Tuesday, September 29, 2009

His Compassion Compels Me

Dear Worshippers,

Compassion - a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

Compels - to force or drive, esp. to a course of action

This spring I began to learn some lessons about gentleness. I am not going to pretend that I have learned them well, or that I have finished learning them. I am a work in progress.

When I think about compassion, it’s kind of difficult for me to get beyond the other common word contained within it: passion. Passion - any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling. I feel like I am a passionate person. Maybe it is the artist in me but often my emotions are just below the surface and it does not take much for them to boil up within me to the point of overflow, driving me at times to a course of action. I am thankful for this, because I believe it the way God made me.

However, as He is remaking me I realize my need for compassion. I feel strongly about the things I feel strongly about, if you know what I mean. I want to feel strongly about the things God feels strongly about. Primarily by this I mean the misfortunes of those around me, particularly there spiritual misfortune, but certainly not limited to that.

As I think about being compelled, I would have to admit that more often that not it is my passions that compel me more than my compassion. I want this to change. I want to I want my reactions and responses to be characterized by compassion.
I know that this will require a fairly radical shift in the way I think. I know this will not be easy. I know that it will be an adventure. I know Jesus will help me.

So how about you? Is your pole baited with a worm as you go out fishing every day? Is your tongue filled the words of God, or with your words? Are you fishing, or are you just stirring the water with an empty hook? What changes will you have to allow Jesus to make to make you a better fisher of men?

For me, it’s gentle compassion. For you, it might be boldness. For others, willingness. Whatever it is, let Jesus do it in you and may His compassion compel you.

Jesus, I want your compassion to be what compels me. Make be passionate about the things You are passionate about, then fill my tongue with your words because there are some people in my life that need to hear.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

His Grace Gets Me Going

Dear Worshippers,

We were focused on God’s grace Sunday, but I want to encourage you to linger with me there a little longer. I think we become so familiar with the grace of God that it looses some of its’ amazing-ness. When something is amazing it is said to “cause great surprise or sudden wonder”. Is that what happens to you when you stop and consider God’s unmerited favor in your life? I have to confess that it is not always the case with me. But it wasn’t always that way.

How I resonate with our second AdventureTruth! His grace gets me going. This is indeed a journey. When I first realized that Jesus was and had been walking the dusty road with me I was amazed. Over time that amazement has ebbed and flowed in and out of my experience. I want to stay amazed. Like I was the hour I first believed.

That’s a quote from a song we sang Sunday, Amazing Grace. [lyrics] “How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.” I affirm what Pastor Myron declared, “It starts my relationship with Him.” God’s grace got me going on this journey with Jesus. When I remember that night in March of 1992 when I made the decision to accept His grace with tears flowing down my cheeks, I am amazed all over again. There was at least one young man who made the decision to accept God’s grace at the close of this past Sunday morning. Hallelujah!

You need to pray for him that “It sustains [him] on the adventure” as it has sustained you. Look back over the course of your walk with our Lord. Time and time again it was only grace that kept you going. It makes me think of another line from that song, Through many dangers, toils and snares/I have already come./'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,/And grace will lead me home! Grace sustains me.

But it is not just for me. Since “there is a surplus so let’s share it”. Though one line or stanza of the song speaks of this explicitly, the entire song is a testimony to this reality. I might add a stanza for us as we travel with grace on our minds this week, “Since there’s a surplus of the grace my Lord’s made known to me, along the journey that’s He’s planned I’ll share it liberally”.

Be expectant and prayerful. The Lord may present an opportunity for you to share it this week. Be courageous and do it. Even if the person doesn’t seem to hear it, be mindful that there could be someone under a desk…or around the corner…or even in the next room who does.

Jesus, Your grace is enough. It is amazing. Help me share it as I live the adventure You have planned out for me.


In Christ,
Pastor Timothy

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

And So It Begins…

Dear Worshippers,

What an exciting weekend at North-Mar! God’s hand is truly on us. To deny you would have to have your eyes closed and your ears covered. As we lift up Jesus in humility and brokenness, He is drawing us to Himself, into the great adventure that is the life of faith in Jesus.

How about our first AdventureTruth? Seeking Him is my starting place. That’s truly where it all begins. Living the adventure is not a complicated thing. We are to blame for making it complicated. We must seek the Lord.

What do I want? Remember the boat in the driveway. Consider asking that question like this. What is it that I think about when I thinking about nothing else? What does you mind trail off toward in its “idle” moments? Careful, that thing can quickly become an “idol” that replaces your desire for God.

If that is out of whack the next questions are more confusing than reassuring. Who is going to lead? Well, Jesus of course, but really. How is this supposed to happen? I will blaze the trail right behind Jesus. He’s the one on the white horse up front right? See what I mean. It can become confusing, but that’s not what Jesus wants to have happen.

In the foyer during the first service someone asked me how the opening portion of the service and gone. The illustration that came to my mind was of a group of people being invited to get into a raft for a whitewater ride. They have their life vests and helmets on and they are standing at the end of the water.

Some are ready to get in, and from the looks of them they must have just finished their last ride because they are soaked. Some are not sure they want to take the risk. Some are concerned about what it will mean if they get drenched or worse yet, if they get knocked out of the raft.

Then out walks the guide for the journey, Jesus. The fears of some immediately dissipate. Others are still not sure. Jesus has been their guide before, but it is their first time on the whitewater and though they trust Him, they are not certain what to expect. He has been their keeper as well, and they really want to go wherever He leads, because they long to believe the unknown with Him is glorious.
Get ready for the ride of your life.

Jesus, You are our Guide and Keeper. Whatever we face, You will be there in the midst of it. Expose our idols and fears. Become all we want, as surely as you are already all we need. Help us to be aware of Your nearness, and Your amazing grace.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Friday, September 11, 2009

Live the Adventure

Dear Worshippers,

We begin the next leg of our journey together this Sunday as we commence a new sermon series, Live the Adventure. In addition to your Bible, we will be providing a number of other tools to help you, including the CD from our Night of Worship, a magnet to keep this theme before you, some online tools, as well as an optional book The Unexpected Adventure. Be ready to grab your “Adventure Kit” when you are at church Sunday.

Beyond the kit, I want to encourage you to be praying as we labor together to enter in to the adventure of faith Jesus has for us individually and collectively. This is a very exciting season for our church and I hope you are finding your place in all that. How I long to experience the kind of Spirit dependence that the early church demonstrates.

I have been reading in Acts lately. If you want to read about adventure this is a great place to start. Through those early days of the Church, the Spirit’s hand is so evident. Then I read these words.

So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:32, HCSB)


That is my prayer for us in this next season. That the Lord would give us peace. That He would build us up as we walk with a right perspective on who He is. That the Holy Spirit would pour courage into us, and that we would INCREASE IN NUMBERS. Oh, that the Lord would add to us those who are being saved!

You have a part to play in that. God has your name written in these next chapters of faith-filled adventure. “Saddle up your horses”, as one song writer put it, “we’ve got a trail to blaze.” Won’t you join as in the wild blue yonder of God’s amazing grace? Let’s follow Jesus into the glorious unknown, unexpected adventure. There’s no life quite like it.

Jesus, we want to live the adventure of life in You. Help us to put aside the things that would keep us from entering into it. Become all that we want, as surely as You already are all that we have ever needed.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Night of Worship

Dear Worshippers,

This is exciting. I have had this concept in my mind and on my heart for some time and am excited about the opportunity to finally do it. At the same time, I am also seriously wondering how many people will turn out. It's the Saturday evening of Labor Day weekend, but easily was the best choice as we head into a full season of ministry.

As we look forward to Saturday evening, I want to ask you to do a few things:
1. Pray - This should always be our first work. Pray for me as I finalize plans. Pray for the team as we prepare to lead. Pray that folks will come out. Pray that God will show Himself to us. Pray that we will respond. Pray the recording would bless those who come AND those who can not over the course of the next few months as we “live the adventure”.

2. Come - I sincerely believe you will be blessed by the things God is placing before us. This hour will give us the chance to meditate on the season that is just before us as a church. It will give you a front row seat on the action as we sing and pray. It will also give us a chance to hear from Pastor Myron as he prepares to lead us through the next few months on the adventure Jesus has for His church which gathers at North-Mar.

3. Bring - Contact someone you know in church and invite them to join you. Maybe you want to have dinner together beforehand, or plan on coffee or ice cream afterwards. Make it a night of worship, not singing and praying, but connecting with God and others, responding corporately to the revelation of our Lord.
This night will give me a more extended opportunity to encourage our people in their worship.

Though I am not planning on an extended teaching time, the sheer focus of the night will give me the opportunity to share a little more of my heart and mind with regard to worship. I am pumped about that because I am pumped about the glory of God is our midst.

My invitation to you…please pray and come and bring Saturday night…for this special event. I am believing you will be blessed. Believe with me.

Jesus, we want to worship You with our entire lives. We also want to gather on this special night to be encouraged in this pursuit even as You reveal Your glory and enable our response. Holy Spirit help us to live the adventure of walking with Christ and so honor the Father.

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy