Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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In conversation last week, many people in two different states shared worries of pending economic trouble. Uncertainty might be the keyword; Montana might be more secure than other parts of the country. I don’t like doomsday talk at Thanksgiving. We’ll have turkey and all the trimmings; you may as well. For those of us who have been blessed with an abundance, I cannot get away from this virtue: thankfulness. Believe that God desires for us to continually grow in thanksgiving. When our hearts are full of His love, thankfulness is as well. Ove...
Thanksgiving: a break for many; a burden to many more. I admit to being old-fashioned in this and it will be a break for most of my household, except the cook. If only the country would go back to the time of rest around the holidays. Some go hungry and find themselves alone. Maybe it would be a good idea to find at least one person or another family who could benefit from our abundance. One can be generous through a simple invite to dinner or by surprising another family with a drop off meal. It seems to me that our family always has more...
For a moment, picture yourself as Bob Ross or Picasso and on your palette there is only white and black paint. No matter how many times you mix the two colors together the results will always be a shade of gray. One drop of black dramatically changes the tone of the white, never to be pure white again. Many remark that we are living in a gray world, asserting that truth is often canceled. I, for one, believe truth still matters. Wholesome virtues have been part of human society: truth versus deceit is a long standing battle. The noble trait of...
There are many character traits we can aim for in life. Some happen to be wholesome, while others tend to be unhealthy. One virtue that stands above so many others is faithfulness. A person whose character is marked by faithfulness in multiple areas of life traditionally is deeply admired. Therefore, each of us can strive for such a high mark, like an Olympian pole vaulter continually aiming for higher goals. I believe most people wish to be a better person. Still, biblically speaking, the goal of being a “good” person is misguided. Good is...
The late comedian Rodney Dangerfield was well known for his: “I get no respect”: “When I was a kid, I got no respect. I played hide-and-seek. They wouldn’t even look for me,” he quipped in his gravelly voice, his eyes sort of bugging out. “When I was a kid, I got no respect. I told my mother, I’m gonna run away from home.” She said, “On your mark.” Dangerfield passed away in 2015 after open-heart surgery, and the States lost a great comedian. Almost all of the old-timers in the public service sector, tell me they have experienced a long...
COVID-19, the border crisis, inflation: are these stealing our sense of hope? Pessimism and wistful thinking keep many from enjoying the blessings of good cheer. The Oxford Dictionary defines wistful as “having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing.” Such a sentiment leads many to believe that hope is in the wind. Although life has its share of difficulties, the Bible points us to eternal hope found in Jesus. Paul encourages us to look beyond the temporary, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet...
In life we have an important choice between being merciful or vengeful. We most definitely are living currently in a culture that’s on pins and needles. People are at great odds over matters that shouldn’t drive us apart. The truth is, when someone wrongs us our natural tendency is to return the hurt, to stick it to them real good. I strongly believe there is a better alternative. Rather than choosing vengeance one can deliberately choose to be full of mercy, practicing Christ-like virtues daily. No one said this would be easy; Jesus fully unde...
Jesus had the ability to look at people gently and speak to them in the most gracious tone. Compassion, kindness, sincerity--Christ displayed earnestness. It is no wonder he is the embodiment of grace worth following. “You’re full of it” is a phrase you’ve heard before, right? Often in jest, such a remark is either coarse or derogatory. I thought it would be a great twist to utilize this phrase in a positive affirmation, that which displays some of the great virtues taught throughout the Bible. After all, if we are to model Jesus or strive to b...
Christians to this day eagerly wait for Christ’s return. If we are eager today, what might be one of our goals? Our mission is to reach the lost and make disciples for Jesus. At a more personal level our goal as believers is to simply grow in Christ’s grace. This is a life long journey on this side of eternity. The late preacher, Billy Graham said, “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion-it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.” Are you growing? That is the central question. Our reflect...
Lately the subject of generosity has been on my mind but as I read God’s Word, I’ve noticed how grace is an integral part of what it means to be generous. Jesus exemplified this in his life and ministry; he was both truthful and graceful. “An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it...
Serving God involves an abandonment to Christ and his leadership. In order to follow Jesus we will always have to make the assessment to either be all in or not, there is no middle ground. In fact, such a commitment may involve sacrifice and suffering. Take for example the very words of Jesus: “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But he replied, ...
Being overly materialistic is a cancer that destroys people and churches. A blind spot, materialism will grow without a healthy conscience to check it. Pastor Timothy Keller says, “The Bible describes us to be a ministry provider not a ministry consumer.” This is relevant for us today. Sometimes people are more interested in what they get, rather than what they can give. We must keep the truth front and center in our lives. God’s grace is what has saved us. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live...
Jesus didn’t mince words or shy away from speaking the truth, but He often used parables in His teachings. In the Gospel of Luke one of the Pharisees again tried to stump Him, boastfully and loosely claiming that the privileged, including himself, would inherit the Kingdom of God. Christ had another take: “When one of those at the table with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, ‘Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.’ Jesus replied: ‘A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of t...
Hospitality has been on my mind lately but from a fresh view. We are accustomed to hospitality in terms of entertaining relatives and close friends. Pastor Timothy Keller describes radical hospitality as a “love for strangers” drawing comparisons from Christ’s teachings. “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to tak...
From an early age most of us have been taught to be aware of “stranger danger.” Much of this is due to safety, especially with the rise of sex trafficking. As parents we have discussed with our children extensively awareness and how to spot “stranger danger.” Although many of us share this concern, we should keep in mind a proper balance. It is a balance between caution and being overly afraid. Recently, I’ve enjoyed striking up the conversation of hospitality with my church family. The responses have been challenging and eye opening....
I know that former generations handled hospitality better than we do. However, in the current television and internet era, Martha Stewart has become synonymous with hospitality and entertainment. She has built a business empire on delicious foods and hosting elegant events. What was it like 2000 years ago? Guests for banquets were seated in connection to their relationship with the host. The closer to the host, the better the seat. From Luke 14, follow along: “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, Jesus told th...
Have you ever experienced losing your keys? Many of us have. We are usually in a hurry and heading out the door. Anxiety sets in fast. Often when we slow down, take a breath and retrace our steps, we find the illusive things. Sometimes those keys are lost into the abyss, never to be heard clanging again. In practice, many of us understand the value of forgiving others who hurt us but the actual process of forgiving can be alluding. When we encounter a wrong, frustration and anxiety get a tight grip on our heart, sometimes we get lost. So...
Generosity goes beyond simply giving money; generosity permeates all areas of our lives. One area which we tend to forget in applying generosity is in our relationships, specifically forgiveness. Have you ever wrestled with an unforgiving attitude? If we are honest, we all fall short in this struggle. “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of the...
Most of us remember a time or two when our behavior was haughty and arrogant. Today’s meditation takes aim at the condition of being proud that usually causes such behavior. Again, I’m focusing on Jesus’s parable contrasting the Pharisee and the Tax Collector praying in the temple. “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves...
Jesus often spoke in parables to make clear points; in the Gospel of Luke he compares a tax collector and a Pharisee. Most of us think negatively of both individuals. We are tempted to think the tax collector is like an IRS auditor today. Such a comparison isn’t even close. Tax collectors then were far worse. They collected money for the King and often over charged, keeping the increase for themselves. Those shysters! A Pharisee, on the other hand, was seen in that culture as an upright and religious person, who often gave 10% to the local t...
Generosity, according to dictionary.com, is the spirit and action of freely and frequently giving to others.” Most often this characteristic is associated with those of religious ties, being celebrated world-wide. One can also be generous without any religious background or belief. Do you consider yourself to be generous? Many of us do. We live in a community that is quite generous through non-profit avenues. Generous benefactors give of their time, talent, and resources to those in need. I’m of the opinion that “small town life” is the best! I...
John Maxwell, well known author and book seller, said “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” He also observed “Development is a lifetime journey, not a quick trip.” Two key factors play a major role in the church of tomorrow; healthy leaders and healthy congregations. Together they co-exist. If the church is lacking one of the two, changes must occur in order to be more effective; spreading the Gospel and building disciples. Candidly speaking, both leaders and ministry members are marked by their desire for gro...
This weekend we like to celebrate fatherhood. It’s time to crank up the BBQ, get out into nature, and spend some leisure time together. The history of Father’s Day is directly tied to a West Virginia church which commemorated the death of 362 men who tragically died in a coal mine accident, the first annual holiday was on July 5, 1908. The following year a widow, Sonora Smart Dodd in Spokane, Washington, rallied support from local churches, YMCA and other businesses to memorialize fathers. Presidents Wilson and Coolidge followed suit and urg...
I have been entertaining the question: What will the church be? History says the church in the world builds life. “You cannot pray at home, like you can at church, where there is a great multitude; where exclamations are cried out to God as from one great heart, and where there is something more: the unions of minds, the accord of souls, the bond of charity, and the prayers of priests,” (John Chrysostom). It is so in America I would more than argue. Our early foundations are directly tied to churches. Now nearly 250 years later we are see...
We all have wishes for the future. Saying it best perhaps was the iconic movie character, Doc Brown in Back to the Future, “The future’s unwritten. It’s what we make of it.” The Barna Research group recently reported, “Christianity in the (US) has undergone dramatic change in the last few decades.” They noted that today one in four Americans identifies as a practicing Christian, meaning their faith is very important and that they regularly attend church. The report contrasts findings from their annual 2000 analysis State of the Church, which fo...
