Withhold no good thing...

“No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11b

After breakfast tomorrow I will have completed my first reading of Charles Spurgeon’s devotional classic, Morning and Evening. My wife gifted me with it last June 30^th and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. It wasn’t a late Father’s Day gift, nor was it an early anniversary or Christmas gift, but a super-early (3 months early to be exact) birthday present.

Now, why would Brittany do that? Was it because she had failed to gift well on Father’s Day? No, not at all. In fact, I had just received a brand new propane grill a week or so earlier for Father’s Day – an extravagant gift to say the least. Had I been especially sweet, proving myself deserving of such blessing? Not exactly. I’m afraid that question will never be answered in the affirmative. No, she simply knew that I would love it. My wife was confident that I would benefit from its pages. Brittany concluded that if it would help me look to Christ, thus stirring my affections for more of Him, then giving me the book early was the only real option.

As you might imagine, my hope is to talk about more than birthday presents. I’m curious why we withhold good from one another. Sure, most of us are completely unaware that we do, but nevertheless it happens. What do I mean? Well, for starters we often withhold ourselves. We have gifts and talents, stories of God’s providence in our lives. We have learned through successes and failures; we’ve trod down difficult paths alone and afraid. We could offer hope to someone in a similar situation. But for whatever reason, we are kept away from others for some other time. Perhaps we just don’t realize our value.

But surely we see that we’re blessed in the way of resources, right? We have financial means, technological capability, and opportunities to pursue higher education like no other time in history. We have enough capital to fill our every weekend doing “stuff.” We pay for our hobbies and recreational vices, but how often do we spend our “hard-earned money” on someone outside of our family? Sure, we’re invested in our local body, but we don’t support the shared mission financially. That would be just fine, but when there is no evidence of our time, money, energy, or giftedness being spent sacrificially, then it is safe to say that some good has been withheld. There are areas where more servant leaders would enrich ministry; there are churches waiting to be planted, missionaries praying for support, unreached people desperate for the liberating word of the gospel. But then again, maybe we just don’t see the need.

You know what your lost neighbor has in common with the tribal heathen on the other side of the planet? A need for the gospel! That need is the one thing that we as believers share with them as well – the good news of Jesus Christ – His life, death, and resurrection. We all need the gospel and the healing, transformational power therein. Yet, we’ve not only given up on preaching it to ourselves, it seems we dare not share the gospel’s freedom with others either. Why? Is it possible that we’ve forgotten the great depths from which we were saved, for which we now stand, and to the promised hope we have ahead of us? Evangelism is only as valuable as the discipleship that accompanies it. The moment we begin to toil for toys and trinkets instead of the treasure hidden in the field, we lose our zeal for the neighbor as well as the nations. Surely, when such good is withheld it can only be that we’ve forgotten God’s grace, His mercies that are new each morning, and the joy that life in Him brings.

But it is possible that we withhold these good things because we are scared. We’re afraid of running out – of money, of energy, of zeal. We think, “How long can I do this?” And at some level this is a healthy consideration; dear friend, do count the cost! Yet as we take inventory, may we remember the source of the good that we have to offer. For which of us while in the womb, asked God for something? “Father, knit my mind together so that I may be a learned man and excel in business.” “Lord, take my unformed substance and make me winsome and compassionate.” “Jesus, plant me in an affluent community, where our pooled-together resources can push back darkness around the globe.” “Holy Spirit, allow me to process the events of my life to see Your faithfulness through all the trials of my travels.” No one has! Yet, God has created us in just these types of ways. He has given grace in spite of our faithlessness that we might trust Him to provide for us and sustain us as we look to reflect the light of His glory and grace.

He withholds nothing from His children…except for the wrath that we each deserve for our sin. He is not only merciful, but He lavishes His grace upon us, giving us what we could never earn, supplying us with more than we could ever desire. He is good and does good. Perhaps there is fear that we’ll become frail and faint in such giving work. Ah, but may we remember that our help is fully supplied by the One that never grows tired or weak or weary. Nothing has been withheld from His saints, therefore, might the abundance of our blessing not terminate on us.

