Trust
Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Lord,
Trusting You isn’t all that easy.
I mean, You see things
from a totally different perspective.
I worry about the immediate
while You’re shaping the eternal.
Daily demands dominate my thinking
while You’re busy with the whole scope of my life.
For me, my life is all consuming.
It’s important to You, too,
but as a part of a whole
not just an individual entity.
I want to trust You,
I want to believe You know what’s best,
that Your will for me is designed
to release my highest potential.
I do believe, Lord, Help me to believe more.
History is my best hope.
Across the scope of a lifetime
I can see the wisdom of your Will.
Even in my short life
the evidence of Your direction
gives me a sense of destiny.
I trust You, Lord, I really do!
Amen.
Genuine Church
All these messages about genuineness are beginning to scare me. Genuine faith and the practical insights of Pastor James clearly reveals to me that real faith impacts my attitudes and actions in ways I’d sometimes like to let run wild with little control and restraint. Genuine love as revealed by Simon Peter is a journey that demands that I pay attention to matters of morality and how I treat people. I’m well acquainted with the message of grace and I live each day so grateful your compassion and forgiveness are eternal gifts. But genuine love reminds me that you call me to a type of lifestyle that honors righteousness and demands my character is transformed by truth. Genuine works, as made clear by the Apostle Paul, are the ways in which I walk in the purposes that you prepared for me in eternity past. Works become my expression of gratitude as I live out my days on this earth and they provide a connection from this life into eternal life,
Now Lord, you have me studying and preaching on “A Genuine Church.” I look at your specific words to congregations and pastors in the past and I hear your eternal voice specifically to our church family and me. Genuineness I assume means a degree of transparency and honesty, with myself and with others. So here goes. I easily get distracted and even sometimes discouraged by the day-to-day pressures of church life. Folks I love get frustrated and out of sorts at times and they behave in the oddest of ways. Financial matters weigh heavily as we navigate blending the worlds of vision and blessing with the harsh realities of budgets and patience. And then there’s the daily grind that everyone seems to be going through that finds expression in so many ways. Has it always been like this, Lord? Is there really anything different about the times in which we live? I want to believe so but in my heart I know better. And even if it is different, your call to our congregation today is the same as it’s been to every church in every century. Simply put, genuine faith, love and works will find expression in very practical and recognizable ways.
Lord, may Christ’s Chapel be a genuine church that you look at with pleasure. Our study during the next few weeks will hopefully reveal your heart to us. It will also probably revel our hearts as well. I trust you with the journey. Amen.”
The Cross
Your cross in not simply ugly, it’s beautiful! Not with the pseudo-prettiness of stained glass and neon, but beautiful, with the vibrance of life as seen through the reflected light of the empty tomb! Yes, it was not a disaster, it was a divine provision. You were not a helpless captive, but a willing sacrifice. You became obedient to death, to the death of the cross. You refused to be taunted into coming down because dying was the only way to destroy death, because coming back from the dead was the ultimate triumph. Your cross is paradoxical: both an end and a beginning, both a tragedy and a triumph, both death and life. Thank you, Lord, for using the ugly cross to forever disarm death. Thank you for coming out of the tomb and bringing all of us new and endless life.
Amen
Looking for Hands to Use
In moments like that, when it’s just you and God and nobody else, every selfish act, every disobedience, every failure returns with shameful clarity. And yet, God did not chasten Moses, did not chide him. Instead He called him, “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10)
Moses responded, “…Who am I…?” (Exodus 3:11) Which was his way of saying, “Don’t you remember who I am? I’m a wanted man, a murderer. Forty years ago I tried and I failed. I’m flattered God, but you’ve got the wrong man. I’m not qualified.”
And Moses was right – as far as he went – but he missed the point. God’s call was not so much the confirmation of Moses gifts but a testimony of His faithfulness. His call is always a sovereign act, independent of our personal goodness. As Gene Bartlett puts it, “…’the audacity of preaching,’ is found in the awareness that the person who preaches is, himself part of the guilt and need to which he speaks.”
Maybe Alexander Irvine said it best in his novel “My Lady of the Chimney corner.” The “lady” goes to comfort a neighbor whose son had died and she says, “...God isn’t a printed book to be carried around by a man in fine clothes, not a cross dangling at the watch chain of a priest God takes a hand whenever He can find it, and just does what he likes with it. Sometimes He takes a bishop’s hand and lays it on a child’s head in benediction, and then He takes the hand of a doctor to relieve pain, the hand of a mother to guide a child, and sometimes He takes the hand of a poor servant like me to give comfort to a neighbor. But they’re all hands touched by His Spirit, and His Spirit is everywhere looking for hands to use.”
As I mentioned in last week’s sermon, “Christ has no hands but ours.”
Forgive Me
Dear God,
Over the past number of years, it has finally become apparent that You have been keeping me closer than I had thought. In my childish folly, I thought I could remove the pain of my youth by denying You my companionship. Yet I now see that You have been by my side all along. When I was drowning in despair, it was You who gave me a lifeline. When I was lost in the dark, it was You who gave me the light. When I hit the wall of doubt and did not know where to turn, it was You who opened the door. When I slipped on the shaky ground at the rim of hell, it was You who pulled me back.
