Ridgell's Originals

 You don't get to pick your in-laws.  You pick your mate and you get their family.  Or your sister gets married and you get a brother-in-law.  Over time, a funny thing happens.  You forget they are an in-law.

In my case, I got Robert as part of my family when he married my sister, Jan.

And this past week he died from complications of a massive heart attack.

So I've been thinking about why I loved Robert.  And I think it is because of who he loved.

Obviously, it starts with my sister.  He loved her.  And it showed.  He always called her his lady.  When Jan was sick, he was her caregiver.  Jan has battled health issues for a while and he took up the slack.  Worked hard to provide, took care of meals, and kept things running.  You could see the love in his eyes.  And hers too for that matter.

He loved his family.  Helped out with our folks.  Raised three amazing girls.  Loved his grands.  Liked to brag on his family in healthy ways.

He loved life.  Never understood he was getting older.  Never really gave in to heart issues.  

Loved Jesus.  Taught the same Bible class for years.  And did more than just teach.  He took care of that class.  Talked about his faith.  Prayed.  

I guess you are going to love the people who love the same things you do.

Well done Robert.  Well done.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 1 comments

 Our family does it every year, as do many of yours.  Go around the table and say what you are thankful for this year.  So here are a few thoughts on thanks giving.

Do this at some random times throughout the year.  It is always good to be reminded to be thankful.

Listen to the old people.  Their heart is really in tune with the things that matter.

Listen to the little ones.  Their heart is really pure.

I do think spiritual blessings top everything else.  Don't take Jesus for granted.

Give grace to those who have a hard time being thankful because they are overwhelmed.

Don't forget the little things.  They matter too.

This is a great time to say a private word to the people in your life.  Speak to them.  Text them.  Message them.  Call them.  Email them.  Communicate.  Thank them.

Be specific.  Why are you thankful for them?  

And if you are having trouble listing your thanks this year ...

Here are my three go-to subjects.

Faith:  God, Jesus, faith community, God acts, God winks.

Family:  Parents, kids, grands, those who have passed on, those not there.

Food:  Not just for today, but for what God has given all year long.  

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 So my Mom, Juanita Ridgell, is turning 91 this Saturday.So here are just a few of the reasons I love her and am really proud of her.

She doesn't know she is old.  Her attitude and outlook are still young.  Exercises.  Plays games every night.  Reads.  Keeps up with what is going on in the world.

She is not afraid of the future.  Not worried about health.  Not worried about what may -- or may not -- happen in the world.  

Still loves God more than anything.  Goes to worship and Bible class every Sunday.  Participates in a couple of Bible studies.  

Wants to reach others for Jesus.  Invites, talks, and shares her faith.

Loves her family.  She has an incredible legacy of strong women in our family, including those that married into our family.  Smart women.  Strong women.  Spiritual women.  Overcomers.  Powerful.

Loves others.  Serves people constantly.  Helps.  Meets everyone that moves into her independant living facility.

Role models and heroes are rare in our world.  

So thanks to my Mom for being both of these for our family and countless others

Happy birthday.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 Andrew is turning 14 tomorrow, and is my custom, here are the reasons I love him, am proud of him, and why we celebrate him.

Let me start with the most important.  He is a passionate Jesus follower.  He wants to do what is right.  He loves God and he loves others.  He not only will -- but he is -- making a difference in this world for the Kingdom.

Andrew genuinely wants the best for everyone.  He is happy for other people to do well.  He is kind and nice to everyone.  He talks to adults and to little kids.  And they all like him.

He loves sports.  Really good baseball player.  Great hitter.  One of the few players I watch expecting to see one hit out.  Good basketball player.  Great shooter.  But he does not find his identity in sports.That is important.

Loves music.  Plays the violin.  Already in the High School orchestra.

Loves his family.  All of us.  Still OK to be seen with the old grandparents.  Protective of his brother and sister.  

Loves to hunt and fish.  Just loves the outdoors.

Doesn't mind helping at the Ranch.  Even when it does not involve getting ready to hunt.

Does well in school.  Good grades.  Lots of leadership.

I have no idea what the future holds for Andrew in sports or in school.  No idea what he will end up doing for a living.  

But he will love Jesus, his family, and people.

And his Pops.

So thanks God for Andrew.  Protect him and use him in your Kingdom.  I look forward to what you will do in him and thru him.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 How do churches acknowledge death?  Most announce deaths.  Host the funeral.  Provide the meal.  But I wonder if the church ought to do more. Especially because of our children.

My kids were raised around death. Not just in our family and not just our pets.  But since I am a preacher, they heard lots of conversations about death and dying.  Went to a lot of funerals.  

Our children need to process death.  Not just euphemisms or ignoring their questions. Children should be welcome at funerals.  They ought to hear more celebrations of the memory of people that have died celebrated.  They need to hear what the Bible says about death.

Here are a few reasons why.

They are going to see death.  Family members.  Classmates.  Neighbors.  Church family.  News.  Better for them to have a healthy knowledge than try to explain everything for the first time when it happens. 

Christians have a different, and correct, view of death.  If we do not teach our people the truth about death, they will learn a different view from the world.  Just for example, much of the world fears death.  And in much of the world, life is not valued.  But as Christians, we value life that does not end.  And death is not something to be feared.

Talking about death helps our children see the value of faith and Jesus.  We Christians always talk about death and resurrection.  Life never really ends.  It just ends in this world.  But there is a better world coming.  The world where we see God face to face.  The world where there is no pain or sorrow or tears.  A world to look forward to as believers.

Talking about death, resurrection, and faith reminds us that we will be with loved ones again.  That is comforting.

And our children and young people need to know that life is not certain.  

They need to begin learning that we live to die to live.

And they must know that there is a better place than this world.  Kids do not have to be very old to begin realizing something is wrong in this world.  We Christians do make this world a better place, but it will never be what it should be.  Our world is fallen and broken.

Some of our kids and grandkids may well be threatened, even martyred, for the sake of the Kingdom.

And they need to learn to grieve with hope.  Hope of the resurrection.  Hope of heaven.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 Jesus saves.

That is the good news.  

Because we are saved, we do good things.  Not so we can be saved, but because we are saved.  

That is the point of Ephesians 2:8-10.  We are saved by grace.  It is a gift from God.  The gift of his son Jesus to die for our sins.  We are not saved by our works.  Because if we were, we would be giving the glory to ourselves instead of to God.  

But he does create us anew so that we can do good works.

Everyone gets this in theory, but in practice many seem to believe that good works save us.

Have I been good enough?

Have I done enough?

No and no.

How much is enough and how good is good enough?

We trust the goodness of Jesus.  We are made holy by Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit.

So get after it for Jesus.  Give God the glory.

Because you believe the gospel

Because Jesus has saved you by the cross where he died for your sins.

Because God raised him from the dead just like he will raise you from the dead.

Because you died with Jesus and were raised to a new life.

Good news.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead.  That is the good news gospel that saves us.

Many other things are right and good, but they do not save us.  They are not the gospel. There are even things believers saved by the gospel do as they live in the good news.  

We must always be careful not to communicate that we are saved by a different gospel than the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus saves.

Social justice is not the gospel.

Jesus believers will not be blinded by the color of someone's skin.  They will give help to the poor and lonely among us.  They will treat all people with dignity and respect.

Those living in the gospel will speak for the voiceless.  We act on our faith.

But we are not saving the world by trying to eliminate poverty.

Fighting racism does not forgive our sins.

Speaking for the oppressed is not the same as speaking good news of Jesus.

Much like the false gospel that we are saved by our works.  

We are only saved by Jesus.

Live a new life because of the gospel.

Be courageous because of the gospel.

But be clear about the gospel.

Jesus saves.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

Saved by the blood of Jesus.  That is good news.  Jesus died so my sins could be forgiven. That is good news.  God raised Jesus from the dead.  That power gives me new life here and the assurance that death will not be the end of my story.

The good news gospel of Jesus.

Because of the gospel, we Christians do a lot of good work

And because of the gospel, there are a lot of things we do not do.

But do not confuse the gospel. 

Not doing wrong will not save you.

First, because you cannot do it.  Only one person ever lived without doing wrong.  

Jesus who died for our wrongs.  That is gospel.

Even as a Christian you will sin.  Read I John 1:7-10.  Powerful promise for the sinning Christian.  

And how much wrong is OK?  Or, which sins don't affect your salvation?

The point is ...

Stop sinning is the result of believing gospel.  It is not the gospel.

It is the right thing to do.

Quit sinning.

Not so you can be saved, but because you are saved.

By the good news gospel of the one who died for you and was raised from the dead.

Jesus. 

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 Bill Merkel was actually my elder.  There have always been 3 or 4 men in my life that I considered my shepherds.  Some were literally elders in my church, some were men that had been elders.  Or that functioned for me as elders.

Bill was both a literal elder and even after he resigned, he was still my elder.

Here is why.

I knew elders were not perfect.  I knew that some elders had not always been as faithful as they wanted to be.  But Bill was the first one I ever heard acknowledge it.  Bill would say that he had not always lived the way he should have as a Christian.  That mattered to me because I have not always lived up to my commitment.

Bill talked a lot about forgiveness and grace.  Because of what God had done for him.  But it was also what I needed to hear.

And Bill adament that repentance means you work of becoming who God wants you to be.  Not just forgiven, but someone who lives their forgiveness.  You change.  

Bill believed that God still uses people who mess up.  That your sin does not define you.  That your future is not determined by your sin.

Bill wanted me to be an elder.  Considered me his elder.  Knew me and thought my past would equip me to be a really effective shepherd.  Just like him.

Sin.  Repentance.  Forgiveness.  Change.  Be useful.

That is what I learned from one of my elders.

Thanks Bill Merkel for not just speaking truth into my life, but for living truth in front of me.

I will follow you right into heaven.

Thanks for teaching me to follow you as you followed Jesus.

See you soon.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments