Thursday Thoughts August 27,2010
Why Become A Church Member?
“…You are a member of God’s very own family…and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” Ephesians 2:19
Why join a church? Isn’t attending a church enough? Let me give you reasons for becoming an active, ministering member of a local church.
1)A personal sense of belonging.By choosing to become a member, you are making a conscious choice to identify with and become part of this church family.
2)A personal voice and vote. Someone once said that attending a church without becoming a member is like being a spiritual “foster child.” Foster children can participate in a family, but they are never a full participant in the family with all the joys, responsibilities and legal rights. Church members are given a clear voice and vote at all congregational meetings. Members participate in the decision making discussions and vote on new pastoral staff, church leadership appointments, new members, church finances, and other major decisions.
3)Personal development:By committing yourself to membership, you will have more opportunities to use and develop your gifts and talents as you practice your serving and leadership skills in significant ministry roles within our church.
4)Personal rewards:Jesus Christ promises to reward us for our service for others. Your loving service within our church family will have eternal significance in your life and the lives of others. You will also experience the joy and reward of being part of what God is doing with and through our entire church family.
5)Personal accountability:By becoming a member of this church, you are committing yourself to a personal path of spiritual growth, Christian maturity, and godly service. Through the relationships you choose to build, you will become more accountable to others in your spiritual journey.
We can do so much more to advance the Kingdom of God with your active participation. Please consider becoming a member here at MEFC. I am excited about our future here and want you to be both blessed and a blessing to others!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts August 19, 2010
Where Did You Say You Were Going?”
Perhaps you’ve had the opportunity take a vacation and go away this summer. Chances are that these places were not on your top ten list of places to visit:
1. Hell, Michigan
The town got its name in 1841, when George Reeves, an early settler in this low, swampy place in southeast Michigan, was asked what he thought the town should be named. “I don’t care,” Reeves said. “You can name it ‘Hell’ if you want to.” Well, the name stuck. Locals say, “If you’ve always wanted to see Hell freeze over, visit this place in winter.” (I can only imagine the names of churches in that town – the first United Methodist Church of Hell?)
2. Lizard Lick, North Carolina
This town’s name dates back to the days when lizards were brought in to cut down on the insects feeding on the local crops. Traveling salesmen noticed the creatures and dubbed the community Lizard Lick. (Since 1972, the residents of this town have held lizard races every fall to herald the farming community’s unusual name.)
3. Idiotville, Oregon
Since the spot was so remote, it was said that only an idiot would work there. Apparently, there were enough of them that stuck it out to make a name for themselves.
4. Looneyville, Texas
It’s not what you think. The tiny farming community was named after local businessman John Looney.(I have no idea about his sanity.)
Well, wherever you travel, it’s comforting to know that God goes with you. The psalmist wrote, “When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way” (Psalm 142:3). I am so glad that our Father takes this journey with us. I would hate to go through life alone.
Blessings on you,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts August 12th, 2010
Four Dangers Christians Face
Part 4 – Bitterness Towards God
The concept of our word, bitterness, comes from a Greek word that means sharp or pointed, in other words something that jabs at your soul. We speak of something being bitter if it causes grief or is hard to bear—a bitter defeat, a bitter failure, bitter enemies, or a bitter loss.
Can a Christian become bitter towards God? Yes, says Dr. James Dobson in his book, When God Doesn’t Make Sense (pages 13-15):
In my work with families who are going through various hardships, from sickness and death to marital conflict and adolescent rebellion, I have found it common for those in crisis to feel great frustration wit h God. This is particu-larly true when things happen that seem illogical and inconsistent with what had been taught or understood.
Then if the Lord does not rescue them from the circumstances in which they are embroiled, their frustration quickly deteriorates into anger and a sense of abandonment. Finally, disillusionment sets in and the spirit begins to wither.
He goes on to say:
It is an incorrect view of Scripture to say that we will always comprehend what God is doing and how our suffering and disappointment fit into His plan. Sooner or later, most of us will come to a point where it appears that God has lost control—or interest—in the affairs of people. It is only an illusion, but one with dangerous implications for spiritual and mental health. Interestingly enough, pain and suffering do not cause the greatest damage. Confusion is the factor that shreds one’s faith.
The human spirit is capable of withstanding enormous discomfort, including the prospect of death, if the circumstances make sense. Many martyrs, political prisoners, and war heroes have gone to their graves willingly and confidently. They understood the sacrifice they were making and accepted its meaning in their lives…By contrast, Christians who become confused and disillusioned with God have no such consolation. It is the absence of meaning that makes their situation so intolerable. As such, their depression over a sudden illness or the tragic death of a loved one can actually be
more severe than that experienced by the nonbeliever who expected and received nothing. It is not uncommon to hear a confused Christian express great agitation, anger, or even blasphemy.
Do such times come even to the faithful? Yes, they do, although we are seldom willing to admit it within the Christian community
Aren’t there lots of times in life when we just wonder, “why is this happening?” or “why is it happening to me?” What do we do when God seems strangely silent, when problems do not go away and when frustration threatens our faith?
- Sometimes we need to apply this truth - “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). We need to quiet our raging hearts and fall back on what we know to be true about God – that he is good and holy and just – and what we know about life – that we are at war and this life is a battle zone between good and evil. Being still does not mean giving up. It means resting in the Lord who has not yet finished his work.
- Don’t go through your trials alone. Find others who can show you “God with skin on.” Find an encourager, a deeper, more thoughtful Christian who will just love you without giving you superficial platitudes. Pray for God to send you encouragers and ask for help when you need it—we all need it sooner or later.
And encouragers, even if you don’t know what to say, a loving touch and a listening ear are sometimes enough.
Your Fellow Traveler,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts July 29, 2010
Four Dangers Christians Face (Part 2)
Everyone should stare death in the face occasionally. It can bring a remarkable clarity to LIFE! This is what I experienced recently while visiting a local cemetery. Seeing gravestone after gravestone had a humbling effect upon me. It was solemn, moving and yet peaceful at the same time. The cemetery was filled with both famous people and those of whom I had never heard. Some lived a long time while others died seemingly too young. Some had humble gravestones while others were marked by plaques and flags. Nevertheless, all had come to the end of their journey this side of eternity. Their earthly lives were over – mine was still a precious gift given for an unknown length of time.
As I looked at grave after grave, I was reminded of a second danger Christians face – The Danger of Losing Perspective.
Losing sight of the past – When you’re moving through life at warp speed, it’s easy to forget the many blessings of God in our lives. We get to the point where we expect God’s blessings but often fail to acknowledge His blessings.
However, if we take a moment to walk through our past we should see reminders of God’s provision. Although it wasn’t always visible, God was at work to protect us as well as bless us. We won’t know until we get to heaven all the ways in which God safeguarded and walked alongside us in this life. Even if you have suffered pain in your life, and we all have, there are plenty of things from which God has shielded you. There are also plenty of blessings He has given you.
Losing sight of the future – As good or as bad as life may get, we are not home yet. We still are on a journey that will lead us into the arms of God. That is our goal (at least it should be). That is our home. That is our paradise. When we pause and grab hold of this truth, we stop worrying about “having it all” on earth. When we lose sight of our future, there is much more of a danger of living for the “here and now” and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the surrounding culture. Too often it is the “Well Done!” of the culture rather than the “Well Done!” of our Lord that vies for our heart and attention.
Life on earth is a temporary assignment. When life gets tough, when I am tempted to doubt God’s goodness or lured by promises of this world, it helps me to remember that I am not home yet. At death I won’t leave home. I will go home!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts July 22, 2010
Four Dangers Christians Face
In my recent sermons on Psalm 51, a psalm of repentance, David, “a man after God’s own heart” must repent of his sins of adultery, deception, and murder. We have spoken about “the Enemy Within” — that “Bad Dog” called our sin nature (Romans 7:18). In planning this week’s Thursday Thoughts, I thought about some subtle yet potentially hazardous ways the sinful nature can deceive us Christians. Let’s start with the first one this week:
The Danger of Self righteousness – Our sinful nature deceives us into keeping a scorecard in our minds. It goes like this: We go to church, we may be serving somewhere in the church, we are basically a good person, we may even think we’re better than average – all of these are points in our favor. And certainly when God tallies the little sheet that we think He keeps, we’re going to have more good points than bad ones, so we are OK. Tragically, however, this scorecard mentality can actually fool us into overlooking our daily need for cleansing by God from our real and harmful sins.
What’s the remedy? As someone has said, “We ought to preach the Gospel to ourselves every day.” We were saved by grace. We are kept as children of God by grace. We are able to live and move and accomplish everything we do by grace. It is His undeserved favor, not our merit, which ultimately brings us peace with God. Sure, we work hard; sure, we accomplish noteworthy things, things that we ought to be pleased and excited about!
Nevertheless, we must remember what Paul says in evaluating his own life, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). In other words, Paul had accomplished much in his life – but none of it would have been possible if God had not been at work in and through him.
Do you recognize on a regular basis the grace of God at work in your life? When you evaluate yourself, do you include this factor: if not for the grace of God, where would I be? Paul saw grace as the foundation for all he would do, saying, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). God’s grace alone is the foundation of our good works.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts July 1, 2010
“The Rest of the Anthem”
Most Americans realize that our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”, is a song celebrating the enduring cause of American freedom. The event which inspired the composition of the poem, “The Defense of Fort McHenry”, as it was originally called, occurred during the War of 1812.
Feeling confident after their recent sacking of the nation’s capitol, and the torching of the White House, the British turned their attentions to conquering the vital seaport of
On September 11, 1814 the British fleet boasting some 50 vessels in all, ranging in size from the 80-gun flagship, to the 74-gun man-of-war, to the 36-gun frigates, to rocket and mortar ships—all aimed at
Because of its size, the fort’s flag became the target of the shelling. Desperate to finish off the fort, the British redoubled their efforts that evening. The dark, moonless night, the rain, and the smoke from the incessant cannonade made it impossible for the American lawyer Francis Scott Key, held prisoner on an English frigate, to see the fate of
At the light of day, the British, running low on powder and ammunition, called off the attack. Suddenly, a gust of wind unfurled the flag and stretched it out proudly in the dawn’s early light, and Francis Scott Key saw what he was hoping against hope to see – the red, white and blue flag still flying.
Congress made Francis Scott Key’s poem the national anthem in 1931. We only sing the first verse, which most of us know by heart. But there are actually four verses which call us to action as well, the last of which challenges our nation to remember the Lord:
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Someone has said that, instead of bumper stickers saying “God bless
Blessings on you this Independence Day!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts June 17, 2010
It’s My Turn
It’s 4:00AM and I am awake. At 6:00AM I am picking my mom up to take her to an oral surgeon. She has cancer of the mouth. The doctors say it is curable, but it will be a long and painful process involving the removal of half of her soft palette, a skin graft from her hip, and a feeding tube for six months.
Today was long. We left for
We deal with two great fears when we get older: How much will we suffer before we go to heaven? And to what degree will we be a burden on our family?
My mom can let the cancer run its course or she can go through the surgery. Knowing her unselfish nature, my sister and I were concerned that she would not have the surgery for the sake of not being a burden to us. (She mentioned several times how much of a burden she was yesterday).
But this is the woman who labored twenty four hours to give me birth. This is the woman who paced the floor and wrote in her journal how many times she was so tired from being a caregiver that she would cry herself to sleep.
She attended my athletic events, held me during some heartbreaking times of life, and played referee between my sister and me (no small task although now we get along great). She would wait up until I got safely home at night during my late teenage years, pretending that she had fallen asleep watching TV (but I knew better). Once a mom, always a mom!
So now it’s my turn. Sociologists call the phase of life I am facing the “Sandwich Generation” – caring for both our children and our aging parents at the same time. It does put the squeeze on at times, I will admit that. But there is the ongoing desire to honor the woman who sacrificed herself for me, over and over again. It’s payback time (not that I ever could pay her back for her years of devotion). It’s my turn to be the one nurturing her with love. It’s my turn to show her the love of Christ like she showed me. It’s my turn to honor my mother in ways that are new and frankly awkward for both of us. It’s my turn – and that’s that.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts June 10, 2010
Relationship over Rules
Jesus wanted people to know Him. When he came to a town, he went to where the people were. He talked to them. He listened to them. He helped them right where they were. In short, he first sought to establish a relationship with them, and then he called them to repentance.
Relationship comes first! While God does call us to be holy, he calls us to love him because he first loved us. It is in the midst of an intimate relationship with God that he changes us, drives us to repentance, and bolsters us in our time of need. It is in the midst of a relationship that we can talk to God as our friend, sharing our burdens and resting in the promise that He will never leave us or forsake us and that through all situations He is with us and will one day make all things new.
Someone pointed me to a song by a Christian artist named Jason Gray. The name of the song is “More Like Falling in Love.” His point is that systems of belief which are viewed primarily as “rule keeping” religions do not fulfill hearts that long for love, nor do they drive our sinful natures into submission. The Bible teaches that we are changed as we move closer to our Heavenly Father who desires intimacy with his children. Here are the lyrics of “More Like Falling in Love”:
Give me rules
I will break them
Give me lines
I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
It ought to be…
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It’s like I’m falling in love
Give me words
I’ll misuse them
Obligations
I’ll misplace them
‘Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
It never set me free
It’s gotta be…
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It’s like I’m falling in love
Certainly God calls us to be like himself and to reflect his character. But he does so in the midst of a love relationship with him. Lose the relationship and you are left with just rules.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts June 3, 2010
When Anger Gets Ugly
There are types of anger which are ugly. Paul lists them in Ephesians 4:30-31 as he tells the Christians in
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander,
along with every form of malice.”
Bitterness is anger with a history
We speak of something being emotionally bitter if it causes grief or is hard to bear such as a “bitter defeat" or "bitter failure." A bitter person has been angry about the same incident for awhile and honest work is needed to heal such anger.
Rage is anger with a fury
Anger which is out of control seeks vengeance, not justice. A enraged person seeks to punish in any way possible the object of his/her anger. This involves verbal or physical abuse, destruction of property, and so on.
Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” We often deeply regret the times when our anger has gotten out of control.
Brawling is anger expressed with your fists
We hear in the news of anger out of control, of people being hurt or killed by others who show their anger through violence.
Slander is anger expressed with your tongue
Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Malice is anger that seethes under the surface
Proverbs 26:24 says, “A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit.”
Paul tells us to get rid of all that junk. Why? Because it is destructive both to others and to yourself.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts May 27, 2010
What Makes You Angry?
Angry, mad, furious, ticked off, torqued – whatever you want to call it, it’s one of the most common and basic human emotions. In a world of high expectations, growing pressures, bad drivers, frequent disappointments, imperfect people, misery and sin – anger is a given.
Feelings of anger are based upon:
· Feeling deprived
· Feeling embarrassed
· Feelings of being denied justice
· Feeling left out
· Feeling unappreciated or ill-used
· Failing or struggling with something
· Feeling like life is out of control
· Feeling tired/grumpy/hungry
Here are some verses for you to consider as you think about how you react to anger:
Proverbs 29:22 - An angry man stirs up dissension,
and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.
Proverbs 29:11 - A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man keeps himself under control.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 - Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Proverbs 22:24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,
do not associate with one easily angered…
Proverbs 12:18 - Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
While anger may be justified, how you deal with anger can lead you into sin. More on this next week.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts May 20, 2010
Martin and Katherine Luther’s Principles for a Healthy Marriage
Martin Luther, a former priest who became a leader in the Protestant Reformation, was a confirmed bachelor. Katherine von Bora, convinced of the Reformation teachings of Luther and others, left her life as a nun and was free to marry.
