SURRENDER

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Kim:

ROMANS 13:1 and 2 ……..everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (verse 2) Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

As we head into the New Year………I ask each one of you to really examine your life, your lifestyle, how are you living for CHRIST?? I started reading this book called “Surrender” by Nancy DeMoss and I want to share a little bit of what God has laid on my heart from this book.

Surrender………what does that mean to you?? To me, it means to give up something, what is it as a Christian does it mean ?? It means to give up EVERYTHING………come to Christ on HIS terms. We need to lay down our arms and hand everything we have and everything we are to God. Is anyone missing peace in their heart?? Well, Peace is what I want back in my life and I know it has to start with me. So what do I need to do ? First, I need to ask God to renew me and then I have to remind myself and say each morning, Lord your will be done not mine. There can be no place with God nor can there be peace in our hearts until we Surrender. It is time as Christians to get back on our knees and if you have to do this daily – then do it……..it is so worth it.

Surrender your all to God………stop being at war with God………make a decision for Christ and follow through by daily surrender. Christian surrender brings us what we now see is beauty, life, joy and true good. Oh how I want this in my life………I hope you do to………SURRENDER my friends.

In HIM, Kim Caldwell

Regarding Kindness

Psalm 109:16 "For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted."

We don't know much about the specifics of the poor scoundrel of which this verse speaks, but the surrounding verses paint a very miserable and sad picture of someone who lacked empathy, compassion and seemingly had no heart. We know that can't be true, because we all have hearts. (not talking about the 'blood pump' here, but the "kardia" that place where we invite Jesus to live) Without Christ though, the heart is a vast empty space or full of self.
When it is a vast empty space there is no empathy and when it is full of self there is no compassion. We do know this about Psalm 109, evidently David has been betrayed and hurt deeply by someone trusted and loved and the end result was somehow tragic and disastrous. David, before the Lord, lashes out and in essence, "curses" the evildoer and his compatriots and puts them in the hands of His righteous God. Better than taking matters into his own hands. He then puts himself in God's hands to be dealt with. This is a good principle, one we should learn from and utilize.

Why is verse 16 so shocking and revealing though? Think about it. Can you imagine never even thinking of doing a kindness? I can imagine thinking of a kindness and not doing it, but to never have one cross my mind is unimaginable. What self-consumption, arrogance and heartlessness it would take to never do a kindness to anyone, and then to be so oppressive to boot. Wow, paints an ugly picture huh? I mean we are all capable of heartless moments, maybe hours, hopefully not days or weeks or longer. Let me leave you with a haunting thought about a principle not often considered. Ponder this... Is a kindness undone, ignored or forgotten a "sin of omission? Meaning a sin that we did not commit but omitted doing? Kindnesses are the very heart of God. Remember, it is His kindness that leads us to repentance. Perhaps it is our lack of kindness that keeps people from more opportunity to consider repentance. Kindness is as beautiful of a picture when it is done as it is an ugly picture when undone. Simple kindnesses are blessings both to the receiver and the giver. Be kind, think of kindness, follow through on your kind thoughts and be at least as much of a blessing as that fellow who I referred to as a poor scoundrel. Thank kind and then do kind.

With His loving kindness, Pastor Fred

You Have Wearied the Lord With Your Words

Malachi 2:17 "How have we wearied Him" you ask? By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and He is pleased with them: or "Where is the God of justice?"

I think God must be very weary of our extremes. On the one hand we will be so tolerant and permissive and make it seem like everything is OK with us and what anybody does is their business (and to a degree it is) but not to the extreme of not addressing sin or turning blind eyes to godlessness and all types of bad behavior. Then, on the other hand we can rant and rave at God for not bringing justice down on all those who sin. Seems to me we can't have it both ways. We must find some kind of balance between being judgmental in a sweeping generalist way and being so tolerant that we appear to affirm sin. We are drawn by extremes. We can be too tough, almost heartless... and we can be too easy, almost overly permissive.

Anything to avoid conflict. We don't want to appear judgmental so we tolerate incredibly aberrant actions. And.... we want to avoid leniency so we jump to judgment before we understand the whole picture. This sends confusing messages and makes us appear to be both conflicted and judgmental. All of this while trying to take the path of least resistance. At the same time we don't want trouble and we don't want to deal with trouble either. Seems to me we in some instances need to be much tougher and at other times we need to have a heart.

I think it is our duplicity and self-contradiction that wears God out. He doesn't want us to make excuses for sin, nor does He want us to throw everybody under the bus, all the time. Not an easy balance to strike. We are both avoidant and flippant. Not a healthy combination. I am capable of being both. I know I can on the one hand cut some people a ton of slack and others I can jump on if they even flinch.

What is worse is when these attitudes lead to a lot of words. God wearies of hearing us go on and on and on ad nausem with either end of the spectrum. Both the self-righteousness and the codependency are equally wearisome. We must call sin, sin and still have compassion for sinners. After all, we fit in our own categories too. We always get ourselves in deeper when we start to put a lot of words with bad ideas. Don't get me wrong. There are issues like abuse, racism and other forms of victimization that we must maintain zero tolerance levels about. On the other hand there are issues about style, culture and expression that we need to not be so harsh about.

At the bottom line each situation must be dealt with individually. Principles, circumstances, people and issues must be carefully and prayerfully considered, especially before saying anything, particularly to anyone else. Let me close today's devotional thought with an interesting twist. Make sure that you don't fall into judging judgers or tolerating toleraters either. So I encourage us all to consider the Lord in everything. What pleases Him, maybe we should do that first before we do too much thinking or speaking about anything or anybody.

In His Spirit, Pastor Fred

FAVORITISM

James 2:1 "My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism."

The writer of the General Epistle of James is James the half-brother of Jesus. He is the Lord's half-brother because though they have the same mother, Mary, they have different fathers. James' father is Joseph, the carpenter and Jesus' Father is God the Father. I remind you of this to say that I believe that when our Lord came home that there were things that He undoubtedly shared and though His brothers and probably sisters came to believe in Him as Messiah and Savior later, they heard and remembered what He said earlier. I believe Jesus had very strong principles about favoritism and James knew that as he did many of the truths he shares in the Book of the Bible the Holy Spirit inspired him to write.

Jesus came for everyone. He loves everyone. He wants to be the Savior of everyone. He doesn't play favorites, ever. He also expects us not too. James absolutely forbids it here. In the following verses he uses the example of rich and poor to instruct us about not showing favorites. How tempting it is to favor the rich and to ignore the poor. Somehow in our twisted thinking we are tempted to believe that somehow we benefit from giving special attention to the wealthy. It is part of our culture. We practically worship the super-rich. We idolize their exploits and pander to their opinions. They can seemingly do no wrong. We cut them slack in hopes that they will 'spread the wealth around'. We are impressed by their generosity and we give those overblown accolades and preferential treatment. Hate to say it, but we know it to be true.

Churches can be particularly prone to this kind of preferential exclusivity. James says all Christians of all kinds must not show any favoritism whatsoever. It happens subtlety and sometimes it is done with great fanfare. This favoritism that is forbidden also refers to gender, to race, to age, to status and title. Certainly respect is deserved if merited and honor is given appropriately, but favoritism is not to be tolerated. I watch as some of us fall into this practice and we must resist the temptation and treat all with the same love, acceptance and attention. How easy it is to assess the next new person who comes to Grace Harbor and by some system of acceptance or rejection we include some and exclude others. Our church has a warm reputation, but not everyone represents us that way. If you have a way of making people feel unwanted or neglected and you are aware of it, please stop, James admonishes us to not show favoritism.

Love you all, Pastor Fred

Silent Night

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

On Christmas Eve in 1818, Father Joseph Mohr was preparing for midnight service at the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberdorf, near Salzburg, Germany. He was very distraught because much to his dismay the organ was broken, ruining prospects for that evenings carefully planned music. But Father Joseph was about to learn that our problems are God's opportunities, that the Lord causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him. In desperation Joseph decided to write a new song, one that could be sung organ-less. Hastily, he wrote the following words, "Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright...." Taking the text to his organist, Granz Gruber, he explained the situation and asked Franz to come up with a simple tune. That night, December 24th, 1818, "Silent Night" was sung for the first time as a duet accompanied by a guitar at the aptly named Church of St. Nicholas.