In my wretched existence without You in my heart, I cursed and abused You. I looked away from Your light, and I was blinded by the myriad distractions of sin. I held my hands over my ears to avoid Your call, and I fell prey to the lies of evil. I slapped Your hand away in arrogance, and I took the fruit of sin and devoured it with smugness. I crossed the world to get away from You, but You were already there; yet I began to talk and act as if I did not recognize You.
Oh, forgive me, Father for I was wrong! I sinned against You and turned my back on Your will. I sought another path to Your door, and became lost along the way. I strayed so far, and now this lamb is tired, weak, cold and alone.
Father, I hear Your Servant, and He tells me my Master is nearby. My heart beats for joy, and I turn around. I am Your lamb, and I hear the Shepherd call my name. Yes, Jesus, I am here! I weep with tears of joy. I jump and bound into the embrace of my Lord and Savior. I am filled with the warmth of His goodness, and the radiance of His grace washes away the filth of my accumulated sins. Praise God, I am found and whole once again!! Hallelujah, I am found!
A Blue Collar Man
As a consequence, he talked the language of common men, understood the life they lived, their little hardships, the things they had to contend with day after day.
He knew what it was like to struggle to make ends meet. He was old beyond his years, of necessity, for as the firstborn, he became the head of the family at an early age following his father’s untimely death.
Life wasn’t easy, the days were long, the work hard, and he learned to get by on meager fare.
On top of everything else, there was the prejudice – whispers about the legitimacy of his birth. He was a Jew is a Roman world, and a carpenter before it was recognized as a viable trade.
Granted there was royalty in his family tree, way back – and long since forgotten, of no interest now, except to the genealogists.
He was a blue-collar man, not a blue-blood. His hands were rough and calloused, familiar with hard work. He was a common man among common men. He lived where they lived…fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, street vendors…and he loved them all, everyone, outcasts of all kinds…the untouchables…lepers, lunatics, Samaritans, street people, and women taken in adultery.
He was concerned about the kinds of things that concern common people – children, paying taxes, bread and fish when you’re hungry, running out of wine at your daughter’s wedding.
Other things too, that concern us all – like learning how to pray, not just words, but really communicating with God. And he talked a lot about loving each other, turning the other cheek, going the second mile.
He loved kids and crowds, celebrations and solitude, miracles and quiet meals with old friends. He was a blue-collar man, and he calls us to be blue-collar people too.
Not pseudo-intellectuals theorizing about human need. Not bleeding hearts trapped in sentimentality, but real, honest-to-goodness people, resolving human conflict, restoring shattered self-esteem, loving the loveless, and washing tired feet – even when there’s not one to watch.
Jesus was a blue collar man.”
Independence Day
The document that gave immigrants these rights after gaining access to the Unites States was the Declaration of Independence. This government declaration was established to insure and secure rights of individuals to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also gave American citizens the right to alter or abolish their government and replace it, were it to become destructive, with one that insures their safety and happiness. What this document was to the rights of the American people, so was the Constitution to the legal framework of the United States. Established on September 17th, 1787, the Constitution, established justice, insured domestic tranquility, provided for the common defense, promoted general welfare, and secured the Blessings of Liberty to everyone and their posterity. These two documents together were the foundation of our nation.
It’s important to learn the history of your country. We must not forget the hardships those who came before us experienced in order to gain the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. So this weekend and tomorrow you should raise a flag, have a picnic, gather with friends and family, and when you hear the sound of fireworks as they light up the July night sky… remember your freedoms today are because of the men and women who were willing to give their lives in order for you to be free, great men and women of conviction that risked a great deal in the formative years of our nation, and a God that gives guidance and has watched over the United States all these many years.
Life is Short
We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church's mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water the seeds already planted knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing this.
This enables us to do something and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, and an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders. We are ministers, not messiahs. We are building a future that will only be completely seen in eternity.
Father's Day
Father’s Day creates personal emotions that run the gamut from sadness to celebration, grief to gratitude. However, I choose this day to once again tell my dad’s story and find comfort in what I had and continue to embrace instead of focusing on what I’ve lost and miss each day.
Dad was born into a family of eight brothers and sisters. He was raised in Wytheville, Virginia. His mother died when he was 16 years old so responsibility came to him at an early age. The chores at home and the need to financially help the family by working at the local general store developed a strong work ethic in him.
As a young adult he began working at a company named Georgia Pacific and met his future wife in Cumberland, Kentucky. Space will not allow me to tell all the fun stories of their dating and early years together, but I love hearing them over and over.
Growing up, Dad was away from the house usually three nights a week as a salesman for Georgia Pacific. I still remember anticipating his phone call each evening, his arrival at home on Thursday nights and the occasional business trip I took with him during the summer.
When Dad got saved he was in his mid-40’s. He had always been an ethical man, but the Lord challenged him not to continue “business as usual” which, by this time, he had become fairly successful at. Leaving Georgia Pacific and eventually going into business for himself was not an easy move but one which proved to be the best.
I thank God for the gift of my dad and for all he invested into my life. Thank you…
…For all the memories of childhood and providing for our family.
…For developing in me a sense of confidence and a work ethic necessary to succeed.
…For loving my mom and remaining faithful to her for over 54 years.
