News from October 2010

Life or Death?

October 29, 2010

Ezekiel 18:25, 30–32

God is just and God is love…

Scripture continually brings to light both of these truths of God…yet in Ezekiel, both of these truths are questioned and challenged by the house of Israel…God’s response?

“Yet you say, the way of the Lord is not just. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?...Therefor I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the trangressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

…The heart of God for His people, even after all they have done to turn from Him and chosen to live apart from Him…is still love and compassion…He is calling them to Himself, He is showing them a way out…Sin cannot go unpunished, but there is redemption, if they just turn to Him and cast away all that has kept them entangled in sin…

I am once again reminded and confronted of the depth of my sin and the depth of the grace and love of Jesus…I am powerless to redeem myself, I deserve to pay over an over again for my sin…but Jesus, once and for all paid for it all and now I live in the freedom and the life of Him…

The story of Ezekiel, the story of the Bible, the story of my life is the story of the relentless pursuit of God for His people, that we might know and experience His love and the life that is in Him and in response, turn away from all that would lead us to death.

In everything today Jesus, help me to turn to you…Thank you for the life that I have in you, help me to live in it, in your Name, Amen.

Erin

October 28, 2010

Leadership of the Bride

For many people we enjoy watching hockey even if we have a losing team. But what we don’t often think about is how is a hockey team led. We’re aware of the coach that stands behind the players calling out commands to their players – but is there more?

Same is true of the church. Many would be aware of a pastor that appears to be the coach on the bench calling out commands to their congregation – but is there more?

This week we will be talking about how the bride of Christ, the church is to be led. We are going to talk about elders, who they are, what they do, and how they are to do what they do. Now for those that do not have a lot of church background, I’m going to guess that the idea of some sort of elder counsel probably stirs up some sort of Jedi counsel..

My hope is that not only will you become clear on who an elder is and what an elder does but that you would more importantly see the importance of these leaders in the bride.

See you Sunday 10.31.2010

Peace
Mike

October 28, 2010

Psalm 135: 15–18

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.

They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;

they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.

Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them!

Idolatry is an interesting thing isn’t it? I mean – we are so desperate to fill every void in our life that we run around like crazy trying to find things from which to draw some sort of value, some sort of meaning. Some idols are easy to identify…money, popularity, relationships, material possessions, control…

Other idols are trickier to point out – probably because they look like good things. Serving other people, volunteering, being a good parent, a good friend, leading a ministry – even being a pastor…

All of these things can become idols in the heart of the one who places so much worth in those things – that they become an ultimate concern in their heart. If you idolize giving to others you may find yourself not only burnt out, drained and without any time to rest…but also you may one day realize that you NEED others…you NEED to serve them, you NEED to be helping someone because if you’re not…how do you know you matter?

If you idolize being a good parent…and your kids begin to make choices that you wish they wouldn’t…you could be devasted….so much so that you would actually question your value as a human being…

I realize in my own life that my idols…the things that are so important to me that I fight tooth and nail to have them…and begin to panic when I think I might lose them…those things…they look SO POWERFUL….and yet the truth is…that they only have as much power as I give them.

They are created by me…mere statues of silver and gold Psalm 135 says….the simple work of human hands.

I CREATE my idols…and then I worship them….which of course….doesn’t make any sense.

And even worse…in creating and worship idols…I become just like them.

Lifeless and silent, without purpose or direction…because I was created for more….I was created to worship something bigger….and all the value and meaning and worth and identity that I am trying to draw out of these things I create…

Is already mine in the power of the Cross….

I guess today my prayer is that I would build a cross….directly in my line of sight towards all my idols. That EVERYTIME I look to something other than Jesus for my value, my identity…that by the grace of God I could build a CROSS between me and that thing…to remind myself….that It CANNOT FULFILL the promise that it makes…

But the cross can.

I don’t want to build idols for myself anymore….

I want to build a cross…and stare hard at that…because the work of Jesus on the Cross…is all that matters.

October 27, 2010

“But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of jail and brought them out.”
Acts 5:19

I read this passage and imagine myself in a modern day prison. If my cell door swung open, would I be bold enough to walk out? And to then preach the good news of Jesus? I feel like I would get up and close my door in fear. Fear that I could get caught or get in trouble.

