Category Archives: Church & Worship

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May 5, 2016

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Church & Worship, Faith & Hope, Holidays & Holy Days, Prayer, Sharing Our Faith

WAKE UP AMERICA – NATIONAL OF PRAYER 2016

Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. [Isaiah 58:1a (NLT)]

American flagToday is the National Day of Prayer. Back in 1952, during the Korean War, the Reverend Billy Graham challenged our nation’s leaders with these words: “What a thrilling, glorious thing it would be to see the leaders of our country today kneeling before Almighty God in prayer. What a thrill would sweep this country. What renewed hope and courage would grip the Americans at this hour of peril.” In response, members of the House and Senate introduced a joint resolution for an annual National Day of Prayer, “on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.” President Truman signed a bill proclaiming that a National Day of Prayer must be declared by each subsequent president at an appropriate date of his choice. In 1988, the law was amended and the first Thursday in May was designated as our National Day of Prayer. The day’s purpose is to unite people of all religions in prayer and to renew respect for God throughout the world. This being the United States, the constitutionality of this law has been challenged several times. Fortunately, the challenges have been unsuccessful—chalk one up for the good guys!

Today’s theme is “Wake Up America” and emphasizes the need for every one of us to return to God in reverence for His Holy Name. Dr. Tony Evans, this year’s honorary chairman, authored the following prayer that is to be read throughout our nation at noon. If you won’t be at a worship gathering today, won’t you please read it at noon wherever you happen to be. Join your voice in prayer with the voices of millions of others throughout our nation. As Dr. Evans says, let there be no “secret agent Christians!”

Dear heavenly Father, we come to You today as a humble people desperate for Your supernatural intervention on behalf of our beloved nation. First, we thank You for all the blessings You have bestowed on our land, blessings that have allowed us to bring so much good and benefit to not only our own citizens but also to the rest of the world. The very ideals upon which this country was founded were based on biblical truths, no matter how some try to rewrite history to deny that very fact today.

 This is why our hearts are so broken over how You continue to be marginalized and dismissed by both our people and our institutions. We are also saddened by the fact that Your people have contributed greatly to the spiritual apathy that now engulfs us. Our satisfaction in remaining religious without being fully committed to living out the truths of Your Word has caused us to become co-conspirators with the forces of evil that are destroying us as a society.

 It is for this reason that we personally and collectively repent of our carnality and recommit ourselves to becoming visible and verbal disciples of Jesus Christ. Enable us, by Your Spirit, to no longer be secret agent Christians but rather to publicly declare and live out Your truth in a spirit of love so that You feel welcome in our country once again.

 Thank You for Your promise to hear our prayers when we call to You with hearts of repentance and obedience, which is how we are appealing to You today, Father. On behalf of Your church, we affirm afresh the priority You are to us that You would fill every dimension of our lives as we seek to bring You glory through the advancement of Your kingdom in our personal lives, our family lives, and in the lives of our churches and our government leaders. We confidently invite heaven’s intervention into all the affairs of our nation and we praise You in advance for Your answer. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. [2016 National Prayer (Dr. Tony Evans)]

 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. [1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NLT)]

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February 25, 2016

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Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Holidays & Holy Days, Obedience, Temptation & Sin, Wisdom & Guidance

THE SLIP

But Peter said to him, “Lord, I’m ready to go to prison with you and to die with you.” Jesus replied, “Peter, I can guarantee that the rooster won’t crow tonight until you say three times that you don’t know me.” [Luke 22:33-34 (GW)]

Ballenberg SwitzerlandHaving been raised in the Episcopal Church, I’ve always observed Lent and practiced some sort of self-denial during the six weeks from Ash Wednesday to Easter. According to Christianity Today, nearly one in five Americans observed Lent in 2015. In a survey this year, more than 400,000 tweeted about their fasts and food or drink and technology were the most popular categories of denial.

In the weeks leading up to Easter, many of us choose to turn away from small pleasures, indulgences, bad habits or things that may have distracted or derailed us spiritually. Even a temporary absence of something in life can make us appreciate the abundance we have; little denials can change the way we think about things after Lent. These six weeks help me to make positive behavioral changes and to consciously turn to God as I make them. In addition to giving up three things, I’ve added two Lenten devotionals to my daily prayer and Bible study.

