200 Sermon Illustrations on Faithfulness

While touring Italy, a man visited a cathedral that had been

completed on the outside only. Once inside, the traveler found an

artist kneeling before an enormous wall upon which he had just begun

to create a mosaic. On some tables nearby were thousands of pieces of

colored ceramic. Curious, the visitor asked the artist how he would

ever finish such a large project. The artist answered that he knew

how much he could accomplish in one day. Each morning, he marked off

an area to be completed that day and didn't worry about what remained

outside that space. That was the best he could, and if he did his

best, one day the mosaic would be finished.

Sometimes we forget that the massive population of the world will

be reached one person at a time, and one day the job will be finished.

When I proudly told my 8-year-old granddaughter I'd been attending

Bible class for almost 50 years, she looked at me sympathetically and

patted my hand. "Don't worry, Grandma," she said. "Maybe this year

you'll pass." --Marlys Huffman

A certain minister is said to have been unable to say, "No,"

to any request that came to him. He was invited to speak for

other ministers, and at clubs and banquets and other gatherings,

until his own church had but a small fraction of his time, and

his home was neglected. One day, while walking alone by a lake,

he met a man who was about to drown a small dog. "What's wrong

with the dog?" he inquired. "Well, you see," said the man, "When

Gypsy was a pup, he was all right. But he has grown to be a

regular nuisance. We are always losing him. He follows everyone.

And a dog that follows everybody is no good to anybody." The

last sentence struck the minister like a blow. He begged for the

dog and took him home, saying, "Gypsy you and I will learn

faithfulness together!" And then and there began a new era in

his life and usefulness. Sunday School Times.

My Source: DRL Sermons

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ELIEZER, FAITHFUL STEWARD

by David Lemmons

Introduction:

1. If there ever was an example of a faithful steward,

surely that one was Eliezer… Genesis 15:2--"And Abram

said, ... the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of

Damascus."

1- While it is not certain, in that the name is not used,

Eliezer is most likely the same steward of which we

read in Genesis 24.

2- The benefit of an example is and always has been

recognized as a GOOD TEACHER.

3- We can benefit from the example of Eliezer.

2. There are many lessons for us regarding our own

stewardship responsibilities and how best to accomplish

them in the example God provided us in Genesis 24.

3. If we will do as Eliezer did in exercising our own

stewardship, when we give account, we will hear it said:

Matthew 25:21--"His lord said unto him, Well done, [thou]

good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a

few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:

enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

4. May we learn well the lessons of stewardship from

Eliezer!

DISCUSSION: Regarding his stewardship, Eliezer--

________________________________________

1. TOOK SERIOUSLY HIS STEWARDSHIP

RESPONSIBILITIES (24:2-6).

________________________________________

1. When challenged with the VERY IMPORTANT task

of finding a wife for Isaac, Eliezer said… Genesis 24:5--

"And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman

will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must

I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence

thou camest?"

2. The question which Eliezer raises is a very good one.

3. He wanted to know what his responsibility was.

4. He wanted to be very sure about how SUCCESS was

to be measured in the eyes of his master.

5. We might just as well say: ELIEZER WENT TO

SCHOOL ABOUT STEWARDSHIP.

1) Finding out what exactly was involved in the charge

Abraham gave him.

2) He asked questions because he knew he would be

unable to complete the task without fully

understanding just what was expected of him.

6. You and I need to STUDY WELL what God has

revealed to us about our stewardship responsibilities.

7. If we are to be faithful stewards, as was Eliezer, we

will be interested to know how God defines

FAITHFULNESS.

________________________________________

2. HAD THE, "IF GOD IS WITH ME, I CAN DO IT,"

ATTITUDE (24:7-9).

________________________________________

1. When Abraham told Eliezer that God "shall send

his angel before thee" (v. 7) and when Abraham told

Eliezer that if the woman refused to come with him

he would be released (v. 8), Eliezer "sware to him"

(v. 9).

2. Eliezer had seen how God had blessed Abraham.

3. Eliezer was given confident assurance when Abraham

explained that this was part of God's plan and that

God would be looking out for him.

4. Isn't this the same confident assurance that David had

when he went up against Goliath? … 1 Samuel 17:45--

"Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me

with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I

come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the

God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied."

5. Isn't it the same attitude that Caleb had when, at the

age of 85, … Joshua 14:12--"Now therefore give me

this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day;

for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims [were]

there, and [that] the cities [were] great [and] fenced: if

so be the LORD [will be] with me, then I shall be able

to drive them out, as the LORD said."

6. As we go about our work as Christians, considering

the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:20, OUGHT NOT

THIS TO BE OUR SAME ATTITUDE today???

________________________________________

3. WENT TO W-O-R-K (24:10).

________________________________________

1. Genesis 24:10--"And the servant took ten camels of

the camels of his master, and departed; for all the

goods of his master [were] in his hand: and he arose,

and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor."

2. NOTICE the VERBS!!!

3. Verbs are ACTION words and that is exactly what

Eliezer did--he went into action to carry out the task

assigned to him.

4. We will never be faithful stewards unless and until

we see the importance of ACTION.

5. We must not fear the little 4-letter word: W-O-R-K!!!

________________________________________

4. WAS WILLING TO GO TO A FAR

COUNTRY (24:10).

________________________________________

1. Was this an easy thing that was assigned to Eliezer?

2. NO! It would involve travel to a far country, to a

different culture, and many "unknowns," along the

way (400+ miles).

3. However, we have here a dedicated servant who had

a sincere desire to please his master and who

understood fully his stewardship responsibility.

4. Likely, also, Eliezer would have recognized the

tremendous importance of the task assigned him

and would thus undertake this difficult journey

willingly in appreciation of the confidence placed

in him.

5. Such confidence motivated Eliezer to take on a

difficult and perhaps even dangerous task.

6. Can we see how this confidence placed in Eliezer

might be a type of the confidence God has placed

in us?

________________________________________

5. PRAYED TO GOD ABOUT HIS STEWARDSHIP

(24:12-14).

________________________________________

1. Listen and learn from Eliezer's prayer…

Genesis 24:12--"And he said, O LORD God of my

master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed

this day, and shew kindness unto my master

Abraham."

2. Eliezer had been told that God would be involved

in this assignment he had been given by Abraham

(v. 7).

