Tag: blessings

The Gospel In My Hands

The Gospel In My Hands

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Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Names are hard. You can forget names, mix up names, and mispronounce names. 

But there’s a subject in scripture that is described many different ways, and it is given multiple names. The word “gospel” appears 101 times in the Bible. Some have described this word as meaning, “a reward for good tidings.” The basic meaning of the word “gospel” is “good news.” 

It is the good news about the benefits we receive from the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fundamental facts of the gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These facts are found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Notice what else we learn about the gospel from this passage, 

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 

In this text we see what the gospel can do in the hands of a faithful Christian:

  • First, Paul preached this gospel. 
  • Second, they received that message. 
  • Third, they were standing in that message. That is, they were following the gospel. 
  • Fourth, they were saved by that message. 
  • Fifth, they would continue to be saved as long as they held fast to that message. 
  • Sixth, these facts were true if they truly believed those facts. 
  • Seventh, he delivered what he had received. He didn’t make-up this message. In Galatians 1:12 he explained, “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” 
  • Eighth, what he delivered was of most importance which was that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (according to what had been foretold in the Old Testament). 
  • Ninth, Christ was buried. 
  • Tenth, Christ was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures – according to the Old Testament prophecies.

That is the gospel. That is what we are commanded to proclaim. So let’s share the good news with our lost and dying world.

Carl Pollard
Keep Him King

Keep Him King

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Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

blond man with goatee smiling at camera with blazer on
Dale Pollard

“But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.”

1 Samuel 12.24 

When this passage is taken out of the events unfolding in this chapter, it seems like a great verse to remind us to be grateful for God’s blessings. While that application could certainly be made, here’s the context. 

God’s desire for His people is rejected. Unlike the surrounding ancient cultures and nations, Israel had no king. Instead, they were to have men chosen by God to serve as their judge. The temptation to establish an earthly king became so great among the Israelites that they gave in and decided to oppose the Lord’s leadership strategy. 

Samuel is in the final stretch of his life and guided by God’s direction, he allows the people to have what they wanted— but not what they needed. 

Samuel replies to the people’s cry for a king and here’s our verse in context. 

“You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.” 

Samuel wasn’t merely encouraging the people to be grateful for what they have as it might seem on the surface. He was reminding them to not reject the King of Kings after their earthly king fails them. When we make poor decisions and are forced to pay the consequences, the worst possible move would be a move away from God. Taking ownership of the trouble we bring into our lives is vital to future faithfulness. Difficult lessons are, by definition, not a joyful experience. Things could always be worse, but things could always be better. At the end of the day it comes down to which king we decide to serve. 

“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke…”

Proverbs 3.11 

Grateful Living

Grateful Living

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Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Carl Pollard

There’s a pretty well known quote that people often share on social media. It says, “Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living.” What is gratitude? Being grateful means recognizing our blessings. There are some people that I don’t mind being inconvenienced by. People that I’d happily help if they needed it, and that’s because these people are grateful. They appreciate and thank you for helping them…Then there are people that I don’t exactly enjoy helping. Why? Because they demand your help and almost seem like they feel entitled to your help. You help them and you don’t get a thank you and they aren’t grateful for your sacrifice. It’s interesting that these people never seem to be happy, and there’s a reason. They fail to be grateful for the blessings they receive. 

When we take the time to be thankful for what we have, we don’t have as much time to think about what we don’t have. If we want to find true joy, focus on being grateful for what God has given us. For example, notice what many Christians have today: 

  • We live in America 
  • We worship in a building each Sunday 
  • We don’t have to walk everywhere 
  • We have a roof over our heads 
  • We have a church family 
  • We have food and clothes 

The list goes on and on. We have plenty to be grateful for, yet sadly we focus on the few things we don’t have. 

Being grateful leads to contentment. We won’t feel cheated in life. Being grateful keeps us from having self-pity because we won’t be stuck thinking about how much more we deserve. Being grateful keeps us from having feelings of jealousy and envy. We won’t be constantly comparing ourselves to others. Notice the gratitude of the psalmist in Psalm 118:1, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Skipping down to Verse 29 he says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” The psalmist begins and ends this chapter reminding us why we are to give thanks to the Lord. It is because His love for us never ceases. Again in Psalm 136 we read the words of a man dedicated to thanking God. 

Notice the breakdown of this psalm: 

  • “Give thanks to God” mentioned three times in three verses. 
    • Why? Because He is good and His Love endures forever. 
  • 26 times the phrase “love endures forever.” 
    • The psalmist repeats this phrase and then shows us how He loved us. 
    • Defeated kings, gave us land, led his people in the wilderness, etc.

