Closing Cages

According to a news report, a California woman killed by a lion accidentally caused her own death. Last week, Fresno County closed its investigation of 24-year-old Dianna Hanson's death by calling it an "unfortunate accident." Hanson failed to secure the door to a feeding cage where a lion was sitting while she cleaned an adjacent area. The 550-pound Barbary lion escaped from the partially closed cage and struck her. She died immediately from a broken neck.

When reading this, I cannot help but think of 1 Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour"(1 Peter 5:8 KJV). While Satan is a formidable adversary, we are the ones who leave the cage door open, allowing Satan to stalk and then pounce. A weak moment. A careless stare. An unguarded word. Satan's readiness to destroy requires constant vigilance on our part, and the strongest deterrent to the raging lion is practicing the presence of God. Strive to live today with a constant conscious awareness of God's presence and you'll find the cage door firmly shut.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Abiding--Union Versus Communion

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
(John 15:4, 5 KJV)

Union with God designates divine movement, an action that secures and preserves the believer in the life of faith. Communion is conditional, and we are the ones that determine the direction of the condition. "If you abide in me ..."

"Our communion with God consists in his communication of himself unto us, with our return unto him of that which he requests and accepts, flowing from that union with which in Jesus Christ we have with him. Divine action is first, union with Christ is the result, and human response is the desired consequence." (John Owen, 1616-1683)

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

The Grand Invitation

On Sunday morning, April 28, I will share the second message in our new sermon series at Bosqueville United Methodist Church. This special series of uplifting messages is entitled: "Dancing With Father: Experiencing transforming intimacy with God." Taken largely from the Gospel of John, these studies focus on what it means in practical terms to enjoy a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

"The Grand Invitation" is taken from Jesus' instruction to his disciples in John 15:1-11. In this study, we will carefully consider the following truths:

1. We are invited to enjoy communion with Christ. (15:5)
- Not an allegory of salvation, but of intimate friendship.
- Union versus Communion
- Duty versus Delight
- The tragedy of opting out of communion

2. The consequence of accepting the invitation is fruitfulness.
- The main point of the allegory is fruitfulness.
- What is this fruit?
- There is only one way to judge the value of the vine.

Our worship begins at 10 am, and all are welcome for this time of celebration and reflection.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Finishing Well

The 12 first responders who died battling the fire that led to last week's explosion in West, Texas, were remembered during a memorial service in Baylor University's Ferrell Center yesterday afternoon. The memorial service was organized by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Texas LODD Task Force. Following a processional down University Parks Drive that included more than 300 fire trucks from all over the country, a capacity crowd filled the Ferrell Center, including President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, 4,000 uniformed responders, and thousands of other citizens paying their respects from the West, Waco and Baylor communities and beyond. From all accounts, it was a fitting tribute to these brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community, families and friends.

Hearing reports of courage and bravery at the highest level should serve to encourage each of us to finish well. In fact, I've told my wife that I only want three words on my tombstone (if she concludes that they are an accurate description)-- "He finished well." That sentiment is nothing new. The Apostle Paul expressed it well:

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8 KJV)

May the Lord grant each of us the courage and faith to run our respective races and cross the finish line well.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Hope While You Mourn

"No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love" (Psalm 33:16-18).

As we join the people of West, Texas in mourning their dead and wounded, we do so as a people who are not without hope. We grieve appropriately and mourn honorably, but ultimately we place our hope in God's unfailing love. Today and tomorrow, and the days thereafter, let us pray for parents who grieve for their children and children who grieve for their parents. Most importantly, let us join them in turning to God for strength in suffering, not because we should but because we must. The very hope that we exercise at moments like these is our greatest witness to the love and mercy of God.

We cling to the hope that God knows, and God cares, and he truly is working all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). As John Henry Newman once wrote: "He has not made us for naught; he has brought us thus far, in order to bring us on to the end. . . . What is it to us how our future path lies, if it be but his path? What is it to us whither it leads us, so that in the end it leads to him?"

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Heightened Sensitivity

Over the weekend my daughter developed a reddened eye, which led to a visit to Urgent Care and, ultimately, the ER. We learned that she has another scratch on her cornea, the third such incident in less than two years. A visit to our Opthamologist today revealed that extended wear contacts are the culprits because she has a heightened sensitivity to bacteria that leads to staff infection in the eye. Once her eye is completely healed, we will be making a major change in how she wears contacts.

Today's diagnosis caused me to think of how I need a heightened sensitivity to the grace of God in operation within me and around me. I want to see the world through a divine lens of compassion. I long to recognize God's activity so that I may join him in what he is already doing. Father, grant to each of us an added measure of spiritual awareness today so that we may more clearly reflect your image in us.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Loving Hannah

Sometime today Hannah will make her debut. The dictionary defines "debut" as a first appearance on stage, the first appearance of something, a formal introduction and entrance into society. All of these meanings are appropriate for the birth of our fifth grandchild. Her parents have planned and made extensive preparations for her arrival. Her soon-to-be big sister is ecstatic and can barely contain her excitement. Her grandparents cannot wait to spoil her (and then send her back to her parents to contend with the fallout). To put it simply, Hannah is enormously loved even before she graces the world with her presence.

As I think about how much Hannah is already loved, I realize that I cannot begin to fathom the love God has for his children. An infinite God loves infinitely! You and I are loved with a measure that can't be measured and surely can't be imagined. I appreciate anew the words to an old song by Frederick Lehman (1917) that never ceases to move me:

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Yes, Hannah is greatly loved. And so are you and I by our heavenly Father.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Dancing With Father

Today we begin a new sermon series at Bosqueville United Methodist Church. We invite you for this special series of inspiring and uplifting messages entitled: "Dancing With Father: Experiencing transforming intimacy with God." Taken largely from the Gospel of John, these studies will help us learn what it means in practical terms to enjoy a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Worship begins each Sunday morning at 10:00 am, and all are welcome. We are a diverse congregation from many denominational traditions, and you'll fit right in!

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

What Imprint Will I Leave?

Last night the country took a collective sigh of relief. The drama that started with the brutal Boston Marathon bombings took a significant step toward resolution with the arrest of who has come to be known as "suspect #2." Suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, is in serious condition and receiving treatment at a Boston hospital after being taken into custody by police Friday night. According to a CNN report, a homeowner in Watertown went outside after police said it was OK and he saw blood on his boat in the backyard. He lifted the cover and saw a man covered in blood and called police. Gunfire was exchanged. The city had shut down for the day as the hunt unfolded. A second suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, brother of the captured man, was killed Thursday night in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement.

Family members of these two men, in the US and abroad, are facing tough questions about the brothers. One uncle spoke of the shame they have brought to their family. Their father seemed to be in denial. Friends spoke of how "normal" they seemed to those who knew them. Irregardless of what future investigation reveals, their legacy will always be one of awful terrorism. This causes me to consider, how will I be remembered long after my brief earth journey concludes?

That's a sobering question that may be asked a different way: What imprint will I leave long after I am gone? Ultimately, my influence will be determined by the quality of how I've invested myself in others. Reject the myth of the self-made man; each of us is a collage of influences. As M. G. Fray put it, "I cannot be 'just me.'" We are a divinely stirred mixture of others that imprint us with their own unique reflection of the Triune God. "There is a sense in which I have become like those who discipled me--I have become the people I have known and the (authors) I have studied and read" (M. G. Fray, "It Is Enough", 2000).

Anything good seen in me carefully resembles my mentors, both the ones I walked with and the ones that continue to mark me by written expression. There is really no such thing as 'Dane Fowlkes' except in that a name is given to denote this curious montage painted by Henry Fowlkes, Lois Fowlkes, Katie Richey, T. H. Harding, Bill Clark, Bill Malin, Donald Potts, Ira Cooke, Bud Fray, Al Fasol, Vance and Cherry Kirkpatrick, St. Francis, Brother Lawrence, Frank Laubach, Andrew Murray, Oswald Chambers, A. W. Tozer, A. B. Simpson, Henry Blackaby, Stanley Mwongella, and the list goes on.... There is no such thing as a self-made man.

What imprint will I leave on those who follow me?

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

At Our Best When Things Are Their Worst

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV)

In the midst of great tragedy, God is always at work. We saw it earlier this week in Boston and this time we see it close to home in West, Texas. A fertilizer plant exploded, killing as many as 15 and injuring more than 160, with a blast that shook houses 50 miles away and measured 2.1 on the seismic scale. This local disaster follows the Boston bombing on Monday as what Jim Denison has called "bookends on a tragic week." But a community's response to its fallen reminds us of hope in seemingly hopeless times.

We saw it in the marathon runners who finished the Boston Marathon and went straight to the hospital to donate blood, and in the many others on the scene who ran to aid victims at great risk to themselves. We are seeing the same much closer to home today in central Texas. Waco police Sgt. William Swanton told reporters yesterday morning that the first responders were the ones who went to the scene and were actually fighting the fire as the explosion occurred. Concerning community response to the disaster, Sergeant Swanton said, "You talk about leaning on each other's shoulders? They are absolutely doing that. I can promise you, the city of West's citizens will not let a person stand out in the rain, whether they know you or not, they will bring you into their home and you will be comfortable."

What we're seeing is that one of the ways God transforms tragedy into triumph is through caring people. Perhaps the most positive human tendency is to help those who are hurting. Stated simply, many of us are at our best when times are worst. Made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), we share his heart for our hurting world. Such compassion in crisis is, in fact, our most powerful Christian witness and ministry. Jesus' "new command" to "love one another" comes with a promise: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). Would you make it your purpose to show someone God's love through a tangible expression of love today? Donate blood for West victims. Donate food and clothing to help these that are hurting the most among us. If you would like more information on how to be a part of the relief efforts in West, please call our church office at (254) 754-8444. Through compassionately bearing the image of God, He will do His transforming work.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Praying for West

The images of towering flames and reports of hurting residents of West tonight shocked us and drove us to our knees. Although some disclaim prayer as a more or less futile exercise more akin to well-wishing than to courageous advance, Scripture reminds us that prayer makes a world of difference:

"He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many." (2 Corinthians 1:10-11 ESV)

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our neighbors in West and the many individuals attempting at this very moment to help the hurting and to resolve the danger. Our sincerest sympathy goes out to the families of those lost and injured in this disaster, and we are asking the Father for protection and restoration for the West community.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

More Than What I Need

When tragedy comes, we often hear "God is all we need." While that sounds fitting and even noble, resist the tendency to define God by what you need. While acknowledging God's sufficiency in a crisis is appropriate, the truth is that God is far more than what I need and what you need and what the whole world ever has needed or ever will need. If I self-prescribe blinders so that all I see is my need or hurt or wish, I place myself in danger of understanding God only according to the light of my own experience, thereby reducing Him to a shadow of myself. Does God care? Absolutely! Is God the solution? Without a doubt! But the Creator and Redeemer and Sustainer cannot be contained by my imagination or confined by my despair. Instead of asking God to act the way you want at any given moment in order to meet any given need, bow before Him and surrender yourself unconditionally to Him, and then allow Him to reveal His glory and plan in your situation. God is all I need, but He is infinitely more.

(Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)

Turning Anger Into Prayer

Prayer is the proper resting place for all human emotion. I confess that I do experience emotionally charged reactions, especially when exposed to such arresting images as we saw from yesterday's terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon. My emotional reaction is usually followed by deeper observation and intense discussion. When channeled appropriately, I begin to pray for God to show himself mighty in the midst of circumstances that will inevitably cause many to question his goodness or his existence altogether. Next, I pray for the victims and their families. Correspondingly, I pray for the Church to respond well and be the obvious presence of Christ in the chaos and catastrophe. Finally, I pray for myself. I pray that my heart will remain tender and that damaging emotion may give way to constructive emotion that will make me even more sensitive to pain in the world, hurting persons, and the activity of God all around me. Most often, the appropriate prayerful resting place for me sounds something like this. . . "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Dane Fowlkes, Pastor)