The Stewardship Weekly
Welcome to The Stewardship Weekly! This new page will share weekly uplifting messages based on stewardship - serving Jesus through our gifts of time, talent, gifts, service and witness.
8/30/10:
I am looking at the watered-down ice tea that has been sitting on my desk for a couple of hours now. Did you know that many teens (and I would venture to say adults too) have a watered-down view of faith? Meeshia sent a link to an article that she found on CNN out to our Sunday school class. The main take away I got from the article is that it is not enough to act like a Christian. It is not enough to say you are a Christian. But to make an impact on others (especially our children) we have to speak up and say we are doing something
BECAUSE of our faith! Wow, I think that might be called witnessing. If you would like to read the article, here is the link:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/27/almost.christian/index.html
James 2:18 - But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
Hebrews 4:14 - Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
8/27/10:
"The Boys of Fall"
"Friday Night Lights", "Are You Ready for Some Football", "The Boys of Fall" - - - yes, it is football season. Dads are you ready? Moms are you nervous? I have to admit, not being a huge sports fan, there is something magical about Friday night football (I think maybe it is the marching band music that really gets me). If you have listened to the Kenny Chesney song "The Boys of Fall" you will have heard one line repeated several times throughout, "I got your back". Can you see Jesus and His disciples huddled up, mapping out plays, getting ready to run a long route? I love the idea of Jesus saying, "I got your back". And He does, play after play, day after day. All we have to do is open our eyes and recognize Him, remain in Him. I think this is summarized well in the scripture below:
John 15:8-13 - This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
8/16/10:
I started a new Christian fiction novel while on vacation. Each chapter opens with a quote or scripture. I was taken by 2 Corinthians chapter 3 where it talks about how the Spirit of the living God is written not on stone tablets but on the tablets of human hearts. We have a daily choice. We can go about our daily tasks as if our confidence is our own. Or we can invite the Spirit of the living God into our lives and ask for guidance and direction. If that is our choice, then we can have the confidence AND competence that come from through Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:2-5 - You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
7/14/10:
The devotional below is very fitting with what Pastor Mary Louise shared with us this past Sunday. In a couple, the goal is not for one person or the other to win, but for the marriage to win. The same principle can be applied to our relationship with our church. But in this case, Christ wins!
THE WISE COUPLE
There is no question that husbands and wives are different. The challenge is to put these differences together and become a team. When working out differences, the goal is for neither spouse to win; the goal is to have the marriage win. Differences in the backgrounds of husband and wife come out of life style, birth order, and how they were parented. The wise couple is aware of these differences and makes allowances for them.
From "Sound Bites" -- Dr. Kevin Leman in Keeping Your Family Together
7/1/10:
Happy Fasting
Matthew 6 is full of wonderful guidance for our day of Fasting and Prayer. It tells us not to "look somber" about fasting. It matters not what other people know or think about out obedience to our Father's call. What matters is our obedience, seen or unseen by others, it is known by our Father.
Matthew 6:16 - 18: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
What triggered me to look at Matthew 6 today was the devotional that I read in "Our Daily Bread" this morning. It focused on our worries. Here is the plan of action that this devotional proposed:
1. Start a worry list and write down the things you are worried about.
2. Turn your worry list into a prayer list.
3. If you can see ways, turn your prayer list into an action list.
4. And I am going to add a 4th. Take it to the God Box in the fellowship hall. Put your written prayers into the God Box and fully release them to the work of our Father.
Matthew 6:25 - 27: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
6/21/10:
Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings
Yesterday, Pastor Mary Louise shared information about the conference-wide initiative called "A Call to Fasting and Prayer". To find more information about this invitation to revitalize and return to our faith fundamentals, log on to
www.igrc.org. Click on "Annual Conference" at the top of the homepage and then click on "First Thursday...A Call to Prayer and Fasting" on the right hand navigation.
“Every month between now and next Annual Conference – on the first Thursday, we invite all of you, clergy and laity alike, to join us in a day of prayer and fasting in which we call upon Christ to send the Pentecost power of the Holy Spirit upon the church,” Griffith and Reese (Cabinet Co-Chairs) said. The entire press release can be viewed at:
http://www.igrc.org/news/detail/553.
