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The Perfect Christmas

Posted on November 28, 2017 by joeycanady

As a pastor, the Thanksgiving and Christmas season is extremely busy. The planning for special services, benevolence situations, get-togethers, etc., not to mention the normal activities and functions we still must do… they all keep me in high gear. Ask any pastor and they’ll tell you the same, it’s an extremely busy time of year!

I must preface my thoughts by saying I love Christmas! I love the music, decorations, Christmas plays, concerts, but most of all (of course) the reason for it…celebrating God’s incarnation. But oftentimes I have found myself allowing the things of ministry to cause me to miss the beauty of it all…and I hate that.

There is so much pressure to get things done, to make Christmas perfectr7CwvhW. For me, the very busy time begins just before Thanksgiving. Our church sponsors a community Thanksgiving service where we invite people who have no one to eat a Thanksgiving meal with to come and eat with us. This takes much planning and effort to pull off, and lots of folks to help pull it off, but like so many other Holiday functions, it’s worth the effort. It’s always a wonderful time together, and I can’t imagine not doing it every year. But it can be a bit taxing, so I’ve created a tradition to help me unwind a bit.

Each year, immediately after the Thanksgiving meal, I help tidy up, tear down all my turkey frying equipment, pack my vehicle with my suitcase and banjo, and head for the South Carolina State Bluegrass Festival in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Outside of missing just a year here and there, I’ve been attending this Festival since the early 80’s. I continue this tradition to see old friends, listen to God’s music, and of course to relax for a couple of days.

It doesn’t last long, for before you know it Thursday evening, Friday, and Saturday are a memory and I’m on my way back home, getting geared up to preach Sunday morning and hitting the ground running for the Christmas season! And from that moment it never stops…nevertheless it does give me a brief respite between Thanksgiving and Christmas…except this year. Yep…this year would be different.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and I quickly made my way south to Myrtle Beach and began to enjoy my aforementioned enjoyments, when I felt a funny feeling in my stomach. It wasn’t long before I realized I had picked up a stomach virus of some sort. I endured it Friday but was forced to head back home early on Saturday, and I’m very glad I did…it only got worse. I can endure most of the symptoms of a stomach virus, but the weakness that came with this one really frustrated me!! I mean, I HAVE STUFF TO DO!! But this thing wiped me out. I was pretty much useless. I mean, like a sack of reject hammers useless. So much so that I had to miss preaching Sunday morning…which is one of the worst things for me. I’d rather preach than eat. But I couldn’t help it. I was too sick to do either!

I was pretty frustrated, knowing all the things I needed to be doing, people I needed to be seeing, etc.… but I also know that God is sovereign. There’s a reason for it. I’ve learned over the years, through experience, and immersing myself into God’s word that He is working in every situation. For instance, a verse we all tend to know very well, Romans 8:28 says,

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

This is the word of God. It’s true…it’s alive…it’s active…it’s life changing…and I trust what it says. I know there’s a reason that I came down with a virus and I’m actually thankful to God for it, for His word also says,

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
(Philippians 4:6)

I can thank God for a virus because He has a reason/purpose for it. I certainly cannot imagine the fullness of His plan, but by His grace I can clearly see some evidences of of it. For one, it’s made me slow down and realize the Christmas season will go on with or without me. God doesn’t need me to accomplish His will this season or any other season. He may or may not choose to use me in it, but He certainly doesn’t have to!

While I incredibly missed preaching Sunday, I have enjoyed slowing down and simply thinking about the beauty of Christmas… Jesus came to earth to “tabernacle” among us, live a sinless life, pay the penalty of sin on a cross, died and rose again… this is Christmas! Christmas is not the things we do, it’s what Jesus did.

My encouragement to you is,

Don’t miss the perfect Christmas while trying to make Christmas perfect.

Relax, enjoy, focus on the main thing…Jesus, the Perfect Christmas.

Come, let us adore Him…

 

Categories: bible, Scripture, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Making the most of Mentors: Some brief thoughts on how to have a proper mentoring relationship

Posted on August 29, 2017 by joeycanady

Mentoring is 20620796_10212740897253354_8047508259673876878_nextremely important in Christian ministry, but it’s worth is not appreciated as it should be. To have a mentor is to be blessed, and any mentoree (what I call someone who is being mentored) should work diligently to make the mentoring relationship viable. It’s important to handle mentoring relationships properly to get the most out of them and to bring glory to God. Here are some things I think will help…

  1. Listen, listen, listen

There is nothing more important in a mentoring relationship than the mentoree simply closing his mouth and opening his ears. Not listening in a mentoring setting is akin to a car with no tires; it’s pretty much useless.  The objective in a mentoring setting is for the mentoree to learn as much as possible from his mentor, and use what you learn for the glory of God in the ministry God has assigned you to.  But if you talk more than listen, you nor the people you will minister to in the future will profit from years of knowledge and experience of your mentor.

Often mentorees want to impress their mentors with their knowledge.  Don’t let that be you! Let your mentor be a mentor; don’t use him as an ego builder for yourself. Remember, this relationship is not about you, it’s about you being equipped better to make much of Jesus and to point people to him.

If your mentor is equipped to be a mentor, let him do the talking; if he’s not, find another one who is and listen.

  1. If you must talk, ask questions

If you can’t resist the urge to talk, then at least let your talk be in the form of questions.  Ask your mentor questions often and listen intently to his answers. Questions are a wonderful way to find out who people are, where they have been, what they have done, and the why to all the former. Questions get people talking and lets the person know you genuinely care about what they think.

