How God Used a Lost Calf to Teach Me About Evangelism

Last week, one of my calves escaped its pen. This calf was a very large red and white calf. Calves like that are very valuable these days. After his morning feeding he had pushed his door open and vanished into thin air. When I came back to the barn, he was no where to be seen. Normally calves stay around the barn when they escape. But not this time. All day as I did my work, I looked for the calf. I looked in all the tall grass. I looked through out the cow barn. I searched on foot and on the gator. Nothing! I was beginning to think someone stole the calf. I fretted over the disappearance of this calf. I had looked everywhere and now there was no more places to look.The work day was ending soon. I went out to feed the calves. As I looked about again for the calf, I saw a red and white calf off in the distance. As I ran closer I realized it was our lost calf. It must have walked out to the heifers out on pasture and then hid in the grass somewhere out in the field. As feeding time come around, it decided to try find that funny creature that gives it milk. The calf happily followed me back to its bottle and to its pen. Finding the calf was a huge relief. It brought me great joy to find this calf. I ran to tell my wife so she could rejoice with me.

While I was searching for the calf and later when I had found it, the parable of the lost sheep kept running though my mind. I understood that parable in a new way that day and it taught me a lesson. The parable is found in Luke 15:1-7. Jesus wanted to teach the Pharisees that God  joyfully seeks and saves sinners. The story Jesus tells is like this: A shepherd has lost one sheep from his flock of one hundred. So he goes out to look for the one sheep. When he finds the lost sheep, he takes it home rejoicing. Then he has a party with friends and neighbors to celebrate the finding of the sheep. So it is in heaven when one sinner repents. The angels rejoice. God rejoices. The question is: Do we rejoice when sinners repent? Do we share the same joy that God has in the salvation of sinners? Since people will not seek God, God seeks sinners. It brings Him great joy to bring one home. Do we seek sinners? Do we reach out to them with the good news of salvation? Do we struggle and sacrifice to tell others of the riches of God's grace.
   
Evangelism is one of the main reasons God has left His people on this earth. He uses His people to bring the light of the gospel to the dark world. Do we as individuals and churches realize how important this is. Often the church gets distracted by other issues. These may be good and right, but they end up taking people away from the simple task of reaching the lost with the gospel and teaching the gospel to those who believe. People spend more time, energy, money, and effort on these side issues rather than on evangelism. These things could be saving children from poverty, political activism, ending abortion, and feeding the hungry and homeless. These are good pursuits, but when they eclipse our passion for reaching the lost with the gospel, then they need to be put into their proper place. Let us share in God's joy by seeking the lost with the gospel. Let us pray sinners will repent and believe. Then we who are on earth can celebrate with those in heaven over the salvation of a sinner.

Brad

The Blessing of Trials

'Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.'
-James 1:2-3

Trials.

Most of us do not like trials.

We'd much rather avoid trials.

But each one of us endures trials.

And, it is often through our trials that we grow.

We grow in faith. We grow in patience. We grow in humility. We grow in love.

 

When a loved one dies, when we suffer from illness or pain, when we suffer emotionally, when we are persecuted.

Even in the smaller trials of every day life.

The battles that we need to fight with our children.

The battles that we fight against our own sinful selves.

The battles we fight when dealing with conflict.

 

They all teach us.

They may teach us to throw ourselves more fully on Christ.

They may teach us to be long-suffering or patient.

They may teach us to be content in all situations.

They may teach us forgiveness.

They may teach us that we have lingering sin that needs to be addressed.

 

So when we are faced with trials, we may rejoice in our suffering.

We may count ourselves blessed.

And, we may give glory to God as we look to Him for patient endurance.

We can say with Job, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)

~fenna

 

 

 



Christian Education is a Gift

Yesterday we went to a homeschool conference which reminded me that schooling our children as we wish is a great blessing from God. Whether we send our kids to a Christian school or homeschool, we should be thankful to the Lord for this freedom. The freedom to choose how we educate our children is not a given. In many countries everyone must send their children to the public school. The schools are thoroughly atheistic and worldly. There are no other options. In some places, the children of Christians are not even allowed to go to the public school. In some countries, the schools are only Muslim schools. Even when there is the freedom to choose, people may be too poor to afford Christian schooling or unable to access materials for schooling. This is the reality for many Christians. Yet even in such circumstances, God continues to build His church. Christian schooling is not something God needs to accomplish His plans for the church. God never promises that we will have that freedom. But when God gives us the blessing to be able to choose and afford Christian schooling for our children, we should be ever so thankful for that gift.
  In Canada our freedom to choose Christian education will disappear. It is only a matter of time. There is only one thing that can reverse the trend we see in our culture. That one thing is a reformation of the churches in Canada and a revival through-out our country. But unless that happens, the government will take away more and more of our freedoms. And one of the first to go will be the freedom to give a Christian education to our children. A darkness grows and thickens over our country. Men go from bad to worse. We see Romans 1:18-32 being played out before our very eyes. Who knows how long it will take before we are forced to send our children to  public schools? Who knows how long before persecution will become common place and government sanctioned? Even though by law we have the freedom to Christian education, bad men can change good laws. How should we respond to this?
   Let us use our freedom to educate our children now. We must use the time we have to educate them wisely. We must not be lazy or half-hearted. God has given us this freedom; with the gift comes the responsibility to use it faithfully. Let us prepare our children well so that they will have the tools to be able to stand in difficult times. We need to do what we can to train our children to be great Christian warriors. We can't give them salvation, but we can and must teach them diligently from the scriptures. Our time of freedom is short; let us work hard while we can. Lastly, let us be thankful. Let us praise God for the gift to educate our children. Every day we can send our children to a Christian school or homeschool, is a day to praise and thank the Lord.

-Brad-

With Thanksgiving

 

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:4-7

 

It is so easy to be anxious--to not think on the fact that God is our ever present help. He is the one through whom we can give grace and love to our children. There are many days where, as I'm struggling with impatience, frustration, and selfishness that I'm just breathing out prayers to God to give me strength--to give me the grace that I need. But, as the text says we're to make our requests through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Even in the difficult moments. Even when you can get nothing done because your child is clinging to you and whining because he or she is not feeling well. Even when you're trying to potty train and the puddles keep appearing--right after you've put him or her on the toilet and they 'were done.' Even when your child shows a lazy, rebellious attitude. Let us make those requests but let us also give thanks in those situations--that they are opportunities to serve. Opportunities to show love and grace. Opportunities to disciple a child and point them to Christ.

 

~fenna