Things The 70 Years On Earth Has Taught Me

Things The 70 Years On Earth Has Taught Me Philippians 3.4-16 Life is a journey. I have made my 70 Trip around the Sun this past week. It has been amazing journey. How God used a kid who had a lisp, was in remedial reading and was frightened to stand up and speak in a class amazes me more than I can express. I remember those days. People and their spiritual need has always been a part of my heart. I grew up caring about people, surrounded by those who did. My journey began not far from here, in Queens. I always felt God has His Hand upon me, guiding me. I look back today, this week and can say, “All the way my Savior has led me.” Along the path I have learned lessons. I have also gained some wisdom, although I am still learning each day. For the past nearly 42 years of my life I have been blessed to shepherd the flock here, the Bay Shore Church of the Nazarene. My friend, Art Alexander made this observation this past year. He said, “When I pastored in Valley Stream, I ministered to that flock, of 750-1,000 souls. You however have had a much smaller church but probably have 4,000 souls or more you have minister to.” They all look to you as their pastor. I see it every time I come to Bay Shore. Now over 8,000 around the world. I just wrote down all 196 nations in my Bible yesterday. I believe it is significant that I served 40 years as a shepherd with Pastor Johnson before he came here. As I stated I have known him for 42 years. We shepherded our flocks peacefully for 40 years, a very significant number. You remember Lot and Abraham… Genesis 13. 5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” That never happened to us! We worked side by side, 6 blocks from each other. The past 12 years I very close association. Psalm 133 He used to love to say that between the two of us we had over 100 years combined experience in the ministry. I have laid to rest nearly everyone that was here that first Sunday in 1984. Some have moved. Most are in Heaven. Many laid to rest in the place where we will lay Pastor Johnson Tuesday Morning, Oakwood Cemetery. The other is Calverton where some of our veterans are laid to rest. I have done approximately 200 funerals these past 42 years. I love what I do. Shepherding eternal souls. C.S. Lewis say man lives 100 years. The combined Dynasties of China are 5,000 years. You would conclude that the combined Dynasties of China are 50 times greater than a man. But suppose that man is eternal, his soul lives on forever. You would have to conclude that a single soul is infinitely greater than the combined Dynasties of China. The LORD has me in an Eternal Work. It is hard for me to relate to those colleagues of mine who are retiring. It is even harder now that there are some who are younger than me retiring. Now as my retirement benefits kick in it is still in my heart to serve as your pastor. Charles Jefferson, pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle in the city, 100 years ago, gave lectures to Yale Divinity School, and asked, “What dunce of a man goes into the ministry to make money?” Money has never appealed to me. If I had food to eat, clothes to wear and a place to lay my head I was content, still am. I love what God has done here, what He is doing here. I told Jeff last week that when I came here, in those early days, after the service, the lights went out, the congregation emptied out within about 3 minutes. Not so now. Where God is taking this little flock here around the world is truly amazing to me. Here is what I have learned in my 70 years, 47 as a pastor, 42 here. * The Bible Is The Word of God. Your Word stands Eternal in the Heavens. Psalm 119.111 Depending upon its promises brings great joy. Living out its directions gives you a good life. There are mysteries along the way. Like my 40 year old brother who loved the LORD, was definitely more sweeter than I and yet 26 years ago God did not heal him but took him home to Heaven, leaving a 12 year old and 10 year old son and a 5 year old little girl. 26 years later they are all serving Jesus! I love the old hymn, written by a Nazarene Pastor. It is called, The Bible Stands. The Bible stands like a rock undaunted 'Mid the raging storms of time; Its pages burn with the truth eternal, And they glow with a light sublime. Chorus: The Bible stands tho' the hills may tumble, It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble; I will plant my feet on its firm foundation, For the Bible stands, The Bible stands. 2 The Bible stands like a mountain tow'ring Far above the works of man; Its truth by none ever was refuted, And destroy it they never can. (Chorus) 3 The Bible stands and it will forever, When the world has passed away; By inspiration it has been given, All its precepts I will obey. (Chorus) 4 The Bible stands every test we give it, For its Author is divine; By grace alone I will expect to live it, And to prove it and make it mine. (Chorus) Secondly * More is Wrought By Prayer Than This World Dreams Of. -Tennyson Pray without ceasing. If you are not there keep seeking. -John Wesley Let your prayer life become a source of joyful fellowship with Jesus. This little church here has indeed become a House of Prayer For All Nations. One blessing is that the nations are praying for us! I fell in love with the Prayer Meeting as a young teen. It was at 8pm on Wednesday Night. It was required we attend if we wanted to serve on the District Impact Team (Immediate Personal Action For Christ). So I got picked up every Wednesday Night by our Pastor’s Wife. My Dad was not home from work yet. In the back of that little church was a tract rack. It contained Gospel Tracts, little booklets. One of them was The Power of Prayer by E.M.Bounds. I took it home and read it. It got into my heart. I am still part of the Wednesday Prayer Meetings in this church at noon. A handful of us meet in the Conference Room. A thousand join us each week from around the world. Many in Uganda, Pakistan, India, Kenya and dozens of other places join us. It is glorious. Be faithful in prayer. Be faithful in the small things and you would not believe what God will do even if you were told. * Be Thankful For All The Blessings From The LORD. He grants sleep to those He loves. He feeds us with the finest of wheat. He overflows our cup. He directs our steps. My journey has been marked with His direction, daily. I am amazed often at the end of a day what God has had me involved in. He watches over us. In Temptation He is a strong and mighty tower. His goodness and mercy has followed me all the days of my life. All this and Heaven ahead! Thank You Father! * Those Who You Do The Most For Will Often Turn on You. Love them anyway! Do regret what you have done. It is the LORD Jesus Christ You are serving! Psalm 55.12 If an enemy were insulting me,     I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me,     I could hide. 13 But it is you, a man like myself,     my companion, my close friend, 14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship     at the house of God, Leave them with the LORD. Be like Jesus. * People Have Treated Me Far More Graciously Than I Deserve. I have been humbled by their generosity, their prayers and their love for me. Always be grateful. Having traveled around the world I can tell you we are very blessed to be Americans! Clean water, food, clothes, education, opportunities Freedom Life, Liberty and the ability to pursue happiness. I know there are those who seems to revel in America’s faults and we have many. However the generosity of Americans has astonished me wherever I have gone. When I have seen what God has done through His Church I am so blessed! Alabaster The Unisphere Photo * Serve the LORD with gladness There will be disappointment There will be times of testing But here will always be blessings to be thankful for. I think it is inappropriate to serve the LORD with a bitter spirit, a resentful disposition, a judgmentmental attitude. If you cannot be glad… not sure what questions they get asked for ordination. It has been 44 years ago I was questioned, probably 18 since I asked questions. I would interview neighbors. I would ask children what kind of a character is this person? Do they keep their word? Do they bless you? What kind of a relationship do they have with you? Are they a positive force in your life? I would ask for references where an individual has done business, been treated by doctors and had car service. Is he known by paying his bills? Have you had problems with him paying? * Be Content With What You Have Been Given from Heaven. John 3.27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.” John’s disciples were concerned over people leaving him and following Jesus. I have been and always will be a shepherd. I am not an administrator, so I have people that are helping me. I am so glad I am not a DS, a GS, or any denomination executive! I have friends that are. They have my sympathies and my prayers. * God is good. God loves me, God is in control. * One Day All the Stuff I have accumulated is going to be rummaged through. That is okay. I will not be here for that. I will be home. My heroes are not pastors of large churches like it was when I was young. My heroes are those with more to give step aside to care for an ailing wife with Alzheimer’s, the wonderful devotional writer who spent the last decade of his life caring for mentally handicapped adults… the pastor who could have ease in his 80’s but chooses to continue to shepherd that flock. These are my heroes. I have told you often of that young doctor I met in the Port Au Prince Airport. We were both waiting for persons there. Mine was coming in from the South of Spain, an internist coming to serve in a medical clinic Yelssy Manza put together from Metro NY District. This young doctor, still in scrubs was picking up a friend who was ready to make tenure as a teacher in California. She came at the invitation of her doctor friend to see about opening up a school there. I asked this young vivacious doctor what made her leave and come to Haiti. She told me. “The thought of making a lot of money, driving an expensive car, and living in a large home did not appeal to me. I wanted to help people who were sick and didn’t have money to pay for their healthcare.” She overflowed with hope. She told me that she told her pastor in Southern California about her dream. The next thing she knew her church there was paying her Medical School debt so she could go follow the dream the LORD gave her for Haiti. She is a hero of mine. These are the souls that inspire me! More than anything I want to hear those words from Jesus, “Well done good and faithful servant.” The longing to hear them is growing intensity these days.

Property Rights In The Kingdom of God

Property Rights In The Kingdom of God Exodus 22.1-4 Property Rights can be a sticky situation. Who owns the land has been a subject of debate in Israel as the descendants of Ishmael grew along with the descendants of Isaac for almost 4,000 years. , and continue to make headlines today. How about personal property today in 2026, here in America, in the world? As believers we know that everything belongs to God. We just sang about it, This Is My Father’s World I had a friend who was the Soccer Coach at Alfred University. He resigned it to buy a Christian Bookstore in the town where I was pastoring. He had his pastor come and do a dedication service for the newly open store. At the service the pastor said, “When you have had a rough day go back into the office and say the Lord let’s talk about what happened in Your store today.“ So if we dedicate something to the LORD it belongs to Him. Are there such things as property rights in the land in which we live? Constitution property rights are primarily protected by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which ensure that no person is deprived of "life, liberty, or property without due process of law". Additionally, the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause prohibits the government from taking private property for public use without providing "just compensation". As a church we experienced this issue 60 years ago when they enlarged Sunrise Highway. Government seized our land. We took them to court. They gave us $20,000 which went to buying the property we are on now. This property is deeded to the Bay Shore Church of the Nazarene. What about personal property rights today? Take the property my Dad and Mom purchased in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. My Dad had to hire a surveyor when they built their house there. He came with his Equipment and dropped stakes. They are there now 53 years later. * There are laws of the land and there is the Kingdom of God. If someone steals according to the law of the land and here in Exodus, they must repay. The penalty is not just returning the stolen property but more to instill fear and respect. Jesus said, “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” Matthew 5.40 This is a radical, non retaliatory action, and generosity. This can fall under the same category as plucking out your eye. Was this to be taken literally? Or was Jesus speaking in these terms to help us understand the attitude we should have? One of being dead to this world. Stealing is wrong, very wrong! Angry attitudes towards those who sin against are as well. The Kingdom trumps everything in our lives. Paul elaborates on this by saying, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3.8 Our Kingdom attitude ought to be dead to things we have stolen or lost. Under the law of the land a crime has been committed. In the Kingdom of God what does it really matter? Stealing is in the Ten Commandments. It is wrong. Without this in our Constitution we would have pandemonium and anarchy. Personally, Les Miserables helps us. Jean Paul The Bishop and The Candlesticks The Bishop's Candlesticks is a famous one-act play by Norman McKinnel, adapted from a scene in Victor Hugo's classic novel Les Misérables. It tells the story of an escaped, hardened convict who breaks into a kind bishop's home, only to be completely reformed through an act of profound compassion. The Plot Unfolds * The Break-in: A starved and angry convict breaks into the bishop's cottage, threatening him with a knife and demanding food. Instead of panicking or calling for the guards, the bishop treats him with immense kindness, giving him a warm meal, wine, and a place to sleep. 
 * The Betrayal: While the bishop and his sister sleep, the ungrateful convict steals the bishop's cherished silver plates and flees into the night. 
  * The Arrest: The police catch the convict and bring him back to the cottage. To protect the man, the bishop lies to the authorities, stating that he gave the silver plates to the convict as a gift. Grace is the basis of the New Covenant. We will take the LORD’s Supper in a few minutes. Is there anyone who can say, “I am without sin?” We all have things to confess to the LORD: an unkind attitude, a struggle with envy. Are we policemen or paramedics? Police are concerned with who to fault. Paramedics just saving lives. There must be traffic laws or we would all be running red lights, not the few who do now. There must be personal forgiveness or we would all be thrown into jail. And we would be carrying around bundles for too heavy for us to make any progress. I love the version of the LORD’s Prayer. Praying for God’s Kingdom to come… Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. We see Jesus risen and talking with His disciples after a totally un faith, unjust trial. He isn’t saying, “Let’s go and round up all those involved. Let’s give them what they gave Me.” They would be crucifying thousands! He has every right to do i! He did not come to condemn the world but to save it. What if the local government is opposed to the Kingdom of God? Persia, bulldozing Carmen’s father’s work China My neighbor, Peter, came to me Monday, after I the bulk of this message written, and confessed, “I stole some of your stones.” After the south side of the front yard had been rearranged by the sewer installation I noticed some border stones missing. I figured they got buried. I told him, “Thank you! You are giving me a great illustration for my Sunday Morning Message. I explained that if we were under the law of Moses he would have to me the stones and then double for my trouble. He asked, “Do you want them back?” I answered, “No, Jesus told us that if someone asks for our shirt, give him your coat as well.” Besides I have been witnessing to him for 40 years. I want to see him come to Christ. He has been a good neighbor, has put up with me all these years. What are a few stones compared with an eternal soul. He confessed this after he admired the Daylilies and I said, “Whatever you like, tag it and I will split them after they bloom.” I love how God tests us. How He brings us in on His Word as we teach if. I love what I get to do and how simple it is to witness for Jesus. I thought as the people began to sit in the shade on the lawn about 4pm on Monday, to get food later, how some of you here give up your Monday Evenings to share God’s Love how Diddi and her Sister flew to the Dominican Republic to be with a mother and her son, who was having surgery, how Mary Burke has helped elderly friends get to Doctor Appointments, grocery shop, and listened and carried them on her heart!…. how you guys are living in Kingdom Come! Feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, taking care of widows and orphans here and in Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan… doing it unto Jesus! Visiting that mystical Presence of Jesus in each person. We ought to be thankful for property rights in America. Hebrews 10.34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. * It is okay to “own” property on Earth so long as we realize it ultimately belongs to the LORD. We have no power after we are gone. We need laws to govern but it is ultimately the LORD Whom we must consider decides. Our Home is in Heaven and we await a Savior from there. Surrendering our lives (and our rights) to God, our Father is our way to peace and security. David walked away from the Kingdom so not to split it. Absolom. Cory Ten Boom, The Hiding Place Used that house in Holland to rescue Jews in WWII * Property we “own” should be used for the Eternal Kingdom. Paul, the Apostle rented hiss house in Tarsus out. This provided him an income as he did his world mission work. One of the things that emerged in my Mom’s Celebration of Life was the use of that property and house for the Kingdom of God. Feasts were held there. Teenaged boys camped in those hills. Christian workers found refuge there. Bible Studies were held there. And now we wait to see what is next. Have people over. Invite people into your home. Remember Fiza, the Pakistani young lady wanting to come from Thailand to open a work among the growing Muslim Urdu speaking people. Pray over taking her in, her Dad and Mom. God will use to launch an outreach to the Muslim people. They need Jesus as well. Be ready this week for insurmountable opportunities!!! They are all over! Just next door! In a time when property belonging to the church is being sold, let’s see how God can use that which He has entrusted to us. This building has always done that since 1984. We are doing it with the parsonage now. My kids are bivocational pastors here on Long Island. It’s all about the Kingdom of God! We are going to come and take the LORD’s Supper. Jesus poured out His life for us. We should do the same for Him.