Shortly afterward, as Karl Muracher came to repair the organ, he heard about the near-disaster on Christmas Eve. Acquiring a copy of the text and tune, he spread it throughout the Alpine region of Austria referring to it as "Tiroler Vokslied". The song came to the attention of the Strasser family, makers of fine chamois-skin gloves. To drum up business at various fairs and festivals, the four Strasser children would sing in front of their parent's booth. Like the Von Trapp children a century later, they became popular folk singers throughout the Alps just like the Von Trapp family would a century later.

When the children---Caroline, Joseph, Andreas, and Amalie began singing "Tiroler Volkslied"
at their performances, audiences were charmed. It seemed perfect for the snow-clad region, and perfect for the Christian heart. "Silent Night" even came to the attention of the king and queen, and the Strasser Children were asked to give a royal performance assuring the carol's fame.

First published in a German hymnbook, it was used in America by German-speaking congregations, then appeared in its current English form in a book of Sunday school songs in 1863. Were it not for a broken organ, there would never have been a "Silent Night". God indeed makes beautiful things of difficult situations. I can't imagine not having those words to sing at Christmas. I can still hear my Dad singing his favorite Christmas Carol and almost every time shedding a tear. Why don't you sing it right now, we all know the words, now you know the story behind it. That verse from Isaiah takes on profound meaning when we consider how this song was originally written and why. Thank God for Joseph and that little St. Nicholas church, a broken organ and the first silent night.

Now, sleep in heavenly peace. Pastor Fred

"Bethlehem Miracle"

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:1-7

As Christmas Day approaches, we find ourselves singing carols and rushing about with our last minute preparations for the holidays, but let us pause today and consider the miracle of WHERE Jesus was born. Bethlehem, the tiniest of towns in the Israeli countryside, insignificant at best in those days, and yet God chose Bethlehem to be the place where His Son would come to earth in the form of flesh, a tiny newborn baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger. We've somehow lost sight of what the scene of Jesus’ arrival to earth really looked (and smelled) like. Jesus wasn't born in a warm home on that cold winter night. We see cute Nativity sets with all the adoring shepherds and animals standing around Mary and Joseph as they gaze into the manger all aglow. But the evidence is clear: the holy Son of God was born in a stable or cave where animals were kept, and his first crib was a common cattle trough. Why? I don't think this was by accident or the Father's lack of provision for his Son. God is speaking to us even in this tiny detail. Jesus was by very nature God (Philippians 2:6), and yet He didn't demand to be born in the palace attended by servants. Instead, He "made himself nothing (Greek kenoo), taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness...." (Philippians 2:7). The Greek verb kenoo means "make empty". Jesus literally "emptied himself" of all the privileges to which He was heir. He didn't just take a low place, He took the lowest place when He arrived: a piece of farm furniture used to serve food to animals, a manger, filled with hay. Imagine what the angelic hosts of heaven must have thought when they looked down and saw such a sight!

God has such an amazing way of documenting details that will help strengthen our faith when we are challenged as believers. Some foolishly say that Jesus never really existed, that He was a myth created by the Church in the first and second centuries. I have actually heard “intelligent” people try to claim this. But know this for CERTAIN: Jesus has an historical context; he's neither a myth nor a legend. Webster’s dictionary defines a myth as "a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence." But Jesus was born in history. A legend is "a story coming down from the past; especially one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable." But Jesus is both historical and verifiable. He is mentioned not only in the New Testament, but by contemporaries and early documents such as Josephus, Pliny, Tacitus, Suetonius, Bar-Serapion, Thallus, Lucian, Josephus, and the Talmud. Modern heresies strip Jesus of his place in history and turn him into some kind of "Christ figure" or metaphysical guru. But Scripture persistently places him within history as a man who lived and died and rose again in real time, a man who permanently altered the history into which he was born. History is really HIS story. Here are those who were in historical power when Jesus was born:

1. Caesar Augustus was the emperor Octavian, founder of the Roman Empire, reigned 27 BC to 14 AD, when he was succeeded by Tiberius Caesar.
2. Herod the Great (Matthew 2:1) was called "king of the Jews, and who ruled Judea from 40 to 4 BC. His reputation for paranoia and ruthlessness was well deserved, having executed three of his own sons, and slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).
3. Quirinius was a military leader and Roman consul in central Asia Minor, and later Imperial Legate of Syria-Cilicia (AD 6 to 9), where Josephus notes that he conducted a census. The census referred to in Luke 2 isn't recorded historically, but probably took place under a kind of extraordinary command authority he possessed during his military maneuvers in Cilicia or possibly during a brief earlier stint as governor in Syria.

Jesus was born in the birthplace of David (verses 3-4), Israel's greatest King. Nearly 1000 years before Jesus' birth, God had promised to David through the Prophet Samuel, "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:16). Micah had prophesied 730 years previously: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." (Micah 5:2) The Jews eagerly expected David's successor and called this hoped-for Messiah the "Son of David." Jesus is the Son of David, this promised King. It is no accident that Joseph was "of the house and lineage of David" (verse 4) and that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. But Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth at the time of her pregnancy. How did God resolve this? "It just so happened..." that the Romans ordered a tax census and Joseph was required to return to his ancestral town, Bethlehem, for enrollment.

Consider this: The most glorious event in history is about to unfold, but for Joseph and Mary it is drudgery and hardship -- a real pain.

• Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, four days journey north of Bethlehem.
• Mary was a teenage pregnant mother. A journey late in pregnancy was dangerous for her AND the child. But if her husband had gone alone and she stayed in Nazareth she would have had to face scandal alone and possible danger if the child had been born without Joseph by her side.
• Mary made the four day journey over hills and rocks and cliffs on the back of a DONKEY… any of you mothers out there MUST understand how impossible and physically painful this would have seemed to accomplish in her 9th month of pregnancy!
• Add to this the physical hardship of winter weather at that time in the hills of Bethlehem, they would not have been the most ideal traveling conditions, they would have slept outside for three nights before continuing on. When they arrived, tired and worn, they heard the words “No room”. Rejection when they were at their weakest point. This breaks my heart. It also breaks my heart to consider that even today we still find ourselves saying “no room” to Him.

Who says that following God's plan is easy? We are sometimes called to do things we don’t understand, things that are challenging and may seem impossible, but God sees the bigger picture, and just like Mary, we must move with God’s plan and God’s timing in all areas of our lives, even when it doesn’t make sense to us at the time.

Pray with me: Abba Father God, thank You for sending us the most precious gift so long ago, the gift of Your One and Only Son. Remind us this Christmas season in the midst of the hustle and bustle of how much of a sacrifice You made so that we could receive the gift of forgiveness and grace and mercy. Refresh us with a deeper sense of the wondrous way You sent Him to us, according to Your Word. You sent Jesus into the world exactly WHEN You said You would, exactly WHERE You said You would and exactly HOW You said You would. God, allow this to bring comfort and assurance to us, Your children, that You are always in control, and that we can always take You at Your Word.

Humble us, Father. Humble us. Return us to the manger to see the Miracle of Bethlehem anew. Lord, sometimes we're so fussy, so picky about what we will and will not do. Please forgive us and help us surrender our wills and allow You to show us Your Will in this world we live in. Bring us back to the simplicity of the manger and remind us that Jesus came to bring Peace on Earth and reconciliation of mankind to You, Almighty God. Make us willing to be your servants, wherever you send us out of our comfort zones, and whatever it takes. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

For unto us a Child is Born this CHRISTmas Day, sister Lahoma

Is God Delighted in You?

Psalm 149a "For the Lord takes delight in His people..."

A number of times in the Bible, the Word makes it clear that God enjoys us. I know we put a lot of emphasis on accountability for our sin and for being humble about anything that we do right and/or well. This focus is for a good reason. Our sinful nature plus our proclivity for getting out of control are a combination for trouble and it is better to exercise our spiritual freedom from a starting point of some restraint than to try to corral our tendency towards wantonness at the beginning of our expressions of freedom.

This need for restraint though is a bit of a straightjacket for 'letting go' in order to demonstrate our passion for God. This Psalm is a wonderful example of how we should consider more unbridled zeal towards God and be somewhat more un-tethered in our worship and praise. In these verses there are a few words that should open us up to some fresh possibilities for how we could be more creative. I believe that God would enjoy that. My thought is that we should enjoy a whole lot more God enjoying us.

