If you're just catching up with my blog today, this title will need some explaining. Mother Theresa once asked a woman desiring to minister with her, "Where is your Calcutta?" This question sent this woman on her own journey with God to find the place God was calling her to and resourcing her for. However, knowing where your "Calcutta" is and actually doing something about it are two different things. This week I want to write to you about building in your Calcutta and it building something in you.
Building requires action. Unfortunately, many of us adopt a hyper-predestined mentality that births an attitude that thinks, "If God wants it done, He'll get it done." I can tell you that mentality does not impress God and it does not save lives or restore dignity to broken people. Yes, building requires action. In the Book of Nehemiah we find Nehemiah appalled when he hears of the conditions in Jerusalem (broken walls and broken people). In his recognition of this and then ownership of it (he took personal responsibility for Jerusalem), he then took action. From his privileged position as a Cupbearer, won through faithfulness and integrity, he makes a bold but calculated move (there were four months between his hearing about Jerusalem and his coming before the king to ask his favor). He approaches the king with sadness. Because the king had never seen him sad before, he asked him about this. Nehemiah then lays out the situation. While he is doing this, Nehemiah is talking to God, and God is talking to the king. How do we know this? Because the king does something completely unexpected. He not only frees Nehemiah to go to his homeland and repair it, but he gives him an armed escort, papers stating this is the king's business and also all the lumber he needs to get the job done. Wow! Do you see how God meets Nehemiah's bold action with extravagant provision? It's really amazing.
I've been reading a great book lately called, "Sun Stand Still" by Steven Furtick. Listen to what he says,
"It's one thing to acknowledge that God is great. Most major world religions recognize that much about their respective deities. What sets the Christian faith apart is an unrelenting hope in the fact that God is good. That fact was settled once and for all on the cross. And it's really good news. After all, what good is infinite power if you have no access to it? Yes, God does whatever he desires. Thankfully, what he desires is to make his power and resources available to you. Then he wants them to seep from every pore of your life."
Do you see that last part? He desires to make His power and resources available to you! And for us to build in our Calcuttas, we absolutely need His power and resources.
I want to close this mini-series with this closing thought - When you and I recognize our Calcutta, own it and then take action to access God's power and resources, a certain discipline comes into our lives to maintain what God is doing. Why a certain discipline? Because it takes discipline to actually occupy your Calcutta day in and day out. I believe that when you walk down this R.O.A.D. (yes this was a build up to an acronym:) you will not want to go back to mediocre living. You will want this as a lifestyle of walking in cooperation with God's work on the earth (John 5:19).
Well, I hope I've provoked you to discover your Calcutta, own it, take action toward it and discipline it in your life. And just so you know I do my best not to just "spout words", but to live them myself, my wife and I have been living on this R.O.A.D. for years, but especially lately as we've prepared to go to China. Yes, this time next week we'll be in China. I can't believe it myself, but we'll be there for twelve days connecting with the Campus Target missionaries and taking them through a seminar called the R.O.A.D. How about that? You got the preview! Please do pray for us as we go into this nation, and also that my wife would have the support she needs to serve Campus Target not just for these twelve days, but for the next seven months. She has been commissioned to work on a special project here in Lima, NY for Campus Target until August. Thank you for your prayers and I'll be blogging again come February 10th!
Have a great week,
Pastor Eric
Friday, January 20, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Owning Your Calcutta
Last week I asked you, "Where's your Calcutta" in reference to the question Mother Theresa asked a new volunteer who was trying to find where she could serve God best. This week I want to talk to you about owning your Calcutta. In other words, taking on that place God is directing you to as your own, and its people as your people.
Let me give you a personal example. For years we were in youth ministry. One of the places we served was in Northwest Kansas in a Norman Rockwell type of a town called Oberlin (4 hours east of Denver). A leader in that community contacted me while I was in Bible school and asked my family to consider coming and setting up a community-wide youth ministry. It was a daunting invitation, but we came to realize this would be our "Calcutta" for how ever long God would have us there. After moving the six of us out there, I would go to the high school track each morning and run. For each lap I had a prayer that I put up to God for my family and then the community there. As I prayed for the community I looked at the stands that overlooked the track and football field and I declared, "These are the people you have called me to God. They are my brothers and my sisters and I long for all of them to know You and be released from all the enemy's plans against them. In time they adopted us as family into their community and we adopted them as our family. Best of all, we saw God move in our lives and in their lives in some very special ways.