…For showing me the inward strengths of integrity, character, compassion and humility.
…For requiring of me a college education and providing for it financially.
…For loving my wife, Cindy, and your grandchildren, who adore you.
…For living out your faith in Jesus Christ with discipline and obedience.
…For 100 things space will not allow me to mention and 100 more I simply will never know.
…For allowing me the honor to serve as your pastor for twenty years.
…For making heaven feel more like home now that you are there.
Personal Fulfillment
History gives us several examples, but none is more graphic than a king named Solomon. He had everything – wealth, wisdom, worldwide recognition, and an ever-deepening weariness. Hear him as he laments the emptiness of life: “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14)
Describing his unbridled pursuit of pleasure, he confesses, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desire; I refused my heart no pleasure…but that also proved to be meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 2:10, 11)
He’s the head of state, the King of Israel, a popular and effective leader who literally transforms his nation into a world power. His domestic programs made Israel the envy of all her neighbors. He undertook great projects and amassed enormous wealth, yet without experiencing personal fulfillment.
What a tragedy! An aging king, self-absorbed in the trappings of wealth and power, known worldwide for his wisdom and his achievements, recognized as the most powerful man on earth – yet desperately unhappy. In frustration he writes, “…I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All if it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:17)
Solomon’s life was empty and meaningless, in spite of all his achievements, because he lived only for himself; he had no higher goals than his own fulfillment.
Bikers' Church
I was on the church telephone with a missionary friend when all of a sudden the line went dead. A few seconds later the phone rang again and I quickly picked it up without saying the usual, "Hello, this is Pastor Terry" or "Hello, Christ's Chapel. May I help you?" Instead, I just said, "Hey!" assuming it was my missionary friend calling back. I was wrong. It was somebody I had never met or spoken with who had just prayed that God would let him speak to me. This was how Al Abrams and I began our friendship that is now in its fourth year and how I was first introduced to the world of bikers.
Pastor Al and Dana now oversee Bikers' Church, an ongoing ministry here at Christ's Chapel. Every Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m., area bikers and friends of this ministry meet to worship the Lord and discover God's purpose for life. Beginning yesterday, here on our church property, we've had a festival of sorts that's called "Bikers' Weekend Rally." To make sure we all have the opportunity to see what this ministry is about, there's an entire afternoon filled with games and activities for both adults and children. Tonight at 6:00 p.m. there is a concert as well.
Bikers' Church has now become part of the DNA of our congregation. I feel blessed to work so closely with Pastor Al and Dana and believe the Lord is going to continue to show favor to this ministry. This morning, Pastor Al is going to share the good news of what God is doing in his life personally and the overall Bikers' Church ministry. I ask you to bless this ministry in whatever way you can. Tell your biker friends about it and let's ask God to increase their influence into our community.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day for many is the beginning of summer vacation. It’s the first weekend of fun which most of us begin looking forward to sometime in late January when the temperature is falling and the snow is flying. And yet the history behind Memorial Day is much more significant and deserves a time of reflection. Why? Because on this day we remember and honor those who have served this country in the armed services and especially those who have given their lives in battle. Memorial Day is a day set aside to give thanks for, and to say thanks to, those who have served this nation and defended the rights and freedoms of our Constitution.
I’m 53 years old and have never really had to think seriously about being drafted. The Vietnam War was over early in my high school years and I was considered an old man by the time any other real conflicts developed. As a result, I may be somewhat guilty of taking my freedoms and “pursuit of happiness” for granted. And yet my love of the study of history and knowledge of present world developments quickly sober me and help me realize that being born in 1957 in America to a white, middle-class family has afforded me opportunities most of the world’s citizens will never experience.
I genuinely would like to say thank you to those of you either in our congregation or your loved ones, who by choice or through the draft, served this country and placed yourselves in a possible life threatening situation. I’ve never had to make that type of decision and I’m very grateful to live in a country where so many before my time, and even after my time, said “Yes” and served this country with dignity and honor.
Waiting
Lord, It’s like a real miracle.
I feel so different now.
I came to You
with every nerve singing,
taunt as a bow string.
My emotions were
raw and bleeding
and I lashed out
at the slightest provocation.
I was angry
because it seemed
people were taking advantage of me,
just bleeding me dry.
I was hurt
because people were once again
misunderstanding my efforts
at love and gentleness.
I was lonely
and crying on the inside
because there was no one
to hear me and love me
in the moment of my need.
In desperation
I turned to You
trying to believe with the prophet of old
that waiting on You
would renew my strength.
It has!
Beholding Your greatness and grace
has put life back in focus.
My only fear now
is that I might forget
where I found this strength and sanity.
Remind me to come often
before life gets out of hand.
In the future let me come to You
not out of desperation
but out of love and devotion.
Amen.
Kentucky District Council
Now please don't misunderstand me. These folks have probably worked very hard to be where they are and no doubt their success is directly connected to God's blessing upon their life and ministry. I just simply think we sometimes forget that the real hero's of the faith are the pastors and church leaders that serve small congregations all across this country.
The statistics are clear. Over 80% of the churches in the United States have an average weekend attendance of less than 200 people. And so, in my opinion, the ministers that provide pastoral oversight in these churches provide the backbone of Christianity in our nation. They will seldom have their pictures on magazine publications and few people even know their names outside the communities they live in. And yet, they faithfully surrender their lives for the cause of Christ and invest endless hours in preaching the gospel, serving their congregations and loving their communities.
