Christ UMC/journey

The Importance of the cross-Part IX

2009-02-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

After spending a few weeks focusing on the cross, I hope you have a better understanding of what happened. God loved us so much and wanted his relationship with us restored so badly that he sent his Son to die for us and be our sin covering. Jesus Christ was willing to leave the heavenly realms, become man, and endure death by crucifixion in order for our relationship with God to be restored. Jesus is the intercessor between us and God. He is standing in the gap so we human beings can enter into heaven guilt and sin free.

Even though Christ is the sin offering that gives us the ability to enter into God’s kingdom, like the Roman centurion we must confess that he is in fact the Son of God and Lord of our lives. And like the thief, we must put our hope and trust in him despite our sinfulness and allow him to make us pure as snow. There may also come a time in our lives that God asks us to stand firm and give an account of our faith to an unbeliever. We must not, unlike Peter, deny Jesus to men, but affirm his place in our lives. Although this is true, the good news is that if we do accidently or intentionally deny his Lordship, he will reinstate us and still accept us into his family if we repent of our sins and transgressions.

Standing at the foot of the cross and experiencing the grief and loss that Mary felt helps us to realize that there may be times in our lives that we will “walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” but I encourage you to weather that storm because Jesus Christ will not leave you or forsake you. He is standing next to you, weathering the storm with you. Cling to him and allow his love to comfort your every need and hurt.

Finally, just as Jesus commissioned John to care for his mother, so he commissions us to care for the lost and needy of this world. We are to be Christ to the hurting of this world. We are to be God’s presence in a fallen world. As a Church we are also to proclaim this Gospel message to the world so one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He has entrusted us with these responsibilities and we are to take them seriously and be his light in a very dark world.

My prayer for you is that you allow Christ to reign over your life that you allow him to bless you beyond measure. I also pray that you look forward to the day when he shall return.

I leave you with these words by Gregory Boyd, “Change comes to us as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us by renewing our minds. Change comes only as we allow the Holy Spirit to bring Jesus into the storm of our lives and let him do his work. Change comes only as we rest in Christ, just as we are, and allow the Holy Spirit to make him as real to us as is the deception that previously kept us from experiencing him. We are transformed from one degree of glory to another not as we try to change who we are on our own but as we rest in the experience of who Jesus is. As we do so, all that is his by nature flows into us by grace, and we are increasingly conformed to his likeness” (Boyd 2004, 190).

Almighty God,
Shower your blessings in abundance on those who look to your Son as their Lord and Savior. Let us never forget the cost he paid in order to free us from sin and death. I honor and worship you with my whole being and life. Work your will out for my life one day at a time, amen.

The Importance of the cross-Part VIII

2009-02-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

JOHN – RESPONSIBILITY

“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27 NIV).

The disciple John was given the responsibility to care for Jesus’ mother after his death. As part of his faith, he recognized the duty that needed to be performed and he performed that duty well. We are responsible to love all of Christ. Since we are all members of the Body of Christ we have a responsibility to love one another. This love was made manifest in John’s actions towards Mary. He recognized a need of another member of the Body of Christ and he provided for that need through his love in Christ Jesus. As Christians we also have the obligation to care for the poor and needy of the world whether or not they are part of the Body (Matthew 25:31-46).

Other than the responsibility to care for the needy of the world, we are also given the responsibility to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19 NIV). We are to represent Christ well in this world and proclaim the Gospel message with boldness and accuracy.

Christ demonstrated his responsibility for us by sacrificing himself in order that we might have eternal life. He also continues to show his responsibility to us by being forever present in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our guiding light in this dark world and continually helps us understand the responsibility Christ has laid out for us. Jesus states, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NIV).

All in all, the Church has done an incredible job spreading the Good News of Christ to the world, despite some setbacks. It is an encouraging thought that the majority of Christians, like the apostle John, take the responsibility of the faith seriously. Jesus needed his children to be faithful in order for the gospel to spread.

Stafford states, “The movement had focused around one man who could be present at only one place at a time. Amazing as Jesus was, he was limited by culture and language. He spent his entire career in tiny Palestine, exposed to perhaps a few hundreds of thousands of people – mostly Jews. His followers at the end of his life numbered about a hundred twenty (Acts 1:15). Today we are perhaps two billion, from every conceivable culture and nationality. The kingdom can be seen at work in towns and villages all over the world. Jesus very deliberately started a movement. He knew what he was doing when he left us to carry on. He wanted to burst the boundaries of time, space, and culture to transform the world. He is doing exactly that, now, through us” (Stafford 2006, 224).

