Instruments of the Master

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” ESV James 5:19-20

There are some questions that you should always be ready to answer. For instance, our interim pastor asked me the other day how long Melisa and I have been married. Without a moments hesitation, I replied, “It seems like forever!” (It’s actually just short of 24 years and Melisa isn’t offended by my answer—I actually think she agrees.)

Back in college I had a Hindu professor single me out in a group and ask me if I believed that Jesus was the only way to heaven. Again, without a moments hesitation I replied, “Yes!” Turns out that he thought that answer was hilarious, but that’s a story for another day.

Over the years though I’ve been hit with some questions that I didn’t have a ready answer for. I remember when we were newly married, living “across the river” and full time students at UNA, we were vulnerable to falling away from church. We had been faithful to Sunday School here at Russellville, but were in danger of becoming slipping into visitor status if you know what I mean.

But fortunately, we had a Sunday School teacher who refused to let us slip through the cracks. He would call me every Saturday evening (before caller id) and hit me with a simple question: “Kenny, is there anything in the world keeping you from joining us in bible study tomorrow?” Then he’d tell me what a wonderful lesson he had planned and how blessed he would feel by our presence. The first few times, an excuse came to mind quickly enough. But after about the third or fourth week, what are you going to say? I finally had to answer, “Nothing, we’ll be there.”

In hindsight, that teacher was an instrument in the Master’s hand. God used him to keep me in church, fellowshipping with other believers during a vulnerable time. That same teacher helped me pick out my first study bible, has mentored me over the years and is still a close friend today.

While I don’t mean to suggest that every church member needs to become a member of the spiritual police squad, I think it’s healthy for mature believers to gently correct and guide less mature believers in the faith. It’s even more than that. Mature Christians have a duty to disciple younger believers in the faith.

Who do you know that may be wandering from the faith or simply need a little encouragement? I’ll bet someone came to mind. Now, how can you gently and lovingly steer them back to Christian fellowship? Will you be an instrument in the Master’s hand?

Ken Askew

Timeout!

Timeout! In sports, it’s a term that expresses a team’s desire to momentarily stop the normal progression of the game so that some important or urgent adjustment can be communicated and implemented. From a child’s perspective, the term usually indicates impending punishment, or at the very least, the halting of events by some authority figure. But what might “timeout” mean to adults?

Tell the truth, does life ever come at you so fast that you want to shout timeout! ? Do you ever want to halt events—stop the normal progression of events so you can catch your breath and make adjustments? I’ve been there more than once and I think we all reach that point from time to time; some sooner than others and some more frequently than others.

A guy named Bob Buford wrote a book several years back titled Half Time. I found it during one of those times when I wanted to call timeout. It’s a quick read and one I gladly recommend (but do note that it is written to men from a man’s perspective). Anyway, Buford, speaking from personal experience, describes a change that occurs in many men (and women) when they come to realize the clock is running on this lifetime. Speaking from a mid-life perspective he says, “If the first half was a quest for success, the second half is a journey to significance.”

And just what is significance? Is it gaining more money and stuff? Does the person with the most toys win? Is significance finally getting that coveted degree or job? Is significance symbolized by a new car or boat? Is significance reached by garnering the admiration of your family and friends? Hmm... While none of these things are necessarily evil or bad in their own right, let me suggest that significance is both simpler and grander.

Significance is enduring and is achieved one step at a time. You might say that it is the imprint you leave with your passing. What does your imprint look like? As Sinclair Ferguson commented recently, “It’s what people think of you when you’ve left the room that’s important.” What do people think of you when you’ve left the room?

Now let me suggest this. Whatever your circumstance or calling live your life—one day at a time—for the glory of God and significance will be yours. Be a homemaker for the glory of God. Be a dad for the glory of God. Sell cars for the glory of God. Be a friend for the glory of God. Be a public servant for the glory of God.

Live your life so that when you’ve left the room people will think of you as one who lived each day for the glory of God and significance will be yours.

Ken Askew

Faith and Religion

At lunch not too many weeks ago a business acquaintance looked up and said, “Ken, I’m skeptical of organized religion.” Elaborating, he shared some details of a bad experience from yesteryear that had left him skeptical of religion. But what started as a conversation killing statement turned into a robust conversation when I confided in him that I too was skeptical of organized religion. But do let me elaborate.

Back in college I had an interesting ethics professor who was a liberal, retired minister. I would beg to disagree with him on many issues, but he said one thing that has stuck in my mind all these years. Speaking of faith and religion, he summed it up by saying, “Faith is what you have. Religion is what you do about it.” Albeit a shallow summary, it helps explain the dilemma that organized religion finds itself bogged down in today.

Speaking of my personal faith, I believe in the one, true God of the bible; Creator and Judge of heaven and earth. But according to the word of God found in the bible, I’ve violated his precepts and have alienated myself from Him. Furthermore, I believe that there is only one way for me, as a created being, to be reconciled to the Creator and that is through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. But even that sacrificial death is meaningless if it ends there. The bible also tells me that Christ is today my living advocate before the Judge, just as he was my sacrifice many years ago. So, basing my faith in the bible, I believe that Christ has risen from the dead; just like the bible says.

And that’s what I’ll be celebrating this Sunday with many other faithful believers in the Tharptown community. Together we’ll gather and let our faith flow freely and exercise it in a “religious” ceremony celebrating the fact that “He has risen.” We’ll be celebrating Easter!

Having said all that, why would I say that I’m skeptical of organized religion? Because there are a lot of organized religions don’t base their faith in the God of the bible. Instead they conjure up a God of their own creation; one that suits their fancy. Corrupt faith leads to corrupt religion. And believe me, those with a false faith have nothing to celebrate on Easter.

Is your faith in the God of the bible? If it is, you have every reason to celebrate Easter with other believers this weekend. Take your faith out for a walk Sunday by joining together in a joyful, worshipful celebration of the risen Christ. First timers are especially welcomed to the celebration!

Ken Askew

Deployed for Kingdom Service

“And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept brining him freewill offerings every morning,” ESV Exodus 36:2-3

What a wonderful problem! That was my thought during an aha moment on the way to Birmingham Monday morning. I was listening to Max McLean read through the book of Exodus on my ipod when it hit me. Moses was forced to turn away volunteers and money that was presented for his building project. Well, it was God’s construction project, but Moses was his appointed leader.

Anyway, the scriptures tell us that the hearts of the people were stirred up to do work with their hands and to give money in a mighty way to support the building of a sanctuary. Their giving was such that they had to be restrained. The broader text says, “the people were restrained from bringing.” Try and imagine that today; pastors being forced to restrain people from giving to God’s work. I hang out with pastors a lot, but none of them has ever, and I mean never, so much as even whispered that this is an issue in the church today!

No, instead of being overzealous givers it seems as though we are much more comfortable and much more zealous in the task, as Neil Postman so succinctly said, of “amusing ourselves to death.” We are a people I fear who love to receive but have yet to experience the full joys of giving.

Al Mohler, in his weekly radio program on March, 27, talked about our concept retirement in America and how the current economic crisis has disrupted so many plans. But his main point was this: Regardless of our life stage, we should all be “deployed for maximum service to the Kingdom.” Now that’s an interesting thought—living each day for the glory of God—deployed for His service if you will.

Do you think that if we woke up each morning and asked God how we might use our time, talents and money to glorify Him that He just might show us? Does the thought scare you a little bit? Does it make you wonder what comfort or amusement you might have to forego? Might you have to alter your best laid plans?

Let me lay down this challenge. Tomorrow morning, before you roll out of bed and the urgent matters of the day come bearing down on you, ask God to show how to tackle your day as one “deployed for maximum service to the Kingdom.” God may stir your heart in a way that leaves you forever changed.

Ken Askew