrews 11:1-3 [1] Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. [2] This is what the ancients were commended for. [3] By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

We can, however, use our faith – we cannot use our luck. We have all heard the phrase, “If it wasn’t for bad luck I wouldn’t have any luck at all.” No one has ever mentioned bad faith in this way. If luck can't be used how can faith be used?

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

This is how we use our faith. This is putting our faith into action.

2 Cor 5:7-10 [7] We live by faith, not by sight. [8] We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. [9] So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Luck will have no part in what the Savior says when we appear before Him. Our faith and our belief in His life and resurrection will.

Definitions

2009-01-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

On occasion the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language updates the words included in it’s various editions. Recently the Student edition added such words (?) as MP3 player. In order to make room in the edition certain words – deemed no longer relevant to the Student population – must be removed. This year the editors chose to remove words with a faith based implication. The most remarkable deletion was the word “SIN”.

Having been a student at the college level I can tell you that sin is definitely a relevant word. I doubt that there is a student using this dictionary who needs to look up MP3 player to know what one is. I know that there is not a student using this dictionary who is sin free. Yet, the word itself is now deemed either irrelevant or politically incorrect – thus it’s removal.

Just because the world doesn’t like the concept of sin doesn’t mean it no longer exists. If that were the case I would make a pitch to have words like debt and pain removed from the dictionary.

You don’t need to know what sin is to know you have sinned. You don’t need to know whether it is a noun or an adjective to know you have sinned. You don’t need to know how to pronounce sin in order to know that you have sinned. Sin doesn't have to be in the dictionary in order to exist.

What we need to know is what to do about the sins we have committed. We need to know that one who lived long ago paid the price for the very sins we are committing. We need to know that one who lived long ago loved us before we were born and wants to welcome us into a close, personal relationship. We need to know Jesus.

We need to know that He washed away our sins and all we have to do to take advantage of His Grace is to go to Him in prayer and confess our shortcomings and simply ask to be forgiven.

Share your personal relationship with the Savior with someone today. Make an opportunity in the grocery line, in a restaurant, to a neighbor etc. Show the sunshine of your soul to someone living in darkness.

Wilkie

Holiday(s) Season

2008-11-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

We are about to enter the Holiday(s) Season. It occurs to me that we might just have our holidays backward. The one true HolyDay comes after we say Thanks. This is like saying thanks before we eat instead of being thankful that we have already eaten.

The problem with the order of our holidays is that for most people they aren’t really linked. When we say grace before the Thanksgiving meal (you know, the prayer that makes all your non-churched relatives squirm) it is immediately followed by the meal. There is a true progression here leading from saying thanks to being thankful.

Isn’t this the way we should view Thanksgiving? Shouldn’t we start the season and grow in thankfulness as the day we celebrate our Savior’s birth draws closer. Thanksgiving isn’t a day that the LORD set aside. It is really a man-made, government sponsored holiday. That doesn’t mean we can’t take it and use it to the glory of God’s Son.

On Thanksgiving Day add the birth of the Savior to your list of things for which you are thankful. When the family goes around the table asking each member to tell something for which they are thankful skip the mundane (gas prices have dropped, the election is over, etc.) and go straight for the one real reason for each of us to give Thanks. “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son…”

Each day during the Advent season remember to thank God for the one present we can never deserve.

A Godly Makeover

2008-10-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 3:18 - And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

There are a number of television shows that use the makeover as their premise. These programs promise a total transformation of your life though a new hair cut, make up or clothes. Stories continue to be told of how many of the recipients of these makeovers found their lives were not transformed because there was no inner change to support the outer ones.

Many think that losing weight will bring them happiness. You can substitute any word(s) you want for "losing weight" and you still have the same problem - the old you has not been transformed.

There is one transformation TV show that does offer something more - Extreme Home Makeover. In order to be transformed in the Lord we must first die to our sinful life here on earth - we must be "born again" (John 3:3). The houses that we see early in every episode are just like we are - rotten on the inside but still standing. These houses must "die" to their old selves and be "born again".

The new homes are beautiful and spacious. The owners return from their weeklong vacation to a whole new beginning. That's where the show leaves us. What we don't get to see, though, is that the new house is subject to the same degradation from the environment that took the old house. It will require a commitment by the owners to keep the house in this shape.

We find the same thing when we come up out of baptism. We are new babes in Christ with a desire to live our lives completely different from what we had done before coming to Christ. Yet, like the house, we are still subject to the same temptations that degraded our spiritual life. We need to make a commitment to keep our house in Christian shape "[13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14.

