Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25 to illustrate how we would be evaluated by our heavenly Father. It is known as the Parable of the Talents. In the story a rich man went on a journey and entrusted differing amounts of money to his servants. When he returned, he rewarded the servants based on their faithfulness, not their success. He said to the faithful ones, "Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master." One had gained more than the other, but both were rewarded for their faithfulness. If we would receive this kind of reward, we must be faithful.
As Christians, our lives proclaim our Lord’s power. What are some of the areas in which we must exhibit faithfulness? Let me suggest several ways in which we must be faithful as believers.
Be True To Your Word – Be a Person God and Others Can Count On – Be Dependable
We must be true to our word. It is our bond! Jesus told us in Matthew 5:37 to let our yes be yes and our no be no. In other words, people should be able to count on what we say.
Often, we say we will do things we either do not intend to do or are not able to do. Sometimes we do this in order to put people off. We tell our employer we will have it done tomorrow. We tell our wife we will fix it next week. We tell our children we will do it this weekend. But we must be careful. Someone has said that the number one problem in parent/child relationships is resentment and the number one cause of resentment is broken promises.
But we should be dependable because people should be able to count on us. If you are dependable then you do not have to convince people that you will do what you say. You do not have to swear you will do it. You do not have to say "Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."
Because you have been faithful in what you say, people will know they can count on you. As you are faithful over a period of time, you will become know for your dependability.
Honor Your Marriage – Marriage is a Cornerstone of God’s Blessing for the WorldTo be faithful, you must honor your marriage. When we stand before God at the altar, we vow that we will be faithful to each other in marriage. Many people simply interpret that vow as a vow to avoid adultery. But you can be unfaithful without committing adultery. When you allow other things to chip away at your marriage relationship, you are moving towards unfaithfulness. You must guard your marriage relationship. It is a precious gift from God. Act in love always.
Hebrews 13:4 reads, "Let marriage be held in honor among all." If we are to honor our marriage relationship and live in it in such a way that it is honored by all, then we must take it seriously. Honor means "to hold in respect." If we hold our marriage in respect and want others to hold marriage in respect then we will honor our commitment and be true to our marriage vows.
Use Your God Given Talents, and Your Spiritual Gifts, to Build Up and Encourage OthersY
You must also use your talents if you would be faithful. Do not sit on them. Let yourself be used by God, in however small a way at first. As you are faithful and learn to work with other Christians and follow the leaders God has chosen, you will be given more and more to do for Him. Listen to these words in 1 Peter 4:10: "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." We are to use those gifts which God has given us in faithful service to one another. Don’t hide them. USE THEM!
Not all of us have the same gifts. None of us have all the gifts. But each of us has as least a gift. God has called us to be faithful in using the gift or gifts we have. To faithfully use our talents means that we use what we have. It doesn't mean that we do what we can't do or that we use what we don't have. God has not called us to do it all. But He has called us to use what He has given us. Someone said that we can't all be brilliant, but we can all be faithful.
Guard Your Tongue – What You Say Can Be a Blessing, or a Curse. Choose Blessing!
If we are going to be considered faithful people, then we must guard our speech. Guard your tongue. Words are powerful, and they have a powerful impact on other people. Being faithful to God means that we must watch what we say. In fact, I believe that it is important to watch not only what we say but how we say it. Words have the power to build up, or to tear down. Words have the power to encourage, or to destroy. How are you using your words?
The book of James has much to say on the power of the tongue. Read that book if you want a clear understanding on how we need to guard our words. In James 3 we read that with the tongue “we bless our Lord and Father, and with it curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be this way" (v. 8-10). Watch what you say. Give other folks the benefit of the doubt. Do not jump to conclusions and fly off the handle. Be patient and forgiving and loving.
If we are going to be considered faithful then we must be faithful in the use of our words. We must use words to build up one another. We must use words to encourage one another. We must speak to others, and about one others as God would have us speak. We must guard our tongue.
