Mark marks the Spiritual Spot … a lesson in servant-hood and sacrifice

It had been a great week in Crown Point, Indiana taking care of our grandson, Hudson but it was time to head on back to Nashville in time to rest a few hours before Sunday’s responsibilities.  So, Julie and I headed back to Nashville on Saturday around 3 PM.  Expecting to arrive home around 9 PM and have time enough to prepare for the Sabbath.

But, God had another plan and a huge reminder for us both.  About 2 hours down the road just north of Indianapolis our car broke down.  Traveling South on I-65 just cruising along all of the sudden the motor just quits.  I immediately put the car in neutral and made several attempt to crank up the engine to no avail.  Coasting now, slower and slower I headed towards the next exit praying that we could make it off of the interstate and its dangers.  Coasting up the exit ramp (uphill) our car just made it to the top … without another turn of the wheel left … caught a downhill turn to the right and coasted all the way to a truck stop at that exit.  WOW … what a miracle to go that far and be at a place where we could get some help.  Nothing is worse than being on the side of the road and not knowing where you are or how to get help.

Anyway, working through a number of scenarios I called Dustin (our son who lives in Crown Point) and let him know what had happened.  He tells his choir about our situation (they have a Saturday night service) and the piano player tells her husband – Mark.  Mark finds Dustin and tells him he’d be glad to drive down to Indy and pick up our car, bring it back to Crown Point to repair it and leave us his Suburban so that we could get back to Nashville so I could be in the pulpit Sunday morning.  After much debate, Julie and I agreed on Mark’s offer … little did he know of the events to follow on this night.

Two hours later Mark and Stephen pull up to the truck stop where we were waiting and proceeded to load up the mustang. He told us to take the suburban on to Nashville.  Off we went.  Traveling to Nashville we got about 3 hours down the road and what happened…. just South of Louisville the suburban broke down.  It’s about midnight and we are on the side of the interstate (I-65) completely baffled at our circumstances.  Not only has our car broken down but now a car we borrowed broke down as well. Ok, what are the odds of this happening?  We later found out that both cars needed a fuel pump … so now we have two cars within hours of each other breaking down with the same problem.  What are the odds of that?

Sitting on the side of the interstate I called Mark.  Mark, you won’t believe what has happened … the suburban has broken down … no really it has … Mark’s immediate response was — I’M COMING! What, no way.  We can get the car towed to a safe place and get a hotel room and talk about what to do tomorrow.  Mark said, no I’M COMING! Without any hesitation, it was settled.  Now remember he has just arrived back to Crown Point.  He has driven 2 hours to pick up our car … driven 2 hours back to Crown Point … and now is immediately coming to us 3 hours away.  Mark said I’M COMING … he told me to get a place to stay and he’d fix the car over night and have it ready for us to drive home on Sunday morning.

The next morning I get up and Mark is calling me.  It’s 8 AM.  He has picked up two friends, driven to Louisville, KY, found where the suburban is located, towed it to a Dollar General parking lot and replaced the alternator, battery, and the fuel pump in the parking lot and has it ready for me to pick up. Amazing!  While I was sleeping at a friend’s home he was traveling, fixing, working, and now ready to drive back 3 hours just in time to pick up a group of students at church and drive them to camp!  What … yes it’s true.  When Mark got back to Crown Point he immediately left with a bus load of students to take them to camp.

As I reflected over this event it continues to amaze me, concerning the servant heart and sacrificial lifestyle of Mark.  He does not even know me. We’ve only met very briefly a year ago when I had the joy of preaching in his church.  He knew my son, Dustin.  Dustin is the worship director at Mark’s church … Bethel Church.  Because Mark knew the son he dropped everything to come along side the father.

Is there a spiritual correlation? I began to think.  Because I know the SON I should have the same kind of servant spirit to come along side the Father to see how I might help. Honestly if I’d been Mark … I probably would have tried to think of another way to help.  Ok, help once but now at midnight … help again?  Without hesitation Mark did … would I? Conviction came over me for sure.

BOTTOM LINE: Father I need to have more of a servant spirit like Mark.  Because I know the Son I should be willing in a moments notice to drop what I’m doing to be apart of what the Father needs!

Thank you Mark for reminding this Pastor that Biblical maturity shows up in servant-hood and sacrifice.

