What a Mighty God We Serve

We hear a lot about the negatives of this world, about all the bad that seems to happen on a daily basis. So we know how much good it does our souls when we go to church, seeing and hearing what the Lord is doing in the lives of His people. Through their lives, through their testimonies we gain the strength to perhaps take "just one more step." In an effort to continue this process, I would like to share with you some of the things God is doing in my own life and especially in my church congregation.

As a pastor, my greatest desire is to see my congregation grow, not necessarily in number (although that would be a big plus – pardon the math pun there) but in spirit, grace and knowledge. I've been a full-time pastor for over five years, and in that time our church has had more than its share of ups and downs. But over the last six months or so, the ups have been unbelievable. The vast majority of the congregation members have visible growth going on in their lives.

We have had two men deliver their first sermons, having answered God's call to speak His Word. They come from different backgrounds, with different experiences and different personalities, but it goes to illustrate how God can use anyone, can equip and empower them to serve Him. Others have stepped into more public roles than what they were used to, teaching classes, stepping up as prayer warriors, being a guiding force within the church.

Other areas have witnessed God's power. We have seen people brought to a relationship to the Lord for the first time, or brought back after a prodigal wandering in life's wilderness. After following the Bible's command to anoint with oil and pray for the sick, we have seen a grievous infection being healed, hearts uplifted, lives changed.

Our world seems to focus on everything bad. We suffer from a lack of belief, a lack of faith and hope for what is possible with the Lord. But I am a witness to the power of the Lord. I witness that power every time I step into a pulpit, because I know full well that I don't have the words to change people's lives. If there is to be a change, if there is to be some impact made or inspiration given, it must come from the Lord. He alone is responsible for the salvation, the healing, the growth, the unity, and the love that we have seen.

How is all this achieved? It comes down to one thing: a decision to allow God first place in your life. You may say, "I've done that already." But there is always more room in your life for the Lord. We have to rededicate ourselves daily to the Lord and His purposes, making the effort to grow. We must have a desire to be what God wants us to be. When this happens, when we make the effort to learn and grow, and let the Lord move within us, we will find that "something" that we're looking for, and which has for so long been just out of reach.

I feel what John must have felt, so I will paraphrase what he said at the end of his Gospel. If I were to write about all the Lord has and is doing for me and my church, there wouldn't be enough room in the world to contain all that would be written. So for now, I will just praise the great name of Jesus for His blessings upon us, blessings we haven't earned or deserved, but appreciate all the same. To Him be all praise and glory.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Ecclesiastes Chapter 7, Part Two

Since I left my “Introduction and/or Fanfare” button in my other jacket today, let’s get straight into the continuation of our discussion of Ecclesiastes chapter seven. We will begin with verse 15.

Verse 15 – As is easily seen this life is far from fair. Solomon, although the wisest man who ever lived (aside from Jesus), didn’t need his wisdom to see this. Sometimes good people suffer, and wicked people seem to have everything. It isn’t fair, but it is a fact. This does not mean that God is not fair. It means He has a plan for each of us, and His grace is sufficient to see us through whatever our lot in life might be. Now Solomon gives us more of his proverbial wisdom (no pun intended).

Verses 16-18 – Here Solomon gives us sound advice. At first glance it seems that he is contradicting himself; however it must be understood that Solomon is speaking in strictly human terms here. We have ourselves been or know people who have existed within their own righteousness and wisdom, believing they are (as my grandfather would call it) “the bee’s knees,” but these kinds of people end up doing more harm than good to themselves. This attitude is destructive, equally as destructive as the wicked who in their foolishness also destroy themselves. It is essential that we grasp this truth, because in it we find that our only security is to turn loose of self and hold fast to God, in whom we find all strength and peace.

Verses 19-20 – Again we see Solomon directing us toward that which should be our true goal in life: wisdom. Wisdom benefits us far more than earthly power or prestige. But it is not worldly wisdom which we read about here, but the wisdom we gain through our recognition of and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Verse 20 is the precursor of that familiar New Testament verse, telling us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Even centuries before Jesus came to this world, Solomon in his wisdom recognized that in ourselves none of us have the ability to live as righteously as God expects. But when we trust in Christ, His righteousness is imputed to us.

