Hi Dave,
Visiting grandchildren, our ministry, a tragedy and illness have kept me away from your blog for a few weeks until this morning. It was good to catch up on your news, see a PJ party and enjoy Scripture God gave you.
Two weeks ago one of our brothers-in-law was murdered, actually executed, in a home burglary gone south. The tiny town of Portis, Kansas will be reeling from this tragedy for a long time. His funeral drew over 1200 people and had to be held in a high school gymnasium because no church could accommodate that size of a crowd.
Portis, a town of about 200, is just a blip on any map, if it appears at all. The funeral message was basically one offering salvation. Dave, people stood to receive Christ and hundreds of others stood when asked if they had renewed their faith or been drawn closer to God because of the tragedy. There was no shouting, no histrionics, no sentimental “mish mosh,” no seeker sensitive terms from some approved list of emerging church leaders — just the quiet voice of reason sharing the gospel. Sin, evil and death are not words one has to avoid when a closed casket and a grief-stricken family are staring you in the face as symbols of evil and the power of Satan.
Actually, my brother-in-law’s death attracted more people to Christ than did his life. God was glorified. I will never forget it.
Something that has continued to run through my brain in a constant stream for several days is that faith and predictability cannot co-exist. It is true that our God can calm the storms in our lives, but it is also true that He can also put us “smack-dab” right in the middle of it.
Every time I can remember, the two words that angels first speak when they show up are “Fear not!” I say that we should recapture some healthy fear for this God because that magnifies His majesty, power, awesomeness and might. I don’t want a “wussy” God and I know guys like you don’t want one of those either.
So
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