In a ministry mentorship you should ask questions in the following areas:

Call to ministry, Family, Gifts, Theology, The Church, Conflict, Burnout, Humbleness, Etc.…

Asking your mentor questions in these areas is like opening a treasure cove of ministry knowledge… don’t allow it to go untapped. Even if you already know what the answers to your questions will be, it’s incredible discipline to ask and simply listen.

  1. Observe

Observing your mentor in everyday ministry is priceless. You must observe him as he interacts with his family, friends, public, and church family. The wealth of knowledge and insight you will gain from these interactions can save you from a plethora of mistakes and missteps, and help you gain trust with the people you minister to.

Observe him as he deals with an irritated or frustrated church member in a business meeting or someone who drops by his office and asks for money. Observe him as he engages a server as you eat lunch together and as he stops to chat with a group of seniors. Observe him as he kneels down to spend time with a little child to show them they are important.

Again, the lessons you can learn from this observation is beyond priceless and simply cannot be learned in seminary. Never overlook the little things that a mentor does; everything he does is a lesson in how to do ministry.

  1. Respect their years of ministry and life

You may be super duper over the top brilliant and the greatest theological mind since the apostle Paul himself, but that is not the end all.  You must know how to use that knowledge in a manner that brings glory to God, not yourself, and doesn’t make much of yourself but points people to Jesus.

Unfortunately I’ve seen young men in ministry abuse their God given intellect by thinking they’ve got it all figured out and the old guys are just, well…old. While that may be true, every old guy has seen a lot, and often forgotten more than you will ever know. DO NOT BE A “KNOW IT ALL”! Be humble, listen, ask questions, observe, and respect the years of experience that God has providentially blessed your mentor with.

You can learn something from everyone, even if they’re not on the same theological level you are on. A good theological mind is a must in ministry, but do not overlook the experience of someone who has loved God and served Him in the trenches for years.

I have seen this scenario many times in ministry; someone is saved as a teenager; goes to Bible college immediately after high school; then directly to seminary, and begins pastoring a church. Oftentimes they have never had a job that required a lot of physical labor or much of what many church members must face on a daily basis. Then they get frustrated at church members because they simply do not understand what people endure. This is where a good, experienced mentor can help. Most have been around and understand what people bear day in and day out, and if you listen, ask, observe, and respect their ministries it will make things much easier for you and keep you from many ministry calamities!

  1. Pray for them/thank God for them

Finally, the greatest thing you can do as a mentoree is to pray for your mentor and thank God for them. I have been immensely blessed with men who have poured  their lives into me and have invested countless hours mentoring me and teaching me about biblical ministry. I am indescribably indebted to them. Anyone who has a mentor is blessed and should show they’re gratefulness by praying for them and thanking God for them.

May God continue to raise up godly mentors, as well as wise mentorees who will use the mentoring relationship for the glory of God and the good of His church.

One generation shall commend your works to another,

    and shall declare your mighty acts.

Psalm 145:4

Categories: bible, biblical, Christians, cross, God, Gospel, grace, Jesus, mentor pastor preach, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unmet Expectations

Posted on November 29, 2016 by joeycanady

“Unmet expectations”. These are words that we may not voice frequently, but most of us certainly think it.  If you’ve been in a relationship for more than a minute, you have probably experienced unmet expectations. You may have even experienced a severed relationship because of unmet expectations. As a pastor, I’ve seen the nastiness of unmet expectations wreak havoc in many relationships; but it doesn’t have to happen. Here are some thing I ask you to consider…

  1. Many people begin relationships with lofty expectations.

Don’t deny it… You most likely have had lofty expectations of someone when you began a relationship; maybe even before you met the person.  Oftentimes these lofty expectations begin in our minds when we’re young, when the idea of romance initially takes root in your mind. It’s nearly impossible not to let lofty expectations begin, and even more difficult to keep them in check once they take root.  The question arises, “Where do these lofty expectations originate?”

The seeds of Lofty Expectations in relationships have a plethora of origins; such as:

Parental Influence.  You watch, sometimes subconsciously, the way your parents interact. This may cause you to mimic their relationship, expecting the same thing from your future husband or wife that you see in your Father and Mother.  From one perspective, if you’re a female, you may have watched your Dad being very romantic, often buying your Mom flowers, opening the door for her, calling her charming names, doing well financially, taking out the trash, mowing the yard, doing “man stuff”, etc., chances are you will have the same expectations of the male in your relationships. On the other hand, if you’re a male, you may have watched your Mom have great respect for your Dad, working hard, being frugal, preparing meals, making herself look nice, all while having a career, etc. Again, chances are you will have the same expectations of the female in your relationship.  Or you may have experienced things vastly opposite of what I just described and you expect your spouse to be opposite of what you grew up watching.  Regardless, you have expectations from watching your parents.

Societal Influence:

Like with parents, you form presuppositions from society.  We are bombarded by what I call societal agendas.  Every society has a standard, good or bad, and societies will push their standard through television, social media, etc.… People in these settings sometimes don’t’ even realize that these constant influences begin to form lofty expectations that we will impose on our future relationships.  In other words, we will expect our future spouse to act like the characters we’ve seen on our favorite TV shows or in our favorite book.

There are many other influences that help create lofty expectations… the point is, most of us bring lofty expectations into relationships.  But is this ok?  Do problems arise with lofty expectations?  Well, of course.  If not, I wouldn’t be blogging about it.

