No Christian is Greater Than His Prayer Life!

A few years ago I was given a little card that reads, "No Christian is greater than his prayer life." I have come to a gripping realization that prayer is probably one of the greatest contributions we can make to advance the Kingdom of Christ. Yet, we as Christians, have yet to utilize this amazing resource at the levels God will allow us to do when we press into Him.

Surveys show the average Christian prays 15 to 30 minutes a week. If the statement, "No Christian is greater than his prayer life," is true, then it would explain, in part, why so much of the world is still not evangelized, and why so many lives are unraveling.

Years ago, when I was a high school teacher, I had a poster in my classroom, right next to the ten commandments. It read "Life is fragile, handle with prayer." This is so true!

Why do we spend so little time in prayer? Why is prayer one of the first things we neglect as we drift away from God? Many pastors have preached sermons condemning us for spending up to 3 hours a day in front of a television set while we pray less than 30 minutes a week. Although there is a need for such sermons, I have no intention of pointing out something for which you are probably already painfully aware. It is my desire to encourage you to pray more.

Satan would like nothing more than to distract us from our prayer life, because we can do so much vital good with prayer! Put your prayer time at the highest priority in your life. The family that prays together, stays together. The church that prays together moves mountains in the lives of its members!

When we as Christians approach God, He wants us to trust Him fully and understand that the solutions to our problems lie beyond our abilities. It is this recognition that releases the power of God. Prayer is an expression of the commitment and trust we have in God. When we come before God in prayer and give Him full control of a situation, we are acknowledging His sovereignty in that area. This is a powerful truth. We must humble ourselves before our God.

We are at our most powerful when we realize our own weaknesses and get on our knees. We will never have a true appreciation of how powerful and effective our prayers are until we enter God’s presence and He unfolds the completed story. At that time we will see how people were saved and lives changed as a direct result of our prayers.

Please pray for the sick and pray for those who are struggling with unbelief. Pray for the lost and pray for those who have hurt you. Pray for changes in heart and mind. Pray the Lord's prayer and mean every word. AMEN. AMEN!

Fruit of the Spirit

The most famous passage about the 'fruit of the Spirit' is in Galatians 5:22-23, where Paul gives us a list of fruit. The list is meant as a contrast to the list of the deeds of the flesh' found in 5:19-20. The fruit list is clearly not intended as an exhaustive description of the fruit, but was given to highlight the fruit that Paul wants us to keep in mind.

"Fruit of the Spirit" is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. Using the King James Version of Galatians 5:22-23, these attributes are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.

When Paul follows the list of the fruit of the Spirit by saying that "against such things there is no law", he was talking about the fact that the societal authorities find it pretty hard to object to behavior that shows these characteristics. Even a staunch enemy of the church will likely find these qualities appealing. They are known to be positive characteristics by the general public, in most eras, in most lands.

Love is foundational to everything. Jesus commands us to love each other (John 15). And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Joy - "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

Peace - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Longsuffering (patience) -- We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2). This is hard for many Americans. We live in a fast-paced world which is getting faster even as age slows me down. However, the Spirit, who can be faster than any of us, is not in it for the quick hit. The Spirit counsels patience : you have all of eternity, and all that is not joy today will pass away someday. Remember that God wins in the end, and trust in that.

Gentleness (kindness) -- We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7). The gift of 'gentleness' isn't about being wishy-washy, indecisive, unassertive, or just plain wimpy. It is connected instead to a refusal to use power over anyone, an unwillingness to cut and slash at people, wounding them for vengeance, spite or control. It's about being out to build people up instead of harming them or scaring them.

Goodness - "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (1 Thessalonians 1:11). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9).

Faith (faithfulness) - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:16-17).

Meekness - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Temperance (self-control) - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Notice that the Galatians list is made of stuff that is both something you are and something you do. It is the Spirit giving you the character of Christ.

Natural Disasters in a Broken World

This month our home state of Iowa has been overwhelmed with too much rain and the rivers have spilled over their banks. The devastation caused by the floods has been front page news across the county. There are many sad stories along the rivers of Iowa. We pray for these people as they attempt to rebuild their water-soaked lives.

Natural destruction is a shocking thing.Last month, on Sunday, May 25, I was chased from study in the library at the University of Dubuque by the wail of storm warning horns. A powerful thunderhead that spawned a deadly tornado was nearby. I drove to my campus room and went promptly to the storm shelter. Fortunately for the doctoral students huddled in that room, the tornado did not come to Dubuque last Sunday. But, to our sadness, we later learned that a monster tornado hit several Iowa towns, most devastatingly Parkersburg, with tremendous fury.

The tornado that leveled half of Parkersburg and killed seven people was the strongest to hit Iowa in 32 years, the National Weather Service said Tuesday.

The twister wasthree-quarters of a mile wide with winds of up to 205 mph, and it tore a path through Parkersburg, New Hartford and Dunkerton. Damage also was reported in the Hazleton area. The weather service ranked it an EF5 — at the top of its scale.

“You just don’t see many of these around,” said Steve Teachout, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Johnston. “There was nothing to hold that storm down. It just blew up.”

The tornado was the worst in the United States since May 4, 2007, when an EF5 twister flattened Greensburg, Kan., killing 11 people with winds up to 205 mph. That storm spanned more than a mile and a half.

The National Weather Service also ranked Sunday’s storm as the second deadliest Class 5 tornado in Iowa since 1950. The deadliest twister hit the Charles City area on May 15, 1968, killing 13 people and injuring 462.

The storm destroyed 350 homes, and another 100 suffered “extensive damage,” Iowa Governor Chet Culver said. In Parkersburg alone, 288 homes were destroyed, he said.

In addition, Buchanan County suffered extensive flood damage from area rivers. In Lamont, 240 of the town’s 280 homes were damaged by flooding, Culver said.

Pictures show the immenstiy of this catastrophe that struck near us in Iowa. But pictures also show horror from a terrible earthquake in China and a cyclone in Myranmar. Around the world there is horror at natural disasters. I will never forget the coloassal damge of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004.

Sometimes such disasters bring a resentment towards God, but it is worth recalling that nothing that occurs in natural disasters tell us anything about the nature of our finite earthly existence of which we were not already entirely aware. We all die a human death sometime.

Still, we have great sadness at misery on so large a scale, and such occasions are spiriutally perplex. This is a broken world, and untill it is fully reconciled in Christ, God will allow earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters. While I find it distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather, it is natural laws, broken by sin, that are in play in the natural disasters.

God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding, some of which may be exacerbated by pollution and global warming. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.

The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, see Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Does God sometimes cause natural disasters as a judgment against sin? Yes, see Numbers 16:30-34. The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not!

In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to demonstrate the consequences sin has had on Creation. Romans 8:19-21 tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the universe we inhabit. Everything in Creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin and brokeness in the world is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.

We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of hundreds of thousands of people? What we can know is this…God is good!

There are many amazing miracles, in instances of natural disaster, that occurred - preventing an even greater loss of life. Just think of the early warning systems we now have for tornadoes. 8 people died in the Iowa tornadoes of May 25, but without the warning system it would have been a much higher total.

Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. But another great thing is that hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people that are suffering.

Christian ministries, like the Presbyterian denomination, have sent releif teams to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. They have used the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray - and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).

Natural Disasters in a Broken World

This month our home state of Iowa has been overwhelmed with too much rain and the rivers have spilled over their banks. The devastation caused by the floods has been front page news across the county. There are many sad stories along the rivers of Iowa. We pray for these people as they attempt to rebuild their water-soaked lives.

Natural destruction is a shocking thing.Last month, on Sunday, May 25, I was chased from study in the library at the University of Dubuque by the wail of storm warning horns. A powerful thunderhead that spawned a deadly tornado was nearby. I drove to my campus room and went promptly to the storm shelter. Fortunately for the doctoral students huddled in that room, the tornado did not come to Dubuque last Sunday. But, to our sadness, we later learned that a monster tornado hit several Iowa towns, most devastatingly Parkersburg, with tremendous fury.

The tornado that leveled half of Parkersburg and killed seven people was the strongest to hit Iowa in 32 years, the National Weather Service said Tuesday.