When I look at the Book of Nehemiah (chapter 1 particularly) I see Nehemiah taking ownership and personal responsibility for Jerusalem. We see this most clearly in his prayer (Nehemiah 1:5-11). In his prayer we see these characteristics:
1. He starts with worship - Nehemiah understood perspective is everything! He understood that first things first meant he would start his journey to Jerusalem by worshiping the God he had loved and served his whole life.
2. He cries out for God's ear - In this way Nehemiah revealed the depth of his intentions to God. He knew he needed God's help and he was also letting God know that he was fully invested in this venture.
3. He confesses the sins of his people and his own sin - Listen to his words, "I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against You." Do you see how Nehemiah takes personal ownership for the sins of his people and himself, acknowledging this is why Jerusalem was in such a mess? It is so important for us as Christians not to stand aloof and distant from the problems around us, but to engage, take ownership, repent and then move forward with our active involvement.
4. He reminds God of His judgment again Israel - Nehemiah brought back to God's attention what He said He would do if the people turned against Him and His commandments, specifically that He would scatter the peoples. In fact, this is exactly what happened as the people were overtaken in war, captured and exiled throughout Babylon.
5. He reminds God of His promise - Nehemiah repeats the promise God gave that if His people would return to Him and turn away from their sins, He would gather them again into His holy city, Jerusalem (which is a foreshadowing of what He will do when He gathers His people to Himself when He comes again). Hallelujah!
6. He then closes by asking for the help he would need - Nehemiah is not only a classic leader, but he is also very practical. He ends his prayer by basically saying, "Lord, here we go. I must ask favor of this king you have directed me to serve. However, if you are not with me and your favor is not upon me, I'm toast. Help!"
In this prayer Nehemiah is laying out a great model of prayer for us. So, may I ask you again, "Where's your Calcutta?" And, if you understand where it is God would have you serve Him (in your office, your kitchen, your truck, a ministry somewhere, etc.), have you taken personal ownership of it. Are you all in? If so, I would encourage you to craft a prayer using Nehemiah's model above.
Next week I want to talk to you about taking action concerning the place God has appointed for you. In the meantime, may He richly bless and encourage you. There is nothing too big for Him for all things are possible with Him!
See you next week,
Pastor Eric
P.S. I'm looking outside my office window right now and seeing our first real snow fall of the year in Western New York. Time to pull the cross-country skate skis out!
Let me give you a personal example. For years we were in youth ministry. One of the places we served was in Northwest Kansas in a Norman Rockwell type of a town called Oberlin (4 hours east of Denver). A leader in that community contacted me while I was in Bible school and asked my family to consider coming and setting up a community-wide youth ministry. It was a daunting invitation, but we came to realize this would be our "Calcutta" for how ever long God would have us there. After moving the six of us out there, I would go to the high school track each morning and run. For each lap I had a prayer that I put up to God for my family and then the community there. As I prayed for the community I looked at the stands that overlooked the track and football field and I declared, "These are the people you have called me to God. They are my brothers and my sisters and I long for all of them to know You and be released from all the enemy's plans against them. In time they adopted us as family into their community and we adopted them as our family. Best of all, we saw God move in our lives and in their lives in some very special ways.
When I look at the Book of Nehemiah (chapter 1 particularly) I see Nehemiah taking ownership and personal responsibility for Jerusalem. We see this most clearly in his prayer (Nehemiah 1:5-11). In his prayer we see these characteristics:
1. He starts with worship - Nehemiah understood perspective is everything! He understood that first things first meant he would start his journey to Jerusalem by worshiping the God he had loved and served his whole life.
2. He cries out for God's ear - In this way Nehemiah revealed the depth of his intentions to God. He knew he needed God's help and he was also letting God know that he was fully invested in this venture.
3. He confesses the sins of his people and his own sin - Listen to his words, "I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against You." Do you see how Nehemiah takes personal ownership for the sins of his people and himself, acknowledging this is why Jerusalem was in such a mess? It is so important for us as Christians not to stand aloof and distant from the problems around us, but to engage, take ownership, repent and then move forward with our active involvement.
4. He reminds God of His judgment again Israel - Nehemiah brought back to God's attention what He said He would do if the people turned against Him and His commandments, specifically that He would scatter the peoples. In fact, this is exactly what happened as the people were overtaken in war, captured and exiled throughout Babylon.