3. He now called upon God for His blessings in the

carrying out of his charge.

4. How often have we ever prayed to God in such a

plain and simple way to ask for God's blessings

upon our own feeble attempts to serve Him?

1) Do we even know where to begin such a prayer?

2) Have we ever thought: "for what should I pray?"

5. If we have been going along in our attempts to serve

God and have never gotten around to asking God to

bless our efforts in a SPECIFIC area, maybe that is

a part of why we have not been all that successful

in our efforts.

6. Eliezer had his eyes upon Mesopotamia because

travel to that place was a part of his stewardship

responsibility, BUT the wisdom of Eliezer is seen

in that he asked God to speed his way there.

7. Today we are wise to seek God's blessings upon

each of our individual efforts to carry out our own

stewardship.

________________________________________

6. RECOGNIZED THAT GOD HAD BLESSED HIS

EFFORTS (24:15-21, 27).

________________________________________

1. Notice: Verse 21--"And the man wondering at her

held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his

journey prosperous or not."

Notice Verse 27--"And he said, Blessed [be] the

LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not

left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth:

I [being] in the way, the LORD led me to the house

of my master's brethren."

2. Eliezer considered himself to be an instrument used

by God to bring about the assigned task.

3. What if all of us would think in a similar way?

4. In the reporting that Paul did on his labors, it is

interesting that he thought similar thoughts--

Acts 14:27… "And when they were come, and had

gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that

God had done with them, and how he had opened the

door of faith unto the Gentiles."

5. When we think about 6 BILLION souls on the planet

and that the vast majority of them are LOST, we might

tend to become discouraged unless we things of

ourselves as instruments to be used of God in

carrying out His will.

________________________________________

7. GAVE THANKS TO GOD FOR BLESSING HIS

EFFORTS (24:26-27).

________________________________________

1. BUT, not only did Eliezer recognize God's

superintendence, he also gave thanks to God for it…

Genesis 24:27--"And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD

God of my master Abraham, who hath not left

destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I

[being] in the way, the LORD led me to the house

of my master's brethren."

2. How often is this important step left out

(c.f., WHERE ARE THE NINE? Luke 17:17)?

3. A faithful steward will not be forgetful to give

thanks to God for allowing him to serve.

________________________________________

8. WOULD NOT LEAVE THE TASK HALF DONE

BY BEING DIVERTED TO SOME OTHER TASK

(24:33).

________________________________________

1. Listen to the urgency felt by Eliezer… Genesis 24:33

--"And there was set [meat] before him to eat: but

he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand.

And he said, Speak on."

2. This man would not even eat until he had let it been

known what his business was.

3. How often does it happen that we begin to carry out

some responsibility we have as stewards of God and

let our attention wander to something else--NEVER

TO COMPLETE THE ORIGINAL TASK???

4. We need the "one-mindedness" of Eliezer in the

work of the Lord.

________________________________________

9. HAD WORDS OF PRAISE FOR HIS MASTER

(24:33-35).

________________________________________

1. Eliezer knew that Abraham was a good man and he

seemed genuinely thankful to tell others about him.

2. Certainly Christians have the greatest Master anyone

ever could have and we ought often speak to others

words of praise for Him!!!

________________________________________

10. WAS BOLD TO STATE HIS CHARGE

(24:36-49).

________________________________________

1. Eliezer had a job to do and he went right to it.

2. He was not timid about explaining the circumstances

which brought him there.

3. He openly laid before Laban and Bethuel the facts

that were relevant to his coming before them that day.

4. On another occasion, men behaved with identical

boldness… Acts 4:13--"Now when they saw the

boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they

were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled;

and they took knowledge of them, that they had been

with Jesus."

5. I fear that Christians today have lost a lot of that

boldness which was so characteristic of the saints in

the first century.

6. We have a message of salvation and a part of our

stewardship responsibility is to proclaim it to the

world (Matthew 28:18-20), may we learn a lesson from

ELIEZER to deliver our message without compromise

or fear.

7. Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 3:15.

________________________________________

11. HAD SUCCESS FROM HIS HUMBLE SERVICE

(24:50-51).

________________________________________

1. Verses 50 and 51 show that Eliezer achieved success

from his efforts.

2. If we treat our stewardship with the same seriousness

with which Eliezer did, surely God will bless our feeble

efforts as well.

________________________________________

12. WOULD NOT ALLOW THE COMPLETION OF

THE TASK TO BE HINDERED (24:55-59).

________________________________________

1. Here was another occasion when the attention of

Eliezer could have been diverted--when he was invited

to put of his return trip for at least 10 days (v. 55).

2. We have to admire the urgency with which Eliezer

continued to be targeted toward completing the task.

3. Surely one of Satan's strongest aids is

PROCRASTINATION.

4. If we will simply put off our faithful service to the

Lord, Satan develops a large grin.

5. Satan knows that faithful stewards are single minded

individuals who will not allow themselves to be

hindered in the carrying out of God's will.

________________________________________

13. GAVE ACCOUNT OF HIS STEWARDSHIP

(24:66).

________________________________________

1. Notice carefully verse 66--And the servant told

Isaac all things that he had done.

2. Matthew 25 shows that each person will some day

do the same accounting of stewardship that this one

did to his master.

3. Eliezer was able to give account to Abraham as a

FAITHFUL steward--Will we likewise be able to

give the accounting to our Lord???

Conclusion:

1. Stewardship is a broad concept which is helped

greatly by a living example and the account of

Eliezer, steward of Abraham's house ought to be

helpful to us in better understanding stewardship.

2. Let it be our intention to be faithful like Eliezer.

David Lemmons... dlemmons@hcis.net

From: LemmonsAid

Subject: The Old Soldier

God called for a soldier to come join in the fight,

To fight in day's heat and darkness of night.

One entered the battle and joined in the fray,

Satan's already working to make him his prey.

But this one had listened and armed himself well,

He knew that the battle meant heaven or hell.

A helmet of salvation he placed on his head,

Loins girt with truth as the Captain had said.

A breastplate of righteousness covered his chest,

"Be ready" we're told, "Satan comes with his best."

The gospel of peace helps prepare a man's feet,

And a shield of faith when fiery darts we're to meet.

Finally, the Lord places a weapon in hand,

It's one you will need when making your stand.

