Food For Thought – Page 2 – Pastor Clegguart Mitchell

A Box of Chocolates

Every year around the holidays my grandmother would purchase Russell Stover boxes of assorted chocolates. Lots of them. (Wow, just thinking about this makes my mouth water.) Anyway, she always had the chocolates out for family and friends who happened to stop by for a visit.

Motivated, of course, to help my grandmother resist these tiny temptations I would eat as many as possible on every visit. I had actually become so familiar with these delightful sweets that I could identify them by color, shape, swirl, or just looking at the edges. Of course the very best way to identify them was to gently press your finger into the bottom of each one.

Those chocolates were amazing! (I had to beat my sister to the box in order to get the good ones.) Some of them had soft creamy centers and some had hard candy centers. Some had peanut butter, some had caramel, and some had toffee. Some of them even had peanuts, almonds, or walnuts in the center.

Now let’s be honest here. That pretty well describes any local church family. Some people are hard, some people are soft, and some people are just nuts covered in chocolate!

One of the key strengths of the Church is that we are not all identical. Why do I say strength? Because the watching world looks at this local group of drastically different individuals and marvels at our unity and the deep affection we have for one another (see John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4).

How is this unity amidst such diversity possible? It is only possibly through the blood of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said, “For in Him [Jesus Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20).

Through the precious blood of Jesus Christ we now share the same heavenly Father (John 1:12-13), the same Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13), the same Body (the Church; Ephesians 1:22-23), the same heavenly Destiny (Revelation 21:1–4), and we share the same holy Calling (1 Peter 1:16)!

Do you know God’s peace? Romans 3:10-23; 5:8; 6:10-11, 23; 10:9-10, 13
If you DO know God’s peace: Romans 12:18; Romans 14:19; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:3; Colossians 3:15; James 3:18

Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Day!

Friday morning has become something of a special treat in our house. It’s “Bacon, Egg, & Cheese (did I mention bacon?) Day”! I did not intend for it to happen, but I have become the unofficial cook on Friday mornings. Honestly, it just doesn’t get much better than a hot cup of coffee and sizzling bacon, so I’m not complaining!

On this particular morning however, three of our children are not feeling well, nobody in our house got much sleep, and everyone was exhausted. Even my coffee seemed to be dragging its feet this morning. It’s been a long week and nothing has really gone “as planned,” at all.

So there I was, bacon on the griddle, bread in the toaster, skillet warming, eggs ready and music playing in the background. I even had Noah contentedly sitting in his bouncy seat so Jenny could take care of some laundry. Picture perfect. Until…

The bacon wasn’t cooking, Caleb was coughing and begging, others were wandering around in the kitchen (in the way), a couple kids disappeared, and I even tripped over the baby’s seat, twice (he did not notice and he was not injured in any way).

Hannah let me know that I’d been turning the griddle down not up. Grace informed me that she was “starving to death.” The egg pan got too hot. I burned the first round of toast. Apparently there was even a lego controversy that morning; should the castle tower have a door or not? Oh, and Caleb informed mommy that “daddy would not give him a drink of water.”

Eventually everyone did enjoy their, albeit crispy,“Bacon, Egg, & Cheese” breakfast.

Here is the point: Go and hug your wife (and your mom), tell her how amazing she is and how much you genuinely appreciate her. Express your love and praise for her clearly and audibly. Believe me, you do not do this enough.

Proverbs 31:28 “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

The Spring

Here is the spring where waters flow,

To quench our heart of sin:

Here is the tree where truth doth grow,

To lead our lives therein:

Here is the judge that stints the strife,

When men’s devices fail:

Here is the bread that feeds the life

That death cannot assail.

The tidings of salvation dear,

Comes to our ears from hence:

The fortress of our faith is here,

And shield of our defense.

Then be not like the swine that hath

A pearl at his desire,

And takes more pleasure from the trough

And wallowing in the mire.

Read not this book in any case,

But with a single eye:

Read not but first desire God’s grace,

To understand thereby.

Pray still in faith with this respect,

To bear good fruit therein,

That knowledge may bring this effect,

To mortify thy sin.

Then happy you shall be in all your life,

What so to you befalls:

Yes, double happy you shall be,

When God by death you calls.

