How not to turn over in a narrow sea kayak...

This afternoon & evening I went on a short kayak trip with my youngest daughter. She paddled the sit-on-top the first half of the trip. Then I asked her if she would like to paddle my 17 ft. narrow sea kayak. I warned her that it was easy to turn over, but that it also is easier to paddle and much faster than the wide plastic sit-on-top one. Here's how you keep from turning over, "Don't lean too far to the right or left!"
The same is true for walking steady with Christ. When we begin to lean too far to the extreme edges of our faith, or culture, then we begin to be defined by issues rather than relationships. Focusing on our call to be a relational blessing to God and neighbor keeps us upright as we journey through the seas (chaos) of life. I have learned how to balance my kayak better through practice -- paddling it for 3 to 5 hours at a time on many outings. I find that steady consistent strokes make the journey more enjoyable. I have also learned to take my nifty little 12 ounce parachute nylon hammock that I can quickly string up between two trees and take a brief rest at the midpoint of a long day of paddling. So too must I do in long days of service to church and community. I can just get tired out listening, learning and trying to link in ways that lift others into God's love, grace and mercy. I need a bit of a rest every once in a while. Steady consistent witnessing make the journey more enjoyable.
How's your journey going? Turned over lately and felt all washed up? Get back in the boat and practice with patience. Remember to take rest breaks and talk to God, pray to God, read God's word, before heading back into the deep water!
Happy kayaking!

Praising God...

Wow! I'm in a state of bliss as my wife got word today that a course she took about 30 years ago (now I'm giving her age away) counted toward her last requirement for lateral entry into the teaching position at New Bern High School. That save us from losing her benefits (& our health insurance) for two months, not to mention that she would have gone to substitute pay for two months and had to pay $825 to take a six week online course.
God is faithful all the time. God would have been faithful no matter how this turned out and I praise God for the peace that comes from walking with Him through life. His beauty is what I seek to behold in all the ordinary experience of daily living. I surely do not deserve the blessings that I have received, the great love of God, of my wife, my children and an awesome church and church staff. Are you so blessed?
Steve

Peace

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." (John 14:27 NRSV)
I have had an incredible peace since late last week when I discovered the news about my wife, Debbie's, job. She did go find out that the worst scenario is that she must take one more course that is six weeks and doesn't end until mid September. She would be changed to substitute status, pay dropped substantially, and would lose benefits for that period of time. Our whole family is covered under her health insurance.
She has a number of advocates working for her to keep this from happening, but no matter what happens, God will carry us through this (even with one child moving and just starting college and the other returning for a second year, but in apartment living). God is good! God is great! Let us thank God for God's grace! Ultimate matters are not at risk here, only temporary setbacks and challenges.
How has God delivered you from times such as these?
Dr. Fitz

WYA2TM

Gen. 28:15 was God's word to me this morning. Jacob has a dream where he sees a ladder between heaven and earth with the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. God stands beside him and says that He will bless Jacob with offspring that will populate the earth and be a blessing to the entire earth. He then says in v. 15, "Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Wow, I was so tired yesterday, and God had to remind me again what He said to me when He was calling me into ministry back in 1991. I sat in my car outside Ruby Tuesday's with one remaining week of employment as summer youth minister in Chesapeake, VA. I had no job lined up in Richmond, VA where I was called by God to attend seminary and no way to pay for seminary. You might say, "that was just poor planning!" and you would be right. But as I left Ruby Tuesday's, my parking brake was engaged and broken. I was late leaving the restaurant and was not sure how to find the seminary campus. I finally figured out how to disengage the parking brake and it hit me in the thumb causing me to think with expletives. I leaned forward, looked through the front windshield heavenward and cried out loud to God, "God, do you know who I am? Do you remember me?" I then inserted the key into the ignition and cranked the car. The radio came on and these words from the radio, "Goodbye Ruby Tuesday!" I immediately heard clearly in my heart and mind God say to me, "I know who you are and where you are! Trust me!" I began to cry! I received a new calling from a church in Richmond within the next couple of weeks and I received grants to cover all of my seminary expenses.

God has continued to remind me of this promise through the years since 1991. I wish I did not have to be reminded, but each crisis in life takes me back to the beginning, to the foundation of my calling and my life. I have a God, we have a God, who wants us to know that "God knows who we are and where we are. We are to trust God absolutely and completely!" (WYA2TM) As I sit here today, at this minute I do not know how things will turn out for my wife's career, or for our finances. We cannot live without this income and she may be done, according to someone at the school board yesterday. I place my faith in God. I'll let you know how this turns out. I have turned it over to God!! No matter what happens, God will be with me/us to complete the good work that He began. Phlipp. 1:6, "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ."

Dr. Fitzgerald

I'm tired...

That is what I hear from some individuals in the hospital when they have just had all they can take. Sometimes, after extending their lives far beyond what their length of life would have been, they just say, "Enough! I'm tired!"

This week has been tiring for me! Our three ministers, Richard, Barry and Sharon are out of town and our administrative secretary was out Monday, and Friday is her last day with us. We have received close to 100 resumes that I have to sort through, teach Wednesday morning and night, prepare a sermon for Sunday, visit the ill and infirmed, and be spunky for my family when at home (my wife found out that she is one course short of required course load to stay a teacher in NC public education system & there is no course offered between now and deadline -- meaning she has one more paycheck!). I'm tired right now. Does this sound like whining? Perhaps! Sometimes we pastors need prayer too! I encourage you to pray for Richard, Sharon, Barry and me, as well as our support staff here at First Baptist.

I am most blessed to have this awesome calling and to be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses and faithful, obedient servants. I pray for you! Here's a picture of some of our group while in Germany. Some of them have not been able to sleep more than a couple of hours each night, and they have been there for four nights now!

Steve

Ten Flaws of Legalism

I mentioned in my sermon yesterday that legalism was the cause of making the people of Israel feel harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Here are ten flaws related to a legalistic approach to the Christian faith and Bible:
(1) New laws continually need to be invented for new situations. (2) Accountability to God is replaced by accountability to men. (3) It reduces a person's ability to personally discern. (4) It creates a judgmental spirit. (5) The Pharisees confused personal preferences with divine law. (6) It produces inconsistencies. (7) It created a false standard of righteousness. (8) It became a burden to the Jews. (9) It was strictly external. (10) It was rejected by Christ. Outlined from Fan The Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p. 52.
I would challenge each of us not to fall into the legalism trap. At times we can do that if rules become more important than relationships, if we live on tradition rather than out of tradition. Legalism is a major factor for the lack of church involvement from young folks who seek spiritual guidance today. Too many on the outside seeus as hard, cold, fixed and closed-minded. That is not true of all of us, but is true for some of us. It is time for us to repent and not let the legalists ruin the Chritian faith or church. We must remain steadfast in our absolute commitment to love of God and love of neighbor.
Dr. Fitzgerald

Softening the harsh impact

Jesus came to absorb the harsh impact of a sinful and broken world on us. He took the burden of our sin, and its painful consequences, in order to bring us into communion with God, God's love, grace and salvation in body, mind and soul. We are to follow Christ in word and deed. How do you soften the impact of others as they journey through this harsh world, those close to you and those you don't even know? Click here to link to one web-story of Robert Cook (far left in picture), who harnessed himself to a first time jumper in order to soften her impact through the use of his body as he realized their plane was crashing. What Scriptures come to your mind as you consider this awesome story and act of personal self-sacrifice?