Luther, almost 40, was determined to help former nuns such as Katherine find husbands. He tried setting Katherine up with one of his professor-colleagues who was in his 60s. But feisty Katherine, in her 20s, made it abundantly clear she wasn't interested. Over time, Luther decided that he would marry Katherine himself.
Martin didn't believe in long engagements. In fact, he had one of the shortest engagements in history — he proposed to Katherine and married her on the same day (June 13, 1523). In spite of the fact that they barely knew each other, their age difference, Martin’s never-ending popularity, occasional threats to their lives, and their strong personalities, the Luthers’ marriage was a model to other Christians of Christ’s transforming work in the lives of two people united to live as one.
The Luthers’ Four Key Principles for a Solid Marriage
1) Martin and Katie put their first love before their second love.
But both Martin and Katie had a deep walk with the Lord and their individual spiritual lives made them an example for many men and women to emulate. They believed that they would never be a better lover of their spouse than they would be a lover of God, for in that first relationship they would experience grace, cleansing, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
2) Martin and Katie put commitment to bless ahead of their desire to be blessed.
In a handwritten invitation to the public ceremony for their wedding, Luther wrote to a friend, "I feel neither passionate love nor burning for my spouse, but I cherish her." Luther was well aware that very often "in the beginning of a relationship love is glowing hot, it intoxicates and blinds us, and we rush forth and embrace one another. But once married, we tend to grow tired of one another...." His experience was the opposite; he cherished her, but they did not start off in passionate love — though that quickly grew once they were married. Luther wrote, "The first love is drunk. When the intoxication wears off, then comes the real marriage love."
3) Martin and Katie viewed marriage as a school for growing in godliness.
Both knew how to correct the other when one of them was either ignoring God or taking life too seriously. One day Martin was depressed and despairing. So Katie decided to put on a black dress for the day. Luther asked, "Are you going to a funeral?" "No," she responded, "but since you act as though God is dead, I wanted to join you in the mourning!" Martin came to his senses, embraced his wife, thanked her, and went back to work. Katie had given Martin the admonishment he needed to hear.
4) Martin and Katie enjoyed the God-given gifts of life and marriage as an opportunity to glorify God.
Both believed that all should be done to the glory of God, including marriage. This led to what is known as the priesthood of all believers – that whether one was a plow hand or a pastor, both were to live lives that reflected the trans-forming grace of God. Marriage was God’s gift to be celebrated and to reflect God’s handiwork.
How do you see your role in your marriage lining up with those four principles? Which area causes you the most trouble personally? (For example, you may struggle with having a quality relationship with God, or with selfishness, or trying to control your spouse rather than trying to bless him/her.) These principles were foundational to a healthy marriage four hundred years ago. By God’s grace, they still are.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
P.S. This was part of a session at our recent Marriage Conference. We may be doing another one in early November. We would love to have you join us!
Thursday Thoughts May 6, 2010
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These two examples are referring to churches, but what about other communities--an extended family, a circle of friends, the blogging community, or another group? Are we free to be real in our interactions with people? What do we need to allow us to be authentic? “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” How awesome would it be, to be in a community where people could "fully love each other, meet deep needs, affirm each other, free each other and be used of God to bring one another in from the cold"? In this kind of community, we'd be free to be real. We could be ourselves without the fear of being rejected, because grace allows authenticity.
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, "Regardless of its origins, the result is clear. People in churches often fail to bring their real problems to church. So often in our churches we don't hear about stuff until it's too late. It's as though nobody has small problems. As someone once described it to me, we only hear about the house burning down; we don't hear about the electrical problem."Thursday Thougths Thursday, April 29, 2010
“Reflections on Worship”
I was asked to speak to a men’s group recently on the topic of worship. As I reflected upon this very important subject, the following definition seemed to be most helpful for me. I hope that it is for you as well.
What is Worship?
· Worship is my response to what I value most.
The word worship comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word "worthship." It literally means to attribute or ascribe worth to someone. Psalm 29:2 says, “Give to the Lord the glory due to His name!”
· What I should value most is God since I was made by him and redeemed for him.
Colossians 1:16 tells us that “by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”
· My life should be a natural extension of my worship.
Luke 4:8 tells us that we are to “worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” Serving God means loving our families, being active in our churches, being faithful at our work, etc.
Here are some quotes on worship that I found thought provoking. I close by sharing them with you for your reflection. Which ones resonate with you?
"To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God,
to feed the mind with the truth of God,
to purge the imagination by the beauty of God,
to open the heart to the love of God,
and to devote the will to the purpose of God."
William Temple
“Worship matters because God matters –
a simple, yet infinite reason for true worship.
Only God can declare that He is perfectly holy,
uniquely different from all His creation.
He alone sustains all around us - all existing because He spoke.
Yet even in His holiness, He loves us who are rebels,
bent against Him and naturally exalting ourselves.
He proved His love through the bloody sacrifice of His Son, Jesus,
who received God’s wrath against us and
reconciled us to our Creator God forever.
Worship matters because God infinitely matters in this universe.”
Daniel Borkert
"Man's chief end is to glorify God, by enjoying him forever."
John Piper
"It is in the process of being worshipped
that God communicates His presence to men."
C.S. Lewis
"Without worship, we go about miserable."
A.W. Tozer
"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped."
Jack Hayford
"'A glimpse of God will save you. To gaze at Him will sanctify you."
Manley Beasley
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts April 23, 2010
Your Secret Life
I came across the following personal assessment test that I found to be very insightful and wanted to share it with you. Remember, God has called us out of darkness into His light.
o Is there a behavior, habit or relationship in your life that you feel is wrong?
o Is there a behavior, habit or relationship in your life that you lie about or seek to hide?
o Is your behavior negatively affecting your relationship with God or other people you love?
o Do you keep this behavior secret because you feel that no one will understand?
o Do spend money on this behavior that could be used on something more productive?
o Do you experience shame and guilt after practicing this behavior?
o Do you use this habit, behavior or relationship to soothe or medicate your emotional pain/stresses in your life?
o Have you promised yourself repeatedly that you would quit, only to carry out this behavior again?
o Has this behavior become a regular pattern in your life?
o Do you feel hopeless about ever overcoming this behavior?
What would your life be without this behavior, habit or relationship?
The next step for me is: ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Taken from
Men’s Secret Wars by Patrick A. Means
Pages 180-181
Thursday Thoughts April 9, 2010
“Events That Will Shape Our Church”
We have some very special events that are being offered at our church (some for the first time ever) that have the potential to greatly benefit our church as we strategize for the future. I want you to seriously consider attending them.
Beginning April 11th – Our Spring Elective on “Peacemaking for Church Leaders”
Beginning this Sunday during the 9:40 Adult Electives slot, we will be offering a course on equipping church leaders to facilitate peacemaking. Even in the healthiest churches, there's no escaping those moments when tension surfaces in a leadership meeting, when there are divergent views on some issue, or even when you inadvertently create conflict yourself.
Yet these are the moments when leadership really matters. This twelve week Sunday School elective called The Leadership Opportunity helps leaders live out the gospel by providing solid biblical and practical help for the common conflicts that all leaders and churches face. The class meets in Room 106.
April 18th – Morning Message – Peacemaking within the Body of Christ
A message brought by our Board Chairman, Will McKay, will show us how we can be the peacemakers that God calls us to be, fulfilling God’s command that we practice healthy fellowship.
April 25th – Morning Session – “
Tim Addington, author of two books on church leadership, will come and deliver the morning message in both the 8:15AM and 11:00AM services. He will also lead a discussion time during the Adult Elective hour. We value his insights and his expertise as he comes to encourage us in advancing the
May 1st – Global Outreach
This is a great opportunity to learn how God is working throughout the world and to discover how we at MEFC can plug into that work. Please consider attending the
May 2nd – Morning Message by Dr. Keith Richards of World Impact
As part of our missions focus on the weekend of May 1-2, Dr. Keith Phillips will be our Sunday morning speaker. Dr. Phillips is President of World Impact, a Christian missions organization dedicated to ministering God’s love to the inner cities of
We look forward to having him speak in both services on Sunday, May 2. His topic, “God's Concern for the Poor” from Luke 4:16-21, is an area many of us are eager to explore.
These are great opportunities for us here at MEFC. Thank you, Lord, for providing them and thanks to all of you who are helping to bring them into fruition!
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts April 2, 2010
What Is Maundy Thursday?
Today is Maundy or Holy Thursday, the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the greatest of all the Jewish feasts, Passover, with His disciples. This is what we know as the Last Supper. It was later that night, after the meal, as Jesus and His disciples were praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, that Jesus was arrested. On Friday He died on the cross at Calvary.
Two important events happened on this day that make it important:
First, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples and thereby instituted the Lord’s Supper, also called Communion (Luke 22:19-20).
Second, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as an act of humility and service, thereby setting an example that we should love and serve one another in humility (John 13:3-17).
As a matter of fact, the word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word for “command,” referring to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another.
It is a good thing to remember the Last Supper and Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. It is a good thing to remember the Lord’s example of humility. These are what make this day worthy of reflection.
It is also ironic that this year Maundy Thursday falls on April Fool’s Day. I am reminded of the words of Jim Elliot, the martyred missionary who said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” We recognize that a fool is one who refuses to bow his heart at the gracious sacrifice Jesus paid for us in order to gain everlasting life.
Blessings on you this Easter!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts March 18, 2010
“The Three Tenses of Salvation”
Part 2 – Sanctification
As we noted last week, the Bible refers to salvation in the past, present and future tenses. The words used to describe these three stages of salvation are Justification, Sanctification and Glorification:
•Justification (past) – We are saved from the penalty of sin
•Sanctification (present) – We are saved from the power of sin
•Glorification (future) – We are one day saved from the presence of sin
Justification is the foundation of salvation. Justification is a legal term meaning that,in a one time act, God declares your sin forgiven and you righteous (not guilty) in his presence. What a glorious joy this brings as we understand that justification is neither earned nor deserved; it is freely given to the pardoned sinner by grace through Christ’s atoning work on the cross! Salvation is of the Lord!
Ephesians 2:4-5 Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Sanctification, on the other hand, is not a one time act but a process wherein the newborn child of God is being conformed to the image of Christ. We are saved or delivered from the power that sin has over us. God has “set us apart” (the meaning of sanctification) to be a people who reflect his glory. It is God’s will that those who are justified also be growing in sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
How does God work in and with you to bring about this change? He uses the Word of God (the Bible) and the Spirit of God to transform our desires and, consequently our actions, so that they will be aligned with his character and will. Paul acknowledged God’s work in the lives of the early Christians, saying:
2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
As Christians, we realize shortly after we have been saved (justified) that there is a new inner battle being waged within us—a battle between our old sin-led nature and our new Spirit-led nature. Even though we have been “set apart” as God’s children, we continue to behave in ways that are contrary to the will of God. Paul described this struggle this way:
Galatians 5:17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
We all face different issues, we struggle with sin, and we may be hindered by past hurts of varying degrees—all of which may hamper our ability to live the life God desires for us. Once we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, the Holy Spirit starts a transformation process in us. He convicts us about areas that need to be changed and helps us to grow in holiness. We begin to view the world, people, and personal difficulties from a more biblical perspective. Our choices begin to be motivated by love and truth and not selfishness.
Daily confession of sin and ongoing cleansing is needed in this battle against sin. Our goal is to “live a life worthy of the Gospel” (Ephesians 4:1)
As we embrace our new identity as a child of God, we lean on his strength to sustains us. Paul calls this fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).
As Paul prayed for his people, so this is my prayer for you as we grow in our sanctification:
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
Next week – Glorification – the future tense of salvation.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts March 11, 2010
“The Three Tenses of Salvation”
Part 1 – Justification
I was recently invited to lead a noon time Bible Study at a nearby pharmaceutical company. I really enjoyed the opportunity to teach this diverse group who came together for mutual growth.
As part of our study we talked about the three tenses of salvation – past, present and future. It was helpful to them and I hope by sharing it, it will be helpful to you as well.
Here is the way it breaks out:
· Justification (past) – We are saved from the penalty of sin
· Sanctification (present) – We are saved from the power of sin
· Glorification (future) – We are one day saved from the presence of sin
Justification is the foundation of salvation. Justification is a legal term meaning that you are proclaimed righteous or innocent before a holy God. It is a one time event that occurs through initial repentance for our sins and faith in Christ.
How are we declared righteous? We have been declared righteous in God's eyes, on the basis of Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension. We were once enemies of God. Now we are at peace with God.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
The Bible says that we are now clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Galatians 3:27). Our record is expunged; our heart is renewed with ensuing changed lives showing the fruit of justification. You could say that, in justification, God goes from being our Judge to being our Father and with that comes assurance of our salvation.
Romans 4:24-25 God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Next week – Sanctification – the present tense of salvation.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts March 4, 2010
“On the Value of Memorials”
Joshua 4:1,2,6,7 - When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight…In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the
Memorials are important to the Lord. He knows that we are tempted to become earthbound with our day to day responsibilities and cares and forget that God is still at work in our world.
We have memorials (reminders of God’s providence) in our Christian faith. Christmas serves as a memorial of Jesus’ birth. Easter serves to remind us of his resurrection. Communion reminds us of Jesus’ past accomplishments and future promises. Baptism serves as a testimony of God’s faithfulness to us. We are encouraged to remember the significance of these things.
As I have been cleaning out my parent’s house, I have come across many memorials of God’s faithfulness in their lives as well. My father’s army uniform reminds me of his story of being stranded alone behind enemy lines overnight yet being rescued in the morning by fellow soldiers who took the time to look for him. I found love letters my mom wrote to my dad before they were married speaking about their future commitment to one another before God.
(I even found a third grade picture of me and am thankful for God’s faithfulness in letting me grow into my ears).
What memorials are precious in reminding you of God’s working in your life? I find it helpful to reflect on them as it lifts me out of the day to day dealings of life into an arena of thankfulness and a deeper appreciation for the Lord.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts February 18, 2010
“O, for Spring!”
Here we are in the midst of winter with the possibility of more snow on the way, and I am wondering how many of us are longing for the springtime. I know that it’s very pre-mature, but I need something to hope for here. While winter has its own beauty and the white Christmas was a nice touch, there are seven things I miss about spring.
1. Daylight — Even though these short winter days are getting longer, many of us leave the house for work and commute back home in the dark. Unless you are part bat, this gets old. Let’s hear it for longer daylight!
2. Color — Enough of our black and white world! Aren’t you looking forward to seeing green leaves, red and yellow flowers, pink buds? Let’s hear it for some color!
3. Smells — About the only smell you get in winter is when homeowners crank up their fireplaces to ward off the bitter cold. But spring has some great smells—flowers, freshly-mowed grass, and that aroma right after a heavy downpour that you just don’t get after a blizzard.
4. Outdoor activities — No offense to you skiers, but I want to be outside playing or walking or riding a bike or doing anything without Jack Frost nipping at my nose. Outside, you feel free. I’m tired of being cooped up (or Coopered up in my case).
5. People — I think I have neighbors but haven’t seen them since Christmas. Do they still live next door or did they move away as I was staying inside my own little world? I hope I still remember their names.