That's why I'm so excited for our church to have the opportunity of hosting the 2010 Kentucky District Council. Assembly of God ministers like I just described from across our state are coming to Christ's Chapel this coming Monday - Wednesday for a time of spiritual renewal and much needed/deserved rest and fellowship. I want to receive them and bless them as the gifts from the Lord that they genuinely are and I need your help to make that happen.
I'm asking for three things. First of all, pray for them. Ask the Lord to bless them, their families, and our time together while they are here. Secondly, we still need some volunteers to assist in making this event happen. Let us know if you have a few hours during District Council to serve as a volunteer. And finally, please attend the evening services. We expect a decent crowd but we will have plenty of room for our Christ's Chapel family to join us in worship on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night. Child-care will be provided just like our regular weekend services. I hope to see you there!
The Journey of Repentance
“As they led Him away, they seized Simon Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and wailed for Him.”
Luke 23:26-27
The beam of lumber weighed only thirty pounds. Normally, a man who had earned a living as a carpenter would not find this too much of a load. But Jesus’ muscular body had been ripped from whips. He had suffered pain so great it sucked the breath from His lungs and left Him in physical shock. He had lost much blood and was on the verge of unconsciousness from thirst.
Falling and bearing the beatings silently, somehow He got to His feet one more time. It was as if something was driving Him to reach Golgotha.
Jesus drove Himself to His feet again and again because He had accepted the task that awaited Him at Golgotha. Much more than the thirty pounds of rough-hewn lumber on His back, He carried the great need forced upon Him by all the selfish desires and actions that separate all of us from God. His agony, exhaustion, and certain death were not payment for anything He had done wrong, but for what we have done wrong.
It is easy to weep when we see Jesus with the cross. But those are tears He does not want. He wants us to cry for our sins. He wants us to ask forgiveness.
This journey is called repentance as we daily turn from sin to the grace and calling of God.
Take Up Your Cross
“If any man has a mind to come my way, let him renounce self, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. He who tries to save his life will lose it; it is the man who loses his life for my sake, that will save it.” Luke 9:23-24
Lord,
Do you have to talk in riddles?
I mean this bit about a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die or else it abides alone, or that line about a man losing his life in order to find it, are a little much. How do you expect to convert the world if you can’t make more sense than that?
Besides I thought You were the ultimate sacrifice.
Why do we have to die? How does abundant life fit into all of this?
My son,
I was the sacrifice for your sins. That work is finished, there’s nothing more you can do.
I bore my cross, lost my life, to save you from your sins.
When you take up your cross and follow me
it is to save yourself from emptiness, from meaninglessness.
The only life worth living is one which believes
in something enough to die for it!
Lord,
I get it. Your cross saves us from sin!
Our cross saves us from our selfish selves.
I’ve had moments like that,
moments when I lost myself in service to others,
and discovered an aliveness
no self-serving accomplishment can ever match.
Help me to live that way.
My cross bearing a way of life
rather than scattered moments in a selfish life.
Living Unafraid
Lord, it’s too late for you to be quiet, You have spoken too much; You have fought too much. You were not sensible, You know. You exaggerated; it was bound to happen. You called the better people a breed of vipers. You told them their hearts were black sepulchers with fine exteriors. You chose the decaying lepers, You spoke fearlessly with unacceptable strangers, You ate with notorious sinners, and You said streetwalkers would be the first in Paradise. You got on well with the poor, the bums, the crippled. You belittled the religious regulations. Your interpretation of the Law reduced it to one little commandment; To Love.
Now they are avenging themselves. They have taken steps against You. They have approached the authorities, and action will follow.
Lord, I know if I try to live a little like You, I shall be condemned. I am afraid. They are already singling me out. Some smile at me, others laugh, some are shocked, and several of my friends are about to drop me. I am afraid to stop. I am afraid to listen to men’s wisdom. It whispers; You must go forward little by little, everything can’t be taken literally, it’s better to come to terms with the adversary.
And yet, Lord, I know that You are right. Help me to fight. Help me to speak. Help me to live your Gospel to the end, to the folly of the Cross.
Emotional Extremes
In a two-day period our church said good-bye to a few week old infant and an eighty-eight year old prayer warrior. Now, today, a dear friend my age and attendee in our early service has died of brain cancer. Tonight we get word that a mom and her new baby had a difficult delivery and that serious prayer is needed.
There is more, much more, but writing more would give details that are mostly confidential. There have been surgeries, with more scheduled in the next few days. A marriage crisis here and there, a misunderstanding among friends, and a challenging matter that requires my input. And Lord, did you know we have a little building project happening in our sanctuary and a much needed parking lot expansion that is delayed because of the weather?
It's not been all bad or difficult news. In fact, there are so many good things happening to rejoice about. Lord, why does it seem that our focus is pulled toward those things that bring struggle? Maybe it's because God's kingdom is always in motion and full of energy, both of which create what some have termed "life-friction." Is that what this is all about, Lord? I'm just feeling what it means to be alive, living as salt and light with other believers in a culture and world that is lost and searching.
Lord, in the midst of it all and above all else you've called our pastoral staff to "equip all the believers at Christ's Chapel" for the ministry (Ephesians 4). We certainly already have tremendous volunteers and I'm fully aware that our church as we know it would come to a grinding halt without them. Thank-you, Lord, for all those that give themselves so freely as servants to our church family. We need so many more. I trust that this Saturday's ministry training gives us a shot in the arm as our church grows and the ministry demands increase. This week is proof positive that we work as a team, serve as a team and succeed as a team. Lord, I ask you to strengthen, equip and enlarge that team by your power and grace. Amen.
Bad Days
Luke 23:34 – Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Bad days are the results of things that happen, and things that happen are the results of what people do. People who misunderstood. People who intended to hurt us. People who forgot or neglected to do something. People who betrayed or violated us. People whose injury done to us was either yesterday or yesteryear. People do things, and we find it difficult to believe what Jesus said about them that day – that they didn’t know what they were doing.
Yet His words are probably the most descriptive truth about all human sin, lovelessness, rebellion, hurt, hate, anger, violence, and the thousand other evils that overflow our fallen race. Even when sin is calculated, planned thoroughly, conceived carefully, and executed efficiently, no one really understands the depth or dimension of sin’s destructiveness or the degree of its horrible damage to people. In a very real sense, every sin is a sin of ignorance.
To learn the grace of forgiveness – to embrace the will to forgive anyone or everyone who seems to be ruining your life right now – you need to find a starting place and Jesus points you to it. “They don’t know what they’re doing.” But the fact of the matter is, that isn’t the way you feel. You tend to see things from the viewpoint of your experience, and when bad things happen, it appears that whoever did you wrong knew exactly what he was doing and didn’t really seem to care either.
It must have looked that way from the Cross, too, but Jesus teaches about the forgiveness: Forgiving those who assail you is the key to not being permanently victimized by them. Whatever the initial impact of any offense you experience by others, your will to refuse to react, carry a grudge, or seek to retaliate in kind secures the high ground.
Work and Friendship
In my over three decades of serving you
I've discovered a few principles that have
helped to guide me in my faith. In some
seasons, these principles were gifts that simply
kept me forward moving in my faith journey
and at other times they enabled me to overcome
real discouragement. I learned them early and they
continue to be a helpful compass and companion.
What are these treasures, these eternal gifts to
me and anyone else that will embrace them? The
first is the gift of work; a task to embrace, a ministry
to offer myself to. Some may confuse this confession
with my current position as pastor. The truth is, however,
that I gave myself to this way of life for years before ever
walking in a calling or vocation. I've also observed a
similar internal joy that accompanies others that have
learned the lesson that God calls all believers to serve
within a local church.
The second treasure is the gift of friendship. No real
expectations required other than connection and time. I
know by nature I'm shy and withdrawn and will admit my
profession often requires me to push beyond my comfort
zone to nurture existing or build new relationships.
I'm grateful to know that friendship truly is a treasure
worth pursuing.
Thank-You, Lord, for giving me these gifts and providing me
a platform to example them before our church family. I trust
that many will find direction this weekend during the Summit
and discover afresh the joys of fulfilling ministry and lasting
friendship.
Leo Durocher’s Story…
“On June 2, 1940, a little girl was born to us. She cost us money from the moment she was born. As she grew from babyhood, she cost even more – her dresses and shoes were more expensive, and we had to have the doctor through all those childhood diseases. She was even more expensive during her school and teen years. She needed long dresses to go to parties. When she went to college we discovered along with other parents, that all college expenses were not listed in the catalogue. Then after graduation, she fell in love and married. She was married in a church wedding and that, too, cost a lot of money. Then, five months after her marriage, she suddenly sickened and within a week she was dead. She hasn’t cost us a penny since the day we walked away from the grave.
As long as the church is alive, she will cost money. And the more alive a church is, the more money she will cost. Only a dead church, like a dead child, is no longer expensive. Only a living church costs money. I’ve told you before about the difference between living churches and dead churches. Living churches have space problems – parking, nursery, classrooms, etc. Dead churches don’t have to worry about that – they’ve got lots of unused space. Living churches are always changing things. Dead churches don’t – they just stay the same. In living churches they struggle to learn and remember new names. In dead churches everybody knows everybody – nobody new has shown up for years. Living churches have a problem developing leaders. Dead churches don’t – they use the same ones over and over. Living churches spend much on missions. Dead churches keep it all at home. Living churches are filled with generous givers. Dead churches…”
Discipline
It creates pictures
of pain and self-denial.
Freedom on the other hand
makes me think of
birds soaring in joyous flight,
children running on the beach
without a care in the world.
Yet freedom WITHOUT discipline
is not freedom at all.
It's permissiveness which leads to
the bondage of self-indulgence.
The bird soaring in flight
is not 'free' from the laws of nature
but free to enjoy the disciplines
of flight based on those very laws.
We are not 'free' from the rhythm of life,
rather we are free through the rhythm of life
to experience life to the very fullest.
The disciplines of work and rest, worship and play,
are not a hair shirt to chafe us,
but a way of life which leads to perfect freedom:
Freedom from unbridled ambition;
Freedom from self-centered restlessness;
Freedom from spiritual deadness.
Freedom from guilt.
