I have been thinking about what we need, when we need it, and how we get what we need. There is nothing more stressful than to have a "need" pressing on you and there is nothing YOU can do to meet it. You have done everything you can do... made all the right decisions, sacrificed whatever might need to be sacrificed, suffered for the "cause"... whatever it might be.
Here is the thing... who defines our "need?" Far too often the stress of a "need" is self-inflicted because we have gotten ourselves into a big ole mess and want God to come in to clean it up. We rant and rave, cry and cry, beg and plead hoping God will get us out of this mess we made.
Well, guess what... that is not His job. His job is to take care of us... to teach us... to love us. When my brother was a knobby-kneed teenager, he REALLY wanted a car. He looked and looked. He pointed out cars to my Dad. He begged. It was pitiful. (Sorry,Kev!) Dad told him to save his money. Kevin worked hard and saved his money. When he had saved enough after about a year, Dad took him and they bought a car, almost completely with Kevin's saved money. It was a piece of junk. Really. I am not kidding. It was a 1980 Pontiac Phoenix. I remember going with them to get it at the junk yard. Kevin and I did not get along the best when I was 14 and he was 15, but even I felt sorry for him.
Kevin loved it. See, he had WORKED hard for it. He had EARNED it. He had learned to appreciate it. Problem is... it was a piece of junk. But he took care of it like it was a Porsche. He washed it and waxed it all the time. I dare not get in it with dirty shoes. It was HIS.
One Wednesday night about a year later, Kevin left the house a little early to go to church. Mom and I left about 10 minutes later. We got to a stop light and saw that a car was broken down in the intersection. Yep. It was Kevin. He was crushed. It would cost more to fix it than it did when he bought it.
I had never seen Kevin that upset. He suffered about a week. Mom and Dad did not say much... just told him that stuff happens and he had to be patient. A few days later, Dad took Kevin to run an errand. They came back with another car, this one much newer and in great shape.
Here is the big question: would Kevin love this one as much? Yep. See, Kevin had learned the VALUE of blessings. Dad had seen that Kevin could be trusted to appreciate what he HAD, and not be consumed with what he WANTED. Kevin loved that second car even more than the first. See, this one had been a GIFT entrusted to him by his father. After already learning the value of hard work and appreciating that piece of junk, he had now experienced someone trusting him to handle something greater. Dad COULD have just bought Kevin the better car in the first place, but would that have been the RIGHT thing to do? No.
So, who gets to determine what we need. Is it simply determined by how we FEEL? Or should it be determined by Who we trust? Do we confuse WANTS with NEEDS? Perhaps we should be using our waiting time to learn to be FAITHFUL in small things, so we can prove trustworthy with big things. Jesus told us a story about this. See Matthew 25.14-30.
Today, I am thankful for the small things.
Pastor Brian
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Fall is for Friends (Proverbs 17:17, Proverbs 18:24)
My children have this great book titled “Fall is for Friends”. We purchased it one November as part of our collection of Thanksgiving books. Isn’t it funny how a child’s book can remind you to be thankful for something that we should never take for granted but often do.
Have you ever felt like people just don’t “get” you? Sometimes, I feel that way more often than not. But, I thank God for the people that do get "it" and me! If you are a Christian, you might have heard it termed "kindred spirit" or on Facebook as a BFF or Bestie. Regardless, these are people that somehow we are just able to connect with and share life with (and the harsh realities that often come with it!).
That is why the community of faith is so important. When we go through hard times (or even easy times), it can become easy or comfortable to isolate ourselves, tell half truths or only reveal part of ourselves because we don't want to disclose the reality of our lives. The older I get, the more I understand how difficult it is to make true friends. That is why I am so thankful for my old standbys. These are the friends who have gone through "the fire" with me, if you know what I mean. And, I am doubly thankful for the people I have met in recent years or who have recently become my friends. We are never too old to build relationships in our community of faith or welcome new people into our lives.
Friendship is not a passing fad. True friendship is hard to come by. It takes work and vulnerability on both sides of the fence. True friendship can never occur if only one person is willing. So, work hard at the things that are important. For instance, Facebook has been a great place to reconnect with a lot of acquaintances. But, the truth is, I never needed Facebook to keep up with those people who were truly my friends. (I must admit that I love being able to see my friends day to day lives on a more regular basis, instead of just thumbing through photos when we are together or using my imagination in long phone conversations.)