What responsibilities has God laid on you? Has he called you to lead churches, teach children, provide for the needs of those around you, serve and protect your countrymen? Whatever he has called you to be, your responsibility is to advance the kingdom of God here on earth and glorify the name of Jesus Christ.

The Importance of the cross-Part VII

2009-01-31T16:30:00.000-08:00

MARY – LOSS/GRIEF

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25 NIV).

It is very easy to go through the story of the crucifixion in the Scriptures and bypass this verse with nothing more than a quick glance, but I believe we do it injustice. We get wrapped up in Jesus’ pain, the centurion’s confession, Peter’s denial, and God’s love and forget about Mary, Jesus’ mother, and the burden of this loss that she bore. We see that all of Jesus’ disciples, except one (John) deserted him. Even though this is the case, one of the women who stood by his side and at the foot of the cross as he was dying was his mother, Mary.

I am sure there were many tears that streamed down her face as she watched her son die in such a painful way. I cannot imagine the heavy heart she bore and the grief she carried as he screamed out in pain on the cross. I am sure she just wanted to run up to him and take him off that sinister piece of wood, or change spots if she could. Was she screaming in terror at what she was seeing? Was she speechless with disbelief that this was really happening? Was she hollering at those who passed by that hurled insults and ridiculed her son?

There is the possibility that her thoughts were of wonderment as to why God chose her to bear this grief. She was an ordinary woman who loved the Lord. She did not deserve this plight in her life. If one looks in the English dictionary for the word for a person who loses a child, he will find that it does not exist. The loss of a child is unnatural and is not “supposed” to happen. If one loses his parents, he is considered an orphan; if one loses a spouse, he or she is a widow or widower; but there is no actual word for a father or mother who mourns the death of a child. I am sure this grief was more than Mary could bear. Jesus calls us to cast our anxiety on him (1 Peter 5:7) and to take hold of his yoke because it is easy and his burden because it is light (Matthew 11:30).

Have you experienced the death of a loved one that has caused you grief and pain? Have you experienced hardships due to life circumstances or shouldered burdens that you could not bear? Jesus wants your pain and agony. He hung on a cross so you and I could have freedom from the chains of grief that hold us down. The joy of the Lord is our strength!

TRADING MY SORROWS
I’m trading my sorrow. I’m trading my shame. I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord! I’m trading my sickness. I’m trading my pain. I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord! I’m pressed, but not crushed. Persecuted, not abandoned. Struck down, but not destroyed. I’m blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure and his joy’s going to be my strength! Though the sorrow may last for the night; his joy comes with the morning (paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 4).

The Importance of the cross-Part VI

2009-01-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

PETER – DENIAL

“Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. ‘You also were with Jesus of Galilee,’ she said. But he denied it before them all. ‘I don’t know what you are talking about,’ he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, ‘This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ He denied it again, with an oath: ‘I don’t know the man!’ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.’ Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:69-75).

Peter, the one disciple who was supposed to stand at Jesus’ side to the very end (Matthew 26:31-35), denied him. Peter, the one disciple who first confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (Mark 8:27-30), denied him. Peter, who stood on the mountain as Jesus was transfigured before his very eyes (Mark 9:2-12), denied him. Peter was the “super” disciple - how in the world did he fall away and deny
the living God?

I can imagine how scared Peter was in the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was arrested by the Roman soldiers. Peter’s faith in the Christ was being shaken. He had seen Jesus perform many miraculous wonders throughout the three years of ministry that he was a part of. He heard Jesus refute the Pharisees and Sadducees in the Temple and synagogue and leave them speechless. Peter must have thought that this Jesus would reign victoriously and that he would be his right hand man. Of course, it is easy to stand with someone who has never been humbled or conquered in three years, but what if that fearless leader gets subdued? What happens to the right hand man? Does he stand and defend or run and hide? Peter chose the latter, but by first denying his allegiance. He tried to save his own skin. And once the words of Jesus rang true in his ears he wept bitterly. He knew he lost. He not only couldn’t save his own skin, but he lost his friend and Lord.