The words are... 'new song', 'rejoice and be glad', 'dancing and making music', 'tambourine and harp', 'sing for joy on their beds'. What this implies is some unrestrained freedom in expressing our honoring of and praising God. First of all, we must keep singing new songs, even though we know the old ones and there is definitely deep value in the songs we know, but there is something unique and special about 'new songs', that God enjoys. Our worship and praise should be joyful and happy. Not just reflective, but full of great exaltation. Worship should be inspirational and enjoyable.

Uh oh, dancing and music-making are next. Yes, we must find a way to dance to the Lord and to make music, not just in our hearts and with our mouths, but with our feet too. I'm not suggesting that we break into break-dancing or the waltz either, but there does need to be some movement, after all, God enjoys that. We need to learn how we can dance for the Lord in some way that is both meaningful and that He enjoys.

Next comes the tambourines and harps. These two instruments conjure up for us almost opposite pictures. The tambourine nowadays symbolizes an almost old-time religion that at its extreme could include snakes and scorpions. On the 'other hand' (harps may take two hands to play huh?) the harp signifies angels floating on clouds in the afterlife, with an almost surreal serenity. Interesting huh? I know these are limited views of the two instruments, but you get the picture. So get the message. There must be time for candles and quiet with harps maybe..... and time for tambourines and dancing, maybe with banners and streamers. Am I making plans for Grace Harbor? Maybe, as the Spirit leads with some restraint.

Last is this picture of God being glad and enjoying when we sing on our beds. For me this simply means that we should praise Him from one end of the day to the other. We talk a lot about waking up with Him and making Him our first thought, but how about our last thought too. Not a bad way to frame your day. God would enjoy that.

So here is my recommendation. God enjoys it so let's dance and sing and shout for joy and be glad with all kinds of instruments and expressions giving Him the glory for all of it at all times, but especially in worship.

With joy, Pastor Fred

I love Rock n Roll Music

Psalm150:5 "Praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals."

Back in the day... late 50's to early 60's, at least in the church, the very mention of the term Rock 'n Roll evoked quite a negative response from the overwhelming majority of churchgoers. As I was growing up in the San Fernando Valley in my preteens and early teen years I remember vividly a spoken and unspoken conflict between Rock 'n Roll music and Christian music. Church music was made up of organ only accompanied hymns (some of them peppier than others). Maybe at camp around a campfire a guitar would be played and some more folkier tunes would be sung, like Do Lord or maybe a little later on Kum Bah Yah. As long as it was explained what it meant and why we would sing in another language. The idea of amplifiers, drums, electric music (other than organ) was unheard of and rejected if ever even mentioned.

In the mid-sixties I was part of the First Baptist Church of San Fernando and change started coming. But it came slowly and a bit painfully. I remember when our first Youth Choir wanted to sing something slightly new that we had to jump through all kinds of hoops and answer all kinds of questions about who, what, when, where and why. To a degree I really do understand such concern because it was different and often, any good change, comes slowly. Some of the early music we shared was not well received, even though we tried so hard to be thoughtful and earnest.

I'm not sure how it happened, but somewhere in the summer of 66 we hit a brick wall and the openness we felt was closed off for a long time, probably over a year. I think we had pushed the envelope in rewriting the words to a contemporary song and shared it in Sunday Morning Worship. We meant no harm, but we definitely had stepped over some line of some kind. Not long after that time the openness to change shifted again and not only was it the beginning of loud cymbals being accepted, but even loud resounding cymbals. This verse from Psalm 150 became our proof text for why we knew that all kinds of music, as long as it glorified God was acceptable for worship.

Now, mind you... I think sometimes we lose something when we forget the great hymns and their place, and that we can tend to get a little repetitious with some of the new stuff and not recently so much but some time ago (15-20 years) a season of the music was shallow and content less. I've tried to remain objective in my appreciation of the good older music and the freshest stuff too.

We are blessed to not suffer from 'worship wars' at Grace Harbor, but I do believe that we must preserve the beauty of more of the older music, especially the best of the hymns and still do new music, because it is important too. As long as the intent of the music is to Praise the Lord I think we can express all kinds of music and glorify Him without being insensitive or uncaring or stuck anywhere on the continuum of style or preference. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. This is what the Bible says for a reason.

With His Grace, Pastor Fred

Trusting God

Psalm 143:8 "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you."

Though I have finished my yearlong journey through the Psalms, writing a devotional using a verse or more from all 150 of them, (many from Psalm 119) I believe the themes in Psalms are inexhaustible and the depths of the encouragement that come from them are unfathomable.

So, I took this verse in recently because of a number of things going on in people's lives around me and want to say a few words about trusting God. Today really is a new day and though we know not what it may bring it is extremely refreshing to consider just how many new days we get to have. Actually, every single one is a new day. As I sit typing this I am reminded how today I needed to hear of His unfailing love and this verse jumped out at me. Not so much because I personally am struggling with knowing His love or trusting Him to renew His mercies every morning, but because of the number of folks that are having a hugely difficult time right now coping in general.

Mornings are special. Just recently, on a Monday, I was up way early to go get the Panera Bread and the most beautiful sunrise of pink and orange led me all the way down 4th street. Truly inspiring. It reminded me of His unfailing love that brings each new day.

Now today, as I am writing this in my office, I look up at my wall to gather my thoughts and there are several little prisms of light. You know, the kind that happen when sunlight is reflected through a prism. Little streaks of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. All different shapes and sizes, but several of them. Have you ever tried to figure out where it comes from? I just did. This little array of faux rainbows of color are being displayed through a heavy plastic paperweight that has a laser etched lighthouse inside the middle of it. I just now moved it so I can enjoy the display while I finish this devotional. These moments and observations are all around us. Reminders brought to us from the beginning to the end of each day. We must slow down enough to see them.

There is a little plaque next to that prism that says "The Lord is my strength and my song" Exodus 15:2. How appropriate. I hope those of you who fight your way through your feelings, misgivings, baggage, wounds, fears, suspicions and personal drama every day, especially take the time to notice such things. It will undeniably interrupt your rut and perspective. When we see the beauty of the big picture we can stop focusing on the minutiae that is driving us nuts. Sooooo, listen to Christian music, post verses all over your life, look at nature, see the best in people, take a deep breath, get over yourself, take the blinders off, relax, let go and let God.

No wonder we have an arsenal of such sayings because of our strong tendency to manufacture issues. Let the mystery and wonder of nature and life overwhelm the dysfunctional intrigue with the sordid side of life.

This morning... even though people are upside down, ticked off, conflicted at their wit's end, and frustrated; I am accepting that He is the answer to everything. The enemy attacks our thoughts.

Consider Him and all He has to show you that can put you at ease with yourself and everyone else too. I am at peace just sharing this with you. Thank you for the opportunity. Please receive the blessings from this and apply them appropriately.

Trusting Him, Pastor Fred

Have a Merry Heart

Grace Harbor Saints,

Pastor Fred reminded us on Wednesday that we should all keep God first, love Him more, worship Him personally, etc, and he is absolutely correct! Sometimes, though, I struggle with these seemingly difficult acts, as life so easily distracts my prayers and good intentions. I must have a simple mind, as I find it easier to love His people, with daily random acts of kindness, a word of encouragement, a smile, a door opened, etc. Must be that I'm closer to their problems than I am to God's perfection. And yet, that is exactly what He would have us do - love His people! That is the bottom line of the message that I bring you today as we approach the 4th Sunday of Advent, the LOVE week. So, for those of you who must now run off in haste (as I have had to do so many times because of the daily pressures of life), I recommend that you simply save this email, and read Max's message later, when you get a minute of peace from the pace. Max has a way of writing that is so compelling, so accurate, so touching... But, when you go out now, see who you can impact in a kind way, with some little act of love (one that requires nothing in it for you except the joy of receiving a smile of gratitude).

Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones".

Assist an elderly person like me, or catch someone in the act of doing something right, or good, and complement them. Then read Max when you get home later...

In His perfect love, and now through Max's inspiring words,

Ray Beeman

Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me. —Matthew 25:40 (MSG)

There are many reasons to help people in need.

“Benevolence is good for the world.”

“We all float on the same ocean. When the tide rises, it benefits everyone.”

“To deliver someone from poverty is to unleash that person’s potential as a researcher, educator, or doctor.”

“As we reduce poverty and disease, we reduce war and atrocities. Healthy, happy people don’t hurt each other.”

Compassion has a dozen advocates.

But for the Christian, none is higher than this: when we love those in need, we are loving Jesus. It is a mystery beyond science, a truth beyond statistics. But it is a message that Jesus made crystal clear: when we love them, we love him.

