Devotions with Pastor Jerry

Dear Church Family: 

Colossians 3:1-2  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
 
As a young boy I challenged myself to climb every tree that looked to be unclimbable, to climb the antenna pole on the side of the house to reach the top of the two story house, and to scale the inside walls of every farm building to reach the rafters. But my greatest challenge was always how to climb a 50 foot high barn roof with its multiple slopes and cupolas at the very top. One side of barn was built into a hill so the roof was only 5 feet above the ground. But it still remained just how to get up that extremely steep roof. One day I took the challenge. Realizing there was a lightning arrester cable up the very edge of the roof to the top and with slick wooden shingles I bared my feet, grabbed the cable and slowly hand over hand, step by step pulled myself all the way to the top. SUCCESS! The view was great, just sitting there, feeling the breeze blow and gazing across the farm landscape. 
 
Sometimes our life challenges may seem to be a seat of the pants experience.  God challenges us to test him, to try his word, to prove him seeking those things above.  If you’re not satisfied with your current actions, the solution is change your mind; as David expressed in the Psalm “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart”.
 
Climbing trees, I learned to test each limb before I placed my full weight on it. Likewise, test each thing you do against Gods word to prove Him. Romans 12:2  “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. 

We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it, to be in control. However, you are not in control no matter what you think.  The choice is up to you; follow Jesus or follow Satan and the ways of the world.  Remember that delayed obedience is still disobedience.  My roof top experience, though it gave me a better view, could not compare to the perspective of how big God’s creation is. The closer I got to the roof top, the greater the vision. The closer we get to Christ, the greater our vision and perspective of Him as well as our looking back brings understanding.
 
Ponder this question: How is God challenging you and how will you respond?
 
THE REST OF THE STORY:  Now, how to get down off that roof? Using the cable I came up was not an option and the other side of the barn roof was a 15 to 20 foot drop to the ground.  So, simple solution, the side I came up being only a 5 foot drop to the ground at the bottom of the roof, I would just sit down and slide down the roof on the seat of my pants.  Sounded like a plan, only thing was once I committed, the slide picked up speed, the seat of my pants and bare feet got really hot and oh by the way, wooden shingles are nailed on with little tiny little shingle nails, some of which were sticking up, managing to ventilate the seat of my pants.  Now you know the rest of the story. 
 
James 1:22 should challenge each of us “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”.
May God Bless you as you keep seeking those things above!

Pastor Jerry

Photo by Frances Gunn on Unsplash