Monday, April 20, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Today I give you a 'guest devotion' from Al Harrell based on Psalm 73 that will help us with 'slippage control.' I have been blessed by it and trust you will be as well.   Pastor Gillikin

The psalm begins with “God is good to such as are pure in heart.” But the Psalmist immediately declares that “as for me my steps have nearly slipped.” He had become envious of “the prosperity of the wicked”
At the same time he was feeling sorry for himself as a righteous person (one who had cleansed his heart in vain) who was being “plagued all day long and chastened every morning”.  When he tried to under- stand this “it was too painful for me.”

With the new restrictions that have been put upon our lives because of the coronavirus we may also feel that we may be losing our foothold (especially as we become aware of so many dying around us) and we can think that there is no advantage in being a child of God. (Rom 8:16,17)  Our Pastor has been remind-  ing us of the providence of God (that God is in control of all things-Heb 1:3) and of which the psalmist also had to be reminded.

The turning point came when he went into the sanctuary (vs 17) and then he understood  and he was able to get God’s perspective (His wisdom) on his circumstances.  It is wonderful to have our worship service on line and to be lifted up to a new perspective as we worship.  The same thing happens  when we pray and open up the Word of God individually as we shelter at home (Ps 119:105).

The first thing that he realized was that God had set the wicked in slippery places and that they could be cast down to destruction in a moment (vs 18) because they had no relationship to God. 

Secondly, he realized  that God was indeed in control and that his life was the unfolding of the strategy of God for him.   “You hold me by my right hand, You will guide me with Your counsel and afterward receive me to glory”  (vs 23,24).  God was in control of both his destiny and of his journey.  He was a pilgrim living on God’s promises and God’s promises never fail (II Cor 1:20).

Thirdly, the psalmist realized that what he was calling good (the prosperity of the wicked) was not what God would call good.  He was walking by sight and not by faith.  Good for him was to draw near to and  make the sovereign God his refuge (Vs 28).  “Whom have I in heaven beside thee and there is none on earth that I desire beside thee” (vs 25)  We have a savior in Heaven praying for us and preparing a place for us for all eternity!  He is our life (Col 3:3) and our lifestyle (habit ) should be one of setting our mind on things above and not on things on the earth (Col 3:2).

The psalmist realized that though his heart and his flesh may fail that God is the strength of his heart (Phil 4:13) and his portion forever (Lam 3:24).  God knows the source, the timing and the weight of his present burdens.  The psalmist concludes that it is “good for me to draw near to God, put his trust in the
Lord and to continue to declare all His works (our great salvation).  (vs 28)

My prayer for myself and for all of us is that this “momentary affliction” will not produce slippage but a firmer stand on the promise,  and the providence of God and in the purpose of God (to know Him and to make Him Known)!  Memorize Ps 73:24-26 to reduce slippage!

Friday, April 17, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  Advertising has found that the word “FREE” continues to attract interest most quickly whether in print, TV, radio or internet. Not you might think I am going to write about God’s grace as it is free – we do not deserve it nor can anyone earn or buy it. As much as I love to talk and preach about grace that will not be today’s topic.

  Instead, let’s return to a wonderful doctrine – God’s providence. I wrote about this on March 20. What I wrote remains eternally true. Feel free to page down and re-read it. This Sunday in worship this will be our Statement of Faith from the Shorter Catechism: “Q11. What are God’s works of providence? A. God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.”

  Just as God’s grace remains free (though it came at the cost of the death and suffering of Jesus), so now God’s people enjoy at no further cost resting without fear in the providence of God. This truth has directs ties to the sovereignty of God. Facing life today without fear boils down to one of two choices: either God controls all things and is at work in all things or some impersonal mechanical force that leads with nothing but hopeless fate. For God’s people we can rest assured that fate holds no power over us. We rest in God’s providence.

  What does this have to do with the word “free”? Ligonier Ministries has made the teachings of R. C. Sproul available at no cost during this time of crisis. I suggest you listen to his teachings on the doctrine of providence. The first link takes you to one lesson on providence, lasts 24 minutes and will also allow you to hear Sproul’s lectures on 59 other topics. The second link features six sessions that are all on providence. You can also download study guides to assist your learning.

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/foundations/providence/ 

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/providence_of_god/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTWpsa05EZGpZVGhqWVRSbCIsInQiOiJ4dG1hc3poWE1Nc1RSSzlBVFNZVzdtbG5oN1N5VngzXC80SllSMGxnSVdpVDZxTWJBYnp1Z1wvYWkyZFwvWWpRRlJoQlR2T1BvejRJNkRtTExtVlNDS1U2STh5U29VZmFxbXRPVUFcLzZZdHhMak1ObWpXMUNMQml2RWVMWHVCQTlCUHkifQ%3D%3D

  After a good dose of Dr. Sproul you will have a deeper appreciation of this glorious doctrine. We can all rejoice as Q29 of the Heidelberg Catechism answers with confidence, “Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with His hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, faithful and lean years, ford and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty – all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from His fatherly hand.”

Resting in God’s providence with you,
Pastor Gillikin

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  The travel and hospitality industry has a practice that for years has attracted many customers. Just a few words grab people and they willingly (when not restricted by a virus) pay lots of money for an experience. The proven method centers on getting people to anticipate the places they will see, the fun things they will do, the food and drink they will consume, they people they will be with and the memories they will have for a lifetime. Do I have you ready to go on a trip?

