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He is Risen Indeed!

4/10/2020

COVID-19. Coronavirus. These terms, once unheard, have become household discussions. Once considered a non-issue in this part of the world, COVID-19 is now a hot-button in most every society. We dare not make light of it. We cannot simply erase it. But in isolation, we must face it. The coronavirus has taught us a lot about the necessity of hygiene… A process that we should have learned in kindergarten. Yet, its importance is once again in the forefront of our minds.
Without implying any moral equivalence, the juxtaposition of the coronavirus and sin is uncanny. Sin, at first glance, seems a nonissue to oneself. Its breakage and consequence are superficially attributed to the thought, action, or verbiage of someone else. Yet, with all humility and honesty, we must admit that we fall victim to sin because we, too, yield all too frequently to temptation. In his epistle, James tells us in no uncertain terms that when we sin, in one given area, we have become a sinner. Paul does not tread lightly when he said to the church of Rome that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and “the wages of sin is death”.
We cannot ignore the overarching and incapacitating comparison. COVID-19 creates a sense of fear and the potential of impending death. Yet, there is a sense of hope… hope of a cure… hope of a vaccine… hope of building an immunity to this situationally deadly virus. Sin, in contrast, is deadly to everyone. There is no maybe, and the only situational variable is whether or not a person knows right from wrong. Sin demands judgement. There are no excuses; its wages is death, but there is hope. From cover-to-cover, the Bible shares the hope of God to all who will accept it. His name is Jesus. This weekend, we remember that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was laid in the tomb for three days, and, through the power of the Spirit, was raised again on the third day. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

March 31, 2020

3/31/2020

Recently learning that our Social Distancing protocol has been extended to the end of April has manifested a myriad of emotions. Without an intent to list every emotional perspective, I think that mentioning a few can be beneficial for our state of mind. Some find themselves bored out of their minds. This is understandable since everyone is typically so busy in everyday life. We work 40+ hours each week. We indulge in entertainment and, wherever possible, we fit our family into our busy schedules. Such busyness has become a way of life. For some it is an escape. Yet for others it is a drudgery. The opposite of busyness creates a sense of restlessness that tends toward boredom. We’ve got to get out of the house. We can’t take it any longer. When can the kids go back to school? When can I get back to work? Still, for others, being stuck at home can ignite an exaggerated level of impatience with each other. The quirkiness that you see in those who are normally not around very often becomes an irritant when they are around all the time. The things which normally would be funny become an annoyance. I think you get the picture. I think that at one point or another we’ve all been-there-done-that. So the key that we must all find to unlock the joy of togetherness is found in these scriptural truths: love God with all you have, love your neighbor as yourself, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. While those three commands might seem to be easy Sunday school answers to our situational boredom and irritability, they bear the foundational load for true peace and joy in our current situations. What key will unlock all of this potential? 1) Pray like you’ve never prayed before. Know that God can- and does- hear our prayers. He knows our needs already, but as a loving Father, He wants to hear from us. 2) Trust like you’ve always wanted to. Sometimes fear pushes our trust to the ground, but we can trust God in everything. We don’t know what this COVID-19 virus will look like next week, next month, and beyond, but we can trust God to see us through. 3) Live like you know that tomorrow’s just around the corner. Today may seem dark and dreary because the future seems so bleak and unknowable. My great-grandmother had a saying that my mom and I still quote to this day: “This life and one more.” This life has its abundant share of sufferings and trials, but because of Jesus, we have hope and peace that passes all understanding, for we know that the best has yet to come: HEAVEN. So, while we’re here on this earth, we would do well to serve God with all our hearts. Someday, we’ll be able to serve Him for all eternity, surrounded by His love and grace. If that doesn’t want to make you shout for joy, here’s a glimpse of what Heaven will be like: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!’” (Revelations 7:9-12) That make me want to shout “praise the Lord” and “Amen! Come Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

