Why me??

This was my devotion for today:

^3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ^4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (2 Co 1:3-4, NIV)

Why Me?  Why now?  Why not someone else?  Do I deserve this?

All questions that roll around in our minds, or if we are honest its questions we ask God, when life as we know it begins to fall apart.

I will be honest, I can think of several times I've asked this.  When I had to have a fusion done to my spine after rupturing a disc 6 months post op on another disc, when we lost a child at 6 months, or when our finances hit rock bottom.  WHY ME???

Here is what I found, God proved Himself in each situation.  He didn't make the problems go away, but He did walk us through them.  He also has enabled us to comfort some who have dealt with the exact same situations.  It's what he does.  It's what we are supposed to do.

So when we ask ourselves "why me?" the harsh answer is:  "why not you".

Whatever it is your dealing with, whatever it is your going through:

• one, your never alone.  God hasn't left you, He WILL comfort you in your time of need.
• two, you WILL meet someone someday that is going through the EXACT thing you are going through and you will be able to look them in the eyes and say, "I know exactly what you are going through"

Hang tough, be strong, build your faith, and understand that God is using whatever it is to prepare you to help someone in the future.

What do you think?

^13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

^14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Mt 16:13-14, NIV)

 

It's interesting if you pose the question:  Who is Jesus?  You can get a lot of different answers. 

 

A good man

A great example

A prophet

A teacher

A rebel

 

Many people have many, many opinions about who they believe Jesus is, or was, depending on your view.  Everyone is entitled to, and has their own opinion.  Have you really thought about it?  If someone asked you "Who do you think Jesus is?" what would you say.  The catch is do you really believe how you would respond, or are you responding in such a way to get someone off your back.

 

Jesus asks this very question to the disciples in Matthew 16.  Yes, His disciples, the people who are following Him, he asks first of all "who do people say I am".  They responded how they had heard people refer to Jesus.  However, the conversation doesn't stop there.  Jesus then asks:

 

^15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Mt 16:15, NIV)

 

So, what about you?  What do YOU think?

 

This is what it all boils down to.  What you really think.  Are you convinced that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (as Peter responds in verse 16) or are you not?  This one little question is what holds our eternity in balance.  How you respond, or what you believe about this, well, it determines everything.

 

This determines where you spend eternity, but it also determines how you spend your life in the here and now.  If you and I are convinced of who Jesus is, it will have noticeable affects on our life.

"...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (Jn 10:10, NIV)

 

So, what do you think?

fear

"Only thing we have to fear is fear itself"  FDR, First Inaugural Address 1933 in the midst of the great depression.

Fear has a way of getting to us, cripple us, and even paralyze us. 

If we are honest about it, we all fear something...

We fear losing jobs, we fear losing significant other, we fear failing a class, we fear warfare, we fear change, we fear bullies, we fear dark places, we fear the unknown, we fear future, we fear financial ruin, we fear violence, we fear adulthood, we fear our past, we fear what we cannot explain, we fear opportunity, we fear opinions, we fear spiders, we fear snakes; there is so much that we fear.

^15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.^  And by him we cry, “Abba,^ Father.” (Ro 8:15., NIV)

God doesn't want you to be afraid.  So whatever it is that you fear, God wants you to let it go.  What will it take for Him to convince you that you don't have to be afraid anymore.  You don't have to let whatever it is cripple you anymore.  Whatever your fear is, understand that God is greater than whatever it is you fear.  He understands what it is and why you fear it.  He also wants you to understand that He created you to be an overcomer, He doesn't want you to be slave to that fear.

Whatever your fear is let it go.

I understand, I have fears myself.  We are in this together.  Let's enable our Heavenly Father, our Creator, and our Redeemer to show us we have nothing to fear, because we are His children.

So here is to defeating fear....

Are you listening?

"In those days the word of the Lord was rare..." (1 Samuel 3:1, NIV)

We could probably change that verse to fit 2014 like this, "In these days the word of the Lord is rare"...or is it?

Maybe, just maybe God is still talking and the problem is me.  Maybe the problem is that I am just not listening.

In 1 Samuel 3 God calls Samuel 3 times by name, and every time He did Samuel ran to Eli because he thought Eli was calling for him (1 Samuel 3:4-8).  Finally after that third time Eli the priest tells Samuel that if it happens again to say, "Speak Lord for your servant is listening" (1 Sam 3:9).  Did you catch the end of that?  Your servant is listening.

Couple of things that I think we can glean from this:

• Samuel did not recognize the voice of God.  Three times God spoke to him and he did not know it was God.  Samuel had to have Eli tell him that it was God speaking to him.  So if you think God is not speaking to you, maybe He is and you just haven't recognized its His voice.
• Samuel needed to tune in and listen.  "Speak for I am listening", He had to be ready to listen, he had to be willing to listen.  So if you think God is not speaking to you, maybe He is and you are just not ready and willing to listen.
• Samuel had to be laying down for bed to hear the voice of God.  Makes sense to me.  Think about it when is the ONLY time we are still for more than a few minutes.  So if you think God is not speaking to you, maybe He is and you just haven't been still and quiet long enough for Him to get a word in.

Sometimes in life we have spells where we feel like God is not speaking.  He does, the problem is we are not listening.

So, Are you listening?

Jesus, Children, and the Church

^14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ^15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

^16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants

you have ordained praise’^c?”  ^c Psalm 8:2

(The Holy Bible : New International Version (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984), Mt 21:14-16.)

