The Pastor's Blog - Flag Branch MBC

The Shepherd’s Voice

The Shepherd’s Voice is one of our pastor’s communications extension to the Church, our friends and the world. He uses it as a way to reach out to our faith community while providing spiritual insight and perspectives to the sermon messages and events and issues of our day. We are welcomed and encouraged to comment on any of the messages by clicking the “Fine or Main Point” link you want to comment on, going to the bottom of the page and filling in and Submitting the Reply at the end of the message. Most of the blogs have audio playback so we can listen to as well as read them. We hope you are blessed and inspired by our Shepherd’s Voice.

Aug '20

Fine Points Monday August 24 2020

Posted on Aug 24, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Aug '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “Having Faith In The Truth”.

Truth is something people argue over whenever the truth is in dispute. People give conflicting accounts of the same events that contradict each other so that both can’t be true. Many time people don’t even agree on the facts in terms of quantity, quality or even what they mean.

Pilate asked Jesus a question after Jesus told him that He came to bear witness of the truth. That question was “what is truth?”. There are some things that can’t be known or proven beyond question with mankind’s previous and current level of knowledge, information and technology.

To make statements regarding the existence of God, the accuracy of the bible, the life and works of Jesus Christ and any other proclamation regarding salvation requires a measure of faith. Paul makes the assertion that the gospel is true. The accounts of the events and words of Jesus are true. His own testimony of events that happened to him are true.

There are those who say that everything Paul and the gospel claims about God and Jesus is fiction and made up. Not one word of it can be believed. So there is a dispute over the truth. Who is right and who is wrong? Somebody is lying.

Paul says they who contradict the gospel have embraced a lie. A lie suits them because they have pleasure in unrighteousness. If the gospel is true, they will be condemned for their actions. Therefore, they slander the truth to clear their conscience and dismiss everything about God as fiction.

But those whom God has called to salvation will believe the truth about Him, obey Him and trust Him for their soul salvation. Only one account is true. God’s people have faith that the gospel’s account of the facts is the true one. Jesus once said to Thomas after seeing Him after His resurrection “Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe”.

Christianity is about having faith based upon the facts you know and the one’s you don’t know. Christians have made up in their hearts and minds which version of the truth, which version of the facts and which version of reality they believe and have faith. And it is the version that says “Jesus is Lord”.

Remember to visit our website to see our latest news, announcements and worship activities and opportunities. Be sure to download our mobile app on your phones and mobile devices. Don’t forget to read and listen to my Sunday School preview that comes out on Thursday. Get a jump on Sunday School by reading the SS Daily Bible Readings at our website or by clicking the link. As always, remember to fear God and keep His commandments

Pastor Jordan

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Aug '20

Fine Points Monday August 17 2020

Posted on Aug 17, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Aug '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “Waiting On The Facts”.

Premature judgements occur whenever someone makes decisions concerning other people without knowing all the facts. There were those in Corinth who were making judgements concerning Paul, Apollos, Peter and others concerning their ministries. These judgements were causing divisions among them and causing them to form groups or parties based on the minister they ascribed to.

Paul wanted them to know that these ministers were all servants and stewards of Christ and all on the same team. Furthermore, their opinion or judgement of him and his ministry mattered very little to him. The same was true of his opinion or judgement of himself.

As the steward and servant of God, only God was qualified to judge him because of two important reasons. First, he was the Lord’s servant and steward. It is to and for the Lord he worked and served and to him and only him did he have to answer.

Second, neither he or anyone else knew how much or if the Lord was satisfied with his work because only the Lord knew everything about him including his motives and intent of his heart. In light of these things, we must refrain from passing judgements on people including those we love, revere, admire and respect.

For while they may appear to us one way, the truth of the reason something appears a certain way and the motive or intent behind why it appears so may be something unknown to us. Therefore, our judgement is incorrect because it was made without knowing all the facts.

We must wait on the facts as Paul told the Corinthians and then and only then will we know the whole truth. God is the only one with these facts and we must wait on him before judgement is pronounced. This is why as much as I would love to say and make good conclusions about those I love and admire and have worked with and have seen the good they have done, I am not qualified to make such pronouncements. Not for those closest to me nor for myself.

We can not be sure of our own standing with God much less that of someone else. What we can and should do is to do all we can and know to do so we can at least say as Paul say “I am not aware of anything against myself and my conscience is clear” as to my relationship and standing with the Lord. But as Paul said even that does not make it so.