Isaiah 58:11-12 - The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Don't stop there! Read the entire chapter of Isaiah 58 to find out the kind of spiritual work God prefers. Through this definition of true fasting, we all can learn how to help repair and restore our faith community.
6/15/10:
Telling and Living
I went looking in the NIV Bible for a definition of missionary. Well, I didn’t find missionary, but missions. However, the definition of missions said “see evangelism”. Evangelism as defined by the NIV Bible is “telling and living the good news of Christ’s salvation”. Our 55 missionaries are in South Dakota “telling and living” so that others may know “the good news of Christ’s salvation”. How are we serving here at home? Count your ways…
Matthew 28:18 - Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
6/7/10:
Witnessing is not only something you say, but it is also something you do. And when it is done best, it may be summarized in these words: Witness is withness. When you are with Christ, you inevitably bear witness. As you stand in His light, you cast a shadow that touches the lives of others. As you stand with others, you give your witness for Christ. Your care, companionship, and compassion for others – withness – is a convincing witness for Christ who is with you "to the end of the earth." -- Harold K. Bates in Witness for Christ
Act 10:39 - "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen-by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
6/01/10:
We were blessed to spend this past Sunday in worship with Stan's family to celebrate our niece's baby dedication and our nephew's baptism. It was very appropriate that the sermon delivered that day referenced the 2nd chapter of 1 Peter and was titled "Kaleo". Kaleo is the Greek word meaning "to be called". We are all called to be servants to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Through baptism, our nephew was outwardly signifying that he was answering God's call. But, it is not a one time deal. We have to choose to answer God's call daily.
1 Peter 2:4-5, 9 - As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ... But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
5/26/10:
I have struggled with this week’s update (hence it is Wednesday). Too many thoughts rumbling around since worship on Sunday – Pentecost. But then I came across the devotional below. What does abundant life mean? The blog below asks that question and we all may answer that question differently. However, there seem to be two truths that resonate from our shared testimonies on Sunday and this entry below.
First, Jesus came to give us an abundant life, deep and wide. A life filled with love. If you read ahead of John 10:10, in verse nine it references the gate (“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved”). Which takes me back to the scripture that Carol Mettrick shared with us on Sunday (Matthew 7:13-14 - "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.”)
Second, to enter through the narrow gate that leads to abundant life and avoid the broad road to destruction we need the Holy Spirit in our lives. We need the “Counselor” that God left us when Jesus returned to Him. Please read the blog below:
THE FLOURISHING LIFE
"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) I've often considered this one of Jesus' most important teachings, and I've spent years trying to understand it. What does Jesus mean by life? Obviously, life for Jesus means more than physical life, the heart pumping blood through the body and the brain pulsing waves detectable by the sensors of an EEG.
The life Jesus came to give us involves more than adding years to our earthly existence. The fact that the person who reveals to us what our life can be died at age 33 indicates that living involves more than extending the timeline of our days a little further. Life in God, eternal life, involves a deepening, not merely an extending. It is a life of unending depth and meaning rather than of unending days. It involves richness, fullness, grace. The flourishing life involves knowing what it means to love and to be loved, to find a sense of meaning and satisfaction from our contribution to others, to discover purpose, connection, community, God. There are people who enjoy a vigorous physical health while missing out on abundant life altogether, just as there are people in hospice care with severely limited prospects physically and certain prognoses who nevertheless live fully, gracefully, and perhaps even joyfully.
What does abundant life mean? What does the gift of life in Christ give us? What makes for eternal life? These are questions stimulated by Jesus' single line, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
-- U.M. Bishop Robert Schnase, from his blog The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations
5/17/10:
Mentoring Discipleship
A few weeks ago, Pastor Mary Louise answered "Five Questions" for the first time during worship. One of the questions that had been asked of Pastor stood out to me. The question was about the process of discipleship and it was a multi-part question. I am going to recap the portion around how do we teach someone else to be a disciple? Pastor's answer was through mentoring:
"Instead of 'teaching' as in a classroom setting, we who are now disciples must all mentor those who would be disciples. Think of natural duplication and share the faith by living it with the intention to spread it beyond your own life. Think of it as your own legacy to this world". She went on to explain how the mentoring process is achieved:
I. I do; you watch.
II. I do; you help.
III. You do; I help.
IV. You do; someone new watches.
V. Repeat the process, until all know Jesus Christ as their Lord!
Take a look at some supporting scripture:
Deuteronomy 13:4 - It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Judges 7:17 - "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.
