It was Pastor Appreciation Sunday. Greg C. got up with his lovely wife, Roberta, and took charge of giving out flowers and gifts to the pastors and their wives. But first, he preached a rather good sermon. He preached from Eph. 6:13-the armor of God. The armor is for a warrior. Put it on every day and go into the trenches. The armor will never be pierced because no weapon formed against it will prosper. He said that pastors are box cutters. They let God out of the box that religion packages Him in. ~~
We love all of the pastors at New Life. When we stood up for Pastor Frank and Lisa, Greg said, "You love them, don't you?" I think we love them because they first loved us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Song-"Let it rain....Let it rain...".(I knew Phil was thinking, "No more rain. No more rain,)" but I sang it anyway, "Open the floodgates of Heaven..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We had a guest speaker-Lowell ? I never did catch his last name.
Lowell shared some traumatic events from his life that caused him to doubt the character of God.
He asked us the question, " Are you spiritually and emotionally ready for crisis and trouble?"
"What do you do when God doesn't....?"
What if God disappoints you?
What if your expectations are not met?
What if He doesn't behave in the way you think God should behave?
What will you do in that day?
Are you going to protest or praise; give up or keep on going; view things from His perspective or yours?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God collects our life experiences and puts them in a memory bank-not to weigh us down but to use as a spring board into ministry.
We are most effective when we minister out of the broken areas that Jesus has healed.
Do we trust God?
Do we trust Him with the things that have betrayed us and made us disillusioned with Him?
What do we do when we have prayed our most faith-filled prayer and God says, "No." Not maybe or wait, but "No."
Sometimes, it is just too uncomfortable to deal with disappointment in God, so we quit.
We don't want to risk being hurt again, so we close our hearts to Him.
Judas quit.
Peter quit.
All 12 disciples quit.
They ran away.
God did not behave in the way they thought He would.
When He had died and they didn't know that He had come back to life, they went back to their old way of living. They said, "I didn't sign up for this."
You can be told that things will work out but when you're in the thick of battle, you forget the promises.
Pastor Lowell said, " I've come through the fire and it hurts. There are certain parts of my memory that are still raw. And I love Him more than I've ever loved Him before."
( I didn't tell the part of his life story when some terrible things had happened to him and he had turned away from God. He couldn't understand why God had not protected him. It was the love of Jesus that eventually brought him back to Himself.)
If we read Hebrews 11:32-35, we find out about the mighty men of old who worked many exploits through faith. Dead people were raised to life, lions mouths were stopped, armies were destroyed.
This gospel sells.
But continue reading vs. 35b-40 and you will find out all the dreadful things that other believers in God experienced. Torture, stoning, scourging, imprisonment, afflictions, etc. etc. And these folks had faith too, but did not receive the promise.
They had a good testimony through faith but they didn't see the end results of their faith.
We have a choice to make.
We can choose to love God and trust Him with all of our hearts. We don't get loopy in this process and cast our brains aside. We have a solid faith and are authentic in our struggles.
Or,
We can lead a religious life, desiring to escape our struggles and hoping for Jesus' quick return. We forget about those who would die in their sin and go to hell if He came back right now.
We can either embrace life with its difficulties
or we can have an escape mentality-"God, get me out of here."
A perfect God in relationship with an imperfect person equals a perfect relationship.
Allow God to be your dance partner. Let Him lead and you follow a split second behind. Rest on His shoulders. Determine to make every day count whether you have one day or 50. This is a great description of faith.
God wants to give you a different perspective in all things.
Don't worry about the next step. Follow His lead, and rest on His shoulder.
"Don't worry, I've got you," your dance partner says.
And if He doesn't show you what is going on, just dance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I desperately needed this message.
I was reminded of the words that Jesus said to Peter when He wanted to wash His feet. " You don't understand what I am doing now, but you will later on."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lord, bless the pastors and their wives and children. If they are discouraged and heavy laden, encourage them. When their well is dry, give them time alone with You.
Show them how to balance home and church and their own spiritual life. Bless them financially, spiritually, mentally, and physically. Strengthen and protect their marriages. Help them know they are loved. Help them see the big picture and build the foundations, so they won't have to waste time dealing with houses built out of straw and the people who are driving them crazy with their cries of "Wolf! Wolf!"
Give them peace.
Give them unity.
Give them You.
Amen.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Hertzler Doings-Oct. 12-18,2009
What a week.
This week, a student at school has been diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. She had surgery to remove wisdom teeth and the whole process of causing trauma to her head has caused trauma to a nerve on one side of her face. It is basically paralyzed. She cannot even close her left eye. This should be temporary but there is no guarantee. I love this girl. And her smile. It's one in a million. She has to be able to smile again. Dear Jesus, please heal her. I am an absolute emotional wreck over this. Please pray for her and her sweet family and for our school. Thank you.
I met with someone this week who is at the end of her rope in regards to her life situation. I would have been at the end a long time ago had I been in her shoes. I pray God gives her a way of escape and I pray for a miracle. I am emotional about this as well. I am not sure where to turn to for help. But I know that God is paying attention and sees her and will come to her aid.
The clutter in my life is overwhelming. I am trying to clean up and get rid of and I have limited amount of time and energy. Then Phil and the boys cleaned out the abbey and brought home alot of things. I really appreciated the industrial bread pans. I made 2 loaves in them this week. They make a loaf the size of regular bread. And we needed the glasses. But.... oh well. Salvation Army, here we come...eventually. Carleen came on Thursday and organized and cleaned alot of my kitchen for me. I can breathe a bit better. On Sat. Phil got me some filing cabinets and a counter top and I am going to organize a room in our bedroom into an office area for me. I think once I get this paper work organized, I will be more organized elsewhere. Paper, paper, paper. So many great things to read.
Phil was on the roof abbey all of Sat. shop vacuuming an inch of water off the 8,000 square foot roof. He was talking to me on his cell phone while he vacuumed and lost hold of it and it fell into a bucket of water. About 24 hours later, it worked again.
Philip got a deer this week and he and Michael cut it into strips and marinated it. For Sunday lunch, they and their friends roasted it over a fire down at the river and had cheese steak sandwiches. Freeman and Alli came here after church and we ate leftovers for lunch. They went back to church for Christmas music rehearsal. Phil, Susan, and I watched one of the Left Behind movies-Tribulation Force. I wonder if people really will have a second chance to accept Christ after the Rapture. That would be nice.
We had a guest speaker at church and he delivered us mail straight from the heart of God. I guess God had gotten our mail. It was overwhelming to know that God cared enough to send his messenger to us with a direct word of encouragement especially after our discouraging week.
We've been missing Johnny Hertzler. His birthday is coming up. Susan collected eggs and she got very sad, missing him, because the last time he was at our place, he collected eggs with her in the rain. They loaded up their t-shirts and carried oodles of eggs into the house without an accident.
And there are other things I just can't write about.
Sorry I am so blue. I am sure next week will be better.
This week, a student at school has been diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. She had surgery to remove wisdom teeth and the whole process of causing trauma to her head has caused trauma to a nerve on one side of her face. It is basically paralyzed. She cannot even close her left eye. This should be temporary but there is no guarantee. I love this girl. And her smile. It's one in a million. She has to be able to smile again. Dear Jesus, please heal her. I am an absolute emotional wreck over this. Please pray for her and her sweet family and for our school. Thank you.
I met with someone this week who is at the end of her rope in regards to her life situation. I would have been at the end a long time ago had I been in her shoes. I pray God gives her a way of escape and I pray for a miracle. I am emotional about this as well. I am not sure where to turn to for help. But I know that God is paying attention and sees her and will come to her aid.
The clutter in my life is overwhelming. I am trying to clean up and get rid of and I have limited amount of time and energy. Then Phil and the boys cleaned out the abbey and brought home alot of things. I really appreciated the industrial bread pans. I made 2 loaves in them this week. They make a loaf the size of regular bread. And we needed the glasses. But.... oh well. Salvation Army, here we come...eventually. Carleen came on Thursday and organized and cleaned alot of my kitchen for me. I can breathe a bit better. On Sat. Phil got me some filing cabinets and a counter top and I am going to organize a room in our bedroom into an office area for me. I think once I get this paper work organized, I will be more organized elsewhere. Paper, paper, paper. So many great things to read.
Phil was on the roof abbey all of Sat. shop vacuuming an inch of water off the 8,000 square foot roof. He was talking to me on his cell phone while he vacuumed and lost hold of it and it fell into a bucket of water. About 24 hours later, it worked again.
Philip got a deer this week and he and Michael cut it into strips and marinated it. For Sunday lunch, they and their friends roasted it over a fire down at the river and had cheese steak sandwiches. Freeman and Alli came here after church and we ate leftovers for lunch. They went back to church for Christmas music rehearsal. Phil, Susan, and I watched one of the Left Behind movies-Tribulation Force. I wonder if people really will have a second chance to accept Christ after the Rapture. That would be nice.
We had a guest speaker at church and he delivered us mail straight from the heart of God. I guess God had gotten our mail. It was overwhelming to know that God cared enough to send his messenger to us with a direct word of encouragement especially after our discouraging week.
We've been missing Johnny Hertzler. His birthday is coming up. Susan collected eggs and she got very sad, missing him, because the last time he was at our place, he collected eggs with her in the rain. They loaded up their t-shirts and carried oodles of eggs into the house without an accident.
And there are other things I just can't write about.
Sorry I am so blue. I am sure next week will be better.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sunday Service-Oct.11, 2009
Great is the Lord,
The Famous One, Famous One
Great is Your fame through all the earth....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy 46th Birthday, Pastor Frank!
We won't discuss his card on my blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community in the Church
When we answer the question, "What does it mean to be a community?", we answer the question, "What does it mean to be a church?"
Jesus didn't have the same idea as we do about church.
Church is not what is contained in four walls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We used to stop by and visit people.
Now people are too busy for company.
We are too busy for community.
From the beginning of mankind, God has warned humanity that it isn't good to be alone.
God has formed the community at New Life and brought people together from all over the place. Satan himself, cannot stop this church; this community of believers.
As we wait for His return, we are to build a community of faith.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The second commandment is a reflection on how well we are keeping the first commandment. If we are not loving our neighbor, we should not say that we love God.
In Acts 2:40-47, we read how the young church were in community with each other. They were being taught the scriptures; they ate together; they shared their belongings with each other, and they prayed together.
Folks on the outside watched this community with awe and many signs and wonders were done through the apostles. Many were getting saved and the church enjoyed the good will and favor of the local people.
If you took the fellowship out, there would be no awe; no miracles; and no people getting saved. !!!!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What is our responsibility?
#1-Consistency-be committed.
Consistency is living a life that is consistent before the Lord everyday; you are the same person on Monday and Tuesday as you are in a Sunday service.
Be consistent in friendship-a friend loveth at ALL times.
Consistency in community is about consistency in relationships.
#2-Encouragement-the arm around a shoulder
1 Thess, 5:11-"So encourage and build one another up..."
#3-Authenticity-Be real
Jesus was authentic. He said in the garden that He was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. He didn't hide His need. He needed His friends to be with Him. He needed that arm around His shoulder.
The 'holiness' thing is over-the appearance of 'having it all together'-'holier than thou'
type of aura.
I need your help. I am just a sinner saved by grace.
Alot of groups can be authentic. Bowling leagues can have community and meet on a consistent basis an be completely authentic.
What is the difference between church community and other kinds of community?
#4-The Presence of God
God takes the things we have in the natural and makes them supernatural.
Like the early church,
if we are consistently committed to one another,
if we are full of encouragement towards one another,
if we are authentic and real,
and if we believe in Him and have His presence with us,
then we will experience genuine community.
People will be in awe of our love for one another,
and signs and wonders will follow,
and people will be saved.
The Presence of God in our midst convicts us of anything in our lives that does not line up with His image. He calls us to give account for every idle word. Our words are to be used to build each other up. The look on our faces, our smiles, the arm around the shoulder, our words; all of these things communicate value and respect to those in our lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amen and Amen.
We don't have to be best friends with everybody.
We don't even have to like everybody.
But we do need to be kind to each other and treat each other respectfully.
If I really love you,
I will want you to increase, even if it means my decrease;
I will smile and say "Hello" even if you don't respond.
I will assume the best about you and pray for you when you seem out of sorts.
I will find that treasure within you and be your friend.
And then we'll have community.
We'll have church.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Someone just shared this story with me.
It went something like this.
Suppose someone is in the middle of the river of life, trying to navigate themselves to safety, over slippery rocks and protruding branches. We can stand on the bank and call out directions, telling them where to put their feet and what they should hold on to. It would be good of us to help them in this way and we would be protecting our own well-being in the process.
Or, we can get in the river with them, and hold their hand, and risk getting wet and injured and having our own weaknesses exposed. Others might misunderstand what we are doing. But we could get in there and have a real relationship with them and guide them to safety with our presence rather than just our words.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It costs a great deal to really relate to people.
Jesus gave His life in order to relate to people forever.
I think dying to one's self and relating to people in true friendship have much in common.
Help us be the kind of friend to others that you are to us, Jesus.
And help us be your friend.
The Famous One, Famous One
Great is Your fame through all the earth....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy 46th Birthday, Pastor Frank!
We won't discuss his card on my blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community in the Church
When we answer the question, "What does it mean to be a community?", we answer the question, "What does it mean to be a church?"
Jesus didn't have the same idea as we do about church.
Church is not what is contained in four walls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We used to stop by and visit people.
Now people are too busy for company.
We are too busy for community.
From the beginning of mankind, God has warned humanity that it isn't good to be alone.
God has formed the community at New Life and brought people together from all over the place. Satan himself, cannot stop this church; this community of believers.
As we wait for His return, we are to build a community of faith.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The second commandment is a reflection on how well we are keeping the first commandment. If we are not loving our neighbor, we should not say that we love God.
In Acts 2:40-47, we read how the young church were in community with each other. They were being taught the scriptures; they ate together; they shared their belongings with each other, and they prayed together.
Folks on the outside watched this community with awe and many signs and wonders were done through the apostles. Many were getting saved and the church enjoyed the good will and favor of the local people.
If you took the fellowship out, there would be no awe; no miracles; and no people getting saved. !!!!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What is our responsibility?
#1-Consistency-be committed.
Consistency is living a life that is consistent before the Lord everyday; you are the same person on Monday and Tuesday as you are in a Sunday service.
Be consistent in friendship-a friend loveth at ALL times.
Consistency in community is about consistency in relationships.
#2-Encouragement-the arm around a shoulder
1 Thess, 5:11-"So encourage and build one another up..."
#3-Authenticity-Be real
Jesus was authentic. He said in the garden that He was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. He didn't hide His need. He needed His friends to be with Him. He needed that arm around His shoulder.
The 'holiness' thing is over-the appearance of 'having it all together'-'holier than thou'
type of aura.
I need your help. I am just a sinner saved by grace.
Alot of groups can be authentic. Bowling leagues can have community and meet on a consistent basis an be completely authentic.
What is the difference between church community and other kinds of community?
#4-The Presence of God
God takes the things we have in the natural and makes them supernatural.
Like the early church,
if we are consistently committed to one another,
if we are full of encouragement towards one another,
if we are authentic and real,
and if we believe in Him and have His presence with us,
then we will experience genuine community.
People will be in awe of our love for one another,
and signs and wonders will follow,
and people will be saved.
The Presence of God in our midst convicts us of anything in our lives that does not line up with His image. He calls us to give account for every idle word. Our words are to be used to build each other up. The look on our faces, our smiles, the arm around the shoulder, our words; all of these things communicate value and respect to those in our lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amen and Amen.
We don't have to be best friends with everybody.
We don't even have to like everybody.
But we do need to be kind to each other and treat each other respectfully.
If I really love you,
I will want you to increase, even if it means my decrease;
I will smile and say "Hello" even if you don't respond.
I will assume the best about you and pray for you when you seem out of sorts.
I will find that treasure within you and be your friend.
And then we'll have community.
We'll have church.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Someone just shared this story with me.
It went something like this.
Suppose someone is in the middle of the river of life, trying to navigate themselves to safety, over slippery rocks and protruding branches. We can stand on the bank and call out directions, telling them where to put their feet and what they should hold on to. It would be good of us to help them in this way and we would be protecting our own well-being in the process.
Or, we can get in the river with them, and hold their hand, and risk getting wet and injured and having our own weaknesses exposed. Others might misunderstand what we are doing. But we could get in there and have a real relationship with them and guide them to safety with our presence rather than just our words.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It costs a great deal to really relate to people.
Jesus gave His life in order to relate to people forever.
I think dying to one's self and relating to people in true friendship have much in common.
Help us be the kind of friend to others that you are to us, Jesus.
And help us be your friend.
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