Richland Creek Welcome Ministry

Maybe I should clear something up. I am not a Bible scholar. I have not attended seminary; I haven’t taken a single class. I read the Bible, but not as much as I should. I pray daily, but not as long as I should. What I know about God I’ve learned over many years by going to church, reading the Bible, and listening to smart people. My relationship with God is personal and has grown over the years as a result of many, many long talks with Him.

But sometimes I question things. Have you ever heard of a doubting Thomas? That’s me. My faith is strong but not blind. My eyes are wide open; and so are my questions. Through my adult life I have not doubted God’s existence or what Jesus’ death and resurrection mean to me. But, sometimes I have trouble understanding things that don’t fit neatly in my logical brain.

And I doubt I’m the only one who has questions. There are things about God that are hard to grasp. For example, how can God be both the Father and the Son? I’ve heard people who are asked that question respond with, “Because the Bible said so. That’s it. Period.” And, sometimes that is all we have. But it still doesn’t answer the question.

Jesus said in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” And I believe Him. But would I have ever come up with a concept like that if I were writing a novel? No! The idea of two persons existing as one Godhead is not something I would have ever made up. It’s too farfetched. No one would believe it. And yet, there it is. And just because I don’t understand it doesn’t make it any less true.

But I’ll tell you something I really appreciate about God. He knew I would have a hard time understanding. Let’s face it, He didn’t expect everyone would just say, “Oh, yeah, there’s two, no, make that three separate and distinct entities, but they’re all really just one God.” How could anyone with a logical mind just believe that without giving it a second thought? Outside of the Trinity it just doesn’t happen.

But look at what God did for us. He gave us permission to not understand. He guided Paul’s hand as he wrote in Philippians 2:6, “Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.” That is truly God’s wisdom. Not only did He know we wouldn’t be able to grasp it, He told us as much. Believe it? Most Definitely. Grasp it? Not likely. On this side of eternity we live in the physical realm. God exists in the spiritual realm. So of course it’s difficult, if not impossible for us in our physical form to fully understand. One day we will. But not today.

Today, I’m just thankful He gave permission to a doubting Thomas like me to admit that I don’t understand everything. As a matter of fact, you could say he doubted my ability from the very beginning of time. And that, my friends, is a God I can believe in.

Thom Fishow

September 26, 2010

I attend Richland Creek Community Church and if you asked me to describe it I would say, “It’s a large church with a small church feel.” With that said, it is still a large church–at least it is to me. Now even though throughout most of my life I have attended smaller churches, I don’t have anything against large churches except for one thing: Prayer requests.

Here’s what I mean: The larger the church, the larger the number of people who are hurting and who need intercessory prayers. There are more people with job and financial problems; more marriages in trouble; more people facing health challenges. The percentage is not greater; but with more people there are more total prayer requests to read and pray over.

And, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to pray for all who need prayers. But the problem is when I read all the requests I sometimes feel overwhelmed. I’ll read about all the people and all their situations and it makes me feel helpless. I’d like to go to each person and ask, “Is there anything I can do?” Or I’d like to just go sit with them. But with so many people in need, how can one person make a difference? I work a full time job and I’ve got children and grandchildren with their own problems and I couldn’t even make all the phone calls let alone go by to visit. I don’t like to admit this, but sometimes I feel so overwhelmed that I end up doing nothing.

As I was thinking about this the other day, I remembered a story about a young boy who was walking on the beach with his father after a particularly strong storm. The morning after the storm the beach was littered with dying sea creatures. Most were starfish. The little boy was distraught because he loved starfish. So he asked his father, “What can I do?” His father, trying to give realistic, fatherly advice, said, “Son, there really isn’t much you can do. With all the starfish on the beach you won’t be able to make a difference.”

Hearing this, the boy stooped down, picked up a lone starfish, and gently threw it into the surf. He looked at his father and with the innocence of a child said, “I made a difference for that one.”

This story reminds me that there will be times when we may feel overwhelmed. But that feeling shouldn’t stop us from doing something. Because when we serve someone else, it’s as though we were serving Jesus Himself (Matthew 25:40). And God doesn’t expect us to solve every problem in the world. He only expects us to make a start.

For the boy, saving one starfish was just such a start. Many of the starfish would not survive. But on that day, one would. And for that one, that was all that mattered.

Thom Fishow

September 19, 2010

I am blessed to have a very good Sunday school teacher. He and I have a great relationship–one that sometimes includes cutting up and good old fashioned teasing. After a particularly good class recently, I said to him, “That was really a good class . . . that makes three.” The last part of the comment was, of course, meant in jest, and I’m pretty sure he took it that way. Because in reality, every class he’s taught has been good. Partly because of the material, but mostly because of the insight he brings.