Our makeover is internal. We may not look any better to the outside world but we are beautiful to the Creator of the Universe. Just as we make some effort every day to look our best out in the world we need to remember to take some effort every day to look our best spiritually. Remind yourself every day that your old life and your old self have died. The front end loaders have come in and ripped it apart. The dump trucks have hauled all the decay, all the cracks, all the leaks, all the spots where the cold gets in away. These things are not needed in the new life we live.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

"Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus

2008-09-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

We look for things we can trust everyday. All of God’s creation is trustworthy. We can trust gravity. We can trust the turn of the earth that brings morning and evening. We can trust that water flows downhill (see gravity, above). When God created the entire universe by simply speaking it into existence He built in constants – things we can trust to always act as God intended.

Newton spelled out these constants in his Laws of Physics. My favorite is the resting object stays at rest - UNTIL...

These are external forces that act on us as well as on inanimate objects. If we step off a porch, gravity pulls us down. If a ball rolls off the same porch gravity also pulls it down. But God didn’t send His Son to save the ball. He sent His Son to offer us Salvation. In the way we live our spiritual lives we need something far more powerful to trust. Gravity is there only to help us live our physical lives.

The old hymn in the title says all we need to know to live our spiritual lives. Just like God created gravity, He created a Son who is the one we can trust. Christ never changes. He is still the one who raised Lazarus from the dead. He is still the one who healed lepers. When you have problems He is still the one who can help. When you are ill He is still the one to turn to. This is why it is “So Sweet” because we know that like gravity, He will be a constant in our lives.

When we are born we are the "body at rest" of Newton. We make our way through life until we are acted upon by outside forces. The one true and constant "outside" force is Christ. Of course, there are other "outside forces" but they are not the "Way, the Truth and the Life".

Unlike gravity, though, Christ lifts us up! Unlike gravity, though, Christ is here for us – not inanimate objects! Just remember, ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus because God created Him just for you as one constant in a world that turned from God. When we trust in Jesus we are able to call upon all of the power and compassion of the Creator. When we don’t…

The Mighty Oak Tree

2008-07-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

I was looking at an oak tree from about 30 or 40 yards away the other day and it looked perfect. From my vantage point every leaf appeared to be well formed and disease free. It wasn’t until I walked over to the tree and stood under it that I saw the reality. Many of the leaves were poorly shaped. Many had been eaten by insects and were barely still green yet they were all still part of the entire tree – parts that played an integral role in keeping the tree healthy.

Do people look at Christian congregations like I looked at that Oak tree? Do they see us as …”
perfect from a distance? We invite them to join us and when they get inside they see what I saw in the Oak tree’s leaves. Do they see how well we work together or do they only see the dissension? Do they focus on the damaged leaves instead of the completeness of the tree?

We are God’s people – but we are not perfect. We strive to accept and love each other as the Christ called us to – “…love one another…” (John 15:16-17). Read the scriptures and you will see that we are called to love one another because it will reward US, not them.

I moved toward the Oak tree because I could see cool, inviting shadows beneath its limbs. I saw relief from the heat of the Summer’s sun. When I reached the tree I was within the cooling shadow. Whether the leaves were perfect or not, they worked together to provide a place of salvation from the harshness of the sun. As a congregation we provide the same salvation from the harshness of Satan’s world – no matter what kind of leaves we are individually.

What we need to remember is that each of us is needed to contribute to the life of a congregation. As a whole we need to present an inviting picture. We are unified in Christ just as the leaves are unified by the trunk of the tree. Christ is the trunk of our tree of Salvation. Let us be inviting.

Wilk

Alone Time In a Crowd

2008-05-01T08:05:00.001-07:00

Luke 22:39-42 [39] Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. [40] On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." [41] He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, [42] "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

My wife and I just came back from a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. Our cruise was shared by 3400 passengers and 1200 crew members. It was not really an intimate time. Almost every step we took outside the cabin was in a crowded area. Yet, it was possible to feel completely alone on the ship if you looked out past the crowds to take in God’s wondrous creation and saw it’s majesty. One evening after my wife went to bed I sat on the balcony – alone – to renew my prayer life. In the time leading up to leaving on the trip things like prayer and thanking God somehow got lost in the hustle and the lists of things to complete. Now it was the time and place to reconnect.

Like Jesus on the Mount of Olives I felt the need to separate myself from the crowds and speak to the Father. I looked into the heavens and saw stars I hadn’t seen in years. No cacophony of lights blocked my view of the Creator’s handiwork. Immediately I thought of Genesis 1:3-5, the description of the first Day – when He separated the light from the dark.

[3] And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. [4] God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

This must have been what the angels saw that day. I thanked God for His creation and for the opportunity the cruise gave us to see so much more of it. I had thanks and praise on my mind that evening. It had been quite some time since I had felt that close and that alone with God. As I looked at the array of stars in the darkness I felt I could reach out and touch the edges of Heaven. My mind was filled with the wonders and the bounty of the LORD that night.

I have no idea of what all was on Jesus mind His last night here on earth. Shortly before He was arrested, beaten and then died for our sins He took time to be alone with His Father. I may not know all that was on His mind but I do know that speaking to the Father helped Him.

