The Encourager Newsletter - Vol. 4 Issue 15 - 2010.07.16 - Mowing Our Own Yard/ A Servant of the Lord

Mowing Our Own Yard

Why is it that we can drive along and see so many lawns that need mowing but our own lawn is on the back burner? We're strolling through the shopping center and a sweaty worker whizzes past us to find some parts to finish a job and we say: "Whew! That guy sure needs a bath!" Of course, we don't know how many people have said that about us. It's just that the other fellow's bad stuff is always worse than mine.

Jesus brought this issue up: Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye (Matthew 7:5).

As a pastor, I administered the Lord's Supper many times. After a few years I was impressed by what I read in 1Corinthians 11:25-32. After studying that passage carefully, from then on I always read it in its entirety every time we took the Lord's Supper. The heart of the passage is:

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1Corinthians 11:31-32) Every time we partake of the Lord's supper, we should examine ourselves and see if there is any unfinished business between us and the Lord.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation (condemnation) to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (1Corinthians 11:28-30)

Self-judgment is always honored by the Lord. The lack of self-judgment can result in His judgment, including sickness and even death. Ω

A Servant of the Lord—Barbara Carr

If you haven't watched the film "Sheffey," I highly recommend it to you. He always introduced himself as "I'm just a servant of the Lord." Another man introduced himself as a servant:

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting." (James 1:1)

James was the half -brother of Jesus. However, he did not make that announcement at the beginning of his book. He humbly called himself "a servant of the Lord." What is a servant of the Lord? Such a servant is foremost one who bears certain personality traits.

"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient," Titus 2:24)

As believers, we are to be gentle servants to all men. To the troubled and wounded consciences we are to tell them the precious promises of our Lord. To the backslider we work toward restoring them in a spirit of meekness. To those who do not know the truth we show a willingness to teach them the truth with a manner of kindness. Robert Sheffey is reported to have embodied those very characteristics.

Sheffey was born in Abingdon, Virginia on July 4, 1820. His mother died when he was two and he was reared by an Aunt. He attended Emory and Henry College in 1839-40. Sheffey was eighteen years old when he was saved at a revival meeting in Abingdon. His Aunt insisted that he continue in her more dignified and staid Presbyterian Church, but he became a Methodist itinerant preacher.

The film and books about Sheffey tell us that he followed the teachings of the Bible. He showed his love for God and people in his daily life. The following are some of the stories written about Sheffey:

"On a number of occasions he gave away woolen socks to those who were in need. Sometimes he gave away a new knitted pair and sometimes he took the socks off his own feet. Once on a cold day riding the trail, he met a stranger with no coat and gave away his own. He even once gave away his horse to replace an animal that had died pulling a heavily loaded covered wagon. After being beaten by some young toughs after a meeting, Sheffey tried hard not to testify against them in court, and when they were convicted, with tears he pleaded with the judge to allow them to go unpunished because he had forgiven them."

Sheffey married Elizabeth Zwecker in 1843. She died in 1854. After her death, he became completely committed to his ministry and stories began to grow about his "peculiarities." He attempted to get a license from the Methodist denomination to preach, but because of his oddities he did not succeed. Two of his oddities were: He prayed for long periods of time and went into the mountains of West Virginia and preached to the poor, uneducated people, the whiskey runners and wife abusers. He rode his circuit of Methodist churches that covered fourteen counties in Virginia and West Virginia.

Sheffey married Eliza Stafford in 1864. Her parents didn't approve of the marriage, because of Sheffey's circuit riding. Eliza loved and understood Sheffey's commitment to serving the Lord. Their marriage was a success and they had one son, Edward Fleming Sheffey (1865-1933).

Sheffey was renowned for his concern about the welfare of animals. Once when he saw a turtle on its back he dismounted and turned the turtle over and sent him on his way.

When Sheffey's aunt that reared him died, she left him a whole sheep skin. In a note she told him to ride on it and pray on it. He was faithful in doing this. He was well known for his power in prayer. In camp meetings he was known to go outside a distance and pray while someone else preached instead of sitting on the platform in a place of honor. He could stir the people by just walking through the crowd and rousing the people to repentance and genuine conversions.

Many stories about Sheffey related to his power in prayer. His prayers were for souls to be saved, for rain during drought, etc. But Sheffey hated the whiskey making and his most remembered prayers were directed against stills and the people who ran them. (They were not moonshiners; at the time; unlicensed distilling was legal.) One minister recalled that there had been three distilleries on a creek near where he and Sheffey had been preaching. Sheffey prayed earnestly for their destruction.

The proprietor of the first still, in robust health, died suddenly. At the second (where the owner threatened to whip them), Sheffey prayed that an Oak tree would fall on the still house. Although there were no Oak trees nearby, a "great storm came and actually landed a tree on the still." Fire destroyed the third one three days after Sheffey had spent a night in prayer against it. Men left the area rather than become the object of Sheffey's prayers.

Eliza died in 1896. Sheffey continued his ministry as long as he was physically able. His son asked him to come and live with him in Lynchburg but Sheffey didn't like cities. He chose to live with Aurelium Vest, a farmer, coffin builder and county undertaker, near Whitegate. He died at the age of 82 (1902). He is buried in Wesley Chapel Cemetery (off Sheffey Memorial Road) in Trigg, Va. On his monument are the words, "The poor were sorry when he died."

From all that I have learned about Sheffey, he was truly "a servant of the Lord." At the end of the film, he talked about how we as Christians begin as "servants of the Lord," but we give up little bits for little bits of the world gradually until there is nothing left of the "servant of the Lord." I hope Sheffey's story will inspire us to be humble servants of the Lord and not aspire to be things of this world. Ω

The Encourager Newsletter - Vol.4 Issue 14 - July 9, 2010 - A Man Named Charlie - A Christian Attitude

A Man Named Charlie

When people are buried, they disappear into the ground and grass soon covers it over. But one thing is almost always left hanging out of the grave: the name. The Bible is big on names. One has only to read the several rosters of names in the Bible to realize that God makes a lot of names. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John 1:6).

God carefully unfolded His own name to Moses and to those he led. God's name was a mystery, from the great "I Am" to several forms of Jehovah, Elohim, Adonai, and El.

One of the Ten Commandments given to Moses said: Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

His Son was coming to earth one day and He would have a special name: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phlippians 2:9-11).

God made us in His image (Genesis 1:26) and part of that likeness is that we should have names; not numbers. Names in the Bible had meaning. Many names used today either begin or end with "el." Samuel, Daniel, Elizabeth, Rachel and Michael are a few. Names were given to urge a child toward godly living; something to live up to. But the modern trend is to dispense names to newborns because they sound good or strike a fancy.

In growing up, I heard "live up to your family name" or "don't disgrace your family name." I should not have climbed the fence and stole watermelons out of a farmer's watermelon patch with some teen buddies. My name means: "God is my judge." I violated my name in the watermelon patch…once.

The tombstone above us inscribed with the name: Charles A. Richards. Charles is of old German origin and has at least 27 variations, including Carl. I doubt if this Charles had any idea where his name came from but since he had it, he would guard it carefully and make it stand for something upright and dependable. He lived his life that way. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches….(Proverbs 22:1a)

Charlie was born September 11, 1875. I attended his funeral on September 3, 1954; just eight days shy of his 79^th birthday. I was thirteen days shy of 20. He was my favorite grandpa because in Medlock Hollow I had followed him everywhere he went, doing everything he did (sort of). I loved my daddy and liked to be with him when he was not off sawmilling somewhere. But, Grandpa Richards was my strongest male role model from the time I was four. I called him Grandpa. My mother called him Papa. Most people called him Charlie.

Last weekend we visited Charlie's gravesite and eight others (including Grandpa Carr's) and attended the morning service at Falling Springs Baptist Church on the Wilder Highway between Alpine and Allred, Tennessee. The day before was my Homesteads High School class reunion (58^th year) at Crossville, Tennessee.

We hear a lot about "generation gap" today. My generation gap was that my parents and grandparents knew more than I did and the smartest thing I could do was to listen more and talk less when they were around.

What a blessing it was to realize early in life that I was new on Planet Earth and my ancestors were smarter than me. We hear some youth today use the worn-out cliché: "You don't understand!" Truth is: we DO understand. The difference is that we don't agree. We understand that if you keep walking down the railroad track into that tunnel, you are going to meet a freight train that's not going your way.

McGee observes: "John the Baptist went forth in the spirit and power of Elijah, [and] would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. He was to bridge the generation gap. Our problem today is not so much that there is a gap between the adults and youth but that there is a gap between adults and God. If adults had a proper relationship with God, they would not have the problem with young people that exists"

Charlie understood that his word was his bond and that if he gave his word on something, he would forfeit the family farm before he would go back on his word. No wonder that this man who finished the 3^rd grade probably had the biggest funeral attendance in the history of Falling Springs Baptist Church, and it is a very old church.

Charlie was slow to advise another man how he ought to plow his mule. He was not always preaching to people. He taught no Sunday school class and sang in no choir. But his life preached so loud and he was so encouraging to people around him that he was a walking Bible. He was a tough act for me to follow. That's why his tombstone is in my computer screen saver album and comes around frequently, reminding me to remember.

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (2Corinthians 3:2-3) Ω

A Christian Attitude―Barbara Carr

Paul gives us some really good insights and advice.

"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me wasnot in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was withme. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed." (1Corinthians 15:9-11)

Humility. Paul calls himself the least of the apostles. He had persecuted the church of God. He considers himself to be the chief of sinners. Just as our sins remind us of who we are, Paul's sins reminded him of his life of scoffing and profanity. He tells us that it is "by the grace of God I am what I am."

If we understand divine mercy, we cannot hide pride in our hearts. Paul believed that the grace that saved him is sufficient for all. We are all equal in the sight of God. You may believe your sins were not as great as Paul's, but we are all guilty of the sins that nailed Jesus to the cross. Remembering where we were when the Lord saved us will produce humility and a deep sense of unworthiness. Paul worked as hard or harder than all the apostles, but he tells us that it was the grace of God that enabled him to accomplish what he did.

A Sense of Obligation. Paul never lost sight of how far God's grace had brought him. He often told his followers of his role in persecuting the church. (I Timothy 1:13) In all his travels, imprisonment and heartache, Paul kept praising the Lord for the privilege of serving.

A Sense of Dependence: Paul knew what it was like to depend upon one's own goodness and work to be religious and he wanted no part of it. Paul desired more of Jesus and none of himself.

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: " (Philippians 3:8-9)

Paul made a voluntary choice of Jesus Christ, His cross, His poverty, and His reproach. He was completely dependent on God.

A Spirit of Absolute Confidence. When Paul was nearing death, he was as certain as ever that God was real, in charge, and worthy of all honor, glory and praise.

"Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:11)

Christ's glory is revealed in the life of a genuine follower by everything that he does and says. A true Christian loves to glorify God. He shows this by his conversation in declaring the glorious works and power of the Lord.

What about Our Attitudes?

Do we have these attitudes? It may help to read more about Paul and his life. We need to praise the Lord for all He has done for us and to work for Him until He calls us home.

"His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all:" (1 Corinthians 15:10) Ω