 

 

 

 

Almost a year ago, we began a ministry at our church called "KFC" (Kids For Christ), this is a worship service that takes place at the same time as the adult worship service, and I LOVE it.  Why, you might ask.  Well one of the biggest reasons is Children come to worship with no other agenda than to just worship God.

 

 

We play a game that has to do with whatever the lesson is for the day, sing upbeat current contemporary worship songs, take up an offering for missions (right now it's NAMB, North American Mission Board), sometimes watch a short video clip, I do a lesson, and then if time allows we break into small groups to spend time discussing what the lesson was.  I love it, the kids love it, and many of my adult helpers want to be up there every week.

 

The GBBC Kids are excited each and every week to be there.

 

Why can't church be that way?  Why can't adults get that excited about Jesus.

 

In these verses the priests and scribes (aka the "church people") became indignant.  Okay, so what does indignant mean?  Webster's dictionary defines indignant as:  anger aroused by something unworthy (Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary., Includes Index., 10th ed. (Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1993).)

 

Did you catch that, the church people became angry because they felt like the children did something "unworthy" of God and the church.

 

You have to love Jesus response:



“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants

you have ordained praise’^c?”  (Mt 21:16.)

 

Jesus essentially says, "Yes, I heard them.  They are doing what they are supposed to"

 

Jesus and the Children could teach the Church what it is to worship.  No agenda, just worship at it's purest.

 

think about it,

 

Chris.



This is your moment

The time is now, right now.  Don't wait don't hesitate, you know it's your moment; you know it's your time, so why are you waiting?  or What are you waiting for.

It' s not by chance you are where you are, it's not by chance you work where you do, it's not by chance that you live where you do, and it's not by chance you are who you are.  It's a plan.  A perfect plan.  It's God's perfect plan.

I love the story of Esther.  You and I have to opportunity to read the book in it's entirety and see the outcome, see how the whole divine plan unfolds.  She didn't.  She was a young women that was just living life as she knew it.  Not having any idea that her people's (Jews) lives where in her hand.

You see Esther was picked because of her beauty and gentleness to be queen, when she was picked though her cousin Mordecai (whom was her guardian after her parents died) told her not to reveal to the king her nationality.  Esther becomes queen and all is well, until Haman (the kings trusted aid) gets angry at Mordecai because he would not bow to Haman.  Haman goes to the king and requests an order for Mordecai's people (Jews) to be destroyed.  When Mordecai gets word of this he goes to Esther and warns her of not only their impending doom, but hers as well.  As Mordecai is speaking with Esther he gives the famous words:

Esther 4:14, "^14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (NIV)

Two things to notice here.  First of all, if you and I don't seize our moment God will use someone else.  At the end of our lives there will be no telling how many "missed moments" I had.  When you and I don't seize that moment, that opportunity, then God uses someone else.  I know your first thought, "well good I didn't want to do it anyway".  Be honest you have at least thought that once.  The truth of the matter is every moment we miss, you and I miss a moment to shine.  We miss a moment to grow, and then we wonder why our lives don't feel complete.  Second of all, if you and I don't seize our moment, we miss what we are created for.  God has equipped you and I and placed us where we need to be, at the right time (the perfect time).  God moments, divine moments, or your moments to shine don't come very often, so seize the day, seize the opportunity and shine because this is YOUR MOMENT.

So what happens to Esther you ask, pick up your Bible and read it, there is a great ending.

Have a great weekend,

Chris

Tis the Season

I don't know about you but this happens to me almost every year:  I get so caught up with the stress of what needs to be done between the office, ministry, and home before Christmas.  Do you know what I mean?

I played the part in the Choir presentation "Bethlehem Morning" this year of a Youth Minister who was extremely stressed over all he needed to do before Christmas.  This was not a hard part to play, cause reality is, it was how I felt.

Then this past Wednesday happened.  I have been going to Flesher's of Fairview assisted living for over 10 years to hang out with the residents and have a Bible study.  I used to go twice a month until now my schedule is just too congested to keep that up, so I go once a month, the third Wednesday of the month.  I love going out there, the residents love me and I love spending time with them.

I played some Christmas carols on guitar and we sang, yes my singing is HORRIBLE but they love it.  We where doing a study out of Philippians 2, talking about maintaining the Christmas Joy.  Specifically vs. 15:

"So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation In which you shine like stars" (NIV)

Shine like stars

I realized something at that moment, I can't shine like a star when I am struggling with stress.

So, I am working through this realization as I am trying to teach this Bible study at Fleshers.

Then I began to think about why Christmas is so special, not just for everyone, but why it was special to me.  I began to share about how I gave my heart to Christ on November 30 1997 and how I was baptized Christmas eve that same year.  The meaning of Christmas what transpired not only through the birth of Christ but through my "new birth".

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new Creation; the old is gone, and the new is come..." (NIV)

I was made new.  I had a new life, a new purpose, a new hope, a new destination for eternity.  All because Jesus was born in a manger to become Savior of the world.

"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life"  (John 3:16) NIV

To me Christmas is so much more than what I had been making out of it.  It's a time to reflect, a time to remember, and a time to be thankful.

I love Christmas for so many reasons.  I have Always loved Christmas.  I hope I always do.

yes Tis the season

to celebrate the birth of Christ

and to celebrate the birth of Chris to Christ.

Merry Christmas