Matt Fowler
Associate Pastor of Missions & Students
matt@nbchurch.info
@fattmowler

In good hands...

Last Monday our two boys loaded up on a bus and headed off to church camp. This was not there first camp or retreat; for they have gone with us in the past, back when I was serving as the family pastor of middle school. But this year was different. My wife and I were not making the trip. So our boys would be gone from home for a week without any direct line of communication. Though we knew it would be a long week, we put on a good face, smiled as they left, and trusted that they would be in good hands.

By the second night we were missing them quite a bit, but as we looked at some of the group’s Facebook posts from camp, we saw that our boys were having a great time. They were playing in fun competitions with their friends, going to times of teaching and worship designed to connect with students their age, and finding creative places to meet for their breakout discussions. We remembered that Tony was their small group leader and found encouragement knowing that they were in good hands.

As the week dragged on for us at home and flew by for Brooks and Chan and the rest of the middle school campers that were having a blast in Edmond, I began to reflect back on the last 10 months or so. See, it was toward the end of last summer that I transitioned from my position as family pastor of middle school to take on similar responsibilities in leading the high school ministry upstairs. Honestly, there was some anxiety with the move. I was following a gifted and beloved leader and leaving a place where I was comfortable. Downstairs I had developed a team of trusted leaders; I knew the kids well; heck, I even had grown some relationships with parents that wanted to be more involved. Leaving an environment I had grown so familiar with was difficult. I feared the unknown details that were ahead of me. Would I be up for the task of my new role? Would the high school ministry be in good hands?

Perhaps you are wondering whether or not I feared for the middle school crew that I was leaving behind. Frankly, I didn’t. Why? Well, I was privileged to sit in on some of the interviews and discussions with the man that is now our middle school pastor, Mike Krebs. It was evident to me that we were bringing on a guy that had been changed by Jesus. Spend some time with Mike and you’ll soon discover what he is all about. He is a gospel guy; he gets discipleship; he has a heart for the nations; and he’s a dude that’s devoted to prayer. In addition to that, Krebs adores his wife, Jess, and their daughter, Evelyn. He loves his girls and sees them, as they rightly are, as gifts from God. With a strong work ethic and great humility, Mike strives to lead folks to the Lord. So, without question, I knew that Wired (our MS ministry) would be in good hands.

But here we are, a week removed camp with even more time to consider God’s grace to our local body, and it has become abundantly clear that our hope is found in One who is so much more than capable. The safety of our children on the bus or at camp or any other time that they are away from us, is not dependent upon the people “in charge.” It is not about the environment surrounding any given circumstance. The future of our student ministries is not reliant upon my skill level or abilities; neither is it based upon Mike’s set of strengths or quality of character. No, we are in good hands, because we are in the hands of the only One who is good.

The best of us and the worst of us, all have one thing in common – we’re replaceable. Granted some are missed more than others, but here’s my point. We can work and toil, plan and scheme, dream and pray, but there is only One that can bring the increase and heart transformation we desire. So, as I reflect on our Savior this morning, I’m simultaneously humbled and liberated. It is humbling to again realize that I am completely and entirely reliant upon God’s grace, but how precious a thought! And at the same time I’m freed from the heavy burden of trying to produce or bring about something that I’m powerless to create in the first place. How wonderfully liberating!

This Husband loves His bride; this Good Shepherd goes before His sheep. He walks with us, lives inside us, and promises that no one will snatch us from His hand. This is our hope! He is our hope! Christ is whom we look upon; He is whom we trust in; to Jesus alone, we cling. I’m thankful for Mike and Jess, for Daniel and Taler, for Lynn, Kristin, Danny, and Tony (all our NBC leaders), for the CIY MIX directors and staff, and for Bixby transportation! Thanks for taking good care of our boys and leading them in a fantastic week of camp! I knew they were in good hands, I just forgot how good. May we live in the assurance that the One who was with us in the past, is the One who sustains us today, and will be the One to provide for all our needs tomorrow. Truly, for those in Christ, we are in good hands.

