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A few weeks ago, I quoted Elisbeth Elliot (1926-2015) in my sermon. She wrote, “Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is, just do the next thing. God will meet you there.” I then quoted an old poem from which Elisabeth borrowed that line – “do the next thing.” Several mentioned it – so here it is again in it’s entirety. 

“From an old English parsonage down by the sea; there came in the twilight a message to me; its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven, hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven. And through the doors the quiet words ring like a low inspiration: do the next thing.

Many a questioning, many a fear, many a doubt, hath it’s quieting her. Moment by moment, let down from Heaven, time, opportunity, and guidance are given. Fear not tomorrow, child of the King, trust them with Jesus, do the next thing. Do it immediately, do it with prayer; do it reliantly, casting all care; do it with reverence tracing His hand who placed it before thee with earnest command. Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing, leave all results, do the next thing.

Looking for Jesus, ever serener, working or suffering, by thy demeanor; in His dear presence, the rest of His calm, the light of His countenance be thy psalm. Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing. Then as He beckons thee, do the next thing.”

Regardless of what you or I might be encountering – sometimes all God asks of us is simply to do the next thing.

Saturday is Valentines Day. What a nice time that our culture sets aside to celebrate love. Susan and I will purchase cards for each other – such little tokens are a means to keep the candle burning.

Marriage is an important subject with God. After all, he’s the divine Architect. Why did he create marriage? What’s its purpose? Marriage fulfills the image of God, Gen 1:27. There is something in our maleness and femaleness that corresponds to God. Marriage also allows us to procreate, Gen 1:28. Animals co-inhabit – humans marry. We engage in a divine-human cooperative that results in bringing eternal image-bearers into existence. Companionship is another reason for marriage, be united to his wife. Marriage is the total sharing of oneself, body, mind soul and heart. Marriage creates intimacy. God created us as sexual beings to enjoy its pleasures – but only in marriage. Jesus Christ is pictured in marriage, Eph 5:32.  Marriage is a divine object lesson. 

But the overall purpose in marriage is to reflect the glory of God, 1 Cor 10:33. Yes, marriage is for our good but first and foremost it is for God’s glory. Wayne and Carol Mack wrote, “The goal God has in mind in marriage goes beyond making people personally fulfilled and happy. Marriage was intended to be a means by which Jesus Christ might be honored and exalted. Marriage … is not all about us; it should be about him.” Our witness today is either enhanced or diminished by our marriage. May we use our marriages as a winsome witness allowing our light to shine so that others may come to Christ.

Jim Lenze is a dear friend, former deacon when I served at Farmington. Jim now lives in Punxsutawney, PA. That’s right, the famous groundhog town. He wrote the following a year ago. I share it with you today.

I have a friend, His name is Phil. He lives just down the lane and in Punxsutawney and all the world. No groundhog has more fame. This morning as I woke from bed and let our dear dog out. I jumped back in our snug warm house and gave a frigid shout. Oh my! It’s cold! My app does read it feels like minus nine. I dream of sun and warm bike paths. And a ride ‘neath oak and pine. For now, I fear I must stay in and snuggle with my wife. To go out now and take a ride would threaten my dear life.

I know that Phil has no real power to end these snowy bands. And winter will abate or go at God’s alone command. Still, maybe Phil like a robin’s tune is just another sign that our dear Father’s gentle hand will soon command springtime.

Today I’ll hunker in my house and know this Groundhog Day will be a sign to our cold feet. That spring is on its way. I hear a woof. My dog wants in like me she’s had enough. We’ll settle in for morning prayer and other warmer stuff.  One final thought and I’ll retire and end my little rhyme.  I wish you joy this February 2 day. Have a lovely groundhog time!

One of the best ways to understand the values of any given culture is to observe what it celebrates or mourns. As believers, we will be pressured into joining in celebrating and mourning what our fallen world celebrates/mourns irrespective of the biblical basis. In fact, culture often judges the validity of religion based on how well a particular religion celebrates or mourns what the culture celebrates/mourns. We witnessed an example of this pressure last Lord’s Day when a group of angry protesters interrupted a church during morning worship to draw attention to their cause. In the exchange you can see a man condemning the church for not protesting as they were, implying their worship is invalid if they do not mourn with the protestors. 

This is nothing new. Jesus said,  “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

So, how do we recognize when culture is trying to pigeonhole us into their causes? 

1. Our religious validity will be criticized when we don’t celebrate and mourn with them—John was accused of being demonic.

2. Our morality will be criticized when we don’t celebrate and   mourn with them—Jesus was accused of being a glutton    and a drunkard.

How should we respond? Don’t allow people to judge the validity of your Christianity based on their causes. Instead, judge the validity of their causes with the Word of God. This is where our stability in life comes from. Stand firm upon it!

Today is the Sanctify of Life Sunday.  While proponents of “choice” make their arguments let us once again listen carefully to the Word of God – the final authority on the matter.

 For you formed my inward parts;  you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. ~ Psalm 139:13-16

Abortion might be a political landmine, but that doesn’t matter. We as a church are unapologetically prolife. We believe the Bible teaches human life is sacred, not just the unborn by those near the end of life as well. Tragically we’ve all grown accustomed to abortion. Maybe you’ve lost the horror of it. Let us not become desensitized to our culture. We need to see the unborn from God’s perspective – as a precious life. Now if you had an abortion God offers forgiveness through Christ. Seek godly counsel (call our church office). The circumstances that bring a woman to consider abortion are usually difficult. God offers help and hope.

We are made in God’s image. Let us speak up when necessary but let us speak the truth in love to those who’ve fallen. Let us pray for our nation. Elections and Supreme Court decisions won’t resolve this problem. People desperately need Christ.

Night time reading last year included Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot. How it refreshed my soul before falling to sleep. Let me share one of my favorites.

“A sensitive, timid little boy, long years ago, was accustomed to lie down to sleep in a low trundle bed, which was rolled under his parents’ bed by day and was brought out for his use by night. As he lay there by himself in the darkness, he could hear the voices of his parents, in their lighted sitting room across the hallway. It seemed to him that his parents never slept; for he left them awake when he was put to bed and found them awake in the morning. This thought was a cause of cheer to him, as his mind was busy with imaginings in the weird darkness of his lonely room. After the loving good-night words and kisses, this little boy was accustomed, night by night, to call out, ‘Are you there papa?’ And the answer came back, ‘Yes, I am my child, I am here.’ And the little fellow would fall asleep restfully with those assuring good-night words.

That boy, himself a father and grandfather, lies down to sleep, and is accustomed to look up through the shadows of his earthly sleeping place into the far-off light of his Father’s presence, and call out in the same spirit of childlike trust, ‘Father, you’ll take care of me tonight, wont’ you?’ And the answer is, ‘He that keepeth thee will not slumber. The Lord shall keep thee from all evil. He shall keep thy soul. Sleep, my child in peace.’”

The story was told to Elisabeth’s grandfather – who told her. She suspects that little boy was her great-grandfather. I love it. How often I am reminded that my heavenly Father will be up all night working on my problems. Rest well, dear child in the arms of our loving “Abba Father.”

The word providence is Latin meaning to see before. As the great sovereign of the universe, God sees events before they happen. But he’s not passive – merely watching events – he is active working out his divine plan, Eph 1:11.   God uses seemingly insignificant events in our lives to accomplish his purposes. It is always a joy to look back and see God’s providence. This day is no exception. I first met

Terry McIntosh in 1975 at Bible College. We reconnected when I served a decade later with his father-in-law, who became my mentor. We established a strong friendship when we later shared pastorates only miles apart. I met Dave Doran in 1986. Eventually Dave became a pastor himself and president of Detroit Baptist Seminary. 

Fast forward – September 2024. I emailed Dave about potential men for our transition. He mentioned Anthony Lange who served with Terry. It “just so happened” that Terry and Michal were coming to our home the following week for dinner. Not wanting to “steal” Anthony from his ministry I asked Terry about Anthony’s desire to pastor. Anthony had “just mentioned” to Terry his desire to find a pastorate. A week following – Terry, Anthony and I met at Panera in Howell. Immediate connection. Anthony met then with Paul Krepps – followed by numerous meetings, interviews, preaching and a vote of affirmation.