Why should we be grateful? Because God Loves us. And He shows us that He cares. Gratitude brings about happiness. Joy in recognizing how great God’s love is for us. 

Gratitude is seeing all the many ways that God had blessed us.

“How Do I Love Thee?”

“How Do I Love Thee?”

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Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

Neal Pollard

The English Romantic poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, is famed for her Sonnet 43. It is also known by its first line: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” She was reared with privilege, wealth, and the finest education, but her health was compromised by an equestrian accident. Her father was controlling, and when she eloped to marry Robert Browning she was disinherited. She published many works of various types throughout her life, and this allowed her to become independently wealthy though her health made her an invalid. Robert became enamored with her writing, and they corresponded for two years. During this time, she wrote fervently romantic poems showing her love for Robert. For all that she wrote in her relatively brief life, her poetry stands out most of all. Of her poems, Sonnet 43 may be most famous.

The title above Psalm 92 reads, “a song for the Sabbath day.” That connects its words to worship, and this psalm shows the writer’s deep adoration for God. He never uses the word “love,” but his affection for God is obvious. It seems that the writer gives several proofs of that love here. Notice how.

  1. HE GIVES THANKS TO THE LORD (1)
  2. HE SINGS PRAISES TO HIS NAME (1,3-4)
  3. HE DECLARES HIS LOVINGKINDNESS AND FAITHFULNESS (2)
  4. HE PRAISES GOD’S WORKS AND THOUGHTS (5,8)
  5. HE SCORNS THE WICKED WHO OPPOSE GOD’S WAY (6-7,9,11)
  6. HE APPRECIATES THE BLESSINGS OF A GOD-APPROVED LIFE (10,12-14)
  7. HE EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE IN THE CHARACTER OF GOD (15)

One of the most rewarding exercises you can engage in is to enumerate the ways you love and appreciate God. Do it in your prayer life; spend time praising God and be specific in expressing your adoration and admiration. Think deeply about it. Look around. Look into your life. Consider what looks like His providence in your life and the life of others. Count your blessings, and tell God what you are thankful for. Wait! Did you mention running water, hot water, reliable vehicles, paved roads, coffee, air-conditioning, music, puppies, baby’s breath, eyesight, and brisket? What about the church, salvation, prayer, the Bible, peace, the hope of heaven, His guidance and protection, the elders, deacons, Bible teachers, your spouse, your parents, and your children? 

This will build your love and appreciation for God. It will remind you of how much He loves you and cause you to love Him more. It will humble you and help you focus on the fount of your every blessing! It should make you a better, more obedient servant for Him. How do you love Him? Like this psalmist, count the ways! It will lift your spirit and open your eyes to a harvest ripe with those who need what you have. Get counting!

“Dear church…”

“Dear church…”

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Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

Neal Pollard

When I was in elementary school, we had a teacher who taught us how to properly write a letter. Miss Crews, my fourth grade teacher, told us it included the heading, greeting, body, complimentary closing, and signature. Isn’t it interesting what we retain (or fail to retain) from childhood?

Applying that basic analysis to the New Testament epistles, we are greatly helped. In addition to reading who the epistle of 1 Corinthians is from (1:1) and who it is to (1:2), we have a heading (helped by the information in verse 2), greeting (1:3), body (1:4-16:18), complimentary closing (16:19-20, 22-24), and signature (16:21). It is also in this first section of the letter (1:1-17) that we find the purpose of the letter. Notice some key aspects of these first several verses.

PAUL REMINDS THEM OF WHO THEY ARE (1:2-3)

In the daily grind, I can be apt to forget exactly who I am and who God has called me to be. It seems this had happened to the entire congregation at Corinth. Paul starts out this letter by reminding them they belong to God, set apart, and recipients of grace and peace. 

PAUL TELLS THEM WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR THEM (1:4-9)

Except for Galatians, Paul begins with a prayer, blessing, or thanksgiving. Here, Paul reminds them of how blessed they are–with grace (1:4), riches (1:5), confirmation (1:6), various blessings (1:7), hope (1:8), and fellowship with the Father and Son (1:9). I don’t know about you, but I often need to be reminded of how mindful the Lord has been of me. I need to reflect on my blessings so I won’t obsess over my problems. Paul is going to be addressing a serious problem in their lives, but he starts by centering their focus on their spiritual treasures. 