This is why we must wait on the facts and the pronouncement of the Lord Himself to say “well done”. Not just for me or you, but for every person who must stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

Pastor Jordan

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Aug '20

Fine Points Monday August 10 2020

Posted on Aug 10, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Aug '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “Imperceptibly Insidious”.

Imperceptibly insidious means undetectably harmful or dangerous. Something that is imperceptible is not detectable by a sense or by the mind. Insidious comes from a word that means ambush – a hidden sudden unexpected attack.

Something insidious is gradual undetectable and subtle leading to a harmful or dangerous outcome. It is like someone or something removing something very valuable such as money, company, spouse, family, position, health or influence from you without your knowledge or consent until it is all gone. When you need it, it is no longer there.

Paul issues a warning to Christians to be aware of certain insidious people and I would include things. Insidious people or things will slowly remove and erode our faith. The faith we think we have will becomes worthless because it lacks works.

Because imperceptibly Insidious persons and things remove holiness, commitment, prayer and strip mercy, compassion, forgiveness, discretion, contemplation from a believer’s life until that life has become similar in nearly every respect to that of an unbeliever.

While many insidious people and sources know and intend to cause a harmful or dangerous outcome, those who cause the depletion and abortion of faith may or may not have that intent. But intent is not necessary for the harm to occur.

Paul provides two signs of insidious people. One sign is the division they sow and cause and another is their deviation from the teachings of Christ. They use flattery and smooth and twisted language to convince others they care about them only to further their own appetites and desires. Because of the relationships they form and have with believers, a believer’s faith is gradually compromised until it no longer qualifies for faith at all.

The point of Paul’s exhortation and the message is to make believers aware that insidious people and things, whether deliberate or not, are at work eroding faith in Christ. We must avoid these people, things and situations that persist in their assault on our faith, seek out what is good and shun what is evil and avail ourselves of God’s grace to restore, maintain and increase our faith.

Pastor Jordan

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Aug '20

Fine Points Monday August 3 2020

Posted on Aug 3, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Aug '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “Dealing With Anxiety”.

Anxiety is a feeling that can affect a person’s physical and mental health and ability to function caused by thoughts of trouble and uncertainty. People find different ways to deal with anxiety. Some ways prove to be more successful than others.

God knew His children will experience anxiety because they are not exempt from trouble and uncertainty. But God left us a remedy when we find ourselves in positions and situations that can make us anxious.

First of all, we need to remember that we never face anything alone. God is always there and fully aware of our situation. We must always remember how much He cares and loves us. He will never allow us to encounter something we are not capable of enduring.

We must realize that we will not be delivered out of every situation and like everyone before us, we too will die. Knowing these things, God says for us to bring all of our cares and concerns unto Him. It is not like He doesn’t already know, but it is good for us to get things off our chest and express our desires and concerns to Him.

With this in mind, we should also keep our troubles in perspective. By that I mean, as Paul put It, they are light afflictions that last only for a moment and are not worthy to be compared to what God has in store for those who love Him.

So, just like the pain of childbirth last for a moment, the joy of a child last much longer and the pains of childbirth are but a distant memory that in most cases is forgotten or seldom, if ever, thought about. Therefore, we are told to rejoice always and even when we fall into all kinds of temptations and trials.

Anxiety levels are rising because of many factors people are facing here in the US and around the world at the moment. Here in the US, millions of people sources of income has been cut off or interrupted. They are experiencing many tough choices and facing eviction from their homes and the lost of most of their possessions.

They and their family and children are being asked to return to situations they may expose them to a deadly virus this is still out of control. We are being asked to wear face coverings, social distance and stay at home as much as possible. Many of the things we were doing to relieve stress are not longer possible as we remain in isolation from family and friends.

Social and racial tension has been highlighted as people continue to protest in the streets as heavily armed demonstrators heckle one another and law enforcement and protesters clash. The nation is preparing to vote for the next President of the US in the midst of all this as some are fueling distrust in an election they are doing little or nothing to ensure it is safe and secure.

And if all that wasn’t enough, churches are struggling to remain open, relevant and to keep its members engaged and focused. There is trouble and uncertainty, but God has given us the means to rid ourselves of all anxiety. Let us follow what God has left us as we witness and live through the coming days, weeks and months.

Pastor Jordan

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Jul '20

Fine Points Monday July 27 2020

Posted on Jul 27, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Jul '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “Learning the Eternal Lesson”.

How many times have you told someone or have been told “I hope you learned your lesson”. The reason anyone needs to learn a lesson is so that it can inform them about choices and decisions they must make going forward. The lesson most people and many Christians have failed to learn is the importance of mercy.