Have you ever denied your relationship with Jesus Christ or his Lordship over all the earth? Was it because you were embarrassed because, like Peter, you were worried about what others would think?

If you have denied the Lord, do not fear! Christ can and will reinstate you into his kingdom forever just as he did for Peter (John 21:15-19). The only catch is that you must live for him no matter what hardships come in the way. Peter understood this. In fact, in the end he held firm to his faith in Jesus Christ and even laid down his life for the sake of his friend and Lord. While Jesus may not ask us to die a martyr’s death, he does want us to live our lives wholeheartedly for him.

The Importnace of the cross-Part V

2009-01-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

SOLDIER – CONFESSION

“When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God’” (Matthew 27:54).

“The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God’” (Mark 15:38-39 NIV).

In order to appreciate this confession by the Roman centurion we must first learn a little more about this type of person. A centurion was a person of power and authority who was in charge of anywhere between 60 – 160 men. Centurions were experts at killing. Due to the amount of execution performed under a centurion’s command, they were more than likely very tough and calloused men. That is what is impressive about this moment in the crucifixion drama. This tough man broke down and exclaimed Christ’s divinity. This man who was a representative of strength, power, and position was immediately transformed into a state of utter humility because of the awesomeness of Christ.

As in this example, Christ can penetrate any stronghold erected around a person’s heart. There are many people in the world today that refuse to soften their hearts to experience Christ’s love. People, like the centurion prior to this moment of transformation, live lives of false meaning. When one confesses Christ as Lord and Savior, he or she immediately awakens to the reality of the wonder of God.

Paul states, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways in this world…But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgression – it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:1-4 NIV).

The love of Christ conquers ALL!

What strongholds in your life are preventing you from experiencing Christ’s love? Is it cynicism, pride, anger, lust, guilt, greed, obsession, depression, addiction, indifference, or false faith in another god or gods? Make that ultimate confession that Christ is Lord of all and you will see these strongholds come crashing down.

“Christian faith isn’t a general religious awareness. Nor is it the ability to believe several unlikely propositions. It is certainly not a kind of gullibility which would put us out of touch with any genuine reality. It is the faith which hears the story of Jesus, including the announcement that he is the world’s true Lord, and responds from the heart with a surge of grateful love that says: ‘Yes. Jesus is Lord. He died for my sins. God raised him from the dead. This is the center of everything’” (Wright 2006, 209).

The Importnace of the cross-Part IV

2009-01-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

THIEF – HOPE

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:39-43 NIV).

The thieves on the cross are two of my favorite characters in the crucifixion drama. These two men are both sharing with Jesus in the shame, pain, and humiliation of dying on a cross, yet they are not being ridiculed by onlookers like Jesus is. In fact, one of the thieves was even ridiculing Jesus too. As the more “righteous” thief rebuked the other he asked Jesus to save him and allow him to enter paradise with him. Jesus granted this man his request and allowed him to enter into eternal life. “In spite of our natural resistance to submission, deep within the human soul there seems to be a yearning to surrender…all my life I have longed to give myself completely over to someone or something bigger than myself” (Brenner 2003, 59).

Even though both thieves were wicked in the eyes of the world and were punished rightly, both responded differently to their place on their cross next to Jesus; one stayed wicked and the other chose to put his faith in Jesus Christ.

With death being on the forefront of these two thieves’ minds, what prevented the one from putting his hope in Jesus? The process of dying on the cross takes many hours, so I can only imagine the conversation Jesus had with these two thieves. He probably spoke the truth of Almighty God to these men. He probably put up his best defense of who he was to them.

Why did the righteous thief put his hope in Jesus? Did he genuinely believe he was the Christ, or was he just figuring that he was going to die anyway so why not try to rescue his soul? He did say that Jesus did not deserve death and acknowledged his kingship over the heavens and the earth. What an amazing way to find Christ!

Can you relate to the thief on the cross? Did you find Christ in your desperation and agony? Did you experience something catastrophic that drew you to His side because nothing else seemed to work? Did you find heartfelt hope lying in the pit?

So often people think they have done too many horrible things for God to love them. They feel unworthy. Hear this! No sin is too big or too horrible to stand on the outside of the love of God. Just ask the thief!