Verses 21-22 – Here is some great wisdom which all of us need to take to heart, and few have done. Too many of us wear our feelings on our sleeves, or on the opposite side of the coin, we hold ourselves in too high a regard. Solomon tells us here that we need to be careful of what we hear, because everyone else is just like us. Why is that important? Well, think about it for just a moment. Have you ever been guilty of saying something to someone you wish you could take back, or have you complimented them to their face and then talked bad about them behind their back? If we allow ourselves to be governed only by what others say or think about us, then we will never get anywhere; we will just move in circles, trying to find the way the winds of popularity are blowing at the moment. Don’t go fishing for compliments, don’t take everything so seriously or so personally. Instead, seek God’s opinion of you, and your approach to life will be vastly different.

Verses 23-26 – Do not be presumptuous. Don’t say, “I’m wise,” because you will soon find out that your wisdom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In their search for wisdom, many people have found only the darkest of mankind. Others have found the more redeemable qualities, but still the ultimate wisdom, the ultimate peace, still eludes them. If you try to reason things in yourself, you will not find what you’re looking for at all; many have fallen into the trap of saying, “I’m just experimenting to find out for myself,” and then the discover they are destroyed inside. The world is seductive, it draws us to those things which are against God. This is why we must do our very best to listen to the Lord and allow Him to guide us, so we don’t find ourselves where we really do not want to be.

Verses 27-29 – The ending of this chapter is kind of like a summation by the Preacher, by the speaker Solomon. He acknowledges that God made man in perfection, but we have all chosen to go a different path. We look to everyone and everything to fill the emptiness within us, but we never find what we’re looking for. Why? Because we never look for it in the right place. Only God can satisfy the longing of our heart and life; there is a God-shaped hole in our lives that only He can fill. We can try everything, but should take the advice of one who’d lived it: try as we might, only God has the answers.

If you don’t believe me, if you don’t believe Solomon, then give God a try.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

No Thanks, I'll Just Lay Here

“Are you okay?” asked my wife, as she looked over at my laid-back head and closed eyes. Nodding ever-so-slowly, I tried to open my eyes by forcing them open, this being accomplished by attempting to raise my eyebrows into my hairline. With a bit of light creeping into my peepers, I said, “Just tired, and trying to think of something to write in my blog.”
Last night I did something I rarely do: I took two, yes, TWO generic pain reliever PM tablets (just like Tylenol PM, only cheaper). You wouldn’t think that a big guy like me would be fazed by two little pills, but they do the job. Usually, when I’ve had trouble sleeping, I will take one of these nighttime wonders and will be fine. I was having some neck and shoulder pain (a nerve issue), and some other things going on, so I said to myself, “Go ahead and take two. The wife is out of school tomorrow, so you can sleep in.”
Sleeping in was not a problem on this day. One of these sleep aid pills usually puts me to sleep. Two knocks me out, so much so that all the next day I am what can simply be called “groggy.” If I were awake enough, I’d be more creative than that, but I just can’t think right now; so I guess groggy will do.
Yesterday was a good day, church-wise. Having services was not guaranteed, as a beautiful snowfall had blanketed the roads around the region, including our church property. But while several people suggested that we just call off for the day, I felt an overwhelming need to press on with business as usual. We had a decent crowd for such weather, some visitors, and in the morning service we had someone give their heart to the Lord. So I think it was a good day.
But what many people don’t understand is that preaching wears a person out. “How can that be?” you ask, shaking your head, a chuckle in your voice as you wonder how just standing up and talking for a while can be tiring. I can’t explain it, but for me, I try to put as much energy (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) into each message, then once its over I have to prepare a new message.
So, when I got home last night and finished watching my weekly cry-fest (also known as “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”), I played a couple of rounds of Tiger Woods golf on my PlayStation, listened to some iPod tunes, read a chapter in a book, and went to sleep. Today, I’ve been in a sort of fog, one induced by that convergence of Tylenol and Benadryl which is Tylenol PM. A trip to pick up a prescription, waiting in line to wash my car, and sitting here has just been quite tiring.
This got me thinking about one of the verses in the twenty-third Psalm, which says that the Lord “makes me to lie down in green pastures.” Maybe on days like this, medicine or exercise induced, the Lord MAKES me take a little break, to refresh myself with His still waters and quiet presence. We live in such a frenetic world that even though we might “be about our Father’s business,” we sometimes miss the beauty and necessity of these green pastures.
Sometimes when we are going faster or farther than God wants us to go, the Lord has to make us slow down, for our own benefit and health, for His benefit and work, and maybe, just maybe, so that we can enjoy the beauty of the green pastures around us.
So the next time you are feeling a bit out of sorts, tired, or you just feel like “vegging out” for a little bit (not every day, mind you!), just don’t forget to spend a little of that resting time with the Lord. Let Him refresh your mind, body and soul so that you can serve Him even better.
With that, I will bring this entry to a close. I will add the copyright info to the end of this entry, copy and paste it into the blog, and then kick my feet up for a while. And if you hear what sounds like a grizzly bear being choked by a pine cone, just nudge me and tell me to roll over, and I’ll stop snoring.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Too Many Irons, Fired and Otherwise

I know, I know. Seems all I do is tinker with my writing schedule. But once again I am forced to tweak the writing plan here at Soulscape. Preparing three sermons and Sunday School lessons each week, along with other projects (writing and otherwise), pastoral, parental and spousal commitments, I am finding it difficult to get three more writings per week posted on this blog. Therefore, I will be cutting back, and adjusting my posting schedule to twice weekly.

Mondays will still be dedicated to free writing, whatever happens to be on my heart or mind on that day. Thursdays will now be dedicated to focused study (currently the book of Ecclesiastes) and writing for that particular series. I hope you will still stop by regularly to check out my entries. Again, updated entries will only be made on Mondays and Thursdays.

If you know me, you will undoubtedly understand my reluctance to cut back. Writing is a passion, an outlet not only for my own creativity, but in what I feel the Lord would have me do. I approach these entries with a serious mind and an open heart, hoping that God would give me the words which would help, encourage, or inspire my readers. Whether it’s in a humorous tone or a Scriptural exposition, I love writing.

But I must not shirk my day-to-day responsibilities. It is somewhat difficult to prepare new messages each week (two Sunday sermons, Wednesday Bible study, and going over Sunday School materials), and be able to keep them all separate in my mind and heart. I’ve always been someone who wanted to do many things, yet I have found that sometimes, you just have to put a limit on what you do. It’s not a lack of desire, but of being able to give quality time and effort to the projects which require them.

So, forgive me for not being able to stick with the original schedule for Soulscape. My prayer is that with this restructuring of writing time (which I hope to implement in all areas of my life in order to be a better pastor, husband and father) my work and my blog entries will take on a more meaningful purpose and touch you even more deeply.

Continued prayers are always welcomed. See you Monday.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Ecclesiastes Chapter 7, Part One

The writer of most of the Book of Proverbs is also the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes: King Solomon. Chapter seven of Ecclesiastes reads very much like the format of Proverbs. And since I sometimes like to broaden my writing horizons by utilizing different styles and methods, I will do so here. Instead of a paragraph form or expository analysis, I will list the verse numbers and share with you what I believe Solomon is trying to convey to us. In this moment of mental and spiritual clarity, Solomon asserts some very valid and pertinent observations from which we can gain substantial benefit. So, let’s get to it. This is Part One. Part Two will be posted next week.

Verse 1 – No matter how much we “have” in this world, the only thing we can really call our own is our reputation. We rejoice when someone is born, but when a good and righteous person dies, we rejoice in the completion of their journey and the testimony they leave behind. We only have one life. We must use it well, for all we have and all we are is just our reputation.

Verses 2-6 – We need to be aware of the brief nature of life here on this earth, because all of us will meet our end. To take life for granted, to avoid the challenges or to merely sit back and enjoy the foolishness of this world is the worst thing we could do. No one likes the hard times, but it’s the hard times which shape us into who we are, and which make us stronger. The wise know this. The foolish do not. We learn more through the trials, through the mistakes of life, and through the corrections of wise, than we do pats on the back and easy times.

Verses 7-12 – These verses tie in directly with Solomon’s discussion of possessions and power, as well as the use of wisdom. Knowing his history we can see that he definitely knows what he’s talking about. The analysis of life and its condition is apparent in these verses, but I want to mention some in particular. Verses 7-9 tell us to be patient, to take our time, to be slow to anger, for anything else serves to destroy us rather than help us. Verses 10-12 tell us not to live in the glories of the past or in the security of our possessions. What’s important is our future. Are we ready to meet our earthly end? What legacy are we leaving behind: pride and arrogance, or hope and peace?

Verses 13-14 – Here we see an acknowledgment of pure truth: God is in control of all things. This is not to say that the Lord causes pain and heartache and adversity. It does, however, give us the assurance that even when life’s seems to go from straight and smooth to crooked and rough, God is still watching over us. If He has brought us to this place, He will use it to help us learn and grow. We should enjoy the good times, but never forget that the deeper the valley, the higher the mountaintop. We don’t know how things will turn out. Good times might end tragically, and the worst times might bring the greatest blessings. A wise person will live in the truth that, come what may, God loves us and is ultimately in control. What better news is there?

Next time we will address the remainder of this chapter. I didn’t want to get too in-depth this time, because what we need to do, above all else, is find out what God is saying to us directly. Commentaries are good, opinions and blogs like these are beneficial. But all of us need to get into the Bible and let the Lord speak to us through it. What I get out of a verse of Scripture might be a bit different that what you get. But I assure you that if you will allow Him, God will give you exactly what you need to meet your challenges. Give it a try. See you next week for Part Two. But don’t forget to stop by Thursday and Monday, too!

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

If I've Told You Once . . . Then Listen Again!

I am sitting here, laptop resting upon (where else) my lap, the keys of the keyboard silently taunting my fingertips. I am drawing a blank. Perhaps it is the TeleTubbies on the television which is robbing me of my creativity. Those multi-colored weirdos and that strange sun-baby kind of freaks me out. I don’t know, but I guess it is visually stimulating to infants and toddlers.

Since I can’t think of anything in particular to write today (in a bit of a writer’s slump as of late), I will take a page from the TeleTubbies no less, and use it to write something of actual value. Whenever they show a video segment on that show, they immediately repeat it as soon as its over. I learned in some class I took years ago that repetition is one of the main ways to reinforce a message.

Yesterday (Sunday) I preached two messages that dealt with the mission of Christ in this world, and how His mission was to bring hope to the discouraged and the weary. (To listen to these messages, visit http://feeds.feedburner.com/westwoodonline or go to iTunes and search for Pastor Chris Keeton in the Music Store.) Even though we hear it all the time, it is sometimes good to be told again about the hope we as God’s children have. Repetition is good, because even the best of believers have struggles which challenge the strength of their faith.

No doubt many who read these words have in the past or currently are experiencing discouragement or weariness in their life. To you, I want to say that Jesus is your hope. Jesus came that we might have not just eternal life, but abundant life. The life of the Christian should be one of inspiration, of courage and determination, and of faith. But with all we experience, it’s sometimes hard to keep a positive outlook.

In one of the yesterday’s messages, I said that Satan wants your soul, but if he can’t have that, he’s more than happy to settle for your time, your enthusiasm, or anything else. He is trying to stop us from being effective for the Lord’s work, because the discouraged and weary Christian serves his purpose almost as well as the outright unbeliever. Why? Because the Christian who does nothing for the Lord isn’t causing the devil any problems.

With all we go through, it’s easy to just get fed-up, to get weary in body and soul, and to become so discouraged that we want to throw our hands up and quit. We ask, “What’s the point? It seems like every time I think I’m getting ahead, I end up further behind.” But just remember that all the Lord requires of us is our best, and if we are faithful, we can leave everything else in His hands.

When I see a person who is so very close to accepting Christ, and yet they hold off, despite how hard I try to convince them and how much they acknowledge their great need, I sometimes wonder, “What more can I do?” The answer, of course, is a big, fat NOTHING. All I can do is offer, and the rest I must leave to the Lord. Still, even though I know it’s all in His hands, it’s difficult for me to let it go. Could I try something else? Did I push too hard? Has that person missed the opportunity to come to the Lord because of something I said or did not say? Why should I keep trying if I’m just going to keep failing?

Well, if I give into that kind of attitude, then the devil gets what He wants, and I begin to slip in my own Christian walk. At that moment Satan wins, and I (and the Lord’s work) lose. So, we have a choice. It comes down to faith.

Again, to reference one of yesterday’s messages, when we get so tired and discouraged, and we say, “I can’t take it anymore, I can’t take another step,” one of two things can happen. It will be either your weakest moment, or your strongest moment. If you try to escape yourself, or if you try to fix it yourself, or if you simply give up, that moment becomes your weakest. But if you go to the Lord in prayer and in faith give the discouragement, doubt and weariness to Him, it becomes your strongest moment. Remember what Paul said, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” This isn’t a contradiction, but the statement of a truth that when we grow weak, if we trust fully in the Christ who lives within us, then His strength to overcome and be victorious becomes our strength.

So, I want each of you reading these words to know, even if you’ve heard it a thousand times, that you have not been abandoned. You have not been forsaken or forgotten. No matter what your life is handing you right now, God still loves you, and He wants to save not just your soul, but also save you from the despair and hopelessness so prevalent in life today. The Lord is still watching out for you, and wants to draw you close to Him so that you can be a living testament to what He is capable of doing. He wants you to be victorious. He wants you to find rest. He wants you to enjoy life. He wants you to be a testimony, not a victim.

As we face life’s trials, it’s easy to forget what God can do. We know it in our mind, but our heart begins to falter. So I leave you with a verse of Scripture that you should use in those times where you find yourself in your own spiritual wilderness. While it seems to speak to literal Israel, this is God speaking to spiritual Israel, the Church, to every believer in Christ. Therefore it is a promise to all of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord. It is Isaiah 43:1-2 -- But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

Keep that in mind, keep holding on, and God bless.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Ecclesiastes Chapter 6

Of our study of Ecclesiastes thus far, chapter 6 is among the shortest and simplest. Yes, there are certainly similar images and word pictures presented here, and certain themes are repeated. But beginning with verse 3, we actually see a New Testament truth which is often overlooked by the majority of people today, especially Christians. We will get to that in just a moment. First, let’s look at the first two verses.

The original Hebrew word translated as “evil” in verse 1 is transliterated as the word “ra’ (pronounced ‘rah’)” and does not indicate that which is an enemy of God. In modern terms, Solomon is saying, “I have seen some things in life that, from a human point of view, are just unfair. It’s a tragedy that people can have it all, then someone else comes along and takes it or enjoys it.” One modern way of looking at it would be the person who works hard and acquires great possessions, popularity and power, yet dies young or loses it in some way, leaving it all behind, someone else getting the benefits. It’s common to see this kind of thing going on all the time.

Boil it down, and it’s true: this life isn’t what we’d interpret as “fair.” Yet the definition of fairness is strictly a human term. There have been many people who have turned away from God because they apply their own definition of fairness or goodness or holiness to God’s ways, and they end up disappointed. They say, “How can a loving God allow the innocent to suffer? How can a fair God allow an evil person to prosper while an honest person struggles for their very survival?” But we don’t think as God thinks; we don’t know as God knows.

As we have mentioned in prior studies, Solomon is a divided man. He has been as close to God as anyone can get, and has drifted away from Him into the far country of life. His story has a very “prodigal”-esque quality to it. For all that he has been given, even Solomon sees that life itself isn’t fair. It takes the entire book of Ecclesiastes for us to see how things turn out, but for now, we need to see a man who is in despair. He is presenting for us an image of a person who realizes that even the best this life has to offer isn’t all that great.

Now I want to address the message of the remaining verses (verses 3-12), because as I stated at the beginning of this entry, this contains a vital New Testament truth. It seems as though this desperation has totally consumed Solomon, because he says something that sounds both harsh and hopeless. Kind of like the “George-Bailey-It’s-A-Wonderful-Life” example I used in a recent post, Solomon says it’s better to have never been born, to be stillborn, rather than live a hundred lifetimes without goodness or peace. This is the message I wish to address.