  1. Lofty expectations become unmet expectations.

Let’s make this as simple as possible; if you go into a relationship with lofty expectations, be prepared for lofty letdowns.  Lofty expectations, sooner or later become unmet expectations, and unmet expectations sooner or later lead to major problems within relationships, especially marriage. Your spouse may do well for a period, meeting your expectations, and you have a sense of accomplishment; “I did well picking this mate”, etc. But as soon as your spouse fails to do what you expect he or she to do, you’re let down. Lofty expectations have become unmet expectations, and the temporary happiness you had from your spouse doing what you expected has disappeared. Now what?!? The slippery slope of unmet expectations begins to do enormous harm.

  1. Unmet expectations become relationship killers.

Once lofty expectations become unmet expectations, and remain unchecked, relationship damage is imminent. You need to understand this; you CANNOT expect unmet expectations to not harm your relationships. This is true in friendships, work relationships, etc., but mostly in marriage. It’s imperative that you know your spouse will let you down, as you will your spouse. It’s not difficult to understand that none of us are without sin; “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23). That includes you… and me… and your co-worker… and your friend… and your spouse… and your pastor… ad infinitum.

When you get upset because someone has not met your expectations, the very core of your relationship begins to crack, and if actions are not taken to repair it, those unmet expectations will cause irreparable damage and ultimately kill your relationship. Make no mistake about it, the more you are disappointed from unmet expectations in your relationship, the more your relationship is doomed.

  1. We have no right to have expectations of others.

The question arises, “Don’t I have the right to expect certain things from people in my relationships?” No… no we don’t. You have no more right to have expectations of others in your relationships than they have the right to have expectations of you. Bottom line; only Jesus has that right…He’s earned it, you haven’t, and never will.

When we expect others to act certain ways, do certain things, don’t do certain things, etc., we are acting as if we are the standard bearers; an attitude of, “you must live up to my expectations, and if you do I will reward you with a relationship, but if you don’t, you don’t deserve me.” In other words, arrogance raises its ugly head. This attitude and actions in a relationship stem from a fallen humanity, not from God. This idea is found in Galatians 6:1-5,

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

(Galatians 6:1-5 ESV)

So how do we approach relationships in a godly manner?

  1. Take your emphasis off others and focus on your relationship with Jesus.

There it is… it’s that simple. If you take your focus off the other person in your relationship and, “take the log out of your own eye…” (Matthew 7:5), your relationship will improve radically. In relationships, it is tremendously important to use the energy you’re exerting on others through unmet expectations, and use that energy to, “examine yourself…” (1 Corinthians 11:28). When this is done, relationships improve. Find your fulfillment in Jesus, not the person in your relationship.

Ted Cunningham rightly said,

Remember, people are not your source of life. Jesus is your source. Don’t ask others to take His place and fill you up. Jesus is an unlimited supply. The people in your life are limited supplies.

Yes, it’s healthy to search for a mate that is like mindeddsc_0100 theologically, and other areas, but the more important matter is, does he or she have a desire for God? If they do, they will improve over time, just as you will. You will never find the perfect person to be in a relationship, so don’t try. Seek someone who loves Jesus, someone whose desires are Godward, and encourage them, don’t have expectations of them. A Christ-centered relationship is sanctifying, each person in the relationship is being set apart by the Holy Spirit; this takes time.

Per Scripture, love is an act of the will; it doesn’t depend on how the other person acts. We are told to love…period. You can love the person in your relationship, regardless of how they act… this is what Jesus did. Marriage models the relationship of Jesus and the church; He willingly loved, even while we were sinners, and gave His life for us. We are to do the same in relationships. When we do, God is glorified and we are satisfied. If your relationship hinges on whether a person acts the way you expect them to, you are not modeling Jesus or pointing people to Him. On the other hand, when you love others, even when they don’t meet your expectations, Jesus is modeled and we are content.

I understand this may be a strange concept, it was to me at one time; but if we chew on it and adhere to it, it will radically change our relationships for the better…

Categories: bible, brokenness, Christians, Friend, Friendship, Glory, God, Gospel, Jesus, mercy, Uncategorized, unmet expectations | Leave a comment

Heavenly Affections

Posted on August 19, 2016 by joeycanady

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

(Psalm 42:1-2 ESV)

I’ve grown so weary of bad news.  Day after day thousands of news outlets pour all their efforts into reporting tragic happenings; from images of flag-draped caskets to flooded streets and water rescues.  Video footage from drought stricken countries, war-torn nations, community violence, and school shootings have become commonplace and we’re barely even moved by the reports. It seems as if it never ends and certainly never gets better…especially if you’re a pastor.

Pastors often hear the worst things.  In counseling sessions, people pour out their hearts.  I will say this, nothing surprises me any more…nothing.  In nearly 25 years of pastoral ministry, I’ve learned that people endure horrendous and tumultuous events; and many on a regular basis.  I hear of financial failure, ruined relationships, bizarre addictions, and the list goes on… It never ceases.

Then there’s the video I saw today, of the little boy in Syria whose home was destroyed by a bomb.  He sits in the back of an ambulance, dirty, disoriented, and wiping blood off his forehead.  It was such a sad and sickening sight.

Sin is everywhere, and like a snail that leaves a slimy trial, or a tornado that leaves utter destruction in its path, sin devastates.  I’m sick of the result of sin.  I’m sick of it in my life, the life of my family, the life of the people I shepherd, and it’s far reaching effect throughout the whole of humanity.  In one sense, sin is the mother of disaster; where sin abounds, disaster thrives.  I am simply tired of it all.  The more suffering I see, the more I can be identified with Romans 8:19…

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

In other words, I long to see Jesus.  I long for the day when creation will be restored.  I long for the day that is described in the book of Revelation,

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
(Revelation 21:4 ESV)

Sure, there’s a lot I want to do, a lot of gospel I want to preach, but the more I see this world, the more I want to see Jesus.  David felt the same many years ago when he wrote,

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
(Psalm 63:1, ESV)

A “dry and weary land” gives you great thirst.  For those who are alive in Christ, he is consistently and perfectly creating a disdain in us for the things of this world and ever increasing our desire for him, to be realized ultimately in his presence.  Come Lord Jesus…

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Categories: bible, biblical, Brother, Christians, cross, Glory, God, Gospel, grace, Jesus, king David, sin, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The Mist of Life

Posted on May 5, 2016 by joeycanady

IMG_0200I remember it like it was yesterday; sitting in the Band room of Hoggard High School on the last day of school in 1980, talking to Mike B.  Mike was a clarinet player and a senior; I was a lowly sophomore.  He had completed all the requirements to graduate High School and he was simply passing time, waiting for the bell to ring, signifying the last day of school was finally over.  On the Band Room wall hung a clock.  It was one of those classic, large, gold rimmed school clocks that had the second hand which made a distinctive “tick” each time it moved from number to number.  Although in the grand scheme of things the second hand was less important than the hour or minute hand, it seemed to make up for its lack of importance with its persistent, metronome like trek around the face of the clock.  As we sat there I directed Mike’s attention to the second hand and sarcastically said, “Mike… You see those seconds ticking by? Just think about it, those are seconds that you can never get back! Your High School years are over, you will never get them back…and those seconds will just keep on ticking by!  Just listen to them…tick…tick…tick…tick…”  As you can imagine, Mike was not amused with my sophomoric shenanigans, and responded with, “Can you possibly be more depressing?!?”

Thinking back on that moment over 35 years ago, what was meant to be silly teasing on my part, turned out to be a very true testimonial which plays out in everyone’s life! Since that day in 198o, if it had functioned properly, that second hand on that clock in the Band Room would have ticked between 1,103,760,000 and 1,106,764,000 times!  When I think about that fact, I am nothing short of amazed that so much time has gone by in what seems to be the blink of an eye. Over a billion seconds in the blink of an eye?!? As the saying goes, “That’s life!”

Yes, life flies by so quickly.  This is what the biblical writer, James was relaying when he said, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes”, (James 4:14, ESV).  In the grand scheme of things, our lives are like a mist that appears vibrant for a period, but then, seemingly before we realize it, is over, never to be recaptured. Just like those billions of seconds that seemed like they would last forever…tick…tick…tick…tick…gone.  Far too often we live as if our earthly lives will never end.  James tells us that our lives are very short and that Jesus should be the center of our lives. Let’s not waste even one of those seconds.  Live the precious seconds, those grace seconds, centered in Christ, for His glory and our good.  May that little “dash” between our birth year and death year on our Tombstone represent a life that wasn’t wasted.  May it represent a life that was surrendered to Jesus.

  A short, “mist” of a life surrendered to Christ translates into an eternity in His presence.

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God is Greater than our Messes

Posted on September 3, 2015 by joeycanady
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I have several close friends who pastor churches much like the one I pastor.  We all love what we do and contribute an incredible amount of time, energy, and passion into it.  One of the major aspects of pastoring is what is called “preaching”.  Preaching, at least in the way my friends and I understand it and describe it simply means that we proclaim what the Bible says to the church when they gather together.  To each of us, this is a huge responsibility and an awe-inspiring task because we are telling people what God is saying and we are ultimately responsible to God for how we handle His Word!  Indeed, preaching the Word of God is a weighty thing.

Because of the weightiness of it, each of us want to do the best we can with the content of the sermon as well as the delivery, so we pour all we have into it every time we preach.  If you approach preaching the way we do, it takes a lot out of you.  It’s been said that preaching a 30 minute sermon as it should be equates to working an 8 hour physical job.  Now I’m not sure if that’s entirely true, but I’ve done both and by in large that’s been my experience.  So when you couple the importance of preaching with the mental and physical aspect of it, the final result can make for some high powered Sunday night and Monday morning preacher talk!

Case in point… every Sunday evening or Monday morning my preacher friends and I take to Facebook Messenger and discuss how our preaching went.  We discuss whether or not our sermon content was true to the text; if our delivery was suitable, etc… Recently it seems we all, at least in our estimation, “failed miserably!”  Normally there’s a couple of us that seemed to do at least “ok”, but that particular Sunday appeared to have been an across the board disaster!  Some of the words and/or phrases we used to describe our sermons were, “I laid an egg…”; “I preached a clunker…”; “It was a real dud…”; “a downright debacle”; and even, “A deluge of garbage!”  One of my friends even threatened to do what I have thought about doing several times in the past, “I’m calling all my church members and apologizing for that sermon!”  It seemed like the loathing of ourselves and our sermons went on for hours.  Maybe it was a case of “misery loves company”; regardless, it was a genuine loser fest for sure!

In one sense, we all felt as if we had let our people down, but more so the very One who had assigned us to the task of preaching, God Himself.  We commiserated with each other for longer than we should have, then we moved on, looking forward to an opportunity to “redeem” ourselves the next Sunday.  It was at that point of our pity party that one of my preacher friends said something that we all knew, but were too busy wallowing in our ineptitude to realize, “I’m thankful that our God is a God that redeems messes.”  It was a sobering moment and a magnificent reminder as well.  It reminded me that God doesn’t need me!  On the other hand, He has chosen me for the task of preaching and privileged me to partake in His mission of redemption.  He will accomplish His will with or without me, but He has highly blessed me in giving me the privilege of proclaiming the “unsearchable riches of Christ” through preaching. It’s certainly not because of my ability, but in spite of my inability.  That’s a wonderful truth in any task we attempt for God!

