Don't Skip to the End

 

03/01/2022

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” 

And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.” And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life. The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death," - Revelation 21:1-8

In light of recent events we notice a subject which always arises during times of crisis. Eschatology. You know: the end-times; Daniel; the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ; prophecies. 

It's a time when some will tell you, "If you haven't already been prepping it's too late!" "Preachers” exercise their bible verse memorization skills, discovering portions of God’s word to speak to real-time events. “Prophets” spin world events into such a muddled mess that their eisegesis (look it up - it’s your homework for today) begins to somehow make sense.

It is also a moment when Christians can say some of the most off-handed and inappropriate comments.

A dear friend, Heather, shared a book with us she recently finished. Kate Bowler, an Associate Professor of the History of Christianity in America, at Duke Divinity School, is the author and it is titled: Everything Happens for a Reason - and Other Lies I Have Loved. It is an incredible read containing raw unfiltered emotions, intelligence, love, worry, fear, faith, and even joy - written with biting sarcasm and unwavering hope.

The book details how Dr. Bowler - who is living the dream - is suddenly at the age of 35 struck with the crushing news that she has stage four cancer. She then documents what people - Jesus followers and deniers alike - have to say to her in regards to her situation.

It is sobering and horrifying the words people can use. People can say the most damaging things - never realizing the destruction. One of those lines is: “Everything happens for a reason.”

Really?

Is that what we say to the family of a drunk-driving accident? Is there truly a reason for human trafficking? Can we actually explain away suicide? Or, do we simply look into our Ukrainian friend’s eyes and say, “God has a reason for all of this! Glory!”

Mmmm. No.

However, there may be an even more hurtful response. It is when we begin telling people who are struggling through incredible and unimaginable moments in life that “in the end, God wins!” Or, “Well, at least you have heaven to look forward to.” Ugh.

We love skipping past pain; jumping past hurtful situations. 

To quote a rather precocious little red head:

The sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun.

Just thinkin' about tomorrow clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow ‘til there's none.

When I'm stuck a with day that's gray and lonely I just stick out my chin and grin, and say, oh - The sun'll come out tomorrow so you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow, come what may…

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow, You're always a day away.

Dr. Bowler, meeting with her oncologist, was reminded of a truth we must all latch onto. She writes: “We (her and her oncologist) have both, as it turns out, spent a lot of time walking up to the edges of things, and we are talking about what it means to face facts.” Her doctor responds that the “secret” is: “Don’t skip to the end,” (p. 160).

Don’t skip to the end.

We cannot just live our lives based on what may or may not happen in the future. We can only live our lives based on today. The pain of today. The frustration of today. The crying today. The laughter today. The hope for today. The love for today. And, yes, the evil and troubles of today.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today,” Matthew 6:34 (NLT). With all that is occurring on this globe - pandemic and invasions included - remember not to skip to the end. Rather, live today. Love today. Hope today. Pray today. Struggle today. Lose today. Win today. 

Perhaps Ira Stanphill understood this truth best. After all, he taught us:

I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day.

I don't borrow from its sunshine, for its skies may turn to gray.

I don't worry o'er the future, for I know what Jesus said,

And today I'll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand;

But I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.

Out of Focus - Out of Faith

 

01-18-2022

When Moses had finished speaking these words to all Israel, he said to them, “I am now a hundred and twenty years old; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.' 

The LORD your God Himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will dispossess them. Joshua will cross ahead of you, as the LORD has said. And the LORD will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, when He destroyed them along with their land.

The LORD will deliver them over to you, and you must do to them exactly as I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with these people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” 

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

As we put together this week’s newsletter we are busy getting ready for our church’s Annual Conference this coming Sunday evening. We will get to see our wonderful District Superintendent, Kevin Brouillette and share what God has done for his people at Cornerstone Community Church this past year and focus on what we hope to see our heavenly Father do this year.

This is a vital exercise for our faith because we need to remember what God has done and focus on what he is and is going to do - for that is the springboard of faith to trust him.

To be honest - we don’t know what 2022 holds in store for any of us. We are not sure of anything at this point. We think most of us may be a little uncertain of what we are supposed to be doing. The Church, as we know it, is rapidly changing. Ministry is going to look alot different moving forward. We think all of our lives are going to look different moving forward as well. And, maybe that’s a good thing.

With that in mind we offer the following verses to guide us as we journey into 2022...

John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 6:31-34: “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Now, notice a few things which will undoubtedly encourage you in the days ahead…

1.) Become aware of how many times these verses point to where our focus should be. God. Yahweh even speaks to himself as the place where we should concentrate. So often we revert to situational faith where we center on our problems. God says, in a nutshell, “Your situation is temporary. I am eternal. Look to me - I do not, will not change nor will I leave you.”

2.) This world is filled with obstacles and disruptions, disease and disaster. Nothing is going to change that. Rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, loved or unloved. No one escapes struggles. The sooner we accept this truth the better we will better understand —

3.) God has overcome the world and its problems. WHATEVER, WHOEVER, WHEREVER - God has already overcome. Victory is his and therefore ours. Hence —

4.) Don’t worry about a thing. Rather, seek. When worry comes - and it will for ALL of us - take that worry and move it to seeking. Seek God. Seek his comfort. Seek his peace. Seek his strength. Seek his hand of mercy. Seek his kingdom. When you do —

5.) God, through his Son Jesus the Christ and his Holy Spirit, will provide what you need…he will provide the way. Not the way out. Not the way around. Not even the way through. Wait. What? Remember, He is the way…”For I am the way, the truth, the life…” IE: He will provide himself. What more do we need?

So many questions face the bride of Christ (the church) presently that it’s difficult to know where to begin. Some of the issues Missy and I are struggling with: Can we continue in the ministry full-time or is it time to revert to being a “tentmaker?” Will fellowships of faith need to focus more on collaborative ministries…or even come together and unite under one roof? Is it time to do away with the “system” which has run the church for the last 70 plus years? Where will the funds come to support what the local church seeks to do? What role does fellowship play moving forward? To what extent do local missions mean more? How do we care for our online friends? 

Yes, we are worried about a lot - therefore we need to be focusing on God and his deliverance. We need faith. You need faith. We all need more faith. The great Christian George Muller once wrote: “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”

André Masséna, was a French military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. As one of Napoleon's generals, he one time suddenly appeared with 18,000 soldiers before an Austrian town which had no means of defending itself. The town council met, certain that surrendering was the only answer. Why risk the lives of all of the innocent people of their town?

The old caretaker of the church reminded the town council that it was Easter and encouraged them to hold services as usual and to leave the trouble in God's hands. Rather than focus on Masséna and his 18,000 soldiers, the man of faith urged them to focus on the resurrection of Christ. Incredibly, they followed his advice. 

The caretaker went to the church and rang the bells to announce the service. Loud and long they rang. The French soldiers heard the church bells ring and immediately concluded that the Austrian army had come to rescue the town. A quick decision was made to brake camp, and before the bells had ceased ringing, the entire group had vanished.

Let the words of Paul remind us all how we are to make our way through 2022: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7.  

Focus on God. Focus on your faith. If we do, perhaps we will “see” our way out of this.

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