Peace in World of Tumult

According to a recent NBC News report, at least 10,000 ISIS militants have been killed in the last 9 months after the efforts of a coalition of countries came together to combat this international force. On Tuesday, a man shot in the Boston area had been watched closely by the FBI who considered him to be a terrorist threat. We hear reports of this sort weekly, if not daily. These events and the reports about them can certainly cause feelings of unrest, anxiety, and uncertainty. While, as Christians, we remain in this world of worry and apprehension, we are commanded not to be of this world. This commandment is easy to forget with so much chaos and evil swirling around us. Fortunately, God’s word is filled with reminders of how and why we can find peace in a not so peaceful world. These reminders are filled with wisdom from above. James 3:17-18 describes the nature of this wisdom: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

While we might not be able to make peace in the whole world, we can at least strive to make and find it in our own homes and church family. On one occasion, Jesus tells John about the role of peace between brethren when he said, “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:50). This passage echoes the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount when he tells his followers to be the “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13) and “light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). Christ’s followers are to reflect the appearance and flavor of Him in their lives, and we should never forget that he is known, among many other names, as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).

In John chapter 14, Jesus frequently reminds his disciples that loving him means keeping his commandments (vv. 15 and 21-22). He tells them that “I will not leave you as orphans” (vs. 18) and that the Holy Father will send a “Helper, the Holy Spirit” (v. 26) to help them (and us) remember the words of their master when he is gone from them physically. Jesus tells them “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (v. 27). So peace for us in the not so peaceful world that we live in is through the Word of God, the comfort of the Holy Spirit. We can gain access to it by keeping the commandments found in the Word of God and the reminders of it through his Spirit.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the Peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:4-7)

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The Lord’s Church: A Safe Haven

“The church is not a place where perfect people gather to say perfect things, or have perfect thoughts, or have perfect feelings. The Church is a place where imperfect people gather to provide encouragement, support, and service to each other as we press on in our journey to return to our Heavenly Father.” – Joseph B. Wirthlin

Growing up as a part of the church has been a blessing throughout my life. It has held different meanings at different times of my life. In the past I’ve benefited from the edification that is offered here; Church builds you up. The greeters that stand by the front doors never fail to bring a smile to my face. God knew we could all be encouraged by one another if we allow ourselves to get the full benefit from being with the Church. Proverbs 27:23 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

Other times in my life, the Church has been a hospital when I’ve been sick. You may be able to relate. Just like in flu season, we hear of people coming down with sickness right and left, spiritually, we have a treatment that can help you. The treatment was made before the disease—sin—came into our lives, but through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we have the opportunity of being healed. And the best part is, if your immune system gets weak during your life, we have continual healing or “cleansing” to be made perfect. The Bible tells us that “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleans us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7; AKJV) Notice it says, “cleans”? It’s continual! It will never stop until the Lord returns to take us home for eternity.

Lastly, the church is our safe haven. In 2 Corinthians 11:24-33, Paul speaks of his suffering while being an apostle “One who is sent.” He tells the Church in Corinth about severe beatings, shipwrecks, his being stoned almost to the point of death, and he mentions the general danger of life. What would it be like to always be in fear or to run from danger? I can’t even imagine. Through all of these dangers, he doesn’t mention his brothers and sisters in Christ. He views the Church as a safe haven. He didn’t view these dangers as an obstacle to try to get around. Rather, he finds in the Church a place of security, acceptance, and love to be part of. Don’t we crave that for ourselves even now? I don’t know if anyone suffered as much as Paul did in his life for the sake of Christ, but I do know one thing, he took advantage of gathering together with the Saints. He found edification in being with them. He helped to strengthen the Church, and the Church helped to strengthen him. Most importantly, he found that in any situation the same church we are part of today was a safe haven for him. And it can be for you too.

–Alex Blackwelder

Lessons from a Rancher

The first time I ever plowed a field, I had no clue what I was doing.

My father-in-law was a rancher and understood the value of free labor, especially if it involved a son-in-law. He also believed the best way for folks to learn a new task was to turn them loose on a project and then stop by a few hours later to check on them.

One Saturday morning soon after Linda and I had been married, he took me to one of his pastures that rested along a creek bottom. We pulled up next to a fairly large tractor located near the edge of the field. We stopped. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He asked me if I’d get started plowing the field while he went to town. Before I had a chance to affirm, he gave me the keys, kicked me out of the truck, and indicated he’d see me in a couple of hours.

Oh my. I had never driven a tractor and most certainly had never plowed a field. The only thing I had going in my favor was that I could drive a standard. After much trial and error, I figured out how to start it, make it go forward, and how to use the hydraulics to raise and lower the large apparatus behind the tractor. The trial-by-fire experience undoubtedly was a sight to behold, so I’m thankful the field was located far off the beaten path.

A few hours later, my father-in-law returned. He pulled into the field and headed toward where I was plowing. He stopped and got out of the truck. I stopped and dismounted from the tractor. We met somewhere in the middle, and he opened with a question, “How’s it going?” I shared with him that after I got the tractor started and figured out the controls, things seemed to be going pretty good. He laughed as if surprised by my ineptness. Back then, I thought it an honest mistake. Some 30 years later, I know that it was the calculated pedagogy of a master teacher.

He affirmed I was doing a pretty good job, all things considered, which then led into him highlighting several opportunities for improvement. Specifically, he noted I was looking behind the tractor too often. He encouraged me to pick out a place at the end of the row, point the tractor toward it, and keep looking at the point until I reached the end of the row. He told me to listen to the tractor to figure out what was going on behind. He said the engine would let me know if I was plowing too deep, too shallow, or if I needed to slow down or speed up.

I was all of 20 or 21 years old when he shared a whole lot of wisdom with me in that four or five minute conversation. The main lesson of the day was not about driving a tractor. It was a lesson, a living parable, designed to illustrate a life-principle found throughout the Bible, perhaps most directly in Philippians 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Let us continually strain toward what is ahead: toward that future, that vision, that promise. Let us intentionally and passionately ask, seek and knock all along the way; let us listen. Let us forget what is behind, and let us be quick to throw off all those things that slow us down or keep us from reaching that future.

–C. J. Vires

We at Estes are encouraged when we read the “thank you” notes that individuals and families send to us because our members have visited, taken food, sent gifts, phoned, prayed or in some way sent a message that they are loved. Read more

As We Grow

For many years, we have desired to purchase the land south of the Estes property. This parcel was part of a 96 acre tract and for various reasons this purchase was not possible. We were very fortunate that someone purchased approximately 88 acres of the east part of the tract, leaving approximately 8 acres on the front corner, which was exactly what we had always wanted.

The proposal was presented to you in a congregational meeting and your response was overwhelming. The money you have given, along with the August 31st pledges, will pay about half of the purchase. The pledges due by December 31, 2015 will pay the remaining half. Read more