Reconvening Corporate Worship Services

The following is a document that our brother Rick Anderson and I worked together on regarding how churches might want to understand the quarantine that keeps churches from meeting in person, and how and when to reconvene meeting together. It was sent to all FIRE churches. Errol

Reconvening Corporate Worship Services

Wondering: “When?”

All conscientious churchmen are probably wondering when we can get back to holding public worship services.  It is a legitimate and timely question.  It is likely that the two leading answers are, "We don't know," and, "Reconvening will not be the same for everyone."

What we do not know.  What we do not know is rather likely to be more than what we do know.  The news never stops, and it is largely contradictory.  Neither we nor the "experts" know everything there is to know about the virus itself, much less how best to deal with it and all the ramifications of it.  This being so, we do well not to assume that we know more than we do.

What we do know.  As believers, we are fortunate to know the Sovereign, Who knows all things, controls all things, is rattled by nothing, and Who loves us completely.  May we rest in Him, especially in light of what we do not know.

True, But “When?”

We are certainly all praying that we can reconvene public worship sooner, rather than later.  Here are a few thoughts that may help us discern the Lord's will in our individual situations.

• We do not all live in the same place, and it appears that some places really do have greater problems than others.  So it is reasonable that we will not all be reconvening on the same Lord's Day.

• We all have different state and local governments to which we are called to submit ourselves.  We are to submit to these God-ordained authorities unless they command us to do what God forbids, or forbid us to do what God commands. 

• May we be discerning in determining at what point does being required to obey temporary government quarantines (as good citizenship and a means of loving our neighbors), become government overreach.

• May we cultivate a proper understanding of our civic responsibilities and constitutional rights as citizens of our nation; not being too quick to assume that our right to worship is being infringed or violated, especially in the case where the regulations are not specifically singling out religious convictions or practice.

• May we, as citizens of Heaven, also encourage and manifest a humble submission to the governing authorities, and be grateful that we have the means of peaceful protest or access to the courts for redress of perceived wrongs.

• Let us pray for governing authorities to do what is right, trusting that God is still in control even when they do not.

• May we listen prayerfully to what others say and do, while remaining spiritually tuned, to know our Father's will for each of us and for our churches, and while respecting others whose convictions may differ.

• If it ever becomes clear that we are being forbidden to do what God commands, or commanded to do what God forbids, may we have the courage to obey God rather than man—in a manner that honors our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the Lord be pleased to use these thoughts for the glory of His name and the good of His Church.

Errol Hale and Rick Anderson
Grace Bible Church and Faith Community Church
Moorpark, CA and Oxnard, CA

In case you are timid to tell

“And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Matthew 28:7-10

The angels told the first who went to the tomb after Jesus rose, to go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead” (v.7).  Then Jesus told them “Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me." (v.10)  Who were these first at the tomb, who were also the first to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen?  Women.

It is interesting to note that in that day and culture, a woman’s testimony was not even considered in a court of law.  So why did Jesus entrust these women to be the first to “testify” that Jesus had risen from the dead?  After all, why not choose more credible witnesses than these women?

First, I’m sure we all understand that a woman’s testimony is no more or no less to be trusted than a man’s testimony.  The dismissal of a woman’s testimony may have been a cultural norm, but it was completely wrong.  Thank God for these and the many women throughout history who have borne witness concerning Jesus and the Gospel—from which we have received great benefit.

Second, let us be encouraged.  We may feel that our testimony and efforts of witnessing for Christ and the Gospel are not going to be believed.  They may not be.  Maybe by many.  But praise God that our credibility, and our (often not-so-smooth) communication is not the defining issue.  It is the testimony of the Holy Spirit speaking through us that causes people to believe!

Let us be eager to tell people about Jesus—whether we are believed or written off as “kooks”!  The Holy Spirit will save the Lord’s people.  Our responsibility is but to tell.

Errol

He knows my name!

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher).
John 20:14-16

Why didn’t Mary recognize Jesus?  Because the Bible does not answer this question, we have only speculation.  Was it because of the lack of full daylight, being early in the morning?  Maybe.  Was it because her vision was blurred by her tears?  Maybe.  Was it because Jesus deliberately concealed His identity (as He did with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-24).  Quite possibly, but we still are left to wonder why.

