Yes, Jesus Loves Me!

Heart to Heart from the Housewrights

 

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. - John 11:1-5 (ESV)

In our morning coffee and devotions today Missy and I read one from Max Lucado that included a quote from his book The Great House of God. It says:

When a friend tells Jesus of the illness of Lazarus, he says, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” He doesn’t base his appeal on the imperfect love of the one in need, but on the perfect love of the Savior. He doesn’t say, “The one who loves you is sick.” He says, “The one you love is sick.” The power of prayer, in other words, does not depend on the one who makes the prayer, but on the one who hears the prayer…We can and must repeat the phrase in manifold ways. “The one you love is tired, sad, hungry, lonely, fearful, depressed.” The words of the prayer vary, but the response never changes. The Savior hears the prayer. He silences heaven, so he won’t miss a word. He hears the prayer.” 

- Grace for the Moment, March 21st entry.

The one You love. Those words should give us a strong assurance. Those words should bring encouragement. Those words should be life-changing and life-sustaining. The one You love.

We (the church) are always - and it’s not a bad thing - proclaiming our love for God. Our love for Jesus. Our love for his Holy Spirit. Our love for God’s people. Our love for the lost. We should love! After all, it is the supreme command of life: One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question: “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:35-40 (BSB).

But, more than our love for God or others is the fact that God loves us. “While we were yet sinners (still sinning) Christ died for us - this proves God’s love for us,” Romans 5:8. “We love because he first loved us,” I John 4:19.

“The one You love.”

God loves you. God loves us. “For God so loved the world…”

Now, what do we do with that truth? What do you do with that truth?

Well, if you are like us, you are struggling or will struggle. We all go through moments of confusion and days of darkness. We encounter seemingly unconquerable mountains and treacherous waves. We face situations where there seems to be no escape and people who simply drain us dry. We become lonely, we hurt, we cry.

Yet, these moments are fleeting. They are temporary. They do not last - although we may think they do. But, God’s love is permanent. God’s love is forever. God’s love outlasts. God’s love overcomes. God’s love cannot be stopped.

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 NLT)

Missy and I are facing a lot of trials right now. It seems the enemy has clocked into work and has decided to work overtime! Yet, we must always remember that, circumstances being what they may be, we have One who loves us. That, our friends, is what gives us all overcoming joy and sustaining strength.

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. 

Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong.

Jesus loves me, he who died, heaven's gate to open wide.

He will wash away my sin, let his little child come in.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Awake My Soul and Sing!

 

Psalm 143 - A Psalm of David

O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me. Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You. For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead. My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me.I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah

Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit. Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.

Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble. And in Your loving devotion, cut off my enemies. Destroy all who afflict me, for I am Your servant. 

"The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” - John 3:8

If you are reading this, you are more than likely a Christian. A follower of Jesus. A disciple.

And, if you are a disciple of Christ, it is also probably true that at least once in your life you felt down, depressed, lost, confused, overwhelmed, guilty, alone, or even abandoned.

Maybe, like David, you feel hemmed in by people around you. Perhaps circumstances have pushed you down and the weight of the moment keeps you from getting up. You struggle just to breathe…to catch your next breath. 

You need to be revived. Awakened.

Don’t we all.

Unless you are completely off social media/TV/radio you have undoubtedly heard of the Asbury Awakening (as some are calling it). In a tiny little town about thirty minutes below Lexington, Ky., a spiritual awakening has occurred as God has poured his Spirit out on the students, faculty and citizens of Wilmore.  What began as a normal, mandatory, everyday Wednesday chapel service has continued non-stop. And there appears to be no stopping it. (edit: they will be shutting down Hughes Auditorium late tonight 2/18/23 (1AM) but will reopen tomorrow 2/19/23 at noon).

As a result of people coming to experience the movement of God, and then returning home to their schools and towns, God is beginning to pour out his Spirit in other places as well. Perhaps we are witnessing the birth pangs of a third great awakening? 

Now, we are not going to tackle what is a revival, what makes up a revival, how does a revival occur, or even is this a revival. At this point we tend to look at it as a spiritual awakening…a fresh move of God’s Spirit on people who hunger for holiness. Whatever you want to label this “Divine Moment”, what we are definitely seeing is God publicly calling his people to draw closer to him and to bring their lives into alignment with his character, purpose and kingdom.