Discipline - freedom indeed."
Kids
Sometimes they’re bundles of energy
gift wrapped in hand-me-downs.
Other times they’re pajamaed packages of sleepy sweetness.
Always they’re a miracle.
I love the way they chase butterflies,
and the attention they give to mud puddles and raindrops on a window.
I envy their freedom from clocks and calendars,
their immunity to pressure.
Oh, they have their moments,
skinned knees and nap time,
but they recover quickly.
They don’t nurse their disappointments
or make a career out of contrition.
Lord,
kids are so neat!
Let me be converted
and become as a little child.
Let me know again
the sheer joy of being alive, and
the pure pleasure
of living one day at a time,
fully savoring each solitary moment.
Free me from past disappointments
and the little hurts
I’ve so carefully kept.
Restore unto me a childlike anticipation for life.
A sense of wonder
which makes each day new
and my life truly abundant."
Liz Biddle
Pastoral Secretary
Christ's Chapel
Building Friends
I’ve been thinking a lot about friends lately.
Everybody is talking about relationships, and really knowing each other,
But no one seems to do much about it.
Or everyone wants to have the same friend,
That person who is up in front of the crowd
Or the gal with the toothpaste smile and the winsome personality.
Hardly anyone seems willing to build relationships with ordinary people.
You know, the edgy housewife with the three pre-schoolers,
The overweight, under-confident teenager,
Or the quiet guy on the edge of the crowd.
Who was your friend, Lord?
I know you had a lot of acquaintances,
But who was your friend?
I mean the one person with whom you could let your hair down.
Where you didn’t have to watch every word or meet someone’s unending expectations.
You know,
Where did you go to get away,
But you couldn’t bear to be alone again?
Was Lazarus that special friend for you, Lord?
I think maybe he was.
I started to pray,
“Give me a friend like that,:
But I thought better of it.
Instead I pray,
“Let me be a friend like that.”
Amen
21 Days of Fasting
As we begin this new year of 2010 I am calling on the Christ’s Chapel family to consider participating in a 21-Day Fast beginning Monday, January 11th and concluding on Sunday, January 31st. Fasting combined with prayer is a very private experience and folks should consider what is best for them and specifically fits their schedule. Some will fast specific types of food or activities while others may fast a meal a day or perhaps a few meals each week. Some of course may extend their fast several days while others will choose not to participate at all. Either way, the entire congregation is asked to pray for God’s provision, presence and power for our church and for the individual journey of faith that God desires for each one of us individually. Below is a brief summary of fasting. You are encouraged to click here (“Your Personal Guide to Prayer and Fasting”) to read a more detailed explanation written by Bill Bright for Campus Crusade for Christ (be careful not to read just anyone’s account of this subject).
During this 21-day season of fasting, I am asking folks to consider setting aside 30 minutes a day for personal prayer and/or Bible reading. Specifically, if you desire to participate at a time when you know others will be praying as well, Pastor Terry has personally set aside 6:00 – 6:30 a.m. as a time when he will be praying from home.
The Bible describes three major types of fasting:
A Regular Fast - Traditionally, a regular fast means refraining from eating all food. Most people still drink water or juice during a regular fast. When Jesus fasted in the desert, the Bible says, "After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." This verse does not mention Jesus being thirsty.
A Partial Fast - This type of fast generally refers to omitting a specific meal from your diet or refraining from certain types of foods. Daniel 10:2-3 says, "At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over." In Daniel 1:12, they restricted their diet to vegetables and water: "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink."
A Full Fast - These fasts are complete - no food and no drink. Acts 9:9 describes when Paul went on a full fast for three days following his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus: "For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything." Esther also called for this type of fast in Esther 4:15-16: "Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 'Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.'" It is recommended that this type of fast be done with extreme caution and not for extended periods of time.
Although not mentioned in the Bible, Christians today commit to fasting from other activities as well. Some give up entertainment such as TV or movies to concentrate on prayer. Others fast from sleep or another activity for a specified period of time.
Building Faith
Building Faith …
Our individual journey of faith is very personal with our own unique moments where God reveals His character and purpose. Regardless of what stage of life you’re in when faith begins, Christ’s Chapel is intentional in creating a pathway and journey blending discipleship information with personal involvement, thus providing the catalyst and environment for spiritual growth and maturity. Our goal is to connect the personal and public components of faith with genuineness and compassion.
“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." Matthew 28:19-20
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” Isaiah 54:2
Christ’s Chapel Ministries
Adopt-A-Block
Bible Fellowships
Bible Quiz
Character Connects
Church 922
Coffee Bar
Community Groups
Counseling
Discipleship Training
Encounter Weekends
Fellowship Events/Conferences
First Look
Generations/Parents’ Summit
Hospitality
Life Study Groups
Life Support Groups
Local Evangelism
Master’s Commission
Meals on Wheels
Men’s Ministries
Missions
Multimedia
Music Ministry
National Girls’ Ministries
Next Step
New Beginnings
NKU Connection
Nursery
Nursing Home Ministry
Parents’ Night Out
Pizza with the Pastor
Pulse
Prayer Ministry
Resource Room
Royal Rangers
Service Ministries
Student Ministries
Technical/Lighting Detail
Treasure Island
Volunteer/Connection Weekends
Women’s Ministries
Young Adult Ministry
Young at Heart
Facing Anger
Lord,
I’ve had to deal with anger a lot over
the years.
