Turn It Over

The other night my wife and I were talking and we began to talk about the kids and the school year ahead. This school year has us - and them a bit nervous. Shave moved to a new community - one that is double in size from our precious one - one that includes much more cultural diversity - one where they do not know many others. While there is excitement in this "newness", there is also some concern in all our minds. 

So, the other night my wife and I were talking about our concerns and stating that are most concerned about our oldest daughter - who she will befriend and how it might influence her. 

I told my wife, we will have to make sure that she is hanging out with a good group of friends. To which my wife responded, the problem is, we don't know who the good friends are. 

Hours later, as I laid in bed, drifting off to sleep, I thought more about this. It's true, we don't know who the good friends are - we don't know who to point her to  - but God does. And, if we believe that He is in control of every aspect of life - and if we believe that He cares for our children - and  if  we believe that He answers us when we call out to Him - shouldn't we ask Him? 

So, after talking to my wife - and after  worrying about this matter for several hours - I decided to submit it all to God.

Is there anything that is keeping you up tonight? Is there any situation that you wish you could let go of and find peace in? Is there a burden in your life that seems to weigh you down with anxiety or fear? 

Why not turn it over to God? Do it right away. 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  Philippians 4:6 NIV

Glory Ahead

This past week many of our Washington Free Methodist Church family spent time at Wabash Park Camp at our annual Family Camp. Several days were spent in relaxation, recreation, and revival. Many of the children, teens, and adults participated in activities. Families, friends, and churches gathered for a time of food and fellowship. Several hundred shared in Bible studies and worship services.

Yet, it was often the little instances - the in-between occurrences - that caught my eye and stirred my heart. Sunday night I witnessed the teens leading the way to the altar in the midst of powerful worship. Monday evening, as I walked into the Pavilion prior to the evening service, I watched dozens of teens walking up and down rows of chairs, touching and praying over each seat and for the individual that would fill that seat. Tuesday afternoon I saw two small boys - friends - one teaching the other to ride a bike. Tuesday evening I watched the teens passionately worship in the front rows of the pavilion as the small children collected the offering. And Wednesday I walked upon a group of teens spontaneously sharing their testimonies with a group of children in the middle of a softball field. God was truly moving this past week.

And, as I considered each of these occurrences, one thought flooded my mind throughout the week. God has a great work to do - in our lives, in the lives of our children and teens, and in the life of our church. Perhaps this thought came from our Superintendent John Lanes' Tuesday morning teaching when he said "we are looking for folks who have not given up". 

I have made no secret of the fact that one of my top priority right now is to see our youth and children's ministries grow and flourish. You see, I have not given up. I pray that you have not given up either. And I pray that you will join me in this journey of reaching the next generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Further, I pray that we will allow the next generation to lead us as God equips and calls them to. 

We cannot give up. God has a great work to do in us and through us. You see, the "glory days" of the Washington Free Methodist Church are not behind us. As we witness and serve as The Church we know that God has glorious - miraculous - days ahead. 

Another comment from Superintendent Lane struck me this past week. "When we talk about the 'glory days' our children and our teens feel like they are showing up to Thanksgiving dinner late and everyone else has already eaten. Perhaps they're thinking; 'What about us? What is still left?'." 

We cannot give up. God has glorious days ahead!

Haggai 2:3-7; ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.

We cannot give up. God has glorious days ahead!

What Would You Do?

On Sunday we started a journey in a sermon series we are calling “On A Plane”. As I think of the scenario of being on an airplane and the level of complete trust – complete faith – that is placed in the hands of an airline pilot, I cannot help but think of being behind the yoke of a commercial jet myself.

Can you imagine the responsibility of having to navigate a commercial jet safety to the ground while the lives of multiple others rest in your hands? What if this responsibility was thrust upon you without any prior training?

What would you do? Do you take the yoke of the plane and try the best you can? Do turn and run out of the cockpit – I’m not the person for the job? Do you scramble around, looking for instructions on how to fly? Do you cry out for help from someone – anyone – “HELP ME!” 

What would you do?

Although most of us will never find ourselves behind the yoke of a commercial jet – having to navigate it through the sky – we all face situations – everyday – that are more urgent and more serious than flying a commercial airplane with no training!