The nice thing about true friends is that they see beyond the surface. They hear past words to hear what you are really saying. They read what you write, but know the intent of your heart. They sense even when you are silent. And, true friends hold you accountable. They share their sorrows and their joys.
I have had two precious conversations with two of my best friends recently. During one conversation, I cried. I didn't cry out of sadness, but because someone "got me". They knew what made me tick, made me angry, made me smile and were able to listen and know my heart. The second was quick. We simply shared in the joy of God's blessing in her life. You see, that's the thing. With true friends, you share the junk and joy. And, if you share the junk, you must share the joy!
Sometimes in the hustle of life, it becomes easy to lose who you are. I am convinced that most discontent in our lives does not come out of our life situation, but in that we have allowed our life situations to alter who we are at the core. We trade grace for judgement. We trade joy for anger. We trade the true love of Christ for bitterness. We lose who we are and that is where the frustration with life comes from. True friends remind us of who we are and challenge us not to bargain with who we are. Proverbs 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." Sounds funny, right? If you read verse 5, it tells us that an open rebuke is better than love concealed. So, it goes to say that sometimes it hurts when friends are honest, but in the end it is for the best.
In our society, we tend to expect/want the quick and easy. Nothing worth having is ever quick or easy or free. True friendship has a price. True friendship requires an infinite amount of work. And, when you grow up and move away, it can get expensive (long distance phone calls, packages, visits across country). True friendship is worth every dime, every sacrifice and more.
So, today, I challenge you to remember that “Fall is for Friends.” Call them up. Write down the reasons why you are thankful for them. Treat them as if you truly are thankful to have them in your life. Remember to share your joys as much as your sorrows. And most importantly, don’t let life get so busy that you unintentionally shut them out.
Today I am thankful for friends. Some people just don't get it...Do you?
Kelly Owens
Have you ever felt like people just don’t “get” you? Sometimes, I feel that way more often than not. But, I thank God for the people that do get "it" and me! If you are a Christian, you might have heard it termed "kindred spirit" or on Facebook as a BFF or Bestie. Regardless, these are people that somehow we are just able to connect with and share life with (and the harsh realities that often come with it!).
That is why the community of faith is so important. When we go through hard times (or even easy times), it can become easy or comfortable to isolate ourselves, tell half truths or only reveal part of ourselves because we don't want to disclose the reality of our lives. The older I get, the more I understand how difficult it is to make true friends. That is why I am so thankful for my old standbys. These are the friends who have gone through "the fire" with me, if you know what I mean. And, I am doubly thankful for the people I have met in recent years or who have recently become my friends. We are never too old to build relationships in our community of faith or welcome new people into our lives.
Friendship is not a passing fad. True friendship is hard to come by. It takes work and vulnerability on both sides of the fence. True friendship can never occur if only one person is willing. So, work hard at the things that are important. For instance, Facebook has been a great place to reconnect with a lot of acquaintances. But, the truth is, I never needed Facebook to keep up with those people who were truly my friends. (I must admit that I love being able to see my friends day to day lives on a more regular basis, instead of just thumbing through photos when we are together or using my imagination in long phone conversations.)
The nice thing about true friends is that they see beyond the surface. They hear past words to hear what you are really saying. They read what you write, but know the intent of your heart. They sense even when you are silent. And, true friends hold you accountable. They share their sorrows and their joys.
I have had two precious conversations with two of my best friends recently. During one conversation, I cried. I didn't cry out of sadness, but because someone "got me". They knew what made me tick, made me angry, made me smile and were able to listen and know my heart. The second was quick. We simply shared in the joy of God's blessing in her life. You see, that's the thing. With true friends, you share the junk and joy. And, if you share the junk, you must share the joy!
