Richland Creek Welcome Ministry

I’m what you might call a news junkie. I watch the news on TV and listen to it on XM radio on my way to and from work. And I don’t listen to the news out of boredom or idle curiosity. No, I listen because I really do want to know what’s going on.

And I follow the news even more closely when it comes to politics during the campaign season. You see, I want to be able to make an informed decision when it comes time to vote. And, I do vote. I vote in every election. And I vote for candidates whether I think they’re going to be a good elected official or not. Maybe I better explain that. After doing my homework, I always vote for the candidate I think will be the best person for the position, but in some cases (and don’t tell me you’ve never done this), I know I’m voting for the “lesser of two evils.” Yes, I sometimes hold my nose with one hand while filling out my ballot with the other.

But sometimes, that’s the only option I have. So I pray. Sometimes, I pray harder than at other times, if you know what I mean. The fact is, we should all be praying for our leaders, whether we voted for them or not. And do you know why? Well, the Bible says we should.

In Romans 13:1, Paul says there are no governing authorities except those established by God. And, listen to this: They get their authority from God (yes, even those who don’t believe in Him). That means every one of our leaders–senators, representatives, governors, the president, etc.–get their authority from God. We should, therefore, pray for them because God is using them for His glory. And, we should pray that they do indeed glorify Him and that they don’t lead us down a path that is in conflict with His Word.

As a matter of fact, Paul tells us how to pray in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 when he says, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” So, while we are praying for our leaders, Paul says we are also praying for ourselves. And, it is important to pray for the right thing because how we pray matters.

So, on this Independence Day, as we think about the founding fathers of this great country of ours, remember that the United States of America was established as “one nation under God.” We need to pray that it remains that way. And remember also, that even though we are not a monarchy, when King Solomon said in Proverbs 12:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases,” he could just as easily have been talking about our President. And if the President is important enough for God to direct as He pleases, we should be praying that the way he lives his life and the way he leads our country are both pleasing to God.

Thom Fishow

June 27, 2010

Well, I’ve joined the super hi-tech world of smart phones. I have more computing power in my phone today than we had on the computer at my first job as a programmer for the entire campus of Santa Fe Community College some 30 years ago. This phone has some great applications–there are literally thousands of programs available. But there’s one that is just too amazing. It’s called a reality browser.

What is a reality browser, you ask? Well, you turn the phone’s camera on and point the phone in any direction and it shows you things you can’t see with the naked eye. If you want to know where a grocery store is, you simply say “grocery store” and point the phone in any direction and if there’s a grocery store within six miles, it provides you with the name, phone number, driving directions, and all kinds of information about the stores it “sees.” It “enhances” reality. It lets you see what’s there that you can’t see.

As I was driving to work the day after I got this application and I was looking at the people in the cars in rush hour traffic, I wondered what would happen if I pointed my reality browser at some of those people. Would it show me things I couldn’t see by simply looking at them with my unaided eyes? And, if it could, I wondered what I would see.

Well, obviously it couldn’t do that. But what if it could? What would I see? Have you ever thought about that? And, I guess the question really should be, would you want to be able to do that?

What if people could see past your exterior facade and look into your heart? Not just some of the time, but all of the time? Would people be surprised by what they saw?

In 1 Samuel 16:7, when speaking about one of David’s brothers, the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

I’m thankful people can’t see into my heart. I know there are times when they might be disappointed. No. I’m sure they would be more than disappointed. And, while I can’t speak for all people, I suspect that everyone would prefer to guard their heart from prying eyes.

But isn’t it sad. We shower, brush our hair, and put on perfume or cologne. We take the time to put on the right clothes and make up. We even put on our best behavior for others to see. And for the One we claim to love above all others, we are always exposed for who we really are.

I’m thankful God loves me like He does. How much does He love me? Read Romans 5:8 and Ephesians 2:1-9. If I could love like that, I might want a reality browser to see other people. But until then, I really don’t think I could handle it. In reality, I don’t think anyone could.