  With many of you being house-bound or socially isolated, I should have your full attention. Feel free to think about and even plan that week at the beach that might happen later this summer. I like to think that a Christian advertising whiz came up with the concept after reading 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. It says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.”

  We gather from this that no travel brochure, TV show by National Geographic or Rick Steves, or AAA Tour Book can offer up any plans that can compare to the plans that God has in store for all of creation.  By faith in Christ we look forward to what God will do. No doubt He will surprise us with what He has in store.

  We tend to think of this as what will happen at the Second Coming. To do so means we miss out on what God might do even today in and through us. At all times, and especially during our current circumstance, we must daily look forward to and pray that God will reveal to us the glorious acts that he is doing. The Second Coming will be an epic event, but even now we are to be open-eyed and ready to marvel at the sovereign work of God.

  I remind you of the words we sometimes use for our Benediction from Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever.” In Christ, who has risen indeed, the best is yet to come.

With great hope,
Pastor Gillikin

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  Science is seeking a cure for the Covid-19 virus. The number of people infected continue to grow, though the ‘experts’ believe the curve has flattened in most of our country. The infection rate world-wide is a fraction of one percent and in Buncombe County it remains much smaller. That is good news. Sadly, the virus does prove fatal – mostly to people with pre-existing conditions. However, less than two per cent of people infected by the virus have died. Certainly we should be praying for a cure and for the coronavirus to stop spreading.

  In time the threat of the virus will lessen as have other causes of pandemics throughout the history of the world. There is one “virus” that has infected every human. Many people deny there is such a virus and live without giving it a second thought until they at last succumb to it. A cure for this ‘virus’ was found about two thousand years ago. It has been tried by many and found to give lasting, eternal, positive results. Every one of us has been born in sin. The Bible clearly teaches this. There is hope.

  Back in 1775 an Anglican priest wrote a poem about this cure. Here is the first stanza:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed;
Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure.

  No doubt these are familiar words. Augustus Toplady (his real name) penned this hymn that one called “the best known, best loved, and most widely useful hymn in the English language,” Just the title speaks volumes of our Savior who is our Rock and Refuge – in whom we are safe and secure.

  Toplady does not hesitate to point out the problem that besets every human. All people are sinners. Only one hope is available for sinners. The second stanza confesses that anything he does in his own strength “these for sin could not atone.” The gospel message proclaims, “Thou must save and Thou alone…Simply to Thy cross I cling.” Salvation is by grace alone and faith alone.

  Now what is this double cure? The first cure refers to justification by faith alone. God redeems His people by faith in Christ alone. It saves from wrath. The second cure focuses on sanctification as our Lord grows in grace and we become holier day by day. It makes us pure.

  To call sin a disease or ‘virus’ falls short of pointing out the deadly nature of sin. Outside of faith in Jesus, sin leads to eternal death and punishment. We find the only cure in the saving work of Jesus on the cross and the victory over sin and death shown by the empty tomb. I hope you can sing of the double cure that only faith in Jesus provides.

In great hope,
Pastor Gillikin

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  You may be wondering when the virus crisis will be over. This can almost be seen as a parallel to the question of when Jesus will return. Our Lord Himself said in Matthew 24:36, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” In the same way that we look forward to the Second Coming and God’s perfect timing in that glorious event, we can rest secure knowing that the current crisis will end at the time God – not the virus – has ordained. The news today reports the “curve is flattening”, but we want assurance that things will be okay or normal soon.

  In the mean time we keep wondering what God is doing. Ephesians 1:19-23 allows us to live with confidence today and in the future because of what God has already done. This is part of a prayer that Paul offered for the beloved church in Ephesus where he had ministered for three years. His purpose for the prayer comes in verse 18 “that you may know the hope to which He has called you.” God’s people have hope because of who God is (character) and what He has done (action). God’s almighty power forms the ‘character foundation’ to establish the certainty of the deeds that He has done.

  Paul states without qualification in verse 20 that God has raised Jesus “from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.” He then avers that Jesus’ rule remains greater than any human authority and continues without end “not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Jesus does not face term limits in his sovereign rule. The evil one has tried in vain since the Garden of Eden (and earlier) to take power from Jesus. Our sense of entitlement or autonomy (self-rule) also seeks to place ourselves above the kingly rule of Jesus.

  In the preface to the Great Commission Jesus declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” Then He gives the mandate for His people to make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:20 closes with the assurance that Jesus’ rule will not end, “And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.”

  Paul’s prayer concludes with more reason for hope – again with what that God has done. “God placed ALL THINGS under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” Jesus rules and controls all things. Paul restates this by using “everything in every way” to drive home the absolute certainty of this fact.

  Sophia Lee, writing in WORLD magazine, asks, “We don’t know what’s happening, and we’re dealing with a collective grief that we’ve not experienced before. A giant sponge inside us soaks up all the dark news and stories, sinking heavier and wetter with the loss and pain and anxiety and fears. Who will come wring this wretchedness out of us—and when?”

  Does Ephesians 1:19-23 answer her question? Absolutely! We have sure hope because King Jesus reigns over all things!