Manage Your Money – Your Money Can Be a Means of God’s Blessing
If we are to be faithful we must manage our money. I do not mean that we must simply control our money. I mean that we must control it in a godly way. The Bible teaches that we are merely stewards of what we have, not owners. God has given us material resources and we must handle them in such a way that God is glorified. In Luke 16:11 we read, "If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you?"
This is quite an amazing statement. In other words, if you are not faithful with money, God will not trust you with spiritual things. The way you handle your finances will determine whether God can use you and what God can do in your life. If God cannot trust you with material wealth, He will never trust you with spiritual wealth. Are you being faithful with your money?
Be Committed To Your Church -- You May Be the Blessing the Church Needs
To be faithful means that we must committed to our church. God has called each believer to be identified with a biblical fellowship of believers called a church. Nowhere in the New Testament is there this idea that Christians can just float around without becoming committed to a local church. It is in this committed relationship that God works out His will in our lives. It is because of this committed relationship that we can accomplish His work in the world.
The Bible tells us that we are in a spiritual struggle. We are in a war with the enemy and as believers we are compared to soldiers. We have joined God's army. The sad thing about the church is that while the battle is being fought many of the soldiers are AWOL.
If we would be found faithful, then we must be faithful to one another as well as to God. Jesus said in John 13:35, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." In Romans 12:5 we read, "So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Don’t judge others. Pray for them. Be an example.
This is what it means to be identified with a local church as a committed member. It is a commitment to one another, to love one another, to share with one another, to care for one another. Become a true participant, not a spectator; a contributor, not merely a consumer. Can the Lord count on you? Can other believers count on you? Are you someone that your pastor can depend on? Do you think of others first? Are you committed where God has planted you!
Jesus is coming again. With Him, He will bring His reward. It is my prayer that we will all hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful in a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord." (Matt. 25:23)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Are You A Faithful Christian?
Are you a Roman candle Christian – a lot a sparks at first and a big bang, and then you disappear? Or are you an Alka Seltzer Christian – plop, plop, fizz, fizz, bubble, bubble, and then nothing? No, hopefully you are the kind of Christian Paul writes about in Hebrews 12:2, a runner who patiently finishes the race, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
If you are going to be an example of faithfulness, you must be true to your word. In other words, we must keep our promises. We must be careful to do what we say we are going to do. Stay true to the vows you have taken in marriage and in joining the church. Those vows are holy and sacred before God and are not to be taken lightly. If you promised to be a faithful spouse, be one. If you promised to be a faithful member of your church, by all means, be one.
We Christians we are called to be faithful people: faithful to God, faithful to His church, faithful to His people, faithful to our family, and faithful to our community. We cannot be stubborn and only into ourselves, we must put God first and others second, doing unto others as we would have them do to us. (Matthew 7:12). We need faithfully walk in love and forgiveness.
The characteristic of faithfulness is certainly one element that is missing in much of our society today. Marriages break up because of a lack of faithfulness. Business partnerships dissolve because of a lack of faithfulness. Friendships end in bitterness because of a lack of faithfulness. Faithfulness is the foundation for human relationships and for stability in society. Unfortunately, faithfulness, and words related to it like commitment, loyalty, reliability, and integrity, is no longer considered as essential by many parts of our culture. But we are to be faithful.
For us as believers, faithfulness is indispensable. Without it, we will not be pleasing to God. Indeed, the one characteristic which should mark Christians is faithfulness. It should mark us because it marks God. Great is His faithfulness, day after day, morning by morning.
Faithfulness is an essential attribute of God's character. It should go without saying that God is faithful. We read in 2 Timothy 2:13; "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself."
It would be a denial of God's very own nature for Him to be anything other than perfectly faithful. We need to faithful, too, not let anything keep us from helping God’s church by attending and loving and encouraging the fellow members and the elders and pastor.
Indeed, would we want a God who is less than faithful? If we had such a God, then we would never be certain whether we could trust Him. What good would His Word be? Of what value would His promises be? No! We would not want a God like that. And we do not have a God like that! We have a God in whom we can express the utmost confidence, because this God keeps His word. We are told in Hebrews 10:23, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." We serve a God who is faithful. We can trust Him.
Even our faith is based on His faithfulness. Hebrews 11:11 reads, "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised." God's faithfulness produces faith in us. The fact that God is faithful means we can have faith in Him. If we will take our eyes off ourselves, we might see Jesus.
And if we keep our eyes on Jesus, faithfulness will come. Faith comes by hearing the Word (Rom. 10:17). This is the cycle which faithfulness produces. God's faithfulness will produce faith in us, which will then produce faithfulness in our lives as well. Because God is faithful, we learn to be faithful. Faithfulness is such a wonderful thing, stoked by the fires of true believers.
We have been called to faithfulness. In Luke 16:10 we read, "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."
The choice is between being faithful or unrighteous. The opposite of faithfulness is unrighteousness. Indeed, our lives will be evaluated by our faithfulness or our lack of it.
If you are going to be an example of faithfulness, you must be true to your word. In other words, we must keep our promises. We must be careful to do what we say we are going to do. Stay true to the vows you have taken in marriage and in joining the church. Those vows are holy and sacred before God and are not to be taken lightly. If you promised to be a faithful spouse, be one. If you promised to be a faithful member of your church, by all means, be one.
We Christians we are called to be faithful people: faithful to God, faithful to His church, faithful to His people, faithful to our family, and faithful to our community. We cannot be stubborn and only into ourselves, we must put God first and others second, doing unto others as we would have them do to us. (Matthew 7:12). We need faithfully walk in love and forgiveness.
The characteristic of faithfulness is certainly one element that is missing in much of our society today. Marriages break up because of a lack of faithfulness. Business partnerships dissolve because of a lack of faithfulness. Friendships end in bitterness because of a lack of faithfulness. Faithfulness is the foundation for human relationships and for stability in society. Unfortunately, faithfulness, and words related to it like commitment, loyalty, reliability, and integrity, is no longer considered as essential by many parts of our culture. But we are to be faithful.
For us as believers, faithfulness is indispensable. Without it, we will not be pleasing to God. Indeed, the one characteristic which should mark Christians is faithfulness. It should mark us because it marks God. Great is His faithfulness, day after day, morning by morning.
Faithfulness is an essential attribute of God's character. It should go without saying that God is faithful. We read in 2 Timothy 2:13; "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself."
It would be a denial of God's very own nature for Him to be anything other than perfectly faithful. We need to faithful, too, not let anything keep us from helping God’s church by attending and loving and encouraging the fellow members and the elders and pastor.
Indeed, would we want a God who is less than faithful? If we had such a God, then we would never be certain whether we could trust Him. What good would His Word be? Of what value would His promises be? No! We would not want a God like that. And we do not have a God like that! We have a God in whom we can express the utmost confidence, because this God keeps His word. We are told in Hebrews 10:23, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." We serve a God who is faithful. We can trust Him.
Even our faith is based on His faithfulness. Hebrews 11:11 reads, "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised." God's faithfulness produces faith in us. The fact that God is faithful means we can have faith in Him. If we will take our eyes off ourselves, we might see Jesus.
And if we keep our eyes on Jesus, faithfulness will come. Faith comes by hearing the Word (Rom. 10:17). This is the cycle which faithfulness produces. God's faithfulness will produce faith in us, which will then produce faithfulness in our lives as well. Because God is faithful, we learn to be faithful. Faithfulness is such a wonderful thing, stoked by the fires of true believers.
We have been called to faithfulness. In Luke 16:10 we read, "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."
