Discipleship weekend

Just returned from the 10th annual New England Discipleship Network discipleship weekend. As always a privilege and a pleasure to participate in, this year with almost forty other brothers. These weekends focus on small group interactive encounters, either with a same group or in a choice of workshops. The theme this year was a transformed heart, whether for God, for the brethren or for the lost. We had,three small group sessions and a choice of two of four workshops. Saturday evening we experienced a powerful time of worship facilitated by,a gifted brother. As usual, the camp hosting us did a splendid job. My only regret was it lasted such a short time, starting on Friday night anx ending Sunday at noon.

Narrow Gate Farm

Last weekend God gave me the privilege and joy of visiting my friends at the Narrow Gate Farm in Maine. I've known this family for a number of years. They raise free range chickens, both meat birds and egg layers. In addition they have turkeys, ducks, pigs and are experimenting with rabbits. Two dogs complete the menagerie. That's not to mention green houses, flower beds and rows of vegetables. The couples' four children, ranging in age from five to sixteen, are avid helpers. Part of the operation is on their property and part on a neighboring farm. I had the opportunity to participate in their annual "Meet and Greet" where they offer a free meal provided by a close friend's barbecue business. The following day I helped stack firewood, and fed and watered chickens. We moved three of the chicken tractors.As the saying goes, a farmer's work is never done. There's always more to do.

Silver quarters

When I was about 12, my great aunt gave me four silver quarters and told me to keep them because they would be worth something in the future. She was right. Fast forward six decades and those 4 quarters would be worth about 25 dollars Why? The Federal Reserve was established in 1913 by bankers. In the years since it has become the "elephant in the living room" dominating the American economy and much of the world. In the old days when gold and silver were used as actual currency in the form of coins, ruling authorities could debase the currency by mixing base metals with the precious ones. Today the process is much easier. A simple bookkeeping entry by the Fed and voilà, we have another trillion dollars. As this money flows into the economy inevitably the price of goods and services increases. As Milton Freedman said, "Inflation is always a monetary phenomenon." Americans may have more money but it buys less. The ten cent candy bar of my youth is now two or three dollars. The ongoing rise of gold, which is almost $4,000 and ounce, and silver which is closing in on $50 an ounce, shows that people are losing faith in fiat currency. What happened to the 4 silver quarters? I spent them soon

A Prayer Testimony

When I was in Brazil earlier this year I met a young married woman, a friend of a friend. Her husband, son of a church leader, had abandoned her to live in the world. God gave me compassion for her, and along with many others joined in prayer for the situation. Continued to pray after my return to the US. Last Sunday received a text from our mutual friend that the husband had returned, repented before the whole church and they were reconciled and together again I am joyful for them and also very thankful to God for this encouragement to pray. Sometimes we can pray about a situation many times over months, years and even decades and not receive what we hope for. It is a blessing when God responds in a discernible way.

Charlie Kirk

I didn't know Charlie Kirk or follow him but I acknowledge his influence and his marryrdom as a brother in the Lord Jesus. As a young man of barely 21, I was a passenger in an accident that killed three people, a promising young Christian musician, a brother six years older than me who was the first to trust me, or Jesus in me, with any significant responsibility and his three year old son. As I tried to process this another brother taught me God's sovereignty. He said that God didn't want these three to have to wait any longer to see Him face to face, know His love directly and live with Him for all eternity. "The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men." Psalm 12:8 "All those who livd godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12 "The blood pf the martyrs is the seed of the church." Tertullian, an early church father.

1 Peter 2:18-25

Last night the Bible study group completed 1,Peter 2 working through verses 18 to 25. There were nine of us. This passage instructs how we should respond to suffering by following the example of Jesus. He did not retaliate in any way while He was condemned, tortured and crucified. Our normal response is to defend or justify ourselves,at the slightest provocation but this is not the way of Jesus. We also looked at the reality that Jesus' suffering was not only physical as intense as that was but also emotional as his closest followers forsook him and fled. More agonizing was the separation of perfect fellowship between the Father and Himself as He bore the wrath of God for our sins. 'Ny God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" quoting from Psalm 22.1

Coaching

A friend of mine is a soccer coach working with a high school team. This morning he explained how the team had done in their last game. He didn't say if they won or lost or the final score. Instead he mentioned thirteen straight passes at the onset and thirty-one shots on goal to the opponents six. He emphasized playing. What are the objectives of a good coach, winning at all costs or helping each player, with their different skills and experience, to be the best player they can be, and to work together as a team? Might the Church in America learn something here? Too often the pastor tries valiantly to do everything and gets burned out, or goes to the other extreme and thinks he is the only one that can do anything because of his specialized training. "Equip the saints for the work of ministry" (Ephesians 4:12) sounds like coaching to me.