Today there are two Monday musings, due to the fact that we had Cowboy Church in the evening.  It is always a pleasure to see the ranchers and mountain folk getting together.  Our topic last evening was on the power of words.  It was one of those practical messages, just a few points to help us be better at reflecting the light of Christ.  Perhaps these message types are the “Wick Trimmers”.  As I reflect on both services I have a sense, a feeling if you would that we are about to see a move of God in our midst.  

God’s Word seems to be pushing me (He does that once in awhile) to get back to the simplicity of the Gospel message.  To teach that which men and women can be certain about.  To lay out before them the sure foundation of Christ’s message.  I’m tired of hearing sin called sickness or disease.  Nowadays  a liar is just an extrovert with a lively imagination.  A murderer is just a victim of a traumatic experience.  I’m tired of experts who know all the answers when they don’t even know what the question is.  We have lengthened our lives, but do not know how to deepen them. …. Sorry I got carried away…. If’n you have a mind to, please pray for me.

Well here we are with yet another opportunity to “Muse”.  Sunday morning like most Sunday morning’s was encouraging… not just the gathering together, but the gathering together in the presence of God, our God.  I pray that I never take my congregation for granted… their friendship and guidance towards us is very important.  In reality it is vital to our spiritual wholeness. 

As much as I try to be on track each week - my trying in itself is flirting with disaster.  These dear saints don’t need Ed’s trying they need as do I the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

A number of folk came with burdens placed on them by the prior week’s activities…. I can always tell (somehow it is a different “quietness”.   However, I trust that the Word of God will not return void, but that it will accomplish what God intended it to do.

Psalms 5:11 let all those that put their trust in God rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, let them also that love His name be joyful in Him. 

Psalms 32:11 ... the righteous should be glad in the LORD!

Let the things that bring JOY to our Lord, bring JOY to our hearts as well!

A Note About Sunday....

Although this blog is usually my "musings" regarding my teaching sessions, every once in awhile you need a word of encouragement.  It is difficult to be in that "Always Critiquing" mode.... so I took the liberty of posting this e-mail regarding Sunday morning's sermon.

Hi Pastor Ed and Judy,

Just a note to say that your message today was faith building and encouraging and inspirational.... building and strengthen in Faith, those who have ears to hear with the intention of doing. Great job Ed

...... AND JUDY. We love your God given gift and ability to take us into His presence with praise and worship in our hearts.

You Guys are a great team.

God Bless you both in your work for Him,

"What's Up Doc?"

Great practice at Greenwood FD.  We did a study on FBI (Fire Behavior Indicators).  The firefighters that attended were shown a few seconds of residential fire video clips.  They were then asked to write down their observations regarding the building (B) the smoke (S) air movement or tracking (A) heat (H) and flame (F).
The model of B-SAHF (be safe) was helpful in providing a guideline.

We then watched the rest of the video and commented on what our predictions for that fire were and if they developed the way each one thought they would.

Great educational practice - great FD!

At The Cross

Due to an appointment in Kelowna I missed Monday's musings.  So here we are a day late and a dollar short (so the saying goes).  As we looked at the cross of our Lord Jesus -we were humbled - broken and left in a state of renewed awe.   There were lots of our folk away but the Lord did send us two visitors - they both commented later that the message hit home.... I stopped trying to figure out God's way of doing things years ago so I wasn't surprised by the fact tat he had these folk come on this particular Sunday...

I will cling to the old rugged cross.....

My Easter

No distracting bunnies hip-pity hopping, no multi colored hidden or otherwise eggs, no chocolate shaped objects ...no musical instruments, no electronics, no power point, no pulpit, no pews, no ushers ushering or deacons deacking - just a simple back to basics celebration of communion.  We set the tables up with linen cloth coverings, homemade candle holders (thanks Casey and Liz) baskets of bread, and grapes.  Bowls of  Mediterranean olives and dipping oil with balsamic vinegar,  Old fashioned wine jars with the very best grape juice money can buy. (Welch's - check out their history)  ..... this was to be a bit of a feast  - not your typical corner piece of a stale saltine with a thimble full of of grape juice.   As the Lord prompted us we set the table believing for His presence... each chair we set was filled... now looking back perhaps we should have set up more chairs in faith... lol.  It took a bit (because we don't do well with change) but soon we began share verses regarding Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday!  What a wonderful time of fellowship... there were tears, there was a sense of awe, there was confession and testimony... there was freedom to express ourselves.   To hear people who are normally very quiet and private share something from their hearts is so invigorating.

One of the best communion celebrations I have experienced.... When it concluded people congregated in small groups and spoke quietly or prayed with one another - true Koinonia...  

Dealing With Toxic People

I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler….

With such a man do not even eat. I Corinthians 5:11

Yesterday's message was an eye opener... perhaps not one of those foot stomping - hand clapping types - but one I now we needed.  There is so much going on in the darkness of this old world - we need to have our spiritual wits about us.

The message was probably too long, but I didn't know how to shorten it effectively.  I sure pray that we will be smart enough to learn how to deal with Toxic people.  


Looking back I hope everyone understood that this was not a "Get these people out of your life!" message... some of these folk are in desperate need of people to see them through these issues.  