PAUL URGES SOMETHING OF THEM (1:10-17)

One of the ways a New Testament writer indicated the purpose of his writing is through petition verbs. While Paul actually uses a petition verb three times in this letter (1:10, 4:16, and 16:15), there’s no doubt that his first one sets the tone for the rest of the letter. They have a big problem at Corinth: division. We can see this in greater detail as we walk through the letter, but their division was seen in their allegiance to men instead of Christ, in their worship services, in their exercise of spiritual gifts, in their exercise of their Christian liberties, in their view on various sins, and more. So, Paul brings them into focus here.

  • He urges them to be complete, by being of the same mind and judgment (1:10).
  • He urges them to see the true nature of Christ (1:11-13).
  • He urges them to focus on the gospel and the cross (1:14-17). 

Keep in mind, as you read through this entire letter, that God had something He wanted Corinth and all subsequent churches and Christians facing the same general struggle to understand. It requires us to keep sight of our identity, blessings, and purpose. Otherwise, we open the door to division which can be the gateway to “disorder and every evil thing” (Jas. 3:16). 

photo credit: Flickr
Praise The Lord!

Praise The Lord!

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Neal Pollard

Your version may use the word “hallelujah” to begin Psalm 135. Hallelujah means “praise the Lord.” While it is synonymous with giving thanks, it means to laud a superior quality or act, to acclaim and express joy in doing so. What is so noteworthy is that the psalmist does this in very specific ways, recounting times in history when God demonstrates His power and glory on behalf of His people. As we walk through the psalm, we see this. Why is He to be praised?

  • HIS CHOOSING OF HIS PEOPLE (4)
  • HIS NATURE (5)–Great, Above All
  • HIS WORK IN CREATION (6-7)–Heaven, Earth, Seas, All Deep, Vapors, Lightning, Wind, Rain
  • HIS DEFEATING OF THEIR ENEMIES (8-11)–Egypt, Amorites, Canaanites
  • HIS BLESSINGS (12)–Gave His People A Heritage (Possession)
  • HIS POWER (13)–His Name And Remembrance
  • HIS PROMISES (14)–Compassionate Judgment
  • HIS SUPERIORITY OVER HIS RIVALS (15-18)–Deaf, Dumb, And Blind Idols, Just Like Humans

The writer calls on God’s people to praise and worship Him in song, expressing their adoration (1-3). He ends with a threefold call to “bless the Lord” (19-21). May I suggest that you work through something both in your daily life and in your preparation before every time you assemble to worship? Call it setting the table for fellowship with the Divine. Either meditate on the specific works and ways of God that are worthy of admiration, praise and honor or pray to Him, expressing these matters in specific terms. Focus on how He’s demonstrated greatness in blessing your life and the lives of those around you. Perhaps it’s answered prayer, providence, deliverance, or relief. Focus on His power and might in the affairs of our nation, in the activities of our congregation, and the occurrences within your family and personal life. Let the worship flow as you look around at all you see in nature, from the universe to right out your window. Think about the gift of Jesus for your sins. All of this will surely cause you to echo the writer in Psalm 135 and call out to others, “Praise the Lord!”

Photo credit: Kathy Pollard
5 Buckets For Life

5 Buckets For Life

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Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

blond man with goatee smiling at camera with blazer on
Dale Pollard

We would all like to improve in many ways, but many of us are also well aware of the flaws we feel are holding us back. Those shortcomings tend to get in the way, slow us down, or even prevent us from achieving the quality of life that we desire. While there is plenty of room for improvement in my life, I have found that there is a simple way to clearly envision where I am currently, and also plan for where I would like to be in the future. 

It’s true that our burdens often come from our blessings. For example, the blessing of having a car may result in the burden of expensive bills that follow a mechanical issue. 

I believe that there are five major buckets of blessings that we all must give our time and attention to. They are the five categories that, if purposefully tended, help our lives to be wonderful. On the other hand, if neglected, we find ourselves in a head-spinning spiral of worry and anxiety. 

These buckets are: 

  1. Faith 
  2. Mental maturity 
  3. Physical health 
  4. Relationships 
  5. Work 

If one of those buckets isn’t filled with the proper content, the effects, I’m sure you’re aware, are negative. If these crucial categories are filled correctly, our quality of life will only improve. 

God is the Creator of life itself which makes Him the leading authority on the subject. Consider how He can help you in each of the five areas listed here.

