Category Archives: Church & Worship

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January 26, 2015

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Challenges & Difficulty, Church & Worship, Faith & Hope, Fear & Doubt, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Salvation: A New You

THE EVOLUTION OF FAITH

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. [John 1:12-13 (NLT)]

When we’re born again, we come into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ. This spiritual birth is a new beginning, but for some of us, it seems like we’ve had several new beginnings in our lifetimes! In my infant Baptism, my sponsors dedicated me to God and promised that I would be raised in the Christian faith. At my Confirmation in eighth grade, I made a public affirmation of those same promises and accepted Jesus. My teen years were rather troubled and I briefly lost my way. Once in college, I found my way back and once more accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Accepting Christ, however, is not quite the same as walking with Him. When my children were quite young, I again lost sight of the Lord. Serious doubts even briefly kept me from taking communion. God led me back and, once again, I ate at His table. Several years later, perhaps because I got too busy, comfortable and overconfident, I grew lax in my prayer life until a series of crises brought me back to Him.

There were times in my life when I floundered spiritually and others when I walked confidently with the Lord as my shepherd. Whenever I lost my way, once I turned back to Jesus, the Father welcomed me back into His family with open arms. Each time, I’ve been reborn in my faith and each time my faith has become stronger. I can only hope and pray that this time my faith is great enough to keep me firm and strong in my belief until my dying day.

We are so incredibly blessed to have a loving and patient Father in Heaven. Like the father of the prodigal son, He forgives us when we wander off and He patiently waits for us to find our way home to him again.

We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found! [Luke 15:32 (NLT)]

Being born again is a new life, not of perfection but of striving, stretching, and searching — a life of intimacy with God through the Holy Spirit. There first must be an emptying, and then a refilling … It is a highly personal and subjective experience, possible only if we are searching for greater truths about ourselves and God. This experience is challenging, even painful at times, but ultimately deeply rewarding. It provides answers to the most disturbing questions about our existence, the purpose of life, and how to deal with sorrow, failure, loneliness, guilt, and fear. In it, we come to know that our gifts from God are not earned by our own acts but are given to us through his grace … For me, it has been an evolutionary thing. Rather than a flash of light or a sudden vision of God speaking, it involved a series of steps that have brought me steadily closer to Christ. [From “Living Faith” by Jimmy Carter]

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December 29, 2014

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Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Money & Wealth

LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [Genesis 1:3 (NCV)]

You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven. [Matthew 5:14-16 (NCV)]

We are told to let our lights shine. What do you suppose would happen if we all shone our lights together? As I took photographs during our Christmas Eve service in the park, I saw what happened when 3,700 people lit small candles and held them high. While each individual candle gave off only a little light, the thousands of candles together illuminated the entire park. IMG_1414web

Saturday, I thought of how bright our lights can be when joined together as I read about a food packing event sponsored by Meals of Hope. In a matter of two hours, half a million fortified macaroni and cheese dinners were packed by 2,500 volunteers from fifty-two different organizations.

Acting individually, I suppose each of Wednesday’s 2,500 volunteers could have purchased a 5-pack of mac ‘n cheese at Walmart for $4.50. That, however, would have yielded only 12,500 meals. Each volunteer would have had to purchase forty 5-packs to get 500,000 meals. Let’s face it: few people are likely to donate $180 worth of Kraft® dinners to their local food pantry on the same day. Moreover, those store-bought dinners aren’t as large or as heavily fortified as those provided by Meals of Hope.

I’ll do the math for you. Meals of Hope packed 500,000 dinners, each weighing 12.5 ounces, for a total of 6,250,000 ounces of mac ‘n cheese. The entire event (hall rental, food, packaging, plastic gloves, fork trucks, etc.) cost $125,000 or less than 2 cents per ounce. Those 5-packs of mac ‘n cheese at Walmart cost 12 cents per ounce. If done individually, $750,000 would need to be spent to provide the same amount of food that Meals of Hope did by using group-power. These meals will now be distributed by various accredited food bank partners throughout Southwest Florida.

As Christians, we must keep our individual lights shining bright. When we join forces, however, as we did at the park Christmas Eve and as 2,500 people did last week when packing meals, we can become lighthouses and shine brighter than we ever could imagine. When we unite, when we light our candles as one, we can be a mighty power and change lives. Indeed, the whole can be far greater than the sum of its parts!

We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine. [D.L. Moody]

Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. [Isaiah 60:1-3 (NLT)]

 

 

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December 27, 2014

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Church & Worship, Holidays & Holy Days, Knowing Him

IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. … But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” [John 4:21,23-24 (NLT)]

Christmas night we drove through a nearby neighborhood, famed for its holiday display of lights and decorations. A steady stream of cars and golf carts slowly drove through the streets, admiring the over-the-top displays of candy canes, Santa, elves, snowmen, illuminated trees, reindeer, and sleighs. The sounds of holiday songs came from several loudspeakers, cheerful neighbors gathered around outdoor fire-pits roasting marshmallows, and homeowners waved at passersby while shouting holiday greetings. Amidst this wonderland of festive holiday decorations, we noticed a home with a lovely nativity display. What caught my eye, however, was the make-shift altar set up in their side yard. Illuminated only by two candles, a simple cross and a communion set lay on the altar. Family and friends were gathered together in worship, commemorating our Lord’s birth by celebrating in His last supper.