The lesson of mercy is so important because of its eternal ramifications. Mercy may be the one thing above all else God wants us to learn. Mercy contains aspects of all the other things God desires in mankind. The attributes of grace, forgiveness and love are all found in mercy.

Mercy is the response to those who suffer and are in need without the means to alleviate their pain or need. The world as designed by God is made to teach mankind the lesson of mercy. Mercy is a divine attribute. Jesus said God is merciful and we are to be like Him.

God also prefers mercy to sacrifice. A sacrifice is often a ceremonial gesture where something of value is offered or given as a way of atoning or improving a situation. There is noting wrong with sacrifice. In fact, God has ordained sacrifice and it has its own place and role in the redemption of mankind. The point of any sacrifice in the end is and should be about the welfare of people.

Mercy is greater than sacrifice and preferred to it. Mercy is not only about the welfare of others but mercy speaks to the moral character of the individual. A sacrifice is an act or action, but mercy is a condition of the heart. Mercy, like agape or divine love, looks beyond faults and circumstances and sees need and suffering and wants to do something about it.

Mercy epitomizes the life, work and message of Jesus. Hebrews 2:17 describes Jesus as our fully human merciful and faithful high priest before God. Jesus is acquainted with suffering, He came to a suffering people and taught us the meaning of mercy. Going forward, we need to look for opportunities to address the suffering of mankind and be careful not to contribute to it. This is what mercy does.

Happy or blessed are the merciful because they shall receive mercy. James 2:13 tells us if we fail to show mercy in the judgement we will receive none. This is why Jesus said to the Pharisees to go and learn this lesson that I desire mercy and not sacrifice. This lesson is one we all need to learn and abide by because of the eternal consequences of not doing so.

Pastor Jordan

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Jul '20

Fine Points Monday July 20 2020

Posted on Jul 20, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Jul '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “Waiting Out the Storm”.

America and the world are experiencing a biological storm in the form of a viral pandemic. A storm can be described as a severe disturbance or interruption in normality that can result in chaos, destruction and death.

As Apostle Paul was on his way to Rome to stand before Caesar to answer the charges against him, his ship ran into a powerful and prolonged storm that threaten the destruction of both the ship and those onboard. After receiving assurances from God that he and all those aboard will survive, Paul told those who were about to abandon ship to remain onboard if they wanted to live.

The toll a storm takes on those caught in it depends in part on their response to the storm. Nearly every nation on the planet has been affected by this storm, but America leads them all in the total number of cases, number of deaths and daily number of infections.

One of the reasons others have faired better than America is because they had a unified response lead by their central government. The citizens of those nations were willing to adhere to and abide by the guidelines set forth by their health agencies and government officials in order to place the common good and welfare of all before any objections they may have had to individual liberty or freedom. This has not happened in America.

There has been no national coordinated response or clear message and plan of action. Each state has been left on its own to figure out what is best for the state. Testing, PPE and other supplies needed to combat the virus has been inadequate.

And with pressure mounting for students to return to school, there is the potential for a bad situation to become much worst. This storm has placed, is placing and has the potential to place so much strain on individuals and society in America that many are beginning to feel a sense of helplessness and despair.

Like those on the ship with Paul, some Christians have and are considering abandoning their faith and succumbing to their fears and doubts. The word of the Lord tells us to wait out this storm and stay on board. It tells us not to give up on God. It says to place the interest of others and the nation before our own self-interest and to use our liberty for the welfare of all.

There are those who profit from suspicion and division who pit people’s differences and fears against each other who have managed to keep Americans from unifying and acting in the common good for all. It is this unity, whether imposed or otherwise, that has made the difference in the suffering, damage and death this biological storm has caused around the world apart from the other things like access to resources needed to combat a virus.

But it is the things that are not resource dependent like common interest, cooperation and placing the good of the whole before the individual that has separated and made other countries more successful mitigating this storm’s damage than here in the America. The nation’s suffering is in part God’s judgement for our lack of love and concern for one another.

Pastor Jordan

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Jul '20

Fine Points Monday July 13 2020

Posted on Jul 13, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Jul '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “The Perils of Progress”.

This current viral pandemic is not only taking a toll on the secular parts of society, but it is also having an impact on the church as well. Church members are forced to stay home instead of gathering on Sunday morning for health and safety reasons.