And I’ve used a variety of
strategies—
I’ve suffered in silence and
grown bitter.
I’ve lashed out in retaliation
and lived to regret it.
I’ve tried to give in and
ended up feeling used and
trapped.
I’ve confronted in love, tough love, and grieved as I was
misunderstood and feared.
Is there any good way of dealing with anger?
Quickly, before it gets dug in,
before it becomes a part of one’s psyche?
Confession to God…forgiveness of the perpetrator?
Still, Lord, there must be a better way.
An attitude, a way of looking at things, which nips it in the bud.
For me, it means knowing when to give in…graciously…and
knowing what things are mine to give.
For me, it means standing firm…up front…when the issue is
non-negotiable.
I cannot hope it will “work itself out.”
I cannot need the approval of my colleagues so much that I am
unable to take a stand.
When I postpone dealing with an issue I hurt everyone involved.
Anger hangs thick and heavy between us and by the time we deal
with it, it has become a monster raging out of control.
Sanctify me, Lord.
Let me freely yield that which is mine to yield.
Show me,
help me to know, what is Yours to guard
and what is mine to give.
In Christ’s name, I pray.
“Amen”
Surviving the Extremes of Life
In those times when we yearn
to have more in our lives,
we should dwell on the things
we already have. In doing so,
we will often find that our lives
are already full to overflowing.
The quote above is taken from the book entitled, The Ultimate Gift, written by Jim Stovall. In the same book there is a chapter on gratitude in which a story is told of a man during the years of the American Depression named Josh that never seemed to have a bad day even though life was extremely difficult. Josh’s secret is revealed this way …
“He explained to me that every morning before he got up, he would lie in bed – or wherever he had been sleeping – and visualize a golden tablet on which was written ten things in his life he was especially thankful for. He told me that his mother had done that all the days of her life, and that he had never missed a day since she shared the Golden List with him.”
This morning’s sermon is on the subject of genuine joy that Paul not only writes about in his letter called Philippians but experiences in the depth of his soul. The circumstances of his life were far from desirable as he was writing from a prison cell. And yet, the joy of his life seemed not to be connected to the outward details of his individual experience.
Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, says he used to believe that life was a series of peaks and valleys, ups and downs, high moments of joy followed by low seasons of discouragement. He now believes that life is more like the two sides of a track that run side by side concurrently. In our lives we have at the same time things we are grateful for and things we would change if we could. Simultaneously we experience life at it’s best and life at it’s worse. Perhaps those extremes are not always present but I do believe it is a better picture of reality for most of us.
So how do we survive the extremes of life? Paul writes in Philippians 4:4-7…
‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Somehow at the intersection of where life’s experiences and God’s presence and peace meet is the human choice of gratitude and rejoicing. I want to live there always but especially during seasons of personal struggle.
The Samaritan Woman
All of us are a little like the Samaritan woman at the well.
We have sins and failure in our past,
a closet full of skeletons
which rattle from time to time, threatening to get
and spoil our good image.
For many of us it’s not just the skeletons either,
but real live boogie men.
For the most part,
we keep them tightly suppressed,
but from time to time they escape,
terrorizing our families,
and reducing us to guilt and confusion.
I hate and fear
the boogie man inside of me.
The egomaniac who talks too much.
The proud presumptuous me.
The critical, cutting me.
The carnal man, my feet of clay.
The pseudo-spiritual me.
The Samaritan woman found release
when You told her
everything she had done.
Does this mean blackmailing
boogie men cannot survive
in the light of Your
loving acceptance?
If it does, then tell me, tell us,
everything we’ve ever done.
Show us the futility of pretending
and protesting our innocence.
Give us the courage to own up,
and in this owning up,
let us find forgiveness and freedom.
Amen
Capable of more
“’It’s easy…’the trainer said. ‘When they’re babies, we stake them down. They try to tug away from the stake maybe ten thousand times before they realize that they can’t possibly get away. At that point, their ‘elephant memory’ takes over and they remember for the rest of their lives that they can’t get away from the stake.’”
Humans are sometimes like elephants. When we are teenagers, some unthinking, insensitive, unwise person says, “He; not very good at planning,” or “She’s not a leader,” or “Their team will never make it,” and zap, that mental stake is driven into our minds. Often when we become mature adults, we are still held back by some inaccurate one-sentence ‘stake’ put in our minds when we were young.
Today you are an adult capable of much more than you realize. You are far more capable than you were even twelve months ago, and next year you will be able to do things you can’t imagine doing today.
Don’t let a little stake tell you anything else!
I am blessed to be part of a church filled with both experienced leaders and developing leaders. People who serve their Lord and this congregation help in making our church a good place to belong.
Forgiveness and Freedom
All of us are a little like
the Samaritan woman at the well. We have sins and failure in our past,
a closet full of skeletons
which rattle from time to time, threatening to get
and spoil our good image.
For many of us it’s not just the skeletons either,
but real live boogie men.
For the most part,
we keep them tightly suppressed,
but from time to time they escape,
terrorizing our families,
and reducing us to guilt and confusion.