It's the sword of the Spirit and it's given to you,

It's mighty, it's strong, and always it's true.

The soldier had fought in the head of the day,

And others he won who now walk in the way.

Sons he converted and a daughter or two,

A wife stands beside him, and he's working on you.

He fights and he fights and he never does quit,

When the Captain returns he must find him fit.

He's fighting for a city which can't be found here,

A city where God, Christ, and the Spirit are near.

Satan keeps fighting, but this is one he can't win.

This soldier knows where he's going, knows where he's been.

Behind him there's suffering, pain and a loss,

But before him a crown, the prize of the cross.

Satan strikes him with sickness, wounds, and disease,

But all is lifted when he falls to his knees.

Life's taken its toll, on a bed he's now lying,

Sadness for some, this soldier's now dying.

Satan's final weapon you now find him wielding,

The final enemy, death, and no choice but yielding.

Human eyes clouded with tears that make dim,

But his spiritual eyes are still clearly on Him.

The end is in sight, but this is the goal,

His name is recorded on the heavenly roll.

He's fought the good fight, the course he's finished,

The faith he has kept, his hasn't diminished.

The body is laid and will soon turn to dust,

The spirit's secure says One who is just.

The graves will open and dead shall be raised,

Forever the righteous are gathered in praise.

The soldier's armor beside him is laid,

He's now in a land where roses ne'er fade.

So why should we be so sad and forlorn,

Through pearly gates he's finally been born.

..........Terry Joe Kee, in The Friend of Truth, 9 August 1998

My Source:

FACULTY AND STUDENT NEWSLETTER

BROWN TRAIL SCHOOL OF PREACHING

Vol 29, October 1998

… … … … … …

Author: Unknown

… … … … … …

File Under: FAITHFUL SERVICE

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ECTOR WATSON — FRIEND OF PREACHERS

Ector Watson, 93 years young, has preached the gospel of Christ for over eighty years. An old-fashioned “book, chapter, and verse” preacher, Ector is well known for saying, regarding a Bible truth, “That’s not about it; that’s it.”

When his father died in 1922, Ector, the oldest of eight children, moved to the newly founded Tipton Home. At Tipton, Ector was responsible for the boy’s dormitory and taught the chapel every day.

Attending Gunter College, near Sherman, Texas, Ector preached his first sermon at age 14. In 1925, he married Edith Windom, who had been reared at Tipton. At the suggestion of Tillit S. ToddlIe, a friend of brother Watson’s, he moved to Vernon, Texas where he received $75 a month for his employment. His first regular preaching work was in Collinsville, Texas in 1927.

Invited by the church in New Mexico, he preached there until about 1930. In the early thirties, Ector moved to Atoka, Oklahoma, where he remained for a number of years, preaching in school houses, brush arbors, fields and yards. He would later preach in Levelland, Pecos, and Abilene, Texas. His ministry would include six years in the mission field near Portland, Oregon during the years of world War II. His last regular preaching assignment was in Stigler, Oklahoma where he semi-retired to Cleveland, Oklahoma at the age of 88.

At the death of his first wife, Ector married Cordia in 1978. Today, they live happily in Cleveland, Oklahoma where Ector remains busy in another phase of his ministry, the writing of gospel literature. Over the years, Ector has written over twenty tracts and booklets on a variety of Biblical subjects. His latest publications include, “Behold the Man of the Hour” (1997) and “Dangers Facing the Church” (1998).

E. Claude Gardner says of brother Watson, “As a prolific writer for decades he has dealt with a diversity of Bible topics leading people to the truth. His broad experience and knowledge enables him to point out errors which contradict Bible teaching. Few men of his age continue so actively and faithfully in spreading the truth.” Brother Watson says in the preface of his tract, “Behold the Man of the Hour… “

>>

Brother Watson epitomizes one who, though past 90, continues to “preach the word, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:1-2). A friend of preachers, having encouraged and helped scores through the years, he continues to help men receive training in sound doctrine that they may do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of their ministry (2 Timothy 4:5).

If you would like to write brother Watson, his address is:

Ector R. Watson

502 S. Drive

Cleveland, OK 74020

He would appreciate corresponding with you.

FACTORS KEEP MEMBERS COMING TO CHURCH

Mark Wingfield for Associated Baptist Press writes: "The best remedy for

inactive church members is to catch them before they drop out, Chip Miller

advises. While it may not be obvious to those who aren't looking, people

on their way out the church's back door almost always give clues of where

they're headed, said Miller, a consultant with the Kentucky Baptist

Convention. One simple indicator is worship participation. For example, a

person or family may begin moving farther back in the sanctuary on Sunday

mornings than where they usually sit. Their worship attendance may become

less frequent before they stop attending altogether. Sunday school

attendance may begin sliding as well, Miller said. Or a person may stop

attending committee meetings or participating in some other group or

activity. Or parents may begin letting their children drop out of church

activities as an early step toward a full exit. The extensive research of

John Savage on this topic shows that 'a pattern of attendance indicates

what's going on at a deeper level,' Miller said. Particularly with worship

and Sunday school in a Baptist church, if anyone is absent seven

consecutive Sundays, 'he's in trouble,' Miller warned. Another key is to

understand what keeps a person bonded with a church, Miller added. He

cited three essential factors: o The person's faith is being fed. o The

person is part of a group where people know one's name and finds identity

and support. o The person has a sense of ownership in what the church is

doing. 'When one, two or three of these begin to unravel, you've got

trouble,' Miller. The best way for a church to prevent people from sliding

away from active participation is to learn to listen, Miller said. But in

addition, keeping an accurate record of attendance and then reading those

records also is vital, he said. 'If you don't hear us, at least see us.'"

(Baptist Today, Feb. 19, 1998)

In A.D. 165, the Roman Prefect Rusticus encouraged Justin Martyr and his six companions to be sensible. They only needed to swear to the divinity of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and they would go free, unmolested. Threats of a swift beheading at the hands of a centurion did not shake their faith in Christ.

"Do with us what you will," Justin replied. "We are Christians and do not worship idols."

I am not sure if this account is factual or not. It supposedly was a part of a 1996 Oprah show, but the oprah.com archives only go back to 1999. The oprah.com site requires a good deal of personal information before accepting a request for info, so I have been reluctant to write for confirmation. The story is a remarkable one for sure.

