Each fall all across the west roundups take place. In the spring cattle are turned out on the range to fatten and grow on the grass. On many of these ranges cattle from various ranches will mingle as they graze away the lazy days of summer. As days shorten and shadows lengthen it eventually becomes time to gather the ranges and bring all the cattle to large sets of corrals where they are sorted by brands and taken back to their home ranches for fall work and winter feeding.

Roundup can be a long process. Most of the cattle are easy to find and anxious to return to their home ranch to graze on fall pastures after hay has been harvested and irrigation has been completed. However, some cattle scatter widely and hide in remote areas in little bunches. Range bulls hide in willow patches along rivers and creeks. Back riding to find all the strays can take days and usually isn’t completed until the first snows of winter finally drive the last cows out of the high country.

So too the church. Sometimes life scatters us widely and responsibilities take us far afield. Its good for us to be rounded back up as we slowly shift from the days of summer to the shadows of fall. It won’t be long and leaves will flitter in the breeze and the wind will have a bite. Jack frost will leave his artwork on our windshields when go to start our vehicles in the morning. As the pageantry of God’s artwork is displayed in the colors of autumn, let’s remember our Great Creator and redeemer and devote ourselves anew to the work He has called us each to do. Let us go into the fields white unto harvest and bring lives to the King and glory to our God.
Because of grace,
Tim

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The other day I was reading a devotional to Pastor’s on the value of building lasting friendships. In the article, the writer said something that grabbed my attention.After talking about how in his younger years he had neglected taking time to develop deep friendships with other men in ministry as well as with fellow congregants; he then said this:
“In the years since, and sometimes in spite of myself, God has allowed me to experience a better way. I still have much to learn and lots of room for improvement as a friend, but by the grace of God, I’ve tasted the soul refreshing, sin suppressing, ministry enlivening nature of genuine friendship. I’ve realized that a failure to prioritize and cultivate friendships deprives me of significant joys and fresh ideas, contributes to loneliness and envy, and increases my vulnerability to sin. I’m a better pastor when I’m surrounded by friends.”
Stephen Witmer, Pastor Peppercil Christian fellowship

Ouch.
I have found this to be true. In the last several years of my life God has impressed this very thing on my heart. To my chagrin it was a part of my life I often have neglected.
We Pastors can be strange lot- isolating ourselves needlessly, sadly more often than not out of a strange introvertism. But then again- we probably are no different than most of you. Our insecurities cut us off from those we most need and our pride sets us up for a fall.

So in the last several years I have surrounded myself with some very good men who have become very dear friends to me. They probe and pry at my soul and they spur me on to love and good works. Some of them are from very different streams of the church than I came from. I have found this has deepened our friendship and even caused me to go deeper into the Word for the “whys” of what I believe. This has been soul refreshing and sin suppressing.

So my question for you is: Are you isolating yourself from deep soul refreshing, sin suppressing relationships or are you seeking them out?
Take Care brothers and sisters, that evil heart lies close at hand.
Because of grace,
Tim

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I know you’ve all been missing each other and the sweet fellowship we have in Christ. I was thinking of the old song: “Blessed be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.” I don’t think we realize how blessed that tie is until there is strain on the edges of our life. We pray you’re enduring this time of isolation by drawing closer to your family and having sweet times of fun as well as times of Christian growth.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday. It is a reminder to us of how fickle we are as people. One week the crowds are worshiping- the next week they are crying for His blood. When everything was unfolding the way they had planned (a King to cast off Rome) the crowds were all in. When He turned out to be a different kind of king, they abandoned him quicker than you can blink. This same heart is in all of us. We praise Him when it is convenient and when things are rolling along as we expect. When the rug gets pulled out from under us, Am I as quick to say “blessed be the name of the Lord?” Let’s see this test for what it is- a time of refining.

Along that line, we will livestream the service again this Sunday at 10:30. We are not completely sure what our schedule will look like on Easter weekend. I’ll tell you some things we know for sure. First, there will be no breakfast. Second, remember- Easter is not really the Sunday that our Lord arose. In fact, if you notice the calendar- it’s not even the same weekend as Passover most years. It was a weekend established in the western church centuries ago using a formula based on the moon that would make it a standardized observance in the church. It was a good idea- but it isn’t inspired!

With that in mind- I want you to know that when this is all over we are going to schedule our own Resurrection Sunday weekend- and it’s gonna be a party! We’ll kill the fatted calf (metaphorically), worship and praise our Risen Lord and have a rip roaring good time! So, hold your horses- good things are yet to come.

Have a blessed remainder to your week. Stay in touch with each other and “encourage one another daily, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching!” We love you all.

Because of grace,
Tim

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