Dear Worshipers,
This week our church is adorned with a definite Mexican flavor as we enjoy our annual Vacation Bible School. It is a very exciting week in the life of the church ecuase it is so wrought with the potential of changing children’s eternal destiny as many learn about and begin to live for Jesus. Many a believers’ testimony takes a journey through VBS, which makes sense when we consider that the majority of Christians come to know Jesus as children.
But what exactly is a “fiesta”? In my preparation for our worship service for this coming Sunday I researched that. I learned that its etymology is from the Spanish fiesta "a festival, a religious celebration," from Latin festa, plural of festum "festival, feast" --related to FEAST, FESTIVAL especially : a saint's day celebrated in Spain and Latin America with parades and dances. When I came in to the closing section last night they were definitely celebrating as they sang and danced. It was a rousing close to the first day of VBS.
As I began my planning for the service this idea of celebration was on my mind. I came across these words in one of my planning resources. “What is the best term to describe the services we share on Sundays? Worship services? Assemblies? I have an idea—how about CELEBRATIONS?! The primary reason we gather as a congregation is to CELEBRATE Jesus’ resurrection and the new life we as believers have in Him! Let’s do that!” That really resonated in my spirit! Let’s CELEBRATE!
I tend to be demonstrative in my living and in my worshipping, so this comes pretty natural to me. But the supernatural dimension is even more real. When I bring myself, or rather allow the Lord to bring me to a place of understanding what I am doing when I come to worship, I am filled with a heart that longs to CELEBRATE!
On Sunday we read the words of the Psalmist from 40:1-3. Here David talks about waiting for the Lord and being delivered from the mud to stand on the rock. David speaks of God giving a new song, a hymn of praise. That to resonated with me. But it should resonate with all of us who have been delivered from death to life. You want to talk about religious celebration, look into heaven where the saints declare the worth of God eternally.
I pray there will be many added to their number this week at VBS, and that as the saints gather to CELEBRATE “Fiesta” on Sunday, they would be caught up in that eternal FIESTA that is reserved for the people of God. Let’s CELEBRATE!
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
The Torch Is Passed
Dear Worshipers,
For the last couple of years I have labored with this vision of churches working together to present a musical that would celebrate America, but more importantly acknowledge God as the provider of all true freedom. A couple of months ago it was looking like that vision might die, but God did an amazing work. I can say with some degree of confidence that the torch has been passed onto a whole new group of people, involved for the first time this year, and that they seem very willing to run with it.
We had a wonderful turnout to both performances, coverage on WBOY, and a couple of pictures in the Dominion Post. But was it even more exciting to me was the enthusiasm of the people involved. They were really excited about this thing.
It was thrilling for me to see how significantly we were outnumbered. While we had a strong showing with about 20 of our folks, there were far more from the other churches 34, for a combined total of 54. Here is a link you can go to see some pictures of the performance from the MET. The Torch is Passed
A couple of comments from folks that were particularly meaningful to me. When Pastor Drew, who played bass, asked the sound technician if the hall normally had a good sound, he replied, “Never as good as it did today.” Praise the Lord! We actually prayed for that. Go figure. I had a man come up to me in full patriotic garb who informed me that he and his wife had attended July 4th musical celebrations in Philadelphia and Washington and that ours rated right up there with anything they had ever seen. WOW! Thanks be to God. It was a talented group, but God was One who made the performance truly spectacular.
If you were not able to be involved this year I hope you will consider now your involvement next year. It promises to be even more exhilarating as more churches get involved and the awareness of the event grows within the community. The torch is passed.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
For the last couple of years I have labored with this vision of churches working together to present a musical that would celebrate America, but more importantly acknowledge God as the provider of all true freedom. A couple of months ago it was looking like that vision might die, but God did an amazing work. I can say with some degree of confidence that the torch has been passed onto a whole new group of people, involved for the first time this year, and that they seem very willing to run with it.
We had a wonderful turnout to both performances, coverage on WBOY, and a couple of pictures in the Dominion Post. But was it even more exciting to me was the enthusiasm of the people involved. They were really excited about this thing.
It was thrilling for me to see how significantly we were outnumbered. While we had a strong showing with about 20 of our folks, there were far more from the other churches 34, for a combined total of 54. Here is a link you can go to see some pictures of the performance from the MET. The Torch is Passed
A couple of comments from folks that were particularly meaningful to me. When Pastor Drew, who played bass, asked the sound technician if the hall normally had a good sound, he replied, “Never as good as it did today.” Praise the Lord! We actually prayed for that. Go figure. I had a man come up to me in full patriotic garb who informed me that he and his wife had attended July 4th musical celebrations in Philadelphia and Washington and that ours rated right up there with anything they had ever seen. WOW! Thanks be to God. It was a talented group, but God was One who made the performance truly spectacular.
If you were not able to be involved this year I hope you will consider now your involvement next year. It promises to be even more exhilarating as more churches get involved and the awareness of the event grows within the community. The torch is passed.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Producing Perfection
Dear Worshipers,
One week from today we will have the opportunity to share a musical at the Metropolitan Theater downtown. We will share the musical two days earlier at the Pierpont Church of the Nazarene. I would guess there are about 10-12 churches involved in this endeavor through the participation of at least one member of the choir or orchestra. We will be celebrating America, honoring those who have served in our armed forces, and remembering our responsibility to pass our faith along to others, especially the next generation.
All these things are exciting to me. The places, the people, and the purpose. But what thrills me even more is the product. And I do not mean the musical in particular, but the perfection of unity in general. I am not speaking of musical perfection, but of the perfection process going on in our souls. I am seeing this musical produce a beautiful unity as believers from a number of different faith experiences are coming together around the person of Jesus Christ.
I have been mindful of this all along, but the Holy Spirit highlighted it for me again last week as I was reading through John. Jesus prayed for His disciples, then for all believers. He prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. He asked His Father, “that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”
That is the perfection that is being produced. The perfection of the unity of the Father and the Son. The perfection we find through becoming one in Them. That will be glory indeed.
Jesus’ prayer is powerful. To see it manifested before your very eyes is an incredible thing. To be a part of it is very humbling.
Many of you have not been able to be involved in this season but I hope you will come to one of the performances, either at Pierpont on Sunday, July 2nd at 2:30 p.m., or at the MET on Tuesday, July 4th at 1:30 p.m. I hope that you will bring someone with you. If you know someone who has served in our armed forces, please invite them. Our acknowledging their service will be an unforgettable moment in the program, similar to the spontaneous acknowledging of our senior pastor’s son who just returned from Iraq and Kuwait. Invite other believers, for this musical will encourage them to pass their faith along to others. Invite unbelievers, for this musical will offer them the answer to all the questions of their souls-Jesus.
Invite everyone you can, then come yourself and witness the church demonstrating the oneness for which Jesus prayed.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
One week from today we will have the opportunity to share a musical at the Metropolitan Theater downtown. We will share the musical two days earlier at the Pierpont Church of the Nazarene. I would guess there are about 10-12 churches involved in this endeavor through the participation of at least one member of the choir or orchestra. We will be celebrating America, honoring those who have served in our armed forces, and remembering our responsibility to pass our faith along to others, especially the next generation.
All these things are exciting to me. The places, the people, and the purpose. But what thrills me even more is the product. And I do not mean the musical in particular, but the perfection of unity in general. I am not speaking of musical perfection, but of the perfection process going on in our souls. I am seeing this musical produce a beautiful unity as believers from a number of different faith experiences are coming together around the person of Jesus Christ.
I have been mindful of this all along, but the Holy Spirit highlighted it for me again last week as I was reading through John. Jesus prayed for His disciples, then for all believers. He prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. He asked His Father, “that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”
That is the perfection that is being produced. The perfection of the unity of the Father and the Son. The perfection we find through becoming one in Them. That will be glory indeed.
Jesus’ prayer is powerful. To see it manifested before your very eyes is an incredible thing. To be a part of it is very humbling.
Many of you have not been able to be involved in this season but I hope you will come to one of the performances, either at Pierpont on Sunday, July 2nd at 2:30 p.m., or at the MET on Tuesday, July 4th at 1:30 p.m. I hope that you will bring someone with you. If you know someone who has served in our armed forces, please invite them. Our acknowledging their service will be an unforgettable moment in the program, similar to the spontaneous acknowledging of our senior pastor’s son who just returned from Iraq and Kuwait. Invite other believers, for this musical will encourage them to pass their faith along to others. Invite unbelievers, for this musical will offer them the answer to all the questions of their souls-Jesus.
Invite everyone you can, then come yourself and witness the church demonstrating the oneness for which Jesus prayed.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Maintenance Versus Development
Dear Worshipers,
A few weeks ago my mother and father-in-law celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Following the celebration, my family lingered to spend some time with them, most of which I spent helping around their home with odd jobs. My father-in-law’s health has deteriorated so that he has a very limited capacity for any kind of work around the house It was my pleasure to serve them and show my love to them during those days.
We had asked them to prepare a list of things they would like for me to do while we were there so as to maximize my time and effort to their greatest benefit. I have done a number of other things for them in the last couple of years, such as painting and installing a ceiling fan. They had mentioned some projects of that sort again prior to our arrival.
As I looked at and worked through the list, I realized that much of this list was maintenance and not new projects. That was a little disappointing at first, but then as I prayed and worked it hit me that this necessary stuff was no longer possible for my father-in-law That was a sad realization, and sobering as well. I did not really want to clean and organize and haul trash to the dump, I wanted to do some things that would improve their quality of life in some small way. I was disappointed.