6. Open Windows — Aren’t windows meant to be opened? Don’t you miss a fresh warm breeze that begs you to stop for a moment and savor life? (as opposed to winter winds that make you dread mornings even more)
7. Less Clothing — Aren’t you sick of your winter coat? Your boots? Your gloves? Aren’t those sweaters that you seem to be wearing every other day getting out of shape? Enough of dressing like a mummy! Let’s hear it for shorts!
Yet in spite of my whining, I declare with the hymn writer—
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts February 11, 2010
"I Miss You, Honey"
(Alzheimer’s Second Victim)
Thanks so much for the positive and sympathetic responses to last week’s Thursday Thoughts concerning my dad and our family’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. I realized in writing that article that my sister and I were Alzheimer’s third victims in our family. The disease has also claimed a second victim – my mother.
My mother has been married to my father for fifty-eight years. She used to be married to a hard-working, fun-loving man who never gave her any reason to doubt his love for her. He was attentive to her and loved being married to her. That man has slowly disappeared.
Her once confident man is now confused and insecure. As the disease cunningly increased its stranglehold, he became more and more anxious and dependent upon her. For several years now, she has been more like his parent than his wife. She has sacrificed personal health, time with friends, and lonely nights caring for him at home.
Now, in the latter stages of the Alzheimer’s, her husband still recognizes her for an instant, then too soon withdraws back into a world she can only pretend to under-stand. Conversations are past. Now she sits and listens to him babble for as long as she can bear, then leaves him to the care of others. Tears are common to her now.
Four months ago she couldn’t imagine living apart from him. Now, in order to keep her own sanity, she has her own apartment and visits him regularly. She is developing her own life, her own friends, and her own hobbies. She does the best she can living single yet still married. She longs for yesterday and fears tomorrow.
She enjoys telling stories of her husband when he was young, strong, and dashing – stories of courage, kindness, and dependability. Those who listen are touched by her admiration and respect for the man who captured and held her heart.
She now dares to talk about how she wishes that it was all over – that she would no longer have to lose her man a little at a time. She has heard the horror stories of those who suffered strokes and lingered for another few years without being able to communicate at all. She keeps trying to trust God. (I have noticed that she talks about Him now more than ever.)
Her beloved husband turns ninety on March 1st. She doesn’t want to have a party for a man who no longer knows what birthdays are. She is just so glad that God will one day wipe these memories away and make her man anew.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts February 4, 2010
“I Miss You, Dad”
My dad is eighty-nine year old. He is one of approximately 5 million people in the
One comical memory that we have had in the last year occurred when my sister brought my parents to our church last Easter Sunday. My dad fell asleep during the sermon, then woke (after my mother prodded him) to say in a loud voice concerning the speaker – “Boy, he is longwinded!” (The speaker was me.)
The other day I went to visit my dad by myself. In the midst of once again realizing that my dad was still alive but not “with us” anymore, I said out loud to him, “I miss you, Dad.” There was no sign of understanding or any response from him. But, it felt cathartic to say it and it felt good to acknowledge the hollow feeling that now comes when I visit him.
I knew a woman who directed an Alzheimer’s Center. She told me once that when her Alzheimer’s residents get to the later stages and lose all their memory, people stop coming to visit them. Those who visit just can’t take the pain of losing their loved ones this way. I understand their pain.
Yet, the Bible says that I am to “Honor my father and mother” (Mark 7:10). It is very important to me that I be able to look into my father’s casket one day and say, “I have done what I could to honor my dad.”
I empathize with those of you who are seeking to honor your parents. Some of you are in the same boat I am – dealing with aging, infirmed parents. Those younger may be struggling to interact with parents who have serious defects in their character. No one can wound you like your family. I miss the dad I had. Some of you miss the dad or mom you never had.
May you find healing in talking to someone who can help ease your pain and seeking our God who is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18).
Blessings on you,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts January 21, 2010
“This Means War”
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
(Matthew 24:12-13)
When you were born you became the target of a real and dangerous enemy. This fact is true whether you are a Christian or not. We are living in a war zone. We didn’t start the fight. We will not end the fight. You and I don’t even want the fight.
Nevertheless, we have stepped right into the heat of an age-old battle which began long before you and I were ever born. Earth is the battleground, the war is waging and we have a sworn enemy whether we acknowledge it or not. This battle is called Spiritual Warfare. It is fought against the spiritual forces of evil.
Evil has a face. It is dangerous…dark…foreboding…deadly. Do you know how this force of evil operates? They are strong, they are cunning and they don’t take weekends off. And, if you are a follower of Christ, you are their most hated target.
It doesn’t matter if you and I want to be in a spiritual battle – we are in one! God desires to have a relationship with you and to have you reflect his glory. The enemy desires to crush that relationship and tarnish that glory and keep you from having a positive witness in this world.
"Sooner or later every believer discovers that the Christian life is a
battleground, not a playground, and that he faces an enemy
who is much stronger than he is—apart from the Lord."
Warren Wiersbe
· How do you feel that Satan is trying to trip you up now?
· What do you need to do to better equip yourself for the fight?
1 Peter 5:7-9 says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts January 14, 2010
“Help for
We are all shocked by the recent earthquake in
1) The EFCA is responding to the needs.
· We have started to initiate contacts with other partner ministries involved in the work in
· EFCA TouchGlobal is seeking to contact an EFCA church plant in
2) What can we, the
· Pray, especially for Absolan Joseph and the church plant in
· Give via www.touchglobal.org (click on donation link on that page) or donate to some other reputable organization.
· As the EFCA develops a plan, more information will follow.
3) Can we give stuff...not just money?
· The EFCA is not accepting clothing or shoes!!!! (If that avenue opens, we will call for a clothing drive).
· If you want to be a part of a rescue/recovery team you should contact the local chapter of the American Red Cross which is forming teams to go and give aid.
The shock and empathy that we all feel should result in compassion, prayer and the desire to show the love of Christ.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts January 7, 2010
“Baptism – An Act of Love and Obedience”
Montgomery Evangelical Free Church is hosting a baptism service on Sunday, February 21 during our 11:00 a.m. service. Why are we excited about this event?
What is the importance of baptism anyway?
Someone has said,
The work of the cross is God’s offer of life…Baptism shows our acceptance.
What is Baptism?
Baptism, according to the Bible and New Testament practice, is an outward demonstration and testimony of what has occurred inwardly in a believer's life. Baptism pictures a believer's identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
► Romans 6:3-5 - Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Baptism is a public statement that a person has come to Christ for forgiveness, wishes to identify with Christ and would like to publically testify of this commitment.
So baptism has two purposes. First, the believer is identifying with Christ, stating that he has trusted in Christ alone for salvation. Second, the believer is declaring to others that
he is now following Christ and will be loyal to Christ.
Why Should I Be Baptized?
Every believer should be baptized simply because Jesus commanded baptism.
► Matthew 28:19-20 - Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.
So, every believer should be baptized as an act of obedience to Christ. Baptism is also a wonderful opportunity for you to declare to family and friends your commitment to Christ.
When Should I Be Baptized?
Because baptism is an outward testimony of what has occurred inwardly, in scripture, regeneration (salvation) always comes before baptism (Acts 8:12, 36-38; 9:18;10:47), and baptism always follows belief. So, you must first come to faith in Christ and then, when you understand the significance of baptism you are ready to be baptized. In Scripture, baptism always follows right after salvation. (There is no long waiting period.)
Should My Child Be Baptized?
The baptism of children should be considered with two cautions. Because baptism is for believers, we want to be very certain the child is truly saved. Second, we would want to assure that the child accurately understands the meaning of baptism and
wants to be baptized. If these conditions are met, then the child should be baptized.
How Should I Be Baptized?
We believe Scripture teaches baptism by immersion. This means the person being baptized is fully immersed in the water. Immersion is supported by the common meaning of baptizo, the Greek word for baptism which means to immerse, submerse and emerge. This word was used for the process of dying a piece of cloth.
Immersion closely pictures the work of salvation (
Immersion also fits best with New Testament accounts of baptism which occurred in rivers (Matthew 3:6,16) where there was "much water" (John 3:23), and that individuals went "down into" and "up out of" the water (Acts 8:38-39).
Where Should I Be Baptized?
Scripture does not tell us where to be baptized, but because there were no church buildings, the New Testament practice was always to baptize in a public place. At MEFC we typically baptize in the church building, but we may also arrange for you to be baptized in a public place. Whichever place you prefer, it is important that your family, friends, and acquaintances feel comfortable attending. Because baptism is primarily for the purpose of communicating publically your identification with Christ, you want as many people to attend as possible. In some cases this may mean having it in a neutral, public location.
To sum up then, Baptism is a public statement that a person has come to Christ, wishes to identify with Christ and would like to publically testify of this commitment.
► Acts 22:16 - And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts, December 31, 2009
Ways to Keep Those New Year’s Resolutions
One young boy asked his father what his New Year’s resolution was, and his
father said, “I am going to do everything possible in the new year to make your
mother very happy.”
The boy asked his mother what hers was, and she said, “To do everything
possible in the new year to make sure your father keeps his resolution.”
New Year's Eve is one of those few days in the year when just about everybody is thinking about the same thing – reflecting on and taking inventory of our lives. There's something dramatic about counting down the old year while welcoming in a new year and its call to a fresh start, a new beginning, a renewed purpose.
Resolutions are good. To be resolute is to be steadfast about something. Keeping those resolutions steadfastly is the hard part.
People change when they have to/want to, know how to, and are held accountable for their change.
Ask yourself, how badly do I want to change something that I have the power to change? Is some habit in your life becoming unmanageable? Causing you shame? Hurting others? How much do you hate the habit that is weighing you down?
It is helpful to make a list of the reasons you want to change and the positive outcomes of your change. For instance, if I become more organized I will be less stressed, more reliable, and generally easier to live with. Keeping these reasons and positive outcomes before you strengthens your resolve.
Next ask, “How do I change?” Most people falter here. They don’t know how to change; therefore they don’t move past their good intentions. For instance, if you want to start reading the Bible consistently, to lose weight, to schedule your life better, or to work a financial budget, get help! Find out step by step how to accomplish your goal. You can read a book on the subject or go to someone who is already doing it and ask for help.
Follow the theory of replacement. Replacement says, “not this but this.” Old habits die hard unless they are replaced with better habits.
Third, tell someone who loves you but is not overly impressed with you to keep you accountable. (A friend who is a former drill sergeant comes in handy here). Call him when you are weak. Have him ask you the tough questions and be prepared to come clean. The more people who know about your resolution, the more people there'll be to prod you if you fall behind (remember this was your idea – not theirs). Having to face another’s frown or smile goes a long way to helping us change.
This is scriptural. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed (James 5:16). It takes a brave and humble person to confess his or her sin, but confession promotes growth.
Remember, you have an enemy within you who wants to love and worship itself and hold you back from growing in good and godly things (Romans 7:21). But God has given us his Spirit that we may overcome evil.
As the writer of Hebrews put it, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). When we see Jesus cheering us on to victory, our lives take on a new meaning.
May you and I have a better New Year!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts December 17, 2009
Who Do You Say That I Am?
That question is just as crucial today as when Jesus raised it over two thousand years ago – "What about you? Who do you say I am?"
People may respond with different answers which run the gamut from a great moral teacher like Buddha, Confucius, or the Dalai Lama to some great prophet like Mohammed. The various opinions may be confusing but what we say about Jesus really matters. As someone has pointed out, "What you say about Jesus affects your entire worldview. If you see Jesus differently, everything changes."
Jesus’ question, "Who do you say that I am?" is an invitation for a changed heart, a changed perspective, a changed life and a changed destiny. Jesus made amazing claims about both himself and his mission in life (and death):
•"All power in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matt. 28:18).
•"I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6).
•"From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God" (Luke 22:69).
•"I give [my followers] eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one" (John 10:28-30)
•"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die…"
(John11:25)
•"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" (John 16:33).
Legend, Lunatic, Liar, or Lord and GOD?
These are just some of the claims Jesus made. Clearly, this was no mere "moral teacher" speaking. Jesus is either God or something else.
C.S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity, writes the following:
"I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [Jesus Christ]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say.
A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse….
You can shut him up for fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to."
"What about you? Who do you say I am?"
When Jesus asked, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." Jesus blessed Peter for his correct answer, saying, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven!"
As our Heavenly Father reveals his Son to you, may you know the correct answer as well – and be blessed.
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts December 10, 2009
This week I wanted to share with you some poignant quotes about Christmas and the birth of Christ. I hope that they bless you as they have blessed me:
“Jesus did not only come to make God’s love possible,
but to make God’s love visible.”
Source Unknown
" I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses."
Taylor Caldwell
Henry VanDyke
"To perceive Christmas through its wrapping becomes more difficult with every year."
E.B. White
The only blind person at Christmastime
is he who has not Christmas in his heart.
Helen Keller
Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child
Chris Rice
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts - November 5, 2009
“Blessed Are the Peacemakers!”
| N |
ow PEACEMAKING is a divine work. For peace means reconciliation and God is the author of peace and of reconciliation. . . . It is hardly surprising, there-fore, that the particular blessing which attaches to peacemakers is that "they shall be called sons of God." For they are seeking to do what their Father has done, loving people with his love.
John R. W. Stott
I know a quip which goes:
To dwell above with saints we love,
Oh, that will be glory
But to dwell below with saints we know,
Well, that’s a different story.
Most people want peace. Isn’t that true? In war-torn countries, in broken marriages, in families where there's strife and contention, in the church which is called to be the family of God, in all sorts of relationships, emotionally healthy people want peace.
In Romans 14:19 Paul wrote, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” As children of God, we have a great responsibility to follow after and do those things which promote harmony in our homes, workplaces, and the church. As Christians, God has called us to be the peacemakers and not the warmongers and strife-makers in this world.
Think this is optional for a Christ follower? Consider these “one another” passages:
· Romans 15:7 − Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
· 1 Corinthians 1:10 − I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
· Ephesians 4:2 − Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:32 − Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
· 1 Thessalonians 5:15 − Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
· James 4:11 − Brothers, do not slander one another.
· 1 Peter 3:8 − Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
· 1 Peter 4:8 − Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
God has provided a procedure for making peace in his church. It is found in Matthew 18. Verse 1 says, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
It does not say, “Go gossip about and slander your brother or sister in Christ.” It does not say, “Go hold a grudge and take communion in an unworthy manner, risking the Lord’s discipline in your life.”
If the devil can attack a church through disunity, he will willingly do so. In every church there are misunderstandings, bad decisions, and people at different levels of spiritual maturity. How we handle it when we are offended says so much more about us than we can imagine.
We all need to ponder this warning given to us by the Apostle Peter:
"Whoever would love life and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
1 Peter 3:10-12
May God help us to pursue peace and be known as peacemakers!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts - October 29, 2009
Rotten Bananas
Hello, Readers! Today’s Thursday Thoughts is kindly provided by Ann Reimer who also furnishes us with an introduction to both the writer and the event which unfolds as you read. I hope that you are blessed as you read on!
