Pastor Frank's Blog

Home Again

2012-07-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

April and I just got home after being away for a little over three weeks . . . Part of it vacation and part of it business. But, the overwhelming feeling for both of us yesterday as we were in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in our church is that we were "home again".
Being actively involved in our local church body, one that we belong to, and it belongs to us, is integral to the Christian life:
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Are we "considering" on another?
Are we "stirring up" one another?
Are we "exhorting" one another?
Sure many of us "attend"church and therefore feel that we have fulfilled this passage. But, if we are not in love with and involved with our church. Then we are not truly "home again". Being "at home" is much more than being in a specific residence. It is belonging and being a participant with a family.
My encouragement would be that we not only "go to church", but serve as an integral part of our local church. May the Lord bless His church as we serve Him and become more and more like-minded.

Podcasts Are Up

2012-05-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

For those who are interested . . . the podcasts in iTunes are finally updated. Thank you for your patience.

In Him,
Frank

Placing Blame

2012-02-17T09:12:00.000-08:00

I was reminded this morning in my devotional on how we need to focus our efforts on getting things accomplished, rather than blaming someone else for not getting it done.
"Placing the blame on someone else is a futile exercise . . . yelling at the darkness certainly won't make it light." Chuck Swindoll

Broken Promises . . .

2012-01-09T09:51:00.001-08:00

Thinking of how we're 9 days into the new year and noticing how many promises I've already broken . . . Makes me extra stoked that God keeps His!

Worshipping At Christmas

2011-12-07T12:54:00.001-08:00

Do we understand what it is to “worship” at Christmas? I’m not talking about “worshipping Christmas” as so many do today, but just simply worshipping during Christmas.

So many allow the emphasis to remain in the wrong place during this time of the year. We know that the wise men were overjoyed . . . but joy was not why they worshipped. We know that they brought gifts . . . But they did not worship those gifts, nor did the presentation of gifts precede their worship. In fact we can say that their gifts were an expression of their worship. And Whom did they worship? Jesus! They did not worship “her” (Mary), nor any other person. They worshipped Jesus! And how do we know that? Their focus was to come and be with HIM!

Where are we this Christmas season? Well, we can answer that by taking an honest look at where we want to be. At the mall? In the kitchen? At the office party? With our family and friends? If ANY of these precede JESUS, then we are worshipping something or someone else . . . And this is not what Christmas is about at all.

Let’s place worship where it needs to be . . . At the forefront of our lives and at the feet of our Savior, Jesus Christ Who’s birth we celebrate in this year.

Feet To The Pavement

2011-04-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Just a thought . . . Today, are we willing to walk in the "new life"given to us by Jesus, that we all celebrated yesterday?

Remembering A Friend

2011-02-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of a dear brother going home to be with the Lord. Chad Senas was a special man to many people. But most of all, he was special to the Lord. In 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 we are reminded that we were created to be with God and worship him:
"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."
Most of the relationships we share here on earth are just temporary . . . Husbands and wives. Parents and children. Co-workers. But with God as our Father, and the One to Whom we are going because we were created to be with Him, our brotherhood in Jesus will never end!
Therefore, today I remember Chad . . . and look forward to the day we will hang out again . . . doing what we were both created to do.

Love Letter

2011-02-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

Just curious if we thought about how much God loves us today?

We are often so consumed on this day to share our love towards someone else. I think it would be prudent to at least spend some of the day basking in the love of the One who displayed His love on Calvary. No roses, candy, or sentimental card . . . just His broken body.

1 John 4:9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

Let's take time to bask in His love for us, today and everyday.

Happy Anniversary

2011-01-11T10:34:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the Waipio Grace Brethren Church! As with any anniversary, found memories come to mind . . . both of long ago and of recent.
If you have any memories, we would love to hear them . . .

Sound Doctrine

2010-12-20T14:46:00.000-08:00

Note to self:
I must learn and live sound doctrine in order to effectively reach others!

Ephesians 1:18–19 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

Philippians 1:9–10 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

Colossians 1:9-11 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Then, and only then, we must present this sound truth to others:

1 Timothy 4:6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

1 Timothy 4:11 These things command and teach.

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

1 Timothy 6:2-3 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,

1 Timothy 6:20-21 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

Grace be with you. Amen.

2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:1–5 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

A Century"ian"

2010-12-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Today would have been the 100th birthday of Margurite "Peggy" Tresise. Sadly, she went home to be with the Lord just about two months ago. For those that don't know her, she was the wife of the founding pastor of our church, Foster Tresise. For those that do know her, she was many things:
• A brave woman who handled adversity well.
• A person of prayer and someone who was serious about God's Word.
• A visionary who, along with her husband, started the first Grace Brethren Church in Hawaii.
• A caring woman who made home people the priority.
• A wife, mother, and grandmother that was absolutely special.
• An inspirational woman of God that none of us will ever forget.
• A giver of a legacy . . .
We, who are at Waipio GBC, have inherited her legacy and have an important duty to pass it on to the generations that will follow after us. Will we be able to do in such great a fashion? Only time, and the Lord will tell.