There was a spiritual truth in that for me as I pondered it during my bushwacking. There is a need for the general care of our spiritual grounds as much as there is a need to develop new areas. This kind of care can be tedious at best, and at least VERY boring. Weeding is a good example.
Though it is not a very pleasant job, weeding is essential in an area where you are trying to grow something. Weeds are insidious and pervasive. They will choke out other plants and flowers and keep them from developing. They will overtake an untended garden in short order, leaving the gardener with a true mess.
The same is true for our souls. If we do not allow the Spirit to come in and clean us out regularly, we are in danger of choking out the precious truths we hold dear. Bad attitudes and thoughts can begin to overwhelm the good, subtly at first, until the eventually consume the mind. We must be careful to tend the garden of our souls, lest we forsake the seeds that have been planted there by the Lord.
So, before you go digging up another plot, examine your current one for weeds. Do the maintenance required to get your soul in tip top shape again. With the warmth and rain of the season, things will grow with just a little help from you.
50 years of careful attention can produce an amazing harvest. Won’t you yield your life to the Lord for Him to produce in you more than you could have ever imagined? It is worth the effort.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
A few weeks ago my mother and father-in-law celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Following the celebration, my family lingered to spend some time with them, most of which I spent helping around their home with odd jobs. My father-in-law’s health has deteriorated so that he has a very limited capacity for any kind of work around the house It was my pleasure to serve them and show my love to them during those days.
We had asked them to prepare a list of things they would like for me to do while we were there so as to maximize my time and effort to their greatest benefit. I have done a number of other things for them in the last couple of years, such as painting and installing a ceiling fan. They had mentioned some projects of that sort again prior to our arrival.
As I looked at and worked through the list, I realized that much of this list was maintenance and not new projects. That was a little disappointing at first, but then as I prayed and worked it hit me that this necessary stuff was no longer possible for my father-in-law That was a sad realization, and sobering as well. I did not really want to clean and organize and haul trash to the dump, I wanted to do some things that would improve their quality of life in some small way. I was disappointed.
There was a spiritual truth in that for me as I pondered it during my bushwacking. There is a need for the general care of our spiritual grounds as much as there is a need to develop new areas. This kind of care can be tedious at best, and at least VERY boring. Weeding is a good example.
Though it is not a very pleasant job, weeding is essential in an area where you are trying to grow something. Weeds are insidious and pervasive. They will choke out other plants and flowers and keep them from developing. They will overtake an untended garden in short order, leaving the gardener with a true mess.
The same is true for our souls. If we do not allow the Spirit to come in and clean us out regularly, we are in danger of choking out the precious truths we hold dear. Bad attitudes and thoughts can begin to overwhelm the good, subtly at first, until the eventually consume the mind. We must be careful to tend the garden of our souls, lest we forsake the seeds that have been planted there by the Lord.
So, before you go digging up another plot, examine your current one for weeds. Do the maintenance required to get your soul in tip top shape again. With the warmth and rain of the season, things will grow with just a little help from you.
50 years of careful attention can produce an amazing harvest. Won’t you yield your life to the Lord for Him to produce in you more than you could have ever imagined? It is worth the effort.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Living the Call Together
Dear Worshippers,
On Sunday, we witnessed a powerful illustration of going as the Costa Rica team exited to our exhortation, “Sing of His love in Costa Rica”. What a beautiful moment! They were going. We were sending. We were living the call together.
You may have not thought about them over the last couple of days. I am certain their families left behind have. They are thinking and praying for them almost constantly. They are living the call together. Let us pray for them.
They are others that will be leaving from our midst soon who need our prayer and financial support as well. Katie Hawkins leaves for training Sunday for CCO, and our own Alicia Davis will be heading to California for training next month then on to Vologda, Russia. They need us to live the call together. They need our giving.
Opportunities to live the call together abound. What opportunities to do so will yet cross your path today, I do not know, but the Way-Maker. Yield yourself know to him, as the Costa Team has, and as Katie and Alicia have, then hold on. It will be quite a ride.
See the message below from Pastor Goodin It is an update from the team.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: Chuck & Robbi Fanberg
To: cma@cmachurch.net
Cc: jessicaleighgoodin@yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 10:14 PM
Subject: Update
Greetings, all!
We have enjoyed this first day in San Jose, working at the local Alliance church. About half the team conducted two VBS sessions, from 9-11 and from 2-4, with two different groups of children. The rest of us dug out a lengthy grassy area that has been an eyesore alongside the street side of the church. We prepared it for concrete today. Tomorrow and the next day we hope to transform it into a decorative concrete border, embedded with stone.
We spent the evening with Chuck and Roberta Fanberg and their daughter Melanie. They have a lovely apartment, quite spacious, looking over the city to the southwest with the mountains in the distance. The next two or three evenings we will join several cell groups and share personal testimonies. On Friday, we travel 5 hours to Bri-Bri, over a road that is in very poor condition in places. It will be hot, muggy and probably quite muddy there. Chuck says what we are doing this week is getting us ready for “real” missionary work in Bri-Bri. There are many more children there, so we will continue to do VBS.
So far, no sickness, no injuries, no problems. We got through customs fine. The toothbrushes sent by Linda Oliver held us up a short time. They couldn’t comprehend why anyone would be carrying a couple hundred of these. The Fanbergs had a bus waiting for us and it was quite a frenetic experience as they loaded the back of the bus with our over-abundant pieces of luggage. By the time we got to our “bed and breakfast” it was past 1:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time. San Jose is in the Central time zone and does not observe Daylight Savings Time, so we are two hours behind you.
The bed and breakfast is interesting. The accommodations are certainly adequate and hardly primitive, but it’s not up to the standard of even a low-budget American motel or hotel. But better than we’ll find at Bri-Bri, I’m sure. It is in a very rough neighborhood, and we have been warned not to take a walk anywhere. It appears almost all the homes and businesses in San Jose are barricaded with bars, man with spooled razor wire topping the wrought iron.
Jim and Marcella Whetsell rode their motorcycle to the church today to see us. It’s about a 75 minute trip, and they left in the mid-afternoon to beat the rain that comes virtually every day during the rainy season. It was great to see them again, and they are happy and doing well. Their Bible study averages 8-12 people weekly.
Every team member is contributing well, and each one seems to be fully engaged in the experience. Bill is doing an excellent job as team leader. We have had a couple good times of sharing and prayer, and each is keeping a journal.
We’re not sure when or whether we will be able to email again, both because the internet is not easily accessible and because our schedule is very, very full. They have planned our days and evenings with a lot of activity. Keep us in prayer We hope to have many stories when we return.
Please forward this to anyone who might be interested in a report. We are “Living the Call Together” in Costa Rica!
DG
On Sunday, we witnessed a powerful illustration of going as the Costa Rica team exited to our exhortation, “Sing of His love in Costa Rica”. What a beautiful moment! They were going. We were sending. We were living the call together.
You may have not thought about them over the last couple of days. I am certain their families left behind have. They are thinking and praying for them almost constantly. They are living the call together. Let us pray for them.
They are others that will be leaving from our midst soon who need our prayer and financial support as well. Katie Hawkins leaves for training Sunday for CCO, and our own Alicia Davis will be heading to California for training next month then on to Vologda, Russia. They need us to live the call together. They need our giving.
Opportunities to live the call together abound. What opportunities to do so will yet cross your path today, I do not know, but the Way-Maker. Yield yourself know to him, as the Costa Team has, and as Katie and Alicia have, then hold on. It will be quite a ride.
See the message below from Pastor Goodin It is an update from the team.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: Chuck & Robbi Fanberg
To: cma@cmachurch.net
Cc: jessicaleighgoodin@yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 10:14 PM
Subject: Update
Greetings, all!
We have enjoyed this first day in San Jose, working at the local Alliance church. About half the team conducted two VBS sessions, from 9-11 and from 2-4, with two different groups of children. The rest of us dug out a lengthy grassy area that has been an eyesore alongside the street side of the church. We prepared it for concrete today. Tomorrow and the next day we hope to transform it into a decorative concrete border, embedded with stone.
We spent the evening with Chuck and Roberta Fanberg and their daughter Melanie. They have a lovely apartment, quite spacious, looking over the city to the southwest with the mountains in the distance. The next two or three evenings we will join several cell groups and share personal testimonies. On Friday, we travel 5 hours to Bri-Bri, over a road that is in very poor condition in places. It will be hot, muggy and probably quite muddy there. Chuck says what we are doing this week is getting us ready for “real” missionary work in Bri-Bri. There are many more children there, so we will continue to do VBS.
So far, no sickness, no injuries, no problems. We got through customs fine. The toothbrushes sent by Linda Oliver held us up a short time. They couldn’t comprehend why anyone would be carrying a couple hundred of these. The Fanbergs had a bus waiting for us and it was quite a frenetic experience as they loaded the back of the bus with our over-abundant pieces of luggage. By the time we got to our “bed and breakfast” it was past 1:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time. San Jose is in the Central time zone and does not observe Daylight Savings Time, so we are two hours behind you.
The bed and breakfast is interesting. The accommodations are certainly adequate and hardly primitive, but it’s not up to the standard of even a low-budget American motel or hotel. But better than we’ll find at Bri-Bri, I’m sure. It is in a very rough neighborhood, and we have been warned not to take a walk anywhere. It appears almost all the homes and businesses in San Jose are barricaded with bars, man with spooled razor wire topping the wrought iron.