The twister wasthree-quarters of a mile wide with winds of up to 205 mph, and it tore a path through Parkersburg, New Hartford and Dunkerton. Damage also was reported in the Hazleton area. The weather service ranked it an EF5 — at the top of its scale.

“You just don’t see many of these around,” said Steve Teachout, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Johnston. “There was nothing to hold that storm down. It just blew up.”

The tornado was the worst in the United States since May 4, 2007, when an EF5 twister flattened Greensburg, Kan., killing 11 people with winds up to 205 mph. That storm spanned more than a mile and a half.

The National Weather Service also ranked Sunday’s storm as the second deadliest Class 5 tornado in Iowa since 1950. The deadliest twister hit the Charles City area on May 15, 1968, killing 13 people and injuring 462.

The storm destroyed 350 homes, and another 100 suffered “extensive damage,” Iowa Governor Chet Culver said. In Parkersburg alone, 288 homes were destroyed, he said.

In addition, Buchanan County suffered extensive flood damage from area rivers. In Lamont, 240 of the town’s 280 homes were damaged by flooding, Culver said.

Pictures show the immenstiy of this catastrophe that struck near us in Iowa. But pictures also show horror from a terrible earthquake in China and a cyclone in Myranmar. Around the world there is horror at natural disasters. I will never forget the coloassal damge of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004.

Sometimes such disasters bring a resentment towards God, but it is worth recalling that nothing that occurs in natural disasters tell us anything about the nature of our finite earthly existence of which we were not already entirely aware. We all die a human death sometime.

Still, we have great sadness at misery on so large a scale, and such occasions are spiriutally perplex. This is a broken world, and untill it is fully reconciled in Christ, God will allow earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters. While I find it distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather, it is natural laws, broken by sin, that are in play in the natural disasters.

God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding, some of which may be exacerbated by pollution and global warming. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.

The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, see Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Does God sometimes cause natural disasters as a judgment against sin? Yes, see Numbers 16:30-34. The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not!

In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to demonstrate the consequences sin has had on Creation. Romans 8:19-21 tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the universe we inhabit. Everything in Creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin and brokeness in the world is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.

We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of hundreds of thousands of people? What we can know is this…God is good!

There are many amazing miracles, in instances of natural disaster, that occurred - preventing an even greater loss of life. Just think of the early warning systems we now have for tornadoes. 8 people died in the Iowa tornadoes of May 25, but without the warning system it would have been a much higher total.

Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. But another great thing is that hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people that are suffering.

Christian ministries, like the Presbyterian denomination, have sent releif teams to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. They have used the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray - and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28.

A New Kind of Christian

One of the more interesting books I have read is Brian McClaren's A New Kind of Christian. It is sure to make most Christians reflect on the pressent state of the church, and where God may be leading us.Starting with the introduction, the reader realizes that A New Kind of Christian is not the run-of-the-mill Christian book. Author McLaren, an evangelical pastor, tells a story and uses his narrative to convey his ideas and opinions.

But let us look at another famous Christian storyteller: our Lord Jesus. The Lord often told stories to convey the truths he was teaching his followers. We call them parables. Are we to say that he didn't have an agenda? Of course he had a plan: he came to seek and save the lost.

Jesus effectively used narratives to force his listeners to grapple with the issue at hand. But a lot of time, even his closest disciples could not understand what he was talking about. In those cases, Jesus would stop and explain his point for them.

The main characters of the book are Dan Poole and Neil Everett Oliver
In order to understand the story, we must start with the characters. McLaren's story centers around an Evangelical pastor, Dan Poole, who is becoming disillusioned with his church, his ministry, and even the gospel. The narrative picks up when he meets Dr. Neil Everett Oliver, a high school science teacher who seems to understand what he is going through.

On one level the relationship between Poole and Oliver can be understood as something of an allegory. Pastor Dan represents today's disaffected evangelical church and Dr. Oliver, who insists on being called Neo (the Greek prefix for new), is none-too-subtly cast as a prophet for a new, postmodern Christianity.

Through this allegorical subtext and the conversations these two characters share, McLaren articulates a revolutionary vision of how the Church should accommodate itself to the changes going on in the culture.

The setting of the book is the dawn of a new age in the church. Neo leads Pastor Dan into an understanding of postmodernity. His first objective is to prove that such an age exists, that Christendom, the age in which the society at large, and institutions like government, supported the church, is over.

So McLaren has Neo, a history buff, present a Cliff's Notes version of history; explaining that the era of modernity is coming to a close and postmodernity is dawning. Neo claims that the year 2000 AD is a pivotal turning point just like 1500 AD. Appropriating the consensus that 1500 marked a shift from Medieval times to the Modern era, McLaren wants the reader to believe that finally, in the year 2000, the stars have aligned for the birth of a new era.

For both 1500 and 2000, seven categories of crisis are listed: a new communication technology, a new scientific worldview, a new intellectual elite, a new transportation technology that "shrinks" the globe, the transition of economic systems, a new military technology, and a revolutionary religious movement.

McLaren points to the "emerging church" movement of today,forwarding the ministry of Jesus in new and different ways,as the people of God in a post-Christendom context, as a new kind of reformation, producing a more enlightened, empowered Christian. There is a lot to think about in this book. Give it a read sometime.

Join the Barnabus Movement!

Join us in the Barnabus movement. Be a son or a daughter of encouragement. Practice radical acts of kindness in the name of Jesus. Serve Jesus with a glad heart. Brighten people's lives with a smile, a hug, and a kind word.

We could certainly use more kindness and courtesy in our country today.I believe we are called to practice deliberate kindness, inspired acts of beauty and beautiful acts of love. We are called to perform acts that respond to the serious needs of real people, acts that reveal the beauty of God and His ways, acts that rely on and point to the power and purpose of God to redeem us from evil and to bring about the Kingdom of God. Through such acts, God is glorified and the love of Christ is shown to a doubting and hurting world.

The movement for magnified and multiplied Christian kindness gets its name from Barnabus, the missionary partner of Paul, who we meet in Acts 4: "36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of encouragement,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet." We are called to be people of encouragement and consolation, too!

Author Jim Kok, who wrote "The Miracle of Kindness," calls on us to join in the power kindness movement. Encouragement is "in courage ment": helping another to take a hold of God's courage in the midst of a challenge or difficulty. We all deal with disappointments, stresses, or hurts everyday and so we need encouragement from one another. There are so many ways to give encouragement to others:

Sharing a "good thought" or Bible verse that blesses others.

Asking someone, "How are you?" and really listening with your heart.

Responding with patience and kindness when someone is mean to you.

Letting someone cut in front of you on the freeway.

Praying for someone even though they don't know it.

Inviting someone who is lonely to have a meal with you.

Volunteering to help clean up after an event.

Giving a generous tip to your waiter at the restaurant.

Offering specific words of appreciation when someone helps you - encourage the encourager!

Simply offering a friendly smile to a stranger can do wonders!

Letting people know how much they mean to you while they are still alive. Do not wait to send flowers. Send encouragement now!

Ah, Lord God!

Ah Lord GOD! behold,
thou hast made the heaven and the earth
by thy great power and stretched out arm,
and there is nothing impossible, nothing too hard for thee:
Jeremiah 32:17

This is the Scripture verse that got my wife through law school. She took God at God's Word. She believed nothing, not even her making it through law school with honors, was impossible with God, nothing was too hard for God. She beleived God would help her.

And God did help her. It was not impossible for God. She graduated and has gone on to a career of service to humanity, giving reality to the term: Christian lawyer. With her the term is not an oxymoron. She knows firsthand that othing is too hard for God.

What is possible with God? Man has many limitations on what we can do, but with God nothing is impossible. With God all things are possible. God is limitless. All things are possible with God.

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them,
With men this is impossible;
but with God all things are possible.
Matthew 19:26

And Jesus looking upon them saith,
With men it is impossible, but not with God:
for with God all things are possible.
Mark 10:27

For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Luke 1:37

And he said,
The things which are impossible with men
are possible with God.
Luke 18:27

God is limitless and boundless. NOTHING is impossible with God. Everything, ALL things are possible with God. Alone man is limited and man is bound, but with God nothing is impossible. As human beings, we like to put limits to what is possible with God, but that kind of thinking is wrong, because NOTHING is impossible with God.

I, myself, might not be able to do something, but God can do anything, but with God nothing is impossible, nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is impossible with God, is truth from God that we should hold on to, say to ourselves every day when we wake up, and all throughout our day.

The unbelieving and defeated cry "I can't", which is NOT from God. "I can with God" is from God.

With God:

I can feel better -- I can follow Christ
I can witness for God -- I can quit [insert addiction]
I can have full joy -- I can have peace in my life
I can cease sinning against God -- I can have a close relationship with Jesus
I can find time for worshiping God -- I can quit lying
I can be full of His joy -- I can be content with my life God gave me
I can go to church -- I can help build the church up in Him
I can obey God -- I can study God's word
I can thank God for my life and ALL things -- I can live in love for God and others
I can forgive people in Christ -- I can love all people
I can have an abundant life -- I can do all things God calls me to do.

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13

There is nothing too hard for God to do! Say it, pray it, declare it, believe it, live as a child of God!

A Message to Take WIth You on Your Journey

Here is a message shared with our confirmation Class on Pentecost Sunday, 2008. The words can be applied to Christians in various stages of their faith journeys.

Today is an important day. Up until this point in your life, someone has been taking you to Church. Your parents literally carried you here when you were very young, enticed you to participate, and in some cases dragged you kicking and screaming to be here. Your parents were doing their job to give you a moral and spiritual foundation. So, in Sunday School, VBS and Youth Fellowship, you learned important stories from the Bible, you acted in skits and plays, you discussed moral issues, you prayed together, and you did mission and service for the Lord.
Today, you are making a stand for yourself.

Today, we as a church community recognize that you are now professing your faith. You are confirming the Spirit’s call on each of your lives. In this service, we are going to symbolize that starting out by having you read a scripture verse that means something to you, and take a plunge in the waters of the Spirit of God. You were baptized with just a little water when you were a child. On that day, your parents made a pledge to get you to this point, where you can stand on your own, walk of your own free will into the deep waters of the Spirit and take the plunge.

It is a wonderful symbol, spiritually speaking, of diving deeply into the adventure of life. You are just starting out on a great spiritual journey that will last the rest of your life. We cannot live it for you. You will have to make the mistakes yourself, find out God’s surprises yourself, and make profound leaps of faith all by yourself.

This year, we tried to give you a few things to pack with you on the journey, things that will come in handy later on. We read many of the important passages from the Bible, because years from now, if you are ever confused, perhaps frightened, the scriptures will give you a way back to the path when you can’t find it on your own. The Bible is God’s guidebook for your life.

We introduced you to the life of prayer because years from now, when you have to stay focused on what is positive and you have people around you that are sick or in trouble that need your spiritual strength, you will know how to tap into the great force of hope and healing through prayers in Jesus Name. Prayer changes things. The family that prays together stays together!

We got you involved with the idea of service as a lifestyle, because years from now you are going to understand that giving back keeps you human, and it is the Jesus way, and service keeps you grounded in Him. Helping people shows them God’s grace in action. Do acts of kindness.

We involved you in leading worship, because years from now we want you to be at home in the church and we hope you will be in a service of the Lord’s Day every Sunday, participating in His plan, and that worshipping God will be a key part of your lifestyle, and your family’s lifestyle. Going to church may help others more than it helps you, but it will help you, and more importantly, you will showing that you are putting God first in your life.

Lastly, we studied the founders of our denomination, for the Spirit led them mightily. We showed the value of our church and its history, because years from now, you will come to appreciate the fact that, as Christians who learn to love each other, we are the face of Christ for each other, and one of the most profound spiritual experiences you will ever have will be the rich experience of a loving community that really knows you and stays with you unconditionally.

The Reformed Christian tradition, centered on God’s amazing Word, is strong and it has a lot of spiritual nutrient that you will come to appreciate as you get older. And you will need it. Possibly you will be able to complete this adventure with nothing but one great experience after another, but it is not likely. It is likely that somewhere on your journey you are going to have to stand for something that is the right thing to do and others around you will be pressuring you not to do it. You will have to have the courage of your convictions.

It is likely that somewhere on your journey you will be deeply disappointed that something you really wanted or someone you really loved suddenly disappeared. You will have find hope in the midst of discouragement and doubt. It is likely that somewhere on your journey, you will not have enough material resources to do something that is very important and you will have to step out boldly in faith that things will work out anyhow without any evidence that they will. Where God guides, God will provide!

I hope that you will continue the pursuit of God’s truth in His Word. Strive to live out the central teaching of Jesus, the Golden Rule: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’, and remember that understanding other people is a key to getting along in the world. As you go along the journey, enrich your mind by reading the Bible, and don’t be afraid to read the works of great thinkers in philosophy and theology.. As Benjamin Franklin once wrote: “You will only be as profound and as interesting as what you have read and studied seriously.”

Living for Jesus takes focus and discipline. Learn to focus your God given abilities.

There was once a young boy that was very smart, but he didn’t seem engaged in school. His mother took him to see a great Professor to see if he could inspire him to study. The Professor and the boy were talking about science because the boy was very gifted in science. The Professor said, “Tell me, what is the difference between a light and a laser? Do they emit the same energy?”

“Yes”, said the boy, “the energy is the same. The difference is that with a light bulb the energy is going in all directions at once. With a laser it is concentrated along a single beam.”

“Exactly”, said the Professor, “and that is how it gets its piercing power. And so it is with our concentration. We have to bring it to focus.”

So draw upon the great thinkers of the past and draw upon the best part of the Biblical tradition. What has it taught us? That the way of Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, for all who believe in Him. That the positive forces of hope, grace, love, forgiveness, and compassion will ultimately triumph over the negative forces of despair, indifference, resentment, and hate. Open yourself to the positive spiritual energy of God’s universe, and let God’s Holy Spirit flow through your soul, and be a blessing to others! The negative forces will not win. We must reorient ourselves daily to the Good, and focus our energies for God’s purpose and mission.

Yes, the promise of the Spirit is that, in spite of yourself, you can bless other people. You can release the power of love and goodness and beauty. St. Paul, once said, “While we were still the worst of men, sinners all, God loved us.” And at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what kind of skills we started out with, what kind of physique, what kind of mental abilities. What will matter the most is how much love you have released, how much compassion, understanding, grace, forgiveness, hope and peace. What will matter the most is how much blessing you have given to others. And blessing, my friends, is eternal.

So be positive, stay positive. Worship Christ, live in Christ, and share Christ. And may you live to eat the orchards you plant, may you inhabit the houses you build, may you live to see the blessing you release live through the next generations. God be with you, each and every one, in every way, everyday! Amen and Amen!

Memorizing Scripture -- Good Spiritual Warfare!

A minister friend of mine sent me some ideas on how to better memorize Scripture. It brought back a powerful memory of a minister in my distant past telling me that memorizing Scripture was "spiritual warfare", calling the action of memorization "storing up good treasure." He based his belief on Luke 6:45: "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."

Here are my friend's ideas on How to Memorize: "I was convicted to challenge you further to memorize scripture last week, but many people think they can’t memorize, or that they can’t remember anymore. If you aren’t just using those feelings as an excuse not to try, I would share a few suggestions from my own experience that could help you:

1) Pick a verse or passage that is meaningful to you. There is little incentive to put effort into something you are not interested in. I try to pick verses each week that connect with the message and support spiritual growth. If you are not interested in that verse, pick another, or work on a passage. I especially like to work on a special passage or chapter when I am traveling or on vacation.

1a) You should also decide what version of scripture is most comfortable to you. The blessing of a variety of translations is great for Bible study, but a bit of a hindrance when it comes to memorizing. I first started memorizing in the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and then went to NRSV and now use the English Standard Version (which is one of the most accurate and close to original syntax) which is how I print them out for you. Just pick what is best for you.

2) Write the verse on a card. You will start the memorization process as you write, and it will help you order the whole thought of the verse. You can then post the card in a place where you will see it that will help in learning and reviewing it- like on the bathroom mirror or by the kitchen sink, or carry it with you to review when you have a few moments.

3) Repeat phrase by phrase. I start with the reference (ex. Mat. 6:33) and then the first phrase of the verse, when I can repeat it from memory, I add the next phrase and start from the beginning. Continue adding until you have committed it all to memory.

4) Speak the words out loud. An extra dimension is added to memory when we hear ourselves saying the words (some authors talk about a 30-40% increase in memory.

5) Use mental images, vocal emphasis, or physical motions. I find these kinds of little memory tricks very helpful. For example: Romans 10:9 [cross index fingers like a Roman numeral, hold up ten fingers and then 9] Because if you confess with your lips [point to your lips] that Jesus is Lord [make a cross with index fingers and raise your hands, palms up] and believe in your heart [emphasize “believe” as you touch your temple and then your chest with your index finger] that God [point to heaven] raised [raise hand or hands palm up] from the dead, you will be saved. [extra emphasis on each word, I will sometimes double the extra on “will” or “saved”]

6) Think logically. Sometimes it helps me to think logically through the verse. It makes sense to the flow of order. Again to think about Romans 10:9: Confession + belief = salvation.

7) Review previous verses. Once you have taken the effort to memorize a verse, continue to repeat it daily. Review verses you have previously learned. You will find that after you have reviewed a verse for a few weeks, they are yours forever.

8) Be accountable. Make a commitment with another person, or start a group with the commitment to memorize scripture. The best intentions will fall by the wayside over time. It always helps to have someone checking up on you. To really raise the ante, recite your memory verse for someone else. That will really help to fix the verse in your mind.

9) Misc. helps. There are many more things I could share like: memory ability decreases as the day lengthens (it is more beneficial to memorize in the morning); loss of sleep lowers ability; strong feelings and emotions can have a negative effect on memory; intending to remember will improve your memory; you remember best just before sleep and just after you awake- those are the two best times I read my Bible and memorize scripture.

The important thing is to 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.' Colossians 3:16. Nothing worthwhile is gained without personal effort. Dedicate yourself to God’s Word and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to treasure God’s Word in your heart. Attitude is everything. God’s Word is a precious gift and thinking of it in that way can make all the difference I the world."

I encourage you to memorize some key Scriptures in order to build yourself up in Christ. May God bless you in your practice of memorization.

Simple Acts of Kindness Can Change Your World

One of the great tools that Christians have for changing the world for the better is kindness. It is how we can show the world that Jesus is for real in our lives, making us His ambassadors, changing our communitites one kind act at a time. By doing kind acts, you are helped to see good in yourself, and bring the good out in others. Never get tired of doing little things for others. Sometimes, those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts. Helping someone to smile may make their day, or even their week.

Stephen Grellet, a Quaker Minister in 19th century France, put it well: "I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

Life is what you make it. Take every opportunity to support someone. You will never know when a person will need to borrow your ears to hear,or your heart to listen. Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. Isn't it amazing how often we can touch someone's life, and enrich our own, by a very simple act? Kindness is powerful, so pass it on! It is a wonderful way in which to pattern our lives, to be amassadors for Jesus, bringing kindness, mercy and love!

Christians must unite in a war for peace in our families, churches, and communities-- do simple acts of kindness every day, in every way that you can. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." : Matthew 5:16.

Things I Have Learned in My Calls

Today marks three years of ministry to the two churches to which I am currently called. A calling is a wonderful and holy thing -- As Presbyterians we believe that pastors and congregations are brought together through a call from God. It is a relationship established not primarily for the benefit of one or both of the parties, but for the purpose of service in the ministry of Jesus Christ. God has endowed both the leader and the people with particular gifts and experiences that, when brought together, provide the resources for effective ministry.

We believe that God uses committees, procedures, and our polity to call persons to positions of leadership, all guided by the Holy Spirit. Through every step of the process we pray for God's guidance in calling individuals to positions of leadership. Such was the case with my coming to my churches. Some obstacles were overcome, and we saw the mighty hand of God as He opened doors and gave us favor. There is much accountability in our system, and sometimes the hoops one goes through seems to squelch our hopes, but in the long run, we have seen this process work well for the discernment of God's will for churches and pastors.

The great Presbyterian writer Frederick Beuchner said that a calling was far more than a job -- He said "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

So it has been with all five churches I have served as a pastor over the years, and I see it most especially in the people and churches I serve at this time in my life. As an older pastor friend once said to me -- "You are God's gift to these people, and they are God's gift to you." He also said that if I kept my ears and eyes and heart open, I would learn much more from the people I serve than I would ever teach them, because that was how pastoring worked. So it ahs been the last three years.

You know, a lot can happen three years of ministry. Just look at what Jesus did with three years! And note that two of Paul's missionary journeys were three years in duration, while the third one was one year longer. And though not on the level of our great models of the minsitries of Paul and Jesus, we have seen the Lord do much good here in the three years we have been in our yoked churches. Never underestimate the power of God. God will surprise you all the time.

I have learned a number of things from the people, including 1. TEAMWORK 2. COMMITMENT –3. FAITHFULNESS -- 4. TRADITION –5. COMPASSION -- 6. JOY – and 7. LOVE -- Yes, love is all around. Everything must be done in LOVE,a nd it usually is.

I thank God for the calling God gave me and the churches I serve. May I serve them well, and may God's favor be upon these churches and the people who make them up. May we always serve Jesus our Lord with smiles and laughter.

Prayer is Needed to FIght the Battle

Take a look at verses 9, 10 of the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Colossians:

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:"

The Importance of Prayer

Three times in the first ten verses of this amazing letter, the Apostle Paul has told the Colossians that he is praying for them. He tells them he is thanking God for them and that his prayers on their behalf are unceasing. These are not nice platitudes only. I believe Paul WAS praying for these people. I believe we need to pray for each other just as fervently.

What is Prayer?

Prayer is talking with God. We pray when we open our heart to the Almighty. As simple as this is, it is also something people need to hear. Too many people feel that prayer is a certain sound . . . Shakespearean English, rich in theological terminology very often spoken VERY loudly. Others feel prayer is something that takes place in a certain place or with a certain posture. But none of those things are requirements for true prayer. In fact, you can sound holy and not be doing anything other than talking to yourself.

I love to share the story theologian Howard Hendricks tells of a young man who met Christ after many years of life in the world. After his conversion he went to his first prayer meeting. Everyone was getting up and uttering their flowery (and maybe showy) prayers. Finally, this new convert stood to pray and said, "Lord, this is Mel. I'm not sure whether you remember me or not . . . I met you last Tuesday night. I just wanted to say . . . well . . . Thank-you for changing my life." And then he sat down. The simplicity and honesty of that prayer brought tears to the eyes of many. I suspect it brought a smile to the face of the Father, as well.

True prayer is honest, humble and personal.

Four Reasons for Prayer

There are several good reasons to pray.

1) It is a great privilege. Can you think of any greater honor than to have an audience with the One who rules over ALL creation? We have been invited to talk with the one who put the stars in place. We are invited to seek counsel from the One who is truth and wisdom. We are invited to sit down with the One who knows all things.

The Puritan writer John Preston said many years ago: "Prayer is a privilege purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ died for this end, it cost him the shedding of his blood, so that we, through him, might have entrance to the throne of grace. And will you let such a privilege as this lie still? If you do, so far as is in you, you cause his blood to be shed in vain. For if you neglect the privileges gotten by that blood, you neglect the blood that procured them." [The Puritans on Prayer p.17]

Conversation is a part of any vital and growing relationship. We sometimes measure the quality of a marriage relationship by how well the couples communicates. Or to state it another way, one of the first things people point to as evidence that a marriage is in trouble is a lack of communication. The same is true for our relationship with the Father. True, honest, heartfelt conversation is a sign of a healthy relationship. A lack of conversation, or conversation only in public is a sign of a relationship in trouble.

2) We should pray because we are in a fierce battle. Constantly we are warned of the Devil's intention to neutralize and demoralize us. We are told that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6:10). We are in a battle and we need the help of God. The enemy has marshaled his armies . . .when we neglect prayer, we go into battle unarmed.

It is tremendously instructive that Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, found it necessary to pray. He modeled prayer for us. If He felt prayer could help in the battle . . so should we.

3) Prayer is a deterrent to sin in our lives. In the quiet times of private, honest prayer God exposes the rationalizations and the excuses that we use to cater to sin. In prayer God holds a mirror up to our lives so we can see the way we really are. . .and repent.