Ezekiel 36:27 - And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Matthew 4:19 - "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
Romans 15:5 - May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
1 Corinthians 11:1-2 - Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.
2 Thessalonians 3:7 - For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,
2 Thessalonians 3:9 - We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.
5/10/10:
Start your week off right. Take a look at Jesus’ model of leadership. It does not matter what your position is in life; high powered executive, stay-at-home Mom, supervisor, co-worker or friend. We could all benefit from modeling our leadership roles after Jesus.
A Model for Leadership
One of the most meaningful and dramatic episodes in the life of Christ came on the eve of His death, in what was to be His last formal meeting with the disciples (John 13). Jesus girded Himself with a towel, took a basin, knelt, and washed the disciples' feet. If ever we who administer need a model for leadership, there it is with Jesus at the disciples' feet. Power is subordinated to service; authority cloaked by humility. The managerial tools are not ROIs (return on investment), MBOs (management by objective), LISs (labor information statistics), or PFRs (project feasibility reports) but a towel and basin -- instruments of service.
-- Lawrence E. Holst in Hospital Ministry (Taken from Sound Bites Ministry)
John 13:4-5 - so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
5/03/10:
The word "Guidance" in the subject guide in the NIV Bible, references the following passage:
2 Timothy 3:10-17 - You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings-what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Wow, there are so many valuable points covered in Paul's charge to Timothy:
1. Disciples will always be persecuted because of their faith.
2. But disciples will also rescued by the Lord.
3. In part, we can thank those who came before us for teaching us through scripture about our faith (ahhh, see the importance of creating a "Faithbook" below).
4. And finally, we are supposed to use the "God-breathed" scripture to equip us for the service God has intended for each one of us.
4/26/10:
Picture This - Part II:
Obviously the message from the Spring Banquet impacted me greatly since I am writing about it for the second week. It was apparent that the committee put a lot of thought and hard work into the event. Each person brought forth and shared their own talent or spiritual gift. Kim Payne made a wonderful soup, Kristi Aupperle showed us some scrap booking basics, Katherine Daugherty lead the opening and introductions with grace, Laura Sammer sang a beautiful song and Crystal Ward shared a very touching faith story. The night was about documenting our faith story through the making of a Faith Book. BUT, it was also about encouraging the rest of us to find our own talents, our own spiritual gifts. Those gifts will help us develop our own faith story. By discovering our spiritual gifts, we discover how God's fingerprints are truly all over our lives and thus, our faith story develops. Picture This - picture what will happen in our lives and how we can impact the world around us when we seek our gifts and start sharing our faith stories with others. Just as we were lead by the various gifts display by the committee at the Spring Banquet. Can you picture it?
1 Peter 4:10-11 - Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
4/20/10:
Picture This - Part I:
Last night the ladies of LeRoy UMC along with family and friends enjoyed the Spring Banquet. This year's banquet was themed, "Picture This". It was a lovely evening. So you ask, how does the Spring Banquet relate to stewardship? Part of being a steward for God is telling your faith story. Last night we learned through our speaker, Nancy Lamkin that God's fingerprints are all over our lives. We are witness to miracles both small and large every day. They are part of our faith story. And God wants us to share our faith story, to document our faith story, so that those who come after us know that we were impacted by God's love. Nancy encouraged us to make a Faith Book (no I did not say Facebook). What could be more important to leave for future generations than our picture book showing God's fingerprint of love on our lives - our Faith Book.
Deuteronomy 4:9 - Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
4/12/10:
Holy cow! We had a great Holy Hilarity Sunday! One of my favorite parts of the service was the awesome job that our Teen Praise Band did on their performances. (I am still singing higher, higher, lower, lower, super, super...) In honor of all of our teens I went in search of a teen-inspired devotional. Wait - adults, don't stop reading there because this is well worth the read. Teens - just because this is a long one, don't stop reading either. I found this on a blogspot called "Inhale Jesus - hip hop flavored daily devotionals" and it has Christian related music on the blog too. Here it is:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6).