Jim and Marcella Whetsell rode their motorcycle to the church today to see us. It’s about a 75 minute trip, and they left in the mid-afternoon to beat the rain that comes virtually every day during the rainy season. It was great to see them again, and they are happy and doing well. Their Bible study averages 8-12 people weekly.
Every team member is contributing well, and each one seems to be fully engaged in the experience. Bill is doing an excellent job as team leader. We have had a couple good times of sharing and prayer, and each is keeping a journal.
We’re not sure when or whether we will be able to email again, both because the internet is not easily accessible and because our schedule is very, very full. They have planned our days and evenings with a lot of activity. Keep us in prayer We hope to have many stories when we return.
Please forward this to anyone who might be interested in a report. We are “Living the Call Together” in Costa Rica!
DG
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
What’s That Sound?
Dear Worshipers,
Two years ago in the middle of the night a terrible sound suddenly erupted from our basement. It was so loud it woke up little Isaac then just about two-and-a half years old. To him it sounded like a shooting gun, and it scared him. To me it sounded like my furnace, and that scared me.
After investigating, I realized that the fan had slipped on the blower motor shaft and was hitting the housing. I loosened the set screw, readjusted the fan and retightened the screw. I started it up and it seemed to work just fine, emphasis on the word seemed.
Over the last few weeks the problems has arisen again, and I have kept adjusting, until yesterday. One of the blower motor legs snapped. The wear and tear of the motor led, over time, to the eventual collapse of the functionality of the unit.
As I sat and pondered what to do, I think my countenance changed. Downcast would be a fair word to describe it. I know the psalm which instructs, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 42.11) But my soul was not really willing to receive instruction. I was genuinely bummed. I was hoping I would be able to repair the unit. I was disappointed that a professional would need to look at it, and that I would have to pay them.
I was thinking on these things when Sarah reminded me that God sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45) The Spirit began to adjust my attitude. Sarah reminded me of several things to be thankful for, one being the fact that it is not the dead of winter. My countenance began to change as I began to practice the praise part of 42.11
There are a lot of applications from this simple story. Let me draw a few for my benefit and hopefully yours as well.
Putting a patch on a problem only delays having to deal with it, and may make the dealing more difficult.
Some situations force you to realize that you may need to call for the help of someone more qualified than yourself to deal with them.
Dwelling on the problem only makes things worse.
Dwelling on the Lord only makes things better.
Sometimes you need a friend to give you a new perspective. Jesus always has a good one to offer.
The professionals can not get tome for about 4-5 days, but I am already praising the Lord for how He will resolve this. I believe that now I will be able to rest at night with the knowledge that no firearms will be sounding in my basement. Isaac will be happy about that too.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Two years ago in the middle of the night a terrible sound suddenly erupted from our basement. It was so loud it woke up little Isaac then just about two-and-a half years old. To him it sounded like a shooting gun, and it scared him. To me it sounded like my furnace, and that scared me.
After investigating, I realized that the fan had slipped on the blower motor shaft and was hitting the housing. I loosened the set screw, readjusted the fan and retightened the screw. I started it up and it seemed to work just fine, emphasis on the word seemed.
Over the last few weeks the problems has arisen again, and I have kept adjusting, until yesterday. One of the blower motor legs snapped. The wear and tear of the motor led, over time, to the eventual collapse of the functionality of the unit.
As I sat and pondered what to do, I think my countenance changed. Downcast would be a fair word to describe it. I know the psalm which instructs, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 42.11) But my soul was not really willing to receive instruction. I was genuinely bummed. I was hoping I would be able to repair the unit. I was disappointed that a professional would need to look at it, and that I would have to pay them.
I was thinking on these things when Sarah reminded me that God sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45) The Spirit began to adjust my attitude. Sarah reminded me of several things to be thankful for, one being the fact that it is not the dead of winter. My countenance began to change as I began to practice the praise part of 42.11
There are a lot of applications from this simple story. Let me draw a few for my benefit and hopefully yours as well.
Putting a patch on a problem only delays having to deal with it, and may make the dealing more difficult.
Some situations force you to realize that you may need to call for the help of someone more qualified than yourself to deal with them.
Dwelling on the problem only makes things worse.
Dwelling on the Lord only makes things better.
Sometimes you need a friend to give you a new perspective. Jesus always has a good one to offer.
The professionals can not get tome for about 4-5 days, but I am already praising the Lord for how He will resolve this. I believe that now I will be able to rest at night with the knowledge that no firearms will be sounding in my basement. Isaac will be happy about that too.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
It Hurts, But I'll Play Again Someday
Dear Worshipers,
I try to play basketball a couple of times a week. While I couch it in my weekly planning as physically “sharpening the saw”, I do it in great measure because I really enjoy the game. I love making a nice pass or defensive play as much as sinking a long shot. Well, almost. [Let me encourage you to find some physical activity that you enjoy and engage in it regularly. Not only is it good for your body, it is recreative for your mind and soul as well.]
Last Friday my team was only one point from winning the game and I saw an opening that I thought I could squeeze through for the winning basket. Much to my disappointment, the gap closed too quickly and I stepped on someone's foot and really torqued my ankle. It was one of those, “O man this is really going to hurt” moments as I crumbled onto the court writhing in pain. I am not certain if the other players are faster than I think, or I am slower than I think, but nonetheless my miscalculation led to the quick demise of my ankle, and the game.
I got some ice packs and wrapped the ankle, put some compression on it and elevated it. As I lay there I thought of many things. My disappointment. My desire to finish the game. Whether some new shoes would provide more support, and maybe even make me faster. You know, delusions of a sort. I thought of how I would change that move next time. Here I was already thinking about getting back in the game, while my ankle was still swelling from the current injury.
As I got up to head to the locker room one friend asked, “So, what do you think?” To which I replied, “It's going to hurt, but I'll play again.” One of my other friends replied, “That's the spirit.” That's when it hit me. I was not going to let a setback like this keep me from doing that which I enjoy and know is good for me and those who love me.
So I ask you. What injury has sidelined you? I had someone tell me a couple of years ago that they had received so much criticism in serving the Lord that they simply stopped serving. My heart was so saddened by that, but I know it is probably the case with many a believer. Whether it is service in the church or out, let us not allow past injuries to keep us from getting back in the game.
A dear friend asked me on Sunday about my limp. When I explained the situation to him he chided me saying
that as we age we can still do many of the things that we could when we were younger, it just takes us longer to heal. Sad but true.
Some injuries make a comeback very difficult. Other factors may make recovery seem impossible. Determination is the key. Oswald Chambers said it like this, "My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest—my best for His glory.” January 1 I may be limping for a little while longer than I would have a few years ago, but I'll get back in the game soon anyway. Won't you do the same? The Coach is calling your name.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
I try to play basketball a couple of times a week. While I couch it in my weekly planning as physically “sharpening the saw”, I do it in great measure because I really enjoy the game. I love making a nice pass or defensive play as much as sinking a long shot. Well, almost. [Let me encourage you to find some physical activity that you enjoy and engage in it regularly. Not only is it good for your body, it is recreative for your mind and soul as well.]
Last Friday my team was only one point from winning the game and I saw an opening that I thought I could squeeze through for the winning basket. Much to my disappointment, the gap closed too quickly and I stepped on someone's foot and really torqued my ankle. It was one of those, “O man this is really going to hurt” moments as I crumbled onto the court writhing in pain. I am not certain if the other players are faster than I think, or I am slower than I think, but nonetheless my miscalculation led to the quick demise of my ankle, and the game.
I got some ice packs and wrapped the ankle, put some compression on it and elevated it. As I lay there I thought of many things. My disappointment. My desire to finish the game. Whether some new shoes would provide more support, and maybe even make me faster. You know, delusions of a sort. I thought of how I would change that move next time. Here I was already thinking about getting back in the game, while my ankle was still swelling from the current injury.
As I got up to head to the locker room one friend asked, “So, what do you think?” To which I replied, “It's going to hurt, but I'll play again.” One of my other friends replied, “That's the spirit.” That's when it hit me. I was not going to let a setback like this keep me from doing that which I enjoy and know is good for me and those who love me.
So I ask you. What injury has sidelined you? I had someone tell me a couple of years ago that they had received so much criticism in serving the Lord that they simply stopped serving. My heart was so saddened by that, but I know it is probably the case with many a believer. Whether it is service in the church or out, let us not allow past injuries to keep us from getting back in the game.
A dear friend asked me on Sunday about my limp. When I explained the situation to him he chided me saying
that as we age we can still do many of the things that we could when we were younger, it just takes us longer to heal. Sad but true.
Some injuries make a comeback very difficult. Other factors may make recovery seem impossible. Determination is the key. Oswald Chambers said it like this, "My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest—my best for His glory.” January 1 I may be limping for a little while longer than I would have a few years ago, but I'll get back in the game soon anyway. Won't you do the same? The Coach is calling your name.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Just Tell Everyone “Thank You!”
Dear Worshipers,
That’s what one man struggle to say as tears filled his eyes on Sunday at the close of the service at Harvest Community Church, our Alliance church plant in Martinsburg West, Virginia. He could hardly get the words out, obviously having been touched by the ministry of the Lord through My Utmost for His Highest, our recent worship musical production inspired by the classic devotional by Oswald Chambers. He was not the only one.
“That’s just what we needed!” started another lady about 15 minutes the service had ended. I thanked her for her encouragement then pressed her so as to better understand what she was saying. She continued, “Oh, the music and everything were just excellent, but the message, well, it was just perfect. It met us where we are.” Where they are is in a developing church that is still figuring out what the Alliance is. And we had on opportunity to show them on Sunday.