I know that speaking to the Father has always helped me. Remember, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."

This first Thursday in May is the National Day of Prayer. For us, every day needs to be a Day of Prayer. We need to find time to be alone with God no matter what the crowd around us is doing. Jesus knew it was important and that’s enough reason for me.

Wilkie

Carrying The Burden

2008-03-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

Luke 23:26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Simon from Cyrene (a country in Northern Africa) was minding his own business when the Roman soldiers grabbed him and put the cross of Jesus on his shoulders. We know little about Simon but the Bible includes him at a critical time in the life of Jesus. He helped carry the LORD’s burden up to Golgotha.

The rough wood must have cut into his shoulders. He could probably carry it, though, because he hadn’t been awake for two days. Simon hadn’t been beaten all night and taunted, either. So who is this man who appears for a few verses in the Bible and is never mentioned again? He’s just like you and me – someone who is needed in the work.

He is an example to us of how we are to work for the LORD. Do we wait until the Roman soldier drags us into the LORD’s work? Are we even capable to carrying the burden? OR, do we step in and pick up the burden and help to carry the Cross of Golgotha to a world that would prefer it never happened?

Simon probably wishes he hadn’t been at that place on that day. Some of us are called by the LORD to carry His burden and, like Simon, we wish we hadn’t been there to get the call – it is inconvenient, after all. Like the Roman soldiers, the LORD doesn’t ask us whether or not we want to be called. He knows we can do the job so He gives it to us.

The weight of the Cross will be heavy at times. The splinters will hurt and the skin will be rubbed raw. John 13:18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." That is why we will struggle to carry the Cross. The world does not want to Cross carried. The world does not want the message of Grace and Salvation. The world does not want us doing His work. There is one thing the world will never understand, though....

The LORD prepares us for His work and then calls us to do it. The LORD knows we can do anything with His help. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Pick up the Cross when you are told to. It can only lead to wonderful things.

Wilkie Nunn
Pastor

Death Penalty Thoughts

2008-01-09T12:51:00.001-08:00

Lately many men and women condemned to die in prisons here in the United States have been arguing that lethal injection, the preferred method of execution in most states, is too painful. What we hear is their cries for relief from the possibility of suffering. Many of these inmates committed unspeakable crimes - causing extreme pain and prolonged suffering to their victims and the families who are left behind.

The human side of me wants to scream "SO WHAT?" Should we as a society be looking into "kinder, gentler" ways to kill these people? Maybe we need to bring back gas chambers and electric chairs. What's wrong with hanging or the firing squad? How can a country that spends billions of dollars on video games, where killing another is the point, object to firing squads?

The death penalty as carried out by the state has several problems. First, it fails to stop others from committing the same crime. Secondly, by the time the execution takes place many years have passed and most of those who might be deterred pay no attention. It turns out to be too little, too late. If it isn't a deterrent then what purpose does it serve? Is vengeance a good enough reason to kill someone?

What was God's plan? Exodus 20:13 - "You shall not murder. " seems clear enough. Yet, in Exodus 22:18 He tells us, "Do not allow a sorceress to live." What is the difference here? Is it that we are not personally to kill someone but the authorities have the right?

Again, let's look at God's original plan. Stoning was a community effort - not the governments - carried out immediately. When one was found to have violated the LAW of GOD (see John 8 - the woman who had committed adultery was brought to Him for condemnation) the entire community gathered to participate in the stoning (See also Acts 7:54-60 - the Stoning of Stephen). Would anyone argue that stoning was anything but "cruel and unusual"?

This is how capital punishment was designed under the LAW - immediate and personal. Yet, Jesus proclaims that He has come to fulfill the LAW (Matthew 5:17). Does this mean we are to take capital punishment back many centuries and carry it out ourselves? Not according to Jesus. If you continue to read further in Matthew 5 you will see that we are called to stand above - to be ready to forgive. So much for the human side of me.

Capital punishment seems like such a simple issue. If only one innocent person is saved from execution it is worth stopping the practice. More to the point, though, we Christians are called to make this a better world by our actions here. We are also called to lead those who commit murder to repentence so that they can spend an eternity with God.

If we carry out the Great Commission we might be able to stop some from turning down the road that leads them to kill another. In today's news I read of a man in Alabama who threw all 4 of his children off a bridge to certain death. In today's news I read of a drifter in Georgia who killed a hitchhiker. In today's news I read of 4 children found dead in an apartment in Washington, DC. The list goes on and on. These lives could have been saved if those who did the killings were shown how their eternal lives could be saved.

In Luke 23:43 Jesus offers eternal life to a man being executed beside Him. "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." It is never too late. The death penalty for our corrupt, earthly bodies doesn't mean the end. Everyone has an eternity to live. We are to offer that eternity in Heaven. We have the opportunity to short circuit lives of crime and to negate the true effects of capital punishment - an eternity separated from God.