Your relationship with God is the measure of your righteousness. Righteousness” means “to be right with God.” When you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you passionately desire an ongoing and ever-maturing relationship with God Himself.
Righteousness begins with salvation and continues in sanctification. Only after you abandon all self-righteousness and hunger for salvation will you be cleansed from sin and made righteous in Christ. Then you embark on a lifelong process of becoming as righteous as Christ—a process that will culminate when you are fully glorified in His presence (Rom. 8:29–30; 1 John 3:2). There’s always need for improvement in this life (Phil. 3:12–14), but satisfaction comes in communing with Christ and growing in His grace.
You can know if you’re hungering and thirsting for righteousness by asking yourself some simple questions. First, are you dissatisfied with your sin? Self-satisfaction is impossible if you are aware of your sin and if you grieve when you fall short of God’s holy standard.
Second, do external things satisfy your longings? A hungry man isn’t satisfied until he eats. A thirsty man isn’t satisfied until he drinks. When you hunger and thirst after righteousness, only God’s righteousness can satisfy you.
Third, do you have an appetite for God’s Word? Hungry people don’t need to be told to eat. It’s instinctive! Spiritual hunger will drive you to feed on the Word in order to learn what God says about increasing in righteousness.
Fourth, are you content amid difficulties? A hungry soul is content despite the pain it goes through, because it sees every trial as a means by which God is teaching greater righteousness. If you react with anger or resentment when things go wrong, you’re seeking superficial happiness.
Finally, are your hunger and thirst unconditional? The rich young ruler in Matthew 19 knew there was a void in his life but was unwilling to give up his possessions. His hunger was conditional.
Christ will fully satisfy every longing of your heart, and yet you will also constantly desire more of His righteousness. That’s the blessed paradox of hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
4/05/10:
Go spread the Good News! Go share His Gospel! Read the legend of this wonderful symbol of discipleship that God created for us in nature:
The Legend of the Sand Dollar
There’s a lovely little legend
That I would like to tell,
Of the birth and death of Jesus
Found in this lowly shell.
If you examine closely
You’ll see that you find here,
Four nail holes and a fifth one
Made by a Roman’s spear.
On one side the Easter Lily,
Its center is the star,
That appeared unto the shepherds
And led them from afar.
The Christmas Poinsettia
Etched on the other side,
Reminds us of His birthday
Our happy Christmastide.
Now break the center open
And here you will release,
The five white doves awaiting
To spread Good Will and Peace.
This simple little symbol
Christ left for you and me,
To help us spread His Gospel
Through all Eternity
- Author Unknown -
3/30/10:
Holy Week is here! Run outside and shout your Hosannas! Then come back in and reflect in the same way that our Savior did. His attention was not distracted by the parade and the shouts of acclamation. His attention was still focused on the kingdom.
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
"Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Then [Jesus] entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when He had looked around at everything, as it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve." - Mark 11:9-11
As a teenager, I thought the triumphal entry was the most exciting story in the Gospel narratives.... Jesus had earned the hosannas of the triumph. The hosannas prove that He has done His job on earth well. The only flaw in my theory comes in this distressing verse from Mark [11:11] that indicates rather clearly that the crowd's acclaim was of no moment to Him; it was just another piece of the job He had to finish. Now that I am older, I have learned that He was right and that keeping one's attention on the kingdom rather than the crowd is the most Christ-like of the spiritual disciplines.
-- Phyllis Tickle in The Upper Room Disciplines 2000, used with permission.
3/23/10:
Living for God
1 Peter 4:7-11 - The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
3/14/10:
Possessing the Goods of Others
Still not sold on the idea of "Try the Tithe"? Maybe your heart is saying yes to tithing but your numbers punching mind isn't convinced. Consider this perspective:
"Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder which you do not require is needed by others. The extras of the rich are the necessities of the poor. Those who retain what is superfluous posses the goods of others." - St. Augustine
Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." - Luke 12:15
Consider “Trying the Tithe” on Sunday, March 21st. Calculate your weekly earnings and give 10% back to God.