********

On a cold day in 1942, inside a Nazi concentration camp, a lone young boy looks beyond the barbed wire and sees a young girl pass by. She too, is moved by his presence. In an effort to give expression to her feelings, she throws a red apple over the fence - a sign of life, hope, and love. The young boy bends over, picks up the apple. A ray of light has pierced his darkness.

The following day, thinking he is crazy for even entertaining the notion of seeing this young girl again, he looks out beyond the fence, hoping. On the other side of the barbed wire, the young girl yearns to see again this tragic figure who moved her so. She comes prepared with apple in hand. Despite another day of wintry blizzards and chilling air, two hearts are warmed once again as the apple passes over the barbed wire. The scene is repeated for several days. The two young spirits on opposite sides of the fence look forward to seeing each other, if only for a moment and if only to exchange a few words. The interaction is always accompanied by an exchange of inexplicably heartening feelings.

At the last of these momentary meetings, the young boy greets his sweet friend with a frown and says, "Tomorrow, don't bring me an apple, I will not be here. They are sending me to another camp." The young boy walks away, too heartbroken to look back.

From that day forward, the calming image of the sweet girl would appear to him in moments of anguish. Her eyes, her words, her thoughtfulness, her red apple, all were a recurring vision that would break his nighttime sweats. His family died in the war. The life he had known had all but vanished, but this one memory remained alive and gave him hope.

In 1957 in the United States, two adults, both immigrants, are set up on a blind date. "And where were you during the war?" inquires the woman. "I was in a concentration camp in Germany," the man replies. "I remember I used to throw apples over the fence to a boy who was in a concentration camp," she recalls. With a feeling of shock, the man speaks. "And did that boy say to you one day, 'Don't bring an apple anymore because I am being sent to another camp'?" "Why, yes," she responds, "but how could you possibly know that?" "He looks into her eyes and says, "I was that young boy."

There is a brief silence, and then he continues, "I was separated from you then, and I don't ever want to be without you again. Will you marry me?" They embrace one another as she says, "Yes."

On Valentine's Day 1996, on national telecast of the Oprah Winfrey show, this same man affirmed his enduring love to his wife of forty years. " You fed me in the concentration camp," he said, "you fed me throughout all these years; now, I remain hungry if only for your love."

-Author Unknown

I have an inspiring view out of my office window. I look out at an Ozark mountain with this rolling field in between me and the mountain. The field dips down into a hollow - or a "holler" as they call it down South. In the Spring, some of the trees in the hollow start to bloom in living color. The rosebud ... the dogwood ... they just start setting out their blossoms in all their glory. Last spring, someone walked into my office, glanced out that window, and said, "Well, look at those beautiful trees down there." They are beautiful - but they're in a spot where very few people ever see that beauty.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Beauty In Out-Of-The-Way Places."

God doesn't reserve His beauty for places where lots of people can appreciate it. He also plants some beautiful things in out-of-the-way places. Maybe you're one of them. Not many see beauty when it's in an unlikely or a little known place - but it's no less beautiful.

As Jesus is evaluating each of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, He seems pretty unimpressed with the ones that look beautiful to everyone else. Like the church at Sardis that has "a reputation of being alive," but Jesus says to them, "You are dead." (Revelation 3:1) Or the rich and powerful Christians at Laodicea who Jesus says are actually "pitiful, poor, blind and naked." (Revelation 3:17)

But then there's this church - this out-of-the-way, little-known church - that Jesus thinks is beautiful. He says in our word for today from the Word of God in Revelation 3, beginning in verse 8, "I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word." Then He promises them something that He offers to none of the other, highly visible churches - "I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut." He's going to give them special blessings and opportunities because of their quiet faithfulness.

For someone listening today, that's how He feels about you. You've been asked to serve Him, to be faithful to Him in a little place, maybe a hard place, a place where you receive little or no appreciation or affirmation. Maybe where you work or where you live, you're in a situation where no one appreciates the beauty of Christ in you. But God wants you to know today that He loves to look at you - He thinks you're beautiful!

Think about Hannah in the Old Testament - a childless woman who kept on trusting the Lord. She was beauty no one saw - except God. And He made her the mother of Samuel, the greatest spiritual leader of his time. And Mary, the little known girl from a ridiculed, backwater village called Nazareth - but God knew all about her and He looked to her when it came time to find a mother to carry and raise His Son. God seems to have special rewards for quiet, unnoticed faithfulness.

It's easy to get discouraged and even down on yourself when you've been asked to bloom for God in a place where few can see you, where few appreciate your service or your sacrifice. But God sees you. You are His "something beautiful" in an out of the way place. And although there aren't many who see you blooming there, like those glorious trees hidden in the hollow outside my window, your life is no less beautiful.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

He's a baseball legend. Cal Ripken played all 21 years of his Major League career with hometown Baltimore Orioles. He holds several defensive records and he's only one of seven players who got 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. But as sportswriters reflected on his career as he retired at the end of the 2001 season, what many considered his most significant achievement was that, for 16 straight years, he played in every single game, setting the all-time record of 2,632 consecutive games played. When the ill will from the 1994 players' strike was still in the air, he tied and passed Lou Gehrig's long-standing record for consecutive games played. The fans cheered loud and long. As one magazine said, "This wasn't Joe DiMaggio hitting in 56 straight games or Hank Aaron's clubbing 755 homers. This was a record that required a talent all mere mortals could display - faithfully showing up for work every day."

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "The Simple Secret Of An All-Star."

Interestingly enough, that's exactly what makes someone a star in God's book - faithfully showing up for work every day. For whatever work God has given you to do - at home, at your workplace, at school, in your ministry.

We know that's what God expects, what God honors, from I Corinthians 4:2, our word for today from the Word of God. God says, "It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." Not successful ... faithful. That means you keep showing up. You can be counted on - you're consistent - you do what you said you'd do - people can believe you, they can depend on you. You're not one of those "grasshopper" types who keeps jumping around, abandoning commitments, always looking for something better.

God talks about those "who have been given a trust." Well, that's you. That's every one of us. God has trusted you with a specific place for you to serve Him - with talents and gifts ... with influence over people close to you ... with the responsibility of presenting Jesus to the people in the place where He has assigned you. God has trusted you with the reputation of His Son where you are. Man, has He trusted you!

And what is He expecting of you? Faithfulness. The results are not your business; they're God's business. That's why He doesn't say He's expecting success. The results aren't up to you, but the effort is - the faithful, persevering, "won't quit" kind of effort.

So keep on being there for your kids each new day. Keep plugging away at that work God gave you to do, even if the results seem discouraging. Hang in there, serving Jesus, even if no one seems to notice and no one says thanks. Remember, God is simply asking you to be faithful. Keep those commitments you made, even if you feel like bailing out. What keeps you going when you don't feel like it anymore? Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men ... It is the Lord Christ you are serving." It's for Jesus, who didn't quit on you when it was costing Him everything.

Keep faithfully showing up for God's work every day. And when you round the bases for the last time, you can expect to be greeted at home plate by Jesus Himself saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. 'Practical Answers to Real Life Issues'

*

Our grandsons recently experienced the vacation of their young lives. Mom and Dad took them out West to see the Tetons, Big Sky country, and Yellowstone National Park. And God made sure they got plenty of memories - the herd of buffalo that basically surrounded their vehicle, the moose that was right by the side of the road, the elk that posed patiently for all the pictures anyone wanted to take. But as impressive as all that was, nothing impressed them so much as this water that kept shooting high out of the ground. You guessed it - it's that amazing geyser known as Old Faithful. Our grandsons, Mr. 5-Year-Old and Mr. 2-Year-Old, couldn't stop talking to us about it on the phone. In fact, our older guy told his mom, “I want a geyser.” We're working on that for Christmas. Now, that geyser really is something to see. I mean, this tower of water and steam, exploding out of the ground, high into the air, and always at the same time intervals. Well, of course, it's Old Faithful.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Grandeur of an Old Faithful.”

Our grandson says he wants an Old Faithful of his own. So does God. He's looking for some “old faithfuls” He can count on. The Bible makes it clear that a lot of the things we do don't really impress God much, if at all. But there is one trait that gets His attention and triggers His blessing - faithfulness. Like a certain geyser, always being there, always doing what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it. To all of us who know someone like that, those folks are the anchors of our life. To God, they are the folks He loves to reward.

God expresses what He values in a man or woman in our word for today from the Word of God. It's not flashiness. It's not friendliness. It's faithfulness. In 1 Corinthians 4:2, He says plainly: “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” Notice - He doesn't say you have to be successful. Faithful. A friend of mine said, “Ron, I think I've figured out your job description: stay pure and show up.” That pretty much says it. Keep pure and keep showing up. Paul put it this way in his final challenge to his son in the faith, Timothy - “Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship ... discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5).

See, faithfulness is so valuable because it's so rare. Today people stick with a responsibility or a commitment as long as it feels good, as long as it's fun, until the novelty wears off, or so long as I'm being treated right or appreciated. But our Lord modeled something much more noble - seeing your job through, even when everyone deserts you, even when you want out, even when the world's against you, even when they nail you to a cross. He is faithfulness. That's why He wants faithfulness. he Book of Revelation says that when He makes His glorious appearance at His Second Coming, He will be the rider on the white horse who “is called Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:12).

I hope that's what they call you. Or they will start to call you as you move from being one who's in and out of commitments to becoming one of God's “Old Faithfuls.” However small your assignment, however tired you may feel, however unappreciated you may be - by people, that is - stay faithful. What an honor to be a man or woman about whom Almighty God can say, “I can count on her. I can count on him.” He's looking for warriors who will continue to stay at their post, whose commitments He and others can depend on, who will finish what they started. If that's hard for you, remember that faithfulness is part of what the Bible describes as “the fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22). You can ask God to produce His faithfulness in you!

And up ahead, there stands your Lord Jesus at the finish line, and listen to what He's going to reward - it's not success: He's telling His champions, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Oh, live for that, warrior!

__________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

Twenty-six years ago I was in Omaha, Nebraska, to speak at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. After my talk, I met a man who made an immediate impression on me. He was a genial Midwesterner and a committed Christian with a burden for men and women in prison.

His name — Dallen Peterson. He’d grown up in a hard-working Minnesota farm family. In that mostly Lutheran community, faith and family were central. Though they didn’t talk about it much (faith was mostly private), they believed what Martin Luther had taught, that all work is worthy if it’s done to the glory of God — whether it’s preaching or scrubbing floors.

Well, that first meeting took place before I had started Prison Fellowship, but Dallen was already ministering in the prisons. As I got to know him better, we became fast friends. Dallen was one of the earliest supporters and volunteers in our ministry.

He had gotten interested in prison work when a young man his daughter knew was sent to jail. Dallen started visiting him, and during one visit, another inmate, Mel Goebel, spotted him standing with a group of men in the prison yard. Mel said he just had to find out why anybody would come to a prison when they didn’t have to.

Watching Dallen was enough to bring Mel Goebel to Christ. Dallen then befriended him, mentored him, and helped him through college. Eventually, Mel Goebel joined Prison Fellowship and for twenty years was one of our most dynamic leaders.

When we met, Dallen and his wife, Glennis, had just started a small food business, but it lasted only a short while. Through the experience, however, they learned some very important lessons. They later founded Merrie Maids, a housecleaning service which their family pioneered, literally, from the ground up — with scrub brushes and cleaning rags in hand.

Merrie Maids became a huge success, and a Franchise 500 company. When he sold the business to ServiceMaster in 1988, he and his family used what they had learned in ministry and earned in business to serve the Lord full-time.

Today, Dallen is a key member of our board and one of my closest confidants. In fact, it was Dallen’s vision that encouraged us to begin the InnerChange Freedom Initiative, the first Christian prison to be run in America.

So what does a life like this teach us? Dallen Peterson’s story, which you can read in his new book, Rags, Riches and Real Success, isn’t about some get-rich-quick scheme. And it’s not the typical self-congratulation story you’ll see in so many celebrity books. It’s the story of a man who kept his eyes on the real thing, and discovered the meaning of real success.

Dallen’s life proves that one person can make a difference. Think of it: He started out leading just one prisoner to Christ. He then discipled him. And that man, in turn, has led hundreds — maybe thousands — into the Kingdom.

Thank God for Dallen’s faithfulness and perseverance. And there is a great lesson here. No matter how overwhelmed we may be by the complexity of modern life, the truth remains: The world is changed one life at a time.

”I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

Satisfaction in life comes from living righteously and seeking to raise the level of quality in the relationships, services and products you are involved with. Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Do you really believe that? If you did, what would you be doing? You would spend more time feeding your spirit than trying to satisfy your fleshly desires. Have you ever tried to satisfy the flesh? It can’t be done. The more you feed it, the more it wants.

What causes you to become dissatisfied? It’s usually because the quality of the relationship, service or product has diminished. I often ask people when they became dissatisfied. Inevitably they identify the time when the quality of a relationship, the service rendered, or the product produced diminished.

Satisfaction is a quality issue, not a quantity issue. You will achieve greater satisfaction from doing a few things well than from doing many things in a haphazard or hasty manner. The key to personal satisfaction is not in broadening your involvement’s, but in deepening them through a commitment to quality.

The same is true in relationships. If you are dissatisfied in your relationships, perhaps you have spread yourself too thin. Solomon wrote: “A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). It may be nice to know a lot of people on the surface, but you need a few good friends who are committed to a quality relationship with each other. We all need the satisfaction which quality relationships bring.

Paul accomplished what he was called to do. He left a lot undone, but he fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith. Jesus also left a lot undone, but He did His Father’s will and was able to say, “It is finished.” You may not be able to do all you want to do for Christ in your lifetime, but you can live obediently and faithfully day by day.

At the time of his horse riding accident, Christopher Reeve was married to Dana Morosini. In his 1998 book, “Still Me,” he recalled that after the accident, when he contemplating giving up, his wife told him: “I want you to know that I'll be with you for the long haul, no matter what. You're still you. And I love you.”

“Two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough.” — Isaiah 17:6

The whole verse reads: “Yet gleanings shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the upper-most bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith Jehovah, God of Israel.” The prophet is foretelling a sorrowful day of leanness which was surely coming upon those idolatrous apostates who had treated Jehovah with perverse thanklessness. It should be with them as with an olive tree after its crop of berries had been removed by the beating of its boughs and branches; just “two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough” where the sticks of the beaters had not reached, and only “four or five on the outmost branches.”

Alas, for the lean olive tree! Alas, when it becomes symbolic of my own spiritual life! Can it be that even now some of us are in such a bereft condition spiritually, with faith and hope and love and joy and peace and strength and prayer and testimony and service lean and languishing? If so, why should it be? and what can we do about it?

See verse 10: “Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation…” Ah, there has been forgetfulness of God. I have allowed myself to become inordinately immersed in mundane things, in business, in pleasure, in domestic absorptions, in social affairs, in getting and spending, in working and playing, in much “coming and going” (Mark 6:31) My life has become so full that I now find it empty! I have been so busy remembering the many things that I have forgotten the one thing which is really needful. I have become a cumbered Martha and have forgotten to sit at my Master’s feet. That is one reason, at least, why my olive tree has only “two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough”.

But look again at verse 10: “Because thou hast not been mindful of the Rock of thy strength…” So there has also developed an unspiritually minded self-sufficiency. I have been neglectful of prayer. I have foolishly preferred to manage (or mismanage) my own affairs. I have forgotten how weak I am, and have imagined that the unsteady little lamb was a strong lion. And now I am like an olive bereft of its berries.

Glance, too, at verse 8; read of “altars” and “images” which those old-time Israelites had made. Can it be that I myself have become idolatrous? Have I allowed some friendship or some ambition or some member of the other sex to usurp the place of God in my heart’s desire and devotion? If so, then there is judgment against my altars and idols; my olive tree is stripped of all but “two or three berries in the top bough”.

What then can we do? See verses 7 and 8: “At that day shall a man look to his Maker…” When adversity strips our olive tree of all but “two or three berries”, it is meant to turn us from our self-made altars and idols back to the true God, our gracious covenant-keeping Jehovah. However unbelievable it seems at times, God could do nothing unkinder than allow us continued prosperity when we are self-willed, wayward, prayerless and backslid-den. Adversity must beat the olive tree with hard strokes which leave only “two or three berries”. God loves us too wisely to think more of our natural pleasure than of our spiritual profit. Soul of mine, get back to Him. Put wrong things right. Throw down those idols. Back to prayer, faith, love, and new consecration. Then shall my olive be laden again!

*

[Original illustration at this number was similar to HolwickID #1795]

Here’s some weekend homework for you. Where in the Bible does it say that angels have halos? Pictures of angels always show them. Is it scriptural?

Have you noticed that on TV, when it’s time for a commercial break, nothing stops it? If Peter Jennings were reporting the outbreak of World War III, they’d interrupt at the appropriate time for an antacid or dog food commercial — you know, something really important.

My step-mother is 96 but looks 76 — she’s amazing. We tell her she is a walking commercial for vitamins. That makes me wonder if we are walking commercials for our church, our family, but most of all, for our Lord. Everywhere we go, we are a billboard for the things we believe in and represent — people read us.

The older I get, the more I realize the importance of the word “responsibilty.” It and “dependability” are two of the most important “abilities” that should come to mind when people think about us. In Psa. 119:66. (NIV) we read, “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.” That prayer will lead us to be responsible and dependable — two great attributes that folks look for when they read us. Let’s be good commercials, today.

After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub … After him, repaired Azariah. — Nehemiah 3:23.

The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. — Proverbs 10:7

How strange it seems after more than two thousand years have passed away to read the names of so many toilers on the wall, when we know that the names of nearly all the kings, and statesmen, and philosophers, and, great ones on the earth of that period, have long ago perished. Little did the toilers think they were building for immortality but they were. God has preserved their names in His Word that liveth and abideth forever, and enrolled them in His register on high.

So let my living be, so be my dying;

So let my name lie, unblazoned, unknown;

Unpraised and unmissed, I shall still be remembered;

Yes, but remembered for what I have done. — Horatius Bonar

Isaiah 54 — The Faithfulness of Yahweh

54:1-4

• In what ways was God’s faithfulness shown to Sarah?

• How does Paul apply this passage to us? Galatians 4:21-31

• How did this apply to the nation of Israel?

° what was the shame of its youth?

° what was the reproach of its widowhood?