Sometimes in the hustle of life, it becomes easy to lose who you are. I am convinced that most discontent in our lives does not come out of our life situation, but in that we have allowed our life situations to alter who we are at the core. We trade grace for judgement. We trade joy for anger. We trade the true love of Christ for bitterness. We lose who we are and that is where the frustration with life comes from. True friends remind us of who we are and challenge us not to bargain with who we are. Proverbs 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." Sounds funny, right? If you read verse 5, it tells us that an open rebuke is better than love concealed. So, it goes to say that sometimes it hurts when friends are honest, but in the end it is for the best.
In our society, we tend to expect/want the quick and easy. Nothing worth having is ever quick or easy or free. True friendship has a price. True friendship requires an infinite amount of work. And, when you grow up and move away, it can get expensive (long distance phone calls, packages, visits across country). True friendship is worth every dime, every sacrifice and more.
So, today, I challenge you to remember that “Fall is for Friends.” Call them up. Write down the reasons why you are thankful for them. Treat them as if you truly are thankful to have them in your life. Remember to share your joys as much as your sorrows. And most importantly, don’t let life get so busy that you unintentionally shut them out.
Today I am thankful for friends. Some people just don't get it...Do you?
Kelly Owens
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Defeating the Green-Eyed Monster
"Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes." - Proverbs 27:20
When we think about jealousy and envy, we usually think of all the things other people have that we don't - looks, skills, opportunities, health, etc. We think our issue is with the person who possesses what we lack, but that's not true. Let's face reality. God could have fixed all of that for us. Whatever he gave your neighbor, coworker or sibling, he could have easily given you. The complaint is not they have something you want; often, the complaint is more likely that while God was passing what you wanted out, HE SKIPPED YOU!
If God hadn't made you to pack on extra weight there, you would feel better going to the beach. If he hadn't allowed your hair to fall out from male-pattern baldness, you would have more confidence. If he had made you smarter, you would have gotten into the right school and your career would have taken the fast track. We could go on and on, but the real question is, what was God thinking? What he did for them he could have done for you too. But he didn't. Your problem isn't with him, her or them; your problem is with the Creator. He owes you.
Now, if you find the idea that God owes you something a bit ridiculous, then you are on the verge of a breakthrough. The truth is, we owed God a debt we could never pay - so he paid it. Our disappointment for not getting what we want fades away when compared to the truth that we have been given what we needed most. In light of who Jesus is and what he did for us, God doesn't owe us anything. We owe him everything.
So how do we defeat this complaining that we don't have what we want? The answer is simple, but incredibly hard to live out. We celebrate the successes and joys of those we have tended to envy. Go out of your way to verbalize your congratulations until it becomes habit. Its the only way to overcome this complaint. Celebrating how God has blessed others will help you see more clearly how He has blessed you... how you have been "stuffed" beyond measure with the goodness of God. Whose success have you been slow to celebrate? Who deserves a pat on the back? A phone call? A congrats? It is time we refuse to give in to the negative tendencies that well up inside us when others succeed. So... today (not tomorrow) find that coworker, friend, rival, whomever... find them and publicly celebrate their success. I promise you, this is a habit that changes everything!
Pastor Josh
When we think about jealousy and envy, we usually think of all the things other people have that we don't - looks, skills, opportunities, health, etc. We think our issue is with the person who possesses what we lack, but that's not true. Let's face reality. God could have fixed all of that for us. Whatever he gave your neighbor, coworker or sibling, he could have easily given you. The complaint is not they have something you want; often, the complaint is more likely that while God was passing what you wanted out, HE SKIPPED YOU!
If God hadn't made you to pack on extra weight there, you would feel better going to the beach. If he hadn't allowed your hair to fall out from male-pattern baldness, you would have more confidence. If he had made you smarter, you would have gotten into the right school and your career would have taken the fast track. We could go on and on, but the real question is, what was God thinking? What he did for them he could have done for you too. But he didn't. Your problem isn't with him, her or them; your problem is with the Creator. He owes you.
Now, if you find the idea that God owes you something a bit ridiculous, then you are on the verge of a breakthrough. The truth is, we owed God a debt we could never pay - so he paid it. Our disappointment for not getting what we want fades away when compared to the truth that we have been given what we needed most. In light of who Jesus is and what he did for us, God doesn't owe us anything. We owe him everything.
So how do we defeat this complaining that we don't have what we want? The answer is simple, but incredibly hard to live out. We celebrate the successes and joys of those we have tended to envy. Go out of your way to verbalize your congratulations until it becomes habit. Its the only way to overcome this complaint. Celebrating how God has blessed others will help you see more clearly how He has blessed you... how you have been "stuffed" beyond measure with the goodness of God. Whose success have you been slow to celebrate? Who deserves a pat on the back? A phone call? A congrats? It is time we refuse to give in to the negative tendencies that well up inside us when others succeed. So... today (not tomorrow) find that coworker, friend, rival, whomever... find them and publicly celebrate their success. I promise you, this is a habit that changes everything!
Pastor Josh
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
A Closed Mouth
So during the Thanksgiving season, most of us have our thoughts on what food we can stuff into our mouths. After all, I built an entire sermon a couple of weeks ago around my Grandma Orvin's dressing.
Today, the Lord has been dealing with me about a closed mouth. I am certain there are many times, every day that you are faced with situations where you just want to lash out... where you want to respond to other people's thoughtlessness and disrespect with your own vitriolic rant. I hear it all the time. I see it on Facebook every day (several times a day). I am often guilty, too.
I suppose the bigger question is: is this an appropriate frame of mind for the Christ-follower? I think the obvious answer is no. However, we are humans with human emotions. People hurt us and we want to get back at them. We want them to hurt, too. Most times, our vitriol has nothing to do with the person we are unloading on. You have heard the addage: hurt people hurt people.
How do we adjust? How do we deal with this? Is it even possible? Let's look at Jesus for our answers. After being taken prisoner by the Jewish Council, the High Priests were conspiring to trump up charges against Him. Mark 14.60-62a (The Message):
60-61In the middle of this, the Chief Priest stood up and asked Jesus, "What do you have to say to the accusation?" Jesus was silent. He said nothing.
The Chief Priest tried again, this time asking, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?"
62Jesus said, "Yes, I am, and you'll see it yourself."
Jesus was being accussed of all sorts of things that were not true. People were conspiring to physically and literally KILL Him. Still, He controlled His tongue. First, in the wake of the lies, He was silent. Then, after careful deliberation, He simply spoke the truth... no elaboration, only truth. He did not pick and choose Scripture to somehow show He was "right" and everyone else was "wrong." He simply spoke truth, and He spoke it to the right people, not random folks.
See, Jesus understood something that often alludes us (me especially). No amount of ranting and raving would change the circumstances. He was innocent, and He knew it. No amount of tearing His accusers to shreads (publicly or privately) would change anything or help the situation. He knew that what was happening was for a greater good. See, He was particiating in humanity's tendency to do the wrong thing, then God turning that into His own glory.
At vC, we are doing something similar with the Complaint Jar. Our whining and complaining will be turned into blessing for kids in Jamaica. If we can see how this is a good thing, can we not also see how God can turn our negative circumstances into an opportunity to increase our faith and bring glory to Himself?
Here is the kicker... a little while later, as Jesus is SUFFERING through His crucifixion, He actually asks God to forgive those who have hurt Him. See Luke 23.24. He knew that God would be glorified if He (Jesus) was obedient. He knew that the choices made by His persecuters would be turned to bring honor to Himself.
I have talked about this before, but it is a matter of changing our default, by the power of the Holy Spirit. When hurt, our default is to become defensive and lash out. This often makes matters even worse. Jesus' default was silence, then truth, then forgiveness. Never once, even in the midst of His suffering, did He verbally attack, demean or belittle His persecuters... not even passive-aggressively on Facebook.
Today, I am thankful for Jesus' example of a closed mouth. I want to be more like Jesus.
Pastor Brian
Today, the Lord has been dealing with me about a closed mouth. I am certain there are many times, every day that you are faced with situations where you just want to lash out... where you want to respond to other people's thoughtlessness and disrespect with your own vitriolic rant. I hear it all the time. I see it on Facebook every day (several times a day). I am often guilty, too.
I suppose the bigger question is: is this an appropriate frame of mind for the Christ-follower? I think the obvious answer is no. However, we are humans with human emotions. People hurt us and we want to get back at them. We want them to hurt, too. Most times, our vitriol has nothing to do with the person we are unloading on. You have heard the addage: hurt people hurt people.