While we do not know for sure, we can certainly be comforted by the fact that even when we do not “see” or “recognize” Jesus in a given situation, He knows us!

And while Mary did not recognize Jesus, Jesus not only knew Mary, He called her personally, by name!  The Lord’s personal knowledge of His people doesn’t end with recognizing us and knowing our names (as wonderful as that is!).  He knows, understands, and addresses our pains.  Our fears.  And our brokenness.  When Jesus asked Mary “Why are you crying,” it wasn’t because He didn’t know.  It was because He wanted her to tell Him so He could comfort her.  Do you see how He does the same with us?

Once Mary heard Jesus speak her name, she know it was Him!  As it is for us, as the Lord deals compassionately with us, we know our Shepherd loves His sheep—not only as a flock, but as individual lambs with individual needs.  And what is the best remedy for our individual needs?  A personal Savior who knows us.  Who wants us to tell Him about our troubles.  And who personally addresses our tears by revealing Himself to us.

No matter what our troubles may be, the singular solution is the risen Lord Jesus.

Errol

Two reasons we are often upset

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."  
John 20:11-13

Mary Magdalene was at Jesus’ empty tomb on Easter Sunday morning.  When she saw that Jesus’ body was no longer there, she wept.  Why?  Because Jesus body was not there—which was a great and terrible shock to her—and because she didn’t understand that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Those are the same two reasons we are often upset.

First, something has gone wrong.  It may be a small thing, or it may be that something has gone terribly wrong.  Either way, when things are not as we suppose they ought to be, we often become upset.  Some get more easily upset than others.  Some are more demonstrative when upset than others.  Some may be moved to tears.  For others, tears are not as ready to flow.  But either way, like Mary, we get upset when things go wrong.  A word of encouragement here: Let us be wise and self-controlled not to fall to pieces when what has gone wrong is not that big of a deal.  Everything is not a crisis.

Second, many do not know that Jesus has risen from the dead.  Sadly, we who are in Christ often forget that Jesus has risen from the dead.  Because Jesus has risen from the dead, for we who trust in Him, the worst thing that is wrong (our sin) has been dealt with by the Lord.  So even though problems exists, our biggest problem has been solved.  Shouldn’t that give us a measure of peace, not only regarding sin, but also regarding every other problem that comes our way?

This doesn’t mean that problems aren’t real, but just as Mary needed to hear and understand that the Lord had risen, so everything was under control, He has everything in our lives under control as well.  So when we find ourselves “weeping” (or even fretting) let us remember that Jesus has risen from the dead.  Our sins are forgiven.  And Jesus has everything under control.

"The Bible is full of contradictions and therefore cannot be taken seriously."

When the women went to Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning, who did they encounter?  Matthew 28 says it was one angel.  Mark 16 reports that they met one young man.  Luke 24 records that they met two men.  John 20 states that there were two angels.  So which is it, and what difference does it make?

Critics of the Bible usually insist that these reports are contradictory, asserting that such contradictions render the Bible unreliable at best, and an outright fraud at worst.  Is that so?

First, what constitutes a contradiction?  Only when two statements cannot both be true is there a contradiction.  It is not a contradiction for one to report two people being present and another to report one was present.  If there were two, there was one.  It would only be a contradiction if one said there were two and the other said there was only one.  While the four Gospels do not all report the exact number, there is no contradiction, just a different vantage point and emphasis on the numerical detail.

Second, did the women meet men or angels?  While angels and human beings are entirely different kinds of beings, anyone who has read the Bible knows that when angels appeared to human beings, the angels frequently appeared as human beings.  The Gospel reports differ, but are not contradictory.  Two reported that the women met angels, while the other two reported what the angels appeared to be.  And whether a person is purported to be young or old is a matter of perspective, but not a contradiction.  To my grandchildren I am an old man.  To my chronological peers, I am just a man.  To my 91 year old father, I am still the baby of the family.