March 25, 2020

3/25/2020

These last few months have proven just how quickly the world as we know it can change. An unknown virus has infiltrated our lives in ways we could have never imagined. In addition to the physical symptoms the virus projects, fear is an emotional symptom, extruded by the unknown factors accompanying this coronavirus. This kind of fear brings out the best in some people, yet the worst in others. From our president to the average person, many are feverishly searching for ways to bring this medical (and resulting financial) crisis to an end.
All the while, others with selfish hearts and evil intent are creating an atmosphere of chaos laced with self-indulgent get-rich-quick schemes. At great expense, our government has been feverishly searching for a remedy. People are demonstrating that love for one another and love for country (the entire world) can indeed go hand-in-hand. Still others are determined to dampen this synergy by pounding out the sour notes of sinful clamor at the expense of the afflicted.
As the number of people contracting and succumbing to the virus steadily increases, the rest of the country has been confined to their homes in an effort to slow the spread. Jobs are being curtailed. The security that accompanies the paycheck has been replaced with the insecurity that coincides with the bare shelves in supermarkets. The perceived certainties of life have been trampled under by the uncertainties which are also a part of life. Few are qualified to be in the forefront in this crisis. Most are confined to the sidelines to watch the battle unfold with each news conference. There is, however, one extremely significant act in which we can all participate: PRAYER. While I’m sure that you have your own well-thought-out prayer lists, here are a few prayer thoughts I would like to suggest:

In this moment of crisis, may we ascertain the eternal significance
- Just as this virus attacked without advanced notice, so Jesus will come again “like a thief in the night”
- Are we ready?
In the midst of this crisis, let’s embody this sense of urgency
- Although we were not prepared for the onslaught of this virus, may we be prepared for the second coming of Christ
- May we prepare others for Christ’s second coming as well
Just as we are willing to pay a tremendous price to stamp out this viral crisis, let us be willing to give our all for the One who paid the ultimate price for our sin
- May we begin now, living for Him, because He died for us
- May we do whatever God commands that others may be saved

Downtime

3/21/2020

My brother told me the other day that he had seen a meme which made the observation that in view of 2020, the year 2019 wasn’t all that bad. Had anyone suggested that all major-league sports would be shut down, that March Madness would have been cancelled, that schools across the country would be shut down for at least two weeks, that grocery stores would be sold out of toilet paper, no one would have ever believed it. But we find ourselves focused on a virus that might never have been,had it been handled properly from the beginning.
141 nations are facing this viral challenge in hopes of finding a cure. In an effort to keep it from spreading any further, many have been furloughed from their job, while still others find themselves in unemployment lines. In a matter of weeks, the stock market has plummeted, yet we find ourselves being forced to sit at home. We are anxious to know when life as we knew it would be back on track. When will we hear the starting pistol indicating that the “rat race” is on once again?
Let’s take a moment and observe the opportunities this shutdown has afforded us. First, we’ve been so busy that we are worn out. Let’s consider this a time to recuperate, getting the rest we so desperately need. Second, we’ve been so busy, our family time has taken a toll. Let’s use this time to work on our family relationships, spending quality time with our spouse and children. Third, and most importantly, we’ve been so busy, that we’re short of breath as we walk with God. We often think of being short of breath as we walk physically, but when we are so busy that we don’t spend a concerted amount of time with God spiritually, we can become weaker than we might think. So, let’s use this “downtime” to intentionally work on our relationship with God.
There are some obvious suggestions, such as spending more time in prayer, spending more energy in how we can demonstrate our love for God and others, and we can watch worship services on podcast or television. I’d like to suggest a couple of additional opportunities with God. Let’s dedicate a half-hour, an hour, or more, to read the Bible and other Christian literature each day.
Might I suggest that if you have not read one of the Gospels in a while, take another look at the Gospel of John. Within this Gospel, John proves that Jesus is the Son of God. Using the number of completion, John gives evidence that Jesus is God by including miracles that Jesus performed, Biblical truths that Jesus taught, including but not limited to the “I Am” passages, etc.
I would also encourage you to consider reading three books by C.S. Lewis on Audible. Audible is offering these three books and more at no charge during this pandemic, or at least while schools are closed. I know that we have all been impacted by grief at one time or another. In his book A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis shares his journey after losing his beloved wife. In his book Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis shares his journey of being a young Christian who later embraces atheism, and yet is surprised by the joy of coming back to Jesus. In one of his most popular books, C.S. Lewis writes a satirical story wherein Screwtape, an underling to the father of lies, mentors Wormwood, a novice minion of temptation and deceit, as he attempts to ensnare an unsuspecting victim.
Or, should you prefer a different kind of read, might I suggest a book by Jeremy Camp called I Still Believe. (While this book isn’t free, it is available on Audible and other formatssuch as christianbook.com.) I know that my family and I were looking forward to watching the movie (by the same title) which has just been released in theaters. Now that we are homebound, we might try to read the book upon which this movie is based.
I’ll submit some new ideas next time; I would also enjoy to hear any new ideas you may have.
While I hope everything in our lives get back to normal soon, I also hope that we might make our time of rest our time of building our relationship with our family and with our God (eg. by spending time in prayer, by spending time in His Word, and by reading important Christian literature) our new normal.

