A Thanksgiving Wish

The other night after our worship gathering, I was standing and talking to someone when a girl came running up to me to give me something. This particular girl is part of a family that our church has helped on several occasions. When I looked at what she had given me, many struggles that I had been dealing with that very day, and the week before, were suddenly brought into a sharp focus. It was a "thank you" card.

During the children's service, they had been studying about giving thanks. Then they did a craft to help reinforce what they had learned. They made these cards to say "thank you" to whomever they felt deserved it. This little girl had any number of people that she could thank, but decided to thank me. As I stood there looking at her shiny pink hair and hand-me-down clothes, she said as she hugged me, "You are the one I wanted to thank."

You see, I had come into the building that night struggling with a long week at my day job, stressed over the time I was putting into it, while I had so much to do for our church. I had been dealing with how I was going to get a project done for the seminary class I am attending, trying to figure out when I was going to find time to buy my wife a birthday present, play with my kids, pray and have devotions, study for next weeks sermon, and on and on. None of these are bad things, but I was struck with a thought, as this little girl, that so many might be quick to look past, offered such a nice gesture.

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you, in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

It was not that I should not have been thinking about those things. It was just that in the midst of it all, I had forgotten to be thankful. I was not being grateful that I am blessed to have a job that pays the bills, grateful that I can afford to go to seminary, buy my wife a birthday present, grateful that I have kids that want to play with me, and grateful that God uses me in His work. All of this, while I know for a fact, this little girl's family has needed help buying groceries, clothes, paying for utilities, and other basic necessities that most of us normally take for granted.

Let me encourage you to stop right now and think about all that you have to be thankful for, and then who it is that deserves that gratitude. While I received thanks from this little girl, it is our church that has done the work, but ultimately it is God, through His Son Jesus Christ, that worked in our hearts and provided for us so that we might help them. Therefore, I say, "Thank you Father, for blessing us so that we might be used to show your awe inspiring love in such a special way."

Let me know what it is that you have to be thankful for this year. I would love to share it so that people can hear how God is working. For those of you that are part of The Way I would even like to do something special with the things you share. Email me; I will keep the names confidential unless you give me permission to share. seth@thewayfaithcommunity.com.

Prince Caspian?

My family and some good friends went to watch Disney’s version of C.S. Lewis’, The Chronicle’s of Narnia; Prince Caspian. While the movie was enjoyable, and the computer generated animation was phenomenal, I could not get past this nagging sense that something was wrong. It had been a while since I had read the book, but as soon as I got home, I went straight for my bookshelf and my own copy of Prince Caspian. After giving it a quick once over, I was able to determine that I had felt like something was wrong, because it was.

There were several events that had been changed, added, or deleted all together. What ultimately came from this exercise was not a movie critique, but an insight into something I would consider much more important. Two distinct thoughts struck me and have made a lasting impression. The first thought was, if people do not read the book, they will never see the difference. They would not know how differently Disney portrayed many of the events that took place. The second thought was that if it bothered me, how would C. S. Lewis feel? More specifically at what point does it cease to be C. S. Lewis’ story.

I know those do not sound like deep or even important thoughts, but when the switch in my head flipped from movie and fantasy story, to life and God’s Word, it suddenly felt very significant. Just think about this, if people do not know what the book says, in this case the Bible, how will they distinguish the many influences we have in our world today. In addition, if I was bothered at the editing of a story that I read, how much more right does God have to be bothered whenever we stretch His divine words around our own agendas? How far can a truth be stretched before it is no longer true?

Jesus pointed out just how important the role is that Scripture plays at the end of His parable about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).

Luke 16:29-31 (NIV) 29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 30 "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

The phrase, Moses and the Prophets, refers to the Old Testament. Jesus’ point is not to diminish the power of a miracle, but to point out that the Scriptures are more than sufficient to point us to true life. In fact, a real Lazarus was soon raised by Jesus, and the result was that the Jewish leaders plotted more earnestly to kill Jesus. Because Lazarus was raised by Jesus, they were going to kill him as well. There was another that was raised from the dead as well, and even today people are trying to deny the power and historicity of Jesus’ own resurrection.

First, we need to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that we have as Christians today. The Scriptures are more available now than they have ever been before. They have been translated into numerous languages, and we are left with no excuse. As we read it, we cannot be like the Jewish leaders that were considered to be the experts when it came to the Scriptures, and still would not believe when a man rose from the grave. Their view of Scripture had been tainted by their own ideas. We must set aside our preconceived notions, and read God’s word looking for what He intended to say, so that we understand His truth, and not our own.

Don't Be Surprised, Rejoice: Another Look

1 Peter 4:14-16 (NIV) 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

This issue of suffering is very difficult. In fact, for many people it has been the line in the sand when it comes to trusting in God. We evaluate every experience we have from an incomplete and often flawed perspective. Yet, we most often assume that our own perspective is the best perspective and honestly prefer it to others. If the experience hurts, it is bad. If the experience gives us what we want, we assume it to be good. However, read Peter’s words again. Here is a new perspective that we should consider. Suffering, for the name of Christ, is a blessing.

As mentioned in the previous posting, there is no way for us to know exactly what Peter’s readers were enduring. On the other hand, Peter does help us understand that suffering can be more than just another hard situation. I challenged you to think about what Jesus did and what He endured. One thing I did not point too exactly is that He loved us and continues to love us even when we do not deserve it. It cost Him dearly to do that. It was not convenient for Jesus to come here and actively love us. This was a plan that had been in process since the fall of mankind several thousand years earlier. He could have set there on high, looking down on us, telling the angels how much He loves us. However, that is not what happened. John 3:16 happened. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." He came here to us, touched us, and lived among us. He reached out and got his hands dirty. He got involved. He got personal. He did the right thing in spite of the cost, because the outcome was worth it.

Suffering for the name of Christ moves beyond living a moral life no matter what the cost. This would be part of it, but it goes much further. It means living as Jesus did and following the examples He set. He would speak the truth, but He would also reach out to those that were obviously unworthy. All too often we act as cowards not willing to get involved hiding behind excuses (that is not my spiritual gift or I am very busy), our own piety (I am too clean to get dirty by involving myself with the likes of those people), and in our day we even hide behind our government. Think about it, rather than love someone in their sin, and I mean actively reach out and love them with the same love Jesus showed us, we would rather legislate them into morality. This way we can stand at a distance and try to fix the problem. We can hold our opinions quietly, only sharing them with people who agree with us. Let me ask you as I did before, where would we be if Jesus had acted in this way. What hope would we have? The law was given and we could not live by it. Legislation does not fix the problem we have, only God's love can do that. The law condemns us, but Jesus saves us.

I am not asking you to abandon your moral convictions, vote for the right thing, live a righteous and holy life, Christians hold one another accountable to living rightly, but don’t do this from a distance, reach out your hand and love your neighbor. Our culture needs us to not only be willing to assent to the knowledge of truth but to do so in the love that we have experienced. Speak your mind, share the truth, but get personally involved and let the world see Jesus at work in you. This will likely lead to your suffering; the people you seek to love and help may lash out at you; and some people, that you might think are on your side, may ridicule you, but if you are truly doing it so that God can be praised, so that His name is glorified, is it not worth it? Peter says it is, and he tells us that if you suffer for doing the right thing, living as a follower of Christ, you are blessed.

How are you suffering? Are you suffering as a consequence of sin? Or, are you suffering because you are living like Jesus? One way or another you will suffer, that is life on Earth, but only one way is really worth it.

Don't Be Surprised, Rejoice!

Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

We have no way of knowing exactly what trials Peter was referring to, but it is obvious from the language used here that they were intense. The word translated in the NIV as painful, literally refers to burning. These trials have been a major emphasis through out Peter’s letter to these early believers. You can find something about suffering mentioned in every chapter. However, Peter was not trying to convince his readers of the issue of suffering, they knew their circumstances all too well. He was helping them understand how to live through it. Peter wanted them to understand that this is really to be expected and accepted.

This new life, these early believers were experiencing and that you and I experience in Christ, is so amazing. Every thing is truly made new. Everything comes with a new perspective, even suffering. Do not be surprised, but rejoice. Rejoice because I suffer? I do not think Peter wanted His readers to look at their trials and jump for joy, but intsead rejoice because the suffering for doing right actually indicated their connection to Christ, which in the end leads to even greater joy. Jesus suffered for doing right, and if our Master suffered in that way, why would we expect it to be any different for us?

I have a picture in my mind, of a street that has speed bumps all along it. These speed bumps may be a pain to deal with. They may seem to slow you down. The truth is, they may even seem to be in your way, but in most cases speed bumps are placed to keep people safe. Suffering for living as God calls may seem to distract you, or knock you off course, and in most cases it will be painful, but it is part of this life. Not because God enjoys watching us squirm, but because He is cleansing and refining us. This, I believe, is the picture that Peter is presenting in these two verses. The burning or fiery trial is removing the impurities and preparing you for Christ. God is using these to form us into His image.

Furthermore, Jesus had to cross these same speed bumps, and as we follow in His path, we should understand that it is not always a smooth road. After all, look at what He endured. He stepped out of the glory of Heaven for our salvation, and received ridicule, skepticism, accusations of insanity, attempts to publicly humiliate Him, and eventually physical beatings, and an old rugged cross. He who knew no sin, became sin. He did not deserve death or the consequences of sin, but He took our sin upon Himself, and paid the price. If you can't rejoice because you suffer (I am not there yet), rejoice that through this process God is making you into the person He created you to be.

Love Covers Sin

1 Peter 4:8 (NIV) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Love, real godly agapé love, is such an amazing thing. It acts in the best interest of its object, and it never expects anything in return. This verse doesn’t give us a complete understanding of how we can define God’s love, but what it does do is help us see the results of such selfless behavior. Love covers over a multitude of sins, but the sins referred to are not your own, they are the sins of the ones we love. Let me try to illustrate this from a different perspective.

Scripture clearly teaches that we are sinners. What I think that we sometimes forget is just how bad this really is. At one point in the book of Isaiah, God points out that even our best acts are flawed and He says they are like filthy rags to Him. You see, because of our sin, we are vile, absolutely detestable in the sight of God. There is no soap strong enough to wash away the stench. There are no brushes stiff enough to scrub it off. Now hang with me, it does get better. God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, He sent his Son, who in turn gave His life for us, making it possible for us to know eternal life in His presence. God’s great love moved Him, to act in our best interest in spite of how badly we missed the mark, and in spite of the cost.

What if He had not done this for us? Where would we be? What hope would we have? What would life be like if God looked at us, and because of our sin did not act? We would be lost, salvation would not exist, and there would be no hope. Now turn that thought from being the one on the receiving end of this amazing love. What kind of person would we be, if we accepted God’s act of love in Christ, but then didn’t offer this same love we received to others because of particular sins in their life?

The challenge is simple to see but much harder to live. We are so quick to point a finger, or exalt ourselves as we look at the faults of others. We should love one another just like God loved us, with a forgiving spirit, and a stronger desire to restore than to condemn. The next time you find yourself ready to disregard someone, or consider them unworthy of your attention, remember what God did for you in Jesus Christ, and rather than offering unforgiving condemnation, exert some effort and find a way to act in love.

The End of All Things Is Near

(1 Peter 4:7) Peter’s words to the early church may conjure up many ideas based on the hype surrounding the “Left Behind” series, and our infatuation with the thought that Jesus will return while we are alive. To force upon this text our own cultural perspectives would not only be a disservice to the reader. It might also cause you to miss his point all together.

We do not get enough information here to begin understanding whether Peter would be considered pre- or amilleniast. There is no way to know whether he holds to a pre- or post tribulation rapture of the church. In fact, he does not even mention the Church leaving the Earth. What he does teach is that there will be an end to all things and it is imminent. Jesus is going to return and the victory is going to be His. You can take that to the bank.

When we put this verse back into its context it becomes clear that Peter is not pushing his view of eschatology. Instead, he wanted his audience to understand how critical his words were. He had just written that enough time had been wasted on living as lost people live. The end of all things is near, so now pray for God’s will, love others like Jesus loves us, and serve one another in God’s power, so that God will be glorified.

Peter wants his readers to understand just how important this is. It is imperative that the Church stands up and acts like the Church. The only way to get the Church to move is to move the people that make it up. That is you and me, and every other believer in the world. So here, it is again. The end of all things is near; let me ask you, how wisely are you spending your time?

This is not a call to withdraw from the world or anything that might be considered entertainment, but to carry the light that we have seen every where we go. Everything we do, from work to play, and everything we endure becomes an opportunity to share the love of Christ. All you have to do is bring Him with you. The idea is that we do not wait to go on mission at a particular time, but that we live our lives on mission all the time. The end of all things is near, let’s get busy.

Do you deserve a break today?

You deserve a break today! Does that phrase bring back memories? I asked several people what this phrase brought to mind and three out of four were able to place it. This catchy slogan may not have shaped our culture, but it certainly tells us what we want to hear. The generation in which we are living today, more than any other generation in American history, believes it really does deserve something. I guess we could debate about what brought us to this point in history, but that would only cause a distraction. What I cannot help but wonder is, what it is we think we deserve.

If someone commits a crime, especially something very heinous, we think they deserve a punishment that fits their crime. On the other hand, we cannot stand to see the people we deem as an innocent or good endure hard times. In fact, it is this type of suffering that many people give as reason for not believing in God. Then there are those of us that feel like we deserve what ever we want when ever we want it. Unfortunately, what we really deserve in life is not simply determined by who our parents are, social status, or actions. What we really deserve in life is determined by the fact that we are human.

Here is the truth; we are all sinners that deserve eternal separation from God, and not just after death, but right now. Unfortunately, this includes even the most innocent of us. The moment we are born we are sinners, and there is nothing in our own power that we can do to overcome this. We do not deserve this world He created for us. We do not deserve to live easy lives. We do deserve to smile and laugh and enjoy life. And we certainly do not deserve to know He exists. Most people do not want to hear this and even if they do hear someone say it, they will refuse to accept it, but it is the truth.

Everything we have that brings joy, every provision we have, and any safety that we know is by God’s grace. It is this grace, the grace that Peter hoped believers would know, that leads to God’s amazing mercy.

1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

God’s grace gives us what we do not deserve, and in His mercy He withholds the judgment and condemnation we are due. He has given the people of this world the opportunity to be reconciled in their relationship with Him, to know abundant life, and for that He is truly worthy to be praised.

What do we deserve? What have we been given?

Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams

1 Peter 1:2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance.

It could easily be assumed that Peter was using a canned greeting at the beginning of his first letter to the early Church. On the other hand, couldn’t it been much more than that. Couldn’t it be that Peter was offering a blessing or a prayer much like the priestly prayer from the days of Moses (Numbers 6:22-26)? I am convinced that Peter is not just wishing these early Christians “champagne wishes and caviar dreams;” but rather has come to know God’s grace and peace in increasing measure, and desires this for all believers.

God’s grace and peace do not simply refer to good times with great things happening. In fact, the context of this proves that they are likely not tied to circumstances at all. The Christians of this time were persecuted in ways that most of us today cannot identify with. Yet here is Peter, wishing them to know grace and peace in increasing measure. Could he have hoped that their situations would grow more stable with increasing measure? He certainly could, but he also could have hoped for them to experience God’s grace and peace abundantly in spite of the circumstances they found themselves experiencing.

God’s grace, His unmerited favor and His power to live the life to which we have been called, is not tied to physical circumstances. To know the peace of God that passes understanding does not require a life on Easy Street. In fact, I would suggest that neither of these are directly correlated to the circumstances of life but are totally dependant upon the God that rules over all circumstances. Let me assure you, in case you have not figured this out on your own, there are terrible things that happen to us in this life. There are things that we cannot explain, things that hurt us to the very core, but be assured of this, even in the worst of times you can know God’s grace and peace.

Let me challenge you as you read these words to stop focusing on your present situation and start focusing on the Eternal God that rules all situations. Cling to Him, hang on to His promises that He will never leave you or forsake you, that He works all things for the good of His people, and that His grace is sufficient for you. Some days it will be difficult, almost impossible, but you can trust that He can take care of you. Imagine what the disciples experienced as they crossed the sea with Jesus and a storm came up. Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat and they were afraid. In fact, the disciples thought they were all going to die. Yet when they woke Jesus he did not react in fear, but once again demonstrated His amazing power as He called for the storm to stop and it did.

God loves you and has already saved you from your sins by faith in Jesus Christ. Don’t just trust Him for your eternity, but put Him on the throne of your life and trust in Him for every moment, and I pray that you will know His grace and peace in increasing measure every step of the way.

Who Are We Really Helping?

I came across a video that gives a clear illustration of how easy it is to get things turned around. Please, take the time to watch it all the way through (less than two minutes), I think it just might surprise you.

This is the Truth

(I had to link to it for copyright reasons)

This video demonstrates a stark contrast between truth and falsehood. Unfortunately, there are many messages presented in our world today that are disguised much more cleverly. In writing to the early church, Peter called believers to be ready to explain our hope in Christ with gentleness and respect. The context around that call helps us to see that we are to be willing to do the right thing even if it means that people do not want to accept it or persecute us for it.

This is our call, and as presented and agreed upon in our last meeting, everyone needs to hear this truth that brings us hope. If the people that know it, who have had their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit, will not tell, someone will say something. Peter’s second letter gives us a strong warning that false teachers will rise up and mislead people.

2 Peter 1:21-2:3 (NIV) For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

We can come up with plenty of reasons to explain why we do not share the truth of the gospel. We can justify why we do not hold one another accountable to the scriptures. We can seperate ourselves from persecution for doing right. I just cannot help but wonder, if we continue along this path, who are we really helping?

More Than One Way to Skin This Cat

We know that the work of Jesus Christ on the cross is the only way that we could ever hope to know God. Unfortunately, many will not accept that all paths do not lead to heaven. Even though there is only one message that brings salvation, there are many ways in which we can share that message. As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Dwight L. Moody was a shoe salesman that encountered God and was changed in an amazing way. When he heard the comment, “It remains to be seen what God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly to Him.” Moody’s answer was “Well I will be that man.” I cannot tell you whether or not Moody would have said later that he had achieved this goal. What I can say is that God did use him, just an ordinary man, in a mighty and everlasting way.

I was recently reminded of Mr. Genor, an ordinary man with an extraordinary story. After encountering God, his life was drastically changed. He committed to sharing a simple witness with ten people every day. Eventually that witness touched lives from all around the world.

I personally know a slightly eccentric, yet ordinary man named George. He is constantly thinking of ways to engage people in spiritual conversations. He always has a story to tell of someone he has recently spoken with, about the things of God.

I know of another ordinary man that for years has knocked on people’s front doors in an attempt to share the gospel with anyone that would open the door. Richard has been used by God to touch life after life, but will likely not know, in this life, how God has truly used him.

Different people using different methods, all empowered by God to do what all Christians have been called to do. Read our focal passage from last week again, Matthew 28:16-20. Notice, as Jesus sent His disciples out to teach others, He did not prescribe a particular method, He prescribed the content of their message. Whether you prefer cold calls or relational evangelism, the Socratic Method versus servant evangelism, or any other method, we must realize it is not the method we use that changes lives. Jesus changes lives; we are simply given the opportunity to be a part of what He is doing.

We must keep this in sight. If our focus becomes our methods, programs, style, or any other trait that we develop, we are in danger of replacing the Lord of the work, with the very work He has called us to perform. Jesus must remain our top priority. As you go, love Jesus with all of your being and love the people He loves in any way you can, and let Him do what He does best. The results just might astound you.

A Few Good Christians

One of my favorite movie exchanges of all time was an exchange between Colonel Jessup (Jack Nicholson) and Lieutenant Kaffee (Tom Cruise) in the movie, A Few Good Men. Jessup is being questioned about the abuse of a soldier under his command, when Kaffee challenges him, “I want the truth!” Jessup answers vehemently, “You can’t handle the truth. Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns.” We live in a world that is not all it could be, that is for sure. I think Jessup has it right though, most of us would just as soon not know the truth, but rather some semblance of the truth that makes us feel good about the life we live and the things we do.

I couldn't help but think of that exchange as I watched a video I received by email today. As I watched, I cannot tell you I was surprised, but I was very disturbed. I know that a world disconnected from Christ is going to act like a world disconnected from Christ. Yet it does not make me feel any better about it. This video was of a very influential person accepting the teachings of a man who seemed to have a working knowledge of Scripture, but had overlooked some very important truths within its pages. Worse still, in my opinion, was that this influential person was not just accepting these teachings as truth, but was also endorsing them for the audience. If there was ever a day that the world needs to here the truth and nothing but the truth, today is it.

The answers for our problems are not found in a new President. Al Gore and his mission to solve global warming will not save us. Our city leaders and legislation will not help us in the end. This world’s only hope is to know God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:14 (NIV) 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Do you see this progression? For someone to call on God they must believe. Yet, for them to believe in Him, they have to hear of Him. Yet, for anyone to hear of Him, someone must be willing to tell about Him. Who will go? Who will tell?

What this world needs more than another great leader is a few more good Christians, who will join together and intentionally point people to the God who has always loved them.

Not Just Another Reaction

When someone says “Knock, Knock!” is your immediate thought, Who's there? Okay maybe not, but think about it, some phrases and circumstances seem to elicit certain responses. For example, when a woman says, “I love you” she does not expect to hear, “let’s get dinner.” Most of us do not celebrate at funerals in the same way we would at a birthday, or mourn at birthdays the same way we would at a funeral. We cheer when our team is winning, and we may even go so far as to boo and hiss when they are not.

If these situations lead us to react in a certain way, is it too crazy to think that the life and times of Jesus Christ is worthy of a reaction all its own? Jesus was more than just a great teacher. He was not just another prophet. He is much greater than even the best of men. Jesus is our hope of salvation, and in Him we find a new life. So, it should not come as a surprise that one of the most natural reactions is to tell others about what He has done.

Mary Magdalene and the other women that found the empty tomb told the apostles of their encounter with Jesus. (Luke 24:1-12)
The two men on the road to Emmaus told the apostles of their encounter with Jesus. (Luke 24:13-35)
The disciples present when Jesus appeared one Sunday morning told Thomas of how they had seen Jesus. (John 20:24-31)

And, it did not stop there. These men and women did not just tell friends and those that might have been excited about Jesus. Beginning at Pentecost, empowered by the Holy Spirit, the followers of Christ began to tell of all that He had done. Even in the face of great persecution and ridicule, they shared the truth. Their courses had been changed and they were giving themselves to it completely.

How has your course changed since you encountered Jesus? Not only are you the only one that can answer that question, you are the only that can tell others of what you have experienced. Only you, can tell your story. Only you can tell others exactly what Jesus means to you. This is not just another reaction to a set of circumstances but a response that may change someones life for eternity.

Changing Course

What does it take to get an object that is not moving, going? What does it take to get an object that is moving in a particular direction to change course or speed? In both cases, you probably already know it takes some other force to overcome the existing force. Newton’s first law of motion, the law of inertia, states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Inertia is the reason we feel a pull in a car as it goes around a corner. Inertia explains why things sitting still do not just take off moving. Probably most important, it is the law of inertia that makes so many theme park rides so much fun.

The truth is that people in a sense have an inertia all their own. People do not tend to change unless something happens that causes them to change. There may be small things that change as time goes by, but to truly alter the course of a person’s life, or change those basic things that make an individual, who they are, often times will not change unless something happens. If a person is selfish, they always tend to be selfish, worriers always tend to worry, control freaks do not usually seek ways to give up control, and planners will always tend to plan. However, there are things in life that can cause our course to change.

Take Peter, Andrew, James, and John, for example. These men were fishermen, probably fairly content in life, yet when they met Jesus, the course of their life was changed. Paul had grown up as Hebrew of Hebrews, but when He encountered Jesus, the course of his life changed. Thomas was not going to believe that Jesus had risen from the grave, but when he encountered the resurrected Lord, the course of His life changed. Many of Jesus’ own family thought he had lost it, but realizing that He was the Messiah, James’, Jesus brother, experienced a change in the course of His life.

How has your course changed? Peter and John were on the way to the Temple one day, when a man who could not walk, stopped them. They did not have any money to give, but they did have the power to heal him, so they did. When the crowds saw this, Peter and John suddenly had a willing audience that had seen God’s power alive in them and that was ready to listen to their teaching. Of course, the religious leaders of the day took offense, challenged, and even arrested Peter and John. The next day when brought before the Sanhedrin, filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter and John confronted these men with the truth of the gospel. The Bible teaches that something very interesting happened.

Acts 4:13 (NIV) 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

The religious leaders took note that Peter and John, ordinary, everyday guys, had been with Jesus. The course of their life had changed, because of their encounter with the living God. Jesus changes lives and the direction they are going. How has your course changed?

Remember

Imagine what Jesus' followers would have been thinking that Saturday morning after His crucifixion. Their thoughts could have been as varied as the people having them. They didn't visit the tomb (Luke 23:55), due to it being the Sabbath, but that can't be said for everyone. It is interesting that those that had pointed at Jesus and called Him a blasphemer and tried to use the law and their traditions against Him, did something very different (Matthew 27:62-67). Today we may have a different view on the world than they did then, but the truth is that we should still remember all that has been done and endured for us. Remember.

Our Suffering Savior and Risen Lord

The Jews had been waiting for their Messiah for generations. They had the scriptures that pointed them in the right direction. They had their traditions and law that they assumed brought them close to God. They had everything they needed to be able to see when their Messiah came, but they were not expecting Jesus. He did not fit their mold. He did not look like the Messiah that they had envisioned, and so they did everything they could to stop Him.

Approximately 700 years before the events of Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter weekend ever took place; Isaiah sat and wrote of the Messiah. He wrote then (Isaiah 53:1-11) of how the Messiah would not be recognized by the very people that had been looking for Him. He would be the One, but they would consider Him as someone rejected by God, and that is exactly what happened. Jesus did nothing, other than fulfill His role, and yet on this fateful day nearly 2000 years ago, He was hung on a cross and left for dead.

As I sit and think on that day, the day that the one I call Savior hung on that cross, my minds’ eye paints it as a dark and dreary day, a day to be mourned, a day that you wish would have never had to happen. After having seen Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, the image of a beaten, broken, and bloody Jesus hanging from the nails on a rugged cross has been etched into my mind. How it hurts to see Him this way, and know that it was for us that He endured this agony. What a terrible moment it must have been as those who knew Him heard Him say, “It is finished” and saw His head fall over as He died.

Today, while the images can be painted vividly in our mind, we do have the advantage of being able to see what came next. Jesus Christ did die. He became exactly what Isaiah had prophesied. He was pierced for our transgression and crushed for our iniquities. He is our suffering Savior, the Messiah. However, the story did not end there. That was just one stop along the way. Soon, the tomb would be found empty, because He has risen. He is our suffering savior and is now our risen Lord!

It seems to me we are always preparing for something. In the winter, we get ready for spring. In the summer, we get ready for fall. On Sundays, we get ready for church. During the week, we get ready to go to work. In the evenings, seemingly later and later for me these days, we get ready to go to bed. Everyday, we get ready for dinner, get ready to go, get ready for school, the weekend, vacation and on and on. I even spent time getting ready, preparing that is, for this posting. We are always getting ready for something. So, are you ready?

Matthew 24:36-42
36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

Two days before He faced a false accusation, and a trial that was rigged, Jesus told His followers to get ready, to be prepared. Do not miss this. He knew what was coming, and He knew that it was not the end, but only one stop along the path to saving the lost. He also knew His people would need to hear this, because they could not see what came next. They could not know what the future holds, but He wanted them to be ready.

Live your life today expectantly looking forward to His return; it is coming. Trust in Him for your salvation, your future, and this present moment. Be ready, so that if He returns as you read the next word, you will not miss Him. There is no need to try to read signs or figure out what that time will be, just be ready. Should He tarry, leave a legacy that will speak to the people you know and the family that you leave behind that they also need to be ready. When you are laid to rest, will people comment on all that you accomplished, or will they remember you for your life lived in faith?

Of all the things we get ready for, this is one I hope you do not overlook. Are you ready?

From a Fig Tree to a Grapevine

To spring from our last lesson from the fig tree, think of the power, God’s amazing and unlimited power. Imagine witnessing it. Imagine experiencing it first hand. Imagine seeing it with your own eyes. The amazing truth is, you can.

The lesson from the fig tree does not stop with the disciples seeing Jesus demonstrate this power, but it ends with Him telling them, they can connect and use the power as well. Jesus tells them "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Jesus was telling His disciples that they too have access to this amazing power. It is not their power, it comes from God. Yet, through faith and prayer, they are connected to a power that cannot be overcome.

Just a couple of days later, Jesus would reinforce this teaching and bring it full circle. John 15:5-8 relates the teachings of the vine. It is here that we realize that just as a fig tree is to produce figs, grape vines are intended to produce grapes, and we are supposed to produce works that bring glory to God. The great news is, we do not have to do these works on our own or by our own means. The power to do eternal works comes from the living God. The truth is that we have to have this connection to the vine, otherwise everything we do falls short. We have to have the source of power that comes through Jesus.

Just as He told His disciples that through faith and prayer they could be connected to this power themselves, He also helped them to see that their connection is not to some abstract idea, but to Him, and the result of that connection is good fruit. The same is true for us. Jesus is our connection to life, and as we live our lives in step with Him, the fruit begins to appear naturally, because that is what happens with good fig trees and grapevines. As we live our lives in step with Jesus, we will be empowered to do great things that bring God great glory.

Lessons from a Fig Tree Part 2

Matthew 21:18-22 While coming away from the fig tree with a lesson on fruitfulness would not be outside of the realm of Jesus’ teachings, if we stopped there I don’t think we would take away what the author intended to convey. Look again at that passage, Jesus did not stop and teach on fruitfulness. He did not tell them later how to understand the fig tree. As far as we know the disciples did not even ask. What we do know is that they were astonished. They did not ask why, but how.

Now, let’s get this back into the context. In the time that they had been following Jesus, the disciples had seen Him do some astonishing things. They watched as Jesus fed thousands with relatively nothing. He healed the sick, made the blind to see, and enabled the deaf to hear. His followers had seen Him walk on water, and just as recently as a few days before, they had seen Jesus raise a man from the dead. Yet here they are again, astonished at what Christ has done.

How would we react if we had been present when this happened? Would we be amazed, or would we figure out why we could not have seen what we just saw? Would we attempt to give scientific explanations or accept that this man Jesus is more than just a man?

May it never be said of us, that we are not excited and amazed by seeing God do what only He can do. May we never find ourselves in such a rut that we do not stand in awe of the amazing power that God shows us everyday.

Lessons from a Fig Tree Part 1

Matthew 21:18-22 conveys the story of Jesus cursing a fig tree. As many times as I have read this, it has seemed difficult to understand why He would do this. The more difficult thing is that He does not give a specific explanation as to why He would have cursed the tree. So, we tread on dangerous ground if we try to give reason for Him. However, in the events surrounding this incident I think we can easily learn at least one lesson from this incident.

Jesus had come into Jerusalem and found religious leaders, who honored him with their lips but their hearts were far from Him. In this fig tree, He found a tree that gave all the indications of being a tree that should be fruitful, but when examined closely it was found that it was not all it seemed to be. That very same day Jesus would speak to His disciples and the people of Jerusalem warning them of the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders.

Matt. 23:5-7
5"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;
7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'

Going through the motions and putting on an act may fool the people around us, but God will always know. He can see us from the inside out, and He knows our hearts. What do you think He sees leaves or fruit?

Are We There Yet?

I will never forget trips as a child in the car. The worst ones were from my home in Louisiana to Little Rock AR, or Springfield MO. There were several summers in a row that we would drive that stretch. I can remember hoping to fall asleep so that I would not have to endure sitting still and locked up in a car any longer than I had to. I also remember devising all kinds of games to pass the time while I was awake. I wonder how many times my Mom, or my Grandparents had to endure this question or a dozen others just like it.

I find myself today fighting this same urge, as I look down the road to where we are headed as a community of believers. What I must remember is that we are on the journey of a lifetime. Today things will look quite different than they will in a year, ten years, or even twenty. People will come and go, and methods may change. We will make mistakes along the way, experience growing pains, and then sometimes we might even get something right. While there will be changes of scenery along the way, there are some things that should always be the same. At every point , we should find that we are standing on the truth and not tradition.

Which brings me back to the question that led us down this path; Are we there yet?

Have we become the church that God wants us to be? I think that we can honestly say that some of the characteristics we can find in the Bible, shine in this family, but others are just in the beginning stages. Paul wrote that even he, one of the heroes of the faith, was constantly growing and pushing on towards the goal (Philippians 3:12-14). I think we should follow suit. We are on a journey, following in Christ’s way. We do not have to be in a rush or get in a hurry, the trip is part of the process. We just need to remain committed to Him, and I have no doubt that we will become all that He intends us to be, and His work will become evident in the words we say and the things we do.

Why did Jesus have to die?

Have you ever stopped to think about why Jesus had to die? Why did it have to be this way? There is a simple poetry in these words and yet it reveals to me the sweet taste of mercy and love that God has shown to me. So much...that He gave His only son...

The sinner saved by grace is haunted by Calvary, by the cross, and especially by the question, Why did He die? A clue comes from the Gospel of John: "For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Another clue from Paul's cry in Galations: "He loved me and delivered himself up for me." The answer lies in love.

But the answer seems too easy, too glib. Yes, God saved us because He loved us. But He is God. He has infinite imagination. Couldn't He have dreamed up a different redemption? Couldn't He have saved us with a smile, a pang of hunger, a word of forgiveness, a single drop of blood? And if He had to die, then for God's sake - for Christ's sake - couldn't He have died in bed, died with dignity? Why was He condemned like a criminal? Why was His back flayed with whips? Why was His head crowned with Thorns? Why was He nailed to wood and allowed to die in frightful, lonely agony? Why was the last breath drawn in bloody disgrace, while the world for which He lay dying egged on His executioners with savage fury like some kind of gang rape by uncivilized brutes in Central Park? Why did they have to take the very best?

- The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning

What would Jesus do?

“If the gospel isn’t good news for everybody, then it isn’t good news for anybody. And this is because the most powerful things happen when the church surrenders its desire to convert people and convince them to join. It is when the church gives itself away in radical acts of service and compassion, expecting nothing in return, that the way of Jesus is most vividly put on display. To do this, the church must stop thinking of everybody primarily in categories of in or out, saved or not, believer or nonbeliever.”
-from the book Velvet Elvis

Someone shared this quote with us and we just couldn't help but post it. It challenges us to think outside the box. This talks about a means to the end and focuses on the journey rather than that ultimate goal of salvation. It takes the responsibility of "conversion" out of our hands and places it in God's hands where it rightly belongs. We are commanded to love as Christ has loved...not to save as Christ saves. How arrogant is it for us to assume that we have the ability to do that.

Children's Planning Meeting

If you have an interest in helping plan or organize our childrens' program then please join us Thursday evening, February 28 at 6:30 pm at Cassils coffee. We will reserve the back room and brainstorm great ideas.

Valentine's Day dinner

We invited people to a Valentine's Day dinner and had a sweetheart time. Special thanks to everyone who helped pull it together.

Healing Rain

"There is nothing you can ever do to make me love you less...nothing." - God

Has Anyone Ever Told You That Your Doo Doo Stinks?

I was listening to a song tonight by a popular Christian rapper. There was a line that he used in reference to himself that really made me think. He said, "Simple minded little punk, and I was a chump, no one ever told me that my doo doo stunk."

Toilet humor makes me laugh, so after laughing and taking a second to think about what he was getting at, I realized there may be a lesson in this. Think about it, if we all realized that we are all the same, no matter what our economic status, race, education level, or any other marker that we can imagine, this world would be a much different place. At the end of the day, or at the beginning, whichever you prefer, all of us have stinky poop.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome , that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Basically, none of us measure up, and there is nothing that we can do to measure up. Thank God, He did not let all of our problems keep Him from loving us. Thankfully, He saw us through eyes that could see past our stinky poop. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, demonstrating God's amazing love for this fallen world.

Just remember as you live in the world and deal with the people in your circle of influence, that your doo doo stinks just like theirs, and whether they seem worthy or not, they deserve to know Christ's love.

Sunday February 3

We will not be meeting this Sunday evening so that you may enjoy the Super Bowl with friends and family. There are some exciting things happening while we take this break and are eager for you to return next Sunday, February 10. Enjoy the game!

Amazing Grace (Chris Tomlin)

Just Desserts

Have you received your just desserts?

As a manager in a shop of about 30 people, I get to hear, nearly every day, how people feel they deserve much more than what they are getting. It is pretty interesting, some of these people are not assigned to me and often times the things they feel they deserve do not even have anything to do with their work for me. It seems to me that we all have some sense of entitlement. We all feel like the world owes us something just for gracing it with our presence. As I read through scripture, I realize how one sided this perspective is. In fact, whether we realize it or not, or whether we would admit it or not, we are abundantly blessed even in the darkest times of our life.

The truth as demonstrated through scripture is that because of our sinful natures, we deserve nothing of what we have received. Yet God, because of His amazing love, and by his awe-inspiring grace, has determined that He would not abandon His creation, but work to redeem or reconcile it unto Himself. He continues to sustain His creation even as we abuse and neglect it. He continues to provide through the creation for this world’s inhabitants even as they consistently reject His existence. He continues to forgive no matter how far from Him we seem to go.

As we focused on this issue at our last meeting, and in the days since, it has been impressed upon me to remember His grace, and remind you to remember all that you have been blessed with. Take a moment to do a mental inventory of your life. But do not stop at the physical and tangible blessings He has provided. Think about how you have come to be able to have those things. You may have worked for the money, but how did you come by your skills and abilities? How did you get the job that you have? Where would you be without Him? Who would you be if He had just abandoned us to our own ways? What would life be like if He totally abandoned this world? It scares me to think of what a world totally void of God's goodness could be like, but I think that it would be hell.

Recently, I heard someone share a testimony of how God had to take everything away so that she could come to understand that He was all she really needed. Oh, how I can relate to this. I thank God, because His grace truly is sufficient, and His love is absolutely unconditional.

Have you received your just desserts? Absolutely not, and we can thank God for that!

Sunday January 27

Over the last two weeks, we have begun to see some of what has been envisioned in this church plant start to take shape. We have come to describe ourselves as a community dedicated to seeking God first and demonstrating the love of God to those around us. In some way, that has been the guide to what we have done. When we meet, we have intentionally done things that allow us to talk and begin to open up to each other, confident that God would use that to begin to build our community, and our devotions have focused on God and His amazing goodness. Soon, we will begin to look for ways that we can truly love one another and the world around us. I might be biased but I think it has been great. We want to thank all that have been attending and those that have been praying.

This week will be very similar. We are not going to have a full meal but just the desserts. If you have a recipe that you know is completely unhealthy but tastes really good, bring it. We will have coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, and that kind of thing as well. Since we are not having the full dinner, we have decided to wait until 6:30 to meet so you will have time to have a nutritious meal before you come.

The devotion this week will be based around the question, "Have you received your just desserts?" The focal passage will be Romans 3:21-26. Take some time to read this and pray over it. In addition to that, as I said last week, one of the things that we would like to begin to grow towards is hearing from one another about how God is working in each of our lives. Think about how God has shown himself to you this week. There will be no high pressure sharing time and I am not going to twist any arms. But, I have no doubt that soon we will be encouraged to see that it is a blessing to share these things with one another.

Comment on this post so we can know how many people are coming. If you are going to have a child with you, it might be a good idea for us to know that as well.

Click here for a map, we will meet at 6:30 P.M.
We hope we see you there!

Influence

Who is influencing you?

I asked this question during our devotional time at our last meeting. You can imagine my surprise when this question was asked of me during a lunch meeting the very next day. The minister I was meeting with asked it just like that. “Who is influencing you?” I had already been thinking over this and examining this question in my own life, but I could not help thinking about it even more intently after being asked out loud. It was that little event that leads me to this posting, first for those that were not able to meet with us, but to also further challenge each of us to examine those things that we allow to influence us in our decisions, perspectives, and patterns of living.

Our world is full influences. We are constantly being bombarded with information. Everywhere we turn; there are advertisements, editorials, images, opinions, movies, people and even the every day circumstances of life in which we find ourselves. Some of this information is sought out voluntarily, and some is thrust at us from all different directions. Whether we like it or not, all of it has the ability to make some change in the way we think and feel about the topic to which it pertains. The question then becomes what do we accept as relevant and what do we discard?

We can find a solid answer for this in scripture. Take a second and check out Psalm 1. In this Psalm, you will see a comparison of a righteous life being lived in obedience to the Lord and a life being lived in accordance with all that is opposed to that. The fact, as demonstrated in this Psalm, is that one path leads to a fruitful and productive life, while the other leads to emptiness, despair, and ultimately death. It is at the source of this contrast that we find the one influence that we can accept as trustworthy and that will lead us to that fruitful productive life.

Look at those first three verses again. The man that does not accept the wisdom of the world is blessed. No one wants to say it out loud because it can be offensive. However, the truth of the matter is that the world’s wisdom is based upon a very limited perspective. No matter how hard it tries, the world cannot give the depth of insight required. To be completely honest, the world’s greatest wisdom is truly foolishness when compared to God. This man is blessed as he focuses not on worldly wisdom or ways but on the law of the Lord. He is like a tree planted by a river that in turn bears the fruit that it had always been meant to bear.

Notice that he was not blessed because he sought out his own ways to make himself fruitful. He did not devise profitable ways to live and then become fruitful. He did not figure out on his own what good works he could do to become fruitful and productive. He simply meditated, or focused, on the Lord and His ways, and the natural reaction was the fruit of God’s grace became evident. He became just like that tree that was given exactly what it needed to become what it was meant to be. Jesus taught good trees bear good fruit and bad trees bear bad fruit. What type of fruit are you being influenced to bear?

This psalmist is not teaching avoidance or separation from the world, but is speaking about who and what we pattern our life after. Therefore, sit in humility before God, stand by His power in faith and forgiveness, and walk in the way He leads allowing His influence to be what grows you into all that you can be.

Let me challenge you to read His word daily, read and listen to solid Christian sources teaching His truth (these must all be measured in light of scripture), pray for the help of the Holy Spirit, and ask for God’s wisdom. As you can see from the words in this psalm you will not be disappointed.

Strike A Match in the Darkness and See How Brightly it Burns

My wife Amy sent this to me. She is not normally one that writes or philosophizes, but she makes a good point here and this is something we can all take time to think about.

Recently, I listened to an evangelist speak about being on fire for God. He really challenged me when he asked, “If you knew that you were going to get $1,000 for every person that you shared the gospel with, would you be sharing more than you currently do?” That question really hit home with me. I am a pretty shy person so just having a conversation with someone is difficult. But, whenever I think about the fact that Jesus died an awful death on a cross for me, I realize the least that I can do is share his love with those around me, to take this match into a dark world and strike it so that others can see it burn.

Jesus never said that it would be easy. But, in those times whenever we are afraid and our nerves are consuming us, we can remember that it is not about our performance or how equipped we feel. It is about being obedient to God’s will for our lives. Our job is to plant and water seeds, God is the one responsible for growth.

Let God be your words, and never doubt His presence with you as you live in His will. He is right beside you cheering you on. We know this from scripture, so we can be confident that He will never leave us or forsake us. What an amazing promise.

Sunday January 20 Meeting

The plans for the meeting this week are similar to what we did last week. We are having baked potatoes and chili for dinner. Bring a topping for either. In addition to dinner we will be enjoying good solid Christian fellowship, and focusing on our amazing and glorious God and Father. Comment on this post so everyone can see what is being brought, and so we can know how many people are coming. If you are going to have a child with you, it might be a good idea for us to know that as well.

Click here for a map, we will meet at 6:00 P.M.

We hope we see you there!

A Thought for Today

What a victory we have in Jesus. Those words have been rolling around my head as I have thought about David and his many victories. As we have walked with God, I think each of us could easily point to times of victory as well. However, it goes so far beyond just victory in our day to day circumstances. No matter how bad it gets, we have an amazing future to look forward to because of what Jesus has done. Isn't that amazing?

If all we had to hang on to were the temporal items of this world, there would not be much hope. Yet, as we live our lives from day to day, we have so much hope for tomorrow, in spite of what it looks like from our current perspective. We have the promises of God to lean on, and by His own power and decree we are given great purpose and value. I believe it was in this spirit that Paul wrote the words from the following passage.

Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV) 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Day to day life can be so discouraging sometimes, especially when trying to do that which is right. Paul understood that and you can see that in these verses. Sometimes we do grow weary. I think there were times that David, and Paul also had to persevere. Just think of all that God has brought his people through, and what He is leading them into. The great news is that He continues to do the same for us today. Hang in there, in Christ the victory is already yours!

visit us on MySpace.com

For those of you who live on MySpace, we are there too. Visit our profile and add us to your friends list. There is no better way to spread the good news than by word of mouth. You are our voice in the community here and across the world. Help us reach the unreached and love the unloved.

http://www.myspace.com/thewaycommunity

Sunday January 13

We will meet together on Sunday evening at 6:00 PM for food and fellowship at one of our homes. Click here for a map. You can RSVP by posting a comment to this blog. Just tell us the number of people coming with you and the age of your children if you will be bringing them.

We will be eating pizza, getting to know each other, and worshipping together.

Pray for us

We are a collection of individuals that God has brought together to spread the love of Jesus in our community and by doing so, showing others that Christians are just as real, just as flawed, and just as in need of God's forgiveness as everyone else. It is our desire to start a church based on the truth of God's word that is relevant and engaging to the unchurched people in our community. Will you join us? Will you pray for us?