Third, if several witnesses report the exact same facts, down to the most minute detail, that would suggest collusion, rather than agreement.  Why?  Because not only do eye witnesses all season their accounts based on their perspective, in the four gospel accounts, those who were not there are retelling a story.  And their retellings are also colored with their personal perspectives.  If two reporters have differing perspectives on the same presidential press conference, does that mean the press conference never happened?  So, that the four Gospel writers mentioned different details makes their accounts more believable, not less.

Last, besides the fact that there are no contradictions in these four gospel accounts of the Resurrection, the numbers and whether the angels appeared as men aren’t the point.  The point is that Jesus rose from the dead.  The point is that God sent angels to inform the women of the Resurrection.

Errol

What Jesus' grave clothes revealed about the resurrection

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
John 20:6-7

John MacArthur pointed out evidence why no one—not grave robbers, and certainly not the disciples—raided the tomb and stole Christ’s body.  When Jesus rose from the dead, His grave clothes were left in the tomb and the handkerchief that had been around His head was neatly folded.  Anyone trying to steal His body, especially in light of the fact that the tomb was “sealed” and “guarded” would not have taken the care to lay the grave clothes aside and fold the handkerchief.  They would have been under pressure to snatch the body and get out of there as quickly as possible.

Not to mention the difficulty of overpowering the guards and moving the stone!

What happened is that God raised Jesus from the dead, Jesus laid the grave clothes and handkerchief aside and simply walked out.  Clearly, Jesus’ resurrection was a unique miracle of God. 

An anecdotal footnote is what the Bible says about Lazarus’ grave clothes when Jesus raised him from the dead.  Jesus called to Lazarus to “come out” [of the grave].  Lazarus did, but he was still wearing the grave clothes, which is why Jesus commanded that the grave clothes be removed.  Clearly, Jesus’ resurrection is unique, as is Jesus Christ Himself.

Errol

Fear or Trust!

And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Mark 16:8

I have a friend named Ritchie. Ritchie is a bold witness for Jesus Christ. He once said, “Believers who do not share their faith in the risen Savior are more afraid of what people think of them than they are about what they think of Christ.” The Bible calls this “the fear of man.”

Self preservation and the drive to stay alive is something in human beings that is an echo of being created in the image of God. Since God cannot die, human beings do not want to die. It is built into us. But when the fear of man causes us to disobey the Lord’s command to tell others the gospel so that they might believe and be saved—that’s a different problem. That is seldom (if ever in our cases) a fear of dying. It is a fear of what people might think of us.

I might add to what my friend Ritchie said about this saying, “Believers who do not share their faith in the risen Savior are more afraid of what people think of us than we are about what Christ thinks of them—especially when we are disobeying His clear command to tell others about Christ.”  This is a fear not of dying but of being thought ill of—and by people who don’t know Christ at that!

Proverbs 29:25 provides the diagnosis and the cure for our fear of men.  It says, “The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD shall be safe.”  Let us, by His grace and in the power of the Holy Spirit, refuse to be ensnared by the fear of man, and instead, trust in the Lord for His reward.

Errol

The real problem behind unbelief

“He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” And they remembered His words. Luke 24:6-8

I find it interesting that before going to Jerusalem, and ultimately to the cross, Jesus told His disciples numerous times what was going to happen. He told them about being handed over to the Gentiles, and about His crucifixion, and about His resurrection—before any of those events happened.

Peter even challenged Jesus saying, “that’ll never happen as long as I am here to prevent it.” (I’ve paraphrased Peters’ words.)

But when it was happening, they all seemed to be obliviously surprised, not knowing how to appropriately respond to what was unfolding before their eyes. Even when the disciples were told that Jesus had risen, they didn’t believe it. Why was this so?

It is a reminder that saving faith in Christ is not the result of merely hearing, or even seeing, the facts. Saving faith is a gift of God given to those Jesus came to save—and at the time appointed by the Lord Himself. May we who believe be ever humble about our faith. It is not a faith we drummed up or even reasoned based on the facts. It is a faith that is given by the Holy Spirit when He supernaturally regenerates us from spiritual deadness to spiritual life.

Let us also ask for compassionate patience toward those who do not believe. It is not that they are stupid or spiritually inferior. It is because they too must be born again. And for that reason, instead of rolling our eyes and shaking our heads at their unbelief, let us humbly close our eyes and bow our heads in prayer that God would pour out His grace on them, even as He has been pleased to do with us.

Errol

What no one saw on Easter Sunday morning

It is the day after Easter.  Let’s be sure that the day after Easter doesn’t become yesterday’s newspaper, something over, and then forgotten.  I’ve been considering the gospel records of the Resurrection and the days that followed with special interest this year.  For the next few days I plan to roll out a series of blog posts containing observations on Easter and on what happened in the aftermath.  Follow along, won’t you all.  Together.

It is worth noting that while there were eyewitnesses to virtually everything Jesus did from “womb to tomb,” there were no eye witnesses of His resurrection.  In Mark, Luke, and John, we have only the record of after Christ’s resurrection when the women came to the tomb.  They saw that the tomb was empty, that the stone door to the tomb had been rolled away, and that the angels were stationed at the tomb.

Matthew reported that “there had been a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.” (Matthew 28:2)  But even Matthew is clear that the women arrived after that event.  No one saw the resurrection take place.

What about the guards?  The earthquake and the appearance of the angels is all the guards saw, and even that was so unnerving that they “shook for fear” of the angel and passed out “like dead men.”

Why did God orchestrate this most important event without any eyes on it?  The scripture doesn’t say, so we are left with a bit of “sanctified” (I hope) “speculation.”

Could it be that this event was so momentous that, like God’s holiness, it would have simply been too much for human eyes?  Maybe.

Could it be that since the one thing God requires most of us is faith, God only allowed eyewitnesses to see Jesus dead and placed in the tomb, and then the empty tomb and the risen Jesus, so that they embraced the resurrection “by faith” in the results, rather than because they saw Jesus rise from the dead? I can’t say for sure, but that explanation makes sense.

Let us be reminded of Peter’s words (1 Peter 2:1-9)
“…that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

What about Easter Saturday?

Most of us, following two millennia of tradition, understand the importance of Good Friday. Traditionally, it was the day our Savior died on the cross.

I think it is safe to say that ALL of us understand the importance of Easter Sunday—the day our Savior rose from the dead, defeating sin, death, and Hell for those He came to save.

How many of us give a second thought to Easter Saturday? I’m guessing precious few! I do not write this to suggest an additional holy day. or any particular set of traditions, but maybe we would each receive some benefit from at least taking a few moments out to think about the hours our Savior’s lifeless body lay in the tomb.

It is significant that Jesus didn’t die and rise moments later. The three days substantiated that He was indeed dead. The three days fulfilled His prophecy that as Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the great fish, so for three days and nights His body would be entombed.

It is also significant to understand that only Jesus’ body was dead and entombed. After experiencing His Father’s wrath against our sin during the hours He hung on the cross, when Jesus’ body and spirit were separated by death, His spirit was reunited with His Father in Heaven.

We know this because Jesus promised the penitent thief hanging on the cross next to His, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

It is a false doctrine that for three days Jesus suffered in Hell, subjected to Satan. Jesus is eternal and almighty GOD! God has never been, nor will He ever be subject to Hell. Not to mention that Satan is not in charge of Hell. Our Sovereign God is!

A few thoughts for Easter Saturday.
Errol

Practical ways to invest time during the COVID-19 pandemic

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4

Here is a great way to invest time during the COVID-19 pandemic: Let us “esteem others better than ourselves.” Here are some practical ways to do this:

Take care of your health so you don’t become infected, since those who are infected not only are less able to serve others, but they may well require others to serve them.

Reach out to others to see (1) how they are doing, (2) if they need anything, and (3) to encourage and pray for them.

1. Reach out especially to people in our church family who are ill or older. Reach out to neighbors, especially if they are ill or older—and especially if they do not know the Lord!

2. Most people don’t need help, but they might—so be prepared to do what you can. A good way to ask is to say, “Is there anything you might need help with—if I can, I’d like to.”

3. When you reach out, ask the Lord for a verse of scripture with which to give encouragement. And ask, “Can I pray for you before we hang up?” Then pray over the phone before hanging up.