In great hope,
Pastor Gillikin

Monday, April 13, 2020

Good Morning Church Family,

  It is the day after Resurrection Sunday. Is there anything special about today? My younger brother Tim thinks it is, as his 61st birthday is today. If Thomas Jefferson were alive, he would be trying to blow out 277 candles on his cake. Fifty years ago astronauts on Apollo 13 uttered the famous words, “Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” We celebrate the crew making it home and watching a pretty good movie about the many heroes that made it possible. Over history on this date there have been various military battles won over which the victors exulted and the losers mourned.

  Now, you and I get to celebrate the fact that we are loved by the resurrected Jesus, today and every day. We do not have to wait until April 4, 2021 to commemorate His and our victory over sin and death.

  I am an optimist to a fault. The reason for that (I hope) is grounded in the truths of the Bible. I watched some of “The Bible” movie yesterday. As Moses led Israel out of Egypt, he repeatedly stated to Pharaoh and those who doubted, “God has said.” Here are some truths you can celebrate today:

1) In Christ, your sins are forgiven and you have been adopted as a child of the Creator God (Eph. 1:5);

2) God has and will continue to lavish on you the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7-8);

3) In times of doubt and suffering you can praise the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-7);

4) God has promised to not leave you alone as Hebrew 13:5-6 says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you…The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”; and,

5) Though from a human perspective, the future looks uncertain and even dangerous, God is working out the plan He established before the creation of the world to redeem His people and show His glory to the whole world (Eph. 1:3-14).

  I encourage you to add to this list. Go on a “treasure hunt” throughout Scripture and claim the glorious promises that “God has said” to His people.

  Oh yeah, one more thing to celebrate: we are one day closer to being able to meet together. I recently read a definition of “the church” that has stuck with me. The writer, while later emphasizing it as the body of Christ, put his first focus on the church being the “gathered people of Jesus” who enjoyed diving bonds of fellowship together.

 So I close today with part of a letter Ian Banks, Senior Class President at Covenant College, wrote to his classmates after learning their graduation ceremony will not be held until later in the fall:

“I look forward to Homecoming [when graduation will be held] with tremendous hope,
though these recent days have reminded us all that plans must be held loosely
and offered up to the Lord’s will.
I am confident that God will bring us together again, and in that time,
I will be thrilled to enjoy the great gift of your physical presence.”

  I have known Ian all his life and am confident his words reflect a heart that celebrates His Savior every day. So I will borrow his sign off.

In great hope,

Pastor Gillikin

Friday, April 10, 2020

Dear Church Family, 

  The wonderful Call to Worship in 1 Chronicles 16 concludes with “Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced.” Why do we need to be told to remember? Simple reason: Because we tend to forget. I hope you were sitting down as you read that deep and insightful thought. The psalmist David had no concept of a ‘senior moment’ as he penned these inspired words. One commentator sees a direct link between apostasy and the failure to remember. 

  Moses knew people were prone to forget the things that God had done in bringing Israel out of slavery in Egypt and bringing them to the Promised Land. The heading of Deuteronomy 8 in the NIV reads, “Do Not Forget the Lord.” The remedy to forgetfulness says David lies in forcing one’s self to remember three key actions of God. 

  Let’s look at each of these things that Israel must remember. The first mentioned calls us to recall the “wonders He has done.” Imaging sitting down with King David and listening to him tell how He had seen God work in his life with the many military victories and how he killed Goliath with his sling and Goliath’s own sword. While none of us has killed Goliath, God has done wonderful things in your life. If you have a hard time remembering any, just reflect on the fact that if you trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then at one point in your life you were dead in your sin, but now are eternally alive! 

  Second, we must reflect on the miracles of God. By definition a miracle is an action or event that defies scientific explanation and is considered supernatural. God has been doing miracles throughout history. Jesus validated his divinity by performing numerous miracles. Modern science tries to explain how nature operates and goes out of its way to deny the hand of God in anything. I contend that even the “super moon” we saw this week is a miracle that only God can explain. After all, why is there even a moon in our atmosphere? It is needed to sustain life on earth and science cannot explain how the Big Bang and evolution made it happen.  

  Third, God is the Supreme Judge. He repeatedly judged His people and the nations for their rebellion. Here are just a few examples that happened before David wrote this: Noah and the universal flood, Tower of Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh and the ten plagues, and Israel wandering for forty years in the wilderness. Contemplating these righteous judgments reminds us that God is holy and that every person will one day be judged by Him. Jesus gave us the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper so we would remember His sacrificial act of love that spares us from the certain wrath of God. 

  God has given us the discipline of history so we can marvel at who He is and what He had done to redeem a chosen people for Himself. True worship calls us to remember His Story. 

Pastor Gillikin

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  In light of what the first three verses command in the Call to Worship in 1 Chronicles 16:8-12, the instructions in verse 11 make sense and push us onward and upward in our worship of God. A quick review of the opening words calls God’s people to “give thanks…call on His name…make Him known…sing to Him…glory in His name…rejoice.” Worship remains a calling that requires action.

