Blessings Abound!

There is something about blessing others by serving them that causes one’s-self to be blessed. Yesterday at the church’s Thanksgiving meal, which we served at the community center, we experienced that blessing. To know that someone’s physical needs have been met is good feeling, but there is much more to it than that. On another level, it is a much greater blessing to emotionally connect with someone you’re helping physically. It really doesn’t matter if you serve 1000 or if you serve just one person, it’s about connecting with others. Some of us experienced that on Thursday, even Anna, our six year-old, recognized that blessing; she made new friends. Unfortunately you deprive yourself of the blessings when you only financially support a ministry and do not allow yourself to engage personally. I say that realizing the financial support is sorely needed for every ministry; it's a key ingredient,but not only do others need you to personally engage, you have a need for you to connect with others. Want that warm, fuzzy feeling? You won’t get it on this Black Friday by shopping for bargains, even if you should find them. The blessing is waiting for you when you make the decision to allow yourself to personally connect with others.

I'm Thankful For...

Today is Thanksgiving, forget the turkey, football, and pilgrims for a moment; so what are you thankful for? I hope you haven’t gotten so wrapped up on the preparing for the holiday that you’ve forgotten to express your gratitude. The other night at the Community Thanksgiving Service, Father Pool shared a reading that touched me. While I do not remember the entire reading, the just of it was being thankful for those things we rarely express thanks for like: “I am thankful for my teenager who is constantly in front of the televisions because it means s/he is safe; I am thankful for the taxes I pay because it means I have a job; I am thankful for the aches and pains I feel in the morning because it means I am able to work.” So, what are you thankful for? Go a bit deeper, as did that author, what is it you are truly thankful for? As I spent time reflecting this morning, I realized some things I am truly thankful for. First of all, I am truly thankful for pain and tears as they remind me of my love for our daughter Emily, who is now in the presence of her heavenly Father. I am also truly thankful for Isabella, Emily’s daughter who Jill and I are raising; through her I experience joy daily. Finally, I am truly thankful that God has allowed Jill and me to be foster parents. It is a tremendous honor and privilege to touch the future through the life of a child.

Attitude Adjustment!

People amaze me…well, some do. Others merely aggravate me. I recently had a time of fellowship with some other believers and noticed that while some praised God for a specific circumstance, others grumbled about the same circumstance. Oh, they didn’t verbally complain too loudly, mostly snippy remarks, but their attitudes screamed. Now I will confess that when I am around people like that I tend to disconnect. I do all I can to remove my mind from the situation because, if I am not careful I too can fall into their mindset. Instead I praise God (perhaps hoping it will be contagious!); I “set my mind on things above” (Colossians 3:2); I become very intentional about being positive. Fact is, I don’t like being around people who cultivate a negative state of mind and I don’t really know anyone who does. They are no fun to fellowship with and not only do I not like to worship around them, they can even hinder my worship. I fear having visitors come into the church and sitting by people like these…you almost know the visitor will not return. The sad part is these discouraging folks are never aware of their affliction…they think their attitude is normal. That makes it nearly impossible to address their problem, because in their mind, there is no problem! I have found only three techniques to successfully adjust these attitudes. First, pray for release from this demonic spirit. Secondly, pray for an attitude of praise, and finally, (you guessed it) pray for a spirit of gratitude to engulf them, grab hold, and not let go!

I Know What Ails Us!

Okay, so now I have heard it all. Continuing yesterday’s thought on faith, I heard on the news this morning that while many businesses are struggling in this economy, others are flourishing. It was reported that one occupation that had seen a marked increase in traffic was fortune tellers. It seems many people are turning to palm readers, tarot card readers and such to gather advice and direction on topics such as investing strategies, employment opportunities, and housing decisions! On of the fortune tellers interviewed said that she has also seen a very different clientele lately; professional businessmen such as bankers and lawyers. I have stated repeatedly that I am not an expert on the economy, but I would like to set aside my disclaimer and offer one small bit of advice: THERES THE PROBLEM! In reading through the Old Testament it has shocked to see the parallels between ancient Israel and the current day United States. We have not only drifted away from God, we too have turned to false gods and begun to worship them. I am convinced more each day that God has withdrawn his favor from this nation and until we come to our senses, and once again actively pursue God, we will not, as a nation, be blessed. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Walking in Faith

What is it that gives some believers an extreme confidence in God while other believers struggle? Faith. Faith enables us to see God on top of all our problems. When we only see the problems, we become depressed and start making wrong choices. Faith enables us to see that God is bigger than any mountain and gives the confidence to know that he can cake care of us. If God is for you, it doesn’t matter how many demons oppose you or what your opponents say about you. When you walk in faith you start your day thinking, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life (even today), and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (today)” (Psalm 23:6). People who walk in faith are still realists. They often admit that they don’t know how it is all going to work out; but insist their God will supply nonetheless. In contrast, unbelief has a devious way of envisioning negative things. The glass is always half empty. Unbelief loves to paint the bleakest picture it can. It will cause us to mumble to ourselves, “This is going to turn out terrible; I am not going to make it.” Unbelief will stop us in our tracks, wrestling with the smallest of problems. So, which path are you walking on?