Most of us will not be able to hustle on over to the rolling hills of the Bluegrass State to witness this Supernatural movement BUT…can we all not join together (no matter where we are) and pray for God to touch our lives? Can we all agree with one another to seek God’s face and ask him to forgive us of all our sin? To wipe our hearts clean from the filth of this world? To beg him to deliver us from the evil seeking to devour us? To not forget us as the world abandons us? To bring healing where there is pain? And, that we might receive a new heart made of flesh to replace the cold, stony one which has neglected to love as we have been loved?

It’s a tall order for sure. It will require a change in us. It will demand we turn off the idiot box, set down our phones, close our laptops, and put down the Sherlock Holmes (I’m talking to myself here) and take seriously the arduous and painstaking work of prayer. Prayer for ourselves, our families, our communities, our churches, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, our world. 

But, please remember…ours is not to emulate or model something just because it is working at one place. Ours is to “humble ourselves in the sight of the LORD and he will lift us up.” 

Think of it this way: we have had some severe weather across the south already this year. We can look at the radar, study wind velocity, read about CAPE, register the dew points and search for a dry line - and almost pinpoint where severe weather will occur. 

But that is not the way of the Spirit of God. 

Plead with us today for a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit…a fresh anointing of his mercy and grace…a revival of our spirits, a renewing of our hearts, a restoration of our marriages, a rejuvenation of our health, a resuscitation of our local churches. May the “Asbury Awakening” be the moment we have an awakening in all of our lives.

Now… “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Advent 2022 - A Season of Hope

November 22, 2022

The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.

He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.

Psalm 33:13-22

Gary Thomas, wrote an article in Christianity Today many years ago. In it he described an apparently true story that involved a world famous atheist.

Former Vice President George Bush was sent to Russia as the diplomatic representative of the United States Government for the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. While there, it seems that Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow.

When it was near the end of the service, she stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope; a profound gesture in the midst of everyone there - she reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest.

There, in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, where God was nowhere to be found, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life. She hoped Jesus was truly the Son of God and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband. (Gary Thomas, in Christianity Today, October 3, 1994, p. 26.)

She hoped.

Hope - it’s defined this way by the American Heritage Dictionary: a.) To wish for a particular event that one considers possible; b.) to have confidence or trust; c.) to desire and consider possible.

The great G.K. Chesterson put it this way: “Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all...As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength.”

If there was ever a time of the year we desperately need hope, it is betweenThanksgiving and Christmas. With all of the colors, lights, food, festive gatherings, traditional movies to watch, and carols to sing - we find out that it is also the time of the year when depression, loneliness and sorrow strengthen their grip on humanity. It is a time of utter hopelessness for many. Maybe even you.

And, it is true, tears often accompany hopelessness.

One of our favorite contemplative authors Eugene Peterson says this: “History is lubricated by tears. Prayer may be most prayer when it is accompanied by tears. All these tears are gathered up and absorbed in the tears of Jesus.”

Or as the Psalmist writes: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (NLT - Psalms 56:8).

So, let the carols be raised. Let the lights twinkle. Let the kids get giddy. Let the coffee be stirred with a peppermint stick (the kind that melts in your mouth). Let the stockings be hung.

And, know this, it’s ok to cry. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed. It’s ok to miss your loved one. It’s ok to wish it was all done and over with and January 2, 2023 was tomorrow.

How do we know this?

Jesus wept.

And, that our friends should give us all hope. The One who will “wipe every tear from our eyes” himself wept. He knew loss. He knew pain. He knew abandonment. 

How comforting that is to those of us who struggle at times emotionally and mentally.

The Advent season is marked by “waiting; expectancy; hoping.” Jesus has indeed come. He is coming again. And the next time, he will not leave us to ourselves but will bring us with him and we will cry no more forever. That is a reason for hope.

And Advent is a not–so-gentle reminder that this is a season of hope. We wish you all a hope-filled holiday season.

Missy and Steve

A Lamb Among Donkeys and Elephants...

November 1, 2022

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons - for government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority - Romans 13:1-7

Join us in singing: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” NOT!

Political ads are everywhere. Signs cover yards. TV stations sell out to the highest bidders. Your mail now has an extra piece or two with harsh words against another human being. Our radios remind us that some people “can’t be trusted and will destroy America!”

Sigh.

We don’t know about you but it sure would be nice if instead of pointing out someone else’s flaws - as one person sees them - we focused on our compatibilities (what we agree on). George Orwell put it this way: “During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” Well, “Viva la revolution!” we say!

Speaking of truth - it is important to remember in the midst of these character assassinations and lies from both sides of the duopoly (there’s a two dollar word for you) that Scripture does remind us that we are to honor those who are to serve and lead us as governmental authorities. (Taxes though? Really Paul!?) :)

It’s a hard thing to realize that sometimes those who are placed in authority over us - especially those who we “voted” for, or placed our trust in - abuse that authority for self-promotion, self-gain, or self-power. That’s when it becomes difficult to place our faith in what God has called us to do in obeying authority.

Yet, that is precisely what we must remember - our faith is in God…not people.

Our faith is in God’s plan revealed within his Holy Word and the promises of his Son, Jesus Christ the King.

Ah, the King. Now, there is royalty.

And that is where our true loyalty belongs. To the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Now, we should be invested in elections - hey, we are a constitutional republic after all! Get out there and vote! And do not fear voting for the person you think best represents you and your understanding of what it means to live in a land of “freedom and justice for all.”

Just don’t be too depressed when your person doesn’t win, nor get too upset when they do…and then don’t keep their promises.

And this is where scripture again can help us. The Bible contains many commands to pray for our leaders—national and local…secular and religious…believers and non-believers.

In wisdom and authority, Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

So, what can we do? Pray. Pray. Pray.

Let’s pray for our leaders today. Let’s pray for our leaders’ families. Let’s pray for their health, their well-being, their wisdom, their willingness to serve, and their sacrifices. But, above all, let us bow our knees and lift our heads to heaven and ask the King of kings to bless us with godly leaders, loving authority figures, wise and benevolent overseers, and generous and sacrificial standard-bearers.

After all, God may have created the elephants and the donkeys…but it is the Lamb who deserves our love and admiration, our devotion and loyalty.

All hail the King!

Spiritual Health without Pills!

 

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should…Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here.

Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!

Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas. Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house - Colossians 4:2-4; 7- 15 (NLT)

As we get older physically it should be expected that we grow spiritually. And while physical health may decrease as our birthdays increase, our spiritual health should continually increase. Sure, we may eat more oatmeal and fiber to offset certain bodily issues or rub a little more Tiger Balm on our joints and muscles…but the most vital concern of getting older must be our spiritual well being.

We may get that 55+ discount but the real issue is this: are we maturing in the faith?

In his letter to the church at Colossae Paul lists several names. People who are important to Paul, important to Christ, important to his kingdom. Why are they important? They are mature.

And if we are not growing or maturing? We are contributing to the deteriorating health of his church. That’s something we believe none of us want to be guilty of.

Therefore, what does it take to grow spiritually? Bible.org has a seven step suggestion we would like to share with you: What Does It Take To Grow? | Bible.org
  

    1. In order to grow we need to eat—The Bible
    2. In order to grow we need to breathe—Prayer
    3. In order to grow we need good spiritual hygiene—Confession
    4. In order to grow we need a caring family—Fellowship
    5. In order to grow we need regular exercise—Service
    6. In order to grow we need protection—Holiness
    7. In order to grow we need to give—Stewardship

That is a list we all should place somewhere in order for us to see it daily. No matter our age we all need to be growing in our faith…without having to add another pill to our pillbox…

The author of Hebrews understood this. He writes in chapter 6: So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding (Hebrews 6:1-3).

Did you notice the wording? “Let us go on…become mature…we will move forward…”

None of that just happens. It isn’t automatic. In other words, you don’t just believe on Christ Jesus and, “BOOM!” you’re a spiritual giant. It takes time and effort. It takes making mistakes, confession and going at it again. As Peter writes, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18).

The English poet, Alexander Pope, wrote, “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” When new trees are planted it’s best to put stakes into the ground beside the tree. The stakes are there for a purpose—to train the tree to grow straight and tall.

Those stakes work great when they are put in place when the tree is first planted. That said, if crooked growth has been allowed to develop for several years, stakes will not be effective.

This is why a young Christian should be modeled and taught the spiritual disciplines. We do great harm to new Christians when we fail to share with them the need for Bible reading, prayer, confession, fellowship, service, holiness and stewardship. If they don’t do these things they are setting themselves up for failure, spiritual immaturity and grief.

If however, we set the stakes up from the beginning, those “trees” will go straight and strong.