You see, we are the Alliance, “Living the Call Together.” They saw a powerful illustration of that on Sunday. Thirty eight people, plus those who traveled with us totaling fifty one I believe, were on the road before many of them were awake to travel to where they lived and share a message with them. It was particularly “Give your best for God’s glory”, but generally it was “we are in this thing-that is, living the call to complete the Great Commission-TOGETHER”! Give your best, because that is what we are trying to do. That is why we are here today. We love Jesus and we know you do to, so let us live together to fulfill His call on our lives.
For those of you who went, I do not have to try to describe the blessing of being used by God. For those of you who could not go, thank you for being a part of US. Though not with us in body, we took you in spirit and shared your love with those folks in Martinsburg first hand. We were your ambassadors, and they were blessed by your “sending” us. They were aware that you were probably missing us. They were aware of our glad sacrifice and your. Thanks to every one of you.
And thank you for your continued partnership with me as we live this call here in Morgantown, and listen to God’s voice to lead us down the paths that will give us the greatest opportunities to glorify His name. The next part of that looks like a patriotic musical for us collectively, but for us individually it will look different. I am more excited than I can tell you about what God is doing in our midst. Let us continue to offer ourselves to God entirely, with abandon. Giving our utmost for His highest-our best for His glory. As we do, may there be many more who those tears say, “Just tell everyone thank you!”
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
That’s what one man struggle to say as tears filled his eyes on Sunday at the close of the service at Harvest Community Church, our Alliance church plant in Martinsburg West, Virginia. He could hardly get the words out, obviously having been touched by the ministry of the Lord through My Utmost for His Highest, our recent worship musical production inspired by the classic devotional by Oswald Chambers. He was not the only one.
“That’s just what we needed!” started another lady about 15 minutes the service had ended. I thanked her for her encouragement then pressed her so as to better understand what she was saying. She continued, “Oh, the music and everything were just excellent, but the message, well, it was just perfect. It met us where we are.” Where they are is in a developing church that is still figuring out what the Alliance is. And we had on opportunity to show them on Sunday.
You see, we are the Alliance, “Living the Call Together.” They saw a powerful illustration of that on Sunday. Thirty eight people, plus those who traveled with us totaling fifty one I believe, were on the road before many of them were awake to travel to where they lived and share a message with them. It was particularly “Give your best for God’s glory”, but generally it was “we are in this thing-that is, living the call to complete the Great Commission-TOGETHER”! Give your best, because that is what we are trying to do. That is why we are here today. We love Jesus and we know you do to, so let us live together to fulfill His call on our lives.
For those of you who went, I do not have to try to describe the blessing of being used by God. For those of you who could not go, thank you for being a part of US. Though not with us in body, we took you in spirit and shared your love with those folks in Martinsburg first hand. We were your ambassadors, and they were blessed by your “sending” us. They were aware that you were probably missing us. They were aware of our glad sacrifice and your. Thanks to every one of you.
And thank you for your continued partnership with me as we live this call here in Morgantown, and listen to God’s voice to lead us down the paths that will give us the greatest opportunities to glorify His name. The next part of that looks like a patriotic musical for us collectively, but for us individually it will look different. I am more excited than I can tell you about what God is doing in our midst. Let us continue to offer ourselves to God entirely, with abandon. Giving our utmost for His highest-our best for His glory. As we do, may there be many more who those tears say, “Just tell everyone thank you!”
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Responsibilities
Dear Worshipers,
We all have responsibilities. To our families, our spouses, our co-workers, our friends. To the gas and electric companies, our cell phone providers, our mortgages holders. To our commitments, our faith, our LORD. These responsibilities help shape our lives, giving us purpose, direction and inspiration. But they can also tie us down if we are not careful.
I recently heard one of our Alliance missionaries from Guinea recently comment about responsibilities. She said, in effect, God does not want us to be doing twenty things for Him because they are all good things. We need to pray and seek God's will about what he wants us to do, and then do those things. Sometimes we commit to too many good things and we are then constrained from doing the thing God puts on our hearts.
I have learned so many life lessons from my boys over the years. One comes to bear on this principal. They have responsibilities in the daily routine of our family. One of them is setting the table. One day one of them volunteered to do his brother's part. We were blessed to see that servanthood. A couple moments later he realized that doing that act of service was going to prohibit his doing something else he wanted to do. He found himself in a quandary and tried to wiggle out of his responsibility. We held him to it seizing that teachable moment to show him that you need to carefully consider the commitments you make. It was a lesson in self-denial as well, but my mind this was secondary.
How often do we as Christians to the same thing? Committing ourselves to a good cause before really considering the cost, or the Lord's will in it? Too often I fear. This mistake keeps us from being free to respond to the Lord. Some things are brief commitments, others are patterns of living that dominate our lives. Let us do everything we can to fulfill our responsibilities, and then carefully consider any future ones.
In that careful consideration, be certain not to be paralyzed from activity. Remember, you have made an eternal commitment to the Lord. To use the words of a song you should affirm, "I'm abandoned to the Captain of the mighty host of heaven, and I pledge Him my allegiance 'til the earth beholds His Kingdom." This is a shutting out of every other consideration, to keep yourself before God in this one thing, your utmost for His Highest.
Are you abandoned, or bound up? It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Galatians 5:1) Be free. Free in your abandon to Christ
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
We all have responsibilities. To our families, our spouses, our co-workers, our friends. To the gas and electric companies, our cell phone providers, our mortgages holders. To our commitments, our faith, our LORD. These responsibilities help shape our lives, giving us purpose, direction and inspiration. But they can also tie us down if we are not careful.
I recently heard one of our Alliance missionaries from Guinea recently comment about responsibilities. She said, in effect, God does not want us to be doing twenty things for Him because they are all good things. We need to pray and seek God's will about what he wants us to do, and then do those things. Sometimes we commit to too many good things and we are then constrained from doing the thing God puts on our hearts.
I have learned so many life lessons from my boys over the years. One comes to bear on this principal. They have responsibilities in the daily routine of our family. One of them is setting the table. One day one of them volunteered to do his brother's part. We were blessed to see that servanthood. A couple moments later he realized that doing that act of service was going to prohibit his doing something else he wanted to do. He found himself in a quandary and tried to wiggle out of his responsibility. We held him to it seizing that teachable moment to show him that you need to carefully consider the commitments you make. It was a lesson in self-denial as well, but my mind this was secondary.
How often do we as Christians to the same thing? Committing ourselves to a good cause before really considering the cost, or the Lord's will in it? Too often I fear. This mistake keeps us from being free to respond to the Lord. Some things are brief commitments, others are patterns of living that dominate our lives. Let us do everything we can to fulfill our responsibilities, and then carefully consider any future ones.
In that careful consideration, be certain not to be paralyzed from activity. Remember, you have made an eternal commitment to the Lord. To use the words of a song you should affirm, "I'm abandoned to the Captain of the mighty host of heaven, and I pledge Him my allegiance 'til the earth beholds His Kingdom." This is a shutting out of every other consideration, to keep yourself before God in this one thing, your utmost for His Highest.
Are you abandoned, or bound up? It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Galatians 5:1) Be free. Free in your abandon to Christ
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Pass It On
Dear Worshipers,
Do you remember that commercial from a few years ago which said, “Milk. It does the body good. Pass it on.”? That came to mind as I was drafting this communiqué to you, but with regard to blessings. My encouragement to you today. “Blessings. They do the spiritual body good. Pass them along.”
We are so blessed. Many of us take for granted our orchestra, choirs, soloists, ensembles and narrators who the Lord uses so beautifully, particularly this past Sunday as we shared My Utmost for His Highest. When you take something for granted, for cease to be thankful for it, feeling as though you expect it or deserve it. But not everyone feels that way. I received an email from one congregation member which started, “WOW! How can I put into words the inspiration your crew provided on Sunday...you were truly a blessing to the congregation.” The truth is we were blessing bearers and it was only our close proximity to the blessing that made us appear to be the blessing.
What struck me about the email was the thankfulness of it. I got myself on Friday thanking a bunch of people for making the seminar at church come off so well due to their preparation and excellence in hosting. A couple of them seemed surprised that I would be thanking them. I had to remind myself to do more of this, but then I realized it probably had more to do with the fact that people are not appreciated very much.
Here is where I am going with this thought. We are so blessed, and most of those blessings find their way to us from the hand of God, through a channel of some sort. This Sunday morning it was the choir and orchestra and supporting “crew”. For the people who scoffed up ALL the devotionals at the end of the service I trust it will be the words of Chambers. For others it will be something else, something seemingly insignificant, that will carry their blessing to them. How they respond has a lot to do with their perspective on the blessing and of course the Blessor, meaning the Lord.
Where are you today? Do you realize that you are doing far better than you deserve to be? Thank someone around you who is a part of your good condition. Thank the Lord for them and a million other blessings. Pass the blessing along through words of encouragement and acts of kindness that your good deeds may “shine for all to see [men and women, boys and girls] so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16, amplification mine)
That is a life of worship. That is a life of blessing. That is a part of giving your utmost for His Highest.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Do you remember that commercial from a few years ago which said, “Milk. It does the body good. Pass it on.”? That came to mind as I was drafting this communiqué to you, but with regard to blessings. My encouragement to you today. “Blessings. They do the spiritual body good. Pass them along.”
