Memorial Day Week-End

Memorial Day Week-End

To those who have served in the Armed Forces in the past or currently, thank-you. Your memories may be filled with training, pain, and sacrifice on our behalf. For many, the memories are difficult to even verbalize.

Our memories are filled with the freedom that you have defended.

To those who have lost loved ones in a battle to protect this nation, thank-you. Your memories were painfully cut short of the one that you will always love. Your memories may be filled with good times of the past and hard news that was delivered.

Our memories are filled with the freedom that your loved one believed in.

To the One who gave His life so that we could really be free beyond what any nation could afford or protect, thank-you. You have thrown from Your memory my sin so that I would know relationship with Your Father.

Our lives are filled with the freedom that You gave Your life for.

Remembering,

Pastor Dave

being reminded of our rights

Samuel Adams wrote on the topic of the rights of Colonists in 1772.  He said that individual rights, "may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament."

Sometimes we need to be reminded of our rights.

We have the right to have an open, intimate, and growing relationship with God.  This basic right is not based on our merit or value, it is based on and empowered by the merit and value of the sacrifice of Christ.  The Christ event is the core of our Christian rights.

We have the right to forgive people.  The mercy we receive from God is to be distributed to others.  Sometimes we think we have the right to hold a grudge - we don't.

We have the right to full surrender.  Everything we have we are stewards of as God's family.  Sometimes we think we have the right to selfishness - we don't.

We have the right to persecution.  Suffering for Christ is part of the call and example that has been given to us. Sometimes we think we have the right to comfort - we don't.

We have the right to serve.  Giving of moments, muscle, and money is a reality of Christ-like living that bears the fruit of God's kingdom.  Sometimes we think we have the right to be served - we don't.

We have the right to hold our tongue.  Words damage when delivered from a skewed motive or a platform of anger.  We think we have the right to "free speech" - we don't.

We have the right to live holy lives.  The behavior and actions of a Christ-follower are to be behaviors and actions through which the Holy Spirit can point to the Father as our empowerment.  We think we have the right to do what we want - we don't.

We have the right to be dependent.  We need God for everything!  Our hunger for God should only be surpassed by our worship of God.  Worship of God produces a greater hunger for him.  We understand the work of God to the degree that we are honest about our need for God.  We think we have the right to be self-sufficient - we don't.

We have the right to follow.  Life is not about impacting others it's about being impacted by God so he can impact others through us.  We think we have the right to lead - we don't.

Today I will exercise my rights as a Christ-follower.

Thinking,

Pastor Dave              

Missing the Point

"Jesus, I thought I'd bring a few issues to you this Friday.  

1. It seems that bitterness is growing in our nation.  We've built our sand castles on success and the "American dream" and the waves have exposed them as far less than sturdy.  It's even in the church.  We've forgotten how to define ministry the way you do.  Appearances are valued more than substance even in the gathering of your people.  When our castles don't support us the way we would like we get angry and blame people... usually the wrong people.  
I think the church needs revival

2. There are a a lot of people who are dear to me that are really having a hard time right now.  I keep trying to come up with the right words that will cause people to know your power and find that my words don't cut it.  I guess we need to quit trying to find ways to "fix" people and risk loving them through what often doesn't make sense.  We're not enough.  The stuff is too big for us.  We have no quick solutions.  We really need to learn how to be more dependent on you and less dependent on comfort.
I think the church needs revival

3. Our idols keep us too busy for you.  I didn't mean to say "idols," that was a slip on my part.  They aren't idols - they are priorities.  It's not like I bow down to them... I just hold them higher than you.  That's not an idol is it?  It's just that everything is so important right now.  You are eternity, but I'm doing "right now" right now.  Sometimes I wonder what single surrender looks and feels like.  I'm trying to surrender to a lot of different things.
I think the church needs revival.

4. Too many people haven't placed their faith in you and that doesn't really worry us.  I think we are not as passionate about the lost as you are.  We can send a check or let someone else carry that load.  
I think the church needs revival.

5. Toleration has pretended to be unity.  It's too risky to be real.  I guess it's better to be a surfer than a deep sea diver.  Staying on the surface is ok isn't it?  The busy thing is part of this.  I don't have the time to really walk with someone through the journey.  The journey is best left as an individual thing.  I know you had different plans, but that's how we've learned to do it.  
I think the church needs revival.

6. We care so much about what I can't find in the Bible.
I think the church needs revival.

The answers seem to be the same.  

I'm going to work on a list of people that need to let you bring revival.  I know if they would get on the ball life would be different for them and the church.

Well, It's been nice talking with you Jesus.  
Amen."

Missing the Point,

Dave

Friday Thought

Paul to Agrippa "I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:29)

Is that part of the heart of the Christian church?  Have we surrendered so fully to what God is doing in our spirits that we can proclaim, "I want you to have what I have?  I pray that God would do for your soul what I have let him do in mine."

In context Paul wasn't hoping people would mimic his personal characteristics, he was proclaiming a desire that all listening would know Jesus and let Him change their worlds like He did Paul's.  What Paul "was" was a believer.

Requirements before I can say what Paul said:
1. I must be fully repentant for who I have been and what I have done.  I've got to cross through the fire of conviction and repentance before I can wade in the waters of freedom.
2. I have to let grace do its job.  In other words If I confess and repent I must not demand to continue to punish myself for what I have been forgiven of.  Paul had regrets, but he moved on.
3. I have to be willing to engage in what God has for me.  I can't long for God to bring you to where I am if where I am is on the couch of spiritual stagnation.  I would never wish that someone else would know mediocrity.
4. I must embrace the ever growing and changing nature of the spiritual journey.  There is never to be a time when I stop growing and learning of God.
5. I must be honest about what is negative.  "I don't want you to have to deal with ______, but I want you to know Jesus."      
6. I need to surrender to what He has called me to - even if it is chains.  And when the chains happen (whatever form they take) I am to remain focused on what is eternal.
7. I need to let God make me what He longs for me to be.  Now I am angry - He will make me compassionate.  Now I am feeble - He will build up my spirit.  Now I am faithless - He will move mountains through me.  Before I can say what Paul said I need to let God be who God is.  

The reason that's important is because He wants us to be able to say what Paul said!

My Sample:
Today I struggle with a cold and I hunger to be in the center of God's will.  I pray that you would all know what God is doing in me... except for the cold.  

What would happen if we all had prayers like that?

Your Sample:
  "Lord I pray that _____ would know the freedom that you are taking me to, but protect them from the scars I have."

I dreaming about what could happen to our church/city if...

Servant,

Pastor Dave