How do we adjust? How do we deal with this? Is it even possible? Let's look at Jesus for our answers. After being taken prisoner by the Jewish Council, the High Priests were conspiring to trump up charges against Him. Mark 14.60-62a (The Message):
60-61In the middle of this, the Chief Priest stood up and asked Jesus, "What do you have to say to the accusation?" Jesus was silent. He said nothing.
The Chief Priest tried again, this time asking, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?"
62Jesus said, "Yes, I am, and you'll see it yourself."
Jesus was being accussed of all sorts of things that were not true. People were conspiring to physically and literally KILL Him. Still, He controlled His tongue. First, in the wake of the lies, He was silent. Then, after careful deliberation, He simply spoke the truth... no elaboration, only truth. He did not pick and choose Scripture to somehow show He was "right" and everyone else was "wrong." He simply spoke truth, and He spoke it to the right people, not random folks.
See, Jesus understood something that often alludes us (me especially). No amount of ranting and raving would change the circumstances. He was innocent, and He knew it. No amount of tearing His accusers to shreads (publicly or privately) would change anything or help the situation. He knew that what was happening was for a greater good. See, He was particiating in humanity's tendency to do the wrong thing, then God turning that into His own glory.
At vC, we are doing something similar with the Complaint Jar. Our whining and complaining will be turned into blessing for kids in Jamaica. If we can see how this is a good thing, can we not also see how God can turn our negative circumstances into an opportunity to increase our faith and bring glory to Himself?
Here is the kicker... a little while later, as Jesus is SUFFERING through His crucifixion, He actually asks God to forgive those who have hurt Him. See Luke 23.24. He knew that God would be glorified if He (Jesus) was obedient. He knew that the choices made by His persecuters would be turned to bring honor to Himself.
I have talked about this before, but it is a matter of changing our default, by the power of the Holy Spirit. When hurt, our default is to become defensive and lash out. This often makes matters even worse. Jesus' default was silence, then truth, then forgiveness. Never once, even in the midst of His suffering, did He verbally attack, demean or belittle His persecuters... not even passive-aggressively on Facebook.
Today, I am thankful for Jesus' example of a closed mouth. I want to be more like Jesus.
Pastor Brian
Monday, November 15, 2010
Stuffed Week 2: What is that to you? Bonus Features
Smokin day at verticalCHURCH Sunday as we continued our Stuffed series. I won't recap everything that was said yesterday (if you want to watch the service you can go here to view it on youtube), but here are a few thoughts that didn't make the cut for the message. Think of these as Bonus Features!
1. Jacob suffers from the same kind of life comparisons and envy we talked about yesterday. In Genesis 27, the first words Jacob speaks (which in Jewish literature are very significant) are "I am Esau." When we first meet Jacob, He is pretending to be someone else. This comes back later when Jacob is wrestling with "a man" in Genesis 32. To the question "What is your name?", Jacob answers, "Jacob." The years have finally made him comfortable in his own skin.
2. The tribes of Israel struggle with this as well in 1 Samuel 8. The elders approach Samuel and say "... appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." The plan was that God would rule this nation and they would be different than their neighbors. But that's not good enough... they want to be like their neighbors.
3. Job records a sharp word about envy in Job 5.2, "Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple." When a person finds him/herself envying what someone else has without spending the time working through those feelings, scripture says they are a fool, and it will ultimately kill them. It is very violent language that says this attitude will be your downfall.
Just a couple of extra thoughts concerning envy that were left on the cutting room floor. Don't forget to continue contributing to the complaint jar this week. Go ahead and plan to throw in extra when you find yourself wanting what someone else has. Remember, my joy is not determined by what YOU have and I don't, but by WHO JESUS IS. He is good. I've been blessed. I will be grateful.
Pastor Josh
1. Jacob suffers from the same kind of life comparisons and envy we talked about yesterday. In Genesis 27, the first words Jacob speaks (which in Jewish literature are very significant) are "I am Esau." When we first meet Jacob, He is pretending to be someone else. This comes back later when Jacob is wrestling with "a man" in Genesis 32. To the question "What is your name?", Jacob answers, "Jacob." The years have finally made him comfortable in his own skin.