June 7, 2019 - Bible School

6/8/2019

This year was yet another excellent vacation Bible school at South Hickory Hill Christian Church. What a special event that was full of wonder, intrigue, laughter, and joy. VBS was a great time of worship through singing, prayer, offering, fellowship, and Bible study. I am so thankful to the Lord for the dedication our church family demonstrates in every aspect of vacation Bible school. I’ve witnessed people giving themselves first to the Lord, then to each other, having such great love for all the young ones who came to learn about Jesus. For every one who participated through planning and/or serving during this VBS- thank you for your love for our Lord and for your love for people, both young and old. I thank God for each and every one of you. Thank you also for all the parents who brought their children for this year’s VBS. We would love to have any- and all- of you to come and worship God with us. We have Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 A.M. Our worship service begins at 10:30 A.M. Our summer Bible Study for all ages begins at 6:00 P.M. We hope to see you soon.

May 1, 2019 - Encouragement

5/3/2019

My grandpa Wells used to say life gets tedious, don’t it? I have to admit, that in just over the half
century that I’ve been on the earth, there are times when my life has gotten tedious. There are times when I find myself being my own worst enemy. Sometimes it’s easier to focus on the negativities in life, all the while forgetting the wonderful blessings from God. I guess the last couple of days were just that for me. But then while Angie and I were in town yesterday afternoon, an old friend came up. I hadn’t seen him in over three decades. He was here from out of state visiting some of his family. When he saw me, he walked over, going completely out of his way. He encouraged Angie and I in more ways than he’ll ever know. When life gets tedious an encouraging word goes a long way. It lifts one’s spirits. It heartens one’s outlook. It deepens one’s steadfastness. I’d like to encourage each of you, rather than focusing on that which is difficult, remember whose you are in Christ Jesus. And as Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, in anticipation of what Christ has done for us, Paul records these words. “Therefore encourage one
another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Sometimes it’s hard to know God’s plan as we await Christ’s return. But there’s a song that the group New Song sang many years ago. Some of the lyrics go like this: When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.

April 16, 2019

4/16/2019

We had an awesome Spring revival. I can’t believe it’s already over. Special thanks goes out to Ben Merold and Anita Newlin. Their ministries are both uplifting and challenging in the Lord. I’m sure that the messages in song and scripture will continue to edify our church family for years to come. There is no doubt that this past weekend was a tremendous time of worship and adoration of our God. Special thanks also goes to our praise and worship team who bring us to the throne of grace each and every Sunday morning. We’d also like to thank our church family and all visitors who came and shared in this special time of revival. We have been blessed. Now, let’s continually bless others as we live out the challenges and encouragements that we have received as a result of this Spring revival.

Worship Like Job

3/25/2019

In Job 1:6-12 Satan has come before God as an accuser to the sons of God that had gathered as well. And then God asks a question that in many ways baffles the reader. Why would God ask Satan if he had considered God’s servant Job? And Satan said, what’s the use for God has given him everything. And God responded by saying, “You can take away anything except do not put your hand on him.” So Satan left God’s presence and went to work.

Devastation wreaked havoc on all that Job had and only one servant in each place escaped in order to tell Job just what had happened. One satanic anathema after another until the final blow. A mighty wind blew destroying Job’s eldest son’s house, killing all of Job’s children.

How would you respond? What would your reaction be? One moment you are so blessed, all your needs are provided in abundance, and the next moment all is lost. Tragedy wreaks havoc in all your business and all your family. Job had no idea (I believe) that God had this conversation with Satan. Do you think God has had a similar conversation about you?

