Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

The Church as a Hospital

            There are some things that I love about fall. First, I am thankful that the hot, humid days of summer have finally come to an end. You can go outside without coming in soaking wet in sweat. I love the beauty of fall leaves. I love planting violas and seeing them bloom. I like the pumpkins and some of the fall decorations.

            There are some things that I do not like about fall. I don’t like the shorter days. I hate getting up in the dark and coming home from work in the dark. I do not like clearing up all those beautiful fall leaves when they land in my yard. I also struggle with some fall allergies.

            Each season has some good things and some things that are less pleasant. I try to focus on the things that I enjoy and endure the things I do not. When I reflect back on my life, I think that churches have some things in common with the seasons. What I mean is that in each of the churches that I have attended I found things that I really liked and some things that I had to endure.

            For the most part, I have been blessed to have some good pastors. Most had a positive influence on my life and both challenged and encouraged me in my walk with the Lord. They were there when I needed to talk and for many of them, we became friends.

            The church buildings varied greatly through the years. One was a barn. A couple of them were store fronts. I attended several traditional churches with stained glass windows. I have always found them to be beautiful. Several churches I attended met in non-traditional buildings.

            Some of the churches I attended offered small groups. It is nice to develop tight-knit relationships with some brothers and sisters. A couple of the churches had men’s meetings where issues that we face as men were discussed. When we get into smaller groups outside of the regular church service there are opportunities to connect on a deeper level.

            Every church I attended had opportunities to eat food together. Pot lucks were common and offered an opportunity to share some great food and fellowship. Several of the small groups I attended would either go out to eat or we would bring food and enjoy a meal at someone’s house. Christmas parties were a common thread in most churches.

            I also attended several retreats at a number of the churches. That can be an interesting experience, especially when you have to share a room with someone who snores. I often enjoyed the retreats as it offered some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord.

            The people are what make a church, the gathering of the men, women, and children who have a heart for God. People come from all kinds of backgrounds. It’s that unique group that meets in that unique space that creates the environment for that church. What we all have to keep in mind is that no church is perfect. Each church has good things and things that need to be worked on. The question is will you make the effort to fit into your church?

            The physical building is a convenient location where the local sinners can come find a place to call home. The reality is that we are all broken people who are seeking a Savior who will redeem and forgive us. Ultimately, we hope to be healed and set free from our past. That makes the church like a spiritual hospital.

            Our goal should be to not leave anyone in their broken, sinful state. We should point them to Jesus where they can find forgiveness and the will to change so they can leave behind the old way of life and discover their new life through Christ. We are called to bandage wounds and help them to take steps on the new path of righteousness.

            I want to encourage you to see your church as a spiritual hospital. Jesus came to save the lost and all of us have lost people in our communities. They may never find Jesus unless we invite them into our churches. I am not suggesting that we endorse sinful lifestyles. We can love the sinner and hate the sin. We don’t want them to stay lost in their sinful lifestyle but to be set free and to find the forgiveness and love that will melt and change their hearts. The real church is a hospital that points the way to Jesus.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Thankful Even When…

            I am so thankful for the cooler weather. I worked outside over the weekend and enjoyed the pleasant temperatures. Fall brings many tasks that must be done. It helps when the weather is cooler to get all that work done. I cleaned up some of the vegetable beds. I still have a couple of tomato plants that are giving me some tasty tomatoes. I also have sweet potato vines that have taken over a couple of the beds. I am expecting a big sweet potato harvest.

            I have been working on getting the weeds under control, too. I plan to work on them some more this week. The garden was productive this year for both good things to eat and weeds. It is one of those eternal battles for gardeners.

            I am planning to head to the garden center this afternoon to find some violas. It is time to replace the summer flowers. In recent years we have started buying fewer pansies and chosen to go with violas. They seem to hold up better over the winter and recover quicker after storms. Violas help us make it through winter with their beauty.

            I also like to plant some spring bulbs in the fall. It is fun to watch for them as they pop through the soil and bloom in the spring. They help to give us something to anticipate on those cold winter days. When winter’s doldrums start to get us down we go out and check the progress on the bulbs and look at all the violas blooming.

            It is easy to be thankful in spring when you watch Mother Nature awake after a long winter’s nap. It is easy to be thankful when you are enjoying some fresh corn on the cob and a tomato sandwich. It is easy to be thankful when you see the beauty of fall spread across the mountains. It is easy to be thankful when you are sitting in a warm house watching snowflakes fall from a winter sky. It is easy to be thankful when life is moving smoothly and troubles and problems are nowhere to be found.

            Are you thankful when life is not going as planned? When you have to go to the hospital instead of the park, are you thankful? When you are struggling with pain, are you thankful? When your bank account will not cover your bills, are you thankful? When your car and house need repairs, are you thankful?

            When life gives us bumps and bruises it is naturally more difficult to give God thanks and praise. We often find ourselves saying, “Where are you, God? Help us, God!” The truth is we can’t feel Him because we are being held tightly in His arms. We can’t see Him because He has hidden us in His robes. It is often more difficult to find God during difficult moments because we are focused on our circumstances.

            Peter shows us what happens when we take our eyes off Jesus. He was the only disciple brave enough to step out of the boat onto the water. Peter walked on water! You know that’s impossible, right? Then Peter got distracted and started to look at His circumstances. The waves were rough. The wind was blowing. It was raining. He looked down at the water and realized that he can’t walk on water. Then he sank. When he took his eyes off Jesus and put them on his circumstances; that’s when he sank.

            We have to keep our eyes on Jesus in spite of our circumstances. We need to thank and praise Him for all He has done. He has forgiven our sins and is preparing a place for us in heaven. He gives us hope in the midst of our circumstances. He meets our daily needs. He comforts us. He heals our sicknesses. He gives us a place to call home. He gives us a church family to stand with us. He comforts us through our circumstances.

            I hope I gave you a place to begin thanking God. I want to encourage you to thank and praise God even in the difficult moments of life. My Pastor teaches us that if we praise God in the difficult moments they are considered a sacrifice of praise. It touches God’s heart in a special way. It is easy to trust when things are going well, but can we trust God in the tough times? Do we believe that He is faithful? I promise that He will be there for you to carry you through the storms of life. So count your blessings every day in every circumstance.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Changing Our Perspective

            Have you ever hung around someone who complained about everything? Do you get tired of listening to people who act that way? There are legitimate things that might cause any of us to complain at times, but I hope you aren’t one of those who complain about everything. It seems to me that if you find yourself complaining about everything that your perspective needs to change.

            I believe there are some circumstances that might cause us to struggle to keep a positive outlook on life. If your child or grandchild has been diagnosed with a serious illness, I can understand your struggle to stay positive. When divorce affects a family, whether it’s your own, your parents, or your kids, it can cause deep and lasting pain. Certainly everyone is going to be struggling when a loss occurs in the family. If your boss calls you in and tells you that you have been downsized and you are out of work, that is incredibly hard news. All these and a number of other circumstances are going to bring a period of sadness and discouragement.

            Sometimes what happens is that we get so focused on our problems and circumstances that they become bigger than God. Our minds convince us that the things we are facing are impossible for God to fix and us to overcome. This contributes to feelings of discouragement, doubt, fear, and worry. It can fill our lives with stress, which leads us into feelings of being overwhelmed.

            There is an old hymn that many of you will remember that will help in those kinds of moments. The chorus goes like this: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” We have allowed our eyes to become so focused on the circumstances of life that we have forgotten about the greatness of our God and our wonderful Savior. We forget that God cares. We forget that God knows every detail. We forget that He can still do the impossible today for us!

            I found myself focusing on my circumstances this week. I really don’t like admitting to that, but it’s true. I got alone with the Lord and instead of listening to Him, I complained. I listed my problems and concerns. Do you think I felt better? Nope. I needed to listen. It took me a few minutes and then I heard this whisper in my spirit: count your blessings. I couldn’t see any blessings because I was too focused on my circumstances. He waited patiently for me.

            After a few minutes, I named a couple. Nothing changed. He encouraged a few more. I thought for a moment and then gave Him a few more. Something started to happen inside. I named a few more. I started to feel better. I listed several more. My mind focused on Jesus and all He has done for me and I truly became thankful. In a few short minutes my focus turned onto Jesus and not my circumstances and I started feeling better. Please note that my circumstances had not changed, only my focus had. I was looking at the God who always comes through for me. I was looking at, thanking, and praising the God of the impossible.

            I heard a doctor say once that thanksgiving or being thankful makes it difficult for your brain to be anxious, worried, and stressed. It changes our attitude, giving us hope that maybe things will work out. Then once we can believe in the God of the impossible we open the doors of faith. Our brains will begin to work with us to help us through our circumstances until we overcome them. It starts with us changing our focus.

            As a teacher, I want to give you some homework. I want to encourage you to do the thing that I did that helped to change my focus. I want to encourage you to count your blessings. Each day for the next week take a few minutes and thank God for ten things in your life. They can be people, situations, areas of favor from God, things you own, spiritual things, your job or retirement, and your family. Start by reading Psalm 103 verses 1 to 5, where you will discover five ways God has blessed you. Once you start the ball rolling, I believe you will come up with so many more ways that God has truly blessed you. It is a great way to begin and end your day. Count your blessings one by one.   

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

The Future

            I had to go to Winston early in the week, and I saw some trees starting to show some color while I was up there. Wait…the calendar says October! That can’t be right. It was in the 90’s last week, it can’t really be fall yet. Whether we are ready for it or not, fall is here.

            I have been peeking ahead at the winter forecast and it is looking quite interesting. I do want to caution you about all the fear-mongering that some weather websites are promoting. We are not going to get buried in snow. If you follow the almanacs you will see that one is predicting a warm winter while the other is predicting a cold winter. What do you believe? While most of you know that I am a snow lover and am always hopeful that we will get some snow every winter, I am not getting too excited just yet.

            There has been much written in all the media about the super strong El Niño. We can’t make winter predictions based on one factor. We do know that El Niño winters tend to be wetter, but that does not mean all snow. We might get rain, sleet, and freezing rain. The best news about a wet winter is that I hope we can wipe out the drought conditions which have lingered for the southeast.

            You can be sure that I will be watching the trends and the forecast very closely and sharing my opinion with whomever will listen. What falls from the sky is not decided by any weather personality but by a much higher power than that! God has already seen the winter and the winter weather that is ahead for us. Our job is to trust Him and know that He is keeping a close eye on us.

            It’s not just the weather but all aspects of our lives that God has in complete control. He knows what is going on in your life right now, both the good and the bad. He knows the things you are struggling with and sees the path that will lead you through them. He knows the challenges that are still to come and is making plans to help you through it.

            The future can feel scary and overwhelming. No one knows what tomorrow holds. I have some friends who firmly believe that Jesus is coming back within the next couple of years and others who wonder when He is coming back. The answer according to the Bible is that no one, including Jesus, knows when He is coming back to get us. Only the Father knows when Jesus will come to bring us home. Heaven and the future are exciting and interesting topics but remembering who holds them is more important.

            I believe that God wants us to live each day impacting the people around us for His kingdom. We can do that by sharing encouraging words. Maybe we can lift someone’s burden or give them a helping hand. Showing people kindness can change a person’s day in a positive way. We all have opportunities every day to bring light and hope to people.

            The future is filled with the unknown. How do we prepare? How do we know what things to do or not do? What are His plans and how do I fit in? There are many questions about the future but we have to learn to trust Him with the details. Having faith that we can hear His voice and live in obedience will help us feel assured that we are on the right path.

            Our future is in His hands. The Bible teaches us that God makes good plans for our future. He is a good Father. Our job is to seek His will and guidance, especially when we are facing big changes. Should we change jobs, move, get married, retire? It’s not easy to know and figure out His will. That’s why it is important to be connected into a local church where you have brothers and sisters who can join you in your prayers. God will reveal His plans, which are sometimes different than ours, because He can see things we can’t.

            I want to encourage you to trust God with your future. God is in control of the weather, the stock market, the rapture, and the intimate details of your life. He has made great plans for you. There will be struggles but He will see you through because you are an overcomer. God has your future, our future, in His hands. Our job is to walk by faith and trust Him.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

We Are a Family

            How do you think about the people you attend church with every Sunday? Are they friends? Acquaintances? Are they people you can lean on in a crisis? Are they people you see only once a week? Do you know them and do they know you? That is a lot of questions and things to consider about the people we see at church each week.

            The Bible calls a church a number of things. It’s called a light on a hill. We should be a beacon of hope to the lost in our communities. We are known as the bride of Christ. That reveals the depth of His love for us and the fact that He can’t wait to bring us home. We are also called the body of Christ. While we are many members, we each have a role and responsibility within our churches to fulfill to make our body work.

            When I think about my church, I like to think of us as a family. I don’t know about your family, but most families have members who have been through some tough times. Some have brought life’s troubles on by their own choices; others have experienced tragedies and are struggling to deal with life. No matter what happens in life, we are still family.

            I was thinking about Jesus’ family, especially His family tree. There are quite a few interesting people in His family background. The most prominent is King David. The Bible calls David a man after God’s heart. But David did not have a stellar character. We all know that David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed to hide it. We have all read the story of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth was not Jewish and yet she is in Jesus’ genealogy. Who could forget the story of Rahab the prostitute who helped to save the spies? Did you know that she is in Jesus’ genealogy?

            The disciples were not perfect either. James and John were known as the “Sons of Thunder” because they wanted to call down fire upon the Samaritans because they didn’t welcome them into their town. Matthew was a tax collector. Most tax collectors notoriously overcharged people and pocketed the extra money. Thomas doubted the resurrection and Judas betrayed Jesus. These men were Jesus’ disciples.

            We all fall short in many ways and need the love and mercy of God. If Jesus can make room for us in the family of God shouldn’t we all make room for others? I believe God wants to reach out to our neighbors and friends through us. He wants us to be lights in our communities to help show people the way to God.

            God’s heart is for every person to find and build a relationship with Him. When we join God’s family we aren’t called to sit in the stands and watch others work. We are called to bring our talents, gifts, and abilities and use them in our church family. There are many spiritual gifts that God gives the church to help members grow and mature in their faith, and I believe we each have some that God wants us to use. We all play a vital part in our church families.

            I did not get the gift of a musical voice. Nobody should have to suffer through listening to me sing, even though God loves to hear me. But I do have the gift to teach and I use it in my church to teach the children and the adult Sunday school class. If you read my columns you know that I have the gift of encouragement and we can all use some encouragement at times. I believe God has given you talents, gifts, and abilities. He wants you to be use them to help make your church family better and stronger.

            I want to encourage you to find your place in the family of God. God has given you special abilities that your church needs. Some are visible, like mine when I teach Sunday school. Others are behind the scenes, like the people who mow the grass or do the accounting. It may not be visible to others but their role is vital to the success of that church family. The person singing in the choir is just as important as those who serve in the nursery. We all have roles to play and things we can do to help make our church a warm and welcoming place to those who are lost and looking for a savior. Find your place. Do your thing. You are an important part of your church family!

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Maintaining the Temple

            It’s hard work to maintain our homes. They need repairs and updating. Time takes a toll on our homes and styles change. Regular cleaning takes time and energy. There are weekly chores and seasonal chores that require us to work around the house.

            Our physical bodies need maintaining as well. Some people love to work out and maintain their physique. I am not one of them. I do enjoy walking in my community and I like working in my yard. I am not interested in going to the gym or even working out on my own. I do try to take care of myself, just not by going to the gym.

            I fell a couple of years ago and have had back problems off and on since the fall. I have been fortunate that a massage therapist could help me when things were hurting. She recently told me that I really needed to get some physical therapy to help fix the root problem. My doctor made a recommendation, and against my wishes I had to start doing some physical therapy.      I found out after a couple sessions that my physical therapist is a doctor. I was her first patient to evaluate after being hired. She had just graduated and this is her first full-time job. She evaluated me and found that the muscles in my back were all tight. The exercises she has me doing are designed to stretch those tight muscles out and to strengthen my core muscles.

            She will demonstrate what she wants me to do. For some of the exercises I find them challenging and she has to help me keep my body in the right position to benefit. For other exercises I tell her that she has a twenty-something body and I have a sixty-something body that will not do what she just demonstrated. We both laugh and then she makes me do it. She has a great sense of humor and I attempt to keep us both laughing while I am there. I give her fake complaints and she tells me I can do it, which I do. She tells me that my joking around makes the time pass quickly.

            One day she had me sit in a chair and “try” to touch my toes. I tried but I couldn’t reach them. She sat beside me and easily touched her toes. I teased her that I probably could have done it when I was her age. Then a woman clearly older than me was asked to do the same thing and she also easily touched her toes, which had everyone laughing. The best laugh I got out of her was when I “complained” that she was trying to give me six pack abs.

            Like any good teacher, she gives me homework. She explained early on that I would have to do exercises at home if I wanted to make progress. The homework was challenging at first, but things have gotten easier as I continue to work at them.

            While we both like to laugh while I am there, I really appreciate her desire to help me eliminate the pain. The pain will not go away on its own. These same principles apply to our spiritual lives. We aren’t going to grow and maintain our spiritual lives if we don’t put any effort into it. Spiritual growth requires the hard work of self-discipline, dedication to reading the Bible and prayer, connecting with others in fellowship, persevering through the hard times, and building a more intimate connection with God.

            Maintaining our spiritual lives takes time and effort. The rewards are incredible because the God who made the entire universe wants to know you and to be known by you. He wants you to discover more about Him. He wants to guide you through the ups and downs in life. He wants to bring comfort and healing to the brokenness in your life. He wants to deepen your understanding that His ways, which are not your ways, are best.

            I want to encourage you to take the steps necessary to grow and maintain your spiritual temple. Connect with God because He deeply desires to connect with you. Read the Bible, starting in the New Testament, where you can discover more about Jesus. Pray and talk with God. Attend church where you can connect with others who are on the same journey as you. It will require some effort on your part, but the benefits will last you for all eternity.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com