5. He reminds God of His promise - Nehemiah repeats the promise God gave that if His people would return to Him and turn away from their sins, He would gather them again into His holy city, Jerusalem (which is a foreshadowing of what He will do when He gathers His people to Himself when He comes again). Hallelujah!
6. He then closes by asking for the help he would need - Nehemiah is not only a classic leader, but he is also very practical. He ends his prayer by basically saying, "Lord, here we go. I must ask favor of this king you have directed me to serve. However, if you are not with me and your favor is not upon me, I'm toast. Help!"
In this prayer Nehemiah is laying out a great model of prayer for us. So, may I ask you again, "Where's your Calcutta?" And, if you understand where it is God would have you serve Him (in your office, your kitchen, your truck, a ministry somewhere, etc.), have you taken personal ownership of it. Are you all in? If so, I would encourage you to craft a prayer using Nehemiah's model above.
Next week I want to talk to you about taking action concerning the place God has appointed for you. In the meantime, may He richly bless and encourage you. There is nothing too big for Him for all things are possible with Him!
See you next week,
Pastor Eric
P.S. I'm looking outside my office window right now and seeing our first real snow fall of the year in Western New York. Time to pull the cross-country skate skis out!
Friday, January 6, 2012
"What's Your Calcutta?"
"What's your Calcutta?" This is the question Mother Theresa posed to a person who came to her and expressed their desire to emulate her and serve alongside her in India. Rather than capitalize on the emotion of the moment and recruit another volunteer into her work in Calcutta, Mother Theresa asked this person to probe their heart further by asking this question, "What's your Calcutta?"
I would like to ask the same question of you today. In the Book of Nehemiah we see Nehemiah coming to the realization of his "Calcutta" when his brother Hanani comes to visit Nehemiah. The story tells us Hanani comes to Nehemiah in Susa where Nehemiah was serving the king in a high-level position as his cupbearer. Nehemiah's first question to his brother is, "How is the Jewish remnant that survived the exile doing? And how is Jerusalem itself?" Hanani and the men with him answered, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." These two sentences changed Nehemiah's life! Immediately this report stirred the depths of Nehemiah's spirit and brought about what I would call ACUTE RECOGNITION. Acute means critical or crucial. In other words Nehemiah's recognition of what was going on in Jerusalem HIT HIM LIKE A TRUCK.
What is hitting you like a truck? What is your Calcutta? I want to provoke you. I want to provoke myself. You might be saying to yourself right now, "Come on, Pastor Eric, really? I'm just glad I made it through the holidays!" However, you know deep down God is calling to your deep places. He is calling forth your destiny in Him as you enter this New Year. So, because I know this is a really provoking question, and I don't want you to be immobilized by it, I would like to give you some steps toward recognizing your Calcutta. Here they are:
1. STOP, DROP AND LISTEN - Dedicate some time to God. Our church starts a 21 day fast (various fasts including food or media or whatever God is asking of us to lay aside in order for us to focus on the One Thing - Him), which is going to give us a great opportunity to stop, drop and listen.
2. UNDERSTAND IT'S ALL HIM - I can almost guarantee when you stop, drop and listen the first thing you are going to experience is self-recriminating thoughts like, "I am not who I should be, or how can God use such a weak vessel as me?" Let me tell you something you already know deep inside - It's never been about you in the first place. It's all Him! And He tells us clearly in His Word that He uses the weak things of this world to shame the mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27).
3. ASK THE QUESTION - Once your spirit is settled, you've positioned yourself to be secure in God Your Father and are now open to whatever He has on His heart, ask Him the question, "Father, what is my Calcutta?"
4. RECOGNIZE GOD'S HEART CRY - You have asked the critical question. Now, allow the Holy Spirit to help you recognize God's heart cry that He wants you to respond to. Is it the neighbor next door who you know is not right with God and it's time for you to recognize how truly awful their situation without Christ is? Or is it an area of the world God is showing you that is in deep need - so much so that you begin to weep over that country? Or is it the atrocity of abortion that you've always had a concern about, but have pushed it to that "Can't do anything about that" shelf? Only God has these answers for you, but I can assure you that He cares very much about all these areas and many more, but the point is that He has a place on the wall where you can play your vital part. So, Mother Theresa's question comes back again, "What's your Calcutta?"
Next week we'll talk about OWNING YOUR CALCUTTA.
