GREATNESS

“….Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” – Matt.20:26-27

We live in a world obsessed with “greatness,” yet we do not even know how to define it. We honor those we deem great with fortune and fame, even when there is no true justification for it. And to make matters worse, we seek to emulate them and teach our children to do the same. It is heartbreaking to see young people aspiring to become like their Hollywood idols or sport heroes, with the idea that greatness could be found in reaching their goal.

All that is bad enough but it is more tragic when we assume that we have actually achieved greatness and think of ourselves as being among the great ones. Our vain pride then demands that others give us their attention, adoration, and appreciation. And we are quick to complain when we don’t get what we think we deserve. We are highly offended if we are counted among the common men. Having reached a certain level of income, or acquired a certain amount of fame, or gained a certain measure of authority we think we have entered the gate of greatness. We assume we are better than the “average Joe”.

Our Lord, however, set the record straight. He tells us the person who is truly great seeks to be gracious rather than great. He gives rather than gets, serves rather than being served by others. He might be a poor, uneducated, plain, common man, but in the eyes of the Lord, the One who matters most, he is among the greatest of men. Rather than seeking to please himself, he is humble, loving, and kind. And you can rest assured that such a person will not go unnoticed or unrewarded by the Lord. Great shall be his reward in heaven. – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

LIGHT FOR THOSE IN DARKNESS
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”— Matt. 5:16

Throughout life the most common question is “Why?”, but when we get older, and hard of hearing it changes to “What?”, or “Huh?” – meaning “What did you say?” Obviously it’s important that we understand one another. But we need to remember that “actions speak louder than words.” We often hear and use that phrase, but seldom do we make a personal application. I fear we fail more than we would like to admit. As Christians we ought to know better, and do better. Our words and our ways, our beliefs and our behavior ought to coincide. Our manner of life is sending a message to others. And what they think does make a difference.

The same Bible that assures us that we aren’t saved by good works also tells us that salvation is to be accompanied by good works. They are the consequence rather than the cause. The sad thing is that many are not troubled in the slightest by their absence. That is cause for alarm.

Godliness should be the goal for every Christian. Character counts with Christ. If we expect to hear Him say “Well done” we must do well. That demands faithfulness – not only to doctrine, but duty as well. But some how we’ve lost sight of what Christianity ought to look like in everyday life. I’m talking about how we conduct ourselves at home, on the job, and in social circles. If we are to convince others that we have the real thing when we assemble on Sunday we must practice what we profess every day of the week and under all circumstances. Otherwise we send mixed signals and come up short. In fact we sometimes make the glorious gospel repulsive to others when we fail to practice what we profess.

If our desire, like Balaam’s , is to “die the death of the righteous” we ought to live under the rule of our Redeemer. That is sure to get the attention of those who are strangers to God’s saving grace. And getting their attention is the first step toward their acceptance of the gospel. We can’t help them unless they hear us, and nothing speaks so powerfully as a Christ-like life. “Let your light so shine”!- HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

REMEMBERING DAD
“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”— Eph. 6:4

While my dad was far from perfect he was much better than most. For someone who wasn’t a Christian he was about as good as they get. I could mention many good things about dad, but one of the main things that stands out to me is the feeling of security that dad gave me. He made me feel safe. To my childish mind he could whip anyone if he had to, although he wasn’t a fighter. I also knew that I would have a roof over my head and something to eat. On more than one occasion he told sis and I that he would always make sure we had food on the table.

Dad wasn’t a rich man, but he was a hard worker. We lived in a little four room house– many years without running water. We slept with the windows open except in the winter. It was a great day when we finally got a box fan to put in the window. But we were happy. Every spare minute I was hunting, fishing, or playing baseball. But the main thing that contributed to my happiness was the feeling of security that I enjoyed. I didn’t fear anything as long as dad was around.

Thinking about that I can’t help but wonder how it is with your family. It breaks my heart knowing that many children are made to feel insecure and unhappy. They deserve better than that. It is a shame that anyone would put a kid in that situation. I hate divorce, and so does God, but sometimes what some kids are forced to live with is even worse. Some suffer abuse so horrible that they will never recover from it. Thankfully most homes aren’t that bad, but they can still be much worse than they should.