3/10/10:
THE FULL MEASURE OF GOD'S SALVATION
The deepest longing in a person's heart is to have a relationship with God. When we open the Scriptures, we are surprised to discover how much God desires for His people to have a love relationship with Him. In fact, the more we study the Scriptures, the more we are overwhelmed at the greatness of God's salvation and the love relationship that He seeks to develop with us. God's salvation set in motion everything He intended to accomplish in us. If we do not understand the extent of God's accomplished work on our behalf, we will never experience abundant life, nor will we fulfill God's purpose for our lives. God is not primarily interested in making us successful; instead, His heart desires for us to experience the full measure of His great salvation.
-- Henry Blackaby and Melvin D. Blackaby in Experiencing God Together: God's Plan to Touch Your World
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Eph 2:4-10
3/8/10:
Last Sunday (and in the March Lamplighter) we introduced a new stewardship idea – “Try the Tithe”. We are asking that on Sunday, March 21st everyone tithe the 10% that God has commanded in the Bible. In return, God has promised that we will be blessed with riches beyond compare. Please read the following…
“The Tithe Belongs to God”
by Dr. Dale A. Robbins
...God has chosen for us to personally return the tithe so that we can demonstrate our stewardship of his property. Stewardship is the faithful and responsible management of something that belongs to someone else. Tithing is a test of our stewardship over the property of God, a test of our honesty to return to God what is rightfully His, a test of our obedience to do what He told us to do, and a test of our love and desire to please Him with our lives. Tithing is a demonstration that we believe in God, and that we acknowledge that He is the provider of all material blessings...
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." - Luke 16:10-13
2/15/10:
“Doubting Thomas” or was it really “Truth Seeking Thomas”?
We have all had doubts in our lives. But there is a difference between truly doubting and seeking the truth. Below are a few examples of the disciple Thomas and how he got his name “Doubting Thomas”. But as we read about him, we learn that this was really a bad rap. Thomas was only seeking the truth!
John 14:5-7 –
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Between stubborn skepticism and honest questioning there is a huge gap, and the disciple named Thomas illustrates the difference. Popularly known as “Doubting Thomas”, this disciple stands out for his practical honesty, not for his disbelief.
When Jesus’ friend Lazarus died, Thomas frankly showed his anxiety over the danger in going to Judea, along with his intense loyalty to Jesus: “Let us go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). At Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, he expressed the confusion that was surely on all the disciples’ minds (John 14:5). Thomas never pretended. If he didn’t understand something, he said so; if he felt discouraged, he acted like it.
Thomas got his reputation as a doubter primarily because of his reaction when told of Jesus’ resurrection. He simply insisted, “I need to see it for myself.” The implications of a risen Jesus were too great, he believed, to take someone else’s word for it. Jesus honored this honest doubt, and when he visited Thomas in person to offer proof, Thomas responded with the ultimate statement of faith: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). He was, in fact, the only disciple who specifically addressed Jesus as God.
Thomas’s questions led to faith because he expressed them sincerely and looked for answers. The last mention of him in the Bible shows Thomas no questioning but praying, waiting with the other disciples for the Holy Spirit to come (Acts 1:12-14).
Side lesson in The Student Bible (NIV)
02/08/10:
"Whom Shall I Send?" Can't you hear the choir singing that wonderful hymn of praise? One of the gospel lessons yesterday was from Isaiah chapter 6. God is calling each and every one of us. Though He may be calling us all to serve in slightly different capacities, He is asking us to serve in love.
Isaiah 6:8 - Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Being Christ's Witnesses
I thought that all we have to do is build a Church, preach the gospel, sing a few hymns, and then people will flock to us. We'll hold a tea and the neighborhood ladies will come. We'll serve ice cream and all the youth will come running. That's all we have to do. Pray, give, worship, and socialize. We can send out missionaries to other countries to convert the heathen for us. That is the traditional way. We have been doing it for years.
But I can't find anything in Your words to substantiate this, Jesus. Nothing. You never said people should come to us. You did say that we should go to them. You never told us anything about socials, but quite a bit about prayer. You never said others should become missionaries for us. You said we all have the privilege of being Your witnesses. Did You, in fact, ever tell me anything else but to pray and witness, and that You would be with me? Have I fallen so far into my comfortable churchy pattern that I cannot hear Your disturbing voice any more?