Until then,
Pastor Eric
I would like to ask the same question of you today. In the Book of Nehemiah we see Nehemiah coming to the realization of his "Calcutta" when his brother Hanani comes to visit Nehemiah. The story tells us Hanani comes to Nehemiah in Susa where Nehemiah was serving the king in a high-level position as his cupbearer. Nehemiah's first question to his brother is, "How is the Jewish remnant that survived the exile doing? And how is Jerusalem itself?" Hanani and the men with him answered, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." These two sentences changed Nehemiah's life! Immediately this report stirred the depths of Nehemiah's spirit and brought about what I would call ACUTE RECOGNITION. Acute means critical or crucial. In other words Nehemiah's recognition of what was going on in Jerusalem HIT HIM LIKE A TRUCK.
What is hitting you like a truck? What is your Calcutta? I want to provoke you. I want to provoke myself. You might be saying to yourself right now, "Come on, Pastor Eric, really? I'm just glad I made it through the holidays!" However, you know deep down God is calling to your deep places. He is calling forth your destiny in Him as you enter this New Year. So, because I know this is a really provoking question, and I don't want you to be immobilized by it, I would like to give you some steps toward recognizing your Calcutta. Here they are:
1. STOP, DROP AND LISTEN - Dedicate some time to God. Our church starts a 21 day fast (various fasts including food or media or whatever God is asking of us to lay aside in order for us to focus on the One Thing - Him), which is going to give us a great opportunity to stop, drop and listen.
2. UNDERSTAND IT'S ALL HIM - I can almost guarantee when you stop, drop and listen the first thing you are going to experience is self-recriminating thoughts like, "I am not who I should be, or how can God use such a weak vessel as me?" Let me tell you something you already know deep inside - It's never been about you in the first place. It's all Him! And He tells us clearly in His Word that He uses the weak things of this world to shame the mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27).
3. ASK THE QUESTION - Once your spirit is settled, you've positioned yourself to be secure in God Your Father and are now open to whatever He has on His heart, ask Him the question, "Father, what is my Calcutta?"
4. RECOGNIZE GOD'S HEART CRY - You have asked the critical question. Now, allow the Holy Spirit to help you recognize God's heart cry that He wants you to respond to. Is it the neighbor next door who you know is not right with God and it's time for you to recognize how truly awful their situation without Christ is? Or is it an area of the world God is showing you that is in deep need - so much so that you begin to weep over that country? Or is it the atrocity of abortion that you've always had a concern about, but have pushed it to that "Can't do anything about that" shelf? Only God has these answers for you, but I can assure you that He cares very much about all these areas and many more, but the point is that He has a place on the wall where you can play your vital part. So, Mother Theresa's question comes back again, "What's your Calcutta?"
Next week we'll talk about OWNING YOUR CALCUTTA.
Until then,
Pastor Eric
Friday, December 30, 2011
Be Big! Be A Builder!
An old rock station I used to listen to when I was a teen often used this motto, "Be Big! Be a builder!" At the time I really had no idea what they were referring to, but the motto stuck with me. Later, after I answered the call of God to forsake my life and follow Him (a call that has been going out to all mankind since the dawn of time), this thought grabbed my attention in a new way. In the Bible the Book of Psalms is opened up with this verse in Psalm 1:1,
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers."
Do you see that last thought, "...or sit in the seat of mockers"? Over the years I have seen just how easy it is for me to criticize and judge others around me, and I hate to say it, but especially as a Christian. Why as a Christian, you might ask? Simply because the standard Jesus presents to the Body of Christ is a standard that in human terms can not be reached. So, instead of accessing the power we need to lift up this standard through faith, we tend to give way to our own "soul drift" by looking at others and judging their lack of attaining the standard Christ raises. After all, why would I want to look at my own sin when other's sins are so much easier to make note of? God forgive me - God forgive us! So, the thought comes again, "Be big! Be a builder!" In other words be a blessed man or woman by walking right past the seat of mockers and take up the position of a builder on the wall of God's Kingdom.