4) Prayer makes a difference. I can't tell you how it "works" . . .I know that circumstances change when people pray. I have seen diseases healed, strength imparted, guidance given, hearts softened, and needs met. I know that when I pray for others it helps them. But I also know that when I pray, I am changed.

Prayer changes things and people. Pray for me. I pray for you. Pray for your church. Pray for your family. Pray for your pastor and church leaders. Pray for Christians everywhere. We all are in need of prayer.

America's Moral Backbone

I attended a seminar recently where a teacher asked us "What famous minister do you pattern yourself after?" There were interesting answers to the questions. Almost all the ministers in the seminar room said that they hoped they were like Jesus, the Head of the Church and the primary example for all ministers. Others said Paul and Peter, Barnabas and Moses, going down the Biblical list of leaders.

Then the teacher focused us on historical ministers and theologians. Augustine came up, as did Calvin and Wesley and Luther. Susanna Wesley and John Knox and Charles Finney were also spoken about, among other Christian leaders of the past.

Then the teacher brought us to speak of modern day ministers -- and names like D. James Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Oral Roberts, Joel Osteen, Charles Swindoll, David Jeremiah, and Kenneth Copeland were said, along with Billy Graham and T. D. Jakes and others. I was the first one to bring up Billy Graham, because his ministry has had a great affect on me over the years. His preaching in the area that God gave him -- evangelism -- faithfully, diligently, with great integrity, is a shining example for all ministers of the Gospel.

But if I were to speak of the minister who had the most influence on me,they are men who have not had the fame of television ministries, but had great impact on the parts of the world where they lived. There is a lot to be said for faithful ministry in small churches throughout America. Those ministries and those churches are the backbone of America's moral strength.

Like the Wind, The Holy Spirit Moves in Many Ways, And All of His Ways are Good

I am a believer that there is more than one way to worship God. There are quiet, reverential ways, and there are joyful, exuberant ways, and there are in between ways, and I believe God appreciates them all. It is the heart of worship that counts, not so much the ways that you do it.

I also beleive the Holy Spirit guides and empowers worship. But while I know there is a legitimate gift of speaking in tongues, I beleive the Bible tells us it is one of the Spirit's gifts, not the super gift that all must have for salvation or right service to God.

I believe the Spirit gives gifts to all of the members of the body for the edification of the Body of Christ, His church. I believe the Spirit works through all Bible-beleiving, Christ affirming denominations. We are like colors of the rainbow -- we all have our place and purpose, and together, when we work in love, we can make a beautiful panorama of love for God.

The Christian Church is often viewed denominationally, with distinctions made along the lines of doctrine or church governance. Richard J. Foster dissects Christianity, not along denominational lines, but along the lines of spirituality in his wonderful book "Streams of Living Water." Foster, is a professor and writer who shows how the Spirit has moved among the church in different emphases over the nearly 2000 years since Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit's work in the church did not begin with the Azuza Street Revival of black pracher William Seymour in California in 1906, as some modern day Pentecostals seem to tell it. No, far to the contrary, the Spirit was working in the ministries of many others, like Augustine and Aquinas, like Luther and Calvin and Wesley. There is no written evidence of tongue speaking in their lives, but the Spirit was definitely alive in their ministries. The fruit proves it. The same is true of modern day ministers like Billy Graham and D. James Kennedy. The fruit of their ministries prove the power of the Spirit in their lives!

Foster believes "the three great branches of the Christian family"---Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic--- "are all valid expressions of Christ’s Church" (p. 301). He calls on all Christians to be dedicated to church renewal and "to learn from others who have gone before us" in aspirating to imitate Christ.

Foster sees six historic streams of spirituality, devoting a chapter to each.

The Contemplative Tradition is the prayer-filled life, yearning for "a richer, fuller practice of the presence of God."

The Holiness Tradition focuses "upon the inward re-formation of the heart and the development of ‘holy habits’" to the end of addressing "the erosion of moral fiber in contemporary society."

The Charismatic Tradition focuses "upon the empowering charisms or gifts of the Spirit and the nurturing fruit of the Spirit."

The Social Justice Tradition is a "compassionate way of living" that "focuses upon justice and shalom in all human relationship and social structures" and "addresses the gospel imperative for equality and magnanimity among all peoples".

The Evangelical Tradition, which is the priamry tradition of the Presbyterian Church, "focuses upon the proclamation of the evangel, the good news of the gospel" and addressing "the crying need for people to see the good news lived and hear the good news proclaimed."

The Incarnational Tradition "focuses upon making present and visible the realm of the invisible spirit," addressing the "crying need to experience God as truly manifest and notoriously active in daily life."

I believe that we see some of all these traditions in the Presbyterian Churches I serve, but the Evangelical Tradition, the Word-centered path, remains the predominant way that we reach out to the world for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Still, we must appreciate all the ways the Spirit has moved and is still moving and transforming us!

Vigilante Prophets and The Damage They Do

There is a rash of self-proclaimed prophets in the land. In my own area there are some people who are self-proclaimed prophets who need to be very careful what they say and do.

It goes like this -- some other "prophet" gives a "prophecy" where the person is told they are a "prophet", and then the person feels they have a license to speak for God. The problem is there is very little accountability in such procedures. No denomination or governing body or church to supervise them -- they are vigilante prophesiers with "thus says the Lord" in their holsters instead of guns. But their "words from the Lord", if misappropriated or misdirected, can do as much damage as an errant bullet.

I am a pastor and an ordaianed minister of the Word and Sacrament, and I have spent many years in study and preparation. I am accountable to my local sessions and my presbytery and my national church bodies. I was affirmed and accredited by my home presbytery and the one in which I serve, and the one in which I began ministry. Along the way I have been checked out, vetted, tested and confirmed by many Christians. This kind of accountability is a good and necessary thing in the Christian church. Vigilanteism brings about a kind of lawlessness that has no kinship with our stewardship of things of God, which are called to be decent and in order.

Christianity has always had its share of false prophets from Marcion to Joseph Smith Jr. ear ticklers have sought to spread their personal revelations as if they were the voice of God on earth. Even in modern times false prophets and false messiahs like Sun Yung Moon and Jim Jones have sought to lead astray the very elect. We should not be amazed that the sons of belial should come as shepherds to lead astray the very elect, we were warned from the beginning that they would come.

Jeremiah 14:14 Then God said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart.

God even tells us explicitely how to judge a prophet for certain.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
When a prophet speaketh in the name of God, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which God hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

How do you test a prophet? Well Jesus states: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them."

So by their fruits you shall know them. The Bible is also clear that true prophecy is always in line with the revealed Word of God, the Bible itself. And there is also the Biblical principle of "two or three witnesses," found in a number of Scriptures, including Matthew 15:18-20. There is also the Biblical principle of love -- everything must be done in a spirit of love, even correction.

The great problem with vigilante prophets is their great ability to be hurtful to those they prophesy about, to those that believe the Prophet is hearing clearly from God. Then, when they miss it, it injures the faith and esteem of the one who believed in teh prophet and prophesy, sometimes taking their eyes off the true prophetic words of the Word of God. The Bible is our key for how to live.

I remember a "prophet" who came to an Alaskan village I was pastoring in a number of years back. He had a revival at the Assembly of God church. Not many folks went, but I did one night, in a gesture of ecumenism.

The young man was not seminary or Bible College trained, but he was a revivalist called by God "from his birth" by his own testimony, which was very fervent and heartfelt. That night he gave a prophecy over a young married couple expecting a baby. He told them that God was calling forth another great male prophet just like him. They did not need to have a sonogram -- God was telling them it was a boy and he would be a mighty preacher and prophet.

So the couple went to Juneau the next week and spent much of the husband's logging bonus on clothes and toys for their little boy. They even painted the crib room blue. People in town crocheted blue blankets and bought clothes for the little boy.

But then the little child was born, and she turned out to be a very healthy girl. Soon boy baby clothes were featured at the next village rummage sale. And the young couple started worshipping at the Presbyterian Church.

We are Easter People

We are Easter people! St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, wrote a great truth, almost 16 centuries ago, “We are Easter people and hallelujah is our song!”