This is the theme of His final sermon. The message he saved until last. He must want this point imprinted on our conscience. He depicted the final judgment scene. The last day, the great Day of Judgment. On that day Jesus will issue an irresistible command. All will come. From sunken ships and forgotten cemeteries, they will come. From royal tombs and grassy battlefields, they will come. From Abel, the first to die, to the person being buried at the moment Jesus calls, every human in history will be present. All the angels will be present. The whole heavenly universe will witness the event. A staggering event. Jesus at some point will “separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats” (Matt. 25:32). Shepherds do this. They walk among the flock and, one by one, with the use of a staff direct goats in one direction and sheep in the other. Graphic, this thought of the Good Shepherd stepping through the flock of humanity. You. Me. Our parents and kids. “Max, go this way.” “Ronald, over there.” How can one envision this moment without the sudden appearance of this urgent question: What determines his choice? How does Jesus separate the people? Jesus gives the answer. Those on the right, the sheep, will be those who fed him when he was hungry, brought him water when he was thirsty, gave him lodging when he was lonely, clothing when he was naked, and comfort when he was sick or imprisoned. The sign of the saved is their concern for those in need. Compassion does not save them—or us. Salvation is the work of Christ. Compassion is the consequence of salvation. The sheep will react with a sincere question: when? When did we feed, visit, clothe, or comfort you (vv. 34–39)? Jesus will recount, one by one, all the acts of kindness. Every deed done to improve the lot of another person. Even the small ones. Giving water. Offering food. Sharing clothing. The works of mercy are simple deeds. And yet, in these simple deeds we serve Jesus. This truth is astounding: we serve Christ by serving needy people.

Some of them live in your neighborhood; others live in jungles you can’t find and have names you can’t pronounce. Some of them play in cardboard slums or sell sex on a busy street. Some of them walk three hours for water or wait all day for a shot of penicillin. Some of them brought their woes on themselves, and others inherited the mess from their parents.

None of us can help everyone. But all of us can help someone. And when we help them, we serve Jesus. Who would want to miss a chance to do that?

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:34–36 NLT)

O Lord, where did I see you yesterday . . . and didn’t recognize you? Where will I encounter you today . . . and fail to identify you properly? O my Father, give me eyes to see, a heart to respond, and hands and feet to serve you wherever you encounter me! Transform me, Lord, by your Spirit into a servant of Christ, who delights to meet the needs of those around me. Make me a billboard of your grace, a living advertisement for the riches of your compassion. I long to hear you say to me one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And I pray that today I would be that faithful servant who does well at doing good. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Loving Ourselves

Luke 10:27 "Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your strength and with all you mind and love your neighbor as yourself."

Often, one of the most difficult things to do in life is to love ourselves. Even though we tend to be very selfish and self-centered, we find it hard to actually love ourselves.

I believe there are three reasons I struggle with this in my own life:

1. I worry that I m being egotistical
2. I don t know how
3. I know myself too well

Here are the three solutions to my concerns:

1. Actually I end up more egotistical and self-centered denying myself than practicing healthy self-love. Putting myself down brings more attention to me than being gracious.

2. I can ask God how to love myself because He knows how to love me better than anyone, and He can tell me how through His Word.

3. God knows me better than I know myself. He knows me through and through and loves me still and all. I really don't know me as well as God does, and I should love myself because He loves me.

In the Great Commandment, we are told to love our neighbor as our self. If I did that truthfully, I might neglect my neighbors or feel horrible feelings toward them or even ignore them completely.

Do you treat yourself well? Is it hard for you to love yourself enough to:

1. Rest or sleep?
2. Take care of your body?
3. Be quiet?
4. Forgive yourself?
5. Try again?

Imagine, God loves me so much that He gave His only Son for me. If I don t love myself, what does that say about this truth?

His love and mine,
Pastor Fred

Loving God

Mark 12:30a "Love the Lord your God..."

As soon as I begin to think about Loving God I am reminded of the passage in Mark 12 where we are exhorted to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. That is quite an assignment. You, I'm sure like me, surely believe this, but doing it is not easy as individuals. Certainly, He must come first. God is a righteously jealous God and deserves our undivided attention. When we put Him first in our hearts, souls, minds and strength, we must put everything else second. We should, each one, be putting Him first and make sure that He has the prominent position in our decisions and our schedule. If every person in the church family puts Him first and loves Him with all of his/her being, then the whole church family will find it easier to prioritize the Love of God.

For me, I am realizing that I must love God like I love no one else. After all, He is the only God and therefore must be loved uniquely. I have come up with three ways in which I can love God uniquely.

1. Through worship - I worship no one else!
2. Through prayer - I pray to no one else!
3. Through salvation - I am saved by no other!

When I consider loving God, I am reminded that He first loved me. I do not know how to love Him in any other way other than in response to His unconditional love for me. When God gave us the Ten Commandments, He was giving us a way to show our love for Him by obeying His commands.
Likewise, when God gave us Jesus, He was giving us a way to love Him by receiving salvation and obeying His commands. Here is an interesting three-part challenge for every person in our church family and for me too.

1. Do you love Him so much that in private you would be willing to get on your knees and worship Him personally?

2. Do you love Him so much that you would be willing to take the time to listen to Him speak to your heart after you have prayed, asking, "Lord, what would you say to me?"

3. Do you love God enough to consider actually doing it with your heart, mind, soul, and strength every day?

I pray that we will love God more. I believe we all have room for improvement; don't you?

In Him, Pastor Fred

Missing Worship

Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.

As you may know I really do love to write, but from time to time I will share something from another Pastor when it really makes a point. Pastor Tim Klinkenberg from St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Orange, where many of our 5th graders graduate to, wrote this article entitled, "Let Your Soul Be Filled" which talks about how he felt and dealt about missing worship.

Since I am going to miss two weeks of church soon and he expresses much of how I feel and deal... Enjoy the fresh and very similar sentiments of my fellow Pastor and friend, Tim.
P.s. Preach it Tim!!!!!

Dear St. John's Faithful,

I have a confession to make to you today. Two days ago was Sunday and I skipped worship. As a matter of fact, my entire family skipped worship and we spent Sunday doing stuff. At first I was refreshed that I had slept in until 7:30 and it felt so good. I went from there to my living room to watch the talking political heads flicking between the major networks. Disappointment filled my heart as I listened to the weak ideas and the lack of accountability of those speaking. I drifted back to worship and the joy of standing with believers before God and saying, "I know I've done wrong and I'm accountable for my actions. Lord Jesus, forgive me." Then I hear and take into my soul, "I absolutely forgive you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN." Interesting that the NFL popped on FOX 11 and the big game was the Green Bay game at Atlanta. They analyzed that game a 100 different ways and talked trash which was nice -- and funny -- but not speaking to my soul. There was nothing for me to receive, but through the commercial interruptions there were lots of advertisements about things for me to buy. But there was no Biblical analysis of my life. There was nothing of any eternal value. The game came and went. The Atlanta kicker kicked the winning field goal and the Green Bay team lost a squeaker. But once it was over, I went and cleaned up the remnants of Thanksgiving, cleaning the smoker, sweeping up the garage and grieving a little that my son was on his way back to San Diego. Nothing eternal, just living for the moment!

The best part of Sunday was the moment that Barb and I spent together eating our leftover turkey soup, having a glass of "Prodigal Son" petite syrah and sharing a sourdough baguette. We joined hands and prayed for God to bless our little meal and we shared some very warm conversation and some very hot soup on a blustery and windy evening. That was the best part of my day. I don't skip worship very often, not because it's my job, but because my life is somewhat empty without it. Somewhere long ago I remember someone I respected saying, "you don't have to go to church to be a Christian." The older I get the more stupid that comment becomes. Sure you don't have to worship faithfully, but you get to worship faithfully. Weekly worship is a privilege that Christians have. It's that time with God and other Christians that restores our souls in a way a TV show can't. Weekly worship has a way of grounding our lives in a way a football game or a soccer game can't. Weekly worship has a way of transcending for us all the low altitude problems of the moment and helping us to see them against a backdrop of eternity. In our country right now there is a malaise among Christians as relates to regular worship. Even in our own congregation, people plug weekly worship in as it fits the other events of their schedule, and then they wonder why they feel empty, angry and alone. Hmmmm, I wonder. Could it be that all the stuff of life needs only six days to work through and that the 7th day of rest brings order to those other days? Could it be that viewing worship as one more thing you have to do, rather than a high honor to be in the presence of God, wears us out and leaves us without proper spiritual grounding? I wonder?

So, for me and my family, here's to getting up and getting after it. Week by week, day by day and Sunday by Sunday. God invites and we follow. Join us regularly as the Lord feeds our spirits by His grace. Join us as a function of love and enjoy the tranquil moments and peace that trails you from the worship experience. Sit down, close your eyes, hear the words, experience the community and let your soul be filled. It's the best of life and the best of eternity.

Peace in Christ,
Pastor Tim Klinkenberg

SEEK and You Shall Find!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

When it comes to Asking from the Lord, I think most people know how to do this. God encourages us to come to Him, and make our petitions known to Him so that He can move across our hearts and our circumstances and be God in the midst of our need, our confusion, our shortcomings, and our burdens. Jesus is speaking in our passage today to the multitudes on the grassy hillsides overlooking the Galilean Sea. They came to hear Him speak and were encouraged by His Words. The next portion of our Matthew 7:7-8 passage is where I want to focus our attention today: “seek and ye shall find” – I ask you: what IS seeking? The Wise men in Matthew 2:1-16 came seeking the newborn King that had been foretold through the ancient prophets of Israel, they had traveled a long and difficult way, but they were compelled to continue until they found what they were seeking after. What does it mean to seek until you find, and WHAT are we supposed to be seeking? God’s Word teaches us to earnestly seek after:

1. Seek after God / the Lord (Acts 15:17, 17:27)
2. Seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33)
3. Seek God's will (John 5:30)
4. Seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)
5. Seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)
6. Spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14;1,2,12)
7. The things above (Colossians 3:1)
8. To lead a quiet, productive and useful life (1 Thessalonians 4:11)
9. Peace (1 Peter 3;11, Hebrews 12:14)

As you can see from these examples, we are instructed to seek godly things not worldly things. We are not to seek after things to feed our own lusts and desires and there are no scriptures that I can find that teach us to seek after temporary things such as money, popularity, power or fame. If we do seek good and godly things then we will find them. If we seek after the Lord, He will be found, if we seek eternal life, we will have it, if we seek spiritual gifts and keep on seeking them, they will be found, if we seek intimacy with our amazing powerful awesome God, we will find it with our soul, that place deep inside you where you and God commune.

If you think about it, seeking takes a lot longer than asking. Seeking requires effort. If you are going to seek and save the lost your seeking may lead you to Africa or China or your neighbor’s house next door or your friend at school who sits alone at lunchtime. If you are seeking to become a Pastor, your seeking may take you to Bible college for a few years to learn and then an internship before releasing you to become a Pastor of a church. It is a journey to SEEK, and God says that when we seek on a Godly mission, we WILL FIND!

The verb for SEEK is present tense which suggests a sense of continual action - to seek and keep on seeking. When Jesus says “every one who seeks finds...” implies “if you do not give up”. Some things we seek may take twenty years or more to come true (as our reference to Abraham yesterday). Yet other things may be answered instantly. Seeking changes us as we move towards the godly goal. We find not just the goal we seek, but we find ourselves in the process. For instance if you go and seek and save the lost you start to find out things about who you are, and how you communicate and how you react to stress and disappointment and to people who do not want to hear the gospel. Eventually mastering the task of sharing your faith makes you a far better person. Just like training for a marathon, the end result may be you have achieved your goal and crossed that finish line and received your medal, but you are a stronger, more determined and disciplined person in the process. In seeking the godly goal we also end up seeking God and finding our truest selves.

Let the Lord move upon your heart today to SEEK and keep on SEEKING Him and the things of God in your life. When you find them, they are like pearls of great price, a treasure to celebrate in the glory of God’s love and grace.

Wise Men Still Seek Him,

Sister, Lahoma

We Will Not Fear

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, John Adams, courtesy of Steve Troxel of God's Daily Word Ministries:

In these times of great uncertainty - with concern about things like war, terrorism, and the economy - let's always remember, our Heavenly Father is the Creator of the Universe. He formed the Heavens and the Earth out of nothing, and, as we place our trust in Him, He has given a basic promise: "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you" Hebrews 13:5. His desire is for us to draw nearer in our love and worship, and allow His Spirit to remove all fear.

Psalm 46:1-3 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

Although we are uncertain what tomorrow may bring, we ought to have confidence in the One who really controls tomorrow. If we believe Jesus died for our sin, rose again in victory over death, and is seated at the right hand of the Father - if we surrender our life to who He is and what He has done - our eternal home has been firmly established; "Our citizenship is in Heaven" Philippians 3:20. As a child of the Sovereign King, as one who believes in our eternal future, we no longer have reason to fear; "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship" Romans 8:15.

We no longer have a reason, but still we fear. The unknown is scary and makes us feel out of control. But as we pray for an end to violence, and as we strive to make this world safer, better educated, and more prosperous, we must understand there is only one true solution to our fear.

Our fear will only be removed as we love the Lord with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength. When we understand that our life is not our own, we will love with a complete abandonment to His desire. We will pray and live each day with the surrender demonstrated by Christ; "Father...not My will, but Yours be done" Luke 22:42. As we live each day to bring Him glory and honor, fear WILL begin to fade: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear" 1 John 4:18.

Yes, these days contain some uncertainty. If we continue to focus on what we can see, there will always be uncertainties. But our faith, hope, and joy are in His eternal glory, not in this world which will one day pass away. Let's refuse to allow our fear of the unknown cripple our service for God. There is still much work He has for us to do. Let's pray that our love will increase, that our worship will intensify, and that we will boldly stand up and proclaim, "We will not fear!"

Have a Christ Centered Day!

About Discipline

Hebrews 12:5-6 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son.

The very word Discipline reminds me of my teenage years when certain and specific words took on a meaning that basically "turned me off". The other unacceptable word that fit into the same category was responsibility, which meant to me as a teenager...having to do whatever I didn't want to do. Discipline in my book of teenage definitions always meant punishment or consequences. Almost like what the word exercise means to me today.

Why is discipline such a negative word? I think it comes from our tendency to learn from experience instead of from principle. For example, if we learn the lessons of life after we have suffered the consequences of our choices and actions, we tend to understand discipline only as punishment. On the other hand if we see Discipline as the practice of self-control, that then guides our choices and actions, only then will it take on the definition of a character trait.

The best example of Discipline comes from the root of the meaning that gives us the word Disciple, which for us as Christians, means one who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Disciple's actions and choices were by definition their discipline. We have much to learn from their example.

Let's look at three key character traits of the Disciples that made their discipline a lot easier. When they practiced these traits it made their following of Jesus simpler.

Obedience---Obviously the most important character trait of a disciple that would help them with discipline would be obedience, defined as doing what you're supposed to do. Without obedience we could not practice discipline.

Faith---Another key element to discipline is the character trait of faith. We must believe wholeheartedly in what we are doing or discipline will be nearly impossible.

Strength---The last essential element of the disciple life of discipline is strength, without which, the extra effort that following Christ takes would not be possible.

Discipline is not easy, and if you don't practice it, you will especially need it and probably get it anyway. I think that discipline is easier to deal with as a plan, and not a consequence. As a teenager, I did not like the word discipline at all, but, as I got older, I understood that, if I would use the character traits of obedience, faith and strength, then discipline seemed to come easier and far less painful. Do you tend to learn only from experience? If so, then you will probably experience a lot of discipline as a consequence of your actions and choices. But, if you can muster the strength to faithfully obey, then discipline will be a natural outcome of your actions and choices.

If given the choice to learn now and avoid the consequences, wouldn't we choose to practice discipline just to avoid trouble? Sometimes doing what we should do is not easy, but it is easier than the option, if we really think about it.

Hope this made you think when you read it as much as it made me think when I wrote it.

In Him, Pastor Fred

Horn

Psalm 148:14 He has raised up for His people a horn, the praise of all His saints, of Israel, the people close to His heart. Praise the Lord.

The word horn in scripture always represents strength or provision and in this case it symbolizes a King who both is strong and our provider. We know this is Jesus who was indeed raised up, on the cross, for us and subsequently deserves all our praise. This sacrifice was the ultimate heartfelt gift, and eternal payment for all sin, and by receiving that gift as our salvation, He then lives in our hearts. I can't imagine getting any closer than that. No wonder the 148th Psalm begins and ends with the 3-word phrase, "Praise the Lord." We should more often.