For the next several weeks I want to bring before you a man I have deeply respected over the years. He was not a contractor by trade, but he chose to be one because one was needed in a dire situation. In fact, he was a counselor to the highest level of leadership in a government he was serving. Yet, he gave up this prestige and position to be big - to be a builder! I am speaking of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah lived approximately 450 years prior to the birth of Christ. He was serving as a Jew in exile during the Babylonian captivity under King Artaxerxes. Because he served with integrity, he soon rose to a high level of trust in the king's "cabinet". By profession he was a Cupbearer, which meant he tested the king's drink before he drank it in order that no foul play would occur against the king (history indicates that King Artaxerxes' father was poisoned). However, his job did not simply consist of tasting drinks before they were drunk by the king, but it consisted of a high level of trust that the king leaned upon when he wanted counsel concerning something. He knew that in Nehemiah he would not hear what Nehemiah thought the king wanted to hear, but he would hear constructive thoughts that called things as he saw them, but also did not leave those things in that condition long.
So, what about you? Have you found yourself slipping into that "seat of mockers" lately and your gut is telling you, "This is wrong. God has called me to something better?" If so, I encourage you to take a cue from Nehemiah's life and choose to be a person who can be trusted by those you serve right now so that in time, when God helps you see something that needs your attention, you will be in a position to respond by being big! Being a builder!
My hope is that these thoughts will spur you towards a wonderful New Year in 2012 where you find yourself enjoying your work on the wall where God has assigned you!
Have a great week, Pastor Eric
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers."
Do you see that last thought, "...or sit in the seat of mockers"? Over the years I have seen just how easy it is for me to criticize and judge others around me, and I hate to say it, but especially as a Christian. Why as a Christian, you might ask? Simply because the standard Jesus presents to the Body of Christ is a standard that in human terms can not be reached. So, instead of accessing the power we need to lift up this standard through faith, we tend to give way to our own "soul drift" by looking at others and judging their lack of attaining the standard Christ raises. After all, why would I want to look at my own sin when other's sins are so much easier to make note of? God forgive me - God forgive us! So, the thought comes again, "Be big! Be a builder!" In other words be a blessed man or woman by walking right past the seat of mockers and take up the position of a builder on the wall of God's Kingdom.
For the next several weeks I want to bring before you a man I have deeply respected over the years. He was not a contractor by trade, but he chose to be one because one was needed in a dire situation. In fact, he was a counselor to the highest level of leadership in a government he was serving. Yet, he gave up this prestige and position to be big - to be a builder! I am speaking of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah lived approximately 450 years prior to the birth of Christ. He was serving as a Jew in exile during the Babylonian captivity under King Artaxerxes. Because he served with integrity, he soon rose to a high level of trust in the king's "cabinet". By profession he was a Cupbearer, which meant he tested the king's drink before he drank it in order that no foul play would occur against the king (history indicates that King Artaxerxes' father was poisoned). However, his job did not simply consist of tasting drinks before they were drunk by the king, but it consisted of a high level of trust that the king leaned upon when he wanted counsel concerning something. He knew that in Nehemiah he would not hear what Nehemiah thought the king wanted to hear, but he would hear constructive thoughts that called things as he saw them, but also did not leave those things in that condition long.
So, what about you? Have you found yourself slipping into that "seat of mockers" lately and your gut is telling you, "This is wrong. God has called me to something better?" If so, I encourage you to take a cue from Nehemiah's life and choose to be a person who can be trusted by those you serve right now so that in time, when God helps you see something that needs your attention, you will be in a position to respond by being big! Being a builder!
My hope is that these thoughts will spur you towards a wonderful New Year in 2012 where you find yourself enjoying your work on the wall where God has assigned you!
Have a great week, Pastor Eric
Friday, December 23, 2011
For To Us A Child Is Born!
Isaiah 9:6 rings like the bells of a steeple spreading their glorious sounds out into the streets of mankind telling us today that hope lives because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Drink in the message that is the foundation of the Christmas story:
Isaiah 9:6
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
There is so much about this verse that causes hope to rise in my heart, but what I would like to highlight is that God sent a Child - His only Son. Think for a moment about the vulnerability of a baby and then take in the realization that God wrapped His Son in the vulnerable frame of an infant. On every conceivable level reasonable men and women would deem this to be a stupendous folly. Why would anyone rest the hope of the nations upon a child?
Here is my attempt at an answer to this question. God sent His Son, an infant boy, into this world and allowed Him to be small and vulnerable because He knows just how small and vulnerable each one of us can be in the darkest hour of our lives. God the Father designed the unveiling of His Son as an infant born into a messy stable (see last week's blog pertaining to this) so that no living person would ever think of God as being distant and not understanding of their vulnerable state. In fact, God with the full authority of who He is, speaks to us through His Son saying, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Do you see the relationship God desires to have with you in this kingdom statement? God wants you to fully rely on Him as a child just as Jesus did when He was born into this very dangerous world.
