Our church records one of our three weekend services each week so you can access them from the church website.
In January, we started a Reaching Farther focus with an emphasis on hunger, both physical and spiritual hunger. The sermons each week have been preparing our hearts for this task. Each week our family feels challenged to do more and to love deeper. The sermons have been so moving, and we find ourselves watching them on-line another two or three times during the week from home. In fact, we just finished watching the one from last week again, and it hit me, the world at large needs to hear these messages, too. So, I'm including the website address and highly encourage anyone who reads my blog to check it out for themselves.
Last week, Bob Lenz was our guest speaker. Bob is the brother of our senior Pastor. Both are compelling speakers, each with their own unique style. Bob is president and founder of Life Promotions, a non-profit ministry whose mission is to reach young people with the gospel before they turn 18 years old. He has also published a book this year titled, Grace.
Bob's message is full of compassion and intensity. His message to the church is 'the job is not done' and he challenges us to open our eyes and see the dying world who doesn't know Jesus.
So, here's the website for the church and for Life Promotions! I hope you visit the site and are moved as we are each week.
www.christtherock.org
(click on icon in the horizontal orange stripe that says Sermon Archives and then pick a week and click on video/audio).
www.lifepromotions.com
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Worldy Acceptance VS Heavenly Importance
I read another blog titled A Wise Woman Builds Her Home. Recently, she wrote about women taking back their rightful positions in the home. I posted a comment on her blog about how I had abandoned my post in the home but have since claimed it back. The writer than posted another blog entry titled True Liberation which was sparked by my comments.
Comments are now being posted on her sight asking how one might respond to the world about one's decision to stay home. I can relate to those questions because I do go through the same things.
In January, I wrote the following piece for my Church and it was posted in our church bulletin. We have a writers and storytellers group that shares, in written form, the stories of fellow Christians, in the hopes of bringing inspiration and support to others. Our individual stories are a ministry in themselves. So here's my entry. Hope it helps anyone who might struggle with how they see themselves in the world when they choose to stay at home.
In 2006, I quit my job to be a full-time mother and wife. At the time, all of my children were already in school and many could not understand my decision.
I soon realized that the world has a very narrow view on what constitutes someone as ‘important’ and motherhood does not always fit the bill. My old title and position in business had made me someone important to the world, and in the first few months without the security of those things, I really struggled. I found myself making up titles for myself like Residential CEO or Legacy Builder, so I could sound more important when someone asked me what I did. I even considered having business cards made to add to the illusion. People still want to know if I am ready to go back to work yet.
I had felt God’s gentle nudge to make this lifestyle change and He is where I turned to for help in adjusting to my new situation and in finding the worth in it all. Over time, I noticed I started filling my days with praying, bible reading, listening to Christian radio, and reading Christian books. I began to see my place in the world differently. My desire to please the world became less, as I embraced the heavenly importance of what God had called me to do.
My availability to my husband and children is so crucial in the nurturing of who they will be in Christ. Our home atmosphere has changed so drastically. Instead of constant chaos and hurry, we have order and time. Time to pursue the ‘things’ of God. Time to mentor our daughters and their friends. Time to combat the worldly views our children are bombarded with on a daily basis. Time to allow God to influence and shape us so that we can influence and shape them. We have all grown in our faith and knowledge of God as a result.
Could I have done all these things while pursuing my own career? For me the answer was no. I was so scared to give up the security of what I had worked so hard to achieve but God showed me that when He ordains something, He also provides the grace to do it. He held me up when I struggled to redefine my role in the world. Following His will for my life has filled me up in ways I never could have imagined. The heavenly importance of what I do today, and its benefits, far exceed any form of acceptance this world can offer. Last year, God blessed us with another child, and so my days take on another new dimension in this journey of life. I cannot wait to see the outcome of it all!
Comments are now being posted on her sight asking how one might respond to the world about one's decision to stay home. I can relate to those questions because I do go through the same things.
In January, I wrote the following piece for my Church and it was posted in our church bulletin. We have a writers and storytellers group that shares, in written form, the stories of fellow Christians, in the hopes of bringing inspiration and support to others. Our individual stories are a ministry in themselves. So here's my entry. Hope it helps anyone who might struggle with how they see themselves in the world when they choose to stay at home.
In 2006, I quit my job to be a full-time mother and wife. At the time, all of my children were already in school and many could not understand my decision.
I soon realized that the world has a very narrow view on what constitutes someone as ‘important’ and motherhood does not always fit the bill. My old title and position in business had made me someone important to the world, and in the first few months without the security of those things, I really struggled. I found myself making up titles for myself like Residential CEO or Legacy Builder, so I could sound more important when someone asked me what I did. I even considered having business cards made to add to the illusion. People still want to know if I am ready to go back to work yet.
I had felt God’s gentle nudge to make this lifestyle change and He is where I turned to for help in adjusting to my new situation and in finding the worth in it all. Over time, I noticed I started filling my days with praying, bible reading, listening to Christian radio, and reading Christian books. I began to see my place in the world differently. My desire to please the world became less, as I embraced the heavenly importance of what God had called me to do.
My availability to my husband and children is so crucial in the nurturing of who they will be in Christ. Our home atmosphere has changed so drastically. Instead of constant chaos and hurry, we have order and time. Time to pursue the ‘things’ of God. Time to mentor our daughters and their friends. Time to combat the worldly views our children are bombarded with on a daily basis. Time to allow God to influence and shape us so that we can influence and shape them. We have all grown in our faith and knowledge of God as a result.
Could I have done all these things while pursuing my own career? For me the answer was no. I was so scared to give up the security of what I had worked so hard to achieve but God showed me that when He ordains something, He also provides the grace to do it. He held me up when I struggled to redefine my role in the world. Following His will for my life has filled me up in ways I never could have imagined. The heavenly importance of what I do today, and its benefits, far exceed any form of acceptance this world can offer. Last year, God blessed us with another child, and so my days take on another new dimension in this journey of life. I cannot wait to see the outcome of it all!
. . . and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
This morning I read Mark 1:1-8 in my personal bible study. Eight simple verses that have taken me down a path that leads to interesting thoughts and questions. An unexpected path. I invite you to stay with me as I lay out the journey I took this morning and see if you come to the same conclusions.
Mark begins by acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God. He then goes on to quote Isaiah's words of a messenger that would be sent to prepare the way for Jesus. He briefly fills us in on John (And so John came...) by telling us that he was in the desert and he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He describes what he wears and what he eats. Which by the way, was nothing fancy - no fancy clothes, no fancy food, no fancy venue to preach in, no fancy accommodations to stay in if you chose to go hear him preach. It was all quite inconvenient, to say the least. But, they came to hear his message, a message of the One more powerful than him, who would come and baptize with the Holy Spirit.
This is where I start to ask questions. Isaiah prophesied that a messenger would be sent to prepare the way. How did Isaiah know? How did John know he was the one Isaiah spoke of? So, I look at my bible cross references and am led to the story of John the Baptist' birth in Luke chapter one.
Well, the angel, Gabriel, announces to Zechariah, in the Holy Temple, that his prayer has been answered. His wife, Elizabeth, will have a son, and they shall name him John. The angel tells Zechariah that John will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. Then the angel says this...(and here is where my real questions start) he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
Now, this challenged me because up until this point, I thought the first indwelling of the Holy Spirit had been at Pentecost. As I began to research this, I discover that the Holy Spirit was given temporarily to people in the old testament for a specific purpose to be accomplished.
I, also, discover the text in Luke 2:25-35 that speaks of the Holy Spirit being upon a man called Simeon. The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. The Holy Spirit helped Simeon recognized Jesus as the Son of God, when his parents brought him into the temple. So, I learned something new there.
Here's another challenging thought. I believe the Holy Spirit is a gift that is given to new believers - who are forgiven of their sins. God cannot dwell in a sinful body. Therefore, I believe the Holy Spirit cannot be present in a sinful, unrepentant, unbeliever. However, in Luke 1:15b says...and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit EVEN from birth.
Here's my question. Did John believe in Jesus and confess his need for a Savior in the womb?
The people of the old testament and even Simeon were believers in God the Father, and believed that Jesus would come as their Savior some day. So, they fit the criteria that we are taught is needed to have the Holy Spirit dwell in us.
So, I have to believe that John would have had to meet the same criteria. Right? Am I being led to believe this took place in the womb? Again, the bible verse says... and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit EVEN from birth.
The word EVEN is what leads me to believe it happened in the womb. It doesn't say FROM birth, it says EVEN from birth, as if it happened prior to the day of birth. The Holy Spirit was present there already - at birth! (Are you following me in this?)
My point is not if God is powerful enough to accomplish that task in a person in the womb, but rather that He did do it in the womb!
If we believe that God worked in John BEFORE he was born, then it is evidence that God considers life to start prior to birth!
I don't know for sure if the Holy Spirit came to John on the day of conception, or in the first, second, or third trimester, or at birth. God didn't share the details of when and how with us. But, it is possible, at least the way I am being led to understand the text today, that it did happen prior to birth.
If so, then the big question is, how can we risk defining LIFE at any starting point other than at the very beginning (conception)!
So, there it is. Eight simple verses led me down a path I didn't expect. I thought I'd be in thought about the work of John the Baptist, but God wanted to show me something else. So, now you have food for thought today, too!
Mark begins by acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God. He then goes on to quote Isaiah's words of a messenger that would be sent to prepare the way for Jesus. He briefly fills us in on John (And so John came...) by telling us that he was in the desert and he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He describes what he wears and what he eats. Which by the way, was nothing fancy - no fancy clothes, no fancy food, no fancy venue to preach in, no fancy accommodations to stay in if you chose to go hear him preach. It was all quite inconvenient, to say the least. But, they came to hear his message, a message of the One more powerful than him, who would come and baptize with the Holy Spirit.
This is where I start to ask questions. Isaiah prophesied that a messenger would be sent to prepare the way. How did Isaiah know? How did John know he was the one Isaiah spoke of? So, I look at my bible cross references and am led to the story of John the Baptist' birth in Luke chapter one.
Well, the angel, Gabriel, announces to Zechariah, in the Holy Temple, that his prayer has been answered. His wife, Elizabeth, will have a son, and they shall name him John. The angel tells Zechariah that John will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. Then the angel says this...(and here is where my real questions start) he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
Now, this challenged me because up until this point, I thought the first indwelling of the Holy Spirit had been at Pentecost. As I began to research this, I discover that the Holy Spirit was given temporarily to people in the old testament for a specific purpose to be accomplished.
I, also, discover the text in Luke 2:25-35 that speaks of the Holy Spirit being upon a man called Simeon. The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. The Holy Spirit helped Simeon recognized Jesus as the Son of God, when his parents brought him into the temple. So, I learned something new there.
Here's another challenging thought. I believe the Holy Spirit is a gift that is given to new believers - who are forgiven of their sins. God cannot dwell in a sinful body. Therefore, I believe the Holy Spirit cannot be present in a sinful, unrepentant, unbeliever. However, in Luke 1:15b says...and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit EVEN from birth.
Here's my question. Did John believe in Jesus and confess his need for a Savior in the womb?
The people of the old testament and even Simeon were believers in God the Father, and believed that Jesus would come as their Savior some day. So, they fit the criteria that we are taught is needed to have the Holy Spirit dwell in us.
So, I have to believe that John would have had to meet the same criteria. Right? Am I being led to believe this took place in the womb? Again, the bible verse says... and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit EVEN from birth.
The word EVEN is what leads me to believe it happened in the womb. It doesn't say FROM birth, it says EVEN from birth, as if it happened prior to the day of birth. The Holy Spirit was present there already - at birth! (Are you following me in this?)
My point is not if God is powerful enough to accomplish that task in a person in the womb, but rather that He did do it in the womb!
If we believe that God worked in John BEFORE he was born, then it is evidence that God considers life to start prior to birth!
I don't know for sure if the Holy Spirit came to John on the day of conception, or in the first, second, or third trimester, or at birth. God didn't share the details of when and how with us. But, it is possible, at least the way I am being led to understand the text today, that it did happen prior to birth.
If so, then the big question is, how can we risk defining LIFE at any starting point other than at the very beginning (conception)!
So, there it is. Eight simple verses led me down a path I didn't expect. I thought I'd be in thought about the work of John the Baptist, but God wanted to show me something else. So, now you have food for thought today, too!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Proverbs 2:1-5
In Proverbs 2:1-5, it says the following,
IF YOU...
1. Accept my words
2. Store up my commands within you
3. Turn your ear to wisdom
4. Apply your heart to understanding
5. Call out for insight
6. Cry aloud for understanding
7. Look for it as silver
8. Search for it as for hidden treasure
THEN YOU ...
1. Will understand the fear of the Lord
2. Find the knowledge of God
It's true!
When I first started reading the bible, I found myself reading it as a book of historical information. I tried to learn the stories of the bible and get to know the characters, similar to reading a novel. I had heard others talk of King David or Abraham, and by reading about them for myself, I was catching up to what I thought they knew.
To my great surprise, the more I read and re-read, the more I discovered the layers of depth to the stories I was reading. It wasn't just a 'story' to remember. There is deep meaning and symbolism in the stories. The Old Testament points to the need and to the promise of the New Testament. It's all intertwined and it's a beautiful love story.
As I read a verse today, I am able to connect it in my mind to others I have already read, and between all the connections, it begins to make sense on a level that is deeply satisfying and fulfilling for me.
As I consistently put forth the effort of making time to read God's Word, He takes the time to build for me a knowledge and understanding of Him, as my Lord and Savior! Through His divine help, I can see my great need for Him, I can appreciate His great love for me (even when I don't deserve it), and I can grasp the extent of how He demonstrated that love for me through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
The more you read the bible, the more you will come to love God's Word! You will desire to be in the Word every day. You will know if you have been away from it for any length of time, as it beckons in your soul to return to it. It will take a hold of your mind and heart and it will change you!
Believing in Jesus and confessing your need for Him is salvation gained. However, taking that belief farther and making an effort to really get to know God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit produces life transformation here in this world, and it is a most precious gift!
Don't overlook or bypass the gift of really getting to know the God who loves you so richly and deeply! May your faith journey be one full of knowledge and understanding in the One that saves, and truly be life transforming for you!
IF YOU...
1. Accept my words
2. Store up my commands within you
3. Turn your ear to wisdom
4. Apply your heart to understanding
5. Call out for insight
6. Cry aloud for understanding
7. Look for it as silver
8. Search for it as for hidden treasure
THEN YOU ...
1. Will understand the fear of the Lord
2. Find the knowledge of God
It's true!
When I first started reading the bible, I found myself reading it as a book of historical information. I tried to learn the stories of the bible and get to know the characters, similar to reading a novel. I had heard others talk of King David or Abraham, and by reading about them for myself, I was catching up to what I thought they knew.
To my great surprise, the more I read and re-read, the more I discovered the layers of depth to the stories I was reading. It wasn't just a 'story' to remember. There is deep meaning and symbolism in the stories. The Old Testament points to the need and to the promise of the New Testament. It's all intertwined and it's a beautiful love story.
As I read a verse today, I am able to connect it in my mind to others I have already read, and between all the connections, it begins to make sense on a level that is deeply satisfying and fulfilling for me.
As I consistently put forth the effort of making time to read God's Word, He takes the time to build for me a knowledge and understanding of Him, as my Lord and Savior! Through His divine help, I can see my great need for Him, I can appreciate His great love for me (even when I don't deserve it), and I can grasp the extent of how He demonstrated that love for me through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
The more you read the bible, the more you will come to love God's Word! You will desire to be in the Word every day. You will know if you have been away from it for any length of time, as it beckons in your soul to return to it. It will take a hold of your mind and heart and it will change you!
Believing in Jesus and confessing your need for Him is salvation gained. However, taking that belief farther and making an effort to really get to know God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit produces life transformation here in this world, and it is a most precious gift!
Don't overlook or bypass the gift of really getting to know the God who loves you so richly and deeply! May your faith journey be one full of knowledge and understanding in the One that saves, and truly be life transforming for you!
What's This?
My daughter has a children's book called, What's This?, by Caroline Mockford.
It's a story of a seed, that is first found by a bird, then a girl, than a marmalade cat. All three ask the question, "what's this?". Together, they discover it should be planted and watered. They do so, and then wait and watch for the results. The seed sprouts out of the ground, then becomes taller than the bird, then taller than the cat, and then taller than the girl.
As they watch in wonder at the changes the seed goes through, they also care for it. Then one day the girl goes out to the plant and discovers that it turned into a magnificent sunflower. Everyday, she goes out to the sunflower just to be near it.
When Fall comes, the sunflower head droops down, and the girl discovers all of the seeds in the sunflower. She takes them to school to her teacher and they keep the seeds in a special place. In Spring, all the children in the class plant the seeds, and by summer, they each had a magnificent sunflower of their very own.
It's been said that faith the size of a mustard seed is enough to get you into heaven, which is true.
However, imagine if that seed of faith is planted deep, nurtured, and watered, consistently in you, through bible reading, prayer, experience, trial, correction, christian fellowship, and solitude with God.
Just imagine how you would change and how the world would look at you differently if your 'faith seed' exploded into a magnificent sunflower inside of you!
What if the process of morphing from that seed to the sunflower begins to plant seeds of faith in your friends, family, and the world because they see the changes taking place in you, and in those changes, they find the beauty of purpose?
Imagine the love and order in the world, if we all had the exploding faith of a sunflower inside of us!
May you guard your faith as precious, nurture and carefully grow it, and may you plant seeds of faith in others! May you become a beautiful sunflower that points the way to God for others.
It's a story of a seed, that is first found by a bird, then a girl, than a marmalade cat. All three ask the question, "what's this?". Together, they discover it should be planted and watered. They do so, and then wait and watch for the results. The seed sprouts out of the ground, then becomes taller than the bird, then taller than the cat, and then taller than the girl.
As they watch in wonder at the changes the seed goes through, they also care for it. Then one day the girl goes out to the plant and discovers that it turned into a magnificent sunflower. Everyday, she goes out to the sunflower just to be near it.
When Fall comes, the sunflower head droops down, and the girl discovers all of the seeds in the sunflower. She takes them to school to her teacher and they keep the seeds in a special place. In Spring, all the children in the class plant the seeds, and by summer, they each had a magnificent sunflower of their very own.
It's been said that faith the size of a mustard seed is enough to get you into heaven, which is true.
However, imagine if that seed of faith is planted deep, nurtured, and watered, consistently in you, through bible reading, prayer, experience, trial, correction, christian fellowship, and solitude with God.
Just imagine how you would change and how the world would look at you differently if your 'faith seed' exploded into a magnificent sunflower inside of you!
What if the process of morphing from that seed to the sunflower begins to plant seeds of faith in your friends, family, and the world because they see the changes taking place in you, and in those changes, they find the beauty of purpose?
Imagine the love and order in the world, if we all had the exploding faith of a sunflower inside of us!
May you guard your faith as precious, nurture and carefully grow it, and may you plant seeds of faith in others! May you become a beautiful sunflower that points the way to God for others.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
They Shall Become One
The small group I am a part of through my church has been going through The Truth Project DVD series put out by Focus On The Family. Last night, we discussed the social order of marriage. We learned that God did not just create the social order of marriage but in fact it has always existed because it mimics the very nature of God himself. It is an eternal structure that has always been and always will be.
We reviewed the Trinity and how the three parts of God interact with each other. God is the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit comes from both the Father and the Son. We saw how the Father was the head or the authority and how Jesus submits to the Father and does His will. They live as one in perfect unity but yet diverse.
We then compared those relationships and actions to the family. The husband is like the Father and is to love his wife. The wife is like Jesus and is to submit and respect the authority of the husband. They shall leave their mothers and fathers and cleave to each other and become one. We are to live in perfect unity in our family as a reflection of the Trinity and God's very nature as a witness to the rest of the world. When we break that bond it is as if we are crushing God himself.
Wow! Marriage was never explained to me like that before. I wondered where this information was 25 years ago because it would have been helpful prior to marriage. However, then I caught myself, and I knew even if it would have been available, I probably wouldn't have listened. I was too caught up in the world to have cared much about what God thought.
Nevertheless, I caught a glimpse of how God must have grieved over the destruction and break of my first marriage, and shame hit me again. To be in the place I am today, as a child of God who seeks to please Him, and then have to face Him again on this subject was hard. As I sat there quietly withdrawing inward, God spoke to me through the words of my friend sitting next to me. She said, "God is a gracious God who forgives BIG and we can learn from our mistakes and move on." That's grace!
In those moments, Satan probably would have loved to rewind that video in my head that tells me I am unworthy, I am not acceptable, my sins are too big! However, God intervened, and through my friend I was reminded of how God has forgiven me. I am receptive to His work within me now. I am trying to seek God's will and live within the roles He has designed for our family in the blessing of my second marriage. I am forgiven and I can move on because grace has allowed me another chance.
I am grateful today for second chances, for grace that prevents us from being completely crushed by our sins forever and allows us to try again, and for friends that can help restore and build up our relationship with God through words of encouragement rather than judgment!
We reviewed the Trinity and how the three parts of God interact with each other. God is the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit comes from both the Father and the Son. We saw how the Father was the head or the authority and how Jesus submits to the Father and does His will. They live as one in perfect unity but yet diverse.
We then compared those relationships and actions to the family. The husband is like the Father and is to love his wife. The wife is like Jesus and is to submit and respect the authority of the husband. They shall leave their mothers and fathers and cleave to each other and become one. We are to live in perfect unity in our family as a reflection of the Trinity and God's very nature as a witness to the rest of the world. When we break that bond it is as if we are crushing God himself.
Wow! Marriage was never explained to me like that before. I wondered where this information was 25 years ago because it would have been helpful prior to marriage. However, then I caught myself, and I knew even if it would have been available, I probably wouldn't have listened. I was too caught up in the world to have cared much about what God thought.
Nevertheless, I caught a glimpse of how God must have grieved over the destruction and break of my first marriage, and shame hit me again. To be in the place I am today, as a child of God who seeks to please Him, and then have to face Him again on this subject was hard. As I sat there quietly withdrawing inward, God spoke to me through the words of my friend sitting next to me. She said, "God is a gracious God who forgives BIG and we can learn from our mistakes and move on." That's grace!
In those moments, Satan probably would have loved to rewind that video in my head that tells me I am unworthy, I am not acceptable, my sins are too big! However, God intervened, and through my friend I was reminded of how God has forgiven me. I am receptive to His work within me now. I am trying to seek God's will and live within the roles He has designed for our family in the blessing of my second marriage. I am forgiven and I can move on because grace has allowed me another chance.
I am grateful today for second chances, for grace that prevents us from being completely crushed by our sins forever and allows us to try again, and for friends that can help restore and build up our relationship with God through words of encouragement rather than judgment!
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