What do we do? Do we turn and run – throw in the towel – “God this is not for me!” Do we look within ourselves – “I have all the knowledge and strength – I can handle this all on my own!” Or do we cry out for help from the God that has created us, the God that loves us, the God that is powerful enough to lead us through? 

What do you do? What will you do?

Faithfulness on the Water

I've read this passage multiple times, the account of Jesus walking out on the water in the midst of a storm. The disciples see Jesus and are terrified. And yet Peter - in midst of this storm, in the midst of the disciples' disbelief, in the midst of his own terror - calls out to Jesus. 

Matthew 14:25-29; Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

There are two things I want to point out. First, Jesus was about to pass by. He didn't stop until the disciples called out to Him. If they had not called out to Him, Jesus would have continued to walk and He would have passed them by. Second, Peter was the only one to ask to walk on the waves with Jesus. 

Tomorrow I'll be preaching on this passage - and on faith and faithfulness. Let me propose that calling out to Jesus is faith. However, getting out of the boat and walking on the waves with Jesus is faithfulness. 

I don't want to sit in the boat and watch Jesus move, I want to get out of the boat  and be the one that Jesus uses to move. 

Let me challenge you to get out of the boat with me. More on that tomorrow...

Rejoice - Pray - Peace

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

This is a Scripture passage that I often struggle with. While I find it easy to be joyful in many of the circumstances of my life, I find it very difficult to be without anxiety. Often times I feel like this is just the way that I am, this is the way that God has made me. If you are struggling with anxiety this morning, if you have moments of your life that you are fearful of what is going to happen next or how you are going to find your way through a certain situation, this morning’s message is for you!

There are two commandments that we will look at this morning as we walk through this passage together, two requirements of a Christian that Paul writes of. The first commandment given to all Christians can be found in verse 4.

REJOICE ALWAYS!

Rejoice in the Lord always. This means that regardless of the day, whether it is dark or bright, whether it is difficult or easy, whether it brings problems and temptations or a clear path to success. We are commanded to rejoice. He repeats it, in case we missed it the first time: “again I say, Rejoice.” 

Joy is something that we cannot produce ourselves; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, sometimes we forget this! Many of us are familiar with the fruit of the Spirit, we rattle it off and go on with our lives, Galatians 5:22-33; “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This same chapter in Galatians gives a list of the characteristics that oppose the fruits of the Spirit and goes on to warn that “those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God”. I would urge you to read Galatians chapter 5 this next week and gauge where you stand with the fruits of the Spirit. Gauge where you stand in your joyfulness.

You see, you can’t be a Christian with power if you lack joy, that’s what gets up the steam. Joy in the Lord is the source of power.  A successful salesman is a happy one. None of us have ever gone into a store to buy something and had some sad salesman begin to cry on our shoulder when we asked about something in the store! Of course not. He begins to smile and tell us how wonderful hisproduct is. On the same hand, how can we be good witnesses of what Christ is if we are not joyful, if the world cannot see the joy within our lives of the power that is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior? 

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Paul believed that the Lord would soon return and he wanted to remind others of this truth. We should be willing and eager to do the same with joyful hearts.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

In his inaugural address Franklin Roosevelt said: “let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance”. Perhaps this is where you are today. We have no lack of things to be fearful of and to be anxious about. But, you see, Paul took a different approach, which is where we find our second commandment of the passage. 

WORRY ABOUT NOTHING, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING!

Paul says that we are to worry about nothing because we are to pray about everything. This means that we are to talk to the Lord about everything in our lives. Nothing should be left out.  If joy in the Lord is the source of power, prayer is the secret of the power.

The word “petition” caught my eye as I read this verse, by prayer and petition, other versions use the word “supplication” but I like the word petition. If we have a request, a need, God says bring it to me, I want to know what you desire, I want to know what needs you have so that I can meet them. Hebrews 4:16 tells us to “approach the throne of grace, the throne of God, with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” When we think of a petition we think of a list of names brought before a person or a committee to show support or displeasure over something. When I think of praying by petition I think of bringing my request before God day after day, I think of sharing my requests with others and asking them to pray for me and with me over this request until I am clear on the Lord’s answer. ”. And God answers every request that we bring before Him, sometimes the answer is not yet, sometimes it’s just no. Often times the best answers that we receive for our requests is no. A prayer by petition lets the Lord know that this need is important enough to you to talk to Him about, that you believe that He is your source of hope, that you believe He is able to meet this need and you are trusting in Him to do so.

As believers we need to get in the habit of bringing everything to Him in prayer, nothing excluded. And Paul says that when we go to God with a request, thank Him. Thank Him right then and there. Paul never lets prayer become a leap in the dark. It rests on a foundation. 

Romans 10:17 says that faith comes through hearing and hearing comes from the Word of God. Prayer rests on faith and faith rests on the word of God. Romans 5 says “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ , through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” 

REJOICE ALWAYS!

WORRY ABOUT NOTHING, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING!

Given these two commandments, what is the outcome? What will follow? Paul tells us in verse 7. 

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:7)

The Scripture speaks of other kinds of peace which we can understand. There is world peace. We have the assurance that someday peace will cover the earth as waters cover the sea. And it will come through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Jesus said in John 14:27; “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

As we close this morning allow me to summarize by saying, prayer does change things. But that is not the primary purpose of prayer. We entered this passage in anxiety, with worry, and we come out of the passage with peace. Between the two was prayer. Have things changed? Not really. The storm may still be raging, the waves still rolling high, the thunder still resounding. In our anxiety we want God to change everything around us. “Give us this.” “Don’t let this happen.” “Open up this door.” We should be praying, “Oh God, change me.” Prayer is the secret of power. We enter with worry, we can come out with peace. Joy is the source of power, prayer is the secret of power.

Deep Love

I opened a meeting this evening by reading 1 Peter 4:7-8;

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

This passage has been heavy on my heart throughout the weekend. I have been wresting with the call to "love one another deeply". What does this mean? What does this look like? 

This evening I came upon a post that I wrote exactly three years ago, "A New Command".

We find that Jesus commands us to love, stating that "by this all will know that you are my disciples". Couple this with the call that Peter gives for us to "love one another deeply" and we know that love is important. 

My greatest concern is that the line between love and hate has become far too grey in The Church, that The Church is walking a very thin line between love and hate. And, the question that is heavy in my mind is, "How do we know when our love has become hate?".

Does my love become hate when I think negatively about a brother in Christ? Does my love become hate when I share gossip about my sister in Christ? Does my love become hate when I begin to slander my Christian sister? Does my love become hate when I wish harm on my Christian brother? Where is the line between love and hate. 

Christ calls me to love and so I love. But I love with caution. I love with the awareness that when my love is not deep - error-overlooking, attack-bearing  hurt-forgiving - love, it is short of the love that Christ has called me to. I love with deep love, focused on Christ's love. Anything less is hate.

Promised To Abram

Reading from Genesis 12 this morning I was reminded of Abram and the promises that God established with him. 

I will make you into a great nation.

I will bless you.

I will make your name great.

I will make you a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you.

I will curse those who curse you.

I will bless all people through you. 

So, Abram left, as the Lord had told him to. Abram followed the call and the command of God and he set off for the land that God had promised to him. 

But, due to a famine in the land, Abram and his wife Sarai stopped in Egypt. And, despite all the protection and provision that God had promised him, Abram was afraid and decided to take matters into his own hands. 

As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, "I know what a beautiful woman you are. When Egyptians see you they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I would be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you."

Just to be clear, Abram, knowing God's promise - His plan, His protection, and His provision - was afraid for his life. And, out of fear and lost faith. Abram then decided that it would be best to abandon God's promises and give up his wife to save his own skin. This is not just selfish, this is sinful. 

And yet, we find ourselves doing this daily. Perhaps we don't act to this degree, yet we often abandon what God has called and commanded us to and act in our own wisdom. Perhaps we don't act to this degree, yet we often treat our loved ones abusively - emotionally, verbally, or physically - out of selfishness. 

Let us consider this account of Abram's life as an example. Let us remember on what God has called and commanded us to. Let us focus on God's promises - His plan, His protection, and His provision - over us.