Sunday, April 7, 2013

Use What You've Got!


Craig Brian Larson, in his book Pastoral Grit: the Strength to Stand and to Stay shares an interesting story.  He writes:

In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. According to Leon Jaroff in Time, the satellite's primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter's magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, for at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target. But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter's immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun.

And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. "Perhaps most remarkable," writes Jaroff, "those signals emanate from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light, and takes more than nine hours to reach Earth.'" The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Engineers designed Pioneer 10 with a useful life of just three years. But it kept going and going. By simple longevity, its tiny 8-watt transmitter radio accomplished more than anyone thought possible.

Cool story pastor, but what does that have to do with me?  I’m glad you asked.  You may look around you and feel like people who can do the job much better surround you.  You may not feel you have anything to offer.  Perhaps you feel like you are too insignificant or too wounded or too weak or too whatever.  But did you know that when we offer ourselves to serve the Lord, He can work even through someone with 8-watt abilities?   Consider this as well.  God can do no work through someone who is always inward looking or who quits.

If you’ve only got 8 watts worth of abilities…fire up all eight watts and watch what God can do!  Be willing to be used.


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Note:  This is from NASA's site on Pioneer 10:


Pioneer 10 was built by TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif., and was launched March 2, 1972, on a three-stage Atlas-Centaur rocket. Pioneer 10 reached a speed of 32,400 mph needed for the flight to Jupiter, making it the fastest human-made object to leave the Earth; fast enough to pass the moon in 11 hours and to cross Mars’ orbit, about 50 million miles away, in just 12 weeks.
On July 15, 1972, Pioneer 10 entered the asteroid belt, a doughnut-shaped area that measures some 175 million miles wide and 50 million miles thick. The material in the belt travels at speeds up to 45,000 mph and ranges in size from dust particles to rock chunks as big as Alaska. Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt, considered a spectacular achievement, and then headed toward Jupiter. Accelerating to a speed of 82,000 mph, Pioneer 10 passed by Jupiter on December 3, 1973.

The spacecraft was the first to make direct observations and obtain close-up images of Jupiter. Pioneer also charted the gas giant’s intense radiation belts, located the planet’s magnetic field, and established Jupiter is predominantly a liquid planet. In 1983, Pioneer 10 became the first human-made object to pass the orbit of Pluto, the most distant planet from the Sun.

Following its encounter with Jupiter, Pioneer 10 explored the outer regions of the solar system, studying energetic particles from the Sun (solar wind), and cosmic rays entering our portion of the Milky Way. The spacecraft continued to make valuable scientific investigations in the outer regions of the solar system until its science mission ended March 31, 1997.

Since that time, Pioneer 10’s weak signal has been tracked by the DSN as part of a new advanced-concept study of communication technology in support of NASA’s future Interstellar Probe mission. At last contact, Pioneer 10 was 7.6 billion miles from Earth, or 82 times the nominal distance between the Sun and the Earth. At that distance, it takes more than 11 hours and 20 minutes for the radio signal, traveling at the speed of light, to reach the Earth.

“From Ames Research Center and the Pioneer Project, we send our thanks to the many people at the Deep Space Network (DSN) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), who made it possible to hear the spacecraft signal for this long,” said Pioneer 10 Flight Director David Lozier.

Pioneer 10 explored Jupiter, traveled twice as far as the most distant planet in our solar system, and as Earth’s first emissary into space, is carrying a gold plaque that describes what we look like, where we are, and the date when the mission began. Pioneer 10 will continue to coast silently as a ghost ship into interstellar space, heading generally for the red star Aldebaran, which forms the eye of the constellation Taurus (The Bull). Aldebaran is about 68 light-years away. It will take Pioneer 10 more than two million years to reach it. Its sister ship, Pioneer 11, ended its mission September 30, 1995, when the last transmission from the spacecraft was received. Information about Pioneer 10 is on the Internet at:

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Following Where God Leads

Elisha had accepted God into his life years before. He had daily learned the lessons of hard work and humility. He had been taught the lessons of kindness and faithfulness to duty. He had been told that God had a special plan for his life. But when it came time to answer the call, he had to count the cost. He had to make a decision to leave the comforts of wealth and live the life of a wandering prophet, often misunderstood, often ignored, often abused. Yet that was his calling. He had to make a choice. And Elisha determined that nothing would stand in the way of his following God. So he ate his farewell meal and then went to learn from Elijah.

