Ten lepers were healed of their dreadful, hopeless disease. Only one gave thanks to  God. And that one was the least likely–he was a Samaritan, “a hated foreigner”–but he was the one that recognized that God was the true source of his healing. I believe that there is a truth simple in this short story from the Gospel of Luke: Gratitude is the key to wholeness. Please note that I said wholeness . . . and there can be a difference between healing and wholeness.All ten lepers were physically cleansed of their disease. They were free from their illness. Nine went about their business. Only one leper was made whole. I like how the New Jerusalem Bible translates Jesus statement to the one leper: “Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

Nine lepers got a new chance at life, but only one received a new life.The Samaritan discovered the key to fulfillment in life . . . to live in relationship with God . . . the Great Physician. Martin Luther said it this way, “The purpose of life is to know God and enjoy him forever.” Ten men were extremely fortunate that day because they were suddenly cleansed of their disease and given the opportunity to go back to their lives before they came down with leprosy. One man was truly saved because he found a new way of living. The nine went back. The one went forward. The key is gratitude–it is a true key to so many of life’s blessings. The true gift of wholeness or salvation only comes as we humble ourselves in faith before God who is the source of all blessings. There are so many people who are quite willing to receive the blessings of God, but they fail to draw closer to God by expressing gratitude to him for those blessings. If you want to move closer to God, try expressing your gratitude to him. That simple recognition of all that God does for us and how he blesses us . . . coupled with the recognition that it is not us, but God . . .changes our entire perspectives.Think about gratitude for a few moments. I would like to share four thoughts about it.     

1. Living with Gratitude is a Decision

Jesus told the ten lepers to show themselves to the priests–the Old Testament book of Leviticus spelled out the requirements for lepers to be readmitted into society when they were cured. The rules were strict and the process took eight days after which a lengthy series of offerings had to be made. It is easy to understand how someone who had been separated from community, family and friends over a long period of suffering might be anxious to rush back and go through all the steps as quickly as possible.So it was on that day with the ten lepers. They obey the words of Jesus to go to the priest and begin the ritual purification process and while on the way, they discover they are “cleansed”–cured! Can you imagine what that must have been like for them?  I could not count the times I’ve prayed with families who are waiting for results of a biopsy.  The words, “It was not cancer,” have brought joy to so many hearts and celebration to many families.  But there have also been other times when the diagnosis was not good–dread and sadness followed.It is understandable that these lepers might be so anxious to get back to their lives that they neglected to take the time to go back and say “Thank You.” Except for one and notice what the scripture says . . . “when he saw that he was healed he turned back . . .” His gratitude was a decision. He SAW and he TURNED BACK. The others saw and kept going.  Gratitude is when we see the blessing and decide to take the time to thank the one who blessed us.

Let’s personalize it . . . How has it gone with you today so far?  Have you taken  time to “see” the blessings and give thanks?  Gratitude is a decision.

2. Living with Gratitude Recognizes Life is a Blessing

Does it ever occur to you that many times the things we appreciate most are those that we’ve lost? Lost love, lost job, lost health.  Who was it that said, “Youth is wasted on the young.” 

And how many people do you know who have chronic health problems and they really never feel good? What can we learn? I saw an article on Martha Mason last week in The Charlotte Observer. It was really about Martha’s book being published by a national publisher, but the article talked about her life in an iron lung. One statement in the article stood out . . . it seems that Martha had a way of making her visitors feel better. Here was a woman who had been left severely limited by polio . . . living her life in an iron lung . . . some might wonder what kind of life she had . . . but she had such a spirit that she made other feel better. I think that Martha Mason lived gratitude and it transformed her spirit and through her transformed the people who came to visit.

Do you see?  It’s all a gift.  Life is not our due . . . whether it is doing whatever one wishes or whether it is lying in an iron lung. It is a blessing, and to recognize it as blessing transforms us. There are so many things that are not your’s and mine at all.  They are gifts with which we are blessed. Health, life, beauty and love are all blessings for which we must be grateful, not belongings which we own.

