"When You Pass Through The Waters"

"When You Pass Through the Waters" - The Greatest Flood in Louisiana in 500 Years"

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; The Lord sits enthroned as king forever."  
(Psalm 29:10) 

Greetings to all of our brothers and sisters in Baton Rouge and throughout our beloved state!  And greetings to all of you in other states!  And greetings to those of you who live in other countries from East to West!  We greatly appreciate every prayer that you have offered up for us Louisianians!  

How I wish that all of you who live in other places could come here and see our Louisianians.  Our people shine brighter and brighter in the midst of any storms and floods!  In the mid-afternoon of last Wednesday, August 17th, our son Jim, who is an 8th generation Louisianian, captured the feelings of our family and all of us here in our dear Louisiana:  

            48 hours ago the streets were flooded with deep waters. Today they're just as flooded by cars             and people helping friends and family and even strangers and acquaintances put their lives                 back together.

The Cajun Navy was just the beginning of a flood of Louisianians helping one another. Even now there are people looking for those who are still stranded in homes that are under water. And thousands of volunteers are helping the many thousands who are stranded in shelters . Everyone here is affected. Everyone's loss is shared.

I've never been prouder to be from this town and this state. 

I could not agree more, Jim.  I also have "never been prouder!"  It’s great to be a Louisianian!  

SHELTER WORSHIP SERVICES AT THE REQUEST OF GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS:  Last Sunday, at the Governor’s request, an interdenominational, inter-racial team of clergymen conducted worship services at three of the shelters for our flood victims.  I was asked to preach the sermon at each of the services.

The liturgy, which was chosen by the team of clergy, included the passages for that Lord’s Day from the Revised Common Lectionary:  Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, and Luke 13:10-17.  Therefore, my message includes thoughts from all three of these passages.  However, at the end of the message, I added Isaiah 43:1-3a, a passage of Scripture that offers special words of hope for our our flood victims.  Included in that text are these words:

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

And when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

I am including a pre-recording of my message, which is entitled, "When You Pass Through the Waters."  It is very brief – only slightly over 10 minutes.  Would you please pass it along to others for whom you believe it might be a source of encouragment?  

"When You Pass Through the Waters" - The Greatest Flood in Louisiana in 500 Years

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

The Lord sits enthroned as king forever. 
(Psalm 29:10)

Greetings to all of our brothers and sisters in Baton Rouge and throughout our beloved state!  And greetings to all of you in other states!  And greetings to those of you who live in other countries from East to West!  We greatly appreciate every prayer that you have offered up for us Louisianians!  

How I wish that all of you who live in other places could come here and see our Louisianians.  Our people shine brighter and brighter in the midst of any storms and floods!  In the mid-afternoon of last Wednesday, August 17th, our son Jim, who is an 8th generation Louisianian, captured the feelings of our family and of all us here in our dear Louisiana:

48 hours ago the streets were flooded with deep waters. Today they're just as flooded by cars and people helping friends and family and even strangers and acquaintances put their lives back together.

The Cajun Navy was just the beginning of a flood of Louisianians helping one another. Even now there are people looking for those who are still stranded in homes that are under water. And thousands of volunteers are helping the many thousands who are stranded in shelters . Everyone here is affected. Everyone's loss is shared.

I've never been prouder to be from this town and this state. 

I could not agree more, Jim.  I also have "never been prouder!"  It’s great to be a Louisianian!  

SHELTER WORSHIP SERVICES AT THE REQUEST OF GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS:  Last Sunday, at the Governor’s request, an interdenominational, inter-racial team of clergymen conducted worship services at three of the shelters for our flood victims.  I was asked to preach the sermon at each of the services.

The liturgy, which was chosen by the team of clergy, included the passages for that Lord’s Day from the Revised Common Lectionary:  Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, and Luke 13:10-17.  Therefore, my message includes thoughts from all three of these passages.  However, at the end of the message, I added Isaiah 43:1-3a, a passage of Scripture that offers special words of hope for our our flood victims.  Included in that text are these words:

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

And when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

I am including a pre-recording of my message, which is entitled, "When You Pass Through the Waters."  It is very brief – only slightly over 10 minutes.  Would you please pass it along to others for whom you believe it might be a source of encouragment?  

"When You Pass Through the Waters" - The Greatest Flood in Louisiana in 500 Years

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

The Lord sits enthroned as king forever. 
(Psalm 29:10)

Greetings to all of our brothers and sisters in Baton Rouge and throughout our beloved state!  

And greetings to all of you in other states!  And greetings to those of you who live in other countries from East to West!  We greatly appreciate every prayer that you have offered up for us Louisianians!  

How I wish that all of you who live in other places could come here and see our Louisianians.  Our people shine brighter and brighter in the midst of any storms and floods!  In the mid-afternoon of last Wednesday, August 17th, our son Jim, who is an 8th generation Louisianian, captured the feelings of our family and of all us here in our dear Louisiana:

48 hours ago the streets were flooded with deep waters. Today they're just as flooded by cars and people helping friends and family and even strangers and acquaintances put their lives back together.