We live our lives not burdened by the period, the full stop of death, but joyfully with the exclamation point of the resurrection!

A professor friend of mine once said that "We live in a Good Friday world." That I understood. A Good Friday world is a world full of suffering, questioning, unfairness, trouble, mistakes, hurts, losses and grief. Good Friday in the Christian faith is the day Christians commemorate Christ's suffering and death on the cross. So that certainly made sense to me, for we often have tough times in our lives. We are often affected by the brokenness of our world, and the pain of being humans in it. The pain breaks into our lives, and the dysfunctions of life assault us.

"But remember," the professor continued, "We are Easter people." Those words lifted me up! The idea of being "Easter people" gave me hope. And it can give others encouragement that there is light beyond the darkness, and healing after the pain.

What strikes me is that this believing in "Easter" in the midst of "Good Friday" is faith wrapped in joy, a transformational act. Christians are a people who believe in possibility. When our hearts are shattered, we are sometimes shocked to discover that there is joy as well as pain inside. There is hope in the midst of difficulties. Out of the ashes of our mistakes, from our defeats and even our despair, we rise again in better lives.

Yes, being an Easter people means that resurrection is part of our life experience, part of who we are, part of what it means to be us. Easter celebrates how Jesus dies and rises in each of us, in our personal lives, in family, church, and community. It celebrates how Jesus is present in our daily work, in our home life, in our relationships, in the joys and sorrows of the world. Our faith is founded in Bible truth and it is honed in experience - the experience of light following dark, of joy following pain, of hope out of defeat, of warmth beyond cold, of life out of death.

We have a story to tell and a song to sing - the story of our risen Lord and a jubilant song of hallelujah that should ring in our church and community's ears! Let us sing it together, holding each other up in the winds of life. We may not have the breath ourselves, but others can fill in our gaps until we can sing, too!

In a world where so many people die in hopelessness, where people are poisoned by cynicism and defeated by disillusionment we have to tell our story, we have to sing our song. We are Easter people and that song is Hallelujah!

Dr. King Knew "God is Able!"

A friend recently testified to me of that core truth of our faith: Our God is able. He reminded me that when we are lost, God’s able to find us. When we’re crushed by guilt, God’s able to lift this burden.

When we’re without vision, God’s able to inspire us. When we’re overwhelmed, God’s able to calm us. When we’re attacked, God’s able to deliver us. When we’re feeling disconnected, desiccated and discouraged, God’s able to reconnect us, refresh us and revive us.

God can take death itself, and transform it into life. God is able. Where do we need the Spirit of God to be at work among us? What will new life look like, after we open ourselves to the power of the Spirit?

As I was reading afterward, I came upon the inspired words of Dr. Martin Luther King, a Baptist minister, as he reflected on God's ability when he preached a stirring sermon. Dr. King stated: "At times we may feel that we do not need God, but on the day when the storms of disappointment rage, the winds of disaster blow, and the tidal waves of grief beat against our lives, if we do not have a deep and patient faith our emotional lives will be ripped to shreds. There is so much frustration in the world because we have relied on gods rather than God.

"We have genuflected before the God of science only to find that it has given us the atomic bomb, producing fears and anxieties that science can never mitigate. We have worshipped the god of pleasure only to discover that thrills platy out and sensations are short lived.

"We have bowed before the god of money only to learn that there are such things as love and friendship that money cannot buy and that in a world of recessions, stock market crashes, and bad business investments, money is a rather uncertain deity. These transitory gods are not able to save us or bring happiness to the human heart.

"Only God is able. It is faith in God that we must rediscover. With this faith we can transform bleak and desolate valleys into sunlit paths of joy and bring new light into the dark caverns of pessimism. Is someone here moving toward the twilight of life and fearful of that which we call death? Why be afraid? God is able.

"Is someone here on the brink of despair because of the death of a loved one, the breaking of a marriage, of the waywardness of a child? Why despair? God is able to give you the power to endure that which cannot be changed. Is someone here anxious because of bad health? Why be anxious? Come what may, God is able."

Dr King concluded his message, which is just as relevant today as when he gave it years ago, by proclaiming:

"This would be an unbearable world were God to have only a single light, but we may be consoled that God has two lights: a light to guide us in the brightness of the day when hopes are fulfilled and circumstances are favorable, and a light that guides us in the darkness of the midnight when we are thwarted and the slumbering giants of gloom and hopelessness rise in our souls. And so we know that God is able to give us the interior resources to face the darkness as well as the light.

"Let this affirmation be our ringing cry. It will give us courage to face the uncertainties of the future. It will give our tired feet new strength as we continue our forward stride toward the city of freedom.

"When our days become dreary with low hovering clouds and our nights become even darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a great good Power in the universe whose name is God, and God is able to make a way out of no way, and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. This is our hope for becoming better people. This is our mandate for seeking to make a better world. Amen!"

I agree, Dr. King. Amen and Amen!

Earliest Easter We Will Ever See

A friend sent me some interesting information about our early Easter in 2008. The date of this coming Easter is quite early this year, but I didn't recognize the details shown below.

Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Here's the interesting info. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here's the facts:

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Living by the Rule that is Golden

What rules should we live by? How do we live out this Christian life? Most people think of the 10 commandments – and that is a really good place to start – but if you check out Levitcus, you will find that in all, according to the Interpreter's Bible. Moses had given 613 commandments, David had reduced them to eleven (Psalm 15:2-5), Isaiah to six (Isaiah 33:15), Micah to three (Micah 6:8) Amos to two (Amos 5:4), and Habakkuk to one (Habakkuk 2:4).

I thought it would be an interesting train of thought to pursue, so I decided to turn to the texts. I'm willing to take the commentators' word for the total of 613 commandments given by Moses, so I went quickly on to Psalm 15

He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

These are good suggestions for moral conduct. There were more, however, than I was able to remember easily, so I turned to Isaiah, only to discover that his six conditions were very similar to the Psalm, although more brief: "The man who lives an upright life and speaks the truth, who scorns to enrich himself by extortion, who refuses a bribe, who will not listen to talk about bloodshed, who closes his eyes to the sight of evil—that is the man who shall dwell on the heights." Admirable as that verse may be, it is a little bit long for easy memory.

When I arrived at Micah, I felt on more secure ground. The text has a familiar ring to it: "what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

This passage has the venerable distinction of being a summary of the messages of three prophets: Justice—that's from Amos; mercy—from Hosea; humility—the essential quality preached by Isaiah. Aldous Huxley called these words from Micah, "the profound definition of religion." But we are not finished. Our rabbi said that Amos had reduced the commandments to two. We had best look at that. Amos 5:15 is simple enough: "Hate evil and love good."

Last in our rabbi's list is the prophet Habakkuk, who reduced the demands of the Law to this: "The righteous will live by being faithful [to God]" (Habakkuk 2:4). Paul must have liked that because he quotes it in his letter to the Romans (1:17), and again in Galatians (3:11). "The righteous shall live by faith."

Jesus Himself answers the question, "What shall I do?"

So, with all this interest in a summary of the Law, it is no wonder that when we turn to the New Testament (Mark 12:28-34) we find a scribe greatly interested in what Jesus would say in answer to the question: "Which commandment is the first of all?" [That's just another way of saying, "What should I do?"]

Jesus answers with the familiar words from Deuteronomy 6:5 that began the Shema. This scripture was used as the call to worship in the Temple, was inscribed on small pieces of vellum carried in small boxes that the most orthodox Jews attached to their forehead and forearm when they prayed, and was rolled up inside the mezuzah affixed to every doorframe. The words are these: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." Jesus was on the firm ground of Jewish tradition when he said that these words were the first commandment. There was not one person in the audience who would have thought otherwise. Then Jesus added the words from Leviticus 19:18: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."The scribe responds with enthusiasm: "Well said, Teacher. You are right."

Jesus, in turn, appreciates the spirit shown in the scribe's response and closes the conversation with the remark: "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

Jesus' secret of the abundant life lies in a change of heart, an inward transformation that causes an outward reformation of behavior. He puts these thoughts into concrete actions with the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Luke 6:31; Matthew 7:12).

If we could only begin living by the Golden Rule the world would be a far better place. Why don't you try it in your own life and the place where you live?

Jesus, Take the Wheel!