The choice is between being faithful or unrighteous. The opposite of faithfulness is unrighteousness. Indeed, our lives will be evaluated by our faithfulness or our lack of it.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Jesus The Healer
The Healing Ministry of Jesus Christ
"At sunset, all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to Jesus and, laying his hands on each, he cured them." - Luke 4:40
Healing services are wonderful ways for churches to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who brought healing and wholeness to the broken and hurting. There is something profound about the prayers for each other, the songs of compassion, the touch of gentle hands and the warmth of the oil, even as the Holy Spirit moves among us.
Since its beginnings, the Christian faith has understood that care for the sick and the dying is part of who we are. The roots of our healing mission lie in the life and ministry of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. In proclaiming the kingdom of God, Jesus had a special place in his heart for those who were overwhelmed by sickness, disfigured by disease or threatened with death.
Three aspects of Jesus' own ministry to the sick and dying are particularly striking. First, he recognizes the vulnerability of the sick, in their need for care. Jesus touches these people, physically and spiritually, breaking through that barrier of disease which often makes people feel less than human. He touches the leper (Mark 1:41), lays hands on the blind man (Mark 8:22), and takes the hand of the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:54). His touch seems to say to them in their wretchedness and isolation: "You are worthwhile. Through God's loving touch, you are whole. I am with you."
Second, Jesus brings the "outcast" back into human society through his healing word and touch. He challenges the notion that sickness is the result of sin. The diseased were thought of as unclean, punished by God and cut off from God's holy people. When his disciples asked, "Lord, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to be born blind?" (John 9:2). Jesus replied, "Neither he nor his parents sinned." Jesus not only touches the outcasts but welcomes them back into community, into God's own family.
Finally, Jesus reaffirms the need for spiritual healing. The paralytic lowered through the roof is first healed of his sins (Mark 2:5), while the man by the pool at Bethesda is warned, "Give up your sins so that something worse may not overtake you" (John 5:24).
Death itself, the ultimate affront to humanity, is overcome by Jesus. He raised Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:49-56), the widow of Nain's son (Luke 7:11-17), and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). These miracles, of course, only restored earthly life. His own resurrection promises the fullness of eternal life.
God's compassion for all his children is revealed in the human touch of Jesus, in the restoration to community of those considered outcasts, and in the salvific healing of sin and death. This is fundamental to the message of the Gospel. Jesus saves! He provides the way to ultimate healing through salvation and victory over death!
Since the time of Jesus, Christians have seen care for the sick as one of the signs of the kingdom of God. In the parable of the Good Samaritan they find a reminder that practical compassion for those in need is at the heart of the Christian mission (Luke 10:30-37). Following the example of Jesus' own actions, the Christian community strives to break down the barriers of isolation felt by those who are sick or dying, to include them as full members of the human community, and to provide hope of an ultimate healing of sin and death.
Christians need to recognize that God's call to faith in Jesus Christ is also a call to continue his healing ministry. Healing is multifaceted. By living our faith in a loving, caring God, we bring healing hope to others. By not sinning and by choosing to be forgiving and compassionate, we make healing a part of our daily lives. In our own homes, churches, and communities we can bring Jesus' healing touch to the sick, to the outcast, and to the dying. With prayer and caring actions, we can bring comfort and compassion in countless ways to those in need.
In Baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ. As He reached out and touched the sick and the outcast, as He brought them back into the human family, as He gave all of us the hope of forgiveness and eternal life with God, so are we challenged to be His Body in this ministry today. May the Holy Spirit infuse us all with hearts of compassion, hands of gentleness, eyes that see, and ears that hear the cry of those who are suffering, and with the grace of knowing that we are not alone when we reach out to and care for the sick, the dying, the vulnerable, and the frail. May we be the willing instruments of Jesus' healing touch in our world.
"At sunset, all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to Jesus and, laying his hands on each, he cured them." - Luke 4:40
Healing services are wonderful ways for churches to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who brought healing and wholeness to the broken and hurting. There is something profound about the prayers for each other, the songs of compassion, the touch of gentle hands and the warmth of the oil, even as the Holy Spirit moves among us.