We are so blessed. Many of us take for granted our orchestra, choirs, soloists, ensembles and narrators who the Lord uses so beautifully, particularly this past Sunday as we shared My Utmost for His Highest. When you take something for granted, for cease to be thankful for it, feeling as though you expect it or deserve it. But not everyone feels that way. I received an email from one congregation member which started, “WOW! How can I put into words the inspiration your crew provided on Sunday...you were truly a blessing to the congregation.” The truth is we were blessing bearers and it was only our close proximity to the blessing that made us appear to be the blessing.
What struck me about the email was the thankfulness of it. I got myself on Friday thanking a bunch of people for making the seminar at church come off so well due to their preparation and excellence in hosting. A couple of them seemed surprised that I would be thanking them. I had to remind myself to do more of this, but then I realized it probably had more to do with the fact that people are not appreciated very much.
Here is where I am going with this thought. We are so blessed, and most of those blessings find their way to us from the hand of God, through a channel of some sort. This Sunday morning it was the choir and orchestra and supporting “crew”. For the people who scoffed up ALL the devotionals at the end of the service I trust it will be the words of Chambers. For others it will be something else, something seemingly insignificant, that will carry their blessing to them. How they respond has a lot to do with their perspective on the blessing and of course the Blessor, meaning the Lord.
Where are you today? Do you realize that you are doing far better than you deserve to be? Thank someone around you who is a part of your good condition. Thank the Lord for them and a million other blessings. Pass the blessing along through words of encouragement and acts of kindness that your good deeds may “shine for all to see [men and women, boys and girls] so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16, amplification mine)
That is a life of worship. That is a life of blessing. That is a part of giving your utmost for His Highest.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Our Reach Must Exceed Our Grasp
Dear Worshipers,
This can be a frustrating thing. Reaching out for that thing that lies a little beyond your grasp. It is our nature to become comfortable with what we have already attained, no matter what that is. It is very easy to settle for less than our highest aspirations, then slowly to become accustomed to what we have reached, until ultimately we forget that there was anything else.
Maybe you have experienced this in this way. You set a goal, like reading the Bible in a year. You begin with a disciplined schedule but somewhere along the way become distracted. You get to the place where you are reading only a little, but still every day. You get up late a few mornings and miss a few days. No you are reading every few days, but there is still something wonderful for you there every time you open the Book. Ultimately, you find yourself having to brush the dust off before you read looking for some verse to help you through a crisis. Partly out of guilt you return to the source of your hope, partly out of desperation, and as you hear God speaking words of comfort to you, you realize how must you have missed the comfort only He affords, which you were trying to find every where else. This can be s discouraging revelation, or one that motivates to a pursuit of more.
In our spiritual lives we can never become complacent. We must always be reaching for that which lies just beyond our grasp. That is what Oswald Chambers is saying today. He quoted Paul from Philippians 3, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on…”
He went on to say, “If we have only what we have experienced, we have nothing. But if we have the inspiration of the vision of God, we have more than we can experience.” This weekend when we share the musical, I am longing for more than an experience. I pray that all with ears to hear will hear what God is saying and see what He is showing. I pray we will see a vision of God and of our lives that will require radical transformation. I fear we have become spiritually relaxed. Chambers said, “BEWARE!” of spiritual relaxation.
Join me in praying that God will stir our hearts for His glory that we will offer our utmost for His highest, Sunday and forever! Let us reach beyond our grasp forgetting what is behind and pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus! (Philippians 3:14)
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
This can be a frustrating thing. Reaching out for that thing that lies a little beyond your grasp. It is our nature to become comfortable with what we have already attained, no matter what that is. It is very easy to settle for less than our highest aspirations, then slowly to become accustomed to what we have reached, until ultimately we forget that there was anything else.
Maybe you have experienced this in this way. You set a goal, like reading the Bible in a year. You begin with a disciplined schedule but somewhere along the way become distracted. You get to the place where you are reading only a little, but still every day. You get up late a few mornings and miss a few days. No you are reading every few days, but there is still something wonderful for you there every time you open the Book. Ultimately, you find yourself having to brush the dust off before you read looking for some verse to help you through a crisis. Partly out of guilt you return to the source of your hope, partly out of desperation, and as you hear God speaking words of comfort to you, you realize how must you have missed the comfort only He affords, which you were trying to find every where else. This can be s discouraging revelation, or one that motivates to a pursuit of more.
In our spiritual lives we can never become complacent. We must always be reaching for that which lies just beyond our grasp. That is what Oswald Chambers is saying today. He quoted Paul from Philippians 3, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on…”
He went on to say, “If we have only what we have experienced, we have nothing. But if we have the inspiration of the vision of God, we have more than we can experience.” This weekend when we share the musical, I am longing for more than an experience. I pray that all with ears to hear will hear what God is saying and see what He is showing. I pray we will see a vision of God and of our lives that will require radical transformation. I fear we have become spiritually relaxed. Chambers said, “BEWARE!” of spiritual relaxation.
Join me in praying that God will stir our hearts for His glory that we will offer our utmost for His highest, Sunday and forever! Let us reach beyond our grasp forgetting what is behind and pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus! (Philippians 3:14)
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Breakthrough
Dear Worshipers,
That word is exciting. It conjures images of something that was static, staid and stale being overwhelmed with newness. When we think of our spiritual lives, there come visions of the sweeping work of the Holy Spirit taking away that which binds and hinders and invigorating with that which releases and encourages. This, “Breakthrough”, is the theme at our District Conference this week.
Please pray for Pastor David and myself as we head to Conference anticipating the breakthroughs that God has for our District, our church, and our lives. Know that I am praying that you will experience similar breakthroughs this week and beyond as you yield your life to Jesus. If you would like to read the thoughts of our District Superintendent, click this link, Advance, news from the central district c&ma. I know you will be encouraged with his words, and you will know better how to pray.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
That word is exciting. It conjures images of something that was static, staid and stale being overwhelmed with newness. When we think of our spiritual lives, there come visions of the sweeping work of the Holy Spirit taking away that which binds and hinders and invigorating with that which releases and encourages. This, “Breakthrough”, is the theme at our District Conference this week.
Please pray for Pastor David and myself as we head to Conference anticipating the breakthroughs that God has for our District, our church, and our lives. Know that I am praying that you will experience similar breakthroughs this week and beyond as you yield your life to Jesus. If you would like to read the thoughts of our District Superintendent, click this link, Advance, news from the central district c&ma. I know you will be encouraged with his words, and you will know better how to pray.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
This Changes Everything
Dear Worshipers,
“Behold, I Am Alive!” When Pastor David shared his sermon title with me last week during our meeting, it stirred my spirit. I was already thinking about Easter, after all there was a tomb in the choir loft. I already had on my mind the many details of the Good Friday and Easter Sunday services which would tell this amazing story again, but something really struck me when he said this. He is risen! Indeed!
The resurrection lies at the crux of everything we believe. I Corinthians 15 is probably the key passage in scripture about the resurrection. If anyone asks you about it this week, and people are asking, take them here. It is a clear and concise explanation of not only the fact of the resurrection, but the implications on our life and faith.
Paul makes some amazingly and appropriately strong comments in this chapter. In verse 14 he asserts, “ if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” All those Sunday mornings wasted, your faith in vain. How about this in verse 19, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” That is significant. We are indeed a pitiful bunch if Christ is not raised, for we have founded our lives on a lie, and our hopes for eternity on an untruth. But this is not the case at all.
Instead, Jesus is alive, eternally. And so shall we be also through our association with His death AND resurrection. Through His finished work He has the authority to give the life of God to me. I must allow it now to penetrate every bit of me, and be expressed in every way at all times through the power of the Holy Spirit. Oswald Chambers put it this way [April 11 – “Complete and Effective Divinity”]. “ The Holy Spirit cannot be accepted as a guest in merely one room in the house—He invades all of it.”
Is this your experience? Do you feel like you have been invaded? Have you ever had unwelcome guests that just seemed to overwhelm your home? That may bring a bad connotation to your mind, but yet that visceral response is something akin to the feeling your old self will have regarding the “intrusion” of the Spirit. Let us welcome Him in the aftermath of Easter. As Jesus went into the tomb as a dead man and came out a living victor, let us do the same with our sin, dying to it and living for Christ.
After all, Jesus lives and so shall we!
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
“Behold, I Am Alive!” When Pastor David shared his sermon title with me last week during our meeting, it stirred my spirit. I was already thinking about Easter, after all there was a tomb in the choir loft. I already had on my mind the many details of the Good Friday and Easter Sunday services which would tell this amazing story again, but something really struck me when he said this. He is risen! Indeed!
The resurrection lies at the crux of everything we believe. I Corinthians 15 is probably the key passage in scripture about the resurrection. If anyone asks you about it this week, and people are asking, take them here. It is a clear and concise explanation of not only the fact of the resurrection, but the implications on our life and faith.
Paul makes some amazingly and appropriately strong comments in this chapter. In verse 14 he asserts, “ if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” All those Sunday mornings wasted, your faith in vain. How about this in verse 19, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” That is significant. We are indeed a pitiful bunch if Christ is not raised, for we have founded our lives on a lie, and our hopes for eternity on an untruth. But this is not the case at all.
Instead, Jesus is alive, eternally. And so shall we be also through our association with His death AND resurrection. Through His finished work He has the authority to give the life of God to me. I must allow it now to penetrate every bit of me, and be expressed in every way at all times through the power of the Holy Spirit. Oswald Chambers put it this way [April 11 – “Complete and Effective Divinity”]. “ The Holy Spirit cannot be accepted as a guest in merely one room in the house—He invades all of it.”
