An Encouraging Word

The year was 1993 and we had just moved into our new home as the Pastor of First Baptist Church, Indianola, MS. Within a week of moving, my wife informed me that she had seen a snake in the back yard. I went out to investigate but it slithered into a large woodpile and disappeared. Being the man of the house, I did not want her to know that I was scared to death of snakes. So I said to her, “Honey, it is a harmless little reptile. But I will be sure to kill it if I see it again.” She was going to Walmart that day so I asked her to buy me a hoe. If she would buy me a hoe, I would have it ready when the snake came out of the wood pile. She was so proud that her man was going to kill the snake for her.

About a week went by and one Saturday afternoon we were in the backyard when we saw the snake. Lisa screamed, “Kill it, kill it!” I knew the time had come. I would kill the snake and be my wife’s hero. I would make her proud. So I kept my eyes on the snake and said to my wife, “Did you buy me a hoe?” “Yes” she said, “it’s in the storage room.” And I said, “Get it for me. I’ll keep my eyes on the snake while you get the hoe.” And when Lisa put the hoe in my hand, it felt much lighter than I expected. I had wanted her to buy me a six foot hoe and instead she bought me a six inch hoe! Now here I am about to do battle with a five foot snake with a six inch hoe!  My confidence was draining quickly. The snake slithered away and we never saw him again.

As I look back on that incident, I came to the conclusion that many of us are trying to fight a five foot snake with a six inch hoe. When Adam was in the garden, he fell victim to the serpent. Every day in our lives, the serpent is after us, and many times he tricks us and deceives us. We must learn how to fight the serpent in our lives. God gives us many tools to help us fight the serpent. He gives us the Bible, prayer, church, friends, faith, and common sense. But most of us don’t call upon God for help. We use our own intellect and strength to fight the serpent and most of the time we lose. It’s like fighting a five foot snake with a six inch hoe.

As we look into our scripture today, I want you to examine your battles with the serpent. Think about the times when you have resisted the serpent and the times when he has enticed you into sin. I encourage you not to fight the serpent on your own power or you will surely lose the battle. But when you rely on God and trust in Him, you can be better prepared to stand your ground when the serpent comes your way.

Be encouraged,

Pastor Rob

An Encouraging Word

I was visiting with a couple recently who is struggling in their marriage. It was obvious that they loved each other yet both of them were frustrated and unhappy. As we continued to talk about their situation, it became obvious to me that the issue was money. One was a saver and the other was a spender. I asked a few pointed questions and soon discovered that this married couple had over $10,000 in credit card debt in addition to car loans, student loans, and a mortgage that is more than the value of their  home.

On the outside, they look like a successful family. They have a nice house, two new cars, and three kids.  But the stress of unpaid bills was taking its’ toll on their marriage. They were buying things they did not need with  money they did not have to impress people they did not like! Sound familiar? It should. The family above could be many in our church today.  

 Our culture measures success by the size of your house and the make and model of your car. With credit so easily available, we no longer have to wait until we can afford it, we can buy it now and pay for it later. And while the standard of living in America has surged in the last 50 years, the moral and spiritual standard has plummeted. We have in essence exchanged spiritual and moral values for material possessions and worldly success. The result is described best by Jesus in Matthew 16:26 when He says, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

This Scripture, spoken over 2,000 years ago, is just as applicable today. Men are neglecting their families chasing money and attempting the climb the ladder of success. Women are forced to (or choosing to) get a career in order that they can maintain the standard of living that they have become accustom. So the cycle continues. The standard of living continues to increase, while spiritual and family values decrease.

Some call it the rat race of life. It is a cycle that once begun, is hard to stop. It is a never ending cycle of working  and buying and working and buying some more. It reminds me of a song by Simon and Garfunkel many years ago. One line of lyrics say, “Like a rat in a maze, the path before me lies. And the pattern never alters, until the rat dies.”    As I shared this song with a friend he said, “The problem with the rat race is that even the winner is still a rat!”

In Ecclesiastes 5:10, the Bible says, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income.”  As we enter a new year, I want to encourage you to examine your life and see where you are in the rat race. As you look back on the past 10-20 years, how has your standared of living increased? How has your spiritual life increased? Could it be that you need to make some changes? Could it be that your priorities need to be adjusted? I encourage you today to make God and family your priority over money and possessions. When it comes to the rat race, the many people say that the one who dies with the most toys wins! Pastor Ralph Hall told me last week he heard it a different way. He said that the one who dies with the most toys is still dead!

 

Be encouraged,

Pastor Rob