Sometimes a little walk can clear your head. Before you go listen to the new weekly Stonebridge Podcast. I call this one New Perspective.
/
RSS Feed
You Don’t Have to Know the Way Home
Last night we gathered for a communion service in the evening. I preached on what to do about unanswered questions. I showed the people that God often conceals things from us for a time. He doesn’t always tell us what He is doing. He doesn’t always tell us where He is leading us. He doesn’t always tell us how to do what we are called to do. He doesn’t always tell us why He does what he does. He doesn’t always tell us when things will change.
I taught them that the best way to deal with the things we don’t know is to think about what and who we do know. During times of doubt or uncertainty the best thing to do is remember that God’s word can be trusted, God’s plans for his children are good, God finishes what he starts, and someday all that is unknown will be known by those who know the Lord.
I taught them that the answer to what we don’t know is a deeper knowing of God who knows all things. God wants us to search out a matter and to learn his ways, but when we have pockets of unknowing, nagging uncertainties, we do not need to despair.
We don’t need to know all the answers
if we know the Omniscient, all knowing God.
We don’t need to know how
if we know the Omnipotent, all powerful God.
We don’t need to know where
if we know the Omnipresent, everywhere present God.
We don’t need to be a slave to trends
if we know an Immutable, unchanging God.
We don’t need to know the future
if we know the Alpha and Omega…
We don’t need to know when or how or why
if we know Who.
After communion I told them this little story. I don’t know the source of it, but it has been a comfort to me for years:
Once a little boy was taking a walk with his grandfather on his farm. It was toward evening and the sun was low in the sky. They walked a long way that evening.
Suddenly the little fellow said, “Grandpa, I want to go home.”
“Why, son. Aren’t you enjoying the walk?”
“Yes, but I want to go home now.”
“Why,” his grandfather repeated.
“I’m scared.”
“Why are you scared?”
“I’m scared because I don’t know the way home.”
The grandfather knelt on one knee in front of the little boy and took his face gently in his hands.
“Son,” he said, “As long as you are with me you don’t need to know the way home. All you have to do is take my hand. I know the way home.”
Later this week check www.evangelbaptist.com for a podcast of the message.
Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
July 8, 2104
Things Dad Didn’t Teach Us
When I was a boy we lived in Ohio and I was a Cincinnati Reds fan. A family in the church treated us to a Reds game at Riverfront Stadium on the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was an unusual treat for all of us. My sister Melony would have been in High School. I was in Jr. High. That means my brother Kevin must have been about seven.
At the game our host bought us all some peanuts in the shell. Soon there was laughter from down the row. We looked down to see Kevin, my seven-year-old brother eating the peanuts—without shelling them. He had never had them before and he didn’t notice that other we removing them from the shell before eating them. We all had a good laugh at his expense and taught him how to shell the peanuts before he ate them.
When we returned home we told the story to Dad. He reaction was different then ours. He began to cry. “I’ve never taken my son to a baseball game. I’ve never bought him peanuts in the shell. He didn’t even know how to eat them.” For some reason Dad felt he had neglected his training.
The other day Hope and I were with friends at Comerica Park enjoying a Detroit Tigers game. I was explaining the game of baseball to her and I got to thinking about all the things my Dad taught my brothers and my sister and I while he was neglecting teaching us how to eat peanuts-in-the-shell.
-
He taught us to work hard
He taught us to be honest
He taught us to tell the truth
He taught us to rise early and deliver papers, rain, shine, cold or heat
He taught us to take initiative to shovel walks and mow laws and sell things door-to-door.
He taught us to be tenderhearted with others
He taught us to notice the needs of others around us
He taught us the books of the Bible
He taught us memorize Scripture
He taught us theology
He taught us to throw and catch baseball
He taught us to play football in the back yard with the family
He taught us patriotism
He taught us educate and civility
He taught us respect for the flag and the love of our country
He taught us to change tires and change oil
He taught us to tie a tie and lead singing and explain the gospel.
He taught us to be a gentleman
He taught us to treat older people with dignity and younger people with patience and interest.
He taught us to mow the lawn and clean the garage
He taught us to talk and live clean
I could go on for pages simply listing the things that Dad was there to teach us, but somehow he neglected to teach my little brother how to eat peanuts in the shell.
Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
July 4, 2014
True Worship; Story Podcast #8
Subscribe to the Ken Pierpont Storytelling Podcast
Storytelling Podcast RSS Feed
Storytelling Podcast in iTunes
/
RSS Feed
Smiling in the Storm
In the home of my youth we had a warm tradition. Back in the 1940’s a traveling evangelist names Sykes wrote a children’s chorus. It was based on a simple couplet lifted from a hymn by John Newton. Newton was a sailor before is was converted. It’s sort of a sailing song. I don’t know where my parents first learned it but they taught it to us and it is an enduring memory.
We only sang the song when the mood was right. I don’t ever remember singing the song at church. It was a song we sang as a family when things were hard and dark storms blew into our lives. When we had received bad news or some difficulty was hanging over our heads someone would start the song. When we were feeling the weight of a set-back or difficulty we would sing the song. Sometimes when we were just wrestling with a bad mood over some irritation or hardship we would sing the song. No one would ever announce the song. After we had joined hands to pray around the table Mom or Dad would just begin to sing and everyone else would join in.
Sometimes we would sing joyfully and willingly. Sometimes we would sing choking back tears. Sometimes some of us could not sing until the second time through. By the time we had sung the little chorus a couple times we would pray… The happy little song would take the edge off our pain and point us to Christ, the Master of the Sea, who can calm the most violent storm with a simple command.
The chorus went like this:
With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm
Smile at the storm, Smile at the storm.
With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm
As we go sailing home.Sailing, Sailing home.
Sailing, Sailing home.
With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm
As we go sailing home.
By the time we reached the little chorus usually the family would break into two or three parts and and end in smiling harmony.
Next time life takes a hard turn—join hands and sing that little chorus a few times. Jesus is the King and the Creator of the waves and winds of the sky and sea. If He is in your vessel, you are safe no matter how dark the night—no matter how threatening the storm. He can calm the storm or deliver you safe.
Is Christ in your vessel?
Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
June 24, 2014
Please Listen to This
This morning my little brother Kevin pointed me to this meaningful interview with Pastor John Piper. This is worth its time. “The world does not need more
Here is a link to the podcast interview.
Here is the link to an article based on the interview.
Recent Comments