From Ann: supply give
Some people have a gift for seeing extraordinary lessons in every day events. My dear friend, Kari Hestand, is one of these people. A few weeks ago, we enjoyed a wonderful visit together in her home in
I hope her wisdom and insight will bring you a special blessing, too.
| T |
he sheets in the spare bedroom were freshly changed, the kitchen counters and stove thoroughly scrubbed, the furniture dusted and polished - all in eager anticipation of Annie's arrival. Following her flight from
As the little silver rental car pulled up at our front curb, I could hardly contain myself. I ran down the driveway and around to the driver's side door to give her a hug as soon as she stepped out. Arm in arm, we chatted easily as we approached the front door. Upon entering my home, I suddenly remembered the pair of grossly overripe bananas still nesting comfortably in my fruit bowl. I had meant to dispose of them but the thought had slipped my mind. It was too late now. Annie had just walked into my kitchen and she noticed the decaying fruit immediately. I was embarrassed, to say the least...yet, Annie seemed strangely pleased.
"Oh good, you have black bananas!" she said enthusiastically, her face beaming.
"Yeah, I forgot to throw them out," I admitted, a little stunned by her reaction. "No, we're not going to throw them out. We're going to use them," she said with confidence.
Gifted in the culinary arts, Annie had brought some of her favorite recipes to share with us during her visit. Chocolate banana cake was at the top of her list. The next morning she took the ugly black bananas I had gladly surrendered and set to work creating her masterpiece. In no time at all, the kitchen was filled with the sweet aroma of the baking confection. The heavenly scent wafted lazily through the air, gradually permeating each room of our house.
Moments later, the delectable brown cupcakes were cooling on the counter. The transformation was complete, the result incredible. We enjoyed the scrumptious treats throughout the rest of her three-day stay. I'm so glad I didn't throw those bananas away.
Joel 2:25 says, "....I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten...." Our God can do the impossible. He can breathe new life into hopeless situations. He can take anything and make it new again. He wastes nothing. The things of our life that we consider worthless and useless, those things from our past that cause us embarrassment and shame, those things we try to hide and wish we could forget - those are the very things that He receives enthusiastically, His face beaming.
Those are the things He wants most from us. Those are the things of which He says, "No, we're not going to throw them out. We're going to use them." He can take the 'black bananas' of our life and turn them into an incredible masterpiece, but first...we have to give Him the bananas. He will not take them from our hands, we must offer them willingly. He longs to redeem us and restore us. He wants to heal us and renew us. But, the choice is ours. It is a matter of surrender. Will you trust Him with your 'black bananas'?
kdh
Thursday Thoughts October 22, 2009
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
Matthew 5:44-45
Greg Laurie, noted pastor and evangelist, shares the following:
My mother was married and divorced seven times. I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with several of my mother's husbands, including Oscar Laurie, the man who adopted me. He came to faith in Christ, and I was very thankful for that. However, there was another husband of hers whom I will call Eddie. He was an alcoholic and almost killed my mother one night when he was drunk.
After I became a Christian, I sensed that God wanted me to share the gospel with Eddie. But I didn't really want to. I thought, He is a bad man, and I don't want to talk to him again. I don't want to see him again. But I went anyway. And I would like to say that it was a glorious experience and that he got down on his knees and accepted Christ. But I can't say that. He listened to me. He was nice. He was pleasant about it and said, "Well, you know I am glad this has happened for you, Greg." I invited him to come and hear me preach, but he again said no.
There may be someone like that in your life who has hurt you, someone who has disappointed you. And you think because of that, you don't ever want to talk to them again, much less care if they come to Christ or not. But as believers, we are to overcome our personal prejudices and hang-ups. And instead of saying, "Never, Lord," we need to say, "Yes, Lord!" Be willing. See what God will do. They may react like Eddie. Or they may react like Oscar.
Maybe there is even someone right now whom you regard as an enemy. What can you do? God says that we are to be peacemakers who show the Gospel, not just those who react to those around us, treating them as they treat us. I know that it is hard to love the unlovable. God knows that even better as he spends all day reaching out to a world that hates him.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts October 8, 2009
God Knows Your Name
I pulled off the internet famous people who changed their names:
- Reginald Kenneth Dwight - Elton John
- Caryn Elaine Johnson - Whoopi Goldberg
- Nathan Birnbaum - George Burns
- Robert Allen Zimmerman - Bob Dylan
- Demetria Gene Guynes - Demi Moore
- Jennifer Anastassakis – Jennifer Aniston
- Allen Konigsberg - Woody Allen
- Frances Gumm - Judy Garland
- The Three Stooges - Harry Horwitz (Moe), Louis Feinberg (Larry), Jerry Horowitz (Curly)
- Walter Willison – Bruce Willis
Whatever your name may be, the most important thing to remember is that, as a child of God we are to “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). God knows your name. Even more than that, He knows your heart and all your needs. The following is one of my favorite praise songs.
I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands
I have a Father
He calls me His own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call. (Tommy Walker)
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts September 24, 2009
What Unites All Believers
Over 250 years ago, two prominent theologians and pastors met to discuss their views. One was Charles Simeon, the pastor of the
Simeon believed in eternal security; Wesley did not. Simeon sought to bridge the gap in their theologies so that they could enjoy fellowship together based upon common ground. What follows is truly what unites all believers: *
Simeon’s question: Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved that you would never have thought of turning to God, if God had not first put it into your heart?
Wesley’s response: Yes, I do indeed.
Simeon: And do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God by anything you can do; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?
Wesley: Yes, solely through Christ.
Simeon: But, Sir, supposing you were at first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?
Wesley: No, I must be saved by Christ from first to last.
Simeon: And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto His heavenly kingdom?
Wesley: Yes, I have no hope but in Him.
Simeon’s response: Then, Sir . . . instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things where in we agree.
May God give us the same spirit of conciliation as we unite around the common “task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace” (Acts 20:24).
Thankful for God’s amazing grace,
Pastor Brian
*source: http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog September 24, 2 009
Thursday Thoughts September 10, 2009
Rally Day
This will be my first Rally Day at MEFC and I am looking forward to it! I got to thinking, “What does the word “rally” mean?” According to the dictionary, the word “rally” is a combination of two words. The first word is “re” which means “again.” The second word is “ally” which means “to bond together.”
So Rally Day is a great time to bond people together and inspire them to renew their commitment to three things:
A Common Passion
Luke 10:27 - You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. (This is the Great Commandment.)
A Common Purpose
Matthew 28:18-19 – Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (This is the Great Commission.)
A Common Power
Acts 1:8 - You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Something to think about - "If fifty percent of adults in attendance at weekly worship services in your congregation have four characteristics – worship, fellowship, spiritual formation/study, and ministry, then you have the right number of disciples to provide leadership, to engage in ministry and service, to grow and mature spiritually as a congregation, and the potential also to grow numerically." George Barna
“Nothing lasts but Christ and his Church.” Let’s rally around Christ and his cause!
See you Sunday,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts September 3, 2009
When People (Including Christians) Clash
Why do people clash? In every disagreement there is more than one viewpoint. A viewpoint is how we see things – how we interpret events. A disagreement is a conflict that involves opposing points of view.
One person views the issue from one perspective while the other party views it from another perspective, both of which involve some degree of subjectivity. As someone has wisely said, “There are two sides to every story … and then, there is the truth.” Neither side is fully accurate! The key to solving conflicts is understanding and respecting the other person’s viewpoint or perspective.
What Gives Us Our Perspective?
Why do we see things in certain ways?
1. Past experiences, both positive and negative, form our viewpoint. If someone has a good experience in a situation, his or her viewpoint about that situation will probably be positive. If the person’s experience is bad, then his or her viewpoint will be negative.
2. Principles – principles are personal laws of truth or conduct. To some, being late is no big deal. To others, it is a sign of rudeness. Since opposites attract, tardiness can lead to many arguments.
Other principles are defined in the Bible as sins, such as lying or stealing, and should not be tolerated.
3. Personalities – One person is more driven while another is more laid back, leading the first person to think that the second one is lazy while the second person thinks the first is “wrapped too tight.”
Extroverts get their strength from being with people while introverts gain strength from being alone. See how these two can clash when put together?
4. Preferences/Passions – Preferences are choices that we favor. We prefer one thing over another. When desires move beyond preferences, they become passions. A passion is any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling. We feel passions deeply. Someone may be passionate about exercise or work or a hobby. If another person does not share the same preferences or passions, both individuals need to be understanding and to compromise or else the sparks can fly.
If sports fans are passionate and their team loses, they may be depressed for
two days. I knew a man who was angry or depressed until Wednesday if the Giants lost on Sunday. That’s passion!
When conflicts arise, both parties need to calmly acknowledge and discuss each individual’s perspective. That will help both parties understand the source of the disagreement.
Understanding another person’s past experiences, principles, personality, and preferences enables us to see situations from another perspective and promotes reconciliation.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts August 27, 2009
Ten Pounds by Christmas
I am starting a new club. This one has no meetings and no dues. It is just a group of us that need a goal – to lose ten pounds by Christmas. A few years ago I suffered a sport’s related injury and gained ten pounds during the next six months of healing – ten pounds that have never gone away, even though I regularly exercise. So it’s time to declare war!
We are told that extra weight adds undo pressure on the knees and other body parts. (A friend of mine, who was complaining of a bad back, was told recently by his doctor, “Rich, the trouble with your back is your front. Lose thirty pounds and your back problem will take care of itself!”)
So, my goal is to lose ten pounds by Christmas (I would actually like to lose fifteen but I will settle for ten). Here is my strategy:
· I will read the book, Lose It for Life, by Steve Arterburn, subtitled, "The Total Solution--Spiritual, Emotional, Physical--for Permanent Weight Loss." His book provides very practical steps for weight loss. (Some have recommended Weight Watchers, which is certainly a viable alternative, but I am more familiar with Arterburn, a Christian counselor).
· I will stop making my greatest mistake – overestimating the amount of calories I burn in a normal day while underestimating the amount of calories I consume. Keeping a journal will help me record my eating patterns.
· I will focus on the Scripture, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Focusing on who God is rather than focusing on food will prevent me from making food too important in my life or taking it too casually.
Anybody else want to join the club? I could use the accountability. Email me and let me know (BCooper@MEFC.org).
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts August 20, 2009
ALS – A Living Saint
At a recent funeral, I addressed an audience which included many skeptics who may have been wondering why God (if he existed) would allow such heartache as ALS in the world. What follows is a rough draft of the message that many prayed into existence. I hope that it will be helpful to you as well.
Welcome and Invocation:
On behalf of her immediate family and her church family, we want to welcome you to this service of remembrance of Kathleen Curry Santye, affectionately known as Casey.
Casey, once a vibrant woman , succumbed to ALS—a progressive neuro-degenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease,” literally means “no muscle nourishment.” Because there was no muscle nourishment, Casey lost the use of her legs and eventually her hands until about the only thing she could do at the end was talk. Thank God she could still do that because her greatest fear was not being able to communicate with those she loved.
As I think about the nine months I knew Casey and the many times I talked with her, I don’t want the initials ALS to refer to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. I want ALS to stand for something else when I connect them to Casey. I want ALS to stand for – A Loving Santye.
Casey had convictions—convictions about God and who he was that gave her two things: Courage and Kindness
First Meditation: “Who Is God and How Does He Reveal Himself to Us?”
Three Views of the World
“We are alone” – this is the atheistic/materialistic view and the one screaming loudest for our attention these days. There is no god, no higher being, no future, no hope, just here and now.
“We are not alone but are unnoticed and unloved” – Einstein held this view. Looking through both his telescope and his microscope he saw the intricate designs of this world. Moreover he also saw a reasonable universe with laws that stood the test of time. He concluded, “We can’t be alone. Such intelligent design must point to a “mind” superior to ours! Yet because he saw all the troubles in the world (particularly for the Jews since he was a Jew), he concluded that this superior intelligence must be detached and morally neutral.
“We are not alone and we are noticed and loved” – This is the Christian view which says three things about God that are central to our faith.
· God is big – the Bible calls him “Almighty.” God reveals himself through creation, Christ and his Spirit.
· God is good – Jesus, full of grace and truth (John 1), demonstrated the love of God through his life and his death for our sins.
· God is mysterious, making faith necessary – God’s plan is often hidden from us (Deut. 29:29). Ravi Zacharias put it like this: “God has given us enough evidence of himself to make faith credible, yet left enough out to make faith necessary.”
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Second Meditation: “Who Are We in Light of God?”
Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
Humanity is God’s highest creation, made in the image of God. This explains our innate desires for love, justice, mercy, and peace.
Yet the Bible tells us that we are flawed compared to this God. God is holy, holy, holy (Isaiah 6:3). When the Bible wants to draw our attention to something, it will sometimes repeat a word for emphasis. Jesus would say, “Truly, truly I say unto you…” indicating that what he was about to say was of critical importance. Elsewhere (Genesis 14), the Bible speaks of a man falling into a pit. It must have been a big pit because the Bible refers to it as a pit, pit. It wasn’t just a pit. It was the pit of all pits!
The words, “holy, holy, holy”, repeated three times mean that God is absolutely holy. He cannot look on evil or let it go unpunished. God hates death more than we do. He hates cancer and ALS and women and children being molested and all the other things that go along with this cursed and fallen world. Here is our trouble. God is holy, holy, holy. We are not, not, not. Therefore, we are under the judgment of God.
Third Meditation: “What Has God Done for Us That We Can Stand Before Him?”
There has never been a birth like Christ’s. There has never been a life like Christ’s—healing the sick, raising the dead, and telling us deep truths about God. Christ’s is God’s remedy for our sin.
Romans 5:8 God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 3:17-18 I pray that you…may have power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…
Because Casey believed in Jesus’ sacrifice for her sins, we could describe her this way - ALS – A Loving Saint. And because of Jesus’ promise of resurrection, Casey is more alive now than she ever was in this life. She is free of pain, of heartache, of the trials of this world. She is with her Savior whom she loves. That’s why we could also label Casey with a different type of ALS --A Living Saint. Casey is now fully alive!
What about you? You do well in college, get a job, and then what? You get married and raise a family and then what? You retire and then what? Eventually you too will die. And then what? What will happen to you? God answered the question of “and then what” through Jesus who died for our sins so that we may be forgiven and promised eternal life. Do you want that? Do you want what Casey had? Do you need conviction in a God who is a big, holy, yet loving God?
That is the Good News that Casey loved and longed for you all to hear!
Rejoicing in God’s promises with you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts August 6, 2009
Thursday Thoughts
August 6, 2009
“Messy Spirituality”
Let’s talk about messy spirituality, a phrase that comes from a book of the same title by Mike Yaconelli. The title is intriguing because that’s what spirituality this side of heaven can be - messy, not seamless and pristine, but blemished up and down. Why is that?
Let me give you a few reasons:
• Spiritual people are unfinished people. I wish that it weren’t the case but that’s reality. We are not fully sanctified yet, which means we are presently unfinished, incomplete, imperfect, in progress, under construction, etc.
A spiritual person knows this. He/she can relate to Paul’s struggle in Romans 7: 21-23 - “When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind.”
God begins a good work in us that will never be finished until we meet Jesus face to face. (Philippians 1:6-7) That is not to take our sin lightly. The healthiest spiritual people I know are those who wrestle with their unfinishedness.
• Spiritual people are needy people. No one is a self-made Christian. Our Sunday morning services are not set up for self-exaltation, but to be settings of grace. Spiritual people humbly recognize that they need God’s ongoing grace in their lives to overcome their flaws.
Because we are all needy, Paul wrote to the church, “Encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Someone has said it like this, “The church is not full of perfect people, but imperfect people who are seeking to follow a perfect God.” Let’s continue to be seekers!