It was already a challenge for many to make the effort to come to the house of worship before these restrictions were placed upon us. Now that many have a reason not of their own making for not coming to the house of worship, some are using it as an excuse to stop seeking and worshiping God altogether.

People are taking comfort in the improved condition of mankind and do not long for a better day and place like many of the generations before them. That is one reason why Christianity has such an appeal to people. Because for many, life was at best a struggle and at worst a constant search for a reason to live.

Progress has allowed people to live in a push-button convenience pleasure seeking comfort-oriented society that discounts faith and hope in an afterlife and places emphasis on getting what and all you can here and now. This worldview and philosophy lead people to forget and disbelieve the promise of the Lord that He is coming again to judge the world.

The scripture teaches that people will be surprised and unsuspecting when the Lord shall appear suddenly and left without excuse. My father, along with many others in his generation and those before him, died attending church, supporting the church and were confessing their faith in Jesus Christ.

Fewer and fewer people are dying that way today. They are dying outside the church, not supporting the church or fellowshipping with other believers. They make no effort to seek to know more about the Lord, search the scriptures and govern their lives based upon what is written therein.

Progress has become their peril as they seek pleasure and satisfaction in the things their money can buy and body can allow them to enjoy. But instead of becoming a peril, Christians should allow progress to become their praise of God.

They should constantly give thanks to God for all the improvements in the life conditions. They should thank God that they have overcome the struggles of their parents and ancestors while remaining firmly convinced of the expectation of His return.

We are living in unprecedented times in the progress made in the human condition. This progress has led and is leading many to abandon faith, hope and love in the God of the bible and creation to their own peril and destruction.

Instead of laying around on Sunday morning, let us honor God by getting up, grooming and dressing ourselves and gathering our family around whatever means are available to us to worship and thank the Lord from our homes. This same progress that has made our physical lives so much better than our ancestors has also allowed us to meet, communicate and worship together though we are apart.

Therefore, for those who are being saved and waiting on the Lord, this progress is leading evermore to their praise to and for the God who has and continues to make and fulfill their lives with joy and great anticipation for the future. Let’s allow progress to be our praise and not our peril.

Pastor Jordan

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Jul '20

Fine Points Monday July 6 2020

Posted on Jul 6, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Jul '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “A Call to Freedom and Liberty”.

The ability to choose between alternatives and be self-governing is something that describes people who have freedom and liberty. Freedom is something everyone wants for themselves but some would and have denied to others. God gives Christians liberty and freedom from the Mosaic Law and other customs that were considered sacred in the Jewish culture.

When certain Jews attempted to impose Mosaic laws unto new Christians coverts, Paul needed to inform them of their liberty and freedom that is provided and given to them in Christ. He told them that if they ventured down this path of works, then grace will not have profited them anything. Salvation would be based upon works and not on grace and faith.

As far as the law is concerned, Paul says that Jesus is the end of the law and the prophets. All the law can be summed up in “loving our neighbor as ourselves”. The thing we must keep in mind is that liberty or freedom is not absolute but comes with some restrictions. Exercising one’s own freedom and liberty could impede or infringe upon the liberty, freedom and well-being of others. When we exercise our liberty in this matter were are indulging in our flesh.

Paul tells us and the new converts don’t allow our freedom to used as an occasion for the flesh. If we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. God has made us self-governing and given us freedom and liberty. How we exercise this liberty and freedom determines our eternal destiny and relationship with Him and others. The “Pledge of Allegiance” end with the words “liberty and justice for all”.

However, there are many in this nation who desire liberty and justice for themselves but are indifferent, intolerant or even hostile to the idea of liberty and justice for some others. The heart of God’s law says for us to put ourselves in the place of others and treat them the way we would want to be treated.

When we do not constrain our liberty, we will turn on one another by not walking charitably toward others which produce the works of the flesh. Paul list some of the works of the flesh in the following verses of his letter. The important thing to remember is Christianity is not about restricting freedom but about exercising freedom and being self-governing in a manner that cares about and respects the liberty and freedom of others.

Pastor Jordan

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Jun '20

Fine Points Monday June 29 2020

Posted on Jun 29, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Jun '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “To Hell In A Handbasket”.

Back in 2019 during a CNN Democratic Presidential debate, Ron Reagan, the son of formal US President Ronald Reagan, appear in an advertisement promoting the Freedom From Religion Foundation in which he described himself as an unabashed lifelong atheist who is not afraid of burning in hell. That was their way of dismissing, minimizing and mocking hell.

