Never Say Die!
February 3, 2009
I have an encouraging story for you from one of our TMT subscribers. It occurred to me that maybe others of you could use some encouragement too. (If you don't need it today, file this away--but not too far!)
Many subscribers have often encouraged me. This one is a former student of mine and a longtime friend.
Though he gave me permission to share this, I won't use his name because there are still some issues in his church and you never know when some unintended consequence of an innocent testimony may come back to bite you.
By the way, it's a sad situation isn't it when we have to worry about Christians "biting" each other? But it has been that way from the start. Paul had to warn even 1st Century believers not to devour one another (Gal 5.15).
Well, on with my story.
This friend of mine has pastored his present church for over ten years, and it was not too long into his tenure there that opposition arose. He and I often talked together over the years about how to handle some of the situations he encountered.
This dear brother always dealt gently and wisely with his adversaries, but he never compromised his biblical positions.
Anyway, I had not heard from him for several months (maybe a year or longer) when I got this email:
Hi Dr. Kinnebrew:
I enjoy your Tentmakertips when I get a chance to read them, but time is not always readily available.
Our church is doing ok and...
[More]
Tags:
adversity, dont quit, faithfullness, perseverence
Posted at: 09:38 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
| 
| 
del.icio.us
You Know A Bubba ( And A Bubba Knows You)!
February 3, 2009
There's something I just want to remind you of. No big breaking news, nothing you don't already know, just a little reminder and encouragment to keep your eyes open for something the Lord may be doing with you.
A few days ago I told you that I had spent a couple of days at WinShape. This is a beautiful retreat center a couple of hours north of my home. It is owned and managed by Truett Cathy's Chick-fil-A, Inc., a wonderful Christian-led business that does everything for the glory of God.
(By the way, Mr. Cathy was suffering some serious health problems while I was there; please pray for him.)
So on the last day of the retreat I had lunch with Bob Skelton, a good brother who helped build the WinShape program and who oversees the beautiful campus. He was explaining to me all of the different ministries that take place there--marriage ministries, leadership seminars, pastor respites, youth camps, overseas missionary projects, college worldview and apologetics workshops, and on and on it goes.
Amazed at the impact of such a ministry, and at the blessing of being able to be involved in such a thing, I smiled and asked Bob, "Dude, how do you get a gig like this?" He grinned, held up two fingers and said: "One, the grace of God; and Two, I know Bubba."
Now "Bubba" is what friends call Don M. Cathy, the Senior VP of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Turns out that 25 years ago, when Chick-fil-A was looking...
[More]
Tags:
help a friend, helping others, providence, winshape
Posted at: 09:30 PM | 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink
| | del.icio.us
The Amazing Fatherhood of God
February 3, 2009
Could I share something personal? God has been so good, and I feel I must tell you about it.
Late Friday afternoon I came back from a two-day retreat in the North Georgia mountains. Sandy was planning on coming with me but had previously committed to manning a station at the local hospital's "Health Fair." She could not keep her word to the hospital and still accompany me, so Thursday morning we kissed goodbye and I went to WinShape alone.
Friday, on her way to the hospital, Sandy's CD player clicked to a song by Steven Curtis Chapman about a husband's commitment to his wife during dark, uncertain days. (The song is "Go There with You." You can read the lyrics here. ) For no apparent reason, the Lord strongly impressed upon Sandy the thought, "You know that's how Jim feels about you. He will walk through anything with you." She didn't understand what that was all about; but it made a deep impression, and she knew it was coming from God.
A few hours later, during a lull in the Health Fair, Sandy decided to take one of the free tests for diabetes. To her shock the test came back positive. Not only positive, but apparently she has had diabetes for an extended period of time! That this had never been detected was unbelievable!
Only one who has received such unexpected news can really understand the distress and dismay that comes at such a time. Now she was beginning to understand the song and the...
[More]
Tags:
faithfulness, fatherhood of god, healing, providence
Posted at: 09:11 PM | 1 Comment | Add Comment | Permalink
| | del.icio.us