But since making that comment, I’ve spent a good bit of time thinking about my words. When we poke jabs at one another like my teacher and I do, do these words fall into the category of “careless” words for which we will have to make an accounting on the day of judgment (Matt 12:36)? I also wonder if those words that were intended to be funny could be unintentionally harmful. And, I wonder, if someone overheard those words and did not know my relationship with my teacher, could my comments be a stumbling block for them?

Words are important; they literally cause things to happen. After all, God spoke all of his creation into existence. The phrase “God said” is in Chapter 1 of Genesis nine times. And, when referring to His Word in Isaiah 55:11, God said, “It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Then in John 1:1 and 14a, we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Yes, God’s Words are important, but our words are important, too.

I did a search in the book of Proverbs for words like “mouth”, “tongue”, “lips”, “speak”, and “word” to see just how often those words show up. I don’t know the actual count, but there were 91 verses that had some reference to the words we use. I think that says something. I think our words have power. Not in the same way that God’s Words have power. But our words can be used to build up and they can be used to tear down. The adage that “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never harm me,” is just not true. Words can often hurt much worse than physically inflicted pain.

Here’s what we need to remember. We can use our words to edify but we can also use our words to be hurtful. We can encourage with our words and we can demoralize with our words. It’s our choice. But our words do have power. Think about it: Wars have started over words and people have died because of words. And one day, we will be judged for how we used our words. Yes, our words are important. And, personally, I think I’m going to start listening a little more carefully to what I say so I won’t be snared by the words of my mouth.

Thom Fishow

September 12, 2010

About thirty years ago I lived in Key West. It’s not the same today as it was back then; it’s more developed and many more people live and visit there now. But, the weather and the sights are still beautiful. There’s a pier on the island that’s large enough to drive cars on and I used to joke that if it were 93 miles longer it would be a bridge to Cuba. As a pier, it’s a great place to park your car and look at a great expanse of water.

I remember when my best friend came to visit me while I was living there. It was his vacation and he drove down so we could catch up on old times. The afternoon Jeff arrived we drove his car around the island to see the sights. My only transportation was a bicycle (which was not uncommon for many on this island paradise) so driving in a car made short work of the loop around the Key. Our “tour” ended at the White Street pier.

After we parked the car Jeff stood at the end of the pier looking in awe over an endless ocean. He exclaimed, “Look at that!” I stood next to him and looked. But I didn’t see anything; just the ocean and the sky. So I said, “Look at what?” “That,” he said, the view clearly taking his breath away. But, still, I didn’t see.

Here’s what you need to understand. I rode my bicycle around the complete perimeter of this tropical island every day, once in the morning and again in the evening, and I saw the ocean and the sky every day. To me it was nothing new; it was just there and I knew it would always be there. I could see it anytime. And, to be quite honest, as beautiful as it was, it was old news. But for Jeff it was different. For Jeff it was new. And he was in awe.

When our relationship with Jesus is new, we also are in awe. And we’re excited about the mercy and grace God pours out on us (2 John 1:3). But with time, many of us, myself included, take God’s gifts for granted. Maybe not always, but sometimes. After all, once saved, always saved (John 10:28-29). God will always be there as will His mercy and grace.

After Jeff’s visit to Key West I never looked at the sea and the sky in the same way. Jeff made me realize that even though they would always be there, I may not. And I knew I needed to enjoy the beauty and the wonder while I could.

But, what about Jesus? And, what about God’s free gifts? Thankfully, those are forever. But have we forgotten just how precious they are? You know, I think if we treated them as if they could be taken from us we might cherish them more than we do. Trust me, I’m grateful God won’t take them away. But it wouldn’t hurt to think about what it would be like if we never had them in the first place. What a difference a decision makes. What a difference God’s love makes.

Thom Fishow

September 5, 2010

Maybe I’m just having a bad day. I watch the news and I hear things that make me angry and I want to get in someone’s face and tell them that they must be stupid and that they shouldn’t be allowed to waste perfectly good oxygen. Now don’t misunderstand, I don’t do that. But there are times when I would like to.

I saw on the news recently where a young man was arrested for praying outside of an abortion clinic. Praying. That’s all. Praying.

I heard a news report that said of all religions, Christianity is the one that is most often singled out and put in a bad light in the textbooks our children read in school. Christianity: Exaggerate the bad; hide the good. Other religions: Ignore the bad; exaggerate the good. Some people in the public school system clearly have an agenda to do whatever they can to destroy Christianity.

I talked with a friend who felt defeated because sometimes, she said, it feels like just one person can’t make a difference against the bully pulpit of the government and the liberal media. Both appear to have an anti-Christian agenda.

And those are just three examples of what makes me want to shake someone and say, “You’re destroying everything for which our founding fathers fought and died.”

But then I remember Ephesians 6:12 where Paul says, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

You see our fight isn’t with those in the media or even the elected officials who do not know the Lord and are being used by Satan to fight against righteousness. They are merely victims. They are the collateral damage of the warfare that is taking place in the spiritual realm. You see, these people are lost to the darkness for two reasons: 1) Satan has recruited them using his tried and true methods–lies and deceit, and 2) Christians have failed to be sufficiently diligent in our witness to and our prayer for these people.

