PATRIOTISM OF THE PATRIARCHS
First I will say that I am proud to be an American. I would assume that most everyone who reads this article would echo the same line as I still believe that this is the greatest country in the world. Do we have a whole host of issues that are certainly in desperate need of addressing? Sure. Yet there is nowhere on earth that freedom is as celebrated as it is here, men and women have sacrificed for over 200 years for the protection of our liberties, some have even given their lives. I have no desire to demean or take away from that certain to be respected truth. However, as Christians, we are part of a far greater kingdom of which the government has no end. Again, I am proud to be an American but America is not my home nor does it have any hold on me. I want to take this opportunity to encourage you, dear believer, though things within our borders are questionable, indifferent to any particular party or person, we are in trying times. In Genesis 17, as God entered into the covenant with Abraham, we read these words, “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.” God made the promise that he would rule over his people regardless of the land that they were in, remember Abram was told to “go” leave your kindred and your land. He was now a sojourner, a resident alien, he was no longer of this world but set apart for a kingdom that is not here. God promises Moses to walk amongst them, ruling, “And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt…” Leviticus 26:12. It was not until the people, desiring the culture of the other nations surrounding them, cried out that they should have a king to rule over them. After the time of Judges, while Israel was repeating the cycle of enslavement, deliverance, peace, rebellion, and repeat, the cycle consisted of deliverance and then peace, the danger of peace is that man forgets who is in control. Sound familiar? Then we are given a warning through the Judges of what follows such independence from God. “Every man did what was right in his own eyes.” There was no biblical worldview, commands of God obeyed, and the people would return to bondage. It is after this they cried out in the book of Samuel, the last judge, for God to “give us a king that will judge (rule)us.” 1 Samuel 8:6. God was the only King they ever needed, yet they trusted that an earthly king would be better. Brothers and sisters our King has never ceased to reign. Those who are in Christ Jesus have no need to worry nor be dismayed for Romans 8:31-37 is clear where our hope is to be. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I pray that this article brings you peace, as it is the word of God and therefore it is absolute truth, peace I extend to you. Love each of you, -Pastor Matt
MORE ON THE WAY
Have you ever considered how much noise there is in the world? I often struggle to sift through all the noise in a room; I get tense, nervous, and in every way overwhelmed in a room of noisy busyness. Sounds strange, right? A person who enjoys gathering with the church, going to conferences, and all sorts of things like that gets nervous and anxious in crowds, to the point of what I call “shorting out.” I’ve come to realize that it is not the size of the group, as it were, but rather it is the focus of that assembly. If all are gathered with one focus, I do fine; when a host of pinballs (different conversations, kids, etc.) fly around the room in the chaos, my tension flares. I think it is because I attempt to process it all at once and struggle to focus on one thing for the distraction of the many. Oh, look, a squirrel. Can anyone else relate? As I think about that, it brings me back to the thought of this article. How much noise do you try to filter through to find answers to your questions? It is most productive when I can find one source that offers most of my needs. Primarily, of course, it is the word of God (I felt obliged to include that since many of you know that I am a pastor, so God’s word is the rule); second is a few trusted sources that I have studied along with for years and have settled that we are like-minded. These men have become lighthouses for me every season, from the mountaintop to the valley below. They have been challenged and endured. Do you have such resources? Would you like to have it? Your Pastor has the heart to provide that, but I feel Sunday mornings are not enough; Wednesday evenings certainly help, but attendance seems challenging. So, other means may be needed. Many of you are familiar with the term “podcast,” for those who aren’t, it is a digital platform you can watch or listen to. I am in the process, along with Randy Bush and Haze Hyche, of putting together this type of resource for you to access at your convenience. As many know, Randy has been a massive part of my spiritual development. We have numerous conversations that have real value that any believer would benefit from hearing, and that is the heart behind the upcoming product. We intend to address biblical questions, Christ-like worldview, and just ordinary conversation to aid the body of Christ. Sure, there are many offerings, but finding the one you can relate to may be more of a challenge than climbing Everest. Interested? Please let me know your thoughts. I have the info if you want to help launch our podcast. I am thankful for what God is doing in and through our ministries at New Home, in which every one of you plays a part, and I look forward to more opportunities to serve as the Lord sees fit.
IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS
On a day to day basis, how often do you feel thankful? It’s easy to be thankful in the good times, but what about the bleak moments in our lives. It’s a bit harder then for sure, but in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that is exactly what we are commanded to do. There we find Paul’s instructions on how the Thessalonians should treat one another, handle problems among themselves, deal with spiritual issues, and then, right in the midst of these things, Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. REJOICE ALWAYS. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS. Those are such short, precise instructions, yet we have such a hard time with them when our circumstances aren’t what we would prefer. It’s difficult to rejoice in the death of a loved one. It’s hard to pray through our pain and tears at times. There are times in life when we would rather do anything but be thankful. God knew these things would often by a challenge for us because of our humanity, so He made sure to breathe these words into Paul for future generations. Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks are all choices we must make in an act of obedience to God, but they are for our benefit. God intricately designed our bodies so that our mood directly affects our health, not vice versa. Many times our health is not something we can control, but we can always control our actions. Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks are all verbs, meaning they are something we can actively do. When things are hard, rejoice in the Savior. Thank Him for who He is to you, and pray for His strength to handle what we as mere mortals will never be able to carry alone. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 are easy verses to commit to memory, and one we all need a reminder of from time to time. In the days ahead, remember to thank God and rejoice in His goodness. You may be surprised at how much brighter your days will be.