After all, the very first Psalm reminds us: Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take  or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,  and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

We've Got it All Wrong

August 24, 2022

And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head. From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part. - Ephesians 4:11-16

In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. - Acts 6:1-4

Ok. Go back and read the above scriptures one more time and then come back.

This week we read something that really caught our attention. Hoping it will spur prayerful thought and consideration, while also knowing it may cause a firestorm of responses, we wanted to share it with you and hear what you think.

Bill Tenney-Brittain is one of North America’s most trusted church advisers. On his blog, The Effective Church Group, he posted an article about the five tasks of the lead pastor. It’s a quick-read article but at the end of it he posts:

Do you notice tasks that aren’t there? The first comment we hear from many congregations is, “But what about us? What about pastoral care and hospital visitation and shut-in communion and …” Please re-read Ephesians 4:11–13 – the pastor equips the saints for member care as well as other ministries. Need another example? Luke 15:3–7 tells the story of the good shepherd. In that parable, the shepherd literally abandons the ninety-nine and leaves them to look after themselves while the shepherd takes on the task of reaching the lost. Is this not exactly what we see in the book of Acts? The Apostles spent their time preaching in the public square, in the synagogues, and often in prison…rather than doing member care. Effective, faithful, and sustainable churches today grow because the Lead Pastors have the margins to engage in life transforming ministries like evangelism and discipleship. They lead well-equipped teams of ministers, sometimes called church members, to do the work and ministry and mission of the church. And when they do, they not only accomplish so much more … they have time to be great spouses, parents, neighbors, and spiritually grounded disciples of Jesus Christ.

(The Effective Church Group – The Five Tasks of the Lead Pastor)

It is a truth that most churches have a guide-line or list of expectations of what their pastor is supposed to do. Why is this? Because the pastor is usually being interviewed and hired for a job. A job that has unfortunately become a business with a budget, meetings, and facility maintenance.

But, if we were to re-read (or actually for the first time read) God’s Holy Word we would find that we have turned upside down what was handed to us over 2,000 years ago.

I (Steve) am writing this early on a Wednesday morning, while sitting in the front row of the sanctuary, surrounded by red carpet, a white pulpit and communion table, and rows of stained glass. Why? Because “Pastors need to have office hours…”

Well, if the pandemic and near utter collapse of the world’s economy has taught us anything, you can do your “job” without walls.

Funny thing - do you know where Missy and I do most of our pastoral care, evangelism and discipleship - outside the walls of the church. In real life. In homes. At the grocery store. In the marketplace.

Do you want to know why the church in North America has decreased so dramatically? Do you really want to know why North America is a post-Christian nation? Hint: it ain’t COVID…

It’s because we’ve got it all wrong. We’ve done it all wrong.

We have allowed the world to tell the church how to be successful rather than follow Jesus’ command for the church to be faithful.

The pastor/pastoral couple is called by God to serve Him and His people. Missy and I serve by training those entrusted to us to do the work of the kingdom. We spend our time wisely praying, studying, seeking God’s wisdom and then sharing what is revealed to us with the people of God.

In turn, the people of God grow in their faith and love. They learn how to treat others better than themselves and care for “the least of these.” They obey the first and greatest command: love.

They have been given the command to “Go” and to “love God and their neighbor.”

It’s the way of the Master. It should be our way as well. It’s actually the purpose of this weekly offering. We hope to take a little less than five minutes of your week and give you something to consider, pray about and hopefully help you grow.

What do you think? Have we got it all wrong? Can we get it right? And, what would happen if we did get it right?

The Wonder of Worship

Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! Psalm 95:1-7 (NLT)

We have a confession to make. It’s one you may or may not have heard from a pastoral couple. You know, the ones who are supposed to be “in charge” - the ones who get paid.

We loved “being” in worship during last week’s General Conference of the Evangelical Methodist Church. We were not in charge. We did not have to come up with an order of service. We simply got to lift our hands, raise our voices, join in corporate prayer, listen to the Word, and take notes from the messages. What a delight!

That said, there has been a disconnect in worship for far too long between “leaders” and those “attending.” As a matter of fact, the biggest congregations in North America almost always have a great divide between the worship “team” and those in the “crowd.” It’s divine entertainment - and that should not be.

Psalm 95 is a great moment in scripture. It is a call for all to join in worship. Worship can be private - and it should be on a daily basis: devotions, prayer, reading of the Word, singing, doing acts of kindness…all of these are what we should be doing when we are apart from one another.

