When Opportunity Knocks, Answer the Door...

Last week I spoke about being patient and waiting on God’s timing. I want to speak this week about what to do when God does provide us with opportunity. Oliver Wendell Holmes, once noted that there exists in every church people “who are so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good.” Likewise, the late bishop, J.C. Ryle, observed how many times people would reject the very things they had prayed for. The odd thing he noted was that the excuse for not embracing God’s answer was that they needed to pray about it some more just to be sure.

God provides opportunities to our advantage all the time. Unless we take advantage of those opportunities provided for us, they simply will not become reality if we are constantly reaching for excuses.

"But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me." (1 Corinthians 16:8-9)

The Apostle Paul was a man always looking for the opportunities shown to him by God. He recognized a door of opportunity that the Lord opened for him in Ephesus, and he wanted to make sure that his dream of spreading the gospel there became a reality. Interestingly, he also recognized that this opportunity was going to meet with difficult opposition. There were many people in that very area who were opposing him every step of the way. Yet, Paul did not reach for excuses. Rather, he saw the opportunities in the midst of the opposition. How about you?

"These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open." (Revelation 3:7)

These are very encouraging words from Jesus...words that were not simply for his people back then, but words that are also for his people today. Jesus tells us that he holds the keys; meaning that he has all authority. He also tells us that He is the one who opens or shuts the doors of opportunity; meaning that He has all power.

What a deal! If God opens doors of opportunity to further the kingdom - step through - reach for the opportunity, and don't reach for excuses! I know, maybe you feel you should pray about it some more…or some of you may be thinking that you are not yet prepared…or you are too tired to take that step. Whatever your reason, Jesus has something to say to all of us.

"I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and not denied my name." (Revelation 3:8)

Here’s the bottom line. If you believe that no one can stop His perfect plan, then reach for the opportunities! Will there be opposition? Maybe. Will you feel tired and overwhelmed at times? Probably. But, let me ask you this; when Jesus opens the door of opportunity, do you really want to miss the blessings on the other side?

Be heavenly minded that you may be of great good!!!

Bishop Ian

Being Patient...

“Patience is a virtue.” How many times has this saying rolled off the lips of mothers throughout time? We live in an instant gratification world and we have a tendency to operate in “crisis” mode when we don’t get what we want.

I know that God is perfect and that his timing is perfect as do many of you. Yet, even I sometimes wish that His timing would coincide with my timing. It seems whenever we rush into something or pace the floor over some situation, we finally realize that we have no control. We are truly wasting our time - time better spent bringing the situation before God in prayer.

"For I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." (Philippians 1:19)

The Apostle Paul, writer of the letter to the Philippians, had good reason to feel impatient. He was unfairly imprisoned, his opponents were attacking his reputation, and his ministry seemed to be in jeopardy. Yet, there was Paul sitting in prison and stating that what had happened would turn out for the best.

If it were me, I would be wondering not only how this would turn out for the best, but when this would happen! With each passing hour in that prison, I would be losing more and more of my patience.

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." (Philippians 1:20)

This passage should be mind blowing for us. Paul could remain patient in prison because all he cared about was bringing glory to Christ even if that meant a longer stay in prison. The only thing he wanted was the courage to properly honor Christ.

Was it tough for Paul to be in prison? Of course it was. Was it difficult for Paul to sit in prison while his ministry was under attack? Of course it was. Did Paul have a desire to be free and continue to do the Lord's work on the outside? He was human, wasn't he? Paul, however, also understood that the Lord's plans and timing were much better than his. Therefore, Paul figured he would leave the timing up to the Lord, and in the meantime he would live to bring glory to the Lord... whether in prison or out, whether by life or by death.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

Paul wanted his life to be all about Christ. Even if he had to remain imprisoned, his life would have still been about Christ! If he died, he knew there was the great reward waiting for him - eternal life with Christ - eternal life with his Savior with no pain or suffering, no death or sorrow, and no prisons! It kind of puts our problems in better perspective.

Be patient…

Bishop Ian

Be Resolved

How is your New Year’s resolution list coming? Are you using that new exercise machine that guarantees you’ll drop 4-5 inches from your waistline, or is it now the new coat rack? How about the latest fad diet…the new running shoes…the latest self help book? I know, it’s mid January and the list is probably now crumpled in a desk drawer somewhere. Overshadowed by the immediate situations of our world, we tend to be drawn back to the very things we resolved to change.

Human beings, by our very sin nature, are prone to relying on a list of things we should or shouldn’t be doing in an effort to make us better. We write New Year’s resolutions that we believe show good common sense and then we ask God to bless them. If we do things from a sense of duty only, we are putting up a standard in competition with Jesus Christ. We have put our resolutions on the throne instead of the resurrected Christ.

In the Epistle appointed for Epiphany 3, the Apostle Paul writes: “Be not wise in your own conceits.” (Rom 12:16)

Rather than relying on old conceits to get us through another year we need to get into the habit of constantly referring back to the resurrected Lord of all. We are called not to walk in the light of our own self-centered desires, but to walk in the light of the Risen Lord! What would God have you resolve to improve or change for the New Year? What would He bless? Act according to His will and those resolutions just may be a lot more doable.

Don’t worry, spring will be here soon and you can always sell that exercise machine at your garage sale.

Be In His Will,

Bishop Ian

The Making of a Deacon...

JC Ryle, the great Evangelical Bishop of Liverpool, said that, “The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints”. He goes on to say, “We as Christians are not to simply sit and soak,” in our pews; rather we are to stand up and serve, both in our church and the outside community as well. We are to be the “hands and feet of Christ.”

"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives." Titus 3:14

As Christians, we understand that we are saved by grace, not by works. However, we are called to serve; doing good works that God has planned in advance for us to do. Heeding his calling to serve, Lon Barfield, was ordained as a Deacon on January 6, 2010 in Resurrection Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Augustine, FL. He was called to this ministry not by self but by God. This is not for Lon’s own glory but that God’s glory would be shown through his work in our community. Lon works tirelessly to feed and clothe the homeless and working poor of St. John County, and many have come to depend on his commitment, strength, and kindness.

Here’s the thing; every Christian’s mission in life is to bring glory to God and blessings to others - not just to receive, not to “sit and soak,” but to do. The result of doing these two things is that we are blessed in ways that are immeasurably greater than we can imagine.

Do you want to experience joy, excitement, and contentment in your life? Stand up and serve in a way that brings glory to God and blessings to others. Not everyone is called to become “clergy,” but God has a purpose and meaning for your life; that you can depend on.

"This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone." Titus 3:8

We are all unique, wonderful creations of God. We have been granted gifts to be able to bring glory to God and blessings to his people. Lon Barfield has embraced his abundant God-given gifts and become the “hands and feet of Christ.”

Be a doer,

Bishop Ian

Epiphany: Seeking The Glory of Christmas

Epiphany, the 12 days on the other side of Christmas, commemorates the visit of the three wise men to worship the “newborn king,” Jesus. It is the time we reflect upon the glory of the promised savior now fulfilled; “…we behold his glory, the glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).

All the lessons of this Epiphany season illustrate that glory; Jesus with the doctors in the Temple, Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana, and Jesus healing the leper and the Centurion’s servant. These are the signs of the glory of God manifest in Jesus Christ. But, for each of us, the vision of that glory is life altering; our personal “Epiphany” transforms our life into one of service to Christ.

Os Guinness, in his book “The Call,” makes the point that it is Christ who calls us to find him. Like the magi, we too are called to worship the King. He calls us to seek His word; that we may fulfill His call whether we are called as magi, shepherd, carpenter, banker, priest, or housewife -- you get the idea. No matter what we believe is our fulfillment in life, the truth is we can have no real fulfillment unless we are called to that manger; unless we seek the caller Himself.

Jesus begins by calling the very least of us. If we heed His call, like the magi in Bethlehem, there is an Epiphany for all where his glory shines, and there we make our gifts of adoration.

I didn’t bring up resolutions, but I will say this; if you are going to make any this year, make your own winter journey to Christ. Answer the call of God incarnate laying in a manger in Bethlehem. Adore him there. Seek the Glory of Christmas in your life. I assure you, you will not return unchanged!

Be One Whom Is Called,

Bishop Ian

My Best Christmas - Ever

The best Christmas I ever had wasn’t about the presents. It was the first time I sat in St. James Cathedral singing the great carols and hearing the account of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2. I realized that Luke gave no description of anything remotely glorious going on in that stable. Humbly, Jesus was born in a barn, swaddled in a very rough blanket, not a birth that seemed to trumpet God’s glory.

Yet, in that manger lies the glory of the Lord; an event that today is so easily ignored; a story that has become too familiar for most to take seriously. Images of that birth in the stable are sometimes still around us; here in church, in our homes, maybe on the lawns of our public buildings. If we are not careful however, we may begin to ask, "What does this have to do with me?" We might be tempted to say, "This all happened so long ago, what difference can it make?"

But the birth of that infant in the manger has everything to do with us, at least everything that is good. That infant made us. That infant redeemed us. That infant is the fullest revelation of God that we will ever have. And because that infant is God Incarnate, God born as a man of the Virgin Mary, this is not just a story or event from long ago. Jesus Christ is still with us and he will always be with us, if we remain faithful to him.

So this Christmas look again at the babe that God has given us. And stop for a moment to celebrate the greatest birthday of all, and give glory to God for his mercy and love. Sing the carols, listen to the account in Luke, and maybe, like me, this might become the greatest Christmas present you’ll ever receive… Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem.

The story of Christ’s birth is very much a part of our ordinary lives, and in those baby’s hands, God placed the fate of the world.

Robin and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.

In Love and Peace…

Bishop Ian

The Difference

In the Christian tradition that I grew up in, Advent was not a profound time of year; it was overshadowed by Christmas. However, when I began going to an Episcopal Church as a 13 year old, I began to look at Advent in the light of Christmas and I began to experience something remarkable. When we sang advent hymns like “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” and “O come, O come, Emmanuel,” for me came the realization that from a small obscure beginning came the King of the Universe. Advent made all the difference in the world to me from that time forward. I longed for that in my life; the small beginning that transformed the world.

We live in a world in which bigger and better defines much of life. We are overshadowed by super size, super stars, and high definition. We view life through a lens that so magnifies what we expect out of the world that we tend not to see the miracles that come from small, seemingly obscure beginnings.

It never ceases to amaze me that God often begins with small things and inadequate people. In the Gospel of John, Chapter 1, beginning in verse 19, appointed for Advent 4, we see John the Baptist being questioned by the Pharisees; a rag tag man whom many thought was crazy; a homeless man who lived off bugs and wild honey proclaiming the coming of the Christ. It certainly seems that God could have chosen "bigger" things and "better" people to do His work in the world. John was proclaiming the coming of the Lord. He yearned for Jesus’ coming, even in the midst of crisis he found joy in that small beginning, and made a difference in the world at that time.

God can do anything with the smallest of things, with the most unlikely of people, and in the most hopeless of circumstances. I think that is part of the wonder of the Advent Season. He does it with us.

I am convinced that one of the main purposes of Advent is to provide hope, to give us cause to rejoice, to proclaim once again that the Savior of the world is coming.

As Advent comes to a close, look to the incarnation, look for the longing of Christ in your life, and invite someone to Church to share this special season with. Maybe they too will experience the same yearning of Advent as I did so many years ago…

Be the Difference

+Ian