Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.”     (Luke 23:11)

The phrase in that verse, “treated Him with contempt” literally means to make Him seem as if He were nothing; thus Herod unwittingly taught us a great lesson. Our attitudes toward others determine whether they appear to be something, or whether they appear to be nothing.

Parents can make a child that is really something appear to be practically nothing. Christians can hold an attitude toward other Christians that make them appear as nothing. Husbands and wives can cancel out each other’s positive potentials and traits.

Someone has said, “Act as if ______ and you will become.” That certainly seems to be true. Whatever we act as if the people around us are, that is what they tend to become. So, it behooves us to set about acting as if those closest to us are valuable people — unique, special somebodies. Likewise, we can see our fellow Christians as true, special souls of this world — called of and accepted by God.

Most of all, we need to view Jesus as Jesus, the Christ — the One who is all, the beginning and the end. May nothing in our attitude toward Him ever be guilty of making Him seem as if He were nothing.

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought
to pray and not lose heart.”         (Luke 18:1)

Any time, any place, wherever you set your heart toward God, you can commune with Him. Daniel prayed to God before an open window 3 times a day (Daniel 6:10). Moses met God in a burning bush on the backside of the desert that was his prayer room (Exodus 3:4-5). Peter met God upon a housetop; that was his prayer room (Acts 10:9). John met God on the Isle of Patmos. That was his place of prayer (Revelation 1:9).

These Bible examples show that you don’t have to have a specific place to pray and commune with God. Some people have a prayer room set aside in their homes. Others pray in their cars while driving back and forth to work (Don’t close your eyes!) Many people pray while doing household chores or yard work. Farmers pray on their tractors while moms pray at the sink.

It’s not so important where we pray, but it is important that we pray regularly. Jesus said we “always ought to pray.” A consistent prayer life is the key to a meaningful and close personal relationship with God. It makes your Christian life come alive.

How is your prayer life? Have your lines of communication with your Heavenly Father been on hold? Why don’t you call on Him today? He’s just waiting to hear from you! God never puts us on hold; His lines are always open!

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“And it came to pass . . .”     (Luke 2:1)

Depending on what’s happening at the time, when sometimes people ask me for my favorite scripture, I would quote the one above (just the beginning part and there are many verses throughout Scripture that start with that phrase; 68 verses, in fact).

Have you ever noticed that it always comes to pass, it never comes to stay? Torrie & Tina & I used to sing a song recorded by The Martins that said, “It didn’t come to stay, it came to pass…” No matter what you’re going through, it will pass. Bad times? Hold on, they will pass. This life is what Mark Lowry used to call “Boot Camp.” This is where we get to learn to walk by faith. The Bible says that without faith it’s impossible to please God. And when we get home to heaven, we won’t need faith anymore. Our “faith will become sight,” as Paul says. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

So, I guess if we’re going to pleas Him, it will have to be here, where we walk by faith. So remember, whatever you’re going through, it will pass!

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”     (Mark 4:39)

In the midst of the storm Jesus was found sleeping. Can anyone really say they sleep peacefully when their boat is rocking? I can’t; I have trouble sleeping when everything is fine, much less in the storms of life.

But I have found that the more I trust, the better I sleep. Peace is the gauge for us Christians to tell if we’re really trusting. We could make millions of dollars, but nothing can buy peace. Jesus wishes for us, His children, to live in peace. I don’t mean problem-free, but in peace while in the midst of the storm.

The reason Jesus slept was that He was tired. Are you tired? Then sleep in peace, knowing that the Master of the sea will awaken to your cries of faith and say “Peace be still” to whatever storm you are going through. The storms may not cease immediately, but you can know that He Himself is the peace in the midst of the storm.

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’”     (Matthew 25:32-34)

I had always interpreted this passage of Scripture to be the categorical singling out of some as sheep and others as goats: I’m good; you’re bad. I’m right; you’re wrong. I’m a sheep; you’re a goat.

But this is a passage where I submit a different thought for your consideration. These words of Christ were heard that day by Eastern-trained minds accustomed to Him speaking in allegorical terms in light of their culture. They weren’t just hearing words read as black ink on white paper.

But I think I have come to understand that in their minds, Jesus was talking about the sheep and the goat that coexist in all of us. At the same time, which one will win?
It’s that “new man” and “old man” nature, that good and evil thing that’s going on in all of us, and yet only one of us survives!

My prayer is that God will continue to give us the desire and hunger to search out the Scriptures in light of what He was saying versus what we think He was saying.

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life
for My sake will find it.”     (Matthew 16:25)

I believe in the principle of giving. I am convinced there is no more tangible way of living out our faith than living generously. I saw giving modeled so powerfully by my family growing up and at my age now (64) I am still drawing from their example every day.