But, when we are together (and we should get together by the way)...

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up - I Corinthians 14:26

Did you notice? Not just the “paid” staff. Not just the worship “team.” Each of you. Everyone.

Dan Gildner, a writer for spiritandtruth.life considered this quandary in a recent article. He established a baseline, if you will, for both leaders of worship and attendees:

1. Confession - It is good practice to confess known sin to God and one another prior to inviting the congregation to worship or gathering in worship. Acts 3:19-20 promises that confession gives birth to times of refreshing from God’s presence.

Invitation to Practice: Start your morning in worship with a personal time of confession with Jesus and/or with your trusted small group. Be honest. Receive God’s refreshing grace.

2. Anticipation - When we come into worship we believe that his Presence is with us - in Spirit. The difference between those places and the U.S. is expectation. People come to worship expecting God to be present. What we anticipate, we pursue!

Invitation to Practice: Write out a one sentence prayer of faith before you gather/lead. Where do you expect God to show up in your life through this time of worship.

3. Preparation & Faithfulness

PREPARATION: God chooses to work with humankind in the renewal of all things. So we humbly work diligently at the various crafts (music, liturgy, sermon-writing, etc.) because we are graciously invited to participate with God. It demands that we give all that we can.

FAITHFULNESS: At the end of the day, we are human, and more than performance or perfection, God invites us to be faithful. We acknowledge that we could never practice enough to deserve God’s love. We could never pray enough to be fully prepared. But we show up and in each worship service we offer to God our faithful, limited selves.

Invitation to Practice: Before gathering for worship, prepare your heart through prayer, singing or silence…such that corporately you can offer the Lord all that you can.

4. Invitational - It is the job of those leading to invite those gathered to receive from, respond to and participate in the worship of the Almighty. Those gathered should desire to join in singing, sharing testimony, giving generously, and responding enthusiastically with raised hands and shouts of “Hallelujah!” because God “inhabits the praise of his people.”

Invitation to Practice: If leading, review your language, ensuring an invitational tone. If joining in worship, take advantage of every opportunity to respond to God.

5. Prayerful - Part of our preparation is to pray individually and collectively. Call upon God to release water onto the dry land. Declare God’s Truth over God’s people. Invite God to search your hearts as you lead others. Pray for divine manifestations to be known before, during and after the gathering.

Invitation to Practice: For those leading - It is best to know the Father’s throne room before inviting others into it. For those gathering - pray for God’s presence for all; pray for the preachers; pray for worship to happen when everyone goes to work the next day.

6. Surrendering Results - If we lift up the Name of God, if we praise his Name, if we humble ourselves in his Presence, he will draw us to himself. After all - it has nothing to do with us but everything to do with him. Not just worship - but the results of worship as well. We should not focus on “how worship went” but simply on worship. It’s about time that we all joined together for God’s purposes, glory, and honor.

Oh, the wonder of worship…

Pitchforks or Prayer - One Has Got to Go...

11-16-2021

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command...

John 15:9-13 (NLT)

It has become a rallying cry among Americans that should not be. It has even been heard on the lips of those professing to love Jesus and follow him. It is something that is said proudly, loudly and with jovial anger (if there is such a thing).

“Let’s go, Brandon!”

Unless you have not been watching TV or listening to the radio, or just staying off of social media - you have undoubtedly heard this phrase over the last few weeks.

The chant “Let’s go, Brandon” started by accident at a NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

While interviewing race winner Brandon Brown, NBC reporter Kelli Stavast misinterpreted (willingly or not is up to debate) chants of “F*** Joe Biden” as “Let’s go, Brandon”.

The “F*** Joe Biden” chants have become a popular slogan chanted at sporting events, concerts, and political rallies. But, to make it more family-friendly (AKA - so we are not cussing in front of our children) people are now simply screaming, “Let’s go, Brandon!”

Yet, nothing could have prepared us for what has happened at different houses of worship recently. Mark Burns, a “pastor” and GOP candidate for Congress, spoke at a ReAwaken America rally Friday, which was being held at John Hagee’s church in San Antonio, Texas. There, he riled up the crowd as it chanted “Let’s go, Brandon.” Yes, in a church. With a guest “pastor” leading. Thank God it was not a worship service...