-- H.S. Vigeveno in Jesus the Revolutionary
From Sound Bites Ministry
02/02/10:
Don't Be Blind To The Light Of Jesus
You've heard "blinded by the light". Well, today, the groundhog didn't see its shadow - at least not in LeRoy, IL. So I don't think we have to worry about being blinded by sunshine. What if our world was all dark? And maybe parts of it are. But Jesus is the light of the world. Let us not turn away from the light or be blind to it. Today I am going to share with you the story of a family that we know from showing cattle. Cramer Schneider is blind. This story will amaze you as it has amazed me. The Schneider family is not afraid to be witnesses as they quote:
John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
They also are living examples of being stewards of God's gift - in this case their blind son. Here is a link to their story. This video is airing right now on RFD TV:
01/26/10:
One of the ways that we can be stewards for God is by serving as witnesses for God. Recently, I read a book called "Into the Deep" by Robert Rogers. The story is a gripping recollection of the tragic loss of his family and through it all his sustaining, and even strengthening, faith in God. The weekend of February 19-21st we will have the opportunity to listen and learn from Mike Rayson during our "Speaking the Truth in Love" spiritual reflection and growth weekend. Rev. Rayson has also experience great loss in his life. This got me thinking...
Why do we allow ourselves to measure our life by what we don't have as opposed to by what we do have? Admittedly, I am there. Here we have two examples in Mike Rayson and Robert Rogers who have lost the most precious things in their lives, yet they go out and seek people to tell of God's Glory and God's Grace and God's Greatness. I am looking forward to our weekend with Mike Rayson. I have a lot to learn about being a witness for God. If you have not gone and looked yet, here is his website:
If you would like to take a look at the story of Robert Rogers and his book "Into the Deep" go to:
Robert's book is filled with scripture, one being from Phillippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
01/11/10:
We love to have breakfast for dinner at our house, just like in the story below. Our family favorite is biscuits and gravy. But gravy can be fickle and sometimes biscuits get burned. However, if we love one another as God commands and as the story suggest, “burnt biscuits isn’t a deal-breaker”.
1 John 2:17 – The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Burnt Biscuits
When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"
You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults - and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! Author Unknown
01/04/10:
New Year Pop Quiz!
Happy New Year! We turned our calendars over to January 2010. But wait...one last look back to 2009 and even (way) prior to that. As Christians, we made a commitment to God and to our church. On the local church level, we agreed to some core Christian responsibilities. We made the commitment to give of our time, talents, gifts, service and witness. This is where the pop quiz comes into play and ultimately, it should not be looked at as multiple choice. Yes, these are all variables of discipleship but which will put us on track for spiritual maturation as disciples?
A. Giving of our time
B. Giving of our talents
C. Giving of our income
D. Giving of our service
E. Giving of our witness
F. ALL OF THE ABOVE!
Joshua 24:15 - But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD."
Resolution for the New Year: Individually, we all know our own deficiencies. But imagine what we could accomplish if we collectively worked on our commitments…
12/29/09:
Do You Have Room in Your Inn?
Now that the busiest part of Christmas is over, let's stop and think. Did we see the star? Did we hear the heavenly angels sing? Have we journeyed to Bethlehem? Have we found the true meaning of Christmas? Have we made the decision to make room in our Inn? Let us open our hearts and be filled with the peace that only Jesus can bring.
In Search of Our Kneeling Places
In each heart lies a Bethlehem,
an inn where we must ultimately answer
whether there is room or not.
When we are Bethlehem-bound
we experience our own advent in His.
When we are Bethlehem-bound
we can no longer look the other way
conveniently not seeing stars
not hearing angel voices.
We can no longer excuse ourselves by busily
tending our sheep or our kingdoms.
This Advent let's go to Bethlehem
and see this thing that the Lord has made known to us.
In the midst of shopping sprees
let's ponder in our hearts the Gift of Gifts.
Through the tinsel
let's look for the gold of the Christmas Star.
In the excitement and confusion, in the merry chaos,
let's listen for the brush of angels' wings.
This Advent, let's go to Bethlehem
and find our kneeling places.