Does my Giving reflect the condition of my Heart?

This Sunday will be a great day at Hermitage Hills.  We conclude our journey together through 40 Days of Community.  We’ve grown closer to God and we’ve grown closer together … but just as important we’ve grown closer to people who are far from God in our community.  Just about every small group has joined together to reach out in love to someone in need or to show God’s love in some tangible way.

Here of some of the projects that has taken place in the last 40 Days …

1. McKendree residents have received personal calls and visits from a group that want these wonderful people to know that they are not forgotten and that they are loved by God and His church.

2.  Widows in our fellowship have received meals and visits to get to know them better and to show them how much their church appreciates them and their years of service to our fellowship.

3. Homebound members have received cards and visits from one group to let them know how important they are to the Heavenly Father and to our fellowship.

4.  One family received a trip of a life time.  It is a dream that Marty thought would never happen in his life time. His small group worked TOGETHER and God moved.  He and his entire family had a weekend to remember as they celebrated God’s goodness and were blessed beyond measure.

5.  Our adult group home is receiving brand new beds for every lady.  They were absolutely amazed as two small groups partnered together when they heard of this need. You should have seen the huge smiles on their faces … their hearts were filled with gratitude as the body met their need TOGETHER.

6.  Another group took upon themselves to volunteer in ETC … each one taking their turn teaching and watching preschoolers during the morning worship services.

7.  The FaithRiders group has adopted military families who have loved ones in Iraq.  These families will receive love, attention and materials that they need in a day that is difficult at best for them.

8.  The Parents of Teenagers class surprised the church staff with a special lunch on Tuesday … chili with all the fixin’s … it was a great time of fellowship and the generosity by those who cooked and prepared was greatly appreciated.  Thanks to this class for being a Biblical Community and loving your staff with such a great expression of appreciation.

WOW … as a pastor I am amazed … it’s true we do Life Better TOGETHER.  When our hearts are pure before God and we are walking in a manner worthy of the call in which we have been called, we GIVE.  It is a natural by product of a life filled with His Spirit … God is a GIVING God … He gave His Son … He gave us Life … giving is what God is all about!

So, when my heart is in tune with His Spirit then I GIVE.  I give my TIME … I give my TALENTS … and I give my TITHE.

This Lord’s Day, give yourself afresh and anew to Jesus. Give a friend, relative, or co-worker an opportunity to hear about your Jesus by bringing them to your small group and worship service. Finally, give your Tithe and Offering as an act of worship from a heart that stands in obedience to God’s Word.

Giving with you as our hearts are pure before God,

Pastor Rouse

Can a Believer be Selfish?

This was a great question that was asked a couple weeks ago at our Mt. Juliet Campus.  On this campus, at the end of the service we have a Question & Answer time.  You can text your question to a number during the message and it will be answered during the Question & Answer time.

Two weeks ago the message was entitled:  How do we Destroy or Build Up Relationships?  The first point talked about how Selfishness destroys relationships but Selflessness Builds them Up.  What about the person who is going through a very difficult time in life and everything seems to be falling apart?  Or they seem to be in a state of confusion.  Is it Biblically wrong to turn ones attention to the immediate personal need or is that being selfish?

Great question!  The Bible tells us to deny ourselves, to see everyone else as more important than ourselves and to seek the betterment of others around us.  Yes, these are all true.  But I don’t think that it means we can never look inward.  In fact, I don’t know how a believer is going to successfully grow spiritually without times of looking inward to see the heart and to see God’s activity.  I would not call that selfishness.  I would see this as an opportunity for the believer to ask the Lord, What are you trying to teach me?”.   That is allowing the Holy Spirit to be the great teacher in your life and that is not being selfish.

A word of warning, selfishness comes naturally to every person.  We are born into sin and because of that we all have a natural longing to be selfish.  We live in a selfish world.  We are bombarded with selfish ads, television commercials and etc.  So, let’s be careful and allow the difficult times to be a learning experience in our lives and not allow them to become your life.

Can a believer be Biblically Selfish?  No, as we understand selfishness.  So, let’s deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Christ.

Got a question? Text me this week at the Mt. Juliet campus worship service and I’ll give it my best shot.  To learn more about our Mt. Juliet Campus go to http://www.hhbconline.com/aboutus/mtjuliet.ph.