These Apostles know exactly what needs to be done. What lengths would I go to in order to make the Lord’s name known? I feel like I’m going into a tangent…oh well. Lots of times I share the good news to a point where i am comfortable. Yet these apostles preach it all the way to jail. So I ask myself the question, “is it worth it?” Yes it is. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Father, I ask that you would prepare my heart for times of persecution. What an honour it would be to be thrown into prison because of my love for You! You are faithful father and You never abandon me. Thank you for reminding me where my worth and value lie. May I boldly declare it, fearless of the possible outcomes.

October 26, 2010

Ezekiel 14:3
“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that lead them into sin….”

I was recently asked the question “what does your foundation look like?”; in reference to the passage in Matthew 7. My immediate answer was that of “my foundation is definitely built on a solid rock”. However, after some thought I realized that though this is true, it may not be entirely true. As I thought about this question in greater detail, I began to picture my foundation and came up with this:

My foundation is built on a solid rock but it is closer to a cliff. The ground is slightly more unstable than if I were to build further away from the water. The waves of life crash up against the rock and with each wave comes a potential distraction….or idol.

Over the past couple of years, the Lord has been transforming me. He has been rocking my foundation and as a result I am moving further and further “in land”. At the same time, as I grow in my faith and in my love for Christ I know that the constant distractions of life have the ability to cause my foundation to waver. Christ is my Rock and my Refuge but I know that I often have to be reminded of that. I am not hard on myself because of this, I know that we as humans struggle with distractions and idols, but that does not mean that I should not try to defeat these distractions when they arise.

Idols, whether we realize it or not, are so easily set up in our hearts. Money, material possessions, people, etc…; the world today is full of things that have the ability to distract us and hinder our relationship with our Creator.

Father, I pray that You continue to transform me and call me “inland”. I pray that I look to You as my Rock and Refuge, always. That as the waves of life crash upon me, I would have the strength to look to You. That I would seek You always. I love you. Amen.

October 22, 2010

Psalms 134:1–2

1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.

In every moment God is to be praised…

I don’t come to God giving Him praise nearly enough, I come to Him with requests, with the honest broken state of my heart, with the brokenness that is all around me. Do I praise Him in these moments?

This passage is a call to those who serve in the night to not allow the praises of the Lord to stop…that just as the people praised the Lord and lifted their hands in the day, that the praises of the Lord would continue through the night…

I think that somehow, through my focus of asking to be led and guided, in asking for help to trust Jesus more, in asking for more of Jesus, in asking for what will bring me closer to Him, I have forgotten the importance of continual praise, I have failed to see Him and praise Him. In the seemingly good intentions of my heart, I have often missed the praise.

Jesus, today I recognize that I do not bring you the praise you deserve. Today I want to give you praise because of who you are and because this is what you call me to…Thank you Jesus! Amen.

Erin

October 21, 2010

The Bride Local

What if your doctor told you to take a blue pill that they placed in your hand.
They went on to say that if you do take the blue pill that it will protect you from disease and as well help you to grow in strength!

Your doctor has always been trustworthy to you for years.
Do you take the pill?

What if I told you that God has told you to take on a practice of gathering together.
God says that if you do take on this practice that it will protect you and as well this practice will help you to grow in strength!

God has always been trustworthy to you for years.
Do you take on the practice?

Luke 4:16 Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom.

Come check out this topic
SunRidge 10.24.2010

October 21, 2010

A long time ago in a far away place there was a collection of storytellers; they traveled from here to there and further down the road. Sometimes they told their stories to large crowds; sometimes one-on-one. The size of the audience didn’t matter, all that was needed was a listening ear.

Some stories do not sit well on shelves, not the kind that are still alive. Not the kind that are provocative. These are the kind they told; the kinds of stories that mean something, even if you only knew it when the story rang in your ears long after.

Storytelling was their profession, and by profession I don’t mean one’s occupation whereby you support yourself; but the life and the act and the priority of weaving words together such that people can’t help but listen. Storytelling, in other words, was first. How important are stories? Are they practical? Are they necessary? Apparently they thought so because storytelling, to them, was not a once-and-a-while kind of thing; it was their life; or better said, it was life.

I would have liked to have been there; to have heard these storytellers “live.” Now I read about them; for example in Acts 4:33. It says that there was a grace upon them; much grace. What does that mean?