(Ways to reach out include, phone calls, texts, emails—and what about video conferencing?)

Esteeming others better than ourselves is what Jesus did when He left the glories of Heaven to come to this sin-sick world to save sinners. The next verse in Philippians 2 (v.5) says, “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” In other words, let us humble ourselves as Jesus did, and serve others as Jesus served us.

That is a great way to invest our time during the COVID-19 pandemic!

Stay Well. Stay Connected. Stay Tuned. (Special worship webcast Thursday at 7:00 pm!)

Errol

That is a good and legitimate question…

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
Psalm 91:9-10

Dear GBC Family,

I was recently asked the following question:

“The Word says that those who abide in God’s Word will being kept safe and protected by God, and no harm will come to them (e.g., Psalm 91).  How am I to understand this in light of what happens to believers who become infected with this virus, and of those who are martyred? “

This is a most reasonable question.  Here are two ways to answer the question, and both are correct:

First, we need to remember that unlike God, we see things only in the "here and now."  God sees the eternal picture.  In the “here and now,” even Christian lives are filled with pain and sorrow.  God even promises that we will have trouble in this life (e.g., John 16:33, Acts 14:22, 2 Timothy 3:12).  God does not remove all suffering in the “here and now,” but He carries us through these difficult times.

He does this when He permits His people to suffer (and even to die) by giving us inner peace even when, at times, everything around us is falling apart.  In the “here and now” God’s guaranteed protection is spiritual, rather than physical.

Second, in addition to His spiritual protection in the midst of physical problems, since eternity is more in every way than this life—God’s promises to deliver His people from all evil, pain, and suffering are ultimately fulfilled fully in eternity.  In Heaven there will be no such thing as suffering because in Heaven there is no sin.  "The sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us [in Heaven]." (Romans 8:18)

It is a good and legitimate question.  I pray this short answer is helpful.

In Him,
Errol

Longing to be together again—soon!

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!“ Psalm 133:1

Psalm 133 begins with a declaration of how wonderful it is for the people of God to be gathered together. I hope we all agree that it is wonderful, not merely because the Word of God says so (as if that were not enough!) but also because our experience with the gathered body of Christ testifies to the truthfulness of God's Word in this matter.

Granted, for those who have been members of a local church for any length of time, will readily admit that there are challenges in local churches. We do not always all agree with one another. We have been offended by others in our churches. (And let’s not forget that we have probably all given offense at one time or another, as well!) But even the difficulties we experience are for our good! They teach us to love one another the way Christ Jesus loves us!

So it is indeed good for the brethren to dwell together—even when it is not necessarily pleasant! ;-)

In these days of separation, let us think on these things:

1. Let us make every effort to stay connected—even while separated.

2. Let us long to be together again—soon!

3. And when we are able to be together (yes, it will happen!) let us renew our commitments to be actively involved. Let us realize that there is no place more important to be on the Lord’s Day than in fellowship: Singing. Praying. Attending to God’s Word. And encouraging one another.

The saying goes, “You don’t know what you have until you no longer have it.” Let that be true for us, and let us love the fellowship of the brethren!
Errol

Rejoice that ALL do not hate you!

And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.
Mark 13:13

As many of you know, the persecuted church is a great concern for me. I count it an honor, as well as a responsibility, to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world with whom we share the same faith, but who do not enjoy the same freedom we are so accustomed to.*

I was struck today by Jesus’ words in Mark 13:13, especially the word “all.”

Most of us know very little, if anything at all, about persecution. At least not personally. If we know anything at all, it might be that are not included in certain conversations or invited to certain parties. For some, unbelieving family members may think we are weird. In extreme cases, they may not speak to us.

Jesus’ words, at least to we who have it so easy, may actually be words that should encourage rejoicing! Not only rejoicing that we are persecuted for Christ’s sake, but that only a small number of people, and certainly not ALL, hate us for His name’s sake.

Let us be sure we do not compromise for the sake of the approval of people. And let us pray, pray, pray for family and friends who disapprove of, or even hate us. May God show them the kindness He has show us by giving them new hearts that love the Lord, even as He gave that kind of heart to us!