From one “Messy” to another,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts July 30, 2009
Why I Love VBS!
Here we are in the midst of the most tiring yet fulfilling week of the year - VBS! Our workers are mobilized and have been doing a great job all week of ministering to over 180 children from our church and community.
It is exciting to know that in the midst of arts and crafts, recreation, snacks, and a full day of lessons, these VBS troopers are being reminded again and again of the message of the Gospel. We're simply planting seeds and trying to cultivate fruit. Sowing and reaping. That's what it's all about.
Here's what I love about VBS:
- The Quality of the Program - Have you seen the church and all its decorations? Have you had children bring home the Bible verse or sing our VBS songs? From start to finish, I am very impressed at the efforts put into making VBS a first rate event!
- Teamwork - At MEFC, we need lots of volunteers to make VBS happen. I think it's great when a church works together as an intergenerational team. From the leaders to the teachers to the singers to the guides to the recreation team to the snack and decorating teams, everyone makes VBS happen. For some it's their first step of ministering here at MEFC, and I pray that their experience is as good as mine has been.
- Reaching Out to Our Community - Our VBS program has a good reputation. We realize that it is an important church program - an introduction to our church for many newcomers - so we give it the time and budget it deserves. Because it is always held the same week each summer, many families automatically include it in their summer plans.
Great Snacks - I have been amazed at the treats that the children have had this week, from grilled cheese to chicken nuggets and corn on the cob. The staff even provides a snack room full of tasty food and drinks just for us volunteer workers.
But truthfully, the reason VBS has a special place in my heart is my own experience as a boy. It was the highlight of my summers, and I can still remember many of the games, the crafts, and the stories told by people now in heaven who showed me the love of Jesus.
Thanks to all who make VBS possible!
Pastor Brian
P.S. Thursday's Thoughts Asks...
If you could select a subject to study, what would you choose? It could be an academic class (like a study in John or biblical history) or the study of a specific skill (like relationships or budgeting). Tell us your desires, and we will see if we can meet that need through a special seminar or our Sunday morning adult electives.
Thursday Thoughts July 23, 2009
The attached free verse poem was written by a twenty year old and shared at a recent retreat. It is worth sharing with you.
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
Unchangeable
Should not I praise You, for indeed Your mercies are still new every morning
Even when I desire something that I do not possess,
Should I not praise You, for You indeed do not withhold any good thing from Your children
Even when I feel confused and uncertain of where to go, can I not rest in the promise that when my trust is in You and as I come before You, that
You will indeed make my paths straight
When I lack motivation and a sense of purpose,
Can I not exalt Your name, for You know the plans You have for me and they are good and prosperous
When I feel so alone I could crumble,
Can I not thank You, for You tell me there is no where I can go from Your Spirit; there is
no where I can flee from Your presence
When I finally come to my end and realize that everything without You is meaningless,
Can I not praise You, for I have all that will ever matter in Christ Jesus; I am the daughter
of the King!
For my situations
Do not change Your mercies
For what I think my heart desires, does not change Your goodness and love
For my lack of understanding does not change Your clear path
For when I can’t find my purpose, it does not change that You are a purposeful God
When I feel vulnerable and alone, it does not change that You are faithful and always by my side
Even though I may think I can find something or need something in this world to complete me, it does not change that You alone can fill me O God
I am the changing ~ You are the unchangeable
Thurday Thoughts July 16, 2009
Watch Those Words!
Matthew 12:35-37
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
The tongue is an amazing organ. The tongue, like the heart, is almost all muscle; unlike the routine and repetitive contractions of the heart, though, the tongue is capable of precise, complicated, and elaborate movements which form words – lots and lots of words.
We speak a tremendous number of words a day. It has been estimated that from the first ‘good morning’ to the last ‘good night,’ the average person engages in 30 conversations a day; some of you average more than that, some of you, less. Statisticians have estimated that each of us will spend 13 years of our life talking. Somebody calculated that we probably put together a 54 page book every day. (In a year, we would probably produce about sixty-six 800 page books.)
Irishman Kevin Cheenham, of Limerick, Pennsylvania, in 1955, set a world record for nonstop talking. He talked nonstop for 133 hours. His record was broken by Tim Hardy of Minnesota; in 1975, he talked non-stop for 144 hours. Then there was Mrs. Mary Davis, who started talking in Buffalo, New York, and stopped in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 110 hours later.
Words are what we do. It’s part of the human experience. But, as Matthew 12:35-37 says, words can be good or evil. Why are some marriages stable while others are blowing up right before our eyes? Why are some relation-ships good while others are absolute war zones? Isn’t part of the problem the use or misuse of words?
Everyone’s heart is a storehouse, and what is stored there will spill out of his/her mouth. As the Lord says, you can see a person’s heart by what comes out of his or her mouth.
What’s coming out of your mouth these days?
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts July 2, 2009
“Guard Your Heart – Part 2”
Patrolman Tom Garrison was making a routine traffic stop—or so he thought. After he pulled a car over, Garrison approached the car in which three men sat. As he was waiting for the driver to hand over his license and registration, Garrison saw electronic equipment (DVDs) stacked in the back seat. "Where did you get those DVD players?" he asked. That's when all three men got out. The first attacked Garrison with a knife. While the officer was wrestling with him, a second man pulled a handgun and shot twice. The first bullet struck the officer in the stomach and knocked him off balance. When the second hit his chest, Garrison was flung to the ground.
The three men jumped back into their car and sped away, thinking that they had made a clean getaway. But they thought wrong. Before they were even out of sight, Officer Garrison stood up, ran back to his car, and put out an all points bulletin. He was shaken up and bruised, but unwounded.
That morning Garrison had put on one of the department's bullet-proof vests. Garrison had not been wearing it regularly because it was such as nuisance—it was heavy and made him sweat. But that day had been cool, so Garrison had worn the vest all day. At that critical moment, it saved his life by guarding his vital organs, including his heart.
As we saw in last week’s Thursday Thoughts, God warns in Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
Biblically, your heart is your inner self that thinks, feels, and decides.
It’s the real you--the authentic you. And it’s the wellspring or the source from which all else flows. You live your life out of what the Bible calls your heart. Scripture clearly teaches us that the real issues of life are matters of the heart.
Why do I have to guard this heart of mine? If the heart gets corrupted, everything else will suffer: you, your family, your relationship with God, your emotions, everything.
What is the condition of your heart? Should you follow the example of the psalmist who saw his need and prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 KJV)?
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
Thursday (Saturday) Thoughts June 27, 2009
Thursday Thoughts
(Or, in this case, due to a computer problem,
Saturday’s Supposition)
June 27, 2009
“Guard Your Heart”
This past week’s news has been a tabloid writer’s heaven! Jon and Kate Gosselin are calling it quits, Governor Mark Sanford, a rumored 2012 presidential contender, is now trying to put his life back together.
Sadly, both the Gosselins and Governor Mark Sanford profess faith in Christ – something the press has also pointed out. I am reminded of Steve Green’s song “Guard Your Heart’ whose words go like this:
What appears to be a harmless glance
Can turn to romance
And homes are divided
Feelings that should never have been
Awaken within
Tearing the heart in two
Listen, I beg of you!
Guard your heart, Guard your heart
Don't trade it for treasure
Don't give it away
Guard your heart, Guard your heart
As a payment for pleasure
It's a high price to pay
For a soul that remains sincere
With a conscience clear
Guard your heart
The human heart is easily swayed
And often betrayed
At the hands of emotion
We dare not leave the outcome to chance
We must choose in advance
Or live with the agony
Such needless tragedy
For a soul that remains sincere
With a conscience clear
Guard your heart.
This song is based upon Proverbs 4:23: Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life. The point is this – the condition of our heart influences the quality of our lives.
Jesus put it this way, “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Matthew 15:19:19).
Every one of us faces temptation. Every one of us is susceptible to our hearts leading us astray. The wise person will know that and
consider the consequences of his/her choices.
In his book on parenting entitled “Shepherding a Child’s Heart”, Ted Tripp advises us to help our children become more aware of what is going on inside – at the motivation level. He encourages us to ask our children, when they act out in some inappropriate manner, this question – “What is going on in your heart right now?” By asking this question, children must face the ugliness of their own hearts, a motivation to help them repent and deal with their attitudes and consequent actions.
Perhaps that question shouldn’t only be asked of children. We all need to be asking ourselves that question as well when temptation comes our way, “What is going on in my heart right now?”
Guard your heart!
Pastor Brian
P.S. Beginning this Sunday, we are going through a series entitled “Choices”. It is a study in the book of Proverbs. The topic of guarding your heart will be one of our themes.
Thursday Thoughts June 18, 2009
"Life Is a Journey"
Many of us will be going on a journey this summer. We will be driving or flying to some destination to discover and explore new places.
Our life is a spiritual journey as well. The first part of our journey begins with our calling. God, through his Spirit calls us on this journey of walking through life with him. Our spiritual journey starts with a belief in a God who has chosen to reveal himself in and through his Son, Jesus. The journey begins as we give our lives to Jesus, our Savior, so that we may "walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received" (Ephesians 4:1).
The Christian life is not a one-time event of accepting Jesus, after which nothing more is required of us. After we come to believe in Christ, we are called and required to go on a spiritual journey with our Lord.
- A journey involves our whole being - We don't send part of our bodies on a journey while the other parts stay home. All our parts are involved-our feet, hands, hearts, and minds are committed to the journey (Matthew 22:27).
- A journey means that there will be changes - A journey requires leaving our comfort zone and experiencing new things. The Baseball expression is true - "You'll never steal second if you're not willing to get off first."
- A journey means that there are uncertainties ahead - A journey provides both good times (seeing new sights) and unexpected hard times (the car breaks down). We don't know what we will face through life, but God does and he has promised to walk with us right to the very end of this age (Matthew 28:20).
Paul would say it this way: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).
The journey may have its rough and its smooth times but in the end, walking with Jesus will be worth every step!Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts June 11, 2009
“I Needed Clothes and You Clothed Me”
Jesus Christ
(Matthew 25:36)
I wish you could have been with us when we dropped the clothes off at the
We met several of the Liberian refugees, fellow believers in Christ, who have been assimilated into that church. As you can imagine, refugees often come with bare-bone necessities, displaced from their homelands and leaving behind homes, careers, and loved ones for whom they are concerned. Some were teachers, others were engineers, and all of them are seeking asylum from the war torn chaos that now exists in
Why are we seeking to bless these people? Because Jesus’ challenge to help people in crisis rings in our ears:
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came and visited me…I tell you the truth, what-ever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 26: 35-36, 40).
They needed clothes and we clothed them. It’s as simple as that and we should be glad that we blessed others!
Thankful to be on the same team with you--
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts June 4th
“Here I Am to Worship”
Worship is both our greatest privilege and our greatest need. Take, for example, the following quotes:
"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped."
Jack Hayford
"'A glimpse of God will save you. To gaze at Him will sanctify you."
Manley Beasley
"We only learn to behave ourselves in the presence of God."
C. S. Lewis
Someone has described worship this way:
Worship is my response to what I value most.
What I value most is God.
I was made by Him and for Him.
He is awesome beyond comprehension.
I exist for the purpose of reflecting back to God his matchless glory.
I will exalt him with my mouth and with my life
for he is my hope, my joy, my strength, and my salvation.
When Jesus was tempted by the devil to put the idols of this world ahead of God, His response demonstrated how vital true worship was:
Luke 4:5-8 - The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"
We worship God for a variety of reasons including his power, holiness and goodness. But the most dynamic kind of worship is based upon our relationship with Him. J.I. Packer summed up our relationship to God with these words:
What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways,
but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has
God for his father...
If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity,
find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child,
and having God as his father.
If this thought does not prompt and control his worship and his prayers
and his whole outlook on life,
it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.
For everything that Christ taught,
everything that makes the New Testament better than the old…
is summed up in the knowledge of the fatherhood of God.
“Father” is the Christian name for God.
How much of your worship is inspired by the fact that the God of the universe also chooses to be your Father? A lot? A little? Please consider the great and wondrous privilege you have to worship your Father as a child of God.
From one of the King’s Kids!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts, May 28, 2009
What’s On Your Epitaph?
Juliet, in William Shakespeare’s famous play, “Romeo and Juliet,” utters these famous words, “Parting is such sweet sorrow”. In other words, because the memories are so sweet, so precious, it makes the parting even more painful – even more sorrowful.
Apparently, however, parting is not so sorrowful for some people. Take for example, this grave stone from
Here lies
Ezekiel Aikle
Age 102
The Good Die Young
This next one from
Anna Wallace
The children of
And the Lord sent them manna;
Old Mr. Wallace wanted a wife,
And the devil sent him Anna
Anna must have been quite a strong-willed person.
Here’s one from
I put my wife beneath this stone
For her sweet rest and for my own.
One doesn’t quite know how to take this next one:
Here lies the body of Harry Proctor
Who never took time to call the Doctor:
He couldn't stay, he had to go
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
And one more from outside of
Gone, but not forgiven.
These people obviously left their loved ones with some unresolved conflicts. I am reminded of the words of Paul in Romans 12:18 – “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
God expects us to be peacemakers, not peace breakers. What are the qualifications that Paul says are necessary to be a peacemaker?
- “If it is possible” – There are some people you try to make peace with, but it just doesn’t seem possible. You have tried everything and you just can’t succeed. Why? Because it takes two to make peace, doesn't it?
- “As far as it depends on you” – We are not to be the troublemakers. We are not to be the grudge bearers. Check your attitude before the Lord. Stop pointing the finger at the other person long enough to see if God is pointing the finger at you.
So if it's possible, as much as it depends on you, be at peace with one another.
In Christ,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts May 21, 2009
The Value of Memorials
As Memorial Day draws near and we remember those who've died in war, I have been thinking about the value of memorials. The dictionary defines a memorial as something that commemorates a person or an event, “lest we forget.” We celebrate Memorial Day lest we forget the sacrifice many soldiers made on behalf of our country.
God values memorials as well. God commanded that the names of the twelve tribes of
When you think about it, each of us has personal memorials (either pictures, plaques, awards, or a gift) that are meaningful to us. We put them on our walls or on our coffee tables as precious reminders of people and events in our lives.
One of my most precious memorials is a book – in fact, a Bible. This Bible was given to me by a mentor and friend. When he retired from the pastorate, he wrote an inscription in his own Bible and passed it on to me. I feel unworthy of such a gift. The man who preached many sermons from it is both a better man and a better preacher than I am. But his prayers for me and his wise counsel have spurred me on through many dark places both in my life and my ministry.
I have put together memorials of a sort for our children. Beginning at each of their births, I have kept journals of my favorite experiences with them. Also in those journals are leaves that we pressed with wax paper, photos of Christmases, and accounts of events to help them remember what joys we shared as a Christian family.
I would love to hear some stories of memorials that you value. Perhaps we could put them in next week’s Thursday Thoughts. Please write me at bcooper@MEFC.org and tell me about a memorial that you treasure.
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts May 14, 2009
God Bless You!
Ryan Brown is a graduating senior from
(http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060613072220AAjf0Ry)
Saying “God bless you” is an American tradition that is actually an ancient custom. When we are suddenly seized by the need to sneeze and our faces contort and we get that sneeze out, someone around us, perhaps a perfect stranger says, “God bless you.”