The ReAwaken America event was organized and hosted by Clay Clark who has been gathering people together in churches around the country this year. Friday’s event wasn’t the first time Burns had encouraged the “Let’s go, Brandon” chant.

In October, he spoke at pastor Greg Locke’s church in Tennessee where he played to the crowd as it chanted the phrase. In the wake of that event, Locke (who was actually there) chastised his congregation AFTERWARDS for chanting the phrase in his church, saying that while he completely agrees with the sentiment, chanting something like that in church is “an embarrassment to the body” of Christ.

Might we say, it’s an embarrassment to the Body of Christ that he agrees with the sentiment.

Nowhere - we repeat - nowhere in the Holy Scriptures (where we affirm: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness” - II Timothy 3:16) does God allow for his people to speak derogatively against another. As a matter of fact, Jesus said: “‘But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.  Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be subject to the fire of Gehenna." (Matthew 5:22)

If my people...who are called by My Name...humble themselves…and pray...

In relation to what is occurring within our country - and all over the globe - God’s question is not, “Are you railing and screaming against people and things you don’t like?” Rather, it is, “Are you reading the signs of your time as signs asking you to repent and be converted?” What really counts is our willingness to let the immense sufferings of our brothers and sisters free us from all arrogance and from all judgments and condemnations and give us a heart as gentle and humble as the heart of Jesus. (Henri Nouwen)

A heart as gentle and humble as the heart of Jesus. That’s what we should all be striving for. Yearning for. Working towards. In a culture screaming “Let’s go, Brandon!” we should be the complete opposite - “Let’s pray for one another!” As Paul urges anyone who follows Jesus: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone - for kings and all those in authority - so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior…” - I Timothy 2:1-3.

Now, if you will excuse us, we need to remember to love as Jesus has loved us and go pray for you. Will you pray for us?

Missy and Steve

Prayer: The Key to Unlocking our Prisons

10-27-2021

“But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” - Acts 12:5-11

That first verse is critical in the history of the church. This singular event put the fellowship of Jesus into motion - Peter was placed in prison and the church began to pray. Peter was taken away from his family and friends. His family and friends rallied on his behalf.

In a stunning turn, however, over the centuries it seems that when one of our own (within the confines of the body of Christ) gets into trouble, makes a mistake, crosses a line, or even like Peter is wrongfully judged, we either run away from their presence or make pat statements like “We will be praying for you.” But, do we really?

It goes without saying that prayer is important. As someone has said, “Prayer is the key that unlocks Divinity.” We are not sure if that’s biblically correct, but nonetheless, we should be turning to our Creator a whole lot more than we do.

Praying for one another should - for followers of Jesus - come as easy as your next breath. And not just in bad times - although especially when there is literally nothing else we can do - but rather ALL THE TIME.

Not many people have a prayer list anymore. I (Steve) regrettably admit I do not have a personal one. I use the church one and add to it as necessary but I have failed to generate my own personal list. That needs to be rectified quickly. Why? There are a lot of “Simon Peters” who are “imprisoned” by life.

I think we can assume that if we were to individually create our own personal prayer lists that we would readily recognize some correlating information with one another's lists:

Those who are sick and hurting
Some who are inundated by a multitude of problems
The future of those we love
God filling us with His Spirit
People suffering the consequences of their sin
Our own sin
A hope for a healthy and joyous holiday season
A need for the saving power of Jesus in the lives of the people we know
A clearer understanding of what the Bible really says about the issues of today
Answers to questions and worries we keep to ourselves

In his book, All Things Are Possible Through Prayer, Charles L. Allen wrote of a man he knew who went through a nightly ritual of inserting his keys into one of his shoes before going to bed. When he arose the next morning to face another day, the last item he routinely reached for after getting dressed was the shoe containing those keys. Taking them out of his shoe, he would hold them in his hand while offering this simple, heartfelt prayer:

“Lord, this day I will come to certain doors that are locked but I shall use these keys to open those doors. And may I remember this day that there is a key to every situation, a solution to every problem. May I never surrender to one of life’s locked doors. Instead, may I use the keys on the key ring of prayer until I find the right key and the door will be opened.”

We hope you paid attention to the situation found in Acts 12 from above. Just a couple of things to remember: One, Peter apparently only saw one end to his predicament - his death. “Peter finally came to his senses. ‘It’s really true!’ he said. ‘The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!’” Peter was not ignorant of his situation nor was he in denial. He figured it was the end.