The apostle Paul put it this way in his letter to the Corinthian church, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. (2) For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (3) And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, (4) and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, (5) so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5, ESV).

So there you have it; “God redeems our messes” and uses our inabilities and even our flaws for His glory!  So the next time you attempt to serve God but fail because of your inabilities, learn from it, endeavor in the power of the Holy Spirit to improve, and leave it to God.  He will indeed redeem our messes and make diamonds out of coal.
1 Corinthians 10:31

Categories: bible, God, grace, hampstead, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, mercy, messes, preaching exposition exaltation exultation church, sin | Leave a comment

Proper response to Christian Persecution

Posted on July 14, 2015 by joeycanady
On Sunday, June 28th, 2015, I preached a sermon regarding Christian persecution from the book of 1 Peter.  In part the sermon was in response to a ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) which was reported by CNN like this,

In a landmark opinion, a divided Supreme Court on Friday ruled that same-sex couples can marry nationwide, establishing a new civil right and handing gay rights advocates a historic victory.
(http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/26/politics/supreme-court-same-sex-marriage-ruling/)

This ruling sparked what many would consider an avalanche of freedom for people to be vocal, act on, and even celebrate things that beforehand would have been considered immoral, and helped to solidify an anti-Christian sentiment in America.
Many pulpits across America were filled with preachers/pastors decrying the ruling, stating biblical standards for marriage, and generally helping their people understand what Scripture says about marriage.  I also stated what the Bible clearly says about marriage.  From the Old Testament to the New, it’s clear that marriage is between one woman and one man for life, or as John Piper unmistakably says it,

Marriage is created and defined by God in the Scriptures as the sexual and covenantal union of a man and a woman in life-long allegiance to each other alone, as husband and wife, with a view to displaying Christ’s covenant relationship to his blood-bought church.
(http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/let-marriage-be-held-in-honor-thinking-biblically-about-so-called-same-sex-marriage)

I also stated that I respect someone much more if they simply say they disagree with Scripture instead of trying to justify it through Scripture, especially when Scripture is so crystal clear on the matter.  But I was “preaching to the choir”!  The folks I pastor already know what Scripture says regarding marriage and so called, “same sex marriage”.  But there was an overarching issue in the midst of SCOTUS ruling, and all of the reaction that the church in America, at least in my opinion, has not been prepared for; that is the issue of how to respond such rulings, and furthermore, how to respond to persecution in general.

I am convinced that the church has had the reigns in America for so long that the entire idea of persecution is foreign to us.  Sure, we hear about it in other places, in foreign lands, and we pray for those believers as they face incredible obstacles while striving to live out their faith in Jesus, but the idea that American believers will face persecution for their faith is almost more than we can fathom! But more and more, with each passing week and with each passing law that is blatantly contrary to Scripture, Christian persecution (to one degree or another) is an ever developing reality.  Therefore, we as the church must be prepared to respond properly in a post-Christian America that not only disagrees with a Christian worldview but actually celebrates, revels in, and sanctions a thoroughly secular and flesh driven worldview.  So my purpose in this lengthy blog is to point us to Scripture in order for the church to respond properly, or rather “suffer well” for the glory of God. 

1. Don’t be surprised by what is happening.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you
 (1 Peter 4:12).

Why are we shocked when people attack us simply because we profess faith in Jesus? The Bible says repeatedly that believers will be ill-treated:

2 Timothy 3:12; John 15:18; Matthew 5:44; 1 John 3:13; Luke 6:22; Matthew 5:10; 2 Corinthians 4:8-12; Mark 13:13; Matthew 10:22; Mathew 5:11, and the list goes on…

Whether we have watered down the doctrine of Christian persecution in order to make Christianity more palatable, are focused on a so-called prosperity gospel, or any number of other reasons, by in large our churches have not been taught to expect persecution, and now that it has become a reality we are taken aback by it.  Much like the man who decided to become a boxer; he hired a trainer, worked tirelessly in the gym for months, and scheduled his first bout.  When the bell rang, signaling the start of the fight, he ran to the middle of the ring and started dancing around when suddenly his opponent hit him squarely on the nose, nearly knocking him down!  He then ran to his corner where his trainer was coaching him and with great surprise yelled, “He hit me!?!?”  Unfortunately that’s how the church too often responds to persecution!

Bottom line…as a Christian living in what has become a post Christian country, DO NOT be surprised when you are persecuted for/because of your faith in Jesus…rather, expect it!

2.  Rejoice that you are being reviled because of Christ.

Verses 13 and 14 say,

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (14) If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
There is a reason that some people are persecuted… now mind you, this is not the case for everyone, but for those who simply lift up the name of Jesus, you will be persecuted and you are blessed because of it.  Why? Because the Spirit of God rests upon you…and that is a privilege!

3.  Don’t suffer for dumb stuff!

Verse 15,
 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

There is enough to keep the Christian busy in this world by simply dealing with anti-Christian sentiment produced by our profession of faith in Christ and holy living…suffering well, for the glory of God should be the only thing we suffer for.  Suffering for dumb stuff like sin is a complete waste of time, energy, and testimony. DON’T DO IT!
4.  Don’t be ashamed of suffering, but glorify God during it.