Since its beginnings, the Christian faith has understood that care for the sick and the dying is part of who we are. The roots of our healing mission lie in the life and ministry of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. In proclaiming the kingdom of God, Jesus had a special place in his heart for those who were overwhelmed by sickness, disfigured by disease or threatened with death.
Three aspects of Jesus' own ministry to the sick and dying are particularly striking. First, he recognizes the vulnerability of the sick, in their need for care. Jesus touches these people, physically and spiritually, breaking through that barrier of disease which often makes people feel less than human. He touches the leper (Mark 1:41), lays hands on the blind man (Mark 8:22), and takes the hand of the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:54). His touch seems to say to them in their wretchedness and isolation: "You are worthwhile. Through God's loving touch, you are whole. I am with you."
Second, Jesus brings the "outcast" back into human society through his healing word and touch. He challenges the notion that sickness is the result of sin. The diseased were thought of as unclean, punished by God and cut off from God's holy people. When his disciples asked, "Lord, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to be born blind?" (John 9:2). Jesus replied, "Neither he nor his parents sinned." Jesus not only touches the outcasts but welcomes them back into community, into God's own family.
Finally, Jesus reaffirms the need for spiritual healing. The paralytic lowered through the roof is first healed of his sins (Mark 2:5), while the man by the pool at Bethesda is warned, "Give up your sins so that something worse may not overtake you" (John 5:24).
Death itself, the ultimate affront to humanity, is overcome by Jesus. He raised Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:49-56), the widow of Nain's son (Luke 7:11-17), and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). These miracles, of course, only restored earthly life. His own resurrection promises the fullness of eternal life.
God's compassion for all his children is revealed in the human touch of Jesus, in the restoration to community of those considered outcasts, and in the salvific healing of sin and death. This is fundamental to the message of the Gospel. Jesus saves! He provides the way to ultimate healing through salvation and victory over death!
Since the time of Jesus, Christians have seen care for the sick as one of the signs of the kingdom of God. In the parable of the Good Samaritan they find a reminder that practical compassion for those in need is at the heart of the Christian mission (Luke 10:30-37). Following the example of Jesus' own actions, the Christian community strives to break down the barriers of isolation felt by those who are sick or dying, to include them as full members of the human community, and to provide hope of an ultimate healing of sin and death.
Christians need to recognize that God's call to faith in Jesus Christ is also a call to continue his healing ministry. Healing is multifaceted. By living our faith in a loving, caring God, we bring healing hope to others. By not sinning and by choosing to be forgiving and compassionate, we make healing a part of our daily lives. In our own homes, churches, and communities we can bring Jesus' healing touch to the sick, to the outcast, and to the dying. With prayer and caring actions, we can bring comfort and compassion in countless ways to those in need.
In Baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ. As He reached out and touched the sick and the outcast, as He brought them back into the human family, as He gave all of us the hope of forgiveness and eternal life with God, so are we challenged to be His Body in this ministry today. May the Holy Spirit infuse us all with hearts of compassion, hands of gentleness, eyes that see, and ears that hear the cry of those who are suffering, and with the grace of knowing that we are not alone when we reach out to and care for the sick, the dying, the vulnerable, and the frail. May we be the willing instruments of Jesus' healing touch in our world.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Jesus is the Answer
The Bible clearly states "all have sinned." It is my nature to sin, and it is yours too. None of us is untainted. John Calvin called it the depravity of humanity. We are born into a broken world, affected by original sin.
Because of sin, we've all hurt ourselves, we've all hurt other people, and others have hurt us. This means each of us need repentance and recovery in order to live our lives the way God intended. Forgive and forget is not needed -- forgive and love in Jesus Name is what is needed!
You've undoubtedly heard the expression that "time heals all wounds." Unfortunately, it isn't true. Wounds that are left untended fester and spread infection throughout your entire body. Time only extends the pain if the problem isn't dealt with. Prayer and love and saying we are sorry are key steps.