  David calls us to worship the Almighty God with the words. “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” As we look to the Lord we confess several great truths. We express our love of God for who He is and what He has done in saving us from our sins and watching over us day by day. We acknowledge our submission to Him and His powerful rule over us. We also rely on Him for strength to do what we in ourselves cannot do. He is our strength when we are weak. Proverbs 3:5-6 fits in well here with the call for us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

  This stands in contrast to an observation that James Boice made, “Religion is your seeking after a god in your own image. Christianity is God’s seeking you and moving to redeem you by the death of His Son.” The world tempts us to look to our selves for strength, meaning and even truth. Since the Garden of Eden the evil one has lured people into serving as one’s own god. Let’s be honest, humans make lousy gods, but we try to our detriment. We want a user-friendly god who is ever-ready to meet our selfish needs.

  We actually ache for the true God who comes after us as Jesus did to save us from our sins by dying on the cross. When we believe that our Savior occupies the center of our lives. We live for Him and not for self. We seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness as Matthew 6:33 states. We give glory to God when we trust Him.

  Looking to God alone shows humility and worship. It proclaims God to be the Creator and King and that we, who are in Christ are creatures and His servants. Solomon would write several years later what God spoke to Him after the dedication of the temple. In 2 Chr. 7:14 God says, “If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Daily we must seek the holy God who has come to us. Romans 3:11 (on which I will preach on April 19) has the stark fact that in their own merit “no one seeks God.” It is by grace alone that we can come to God.

  This Call to Worship will be used in our Easter worship. I encourage you to use it now and prepare to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection.

Pastor Gillikin

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  During this time of the Covid-19 crisis, many people find little, if anything, to get excited about. Focusing on doom and gloom can do that to anyone. There have been some good news. You might be breathing a little easier after the stock market rebounded significantly the first two days of the week. Some “experts” think the virus just might be peaking. If you have been to the grocery store, you quickly adapted to going only one way in an aisle. Let me offer a great option to gloom and doom.

“Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”

  So to us come the instructions of 1 Chronicles 16:10. This can be seen as the mountaintop of the five verses in this Call to Worship. Earlier David has called us to give thanks to God and to sing to Him in praise. Now David commands us to marvel at the holy name of God. You might wonder what the big deal about God’s name is. Well, the Third Commandment orders us not to take God’s name in vain. It warns, “The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”

  Instead of using God’s name for a curse, we give Him the glory that only He deserves. God’s name reflects His character. God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush as ‘Yahweh’ or “I AM” – a name that was so holy that Hebrews did not say it or write it.  In John 8:58 Jesus caused the Jews to pick up stones to stone Him after He declared, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” The Jews expressed outrage for they saw no possible way that his man from Nazareth could be anything but a deranged heretic. They failed to see the glory of Jesus claiming to be God in the flesh.

  The name of God points us to His glory. He is the eternal God who does not change in His character, His power or His being. The name of God declares that He remains all powerful over all things as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. As Lord, He is working all things for His glory. As Father, He continues to love His children and provide all they need. As the Good Shepherd, He leads us besides still waters and guides us in paths of righteousness. As the Comforter, He gives us the peace that passes all understanding. As King, He has defeated all His and our enemies, thus we are secure.

   In a world that thrives on fear, conflict and uncertainty, Romans 8:31 comforts us with a rhetorical question, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” We can remove the “if” when by faith we rest in the sacrificial work of Jesus. It then becomes a statement of fact that God is with His chosen people now and forever. Therefore, though we are weak in ourselves, God will stand against anything that comes at us in this fallen world. As this verse in 1 Chronicles closes it calls us to rejoice as we glory in the mighty name of our great God.

  So every day may we “glory in His Holy name” and as David sings in Psalm 29:2, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name.” What a wonderful thing to have at the top of your To-Do List.

Pastor Gillikin

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  The second verse of 2 Chronicles 16:8-12 (the passage we are studying during Holy Week) reads, “Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all his wonderful acts.”

  This reminds God’s people of our high calling to give praise to God. In the Hebrew language, when a word is repeated we must pay special attention to it for it means that God (the ultimate author of the Bible) has stated something that is to be emphasized. We are to sing and then sing.

  God designed and created the human body to sing. A branch of physiology devotes itself to the study of the mechanics of singing. Clearly evolution could not produce such a complex system to sing praise to God or sing anything else. With the help of the ‘Google Machine” I found that to sing the body uses three subsystems. (My online search helped me, but I learned much about this from the director of the Men’s Glee Club at Wheaton.)

  The sing process starts with a need for air. Count how many body parts it take to produce that air. The diaphragm, chest muscles, abdominal muscles and lungs along with the nose or mouth and trachea (that is six of seven parts) combine as the first subsystem to bring air into the second subsystem. There vibrations take place in the voice box. The larynx and vocal cords do amazing things to make the sound waves that have a pitch or tone. Those sound waves then head out of the throat. The pharynx, mouth, nasal passages and lips refine those waves and the result is music. Our ears and the ears of others hear that sound and are blessed by it.

  This website neglected to mention that a song of praise to God starts in a heart that has been transformed by the saving work of Jesus Christ. The heart is “strangely warmed” and passes to the brain lofty thoughts of God. The brain then sends a message to those three subsystems with the result being a sound that is pleasing to God.

  Verse 13 adds that our singing is to tell about God’s wonderful acts. John 21:25 tells us that if John had written down all that Jesus had done, “the whole world would not have room for the books that would contain.” So we obviously have lots to sing about. This Call to Worship and the remainder of the chapter is ‘republished’ as Psalm 105. There David details how God has worked to redeem a people for Himself ending during the exodus. We know there is more to the story. By faith in Christ we are the redeemed people of God. We can sing to Him with joy now and forever!