The Samaritan who went back to Jesus knew very well that the health he once again had was a blessing from God.  How quickly it could all be gone. His heart was filled with gratitude for the one who gave the gift.

3. Living with Gratitude Maximizes the Positive and Minimizes the Negative

I have shared this little poem for many years:

    Two men looked out…
    from behind prison bars,
    One saw mud,
    The other stars.

Both men had the same circumstances. Both looked out the same window.  What was the
difference?  Gratitude aims our spirits upward toward  the stars.  Ungratefulness aims us at the
mud.

Personalize with me again.  Based on your experience with the people you know. Do you find
most people are quicker to pick up on the positive or the negative? Which is easier to get
started–a conversation about how terrible things are–or one about how wonderful things are?
Are most people you know more skilled at picking up on the positive things about people and
things–or do they seem more adept at picking up on the negative?

I wonder what the conversation was like in the everyday lives of the ten lepers who called out to Jesus.  They have lived wretched and painful lives, where they have been isolated.  There must have been so much to complain about.  Supposing you knew that out of those ten lepers, there was one who used to say, “Perhaps God will one day heal us?  Let’s keep our hopes up. Things are tough, but at least we have each other?” Which one do you suppose would be the one with the more positive outlook?

Remember Paul’s ancient advice to the church at Thessalonica: 

    Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Why is this the will of God for you and me?    Because a grateful heart will maximize the positive things in our living and minimize the negative.  It recognizes and prizes the gifts of God all around us. It is what God wants for us because it will open our lives.

4. Living with Gratitude Helps Us to See Life Differently

The one leper who was cured of his physical infirmity and turned back to say “Thank you,”  began to turn his heart toward God the moment he realized he was cured.  And he went home that day with much more than having some priest proclaim that he was clean. His gratitude brought a greater blessing to his life–he went home with a whole new life which was energized by faith.

A Hospice chaplain tells this story:

    I will never forget a visit with a dying woman at the hospice unit where I served as an “on
    call chaplain.”  She was a young mother and it was difficult to see her, her two young
    children and her husband going through the anguish of a life cut-off too soon.  I received a
    call that she wanted to talk with me late one Saturday evening.  When I arrived, she said,
    “Pastor, I am sorry to bother you so late. I know you have so much to do tomorrow.”

    It hit me like a spiritual “ton of bricks”.  So much to do??? My God–how fortunate could I
    be?” This woman had very little left to do. Once again I encountered something I had
    discovered in clinical training. Some of the greatest lessons I have ever learned have come
    from dying people. This young mother wanted to talk about her life and her relationship
    with God and I went to help her as God enabled me. But, I was the one who received the
    blessing.

As the chaplain continues:

    A part of our conversation went something like this:

    “Do you have any sense of anger with God?”  I asked.

    “Oh, heavens no!,” she replied, “Not at all. I am sooo grateful!”

    Quite honestly, I was taken aback.  Inside I was thinking, “Grateful? How can you be
    grateful?”  Outwardly, I simply said, “Really?”

    “Yes. We had such a hard time having children. I miscarried three times before our first
    child was born. Then we were blessed with two.  I had to have a hysterectomy after the
    second, we were so lucky to have them.  My husband has been great through all of this . .
    . I think it’s harder for him. I’ve never wondered if he loved me. I’ve been so blessed in
    such a short time and I think about all those people who never experience the love and the
    family that I have. How could I not be grateful?”

    She thanked me profusely before I left. And on the way home, I wept–partly for what I learned about gratitude from her. She died the next day–grateful!

It really is about how we see life . . . negative . . . complaining . . . how tough . . . unfair . . . that’s one day. The other way is gratitude. After all the blessings are all around us . . . let’s not miss them!

Carroll H. Page, Wednesday evening, July 28, 2010 Prayer Service

The scene came from a television movie a few years ago. I don’t even remember the title. A woman is speaking across the valley of death to her young daughter who had died and now wants her mother to cross over and be in heaven with her. As you can imagine the death of her daughter had brought horrible grief to the mother. She had prayed and begged God for the life of her daughter, but her prayer were not answered. Now it is time for the mother to cross over.But, there is one condition.  In order to cross to where her daughter is, the woman has to affirm that she loves God.  The problem is that she can’t.  Her grief was so strong.  During her daughter’s illness she had prayed so hard that God would heal her daughter.  Now she feels that she doesn’t love God at all. The dead girl was pleading, “Please mommy, say that you love God.  You can’t be with me if you don’t love God.”   Then the little girl was crying, but the woman could not say from her heart that she loved God.  The scene ends with both the mother and the girl crying as they are separated across this valley.Of course, it was just a scene from a television movie. It was not even good theology. But, it made me think of how I would feel as a parent, if one of my sons was taken from me. The pain would be so great that I must confess I would probably feel like that mother.

Our scripture reading from Genesis this evening is hard for us to comprehend.  It takes us back a few thousand years to a culture and a world we have a hard time understanding.  You know the story of Abraham and Sarah. They had been through trials and difficulties. They had trusted in the promises of God which seemed almost impossible. Then Abraham and Sarah finally receive the gift of a child. It has been twenty-five long years of waiting, wondering and praying. And whether thousands of years ago or today . . . the joy that comes with the birth of a long awaited child is one of life’s true celebrations.Then think about Abraham. Remember this one line. “Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.”Imagine . . . any volunteers here among our Senior Adults willing to become parents of a newborn?  Abraham has waited and waited.  Now the child is here. Then we get to our scripture.  What happens is hard to comprehend. The scripture says that God “tests” Abraham’s faith by asking him to give up the son he loves, by allowing the boy to be killed. The boy will be killed by Abraham’s own hand in a ancient ritual of child sacrifice.It makes me wonder what God was thinking. When seen from the perspective of modern times when we are so sensitive to child abuse and the ways human beings are treated all around the world. This story seems like an example of horrific child abuse. What if this story was to appear in a modern day newspaper?Associated Press:  N.Y. July 20, 2010 A man was arrested today after police received an anonymous tip about a bizarre religious practice that was to take place. The man’s son was freed by police as the father was in the act of taking the boy’s life with a butcher knife.  Police said the man told them he had heard the voice of God command him to sacrifice the boy.Names have been withheld to protect the juvenile boy’s identity and the father is in custody pending examination by state psychiatrists.That’s the way it would tend to look today . . . he’s got a psychological problem. But, when we go back a few thousand years, things were different. With this story from Genesis we go back at least four thousand years of human history.In fact, these verses from Genesis lead Abraham away from the practice of child sacrifice. In the culture of Abraham’s time, child sacrifice was quite common. It was not, however, to be a part of Israel’s life. Later in Israel’s history, King Josiah destroys an altar which was used to sacrifice children because this was an abomination to God. (II Kings 23:10)  When we examine this story, perhaps we can find some truths for our lives today that will strengthen our own realtionship with God.

There are two things that we need to do and there is one promise of what God will do:

[1] We need to Listen,  and

[2]  We need to “Trust and Obey”, and then

[3] God will meet our needs.

Let’s look at each one for a few moments.

[1] We need to Listen

When God calls, Abraham hears. After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

(Gen. 22:1)

I believe that God still speaks to us, but we need to be listening. Abraham lived his life in light of his relationship with God.  His relationship with God wasn’t a Sunday thing or a sometimes thing.  Abraham’s relationship with God was a normal everyday part of his life. Since the day he left his homeland to follow the voice of God the “the land that I will show you”, Abraham’s spirit was sensitive to the voice of God. Now Abraham wasn’t perfect, and the scripture bears witness that he didn’t always do what God told him, but Abraham seemed to know how to listen. Has anyone ever told you that you don’t listen?

When someone feels as though we aren’t listening to them . . . When we are not paying attention to what they are trying to tell us . . . the message comes that  we need to pay attention. How many times when we have been told we aren’t listening, have we become angry and defensive and perhaps shouted something like, “I do too listen!” But we have already shown that the criticism is true by our defensiveness.  For us to raise our voices does not make us better listeners, it is an attempt to get the other person to hear us. And the hearing ability of the “other person” was never the point!