My folks were not wealthy people. But whatever they had, they shared. They probably didn’t realize I was paying attention as a kid, but that way of life was too remarkable not to notice.

Not only do we give because there are so many needs around us, but also because there is no future in holding onto “stuff.” Learning to hold on loosely to the temporary things teaches us, as well as future generations, that our lives are not about what we own, but about what (or who) owns our hearts.

I don’t entirely understand how or why the principle of giving works, but living on less so we can give feels abundantly more prosperous than living on more and keeping it to ourselves! 2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us that God loves a cheerful giver. So, having His blessing is certain;y worth more than anything else we could possibly desire.

When we are willing to give everything we’ve got, it is amazing how content we become. And the more content we become, the more we give. It’s a win-win principle!

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and
hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who
curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you.”         (Matthew 5:43-44)

WOW! Those words are convicting! It sounds like Jesus wants us to love our enemies. And on top of that, we’re to “bless those who curse” us, and after that, “do good to those who hate” us. And after that fun-filled day, lay our heads on our pillows at night and “pray for those who spitefully use” us “and persecute” us.

Who said this? Jesus said that. Not Billy Graham. Not Mother Theresa. Not Martin Luther or John Calvin. JESUS said it! Our Savior. Our Leader. Our God. Jehovah wrapped in flesh spoke those words.

So. I guess we better give it a try. It will work. Jesus said to love our enemies!

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.”         (Ecclesiastes 7:1)

As I walked up to the table at the front of the church where the urn holding the ashes of my father, I saw the nameplate: Wesley A. Furman. It began to hit me. I couldn’t believe that the father I adored was no longer alive on this earth. But God began to impress the above scripture verse on my heart. And as I rolled the verse over in my mind, I began to realize all the things in my father’s death I could be thankful for.

I didn’t have to worry about where he was going to spend eternity. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was in heaven. He had been a wonderful Christian husband, father, and grandfather; a wonderful role model for me to emulate how to love my wife and be a great husband. When people gathered for his funeral service, there was no need to worry about the way he lived his life. He had lived his life being a good man with a good name. He had given his life and his talents to the Lord and had served the Lord with all of it.

I really understood at that moment, that he came into this world with nothing, but he left this world, leaving for us a wonderful, Christian heritage — an example of service to the Lord and his precious good name. What more could I ask for in a father?
The day of his death was better than the day of his birth! I’m so thankful for that.

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.”
(Proverbs 29:23)

When I was a kid, I remember learning to ride my bike without training wheels. I remember the fear of sudden pain and the worry of having huge scabs on my knees and elbows. But my dad kept telling me, “I’m right with you. I won’t let you fall.” I trusted him and he kept me from falling many times until I got the hang of riding on two wheels. One day, I remember being able to do it on my own! It felt so good to be able to ride without help from my dad.

But then, it happened! What I feared most. The big crash! Guess what caused the big crash. A rock? Another bike? No, my pride caused the big crash. I got cocky and arrogant. I was riding with no hands trying to show off for the girls who lived on our street. It was a painful lesson to learn.

The thing is, I’ve had to learn this lesson more than once. I’ve learned that when I pedal on ahead of God in my life and take my eyes off the path that He has for me — that’s when I get into trouble. When I start trying to show the onlookers what I can do on my own — that is when I always crash. As a loving Father, God is always there to pick me up, but what He wants for me is the maturity to do what His Word has taught me with humility and purpose and focus, always confident, not in my performance, but in His presence.

Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again,
but the wicked shall fall by calamity.”  (Proverbs 24:16)

I recently read a story about a small town in Maine that was going to be submerged under water due to a power plant project. They were going to make a man-made lake. The people of the town were given many months to arrange their affairs and relocate. During those months, a curious thing happened. All improvements stopped. No painting was done. No repairs were made on the buildings, roads, or sidewalks. And so, a long time before the waters came, the town looked totally uncared for and abandoned, even though the people had not yet moved away. One citizen explained, “Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.” That town was cursed with hopelessness because it had no future. But, unlike the town, every citizen of that town could experience a new beginning.

Many heroes of Scripture needed new beginnings in their lives: Adam and Eve after they ate the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3; Moses after he killed the Egyptian in Exodus 2:12; David after his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11; Elijah after an emotional breakdown in the desert in 1 Kings 19; Even the disciples after Good Friday in Matthew 26. Maybe YOU need a new beginning.

Through the experiences of life, God shows us that the things of earth are only temporary, but our relationships with each other and with God are eternal. God will always prove to be faithful even when we have to start over. As children of God, our faith for the future is not in economic and political systems, but in the kingdom of God!