Wilk

New Years Resolutions

2008-01-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 [24] Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such as way as to get the prize. [25] Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Once again we reach the time of year in which New Year’s Resolutions are a hot topic. We all know the usual list – lose weight, make money, get plastic surgery instead of losing weight, cheat someone out of money instead of earning it. Yes, I know the last two sound a bit dramatic but this is the level of thought we see in our culture these days. Many in our nation are seeking the “crown that will not last” because it is the easiest one to find. Their resolutions for the new year are not going to be very challenging.

We Christians face 2008 with the need to resolve to seek the “crown that will last forever” for everyone in our families and circle of contacts in this world. We Christians face 2008 with the need to become involved in the activities of Christ in this world. Presidential contender, Mike Huckabee, has had to defend a statement he made years ago in which he called upon us all to take this nation back for Christ. He has not backed down from that statement. That is the “crown that will last forever” yet the press rails against such open allegiance to Christ. Let’s resolve to take this nation back for Christ!!

In the upcoming election year let us remember that we are here to give our endorsement TO the Creator of the Universe. We are here to proclaim the "name above all names". We are here to take this world - not just this nation - back for Christ!

We have to resolve to run the race – whether it be at home, in church, at the store, or in the political arena – as if we want to win that eternal crown. The crown was paid for in advance. Our Salvation was paid for in advance. Remember to be resolute in picking up your prize!!!

Wilkie

NAGGING God in Prayer

2007-12-31T07:38:00.000-08:00

Do we think God has short term memory loss?

James 5:16 tells us of the power of the prayer of "a righteous man". We pray for those we know are in need of more help than we can offer. Intercessory prayer is not only powerful but it feels good to have done. Yet, if we truly believed that our prayer was heard then why do we repeat the prayer again the next day? Do we feel that asking for the same thing again and again will finally nag God into doing our bidding?

No. We ask repeatedly because we know that He has all the power. We ask repeatedly because we have short term memory loss. We want to keep reminding Him because we can't see the progress. It's like watching grass grow sometimes. We want patience and we want it NOW.

We ask more often when it is something completely out of our hands. When a loved one is sick we pray repeatedly. When someone is lost we pray repeatedly. It is said that volunteers for Habitat for Humanities projects routinely use far more nails than needed to do the job. It's because they can't bring themselves to believe that only a few nails will hold. More experienced carpenters know how many nails to use - a form of faith learned through trial and error.God doesn't have short term memory problems. We don't have short term memory problems. What we have is the insecurity of the Habitat volunteers. If one prayer will do then thousands will do faster. Faith, often gained through experience, teaches us that God heard it the first time and that the answer will come in HIS time. So arise from prayer with a smile not a frown. Know that you have turned all over to the only power in the universe capable of doing all.

Wilk

Getting away TO it all

2007-12-12T03:23:00.000-08:00

Matthew 18:2-5 - 2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

At this time of year most of us, Pastors included, get into the annual frenzy of activity that has come to characterize the Christmas season. Normally we wouldn't think of December as a good time to put our lives on hold, leave the comfort of our homes and families and drive hundreds of miles to volunteer to work in a warehouse so that children the world over could get a shoebox sized present. But that is exactly what 7 of us (the perfect number) from Downsville have done.

We are currently wrapping up two full days of volunteering for Samaritan's Purse in the Operation Christmas Child processing center in Charlotte, NC. The physical work, though great for the body (thank God for anti-inflamatory medicines!!), pales beside the work of the LORD through these small packages. These shoeboxes come from all over the US to go to children all over the world.

This has been a truly humbling and uplifting experience. That was to be expected. What has been unexpected is that this simple plan - volunteer for a couple of days - has been a chance to get away from the hectic to the awesome! Awesome is a word many use to describe everything from pizza to cars but we, as Christians, know that the word awesome can only truly describe the presence and the work of the LORD.

By humbling ourselves like children, the scriptures tell us that we will become "the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." That isn't why I am doing this. I am doing this because - "... whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."

By leaving work, home and our hectic schedules - something most people refer to as getting away FROM it all I discover that I have actually gotten away TO it all. I have broken free from the hectic demands of the Christmas season to return to the true "Reason For The Season". Each and every one of the thousands of shoeboxes I touched in the past 2 days have been an opportunity to welcome "a little child" in His Name. Each and every one of the thousands of shoeboxes I touched in the past 2 days have been and opportunity to welcome Him! Each and every one of the thousands of shoeboxes I touched have taken me away TO it all!

Wilkie Nunn
Pastor
Downsville Church of the Brethren

Stop, Look and Listen

2007-09-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

What happens when you have nothing to say to God? We all reach that point. We sometimes feel foolish asking for the same thing again. We sometimes feel like our problems are not something we should bother the LORD about. Sometimes, we just don’t feel like we know why we are in prayer – is it just a habit?