So how do we listen to God?  Is there a way we can do that? Think about some ways God speaks to us . . . God speaks to us in scripture, in our times of prayer, in the conversation with Christian friends, in times of worship or in a Sunday School class or retreat. One of the problems is that our society is filled with good “talkers”, but there just aren’t that many good listeners. I have found in my years of ministry and counseling that talking does not build good relationships.  Listening builds relationships. It is the same with God as it is with any other relationship . . . we don’t hear if we don’t listen.

In our relationship with God if we are not “intending” to listen . . . then the chances are really good that we are not hearing God speak to us. There is this simple prayer that will help our communication with God. It is simply, “Lord, help me to hear your voice in my life.”

That simple prayer, if we really mean it, can transform our relationships with God. “Lord, help me to hear your voice in my life.”

[2]  We need to “Trust and Obey”

Remember the old gospel hymn entitled, “Trust and Obey.”  It calls us to reflect on two important themes . . .  trusting God. . . and obeying God. These are central to our faith, and we really cannot do one without the other.

Abraham hears the voice of God asking him to do something unthinkable. Give up his son?  Does God have this right?  This is “. . . your only son Isaac, whom you love . . .”  Abraham obeys.  Wait a minute, this isn’t a “blind obedience”, it is an obedience based on trust.  If we were there, we might have said, “Abraham, are you sure it was the voice of God? Maybe you made a mistake.”

But I have a feeling that Abraham would have responded something like this:

“The Lord has been with me from the very beginning of my journey of faith until now.  God is the one who made things happen that no one else could even imagine.  For everything I have seen over these thirty some years, I will trust God for everything I do not see.”

This isn’t blind faith. It is a  faith formed and strengthened from walking with God through the years. Abraham has learned over a long period of time that listening for and obeying the voice of God results in good things. And the work of God in our lives, though sometimes difficult, always results in the best for our lives.

Abraham’s part in the life of faith is to bring a commitment to listen for God’s voice and couple that with a trust in God and an obedience to what God asks of him.  God’s part is to provide.

[3] God will meet our needs

Remember one of the central themes of this story is that child sacrifice will never be a part of Israel’s religious life.

Child sacrifice is one of the reasons pagan religion and Caananite religious practices were an abomination to God.

There is a sense deep within human hearts of a separation between ourselves and God and the feeling that this separation must somehow be closed.  Primitive religions, almost without exception, projected a sense that there is an “angry god” out there somewhere that is out to get everyone and these gods have to be appeased in order to escape their punishment. Children were seen as innocent or perhaps a young virgin would be innocent and people felt that they could appease the gods by sacrificing one who was innocent. Perhaps such a sacrifice will pacify the angry god. Some sort of sacrifice had to be made.

In Israel a lamb represented innocence. Isaac knows that he and his father Abraham are going to worship God and offer a sacrifice but Isaac has a question, “where is the lamb?”

Abraham’s response is the response of faith . . . that faith that is based everything Abraham has experienced God doing up until this point. “God himself will provide the lamb,” Abraham responds. What was Abraham thinking? Did Abraham really think God would step in and halt the sacrifice of Isaac and provide a lamb?  Or is Abraham simply trying to calm the boy?

I would say neither. Abraham knows this one thing. The God who called him to become the father of a “Great Nation” is the God of the impossible. This is the God who brought about an impossible birth. How is this God going to make Isaac the one from whom the nation will come and at the same time take back his life? 

Abraham might have said this, “Well, I don’t know, but then, I didn’t have a clue how Sarah and I were ever going to have a child. I’ve never had a clue why God chose an an old man like me for this “nation-fathering” business. But this one thing I know.  When I listen to God’s voice, trust what I hear and follow through with obedience, things work out. When I don’t listen and make up my own way, then I make a mess of things.”

God is the one who provides for our needs.When the ram caught in the bushes had been offered to God, Abraham called the place “Jehovah-Jireh” which literally means, “The Lord will provide.”

We listen . . . we trust . . . we obey . . . and God will provide.

