One of the most used words in the English language is the word "amen." The word is not just indigenous to church language. It's used in all types of contexts. But consider the religious context of "amen." The word is directly related--in fact, almost identical--to the Hebrew word for "believe" (aman), or "faithful." In our time is has come to mean "believe" or "faithful." So with regard to our relationship to God "amen" is the Christian's affirmation of absolute faith and confidence in God. When one believes God, that person indicates his faith by an "amen."
When God makes a promise, the believer's response is "amen"--"so it will be!" In the New Testament, it is sometimes translated "verily" or "truly." When we pray according to His Word and His will, we know God will answer, so we close with an "amen," For many years in my denomination (United Methodist) we even sang our amen at the end of practically every hymn we sung!
In the book of Revelation Jesus himself is called the AMEN ("These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God" Revelation 3:15).
AMEN is the strongest affirmation of a believer's life in Christ.
So it is profoundly meaningful that the entire Bible closes with an "amen." "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Revelation 22:21), assuring everyone who reads these words that the whole Book is absolutely true and trustworthy. And to that I say - Amen!
The Methmusician
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
KIDS
I love kids. My wife and I have FIVE children! When we were married almost 40 years ago now (yes I have basically raised her) we never, ever sat down one day and said to each "Hey here's a great idea! Let's have five kids!" No it it did not happen that way. But I have to say that we have never regretted having that many children. One time when we were living in deep south Georgia (I'm from Ohio so I had to learn how to talk all over again at that time) a school teacher, knowing we had five children asked me "Are you Mormon?" Apparently Mormons have large families. "No," I said, "We're passionate Methodists!"
Oh yeah it was tough often times financially because you really don't make much money as a minister, not honestly anyway. But one of the great benefits of having multiple children is that now we have 7 terrific grandchildren! It is a good kind of mayhem at my house at Christmas time!
Most of the time it is pretty entertaining to hear what children have to say. My wife works in early childhood development and she is surrounded by all kinds of kiddie weirdness. As a result she is very creative and crafty. One of our grandchildren is always interested in doing "arts and craps," as she is yet to be able to say the word "crafts" just yet. And one of my granddaughter's whose father asked her "What does "N-A-P" spell" said without hesitation "NETFLIX! Let's watch a movie!"
The church I work for does a "Chapel time" with our preschoolers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It's just a short time of singing and Bible object lesson. The other day our children's pastor was leading the object lesson time and was talking about the parable that Jesus told about the wise man and foolish man. Remember that one? When she was talking about the foolish man building his house on the beachfront on nothing but sand one of the 3-year olds from the back of the room yelled out "Are you kidding me?" He of course is a future architect.
Point is kids are great. They don't deserve to be abused or neglected. They deserve a fair chance at being a kid while they're young. And yet our world is full of people who DO abuse children-even their own children. It must break the heart of God when He looks over the earth and sees how we have mistreated one of our greatest resources-our children. And, excuse me for saying this, but I think there must surely be a special place in hell for people who abuse or neglect kids.
I am one of the very fortunate. I was raised in a God-fearing, loving Christian home where I had a chance to be a kid; to go wade in the creek, to play basketball in the mud, to be taught respect and work ethic; to be naive and make mistakes and to go to church as a family every Sunday morning. My wife and I have tried very hard to raise our children in that same type of atmosphere. I think, with God's help, we have managed to do that.
So if you're reading this I hope you will give God thanks right now for the kids in your life. Take care of them. Love them. Provide for them. Forgive them. Cherish them. Because before too long they will be adults with kids of their own. I hope you'll join me in a prayer that we can make a difference in the lives of kids by our love and example!
The Methmusician
Oh yeah it was tough often times financially because you really don't make much money as a minister, not honestly anyway. But one of the great benefits of having multiple children is that now we have 7 terrific grandchildren! It is a good kind of mayhem at my house at Christmas time!
Most of the time it is pretty entertaining to hear what children have to say. My wife works in early childhood development and she is surrounded by all kinds of kiddie weirdness. As a result she is very creative and crafty. One of our grandchildren is always interested in doing "arts and craps," as she is yet to be able to say the word "crafts" just yet. And one of my granddaughter's whose father asked her "What does "N-A-P" spell" said without hesitation "NETFLIX! Let's watch a movie!"
The church I work for does a "Chapel time" with our preschoolers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It's just a short time of singing and Bible object lesson. The other day our children's pastor was leading the object lesson time and was talking about the parable that Jesus told about the wise man and foolish man. Remember that one? When she was talking about the foolish man building his house on the beachfront on nothing but sand one of the 3-year olds from the back of the room yelled out "Are you kidding me?" He of course is a future architect.
Point is kids are great. They don't deserve to be abused or neglected. They deserve a fair chance at being a kid while they're young. And yet our world is full of people who DO abuse children-even their own children. It must break the heart of God when He looks over the earth and sees how we have mistreated one of our greatest resources-our children. And, excuse me for saying this, but I think there must surely be a special place in hell for people who abuse or neglect kids.
I am one of the very fortunate. I was raised in a God-fearing, loving Christian home where I had a chance to be a kid; to go wade in the creek, to play basketball in the mud, to be taught respect and work ethic; to be naive and make mistakes and to go to church as a family every Sunday morning. My wife and I have tried very hard to raise our children in that same type of atmosphere. I think, with God's help, we have managed to do that.
So if you're reading this I hope you will give God thanks right now for the kids in your life. Take care of them. Love them. Provide for them. Forgive them. Cherish them. Because before too long they will be adults with kids of their own. I hope you'll join me in a prayer that we can make a difference in the lives of kids by our love and example!
The Methmusician
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