~ From the first Bible printed in Scotland, 1576~

Professional Parents

As I am writing this we are still awaiting the newest addition to our family. Everyone in our house seems giddy with anticipation. None, of course, more than Jenny. Though I’m not sure “giddy” is the right word to describe her eager desire to deliver this child.

You would think that after seven other children I would not be so unsettled. To be honest, and it’s a little weird to admit, but I feel just as nervous as I did the first time.

Some people act like we must be professional parents. They respond dismissively saying, “Oh, you have…seven…children? Wow. So, this is just routine for you guys.” Or they use the Gaffigan line, “Well that’s one way to live your life.” I actually had one guy say to me, “Really? Man, what were you thinkin’?”

What I know is that every child is a gift from God that should not be taken for granted (Psalm 127-128). Every one of our children is totally unique (Psalm 139:13-16). Every day in our house is new, unusual, and often a fun-filled adventure (Ephesians 6:4). Every moment is speeding by at sixty-minutes-per-hour (Proverbs 22:6).

The clock may very well be speeding by, and it is. At the moment though, it feels like its standing still. So I will keep doing what my beautiful wife and our new baby need me to do right now, pray.

If you are a dad, your family needs you praying for them. They need you to be the “righteous man” whose prayers “avail much” on their behalf (see James 5:16). With God, you can do this (James 4:8-10, 12)!

Ferguson & Friday

It’s true. I typically start listening to Christmas music in October. I start thinking about putting up a tree in early November. I can’t help it. This time of the year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, with gratitude, great food, a sense of anticipation, deer hunting, gift wrapping, and snow (yes, SNOW) it is my favorite time of the year.

This year, at least for now, I have a heavy heart. I’m writing this on the eve of Thanksgiving Day. The past two nights have openly displayed the raw depravity of man’s heart. How? Ferguson.

Listen, we in America are conditioned to accept rioting and looting on Thanksgiving weekend. It’s called “Black Friday.” You know, that day when people are lured into stores so they can trample anyone and everyone in order to get the stuff you want. (Sorry, I meant to say, “take care of their Christmas list.”)

My heart is heavy watching buildings burn.

My heart is heavy listening to the “race” narrative.

My heart is heavy feeling the simple reality of sin unleashed as it destroys all in its path. (Ferguson or Friday)

In the background Christmas music is playing… “And in despair I bowed my head: “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men.” Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men.”

This world is a mess. We human beings are a mess. Why? Because of our sin (Romans 3:23; 5:12). If we don’t understand that, then we will not understand this: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

By the way, you’re not Jesus.

Remember that time when your child (spouse or friend), sinned against you and you went to them with eloquent, pointed, correcting words, and they immediately saw their error, dropped to their knees, and apologized with repentant tears?

Wait! That’s never happened to you either? I have to correct my children for the same thing over and over and over. Why don’t they get what I’m saying? Maybe I need to say it differently, with more force, with more gentleness, with more scripture, with less scripture. I just need to figure out the right combination of words, then they’ll get it. Right?

OK, so, you may want to sit down at this point. What I’m about to say may be hard to hear: We cannot change people.

One author put it like this: “Somewhere along the way, those of us gifted with words will receive a painful reminder that it is Jesus and not our explanations that can change a heart. Words aren’t strings. People aren’t puppets. Eloquent speech isn’t magic.”

Only Jesus can change a person’s heart. We may have all the appropriate biblical ammunition, carefully crafted arguments, and even have righteousness on our side, but none of these things can change a person.

As a dad I can raise my voice, or slow down my words (as if I’m speaking to a foreigner), but none of these things will change my children. My words don’t have the power to change their hearts. Only Jesus can do that.

When tension rises in a relationship, we’re immediately confronted with the fact that we are not Jesus. We cannot cause people to be convicted of their sins, no matter how eloquently or forcefully we speak. Only Jesus can convict a person of their sins. Only Jesus can change a person’s heart.

We need to spend more time asking Him to work. Yes, I mean praying. He must change our children. He must work in our spouse. He must soften our friend. Trying to do the work of Jesus in the heart of others is both exhausting and frustrating. I know, I’ve tried many times and failed every time. We need to (must) let Jesus do his work in his time.