Elijah was moving into another phase of his calling. For years he had stood tall in Israel as God’s chosen mouthpiece. He had rebuked and called the people back. Day in and day out he had instructed, pleaded, preached and tried to arouse the people to remember the God of their fathers and to return and follow Him. Finally, at God’s command, he had prophesied no rain and then, three and a half years later, had his big day on Mt. Carmel.

And now God was calling Elijah to a new phase of ministry. He would still rebuke sin. He would still preach and call the people back. He would still deliver the word of the Lord wherever the Lord instructed him to, but now, instead of doing it alone, he was to mentor God’s next man. He was to prepare him for the ministry. He was to allow Elisha to work alongside him and ask questions and watch and learn. He was to give Elisha the full inside scoop on a prophet’s ministry. And it was to be day in and day out for the next few years.

That may not seem like that big of a deal to you, but just think what that would mean in your life, at your job, if you were called on to mentor and train one of the next generation of new workers, day in and day out, for two or three years. And then they went home with you every night. That’s huge! That’s what Elijah was being called to. And he had to make a decision as well. Would he really follow God’s command at the risk of having his style cramped; his life intruded upon?

So maybe God isn't calling you to have someone move in, but perhaps He is calling you to share with the next generation. Could be your kids, younger siblings, or perhaps a kid with no dad in your church or neighborhood. Maybe it's time for you to move to a new phase of ministry. Maybe.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

The Calling

It is one thing to be so discouraged that you want to die.  It is quite another to get a fresh touch from God.   Let’s pick up the story in 1Kings 19:15.  Elijah is in a cave on the mountain of God and has just experienced a still, small voice.  Now he's ready to hear what else God has to say.

1Kings 19:15  The LORD said to him,  “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel — all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

1Kings 19:19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah.  “Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said,  “and then I will come with you.”

 “Go back,” Elijah replied.  “What have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

Elijah left the cave on Mt. Horeb with a new commission and a new lease on life.  He now had new marching orders.  And there is something about understanding what God has called you to do that helps you refocus and set out with a fresh determination to follow God.

Notice what one of the key things God tells Elijah. “…and anoint Elisha … to succeed you as prophet.”   In other words, “Elijah, you’re not going to be around forever, and you must (in the vernacular of our day) mentor someone to take over the work.”  Elisha needed to be trained.  He needed to be worked with to prepare him for what was to come.

And so Elijah went and found him hard at work plowing the fields.   Elisha came from a wealthy home.  For he and his servants to be plowing with 12 yoke of oxen showed great wealth.  To have one yoke of oxen was considered fortunate.   But 12 yoke was a sign of incredible wealth.

In our day, a farmer owning one $40,000 John Deere 4x4 tractor would be fortunate.  To have 12 sitting in his barn would show great wealth.

Elisha had grown up working.  He had learned to be faithful in the small things of his father’s household, and now God was about to call him to something greater.  Without a word, Elijah walked up and threw his cloak over the shoulders of Elisha, and then walked on.  Everyone knew who Elijah was and what he represented.  Elisha was stunned as the full impact of what had just happened settled in on him.  He ran after Elijah and said, ““Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said,  “and then I will come with you.”

 “Go back,” Elijah replied.  “What have I done to you?”

Now let me ask you; doesn’t that strike you as a bit odd?  I mean, this whole conversation just seems a bit surreal.  Very different. 

I’ve always tried to picture it in our day.  It would be like one of the great preachers of our day walking up and handing a young man their Bible and then turning around and walking off.   The young man perceives the message that he is to be the next great preacher…runs after him and says, “Ok…let me tell ma and pa goodbye and I’ll meet you at the car.”  And then the preacher says, “Go ahead, what have I done to you?”