Remember although some people may be successful in dealing with Toxic people - if you are vulnerable in certain areas of your character you may be hurt or worse yet crushed in your spirit and self worth.  It is paramount that our strength be in Christ and that we KNOW who we are in Him!


Jesus loved the sinners He hated the sin.  He knew how to separate the two, something we are still learning.

No Fire Practice

Nothing to report on...

Sidley Mountain Cowboy Church

We had a terrific turnout last Sunday evening.... What a wonderful time we had as we celebrated Easter.  

The true message of Easter can be summed up by John 3:16-17

Most of us spend considerable time and energy trying to get people to like us, let alone love us.   But here it is “He knew me.... yet he loved me!”   

When the law failed, when there was no hope, when there was no way out!  The Gospel came!  

Over 600 solders spat on Him, they beat on Him and they plucked His beard!  And when they had finished their cruel mocking they led him away to be crucified.  Yet even then as Jesus hung on the cross He asked the Father to forgive the people.....   And that my friends is GOOD NEWS! 

To be politically correct I’m told it is “adequate news”  thereby I show no prejudice to other news.  In that vain of thought I’m told it is no longer Good Friday, but “Adequate Friday”....  Well I got news for the politically correct watch dogs:  It is good news!  And it is Good Friday! And it is even a Better Resurrection Sunday!   

Something far more than adequate happened at Calvary! 

It was late in the afternoon that the Lord laid this message on  my heart - I didn't really know why until later on in the week.  A neighbor who attended was so moved by the message his hope was rekindled.  PTL

Just Listen

Language is a great gift from God that sets us apart from every other creature. But sometimes our words are misunderstood.

The words we use to communicate can be very powerful.
Proverbs 15:4 “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.”Proverbs 16:24 “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, health to the bones.Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

We often forget the hurtful words we spoke, but we rarely ever forget those death words that were spoken to us. They have a way of lingering in our lives and they can cause emotional distress, bitterness, and resentment.

Words can soothe, more importantly they can inspire, encourage and give life. 

Proverbs 15:4 “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

So we need to be very careful how we use them. Words can make us happy, or sad, they can make us angry or fill us with joy, they can make us laugh or cry. They can heal or they can hurt. Words are an important part of life.

Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death.”

Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” didn’t have a clue what they were talking about.

This message was really well received, and I believe we all had a good time in the house of the Lord yesterday.

Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

PPE & SCBA

Practice last night was a bit of theory and some hands on.  I had all the members don their PPE and then buddy checked each other.  Simple, but very important!  PPE is the first defense for the firefighter.  Once that was done we played what's in your pocket, and discussed the importance of individual rescue / safety tools.  Then I tried, could have been better I think to show how each FF had to know where their stuff was located and questioned them on ease of access while wearing BA and or laying down.

We then had three of the FFs don and doff SCBA.  Then step by step we went through BA emergencies.  I probably spent too much time on this subject - but then again it is where most fireground LODDs get their start.

All in all, not a bad night - I did catch myself telling war stories (firefighters (old ones) are great at that).
Survival is the only benchmark of success for a firefighter.

"A Few Choice Words"

Scripture: Proverbs 25:11

Yesterday’s message was very well received. We had some interaction and that always encourages me.  I wish I was better at asking the right questions… those types of questions that bring about more interaction. 

                                                                           

Sometimes words meant to spur people on toward action, fall on deaf ears, but that wasn’t the case yesterday. 

We laughed at ourselves when we spoke about our polite greetings like, “Good to see you” “let’s get together sometime” “How are you” “Have a nice day.” because we were honest enough to see that most often they are gracefully disguised ways of saying, “Keep your distance I’m just being polite.”

Most of us don’t expect a real significant answer. 

One statement that I saw a few people jot down was “God’s word may not always tell me what I want to hear, but it always tells me what I need to hear.”

Judi read Proverbs 21:23 out of the New Living Bible and it got a chuckle or two - “If you’d just keep your mouth shut you’d stay out of trouble!”  

We concluded there was no nice way to say that to your spouse.

Perhaps I should have spent a bit more time on the following point… we often forget the hurtful words we spoke, but we rarely ever forget those death words that were spoken to us. They have a way of lingering in our lives and they can cause emotional distress, bitterness, and resentment.

All and all, a great morning with wonderful  brothers and sisters.

Psalm 19:14  Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Why MT Musings

I hope to post a few thoughts (musings) here on Monday and Thursday mornings.  Thus the MT (empty for my brain at times) .  My Monday thoughts will be more of a personal critique of Sunday's message.  Perhaps a bit of a "I wish I would have said..." or "That went well... " type of postings.  Usually Judi does her grocery shopping right after church and that allows me 45 minutes of contemplation regarding that day's message.  Hopefully we can all gain some deeper awareness of God's intended Word to us.  
As for Thursday's musings, I have the honor of training the Greenwood Fire Department (a great bunch) and since I have a 45 minute  drive home after practice (funny it takes the same time to get there) I have time to reflect upon how well practice went.  So hopefully an up close and personal critique of my lesson will help us get a better understanding of firefighter safety.