Catch & Release!

What a blessing it is to see people actively seek God’s face! I am not speaking of those who experience an anointing, or a healing, but of those who intentionally seek the presence of the Almighty. I am not the one God has put in charge of determining the success of a revival: the effectiveness of preaching or documentation of healing, but one measure would surely be the desire of people to enter into the presence of God. Over the past months we have been praying for God to move and in order for that to occur God requires that we seek him. Well, God has answered prayers (again) in a mighty way. The numbers of people who have attended services and those who have come forward during the services have blessed me. I have no doubts that God will honor our obedience by using us to help change the lives of others by the power of Jesus Christ. However, now it is again up to us. In order for this revival to grow, or merely continue, we must move out of the comfort of the building we call the church and into the community. Only then can the Spirit we have caught be experienced by others. As Richard shared with us early on; we have not been saved to sit on our blessed assurance! It would seem to me that God has mightily moved these past days at Sesser; now it’s time for us to do the same.

Living Water

So how is it with your soul? That’s a question John Wesley would continually ask people. Is it well, or is your soul struggling? Is your soul dried up like the plant I used during the children’s sermon on Sunday; parched and dying? One of the tricks we constantly use is to put on a face in order to conceal our true condition to others. We present ourselves to both friends and strangers as fit, when the truth is very much the opposite. The good news is that Jesus is the Living Water (John 4). The bad news is that if our lives are already filled with stuff, we have no room for much of that living water. As Richard shared with us so accurately on Sunday morning; we must first empty ourselves of those things that occupy us in order to receive the living water that Jesus offers us. That’s a hard thing to do: to empty oneself. We rather enjoy holding on to resentment and anger, someday secretly hoping for retaliation. We often wallow in fear and doubt, with it we are not required to step out. We even seem to enjoy bitterness and drudgery, who needs joy anyway? Yeah, Jesus has much to offer each of us (more than we can really imagine), but to be receptive to his gifts means we first must empty ourselves of the trash we’ve picked up from the world. So how is it with your soul?

Thankful For...

The last few days have been rather hectic for me. McKayla has been sick with an ear infection and bronchitis, Anna has be coughing nearly non-stop, Jill has had several tests done this past week with a biopsy on her thyroid yesterday, and I had a meeting in Springfield today that took up the majority of my day (thus my erratic postings). I do not share this to solicit your pity, although your prayers would be greatly appreciated. I share it because we are just 10 days or so away from Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, most of us (including myself) tend to take our blessings for granted and at times even miss, or dismiss, them altogether. It is only when we face struggles and inconveniences that we recognize our blessing and claim them as such. So here we are nearing Thanksgiving; a uniquely American holiday that is about being thankful…so what are you thankful for this year? Forget the superficial things like a home, a job, or food…I know all of these are important, but let’s think for a moment. What are you truly thankful for? Your spouse; your children? How about for trials and temptations? James tells us they help us mature in the faith. How about your witness and someone to share it with? Jesus commanded us to share it. How about for an opportunity to be persecuted for your faith? There are believers in our world today who are being persecuted for professing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior…physically persecuted. I know that’s thinking outside the box, to be thankful for persecution, but isn’t that how God operates? After all, while we were still sinners he sent his only Son to become a sacrifice for our sins. You cannot get any further outside the box than that! So think about it…what are you thankful for?

Success

I received this email from a friend and found it insightful...thought others might need to hear it as we prepare for God to move.

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night… For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

I had always wondered why the Torah (the first five books of Moses) is read out loud by the Jews. Then, a Jewish Christian told me that for generations, they read God’s Word out loud because of Joshua 1:8 — “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night…” The word “meditate” in English means to ponder. But in Hebrew, it is the word hagah, which means to utter or mutter under your breath. In other words, when you meditate on God’s Word, you speak forth or confess His Word instead of just giving it mental assent.
My friend, hagah God’s Word by confessing verses in the areas that you are believing God for breakthroughs. When I was working in sales, I confessed verses like, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty…” (Proverbs 3:9–10) In the first year, I became the top salesman in my company! My way was made prosperous and I enjoyed good success.
“Pastor, I am waiting for God to make my way prosperous.” No, the Bible says that you will make your way prosperous when you hagah God’s Word. So speak forth verses in the areas which you want to see breakthroughs and you will have good success.
Some people have success that destroys them — you don’t see them in church anymore and their family members don’t get to see them either. That is bad success. But when you hagah God’s Word, you will have good success that does not destroy you.
Now, confessing God’s Word does not move God to do things for you. It is not a formula. God had already moved when He gave up Jesus to die for you. However, when you confess His Word, it moves you from a position of doubt to faith. It moves your heart from a position of “Is it true?” to “I believe it!” When that happens, “you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success”!

Thanks to the Veterans

So today is Veteran’s Day. A day we honor and remember those who have served our country since its inception. But how does one say thank you to someone who gave several years of their life in service? And how can one properly express thanks to a family whose loved one gave the ultimate sacrifice? We can and do pay honor at church services, though all of our good intentions are horribly inadequate. And we hold community programs and hear from great Americans, still our attention drifts. This morning, on a network radio program, it was reported that there are only 116 veterans of WWI left with us today. I was saddened when I heard the report, not because those veterans are growing older and nearing the end of this journey we call life; they are facing an inevitable moment we will all face. My heart sank because we continue to add to the number of veterans daily. Hear me clearly, I am a patriot, I am proud to be an American, but I also fear we have grieved too many children and parents with the death of their loved ones for no reason. If our freedoms are in danger, then we ought to fight with all we have within us. But to endanger the lives of our soldiers by engaging in conflicts we don’t have the cause or will to win is sinful. This country is great because we have stood and fought for liberties and virtues that we believe in; not because we wanted to save face, control wealth, or to flex our military muscle in the global community. My prayer is that God will continue to bless the USA with men and women who are willing to step forward when our liberties are threatened.

Formula for Revival

As we prepare for revival services here at Sesser in a week or so, I must ask, what is it you’re expecting God to do? Have you expressed your expectation to God? What is it you want…is it God’s will or your dreams? Is it for everyone else to be renewed, or can you admit your soul has been in a dry place too? There are two things that are common to most revivals throughout history and it seems reasonable to look for these if we are to experience a visitation. First, genuine revival is preceded by an intensive desire among laity to seek God’s presence thru prayer. Great revivals were not initiated by clergy, though many clergy certainly would like to take credit. That is not to say God did not use clergy, he certainly did, however most were initiated by lay people. Secondly, people found they were the ones in need of revival. People did not bring friends and neighbors to the services hoping others would be saved. Instead, people came seeking God’s hand to move in their own lives. Once that happened, friends and neighbors came to the services to “see what was going on” and in turn the Spirit touched even more people. Think we need revival? It will never happen until we realize and admit WE are the ones in need of renewal, and until WE fervently seek God’s face and his will for our lives. If we would accomplish that, I have no doubts God would turn our church and our community upside-down. Until then we are Wesley’s greatest nightmare: “a church with the form of religion, but lacking the power.”

Yes, God Is On The Throne!

I have this morning received emails from four different people that essentially say the same thing: God is still on the throne regardless of who wins the election. Duh! I think they may be seeking reassurances and I am not sure if they are trying to convince themselves…or perhaps me. Regardless, the election is over, praise God! My strongly held conviction is that 20 months is too long to campaign for any office. I also struggle with the fact that two parties monopolize the elections…obviously neither Obama or McCain was my first choice. Still, it was a historic election. Our country should be proud of how far we have come in the last 40+ years: from the end of segregation to the first bi-racial president. Now, as we face a couple months of transition to the new administration, we need to be praying…praying for the Bush Whitehouse, for the Obama Whitehouse, praying for all of our elected officials; for wisdom and fortitude. We have a long road ahead of us with issues like the war, the economy, and immigration, just to name a few. And why do we pray? Because God IS still on the throne and he hears our prayers. Nothing as simplistic as an election can even distract our God and we can rest assured of his presence regardless of the difficulties that lie before us. Along with whatever emails you might get offering reassurances, let me offer David’s words from Psalm 4:8, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

The True Value

I was working last night on some pictures for the website from Trunk or Treat. As I remembered the fun that was had, I realized the true value in hosting such an event. It’s not the candy; even though Mars, Inc., Hersey Foods, Tootsie Roll Industries, and many other candy manufactures would argue. It’s not the exposure that many kids had that night to our church. That is a valuable thing to offer in a day when so many kids pass by our buildings repeatedly and don’t even notice them. And it’s not even being a “safe” place for kids to trick or treat, though that is becoming increasingly important. The true value of Trunk or Treat for me was having my kids, Hannah, Anna and Isabella, serve other kids. Yeah, it was fun and we did get candy to share, but they were serving. They don’t even know it, but they were serving others. They saw me and other adults they respect and love model service for them, and they learned from that. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way (s)he should go, and when (s)he is old (s)he will not turn from it.” Thanks to all who participated in Trunk or Treat…perhaps unknowingly you helped educate many of the youngsters in our church and community about service and generosity.

Where's Your Focus?

Today I had a day of fasting and prayer for our country, its citizenry, and the election tomorrow, along with several other requests. At one point, I turned on the news and it happened that a story was running about people who were literally obsessed with the election. They were frightened of the outcome and took every opportunity to get the latest news on both campaigns. Yesterday I spoke with Annett, the German exchange student we hosted last year. She is back home in Germany and according to her; all of Europe is holding their breath as they await the outcome of the election. I realize that all the interest is a good thing; much better than apathy. However, it seems as if some are focusing on the wrong things. Regardless of who is elected, God will still sit on the throne. Regardless of who is elected, there will be trials ahead. Regardless of who is elected, believers are still called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. And regardless of who is elected, we continue to be saved by grace through faith. It’s too bad we don’t generate the same amount of interest when we worship or speak of the Almighty. It’s also too bad the one billion dollars spent the last 22 months campaigning wasn’t used to feed the hungry or house the homeless. That would likely have impacted our country more positively than any candidate could for the next four years.