There was this “merciful kindness” on them. This seems to be prerequisite for those who wish to have a story heard. Stories can’t be forced on people; people have to want to hear; wanting comes from being welcomed in.
* Grace, this outside influence, helped them tell stories that were holy. There are stories that are informational, and then there are stories that are transformational; their stories, as simple as some may have been, as ordinary as what just happened that day, landed on the souls of people. Even plain stories had a quality about them that wouldn’t go away; they kept speaking long after the storyteller had folded up his or her chair.
* Grace fed the storytellers; strengthening them to keep talking, learning, loving, changing. The stories and their life became one. The stories changed their life and their life became part of the story.

May such grace be upon me; the storytellers of old put theirs in my hands and before they turned, left instructions: “To be continued.”

—Teresa Klassen (http://www.onebrownleaf.wordpress.com)

October 21, 2010

Ezekiel 7:19b

…Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD…

I sometimes wonder to myself why it is that I work so hard to hoard possessions and financial security. Its not that I think its wrong to steward well, or to manage our finances in a smart way…but how do we know when we’ve taken it too far? How do I know when it is become more to me than simply “being wise?”

How do I know when I am actually looking to my money and my possessions to provide some sort of identity, some sort of meaning, some sort of….something that it was never meant to?

Because the truth is…that on the day of the wrath of the Lord….when judgment comes…all my silver…and all my gold…will not be able to deliver me.

Nothing I could ever earn or acquire will be able to do for me that which I need Jesus to do….and yet sometimes, I feel as though I ask it to…

I guess my question to myself today is simply this….is my money still just money? Or has it become more?

Jesus I don’t want to make an idol out of anything…and I want my heart and my identity to rest in you alone…please call my heart to a place where I rest in only you…the one who can deliver me.

October 20, 2010

“Be shepherds of Gods flock” 1 Peter 5:2

I’ve always considered myself somewhat of a shepherd; making sure people are well and that their needs are met. When I think of being a shepherd, I think of someone who watches out for the people they care about. That doesn’t sound too bad. But what about when that one sheep gets away? What lengths would I go to, to bring them back to the herd?

I have seen it so much throughout my life. People who have fallen off the straight and narrow into a pit of self indulgence. If I consider myself a shepherd, I need to be willing to go to whatever lengths to bring them back to you. Even if it causes me suffering. Showing the grace and love of God even if I end up suffering because of it. Later on in this verse it says, “not because you must, but because you are willing.”

Father, am I willing? In those moments when I help people, is glory being given to you, or to me? Help me to be a shepherd to all of those around me. Help me to give a darn when someone is stumbling and in need of help. If a friend is led astray, give me the courage to go after them! To you be the glory forever and ever,

Amen

October 19, 2010

“After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God’s message with boldness.” Acts 4:31

There are a few things that really strike me about this passage. Earlier on in the passage it says that the “believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer.” Their prayer was that the Lord would give them boldness in preaching and that all would be done in the name of Jesus.

The first thing that strikes me is that the believers came together and prayed in earnest. They came together so willing to be united in prayer and so confident that the Lord would answer. This is how we need to be as a body of believers. We need to be more willing to be united in prayer and in love. I have experienced the power of prayer; I have experienced the rest and peace that comes out of prayer; I have experienced the almost instant answers to prayer (much like the one in this passage). So why do I not do it more often? Why do we as believers only pray when necessary or prompted? Why do we not come together more often and unite ourselves in prayer?

Another thing that strikes me about this passage is their boldness in sharing God’s message. I struggle with this at times. It is so easy to talk about Jesus with believers because it is safe, there is no need to be bold because you know that you share common ground. However, I know I need to be more bold in my conversations with those around me. It is not hard for me to admit that I am a Christian but it is often hard for me to talk about it in great detail. I think my biggest struggle is that I often do not feel intelligent enough to answer questions or carry on the conversation. Will I be able to adequately explain my beliefs and confidently defend them? But the Lord calls us to be bold and to share His love and message with all people.

Father, give me great boldness. I want to share Your love with those around me. Fill me with Your Spirit and allow me to trust that You will speak through me. That You will guide me through all conversations. Use me Lord, I am Your willing servant….no matter how challenging it may be.

I love you. Amen.

Britt

October 18, 2010

“Each of you should use what ever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” 1Peter4:10

We are called by God to be good stewards of all the gifts He blesses us with; to not take for granted the grace and mercy God freely grants us. More often than not I feel like I need to earn God’s grace, that the agape love that Christ has for me is something I need to earn. But how do you earn unconditional love?

In our culture there is an obligation to repay each gift or blessing received – just simply accepting a gift is not sufficient. But that is not how God is. Not only has He died, He has risen, and all my sins are forgiven, but on top of that he grants us with gifts and blessings in abundance. There is nothing I can do to repay Jesus for what He has done, and this is why I think that this passage of scripture is so beautiful. God doesn’t ask us for 20 hours of prayer and worship for each gift he blesses us with, He simply asks us to use it. Use it for His glory. To not take His gifts for granted but to bless others with the blessing we have received. If people have the gift of leadership, then they should lead. If people have the gift of painting, then they should paint and reveal His glory. If someone has the gift of to serve, then they should serve with the strength God provides(1Peter4:11)

God, your gifts are plentiful. There is no end to your grace. There is no end to your mercy. God, you have me here, exactly where I am because that is your plan. Use me. I see your beauty in the children’s faces each day, thank you. Please God, reveal the gifts you have blessed me with and grant me with opportunities to use them and give you honor and praise. Allow my work to be worship to you.

I love you, Amen

October 15, 2010

Ezekiel 4:14

Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”

Throughout this whole time as God has been instructing Ezekiel on what to do…through the hard and uncomfortable call of what He is asking of him, Ezekiel has remained silent and has chosen to willingly walk in obedience.

But then this out-cry as a response to a particular thing God is asking him to do…and God graciously answers him and provides another way. This was too much for Ezekiel and God was faithful.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

It’s not that the call of Jesus on our lives isn’t hard…Ezekiel paints a picture of a very hard and uncomfortable call from God…there is suffering, there is brokenness, but through it all He is walking with us.

I need to be reminded of this truth daily, so often I just want the easy way. I look at the call of Ezekiel and honestly I’m just not sure I would want that kind of call, that kind of assignment from God…

I struggle with the hard, I struggle with the uncomfortable. I continually put limits on what I believe I can handle, limits on how much I feel I can take. Without even realizing it…I have focused much of my time and efforts on never willingly stepping into something I don’t think I can handle.

This is beginning to change; it has been a process of change and challenge…but I feel like I am about to step into a season fully knowing that this is more than I think I can handle, and in the midst of my fears and doubts, choosing to lean on Him and allow Him to lead and guide me.

This is not where I am, but this is where I am praying I will continually be moving to…

Jesus, thank you that you are faithful, thank you that you know me inside and out; you know how much I can handle and you will never give me more than I can handle. Lead me and guide me today Jesus, in your Name, Amen.

Erin

October 14, 2010

1 Peter 2:16

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

I find Peter alluding to a subtle nuance here – the thought being perhaps best outlined in this question – while we are certainly free through Christ…whose freedom is it? Whose freedom do we enjoy?

I think I need a constant reminder that while I do live in freedom…it is CHRIST‘S freedom that He has allowed me to partake in. The freedom I enjoy is not my right, it is not something I deserve, and it is certainly not something I have earned….it is a gift and a blessing in the purest form of the words.

So then how do I live my life in this freedom? Do I use it as a way to justify any decision I want to make? Do I allow myself to think that because of the freedom I have in Jesus I should be able to do anything I want, say anything I want and have anything I want? Because I am FREE??

I think far too often…that’s exactly what I think.

When the actual truth is…that in Jesus I enjoy HIS freedom from sin…so that I could be a SLAVE to His righteousness…

So then the movement of my life needs to be….a humble receiving of freedom….with an intentional movement back into a new kind of slavery.

Jesus, I am no good at this. I pray that you would keep me mindful that the freedom I enjoy in this life is not my own..but a gift to allow me to once again choose slavery…of the best kind.

Thanks for loving me through this….I need it.

October 14, 2010

How Big is Big?
If you let your mind search for an answer how Big would your answer be?
What do you think?

What is Church?
What if I told you that Church is Big?
My guess is that you would think I’m talking size..

But what if it was far Bigger then just size?
What if it is Bigger than we have ever imagined?
How Big is Big?

Sunday 10.17.2010

October 5, 2010

I am walking through a little study called “Simple Faith” with a group of ladies and the topic we will be discussing today is out of the Sermon On The Mount. The study walks through each “Blessed are…” and really does a great job, with just a few words, of describing each of those attributes (you can read the Sermon in Matthew 5).

But what got me were the two little assignments at the end. The first was to evaluate yourself and the second was to take each of the attributes and think of a person in your life who really demonstrates one of those 8 qualities. You’d think this would be easy; but it wasn’t.

This has left me thinking…

What is known about me? I mean you can’t go out there braggin’ on how “poor in spirit” you are, but if you are poor in spirit, wouldn’t that be noticeable? Or would it be that quality (humility/contriteness) you can’t quite put your finger on but it is magnetic all the same? When I am drawn to a particular person, is it this that is grabbing me? Or is it just that they have a “cool” personality that is fun to be around? This makes me question myself and it makes me question what I admire in others. What am I looking for? Who am I?
* Blessed are those who are broken over the broken world, over broken relationships, over lostness and sin. Who do I know like that, someone who is just torn up by all this? Most people I know aren’t. This is a hard one to put a finger on these days because a lot of people are really busy, everyone is “pursuing” something, there are so many items on the buffet table. Who among us are really broken and mourning for this limping world?
* The gentle; blessed are the gentle. Who is humble and courteous and treats others with value and respect? Who is selfless like that? Who truly deserves that title, “gentleman” or “gentlewoman”? This one was a little easier to put names to because a person like this is quite obvious. Gentleness is something you do wear on your sleeve.
* Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Are these the people who do a lot of reading? Who listen to sermon podcasts? Who can’t go to enough Bible studies? Who attend several churches for different reasons? Whose conversations are peppered with spiritual words? Who don’t ever have a bad day because God is good? I mean who has an honest, insatiable desire for fellowship with God? To be filled and spilling over with His goodness; to be changed and to affect change? Who is just an honest seeker, eating up what God has for him and her to the point that it rubs off on others?
* Blessed are the merciful. This person enters into the world of another person’s pain and extends compassion (think Good Samaritan). Right away I think of the Gospel Mission and ministries like that but what about generally, what about that quality in general. Are we merciful in general, do we have an everyday mercy; who do I know that is constantly leaving merciful fingerprints wherever he/she goes.
* Pure in heart. This is a person who lives transparently, free from hypocrisy. People who live transparently — think about what a guarded society we live in. Think about how long it takes to share your story truthfully. Think about how few people you actually let “in” to your inner and most vulnerable world. If we aren’t straight-up hypocritical, who isn’t somewhat reserved? Who doesn’t hold back? Who doesn’t value a little “privacy”? Who lives inside out these days?
* Blessed are the peacemakers, yes and amen to that. Blessed are those who ease tension, seek solutions, generate light not heat. Wow, are those people valued in a contentious society like ours! These are the people that bring a little ointment with them when they meet with others. It isn’t that they never say what is true, it is just that the reason they say true things is for honesty’s sake, for true resolution, for a pure process. A few rare souls, these are.
* Finally, blessed are those who are persecuted, insulted, dissed, lied about, gossiped about. Blessed are you when you take it, when you don’t retaliate, when you speak good instead of evil against those who are coming at you. When you move towards people and not away; when you stay at the table. Now think about how rare that person is!

I think, walking through this, I realized how hard it is to judge these qualities in others because we are, as we say, “all on a journey” working on and working through what it means to live God’s way. But that thought stopped me, we are all on a journey, aren’t we? I mean, we are going somewhere (growing in these 8 qualities) aren’t we? God help us if we are standing still and just the scenery is changing!

I am finding myself asking, are we just so crazy consumed with the “cares and concerns” of our worlds that, while these qualities may be present, they aren’t the first things that are known and seen? Maybe they aren’t even priorities? Is it possible to even move the mission of Christ forward if these things aren’t glaringly obvious about us who call ourselves Christ-followers?

The author suggests we write these qualities on our calendars and work through them week after week (Monday, mercy. Tuesday, pure in heart…). I am beginning to think this isn’t a bad idea, because if this is the most incredible sermon ever preached, it should have more of an impact on us and on our world. If these things aren’t easy to see, then maybe we need to study them harder and apply them more practically.

Anyway, I don’t have any brilliant ending this morning, I just feel really challenged. If Jesus said there is a blessing to being these things, maybe some days I just don’t feel blessed because there is nothing a blessing can attach itself to.

– Teresa Klassen (http://www.onebrownleaf.wordpress.com)

This is Love...

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A challenge.

Date Posted: May 16 2012 by Kyle Dyck
Thoughts and Thanks

Date Posted: May 15 2012 by Alecia Klassen