[See: Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 14:10; 15:5]

Day of Discovery

We have really been looking forward to this day! After lengthy discussions (more like debates), emotional pleas (that sound like “I really want what I want”), and child-like logic (it has to be this way because I want it to be this way) we arrived at the doctors office for the ultra-sound. The boys wanted another brother. Hannah and Lydia wanted a little sister. Grace wants, well, a baby. And Caleb just wants his space on mommy’s lap, back.

To be honest the week leading up to our day of discovery was a little nerve racking. I had to take my sweet wife to the doctor’s office twice for unscheduled visits. It doesn’t really matter how small the matter, when you’re expecting and things are not right, they are just not right. Thankfully everything was fine and all is well.

Well, the day arrived. Drum roll please . . . . . We are having a baby boy! Well, that’s what the doctor said when he looked at the black-n-white kaleidoscope-looking mini-screen that displays shapes, bones, organs, and gender specific anatomy.

Oh wait, I can see a tiny little face!

Incredible.

The drive home was very interesting. We talked about how the other children would respond to the news. Joy-unleashed would be a good way to describe the atmosphere. That is, after explaining that there were no winners or losers in the “what do you think the baby is” game.

Somewhere along the road my delight intersected with my reality. I have another son to love, train, equip, and launch into manhood. Wow.

Something I read recently came to mind: “The family is supposed to be a training ground in loving authority. It is a ‘ramping-up’ place that God has given us to learn love, respect, honor, obedience, and trust, in order to prepare us for relating to others and ultimately to God Himself.”

Again, wow. I love being a dad! Please Lord, help me to be a good dad.

My prayer for Ukraine…

A week after 9/11 (2001) a small group of us spent two weeks in Kiev and Odessa Ukraine with Slavic Gospel Association. It was… incredible. (Though no-one prepared me for being greeted with “a holy kiss”…over and over and over…everywhere we went.)

The pastors we met were dedicated (and godly) men who love the Word, cherish the Son, exalt the Father and yearn for their friends and neighbors to come to Christ. Whole communities came out for the 3-4 hour long services that often included 2-4 sermons. People arrived early, quietly prepared their hearts before the service and tearfully sang with rapturous joy in their hearts.

We also visited orphanages full of children. I will never forget the little boy Uri who approached me and in broken but clear English said, “My name is U-ri. Vhat is yours?” I wish someone could have taken a picture of his expression when I said, “Clegguart” (pronounced clay-gert) … I was ready to adopt him on the spot (along with the rest of the children).

I often find myself praying for the pastors we met and the churches in which we ministered. One in particular stands out in my mind. Outside of Odessa and down rough dirt roads (I’m being generous) and across several fields lay a tiny little village where church was held every week, in a garage.

Packed in like sardines and using a little Casio keyboard for accompaniment, we gathered for worship. After the service we walked a short distance down the road to a pile of rocks (not finely crafted bricks – random rocks). The enthusiasm and anticipation was almost unbelievable. This was to be their new church building. They were building, stone by stone, piece by piece, mostly with their bare hands, a church.

I don’t know the political ups and downs of the current situation in Ukraine. I do know that God is still on His throne and the Gospel still saves.

My prayer for Ukraine: May God’s people be faithful, God’s Word be proclaimed, God’s Spirit be unleashed, God’s Son be exalted and God be glorified!

To my pastor friends in Ukraine… Remember: Preach the Word, love the people and trust the Lord!

Praying for Pastors tonight…

pulpit_front Praying tonight for those men who stand in the pulpit to give faithful exposition of the word of God… most of us will spend our lives in earthly anonymity.

That’s OK!

Tomorrow is Sunday. The Lord’s Day. The gathering of the brethren in order to feed on the word, to hear from the Lord, and to commune with one another. Most important of all they will gather in order to engage the heart, ready the mind, and prostrate the soul in worship of the living God.

Brothers: Preach so as to please God, not men!

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16)

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober- minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Additional Food For Thought:

Isaiah 6:1-8; 2 Timothy 2:1-7; 15; Revelation 4:10-11; 5:8-10; 7:11

The wisdom of John Wayne

“Life is tough,

but it’s even tougher if your stupid.”

~ John Wayne (Sands of Iwo Jima)

“How Long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”

Proverbs 1:22