By Anne Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem
12/21/09:
A Prayer for Peace for the Prince of Peace
"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me". Once we are each filled with the peace that only the Holy Spirit can bring, we can go out in peace and serve. As we await the celebration of Jesus' birth and anticipate the return of the Prince of Peace, let us come together in a unified prayer for peace. Peace within our own hearts, peace within our families, peace within our congregation, peace within our community, peace within our nation and peace within our world.
Prayer for Peace
Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity.
Be fair in thy judgement, and guarded in thy speech.
Be a lamp unto those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger.
Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring.
Be a breath of life to the body of humankind, a dew to the soil of the human heart,
and a fruit upon the tree of humility. Amen.
From Souledout.org
Isaiah 9:6 - For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
12/14/09:
Wait...
Sorry this is a bit late, but I had to "wait" for my internet service to be functioning again. Waiting can be hard (even for grownups)! I wrapped a few presents and put them under the tree thinking they would help build a little excitement (not that we needed any extra). Boy did I (the Mom) find out how hard waiting can be when you have to listen to the begging by those waiting. Hmmm, I wonder what God feels like? The following excerpt is from "Sound Bites". Enjoy the story and enjoy the wait!
Waiting on the Lord requires patient trust. Will I trust that God has good reasons for saying "wait"? Will I remember that things look different to God because He views things from an eternal perspective? . . .
The story goes that an economist once read these words and got very excited. "Lord - - is it true that a thousand years for us is just like a minute to you?"
"Yes."
"Then a million dollars to us must just be a penny to you."
"Yes."
"Lord, would you give me one of those pennies?"
"All right. Wait here a minute."
Too often we want God's resources, but we do not want His timing. We want the penny, but not the minute. We forget that His work in us while we wait is as important as what it is we think we are waiting for. Waiting means that we give God the benefit of the doubt that God knows what He is doing.
It may be patient trust -- trust that is willing to wait again and again day after day.
-- John Ortberg in If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
12/07/09:
Malachi 3:1-4: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
This passage tells us three things:
1. God is tremendously concerned that the people of God be as fit and as holy as they can be, so concerned that God will send someone to get them ready for worship and for offering gifts to God…
2. The passage tells us that we cannot simply anticipate and look forward to what God will do on our behalf. We are not mere spectators in this drama of salvation and the coming of Jesus Christ to this world… We are called to go to the core of our faith, especially during this season of preparation, and to ask for help in refining and purifying our lives, in living our lives as righteous and acceptable to God…
3. In all of this talk about preparation and refining, we must infer from Malachi's words that, indeed, God is coming. We would have no reason to go through all the work of getting ready if there would not be a day in which we would enter into the presence of God in worship and offering. God is coming to us, so let us prepare properly for that coming.
(From Sound Bites Ministry)-- Randy Cross in Born to Save: An Advent Study Based on the Revised Common Lectionary
11/30/09:
A Steaming Cup of Anticipation:
My Mom’s favorite coffee cup bluntly says, “Don’t take life so seriously, it’s not permanent”. And when questioned about the saying, my Mom simply said “Because of the promise that we have in heaven with God. It is so much greater than this temporary life.” The time of advent is all about anticipation. Waiting to savor holiday treats and festivities. Joyous time spent with family and friends. Celebrating the birth of our Savior and anticipating His return. But just like we busily prepare for the holidays, we should also be busily preparing our lives for the return of our Lord.
So go ahead and pour yourself a steaming cup of anticipation. Sit back and savor the wonderful feelings that the anticipation brings to you. But don’t dally too long, these are busy times and you will certainly want to be ready for all the wonderful things to come when the Lord does return.
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NIV
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
11/15/09:
For those of you on church council, sorry for the repeat. I used this as my devotional at church council this past week, but felt it was worthy of a repeat…
“REACT LIKE A CHRISTIAN”
In my experience, it is much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like one. Most of us are good actors -- we can play the part. But our reactions reveal who we really are. And maybe that is why Jesus focused so much of His teaching on reconditioning reflexes.
Pray for those who persecute you.
Love your enemies.
Bless those who curse you.
If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
What is the natural reaction when someone slaps you? You feel like slapping him back, right? But supernatural reaction is both counterintuitive and counter reactive. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek. Think of it as a spiritual aikido. We absorb the sinful energy of others and convert it into a righteous response. So persecution becomes a catalyst for prayer. Hatred inspires love. And we convert curses into blessings.