Errol
*May I again encourage you to get the “VOM Pray Today “ app on your phone and set a daily reminder alarm to check that app and pray for the believers in whatever country is featured each day? It takes only a small amount of time, but praying makes a BIG difference!

True and false "worship"

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 4:24

One of the deficiencies in Christian worship is a failure to be in awe of God.  Our senses are so often over-stimulated by technology and special effects, that the invisible God who created all things is often relegated to the category of “Oh yeah, whatever.”   We are awed by so many lesser things that we tend to forget that God alone is overwhelming in a category all His own.   He simply can’t be compared to anyone or anything else.

Many have sought to re-excite people about God by presenting Him in a flurry of special effects. Louder and more powerful sound, lights, pyrotechnics, and fog machines are not the answer (and yes, the church “trade magazines” are filled with instructions on how to employ these things to “wow” people in churches). Why are these not the answer?

For one, they are sensual and fleshly, and distract people away from encountering God by appealing to the flesh rather than to the spirit. “Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit.” (John 4:24)

For another, they are man-made, and artificial stimulants. The God who created us is neither man-made, nor artificial! “Those who worship God must worship Him in truth.” (John 4:24)

R.C. Sproul used to say people who try to stimulate worship with these kinds of shenanigans are missing the fact that God is anything but boring—and if people are bored with worship, their problem is not worship styles, but a failure to encounter GOD!

The point is not to rail against fake and fleshly so-called worship, though it certainly deserves to be railed against. The point is to call the people of God to worship God in spirit and in truth.

Let us turn away from what is false and man-made and give our fullest attention to the truth about God—found in His Word.  And let us tremble before the Holy One!

Let us turn away from what is fleshly and sensual and give our fullest attention to the truth that God is Spirit—as revealed in His Word.  And let us tremble before the Holy One!

There are times when I think I am wiser than I am.

A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
Proverbs 10:1

There are times when I think I am wiser than I am. There are also times when I an painfully aware of how foolish I am. Either way, God knows the truth. And the truth is I fail to live up to the wisdom of Proverbs no less than I fail to live up to the demands of the Law. And since foolishness is sin in God’s eyes, I not only stand guilty, I fail to make the heart of my Heavenly Father glad. In fact, there are no doubt times when my foolishness is nothing less than a grief to Him.

Here is the incredibly good news!

Just as the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to my spiritual account, so is His wisdom.

Even though we still sin and act foolishly as believers, because of Christ, God sees those who are “in Christ” both as righteous and as wise as Christ—not because we actually are, but because He is, and because we are “in Him.”

Be encouraged, child of God: Jesus has your back! And because of that, the Father sees you and me as He sees Jesus.

THAT is grace indeed!

Stay well. Stay connected. And stay tuned for more,
Errol

A little body life news and five prayer requests

Hello GBC Family,

If you read the previous blog post, I mentioned that I would continue that devotional on Jesus calming the storm in the next post. I got so “into it” that I decided to preach that devotional for the Sunday Worship Service on 3/29. So look for an expanded and more complete exposition of that passage this coming Sunday on our YouTube Channel.

You may have noticed that I changed the name of this blog from “Pastor’s Daily Blog” to “Pastors Somewhat Daily Blog.” You can guess why! ;-)

This post will be a little rambling, addressing a few topics, bear with me…

Today I’d like to say some “Thank Yous” related to our current series of Worship Webcasts in lieu of our regular worship services on Sundays and Thursdays since we cannot meet due to the corona virus.
+First to Russ for leading the webcast production team. Great Job, Russ. +Next, to the others who have been instrumental in making the webcast happen: Darwin, Jim, Joe, and Frances (last names omitted since this post is public.) +Thanks as well to others in the music ministry who are playing and singing. +And to all of you who have participated in the worship webcasts and who have replied with words of encouragement and ideas on how to make this effort even more helpful.