For us to have reconciliation and recovery with each other and with God, we must seek forgiveness, and offer compassion. Rather than wallowing in the past, or dredging up and rehearsing painful memories over and over, the Biblical call is to focus on the future. Regardless of what has already happened, the solution is to start making wise choices now and depend on Christ's power to help me make those changes.
Instead of playing the "accuse and excuse" game of victimization, The Bible way calls on people face up to their own poor choices and deal with what they can do something about. We cannot control all that happens to us. But we can control how we respond to everything. That is a secret of happiness. When we stop wasting time fixing the blame, we have more energy to fix the problem. When you stop hiding your own faults and stop hurling accusations at others, then the healing power of Christ can begin working in your mind, will, and emotions.
It has been said that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to what happens. spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ. The key is for people to make a total surrender of their lives to Christ. Lasting recovery cannot happen without this step. Everybody needs Jesus. This can be a great evagelistic happening. Changed lives always attract others who want to be changed.
Surrendering to Jesus is a powerful thing. When people surrender to Him, and let the Holy Spirit begin transformation from the heart up, amazing things happen. You are going to see lives changed in dramatic ways. You are going to see hopeless marriages restored and people set free from all kinds of sinful habits, hang-ups, and hurts as they allow Jesus to be Lord in every area of their lives. Jesus is the answer for the world today! To God be the glory!
Because of sin, we've all hurt ourselves, we've all hurt other people, and others have hurt us. This means each of us need repentance and recovery in order to live our lives the way God intended. Forgive and forget is not needed -- forgive and love in Jesus Name is what is needed!
You've undoubtedly heard the expression that "time heals all wounds." Unfortunately, it isn't true. Wounds that are left untended fester and spread infection throughout your entire body. Time only extends the pain if the problem isn't dealt with. Prayer and love and saying we are sorry are key steps.
For us to have reconciliation and recovery with each other and with God, we must seek forgiveness, and offer compassion. Rather than wallowing in the past, or dredging up and rehearsing painful memories over and over, the Biblical call is to focus on the future. Regardless of what has already happened, the solution is to start making wise choices now and depend on Christ's power to help me make those changes.
Instead of playing the "accuse and excuse" game of victimization, The Bible way calls on people face up to their own poor choices and deal with what they can do something about. We cannot control all that happens to us. But we can control how we respond to everything. That is a secret of happiness. When we stop wasting time fixing the blame, we have more energy to fix the problem. When you stop hiding your own faults and stop hurling accusations at others, then the healing power of Christ can begin working in your mind, will, and emotions.
It has been said that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to what happens. spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ. The key is for people to make a total surrender of their lives to Christ. Lasting recovery cannot happen without this step. Everybody needs Jesus. This can be a great evagelistic happening. Changed lives always attract others who want to be changed.
Surrendering to Jesus is a powerful thing. When people surrender to Him, and let the Holy Spirit begin transformation from the heart up, amazing things happen. You are going to see lives changed in dramatic ways. You are going to see hopeless marriages restored and people set free from all kinds of sinful habits, hang-ups, and hurts as they allow Jesus to be Lord in every area of their lives. Jesus is the answer for the world today! To God be the glory!
Friday, June 08, 2007
Vacation Bible School -- A Slice of Heaven on Earth
We just completed another amazing week of Vacation Bible School at one of the churches I serve. It is a great time, where we partner with other churches and serve the entire community in a big way. 98 children attended the VBS this year. 44 adults helped. It was one of those times when you see a little slice of heaven on earth, with great images of cooperation, helping, loving, and sheer joy.
What a wonderful beginning to what we expect to be a great summer! What an amazing week it was with the dear children and grandchildren who came to be with us! Water Works Park, the theme we used, was a great place to be in 2007! Our directors, three supremely gifted women, gave remarkable leadership. Our volunteers were loving and kind and caring. But it all was possible because the Lord has been with us, His Holy Spirit guiding and empowering us, and we are so very thankful for everything that happened in this place over the last four days.