“Did you choose to give up something for Lent? Have you kept the commitment? What has it taught you?” were the questions asked in one of yesterday’s Lenten devotions. Sweets were one of the things I gave up for Lent and I thought they were the easy one; the other two have taken more conscious effort and prayer. Have I kept the “no sweets” commitment? I had until the other night when we had dinner guests. As I prepared my nearly world famous cherry kuchen in preparation for their arrival, I had no intention of eating (or even tasting) it. In fact, I didn’t even find it appealing. Then came dessert time and I reached into the cupboard and mindlessly pulled down dessert plates for the five of us. I cut the cake, dolloped on whipped cream and served it. It wasn’t until the guests departed and I was washing the fifth plate that I even realized I’d eaten the cake!

“What has it taught you?” asked that Lenten devotion. Oh, how easy it is to stumble! I’m not wearing sackcloth and ashes just because I ate dessert during Lent. God and I are still on good terms but my slip has reminded me how easy it is to intend one thing and do another simply because we’re over-confident and unthinking. Consider Peter, so sure that he’d never betray Jesus and, yet, he did. It wasn’t until he’d heard the rooster crow that Peter even realized he’d done it! Unfortunately, it’s as easy to reach for a plate and thoughtlessly serve up some betrayal, gossip, temper, sarcasm, arrogance, selfishness, or jealousy as it is to eat a piece of cake.

Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. [1 Peter 5:8 (GW)]

Be alert. Be firm in the Christian faith. Be courageous and strong. Do everything with love. [1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (GW)]

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February 22, 2016

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Church & Worship, God's Grace & Love, Knowing Him, Obedience, Prayer, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith

GOD’S LOST CHILDREN

Listen, people of Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  … Do what the Lord says is good and right so that things will go well for you. [Deuteronomy 6:4-5,18a (NCV)]

Lake Catamount, Steamboat Spgs., CORecently, we provided dinner for a local skateboard church ministry that serves teens and young adults. If church is a hospital for wretched souls, this one is a MASH unit for them! Most of the youth have troubled pasts and few come from faith-based homes or with any knowledge of the Bible. Many, however, have transformed their lives as they have come to know Jesus through this ministry.

During Bible study, I overheard a young man claim he was his own lord and master and had to be obedient to no one. He was his own god; in fact, he added, we are all our own gods. Clearly, the pastor has his work cut out for him. Earlier that evening, the same young man said he couldn’t pray because he didn’t feel God. Of course, he couldn’t. Just as there was no room in Bethlehem for Mary and Joseph, by thinking he’s god, there’s no room in this young man’s heart for Jesus. “How’s that working for you?” I wanted to ask. Since he’s unemployed, homeless, using drugs, and unwelcome in his family’s home, his god doesn’t seem to be doing a very good job.

What will it take for this fellow to finally see the truth? What will it take before he knows he is loved, forgiven and valuable? What will it take for him to cede control to a higher power? What will it take for him to embrace the concept of obedience to God rather than obedience to self? Will he have to be knocked to his knees before he sees what is right in front of him? I pondered Saul of Tarsus, another man with no room in his heart for Jesus. Determined to defeat Christianity, he went from house to house arresting believers and hauling them off to prison. On his way to Damascus, however, he was knocked to the ground, struck blind and confronted by Jesus in one of the most dramatic conversions in history. When Saul was down and blinded, he finally saw the truth; the persecutor became evangelist and Saul the Pharisee became Paul the Apostle, God’s chosen instrument.

The good news is that, somewhere deep inside, this young man knows his way isn’t working. He was at a SK8 church prayer meeting and Bible study. Granted, we were serving a delicious hot meal of ham and potatoes and skateboarding followed Bible study, but he didn’t have to arrive early for prayers or stay after dinner for Bible study. I offered a prayer for him, asking God to make Himself known to this young man. I know God has been knocking at his door (or he wouldn’t have been there that night) but maybe God needs to knock him to the ground as he did for Paul.

Heavenly Father, I offer this prayer for the many young men and women who are deaf to your voice, blind to your presence, and unwilling or afraid to make room in their hearts for you. Please keep knocking, even it if means you have to knock them to their knees. Make your presence known, your love sensed, and your forgiveness felt. Thank you for the pastors, mentors and sponsors who work with young people. Keep filling them with the incredible patience, self-control, wisdom and love they need to bring your lost children home.

Be careful. Don’t think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always with my Father in heaven. The Son of Man came to save lost people. If a man has a hundred sheep but one of the sheep gets lost, he will leave the other ninety-nine on the hill and go to look for the lost sheep. I tell you the truth, if he finds it he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that were never lost. In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost. [Matthew 18:10-14 (NCV)]

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February 17, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Sharing Our Faith, Spiritual Gifts

HOSPITALITY

Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. [Leviticus 19:33-34a (NLT)]

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. [Romans 12: 13 (NLT)]

Hospitality: the act of being friendly and welcoming to guests and visitors
Hospitable: providing good conditions for living or growing [Cambridge Dictionary]

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Good news for those who panicked at yesterday’s message about hospitality—Christian hospitality isn’t limited to house guests and dinner parties. While hospitality can include a welcome into our homes, it also can be as simple as a welcome into our lives. It can be as effortless as a “Hello” or “How are you?” and as easy as a handshake, hug or smile.