There are several methods for handling the “nothing to say” problem. The one we seldom employ is to let God do the talking. Too often we treat God like He has nothing to say in the conversation. Do you really think that the Creator of the Universe doesn’t have anything important to say to you? Remember, He wrote a whole book!! Sit quietly after you start your prayer time and follow the old railroad crossing advice – STOP, LOOK & LISTEN.

STOP talking. By the way, the LORD already knows what you have to say. He still wants you to come to Him and say it but occasionally He wants into the conversation.

LOOK around you to see His GLORY. Look for His leading and His direction in your life. He often speaks to us through our eyes – keep them open to see what He is showing you.

LISTEN to His message. Often you will “hear” the whispers of God through the words of those around you. In times of quiet contemplation you may finally be able to grasp the true meaning of what a friend has said to you – something you rejected at first because it didn’t fit your agenda. God almost always tells us something that doesn't fit the agenda we want to follow. That BOOK He wrote will tell you His agenda.

Remember the words of His Son, “Let those who have ears, hear”

When and Why we get GRACE

2007-02-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 2:1-3
False Teachers and Their Destruction [1] But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.[2] Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. [3] In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

Experience is what we get
when we don’t get
what we wanted.

Grace is what we get
when we don’t get
what we deserve.

Peter writes of “false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign LORD who brought them…” You might read through the Bible and think that this was a problem in Peter’s day but that there are no “false teachers” around today. Nothing has changed.

In Peter's day the heresies had to do with denial of the GODNESS of Christ. They were "in your face" heresies and brought out some of the best writing in the New Testament. There are still those who question the diety of Christ but they do it in a less confrontational manner. They ask questions like, "Do you really believe a truly loving God will only accept those who come to Him through Christ?"

The answer for me is, "YES!" The next step is for them to ask "How can you believe that?"

The answer for me is, "The Savior said it. The WORD of God repeated it through the writings of His followers. God inspired those writings so what the Savior says I believe."

It is a good thing that we get our GRACE from the Creator because we certainly won't get any from modern heretics. They believe the old phrase, "There but for the grace of God, go I." They truly feel that the LORD saved them from a life of hardship or failure. What I've seen of my God is that He leads us to a life of hardship and stands beside us in our failures. Our failures will lead us closer to Him.

Grace is what we get instead of what we deserve. I can only pray that the LORD will extend His grace to the modern day heretics. They won't understand it but I can assure you they will accept it.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

"Am I My Brother's Keeper?"

2006-07-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

The Watchman

Ezekiel 33:7-9 - The LORD puts an awesome responsibility on Ezekiel's shoulders in these two verses. You can choose to assume that the Old Testament WORD is not valid in these New Testament Times or you can choose to accept that when the "WORD became flesh" that it was the entire WORD. I have always believed that the WORD is the inspired message of the Creator and we cannot avoid or void out any portion of it.

Ezekiel 33:7-9 [7] "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. [8] When I say to the wicked, `O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. [9] But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.

Throughout the Scriptures there is a recurring theme of believers as Watchmen over others. In Genesis [4:9] Cain asks, "Am I my brother's keeper?" The answer then was YES! The charge to Ezekiel was YES!

The charge to us today is YES! Jesus left us with a commandment to "Love One Another..." That makes us our "brother's keeper". Unlike Cain, we are not answering a question about where "our brother" is physically but where "our brother" is spiritually.

Keep in mind God's admonition to Ezekial: "But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself." As our Savior departed this earth He gave us what we call the Great Commission. Is it really all that different from the call Yahweh gave to Ezekiel? Do you want to appear in front of Christ and hear what was said to Ezekiel in verse 8? Do you want to accountable for the blood of those around you?

In John 10:3 Jesus tells us that "The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." We are called to be watching over the spiritual health of our friends [and enemies] and to open their ears to the voice of the Savior - the watchman who opens the gate of pearl.

Step up and spread the WORD. You aren't alone in this effort. From every moment since Pentecost the Holy Spirit has been waiting for you to ask for help in converting some sinner. Some will heed your call yet others will not. Having made the effort you, like Ezekiel will "have saved yourself."

Let those who have ears....

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville CoB

Things I don't want to try

2006-07-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

If Statements...

I was recently told the following odd "fact(?)": A skunk cannot spray if it's feet aren't touching the ground.

This leaves a GREAT BIG IF statement running around in my head. If this is correct how do I prove it? If this isn't correct the disproving would require the application of large quantities of tomato juice (another fact I've never had to prove!).

If this is true do I prove it by provoking a skunk and then quickly picking it up? If I can move that fast why would I pick up the skunk (but that's another tangent)?