Carroll H. Page
Wednesday evening, July 21, 2010
Prayer Service

Boiling Springs Baptist Church
P. O. Box 917
Boiling Springs, NC 28017
(704) 434-6244

Even though we are in the middle of the summer, we have an opportunity for re-newed ministry in the next few weeks. Our church has a unique opportunity to minister to college students. Like most churches, we have our own youth, who grow up in the church, and then they move on to college or careers and seem to lose some connection with their home church. So we have the opportunity to work with our own college and career-aged young adults.

But we also have the opportunity to minister to the students at Gardner-Webb University. Like each one of us, there is a unique giftedness to our church that God can use to minister and meet specific needs. There is a clear sense that God is at work in this group of young adults and some specific individuals have been called to minister to this group. Beginning on July 18, the college and career-aged young adults will be meeting in the LEC for Sunday School. Some of our own will be leading in the fellowship and worship time prior to the Sunday School lesson. Then as GWU begins the upcoming school year, we will have an opportunity to invite others to join with us for Sunday School. The young adult years are a very important time in a person’s life, when many decisions about the future are made and one’s faith plays an important part as the foundation of those decisions. As we re-new this ministry and move in a little different direction, please pray for these young people, our ministry to them and those who are being called to lead. If you know persons in this age group, please invite them to come and be a part of what is happening. Finally, if you sense God may be leading you to help, please speak with Greg and Paula Qualls or Greg and Hannah Poe. We will need some folks to drive the van, prepare some food, and just give a warm smile and handshake to those who come. We look forward to what the Lord will do in our midst.

In a second ministry note, many of you have expressed an interest in “adopting” one of our Faithful Saints. We have a number of folks on our Faithful Saints list – those who are at home, who can’t attend services or Sunday School regularly. We want these loved ones who have been such an important part of our church family to continue to feel our love and concern. We want to do more than send them cards at Christmas and see them when we go caroling. There are two ministry possibilities: One is for your Sunday School class to “adopt” one of our members, and then during the year you may send them cards, call, visit, etc as you minister to them. Preschool, children and youth classes especially love to go visit and share smiles with these folks. If your class would like to participate, please see me to select your “Faithful Saint” beginning July 18. Second, we would like to send the Homelife or Mature Living magazine to them. This would involve a brief visit once a month to deliver these resources. If you would be willing to participate in this, please let me know.

As you are away on vacation, please remember to pray for our church and its ongoing ministries. Take some time for personal worship and reflection wherever you are. Remember be faithful to Sunday School and worship attendance when you are in town.

See you in Sunday School!
Minister of Education
Teresa Heffelfinger

Hit The Trail!!!

Boiling Springs Baptist Church VBS 2010

Kick off Sunday June 13 4:30pm-8pm (games, hot dogs, inflatables, etc.)

Monday-Thursday 6:00pm-8:45pm

Classes for ages 3-Adult (Adult class starts at 6 on Sunday, M-Th 6:30pm)

Call the church office for more details.  704-434-6244

Our Fellowship Meals have gone very well this year. Many thanks to all the groups and individuals who have pitched in and prepared wonderful meals for us. Our Fellowship Meals will end on May 26 with a meal catered by Fatz. Cost is still $5.00 per person. Reservations will be required by May 24. If you have helped cook at any time during the year, I hope you will make a reservation and join us for this special event. We are working on the menu and should be able to publish it next week. We are also nearing the end of our Wednesday evening programs. The Children’s Choir program will be Sunday, June 6. The end of year mission’s recognition program will be Wednesday, June 2. No services will be held on June 9 due to graduation programs for the County schools at Gardner-Webb. Please plan to join us for these special programs.

VBS is just around the corner and our plans are going well. Our kick-off for the faculty is May 18 at 6:30. If you are helping in VBS in any capacity, please join us for this special event. If you need childcare, please let Julie, Gail or myself know as soon as possible. Please begin now to pray for VBS – especially for the leadership as plans are made, and for the children as we reach out into our community. Paula Qualls will be leading our adult VBS this year. The topic will be How to Study the Bible and will offer tips and resources to enrich your personal Bible Study. Mark your calendar for June 13 – 18 and plan to bring your neighbors and the whole family.See You in Sunday School!
Teresa Heffelfinger
Minister of Education