Faith 

By denying self, our focus is diverted away from our negative self absorption. Putting God and others first can give you a better, fresh, and positive perspective. 

Acts 20:35

Mental maturity 

When we seek to understand our own minds and what makes us tick, we’ll be able to identify where these negative thoughts and reactions originate. 

Philippians 4:8

Physical health 

Poor health habits like fast-food diets, lack of physical exercise, and sleep deprivation only make dealing with stress all the more difficult. God designed your body to function properly when properly taken care of. 

Luke 1:37 

Relationships 

Every relationship, whether in marriage, friendship, family, coworkers, or the church, all have one thing in common—they were made by God. Thankfully, God wrote a book to help us understand who we are to be to each individual that make up those groups. 

Romans 12:16

Work 

God built us to work— He expects us to. Some choose to be lazy, and they suffer. Others choose to constantly work to the neglect of the four other areas mentioned. There must be a balance, and God knows that. 

Psalm 128:2 

While there’s a lot more to be said concerning these five categories, I hope this simplifies things and helps refocus on what really matters. 

Hopefully, looking at life through His divine lens is a reminder of Who we should turn to for everything. He has given us the ultimate assurance— and He is willing to give us the ultimate assistance. 

“Give Thanks To The Lord”

“Give Thanks To The Lord”

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Thursday’s Column

Smiling middle-aged man with purple shirt and tie on with evergreens as a backdrop
Neal Pollard

I wonder if Kathy felt like she was living with Briscoe Darling and the boys (imagine them if they were talkative) through the years they were growing up. She is refined and genteel, words that are not usually connected to our three sons and me. One thing she impressed upon us was the importance of timely, thoughtful thank you notes. Gratitude, though it can be expressed with very little time and expense, is telling. It acknowledges the kindness and generosity of the giver. 

One of the elements of worship, generally, and prayer, specifically, is thanksgiving. Our songs call for it: “Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart,” they express it: “Thank You, Lord,” “For All That You’ve Done,” “How Great Thou Art,” “10,000 Reasons,” and “He Has Made Me Glad.” Though that songwriter, Leona Von Brethorst, apparently wrote the song from Psalm 100, she includes a line from Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made.” 

Five times in Psalm 118, the psalmist says “give thanks” (1,19,21,28,29). He urges others to do so, but also expresses his resolve to do the same. Why?

GIVE THANKS FOR HIS GOODNESS (1-4)

“Good” is a general word that takes in pleasantness, desirability, and beauty. The good quality specified here is His everlasting mercy (lovingkindness). The writer moves from the broad to the specific–Israel, house of Aaron, those who fear the Lord. Everyone is the object of God’s lovingkindness. The righteous freely express their thanks for it.

GIVE THANKS FOR HIS DELIVERANCE (5-13)

There is a sudden, dramatic shift in tone in verse five. From an upbeat, positive tone, he turns to thoughts of trouble and difficulty. Distress, hatred, being surrounded, and violence threatened him, but God was there for him as protection and help. This kept him from fearfulness. It gave him refuge. 

It is an amazing thing to think of all the ways and times God has been with me, but those are just the instances I’m aware of. How many trials has God spared me from, disasters has He caused me to avoid, and troubles has He averted for me that I won’t know about on this earth? Just what I do know humbles me, and it should fill my heart with gratitude. 

GIVE THANKS FOR HIS GREATNESS (14-17)

The writer turns to the Giver. He is strong, a Savior, valiant, and exalted. Summarizing God’s qualities, the writer says, “I will not die, but live, And tell of the works of the Lord” (17). Awareness of who God is for me, physically, materially, and spiritually, will drive me to grateful thanks.

GIVE THANKS FOR HIS DISCIPLINE (18)

Though it is almost a parenthetical phrase in the middle of this song of thanksgiving, it is important and an additional reason for gratitude. He writes, “The Lord has disciplined me severely, But He has not given me over to death.” Who is brave enough to say that with the psalmist? He implies gratitude for God’s severe discipline. Hebrews 12:7-10 tells us that God disciplines those He loves and calls His children. It is for our good and allows us to share His holiness. Can I thank Him for the trials and challenges that refine me and grow my dependence on Him? Or do I just plaintively ask, “Why?”