It all starts for us with dedicated leaders and faithful volunteers. Our directors -– Mary, Dawn and Marcia -- are phenomenal – God has called them to this special ministry, and He helps them do a remarkable job each year. This is our county's largest Vacation Bible School because we join together as churches united for Christ, and we have dedicated people, called by God, who volunteer to help, to be part of our VBS family year after wonderful year.
And then we have Evelyn, who helps Mary lead the great VBS songs by playing the piano with great energy and precision. This year she was helped in the music by the wonderful “Splash Sisters” -- Renee and Ruth. And then there were all the teachers and guides and helpers – we are eternally grateful for each and every one of them. We had teachers coming in way early and staying hours later to plan and pray for the children. Their dedication brought tears to my eyes.
But we could not have this great time for the Lord without the help of the parents and guardians. They trusted us with their precious children and youth. We thank you for lending us these wonderful kids so that our staff could love them and teach them for the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a sacred thing to represent Jesus, and our staff tried to do a good job of that this week. Thanks to the parents so very much for helping the children to be part of VBS.
Now they go back to their families for additional loving and nurturing, as parents and grandparents do. Know that we will be praying for these children, and for the families, that they may grow strong and true in the Lord. We pray they will take take the children to church and Sunday School, and we pray the parents might also go themselves, and that the families might be blessed.
We had two overarching lessons that we taught in VBS this year -- "Jesus Saves!" and "Prayer is Important!" These are key messages of the Christian faith.
Jesus is the way of salvation. That is the reason why Jesus in all his teaching called his hearers to faith and repentance and urged them to embrace him as their Saviour. Jesus Christ is the only one who saves us from our sins. The call goes out: You need Christ as your Saviour. We hope that children and parents will respond to the call from Christ Jesus to believe in Him and so be saved.
Belief in Jesus opens the door to a rich and wonderful life in prayer. Prayer is so important for families. The family that prays together stays together. Children that learn to pray are made stronger each time they do it. Let us help the children to learn to pray and to pray on a regular basis.
What a wonderful beginning to what we expect to be a great summer! What an amazing week it was with the dear children and grandchildren who came to be with us! Water Works Park, the theme we used, was a great place to be in 2007! Our directors, three supremely gifted women, gave remarkable leadership. Our volunteers were loving and kind and caring. But it all was possible because the Lord has been with us, His Holy Spirit guiding and empowering us, and we are so very thankful for everything that happened in this place over the last four days.
It all starts for us with dedicated leaders and faithful volunteers. Our directors -– Mary, Dawn and Marcia -- are phenomenal – God has called them to this special ministry, and He helps them do a remarkable job each year. This is our county's largest Vacation Bible School because we join together as churches united for Christ, and we have dedicated people, called by God, who volunteer to help, to be part of our VBS family year after wonderful year.
And then we have Evelyn, who helps Mary lead the great VBS songs by playing the piano with great energy and precision. This year she was helped in the music by the wonderful “Splash Sisters” -- Renee and Ruth. And then there were all the teachers and guides and helpers – we are eternally grateful for each and every one of them. We had teachers coming in way early and staying hours later to plan and pray for the children. Their dedication brought tears to my eyes.
But we could not have this great time for the Lord without the help of the parents and guardians. They trusted us with their precious children and youth. We thank you for lending us these wonderful kids so that our staff could love them and teach them for the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a sacred thing to represent Jesus, and our staff tried to do a good job of that this week. Thanks to the parents so very much for helping the children to be part of VBS.
Now they go back to their families for additional loving and nurturing, as parents and grandparents do. Know that we will be praying for these children, and for the families, that they may grow strong and true in the Lord. We pray they will take take the children to church and Sunday School, and we pray the parents might also go themselves, and that the families might be blessed.