But there is good news. “Light shall shine out of darkness.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) And that means even if Satan continues to try to hold these lost souls (and he will), we can defeat him if we do not give up. But we need to put into practice what Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:13-18. We must put on the full armor of God. And we must be prepared to do battle. And that means we must stand firm even when we feel like we’re losing.

It won’t be easy and it won’t happen in a generation. It has taken over 200 years to lose what we’ve lost. It may take another 200 to win it back. For some the battle must continue. For others the battle must begin. But it’s a battle that must be fought. And for the sake of the generations to come, it’s a battle I pray we win.

Thom Fishow

August 29, 2010

I saw that Art Linkletter died recently at the age of 97. I remember in grade school my whole family used to sit around our black and white TV and watch his show “People are Funny.” And as I thought about that show, I got to thinking just how funny people really are. I don’t mean funny “ha ha”, but funny peculiar. You see, I think most people have a peculiar view of their world. I think most people see themselves somewhere near the center of their world. Let me give you some examples.

Many years ago I was in Boston and thought I was going to get killed on a particular taxi ride. The cab driver tried to calm my fears when he told me that Bostonians are some of the most polite drivers in the world. I told him I disagreed based on the way they were jockeying for position to exit the airport. That’s when he told me, tongue in cheek, that the motto of Boston drivers is, “You first, after me.”

Or how about this. Give a picture of a group of people to someone who’s in the picture, and the first thing he’ll do is look at himself. He’ll usually feign modesty and say, “That’s a terrible picture of me,” and expect you to disagree; but you’re too busy looking at the image of yourself to even see him.

And have you ever noticed that when you have a disagreement with a friend where unkind words are exchanged, it’s not because he’s wrong and you’re right or vice versa, it’s because his faults are different from your faults. You see, while we can’t tolerate other people’s flaws, we can accept our own. They’re like an old shoe–they’re comfortable. They’re who I am. That’s my charm. Take me or leave me.

It’s the same with sin. It’s easier to see sin in others than it is to see it in ourselves. Or more correctly, it’s easier to admit that what someone else is doing is sin, but what we’re doing is in some gray area that God never intend to be considered as sin.

Now, you may have noticed I’ve used a little exaggeration in my examples. In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus also used exaggeration to make His point when he said, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” He then said, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone actually practiced that? I mean, if we really corrected our own sins before helping our brothers and sisters to recognize theirs? In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus said, “Judge not so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” Ask yourself: Do you really want to be judged using the standards by which you judge others? It’s something to think about.

Yes, people are funny. But when it comes to sin, I don’t think God is laughing.

Thom Fishow

August 22, 2010

Sometimes my beagle Bo provides the best example of how we are supposed to behave in our relationship with God. And he does it without even knowing it.

Let me give you an example. Several weeks back at about 2:00 AM, we had a fierce thunderstorm that came out of nowhere. I was sound asleep when a bolt of lightening lit up the bedroom. The thunder crashed so loudly that I was instantly awakened in time to both see and hear this incredible display. And so was Bo. Bo sometimes sleeps under the covers at my feet, but this flash of light and clap of thunder was so extreme that it caused him to awaken with a start.

Panicked, he scurried to the head of the bed and came out from the covers. And while the lightening and thunder continued, he stood over me licking my face trying to get me to look at him. As our eyes met, I rubbed his head and told him everything was alright. And, that was all he needed. He stuck his nose under the covers and crawled down to my feet, curled up, and quickly went back to sleep. In a matter of less than a minute, even though the lightening and thunder continued almost as fiercely as the original crash, he was soundly sleeping and snoring.

Even in the midst of this storm, the fear he initially felt was gone. Because I was there. I was his protector and if I told him it was okay, it was okay. He didn’t have to worry. I was in control and as far as he knew, I would keep him safe.

In Proverbs 3:25-26, King Solomon says, “Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.” That was not written for Bo; it was written for me.

Now, I know that the type of fear Bo and I face is bound to be different and I hope that dogs never have to deal with the same level of wickedness we as humans encounter, but the way we react to fear and wickedness can be the same. Bo’s confidence to go back to his rest came from knowing that I was there and watching over him. Once he knew I was awake and his eyes locked with mine, he knew that I would do whatever I had to do to protect him.

God is always awake–He’s always there to protect us. And if we keep our eyes on Him, we don’t have to be afraid of sudden fear or the slings and arrows from the wickedness we’re bound to encounter. The proverb doesn’t say that we will never face wickedness or that we will never have to deal with fear. It only says that God will protect us if we place our confidence in Him. And, you know, if we allow it, that confidence should be enough to let us sleep in the midst of whatever trials we may be facing. After all, if I was good enough for Bo; God should certainly be good enough for us.

Thom Fishow

August 15, 2010