The whole creation and cosmos bows before its Creator. Even though the heavens, earth, animals, fishes, birds, plants, elements and forces of nature do not need redemption, they still Praise the Lord. On our way to Corcoran State Prison last week in rainy weather we saw a complete rainbow and were reminded of God's promise to never flood the whole earth again. That rainbow praises His Glory, just because everything does. Except, for beings with free will. They must choose to praise Him and that doesn't come naturally for us humans. We must resist our 'sin nature' which would have us ignore God, never praise Him, avoid worship, serving, giving and sharing our faith. That is why when we realize that it is His provision that sustains us, His strength that protects us and His salvation that gives us eternal life. Our response should be to praise Him.

Whenever I see a rainbow I don't think of a pot of gold or leprechauns, I remember His promise and praise the Lord that I can try harder to keep mine.

With His love and mine, Pastor Fred

Numbers

Psalm 147:4 He determines the number of stars and calls them by name.

Step back I say. We are talking about my God here. Do you realize we have no idea how many stars there are, much less what their real names are? This very thought has me in near tears of awesome amazement.

I can't even remember the names of the color spectrum without using the name of Roy G. Biv to help me. I pretty regularly come up with 6 Dwarfs and struggle almost every time to figure out the last one.

I have to pat myself down every time I leave the house to make sure I have the keys, glasses, phone and wallet on me.

God, on the other hand, not only determines the ever-changing number of stars, but while He is at it, names them and at any moment could name even the ones we don't know about yet. That's what I'm talkin’ about. That is my God!

Any questions? Wanna wonder whether He knows what is going on with you or not? Enough said.

Well maybe I will say just a little more about my God. The Bible says He knows how many hairs are on my head, how many went down the drain yesterday, today and tomorrow too. Wow!!! Tonight I am going to look up in the sky and just appreciate how awesome my God is and be grateful that He cares for me so much that He made a way for me to be with Him forever.

I wonder how many stars there will be forever? Just a thought. God knows and knows their names too. All the more, He knows me and you too. Our God is indeed an awesome God. Think about it. Now I have tears and a smile..... a wonderful combination of feelings that fill my heart with sincere gratefulness.

Now... Enough said (for now:)... Pastor Fred

Advent: Waiting Expectantly

"The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him." Lamentations 3:24-25

Christian Churches around the world are currently in the Season of Advent, a waiting period of time prior to the celebration of Christmas that allows us to prepare our hearts for the birth of our Savior. Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, and of longing. It is a time to focus on four specific portions of the CHRISTmas story and remember that prophecy spoke of his arrival centuries ago, that angels announced His arrival, that lowly shepherds were the first to hear the good news, and that God’s Word was fulfilled on that cold night long ago in Bethlehem when Jesus was born.

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and for believers we also can view this time as a reminder to be anticipating the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ and the promise which is the hope that lies within us as Christians.

Advent is filled with symbols of our faith. Historically, the primary sanctuary color of Advent is Purple. This is the color of penitence and fasting as well as the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. The Advent wreath is a symbol of the beginning of the Christmas season and a opportunity to tell the Christmas story. The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. Candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His Son.

Grace Harbor has chosen these four themes for our Advent focus each week during December:

Prophecy/Hope,

Angels/Peace,

Shepherds/Joy,

Bethlehem/Love.

The four candles themselves also traditionally symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ.

Isn’t it inspiring to consider that God often begins with small things and inadequate people? It certainly seems that God could have chosen "bigger" things and "better" people to do His work in the world. Yet if God can use them, and reveal Himself through them in such marvelous ways, it means that He might be able to use each of us even when we feel inadequate, and unwise, and too often lacking in faith. And it means that we need to be careful that we do not put limits on what God can do with the smallest things, the most unlikely of people, in the most hopeless of circumstances. We should be waiting EXPECTANTLY upon our Lord and Savior. There's a difference between waiting and waiting ‘expectantly’. It takes faith to wait expectantly for the Lord to come through. How often do we wait lacking faith and lacking hope? When we do that we feel like God isn’t going to come through so we might as well give up. We need to remind ourselves of God’s total trustworthiness and His faithfulness. He knows the situation we’re in and all that we are facing. He won’t forsake us to face it alone. He can be trusted completely. As we keep on reminding ourselves of this and remember past experiences where God came through, our faith can be built up so we are able to wait ‘expectantly’. This is part of the wonder of the Advent Season and part of our meditation today, that we have been given a great promise, and on Christmas Day, our Savior was born. Our “Advent” is His coming the first time to take away the sin of the world, and His Second Coming will be soon to take us all home. Isn’t that exciting!

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called:

Wonderful Counselor

the Mighty God

the Everlasting Father

the Prince of Peace.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

A Reason to Celebrate

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:16-18

Today is the third day of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday also known as the Festival of Lights. It is an eight-day celebration commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BC. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December. The festival includes many traditions such as the kindling of the lights of a unique nine branched candelabrum called a Hanukiyah, one candle lit on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. Special foods are prepared, gifts are given to children each of the eight nights, and a game called Dreidel is played with chocolate coins. From the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration", and commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil". According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil. This gave the Hebrews a Reason to Celebrate, and they have continued the tradition of pausing and rejoicing for God’s intervention up to this very day!

The period of history just before the first Hanukkah was filled with great persecution of God’s People, many gave their lives for their faith. Many of the historical accounts mirror what happened to the Jews during World War II. The stories of martyrdom such as the one of Hannah and her seven sons have also been linked to Hanukkah. According to a Talmudic story and 2 Maccabees, a Jewish woman named Hannah and her seven sons were tortured and executed by Antiochus for refusing to eat pork, which would have been a violation of Jewish law. This mother had to stand and watch each of her sons from the oldest to the youngest die a horrible death simply because when each of the boys were asked to renounce their Jewish faith, they boldly refused. It is a sobering thought to consider having to face such persecution as a mother, and reminds us that we are blessed each day we are not asked to give such a sacrifice for our faith. There are believers in the world today that do not share our freedoms and do give their lives for simply believing in Jesus Christ. We must always remember to hold them up in prayer, for God to strengthen and encourage and protect them, and be with them when they are called to face persecution even to the point of death.

The reason for this devotion today is to remind each of us as Christians that we may someday also be called upon to stand for our faith when public opinion or political climate shifts to not support freedom of religion in our country for Christians who choose to live from a Biblical worldview. We are blessed to be in a country at this time that does not prohibit our public worship and does not ban our Holy Book, the Bible, but this may change in the coming years, and we need to prepare ourselves to stand for what is right according to God, not man. We need to prepare our children, just as Hannah did, who raised her sons to not crumble under persecution for their faith. As I was reading some of the accounts of those who stood against the tyranny of Antiochus, I couldn’t help but think of other Biblical examples of courage and faith such as the well known story of the three young Hebrew boys and the fiery furnace because this is a shining example to me of how we must really KNOW what we believe, and already KNOW how we will respond when we are challenged for our Biblical beliefs. The Hebrew boys didn’t need another chance, or a few minutes to think about their answer when the king ordered them to do something that violated their beliefs, there was no chance of compromise, they KNEW what they believed, they knew WHO they believed in, and they were not willing to waiver, even in the face of death. The fiery furnace story is well-known among Jews and Christians. In the passage, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego), defy King Nebuchadnezzar’s order that they bow down and worship a golden idol. My favorite part of the passage is verse 18, because as they stood before the king, the youth were resolute and unwavering, regardless of the outcome from their reply… they chose to believe in God even if He chose not to deliver them, it would not change their answer. Nebuchadnezzar, in a rage, ordered the men thrown into a furnace, but they are miraculously unharmed by the flames and survived the experience without even smelling of smoke. Nebuchadnezzar is shocked and decided to look into the flames only to see them walking around in the furnace along with an unnamed fourth Man. (As believers, we know Who that fourth man was, it was the Second Person of the Trinity, a pre-incarnate visitation of Jesus Christ, Who came and walked with them in the midst of their fiery ordeal.) I believe with all my heart that Jesus will do the SAME for each of us when the times come for us to stand for our faith.

So, I encourage all of you to begin to:

1) Prepare for this time if the Lord tarries and we are faced with persecution as His people. Spend time in God’s Word, fill your mind with the Truth of what God says. Do not take for granted your freedoms now, while you have them.

2) Be ready for when trials come, for they surely will.