Children need to know that home is their safe place. They need to know that dad will be there and that he will care for them. And there is a lot more to security than having a safe house, plenty of food, nice clothes, and fun things to do. Your children need a stable home life. They need a father who will communicate with them and care for them. They need a father who will comfort them, help them conquer fear, and face the challenges of life. They need to know that regardless of what happens dad will be there. They need to see him loving their mother, helping their neighbor, and providing for them. They need a dad who provides security in every area of life.

Their greatest security comes from knowing that their dad values God above all else. When they know you will do anything to keep from displeasing God they will be confident that you will be there for them in their time of need– making them safe and secure. One of the greatest sights on earth is to see a family, led by the husband / father walk into church to worship. Make no mistake about it, the man who has God in his house should be in God’s house when it comes time to worship. I pray that you will be that man to your children. If you are so blessed to have such a father be a blessing to him.-HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

THE GREATEST GOOD

“All things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God”– 2 Corinthians 4:15

Every person, every situation, every thing is allowed through the wise and omnipotent hand of God for your sakes. He is, like the potter, shaping this world for His own purposes, and He purposes your good, if you are one of His.

As Paul wrote in his first letter to Corinth, “the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours” (1 Corinthians 3:22). God has subdued even your greatest enemies, so they now work for your good.

But the good of those who love God is not God’s only motivation. His primary motivation, because He is God, is always and rightly His own glory. And so, we are reminded, God has purposed our good for His glory.

It is the great purpose of God that His abundant and conquering grace should redound to His own glory. It is only right that it would be so, like an author or a painter or a sculptor being credited for his masterpieces. But how does abundant grace resonate to His glory? Through the thanksgiving of many.

God will be glorified by us, no matter what — either in forgiving us or in condemning us. But our goal should be that He is glorified in us. When we grab from the gracious hand of God and run away thoughtlessly to enjoy His benefits, His abundant grace does not receive the glory it deserves.

So, dear pardoned sinner and beneficiary of divine goodness: make yourself today a soundboard for the glory of God. May each blessing sent your way reverberate to the glory of His name, through your conscious and joyful thanksgiving.– Baptist Bible Hour

Our greatest good is that which brings God the most glory. That is the purpose for which we exist. Regardless of how fearful and painful our situation is we have reason to rejoice when it results in God being glorified.- HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

GOD LEADS US ALONG
“And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”- Isa.58:11

The old hymn “God Leads Us Along” has blessed millions down through the years. Warren Shiver gives us the history – “George Young was an obscure 19th Century preacher and carpenter who spent a lifetime humbly serving the Lord in small rural communities. Often his financial support was small, and it was hard on his family. But through all the ups and downs his faithful wife never wavered in her loyalty to God and to her husband. After a long struggle, the family was able to move into their own small home (which George built himself). But then, on an occasion when George was away preaching, some local thugs-who didn’t like his Gospel preaching- -set fire to the house, and it was totally destroyed. It was out of that experience that Young reaffirmed his faith in God by writing God Leads His Dear Children Along.” 

But the story doesn’t end there. Paul Chappell writes, “When Haldor Lillenas was putting together one of his first hymnals, he recalled a song he had learned soon after moving to America and learning English, ‘God Leads Us Along’. He wanted to include it, but needed permission from the writer. Lillenas tracked down the author’s widow who was living in a poorhouse, and she was delighted to have her husband’s song shared with others. 

Despite her circumstances, she was rejoicing. She told Lillenas, ‘My husband and I were married while we were very young. God gave us a wonderful life together; he led us from day to day. But then God took my husband. Now God has led me here, and I’m so excited and glad about it! God has used me in this place. Many people come to this place and they are so sad and in such great need. They need help and comfort. I have been able to cheer many of them and lead scores of them to the Lord Jesus Christ.’

God does not promise us ease and comfort, but He does promise to guide us through this life and never leave us. He is just as present and loving in our moments of pain as in our moments of joy. And we must always trust His guidance.”

Seeing people practice what they proclaim, whether in sermon or song, inspires you –it instills hope. Knowing what God has done for others He can do for you enables you to look to the future in faith, assured that all shall be well. It reminds you that the Spirit of God will not lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you! Rather than getting bitter when things go bad let’s make ourselves useful. Wherever you are it is by divine providence and for a purpose. Contrary to the way you might feel, the path of God’s will is always right, best, and safest. – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346