When Jesus came into the world, He said that He came so that we “…might have life, and have it more abundantly.” That entire message, while it does include eternal life, is stressing the abundant nature of life. In other words, to use both messages from Jesus and Solomon, life is not about length or quantity, but of quality. When we accept Jesus into our life, we cannot just sit back and say, “One day I’ll be dead, I’ll leave this world behind and when my feet press heaven’s shore, I’ll enjoy heaven for all eternity.” Eternal life begins right here, right now, and as long as we are here, we can make a difference in the world.

A life of a thousand years that is consumed with nothing but pleasure and possession and self is an empty life. But even the shortest of lives, if focused on God and His will and goodness is better than a life wasted.

Yet for too many of us, even Christians, we become possessed with the worries and advancement of this life, and as we’ve already plainly established, it’s nothing but vanity. We allow the devil to defeat us time after time, and we just roll up into a ball and take it, mindlessly chanting to ourselves that one day it will all be over and we can be in heaven. But instead of remaining on defense all the time, we need to take an offensive attitude. The Lord promised us not just eternal life, but ABUNDANT life! We need to take advantage of each day and its opportunities, because instead of getting a black eye by Satan, we can be giving him a black eye!

The devil wants nothing more than to keep us from making a difference for the Lord, so he jumps all over us, trying to keep us down and defeated. He shows us the unfair nature of life, and we begin to believe it. Then, we convince ourselves that the only thing we have to look forward to is the end. Or even worse, he convinces us that since life is unfair, we’d better do everything in our power to make it unfair for someone else and fair in our favor. In either case, we’ve allowed Satan to win, and we and everyone around us are the losers. Meanwhile, the devil is laughing at our unfortunate little lives with the Lord nowhere to be found.

Solomon had it all, he had a long life, but he’d misused his possessions and power and gifts. Now, toward the end of life, he realizes that even a poor life filled with goodness and godliness is better than all the world’s riches. We don’t know how long we have to traverse this planet, but whether it’s short or long we can choose to make a difference. As Solomon closes with verse 12, he makes that point. Life is like a shadow, and when we’ve passed from this side, others step up. We can choose to make life about us, who are only temporary here, or we can choose to make it about the Lord. When we make it about God, then life becomes abundant.

We are missing out on so many blessings in this life because we refuse to open our eyes and see with our hearts instead of our brains. Even when life seems unfair, remember that God has a purpose, and abundant purpose, for our lives, and if we will embrace that abundance aspect of life, and not just the eternal part of it, we will find ourselves in the midst of unimaginable blessings. And better than that, we can make a difference.

I know this entry has taken a little different form than some we’ve explored, so if you have a question about any verse or verses in particular, don’t hesitate to send an email or comment, and I’ll get back with you. However, in this instance I felt the message itself should be the focus. I hope this has helped you see the potential life has for us if we will only look at it the right way. See you Thursday, Lord willing.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

What's So Super About the Bowl, Anyway?

What is life without a little controversy? Pretty dull, in my opinion. That’s why I think we actually need some controversy from time to time. In fact, my middle name is “Controversy.” Actually, it’s Daniel, but that’s neither here nor there. As I sat thinking about what to compose for today’s entry, I ranged from a poetic exposition of my son’s most recent snowman still standing a sidewalk sentinel in the searing coldness of an arctic front, then drifted to various other thoughts. I decided to discuss a topic that will hopefully stir up a little healthy controversy. Don’t worry. If I step on your toes, I’ll try to be gentle.

There are a few services that you can expect to be low in attendance. Last night was one of those services: Super Bowl Sunday. All across the country many people decided to stay home from church in order to watch the “Big Game” with friends, grab some pizza or buffalo wings, and enjoy the thrill of the game and the commercials. And, of course, there were some churches that gathered together to watch the game, using halftime to preach a “half-sermon,” witnessing to the throngs of people who decided they’d rather go to God’s house to watch a football game rather than sit in the comfort of their homes and watch the same game.

I do not begrudge those who have a love of sporting events. Still, I do not think it’s right to stay home from church just to watch a game. Many people don’t see anything wrong with it at all. Well, allow me to explain my thoughts.

Those who decide to forego church services and opt to stay in and enjoy the game will usually say, “It’s only one service. We have three services a week, which comes to 156 services a year. Staying home to watch one game isn’t that big of a deal.” Sure, 155 services out of 156 is a pretty good record. But here’s the thing: those who decide to stay home to watch “just one game” will often find other excuses for missing church.