3) Decide beforehand that the outcome of the situation you face will NOT change your stand.

3) Be assured that God will never leave you nor forsake you, He will be the Light in your darkness, He will shine bright, just as our Hebrew friends light candles to commemorate Hanukah for the miracles that took place 2,200 years ago. Know and rest in the knowledge that God is the SAME yesterday, today and yes, forever.

4) Having done all according to God’s Word, prepare to take a STAND, as Ephesians 6:13 teaches us. Watch and see how God delivers you from what comes against you.

5)Then remember to Celebrate and give Glory to God no matter what the outcome~ in God’s ways and in God’s timing He will send His intervention and love and answer in your time of need. He will never let you down, so rest in that promise and wait on Him, even if it doesn’t appear that way initially. When you run out of gas on the freeway, thank the Lord that He probably saved you from a horrible crash if you would have continued driving. When you lose your job, thank God for the amazing job that He is lining up for you somewhere else. When your checking account is negative and your cupboards are bare, thank the Lord in advance for how He will miraculously provide for you even if you have to miss a couple of meals (I am pretty sure that most of us will survive if that happens…). When a loved one dies, trust that God knew what was best and that although we miss those who pass and hope for a miracle of healing, we must trust that it was God’s timing. All things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28), even the bad things, even the things that seem to be failures or losses. Remember that God never changes, nothing ever surprises Him, and He loves you passionately and will never let go of you, even in the fiery furnaces of life. Let God work through each circumstance and find ways to show you His plan even when the victory is not apparent yet.

Enjoy this time of year, celebrate Hanukkah with our Hebrew brothers and sisters, and remember all the miracles that God has performed in your lives. Jesus is the Light of the World, and no matter what may come our way, we will stand for Him because He stood for us when He died on the cross to take away our sin and shame. We have a Reason to Celebrate every single day of the year, but especially at this festive season when we give thanks for God sending His Only Son!

Shalom, sister Lahoma

God Never Makes A Mistake

Today’s Devotion comes from Council Member, Kim Caldwell

1 Peter 4:19 for if you are suffering according to Gods will keep on doing what is right and trust yourself to the God who made you for HE will never fail you.

I can look back over the years and see that our God has made NO mistakes………the difficult stuff in our lives are there for a reason. Have you ever asked why am I suffering? Why am I struggling? I sure have and I hope that going forward I will be able to hold on to this teaching. God does not say that we will be free from suffering, but Romans 8:28 says "and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God' There are reasons things happen and we may never understand why but God does NOT make mistakes.

When we pray we need to pray request – not prayer answers – you see, if you pray answers you are demanding that God do something right now……when we bring God our request, we are saying Lord here is my need, my circumstance, my issue with this person or whatever it may be and ask HIM to answer according to HIS will.

God has given us a free will and the privilege of saying all right Lord I am free – I have a free will but I want to do what you know is not a mistake in my life. Knowing that we have a God that never makes a mistake – WOW – just think about that for a minute. God knows all of our WHAT IFS………

When you finally recognize this even during trials it is possible to have JOY – Philippians 4:6 says "be careful for nothing but in everything be prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God"

If we are going to have people who really want to be prayer warriors – it is going to take a commitment to Gods will – it is being willing for HIS WILL and giving thanks for ALL things unto God – Can you willingly say and mean it “Lord I am willing for you will”?? Oh how I believe that our church could be turned upside down if we started praying this way.

God Bless,

Kim Caldwell

Of Princes and Mortal Men

Psalm 146:3-4 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground, on that very day their plans come to nothing.

This passage compels me to preach. We are so inclined to put our faith, trust, hope and belief in mortals who cannot save. Mortals are not inclined to save anyway, they tend to spend. Princes are spoiled for the most part and however they have been anointed, appointed, elected or propped up, they are there only because God allows them to continue. All thrones, magistrates, potentates, self-proclaimed leaders, kings and queens and the rest will someday bow before the Only One who deserves praise. That is said more than once in the Word and we must believe it. That being the case, why do we fall so gullible to the rhetoric, ballyhooing and trumpeting of politicians, authors, spiritual types and the famous, notorious and media enhanced popularized at any cost crowd. It truly baffles me.

I really don't get it. Men and women who have this charm or cleverness or winsomeness or manipulative, seducing skill seem to be believed beyond reason. We hang on certain ones words, awaiting the next 'wonderful thing' they might say, sell, promote or railroad. We really should only put our trust, hope, faith and belief in God. If anyone ever says anything that the Word of God doesn't endorse it is baloney sauce. What has happened to us that from one end of the spectrum to the other we have these voices that somehow influence us so much? Are we too lazy to think for ourselves? Have we become blinded by the hype? Do we really care about the private lives of the famous? How do we justify putting any stock in whatever anyone says about anyone anyway? I guarantee you this... if it sells soap, meets the goals of whoever is paying for the time to push it, or is a pet project of the devil (remember that I put his name in lower case letters as purely an act of disrespect), these things will find airtime and will be the fodder of our nonsensical curiosities.

Back to the Word, where we can make some true sense of everything. This Psalm is all about the help of man versus the help of God. The help of man is temporal and unstable but help from God is lasting and complete and effective. Let me tell you about what happens to mortals. They die and return to the dust, (except for those that trust God), their spirits depart to one place or the other (even the famous have to choose you know) and as the Psalm says... "on that very day that they die their plans come to nothing." That kind of says it all huh? Every once in awhile some young person will make some conjecture about what something that is going to happen 40 years from now and ask me what I think about it. I usually say that I am not planning on being here, but that if they are interested in what I think anyway I will give them a response. That may sound a little morbid to a few, but realistic I think. I don't dwell on it all the time, but I am thinking more and more about living forever being the most important part of living now.

I think all the fascination happens for two reasons and I will close with them.

1) We indeed are too lazy and totally distracted from reading, studying and following the most important Book and Author. You know the one. You must agree with me or else we would all have a far better understanding of the Truth.
2) The media or powers that be or influencers have to fill their books, shows and speeches with something and since they are probably even lazier and more distracted and don't give much credit to the Book or Author I mentioned you can only imagine that what they come with is not as valuable.

Take care and careful what you hear and believe, Pastor Fred

His Greatness We Cannot Fathom

Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.

Just because the Lord is greater than words can say or feelings can feel or songs can sing and we cannot even fathom His greatness, we should keep trying and trying and trying. For my part today I am simply going to say what David said about God just as a reminder of how we can begin to describe His greatness. The following words taken from Psalm 145 just skim the surface of who God is....... enjoy.

His majesty is splendorous
His awesome works are powerful
His abundant goodness is celebrated
His righteousness is song worthy
He is gracious and compassionate
He is rich in love
He is good to all
His kingdom is glorious
His acts are mighty
His dominion endures
He is faithful to His promises
He upholds all who fall
He lifts up the bowed down
He satisfies our desires
He is righteous in all his ways
He is near to all who call on Him
He hears our cries
He saves us
He watches over us

No wonder Psalm 145 ends with verse 21 which says... My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name forever and ever. Wow... how good it is to remember how great He is and what that means to us.

Eternally grateful, Pastor Fred

A Simple SMILE Can Make All the Difference

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. Proverbs 15:13

Have you ever thought about what a smile can do for someone? Have you ever just been walking through a grocery store and looked at each person walking past you and SMILED at them? Notice how they respond. Some may be surprised, others may hesitate for a moment, but I would say 99 out of 100 people will smile back. It is an unspoken gesture of goodwill and friendship. Most people hurry past you with their eyes down, lost in thought, but when they look up, wouldn’t it be an unexpected surprise to have them greeted with a Smile from one of God’s Ambassadors (that would be YOU…)? A smile costs nothing and gives so much. When you see a tired salesclerk at the counter of a store, start your conversation with a quiet smile. It brings a sense of peace to the other person without speaking a word. It allows the Spirit of God to reach through you to that person’s life. You do not know what that person is dealing with. Perhaps the last customer just yelled at them and insulted them and they are recovering from that wound… your smile can bring peace and comfort and reassurance that the whole world isn’t against them. Perhaps they are waiting to get off their shift to go work a second job to put food on their table, a smile can pause the moment and remind them that someone cares. Maybe they have a loved one in the hospital or a sick child at home, a smile lets them know they are not alone. You don’t have to say a lot of fancy words or bible verses, simply share the Love of Christ with a SMILE and watch God do the rest. Who knows where God could lead the conversation, maybe an opportunity to share why YOU can smile even when things are tough, or you can offer to pray for whatever is weighing them down.