Verse 16,

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

So, there is a reason you have been reviled, scoffed at, mocked, belittled, etc… It’s an opportunity to glorify God!  You must understand what is happening here.  When persecution comes, step back, put the wide angle lens on, and get the big picture.  God is bringing glory to Himself through our dependence upon Him in the midst of persecution and the spread of the gospel in the midst of persecution. 

5.  Respond to persecution properly.

Verse 19,

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

There are two extremely important truths that we must glean from this passage…The first is, TRUST GOD!  There’s no other way to endure persecution or to suffer well.  When we don’t trust God through it we will become extremely frustrated and even angry, which brings no glory to God or peace to us.  On the other hand, when we trust God in the midst of persecution He is glorified and we are satisfied.

The second truth is, CONTINUE TO DO THE RIGHT THING! When we as believers are in the midst of persecution it’s easy to become side-tracked… But we simply cannot afford to do that! Keep your eyes on the crucified Christ and continue to live a life that is surrendered to him.

Finally:
Here are a few things that we can expect to see when the church is persecuted:

·        – Regardless of how great America was/is, our faith is not in a nation, but in God alone.

·         –Expect to see theologically shallow churches scatter.

·         –Expect to see gospel-centered churches rise to the top.

·         –Expect to experience God’s grace, mercy, and glory more than ever before.

·         –All of this gives us a great hunger for Heaven and Jesus.

·         –Use this as a divine opportunity to make Jesus known

Categories: 1 Peter, bible, cross, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, persecution, same sex, suffer well, supreme court, trust God | Leave a comment

Brokenness

Posted on June 17, 2015 by joeycanady
“Brokenness”.  When most hear that word, negative images and thoughts are typically conjured up.  Images and thoughts about things that were once intact but now are cracked, even shattered, lying on the floor, unusable, unattractive, and worthless.  Most of us have accidently knocked a glass, vase, or other fragile object off of a table and watched as it shattered to pieces on the floor.  More times than not our first reaction is to fetch the broom and dust pan and try to sweep up all the broken pieces and dump them in the garbage can, acknowledging it’s complete and utter uselessness.  But on rare occasions we may attempt to pick up the pieces and glue them back together, restoring the object to usefulness.  Of course, the easy thing to do is to simply sweep up the pieces and toss them away, never thinking of the object again. But that’s far too simplistic in many ways, mainly because of the potential worth that still remains in the broken object.

A broken and repaired object can be of infinite usefulness if the break was not too severe and if the repair is completed properly.  This is even true with a broken bone in the human body.  Some say, at least for a period of time, the bone is stronger where it had been broken.  So there’s a sense of restored and even renewed strength after being broken.

Not only is there a sense of restored and renewed strength, but there’s the beauty trait.  There’s something beautiful about scars!  That may sound strange to some, but think about it, how often we look at an old vase, wrought with discoloration, a warped and distorted body, cracks throughout, and think, “What an incredible and lovely piece!”  It’s almost as if the more scars it has, the more attractive it is to us!  If you think as I do when observing a piece like this, you begin to imagine all the things the vase has been exposed to, all the things it has seen, heard, participated in, etc… You think about the changes it has seen and experienced, and how wise it would be if it were an animate being and able to speak aloud of its experiences. 

So brokenness, even in inanimate objects can be a beautiful, strengthening, and all around incredible thing.  If this is true with inanimate objects, it’s much truer with living creatures; more specifically Christians, or those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord.  Brokenness, as difficult as it may be to endure, can have tremendously positive results when understood and tolerated properly.

You see, there’s a need for brokenness as humans.  We all have areas in our lives that are not surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, and that’s not healthy for anyone, especially ourselves.  Any area of our lives that are self-centered and not surrendered to Jesus only brings disappointment, strife, a lack of peace to us, and steals God’s glory.  We all, even as Christians, deal with this because of sin. John said in 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” It is that which causes us to take our eyes off of Jesus and fix our desires and passions on ourselves in one way or the other.  Again, no one benefits from that, and it’s a slippery slope that could ultimately devastate us.  So God will see to it that the things that separate us from Him are severed from us; but please understand that the severing process is indeed a difficult process.  This is more than an assumption on my part, for I have been broken, and it is indeed difficult!

Whether its money, pleasure, power, fame, or relationships that steal God’s rightful place in our lives, they all can be severed.  The fact is, Jesus is everything, and our lives will not be what they should be until we acknowledge and practice that.  When all is said and done, He’s all we need!  Yes, he has created friendship, for His glory, but when we focus on the friendship rather than our relationship with Jesus, He will break us.  I’ve often said God will arrange for even your most trusted friends to let you down, so your dependence will be in Him, not man.

Whether its friends that you depend on more than God, or something else, God will break us of it.  He knows exactly what each of us are bent toward and He knows how to break us of that bend…and He will break us of that bend. And that’s a good thing.  There’s nothing greater than for God, in Christ to be our sufficiency!  That’s the greatest joy known to man, and God will see fit that we ultimately find our joy in Him.  John Piper puts it this way, “God Is Most Glorified in Us When We Are Most Satisfied in Him”.  So all of this is for God’s glory and our good.

When the breaking process has been done, God graciously puts us back together.  He gently glues the pieces back together through the blood of Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit.  He restores us to a right relationship with Him, and the result is more than amazing.  Just like the vase that has fallen, shattered, and put back together, we will have scars; but those scars are constant reminders of God’s grace toward us and His love for us.  People see the scars and know that we have been through something significant, something that has helped make us who we are.  It’s a beautiful thing to see.  And just like the broken bone in the human body, once we are properly put back together, we are stronger than ever!

There’s much more to say regarding the issue of brokenness and I have only scratched the surface, but know this, when you are in the breaking process, God is working in your life to make you into something that is strong and beautiful; and while it is extremely difficult in the midst of it, when it’s over you will most certainly look back at it and rejoice, and say with David in Psalm 51:17,“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”


soli deo gloria
Categories: bible, brokenness, grace, Jesus, king David, Psalm 51, surrender | Leave a comment

Biblical Friendship

Posted on December 18, 2014 by joeycanady
Biblical Friendship

I seriously believe that if people, especially men, understood biblical friendship, you would see a marked difference in our churches.  I believe the benefits of men understanding and practicing biblical friendship would manifest itself in the church in several ways, including:

·         Koinonia (κοινωνία) Fellowship.  Of course koinonia fellowship can be described as, “fellowship, sharing in common, communion.” The first occurrence of koinonia is Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  In other words, koinonia fellowship is Christ centered fellowship.  This is priceless to the church!

·         Stability:  Along with the koinonia fellowship produced by biblical friendship, comes stability in the church.  When Jesus is the heart of a local body of believers, stability is a natural outflow.  In other words, there’s no “backbiting”, gossip, etc., rather love, concern, and the like…

·         Ministry:  When Christ is the center of our friendships, ministry will be the norm.

So, to say the least, biblical friendship has tremendous benefits, not only to the church but to us as individuals…for these same benefits apply to us individually!

We Need Friendship

“Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find.”
― William Shakespeare

Today friendship has fallen on hard times. Few men have good friends, much less deep friendships. Individualism, autonomy, privatization, and isolation are culturally cachet, but deep, devoted, vulnerable friendship is not. This is a great tragedy for self, family, and the Church, because it is in relationships that we develop into what God wants us to be… Friendships…are there to be made if we value them as we ought – and if we practice some simple disciplines of friendship.
 (Kent Hughes)

Not only these benefits, but more…especially as men.  Men treat friendship differently than women. If we ever speak about the new shoes we got it’s normally something like,

“Dude…got new boots…steel toes…yeah.”  “Cool…”

But fact is we need friendship as much as women…it simply manifests itself differently.  Most of us just want someone to be friend enough to understand what’s going on in our life.  We don’t necessarily need someone to share long conversations, just to know that someone genuinely understands our plight and shows concern.  If you deny this, you’re just dumb…
But that’s a difficult thing to find in our narcissistic society.  Just knowing that someone understands our plight, even if they do nothing about but understand, will often give us the energy to continue on… 

It was C. S. Lewis who said,

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

Again, there are huge benefits to true friendship… –But the greatest benefit of biblical friendship is that it glorifies God!  You remember, I’m sure, the answer to the first question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism which is,

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever”.

This is what we are to be about!  This is the reason we exist and the reason we are given life…to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!  It’s what I call the spiritual circle of life…we glorify God, He is exalted, we rest in Him, He is glorified, etc…what a glorious picture!  This is true in true friendship as well. Hear this statement, Biblical friendship is a God created thing, created and given to bring glory to God. God is glorified in the things He has created, things such as marriage, the church, even friendship.  Marriage is indeed a picture of the godhead and is intended to point people to the godhead, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Think of it this way, in marriage you have two individual persons, both equal to each other, yet one willingly submits to the other for the glory of God.

The church likewise…  The people that make up the church are equal with those who are called to shepherd the church, its leaders, but they willingly submit to their servant leadership.
These two God created institutions were not designed and created by accident…no, not at all!  They were designed and created to point people to God!  By the way, that’s another reason both should be practiced properly/biblically.  That’s why we go to Scripture to understand marriage and church…so we can do them properly and point people to God through Jesus! I believe everything was created to point to a holy, awesome God! 

The same holds true for biblical friendship!  It has a unique design and creation in order for people to see Jesus in the midst of it!  So it’s clear that we should want to understand and practice biblical friendship, because it glories God and benefits us. So how do we do that? By examining passages regarding Christ-centered friendship…

What is Biblical Friendship?

So, we have to ask ourselves…What is friendship?  What does the Bible says about friendship?  I believe the best definition is found in the Bible…and it’s found in Proverbs 18:24…you know it well…
A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
(Proverbs 18:24 ESV)
–What do we have in this verse? 

1.  Masses of acquaintances don’t equate to friends…
-We have so many ideas of what makes a “friend”.  But this is for sure…lots of people around you do not friends make.  Facebook cracks me up at times; people brag when they have 1000 “friends”; chances are they are only genuine friends with a handful, if even that!  I really think we need to clarify by calling them “Facebook friends”… Truth is, you may have many people surrounding you and have no friends at all…

Here’s the second truth in this verse…
2.  One who sticks closer than a brother…
-Herein lies the biblical definition for true friendship… I think you can define it just as the verse does,
“…a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”

This is indeed the Old Testament (OT), but unlike what many believe, the OT is not a Jesus-less volume.  The OT is but a trajectory toward Jesus and the cross, and Jesus is all over this proverb!! It was Spurgeon who, when speaking of preaching said,

I take my text and make a bee-line to the cross…

That included the OT.  The same thought is true in this OT proverb; Jesus is all over it!  So we can also say that Jesus is the subject of this verse…and of friendship!  Here’s my declaration, there is no true friendship without Jesus!  Now if we had more time I could share with you what a Jesus-less friendship looks like.  But I will say that God’s grace rains on the just and the unjust and even those outside of Christ can experience and even enjoy bits of true friendship, but not nearly the full benefits of a truly Christ-centered friendship.