Thom Fishow

June 20, 2010

My sister’s bike looked so cool that I just had give it a try even though it was way too big for me. I couldn’t sit on the seat and reach the peddles at the same time, so needless to say, I wasn’t very successful on my first attempt. Or my second. Or my third. But my father knew what to do. After lowering the seat and the handlebars he then ran alongside of me, holding the bike steady as I learned to ride. After I mastered my sister’s bike, he bought me my very own Schwinn. This was just one of the many problems he solved for me when I was a child.

But there were some problems he didn’t solve. At about this same time in my life I had bad dreams two or three times a week. I’d wake up in the middle of the night so scared that I’d bury my head under my pillow. I remember lying that way, waiting to get up the nerve to call to my father. When I did, he’d come into my room, pick me up, and carry me into his and my mother’s bed where it was safe. He’d put his arm around me making me feel so secure. The bad dream wasn’t gone from my memory, but it didn’t matter because my father was with me.

I was reminded of this time in my life because of a question that came from a friend who asked me why a loving God would allow people to go through some of the pain and suffering we sometimes face in our lives. I guess he thought that after becoming a Christian, all the problems of the world would just disappear.

Many people think this. They think that since God is good He just naturally wouldn’t allow bad things to happen. I’ve heard people attempt to address this apparent conflict by saying that in order to grow and to be able to help others, we have to deal with problems that are inevitable in this world. And while that’s true, it’s not the answer.

We need to understand that the Bible doesn’t say that when we accept Jesus as Lord all evil and sin is removed from our world. Far from it. It doesn’t even say that bad things will never again happen. Because they will.

Here’s what the Bible does say in Matthew 28:20b. Jesus told His disciples, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

You see, my father didn’t solve every problem I ever encountered. But, he was always with me as I faced those problems. And with him by my side, I could solve the problems myself or, at the very least, I could draw on his strength to get through the problems. I wasn’t alone.

There’s a song by Scott Krippane that says, “Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.” And you know what I like? God knows when He should do one and when He should do the other.

Because just like my earthly father when I was a child, sometimes I need God to take care of the problem for me. But sometimes I just need Him to take care of me.

Thom Fishow

June 13, 2010

Not too long ago, I spent a few years selling long term care insurance.  I liked the job because I was selling a good product and because I got to meet some pretty nice people.  And, for the most part, the people I met were in about the same place in their lives as I was.  They were planning for retirement in ten to twenty years with the hope that whatever they’d managed to save over their lifetime would be enough to live on.

Most of the people I talked to would be okay in retirement.  But many might have to take their lifestyle down a notch to make it.  Count me in that second group. 

But there was a third group.  It was rare, but I ran across these folks from time to time.  These were people who were my age, mid-fifties at the time, but with more savings than they could spend if they lived to be 100.  For some, life had just been good to them; for others, scrimping and saving throughout their lives with a lot of hard work made the difference.  For whatever reason, they would be better off in retirement than they had been during their working years.

I remember interviewing a couple in that third group one night.  When they explained their finances to me, it almost made me sick.  I couldn’t focus on selling them insurance, so I got out of the interview as quickly as I could.  I was angry and upset.  They could retire in luxury that very night and live better than I was living working 60 hours a week.  I’d barely be able to retire in 20 years and I wanted what they had.

That meeting stayed on my mind for the next week.  I was angry with God.  Hard times in my past were now keeping me from ever having what this couple had.  And I blamed God for that.

But even in my anger I prayed.  And through my anger He spoke to me.  He made me look at what I had.  And I realized that what I had and what I still have today is not lacking.  I have a wonderful family, a home, a job, food on the table.  I have always had what I need.  Through the good times and the bad times, God has always provided.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or stow away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?” 

Listen, when we take our eyes off of God and put them on ourselves, we stop seeing what we have and start noticing what we don’t have.  That’s when we start wanting what others have.

But when I consider what’s truly important, I really do have it all.  Because I have my salvation.  And no amount of money can replace that.  In Hebrews 13:5, we read, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”  So you see, with God at my side, I really am doing quite well.  Because, by His grace, I count His riches as mine.

Thom Fishow

June 6, 2010