The Impact of a Life

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

It has been a long time since I heard Dr. Dobson on the radio, but when I heard the news of his passing, I paused to remember all the blessings his life and ministry gave us. Thirty years ago, I often listened on my truck radio while I worked long hours, trimming apples trees in the fields, or driving home at lunch time. His interviews with such a wide-ranging group of guests impacted not only my own life, but also how Nancy and I raised our boys, and helped us make decisions that changed the course of our marriage. I am thankful for Dr. Dobson’s humility, integrity and courage to speak the truth in love. Year after year, decade after decade, Jim Dobson stuck to his guns. When issues arose or mistakes were made by those at Focus on the Family, he gave us an honest answer, without pretense. I am also thankful for the example Jim Dobson set as he promoted not only his own career but also that of others, launching ministries for men, women, children, the disabled, the elderly and so many more. So today, let’s not place Jim on a pedestal, or enshrine him in a hall of fame, but recall with thankfulness the passing of a brother who dedicated his life to Jesus Christ and remained faithful in what God called him to do till the very end. Oh, the world has changed so much over the last 40-50 years, but it is still a world that God loves and no matter how far from Him they run, He has commissioned us, to run after them with the love and message of Jesus Christ. I am posting this interview done with CBN back in 2018, as I believe it epitomizes the best way we can do that. May God bless the Dobson family during this time and may the debate over the life and ministry of Dr. Dobson be respectful and kind. We must have a faith in Christ that is unwavering in its courage, but in its outreach show respect for others and malice towards none.

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Washed in the Blood

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 ESV

When I first became a Christian, the old HYMN “Are You washed in the Blood?” was popular in our church. it soon became my favorite because it was lively and easy to sing, and it expressed the joy I had in my newfound life. It is strange to think of blood washing something, because blood stains are some of the hardest to remove. But God doesn’t do things according to our way of thinking. In His plan, the blood of Jesus Christ is the perfect cleansing solution for the sin stains on our hearts. But how does it work? How can the blood of Jesus wash away my sin? Today’s verse explains that we have to begin by walking in the light. In other words, we must be honest with God. We need to come to God without pretending and confess our sins to Him. He knows the truth anyway and sent Jesus to die so that we could be forgiven. Secondly, we learn that when we are honest with God, we can begin to walk with Him. Since God always tells us the truth, if we will tell Him the truth, we begin our new journey with Him. Last of all the Bible tells us that walking with God means more than just trying to keep up with him like a toddler rushing after His parent. It means having fellowship with Jesus Christ. He is the one whose blood washed away our sin because He wanted us as His children and friends forever. Since we have His promise that He wants to have a relationship with Him, what are we waiting for? One year as we drove through rural South Carolina we noticed a sign on a small church with a great question:

“Mosquitoes know there is power in the blood. Do you?”

Who Are You Going To Trust?

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 ESV

Even some of my American friends may not know that here in the United States our national motto is “In God We Trust.” Ironically, this motto appears, neither on our flag, nor in our constitution but on our money, and was introduced not at the height of our prosperity, but during the darkest days of our Civil War. It came about in response to a letter from a Reverend Watkinson appealing to the Treasury Secretary, that we as a nation needed to publicly acknowledge God if we were to receive His help. Though the letter was sent in 1861, it took three years to be instituted. Finally in 1864, when, despite the many victories of the Northern States, the painful reality was that both sides were suffering devastation, death and tragedy on a scale never seen before in our history. Then, just when our hopes were at their lowest “In God We Trust” was introduced on the 2-cent piece. This national decision at that pivotal time, should be a wake-up call for us in the midst of social upheaval, violence, and division. We need to realize that we will never be blessed as “One nation under God” until we remember that our trust in God must not be a bold boast, but a cry to Him for help. Today’s verse reminds us that our greatest hope is not in victory, nor in success, but in the promise that our God will hear our cry. He is our hope this morning and for every morning. Whatever our disappointment; Whatever our despair; whatever our weakness: God has promised to hear us, to come to us and to comfort us, if we put our trust in Him. Of course, that doesn’t imply that everything in our lives will wonderful when we trust God, but that whatever we face, He has promised to be right by our side because we belong to Him!

“We cannot always trace God's hand, but we can always trust God's heart.”
Charles Spurgeon
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