When in Florida, I take photographs on Sunday mornings for our church’s website. We often have more than a thousand worshippers, many of whom are visitors. The worship setting is out doors in the city park, the dress is casual, dogs are welcome, and the service and music are somewhat unconventional, which all make for some great photo ops. Since I’ve never considered myself a photographer and use a simple point-and-shoot camera, I hesitated to accept the assignment when given to me. God (and a nameless friend), however, would not let me say “No!”

At first, I kept my distance and felt a bit like a voyeur as I shot using just my telephoto lens. Going up to strangers and actually speaking to them, let alone photographing them, took me way out of my comfort zone. God, however, kept nudging me and, instead of shooting people from afar, I started venturing up to them and asking to take a photo. Eventually, I realized that while my name tag identifies me as “photographer” my true job is that of welcomer, answerer of questions, listener, encourager, dog fan, baby admirer, direction giver, and friend. The camera just affords me the opportunity to walk through the park to fulfill those other rolls. I’ve hugged a woman who confided she was too sad to have her photo taken that day, comforted an upset mother, explained to visitors what we do when it rains, invited people to evening communion at the beach, pointed the way to the refreshments and food pantry drop-off, taken photos for people with their cameras, reassured many women my age (and older) of their beauty, thanked people for their service, and prayed with strangers. In short, I’ve practiced hospitality and love. I now understand that the number of photos taken is nowhere near as important as the number of people greeted.

Welcoming people into my home and at my table is something I enjoy and do well. Not all of us, however, have homes, resources, family situations and time that allow for home hospitality. Nevertheless, we are all called to practice hospitality and are given numerous opportunities to do that outside of our homes. While they may not be like the foreigners mentioned in Leviticus, there always are people who need a welcoming smile or a kind word. This sort of hospitality, this way of showing love, has proved a challenge for me, but it has been a tremendously rewarding one. I now understand that God’s purpose in having me take pictures has less to do with the church website and a great deal more to do with teaching me about love and service. Hospitality is simply servanthood at its basic level: treating everyone as you would like to be treated and loving others as you love yourself. Whether we are gifted with hospitality or not, we all can be hospitable!

Thank you, God, for the teaching tasks of life. Keep them coming; there is much I still need to learn!

And he will answer, “I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.” And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life. [Matthew 25:45-46 (NLT)]

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February 4, 2016

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Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Salvation: A New You, Spiritual Gifts, Today: Make it Count, Wisdom & Guidance

WHAT KIND OF ASSIGNMENTS?

There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve. And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good. … One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person. [1 Corinthians 4:4-7,11 (NCV)]

checking blood pressureLike any good guest, when the Holy Spirit comes to us, He doesn’t come empty-handed—He brings a gift. It’s neither generic nor a “one-size fits all” sort of thing. He brings each of us our very own spiritual gift specifically designed just for us. Like any appreciative recipient of such a precious gift, however, it is our job to unwrap and use it.

Although they’re easily confused, spiritual gifts aren’t talents. Granted, they both come from God, can be developed with practice, and are intended to be shared with others. God is not wasteful, so our talents often complement our spiritual gifts but they’re not the same things. While we may be born with an innate talent or into a home where a talent is developed, our spiritual gifts don’t arrive until we accept Christ. Instead of a hostess gift, maybe a better analogy would be a welcoming gift. Our spiritual gifts are God’s way of welcoming us into the body of Christ. Paul listed various kinds of spiritual gifts in Ephesians, Romans and 1 Corinthians and no two lists are exactly the same. Although the Apostle listed some spiritual gifts, I seriously doubt that he listed them all. We have an unlimited God and I’m sure the Holy Spirit is not limited by Paul’s list when it comes to giving us gifts.