GIVE THANKS FOR HIS PROVISION (19-29)

He uses the imagery of a city here–gates, stones, and chief corner stone. Then, he ends with a temple analogy, with the house of the Lord, festival sacrifice, and the horns of the altar. Saved inside God’s walls of protection, we are free to offer worship which He accepts. We marvel, we rejoice, we are glad, we prosper, and we extol. He has given us light. The primary thrust is not material, but spiritual. However prosperous or impoverished you are, financially, however strong or weak you are, emotionally, we have the greatest provision of all in Christ. Eternal salvation, the hope of heaven, fellowship with God and the saved, the church, strength to endure, the list is endless. 

Today, as you go through the day, why not stop and spend time in prayer to God thanking Him categorically: physical blessings, relationship blessings, emotional blessings, national blessings, and spiritual blessings. No doubt, there are things in your life right now that are dissatisfying and disappointing. You may be struggling mightily. Perhaps those are ways God is disciplining you in His love. Whatever is happening in your life, choose to give thanks and know God is trustworthy! It’s more than polite. It’s righteous!

If You’re Reading This You’re Probably A Camel.

If You’re Reading This You’re Probably A Camel.

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Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

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Carl Pollard

One of the many reasons you’ll never find me sewing is because I can never seem to thread the needle. It takes a good 45 minutes of fumbling around, licking the thread, and missing the hole before I finally get it. This is because the eye of your average sewing needle is approximately 0.6 mm wide. Or a better way to describe it is about the width of two periods placed side by side. Now try to imagine your average camel that stands at over seven feet tall and weighs 1300 pounds fitting through this space that is so small a toothpick can’t even fit through it.
 
Jesus uses this exact illustration in one of his interactions with a ruler during His earthly ministry. This account is found in three of four gospels, Luke, Mark and Matthew.
 
Jesus met many different people in His ministry on earth, from those of weak faith to great faith, from those in opposition to those in support. The account in Matthew 19 stands out for a few reasons. It applies to us more than we realize. We normally don’t think of ourselves as being rich. Rich is Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos. Many of us are richer than we think. For example if you earn $25,000 or more annually, you are in the top 10 percent of the world’s income-earners. The average income in America is $56,180. In America, if you make $32,000 you are considered to be apart of the poor to near poor income bracket, and yet even then you’re still making three times more than the average person worldwide. All of this to say, we are rich. Which makes what Jesus says to the rich young ruler hit a little closer to home.
 
Matthew 19:16 says, “And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” From the outside looking in, this person had it all. He was young so he had lots of life left to live. He was rich so he had no worries financially. He was a ruler so he had power and authority. While he had all of these qualities, he felt a need to go to Jesus for help.
 
The rich young ruler made many right decisions. He came at the right time (while he was young). He came to the right person (he ran and knelt at the feet of Jesus Mark 10:17). He asked the right question (“how can I inherit eternal life?”).
He received the right answer (Jesus tells him the truth). BUT…he made the wrong choice (he left the Lord broken-hearted).
 
The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asks, “what good deed must I do…?”
This question is singular. He was looking for a single action that would save his soul and give him eternal life. Sadly the action Jesus tells him to do was too much for him to handle. His riches kept him from salvation. If you live in America chances are Jesus would say to you, “How difficult it is for you to enter the kingdom of God.” May we never let what God blesses us with keep us from spending an eternity with Him.
Blessings

Blessings

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Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

gary and chelsea

Gary Pollard

How does Jesus feel about us? He created us, became human, and let us kill Him so He could make a new deal with us (Heb. 9.15-17). Most disregard Him, many are outright hostile. How could He love us at all? Because we know how most view God, it’s easy to lump ourselves into the same group as the hostiles. 

Ephesians gives some awesome insight into how Jesus feels about his people. 

1.3 – He gave us spiritual blessings through His sacrifice. 
1.4 – He had us in mind before He even started creating things. 
1.5 – He intended to make us part of His family. 
1.6 – He gave us grace. 
1.7 – He died to give us freedom. 
1.7 – He gives us forgiveness. 
1.9 – He told us what He wants. 
1.11 – He is going to give us an inheritance.
1.11-14 – He knows His own, and He’s looking to get us back home. 

 He didn’t just do nice things for us, though. Here’s how He feels about it: 

1.5 – Love motivated Him. 
1.5 – He wanted to do it. 
1.7 – He’s generous with His grace. 
1.8 – He’s generous with His grace. 
1.9 – He wanted to do it. 

We don’t deserve Him, but He loves us to death. We let Him down, but He gives us grace. He’d have every right to be exasperated with His imperfect family, but He’s not. People get on our nerves and societies fall apart, but we have the best family on the planet. Remember whose you are when you’re discouraged. No one wants you more than He does!