There is a Country song by the artist Carrie Underwood called, “Jesus, take the Wheel.” I love the message of this song.

Like many Country songs, it tells a story. It is about a young girl who is driving across the country to see her mother and father (her momma and daddy, if you are reading this from the South). Her little baby is buckled up in the back seat.

Suddenly, as she is driving far too quickly and is somewhat distracted, she hits a patch of black ice and the car begins to spin out of control. More out of fear and a gut reaction than anything else, she cries out, “Jesus, take the wheel.”

The car winds up safely on the side of the road and no one is hurt; yet, suddenly she begins to realize that her life is a lot like that car ride: it’s filled with distractions, and moving way too fast. She has made some big mistakes and she finds herself very much in need. So right there on the side of the road, she bows her head and devoutly prays the very words she had blurted out as a reaction only a few moments before:

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can’t do this all my own
I’m letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I’m on
Jesus take the wheel

That is one clear example of the way we are called to live as people of faith. Whenever our lives are moving way too fast, when our minds are filled with distractions and we have made big mistakes—or perhaps a lot of little ones—we should not hesitate to call upon the name of Jesus. There is tremendous power in that name, because it belongs to the Person who can truly transform our lives and set us on the right road once again.

Incense and What it Meant

I recently attended a service in another church where incense was used, and I found the symbolism to be a powerful thing to me.

During the “Old Testament” Scripture reading (Luke 1:8-10; Ps. 141:1-2), a young person walked in holding a burning incense candle and stood on stage at the front of the sanctuary. Then a second young person entered with a burning incense candle as another voice read the New Testament Scripture reading (Heb. 4:14-16; James 5:16b; John 14:6, 13; Matt. 18:20). As the third burning incense candle was brought forward, a voice read Revelation 8:2-5.

The candles were then placed on the “altar.”

At this point a pastor explained the symbolism of the altar and the incense. The smoke from the altar symbolizes the prayers of God’s people. The incense represents the purifying, mediating work and prayers of Jesus that make our prayers acceptable to God as a sweet-smelling savor. For our prayers to be heard and answered by God, they need to be offered in Jesus’ name.

The service was strongly based on the Scriptures and I was inspired by it. It showed me that even when people worship is some different manners than we may do, there is a richness in the Spirit that we all share. Praise the Lord!

A Gulf Coast Mission Trip

Last week I was a part of four people from our church and sixty-one people from three Iowa Presbyteries to travel to Pearlington, Mississippi, along the Gulf Coast,and to New Orleans on a Mission Trip to help folks rebuild. Our team did recovery work in conjunction with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance at the PDA Volunteer Village in the small, unincorporated town of Pearlington, just east of New Orleans.

The team stayed in a camp-like setting that encouraged community among various groups from all around the country. Team members shared responsibilities, like cleanup and meal preparation, while at the camp. They spent their days on worksites throughout the town, toiling alongside the homeowners, doing whatever needed to be done. We tried to help the homeowners a little further in their journey and perhaps get them into a new home. The Presbyterian way is to give a hand up, not a hand out.

As the many reports will attest, faith-based organizations have been paramount in the recovery process along the Gulf Coast. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has been running several Volunteer Villages in the area since shortly after Katrina struck and is committed to this cause for five years. As mone friend put it, "A team of caring folks from a church in Iowa won't move mountains while we are there, but we will send a clear message to the survivors. We will bring them encouragement, hope and Christian love. We are going to make sure they know that we have not forgotten them."

And we did just that. It was a rewarding week. Praise the Lord!

Pressing Forward!

Never forget the lessons of Philippians 4:13-14, “… But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and pressing forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

I was sent a number of possible resolutions for the New Year by a minister friend. They are good resolutions to adopt any time of the year. Here they are:

1) I will put my Bible before the television, the radio, the telephone, and even before good Christian books, others will know my priorities by the way they see me spend my free time.

2) I will make my prayer requests known before God and my prayer partners, enlisting their help in the process and informing them of the outcome, for by letting them help when I petition our Lord we will each affirm the living God who answers prayer.

3) When times of crisis, conflict or confusion arise, I will hit my knees before I hit the phone. God alone is the one who holds the solution to life’s every problem.

4) I will erase the words “luck” and “lucky” from my vocabulary and will instead by my speech point toward the One who orchestrates every detail of our lives and brings all good things to pass.

5) When bad things happen, I’ll neither grumble nor complain, remembering that even the bad times are allowed for a reason; that I might learn quiet trust in my Maker.

6) When others have witnessed something ugly in me- unkind words, an angry temper, “harmless” gossip, biting sarcasm or even my frustration when things don’t go my way - I will confess it as sin before them seeking their forgiveness, so that myself and others will develop the much needed habit of wiping their spiritual slate clean before God and man.

7) I will make time for the lonely, the sick, the elderly, the difficult to love, and will bring others (youth) along, for with each afternoon visit, each ride to the doctor, each raked lawn or washed window we will have opportunity to serve Jesus by serving the “least of these.”

Thinking of those young eyes around us: In all things will must remember that more is caught than is taught.

You are the first Bible some children (and some adults) will ever read.

A Crazy Kind of Love

A teenager recently told me that she thought Jesus taught a "crazy kind of love." with all His talk of helping the poor, and putting others first, and turning the other cheek, and laying His life for us. Yes, to the world it is a crazy kind of love. But to Christians it is our heartbeat and our calling card.

When you think of the "commandments" of Christ, two things come to mind. One is the Great Commandments When asked what the greatest commandment of all is, Jesus replied that we are to "love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength -- and our neighbor as ourself. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[a]There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31)

He underlined this second one with His "New Commandment" that He gave to his disciples in the Upper Room during his last evening with them.

"I give you a new commandment, that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." It's that last part that makes this so difficult. We might want to get away with "sort of" loving one another, or "I love you but I don't like you" game playing -- but Jesus defines the kind of love we are supposed to have for one another. It's a life sacrificing, outer limits kind of love. Love that gives up self for the other.

And if that is not enough, the actual meaning of the term Jesus used for one another allows no escape hatches or 99 44/100 % loving one another. It means "each one should love every other one." It is no accident that Jesus used the term "commandment" three times in the Upper Room that last night with his disciples. Always in connection with this issue of loving one another. In fact this is the only time Jesus actually said "I command you" with anything.

Why did he lean so heavily on this issue? The First Letter of John takes this so far as to insist that if we say we love God and don't love each other, we are liars! [1 John 4:20] The way we know we are spiritually alive is that we love each other in the family of faith. [ 1 John 3:14] In other words, mutual love between Christian people is the evidence of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

To put it even stronger. The reputation of Jesus Christ is on the line in our relationships with each other in the church! You see, Jesus had informed his disciples that, the world would know they were his disciples if they loved each other. [John 13:35]

To think that God would not grant me even one exception to this commandment is sometimes hard to take. But here's where the wonderful part of loving God and keeping the commandments of Christ begins. Just at the point where we recognize our inability to do this on our own, the gifts of Christ come into play.

The Gift of Help

Jesus tells his followers about a gift, what the New Revised Standard Version translates as "Advocate". Other translations use the terms "Comforter" or "Helper." The word Jesus used literally means "one who is called along side to help." This in the One who brings "encouragement".

Jesus is referring, of course, to the Holy Spirit. Lot's of people have difficulty understanding what the Holy Spirit is all about -- other than thinking of the Holy Spirit as a vague sense of a "positive influence" or "a spirit of good" in the world. The point here is that Jesus tells his followers that God will send them Someone to keep on helping them -- an Advocate or Helper.

It is clear, as Jesus talks with his followers in the Upper Room, that He can not stay with them forever. In fact He can not stay with them much longer at all. They are upset -- maybe even distraught. He encourages them to hang on to his teachings and to have the care for each other that he has for them. And something amazing will happen. There will be another Helper who will join them and this Helper will never leave them!

In other words, the Holy Spirit is to the followers of Christ what Jesus Christ would be to them if he were here in the flesh! If I honestly, truly have Christ here with me, I just might be able to to accomplish anything in His Name. And you will have the same ability!

And it is my hope that in 2008, the churches I serve, adn the church universal will receive help in becoming the kind of community where people discover a love that "Will not let them go!" The Advocate -- or Helper -- is the great gift of help that we need to keep the commandments of Christ. Ask Him to help you today!

Treasure in Heaven, Obedience on Earth

Matthew 6: 20-21

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Success can be measured in many ways, dependent upon whom you are and the culture you live in. Having material wealth often is viewed as a sign of accomplishment and is supposed to offer us security and freedom. It shows that we are achievers in this world, and the ancient philosophers thought this was a sign of good grace from God or gods.

Jesus however teaches otherwise. We are given the responsibility for our environment, and the next person and we are stewards, not owners, of the goods entrusted to us, material or spiritual.

How we live out our Christian faith is important/ A pillar in our faith is the belief of charity towards others; taking a part of your own surplus and sharing it with others, especially the needy, but as an expression of your faith for God alone to see.

The quoted Bible passage teaches us to trust in God for daily needs and to use his gifts to us as good stewards of his world. If we listen to His word and follow His instruction, we shall accomplish His purpose. Treasure will come to us in heaven. On that promise we can depend. We are called to truly submit to His will and put our own wishes and thoughts in line with His thoughts.

Prayer: Father in heaven! Please help me to clearly see your will in my life. Guide my thoughts and deeds to fulfill your purpose and plan. Let me always listen and hear you when you speak to me. Amen.

Romans 12 - A Blueprint for the Christian Life

Romans 12 is a wonderful chapter with much wisdom about leading the Christian life. Romans is Paul's longest letter, and so it comes first in the New Testament. Here the veteran missionary puts together many of the things that the Holy Spirit has taught him about following Jesus. The entire book is edifying, but I call you attention to Romans 12 today. Read it and grow in the Lord.

Here are some notes to help in your meditation.

FIRST, WE READ EXHORTATIONS FOR US TO BE IN FULL SERVICE TO GOD (1-8)

A. In Romans 12:1 and 2, Paul urges them to present their bodies a living sacrifice to God and to be transformed by the renewing of their mind. This a recurring them in the letters of Paul. (See also 1 Cor. 6:19,20; Rom. 6:13,19; 8:11.)

We were once dead in our sins, but now we are made alive by the Holy Spirit to be used by God as lively instruments in His service. Without our body, no work can be accomplished for God. The word "reasonable" is also translated sincere or spiritual. We are not to copy the world's ways in our spiritual service. We must use the Bible as our guide (1 Pet. 1:14,15). The transformation called for here is an ongoing process (2 Cor. 4:16), not an immediate miraculous sensation. But rest assured -- Jesus changes people -- He can transform you, your family and your friends, if they will give themselves to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in their hearts and minds.

B. He encourages us to use to the fullest the gifts and ability God has given us. (3-8)

1. Cautioned not to be high-minded. What was the grace given to Paul? (Rom. 15:15,16; 1 Cor. 3:10; 15:10; Gal. 2:7-9; Eph. 3:7) His apostleship. Christians must think soberly and sensibly. The measure of faith could be each of our several abilities. It could also refer to a measuring instrument. If so, then faith is the instrument by which we measure our thinking.

2. Here we find the illustration of the body and its members. We are all members of the body of Christ. Each member has an important function, a needed function. This parallels our own body. ( 1 Cor. 12:12-27)

3. Some of the gifts God has given are:

a. Prophecy - This is not a natural gift. A prophet spoke for God. Other activities in the church call for spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:1-11, 28-30).

b. Ministry - or service. This is at the heart of many things the church does.

c. Teaching - teaching what has been revealed, carrying on the mission of the church to succeeding generations.

d. Exhorting - encouraging and reminding and affirming is so very important in the church.

e. Giving - giving is a gift and should be done liberally.

f. Leading - with diligence and attention to details.

g. Showing mercy - not halfheartedly, but in a compassionate, sincere way. Compassion and love are calling cards for Christians.


II. The Mission of Love and the Imitation of Christ(9-21)

A. To sincere love; hate evil and hold to that which is good. (9)
Pretended love is hypocrisy. "...hate evil and love the good," Amos 5:15. (Heb. 1:9.)
B. Proper attitude toward our brothers. (10)
We must emulate Jesus by loving our fellow man. We must reject everything that would hurt our brother, he must come first.

C. Fervent is our service to the Lord. (11)
As Christimas we are called to be industrious in our Christian service.

D. Rejoicing, patient and prayerful. (12)
Our hope sustains us through our trials, it allows us to be patient, which in turn makes us steadfast. When we realize our continuous need for the Lord's help, our prayer life improves. Prayers are neglected when we fell self-sufficient.

E. Caring for the needs of the saints. (13)
Hospitality includes receiving guests generously and kindly and extending this to strangers.

F. Blessing our enemies (2 Tim. 3:12). (14)
Following Christ is what brings these persecutions. The persecutor is at odds with Christ, therefore in need of our prayers and sympathy. "Do not curse," is not a reference to common profanity. It is an admonition not to call for calamity to befall a person.

G. Rejoicing with one another, as well as mourning and comforting. (15) When our brother has righteous cause to rejoice, we are obligated to rejoice with him, not envy his good fortune. We should have sincere sympathy for a brother in his sorrow.

H. We are to have the same mind; not to be conceited. (16)
This continues the thought of verse 15. It speaks to our disposition toward one another. We are to "be carried away with them that are lowly." We are to be guided and led in the thoughts, feelings, plans as humble objects.

I. Returning good for evil and giving place to God's wrath. (17-21) Evil for evil usually makes matters worse and lowers the Christian to the level of the evildoer. We need to "pre-think" our course of action. If we do not even keep the rules of honor set down by men, we cannot be keeping God's rules of honor. It is impossible to be at peace with all men, all the time. We will not be at peace with the enemies of Christ. However, we are not to stir up trouble over things that are not of importance. As the Roman's were Paul's beloved, so should they be each others beloved. Taking vengeance is not God's way for man. He has reserved the punishment of evildoers for Himself (Deut. 32:35). God has used the civil authorities to exact His punishment through the ages and that method remains in place today. Paul will have more to say about this later. Instead of personal vengeance, give your enemy food and drink. If there is any goodness left in him this course of action will cause a change of heart in the enemy. Following this procedure allows us as Christians to overcome evil with good.

Growing with Jesus in 2008!

Luke's concluding comments about Jesus' Childhood in Luke 2 are insightful. (2:51-52)

1. Jesus was an obedient child as he placed himself under their authority (2:51)
2. Jesus grew in four ways Wing his youth according to verse 52:

a. Intellectually - "in wisdom"
b. Physically- "in stature"
c. Spiritually - "in favor with God"
d. Socially - "in favor with man"

There are four major areas of human growth and life -- they are all touched upon in Luke 2:52. Jesus grew in a balanced way, a four-fold way. As we begin the New Year it is a good time to give ourselves a check-up in these four areas.

How are we growing in wisdom? Are we studying God's Word? That is where the ultimate wisdom is found. Earthly wisdom, such as how to operate in a trade or a job,can be helpful. But ulitmate wisdom is found in God's Word, and we aquire much of it through reading, study and meditation with the minds that God so wonderfully gave us. So increase your wisdom in 2008. Read and study God's Word.

Physical exercise is of some worth to us, because we get around in these physical bodies and we need to take care of them so we can do the Lord's work in this world. What can you do to help yourself physically? Do you need to exercise a bit more. Do you need to make better choices in your eating? The old rule I learned in computer class goes for our bodies, too. Garbage in, Garbage out. Junk food makes our bodies junky. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn. But it is a true one. So what can you do to increase your health in 2008?

Our social life is very important because God made us to be with other people. This has been true since Genesis and Adam and Eve. We are connectional people. One important lesson we learn is to choose our friends carefully. Who you hang out with can hang you if you make bad choices of friends. That is why it important for Christians to socialize with other Christians, to help each other and lift each other up. That is why church is so important. How can you guard your social life for God in 2008?

Finally, there is the foundational area that affects all areas in a wonderful way -- the Spiritual part of life, the part that connects us with God. Have you asked the Holy Spirit to fill you and to be your guide? Do you nourish yourself with daily prayer and Bible Reading and going to church every week? What can you do to foster your own spiritual growth and to help others to grow in the Lord during 2008?