The custom dates back to shortly after the time of Christ:
· Some people falsely believed that your heart would stop when you sneezed. (It sure feels that way sometimes.)
· Others thought that you were releasing evil spirits – that they were eliminated from the body by sneezing. Blessing you would keep the demons from coming back. (If that were true, imagine what they must have thought of the people with allergies, sneezing their heads off. Some must have thought allergy-sufferers were truly demon possessed!)
We know better today due to modern science, but we say it anyway-- “God bless you!” Complete strangers wishing us divine favor – not a bad deal when you really think about it.
What does “God bless you” really mean? To bless means to show favor
towards. To say “God bless you” is to ask God to act favorably to someone, to show kindness to that person. It means you want good things for others. To the degree that we are at peace with others, we can say “God bless you” and mean it from the heart.
One web site, aimed at promoting a naturalistic world view has come up with alternative responses which fit their ideology. When someone says, “God bless you” people are advised to respond:
- Thanks, but Nature already did.
- Thanks, but Nature beat him to it.
- Thanks, but I'm already fully blessed.
- Thanks, but I'll take my chances unblessed.
- Thanks, but I'm allergic to blessings.
- And which god would that be?
- I didn't know he needed reminding.
- Thank you for your sentiment, but please, let's leave god out of it.
- Please be respectful of non-believers and don´t use outdated statements like these.
In response to the growing unbelief and cynicism in our culture, may these words of Scripture touch our hearts:
Psalms 32:1-2
"Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed are those
whose sin the Lord will never count against them."
So how has God blessed us? For those of us who are followers of Christ, having placed our trust in Him as our Savior, let me give you three ways:
- He has blessed you with a new identity. You are a child of God (John 1:12-13).
- He has blessed you with purpose. You are called to reflect his glory (Ephesians 2:10; 3:21).
- He has promised you a glorious future (Revelation 20).
So, whether you sneeze or not, God is blessing you, Christian!
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts May 7, 2009
“Back to Basics”
Part 2
A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4: 23-24).
Last week we looked at the first aspect of true worship – worshiping in spirit. What does that mean? It means worshiping heart-to-heart, your heart to God’s.
God is not some impersonal force that lacks passion and feelings. He has personality. He wants to connect with us – heart to heart! Therefore we are to be real before God.
Let's move on to the second aspect of true worship: Worship must be centered on the truth – truth about God and truth about us. Worship is an overflow of a mind renewed by the truth of God.
Jesus would say over and over again, “I tell you the truth.” He came not only to tell us the truth but also to show us the truth. In fact, he is the truth (John 14:6).
To worship is to respond to the truth. I worship when I contemplate the truth about God, about Christ, and about salvation. As I reflect on the greatness of God, his holiness, and his mercy, I respond in awe, in joy, in praise, and in confession of sin (being truthful about myself before God).
We are to know the truth (John 8:32), apply the truth to our lives (Titus 1:1), and encourage and admonish one another with the truth (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Those who teach are appointed to impart truth to others so that they may grow in the faith (1 Timothy 2:7).
Worship must be vital and real from within (in spirit) and it must be based on a true perception of God (in truth). True worship must engage both the heart and the mind. Worship must engage our emotions and worship must engage our thoughts.
Someone defined true worship this way:
“To worship is to feed the mind with the truth of God, to elevate our thoughts with the majesty of God, to open our heart to the love of God, and to devote our will to the purpose of God."
May we continue to grow in true worship for, as Dr. John Piper said, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts April 30, 2009
“Back to Basics”
A recent Allstate Insurance commercial focused on getting back to basics during this recession. Here’s what the spokesperson said:
People start enjoying the small things in life--appreciating the things we do have, the things we can count on. It’s getting back to the basics and the basics are good.
In this Thursday Thoughts I want to get back to the basics on worship. Our word for worship comes from the Old English word, worth-ship which means assigning to God that which is his true worth. It is the same thing as glorifying God or praising God.
Let’s go to John 4 and review the conversation between the woman of
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (vv. 23-24).
The word for worship in the original language is used in one form or another eight times in the conversation between Jesus and the woman (vv. 19-24). The word means “to humble oneself before, to honor, and to love.”
What is worship? A basic definition of worship is “putting God in his place.” By that I mean putting him in first place--the place of love, reverence, and respect in our lives.
In John 4, Jesus gives a two-part answer to this question of worship. We will discuss the first part of his answer this week and pick up the second part of his answer next week.
How should we worship? We should worship “in spirit” or heart-to-heart.
Jesus says that true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit. Notice that the word spirit is not capitalized. The definite article is missing in the original language of the Bible. Therefore, Jesus is not talking about the Holy Spirit as we might first think—although the Holy Spirit is essential to our true worship. While we certainly need the guidance of the Holy Spirit for authentic worship, that is not Jesus’ point here.
What Jesus is saying is that God has a heart. He is not some impersonal force that lacks passion and feelings. He has personality. He wants to connect with us – heart to heart!
In another Scripture passage, after a frustrating dialogue with the Pharisees, Jesus said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men” (Matthew 15:8-9).
Listen to God’s heart in the book of Jeremiah, where once again God is calling his people back to repentance:
I myself said,
"How gladly would I treat you like sons
and give you a desirable land,
the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.”
I thought you would call me “Father”
and not turn away from following me(Jeremiah 3:18).
Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Worship is first and foremost an experience of the heart. Prayer without heart is vain. Songs without heart are vain. Confession and creeds and liturgies and sermons that don't come from the heart are empty and worthless in God's eyes.
We are to worship from the inside out. It is not a matter of being in the right place at the right time with the right words, the right demeanor, the right clothes, the right formalities, the right activity, the right music, or the right mood. No. It is the inside, the spirit.
Psalm 103:1 - Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name. (NASB)
Now let me give you what I think is a very beautiful illustration of worship in Psalm 51. David comes to God in repentance and says,
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise (vv. 16-17).
David tried faking worship and hiding his sin for over a year. In this psalm he is saying to God, “I know you don't want the external stuff. I know that's not the issue. You want the heart.”
True worship must be heart felt--pushing its way out in tears, confessions, prayers, praises, acclamations, and obedient lives. That’s worshiping in spirit. That’s getting real with God. That’s connecting with God heart to heart.
Next week: Part 2 – Worshiping in Truth
Thursday Thoughts April 23, 2009
A Case for Prayer and Repentance
After the American Revolution, a moral and spiritual crisis swept across
· Drunkenness was epidemic—15,000 deaths were attributed to alcohol every year.
· Shocking profanity had become a fashionable movement.
· Assault against
· Church attendance was at an all time low.
·
US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall wrote, "The church is too far gone to ever to be redeemed." Voltaire said that Christianity would be forgotten
within 30 years.
In 1794, Isaac Backus, a Baptist pastor, made a plea for repentant prayer. The first Monday evening of each month a small number (about 30) ministers prayed for revival. Soon others joined them in a desperate effort to save their new country from imploding.
God graciously answered their prayers, and within 5 years the following effects were seen:
· The Great Kentucky revival began in 1800 (with over 11,000 saved in one service)
· Many Christian colleges were founded by revivalists.
· The
· There was a new impetus for the abolition of slavery.
· Yale, in a little over a year, went from an institution of infidelity to a student body of approximately 50% strongly professed Christians.
· The American Bible Society was founded.
E. M. Bounds in his classic book Power Through Prayer, wrote, "What the Church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but people whom the Holy Spirit can use—people of prayer, people mighty in prayer."
Is God finished with
Keep being a light!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts - April 16, 2009
Why the Future Is Better Than the Present
This week, two deaths have occurred in our church family. Both people have left behind loved ones who are grieving deeply. The pain is great. The heartache is real. Life will never be the same.
However, a Christian’s grief should not be like the grief of those who have no hope of ever seeing their loved one again (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Since hope is so vital in easing our grief, I want to share in this week’s Thursday Thoughts why the future heaven and earth are better for the believer than the present ones. In fact, the Bible calls our future home “better by far” (Philippians 1:23).
Let me refresh you with a taste of heaven today.
In heaven:
· There will be no disappointments. We will neither offend nor be offended anymore.
· There will be no weeping because there will be nothing to make us sad.
· There will be no sin, suffering, sorrow, or pain because evil has been defeated once and for all.
· There will be no persecution, division, disunity, or hatred--only perfect and total love.
In heaven:
· We will know perfect pleasure because we will be at home with the Lord.
· We will have perfect knowledge. We will have no more unanswered questions, no confusion, no ignorance, and no more need to walk by faith rather than by sight.
· We will live in perfect comfort. We will never experience one unpleasant moment.
· We will finally love God perfectly for all eternity. We will never do any-thing to displease God. His love will embrace us forever.
To summarize, heaven is a place of perfect joy. Think of it--we will finally be free from evil forever. We will never again have a selfish desire or utter useless words. We will never perform another unkind deed or think a sinful thought. We will never again feel fear, intimidation, envy, or arrogance. We will be perfectly liberated from our captivity to sin, and finally able to do that which is absolutely righteous, holy, and perfect before God.
Psalm 16:11 says, "In Your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Everything that now makes us groan will finally be vanquished, and we will find ourselves in the very presence of God, where the purest and truest kind of pleasure is possible.
Now that gives me hope!
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts - April 9, 2009
“It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming!”
Igniter Media has a video available. The video is based upon a sermon that was delivered years ago by a pastor who ministered to a poor church in inner city
The point of the video’s message is this--on Friday it looked like evil had won, that Christ was defeated, that Christianity was defunct, and the disciples’ hopes were forever lost. But that was Friday--Sunday was coming!
There are various forms of the sermon but my favorite goes like this:
It's Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But that’s because it’s Friday--Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter's denying that he knows the Lord. But that’s because it’s Friday--Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. See Him walking to
It's Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. A Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, "My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?" What a horrible cry. But that’s because it’s Friday--Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping, and hell is partying. But that's because it's Friday, and they don't know it, but Sunday's coming.
And when Sunday came, those assigned to guard the tomb had run off in fear, the seal to the tomb had been broken, the stone had been rolled away from the door of the tomb, and the women found the tomb empty. And the angel said, “He is not here. He is risen!”
Friday was over. It was now Sunday and when Jesus Christ stepped out alive, everything he did and said was proven to be true. Friday suddenly made sense. The same Jesus who was silent before his accusers was now exalted as the Savior of the World.
Sunday has come and the crucified/resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin, and the grave. It's the age of grace--God's grace poured out on all who look to that crucified Savior of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of
Have a blessed resurrection celebration!
Pastor Brian
P.S. To view the video, It’s Friday but Sunday’s a Comin’, go to the website
http://www.ignitermedia.com/products/iv/singles/20/Sundays-Comin
Thursday Thoughts - April 1, 2009
Give your B.E.S.T.
(Part 4)
T stands for Touch.
Of all the four demonstrations of love (Bless, Encourage, Share and Touch) this one, if you will pardon the pun, is the “touchiest.”
The hug of a loved one, the holding of a hand, and other acts of love are wonderful demonstrations of love on two conditions:
1) The “touch” is appropriate to the level of the relationship. In other words hugs are appropriate for those we know best. Touching the opposite sex at work can send a false message (and may result in dismissal). Good “touches” like grandma’s hugs or dad’s kiss on the cheek are appropriate.
2) The “touch” is appreciated. I have worked in
Some people only like being touched by those they know very well. We need to be sensitive to people’s comfort level on this. (On the other hand, we must be careful not to appear distant and cold around people).
Having made those disclaimers, touching is still a wonderful way to demonstrate affection for another person. According to Gary Chapman, in his book, “The Five Love Languages” physical touch and closeness is a way many people both express and feel love. Ignoring this fact may even cause others to feel unloved.
Children climb on dad or snuggle with mom. Couples hold hands or work on some project together to be near one another. How many of you miss a parent or grandparent’s hugs?
Jesus touched people that others overlooked or avoided. He touched lepers (Matthew 8:3), held children (Mark 10:16), and reached out to help Peter when he started to drown (Matthew 14:31).
If appropriate and appreciated, “touch” is a meaningful way to demonstrate love. I hope that you are able to “reach out and touch someone” today.
In Him,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts March 26, 2009
Give your B.E.S.T.
(Part 3)
One of the most jarring passages in the Bible is this: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
This warning to us is so stirring, but how can we be sure that we are loving biblically? What is biblical love?
Dr. Ed Wheat uses the acronym B.E.S.T to answer that question. We started two weeks ago with the first letter of B.E.S.T.
B stands for Bless.
God is delighted when we bless others. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy….Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:7,9).
To bless someone is to desire good things for them and to act to meet their needs. A healthy church is a blessing place!
E stands for Encouragement
To encourage is to support, comfort, and revitalize (to put courage into another person). When someone’s supply of courage has dwindled, our encouragement can replenish it.
It is easy to pour cold water on people’s enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers, but as Christians, we have a responsibility to encourage one another. Many times a word of praise, thanks, appreciation, or cheer keeps a person on his feet.
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
S stands for Share
When you are around a group of two and three year olds, it doesn't take long to figure out that sharing is a challenge for them. Our duty, as adults, is to teach children to share. Perhaps we, too, need a reminder of the lessons learned during those early ages.
In Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Robert Fulghum listed many lessons he learned on the playground of life:
· Share everything.
· Play fair.
· Don't hit people.
· Put things back where you found them.
· Clean up your own mess.
· Don't take things that aren't yours.
· Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
· When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
· Remember The Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would have done to you).
In our busy lives, it is so easy to get distracted and self-absorbed and forget our responsibilities to others. Sharing is the heart and soul of every good relationship. Sharing brings people closer to each other. It forms a bond of trust and intimacy between them. There can be no real relationship between people unless they have found a way to share their lives with each other.
So, how do we share with those God brings into our lives?
1. We Share Our Thoughts, Beliefs, and Feelings
Healthy relationships occur when people share thoughts, beliefs and feelings with each other. People who share with each other are able to develop a lasting commitment based on trust, respect, and mutual care.
The Apostle Paul modeled this, reminding the Thessalonian church, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
Healthy relationships form the backbone for a healthy church. Opportuni-ties for fellowship—conversations in the narthex, small groups, ministering together, or other activities—are a great way to grow together.
By sharing our problems with another person, we can also share one another’s burdens or trials in life. By doing we are fulfilling God’s command to “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
Ultimately, when good communication is missing, it is only a matter of time before any relationship loses its luster. Make time for people. It will have its own reward.
2. We Share Our Talents
We can share some talent or skill with others to help lighten their load. We, as a church, are able to accomplish as much as we do because we have many people sharing their talents in service to others.
The Scriptures tell us, “Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 16:13). What can you help another to accomplish? Wal-Mart employees shouldn’t be the only people asking, “May I help you?”
- We Share Our Resources
Sharing your things is one of the most important aspects in any relation-ship. Whether the relationship is between family members, friends, spouses, or fellow believers, you must be wiling to share what you own with others.
Sharing should be mutual. It is unhealthy for one person to be giving all the time while the other person is taking all the time.
“Command people to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
To be generous and willing to share with others makes us less self-absorbed and small-souled. Sharing starts on the playground in kindergarten and continues into our ninetieth year. Those who share well, live well, because they realize that both God and people are blessed as we share our lives with others.
Thursday Thoughts March 19,2009
Thursday Thoughts
March 19, 2009
Give Your B.E.S.T.
(Part 2)
Most Christians want to be loving people. However, many are not sure what loving others looks like. I have adapted Dr. Ed Wheat’s acronym B.E.S.T. to offer up a model of biblical love.
We started last week with the first letter of B.E.S.T.
B stands for Bless.
Blessing someone starts with a heart attitude. Actions like kindness and concern flow from a heart that is ready to bless. Therefore, the right attitude leads to the right actions. How do we get the right attitude? We lay our heart open for God’s renewal.
Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
A heart full of God’s strength finds strength to love others.
E stands for Encouragement.
In terms of the root meaning, the word encourage simply means "to put courage in". Encouragement is the infusion of assistance, advice, or inspiration that helps another person achieve. When courage has dwindled, encouragement replenishes what has been taken or what has leaked out of us.
We all battle pressures of life that can make us upset, sad, fearful, weak, and overwhelmed. Encouragement, whether by actions or words, provides reinforcement by giving appropriate aid.
In this fallen world, Christians all need to be spiritually strengthened on a regular basis. One way to encourage other believers who may be struggling to trust God is to point them to God’s truth so that their hope in God may increase. God’s truth and God’s promises, found in God’s Word, can lift the spirits of the person who is spiritually and emotionally drained.
As members of Christ’s Body, we have the privilege of both receiving encouragement from other Christians and giving it to others. This should be one of the most powerful features of our Christian community!
Look at three types of encouragement the following verses give. The first is for increased faith, the second for increased strength, the third is for increased hope.
Psalm 18:1-2 (NLT)
I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)
I know what it is to be in need,
and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
John 14:15-19 (NIV)
If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
On Sunday mornings, we are studying 1 Thessalonians - a letter written to encourage believers. In concluding the letter, Paul urged the Thessalonians to "encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11). May we do no less!
Next Week - The "S" of B.E.S.T.
Thursday Thoughts March 12, 2009
Give your B.E.S.T.
Last Sunday I challenged our church family to love like the Apostle Paul who called people his joy and his glory (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). He valued people. He knew that people mattered to God; therefore, people mattered to him.
In order to get a handle on how we can love others biblically, let me use an acronym that I have resourced from Ed Wheat’s book Love Life for Every Married Couple. (Single people, hang with me here. You can use this as well).
The helpful acronym is B.E.S.T. For the next four weeks, I would like to consider each aspect of B.E.S.T. so that we might grow in our love for one another.
B stands for Bless.
To bless means to hold someone in high regard. Blessing others starts with a heart attitude. Actions like kindness and concern flow from the desire to bless someone.
The psalmist David wrote:
1Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits. (Psalm 103:1 NASV)
Blessing begins inside us. David reminds himself of all of the Lord’s benefits or blessings to him. Without the right heart attitude, our attempts to love others can fall far short.
God holds us responsible for the attitudes of our heart. That is why the Bible says:
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
We can cry out to God to create in us a clean heart (Psalm 51:10) and to make our love increase and overflow for each other (1Thessalonians 3:12).
Is your heart in the right condition? Does it desire to be clean before God? Does it desire to give love and bless other people?
Most people want to be loved, most people want to be validated, and most people want to feel compassion. Are you ready to give love – especially to those who God has given you responsibility to love (spouse, child, parent, church member, or friend)?
Many people do not have a blessing strategy; therefore, they fail to love others as well as they could. What do I mean by a blessing strategy? A blessing strategy is showing kindness to people in ways that are meaningful to them.
How can you bless the people in your life? What would be of particular blessing to them? Spending time with them? Paying them sincere compliments? Having fun with them? Keeping your promises to them? Any of these things can be part of your blessing strategy.
(Many churches are shifting from having evangelism programs to having a blessing strategy for their community. They are asking the question, “How can we go beyond our walls and bless people with acts of kindness in Jesus name?”)
God has blessed us in many ways, salvation being our greatest blessing:
1Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit. (Psalm 32 NIV)
Someone has said:
“To love someone deeply gives you purpose.
Being loved by someone deeply gives you strength.”
“Lord, make me a blessing to someone today.”
Next week – The E. of B.E.S.T.
Thursday Thoughts March 5, 2009
Suffering’s Residual Losses
Residual (ongoing or continuing) losses are secondary losses that ensue after some traumatic event in our lives such as losing our job, dealing with health issues, trying to regroup after the death of a loved one, and so on. These secondary losses (the loss of income, the loss of independence, the loss of relationships, the loss of self-esteem, doubt and confusion, and many other residual losses) mount up as we deal with the consequences of that traumatic event.
Let me give you some examples. Mike (not his real name) has much for which he wants to be thankful. He has salvation in Christ, a loving marriage, four young, active sons, a comfortable home, and a good reputation in the community. Yet despite all this, Mike finds himself slipping closer to depression.
About two years ago, Mike’s very active life came screeching to a halt when doctors discovered that he had a cancerous tumor growing inside his spine. Doctors warned him that surgery was imperative although there would be residual side effects from cutting into Mike’s spine. Like many kinds of suffering, this came out of nowhere. One month he was vibrant. The next month he was in the hospital recovering from a very delicate operation.
Mike faced the initial challenge with faith and courage. Recovery was painful and slow, but Mike hoped that he would fully recover and be the man, the husband, and the dad that he had been.
Today, even after two long years, Mike walks with the help of a cane. His steps are slow and painful. Doctors have told him that he has irreversible nerve damage which causes considerable pain in his feet and his side. To alleviate the pain, Mike takes pain killers that drain most of his energy. This may be as good as it is going to get for Mike; consequently, the residual losses are piling up against him.
Mike feels sad that he is not the active dad he once was, wrestling and playing ball with his four sons. He feels guilty that his wife has had to heap more responsibilities on top of her already busy schedule. He worries about his income since he is no longer capable of being a fire fighter – a career that he loved. He is weary of pain and wary of what the future holds for him.
The first traumatic event occured two years ago. Mike faced that with faith and courage. Now, he is worn down through the long term consequences and unwanted changes in his life. Do you see the effect of residual losses in Mike’s life?
Mary (not her real name) experienced the death of her daughter four years ago. She misses her child, who was five at the time, very much and wonders if her daughter misses her as well. Residual losses are mounting as Mary can’t imagine living another possible forty years before she sees her daughter again. She is distressed over the depressed state of her other daughter who now lives without her sister. Mary’s husband fights bouts of depression--he just tried to kill himself by swallowing pills. Mary is lonely and struggles with her faith in a God who allows such suffering. Besides all this, she struggles with ongoing anxiety that she will lose her second daughter. Mary’s residual losses are overwhelming.
Pablo (also not his real name) has been laid off. The residual losses include new levels of anxiety, lower self-esteem, sadness that he does not have the buying power he once did, and adjustments to the changes in his daily routine.
There once was a man named Job (his real name). When calamity struck Job, he first faced it with faith and courage (Job 1:20-22). Yet, as residual losses mounted (accusations from friends, ongoing pain, loss of loved ones, loss of status, confusion about God), Job cries out:
“Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God's intimate friendship blessed my house,
when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me…” (Job 29:4-5)
Residual losses are real and they are an impediment to our spiritual and emotional health. We need to be so merciful when ministering to people who have residual losses. We need to listen to their pain and speak to them of our ongoing love and support for them. We need to continue to point them to the love of God and to similar cries of the heart found in the Scriptures (Psalm 10, Psalm 13, Lamentations 3, and 2 Corinthians 1:3).
People don’t need pat answers, and we have no “magic wand” to make their troubles disappear. We can, however, be the friend who walks alongside them. Encouragement is a wonderful gift to give anyone. I wonder who needs encouragement from you today.
On this journey together,
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts February 26, 2009
Thursday Thoughts
February 26th, 2009
Six Principles for Effective Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever.
Amen
Whether you know the Lord’s Prayer better in its traditional form or in a more contemporary form, Jesus gave us this prayer to teach us some very foundational truths about our relationship to God. In this week’s Thursday Thoughts, let me continue to focus on another Combat Prayer that prepares our hearts to fight the good fight of faith with these six principles found in this great prayer:
Principle #1 – We are instructed to approach God with love.
The phrase “Our Father” reflects our love for God.
What is a Christian? A Christian is someone who has God for his/her Father through salvation in Jesus. J.I. Packer sums it up in this way:
If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes about being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well. Father is the Christian name for God.
Recognizing God as our Father aligns us with him and renews our love for him as we fight the fight of faith. The God of the universe, who holds all things together, is also my Heavenly Father who will never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5).
Principle #2 – We are instructed to approach our Father with respect.
The phrases “in Heaven”,
“hallowed be your name”,
and “your Kingdom come, your will be done”
reflect our allegiance to God.
We are not approaching an earthly father who is limited in his capabilities or his presence. We are approaching the Father of all creation who is holy (without sin) and where at this moment angelic beings are praising our God around his glorious throne (Isaiah 6:1-5).
This Almighty God who says:
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."
So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5,6)
Just how great is your God? That’s how great your allegiance to him will be.
Everything up to this point deals with our ATTITUDE. The following principles deal with our NEEDS.
Principle #3 - We are instructed to approach our Father with trust.
The phrase “Give us this day our daily bread” reflects our reliance upon God.
Bread stands for all we need as the basic requirements for life – food, shelter, and clothing. We are acknowledging God’s power to provide for us and his goodness in caring for us.
We ask for it daily because God gives us faith for each day. Tomorrow will have new opportunities and challenges. Faith in God trusts God for the strength to fight the battle.
Principle #4 - We are instructed to approach our Father with repentance
The phrase “"Forgive us our trespasses (sins) as we forgive those who trespass (sin) against us” reflects our ongoing need for healing in the midst of the battle.
We need to see ourselves as God sees us – nothing more and nothing less!
Sin is a debt that causes a heavy burden. If not dealt with, it can totally weigh a person down until he /she is totally ineffective as a Christian. To be free to fight the fight of faith means to rid ourselves of every sin that so easily weighs us down and entangles us (Hebrews 12:1). Repentance demands that we search our hearts and plead for God's mercy. It may be very difficult but we are also called to forgive our brothers and sisters regardless of their actions against us.
Jesus said, "Pray for those who spitefully use you" (Luke 6:28). An unforgiving heart is a burden with which too many believers are weighed down.
Principle #5 - We are instructed to approach Him with dependence.
The phrase “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” reflects our ongoing need for protection.
Saying “lead us not into temptation” to our loving Father can be difficult to understand. Is there a sense that God would actually lead us into temptation – that he would want us to sin?
The word temptation carries a dual meaning. The first meaning is trial or testing. That is the meaning here. Sometimes we are given trials that are meant to test our faithfulness and promote growth in our lives.
We do not willingly want to suffer trials, so we ask the Lord to spare us of anything that will not cause us to grow. Someone has put it this way: “Understand this, that God will never lead you into anything that He does not plan to lead you out of.”
I Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
Bearing up under the load of trials and temptations is our spiritual boot camp in combat against evil.
Principle #6 - We are instructed to approach Him with confidence.
The phrase "Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever” (or “now and forever”) reflects our ongoing assurance that in the end God is victorious in the war against evil.
He is God Almighty, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! In the end, no one can stand against him (Psalm 2). Since our allegiance is with God, we are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:36-39).
Come and join the battle as we seek to storm the gates of hell through seeking the blessings of our Father in Heaven. Prayer F.O.C.U.S. begins at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4th.
Thursday Thoughts February 19, 2009
Combat Prayers and Combat People
1 Peter 5:8-9 –“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith….”
This week you stood on a battlefield. This battlefield, however, was not marked with a historic monument. This battlefield is not listed in any history books, but it is real nonetheless. As a matter of fact, this battle is being fought right now, and you are the one who is fighting it. You didn't have to make a special trip to get there. Whether you realized or not, the battle came to you and the battlefield is simply wherever we may be when the attack comes.
The battle to which I am referring is, of course, the battle between good and evil. It is called spiritual warfare. Spiritual warfare exists in the unseen, super-natural dimension where God is all-powerful and Satan is in revolt. As any Christian soon discovers, although spiritual warfare is unseen, it’s absolutely real. As children of God, we are all under attack.
This fierce enemy, also known as the Tempter, is to be resisted. How? Is it by standing firm in your own strength? No, Peter tells us that it is by standing firm in the faith.
How do we stand firm? Ephesians 6:18 says “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Prayer is standing firm in the faith. Prayer is being in the presence of God. It is the place where pride is forgotten, hope is lifted, and supplication is made to our Father through our Lord Jesus. Through prayer we attack the enemy by admitting our needs and humbly claiming total dependence upon God. This is the weapon of prayer.
Prayer puts us in close communication with our leader. How many battles would have come out differently if the soldiers had better communication with
their commanding officer?
Samuel Chadwick said, "The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray." In a very real sense, then, no one is a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil! He is the one who most feels its impact.
Do you struggle in prayer? Sure you do – all of us do. Abraham Lincoln, a man well acquainted with the trials of life said this: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”
Last week we looked at one Combat Prayer found in Ephesians 3:16-21. Let me give you two more today.
The first prayer is based on Colossians 1:9-12 and asks for wisdom and strength to live a life pleasing to the Lord:
My Father, please fill me with the knowledge of your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I pray this in order that I may live a life worthy of you, Lord, and may please you in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience, while joyfully giving thanks to you, Father, who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
The second prayer is based on Psalm 19:12-14. It asks for personal cleansing:
How can I really understand my heart?
Forgive my sinful motivations and lusts.
Keep me, your servant, also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Beginning March 4t, we are launching Prayer F.O.C.U.S. F.O.C.U.S. means For Our Church and Unsaved Souls. As part of our focused prayer, we are going to pray through a portion of our church directory each week. If we can pray for something particular for you, please let us know. (A prayer box will be located in the foyer for your requests.)
We will pray every Wednesday night from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Join us in our Combat Prayers for others in the church.
Next week we will look at praying for the unsaved souls around us.
Blessings on you!
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts February 12, 2009
Combat Prayers
Many times and seasons have passed in your life and mine. Many hopes and dreams have come and gone. The enemy of your soul tried to destroy many things before you accomplished them, yet God desires that we prevail.
How do we prevail? How do we fight the good fight, persevering until Jesus speaks those words we long to hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant?” The answer is Combat Prayers. Combat Prayers serve to embolden God’s people and advance God’s cause.
John Piper, in his book Let the Nations Be Glad, says that prayer serves as the walkie-talkie that links us to our Heavenly General. Combat Prayers arise from those serving on the front lines going through the spiritual battles of life in trials and temptations. These are the ones who are crying out to God for a holy boldness to keep on loving God with a tenacity that will neither run nor shrink from the Enemy of our Souls – the Devil. Thus, Combat Prayer is where the action is!
I have taken one such Combat Prayer and personalized it for our use. This prayer for believers under attack is based on Ephesians 3:16-21. May it serve as a “Combat Prayer” for you today.
My Loving and Protecting Heavenly Father:
I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may fully and completely dwell in my heart through faith in Your loving care for me.
And I pray that I, being rooted and established in Your love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to You who are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within me, to You be glory throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Thursday Thoughts February 5, 2009
“
Yesterday, I spoke to two people on the verge of losing their jobs. The first individual works for a company that is downsizing as a result of a corporate merger. (This is the third merger that he has faced. He survived the first two). The second individual works for McDonalds. The management may be closing the store due to lack of business. (I didn’t think a McDonalds ever closed).
When I speak of recession, what comes to mind is bank failures and investment firm collapses, financial reversal in the stock market, decreasing business profits, employee layoffs, and all their implications – increased anxiety, financial foreclosures, the loss of retirement incomes, and all the social ills and unrest which go with these set backs (increased alcoholism, suicide, abuse, divorce, etc.).
My parents went through the Great Depression and speak of the many hardships they had to face as children during that era. Yet, there are some things that God can teach us during times of suffering, things that we may not want to miss. Paul, a man who was well acquainted with suffering, encouraged people with these words: “we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
That doesn’t make suffering good in and of itself. Suffering is still the consequence of living in a fallen world with its greed, corruption, sickness, sorrow, and death. We rejoice that we will never experience these things in God’s blessed Kingdom. I cling to the promises in Revelation 21:3-4:
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
In the meantime, what can we learn during times of suffering? Let me give you Five Ways We Can Grow During A Recession:
1. We can grow in our dependence upon God – The psalmists cry out to God
time and time again (Psalms 3,11,13,16 and 23). They are threatened with real problems and desperately need their Heavenly Father. Do we need Him any
less during these turbulent times?
You have always wanted to pray more often. Now is your opportunity to “cast your cares upon him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Either these are words that sound nice or they are true. What we really believe about God is evident in how often we speak to Him.
2. We can grow in our compassion for others – The early church exploded in
numbers partly because its members demonstrated love for one another. We see this demonstrated in Acts 4:33-35:
With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
As we grow in grace, we grow in compassion. That is the point of this passage. We have spent a lot of time acquiring things. Is it time to start sharing the things we have with others?
3. We can grow in our values – “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is” (Ephesians 5:15-17).
The Allstate Insurance Company has an ad in which the spokesman says the recession is a time of “getting back to the basics – and the basics are good.” The basics are good if we are valuing the things that God values – growing good relationships within the family (Ephesians 5-6), slowing down to appreciate the best things in life (Psalm 23), and the many aspects of our lives which make us human beings, not human doings – too busy to soak in the precious aspects of life.
4. We can grow in our character – Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. Those first Christians suffered social, financial, and physical persecution of all kinds. Times of testing reveal who we really are. Peter would encourage the early church with these words:
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, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:3-7).
Will you grow in character through cultivating your love for and obedience to Christ showing the genuineness of your faith or will you waste this opportunity for growth? We can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of our situation, or we can, by faith, choose to grow from the pain and treasure the most precious gift we have besides Jesus - life itself.
5. We can grow in our witness – Loosely quoted, someone has said, “People glance at our faith in times of joy but stare at our faith in times of pain.”
The Great Depression was a time of great outreach for the church. Then, like now, people are asking the big questions of life such as “Is this all there is to life?” and “Is there a God who cares about me and my situation?”
Now may be the right time to invite that unbelieving friend or co-worker to an event at church. Maybe now, the Lord is getting people’s attention. We as a church need to be praying for and using our current economic crisis as a means to be salt and light to our community.
In the midst of personal hardship, Paul reminded the Corinthian church of their responsibility:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Cor. 5:17-20).
In closing, let us pray for the members of our church family. Here is a model prayer that the Apostle John would pray for his people. May we do the same for one another:
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).
Thursday Thoughts January 29, 2009
“Fighting for Joy”
One of the most motivating passages in the Bible for me is Nehemiah 8:10: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." In its context the people are grieving over their sin. Their repentance is genuine, however, the point of the passage is that too much sadness will not bring about the life to which God calls us. Therefore, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Joy produces strength. You need strength to fight. We are called to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). I find that there are times that I have to fight for joy in this world that robs me of joy.
I sense that many people in the body of Christ are tired of fighting the good fight of faith. They are struggling to fight because they have lost their joy. Perhaps you are weary from trials of life. You don’t see God doing a whole lot in your life right now.
Maybe you’re living with a broken heart and the pain follows you around. Maybe you have to be the strong one for others around you, but your strength is not what it used to be. Maybe you’re tired of the rat race and what your life has become. Maybe you're sick and tired of being sick and tired. You have been sick for so long that you don't remember what it's like to be healthy. In the past, you have battled this sickness, but now the sickness seems to be winning. Perhaps you are exhausted from worrying about finances. You think that you are never going to get out from under all your bills.
Where’s the abundant life that you were promised? Christianity may be working for others but not for you.
Jesus made a statement that is both realistic and filled with hope: “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” (John 16:33). Take heart! Are you ready to throw in the towel? Take heart! Why? Because your Savior will lead you to victory!
All of us have troubles, so all of us have to fight for joy (at some point in our lives). Here are some ways I fight for joy. I hope that they are helpful to you:
How I Fight For Joy
1. I give myself a “good talking” to so that I can change my focus.
Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" How often should you rejoice? You know the answer, Always! You are to rejoice always because "joy" is the easiest fruit to lose. You can't survive on the joy you had yesterday. Joy can give you strength only when you possess it.
So, when I feel like joining the pity party going on inside my head, I strive to focus on getting my strength from the Lord by praising him, especially when I don’t feel like rejoicing. God didn't say, "Rejoice, only if you feel like it." No! He said, "Rejoice always." Obviously, God knows that you don't feel like rejoicing always. Yet you need to rejoice always because if you don't then you lose the strength to fight.
2. I find renewed strength through worship.
I realize that the battle for joy is primarily a fight to see God for who he is. To do this, I put on worshipful music or read something worshipful. Music blesses me and lifts my spirit heavenward. I marvel at Psalm 13 when David wonders why God has forgotten him. Yet at the end of the Psalm he is praising God. How does he make the transformation? He rejoices in his salvation and remembers how God has blessed him in the past.
3. I share my burdens with God and with other fellow strugglers.
Peter tells us to “Cast all our cares on the Lord because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). I am thankful that I have a Father like that and many times He has supernaturally lightened my burdens.
Paul told one church, “It was good of you to share in my troubles” (Philippians 4:14). If Paul needed to unburden himself then so do I. He would tell the Galatian church, “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). I need people in my corner. So do you.
4. I get out of the routine.
I once knew a man who liked going to the dentist just because he could sit in a chair for an hour and just be waited on. This guy definitely needed to build more breaks into his busy life!
Getting out in nature can be tougher to do this time of year, but it is still worth the effort. Seeing the beauty of God’s creation puts my life in proper perspective. God is bigger than my problems. He’s bigger than all of our problems. Psalm 8:9 says, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
Breaks from stress are necessary. God called for Sabbath rests for his people so that they could be refreshed. I have to schedule these breaks because they usually don’t just happen on their own.
Dear Lord, sometimes joy seems so out of reach under the pressures of the world. Help me to remember, Father, that although You allow trials and temptations for a season, You desire to mold me into being more like your Son. Help me to keep my eyes on the Cross, hold my head up, and press on. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for fighting the battles before me, for me, and with me.
In Jesus’ Name
Amen
Pastor Brian
Thursday Thoughts January 22, 2009
A Line Has Been Crossed
I recently experienced the death of a friend. Aubrey and I first met when his dad pastored our church in nearby
I was instantly drawn to outgoing personality. Aubrey, through his humor and fun loving nature, was one of those gifted people who could lighten the mood of a room just by being there. During that summer at camp, Aubrey fell in love with one of the other counselors named
As often happens when we are busy with careers and family, Aubrey and I lost touch for many years. We were reunited for a third time just two years ago while attending the 200th anniversary of that same church where we first met as boys. Our friendship was instantly rekindled. Aubrey was happy as a husband and father but was spiritually restless, seeking a new direction for his life. Interestingly enough, so was I.
Shortly after that we spent the day together. We attended a church service together. We went out to lunch. The conversation flowed. We had kindred spirits, spoke freely, and faced similar challenges, including a growing restlessness that God was moving us away from our churches.
We committed to pray for one another and before I ever heard of Montgomery Evangelical Free Church, Aubrey was praying for me to be led by God. He emailed me often wanting to know how things were going.
Then, strangely, the correspondence suddenly stopped. I wrote to him and received no response. I shared with him how God had opened the door for me to come to a new church. No response. How very unlike Aubrey that was!
But I recently found out why. Aubrey had a heart condition that went undetected. One day his heart just gave out. He was just forty-eight years old.
In shock and disbelief, I searched through the obituaries. Aubrey’s name was there. The obituary spoke about Aubrey’s love for life and for people, how much his family will miss him and how active he was in his community and church. That was Aubrey, all right!
It was then that I sat in stunned silence and realized that a line was crossed. Life would never be the same. No more emails from Aubrey cheering me on, no more face to face meetings. No more of the Aubrey charisma lifting up our spirits.
C.S. Lewis spoke of death’s wake in terms of a deep ache within. I know what he means. Death brings both the initial shock (the sudden loss) and the experience of ongoing grief through the loss of a friendship, the ending of shared life experiences, and so on. A line is crossed that will never be uncrossed this side of heaven. (Thank God for heaven!)
Aubrey was buried in the cemetery of the very church where we first met as kids. It’s a lovely place on a hill. I am not ready to visit his grave. That is just too final for me right now.
Has a line been crossed in your life? Has someone you loved been taken away through death? Are you familiar with the “deep ache within”? In the next few months we are going to offer GriefShare, a grief recovery class. Complete with solid teaching in a group setting, this class has helped many people deal with the pain that death leaves. Look for more information. This is a class for the hurting. If this applies to you, please come.
Thursday Thoughts January 15, 2009
Well, here we are halfway through the month of January. How are you doing with those New Years Resolutions? Pretty well? Not so well? Perhaps this will help:
New Years Resolutions Versus Lasting Change
In the 1960s, a study was done on the campus of
Another group of students was given the same lecture, but they were also given a copy of the campus map with the location of the health center circled. Then they were asked to look at their weekly schedules, make a plan for when they would go and take the shot, and look at the map and decide what route they would take. Interestingly, 28% of that group got the shot. (That is nine times as many!)
Why the radical increase? The second group identified where, when, and how to follow through with their intentions.
After some healthy self-assessment, I'm guessing most of us desire to make at least one change as we enter the new year. We may need to stop doing something or start doing something. We may need to do something less or do something more. But I'm guessing only 3% of us will make the change because we never identify how, when, and where!
Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E Cheese’s once said, “Anyone who has ever taken a shower has had a good idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it that makes a difference.”
So here's a plan. It's as simple as 1,2,3.
#1 Take the time to plan ahead for success. How am I going to accomplish my
goal today or tomorrow or the next day? When will I do it or how do I need
to arrange my day in order to accomplish it? What do I need to stay away
from to accomplish my goal? What do I need to add?
#2 Pray it into reality. Pray for God’s strength to help you as you reflect on your strategy for change.
And ask God to reveal the answer to this question: How do I need to make the changes I most need to make?
#3 Make the change. Call it a goal. Call it whatever you want. The goal is to make a change that honors God. Here's a suggestion. Don't make ten resolutions! If you make lots of resolutions, you'll probably keep none of them. In my experience, you need to make three or less. And I'd start with the spiritual category.
Once you come up with your resolution, you need to write it down. Then you need to keep it visible. Put it on a screen saver. Put it on your bathroom mirror. If it is related to maintaining a healthier diet, put it on the refrigerator.
Find a Scripture that may motivate you to succeed. For better eating habits, there is 1 Corinthians 10:31- “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” It is helpful to ask yourself, “Is what I am eating really to honor God or am I polluting my body?” If it is watching your anger, memorize Scriptures that remind you of the importance of your battle such as Proverbs 29:22 – “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.”
You might even want to find an accountability partner who will make the same resolution. It helps to have someone hold you accountable.
It feels good to have some mastery over your life and it is biblical to practice self-control and to not be mastered by any destructive habit, lust, etc.
1 Peter 5:8 – “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1 Corinthians 6:12 - "Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.”
How, when and where? How you achieve your goal? When will you practice it? Where do you need to go for help?
Victory is sweet. May you experience more victory in your life this year!
Thursday Thoughts January 8th
New For the New Year
A New Rallying Call - “Across the Aisle, Across the Street, Across the Globe”
From reaching across the aisle through more fellowship opportunities, to reaching across the street through community outreach, to a greater emphasis on missions across the globe, we want to see growth in our relationship to fellow believers, to our community and to our world.
Beginning tomorrow, you will receive Tidings, our weekly newsletter electronically. Our church office will publish and send you Tidings via your computer. This move has two major advantages:
- More information – we are no longer limited by what we can fit in the bulletin. We can now offer new features such as sharing congregational and community needs, giving more details on upcoming events, offering greater information on missions, etc.
- “Going Green” - We will greatly reduce our paper usage as well as paper and printing costs
(We will still have some paper copies of Tidings available for those who would like them on Sundays. Both the Tidings and the Thursday Thoughts will be available at the welcome center).
A New Sermon Series – 1 Thessalonians
In this shorter book of the New Testament (just 79 verses) the Apostle Paul talks about many aspects of following Christ here and now while we wait for his return. The series is called “The King is Coming – The Righteous Response to the Coming King.”
A New Leadership Class Begins January 18th
“Church Life and Leadership” is being offered during the Sunday School hour. Team taught by Pastor Brian, Will MacKay, and Brad Cochran, the goal is to dig deeper into how we function as a church, the importance of leadership and casting a vision for the future. This is a hands-on class with some homework and lots of class participation. The class meets in room 106.
Thursday Thoughts January 1, 2009
“Across the Aisle, Across the Street, Across the Globe”
I want to wish you my first Happy New Year as your Senior Pastor here at MEFC!
It has been great getting to know you and to hear your faith stories as we have shared with one another. I continue to marvel how God, as he did with the first century Christians, takes people from different cultures, different life experiences and different ages and puts them together to live in community with one another.
As we go into the new year, I have been thinking about a slogan or catch-phrase that would rally us for the coming year. After some thinking and reading about other churches who are making an impact in their world, I have come up with the phrase, “Across the Aisle, Across the Street, Across the Globe.”
Let me unpack it for you:
- Across the Aisle – how well do we really know one another? How deep is our sense of community? We need to focus on continuing to build up the body through fellowship opportunities in 2009.
To start, January is Name Tag Month. We need to start by learning as many names of those around us as possible. Please be ready to fill out a name tag as you enter the foyer. This would at least help me greatly.
Dessert for Six. We are going to offer opportunities for fellowship by having people come over to each other’s house six at a time. The goal is fellowship. The times are flexible. We are looking for hosts/hostesses.
New Small Groups are going to be forming in 2009. It is here where people can share life on life, grow together and serve one another.
- Across the Street – As I asked in a sermon, “If our church was to close its doors, would anyone in our community weep?” Would they? Why? We need to improve our contact with our community. Here are some suggested ways:
Better advertising through newspapers, website, blogs, roadside banners, etc. There is much more we can do to get our name and message out among our community.
Community Enrichment – We need to link into our community through community work projects, community support groups, opening our doors to our community, etc. There needs to be much passion and planning here to make an impact in our community.
- Across the Globe – How can we bless a world going through poverty, disease, wars, spiritual darkness, etc.?
Missions Emphasis – A deliberate attempt to keep the world before us with focused prayer and updates on our impact in the world through our missionaries.
Missions Trips – A team is going to
These values are coming to the forefront in our culture – simplicity, sincerity and service. People want to uncomplicate their lives, they want to live authentically in relationship to others and they want to volunteer to make an impact in the world. What a great opportunity for the church which already shares those values!
These are some of the things running through my mind. Please let them run through yours. Please join me in praying for this to be a great year of both “inreach” and “outreach”!
On the winning team!
Pastor Brian
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