° cf., Egypt — Exile; Idolatry — Faithlessness (Hosea)

54:5

• In the marriage relationship between God and His people Israel (as between Christ and His Church) where is the emphasis on sustaining the relationship?

• How do each of the God’s names used contribute to this?

54:6-8

• How does God’s faithfulness show itself in these verses?

• What is the major contrast made?

54:9-10

• What is the notable attribute of Noah? (Ezekiel 14:14, 20)

• What is the lesson provided by Noah to Israel?

54:11-12

• What are the marks of GOd’s faithfulness to Jerusalem

• compare Isaiah 51:17, 21; Revelation 21:10-20

54:13-14

• What are the marks of GOd’s faithfulness to a nation?

• What are the marks of GOd’s faithfulness to a family?

54:14-17

• How can and does God deal with the enemies of His people?

“Aunt Effie” Linquist attended the First Baptist Church in Keokuk, Iowa, regularly for the last 88 years. Since 1888, she hasn’t missed a Christmas or Easter service. During that time 15 different pastors have served her church. She has listened to over 8,000 sermons, attended more than 4,000 prayer meetings, and said over 29,000 bedtime prayers.

Mrs. Linquist taught Sunday school for over 50 years, and several of her former Sunday school students are now in the ministry.

-- Pulpit Pieces Weekly

=======================

UPDATE: I read this in the February 6, 2007, edition of Wit&Wisdom. Since it was labeled "unverified" I decided to do some verification through the church. The pastor responded within an hour with this email:

Here is some information that I can verify for you about “Aunt Effie”. The information will run in reverse chronology, some of it is anecdotal, or close in date, from some of the clerk’s records and other things around the church.

Effie Mae (Aunt Effie) Linquist died on March 8, 1980 at the age of 97. She had been a member of First Baptist Church since 1895 (based upon recognition of 72 years membership in 1967) under the ministry of the Rev. J.C. Maple. She was a pillar of the church being recognized for starting the K.Y.B. (Know Your Bible) Sunday School class in 1942 and was the first teacher. It was in this time period that the church made a concerted effort to enlist people in Christian service. A goal of 18 people was set to honor the 18 members who had given their lives in the service during World War II. This was under the pastoral leadership of Rev. John Myers. By 1953, 11 men and women had been licensed, commissioned or ordained, some (number unknown) having come through the K.Y.B. class.

Aunt Effie was also recognized for more than 50 years of Women’s Work and currently has a Circle of the American Baptist Women-Ministries named for her.

We can only presume that her attendance (with regularity) began as she was brought to church at an early age, being born in 1883. The other statistics that are part of the illustration would be presumed, based upon her conviction of regular attendance, and spiritual fervor. Of those who remember Aunt Effie, there would be no doubt in their mind that these would be accurate figures, for she attended most every service (morning and evening Sunday) and Wednesday prayer meeting. She was one of those folks who would be at the church every time the doors were open. She and her husband, David, lived 2 houses down the street from the church. Of those I talked to, they could not remember if she had any children, and my recollection of conversations was that they did not. I think that this is partly why she got the nickname “Aunt Effie” for she was an aunt to the church family.

As for the number of pastors, at the time of her death, she would have had 16 called pastors and 4 interim pastors who led the church. I have a suspicion that the illustration may have been first submitted by Rev. Virgil Reeve, who was pastor from 1968-1978. He was one who was very creative with the use of illustration. He is currently retired in the Wheaton, Illinois, area. I think he may still be doing some pulpit supply.

I hope that this has been helpful to you.

Dale Thomas, Pastor

First Baptist Church, Keokuk, Iowa

Sermon in series "The Carols of Christmas," #4. Luke 2:25-32

THE FAITHFUL WILL COME

======================

I. A new carol that sounds old.

A. An English Catholic flees to France in 1745.

B. The French Revolution caused another twist.

C. Faithfulness is the mark of a true believer.

II. The faithful are people who are ready to see God.

A. Simeon was such a person.

B. Simeon was a spiritual man in the true sense.

C. Simeon recognized the true mission of Jesus.

III. The faithful are still out there.

A. Honoring God in out-of-the-way places.

B. The faithful are those who apply Jesus' teachings.

C. We don't have to be famous, just faithful.

IV. The faithful will come.

A. The faithful were called to come to Bethlehem to honor Jesus.

B. Are you a faithful seeker?

How do you spell success? Much of the world spells it M-O-N-E-Y, or F-A-M-E or P-O-W-E-R. And that includes many Christians. Somehow, we have absorbed the idea from the world that if we don’t have money, fame or power, we are not successful.

If you are participating in the world’s rat race to accumulate money, fame or power as the gateway to success, may I encourage you to switch from the Forbes’ lists to another list of successful people? In doing so, you will learn how God spells success: F-A-I-T-H-F-U-L-N-E-S-S.

Hebrews 11 contains a list of people who were earthly, as well as eternal, successes in God’s sight. And not one of them is recognized for wealth, fame or power.

Abel offered a righteous sacrifice. Enoch pleased God. Noah obeyed God. Abraham trusted God. Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph kept alive the promise of God. Moses overcame his fears to obey God. Joshua conquered by trusting God’s Word. Rahab put herself in danger to serve God. Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets conquered, administered justice and turned weakness to power for the sake of God. Many others were persecuted and lost their lives in the process of being faithful to God, these “of whom the world was not worthy” (verse 38).

How did they obtain such a good testimony? It was not through success based on money, fame or power. It was success by being faithful: “having obtained a good testimony through faith” (verse 39). If I had to choose between being on the cover of Time magazine and being listed in Hebrews 11, guess which I would choose? Which would you?

RISK AND REWARD

Have you or your family played any of the varieties of the classic board game called RISK®? Since 1959, RISK has been enticing players to succeed at dominating the world through military strategy. The risk-reward ratio is not in your favor, but the most calculating and strategic of players can rule the world (or Europe, or Middle Earth, or the oceans, or the moon -- depending on which version you play).

May I suggest a risk-reward strategy that is 100 percent guaranteed to make you successful in the eyes of God? Living your life according to the precepts of God is a no-risk route to success in this life and the next. And four key passages of Scripture explain why. I encourage you to read and meditate on each as you contemplate how God defines success.

• Joshua 1:6-9. Meditating on God’s Word day and night, being careful to do everything written in it, will bring prosperity and success. Strength and courage will characterize you as you walk through this world.