The Bible is full of IF statements that would require us to do things that are far more dangerous than picking up a skunk. In Colossians Paul puts forth the following:

Colossians 1:21-23 - 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- [23] if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Verse 21 states where we start – ” Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” This is the starting point for us all. BUT- says Paul “he has reconciled you”. He has balanced the sheet and taken away the status of “sinner” – HOW? “by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—“. That looks like a complete thought, doesn’t it? That looks like Paul has completed his statement about our reconciliation – the balancing out of our sinful beginnings and the beginning of our walk away from sinning.

Paul doesn’t let us off that easy in the way some think of the phrase “Once Saved Always Saved” he goes on to add an “If” statement. To sum it up, “If we don’t backslide!” Paul calls for us to continue our walk "not moved from the hope held out in the gospel" rather than stopping our Christian growth at the end of Verse 22.

Jesus Salvation should not be treated as if it were an insurance policy.

You don’t buy auto insurance and then drive around running into other cars simply because you have the insurance.
You don’t buy life insurance and then take up sky diving without a parachute just because you have the insurance.
You don’t buy insurance against the theft of your possessions and then leave them on the sidewalk for anyone to take just because you have the insurance.
You don’t accept the Grace that is Salvation and then tuck it away with the other insurance policies to bring out when you need to file a claim.
You don't pick up a skunk to find out whether or not it will spray you with it's feet off the ground.

I don't want to risk picking up a skunk. We as Christians shouldn't risk the wrath of God simply because we believe we have all the "facts". We know the path to walk. We know that the LORD wants us on the path. We also know that "In the beginning..." God created skunks. He also created all of the pleasures that the enemy uses against us on a daily basis.

With our Salvation we begin a climb from our original sin nature (the one that thinks picking up a skunk to prove it won't spray is a good idea) to maturity as a Christian. As mature Christians we see the danger before we touch it. As mature Christians we can see in advance that there are "Things I don't want to try".

Wilkie Nunn
Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

Thar she blows!

2006-05-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

Rough Seas for Believers

As Jonah made his ill fated voyage to run away from God he found himself at the mercy of a storm tossed sea. For those of us who have been at sea in a mighty storm we know that the power of God's wrath can easily be expressed in the descriptions found in Jonah.

The Savior could sleep through these storms because He knew something we can only take by faith. He knew that He wasn't going down with the ship. So He got up and "rebuked" the storm. Now, sailors, I've seen men rail at storms but it was always to no avail. But the Shephard spoke once and the seas subsided!

Jonah finally figured out that he was the cause of the storm and asked to be thrown overboard. If you've ever been in a storm for several days - surrounded by seasick sailors and never able to rest - you will understand why Jonah was so eager to get off the boat. Only the Savior can calm the storms that toss us about in life.

In Acts 27 Paul is caught in a terrible storm - a Noreaster - that threatens to take all of them down while tearing the ship apart. Yet Paul stands in front of cold, hungry, wet, frightened men and says the most remarkable thing:

ACTS 27:21 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. [22] But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.

This is the way we need to live our lives -- knowing that we will be spared and only the vessel we lived in will be destroyed. The very Man who stood to rebuke the waves waits to welcome us home. Jonah's journey was supposed to take him away from God yet it failed. Our journey is to take us closer to God and, as such, it cannot fail!

An anchor is designed to hold you safely. Christ is our anchor - protection against being thrown overboard by the storms of life.

Wilkie Nunn
Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

The DaVinci gospel Judas Code

2006-05-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Test the Spirit

1 John 4:1 - 3 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

We have heard a lot lately about the DaVinci Code and the Judas gospel. Each of these is the work of man and not from the "Spirit of God". Yet, they have a powerful pull on those who do not want to hear the truth. Worse, yet, is that the two get mingled in the minds of those who are not strong in the WORD. For those who have not immersed themselves in the scriptures it is easy to be led astray by writings like these two.

The author of the DaVinci Code makes two claims - first that the book is fiction (definitely a true statement) and secondly that he is a born again Christian. The second statement is the kind of twisted logic often used by the Adversary to cause the weak to stumble. If this is written by a "born again Christian" then it must be valid. This is the kind of confusion that the world wants. New Christians are targets of this - like new born lambs who can't keep up with the flock they are picked off by the wolves. Christians who have not studied the scriptures are targets of this - they can easily be confused by half-truths.

It is for those of us who have studied the scripture and believe in the truth of the scripture to stand up against this assault. Millions have read the DaVinci Code and swallowed the fiction as truth. Millions more will see the movie and, because they are predisposed to dislike the church, will accept the lies as a way of bolstering their resolve not to accept Christ in their hearts.

I am waiting for someone to ask me if I knew that Judas was Jesus Best Man when He married Mary Magdelene and that is why Jesus asked Judas to be the one to betray Him. Next will be someone saying that the "wine into water" was at Jesus wedding. These people are on their way to being lost because they will not read the Truth!