Psalms 67:1 is a special psalm for me and says,

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us, And make Your Face to shine upon us; Selah."

When I consider God’s face shining on me, I see Him smiling. I feel His power and I sense the Joy of His presence surrounding me, and it gives me such comfort to know that His light brightens even the darkest of days. One of my favorite Hillsongs worship songs includes the following words that usually bring tears of Joy to my eyes:

You make Your face to shine on me and that my soul knows very well

You lift me up, I'm cleansed and free and that my soul knows very well

When mountains fall, I'll stand by the power of Your hand
And in Your heart of heart I'll dwell and that my soul knows very well

Joy and strength each day I find and that my soul knows very well
Forgiveness, hope, I know is mine and that my soul knows very well

Just like the sun shining upon us and warming us, so also does the Father’s love shine upon us when we feel alone or lost or cold in this world of darkness and pain. Isn’t it good to know that our God is a loving Heavenly Father, Who smiles down upon us each and every moment of our lives! Psalm 36:9 says , "For with You is the fountain of life, In Your Light we have the light of life." In some commentaries on this verse, the phrase “in Your Light” implies that it is coming from the Face of God, as in a smile. So, if we adjust the passage to include that, it would say, “For with You is the fountain of life, in Your Smile we have the light of life.” Isn’t that a beautiful thought, that in God’s Smile we have the light of life for ourselves, and as His children, we can share that light with others when we simply smile. SELAH (which means stop and consider this)!

I know that we all get busy with our work and our families and our lives, and sometimes get lost in our own thought as we go along our days, but I have a challenge for you over the Thanksgiving weekend coming up: as you go through your day, wherever God takes you, make it a point to consciously SMILE with at least 10 people each day and watch what happens. Let the Love and Light of God SHINE through your smile, and see the amazing Divine Appointments that God will set before you.

So again I say to you… SMILE…it can make all the difference to others who see it!

Shalom, sister Lahoma

Easy Times or Hard Times

Psalm 144:15 Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.

We are indeed blessed, beyond our understanding I think. This Psalm basically says that we are the people whose God is the Lord, no matter what is happening to us or around us. In victory or adversity, easy or hard times, we are still God's people. What could possibly happen to me or you that would change that? Like this Psalm says, we are just a breath and our days are like a fleeting shadow. Though that is true, God cares so deeply for us to provide for our needs and to touch our hearts. He alone is... like it says in verse 2, our fortress, our stronghold, our shield and our deliverer. I know hard times come and go and that our lives can be upside down in a moment. That doesn't change the truth though, God is still worthy of our newest song, like it says in verse 9, and the one we should cast our cares on.

David knew trouble. He was both a victim and sometimes his own worst enemy. He knew this and made no excuses for his wrong choices and behaviors. He wrestled and doubted and whether victorious or beset by calamity, at the bottom line he trusted God. In the midst of some of his darkest hours he pens some of the most faith inspiring words of praise and thanks to God. When the going gets tough it doesn't mean that God is not there, it means only that times are tough, but so are we, because the one and only Lord God Almighty is our God. Nothing can separate us from the love and care of God.

Sometimes following the Thanksgiving holiday, after the tummy aches and bloated feelings subside, we are left with an empty feeling. I think more of this is physiological than psychological most of the time. But hey, it is pretty real. After the break and all the festivities and hoopla we must get back to the everyday grind and that is not often easy. We are left with feelings of comparative meaninglessness and can let the doldrums begin to set in. We are the same people of God when we buy the turkey, prepare the turkey, cook the turkey, carve the turkey, eat the turkey, eat turkey leftovers and burn out on turkey casseroles and sandwiches and soup. We all ride the rollercoaster’s of life and we go up and we go down. God doesn't change, He is there to receive the grateful praise of our ups and there to console our hurting hearts when we go down. We will be just fine if we will remember to hang on to God for the whole ride.

Many blessings on you and yours, Pastor Fred

Keep an Attitude of Gratitude...every day of the year!

"And it came to pass, as He (Jesus) went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered into a certain village, He was met by ten men who were lepers, and they stood far away: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And He said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." Luke 17:11-19

Thanksgiving is here, a National Holiday which dedicates a single day in our calendar year to pause and Give Thanks. You may have expected a historical dissertation today on the elements of that first thanksgiving so long ago, but I have something else on my heart to share instead. I believe that Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year, why? Because as Christians, we need to stand up and share boldly that we DO have a Heavenly Father that deserves our gratitude and praise for the wonderful things He does in our lives every moment of our existence from the moment we took our first breath to the instant we cross from this life into eternity.

It seems to me that this holiday is slowly being pushed aside as time goes by, and I wonder why as I watched the advertisements for “Black Friday” and the Christmas season begin to prematurely unfold everywhere I turn. I wondered why we diminish this great opportunity to pause and reflect on the blessings we have as people, as parents, as employees, as families, as Americans… Is it because we have less to be thankful for? I sincerely do not think so. In fact, we have MORE and MORE than any generation before us, and we seem to be the most spoiled and the most ungrateful as time goes on. Is it because we foolishly think we are self sufficient and do not need to thank anyone else but ourselves? Or is it because this generation has turned so far from God that they don’t feel that they need to say Thank You to Him because if they said thank you to God, they would have to acknowledge a Heavenly Benefactor that they don’t even want to believe exists anymore. People tend to forget to be grateful when things are good, and tend to complain and accuse God of not caring when things are tough. We are like a bunch of spoiled children. We often even treat God as though He owes us something. When 9-11 happened, the churches were filled to overflowing (for a few months), and then we returned to our status quo of assuming that our security depended upon us… how foolish we are. When the fires swept through our local communities, people who had lost everything were grateful for their lives and the lives of their family members. How much MORE should we be thankful when we are not troubled by disaster or disease or famine or death. Unfortunately, sometimes we forget about all the good things that God has done for us and promised to us, and we lose focus and become ungrateful or indifferent towards God. As a matter of fact, the Bible warns that in the last days, people will become more and more selfish and less thankful to God. People will even stop acknowledging that they have any reason to be thankful to God. In 2 Timothy 3:1-2 it reads, "Know this also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy..." This passage pretty much nails our current generation, that in the last days, people would become unthankful. How many of you would agree that we are living in a society that has become unthankful? People don't acknowledge God anymore or give Him the credit He deserves as Creator of the universe. Scientists would rather believe that we evolved from primordial slime than to be thankful to God for creating us. We live in an “entitled” generation, that things are just owed to us (like jobs and financial security and such) and we become irritated when they are not. Children are less grateful for their parents. Church goers are forgetful that they are blessed with houses of worship and are not persecuted for their faith or their attendance. People are no longer thankful that Christ died on the cross for their sins. They feel that they can save themselves or make it to heaven on their own terms. People don't give God honor and glory for their success in business. They will tell you it's because of their own hard work that they have accomplished these things. A lot of people don't even call Thanksgiving Day "Thanksgiving." They'd rather call it "Turkey Day." Yes, being thankful seems to be a thing of the past.

Our passage today is a Biblical story of thanksgiving, even if there are no turkeys or pilgrims or Native Americans. It is a story that sometimes is overlooked in the gospels, but a compelling reminder to us that God’s graciousness is poured out upon us. We have here ten men who had much to be thankful to Jesus for. But after they got through the hard times and were healed, only one returned and told Jesus thanks. What about you? When you receive a blessing or answered prayer from the Lord, will you be like the nine who never came back to tell Jesus thank you, or are you going to be like the one who fell at Christ's feet? How do you think that Jesus felt when only one man out of ten bothered to come back to say thank you?

During this Thanksgiving season, please remember this one truth: God doesn't want us to say thank you just because He needs to hear it. I believe that He wants you to be thankful because He knows that your thankfulness will keep you close to Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds us, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." This verse is saying that God wants you to find something to be thankful about no matter what is going on in your life. If you are seeking God’s will, this verse tells you what it is: It is the Will of God concerning you…to give thanks. So, as you sit down at your family table, or wherever you celebrate Thanksgiving, pause and think of just ONE thing, big or small, and bow your head and give thanks to GOD for it. Honor God with your thanksigivng, bless Him with your humble heart of gratefulness, and then maintain an attitude of gratitude every day of the year.

Happy THANKSgiving Day to you, my beloved brothers and sisters!

Shalom, sister Lahoma