  What are you waiting for? Start singing.

Pastor Gillikin

Monday, April 6, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  Sometimes I think I should try to get real creative in ministry. The temptation then leads to cleaver slogans that I should use each day of the week. For example, as I ponder this on the day after Sunday, perhaps the focus of today should be “Monday Musings” or “Monday Must-Dos” or if I am in the rare crabby mood “Monday Mutterings.” (Feel free to contribute your suggestions.) Instead, I will do what I am called to do and open up Scripture for you. Here is what 1 Chronicles 16:8-12 says:

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.
Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name;
let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength;
seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles,
and the judgments He pronounced.”

  I will go over each day one of these five verses during this Holy Week. In light of the redemptive work of Jesus, these are rich words to chew over. So let’s take at look at the first verse (v12).

  This is a Call to Worship that we occasionally use here - often around Thanksgiving - as it is a psalm of thanks. David, inspired of the Holy Spirit, wrote it after the Ark of the Covenant had been brought to Jerusalem and had been placed in the tent that served as the Tabernacle. God would be worshiped there until David’s son Solomon built the Temple in years to come.

  Three imperative verbs dominate this verse. God’s people are commanded first to “Give thanks’ to God was had shown His covenant faithfulness. The spot where Abraham had almost sacrificed his son Isaac would soon be occupied by the glorious temple of God. All of God’s commands are given with deep reason behind. We should obey them simply because God says to do what He commands. We get to joyfully give thanks to God for his many blessings given to us even though we do not deserve anything from God except His righteous judgment for our sins. In the midst of doom and gloom we – of all people – know where our blessings have come from and to Whom we can direct our thanks. Stop now and tell God how thankful you are for who He is and what He had done. Of course, God’s greatest gift, as 2 Cor. 9:15 declares, is the indescribable gift of His only Son to satisfy the guilt of our sin!

  The second command directs God’s people to ‘Call’ on God’s name. This points us to the high calling we have to worship God. God created humanity to worship Him. Sadly, most people worship false God. By faith in Christ, we worship as those who have been called by His name. We also call to God in prayer. True prayer remains a privilege that only God’s people can do for only we can come to Him as we pray with confidence in Jesus’ name.

  Making God known among the nations constitutes the third command. If you go on a walk, even though others will stay at least six feet away from you, they still want to talk. Instead of rehashing the latest “viral” news with them, you can tell them of reasons you are thanking God. Hopefully, they will join you with their own reasons. If they don’t, you are still giving an answer for the hope that is in you. Certainly we can tell people why Holy Week has great importance to us.

  So on this Monday of Holy Week, may we join together - wherever God has placed us - to “Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.”  

Pastor Gillikin

Friday, April 3, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  On March 18 I wrote about Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 11. It asks and answers:

Q. What are God’s works of providence?

A. God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise and powerful preserving
and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.

Q27 of the Heidelberg Catechism on Providence has a similar statement. It follows with this question, “How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us? Read slowly and joyfully this delightful and comforting answer:

“We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well,
and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and
Father that nothing will separate us from His love. All creatures are so completely
in His hand that without His will they can neither move nor be moved.

  Kevin DeYoung writes about this help simply, “There are no accidents in your life. Every economic downturn, every phone call in the middle of the night, every oncology report has been sent to us from the God who sees all things, plans all things, and loves us more than we know. Whether it means the end of suffering or the extension of suffering, God in His providence is for us and not against us.” I have a hard time not adding multiple exclamation points after that!!! [ I could not resist ]

  Part of the fruit of the Spirit is patience. Isaiah 40 reminds us that we can wait on the Lord knowing that He will restore us and give us strength. Noah waited 40 years for God to send rain. Joseph wondered what God was doing as he sat in prison for a crime he did not commit after earlier being sold into slavery by his brothers. Moses fled from living grandly as a prince in Egypt to 40 years as a shepherd. These heroes and many more waited patiently for the God of Providence while things were going against them. We can enjoy that same patience with godly confidence.

  “In everything give thanks” [1 Thes. 5:18] has to be one of the hardest commands for us to follow and even believe God expects us to do. Yet we can be thankful at all times for we know by faith and the history of God’s providence that God is at work for His glory and our good. We can “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” 24/7 when we remember that all we have comes to us because of His grace. We deserve no good thing, but God’s blessings overflow to His people.

  During this time of crisis we wondered what will happen in days, weeks, months and years to come. The virus has caused great fear. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who serves on the President’s advisory panel said a few days ago, “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.” From a fatalistic human viewpoint that makes some sense while providing only gloom and doom. The Bible counters with the fact that nothing can or will separate from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Where is your hope for the future? In a virus? Or in the holy God?

  I trust your hope is in our faithful God. All things are in His hands – even viruses. Oh, and certainly by faith in Christ you are in His hands. There is no better place to be.

  With thanks to Penelope Welch, I leave you with a link to a song by Elvis Presley that reminds us that we are to put our faith in “One Pair of Hands.” The key words are, “Those hands are strong, so when life goes wrong, Put your faith into one pair of hands.” You can sing along with Elvis at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ok044WkHeE 

Pastor Gillikin

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  Here is a common statement I have heard several times over the last couple of weeks, “What can I do while I am stuck at home?” Another comment is actually a question, “Why do I feel bad about being cooped up?” The two quotes have much in common.

  To understand this better let’s go to the Garden of Eden. God made man to have dominion over creation. God designed humanity to work. Genesis 2:15 states this clearly. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” In the next two verses God commands Adam to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil If he does so, he will die. Then in v19 God observes that Adam is alone and this is not good. God solves this problem by creating Eve.

  In this short section we learn that we are made to work and that we are made to live in community – not alone, but with others. So the answer to the first question is that we are to work while stuck at home. What work are we called to do? If you are employed, Ephesians 6:7 instructs, “Serve whole-heartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not man.” That means you do your ‘normal’ work – whether in person or remotely – with excellence “and sincerity of heart” per Eph. 6:5.

  For those of you who are ‘retired’ God has plenty for you to do. Philippians 2:12-13 calls the saints “to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” I wrote a seminary paper on this passage, so I am reminded afresh that salvation is solely a work of God’s redemptive power. Then, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we grow in holiness. Please never take for granted the high privilege you have to read God’s Word, meditate on it and pray to your Heavenly Father. That is work we should do daily.

  You can fill your day with other work that God has called you to do. Areas where you need to work include fixing good meals, cleaning the house, doing the laundry and getting exercise. These activities show your faithful dominion over things given to you by God. It may sound like a broken record, but all we do is an act of worship. I remind you to use the hymn sings that Sarah has posted.

  You may be isolated, yet you remain part of the community of God’s people – the church. You can pick up the phone and encourage one another. You can text and/or email others. If you are tech-savvy, the various social media are available for you to grow. Facetime, Skype and other apps allow you to have virtual conversations with others with no chance of a virus being spread.

  Few of us feel good about being isolated at this time. God has ordained this and is at work in ways we may not know for some time. Please work hard at honoring your Lord while remaining an active part of the body of Christ.

Pastor Gillikin

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  Please allow me to ask a personal question. “Have you done any lamenting lately?” That probably was not a question you thought I would ever ask and it is not part of an April Fools joke. I hope the answer to the question is yes. If you have not yet lamented, consider doing so. Yes, this does seem strange to us. Richard Beck writes, “In our relationship with God, we tend to privilege certainty over doubt, praise over lament, and positivity over negativity…We assume that faith and lament are on opposite ends of the same continuum…As faith goes up, lament goes down, and vice versa.” Let me share why it is good to lament.

  In times of uncertainty and trial the psalmists lamented. In fact over half of the psalms contain some form of lament. By lament, I mean the human author inspired by the Holy Spirit cries out to God due to some crisis in his life. The rough times cause despair to the writer and he pleads to God for help. As another writer observes, “In a lament, the psalmist honestly unveiled to God the innermost confidences of his heart – a heart often filled with anguish, fear, bitterness and/or anger.”

  Those writers were not theological lightweights. David was a “man after God’s own heart.” The sons of Korah were trained priests. God graced Solomon with extraordinary wisdom. The Faith Hall of Fame lists Moses as one of its members. Note the pleas that show the deep emotions expressed in their laments: “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?” (Ps 13); “My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God’” Ps. (42); and “Relent , O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants?” Ps (90).

  The most well-known lament comes in Psalm 22:1. David cries out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You far from saving me?” That plea is famous because Jesus quoted it as He cried out in anguish while hanging on the cross. God the Father had abandoned His only Son whom He had sent to bear the sins of the world. If Jesus could lament in His time of need, certainly the ones for whom He died can lament as well. That is reason enough for us to lament from this side of heaven.

  Again from Richard Beck, “Lament isn’t a failure or lack of faith. Lament is an act of bold, trusting faith in the midst of pain, suffering, and confusion…Without lament, faith grows naive and superficial – a happy, fake, glossy facade we paint over the pain and confusion.” So on this April Fools Day, it might be a blessing for us to be honest with ourselves and God (and we can’t fool our Heavenly Father) and offer our laments to God. Again I ask, “Have you done any lamenting lately?”

Pastor Gillikin

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  Imagine you have been invited by the President to the White House. You get to meet with him and a few other people in the Oval Office. He greets you by name. Then he asks you to follow him out to the Rose Garden where he addresses the press corps and a live national audience. At last he introduces you and invites you to share a few words. What would you say?

  As you may be aware this occurred yesterday. It happened to Mike Lindell the founder of “My Pillow.” His company has switched much of its production to make face masks for health professionals. That is why he was at the White House. He spent little time talking about his company and did not offer any “Buy One, Get One Free Specials.” Instead he proclaimed, “God has been taken out of our schools and lives, a nation had turned its back on God. I encourage you to use this time at home to get back in the word. Read our Bible and spend time with our families.” He also encouraged people to pray for our country.

  I just read that one network cut away after he had said just a few words. I suppose it was trying to protect its viewers from such “dangerous” words of conviction. Has our county turned its back on God? Sadly, the clear answer is yes. During any time of crisis there remains only one true solution to the problem – trust in the Almighty God of the Bible. That is why Mr. Lindell’s encouragement to read the Bible declares hope to all.