So, today, I would like to encourage you to sit back, take a deep breath and receive the Kingdom of God afresh as a little child with the deep realization that He's got you. Yes, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace has got you. You are ok as long as you receive and continue to receive Him and His kingdom as a child.
From my family, to you and yours, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Pastor Eric
P.S. If you have no other plans, please come to our Christmas Eve night at the church. Sleigh rides start at 5 p.m., program starts at 6 and 8 p.m. with a live nativity in the lobby and lots of free hot chocolate!
Drink in the message that is the foundation of the Christmas story:
Isaiah 9:6
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
There is so much about this verse that causes hope to rise in my heart, but what I would like to highlight is that God sent a Child - His only Son. Think for a moment about the vulnerability of a baby and then take in the realization that God wrapped His Son in the vulnerable frame of an infant. On every conceivable level reasonable men and women would deem this to be a stupendous folly. Why would anyone rest the hope of the nations upon a child?
Here is my attempt at an answer to this question. God sent His Son, an infant boy, into this world and allowed Him to be small and vulnerable because He knows just how small and vulnerable each one of us can be in the darkest hour of our lives. God the Father designed the unveiling of His Son as an infant born into a messy stable (see last week's blog pertaining to this) so that no living person would ever think of God as being distant and not understanding of their vulnerable state. In fact, God with the full authority of who He is, speaks to us through His Son saying, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Do you see the relationship God desires to have with you in this kingdom statement? God wants you to fully rely on Him as a child just as Jesus did when He was born into this very dangerous world.
So, today, I would like to encourage you to sit back, take a deep breath and receive the Kingdom of God afresh as a little child with the deep realization that He's got you. Yes, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace has got you. You are ok as long as you receive and continue to receive Him and His kingdom as a child.
From my family, to you and yours, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Pastor Eric
P.S. If you have no other plans, please come to our Christmas Eve night at the church. Sleigh rides start at 5 p.m., program starts at 6 and 8 p.m. with a live nativity in the lobby and lots of free hot chocolate!
Friday, December 16, 2011
When the Time Comes, I'll...
"When the time comes, I'll give you a call about that." I'm sure you've heard yourself say this from time to time. "When the time comes, I'll..." - Isn't that an interesting start to a sentence? It's absolutely pregnant with possibilities. For example, "When the time comes, I'll let you know about the job you are interested in." Hearing this from an employer is something every perspective employee wants to hear. Of course, it's not definite yet, but it is filled with the possibility of new employment. As important as employment is, I want to take this to a much higher level. Let me explain.
Galatians 4:4 states, "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman..." In essence, God was saying in the Old Testament, "When the time comes, I am sending you My Son to make it possible for all those in captivity to be set free (Isaiah 61:1)." And then we see in the New Testament that the time came at just the right moment in human history for our Savior to be born. This causes me to ask what made that time so perfect?
From a human perspective the birth of royalty is something to be honored with plush preparations, homage given and all the "bells and whistles" afforded to royalty. However, with God Almighty we see something completely different. We see His Son, Jesus, born into the height of sinfulness to a people under the hobnailed boot of Rome. There were no plush preparations. In fact, there was no room in the inn at all! When He was born, it was into a stable with animals as witnesses to the birth of the most important person born in history. Take a moment and think about that and then realize that God the Father would not have had it any other way. This was the way His Son would enter our lives. Make no mistake about it - when He comes the second time it will be in full royal regal, but this trip started in a stable right when the "time had come".
So, why might this matter to you and I, or to the people in our lives? Simply because the Lord Jesus Christ did not come to be served, but to serve right in the middle of a messed up world. People's lives today (no matter how great they seem on the outside) are just like that stable without Jesus. Messy, smelly and needing new life to be born into them.
Now, I'd like you to do something. Please take a moment and think about what Christmas really means from God's perspective. As you do this, I'd like you to think of one "messy stable" situation in your life, or in the life of someone you have been praying for. Then allow God Almighty to show you that He is interested in this situation and in no way offended by it. In fact, it was for this very reason that He sent Jesus into the world. As you ponder this "messy stable" ask God to be "born into that stable" and bring about the redemption needed. He still answers prayer! I do not think you could regret this little exercise. If you get a chance, write a comment on this blog and let me know how it goes. Of course, you should not mention the particular situation, but simply your interaction with God your Father.
