Author: R. Mangold

Follower of Jesus. I strive to authentically and sincerely embody His Love, His Work on the Cross, and His Compassion and Mercy toward Humanity through servant leadership. My first calling is to Christ, and I live that out by being a faithful and committed husband, father, and grandfather, endeavoring to faithfully steward the gifts and talents God has granted me in this life. My vocational motto is, “I work labor the Lord, but I work for Ford.”

Motherhood as a Career?

A woman named Ann renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. “What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …..?

“Of course I have a job,” snapped Ann. “I’m a Mom.” 

“We don’t list ‘Mom’ as an occupation… ‘Housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, “Official Interrogator” or “Town Registrar.”

“What is your occupation?” she probed.  What made me say it, I do not know… The words simply popped out.  “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?”  Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn’t), in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I’m working for my Masters, (the whole family), and already have four credits, (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree)? I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants — ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than “just another Mom.”

Motherhood…..What a glorious career!

Does this make grandmothers “Senior Research Associates in the Field of Child Development and Human Relations” and great-grandmothers “Executive Senior Research Associates”? I think so! I also think it makes Aunts “Associate Research Assistants.”

 

Not sure who the author of this clever commentary is, but I can think of no better time than Mother’s Day to share it with all of you. If anyone knows the author I would love to credit them for this. Thanks, and blessings to you all, and a very Happy Mother’s Day.  Pastor RDM

Ant on a Mission

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Proverbs 6:6

As springtime blossoms, we see evidence of new life at every turn; flowering buds on trees, Robins nesting, Sparrows singing, and the return of summertime’s pesky insects. Proverbs points us to one such insect that has been around since the dawn of time and has over 12,000 different species – the assiduous ant! Known for her industry, the ant is ever searching for food and water sources. No time for luxury or frivolous pursuits, she’s always on a mission!

Solomon was contrasting the sluggard with the industrious ant, but as Christians, what’s our take-home message? Have we become like Aesop’s lazy grasshopper, basking in the temporary pleasures of this world, flitting from one blade of grass to another seeking enjoyment and pleasure? Or, are we like the laser-sharp-focused ant who never forgets she’s on “Mission from God?” We’ve been commanded to go into all the world preaching the Gospel of Christ’s Death, Burial and Resurrection. An ant builds a colony, numbering in some cases in the millions. Let’s make God’s Mission our mission. Let’s work the harvest while it is day, and colonize for the Kingdom of Heaven.

II Timothy 3 warns us all, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” (NASB)

The Links Between Physical Holiness and Spiritual Holiness

The Links Between Holiness and the Standard
Coming from an Apostolic background that can be accused of being “legalistic” people tend to term us legalistic because we do have standards of dress and conduct that are taught in the scripture to help us preserve or protect our holiness. Doing or not doing something doesn’t necessarily make someone holy, but can help preserve the holiness. Our view of holiness has a deep correlation to our standard. Some view a standard as a limitation. I personally view the standard as a means of protection, a buffer as it were, against worldly influence. Abiding by the standard as set forth by God, not man, I invoke a spiritual protection over my life.

Your Fruit
The deeper you go into study about holiness; you’ll find that the flesh and spirit are intertwined. Overall, yes, holiness is a matter of the heart, but often is displayed physically by our choices of entertainment, dress, conduct, morality, etc. In Matthew 12:33 Jesus says it like this, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”

Fit for His Glory
I am going somewhere with this. Some would argue, “well it doesn’t matter what happens to my body or what I choose to do with it.” Paul would disagree in I Corinthians 3:16 – Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

We have a mandate, as Christians, to live a holy and separated life from the world. To defile something means, “To make unclean or unfit for ceremonial use; to desecrate.” The effects of our choices in the above-mentioned entertainment, dress, conduct, and morality, can certainly lead us to become defiled and unfit for use by God. Holiness is not a question of how closely we can live to the world’s standard and still be used of God. Rather, it is a conscious decision of how closely we live for God and how far away from the world we can remain.

The Physical Side of Holiness
Our bodies are a canvas on which the holiness that we pursue is displayed. A person who pursues holiness is unmistakable. Their demeanor, their behavior, their choices are reflected physically as a result of a spiritual encounter. Paul who was by far more spiritual than I ever profess to be stated in I Corinthians 9:24-28 – 24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. The best way Paul found to run the race was to bring his body under subjection. How do we do that? By denying ourselves fleshly pursuits, appetites, lusts, and affections. These all will be demonstrated both spiritually AND physically.

The Body Does Matter
This is the last thing I’ll say about the “physical nature” of holiness. The brutality of Calvary was not just spiritual. The bloody torturing and scourging that took place absolutely was physical in nature. Yes, we glean spiritual liberty as a result of the suffering of Christ, but that never would have happened unless he endured the agony physically. The scripture again teaches us that, “by his stripes, we are healed.” Those stripes were endured physically but had a spiritual impact. The salvation we enjoy is a direct result of the physical blood that was shed from wounds that were physically imposed upon Christ’s body. So, it stands to reason that the effects of what we endure, and what we pursue physically will have a direct spiritual manifestation and impact.

Promises in the Womb

Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Much like Hannah did for Samuel and much like Samson’s parents did for him, we found out yesterday that our parenting starts before the actual birth of that child. Hannah committed her son to the service of the Lord before he was even conceived. Samson’s mother was forbidden to drink strong drink or eat any unclean thing because of the promise that was in her womb. Let’s not forget the much-anticipated birth of even Isaac to Abraham and Sarah. Preparation for parenting must begin immediately. Prayerfulness, faithfulness, and preparedness are keys to helping your child become the promise God intended your child to be.

Who can forget the momentous occasion when Mary greeted her cousin Elizabeth who was still pregnant with Jesus’ cousin and forerunner John the Baptist, “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.” (Luke 1:41)  Evidently, this connection, while yet to happen physically, transcended the womb and caused John to leap within Elizabeth!Don’t let lethargy, weakness, or a feeble spirit interfere with your child being a success in the Lord. Each generation should be setting up the next for success. Each generation should be holding up the hands of the next. Rather than decaying in principles, values, and morality, if parents embraced the will and direction of the Lord for their children, we would be raising generations that would do even greater exploits than this present generation.

Think about it Mom and Dad – David was forbidden to build the temple for God, but that didn’t stop him from setting up the next generation! What will you do today dear mother who has the promise yet in her womb to ensure your child walks in the richness of God’s grand design for their life? What will you do dear father to set up the generation of promise that is still nesteled in the womb of your beloved wife?

Parenting begins the moment you conceive. God has already ordained a future for that child. Embrace the promise. Set the child up for success. Love God and be faithful to Him. Be prepared to train up the child in the way he must go.

God bless you parents – whether your child of promise has been fully birthed or yet to arrive.

Serminutes Has a New Home – Serminutes.com

My new concept for sermonettes, called “Serminutes” – One minute spiritual “pick-me-up’s” for busy Christians, has its very own site now called, you guessed it, Serminutes.com. I know there’s a ton of material out there vying for your attention, and I don’t want to burden you with yet another place to visit, but Serminutes aren’t quite what I envisioned for my personal blog. Plus, I felt like they deserved their own home. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

Thank you for visiting. Have a happy and blessed day – Rodger

Also, feel free to follow @Serminutes on Twitter 

What’s a “Serminute?”

A one minute spiritual pick-me-up for busy Christians!

When I first started preaching I was tasked with the challenge of preaching not sermons, but “sermonettes.” I’m not certain who coined this word, but my understanding of it means a “bite-sized” sermon that doesn’t take a lot of time getting your point across. I’m definitely not a man of few words. Words are my paint, and paper my palette. So, trying to narrow my words yet get something meaningful across has proven to be quite an undertaking. You know the world we’re living in is face-paced and if you can’t get your fastfood meal in under a minute, you’re tapping your foot. I am aware of that so I’ve devised a plan for you to get a small devotion with a big meaning!

The idea isn’t new and has been embraced by several of my Facebook Friends as “sermonettes.” Of course, you’re only allowed 420 characters. I’ve allowed myself 500 characters (see Revisions below) and dubbed my little snippets “ser-minutes” as a play on the word sermonette or a “sermon in a minute.” It takes me a decent amount of time some days to write these, but it will only take you about a minute to read and hopefully be blessed and encouraged.

Now, for the next little while welcome to the 500 character sermonette I like to call “Ser-minute.” Enjoy the one minute spiritual pick-me-up for busy Christians!   – Rodger

Revision on 4/4/11 – Changed the scope to include 500 characters vs. 420…needed a little more wiggle-room. Hey, it’s still under a minute! Enjoy and God bless.

Revision on 5/4/11 – We’re evolving here folks! We’re doing our level best to confine our creativity and miniaturize our messages, but as we advance we’re seeing a need to broaden our definition a “tad” further. We’re going from a “character count” to now a “word count” format which will be 200 words or less. It’s still a nugget, and well below the “long-winded” writing I’ve been known to do in the past. So, since these are self-imposed guidelines, I’m expanding slightly, but my over all “ONE MINUTE” Mission has not changed. Serminutes – Sermon in a Minute. Thank you for reading and God bless!