Peace

2010-12-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

Romans 8:6 says, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."
Let's start with the obvious, the conjunction of opposites, "but" lays out that no one can be both carnally minded and spiritually minded at the same time. They are mutually exclusive and we must pursue one or the other.
Secondly, it is not our mindset that determines whether we have death, or peace and life. Rather, the mindset only reveals the reality of one's spirit in connection with the Holy Spirit . . . whether we're dead or alive.
Thirdly, knowing we're alive in Jesus brings us peace.
This brings us to the conclusive question. Do we have peace in God and are our lives a reflection of that peace.
Just a thought . . .

A Birthday Reminder

2010-11-29T23:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I celebrated my 41st birthday. A few more wrinkles, much more grey hair, but I noticed something that both blessed me and saddened me at the same time . . .
After spending all day at church and having a couple of counseling sessions, I got home at almost 10:00 pm and noticed I had well over a hundred birthday wishes on facebook, a couple dozen phone calls, and about 10 cards . . . all from people who wanted to convey their love for me. This was great for me and I felt absolutely lucky to have so many people who care about me. But what about the people that may not get any of these written or voice-mailed messages on their birthday, let alone on any day? What if we we shared simple words of encouragement daily to those in our lives . . . especially the ones who may never hear it otherwise? What if every day could be birthed in happiness towards those we love?
Just a thought . . .

God's Thankfulness?

2010-11-18T14:13:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday evenings we are currently studying systematic theology and have been studying the communicable and incommunicable attributes of God. In an effort to stay current with the events of the holidays, I decided to focus on the attribute of thankfulness to coincide with thanksgiving. I found many passages on our thankfulness to God, but was unable to find any in which God was said to thank mankind. This led to many discussions and deep thoughts before I stated the following at the start of our study last night:

Outside of the trinitarian relationship, God does not exhibit thankfulness to anyone. If He did, He would have to be the beneficiary of mankind’s goodness . . . and we know there is nothing that man can do for God that benefits Him because He is complete in Himself.

But we need to realize that God has given us instructions on thankfulness because it is an attribute that man must have. God, the Father has also empowered us to be thankful because of what He has done for us and being thankless is the attitude of people who don't know God.

There was much discussion after this and I just wanted to see if anyone would like to weigh in on the issue . . .

Music

2010-11-17T14:01:00.000-08:00

In a day and age in which Christian music is so "cheesy" I really digging on Lincoln Brewster! Awesome guitar playing and feel for worship with a rock edge.
His newest studio recording, "Today Is The Day" is has a great variety on it to suit almost every worship style.

If you like live stuff, check out "All To You" which is a live recording with some of the best musicianship around.
Do yourself a favor and check both of them out!

Ready To Depart

2010-11-15T15:24:00.000-08:00

In Luke chapter 2 verses 25-35, we are introduced to a man by the name of Simeon. Many people paint him as an old man who was feeble and was ready to die. Yet when we read the passage in it's fulness, Scripture does not paint this picture at all.

To start with there is no mention of his age so to get any idea of the sort is based on human presupposition and not on the Word of God. There is no mention of physical problems and therefore his wanting to die. In fact, all that is stated is that he would not see death until he saw the Messiah. However if we focus on what is said we can learn a lot from this man.

Simeon was a man who was led by the Spirit of God
Simeon was a man who taught other's the Word of God
Simeon was a man who was obedient to the Will of God
Simeon was a man who came to see the "Salvation of God" in the person of Jesus

The idea is that he was serious about God because he was promised to see salvation in the Lord's Christ. And only after this he was ready to "depart". The word for depart in the greek carries with it the idea of being "pardoned" or "let loose". There are many examples:

A prisoner being set fee
A ship being untied from the pier to set sail on the open ocean
The taking down of a tent when we intend to leave and not return
But probably the most meaningful to me, is a beast of burden who has been tied to the plow and working tirelessly, finally being unhitched from the load it was carrying and allowed to graze freely in an open field.

Simeon desired to "depart". I desire it . . . at times more than others . . . and I'm sure many of us feel the same way. But we can only be ready to "depart" or "set free", once we have met our salvation, Jesus the Lord's Christ!

One out of every one person dies. In fact, on average 6,000 people will die today in America alone! However, the sad fact is that many of them are not "ready"to depart. Why? Because the have not met the Lord's Christ. This is clearly evident because we don't see many people serious about God and His business. What about you? Are you ready to depart? Have you met the Lord's Christ and the salvation that only He can bring?

When He Calls

2010-11-13T21:50:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, April and I felt the Lord leading us towards a new ministry. As with any new ministry, there was an ample amount of fears and doubts, but Jesus encouraged us through His Word . . .

Acts 18:9-10 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”

Anyone who knows me knows that keeping silent is impossible for me. But not being afraid . . . That's a challenge especially when facing the unknown. But as Jesus had promised, He is with us.
Three years later, we are so grateful for the Lord's leading and His empowering us to be obedient. The result . . . The growth of His body here at Waipio. We have seen people grow deeper, both with the Lord and each other. But this would not have been possible if we were afraid.
The ministry is the greatest endeavor anyone can be called to, and often seems arduous. Yet He promised us we will never have to do it alone, thus we need not fear.
What is the Lord calling you to do? Whatever it is, know that He's calling you as He's leading the charge. Do not be afraid to charge after Him because He has many people to reach in your city!