WHAT DON’T YOU KNOW
What Don’t You Know As I sat in my office last week watching the second video of School House Rock, Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla was teaching pronouns. I watched, listened, and even sang along; it was humbling to say the least. What followed was even more confrontational…a quiz. Ten simple questions is all it took for me to realize that I did not know as much as I thought I did. Humbling for sure. I am sure that you have gotten a good laugh, and you are not alone because I laughed myself. What struck me as curious and led me into a lengthy reflection is this: If I have been using English my whole life and still not score perfect, where else am I depending upon pragmatism? What do I believe to be correct because it has worked, but never engaged in study to know more fully? Sitting in my office I thought, What have I missed in the Scriptures or where can my faith be strengthened by gleaning the pages again? This is the very purpose I have enrolled in English Grammar at the age of forty. I want to be better equipped to study God’s word so that I may be more effective in knowing, communicating and encouraging the flock that God has me shepherding. Even if it takes watching cartoons that are designed for my seven year old son to watch as he begins to develop his English skills for communication and writing. It is a good reminder that we should be willing to go back to the basics to establish a foundation that we can build on. Would you be willing to go back, study, and learn even those text that you have been aware of all of your life? Not just read through quickly, as I did the grammar assignment only to find out that I didn’t know as much as I thought I did, and seek for God to reveal a more full knowledge of him. Paul said it this way, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! (Rom 11:33). We can never exhaust the mysteries of God, but it certainly strengthens us as we try. “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” Ps 18:15 Pastor Matt Nixon
A VERY PRESENT HELP
Psalm 46:1,2 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah We are halfway through an administration and halfway through a year, for most of us it is one that we are ready to see come to a close. There is chaos in our convention, sin openly celebrated with pride in our streets, and financial devastation in our homes; war in foreign lands that for some of us is not so far removed, coupled with random acts of violence in cities around our country, add to it those who are losing loved ones to illness and age, and it is easy for us to begin to wonder if God has forgotten us or even perhaps has ceased to care. In the midst of all of this it serves us well to remember the life cycles of the Old Testament people of God. Our minds are incapable of the evil that was abounding in the days of Noah, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and the every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Imagine Noah’s outlook everyday as he and his family witnessed this evil, yet God delivered him. Consider the people under the harsh rule of Pharoah, making bricks without straw, whips across their backs, yet God raised up Moses to lead them out of captivity as they witnessed the wrath of God poured out on Egypt by way of plagues. What about the siege of Jerusalem? As the food sources were cut off and starvation set in, however God delivered. These days were for certain days of woe and worry, but God. He has not ceased to care, and he certainly has not forgotten. Jesus tells us to consider the sparrow, God feeds them all. What a mighty God we serve. He is our strength and our shield, hiding us within the shadow of his wings. Take heart brothers and sisters, these are but the birthing pains, that lead to joy in the glory of God. Pastor Matt
NEW YEAR; SAME HOPE
Another Orbit, Another Year; Same Great Hope Reflecting over 2023 there have been a number of challenges and successes that have worked together to prepare us for what lie ahead. I am thankful that during a season of global trial we have been blessed to host revivals, conferences, and the majority of everything we planned. I was exceptionally glad that we were able to return our Wednesday night community night and am excited to host them again this Summer. I have also been faced with some of the hardest decisions I have ever encountered. But through God’s mercy and grace, He has sustained me. I am thankful for that. Although we are almost certain that Christ was not born on December 25th it is nonetheless the day that we celebrate it. I believe that God is omnipotent and omniscient in that because I believe He is sovereign in all things. That being said let me unpack the joy of how that works in the life of the believer. Our society puts a large emphasis on the new year being a time of fresh starts and advertising (especially fitness) exploits peoples shame of the last year in hopes of offering a better chance to be a “better” you. Before you assume that I think every person who promotes healthier living has an ulterior motive, I agree it is a good time to set goals and I myself should take better care of me. I digress. The beauty of the organization of our calendar is that at the close of the year we begin to reflect on our victories and challenges we are reminded of the great hope that we have in Christ. The even better truth to that is that we do not have to wait until the turn of the calendar page to enjoy this “new-better” you; completely new. We can by celebrating our Savior’s birth prepare ourselves to boldly face the new year and all that it has to offer. This is great news for the believer; You are a new creation, His mercies are new each morning, and He will never leave you nor forsake you, (2 Cor 5:17; Lam 3:22,23; Matt 28:20; Heb13:5). This ignites the Christian to live triumphantly every day not withholding a new start until the turn of the calendar year, but waking each morning refreshed and equipped for the day knowing that through Christ we are more than conquerors. May your New Year be a blessed one. ~ Pastor Matt