At first reading, it strikes one as just a bit bizarre.  But let’s look deeper.  It is not really Elijah doing the calling.  It is God.  Elijah is just the mouthpiece.  Elisha knew God intimately himself, therefore, he recognized God’s call.  And so he was telling Elijah that he was going to tell his folks goodbye and then catch up.  Elijah also knew that it wasn’t his call, but God’s that Elisha was answering.  He knew that God always gives a choice as to whether one will answer the call or not.    So he was basically saying; “It’s not my call on your life, but God’s. I haven’t done anything to you except what God has instructed, so you take your time and make your decision.  If you answer the call, so be it.

Elisha goes back and instantly slaughters his yoke of oxen. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat, and then had a farewell meal with his family.  He had decided to respond to the call of God.  He left the wealth and comfort of his family to live the hardship life of a prophet, and he burned his past behind him. There was no going back.  He was now going to move forward for God.

Sometimes we come to those decisions in life where we have to either go back or go forward.   To go back to our comfort zones, or go forward for God.  Too many times we are like the rich young ruler of Jesus day found in Luke 18.  After being told that he must keep the commandments, and after having replied that he had done all of these things since his youth,  Jesus had this to say:

Luke 18:22 ¶ When Jesus heard this, he said to him,  “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Luke 18:23 ¶ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.

Which brings me to a question for us today, church.  What is it in your life that keeps you from responding to the call of God to move forward? 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Looking for Other Wells


Jews and Samaritans bitter enemies. Samaritans were looked upon as half-breeds.  Part Jew, part Syrian.  The could trace their ancestry back to Jacob as their father, but the sons of Jacob had also taken some wives of the land, and some of their offspring now occupied this slice of land which lay right between Judea and Galillee.  Since they were not “pure” Jews, they were despised.  And since the Jews despised them, they, in turn, despised the Jews.  Jews would only trade with them if they absolutely had to. A Jew would not borrow from a Samaritan, nor receive a kindness, not even a morsel of bread or a cup of water.  They would pay their own way.   Only in meeting a necessity would a Jew stoop to trade with a Samaritan.  Disciples felt that this was a case the Pharisees would approve of and went in to town.

Jesus alone at the well.  Thirsty in His humanity.  So close to water…no way to get at it.  Stuck waiting on a person to meet his needs.  Closed eyes. head resting against the well.  Heard movement.  Woman coming in the heat of the day.   Ad lib.  Ashamed.  Embarrassed. Tired of the comments from the others who came in the cool of the morning or evening.  She came not suspecting anything.  Now she has to contend with this Jewish man.

You can read the story in John 4.  But especially notice verse 7.  John 4:7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”

Jesus asked her for a drink.  Such a favor no Oriental would withhold.  In the Middle East, water was called a “gift from God.”  To offer a drink to the thirsty traveler was held a sacred duty.  The hatred between Samaritans and Jews prevented the woman from offering Jesus a drink.  Jesus knew that she would never offer a kindness, and that, likewise, she would never accept anything from Him.  But in seeking her heart, Jesus asks a favor that she can’t refuse.  And in this act of trust, He awakens trust in her heart.

But Jesus doesn't stop there.  John 4:9    The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
v10    Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
A Jew talking to a Samaritan.  And a Samaritan woman?  If you knew who you were talking to you would have asked Him and He would have given you a drink.

She’s puzzled, but now intrigued with the conversation.   You have nothing to draw with.  Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well?

In her mind she compared Him with the honored Patriarch Jacob and she cherished the feeling that no other well could be equal to that which had been theirs for generations.  She was looking both backward to her heritage, and yet forward to the Messiah’s coming while she sat their talking to the very one she was looking for and didn’t know it.

Some things never change.  Many of us today are so close to really knowing Jesus, but we keep looking for other wells to satisfy our thirst.  And often, they are good wells.  Wells that have watered us for generations.  But if we are ever to find a fountain springing up into everlasting life, we must look to Jesus.