Is this your experience? Do you feel like you have been invaded? Have you ever had unwelcome guests that just seemed to overwhelm your home? That may bring a bad connotation to your mind, but yet that visceral response is something akin to the feeling your old self will have regarding the “intrusion” of the Spirit. Let us welcome Him in the aftermath of Easter. As Jesus went into the tomb as a dead man and came out a living victor, let us do the same with our sin, dying to it and living for Christ.
After all, Jesus lives and so shall we!
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
The Holy Week Chronicles
Dear Worshipers,
The Holy Week Chronicles
For the last few months at church we have been examining what is involved in the process of becoming like Jesus. We have worked our way through this outline: 1.Preconditions to holy living: Separation and Submission, Consistent evidences of a disciplined life: Supplication, Sacrifice, Simplicity, and Sincerity, and The maintenance of a disciplined life: Solitude, Secrecy, Song and Service. If we have been paying attention through this series as Pastor David has chronicled the scriptural evidence behind each of these assertions, we know even better what will be required of us “To Be Like Jesus”.
But now comes the rub. Has this merely been an intellectual exercise, or a spiritual discipline. This short series that Pastor David is taking us through this week will highlight which it is for each of us because there is truly no way to discover how serious you are about becoming like Christ until you consider His passion, His journey to and through the cross. I hope you will walk the Jesus road with us this week as we consider where we are in our conformity to the Son of God.
One way to allow yourself to walk the road is to look this week at the Scriptures which tell us of Jesus’ reactions to a number of different situations throughout that week. Pastor David gave us this list on Sunday with the instruction to consider what your response would be in each of these situations. I encourage you again to take this path to Easter.
Reading List
Sunday-Mark 11.1-10 (A clamoring crowd)
Monday-John 13.1-5,12-17 (Washing feet)
Tuesday-Matthew 26.36-46 (Prayer partners)
Wednesday-Matthew 26.47-56 (Kiss and run)
Thursday-Luke 2254-62 (Peter's denial)
Friday-Mark 15.21-32 (Saving others)
Saturday-John 19.38-42 (Borrowed tomb)
Sunday-Luke 24.1-12 (Faithful women)
How will you chronicle this Holy Week for yourself? Will there be an evident pursuit of the Lord and His glory? Will the love and life of the Savior be obvious? Will you die to your will and give yourself up for the Father’s? Will you serve when no one else seems to want to? Will you watch and pray? Will you stand up for the Lord, or run away?
If a reporter were following you around this week with the intent on creating an exposé of your life, would it be obvious you were about the Father’s business or your own? Or would it expose the fact that you are about your own? Let us be found guilty of walking the Jesus road. This week and every week.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
The Holy Week Chronicles
For the last few months at church we have been examining what is involved in the process of becoming like Jesus. We have worked our way through this outline: 1.Preconditions to holy living: Separation and Submission, Consistent evidences of a disciplined life: Supplication, Sacrifice, Simplicity, and Sincerity, and The maintenance of a disciplined life: Solitude, Secrecy, Song and Service. If we have been paying attention through this series as Pastor David has chronicled the scriptural evidence behind each of these assertions, we know even better what will be required of us “To Be Like Jesus”.
But now comes the rub. Has this merely been an intellectual exercise, or a spiritual discipline. This short series that Pastor David is taking us through this week will highlight which it is for each of us because there is truly no way to discover how serious you are about becoming like Christ until you consider His passion, His journey to and through the cross. I hope you will walk the Jesus road with us this week as we consider where we are in our conformity to the Son of God.
One way to allow yourself to walk the road is to look this week at the Scriptures which tell us of Jesus’ reactions to a number of different situations throughout that week. Pastor David gave us this list on Sunday with the instruction to consider what your response would be in each of these situations. I encourage you again to take this path to Easter.
Reading List
Sunday-Mark 11.1-10 (A clamoring crowd)
Monday-John 13.1-5,12-17 (Washing feet)
Tuesday-Matthew 26.36-46 (Prayer partners)
Wednesday-Matthew 26.47-56 (Kiss and run)
Thursday-Luke 2254-62 (Peter's denial)
Friday-Mark 15.21-32 (Saving others)
Saturday-John 19.38-42 (Borrowed tomb)
Sunday-Luke 24.1-12 (Faithful women)
How will you chronicle this Holy Week for yourself? Will there be an evident pursuit of the Lord and His glory? Will the love and life of the Savior be obvious? Will you die to your will and give yourself up for the Father’s? Will you serve when no one else seems to want to? Will you watch and pray? Will you stand up for the Lord, or run away?
If a reporter were following you around this week with the intent on creating an exposé of your life, would it be obvious you were about the Father’s business or your own? Or would it expose the fact that you are about your own? Let us be found guilty of walking the Jesus road. This week and every week.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Happy Birthday to ME?!?
Dear Worshipers,
Last week I celebrated my 14th birthday. Now before any of you start trying to do the math, or begin wondering if ministry has finally taken it’s toll and I have lost my mind, let me clarify. I was born again on March 29, 1992, so for the last fourteen years I have had the pleasure of being truly alive in Christ.
Now I should actually clarify a little further. Though I said celebrated I actually failed to do that. Early in the week it crossed my mind, but on the day I was so busy it slipped by without proper recognition. I was not expecting a party or any other recognition by anyone else. I am referring to the recognition in the form of thankfulness to Jesus for calling me from darkness into His marvelous light. I was so sad when Sarah mentioned it the next day. I took a little time last Thursday to thank Jesus, recognizing my new life in Him once again.
While I was thinking of that, the thought crossed my mind to ask you, “When was the last time you celebrated the life you have in Christ?” Maybe you do not know or remember the date when the precious grace of God first appeared to you or the hour that you first believed, but you can make a point of thanking Him just the same. Let that exercise of thankfulness pour out from you into the life of another.
There are many people that you know who have not yet trusted Christ as their Savior. Many who have never been born again. Never having turned from their life of sin to surrender entirely to Jesus Christ. Won’t you give them an opportunity to experience the life of Jesus Christ this Easter season? You do not necessarily have to share the gospel with them, although you are allowed, but simply invite them to our Easter Sunday service and let them hear it for themselves as presented in word and song that morning.
What a delight it would be to the heart of God to oversee multiple deliveries right in our sanctuary on Easter Sunday morning! What a delight it would be for you to witness that miracle! What a delight to our church family to be expanded into another soul!
Let’s invite some folks to church this Easter Sunday. You never know, April 16, 2007 there could be a number of them celebrating there first birthday. How exciting!
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Last week I celebrated my 14th birthday. Now before any of you start trying to do the math, or begin wondering if ministry has finally taken it’s toll and I have lost my mind, let me clarify. I was born again on March 29, 1992, so for the last fourteen years I have had the pleasure of being truly alive in Christ.
Now I should actually clarify a little further. Though I said celebrated I actually failed to do that. Early in the week it crossed my mind, but on the day I was so busy it slipped by without proper recognition. I was not expecting a party or any other recognition by anyone else. I am referring to the recognition in the form of thankfulness to Jesus for calling me from darkness into His marvelous light. I was so sad when Sarah mentioned it the next day. I took a little time last Thursday to thank Jesus, recognizing my new life in Him once again.
While I was thinking of that, the thought crossed my mind to ask you, “When was the last time you celebrated the life you have in Christ?” Maybe you do not know or remember the date when the precious grace of God first appeared to you or the hour that you first believed, but you can make a point of thanking Him just the same. Let that exercise of thankfulness pour out from you into the life of another.
There are many people that you know who have not yet trusted Christ as their Savior. Many who have never been born again. Never having turned from their life of sin to surrender entirely to Jesus Christ. Won’t you give them an opportunity to experience the life of Jesus Christ this Easter season? You do not necessarily have to share the gospel with them, although you are allowed, but simply invite them to our Easter Sunday service and let them hear it for themselves as presented in word and song that morning.
What a delight it would be to the heart of God to oversee multiple deliveries right in our sanctuary on Easter Sunday morning! What a delight it would be for you to witness that miracle! What a delight to our church family to be expanded into another soul!
Let’s invite some folks to church this Easter Sunday. You never know, April 16, 2007 there could be a number of them celebrating there first birthday. How exciting!
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Reaching Out
Dear Worshipers,
These are uncomfortable words for all of us. We realize that we have to extend ourselves a little to do it. There is risk involved.
The image that comes to mind for me is reaching out to something that is just beyond your grasp, like the top shelf where the cookie jar is. Imagine the thought process of a child, "I can probably reach it if I climb on the chair then onto the counter." Sure, the thought may cross the child's mind that he could be hurt, but it is quickly dismissed. There is risk involved, but the payoff makes the risk worth taking.
I am certainly glad Jesus was willing to do that. To take the "risk" of reaching out to me. He was willing to suffer reproach and loss, rejection and death for me. Do you REALLY want "to be like Jesus"? Is that really your "desire"?
To be honest, there really was no risk for our Lord. He knew that He would finish the task entrusted to Him by His Father. He knew He would provide reconciliation for me back to God.
Ultimately, there is really no risk for us either. Let me explain why. In doing so maybe I can take some of the fear of reaching out away from your soul.
Remember that He said "When I am lifted up I will draw all men to myself…" John 12:32 Your reaching is really about reaching your arms up as you "lift" Jesus. You do not have to carry the weight of that person you are "reaching out" to; all you need to do is lift up Jesus. And that is not so hard, after all He is already ascended. So, ultimately your reaching is more of a pointing toward for the purpose of drawing attention to Jesus than a grasping for the purpose of holding or moving the person(s) in question.