Speaking of the corona virus, five prayer requests: Do you remember the last time we had a worship service at the church? I mentioned numerous times “we don’t know” the details of this virus and of the repercussions caused by this problem. We still don’t! So in the midst of not knowing, let us pray that: (1) More will be learned, soon. (2) Misinformation and speculations will be replaced by facts, and that armed with facts we can make whatever adjustments are necessary. (3) Those who govern who are skewing the facts for political purposes will stop! (4) As long as “social distancing” seems to be the best (only?) thing that we can do, that we the people will cooperate patiently and more fully. (5) For those most adversely affected, both physically and economically.

A closing action item: Please check in on one another—especially those who may be in need due to age, health, or because of being out of work.

Stay Well. Stay Connected. And Stay tuned for more,
Errol

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!

Hello GBC Family,

Our first webcast (of the Thursday Worship Service 3/19) was successful. Thanks for the words of encouragement so many sent in response. I am confident that we will successfully refine the process as we gain experience, moving forward with each worship service. Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Sunday’s webcast will be launched later in the day on Saturday—and let’s participate together at 10:15 on Sunday!

I awoke this morning with the gospel account of Jesus calming the storm on my mind. (It is recorded in Mt.8:23-27; Mk.4:35-41; & Lk.8:22-25) I won’t unpack the entire story, just a few key points for now:

1. Jesus and the disciples were in the boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. They were going somewhere with Jesus. Unless we are doing nothing, we are all going somewhere. Where are we going in our lives? Are we going with Jesus? Think about that for a moment before proceeding.

2. A storm came up, the boat was being swamped with water, and they were afraid. We were all living our lives (hopefully going somewhere with Jesus), when the corona virus came up. As the pandemic continues to gain momentum, infecting more people and claiming more lives, it is as though our boats are being swamped. Virtually everyone is concerned. Some are downright fearful—even for their lives.

3. Jesus was asleep. He was in the boat, but the storm was not troubling Him. Let us be reminded that the Sovereign of the Universe is with us. He has not abandoned us. And He is not afraid because He is in control of every detail of everything.

4. The disciples cried out to Jesus with their fearful lament. Let us spend more time praying and less time fretting over every piece of bad news we hear. I think of the hymn

What a Friend we have in Jesus,   All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry   Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,   O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry  Everything to God in prayer!

I’ll continue this next time…

Stay well. Stay connected. Stay tuned for more.
Errol

“I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord!”

Hello GBC Family,

Besides being concerned, along with the rest of the world, about the Corona Virus, I have a measure of concern about our church family.  My concern isn’t a fear, just a pastoral concern.

Being in church every Lord’s Day is an important “means of grace” that the Lord uses to grow us in Him and keep us close to Him.  (I believe that the Thursday worship service is also very important for the same reasons!)

Missing corporate worship for a string of Sundays (and Thursdays) could adversely affect our spiritual growth.  For that reason I want to do everything I can to make up for missing church in these days of the COVID-19 Virus. 

One of the most important ways is the webcasts on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings.  Forgive me if I sound like a broken record, but please tune in and participate as fully as you are able, both on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings.  Set the time aside and watch with as many as are in your household.  Sing.  Even if it feels awkward at first.  Worship in song is important for our spiritual health.  And knowing that many others are simultaneously doing the same in their homes will encourage us that we are “together in the Spirit,” even if not “physically in the body”!  Since you will not be driving home from church, take a few moments after the webcast to review any sermon notes you took, and discuss the service with anyone in your family that is with you.  Take a moment to pray for our church family in this time of dispersion.

Another way I am trying to keep us together is by communicating with you via emails and now in this regular blog.  I may miss some days here and there, but I will try to post something by way of news and devotional material as close to daily as I am able.  I will also send an email reminder whenever I post something on this blog so you can remember to take a look.

The Psalmist wrote, “I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 122:1)  I hope you look forward to gathering with God’s people in the house of the Lord on the Lord’s Day (and Thursday evenings) as often as you are able.  I hope you come to church with gladness, anticipating that you will hear from the Lord as you sing praises to God with God’s people, and as you hear God’s Word read and preached.

And in these days when we must suspend our regular meetings, I hope and pray we will all experience the same gladness and anticipation simultaneously in our homes that we enjoy when we are together at 10239 Hertz Street in Moorpark!

Stay well.  Stay connected.  And stay tuned for more later,
Errol