By the way, before I sign off I want to tell you about a couple of movies my wife and I watched on Netflix recently that really encouraged us:
- The Miracle of the Bells
- The Bells of St. Mary's
They are old flicks, but they are good ones!
Have a great week - Pastor Eric
Galatians 4:4 states, "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman..." In essence, God was saying in the Old Testament, "When the time comes, I am sending you My Son to make it possible for all those in captivity to be set free (Isaiah 61:1)." And then we see in the New Testament that the time came at just the right moment in human history for our Savior to be born. This causes me to ask what made that time so perfect?
From a human perspective the birth of royalty is something to be honored with plush preparations, homage given and all the "bells and whistles" afforded to royalty. However, with God Almighty we see something completely different. We see His Son, Jesus, born into the height of sinfulness to a people under the hobnailed boot of Rome. There were no plush preparations. In fact, there was no room in the inn at all! When He was born, it was into a stable with animals as witnesses to the birth of the most important person born in history. Take a moment and think about that and then realize that God the Father would not have had it any other way. This was the way His Son would enter our lives. Make no mistake about it - when He comes the second time it will be in full royal regal, but this trip started in a stable right when the "time had come".
So, why might this matter to you and I, or to the people in our lives? Simply because the Lord Jesus Christ did not come to be served, but to serve right in the middle of a messed up world. People's lives today (no matter how great they seem on the outside) are just like that stable without Jesus. Messy, smelly and needing new life to be born into them.
Now, I'd like you to do something. Please take a moment and think about what Christmas really means from God's perspective. As you do this, I'd like you to think of one "messy stable" situation in your life, or in the life of someone you have been praying for. Then allow God Almighty to show you that He is interested in this situation and in no way offended by it. In fact, it was for this very reason that He sent Jesus into the world. As you ponder this "messy stable" ask God to be "born into that stable" and bring about the redemption needed. He still answers prayer! I do not think you could regret this little exercise. If you get a chance, write a comment on this blog and let me know how it goes. Of course, you should not mention the particular situation, but simply your interaction with God your Father.
By the way, before I sign off I want to tell you about a couple of movies my wife and I watched on Netflix recently that really encouraged us:
- The Miracle of the Bells
- The Bells of St. Mary's
They are old flicks, but they are good ones!
Have a great week - Pastor Eric
Friday, December 9, 2011
This Changes Everything!
You have probably heard this expression, "This changes everything!" Most often, this expression is an exaggeration, but at critical times in history like Pearl Harbor or 911 this expression fits.
However, nothing fits this expression better than the day the Lord Jesus Christ entered planet earth as a babe born in a place normally reserved for the sheltering of animals. Now, here we are in the year 2011 celebrating the Advent Season. Advent is taken from the Latin word Adventus, which means coming. While we celebrate His coming, we also realize He came! Yet, as human beings we tend to forget how important Jesus' coming was unless we reflect on His coming. By reflecting on His coming, we come to really appreciate the truth that He came. It's like (of course not a close comparison at all) that first bicycle you were blessed with as a child. A huge part of the joy was the anticipation of receiving the bike. So, often when you think about your first bike, you think about the days leading up to it and then of course your first ride down the street! So, this season of Advent season really does have deep significance for the Christ-follower as we discipline ourselves to stop and reflect on His coming to take all our sins away and be the One True Light in our darkness (this is one reason why the advent wreath has candles which are lit each week).
So, at this very moment I want so very much to express to You the importance of what Jesus did in His coming, His living and teaching, His death and His resurrection, but I'm so inadequate, even to the point of tears, to get across the depth of what He did. Even libraries filled with thoughts trying to express what His coming means are inadequate. Somehow, the only thing I can get out of my mouth is, "This changes everything!" So, in light of my inadequacy, listen to God Himself speak from Isaiah 60:1,
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."
Now, that does express what Jesus came for - to be the Light in the midst of our darkness - He truly does change everything!
So, here you are today facing life with joy in your heart for your blessings, but also wondering what the future has in store and how some of the troubles you know of can be overcome. Be encouraged dear one. He is your victory! He has overcome on your behalf and now your work and my work is to believe him (John 6:29) in the face of every situation with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:5-7). Our very faith is a celebration of this statement, "This changes everything!"
Have a great weekend! Pastor Eric
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