Easter is less than three weeks away. How will you seize this opportunity? How will you reach out in this season?
There are a lot of symbols that represent this season, but for rne one of the most prevalent, and often least understood, is the egg, showing new life. Once again this year we are employing this symbol and redeeming it in the minds of people who will see our impact cards. They are located all around the church for the purpose of outreach, a.k.a. "reaching out"
Make this Easter season a new beginning for you. Take a card, write a note, and stick it in the mail, or better yet, reach out to someone and hand it to them. That may be all that is required of you for them to have a real NEW BEGINNING this Easter. Let us reach out with the love and life of Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
These are uncomfortable words for all of us. We realize that we have to extend ourselves a little to do it. There is risk involved.
The image that comes to mind for me is reaching out to something that is just beyond your grasp, like the top shelf where the cookie jar is. Imagine the thought process of a child, "I can probably reach it if I climb on the chair then onto the counter." Sure, the thought may cross the child's mind that he could be hurt, but it is quickly dismissed. There is risk involved, but the payoff makes the risk worth taking.
I am certainly glad Jesus was willing to do that. To take the "risk" of reaching out to me. He was willing to suffer reproach and loss, rejection and death for me. Do you REALLY want "to be like Jesus"? Is that really your "desire"?
To be honest, there really was no risk for our Lord. He knew that He would finish the task entrusted to Him by His Father. He knew He would provide reconciliation for me back to God.
Ultimately, there is really no risk for us either. Let me explain why. In doing so maybe I can take some of the fear of reaching out away from your soul.
Remember that He said "When I am lifted up I will draw all men to myself…" John 12:32 Your reaching is really about reaching your arms up as you "lift" Jesus. You do not have to carry the weight of that person you are "reaching out" to; all you need to do is lift up Jesus. And that is not so hard, after all He is already ascended. So, ultimately your reaching is more of a pointing toward for the purpose of drawing attention to Jesus than a grasping for the purpose of holding or moving the person(s) in question.
Easter is less than three weeks away. How will you seize this opportunity? How will you reach out in this season?
There are a lot of symbols that represent this season, but for rne one of the most prevalent, and often least understood, is the egg, showing new life. Once again this year we are employing this symbol and redeeming it in the minds of people who will see our impact cards. They are located all around the church for the purpose of outreach, a.k.a. "reaching out"
Make this Easter season a new beginning for you. Take a card, write a note, and stick it in the mail, or better yet, reach out to someone and hand it to them. That may be all that is required of you for them to have a real NEW BEGINNING this Easter. Let us reach out with the love and life of Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
My Best for His Glory
Dear Worshipers,
Does that describe your life? Can you honestly say that you pour out the very best of who and what you are that God may be glorified and His kingdom expanded in the hearts of others? That is the call that has echoed down through the ages. The call we must hear and open our hearts to everyday. That is the call we will issue when we share our upcoming musical, My Utmost for His Highest.
This musical is based on the exceptional devotional book by Oswald Chambers being the same title. Since August of last year I have been asking you to use that little devotional in your quiet times that we may slowly allow the Holy Spirit to bring into focus this idea of giving our entire lives for the glory of God. That is the “whole life” worship that is the driving vision of God’s call on my life, and this musical gives us a tremendous opportunity to share that.
It is also a wonderful culmination to the sermon series Pastor David has been preaching these last five months or so, To Be Like Jesus. Becoming like Jesus is one way of defining the process of being our best for God’s glory. When conformed to the image of His Son, we are our best. When transformed into the likeness of Jesus, we do everything for God’s glory. I am tremendously excited about the potential response to this message through music on May 7.
I am also very excited about taking this message “on the road”, literally. I recently read that “worship in the sanctuary must become evangelism in the streets”. Enjoying God in the comfort of our padded pews is only a part of our expression of worship. It must grow feet and go somewhere. Taking it outside the walls will hopefully be reinforced when we drive all the way to Martinsburg to share it with Harvest Community Church, our Alliance church plant in the eastern panhandle on May 21st. Two months from today we will put feet on the message and make ourselves a blessing to this church which is less than two years old.
If you have been reading My Utmost, keep it up. I know it has been a rewarding experience. If you have not yet been reading My Utmost, I am asking you to start today. You can click on this link to start right now, http://www.myutmost.org/. I also have a few copies remaining in the choir room. Even if you are not planning on being involved with the production of the musical, be reading with us that you may be prepared for what the Lord will say to you when we share it here on May 7th in the morning service.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Does that describe your life? Can you honestly say that you pour out the very best of who and what you are that God may be glorified and His kingdom expanded in the hearts of others? That is the call that has echoed down through the ages. The call we must hear and open our hearts to everyday. That is the call we will issue when we share our upcoming musical, My Utmost for His Highest.
This musical is based on the exceptional devotional book by Oswald Chambers being the same title. Since August of last year I have been asking you to use that little devotional in your quiet times that we may slowly allow the Holy Spirit to bring into focus this idea of giving our entire lives for the glory of God. That is the “whole life” worship that is the driving vision of God’s call on my life, and this musical gives us a tremendous opportunity to share that.
It is also a wonderful culmination to the sermon series Pastor David has been preaching these last five months or so, To Be Like Jesus. Becoming like Jesus is one way of defining the process of being our best for God’s glory. When conformed to the image of His Son, we are our best. When transformed into the likeness of Jesus, we do everything for God’s glory. I am tremendously excited about the potential response to this message through music on May 7.
I am also very excited about taking this message “on the road”, literally. I recently read that “worship in the sanctuary must become evangelism in the streets”. Enjoying God in the comfort of our padded pews is only a part of our expression of worship. It must grow feet and go somewhere. Taking it outside the walls will hopefully be reinforced when we drive all the way to Martinsburg to share it with Harvest Community Church, our Alliance church plant in the eastern panhandle on May 21st. Two months from today we will put feet on the message and make ourselves a blessing to this church which is less than two years old.
If you have been reading My Utmost, keep it up. I know it has been a rewarding experience. If you have not yet been reading My Utmost, I am asking you to start today. You can click on this link to start right now, http://www.myutmost.org/. I also have a few copies remaining in the choir room. Even if you are not planning on being involved with the production of the musical, be reading with us that you may be prepared for what the Lord will say to you when we share it here on May 7th in the morning service.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Trusting God’s Heart
Dear Worshipers,
Many in our body are reeling at the news of two different deaths over the weekend. One, and older man, who lost his life in a tragic accident. The other a little boy, with a heart defect who did not make it through reparative surgery. One, totally unexpected. The other, not surprising, but no less painful. Both reminders that this life is short.
My heart aches today as I continue to pray for these two families as they deal with the loss of someone they love. My pastoral heart is searching the horizon for what God is saying in each of these circumstances to the families, and their friends. As I prayed with a dear friend at the close of the call that informed me of the little boys death, the Lord reminded me of a song text written by Cynthia Clawson.
Trust His Heart
All things work for our goodThough sometimes we can't see
how they could.Struggles that break our hearts in twoSometimes blind us to the truth.Our Father knows what's best for us;His ways are not our own.So, when your pathway grows dim,And you just can't see Him,Remember He's still on the throne.
God is too wise to be mistaken.God is too good to be unkind.So when you don't understand,when you don't see His plan,When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.
He sees the Master plan.He holds the future in His hands.So don't live as those
who have no hope.All our hope is found in Him.We walk in present knowledge,But He sees the first and the last.And like a tapestry,
He's weaving you and meTo someday be just like Him.
God is too wise to be mistaken.God is too good to be unkind.So when you don't understand,When you don't see His plan,When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.
It was the chorus in particular that the Lord used to minister peace to me. The same peace that I continue to pray for these families. The same peace I hope you will join me to pray over them as well.
I also hope that this trust is one you know. We can rest in the Father’s plan, knowing that he is always working together for the good of those who love Him. Ultimately, He is more concerned about becoming more like Jesus than anything else. I trust that is exactly what has happened to the two whose deaths we now mourn.
Thank you for praying.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Many in our body are reeling at the news of two different deaths over the weekend. One, and older man, who lost his life in a tragic accident. The other a little boy, with a heart defect who did not make it through reparative surgery. One, totally unexpected. The other, not surprising, but no less painful. Both reminders that this life is short.
My heart aches today as I continue to pray for these two families as they deal with the loss of someone they love. My pastoral heart is searching the horizon for what God is saying in each of these circumstances to the families, and their friends. As I prayed with a dear friend at the close of the call that informed me of the little boys death, the Lord reminded me of a song text written by Cynthia Clawson.
Trust His Heart
All things work for our goodThough sometimes we can't see
how they could.Struggles that break our hearts in twoSometimes blind us to the truth.Our Father knows what's best for us;His ways are not our own.So, when your pathway grows dim,And you just can't see Him,Remember He's still on the throne.
God is too wise to be mistaken.God is too good to be unkind.So when you don't understand,when you don't see His plan,When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.
He sees the Master plan.He holds the future in His hands.So don't live as those
who have no hope.All our hope is found in Him.We walk in present knowledge,But He sees the first and the last.And like a tapestry,
He's weaving you and meTo someday be just like Him.
God is too wise to be mistaken.God is too good to be unkind.So when you don't understand,When you don't see His plan,When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.
It was the chorus in particular that the Lord used to minister peace to me. The same peace that I continue to pray for these families. The same peace I hope you will join me to pray over them as well.