I point this out because of the precedent which is set. Your family, your friends, your church sees your decision and comes to the conclusion, “Football is more important to them than church.” Maybe it’s not. “How dare you judge me?” you might be saying about now. I’m not judging you at all. I am merely pointing out my own views on the matter. In my experience, those who decide to stay home and watch the game once a year will very often find other “one time things” to keep them from the remaining 155 regular services. Maybe it’s a concert, vacation time, parties, conferences, work, whatever. Soon that 155 drops to 107, then to 84. Instead of being faithful to their commitment to the Lord, they spend their time thinking of all the other things they could be doing instead.

When it comes down to it, I guess it is a matter of commitment. I don’t say that because I’m a pastor and I’m expected to be there every service. I want to be there. Jesus didn’t take a day off with me, and I don’t want to take a day off with Him. Throughout my life I was taught that Sundays and Wednesdays were days set aside to worship the Lord in church. And just because I’m a pastor doesn’t mean that there aren’t things I’d like to do on a Sunday or Wednesday. I’ve had to miss some “important” things because they fell on church days.

There comes a time in the life of every Christian when hard decisions have to be made. As I said, there’s nothing wrong with a good sporting event, a nice concert, or whatever. But when those events fall on a day set aside for the worship of the Lord, we need to prioritize. We cannot be guilty of saying, “It’s only one time; God will understand.” Even when there are other things we would like to be doing, we need to show where our commitment really lies.

Why do I say this? Because lives are at stake. Whether we realize it or not, people are indeed watching the way we live our life. How do we want our children to grow up? Do we want them to see their parents putting things before God, saying, “It’s okay if there’s anything else you’d rather be doing,” or do we want them to see what that what we say is the way we believe, that God really does come first?

Perhaps you think I’m totally off base. Perhaps you think I’m a fanatic when it comes to church, that I’m overly sensitive about attendance and commitment. But to me, I cannot justify skipping out on the Lord when I consider all He’s done for me throughout my life, even if it’s “only one time.” It’s not a big stretch to see that sin and backsliding begin this same way. We decide to forsake what God tells us to do, justifying it by saying, “It’s only one time. No one will get hurt.” But then we discover that we’ve drifted far further than we ever intended to go.

There are times we simply cannot avoid missing church, due to illness and the like. But every time we have the opportunity to work for the Lord, serve Him, worship in His house, we should take it. There may come a time when we wish we could and will not be physically able. We may reach a point when we want others to come to church, but they say, “Well, you didn’t think it was all that important, why should I?” Then what defense do we have?

In the final analysis, one concert, one game, one party does not compare to the eternal, spiritual benefits that even one church service brings. Am I overstating or even over-simplifying this matter? All I can say is that, for me, nothing is more important than what the Lord expects of me, and that is my very best. I may fail in that regard, but I want to do my best. When I see that I’m not doing my best, I want to fix it. I guess what I’m ultimately saying is that all of us need to honestly evaluate our spiritual condition, lay our opinions and excuses aside and see what’s really going on in our mind and heart. When we do, we might not like what we see, but at least we have the opportunity to change it.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Look Closer. Closer. See? There's More!

As I have mentioned a few times on this blog, and many times throughout my ministry, I believe in Old Testament types as a means of further understanding the Gospel message of the New Testament. Today’s entry focuses on one of the greatest type lessons of the Bible. I don’t have the time or space to look at every type or shadow-picture within Genesis 24, but I will try to point out the more significant images, and how they apply to our understanding of Jesus, our relationship to Him, and the character of the Christian life itself.

The Bible Study from the David Phelps message boards for January 30 dealt with Genesis 24, and several questions were presented. I wanted to take some of these questions a bit further and show you just how much the Lord is involved with history, and how a seemingly straight-forward story can still yield magnificent truth. I created a Bible study lesson for another church series several years ago on this very subject, and will adapt a portion of that lesson for this entry.