“The notion of God loving us unconditionally is absolutely radical…The God Christians worship loves sinners, redeems failures, delights in second chances and fresh starts, and never tires of pursuing lost sheep, waiting for prodigal children, or rescuing those damaged by life and left on the sides of its paths” (Brenner 2003, 45).

The Importance of the cross-Part III

2008-12-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

JESUS – SACRIFICE

After first looking at the “bird’s eye view” of the crucifixion from God’s perspective, it is necessary to go to Jesus’ perspective. This is due to the fact that Jesus and God are entities of the same Godhead. We cannot talk about the love of God without also talking about the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus understood that God was sending him to this world to do a specific task - restore all of creation and place all of humanity back into a right relationship with God. Jesus states, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:23-26 NIV).

I can only imagine the pain that Jesus endured for the sake of each of us as he hung on that cross and what was going through his mind as blood flowed from the five wounds (head, hands, feet, back, and side).

As the soldiers, Gentiles, and Jews all stood on the hill of Golgotha where he was crucified and ridiculed him, he must have thought, “I did this for them? I cannot believe I left my seat by the throne of God to come and save an obstinate people!” Could this have really been going through the mind of Christ? Scripture tells us something differently. From the cross Jesus states, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NIV). Even though the people broke his body, they were also breaking his heart because he understood what they were missing out on. He understood the glory of the Father in a way that was incomprehensible to anyone on earth.

Jesus states, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and your children” (Luke 23:28 NIV). This sacrifice Christ made was out of love for God’s children and his desire to see their relationship restored to the Almighty. Christ sacrificed his spot in eternity for a short time in order to redeem the people of God (John 1:1-18).

Jesus sacrificed the riches and comfort of this life for the sake of redeeming you and me to our Creator. He came as a baby boy to a poor carpenter and not as the son of a political or religious ruler. He sacrificed riches for poverty and power for humility.

What is Christ calling you to sacrifice for the sake of a transformed and renewed relationship with God? Is it wealth, stature, fame, pride, materials, relationships, comfort, or special privileges? 2 Peter 2:20-21 states, “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (NIV). Suffer and sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel and Christ will defend you before the Father on the Day of Judgment.

“God may thunder His commands from Mount Sinai and men may fear, yet remain at heart exactly as they were before. But let a man once see his God down in the arena as a Man, - suffering, tempted, sweating, and agonized, finally dying a criminal's death - and he is a hard man indeed who is untouched” (Phillips, CN Online).

The Importance of the Cross-Part II

2008-12-08T05:17:00.000-08:00

GOD – LOVE

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17 NIV).

As I ponder the different perspectives of people at Calvary, the first to come to mind is that of the Father. Almighty God, who put this world in place and created human beings to be in relationship with him, had to have the heaviest heart on that day. This God, who used to walk in the Garden with his original creations, was now sacrificing his only son in order to renew his relationship with humanity. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you’” (Genesis 3:8-9 NIV)?

Even though man failed to love his Creator, God still desired a relationship. And even though man tried to hide from God, the Lord still sought him out.

Human beings have done a wonderful job rejecting God. It is at the crucifixion that God had to reject his son in order to save humanity from their sins. Of course, God’s rejection of His only son was out of love for his creation.

What an interesting way to reverse the curse placed on creation by humanity! The Almighty needed a sacrifice to cover the sins because of his justice. This just God used to allow the blood of unblemished animals to be used to cover sin, but he sent Jesus to be that final sacrifice to continually and forever cover sin. Why his son and not the continued blood of animals? Was it to make our lives easier? The author of Hebrews tells us that it is because the annual sacrificing of animals was a constant reminder of guilt and that it was impossible for the blood of animals to fully cover the sin of humankind (Hebrews 10:1-18).

I cannot imagine the agony that God felt as his son was being killed and the rest of humanity stood at the foot of the cross and ridiculed him. In his mercy and love he did not pour out his wrath on humanity and rescue his son. He saw a far greater victory in restoring his creation to relationship with him. He knew his son, who was part of him, gave up his life for the good of all.

How has God called you to love him and others? What has he called you to give up for the sake of a relationship with him? He gave up his son for a relationship with us because he loved us that much. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete…We love because he first loved us” (1st John 4:16b-19).

The Importance of the Cross-Part I

2008-12-01T05:40:00.000-08:00

The pivotal piece of the Christian faith is Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. If Easter Sunday never happened, then our faith would never have had the impact that it has had on the world for nearly 2,000 years. Even though the resurrection is so important, it would not have needed to happen without the death of Jesus Christ happening first.

The mission of Jesus Christ’s life on earth was to go to the cross and die for the sins of the world. We celebrate his death on Good Friday, which is essentially three days before Easter Sunday. It is called “Good” because it was this sacrifice of love that allowed human beings to again stand before God as righteous. We as people need the blood covering of Jesus in order to have the ability to stand before our Creator. We need Jesus to stand next to us as our advocate in order for the Judge to allow us into the eternal heavens. Because of Jesus, we live with hope.

However, in order for one to experience the saving grace of Jesus, one must first invite him in to his or her heart. Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 NIV). It is a relationship with Jesus Christ that transforms a person to a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is Jesus Christ who imparts his spirit into his children to lead them through this life and prepare them for the resurrection of the dead and eternal life with Almighty God (Romans 8:1-17). The initial step of the Christian faith is accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord of lords and King of kings. The following steps consist of a lifetime of continually being transformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.

As I think of my faith in Christ, the journey that I have been on, and the way Christ is continually transforming and shaping me into his image and likeness, I am humbled by the cross. I still cannot comprehend and fully understand the sacrifice he made for the children of God. I try to put myself in the shoes of those in attendance the day he died and try to understand where they were coming from; what they saw, felt, and experienced. How did the cross of Christ transform the people watching him suffer and die? Even though Christ was killed nearly 2,000 years ago, can I still really put myself there to understand the totality of the circumstances or the beginning stages of the faith I hold so dear? What can the participants and the onlookers of the crucifixion teach me about the faith and the possible emotions and experiences that I may feel and face as a Christian in the 21st century?

The next 8 weeks we will walk through a prayer devotional that will take each of us through the night Jesus was crucified, but through the perspective of a different person on scene. We will see the cost that was paid by Jesus and the others who chose to follow him and those who chose not to.

Of course, my interpretation is based off of speculation simply because the characters I will discuss are no longer living on this side of heaven, but I will use the Holy Scriptures to help guide our journey this week. Get ready to be transformed and made more aware of the cost of following Jesus and the benefits one receives when calling that man Lord and Savior.

Who do we rely on for our basic needs?

2008-11-17T05:12:00.000-08:00

It is so easy to turn on the evening news, check the major networks online, or look at a news paper and get depressed and worried about the state of our world. The economic crisis and depressed housing market has nearly brought our country to her knees. The raging wildfires in California are leaving families homeless. There was a school in Haiti that killed 100’s of students when the walls of that structured collapsed. Bankruptcy seems to be a norm and daily occurrence. We have a president elect who is already facing assassination threats and we also have a very divided government who wants more power. The big industries in our country seem to be slashing jobs and leaving people unemployed, which has been its highest in years.

One does not have to look far in the Times-Gazette to see that Ashland, OH is not exempt from the struggles of the world. Nearly a month ago, Archway closed down, AU cut 48 full time jobs last week and many families I know are struggling to put food on their table. Where is the church’s place in this world?

The church needs to offer sympathy and hope to our hurting world. The church needs to comfort those in need and do what it can to provide the physical and spiritual needs to the hurting and hungry. Most importantly the church needs to offer Jesus Christ. He promises to never leave or forsake his children (Hebrews 13:5). He promises to provide each day our daily bread (Luke 11:1-4, Matthew 6:5-15). It is interesting to look at the Lord’s Prayer and pray it from the perspective of being one in need and not one who has everything. Jesus promises today’s bread.

When the Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years, the Lord provided them food each day by giving them bread from heaven. He commanded them to only take what they needed for the day because he would daily supply new bread. Those who did not listen to his command would store up more bread then needed. By mid-afternoon this bread would turn sour and would grow maggots (Exodus 16). He promised new bread each day so there was no reason to worry about having enough bread for tomorrow.

Is this the mentality we are going to have to have in the coming future? Will we have to cling to this promise that the Lord will supply daily, like we never have had to in the past? We must put our trust in Christ and continue putting one foot in front of the other. Christ commands us not to worry and to put our trust in him (Matthew 6:25-34).

Whatever you did for the least of these...

2008-11-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

On October 31st we as a youth group headed up to Cleveland for Acquire the Fire. There were many issues discussed and the weekend speakers gave you a number of challenges. One of these challenges was to put your faith in Christ into action. Matthew 25:40 states, "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’ (NIV).

We are called by God to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give a drink to the thirsty, and visit the sick and imprisoned. I was excited to see you all decide to sponsor a child from Thailand who is in need. “Man Thong” will now be able to survive in his poverty stricken country because of your help. Feel good about yourselves, but DO NOT stop there. Daily provide a helping hand for those in need, but do it in the name of Jesus Christ. Let his love for you be the driving force behind why you do good for others. This Advent and Christmas season you have a number of opportunities to serve those in need, which in turn is actually serving Jesus Christ; as scripture says (Matthew 25:31-46).

We have Operation Christmas Child coming up this week (November 23rd). We will be feeding the poor people of Ashland on November 30th at First UMC. We will be Christmas caroling to our church family’s shut-ins on December 21st. These are wonderful ways to serve Christ through helping others. I am proud of you all and the sacrifice you made financially in supporting “Man Thong.” Keep it up! Let’s continue to grow together in the faith and make this holiday season the best one yet.

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:14-17 NIV).

Establish your identity in Christ...

2008-11-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

We in the United States of America are calling tomorrow's election the most historical of our times. This may be so, but what troubles me has been how Christian men and women are wrapping themselves up in a particular political party. Pastors and laity alike have been taking sides. "Evangelicals of Obama, or, "You aren't Christian unless you vote Republican," are just two of many bumper stickers I have seen in the past few months. But my question is, should we be taking sides? Can Christians really only vote one way? Should we really be forcing Christ to camp out on one side of the spectrum or the other?

It troubles me how excited and "fired up" Christians are getting over this year's election, but remain silent about their relationship with Christ, who is the only absolute truth in this world. Should we be more vocal about our political views or about the freedom we have experienced in Jesus Christ? What should we be grounding our identity in? Should it be in political parties and their candidates that come and go? Or, should it be in Jesus Christ, who will never leave you or forsake you?

Teens, I challenge you to put your trust in Christ first. I challenge you to ground your identity in him and only him. We are part of a country where we have the oppurtunity to vote and we SHOULD vote. With that said, do not get depressed if your candidate loses or do backflips if your candidate wins, but instead weep for the lost of this world and rejoice that your names are written in the book of life.

Presidents come and go. Taxes, economic reccessions, political parties and their agendas come and go, but Christ Jesus remains forever.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:16-21 NIV)

The importance of relationships

2008-06-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

King David was a man after God's own heart. I would consider him one who was really tight with the Father. David seldomly let the things of this world get in the way of his relationship with God. This is evidently shown by the psalms he wrote that discussed his relationship with God. Although he was a man driven by his love for God, there were times in his life that he allowed the world to come in between the two of them. This is seen in his great sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah (2 Sam 11:1-26) and his census of the Israeli army (2 Sam. 24:1-17). Even though thes great sins separated himself from God, he evantually came back to the Father with a repentant heart and their relationship was one again restored.

I challenge you all to focus on your relationship with God this summer. Draw close to him, seek him, praise him, boast about him, fear him, and take refuge in him. He will not disappoint you.

Psalm 34:8-9, "Taste and see tht the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing."

"My Hope is Built..."

2008-06-03T13:02:00.001-07:00

This past week in church we honored all the graduates for completing a particular area of study. Pastor Jim also challenged them to have Christ be the solid rock in their lives on which they stand. This service also reminded me of the trip Meredith and I took to the Grand Canyon a little over a year ago.

It was an amazing view!! I still can't think of the right words to describe how majestic it looked. As I looked into the canyon I could not help but think of the Almighty Creator. This place also reminded me of a favorite hymn of mine. "My Hope Is Built..." The chorus of this hymn describes Christ as a solid rock. It portrays him as the only foundation in which each and every one of us should stand firm on. Not money, appearance, friends, family, fame, etc., but on Christ alone.

Allow Christ to be your foundation on which you stand. He will not disappoint you. He will never foresake you. He will never abandon you. You won't find truer happiness in anything else. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand."