Christmas is Coming

Christmas is coming, children are getting excited, moms and dads try to get to the stores to buy the latest toys, trinkets, and gizmos.  Grandmas and grandpas everywhere spoil their grandchildren with toys and treats.  People like to listen to ‘Christmas’ music and eat too much food.  The lights are beautiful and the decorations are so ornate that most of them are gaudy… but we love to see them anyway!  Merchants at the stores are working extra hours and wishing everyone a “Merry Christmas” as they leave… wait… not anymore. 

Now it’s “Happy Holidays”.  Does this bother you?  It doesn’t bother me in the slightest.  I read a blog this morning where the pastor said that it was Bill O’Reilly that started this whole “War on Christmas” idea.  I don’t know if that is true or not – and again, I don’t really care.  I will say Merry Christmas to some people and Happy Holidays to others.  Still others I say Happy Chanukah to.  I worship Jesus Christ of Nazareth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  I believe He is God in the flesh – Emmanuel (God with us).  I have very dear friends who do not share my worship of Him – that does not affect my relationship with Him or with them.  My faith is not dependent upon whether other people agree with me.

I am bothered by how upset some people get when they hear about nativity scenes in public squares or courthouses being removed.  I have one question for those who get so worked up about this: Do you have a nativity scene in your front yard?  If you don’t, then quit worrying about it as it’s apparently not even important to you.  If you do have one, then be THANKFUL that we are still allowed to exercise our beliefs in this country.  Ultimately it doesn’t matter what the government thinks or does as long as YOU never violate YOUR faith.  I will worship Jesus as the Messiah in a “free” country or illegally if I am placed in that position.  I know this sounds harsh but a lot of people say they’d die for their faith… try living for it!

Words are Powerful

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”  I’ve heard this chant at least hundreds of times if I’ve heard it once.  It’s not a totally bad thing to teach children I suppose.  I, for one, was relentlessly teased as a kid and really; as an adult even more.  It doesn’t bother me all that much when people laugh at me, and yet, does that make it okay?  I wonder though, are we inadvertently teaching children that it’s okay to make fun of people as long as we don’t injure them physically?  After all, “Words can’t hurt other people so go ahead and say anything you want, its okay.”

What about adults?  Do we get to say anything we want about people?  Does this apply to gossip as well?  Let me remind us all of something - gossip is a sin.  That’s all there is to it.  Slander, gossip, back biting, they’re all sin.  So is joking around at other people’s expense.  Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  Later in Ephesians 5:4 Paul tells us we should not ever be part of obscene stories or course joking.  In verse 10 Paul says that we are to “carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” 

I can think of a couple of people in my life who exemplify how we should all be living when it comes to our speech and daily talk.  Jesus said that by our words we will be acquitted or by our words we will be condemned.  (Matthew 12:37)  Let us choose our words carefully and with prayerful thought from this day forward so as to please the One in whom we claim to follow.  We, as Christians, should have the most beautiful and loveliest speech coming from our mouths.  Jesus said that it is from the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.  So if we are speaking nothing but filth and garbage, what does that say about our heart?  If we are snapping at our children for every little thing they do, laughing at others, and just plain being disrespectful with or without words, we need to reexamine our hearts to see if we really are followers of Christ, or just playing games with salvation. 

Growing Pains

Ever wonder why we have the phrase ‘growing pains’?  No? Well that’s probably because we all know what they are.  Even if you haven’t experienced them yourself I’m sure you know of someone who has.  I had them really bad in my legs as I went from a little kid to a very young man at fifteen and shot up to 6’2” rather quickly.  My son comes in my bedroom every once in a while at night crying saying that his legs hurt.

I say all this to make a point.  Do you think we can grow in Christ and mature as believers without pain?  I’m not so sure we do.  We can learn a lot by reading our Bibles and spending time with other believers, but ultimately it is through trials, pain, and hurt that we grow.  Job, Samson, Abraham, Jacob, Peter, James and John, all learned lessons that they needed to know to grow by… sorry… pain.  And so it’s no different with us.  The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12:6, “For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” And he continues to teach us skipping down to verse 11 that, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”  So don’t get too discouraged when things seem to be going wrong – keep you head up (looking to Jesus) and know that, “He is working all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

If you’re going through a tough time, whether it’s your own fault or not, I can promise you something… If you look to Jesus Christ as your ONLY answer, things will work out for the best.  It may take awhile, but if Jesus is what you're seeking, then it will!  He is your creator, and He created you for a specific purpose that He wants you to fulfill.  When you discover what that is, you will see Him working in your life in the most awesome ways, yes, even in the painful times.

Is Jesus Lord?

          C.S. Lewis said that Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.  What he was saying was that no man could make the claims that Jesus made, “I AM” being GOD, unless he was a liar – unless He really was.  Jesus claimed to be the eternal God of the universe.  He was either delusional (which does not make him a good teacher) or, worse yet, he knew he was lying. Or, the third choice - He is the LORD.  It is a historical fact that a man named Jesus of Nazareth was executed by crucifixion under the hand of the Governor of Judea at the time, Pontius Pilate.  It was also observed by 500 people that He rose from the dead and was with them for 40 days before He ascended into the heavens.  Guess what guys; this holds up in a court of law - it actually happened.  Many people believe this.  Many people don't believe this.  I do.  But the Bible, when speaking about belief, doesn’t mean do you know it.  The Bible speaks of believe in terms of ‘do you trust  this?  I can believe that a boat in the middle of the ocean can save my life.  My life is not saved however until I climb into the boat.  We need to actually DO something with our faith.  If we say we believe (trust) in Jesus to save us but this faith has not changed our life – we need to look very closely at our ‘belief’ to be sure we are trusting Him.  If my faith has not changed my life, what good has my faith been to me?  Jesus wants to change our life, to give us a purpose for living.  Changed lives prove ministry! 

          “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions?  Can that kind of faith save anyone?  Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well" — but then you don't give that person any food or clothing.  What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”   James 2:14 – 17  (NLT)

Making Peace

     Okay - so alot of people have been getting on me to write something on my blog.  I have things I could 'blog' about, but I also want to be as careful as I can about my thoughts and wranglings in my mind cause as you know - once they out here they are here for good.  So... that being said... I have so much on my mind and I'm running in so many directions that it's difficult to gather my thoughts and form a logical word on paper, or cyberspace as it were.

     I am on my lunch break right now, and in the background a lady I work with is listening to the news.  I hear about tax rates, the rich, the poor, the republicans, and the democrates.  I hear about the politics and the arguments about how to run the country and our involvment on foreign nations.  I am so tired of the rat race in Washington DC and the news even at the local level.  The polarization of this nation is exhausting for anyone who believes that Jesus meant what He said, "Peacemakers shall be called the sons of God."  This is no easy task.  I have great discussions with my co-workers about everything from abortion to taxes, from the homosexual agendas to the pay for school teachers.  We have agreed to dis-agree on some issues. Because of the civil conversations we have we both have learned a great deal about the other side.  She is a self proclaimed atheist yet we have great talks because we listen to each other and because we have gotten to a place where even though we disagree on many things, we still respect each other enough not to resort to name calling and the typical bashing of eachother that goes around the internet.

     I guess my blogging ramble concludes with this: If you want to live in a civil nation where there is less hatred and disrespect - start with your own circle of influence.  Have a PEACEFUL day.  :)

Tension VS. Problems

     This spring I had the opportunity to visit a particular pastor that I really enjoy listening to.  His church was holding seminars and I attended one where the speaker taught us the difference between tensions and problems.
     A tension in our lives, or ministries in this case, is a good thing.  He reminded us that tension is what keeps us safe while we are rock climbing.  Tension is what make a guitar or violin sound beautiful when the tension is managed just right. Tension can make us better when we are questioned about what we're doing and why we're doing it.  Tension helps us grow, helps us mature and gives us a clearer picture on what we need to 'tighten' up on and loosen up on. (think of the guitar)
     Then we discussed problems.  A problem is something that needs to be solved.  Not ignored, not fought, just solved.  Sometimes it's difficult and doesn't make us happy but we need to get on top of it right away so that things don't get further out of control.

     As the summer roles on and I continue to work my full time job as well as try to launch a new church in Sioux Falls I find myself looking at my obstacles and weighing them to see if they're problems or tensions.  It helps to know that some things are always just going to be there and can not be fixed - they just need to be managed.  One of the best ways of managing tensions is to bring them before the Lord daily and seek His guidance so that we don't turn them into problems.

A Special Church

I came across this article this morning and thought enough of it that I want to share it with everyone I can so I am putting it up on my blog.


A Special Church for Special Needs
Kym Wright
 
As the mother of a special needs son, I appreciate help from whatever source it comes. Eespecially when it brings positive situations or input into my special son's life. And it is phenomenal if it gives me some relief, too. Raising special treasures is hard. It's do-able. It's rewarding. It's a privilege. But, it's very hard. And the level of disability (or "other ability") often determine how difficult it is.
So, when we can find situations to help, we are grateful. And that's where churches come in. At our church there is a ministry to special people -- young and old. And I'd like to share some about it, perhaps giving ideas on the background details which need to be thought through, and the blessing it is to so many.
The most important, foundational infrastructure is to have support for this ministry from the top down. For a disability ministry to thrive, the support must come from the pulpit to the pews. From accommodations to funding to volunteers -- the church must encompass the importance of this ministry, grasp the concept of the vital ministry and outreach that it is, and fully support the vision of the leaders. 
To set up a ministry, you need people who can be flexible and adaptable. That's the one concept that's a constant with disabled people -- there usually is no consistency in life. What worked yesterday, might not work today. What they understood before, they might not remember now. What appealed to them last week might bore them this week. So, having workers who are flexible and adaptable is of utmost importance.
Furthermore, the spiritual needs of the individuals will vary from person to person. Each situation is different. Each background unique. And the levels of understanding won't be duplicated in all of the attendees. So, the ministry can't be rigid in its approach like other ministries in the church might need to be.
Each individual who comes into the ministry brings their own personality, unique abilities, and possible challenges to the group and ministry. It is imperative that the leaders be adjustable in their approach to the individuals while being steadfast to the spiritual needs of that person -- and to the group, as a whole.
Greg McDougall, the one at our church who conceived the vision for a ministry for special needs, has a divine burden for each individual to know Jesus. To be introduced to Him in a way they can understand and accept. So he trains the leaders and helpers to watch the class members for signs of spiritual readiness or awakening and be ready to lead them to Christ or to the next level of understanding. Greg's passion is contagious; his love, evident.
One housekeeping thought might be "How many helpers are needed?" The number of teachers in the class depends on the makeup of the group. In our church, we have many volunteers who help with various levels of commitment. Some people drive to a home to pick students up for church. Others are their "buddy," helping them from the car, to the building, and sticking with them the entire time they are at church. Still other volunteers help for the Sunday class hour. Whatever the commitment level, the help is always greatly appreciated.
Family members can be involved if they want to. But, sometimes the ministry to the disabled allows other ministry to take place: it gives the caregivers time to be refreshed. To attend church and hear God's word preached. To go to classes and fellowship with others their own age. And to have some much-needed time off -- a break from the constancy of care disabled people sometimes require.
One elderly couple, who brings their grandson to class each week, began involvement in this ministry with trepidation. The grandfather sat with his grandson throughout the entire first Sunday. Playing. Talking him through everything that was taking place. The young one grew more comfortable, but the older was concerned. The grandfather was still protective.
The next week began the same. Grandson and grandfather appeared. The boy was acclimated and happy to be there. Granddad was still in custodial mode: sheltering, shielding, helping. Greg almost had to beg the grandfather to allow the boy to stay by himself. The gentleman conceded and left, attending the service with his wife. Upon returning, he was so grateful, sharing, "This is only the second time in five years that my wife and I have worshiped together." They have been coming to our church for over a year now. And the church has had the privilege of blessing them with time to sit in God's house together, knowing everything for their special one is well and cared for.
Many churches now provide classes, activities, outings and other adventures for special people. If you can't find this in your area, perhaps you could join with others and start one.

How He Loves - by David Crowder Band

"He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions

eclipsed by glory, And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…"

One of my favorite songs.  I love the way it makes me

feel like His love is something that I am unable to

resist! How could I resist someone so wonderful,

so powerful, and yet so tender.

When I think about the way He loves me, I begin

to pray that I can love my son, Micah, that way

too.

Thank you Jesus for everything you do for me

every single day!!!







The trouble with faking it

 
 
 

This morning I was reviewing a devotional page that I really liked from a couple of days ago.  The author spoke about the 'church' and how we all have rolls to fill and things to do in the body of Christ. This got me thinking about insincerity. Insincerity is no better than lies. A lie is a statement made with the intention of deceit. When a person is insincere wouldn't that constitute a deceptive life. This is not pleasing to the Lord! I desire to be as real as I can be with everyone I meet.  I have spoken with several people who say they struggle with lying because they WANT to be a certain way and it's just not happening, so they make out like they are living a better life than what they are.  We've all done it.  We all need to help eachother live above that and actually realize the freedom to live with power in Christ! (Acts 1:8)

The trouble with faking it is that no one can keep it up permenantly. Eventually the truth comes out and you are discovered for who you really are; a fraud. The popular phrase, "Fake it till you make it" is one that I hope that I never do. I want to be effective in ministry, but not at the price of being someone I'm not.

If we each are part of one body, Christ's, (the Church) than we ought to be praying to our God to show us and teach us what our gifts are and then live out those gifts every day in every way. Pursue those giftings with all of our might, and do not worry about other areas in life that God has not called us to.

1st Corinthians 12:10-31

For the love of God

For the past week or two I’ve had some things weighing heavily on my mind; pursuing God, pleasing God.  I have been working really hard at starting a new church plant in Sioux Falls this year and it has gotten me thinking.  As you can imagine, the finances have been the most difficult part of the church to get off the ground.  In this ‘down’ economy it has been more difficult to get people excited about parting with even very small amounts of income.  I have prayed and prayed about this and have asked God to help me to know what to do.  I believe that God has put in my heart the thought of, “Pursue Me, seek Me, and desire Me.”  What I mean by this is that sometimes it’s difficult to not bend over backwards for people hoping that they will help and yet, as a believer in Jesus, shouldn’t I be relying on Him alone for everything?

God uses people to accomplish His plans and many times we get to be part of those plans.  That is when life is exciting.  Other times I think we pursue our own ideas, our own agendas, and our own plans to the detriment of the better way that God had wanted for us.  My prayer is that I will pursue the Lord and His plans for me and for Compass Community Church with all my heart, with all my strength, and with all my might.  I don’t want to please men, I want to please my heavenly Father!  May God bless us with everything He wants for us and may we be thankful and grateful for what He does for us! The bottom line for me is that the scripture teaches us that the Lord WILL provide for us; therefore I am not going to go to anyone for help without seeking the Lord first.  HE is all I need!

 “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  Don't give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.  I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.”                                                                                  1 Corinthians 10:31-33