  Where can anyone find truth, hope, love and comfort? That is the message of the Bible. We as God’s people are to be people of the Word. It is our only rule of faith (what we believe) and practice (how we live). O how different our world would be if we fed on God’s Word daily. Just as the Reformation  changed the world by putting the Bible in the hands of the common man, so by grace we must encourage others to read sacred Scripture. There the Good News of the Gospel that all need is laid out. Only faith in Jesus will save us from our sin.

  The call to prayer is one that we should heed. Our denomination, the PCA, has provided a prayer guide for us at https://pcaga.org/prayer/ I encourage this to you for the month of April.

  Mike Lindell’s greatest contribution during this crisis will not be the thousands of masks his company produces. Let us pray that his prophetic call for our nation to turn in repentance to our Holy God is realized with many coming to faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Pastor Gillikin

Monday, March 30, 2020

Dear Church Family,

  I just brought up my “Bulletin” folder that I use to prepare our worship services. Currently, the first service listed has the date March 22. I laughed out loud as I looked at it and then told God He has quite a sense of humor. Why? Well, here is how the service was to open:

Call to Worship – Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11

LEADER: God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.

PEOPLE: Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea;

LEADER: Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

PEOPLE: “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

ALL: The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress!

Hymn #585 “Be Still and Know”

Hymn #151 “A Mighty Fortress”

  I must point out that I plan worship two to three weeks in advance. I sent this to Elaine and Sarah on March 2. At that time I had no idea that things would change so much. As March began we had little idea how our way of life would change in just a couple of weeks. The sermon “You Can Trust the Faithful God” is what is posted for the March 29 sermon. Now this psalm and the two opening hymns provide special comfort and hope to God’s people who can rest in His faithfulness.

  The psalm contains facts that give us a sure foundation. He is the sure refuge and protector of His people. He is always with us and at work. Whether the crisis is of nature (even a virus) as told in v2-3 or from fellow man in verses 6 and 9, “The Lord Almighty is with; the God of Jacob is our Fortress.”

  The psalm closes with a gracious invitation to be still. The suggested isolation most of us are going through now has forced us to be still though many are climbing the walls. While still, God calls us to know Him. Therefore, we must not waste this down time. God calls us to know Him and He even throws in the blessing that will come. He promises, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Sarah sang “Be Still and Know” in her hymn medley yesterday. Why not sing along with her?

  We were to sing “Be Still and Know” along with the “Battle Hymn of the Reformation” – Martin Luther’s great hymn with the words and thoughts of Psalm 46 “A Mighty Fortress.” Luther wrote it during a plague that killed about 30% of the population of Wittenberg where he lived. The truth of these words have inspired Christians for almost 500 years. Our crisis pales in comparison. The death rate for those known to be infected is less than 2%. Regardless of our situation God is our Fortress!

Pastor Gillikin

Friday, March 27, 2020

Dear Church Family, 

I trust you are doing well during this time of virus and now enforced isolation. Please call your Shepherding Elder as he will gladly talk and pray with you. The Deacons also stand ready to help as best they can. The church has been considered ‘essential’ by the county, so Elaine and I will be maintaining ‘normal’ hours in the church office. 

We waste our (‘Covid-19’) if we seek comfort from our odds rather than from God. 

John Piper takes this concept head on with this thought, “The design of God in our (‘Covid-19’) is not train us in the rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from their odds. Not Christians.”  Just to be clear the ‘odds’ to which Piper refers are what Vegas offers to bettors. Are you willing to trust your life to the roll of a pair of dice? Not likely, though people do it all the time. Even now, many think that the ‘chance’ of getting the virus is low and the odds are even less that it will be fatal. Why rely on chance (which is only a mathematical probability) when there is someone much surer who has a great record on which to rely.

Of course, that is “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our comforts, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” per 2 Cor. 1:3-4. Odds are theoretical, while God is real. Sadly without God, many have only odds to trust. By faith in Christ we can sing with David who wrote Psalm 27, “The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear. The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”

We waste our (‘Covid-19’) if we refuse to think about death.

One of the reasons funerals are a blessing is that they force us to think about death. For this reason, I begin every funeral with Ecclesiastes 7:2, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.” Only a deluded person thinks they will not die. One of my tasks as a pastor is to prepare you to die. More than a few of you have been surprised when I have stated that you are not really ready to live until you are ready to die. 

This does not mean I want you at home in isolation and think only about dying. Instead, give praise to God that by faith in Christ you are ready to die because Jesus has conquered sin and death for you. Now you can live with the resolve that Paul writes about at the close of Romans 8, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

With His love,
Pastor Gillikin

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Dear Church Family,

The crab cakes were delicious. Thanks for asking. I trust you will make Maryland Day an annual celebration with your choice of crabs, oysters, clams and/or rockfish. Now back to the points from John Piper’s booklet “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” and how we can benefit by putting ‘Covid-19’ in the place of cancer.

We waste our (‘Covid-19’) if we do not believe it is designed for us by God.

This point directs us to several wonderful theological truths. Please keep in mind that true theology must be practical because it reflects an honest study of the living God who gives eternal life to those who trust in Jesus. First, the underlying truth of all theology is God’s sovereign rule over all things. There are no accidents in the universe that God rules over. None! Romans 8:28 is getting a good workout these days and for good reason because, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Only those who by grace are God’s peoples can take comfort in this great truth.

