It is amazing how much new growth we have seen at Summit since the beginning of the year. The obvious growth has been the 8 baptisms. This week I observed Bill Herald, Sr. teaching the Gospel using a long-playing record and old Jule Miller Film Strips. As Tom Painter says: “we have no excuse”. I also observed Dana Fuller insisting on being baptized—even after suffering five strokes.

The not so obvious growth has been the internal change that has been taking place. Summit has become a stronger Body.

Learning from past Satanic Attacks is what prepares us for current and future victories. Consider lessons from Numbers 16.

Satan uses one seemingly faithful follower to hurt many by playing to an audience. In front of 250 leaders, Korah lays a false, but believable accusation (Num.16:1-3).

Immediately, Moses “fell on his face”. I assume Moses was consulting with God in prayer because when he spoke, he not only had the solution, but he had also nailed the real problem (Num.16:4-11). Moses brought to light that Korah was filled with ingratitude and greed. As Levites, they were to serve the tabernacle. God had given them this ministry and they were taking it for granted. Instead of being grateful they were after Aaron’s priesthood. The problem was that God had never called them to this role.

After this, the “Monday morning quarterbacks” become visible (Num.16:12-14). Real leaders try their best. They are never perfect. So, it is shameful to second guess their tough decisions, especially after the fact.

God dealt with Korah and his two co-conspirators by causing the earth to swallow them up. But 14,700 were still infected. So, they were killed in a plague.

Friend, with gratitude in your hearts, focus on what God has called you to do. It may not be something you are passionate about. But it is something you are good at and that you can accomplish with the least amount of effort.

Yesterday I spent several hours with precious souls who had been “pushed hard”. Some of our visits started from the depths of despair but all ended in hope-filled joy.

Out of every challenging event, you will find the hand of God – if you will choose to look. Just like my sister who, yesterday, took this picture of “new life sprouting out of tough times”.

After seeing God’s hand return them from exile, His people sang this Temple Praise song:

Psalm 118:13–14 (ESV) — 13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

These words remind of the song Josh Gorman sings (written by Brendan Graham in 2004):

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.

Friend, if you would recall & meditate on your most spiritual moment you too can be raised up to sit on mountains.

At CYC last month, one of the sources of entertainment between the devotionals was the S.W.A.T group putting on skits.  While I do not remember all of the specific scenes, one skit that was impactful was called “elevator to heaven”.

In this skit the elevator “doorman” was repeatedly calling out “elevator to heaven, elevator to heaven” to get people’s attention as they walked by and to encourage them to get on. One character was kind of interested in getting on, but something came up and he decided he would get on the elevator another time.

Another character was really interested in getting on, but he did not want anyone else to know because he did not want people to think he was “one of those Christian fanatics”. This character actually got on the elevator, but promptly got off at another stop when he recognized some people from work and he did not want them to see him.

While this summary does not tell the whole story of the skit, I think we can all recognize the theme is that there is only one way to heaven and that we cannot be ashamed of our faith.

Fear and faithlessness leads to unbelief.

Hebrews 3:19 “So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.”

Lord remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away!  Psalm 39:4

When we were young we thought we were invincible, that we would live forever.  But really the older and wiser I get I see how frail and fragile our body is and our time on this earth is a very short time.  When I think about our congregation we learn one of our brothers has had double bypass surgery on Monday, and one of our sisters had a pace maker for her heart on Tuesday.  How many of our faithful have had knees or hips replaced?

Ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little while then it is gone.  James 4:14

This verse tells us not to put off things we know we should be doing.  We do not know about tomorrow!  If you need to repent of your sins and have the Eldership pray for you, or to confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and be baptized please come forward today at the end of the service and make that known.  I would love to help you in either case.

Brothers and Sisters, don’t get caught up in the rat race to “keep up with the Joneses”.  Don’t try and work 7 days a week and 24 hours a day to get up that corporate ladder.  The ladder a Christian wants to climb is the ladder to Heaven! Just think if we dedicated that much time on our spiritual lives how much better Summit would be and this world?

Where do your priorities lie? How will you use the short, precious time you are given?

For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and loose his soul?  Luke 9:25

All of us face daily struggles. And we accept these as a normal part of life. But, every now and then, something happens that is so far out of left field that, as in baseball, it catches us completely off guard.

Today, are you or a loved one facing seemingly insurmountable forces? If you are to be victorious you must, follow this 2-step process. First, stop relying on earthly resources.

Psalm 33:16–17 (ESV) — 16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Here David lists three resources that would fail.  So, list all the tools you think will help you. Then cross them all out.

Now, you are ready for the second part of the process.

Psalm 33:18–20 (ESV) — 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

Dear Father God, upon you alone our soul waits – you are everything we need. This prayer we direct to You through the One who has lived with us (Lk.1:28), within us (Lk.1:35), and over us (Lk.1:38) – your Son and Our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in his sight

Jesus love the children of the world

This song is known and loved by Christians from their earliest days.  It, of course, refers to the fact that God’s love is not influenced by physical characteristics, but by the heart.  The song is solidly based in scripture as Paul says, “there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek…” (Galatians 3:28).  There is more, however, that we can learn from the song.

God has made each of us with a unique set of characteristics and abilities.  Some are outgoing while others keep to themselves.  Some are emotional, others stoic.  It is an easy trap to fall into where we judge our brothers and sisters by their differences.  We have the tendency to view those who differ from us with some trepidation.  We sometimes question their level of commitment, spirituality, and even their motives.

This ought not to be the case in Christ’s Church.  God has called us out of worldly thinking to be a holy people.  He has placed within our number all the talents and personalities that we need to be His hands and feet and voice to the world.

The opposite side of that coin is that sometimes we judge ourselves because we don’t have the same makeup as someone we respect.  We doubt our ability to make a meaningful contribution to the work.  This is every bit as dangerous and wrong as judging others.  If we see ourselves as weak and insignificant, that is what we will be.  We are all uniquely created and loved by God.

As disciples of Jesus, we all have the blessing of being part of his eternal purpose and plan.  Don’t sell yourself or others short.

There is a real need for Jesus Christ in our world. This has led to a populous filled with pain. They are thirsting for the living water that flows from only one source. However, as they search for their “balm of Gilead”, they find many who ensnare them by prescribing positive mental attitude or pills – which only serve to mask their pain. But what they really need is their Savior.

From the wilderness, the Prophet Cries out: Jeremiah 8:22 (ESV) Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?

To which the well-known African American Spiritual answers: There is a balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead To heal the sin-sick soul.

In Psalm 31:1-2, David gives us a personal example of how he applies God’s medicine.

In you, O Lord, do I take REFUGE; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; RESCUE me speedily! Be a ROCK of REFUGE for me, a strong fortress to save me!

Friend, you have been carrying your burden too long! Right now, call to Him for RESCUE. Then run to Him, the ROCK of His REFUGE. The Rock of His Refuge is His Body in this World. Join us today!