The people who believe as they do are growing. People no longer fear the fire and torment of hell. Some people feel a loving God couldn’t allow people to suffer in a place like hell. Others believe nobody is going to hell even if there is one. Some believe they are not so bad that they deserve to go to hell. Most though simply believe there is no hell, but there might be a heaven and a God.

The truth is the bible certainly affirms the existence of hell and so does Jesus Himself. There are numerous times where Jesus refers to hell. So, if the bible is true and if Jesus is who He said He is, then hell is real and real people are going there.

In fact, a great number of people are going there because they are failing to keep the second great commandment which is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Isaiah said that hell has gotten larger and expanding its opening to accommodate all the people who were heading that way.

Today, with little or no fear of hell, people are not obeying the second command. Fear of hell shouldn’t be the primary motivation for obeying, but it provides a good reason for doing so. The US is currently experiencing a critical test to its democracy.

The nation is being forced to confront the legacy of slavery while struggling to hold off an economic disaster caused by a viral pandemic that has already killed over 125k people in the US (far more than any other place in the world) with no apparent end in sight without the aid of an effective therapeutic treatment or vaccine which appear to be months away.

In the meantime, with millions of Americans out of work, forced to stay home, limited in where they can go and what they can do and with a presidential election in 128 days people are feeling apprehensive about the future and where all this is going.

In the midst of all this, the message to love our neighbors is being missed and overlooked. There are armed standoffs between groups of people. Some people have been able to turn a public health issue into a political one. The racial rhetoric and scrutiny has been turned up as people take positions and make demands and calls for change.

But the key element that is missing is love. With love comes compassion, forgiveness, acknowledgement of injustice, tolerance and a recognition that we are the same kind with a common purpose and goal. Without this love, people are headed in droves or in a handbasket toward damnation and hell.

If we love the Lord and our neighbors as ourselves, it is up to us to stop that handbasket and look inside because we will find many people we know and love inside. We must do our best to rescue them and not allow them to be carried off into the place Ron Reagan said he is afraid of burning in.

Pastor Jordan

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Jun '20

Fine Points Monday June 22 2020

Posted on Jun 22, 2020 in Pastoral Messages |

Jun '20

Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me for some Fine Points from yesterday’s service and message “Keeping Eternity in View”.

At the beginning of February, COVID-19 was just beginning to register on some people’s radar as a health concern. Fast forward only four months later in June daily life as we knew it seems like a distance memory. People we eating out, children were going to school, sports fans were rooting for their favor teams, banquets, conventions and public gatherings of all kinds were being planned and attended, people were lining up for vacation trips, hotels were booked, people were flying instead of driving and churches were carrying on business as usual.

On February 1, the US saw its first case of COVID19. Four months later, there have been 2.5 million confirmed infections and over 120 thousand confirmed deaths here in the US. The infection rate and hospitalizations are spiking in some states and there are renewed warnings of a second wave just over the horizon. The virus has caused one economic shutdown that put millions of people out of work many of whom are still unemployed and is threatening to shut down the economy again.

Besides all that, protest over the deaths and treatment of African American citizens by law enforcement and others has brought thousands into the streets and sparked national debates over race and racism in America. With the anticipated return of students to school in the fall, school officials are scrambling to plan contingencies to education all children depending upon the state of infections and viral spread in late July and August.

Major sporting events and seasons including MLB and the NFL are in serious jeopardy of being cancelled or played with no fans in attendance for the rest of this year and possibly much of next year. Daily life as it was on February 1st doesn’t seem likely to return for the rest of this year.

With all this happening and coming into view of what we are seeing and experience, our view of salvation, our view of heaven, our view of eternity can become obscured by all the things that are vying for our attention. We must not allow these things to keep us from seeing our primary reason for living. We must not stop doing all the things we were doing and were beginning to do to improve our spiritual lives before any of this happened.

We must pray and mediate now more than ever, read our bibles and other devotional and study material, tune in to online and distance worship and study opportunities, continue to give tithes and offerings, witness to others and most of all live godly and holy lives. We must not lose sight of eternity and the promises of God. We must instead press our way through all the chaos, confusion and uncertainty in the coming days, weeks and months by keeping our focus on what matters most.

God’s promise of eternity will sustain us and keep us especially in times such as these. If something or someone sit in front of us and blocks our view, we must adjust our position if we want to continue looking at what we were viewing. These things are sitting down in front of us and blocking our view. We must consciously make the necessary adjustments to keep eternity in view by doing all the things to continue to improve our relationship with God.

Pastor Jordan

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