The Cajun Navy was just the beginning of a flood of Louisianians helping one another. Even now there are people looking for those who are still stranded in homes that are under water. And thousands of volunteers are helping the many thousands who are stranded in shelters . Everyone here is affected. Everyone's loss is shared.

I've never been prouder to be from this town and this state. 

I could not agree more, Jim.  I also have "never been prouder!"  It’s great to be a Louisianian!  

SHELTER WORSHIP SERVICES AT THE REQUEST OF GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS:  Last Sunday, at the Governor’s request, an interdenominational, inter-racial team of clergymen conducted worship services at three of the shelters for our flood victims.  I was asked to preach the sermon at each of the services.

The liturgy, which was chosen by the team of clergy, included the passages for that Lord’s Day from the Revised Common Lectionary:  Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, and Luke 13:10-17.  Therefore, my message includes thoughts from all three of these passages.  However, at the end of the message, I added Isaiah 43:1-3a, a passage of Scripture that offers special words of hope for our our flood victims.  Included in that text are these words:

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

And when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

I am including a pre-recording of my message, which is entitled, "When You Pass Through the Waters."  It is very brief – only slightly over 10 minutes.  Would you please pass it along to others for whom you believe it might be a source of encouragment?  

What Profit Will You Bring to Your Master? (Matthew 25:14-30)

Dear friends, 

In chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel, we hear our Lord using three parables to communicate certain truths about the Kingdom of God, the Day of His appearing, and the judgment that we will all face on that Day.  In the Parable of Ten Virgins, He is speaking about the problem of being unprepared.  In the “Parable of the Sheep and the Goats,” He is issuing a warning that we must not be found among those who have been unconcerned about the “least of these.” And here in the “Parable of the Talents,” our Master is telling us not to be lazy, excuse-making servants whom He will declare to be unfaithful.   And what is the primary point that our Lord is making in this parable?  On the day of His appearing, He, your Master, expects you, His purchased servant, to present kingdom profit from the gifts He has entrusted to you.  Let’s walk together through the “Parable of the Talents.” 

The master went on a journey and entrusted some “talents,” i.e., part of his wealth, to three of his servants, “each according to his own ability.”  Here our Lord is pointing to His bodily Ascension when He returned to heaven, and He is calling us to see that He has granted each of us the stewardship of certain spiritual gifts, the graces to employ those spiritual gifts (such as the graces of wisdom, strength and stamina), and the assignment to particular arenas of service for the increased wealth of His kingdom. – Two of the slaves went out and made great profit for their Master while the other slave “went away and dug a hole in the ground and hid His master’s money.” Do we take our God-given spiritual wealth and other resources and hide them in some place where they can bring no profit? – “After a long time, the master came and settled accounts.” The first two slaves came to the master with what seems to be a spirit of gratitude for the honor, “Master, you entrusted five (or two) talents to me.” And with what must have been  great satisfaction, they reported that they had doubled all that had been entrusted to them. Then the master calls each of them “good and faithful” and tells them that because of their faithfulness in a “few things,” he was going to “put them in charge of many things,” and he gave them this wonderful command:  “… enter into the joy of your master.” Now my brothers and sisters, here is the question:  Although our Lord has been gone for what seems to us like a “long time,” when He comes, will you be one of those good and faithful servants who enter into pure, unbounded joy with Him? – The one-talent servant also appeared before the Lord, but he expressed no word of gratitude, and he brought an excuse for his lack of profit:  “I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed.  And I was afraid ….”  Then he made the appeal that his master should be satisfied with the lack of profit:  “See, you have what is yours.” The master seemed to agree that he expected a return from labors that would not be carried out by himself but by the servant.  However, he does not include the slave’s words about his being “a hard man.”  Instead, he calls him “wicked and lazy,” of the poorest character and slothful.  Then he adds that he would have been at least somewhat satisfied if this servant had taken little risk, “put my money in a bank”, and brought only a little profit, “my money back with interest.”  

• We must not unwittingly accuse our Lord of being hard, a man who would not accept our best efforts, even if it seemed to us and to others that we had failed. 
• We must not be “afraid” of what appear to be losses in the kingdom’s advance.
• We must not find ourselves being declared “wicked and lazy” when he “settles accounts” with us. 
• We must see that even if the risks we take for the kingdom are less than they should be, we may miss out on much reward, but we will not be declared to be among the wicked ones. 