2. The tribes of Israel struggle with this as well in 1 Samuel 8. The elders approach Samuel and say "... appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." The plan was that God would rule this nation and they would be different than their neighbors. But that's not good enough... they want to be like their neighbors.
3. Job records a sharp word about envy in Job 5.2, "Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple." When a person finds him/herself envying what someone else has without spending the time working through those feelings, scripture says they are a fool, and it will ultimately kill them. It is very violent language that says this attitude will be your downfall.
Just a couple of extra thoughts concerning envy that were left on the cutting room floor. Don't forget to continue contributing to the complaint jar this week. Go ahead and plan to throw in extra when you find yourself wanting what someone else has. Remember, my joy is not determined by what YOU have and I don't, but by WHO JESUS IS. He is good. I've been blessed. I will be grateful.
Pastor Josh
Thursday, November 11, 2010
A good mood...
Perhaps the above statement makes me sound a bit bi-polar, like I have gigantic mood swings or something. You will have to ask Kelly about that.
Why this good mood? Did something happen to make me feel all warm and fuzzy? Have all the challenges in my life suddenly disappeared so I can be free to feel all giddy? Have I gotten everything I want today?
Nope.
I awaken most weekend mornings to my children's voices. I will be the first to admit that I do not get up with them most of the time. I usually lay in bed and listen as the morning routine starts. I hear Ashton and Belle interacting with each other and with Kelly. Most of the time one or both of them are jumping on me within a few minutes.
I am in a good mood because I choose to be. I love God. I love my family. Love is reciprocated from them. I have the priviledge of being a Christ-follower, and cannot imagine where my life would be without that fact. There is very little in my life that has turned out the way I thought it would. We (Kelly and I) have faced gigantic and unexpected challenges that words could never express.
Here is the thing... I could spend all day... all week... heck, all YEAR blaming others for whatever turmoils and misfortunes that have come my way. (Of course, then I would have to put money in the Complaint Jar!) The fact is that most of them are self-inflicted, even though that is hard to admit. God's grace has literally drug me this far (at times), and He has been the constant in my life, providing me with all I need when I need it.
This is my encouragement today for you... find ONE thing in your life that you absolutely love and focus on that. Let God give you some persepective...
Pastor Brian
Why this good mood? Did something happen to make me feel all warm and fuzzy? Have all the challenges in my life suddenly disappeared so I can be free to feel all giddy? Have I gotten everything I want today?
Nope.
I awaken most weekend mornings to my children's voices. I will be the first to admit that I do not get up with them most of the time. I usually lay in bed and listen as the morning routine starts. I hear Ashton and Belle interacting with each other and with Kelly. Most of the time one or both of them are jumping on me within a few minutes.
I am in a good mood because I choose to be. I love God. I love my family. Love is reciprocated from them. I have the priviledge of being a Christ-follower, and cannot imagine where my life would be without that fact. There is very little in my life that has turned out the way I thought it would. We (Kelly and I) have faced gigantic and unexpected challenges that words could never express.
Here is the thing... I could spend all day... all week... heck, all YEAR blaming others for whatever turmoils and misfortunes that have come my way. (Of course, then I would have to put money in the Complaint Jar!) The fact is that most of them are self-inflicted, even though that is hard to admit. God's grace has literally drug me this far (at times), and He has been the constant in my life, providing me with all I need when I need it.
This is my encouragement today for you... find ONE thing in your life that you absolutely love and focus on that. Let God give you some persepective...
Pastor Brian
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Get Over the Hump Already
So, how many of you are losing some of the excitement that came from our corporate decision on Sunday that we would NOT be whiners and complainers? That we would be content in all things? That we would not live our lives comparing our circumstances and "stuff" to others? It doesn't take long for the excitement and determination to fade, or for the realities of life to change your focus and encourage you to forget the decision.
I am there today. For lots of reasons... doubt, fear, fatigue.. lots of things have conspired to put out that spark. Somehow, I doubt I am alone here. I follow all sorts of conversations that appear on Facebook, Twitter and other places, and I see some of the same symptoms. So what do we do?