If you’re wondering about your special gift, look around your church family and notice the spiritual gifts that are being used. The people who are gifted in serving keep our churches running—they do the mailings, fold the programs, run the sound systems, and mow the lawns. Those gifted with hospitality serve the coffee, welcome people to the services, and offer their homes for small groups. We don’t just find those gifted with teaching in the classrooms, they’re the ones who show us how to apply the Bible’s teachings to everyday situations. Those gifted with faith are the prayer warriors and God-confident ones. Willing to take a risk and step out in faith, their faith spurs us all into action. Those faith dreams, however, can’t turn into reality without the people gifted with administration and organization. Nor are they possible without the people who quietly support and fund God’s work—the ones gifted with generosity. Without them, even the best laid plans would never materialize. Those gifted with leadership know how to get workers, motivate them, and delegate responsibility. We need the good decision making-skills and sound advice of those gifted with wisdom and profit from the scriptural insight of those gifted with knowledge. Without the words of those gifted with exhortation, the church won’t reach its full potential. Their encouraging voices strengthen and inspire their brothers and sisters in Christ. Those gifted with discernment can recognize truth from error, spot hidden agendas, and distinguish the phony from the sincere. Filled with compassion, those gifted with mercy minister to people in need; they mourn with those who mourn and minister to those in pain. Those gifted in prophecy can offer messages from God that reveal His purpose or guide actions. Those gifted with healing may have a healing touch or simply take people’s blood pressure, impart good medical information, or help heal emotional wounds. Those gifted with evangelism are the ones who can so openly and easily share their faith, something not all of us are comfortable doing, and those gifted in pastoring are the ones who so beautifully shepherd their flocks. Most of us are pretty limited in the talent department, but God has gifted us all with spiritual gifts and a special way to use that gift in the body of Christ.

We all have different gifts, each of which came because of the grace God gave us. [Romans 12:6a (NCV)]

Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body. [1 Corinthians 12:27 (NCV)]

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January 28, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Joy, Love & Works, Thanks & Praise, Today: Make it Count

SMILE – IT’S GOOD FOR YOU

smilecrop-horzWhy are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God—soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. [Psalm 42:5 (MSG)]

Good news! There’s something more satisfying than a Snickers or Dove Bar and it’s non-fat, sugar-free, and zero calorie! Apparently, smiling stimulates our brain’s reward mechanism far better than chocolate! I’m sure this is good news for all those who made (and didn’t keep) New Year’s resolutions about health and wellness. According to “healthy aging expert” Mark Stibich, smiling boosts the immune system and lowers blood pressure. It reduces stress, elevates our mood, helps us have a positive outlook, and feel good. If that’s not enough to convince us to smile, he adds that a smile makes us look more attractive, appear younger, and seem more successful. Smiling certainly takes less effort than dieting or going to the gym and has much the same effect.

When in Florida and I walk through the park taking photos for the church website, I see how easily a smile can change someone’s looks. Since taking pictures of the congregation, my entire concept of beauty has changed—there is nothing more beautiful than a smiling face. No matter what the person’s age, no amount of plastic surgery can equal the beauty of a smile! Beauty has nothing to do with youth, a flawless complexion, perfectly coifed hair, wrinkle-free skin, fashionable attire or a model’s figure. Beauty truly does come from within and shines out through a smile. Physical beauty is only skin deep but someone’s inner beauty radiates out from the heart through his or her smile.

Now that I’m in northwest Colorado and attending our mountain church, I continue to notice smiles and must agree with Dr. Stibich’s final claim that smiles are contagious. At both our Florida and Colorado churches, we always pause to greet one another early in the service—and that greeting isn’t just a little courtesy nod to one’s neighbors. People walk from row to row, chatting, shaking hands or hugging one another. Sometimes, we’re slow returning to our seats but not because we’re uninterested in the day’s music and message. It’s the smiles! Along with the handshakes and greetings, there are smiles galore and those smiles are infectious. Once we receive a smile, we have a smile and simply have to pass it along to someone else, and so it goes. No matter how serious the sermon, no matter what is happening in my life or the world around me, I have never left either church without joy in my heart and a smile on my face.

What do smiles have to do with God? It’s certainly not necessary to believe in God to wear a smile and lots of non-believers smile quite nicely, at least when life is going well for them. A believer, however, fixes his eyes on the Lord and can wear a smile even when life has dumped a big load of bad. Having a relationship with God—resting in His peace, experiencing His joy, having a grateful heart, being confident of salvation and knowing we’re safe in His hands—that just can’t help but bring a smile to anyone’s face.

If you haven’t done a good job of keeping those New Year’s resolutions about health and fitness, don’t give up—keep trying. In the meantime, do yourself (and the people around you) a big favor by smiling. God is love and sharing a smile is just about the easiest way possible to share His love with the world—and get some valuable side benefits, as well.

Smile at each other. smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other—it doesn’t matter who it is—and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other. [Mother Teresa]

O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name! O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing! He forgives your sins—every one. He heals your diseases—every one. He redeems you from hell—saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal. He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence. [Psalm 103:1-5 (MSG)]

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 (MSG)
smiles