PERSPECTIVE
“Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.” This is the subtitle of New York Times best-selling author Andy Andrews book, “The Noticer.” A secular work, not saying Andrews is not Christian—I do not know, but the book is not written as Christian literature, captures the mind as we meet an old man simply referred to as Jones. The book was actually given to me by Ms. Sherry Holman after I had mentioned it in a sermon. I dove in and just as others are able to attest to the book had me. It reminds us of the value in what we have and how someone is not always what we first consider them to be. Another book I have recently read is “Bo’s Café,” another work on how just taking the time to notice someone and being willing to delve into their life can make such a difference. Did you know that this is not a new or novel idea? It is actually biblical principle. Consider our focal verse for the “N” in our acronym, Matthew 9:36. Jesus noticed and had compassion on the very ones who’s sins and rebellion were to put him on the cross. Romans 12:2 teaches to not be conformed by the world but to be transformed by the renewal of your mind—your perspective. The rest of Romans 12 tells us how to model out that new mind, a large portion of that is reflective in our relationship to others. I have said it this way, “Never forget the measure of grace that you required for God to save you, and you will be moved to be more gracious to others. You begin to see people as sheep without a shepherd, harassed and helpless, just as your Savior saw you.” New Home let’s be Noticers and see what 2023 brings us. By Pastor Matt Nixon
THE LAW THAT LEADS TO THE LORD!
“Now the law came to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” –Romans 5:20:21 As I contemplate this text of Scripture it reveals the beauty of the law. Wait, the law is beautiful, did I just say that? Yes. And I am not the only one. Psalm 119 is dedicated to reflection on the restraining grace of God through the law. How can something that seems to restrain us be seen as beautiful? Because it is the very revelation of our sinfulness that drives us to the redeeming grace of God. Paul unpacks this in his own life in the text of Romans 7. “If it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness.” This requires deep reflection. Did the law make Paul a coveter? No. He was already coveting, but if it had not been for the law revealing the sinfulness of coveting Paul would have continued in rebellion to God and thus being led to death by the sin that was in him. But, the revealing of that sin lead him to repentance as he closed out that same chapter, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (7:24,25)” We are the same. We are not sinners because we have sinned, but rather, we sin because we are sinners. That is that. We like Paul didn’t need to know the law to sin, we were already doing that. But once God has revealed to us the death causing sin that is in our nature, on display through the law, we like Paul are drawn to cry out for mercy; the law is love, because it requires grace—you cannot meet the righteous requirement—and knowledge of grace always produces faith, bringing hope, and that hope does not put us to shame. Do you have this hope? If so I urge you to celebrate the grace of God, live life in the freedom of Christ, and when you do find yourself in sin, instead of feeling as a failure without hope, confess that sin and be reminded of the reconciliation that is in Christ, reflect on the ransom being paid and praise the God of heaven for He Is Good!
NEW GROWTH
Spring is here! What an incredible time to watch as the beauty of creation begins to sprout forth all of its radiance. One can easily be caught up in wonder of how each raindrop, each particle of pollen (yes even the horribly aggravating, allergy-causing, vehicle coating, yellow stuff), plays a unique, God ordained and decreed part of nourishment that brings for new life. The bees are busy fulfilling their roles as workers for the glory of God; birds are offering their songs of praise, the blooms of Dogwood trees, the smell of the flowers; all things great and small joining in their praises to the Creator and Sustainer of life. This line of thought brings to mind one of the great comforts we find in Scripture as Jesus reminds us that our Father in heaven has great love for his people. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:25-33 Today, I am thankful that the seasons obey. They testify to the majesty of the Father, the provision of his hands. Even now thinking on this idea of new growth and the transition from death to life, I am also reminded that it is by God’s power and love towards me that I was able to spring forth into new life, a new season, one that I pray reflects the glory of the Father, realizing that this is only possible through the Son. As the flowers blossom, and the trees put out their buds, so does the vine. Its branches are readying to bear fruit, nourished by the connection to the root, cared for by the vinedresser, healthy and productive. In John 15 Jesus uses the parable of a vine to help us understand the importance of being connected to him, the reason behind the “pruning” of the vinedresser, it is so that in our “season” of new life that we bear much fruit. Also reminding us that apart from Christ, the true vine, we can not do anything (John 15:8). Are you connected to him, is he the source of your life? I encourage you, take sometime as the drear of winter breaks forth into a world full of color, take it all in and remember the God who intimately, as the masterful, magnificent, maestro, who conducts the beautiful sound of an orchestra, brings it all to completion; and worship. ~ Pastor Matt