Unfortunately, the damage has been unleashed. We will see it in our own congregations. We will hear life time Christians ask questions that could only have come from one (or both) of these works.

We need to remind them to TEST THE SPIRIT - Is this from God? What do these works say about the divinity of the Christ?

The Adversary is attacking on many fronts and many of our soldiers haven't read the instruction book very closely. Without the WORD we are vulnerable. Without the Spirit we are lost.

Memories

2006-03-30T18:37:00.000-08:00

A way in which we outdo God

Many of us grew up looking at Communion tables with the phrase, "This Do In Remembrance of Me" carved boldly. Do you realize that we all have better memories than God! No, this isn't blasphemy. Think about it for a minute.

Can you remember sins you committed 10 years ago? How about 20 or 30 years ago? I can. Some of them are crystal clear in my memory. God can't remember those.

Can you remember sins you committed last week? How about earlier today? I can. They are recent memories. God can't remember those.

I asked Him to forget them and He did. He didn't ask me to forget them because He knows me better than that. I have to catch myself when I ask for forgiveness because I have that human tendency to say things like, "I did it again, God." He must be scrathing His head wondering what I'm talking about. He has forgotten because I asked Him to.

Too bad we can't ask ourselves to forget with such good results. Have you been blocking God's love because you remember all that you did wrong and think He could never forgive or forget? We are coming up on Easter. That Easter centuries ago the Son of God took all our sins and paid the ultimate price so that we could live with a Father who forgets our failures. Too bad we don't.

You see, we have better memories than God.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

Is Anger unChristian?

2006-03-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

The Money Changers

We often feel like we have failed when we get angry. Somehow we feel that the LORD will think less of us if we lose our tempers. Yet, we have the example of His Own Son – the one He spoke of so lovingly when Jesus came up our of the baptismal waters of the River Jordan. The Son of God entered the temple, took time to braid a whip and then drove the sinners from His Father’s house. The courts would accuse Him of premeditation and malice aforethought. His anger was pure RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION. We have the same right to be angry when the House or the WORD of God are defiled. That hasn’t changed in 2000 years.

As those who wish not to repent attempt to browbeat us into accepting them as unrepentent sinners we have every right to be angry. Yet, because we remember the words, "turn the other cheek" we mistake our Savior for a wimp. We need to find that RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION like Jesus did and put it to good use. We need to clear the temple of those who would use it to imitate this world rather than praise God and plan to spend time in His World.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

Really Slippery Slope

2006-02-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

How much is the Church willing to accept?

In this week's news is a report that the openly gay Episcopalean Bishop, "V. Gene Robinson, is being treated for alcoholism, a step that surprised friends and colleagues but seems unlikely to threaten his position in the church." [Quote is from the Chicago Tribune].

Not surprisingly the church leadership that promoted this unrepentant sinner is standing behind their decision. What's next for Robinson? Is there no stopping this slide into acceptance of any and all types of sin without ever asking for repentance?

If Robinson had left his wife for another woman and was living openly with a woman who is not his wife would he have been given the opportunity to become a Bishop? We all know that the answer here is NO.

Yet, the world is trying to convince us that some forms of sexual immorality are acceptable to God. Unless every translation I consulted is wrong then God still condemns sexual immorality by everyone of us.

There is little doubt in my mind that Robinson is a man who gives in readily to the weaknesses of the flesh. He needs the guidance of the leadership of the church, not it's duplicity.

We are all tempted on a regular basis. That's what Satan does. This is especially true of those of us who stand firm in proclaiming the WORD. If we send the kind of confusing message that Robinson is sending we are bolstering the message of Satan not the WORD of God.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

Passing the WORD

2006-02-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

Do We Miss the Opportunity?

Acts 8 - Philip in Samaria and the Egyptian Eunuch

When we are offered the chance to share our faith in a traditionally hostile land like Philip in Samaria do we proudly proclaim the WORD or just wait for someone to ask?

As Chapter 8 of Acts opens we see Philip proclaiming to an audience that is listening "in one accord" Did they listen because the WORD was so compelling? Did they listen because they were seeing miraculous healings going on as Philip spoke? Were some of those there that day the same ones who believed when Jesus met the Woman at the Well (John 4)? We may not know but we do know that Philip did not wait to be asked in these scriptures.

With the Egyptian Eunuch, though, Philip did wait for an opportunity to be asked. Sometimes we have to give a hint that we want to be asked.

In both cases the result was souls won for the Kingdom. Remember the example of Philip. Speak the WORD boldly and be ready to answer the questions.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

Salvation has two sides

2006-02-13T08:52:00.000-08:00

Saved From What?

ACTS 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

When we quote this scripture is it clear from what one will be saved. Is this like the SAVE button on WORD? Does it simply stop any further changes until we can get back to our lives? Are we certain that those we speak to about the saving Grace of our Savior fully comprehend what we mean?