Matt Fowler
Associate Pastor of Missions & Students
matt@nbchurch.info
@fattmowler

Father's Day Challenge for Fathers

I have been hip deep in grand-fatherhood these past two weeks (cleaning, cooking, playing, reading, rocking, diapering, singing, etc.). As I write this blog I am baby-sitting my granddaughter C.C. – sitting in the car by the ocean, while she finishes her nap. I have never missed 3 Sunday's in a row from my calling as a preacher of the gospel. But I must admit,

1. I have never had a more important reason to be away.
2. I have never had more confidence in a staff when I am absent

If the truth were to be told, if I neglected my biblical mandate to be the spiritual leader of my family, then I would simultaneously rescind my calling to be the spiritual leader of the church. Because this Sunday is Father's Day and I have spent some time wrestling with questions every father and grand-father should answer.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Listen, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is One. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

• What does it mean the have a command of God on your heart?
• Why are the commands given to fathers in Deuteronomy 6:7-9 given immediately after the most important command in Deuteronomy 6:4-6?
• Is this the best method for preparing children to be godly people as adults?
• Are our children learning what is important to their fathers by observing their behavior at home?
• What values and behaviors are our children learning by observing passive or ungodly fathers?

The emphasis on the father being the spiritual leader of the family is not just an Old Testament concept. The New Testament affirms this privilege and responsibility as well:

Ephesians 6:1-4 Children, obey your parents as [you would] the Lord, because this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. 4 Fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

• Why does Ephesians 6:1-4 follow directly after Ephesians 5:21-33?
• Could it be that fathers most significantly influence their children's faith by the way they love their children's mothers?
• How are our kids obedience to our commands related to how much they honor us?
• Why is this the only command in scripture that directly follows with a promise?
• What ways do we fathers stir up anger in our children?

Father’s Day has many possibilities. However, let me warn you. The higher you set your expectations for public praise and honor from your children, the more likely you are going to be disappointed. A father’s best option for a blessed Father’s Day is to utilize it as an opportunity to reaffirm his role as spiritual leader.

1. Choose for yourselves today the one you will worship.
2. Repent from your passivity or selfish defiance of the past.
3. Ask for forgiveness from the Lord God, your wife, and your family also.
4. Make the necessary changes to assume this honorable role.
5. Begin living in the power of the gospel as a submissive disciple of Jesus Christ!

Joshua 24:15 But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh.”

Happy Father’s Day! See you next week.

Dr. Phil Sallee, Pastor
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All who are thirsty...

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Isaiah 55:1

How gracious an invitation! Come, those who are thirsty. Come find the richest of fare at no price, for the payment has been made by our Savior! How remarkable that such grace could be extended to you and me. Though we often throw away our hard-earned money and resources on that which holds no value, though we toil for what cannot bring contentment (Isaiah 55:2), the Father beckons us to, “Come!”

We need to bring nothing to His table but our need, our most dire, desperate thirst. For in Him, we find living water; our thirst is finally quenched; our souls are at last made whole. “Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Four times in the first verse of Isaiah’s 55^th chapter the Lord pleads for us to come. Come and receive. Come and enjoy. Come and buy at no cost. Come and be filled. Mercy is available for the parched and weary, but we must acknowledge our thirst.

This blessed opportunity is available to the thirsty. “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live (v. 3).” The offer is for life, and the Father’s tone is urgent. There is no need in pretending one is satisfied while sand is spilling from the mouth of his dry soul. To delay in coming would be a grave mistake, for the living water will not always be close at hand. Consider what the prophet records in verse 6: “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon him while He is near.”

What keeps you from partaking of Christ’s eternal spring? Why would you not call others to come to this well? Have you forgotten that this overflowing cup was not purchased by your earthly efforts? Has it slipped your mind that this everlasting drink was not poured from your shaky hand nor held by your feeble might? It was and shall always be available simply and purely by His grace alone.

Through Isaiah hundreds of years before the Messiah’s birth, later reiterated by Christ in the Gospels, the call remains the same today: may all who are thirsty to come and drink (John 7:37). But pay close attention to the words written down by the beloved disciple in Revelation 21. After seeing the new heaven and new earth and the holy city, new Jerusalem, where God will dwell forever with His people, Jesus announces that He is making all things new. He then has John record these precious words that echo both the prophet as well as our Savior with the Samaritan woman (John 4:10-15)… “It is done! I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment (Revelation 21:6).”