I hate and fear
the boogie man inside of me.
The egomaniac who talks too much.
The proud presumptuous me.
The critical, cutting me.
The carnal man, my feet of clay.
The pseudo-spiritual me.
The Samaritan woman found release
when You told her
everything she had done.
Does this mean blackmailing
boogie men cannot survive
in the light of Your
loving acceptance?
If it does, then tell me, tell us,
everything we’ve ever done.
Show us the futility of pretending
and protesting our innocence.
Give us the courage to own up,
and in this owning up,
let us find forgiveness and freedom.
Amen
Fellowship
God intends for us to experience life together. The Bible calls this shared experience fellowship. Today, however, the word has lost most of its biblical meaning. “Fellowship” now usually refers to casual conversation, socializing, food, and fun. The question “Where do you fellowship?” means “Where do you attend church?” “Stay after for fellowship” usually means “Wait for refreshments.”
Real fellowship is so much more than just showing up at services. It is experiencing life together. It includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathetic comforting, and all the other “one another” commands found in the New Testament.
When it comes to fellowship, size matters: Smaller is better. You can worship with a crowd, but you can’t fellowship with one. Once a group becomes larger than about ten people, someone stops participating—usually the quietest person—and a few people will dominate the group.
Jesus ministered in the context of a small group of disciples. He could have chosen more, but he knew twelve is about the maximum size you can have in a small group if everyone is to participate.
The Body of Christ, like your own body, is really a collection of many small cells. The life of the Body of Christ, like your body, is contained in the cells. For this reason, every Christian needs to be involved in a small group within their church, whether it is a home fellowship group, a Sunday school class, a bible study, a worship group, or a ministry team. This is where real community takes place, not in the big gatherings. If you think of your church as a ship, the small groups are lifeboats attached to it.
- The Purpose-Driven Life
Connecting
Even in the perfect, sinless environment of Eden, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” We are created for community, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God’s purposed by ourselves.
The Bible knows nothing of solitary saints or spiritual hermits isolated from other believers and deprived of fellowship. The Bible says we are put together, joined together, built together, members together, heirs together, fitted together, and held together and will be caught up together. You’re not on your own anymore.
While your relationship to Christ is personal, God never intends it to be private. In God’s family you are connected to every other believer, and we will belong to each other for eternity. The Bible says, “In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
Following Christ includes belonging, not just believing. We are members of his Body--the Church. C.S. Lewis noted that the word membership is of Christian origin, but the world has emptied it of its original meaning. Stores offer discounts to “members,” and advertisers use member names to create mailing lists. In churches, membership is often reduced to simply adding your name to a roll, with no requirements or expectations.
To Paul, being a “member” of the church meant being a vital organ of a living body, an indispensable, interconnected part of the Body of Christ. We need to recover and practice the biblical meaning of membership. The church is a body, not a building; an organism, not an organization.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day for many is the beginning of summer vacation. It’s the first weekend of fun which most of us begin looking forward to sometime in late January when the temperature is falling and the snow is flying. And yet the history behind Memorial Day is much more significant and deserves a time of reflection. Why? Because on this day we remember and honor those who have served this country in the armed services and especially those who have given their lives in battle. Memorial Day is a day set aside to give thanks for, and to say thanks to, those who have served this nation and defended the rights and freedoms of our Constitution.I’m 52 years old and have never really had to think seriously about being drafted. The Vietnam War was over early in my high school years and I was considered an old man by the time any other real conflicts developed. As a result, I may be somewhat guilty of taking my freedoms and “pursuit of happiness” for granted. And yet my love of the study of history and knowledge of present world developments quickly sober me and help me realize that being born in 1957 in America to a white, middle-class family has afforded me opportunities most of the world’s citizens will never experience.
I genuinely would like to say thank you to those of you either in our congregation or your loved ones, who by choice or through the draft, served this country and placed yourselves in a possible life threatening situation. I’ve never had to make that type of decision and I’m very grateful to live in a country where so many before my time, and even after my time, said “Yes” and served this country with dignity and honor.
From the Pastor
I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the unified focus and effort made as we’ve transitioned our services to once again prioritize Christian Education. This is very important for the overall spiritual health of our congregation. Discipleship is not an option and the journey of learning and implementing the principles of God’s Word is crucial for every believer. Our ABFs (Adult Bible Fellowships) offer two vital components for successful Christian living, genuine fellowship and a systematic study of the Bible. Thank you for a tremendous response last weekend. I believe this new schedule best serves our church both now and in the future. Again, thank you.
I also want to remind our congregation of the significant value that these next two weekends have for many within our church family. Encounter Weekends are designed to assist believers in their individual journey of faith. It’s amazing how just a few days away from the routine of life and a desire to get to know God better can impact our lives. We’ve had nearly 200 people in the past three years participate in these Encounter Weekends and I’m excited to hear the testimonies this afternoon and next weekend of what God did for the over 70 who are attending this year’s events.
There’s nothing really magical or super spiritual about ABFs and Encounter Weekends. In fact, on the surface they appear to be routine and quite ordinary. They are, however, attempts to be intentional and deliberate about our personal faith in Christ. They provide a platform for common folks to seek God and discover purpose and inspiration for their lives. I believe God is observant of that effort and meets us on the journey.