Is there anybody in your life who brings out the worst in you? When you're around her, you react in ways you later regret. Or maybe it's someone who gets on your nerves or under your skin. Here's my advice: pray for them! Nothing reconditions our spiritual reflexes like prayer. Start praying for the difficult people in your life, and it will change the way you feel about them. (Taken from -- Mark Batterson in Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God)
Ephesians 4:25-32 - Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
11/9/09 -
I would like to share with you a stewardship article sent to me by Doug Etherton (thanks!). However, the article is too long to include on this page, so I am giving you the cliff notes and a link. Here are the basics from the article "Stewardship Lessons from Passing Generations" by David S. Bell:
1. Power and prestige are not gained by accumulating more. Generations before us understood this and practiced the differences between having enough and having enough to share.
2. We are now a society of extravagant consumption, not extravagant generosity. Generations before us understood the difference between want and need.
3. We have lost sight of the basic truth that God loves us. Generations before us knew, "that the sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross is God’s living example of stewardship and extravagant generosity. God frees all who believe in God’s redemptive love to be Christian stewards on Earth."
To read the entire article (well worth your time), click on this link:
http://www.gbod.org/stewardship/article.asp?id=47734
11/2/09 -
November already? Yes it is. With the start of November we have kicked off our fall stewardship program - The Pony Express. Remember, our goal is to reach each church household in person. As we prepare our hearts and minds for sharing or receiving information about stewardship, please consider that each of us (by God's design) is a disciple. Never underestimate the power of our own personal testimony. We never know when we might make a difference in someone's life. Mack (from "The Shack”) had that realization that I shared with you last week. The Samaritan women in the book of John had the same affect on people in her community:
John 4:39-41 – Many of the Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.
Maybe we can do the same. And since it is God calling, it’s worth a try!
10/26/09 -
We just participated in our Faith in Action Sunday. The quotes below talk about the reason that we go out in service - "...my purposes are accomplished". Let's keep this in mind and continually put our faith into action.
Sarayu (The Holy Spirit) interrupted him. "Mack, if anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again."
"Okay,” Mack said with finality. "Then I'll go back. I don't think anyone will ever believe my story, but if I go back I know I can make a difference, no matter how little that difference might be. There are a few things I need, uh, want to do anyway. He paused and looked from one to the next, then grinned. "You know..."
They all laughed.
"And I really do believe that you will never leave me or abandon me, so I am not afraid to go back. Well, maybe a little."
"That," said Papa (God) "is a very good choice." He beamed at him setting down next to him.
This was another savory excerpt from "The Shack" which Pastor Mary Louise will give a special sermon on this coming Sunday.
10/18/09 -
Following up on Steve Ward's message, "Whatever!", in worship today we learned that "whatever" means all, everything, total. If we simply look at the word whatever by this new meaning, then there is a whole new meaning in this:
Colossians 3:23 & 24 - "Whatever you do, work at it with your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
In the book "The Shack", the word "whatever" is present as well:
"...Does freedom mean that you are allowed to do whatever you want to do? Or we could talk about all the limiting influences in your life that actively work against your freedom."...Gently reaching out, she (God, Papa) took Mack's hands in hers, flour-covered and all, and looking him straight in the eyes, she continued, "Mackenzie, the truth shall set you free and the truth has a name; he's over in the woodshop right now covered in sawdust. Everything is about him. And freedom is a process that happens inside a relationship with him."
Looking at this, we can learn that whatever = everything = Jesus.
10/2/09 -
As mentioned above we serve Jesus through the gifts that he has bestowed on us. Those being time, talent, gifts, service and witness. One of those five involve returning our gifts to God, who has given them to us. Are you giving? Are you taking a step closer to tithing? Are you tithing? Or are you preparing to take a step beyond tithing? Below is a link to an interactive tithing calculator. Take a look...
Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
In The Student Bible (NIV) there is a side note further explaining Malachi 3:10, "Like a salesman offering a free sample, God urges the Israilites to test him out. If they bring their tithes to the temple, they will see how God blesses them, opening the 'floodgates of heaven' to pour out an abundance. The 'tithe' was at least a tenth of their income, used to feed the priests, pay temple expenses, and help the poor."