Perhaps we've grown used to our dryness, and living less than contented lives has become all too common and familiar. Maybe we've neglected the source of our true satisfaction. Might we partake of these cool, refreshing waters this morning. May we remember the faithful fountain from which it flows. And might we implore others to come and sip and find that which actually fulfills, that which is offered freely, the deep well of grace that will never run dry. Salvation and sustenance are at hand. May all who are thirsty, come.

Matt Fowler
Associate Pastor of Missions & Students
matt@nbchurch.info
@fattmowler

My Heart is Pounding!

Grams and Pops with Corinne Eleanor Lewolt

The plan was simple. I was going to preach on Sunday (June 7th) and fly out on Monday (June 8th). Carol had flown to California to become a Grandmother of our 2nd granddaughter 3 days ealier.

But when I woke up on Saturday the plans changed quickly. My heart began to pound. I had a text from Carol the night before at 10:30pm saying, “Brian (our son-in-law) just took Jill to the hospital. It looks like we will have another grandbaby tomorrow.” I immediately changed my ticket to fly to California to be with my daughter, son-in-law and thier new baby.

Why would we take such drastic measures to be there for the birth of a grandbaby? What is the big deal? Why would I miss preaching on Sunday when I could have just flown in when I had planned? Carol and I believe that being a grandparent is a big deal. As grandparents, we want to continue to make a significantly beneficial influence on our family. The love we feel for our grandchildren is linked to the concept of legacy. We want to leave a heritage of faith for our family. We both hope to tell our kids and their of God’s mighty power and strength.

Psalm 71:14-18 But I will hope continually and will praise You more and more. 15 My mouth will tell about Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot sum them up. 16 I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God; I will proclaim Your righteousness, Yours alone. 17 God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim Your wonderful works. 18 Even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me. Then I will proclaim Your power to another generation, Your strength to all who are to come.

Day 1 in the Hospital 

God’s Word has promised a renewed strength for people, especially grandparents, for those who trust Him. I must admit that I have had a newfound strength – cleaning the house, preparing the meal, changing the diapers, pushing the swing, climbing the playground, rocking the baby – this week. Could my love for my kids and their babies be the reason that I am too tired to get out of my “Lazyboy" recliner, yet never too tired to crawl on the floor for an imaginary tea party? Is it this same love that motivates me to finish strong in my faith and not slide into a moral compromise?

Isaiah 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding. 29 He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. 30 Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, 31 but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.

Jill and Corinne ready to go home

Since Corinne was born I have taken every opportunity to pray over her, to sing to her (while rocking her), to talk to her about how much God loves her.

I must admit, I have been increasingly concerned about my kids raising my grandchildren in a culture where Christian values are being ridiculed. As a grandparent I have been around long enough to see our environment skid into shocking and discouraging lows. Our grown children are going to need our faith to not only remain strong, but also to thrive and lead in influential ways. They will need our prayers, our encouragement, our compassion, and our Christ-like love. We grandparents are going to have to learn Jesus’ method for earning other’s love and respect. But we will also need to learn to avoid repelling our kids by displaying the hypocritical sneer of the Pharisee. They will rightly ignore our scorn and our criticism.

Psalm 78:2-4 I will declare wise sayings; I will speak mysteries from the past— 3 things we have heard and known and that our fathers have passed down to us. 4 We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed.

Don't forget CC.

May the Lord empower us to influence our families for Him.

May we proclaim the Lord God’s mighty acts, His righteousness, and His wonderful works.

May we trust the Lord and experience renewed strength and soar on wings like eagles.

May we tell a future generation the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed! God Bless!

Dr. Phil Sallee, Pastor
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Too Old for the Creek?