As was with Job, we are unaware of why things are falling apart around us. But like Job, our response is of utmost importance. The sin that Satan is tempting us with is an anger that leads to spiritual death. Blaming God for all that is bad, all the while forgetting that God gives us all that is good. Job’s example is perfect. In verse 22 Job bowed down and worshipped. See, God was right. Satan could not beat Job down. Rather, through trials and suffering, Job showed his strength in the Lord when he fell to his knees and worshipped.

It’s my prayer that I respond in this way. It’s my prayer that I will worship God no matter my circumstances. It’s my prayer that God would get all the glory. It’s my prayer that I would be an example to those around me. While we may not receive a double portion of everything after Satan has done everything to destroy us, God does promise that He will work all things for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Perhaps you have already experienced this process of growing from weakness. And perhaps you find yourself unable to identify as nothing like this has occurred in your life. The important thing is that we dedicate every day to the Lord. Every thought, every motive, must be worship unto Him. And then no matter, come what may, no devastation will cause us to sin. For greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

March 15, 2019

3/16/2019

On March 24th I’m going to preach the sermon from Matthew 5:21-26. With these verses Jesus is teaching that malicious anger against another person is just as sinful as committing murder. Now we have far too many examples of murders being committed on a daily basis. Just today 49 were killed in Christchurch, New Zealand. That man has been captured and is unable to commit any other murders, but what about the other 80+ people that he left injured. The intent of his heart was to kill as many as possible. The sin goes beyond 49 murders. His sin includes all those that he put in his crosshairs and yet were not killed. But his sin goes even beyond that. For even those he wanted to shoot-those he wanted to kill. The intentions of his heart are, in and of themselves, the sin of murder. It’s not so difficult to realize the atrocious sinful actions became manifest out of atrocious sinful anger. They are in fact one and the same. Bringing this closer to home, let’s consider for a moment the connection between murder and thoughts of anger. We might assume that because we have not committed murder, we are therefore ok. But, in light of Jesus’ teaching, how close have we gotten to committing murderous sin in our dealings with fellow man? Have we ever been riddled with such anger that we’ve wanted someone to die? Have we ever wanted to hurt someone so badly that we’re callous to the effects of our anger toward another? Does a situation of road rage rise to this level in your life? Do you have such struggles in your professional life that strife with co workers or even supervisors leaves one or more parties deeply injured? Do family rifts cut so deeply that you’ve stopped trying? Have you ever withheld the love of Jesus because of how they might have hurt you or someone you love?
The intention of the heart does matter. Has Jesus ever convicted you of such sin? Isn’t forgiveness awesome? Let me hear from you.

Strong in Adversity

2/15/2019

Our nation’s debt has topped 22 trillion dollars in recent days. The promise was that the debt would go down quickly with the change of administrations. While that hasn’t happened, jobs and salaries have been rejuvenated with deregulation and tax cuts. While many in our country have benefited, there are yet many more who don’t feel the difference in their wallet.
The news in our country, indeed the world, is increasingly bad. There are tragedies that happen to fellow mankind- maybe even you, personally- and there are atrocities committed with evil intent by far too many of mankind. Such pressure, combined with such evil, can prove to be back-breakingly heavy as we strive to live out our days here on earth. These devastating conditions test our faith and ultimately, our faithfulness in Christ. In Philippians 4:10-13, Paul reminds us that we must learn to be content, no matter the circumstances. Even before Paul, Habakkuk helps us understand the faith we must display.

Habakkuk 3:17-18 --
“17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

While the life that we live proves difficult daily, life is exponentially better when we remember where the praise belongs. Jesus never said it would be easy, but he did say that He did say that He would be with us always. My family and I trust Him, and so should you.

Author

   Stacy accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of seven, at which time he also dedicated himself to full-time Christian ministries in the future. He has served as a preaching minister for a total 27 years. He has served in cross-cultural missions for a total of 17 years to 10 countries. He has also taught as an adjunct professor for a total of 16 years.
  Stacy earned a Bachelor of Arts in World Missions at St. Louis Christian College. He later earned a Master of Arts in World Missions and Church Growth at Lincoln Christian University, at which time he also earned a certificate in TESOL. Still later he earned a Master of Divinity in Leadership at Lincoln Christian University.
  Stacy lives in Waltonville, Illinois with his wife and two sons. His adult daughter lives in Indianapolis with her family. He began his preaching ministry at South Hickory Hill Christian Church in 2015. Stacy’s goal in life and in ministry is to love God and love people.

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