November 2024
Topping things off is common in the world today. You may stop at a gas station to top off your fuel tank or at a restaurant. A member of the wait staff will often come by and ask if you would like your drink topped off. This is also necessary at times with fish tanks. Occasionally, as water dissipates out of the tank, the water level will become depleted and need to be topped off. This is done in between periodic water changes. Whereas a water change involves more of a deep cleaning, a top-off of the tank simply entails adding more water. From a biblical perspective, we occasionally need to have our spiritual life topped off. Oftentimes, this world will drain us and leave us feeling weary. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit has left us, nor that Jesus has abandoned us, as we know these two things will never happen. We simply need to slow down and spend some time with God in prayer and reading the scriptures, perhaps taking a few minutes or even longer to sit quietly in the presence of God. These aforementioned activities will allow our hearts to be topped off and renewed. Psalm 51:10 reads, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." I pray that November gives you an opportunity to be renewed in your walk with Christ.
October 2024
There are serval live plants in the fish tank in my office. I was
looking at these the other day and noticed something interesting about
one of them. The plant under observation is fairly low-growing yet
somewhat wide. I noticed that the leaves closest to the root system were
greener and healthier than those that had gotten farther away from the
base. I also noticed that the leaves farther away from the base were
spread out further from one another. This caused them to be much more
disturbed by outside forces. These outside forces included the water
moving from the filter, fish swimming around them, and me when I did a
water change. This got me thinking about our spiritual life. When we
drift far from our roots (of course, this is Jesus), we become
unhealthful. Also, when we do not stay in close unity with other
believers, we are more prone to be negatively affected by outside
forces. These outside forces look different than the ones in the tank,
or do they? We have changes in our culture, kind of like the moving
water in the tank. In Eph. 4, Paul wrote about not being swayed by every
wind of doctrine. We can be affected by others around us when they are
not speaking the truth or words of edification. This is a topic also
addressed in Ephesians 4. Of course, the epicenter of all of this is the
enemy himself; he desires to keep us out of unity with our brothers and
sisters and to keep us out of fellowship with Christ. I am by no means
saying that we should not, as believers, be always growing, always
maturing, simply that with that growth, we need to stay connected to our
true vine (John 15) and stay in fellowship with our church family."
September 2024
Some of the most important members of the fish tank in my office are the 3 snails I have in there to keep the tank clean. These snails are often not seen and if you want to see them you have to search pretty hard. They are not quite as vibrant in color as some of the fish. The snails certainly aren't as active as any of the fish in the tank. They are not a part of the tank that people often even consider. This does not at all diminish their role in the tank. If the snails were not in there their absence would quickly become evident. Algae would quickly grow and visibility into the tank would be greatly diminished. The water quality in the tank would also suffer causing a deterioration of health to the rest of the fish. It can be much the same in the church. Some serve in ways that may not be as visible or as immediately evident. This does not at all diminish the importance of their role in the church. Each member in the body of Christ has a role to fulfill none are more important than the other. Paul addressed this in 1 Corinthians 12:14-20 where we read, "For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body."
Know that whatever area of service you are in within the body of Christ you are valuable, you are valued, you are appreciated, and you are loved. August 2024
In the fish tank in my church office, we have begun to raise some Mollie
fish. A large number of the fish that are now in the tank have been born
in this tank and are starting to grow out nicely. Mollies are what is
considered live bearers meaning that they give birth to live young as
opposed to laying eggs. When the fish are being born if the mother is
not secluded the other fish in the tank will begin to eat the fry
immediately. Those that have survived are the ones that were able to
make it to shelter and be protected until they grew a bit. As I
contemplated this I thought about the connection to a person's spiritual
life. When a person first comes to Christ for salvation it's important
for the church to protect them, to wrap around them, and give them a
safe place to grow. The fish that were born in the tank could not stay
in the shelter indefinitely. It was necessary for them to come out and
begin to eat for them to thrive and grow. Again, we can see a connection
to the spiritual life. There must be a time when believers come out from
infancy and grow so that they may thrive in Christ. This precept is
written about in both 1 Peter chapter 2 and Hebrews chapter 5. Perhaps
as we go through our day we can look for those new believers that we can
help to shelter and guide as well as seeking ways to help more mature
believers grow and thrive.
June 2024
A while back we had three different sets of fry born in the fish tank
(No this does not mean we will be having a fish fry). These juveniles
are now growing out well. It's interesting to watch them grow and see
how their colors are coming in and even changing as they grow. They're
developing different markings and even particular character traits.
Although these fish are all the same breed it doesn't take too much to
identify the individuals. It is much the same with Christians as we
grow, we move through seasons of life perhaps encountering different
doctrinal and theological precepts that help to shape and form our walk
with the Lord. And although we all belong to the same Father, we
certainly have character traits that identify us as individuals. God has
designed each one of us uniquely in a physical sense and in a spiritual
sense and has given each of us different callings and giftings. We need
to identify how God desires to use us and to grow into that calling and
that ministry. Paul wrote about this growth to the church in
Thessalonica, "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers,
as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of
every one of you for one another is increasing" (2 Thess. 1:3). As we
grow and mature in our faith, we also ought to be growing in our love
for one another. My prayer is that as life brings difficulties your way
you will see them as opportunities for growth and for letting God speak
to you. Just remember that as we face difficulties it is important to
just keep swimming or growing as the case may be.
April 2024
Recently in the fish tank in my office, I have started breeding some mollies, so far there have been 3 broods of fry. What is interesting is that although all three of these sets of babies have the same father and mothers who look identical, each set of babies looks vastly different from one another. Although their physical appearance may differ, they are all the same (they are all molly fish). Much the same can be said for mankind. While each of us may look vastly different, each one of us was created in the image of God, and by the hand of God (Gen. 1:26, Ps. 139:13-15). And when we take that to an even more intimate setting, each one of us within the body of Christ is indwelt with the same Holy Spirit. Yes, we may dress differently, look differently, talk, and sometimes behave differently, but our internal makeup is identical. I believe that if the body of Christ would look beyond the exterior and focus upon the Spirit that indwells each of God's people, we would be a much more effective army for the Lord.
March 2024
As I sit here in my office and watch the fish swim around the fish tank
the plants are really catching my eye today. They are connected to the
root system that is not seen and are growing towards the light that is
seen. Both the roots and the light are essential for the plant's
survival. Without the roots, they would not be anchored and without the
light, they would not grow. In between the root system and the tops of
the leaves that strive for the light the plants provide many benefits
for those around them they help to oxygenate the water, they help with
filtration, and some of them give protection to the more vulnerable
fish. As we stay connected to God and strive to live more in the light
let us seek to benefit those around us. Let us seek to protect those in
need, let us seek to speak words of life into people. And let us seek to
help others discern the will of God so that they can strive for the
light.
February 2024
One of the plants in the fish tank in my office has begun to develop
what is called hair algae. In some regards this looks kind of neat
flowing and on the surface, it makes the plant look more alive.
Unfortunately, hair algae can be quite invasive. While it may look like
the plant is more alive the hair algae itself is slowly feeding on the
nutrients of the plant and if not eliminated will eventually kill the
host plant. Beyond that, the hair algae will start to break off the
plant and attach itself to other parts of the fish tank to multiply.
There are things that may attach themselves to us that on the surface
look appealing but if not eliminated can wind up harming us. As I was
reflecting on this I thought about the Israelites and their wilderness
wanderings and how they longed for the things of Egypt. They had
forgotten the slavery, they had forgotten the harm, and they had
forgotten their separation from God. Some of the things that attach
themselves to us or are attractive to us may be those things from our
life lived before Christ, perhaps they're attractive because of their
familiarity perhaps it's a certain remembrance perhaps there's even a
bit of comfort in these things. We must remember that if there are
things connected to us that are not from God, they will eventually cause
great harm.
January 2024
In my fish tanks, I often keep live plants. I prefer live plants to
artificial ones for several reasons. One of those is that they possess
benefits beyond mere aesthetics. They oxygenate and help filter the
water. Artificial plants while they may be at times more colorful can do
neither of the above. In fact, they can often trap debris causing
contamination in the tank. While rare, on occurrence, artificial plants
have been known to harm fish due to their leaves having sharp edges
causing cuts on the fish. In contrast, live plants are softer and more
prone to move when the fish comes to them. As I've reflected on these
truths, I have seen the spiritual implications of this. When we have a
true and living relationship with the Lord and Savior, we receive the
pure breath of the Holy Spirit. A relationship,or supposed relationship,
with Jesus that is based merely on tangible, cognitive, or secular
standpoints will most certainly do more harm than good to us. A true and
living relationship with Jesus will over time filter out the impurities
in our lives if we allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in our hearts.
An artificial relationship will often cause wounds not only to ourselves
but to those who come around us, in that an artificial relationship will
be much more rigid and less loving. My prayer is that your relationship
with Christ is living and active, breathing life not only into you but
also into those around you.
December 2023
I recently started feeding the fish at the church a new food called Bug
Bites. And just as the name implies this food is made from ground-up
bugs, I know YUUUUUUMMMMM. Certain fish in the tank need extra protein
and this is a good way of supplying that. This food is in small, almost
rock-like pieces, which causes it to sink quickly. This may be by
design, since many fish that need the extra protein are gatherers,
meaning that they do not typically eat off the top of the tank. It is
interesting to watch these fish pick through the thousands of pieces of
gravel to find a speck of food. They do this diligently because they
know it is essential for them. As believers, we should be as diligent at
looking deep into God's Word to find the beneficial food that lies
waiting for us to consume, trust me it is better than ground-up bugs.
The life-giving and life-sustaining words that we read in God's word are
worth far more than any temporary treasures the world may use to
distract us. Remember the words of Jesus as recorded in Mathew 4:4, "But
He answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" As we celebrate the
birth of Christ this month, take some time to reflect on your spiritual
birth, how has God fed and directed you through your walk with Him? How
desperately do you seek to be nourished by His Word? If you would like
to know more about becoming a follower of Christ, or about how to deepen
your relationship with Him, our church would love to talk to you about
that.
November 2023One important tool for fish tank maintenance is a gravel vacuum. This is
used when doing water changes to, as you may have guessed, vacuum the
gravel. This is beneficial in removing uneaten food particles as well as
fish waste from deep inside the gravel, elements that are not visible
from the surface. If left in the tank, these elements could cause
harmful bacteria to develop in the tank, bringing disease to the fish.
It is important to stir up the gravel and allow the debris to be
removed. This process also brings the opportunity to allow fresh water
to be added to the tank. In our lives, sometimes there are things that
others can't see and that we may even become numb to or be unaware of.
We need to allow the Holy Spirit to stir us up and remove those unseen
harmful elements. When our heart is cleansed in this way, it allows for
the water of God's word and the refreshing and reviving of the Holy
Spirit to fill us anew. Psalm 139:23-24 captures this concept
beautifully. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my
anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me
in the everlasting way."
My prayer is that we will allow God's Holy Spirit to vacuum the
undesirable waste from our lives.
October 2023I recently added some new fish to the tank in the office, they are called Giant Danios. These are now mixed in with the Pristella Tetras that were already in the tank. Typically, different types of fish will keep to themselves, and if they are schooling fish, the different breeds will school in differing groups. As I watch these new fish interact, they all seem to be schooling together, almost as if they do not know they are different. Perhaps it's because they are all eating the same food, or living in the same environment, if there are any issues in the tank, they face the same struggles. I'm watching these fish, thinking what a lesson we could learn. We are all living in the same environment, and many of us are facing the same struggles, if we're going to a Bible-believing church at the root of it, we're eating the same food. Perhaps we need to put our differences aside and live in unity like these fish do. In this I am reminded of the beginning of Ephesians 4, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph. 4:1-6 ESV)
September 2023One important component of a healthy fish tank is the filtration system. There are many types of filters, some that sit on the back of the tank (which have always been my preferred type), and some that hang from the top of the tank inside the tank, there are under gravel filters, sponge filters, and box filters to name a few. Filtration serves a few different purposes. The main purpose, and the most often thought of, is to remove debris from the tank as it takes in water and runs it through several types of media. This cleanses the water and releases it back into the tank, removing any potentially hazardous material or chemicals. A second purpose for the filter, and one that is not as often considered, is the circulation of the water. If the water in a fish tank is not kept moving with the help of a filter, it will stagnate. This water will quickly become unhealthy and hazardous for the fish. In the same way that the filter keeps the water in the tank moving, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to continue moving in our hearts and lives. There is a danger in the life of a Christian is sitting stagnant. We grow and become healthier the more we move. This moving may look different in different people's lives, just as there are different filtration types for a fish tank, but regardless of the method, there needs to be motion that manifests itself in health.
Pastor McCarthy ______________________________________________________________________
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