Secondly, the followers of Jesus (who loved Peter) saw another end to his predicament - God intervening. “The church prayed very earnestly for him.” This was not a quick, ejaculatory prayer. This was a time of prayer. This was a people who gave their time and effort to prayer. All for someone who saw only his undeniable demise.

Can you think of someone in that same type of situation today? Someone you love and are concerned for - a person who is caught in a prison from which they see no hope and no escape. When we speak of prisons we trust you understand we are speaking metaphorically and literally. Most of us will never be behind iron bars but we all have been imprisoned in life by our decisions, lack of decisions, behavior, attitude, resentment, anger, and unforgiveness...not to mention health, relationships or finances.

During his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened,” (Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10). What prisons do you need to pray about today - in your life and the life of someone else?

Indeed, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death." Sometimes - maybe even now - some of us see death as the only escape from the prison we have found ourselves in. 

But may we remind you that there is a group of people who are believing life for you? People who truly love you. 

And, we are praying for you. We are praying for God to move in your life and in your circumstances: your today; your tomorrow. And who knows, perhaps today will be the day that, like Peter, you will walk out of your prison and exclaim, “It’s really true! The Lord has saved me from the world and what life had planned to do to me!”


Here’s to you and your soon release…


Steve and Missy

What? Me Worry? Yep...

 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own."

- Matthew 6:25-34 (NET Version)

  

For years a woman had trouble getting to sleep at night because she feared burglars. One night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went to investigate. When he got there, he found a burglar. "Good evening," he said. "I am pleased to see you. Come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you."

How many of us are waiting for something bad to happen? How many of us continually worry about things that may or may not occur? I would say all of us are, at some point in our lives, in that same boat. To misquote Shakespeare, “To worry or not to worry, that is the question.”

To the followers of Jesus at Philippi - during Roman occupation - Paul the apostle quipped: “Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God's peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.” That’s a great statement - but oh the difficulty in actually placing that truth into action.

Seriously - can we actually live a life free of worry? Is that even possible? In all honesty it seems to be complete and utter nonsense. After all, can anyone live a worry-free life? Anti-anxiety if you will…

The Greek word for worry/anxiety is μεριμνάω (merimnáō) which means, literally, “drawn in opposite directions,” "divided into parts." Figuratively speaking we might use the phrase "to go to pieces" because continual worry and anxiety pull us apart in different directions. Hence, as we can see, in the New Testament it is invariably used in a negative light. So, what are we to make of this?

Well, a couple of things. First - when the Bible speaks of worry it does so in a sense that means to be a constant worrier - ie; someone who NEVER has any faith or who NEVER trusts that things will work out. It DOES NOT MEAN that we won’t ever have anxiety or fear or worry. It simply means that it will not cripple us or pull us away from Christ. Anything that pulls you away from Jesus is sin...continual worry is just that. Not everyday-going-through-life worries and concerns - that is not sin.

Secondly, the Word of God is actually trying to not focus on the negative (worry/anxiety) but rather on the positive (faith/trust). Many people (believers in Jesus and non-believers) read the scriptures and focus on the negative aspects rather than the positive. These people also have the same mentality in their normal lives - the culmination leading to depression, all types of disorders, and even psycho-somatic conditions (I’ll let you google that so you’ll feel smarter).

Yet, God’s word is about healing, hope and wholeness. God is NOT a divine being who is bent on destroying your life and making everything cumbersome… God IS the Divine Being Who gave his own Son’s life in order that you might have joy - and that your joy would be complete.

Some of you are really struggling right now. We are really struggling right now. Smiles and lies aside, we feel that most of us are dealing with multiple issues and at times unbearable weight. We miss one another. We long to embrace one another. We hurt incredibly over the loss of loved ones. We weep over our children being sick. We are broken over our parents and their isolation.

We worry about tomorrow. We are anxious about paying our bills. We are stressed over going into more debt without any relief on the horizon. We are worried about jobs. We are anxious about vaccinations working or not working.

Yes, it is okay to worry. It’s not a sin. Just don’t be pulled away from your faith by your worry. Don’t be divided in your love for Jesus by your anger against your neighbor. That is sin.

We are anxious to hear how you are doing and join with you in worrying what tomorrow might bring. But, we are trusting the hand of the One who holds tomorrow. Are you?




Steve and Missy