Friendship is the grace of God, centered in Jesus Christ.  Many will tell you that family is as close as anyone could get, but to be close to someone in Christ is an entirely different realm; it transcends earthly or natural family…it is indeed supernatural! 

Many think of John 15 when friendship is discussed. There are some key truths in this passage about friendship:

 1.   Biblical Friendship for the Believer is Imperative.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1-2)

If indeed friendship is a God created thing, created and given in order to bring glory to God, then it can be considered Christian fruit.  If we are dwelling in Christ, if you are alive in Christ, if you are a Christian, then you will produce fruit.  If you don’t produce fruit, as the passage says, there are severe consequences!  So friendship is a God created thing that is created and given to bring glory to God…therefore we should produce friendship…YOU ARE NOT AN ISLAND!

2.  Biblical Friendship for the Believer can only be done through Christ!

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)


Trying to be a true or biblical friend on your own strength is impossible!!  It simply cannot be done the way God intended it to be done.  It’s just like anything else a Christian strives to do, whether it’s pray, minister, give, encourage, read and understand the Bible, so forth and so on… If Christ is not the power behind it, it will fail!!  Some of us have made a mess of our friendships because we’ve struggled under our own power to be a friend.  You will do well tonight to understand this very elementary Christian truth; you can do nothing without Christ!!  
If any good work is done in me, it is not I Lord but Thee…

Think again about the quote from the Westminster Catechism,

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever”.

If man could do anything under our own power, then we would get the glory…but God will not share His glory with any man!!  But man cannot do anything in his own strength, including friendship, because Jesus is the Vine. We are but the branch that the Vine supports and sustains!

3.  Biblical Friendship for the Believer has Major Consequences. 

 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:6-11)

To sum Biblical Friendship up:
A.      Not abiding in Christ (for friendship or anything else) results in rubbish.
B.      Abiding in Christ (for friendship or anything else) has fruitful results.
C.      Abiding in Christ (for friendship or anything else) glorifies God and accomplishes our purpose for existing.
D.     Jesus is the Perfect Model of True Friendship

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
Wanting true, biblical friendship?  LOOK UNTO JESUS!!

Categories: bible, Brother, Friend, Friendship, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Jesus, John, John 15, Wilmington | Leave a comment

Looking beyond the physical crucifixion

Posted on March 28, 2013 by joeycanady

Once again we approach the day designated to celebrate the sacrificial death of Jesus on a cross.  Obviously, and with great reason there is much anticipation, joy, sorrow, and a plethora of other emotions around the thought of the crucifixion of the Christ.  These emotions run the gamut, from disgust at the thought of the bloodshed and carnage of the actual process of crucifixion and the assertion that God the Father not only allowed this to happen, but willed it and took pleasure/delight in it, to feelings of glorious and overwhelming heights of humbleness that the King of glory would take the wrath of His Father in our place.
My purpose today is not focused on debating my way into the hearts and minds of non-believers, that’s God’s place; rather I simply desire to cause believers to delve into the crucifixion of Jesus a bit further, beyond the physical into the spiritual.

Many pastors, including myself have spent many pulpit hours striving to describe the horror of the crucifixion, at least from a physical standpoint.  Most of us do that so our hearers will better understand the suffering that our Lord endured to please His Father and redeem his church.  I certainly do not regret those many hours proclaiming the great physical price of Christ’s suffering, but my desire is that the church will look even further into His death.  What really happened during those six hours?  Was the suffering physical alone and was the physical aspect of His death the crux of the sacrifice?

Everything about crucifixion was designed for maximum pain and each step leading up to the cross was designed to build on the previous steps.  It was so gruesome the Bible says it was difficult to recognize Jesus as a human,
As many were astonished at you—
chis appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
(Isaiah 52:14, ESV)

Could there be anything worse than this?  What, if anything could trump his physical suffering?  I believe the “spiritual” suffering of Jesus, leading up to and while on the cross was even grimmer than his physical suffering.  Consider these two things, while on the cross Jesus endured the weight of the sin of the world, and in some super-natural fashion God the Son and God the Father were separated.
First, strive to imagine the weight of the sin of the world,
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:6, ESV)

I can’t even bear the weight of my own individual sin!  One sin weighs upon me in unspeakable ways!  That’s ONE sin at ONE time!  Try to conceive all of your sin, the guilt and shame from it being placed upon you at one time!  As difficult as that is, think about Jesus on the cross…He bore the sins of us all…at one time, those before us, those living now, and those in the future.  This is mind-boggling!  How could He do it?  We cannot fathom this, for it is indeed super-natural.   Yes, it is super-natural but it is real!  But it gets even more mind-boggling!

Scripture quotes Jesus from the cross,

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
(Matthew 27:46, ESV)

What on Earth, or should I say in Heaven is going on here?  How could the Father “forsake” the Son?  There’s never been and there never will be a more intimate relationship than the one between God the Father and God the Son.  That relationship is on display throughout Scripture, but I think especially in John 17.  So how/why would the Father “forsake” His Son?  I believe it’s because of our sin which was placed upon him,

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
(2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

This had to happen in order for those who would believe to be justified and made righteous, for the Father cannot entertain sin.  So when Jesus “became sin” his Father had to, in some way that is beyond us, turn His back on His Son!  This is nothing short of astonishing!   What could cause more suffering to God the Son than God the Father turning His back on him?!?!?  
Ponder on these things as we once again mourn and celebrate this most startling day…Good Friday!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Categories: bible, crucifixion, good friday, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Jesus | Leave a comment

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