I also hope that this trust is one you know. We can rest in the Father’s plan, knowing that he is always working together for the good of those who love Him. Ultimately, He is more concerned about becoming more like Jesus than anything else. I trust that is exactly what has happened to the two whose deaths we now mourn.
Thank you for praying.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
InterCessors
Dear Worshipers,
I sent out the first communication to the InterCessors last week. I have been saying for some time that I was going to ask some of you for a prayer commitment and I did indeed ask in early February. A few of you responded and received this letter below last week.
There are probably many different reasons why others of you did not respond. Not everyone should say yes to this ministry of prayer It is a significant commitment. I want those who say yes to take it seriously. But in the event that you just needed more information or prodding, I have included my letter to this group below.
God has already begun to answer the prayers of the Inner Circle [see below for description]. Maybe you want to be a part of something that is experiencing the moving of God. Consider the following and let me know if I should add you to the list. May God lead us each into the processes that will conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Dear InterCessors,
Thank you for answering the call to prayer. For a long time the leadership of the Alliance have said that prayer must be our first work. This ministry, a broad group of people praying collectively for the worship life of our church, will ensure that we keep the main thing the main thing. I believe we can move mountains. I believe Jesus gave us great authority that we too often fail to exercise. Thank you for being willing to “get in shape”, or rather to assist the worship life of our church to do so, through your prayers.
First let me tell you that I have a group of six men that I have recruited to gather around me in prayer. I am calling them the Inner Circle. The commitment I have asked them to keep is this. To spend 2006 doing this.
Praying everyday through a monthly prayer card (3-5 minutes)
Waiting on the Lord following this to hear His voice (1-2 minutes)
Praying once a week, on your assigned day, for an extended period, to include weekly updates (15 minutes)
Praying once a week with a partner in person or on the phone (5 minutes) [7 men plus me equals 4 teams of 2]
A quarterly “prayer encounter” lasting about 45 minutes
We are developing phase four in the month of March, having started in earnest in January.
This is the commitment I would like to ask you to make. I am calling the InterCessors to spend 2006 as follows.
Praying everyday through a monthly prayer card (3-5 minutes)
Waiting on the Lord following this to hear His voice (1-2 minutes)
Praying on Sunday morning for the worship experience of the church gathered.
Praying the rest of the week for the worship experience of the work dispersed.
Eventually I would like to add a fifth phase, possibly in the fall once the team is a little larger
Praying once a month during the service with other members of the team for God to reveal Himself and His people to respond.
Below you will find the set or requests for March. Let us begin together and allow the Lord to lead us as we go. I expect He will say things to you as you wait that will need to be shared with me. Do not hesitate. I believe the Lord will say things to me through you. Bless me and the Lord by sharing them.
March:
For the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may know God better as a church [Ephesians 1:17]
For our responses in the Sunday AM service to reflect the majesty and glory of God’s name [Psalm 8:1]
For our responses the rest of the week to bring other to a place of worship [Matthew 5:16]
For the details of the Easter services to begin to come together.
For the close of Pastor David’s series “To Be Like Jesus” to have that effect on each of us
Thank you for your willingness to serve. I welcome your comments.
Thank you for considering this ministry opportunity.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
I sent out the first communication to the InterCessors last week. I have been saying for some time that I was going to ask some of you for a prayer commitment and I did indeed ask in early February. A few of you responded and received this letter below last week.
There are probably many different reasons why others of you did not respond. Not everyone should say yes to this ministry of prayer It is a significant commitment. I want those who say yes to take it seriously. But in the event that you just needed more information or prodding, I have included my letter to this group below.
God has already begun to answer the prayers of the Inner Circle [see below for description]. Maybe you want to be a part of something that is experiencing the moving of God. Consider the following and let me know if I should add you to the list. May God lead us each into the processes that will conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Dear InterCessors,
Thank you for answering the call to prayer. For a long time the leadership of the Alliance have said that prayer must be our first work. This ministry, a broad group of people praying collectively for the worship life of our church, will ensure that we keep the main thing the main thing. I believe we can move mountains. I believe Jesus gave us great authority that we too often fail to exercise. Thank you for being willing to “get in shape”, or rather to assist the worship life of our church to do so, through your prayers.
First let me tell you that I have a group of six men that I have recruited to gather around me in prayer. I am calling them the Inner Circle. The commitment I have asked them to keep is this. To spend 2006 doing this.
Praying everyday through a monthly prayer card (3-5 minutes)
Waiting on the Lord following this to hear His voice (1-2 minutes)
Praying once a week, on your assigned day, for an extended period, to include weekly updates (15 minutes)
Praying once a week with a partner in person or on the phone (5 minutes) [7 men plus me equals 4 teams of 2]
A quarterly “prayer encounter” lasting about 45 minutes
We are developing phase four in the month of March, having started in earnest in January.
This is the commitment I would like to ask you to make. I am calling the InterCessors to spend 2006 as follows.
Praying everyday through a monthly prayer card (3-5 minutes)
Waiting on the Lord following this to hear His voice (1-2 minutes)
Praying on Sunday morning for the worship experience of the church gathered.
Praying the rest of the week for the worship experience of the work dispersed.
Eventually I would like to add a fifth phase, possibly in the fall once the team is a little larger
Praying once a month during the service with other members of the team for God to reveal Himself and His people to respond.
Below you will find the set or requests for March. Let us begin together and allow the Lord to lead us as we go. I expect He will say things to you as you wait that will need to be shared with me. Do not hesitate. I believe the Lord will say things to me through you. Bless me and the Lord by sharing them.
March:
For the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may know God better as a church [Ephesians 1:17]
For our responses in the Sunday AM service to reflect the majesty and glory of God’s name [Psalm 8:1]
For our responses the rest of the week to bring other to a place of worship [Matthew 5:16]
For the details of the Easter services to begin to come together.
For the close of Pastor David’s series “To Be Like Jesus” to have that effect on each of us
Thank you for your willingness to serve. I welcome your comments.
Thank you for considering this ministry opportunity.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Tolerance vs. Thankfulness
Dear Worshipers,
Last week I had the opportunity to sit under Gary Thomas’ teaching. He is a writer and the founder and director of the Center for Evangelical Spirituality, a ministry that integrates Scripture, church history, and the Christian classics. [If that sounds appealing to you, get one of his books. You will not be disappointed] His speaking was of comparable quality with the reading I had done before hearing him. It was a wonderful time spent considering some truths that I am continuing to absorb, and will be digesting for quite some time.
When I have an experience like this I like to try and distill it down into a couple of thoughts that I desire to allow the Lord to change my life. One thought that I am processing these days is that of tolerance versus thankfulness. Let me explain what I mean.
In a message titled Common Blessings, Familiar Miracles Thomas made a statement that I recorded like this. “Our minds adapt to God’s blessings and we end up tolerating them instead of being thankful for them.” WOW! We all know that because we have experienced it, but hearing him articulate it like that was a powerfully convicting moment for me. [Now you may want to run out and get one of his books all the more.] While this was just one example of things that were shared that were revolutionary, this one really hit me.
He used examples of his home to clarify. What had once been a source of blessing to him, a home he was amazed he could buy, became so common that he longed for more. I have often thought of this as discontentment, but he explained that our minds are prone to become so familiar with some things that we develop a “tolerance” for them. Think about the path home. Sometimes when you pull in your driveway you realize that you can not remember the lat few miles or minutes of your journey because you mind was simply “tolerating” it.
Here comes the rub. What blessings and miracles have you been tolerating? Your home? Your children? Your spouse? Your job? Your church? You name it. Let us be a thankful people. It changes our disposition not only towards the gift, but most importantly toward the Giver.
Psalm 100.4 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving…” As you enter your next time of worship whether later today or tomorrow, enter with thanksgiving, and see if it makes the approach to your Lord different. I welcome your responses.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Last week I had the opportunity to sit under Gary Thomas’ teaching. He is a writer and the founder and director of the Center for Evangelical Spirituality, a ministry that integrates Scripture, church history, and the Christian classics. [If that sounds appealing to you, get one of his books. You will not be disappointed] His speaking was of comparable quality with the reading I had done before hearing him. It was a wonderful time spent considering some truths that I am continuing to absorb, and will be digesting for quite some time.
When I have an experience like this I like to try and distill it down into a couple of thoughts that I desire to allow the Lord to change my life. One thought that I am processing these days is that of tolerance versus thankfulness. Let me explain what I mean.
In a message titled Common Blessings, Familiar Miracles Thomas made a statement that I recorded like this. “Our minds adapt to God’s blessings and we end up tolerating them instead of being thankful for them.” WOW! We all know that because we have experienced it, but hearing him articulate it like that was a powerfully convicting moment for me. [Now you may want to run out and get one of his books all the more.] While this was just one example of things that were shared that were revolutionary, this one really hit me.
He used examples of his home to clarify. What had once been a source of blessing to him, a home he was amazed he could buy, became so common that he longed for more. I have often thought of this as discontentment, but he explained that our minds are prone to become so familiar with some things that we develop a “tolerance” for them. Think about the path home. Sometimes when you pull in your driveway you realize that you can not remember the lat few miles or minutes of your journey because you mind was simply “tolerating” it.
Here comes the rub. What blessings and miracles have you been tolerating? Your home? Your children? Your spouse? Your job? Your church? You name it. Let us be a thankful people. It changes our disposition not only towards the gift, but most importantly toward the Giver.
Psalm 100.4 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving…” As you enter your next time of worship whether later today or tomorrow, enter with thanksgiving, and see if it makes the approach to your Lord different. I welcome your responses.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
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