Nov. 2nd, 2011
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others . 2 Corinthians 1:3
I am in the middle of preaching a series titled: “Why – Understanding God’s Will.” This week I’m discussing the subject of Human Suffering. I know there are people in this world who are really suffering. I am also of the opinion that far too many folks in this part of the world (USA) have been sub-consciously infected with a “victim” mentality; that leads some to interpret their circumstances as “suffering”. (Maybe I’m critical of this perception because of spending 6 weeks listening to people’s excuses for why they don’t want to give money to our current building campaign.) As I said, I know that there are people who actually suffer – but many just think they are.
I’m not the judge, and don’t get to determine what qualifies as suffering – but I want to get to this scripture. It affirms what I have said/believed most of my more adult life – God never wastes a hurt. If we have been hurt in some way in the living of life – and can figure out how to survive: (but as a result we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God. Verse 9) then I believe God will use that hurt to help us identify with others suffering similar circumstances or situations. I know that my path in life has been interspersed with people who need help figuring out some things that I have experienced. Pain is not the only good teacher in this life – but it can be a good one! If you have been hurt in some appreciable way – and have learned how to survive and live beyond that pain; then please be on the lookout for folks God will bring into your life TODAY – who may need to learn how you did that.
I would like to translate this verse this way: God does not comfort us to make us comfortable – but to make us comforters. We have a significant problem with this reality in many places in our world today – but probably none more glaring and damming than in the church. Many modern expressions of church have devolved into nothing more than “make me feel good clubs.” I know our world outside the church is infected with a consumerist mentality that favors personal preference as the ultimate value – but I am troubled by how much that same mentality has infected the church. If people aren’t “made comfortable” by singing the right songs, or from preaching in the right clerical garb, or by being spoon fed some palatable, innocuous, “milk-toast”; they bolt for the door and shout this excuse as they proudly leave: “Well, it’s just not meeting my needs”. Since when did this ever become about making us comfortable?
Ok, I’m venting a bit now, so let me get back to the point and conclude. If you are legitimately suffering right now – know that God suffers with you, God did not cause you to suffer, and by relying on God…you can learn to live above the suffering with which you are afflicted. And then, please don’t be surprised when God brings people to your door or life, who might need to know what you are learning. You don’t have to be an expert – just be honest! God bless us all as we receive God’s comfort – and give God’s comfort to others. Kermit

Sept. 26th, 2011
“When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2: 1-5
Another of my favorite bible stories – I’d surely put it in the top ten, but there are way more than ten!
I love a couple things about this story. 1) The persistence of these beloved friends. They are not dissuaded by the crowd; they are not put off by being unable to get to Jesus. They simply put their ingenious minds to work, and work out another way to get their friend before Jesus. 2) The love of these beloved friends. Obviously they have heard of Jesus – that’s why they are so insistent and persistent to get their hurting friend before him. They also love their friend so much they would carry him, lift him onto the roof, dig a hole in the roof, then carefully lower him on this rope stretcher into the presence of Jesus. What a wonderful testimony of their love. 3) The faith of these friends. I find it very interesting that Jesus says nothing to the crippled man about his faith. He doesn’t ask if he even believes in Jesus. No, Jesus just looks skyward at this newly created hole in the roof – sees the 4 smiling, hopeful heads of these faithful friends; and he heals their buddy.
What this shouts to my heart today is this: who do I love enough in my life right now that I would tirelessly work to make sure they get in front of Jesus? Who do I love enough that I would go to such inconvenient lengths to make sure that Jesus has a chance to heal them? Secondly, who do I have in my life right now that might be willing to carry me on a stretcher to Jesus? There are times in all our lives when our faith is depleted, we are completely empty, our body may not be broken, but we are wounded, and we need someone to carry us to the Master. Do I have 4 friends I can count on today to carry me?
I know that there are times in most all of our lives when our faith is so weak, maybe we have no faith at all – at times like these we need to rely on our friends to carry us into the presence of Jesus; so he might heal us, and restore our faith. I want to be that type of friend today – for I might need that type of friend tomorrow!