Well, the best answer is to go back to where we got our first ones... Scripture. I spoke on Sunday from Philippians 4.4-9. I am not going to re-hash that here, but you can go back for a refresher. Right now I am looking at what is next, so let's look at verses 10-14:
"I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don't mean that your help didn't mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles."
What is Paul saying to the Philippian Christians here? First, he is grateful for their love and support. Their encouragement has helped him through some rough patches (putting it MILDLY). After all, he is writing from a jail cell. Got that? A JAIL CELL! Second, Paul has learned not to EVER... let me repeat... EVER allow circumstances to have power over his choice to be content. We learned earlier that his contentment comes from his knowledge of and participation with Christ and His suffering.
So what to do? Breathe deep. Stop what you are doing and spend a few moments just thanking God for His faithfulness to you, and His grace that covers you. Meditate on Him for a while, and allow yourself to be overwhelmed by His love for you.
There is this old worship song where the line says, "I went to the enemy's camp, and I took back what he stole from me!" Now the inspiration for this song is Old Testament accounts of war and battle. It was customary for armies to invade their enemy's camp and retrieve what had been taken. This is a feel-good song, and the imagery of kicking the devil around is empowering.
However, I think it is wrong. See, this line of thinking gives WAY too much power to the devil. According to what I read in Scripture, the devil can take a lot of things away from you... possessions, relationships... STUFF. However, he CANNOT take away your joy, or the grace of Jesus Christ operating in your life. He simply does not have that power. Greater is He that is in you than he that in is the world, and all that good stuff.
So, if I could re-write the song, the line would go like this: "I went to the enemy's camp and I took back what I GAVE to him!" The joy is yours... don't give it away. If you already did... TAKE IT BACK! It is a gift from Christ Jesus and it is YOURS! Drop some money in the Complaint Jar and move on. Believe me, I already did!
Encourage one another. Meditate on Him. Be happy!
Make it over the hump... it is one more step to living life to its fullest!
I am praying for you all!
Pastor Brian
I am there today. For lots of reasons... doubt, fear, fatigue.. lots of things have conspired to put out that spark. Somehow, I doubt I am alone here. I follow all sorts of conversations that appear on Facebook, Twitter and other places, and I see some of the same symptoms. So what do we do?
Well, the best answer is to go back to where we got our first ones... Scripture. I spoke on Sunday from Philippians 4.4-9. I am not going to re-hash that here, but you can go back for a refresher. Right now I am looking at what is next, so let's look at verses 10-14:
"I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don't mean that your help didn't mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles."
What is Paul saying to the Philippian Christians here? First, he is grateful for their love and support. Their encouragement has helped him through some rough patches (putting it MILDLY). After all, he is writing from a jail cell. Got that? A JAIL CELL! Second, Paul has learned not to EVER... let me repeat... EVER allow circumstances to have power over his choice to be content. We learned earlier that his contentment comes from his knowledge of and participation with Christ and His suffering.
So what to do? Breathe deep. Stop what you are doing and spend a few moments just thanking God for His faithfulness to you, and His grace that covers you. Meditate on Him for a while, and allow yourself to be overwhelmed by His love for you.
There is this old worship song where the line says, "I went to the enemy's camp, and I took back what he stole from me!" Now the inspiration for this song is Old Testament accounts of war and battle. It was customary for armies to invade their enemy's camp and retrieve what had been taken. This is a feel-good song, and the imagery of kicking the devil around is empowering.
However, I think it is wrong. See, this line of thinking gives WAY too much power to the devil. According to what I read in Scripture, the devil can take a lot of things away from you... possessions, relationships... STUFF. However, he CANNOT take away your joy, or the grace of Jesus Christ operating in your life. He simply does not have that power. Greater is He that is in you than he that in is the world, and all that good stuff.
So, if I could re-write the song, the line would go like this: "I went to the enemy's camp and I took back what I GAVE to him!" The joy is yours... don't give it away. If you already did... TAKE IT BACK! It is a gift from Christ Jesus and it is YOURS! Drop some money in the Complaint Jar and move on. Believe me, I already did!
Encourage one another. Meditate on Him. Be happy!
Make it over the hump... it is one more step to living life to its fullest!
I am praying for you all!
Pastor Brian
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