Second, Satan wants to deceive us with his old tricks first used on Adam and Eve in the garden. He will try to get us to question God’s promises with “Did God really say?” He will strive to get our eyes off of Jesus “the author and perfecter of our faith” to Whom Hebrews 12:2 directs us. He will tempt us to run in anger from God rather than joyfully racing to His loving embrace. Do not be fooled by the deceiver who has been defeated by the redemptive work of our Savior.

Third, every act of God (or all that happens) has a purpose. Be careful not to trivialize this by dismissing this time of crisis with a shrug of your shoulders and chirping, “Everything happens for a reason.” This truth holds great comfort for us as recipients of His grace. Therefore, …

We waste our (‘Covid-19’) if we believe it is a curse and not a gift.

We readily grab on to the good gifts that only God can give. The greatest gift that can never be bought by anyone is our salvation through faith alone in Jesus. I hope you daily thank God for this gift as well as all that He supplies on a daily basis. Piper quotes Numbers 23:23 to stress that not one of God’s chosen can be cursed. So when sickness or others problems caused by living in a fallen world, they must be joyously seen as gifts from our Heavenly Father. Piper describes tough challenges as having “been transformed from a punitive pathway to hell into a purifying pathway to heaven. We are not cursed. As hard as it is to feel this, we believe God is not withholding good. He is going good.”

The question to ponder is “What will you do with God’s gift of the Covid-19 virus?” Let me offer a few suggestions as all of us have more free time on our hands. Pray a little more. Ask Him to grow you in grace and a deeper trust in Him as you live to His glory. Read your Bible a little more. Call on church members for mutual encouragement. Read a good book. Count your many blessings!

Pastor Gillikin

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Happy Maryland Day! ……… What?

I can’t believe that some of you are not celebrating this momentous day. It is a day to eat crab cakes fried or broiled with the right amount of Old Bay seasoning and as little filler as possible. While it is a legal holiday in the state where I grew up, school would be in session. I remember singing the state song “Maryland, My Maryland” followed by someone in the class retelling the story of two ships – ‘The Ark and the Dove’ – brought English settlers to the north shore of the Potomac in 1634. March 25 commemorates a significant day in Maryland history.

I am happy to educate about Maryland history. More importantly I want to remind you about another history, namely, what history is all about. History tends to focus on dates, events, people, etc. and how they impact life on earth. Being human we focus on what other people have done over time to bring us to where we are today. Certainly that is important lest we repeat the mistakes that have been made in the past. Sadly, we can see how we have not learned the lessons that history tries to teach.

As followers of Jesus Christ we must see all the events from the beginning of time as the unfolding story of God working to redeem His people. All that happens comprises the eternal plan of God. Psalms 105 and 106, as well at Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7, provide wonderful stories of how God saves His chosen people. The psalmist in 105:42 joyfully recounts that God “remembered His holy promise given to His servant Abraham.” God made history in what He did for His people. That is why we can call what happens over all time “HIS-Story.”

I bring this to encourage you with the absolute confidence that God will continue to carry out His-Story as He has promised. With the panic that consumes many today, many are tempted to focus on virus-story instead of His-Story. That is what happens when we live by sight rather than by faith. We forget what God has done and miss out on the blessing of seeing how He continues to work.

Fortunately, and not soon enough, the Covid-19 virus will fade as have the Spanish, Russian, Swine and any other form of the flu. God will continue to show Himself faithful as He works through all things – including viruses – to bring Himself glory and to ultimately establish His eternal kingdom as the end of the book of Revelation clearly teaches. On that last day, we will not talk about the story of any virus or any earthly thing. We will sing praise to our all-mighty God who has told us and shown us His Story.

Pastor Gillikin

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Dear Church Family, 

I had written something else for today, but my eye caught a booklet by John Piper that I have given to many over the last few years. It is titled “Don’t Waste Your Cancer.” Piper makes 11 points that I will highlight over the next few days with a brake for something special tomorrow. It is worth noting, even emphasizing, that his ministry is built on a profound truth: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” I must stress that for our purposes ‘Covid-19’ refers to the state of panic our country now faces. I do pray that none of us will be afflicted by the virus. With that in mind, and putting ‘Covid-19’ in place of cancer, here is his first point.  

“We waste our (‘Covid-19’) if we don’t hear in our own groanings
the hope-filled labor pains of a fallen world.”

Sickness reminds us that we live a world that has been radically changed by the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. Romans 5:12 teaches that death entered the world through the sin of Adam. As a result, Paul writes in Romans 8:19f that all creation now awaits a redemption that is yet to come. At the moment ordained by God (per v21) “creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” O how glorious it will be when our seemingly beautiful creation is freed from the damage of sin and we see all things made new! Most of all, we who are in Christ will be made new. That is the sure hope that is ours!!!

Piper observes, “The groaning of our (‘Covid-19’) has a double meaning. It means that sin is horrible, and it means that glorious freedom is coming. We will waste our (‘Covid-19’) if we don’t hear in our own groanings the labor pains of the new creation. Labor pains mean that something wonderful is coming.” Those of you who have birthed children may still remember those labor pains. No doubt the joy you had when you held your child close to you far outweighed the pain you endured. 

Paul encourages the church at Corinth in the closing words of 2 Corinthians 4 to not lose heart. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 

Pastor Gillikin