We had two overarching lessons that we taught in VBS this year -- "Jesus Saves!" and "Prayer is Important!" These are key messages of the Christian faith.
Jesus is the way of salvation. That is the reason why Jesus in all his teaching called his hearers to faith and repentance and urged them to embrace him as their Saviour. Jesus Christ is the only one who saves us from our sins. The call goes out: You need Christ as your Saviour. We hope that children and parents will respond to the call from Christ Jesus to believe in Him and so be saved.
Belief in Jesus opens the door to a rich and wonderful life in prayer. Prayer is so important for families. The family that prays together stays together. Children that learn to pray are made stronger each time they do it. Let us help the children to learn to pray and to pray on a regular basis.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
My God Will Supply All Your Needs
"Therefore don't be anxious, saying, "What will we eat?", "What will we drink?" or, "With what will we be clothed?" For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day's own evil is sufficient." (Matthew 6:31-34)
This is a promise from Jesus that if we seek God's kingdom, of which Jesus Christ is the head, He will supply our physical needs. Seeking first His kingdom, however, does not merely mean "asking God for something we think we need." It means that following His commandments will be the single top priority in your life. As Paul said, it involves making Him preeminent in all things.
David wrote of God's taking care of His children when he wrote in the Psalms: "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread."(Psalm 37:25)
I've seen the same thing today. I can't even count the number of times I've heard about families struggling with impossible financial situations, but when they decided to put God first and give to Him anyway, and trust Him as the SOURCE, things somehow worked out.
I have heard first hand amazing stories of missionaries and their adventures with finances and basic needs such as food. As they continue to seek His kingdom first, He always comes through with what they need. I pray He will do tha tfor you, too. Stand on the scriptural truth of Philippians 4:19: "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus!"
This is a promise from Jesus that if we seek God's kingdom, of which Jesus Christ is the head, He will supply our physical needs. Seeking first His kingdom, however, does not merely mean "asking God for something we think we need." It means that following His commandments will be the single top priority in your life. As Paul said, it involves making Him preeminent in all things.
David wrote of God's taking care of His children when he wrote in the Psalms: "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread."(Psalm 37:25)
I've seen the same thing today. I can't even count the number of times I've heard about families struggling with impossible financial situations, but when they decided to put God first and give to Him anyway, and trust Him as the SOURCE, things somehow worked out.
I have heard first hand amazing stories of missionaries and their adventures with finances and basic needs such as food. As they continue to seek His kingdom first, He always comes through with what they need. I pray He will do tha tfor you, too. Stand on the scriptural truth of Philippians 4:19: "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus!"
10 Things God Won't Ask on That Last Day
10 Things God Won't Ask On Judgment Day
1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people did you drive to Church who didn't have transportation.
2. God won't ask the square footage of your house. He'll ask how many people did you invite into your home.
3. God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet. He'll ask how many did you help clothe.
4. God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to get it.
5. God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
6. God won't ask about how popular you were. He'll ask how many people to were you a friend.
7. God won't ask about what neighborhood you were in. He'll ask if you were a good neighbor.
8. God won't ask about the color of your skin. He'll ask about the content of your character.
9. God won't ask about the things you didn't understand. He'll ask about how well you acted upon that which you did know.
10. God won't ask about why it took you so long to seek salvation. He'll lovingly take you in his arms and call you his child.
1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people did you drive to Church who didn't have transportation.
2. God won't ask the square footage of your house. He'll ask how many people did you invite into your home.
3. God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet. He'll ask how many did you help clothe.
4. God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to get it.
5. God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
6. God won't ask about how popular you were. He'll ask how many people to were you a friend.
7. God won't ask about what neighborhood you were in. He'll ask if you were a good neighbor.
8. God won't ask about the color of your skin. He'll ask about the content of your character.
9. God won't ask about the things you didn't understand. He'll ask about how well you acted upon that which you did know.
10. God won't ask about why it took you so long to seek salvation. He'll lovingly take you in his arms and call you his child.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)