How clearly this scene points out that we are in God’s house and able to worship Him no matter what the setting: even with the strains of “Jingle Bells” heard in the background and surrounded by inflated Santas, snowmen and an endless line of cars. I’ve attended church services at elaborate European cathedrals, simple rural chapels, ski lodges, inner city storefronts, parks,  and the beach. I’ve joined worship in living, dorm and hospital rooms, gyms, drive-ins, suburban mega-churches, and even an indoor skate-board park. I’ve sat on sofas, centuries old pews, folding chairs, picnic benches, and cushy auditorium seats. God was present every time. Where we worship is of no matter; that we worship is! Every place is sacred because God is truly everywhere.

For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them. [Matthew 18:20 (NLT)]

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November 14, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Love & Works, Sharing Our Faith

REAL BEAUTY

11-14-14WEBDon’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. [1 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT)]

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I nearly didn’t go to church last Sunday. Early Sunday morning, I thought of all the excuses I could use to justify my absence but the Holy Spirit convicted me on every one! I had no excuse but one: vanity! And that excuse just wasn’t satisfactory to Him! You see, because of a dermatological treatment, my nose is bright red. By bright red, I mean if it was Christmas Eve, I could give Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer a run for his money! My foolish vanity had made me self-conscious.

Reluctantly, I went to church and, as I do every Sunday, took photos for the church website. That afternoon, while editing my pictures, I pondered the meaning of beauty. I looked at the faces of the people I’d photographed. Some were old and wrinkled (actually, this being Florida, most were old and wrinkled.) Some faces were heavy, others gaunt; some wore smiles, others were serious. None of them would win beauty contests but they were beautiful just the same. The faces of the people who donated blood at the blood mobile before church were beautiful; they were giving the gift of life. The faces of the people who set up the chairs, handed out programs, or served coffee were beautiful; they were giving the gift of kindness. The faces of the choir and band members were beautiful; they were giving the gift of joy. The faces of the veterans who stood to be honored were beautiful; they had given the gift of service. The face of the preacher as he gave his message was beautiful; he was giving the gift of insight and hope. The faces of the congregation were beautiful; they were filled with the love of Jesus.

Father, forgive us our vanity and keep us from confusing outer beauty and appearance with the inner beauty of the soul.

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. [Saint Augustine]

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. [Proverbs 31:30 (NLT)]

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November 12, 2014

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Church & Worship, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him, Temptation & Sin, Wisdom & Guidance

THE FRAUD

If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, ‘Here’s the Messiah!’ or points, ‘There he is!’ don’t fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. So watch out. I’ve given you fair warning. [Mark 13:21-23 (MSG)]

Last spring, thrilled to see a beautiful goldfinch gracefully perched on a decorative bird feeder, I turned on my camera and moved closer. Surprised that the bird remained so still, I knew why it didn’t fly away once I’d focused in on it; it was a fake! I’d been fooled briefly but recognized the bird for what is was, a fraud, and quickly walked away. Yesterday, I walked by the same house and noticed that the summer storms had knocked the feeder on its side and the once bright yellow bird is now faded and covered with mold.

My experience with the phony bird reminds me of the Biblical warnings about false prophets. Like the fake goldfinch, they, too, can be appealing and look quite authentic. When browsing through a bookstore or channel surfing the TV, it’s easy to come across today’s false prophets. Their messages are often about self, not selflessness; being spiritual, not the Holy Spirit; and wealth in this world instead of riches in the next. They may refer to Jesus as a good man instead of Jesus being God as man or speak of Him as a prophet instead of the fulfillment of prophecies. There may be just enough truth in their ideas to make them appear believable and correct. Before accepting anything, we need to examine their message closely to see if it breathes of God’s word. Beware of false prophets and their messages; they may look good at first glance. Like the fake bird, however, they won’t hold up to the test of time. Storms will batter them, the bright light of day will fade them, and they’ll eventually decay and rot.

Frauds! Isaiah’s prophecy of you hit the bull’s-eye: These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they’re worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy. [Matthew 15:7-9 (MSG)]

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August 10, 2014

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Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works

WHEN ONE PART SUFFERS, WE ALL DO

Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. [Matthew 24:9 (NLT)]

This morning, while we sit peacefully in our churches and worship without fear, Christians in the Middle East are victims in a campaign of terror. Iraqi extremists are systematically wiping out the Assyrian Christians of northern Iraq, an ancient culture that converted to Christianity early in the first century. Offered the choices of abandoning their homes, paying an enormous tax, immediately converting to Islam or death, it appears that no matter what choice is made, death is usually the result. This is not a political forum and I can’t pretend to have any idea how to end this tragedy, but I know we can’t ignore religious persecution just because it is on the other side of the world. Something has to be done to ensure the rights and physical survival of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Action must be taken to protect the Assyrians, humanitarian efforts are desperately needed to aid the many refugees, and displaced families should be allowed to safely return to their ancestral homes. Please, remember these fellow Christians in your prayers.

Father, give courage, strength and hope to those who are persecuted because of their belief in you. Guide the world’s leaders to find a way to stop this campaign of terror. Guide us to know how we, as members of the Christian community, can help them in their troubles. Protect your suffering children and fill our hearts with love and compassion.

Not only do Assyrian Christians lay claim to some of the oldest literary, architectural, and geographical artefacts of Christianity, they also speak the language of Jesus. All of this history – along with the lives of thousands of families – is on the verge of destruction. Christianity is facing extinction in the places where it first emerged. [Op-Ed by Nuri Kino, in 8/4/2014 “Huffington/World Post”]

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. [1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (NLT)]

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. [1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)]