Rechabites

Jeremiah 35 tells the story of a group of people called the Rechabites. 300 years before this chapter, Jonadab instructed his descendents to not drink wine, eat grapes, or live in the cities. 300 years later, they were still obedient to these instructions. In vs. 16 God says this:

"Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me"

Even though God had sent prophet after prophet to warn Israel to return to God an obey His voice, they refused to listen. He compared them to the Rechabites, who were willing to obey harsh and seemingly pointless rules just out of love and respect for their earthly father, Jonadab.

How often do we do this! We will obey people we love and respect, but when it comes to our Heavenly Father, we pick and choose which commands and precepts to obey. Think about this: what possible reason could we have to not love and respect our God? He loved us while we were yet sinners, and gave His only Son to die in our place. He bought us out of our sin, and gave us a home with Him. I John 5:3 says this:

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

He deserves all of our love and reverential fear, and His commandments are not grievous; or, they are not to hurt us or keep us back from any good thing!

If we obey those we love and respect, maybe we need to remember why He deserves that and so much more.

Whirlyball!!!

It's that time again: the Home Improvement Class has challenged the teens and singles to a winner-take-all match of whirlyball!! Our honor is at stake, and we have the advantage of experience, with the all-stars from last match (Ms Betty and Amy Coffey) lining up on the same team.

We will be playing from 2-4 PM, Saturday the 8th at exit 7 (Holcomb Bridge). The cost is $20 a person, and the satisfaction of trouncing the other classes will make it all worthwhile. Get your tickets now, they are limited and going fast!

Celebration Sunday!

Vision is 2 years old! March 16th is the day that we celebrate 2 years of great ministry. God has been so good to us in so many ways, and has used us to help get the Gospel literally all over the world through the support of our missionaries.

Make sure you have made plans to be there for our celebration service; we will have great Sunday School teaching as usual, music from the Daybreak Quartet and the Vision singers, powerful verse-by-verse preaching, and a great time of food and fellowship at Will's Park after the service.

The Home Improvement class, taught by pastor Austin Gardner, has been one of the most exciting and fastest-growing class at Vision, and our class goal is 26 people in attendance for this special day. Grab few invitations, and let you friends, neighbours, and co-workers know that Vision is the church for them!

Unloveable

I was reading in Luke 14 this morning about the parable of the great supper. The servants were sent to invite the noble friends, who all found some excuse for not being able to come, and the master sent his servants out again, but this time to the poor, the maimed, the crippled, and the blind, that they could enjoy the great feast.

God has called us, His servants, to take His invitation to all men. I wondered as I read this passage how many times I have kept the invitation to myself because I didn't think that a certain person was worth the effort. If someone asked me whether I thought the Gospel was for a few or for all, I would immediately say that it was for all. But I don't always live like I believe it.

My problem, and the problem of many people, is that I forget that I was never one of those "noble friends"! I was one the unloveable poor who could never hope to deserve sitting at the table with the King. I forget that I wasn't always a child of the King, and I do not deserve to be.

Do you remember being one of the unloveable ones? Do you remember how it felt to be separated from God, with no hope? We need desperately to remember where we were, not just where we are, if we are going to have a real burden for the world!

My Valentine' Day Card

Well, its that time of year again. The time when I traditionally join the ranks of the millions of American men who flock to the nearest Wal-Mart (on the day of, of course. Does anyone actually do this before the 14th?) to stand shoulder to shoulder with their fellow clueless man in the card aisle, looking for all the world like a lobotomy patient trying to remember which shoe goes on which foot.

Am I supposed to get the romantic gushy kind, or something that makes her laugh? Should I spend my entire lunch break racking my brain, or just play Russian Roullette and hope that it turns out like a beer commercial?

That was me this afternoon. I couldn't find anything that even remotely resembled our relationship, or even anything that I thought would get a laugh, but everyone knows that you have to buy a card for your lady on Valentine's Day! Or do you.......?

I have decided to break the rules this Valentine's Day, because the only reason I was going to buy a card was because it is what our commercial culture demands. I figure, I know my wife better than any moron at Hallmark (and $5 for a stinkin piece of paper?????), and why not put my card where I can tell the whole world (or the 2 people that read this, thanks Mom and Dad!) how much she means to me! Melissa, I am thumbing my nose at the system. Here goes.


Melissa,

There are no words deep enough to describe how precious you are to me. I thank God every day, because somehow I get to wake up next to the sweetest, kindest, sexiest woman God ever made. I will never deserve your love, but I want you to know how invaluable it is to me. You complete me, you fulfill me, and you captivate me without even trying! Thank you for loving God, thank you for always making me want to serve Him more. You make me feel like I can slay giants, you strengthen me and comfort me more than you will ever know. I love you, happy Valentine's Day.

Your Valentine,
Scott

Fun Marriages

I was at work yesterday talking with some of my co-workers about what I was going to do for Valentine's Day, and a song came on the radio. I don't know what the song was, but it said something like, "She's my one and only, she's my treasure" . I didn't pay any attention to it, but one of my typically coarser co-workers got a big smile on his face, and said, "That's like you and your wife, right Scott? She's your one and only, that's why you don't even look at other women! I gotta say, I never thought being a Christian could be fun, only being with one woman and everything, but you mak it look pretty fun."

I was pretty well blown away, because I never thought he was listening to a word I said. What a reminder of how important the marriage is! Ephesians 5:25 says,

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

It is so easy to forget that our marriage is supposed to be a picture of God's love. It s so easy to be like the rest of the world and focus on the negatives about our spouse, instead of building them up and praising them in front of people.

Pastor Gardner has been teaching in church about thinking the right thoughts about your spouse. If we think right, we will talk right. If we talk right, our God is glorified! Let people see Jesus in your marriage!

Also, when people complain about their marriage, take that opportunity to tell them about how Go's Word is the best marriage manual you could ask for, and there is even a specific Sunday School class at Vision with a great Bible teacher for married couples.