Today Anthony Lange joins our pastoral team fulfilling an initiative we’ve had in our strategic plans for years. I am truly amazed at God’s providence. We can say, “a desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,” Prov 13:19. Welcome Anthony, Kali, Naomi, Haddon, Ezra and Maggie to HBC.  Let us all rejoice in God’s providence. 

O God our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home. Under the shadow of Thy throne. Still may we dwell secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.

That is Issac Watt’s summary of Ps 90 – a good psalm for us to meditate on this last Sunday of 2024. The psalm was written by Moses – most likely penned near the end of his life as God’s people were about to cross into the Promise Land. For 40 years the children of Israel wandered thru the dessert due to their disobedience. The nation had voted not to enter Canaan – fear drove out faith. God allowed them to suffer the consequences of that choice. They boarded a merry-go-round going nowhere till everyone over the age of 20 was buried. Their penalty – killing time. They marched without point or purpose leaving behind a trail of bones buried in the sand. No promised land – just desert sand. So, Moses penned this psalm about life’s brevity contrasted to God’s eternality instructing us on how to spend our time wisely.

Moses saw the useless years of his peers and didn’t want his life to be like that. Real satisfaction in life comes from doing the will of God. A new year is about to dawn. Moses helps us putting life in its proper perspective. In spite of its burdens and brevity – life is worth living when we live for the Lord. Our prayer must be, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

We number our years, but it is wiser to number our days. Of all the mathematical disciplines this is the hardest for us to do. God wants to teach us, but we must be teachable. Having a teachable spirit comes from seeing life’s brevity in contrast to God’s eternality along with the seriousness of sin and what must be done about it. 

Merry Christmas!

May each one celebrate the child who is the Light. The world up till the birth of Jesus was in terrible darkness but ever since he came there has been glorious light! The child in the manger eventually died as a substitute for our sin and was raised from the dead. Let us rejoice in that he came to redeem us – to save us from ourselves and from our sin. May this week be filled with white-hot worship of the King of kings. 

Christmas Eve Service will be at 5 pm Wednesday. We will be led in our favorite Christmas hymns, followed by a brief message from Joe Hart. We guarantee that we’ll dismiss by 6 pm – allowing you to enjoy dinner and traditions at home. Due to the holiday, we’re taking a break from Sunday School and ABF next Sunday. 

What is your plan for Bible reading next year? I encourage you to decide what you will do. At the kiosk are 3 different Bible reading schedules. I like changing my translation year to year. Another translation will help you see truths in a new light. Let’s not forget to practice though what we read.  Truth without practice is sterile. God wants us to implement the truths we read with the Spirit’s help. “When the child of God looks into the Word of God and sees the Son of God he/she is transformed by the Spirit of God into the image of God for the glory of God.”  – Warren Wiersbe

And congratulations to those who finished their reading schedule.

Susan and I noticed a church sign that read – Comparison Ruins Contentment.

Warning: What will you get for Christmas this year? Not what you want? Others will get more? Comparison ruins contentment. Scripture speaks about contentment. Phil 4:11 … for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances. A friend asked Abraham Lincoln, “What’s wrong with your boys?” The children and Mr. Lincoln were taking a walk down a street in Springfield one day. Obviously, the boys were having an argument – one was crying. Lincoln, known for his quick wit said, “The same thing that is wrong with the whole world! I have three walnuts in my pocket and each boy wants two.”   

How can we be content? First, contentment is learned. Paul says this again in Phil 2:12, I have learned the secret of being content. Contentment doesn’t come naturally. We have to learn it. We don’t learn it in days of prosperity but in life’s trials. Paul was in prison writing to those who were free about being content! Contentment is independent of circumstances – it’s independent of wealth or poverty; good circumstances or bad circumstances; happiness or sadness. How can this be? Because contentment only comes through Christ. We are sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; a reliance on him to meet our needs.   

This coming year may each of us seek such biblical contentment. Let us reject unmet expectations – resist comparison and rest in the sufficiency found only in Jesus.