I was very blessed to attend Falls Creek last week with our high school students. I'm not sure that it's "mandatory" that I attend Falls Creek or youth camp, every summer, but I do enjoy going and being around the students. However, I am getting older and the truth is that it's harder to sleep in a bunk bed, harder to get out of the bunk bed and harder to recover from a week of staying up until midnight and getting up at 6:30am every day. But guess what? I wasn't the oldest person there. We had senior adults, 10 to 20 years older than myself, helping cook all week, and a senior adult leader who sat with, mentored and taught a group of 9th grade boys all week. I never heard a complaint.

I was inspired by their spirit. I was inspired by their hearts to "give" of their time and talents. I was honored to get to serve along side them all week because it wasn't about them. They gave up a week of their time so that they could spend time serving, teaching and loving, high school students.

This week was about the students. We were able to spend a lot of time asking them questions and answering their questions. We were able to pray with them, to listen to them and to guide them. Most importantly, we were able to LOVE them.

We sang a song on one of the last nights at worship that said it all for me. "They will know we are Christians by our Love, by our Love, they will knoooow we are Christians by our Love."

Hopefully, some of us older adults were used by God last week to "show" our students that they are loved.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

Best of camp, best of life...

As many of you know, last week our high school ministry went to church camp where we enjoyed a truly wonderful time. We received good teaching, solid corporate worship opportunities, and excellent food at least three times a day. We laughed a lot and prayed together daily. We played volleyball; we progressed through the challenges of the ropes course; we went swimming and skateboarding; we even had impromptu “Baptist appropriate” in-cabin dance-offs. It was a fun week, a busy week, and a week that produced many great memories. Yet despite all I’ve listed above, the best part of our experience was not officially on our itinerary, nor was it found in the church camp guidebook.

Our students and leaders were divided into several smaller discussion groups. We had scheduled for our groups to be able to debrief a couple of different times throughout the day – once in the morning and again just before bedtime. But like I said, these times were planned and the best part of our camp experience was not, for it couldn’t be. It wasn’t the small groups, but the closeness that developed within the people that made up our groups. We can pray for this to happen, we can work to facilitate an environment where such intimacy can take place, but there is no way to guarantee that it will.

By God’s grace many students had a breakthrough in how they were able to relate with each other. They entered the week reserved and unsure about their peers, but by week’s end they had grown far more vulnerable and transparent with one another. But what truly made this growth so beautiful is that it overflowed into the more casual moments as well. I watched students getting together with their friends on the deck before dinner; I noticed students bending the ear of their leaders on the cabin steps; kids of different schools and grades intermingled and bonded together in ways that Sundays and Wednesdays simply cannot provide.

See there is something about time and proximity. When people take the time to be with one another, when they are able to share life’s experiences together, defenses are lowered and the walls of separation come down. With some time and effort, with some intentional focus and direction, intimacy can be formed. And it was this kind of closeness that made my heart swell with gratitude toward God. I’ve seen it before, but it especially grabbed my attention this time around. Perhaps it was because our time in the Scriptures continually highlighted our need for connection. For if we are striving to make much of Christ by putting our sin to death and pressing into Him more deeply to fulfill our call of reaching the nations with the hope of the gospel to the glory of God, then meaningful fellowship of the saints is more than some superfluous accessory for life, it is the primary vehicle used to carry us down the straight and narrow path of faithful obedience.

It was good to laugh and play last week. I think we all enjoyed the delicious food and fun times with friends. All of those things are desirable things that most people want to experience. However, the most significant part about camp was our revealed need for deeper belonging. There is something about being known, becoming vulnerable. When someone can lay their cards on the table in honest transparency and discover that they are still loved and valued, despite previous hurts and past mistakes, it is both liberating and empowering. Yet this kind of thing takes time and proximity. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it can begin to manifest itself after three or four days and nights of walking closely with one another. My prayer for you and I is the same as what I’ve asked for our students. May we make the necessary adjustments to our schedules to position ourselves for this kind of growth. Might we both commit and submit ourselves to real, gospel-driven, life-giving relationships where we can get to know and be known by others. For this best part of camp is one of the best parts of life. May we seek to make much of Him, as we do this life together.

Matt Fowler
Associate Pastor of Missions & Students
matt@nbchurch.info
@fattmowler