To begin, we need to see the four main characters in the story, and whom they represent in the spiritual realm (remember that for types in the Old Testament, the people, places, relationships, situations all can be applied to a spiritual concept in the New Testament as well as today). The four main characters are the father (Abraham), the son (Isaac), the chief servant, and the bride (Rebekah). The spiritual counterparts should be clear: Abraham the Father is a type of God; Isaac the Son is a type of Jesus; the Chief Servant is a type of the Holy Spirit; and Rebekah the Bride is a type of the Church (the Bride of Christ).

With this information in hand, let us examine just a few questions.

WHY DIDN’T ABRAHAM WANT HIS SON TO HAVE A WIFE FROM THE PEOPLE AMONG WHOM THEY WERE LIVING?
In considering the Genesis 24 story as a type of what was to happen centuries later with the Messiah, we conclude that this showed us that the bride for the son was to come from distant family in another part of the world. This describes well the Gospel message.

We are all distantly related to God through the Creation of humanity; and even if we do not believe in God, the fact that He is the creator of us all makes us related in that respect. The Bride was to come from somewhere else. So instead of heaven, the bride was to come from earth, from a people once related to the Lord but now a distant acquaintance. But if the bride accepts the invitation given, that relationship will indeed change. There is still an attachment the Father has for His “family” which He created, and wishes to bring us back to a relationship with Him.

WHY DIDN’T ABRAHAM WANT HIS SON TO GO BACK IF THE POTENTIAL BRIDE SAID NO TO THE INVITATION?
The servant had asked Abraham if the woman refused to return, should the servant bring Isaac. Abraham said no. This seems a bit odd, but think about it. This is a story which would have implications in the coming Messiah. Jesus came to this earth but once to die for the sins of man. From that moment on, there was nothing left for Jesus to do. “It is finished,” we hear Him say from the cross. The Holy Spirit, the Chief Servant of God, goes about through the world even today, compelling lost souls to come to the Lord in salvation, to become part of the Church, the Bride of Christ. Jesus did His redemptive work, and there is nothing left for Him to do here. The Spirit, though, is still at work. We must remember the words of Scripture, that Jesus came to die once for sins.

FINALLY, WHY DID ABRAHAM SEND HIS CHIEF SERVANT, AND NOT HIS SON, OR EVEN HIMSELF, TO FIND A SUITABLE BRIDE?
In ancient times, the son had all the rights and authority of the father. The chief servant was the “head honcho” of the rest of the servants, and acted (in essence) with the authority of the father in matters concerning the household. The chief servant was also more than just a slave or servant, but was often considered like a member of the family.

Since we’ve already established the spiritual correlation in the relationships of the physical characters in Genesis 24 to those of heaven, we can see the Trinity in action. The Father is in control, and the Son is the heir to all things. The Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of man, with all the power and authority of God the Father, in order to seek a bride for the Son. When the time is right, Son and Bride will be joined for all eternity.

What must be seen is that it was still the choice of the bride to accept or decline the invitation, as we can see in verses 57 and 58 of Genesis 24. The Spirit offers salvation in Jesus, but we must decide whether we will go with Him or not. I am particularly fond of verse 60: And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: "Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them."
When we come to the Lord, let there be no doubt that we gain beyond imagination. We go from a life of no hope, to a life of all hope. We go from nothing to everything, we become part of a larger family, the family of God. What could be better?

Again, there is much to discuss in a topic like this, but time and space do not allow for a complete discussion. However, I hope that in this brief exposition you have seen that many beautiful gems of truth and fulfillment can be found just below the surface of the stories we may know so well. Don’t be afraid to get in the Word and let God speak directly to you.

I’d like to close by giving you a couple of Bible study hints to help you explore types especially, but any part of the Bible you study can benefit from these hints. First, don’t look at the stories of the Bible as merely an historical account or record, as just a history lesson; ask, “How does the New Testament fit into this story? What can I see of the New Testament or Jesus within this story? What relationships or similarities can I find?”

Then, look at the story not only as a comparison, but as a parable. In the parables of Jesus we know that every element of those stories is significant (types of soil, the seeds, the one who sows, etc). Every physical thing in the story has a spiritual correlation for us, which helps us understand not only the story itself, but the principles of the story as well. Much truth can be found if apply these same methods to everything we read.

Well, I’ll be off for now. Good reading, God bless, and if the Lord wills, we will see you here again on Monday.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.