In Luke 16 [Lazarus and the Rich Man] the Savior tells us clearly what fate awaits those who don't call on His name. He also tells us that there is no crossing over once your fate is cast. We know that Hell and eternal damnation are considered too harsh for some congregations but that doesn't make them any less real.

Let's make clear just exactly what SALVATION means. It isn't a temporary thing like the SAVE button. It isn't something to be taken lightly and, more to the point, there are two sides to SALVATION. On the inside you get the "mansion" Jesus went to prepare on the other you get toasted.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

To Change a Light Bulb

2006-02-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

How Many Pastors does it take to change a light bulb?

John 1:5 "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it"

The bulb in the fixture by the front door blew out - several weeks ago. My wife has brought this to my attention on a few occasions [during the 10 o'clock news when I let the dogs out] and I dutifully promise to change it - just not right now.

Today I changed the light bulb. It only took one pastor. First, of course, I had to go to the basement to find a bulb and then up the steps out to the garage to get the ladder. Then, with bulb in my shirt pocket and ladder in hand I went around front, set up the ladder, climbed up, unscrewed the plate that holds the top on the lamp, unscrewed the bad bulb, screwed in the good bulb, put the plate back on and screwed it back in place. Now I had to see if the light would indeed shine in the darkness so it's around the house [the front door was locked] and into the house to the front door to turn it on. Like I said, it only takes one pastor to change a light bulb.

Then I had to take the ladder back to the garage, throw away the old bulb and the job was done. Now do you see why it took me so long to getting around to changing that simple bulb.

Is that the way you are about daily reading of the scripture. Do you have to find the Bible and then just the right spot first? Do you put it off for days on end because it's just easier not to do it than it is to go to all that trouble just to read for 10 minutes a day?

This is why the darkness has not understood it. We need to spend every day in the WORD so that the darkness is pushed further and further back by the Truth.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

If we "drop from the work"

2006-02-10T05:42:00.000-08:00

Satan's Work

Nehemiah 6:8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done; you are inventing them out of your own mind" 9 —for they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, 'Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.' But now, O God, strengthen my hands."

The Prince of this World sends those who plant untruths, misquotes or accusations against us so that we "will drop from the work..." This was true for Nehemiah and it's true for us. Paul railed against false teachers in many of his epistles. Satan has been at his evil work for a long time.

The enemy sends the forces of this world against us and against the WORD. If we "drop from the work" the enemy does a victory dance in the end zone. In Exodus 17:8-13 as long as Moses holds high the staff the enemy is defeated. When he drops the staff they begin to win. Moses couldn't hold the staff by himself throughout the battle so Aaron and Hur exhibit how we can help hold up each other throughout the work. We all need to help hold up the WORD so that the enemy will be defeated.

Only then can the work go forward.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren

My Nose Itches...

2006-02-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

What Did Jesus DO?

A number of years back I was in middle Pennsylvania helping to clean up after flooding. We were cleaning mud out of a room at a Methodist camp which, conveniently, had a small stream feeding down to the river which flooded. We would walk down to the stream, fill two buckets with clean(er) water and, start back up the slope with our load.

About half way up the slope my nose began to itch. At first I was just annoyed. "Why does it always happen when your hands are full?" I was on a slope so I couldn't set the buckets down without spilling them. I was annoyed!

I then began to wonder - Did Jesus nose itch while he was nailed to the Cross? How foolish of me to worry about my little annoyances when the Son of Man had suffered far more than I would ever understand. Of course He couldn't scratch His nose but He did far more - He paid the price for my petty transgressions. He paid the price for my worst sins. He paid the price.

Somehow my nose didn't itch quite so badly then.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville CoB

Entering Heaven with a fraudulent resume

2006-02-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

Revelation 20:12 "...The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books."

When we reach the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Book of Life is opened we will be perpetrating a fraud. The Son of Man, seated at His Father's right hand will tell the whole world that there is nothing written in the Lambs Book of Life and that we have lived a blameless life. "Well done, my good and faithful servant" will reach our ears but we will know it's a lie. We will stand there silent - not protesting the obvious miscarriage of justice because we are getting off scott free. We will know that our resume contains all sorts of vile and despicable acts. But where are they in the Book? We listen to the list of degrading acts done by others before us and watch them being cast in the lake of fire. Some of the things they did weren't anywhere near as bad as what we did, were they? Why is my page blank?

The voice will tell me to step inside. The rags I will be wearing when I arrive will be replaced. The illnesses I have carried around with me for so many years will be gone. I don't deserve to be here, I will say.

But then, that hand, the one with the nail scars will take me by the shoulder and say - But, I forgave you when I paid your fare. Follow along and you will see the place I went to prepare for you.

Wilkie Nunn, Pastor, Downsville Church of the Brethren