• Psalm 1. Delighting in “the law of the Lord,” meditating on it day and night, will cause you to be fruitful and prosperous. You will avoid the counsel of the ungodly, the path of the sinful and the seat of the scornful.

• Matthew 5:3-12. These “be-attitudes,” as they have been called, characterize the man or woman who is blessed and happy in this life. Humility, mourning, being meek, hungering for righteousness, showing mercy, purity, making peace, suffering for Jesus -- these are what bring blessing (success) in God’s sight.

• Philippians 3:7-14. Leaving behind the world’s fame and power, Paul found success in pressing forward toward making Jesus Christ his all in all -- and was exalted as a result.

I encourage you to consider these no-risk strategies for success in God’s sight. And should God bless you with wealth, fame or power, use them for His glory. As an example, former top runway model Kathy Ireland has traded in her Sports Illustrated swimsuits for her own line of modest clothing as head of her own multi-million dollar company. She teaches Sunday school, has written a book about her spiritual growth, plans a Bible study section for the company website and asks her employees to honor the Lord with their speech. [see also HolwickID #36011]

Whether your wealth and fame spread around the block or around the world, stay successful in God’s sight by making Him the focus of it all.

Has this ever happened to you? You’re with a business associate and you mention wanting to contact so-and-so and your friend replies “Oh, I have the number, I’ll send it to you.” They never do. I never thought much about this until my friend, Tom, remarked that I was one of the few people he knew who actually did what they said they we going to do.

I’ve always taken it for granted that if I said I would do something, it meant that I intended to do it. Whether it’s providing an associate with a contact name, sending someone a book or simply making a telephone call, if you said you’d do it, then do it!

It’s easier to do what you say you’ll do than it is to come up with excuses later for why you did not follow through. If make a habit of following through on your promises, you will begin to notice a change in the way people respond to you. You will soon gain a reputation as being someone who is true to their word. A characteristic in short supply these days.

The fact that most people, for whatever reason, do not do as they say, makes you the unique one. People will remember your consistency and you will stand out from the crowd. The next time you offer to do something for someone, do it. Write the letter, make the call, send the card or book, visit people you say you will visit. Soon you will become one of those rare people who “walks their talk.”

When you come right down to it, your word is all you have. It’s what really matters in the clinches. People who have had major setbacks and even survived financial ruin, have found it easier to bounce back if they had a reputation for being true to their word.

Make it a part of your nature to do what you say you will. You will find it quite amazing how favorably people will react to you. People will tend to forgive and forget your so called failures providing you held true to yourword when the chips were down.

Sermon in 2 Timothy series. 2 Timothy 2:8-13

SEMPER FIDELIS

==============

I. There is something about Jarheads (Marines).

II. Consider the experience of Jesus.

A. Remember Jesus Christ.

B. Jesus was raised, and descended.

III. Consider the experience of Paul.

A. He focused on exalting Jesus, at a steep cost.

B. Paul endured the suffering because of others.

IV. Consider the experience of Christians.

A. If we die, we live.

B. If we endure, we reign.

C. If we disown him, we are disowned.

D. If we are faithless, he remains faithful.

V. Are you fidelis?

A. Real faith deals with the hard realities of life.

B. God's faithfulness will always trump ours.

Was marriage “equality” the real goal of the gay marriage movement? Or was it something else?

Both before and after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, some Christians argued that allowing same-sex couples to marry is not inconsistent with traditional Christian teaching on marriage.

At the heart of these arguments is the assertion that same-sex relationships are, to borrow a phrase from gay writer Andrew Sullivan, “virtually normal.” That is, same-sex relationships are, with one very obvious exception, not all that different from traditional marriages. Thus, just as the Supreme Court held that similarly-situated couples should be treated equally under law, similarly-situated couples should be treated equally in our churches.

The problem is that same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples are not nearly as alike as those making these arguments would have us believe.

This reality was amply demonstrated in a recent broadcast of “Weekend All Things Considered.” Host Arun Rath spoke to J. Bryan Lowder of Slate, who worried about the impact of the Court’s decision on gay culture.

By “gay culture,” Lowder wasn’t talking about a particular fashion sense and a fondness for Judy Garland. What he had in mind was the ability to “imagine different ways of being in romantic relationships and loving.” For some gays and lesbians, this “meant monogamous relationships that looked exactly like a married couple ... [without] the legal imprimatur of the state. But for other people, they had many different kinds of arrangements.” Emphasis on many.

Lowder was concerned about losing “some of that imagination that the gay community has had in the past to think about how to live in different ways and ... offer a critique to straight culture of how we can arrange our romantic lives.”

In other words, LGBT folks are just like straight folks except when they’re not. They want to be married like everyone else, except when they don’t want to be. They want to embrace bourgeois domesticity, except when they don’t and, instead, prefer to use their imagination, as he put it.

Lowder is hardly an outlier. Last year, in a Daily Beast article provocatively entitled “Were Christians Right About Gay Marriage All Along?” gay activist Jay Michaelson acknowledged that there “is some truth to the conservative claim that gay marriage is changing, not just expanding, marriage.”

Michaelson cited a 2013 study finding that “about half of gay marriages surveyed ... [are] not strictly monogamous.” He called this fact “well-known in the gay community,” adding that “we assume it’s more like three-quarters” that are not monogamous. They are, to cite a now-popular phrase, “monagam-ish.”

Michaelson admitted that his straight friends who believed that they “were fighting for marriage equality, not marriage redefinition,” felt “duped.” But he was unapologetic. In his words, “actual monogamy has never been an actual norm,” as opposed to an ideal.

Michaelson seems to think that because some men have been unfaithful, monogamy should not be an expectation of marriage. The vast majority of women, by the way, would undoubtedly disagree.

This brings to mind an exchange between Andrew Sullivan and conservative columnist Mona Charen more than 20 years ago. In response to Sullivan’s claim that marriage would domesticate gay men’s sex drives, Charen replied that marriage doesn’t domesticate men, women do.

This, my friends, is sexual complementarity in a pithy nutshell. The sexes are different, and each promises the other something different that will contribute to their union and the wellbeing of their offspring.

Frankly, Christians who support same-sex marriage have been had. The question is: Now that they know what’s really going on, will they change their minds?

________

Copyright (c) 2015 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.