The master allowed his good servants to keep the profit they had earned, and he gave them more wealth.  In verse 28, he says, “Therefore, take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.”  And in verse 29, he says that he will give “an abundance” to his faithful servants. Then our Lord Jesus says that the slave who brought no profit was cast into “the outer darkness; in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  The consequence of our unfaithfulness in the stewardship of our lives, our gifts, and our callings, is dreadful – totally dreadful!  Brothers and sisters, the day of our Lord’s appearing is coming soon. On that day, what profit will you present to your Master? I pray that you will bring to him the riches that you have earned for the kingdom and that He will say to you, “Well, done, good and faithful servant.  I am now going to put you in charge of many things in my New Heavens and my New Earth. Enter into the fullness of My joy!” Then as you stand before all the saints of heaven and His enumerable host of angels, may you hear Him calling out, “Give him more! Give him more! Give him more! Give him an abundance of My kingdom riches and add them to the riches that he has brought to Me!” 

In the Savior’s mercy and grace,

Rod and Bec

What Profit Will You Bring to Your Master? (Matthew 25:14-30)

Dear friends, 

In chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel, we hear our Lord using three parables to communicate certain truths about the Kingdom of God, the Day of His appearing, and the judgment that we will all face on that Day.  In the Parable of Ten Virgins, He is speaking about the problem of being unprepared.  In the “Parable of the Sheep and the Goats,” He is issuing a warning that we must not be found among those who have been unconcerned about the “least of these.” And here in the “Parable of the Talents,” our Master is telling us not to be lazy, excuse-making servants whom He will declare to be unfaithful.   And what is the primary point that our Lord is making in this parable?  On the day of His appearing, He, your Master, expects you, His purchased servant, to present kingdom profit from the gifts He has entrusted to you.  Let’s walk together through the “Parable of the Talents.” 

The master went on a journey and entrusted some “talents,” i.e., part of his wealth, to three of his servants, “each according to his own ability.”  Here our Lord is pointing to His bodily Ascension when He returned to heaven, and He is calling us to see that He has granted each of us the stewardship of certain spiritual gifts, the graces to employ those spiritual gifts (such as the graces of wisdom, strength and stamina), and the assignment to particular arenas of service for the increased wealth of His kingdom. – Two of the slaves went out and made great profit for their Master while the other slave “went away and dug a hole in the ground and hid His master’s money.” Do we take our God-given spiritual wealth and other resources and hide them in some place where they can bring no profit? – “After a long time, the master came and settled accounts.” The first two slaves came to the master with what seems to be a spirit of gratitude for the honor, “Master, you entrusted five (or two) talents to me.” And with what must have been  great satisfaction, they reported that they had doubled all that had been entrusted to them. Then the master calls each of them “good and faithful” and tells them that because of their faithfulness in a “few things,” he was going to “put them in charge of many things,” and he gave them this wonderful command:  “… enter into the joy of your master.” Now my brothers and sisters, here is the question:  Although our Lord has been gone for what seems to us like a “long time,” when He comes, will you be one of those good and faithful servants who enter into pure, unbounded joy with Him? – The one-talent servant also appeared before the Lord, but he expressed no word of gratitude, and he brought an excuse for his lack of profit:  “I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed.  And I was afraid ….”  Then he made the appeal that his master should be satisfied with the lack of profit:  “See, you have what is yours.” The master seemed to agree that he expected a return from labors that would not be carried out by himself but by the servant.  However, he does not include the slave’s words about his being “a hard man.”  Instead, he calls him “wicked and lazy,” of the poorest character and slothful.  Then he adds that he would have been at least somewhat satisfied if this servant had taken little risk, “put my money in a bank”, and brought only a little profit, “my money back with interest.”  

• We must not unwittingly accuse our Lord of being hard, a man who would not accept our best efforts, even if it seemed to us and to others that we had failed. 
• We must not be “afraid” of what appear to be losses in the kingdom’s advance.
• We must not find ourselves being declared “wicked and lazy” when he “settles accounts” with us. 
• We must see that even if the risks we take for the kingdom are less than they should be, we may miss out on much reward, but we will not be declared to be among the wicked ones. 

The master allowed his good servants to keep the profit they had earned, and he gave them more wealth.  In verse 28, he says, “Therefore, take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.”  And in verse 29, he says that he will give “an abundance” to his faithful servants. Then our Lord Jesus says that the slave who brought no profit was cast into “the outer darkness; in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  The consequence of our unfaithfulness in the stewardship of our lives, our gifts, and our callings, is dreadful – totally dreadful!  Brothers and sisters, the day of our Lord’s appearing is coming soon. On that day, what profit will you present to your Master? I pray that you will bring to him the riches that you have earned for the kingdom and that He will say to you, “Well, done, good and faithful servant.  I am now going to put you in charge of many things in my New Heavens and my New Earth. Enter into the fullness of My joy!” Then as you stand before all the saints of heaven and His enumerable host of angels, may you hear Him calling out, “Give him more! Give him more! Give him more! Give him an abundance of My kingdom riches and add them to the riches that he has brought to Me!” 

In the Savior’s mercy and grace,

Rod and Bec