The Common Goal (David Jeremiah)

Finally, all of you be of one mind . . .1 Peter 3:8a

An Aesop's Fable perfectly illustrates the importance of unity in the body of Christ. A lion prowled about a field in which four oxen dwelled. Often the lion tried to attack them; but whenever he came near, they turned their tails to one another so that whichever way he approached them, he was met by the horns of one of the oxen. At last, however, the oxen started to quarrel among themselves and each went off to pasture alone in a separate corner of the field. The lion saw his chance, attacked them one by one, and soon made an end of all four.


Aesop ended the fable with the simple but powerful statement, "United we stand, divided we fall," which Patrick Henry used later to stress the importance of standing together in a unified love of freedom rather than being divided by petty differences. He knew divisions among the colonies would prevent the establishment of the country we now know and love.


It's the same in the Christian community. We must be united in our love for God lest our common goal of reaching lost souls for His kingdom be sacrificed for the sake of our minor differences.

United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs. Patrick Henry

The Cost of Compassion (David Jeremiah)

But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Luke 15:20

The word sacrifice is the costliest word in the biblical lexicon, especially when it comes to the price God paid—allowing His Son to be sacrificed for our sins. Sacrifice means to offer up something of one's own—to relinquish ownership, to give it up for a higher purpose or calling. But there is another word that has a high price attached to it, one that gets less attention than sacrifice.

The cost of compassion, while perhaps not as high as sacrifice, is nonetheless high—as all compassionate people can attest. Take the father of the prodigal son in Jesus' parable, for instance (Luke 15:11-32). When the rebellious son returned home after a period of profligate living, the father welcomed him home with compassion. What price did he pay for his compassion? How about the sleepless nights that he agonized over the fate of his son? Or the forgiveness he extended? Or the large sum of money that the son wasted in riotous living?

Compassion's price is the loss of whatever we could be doing for ourselves instead of spending ourselves on another. Keep your compassion account balanced, ready to spend when needed.

Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation. Henry Ward Beecher

It's About God by William H. Willimon

It's About God by William H. Willimon

In our Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony (Abingdon, 1990), Stanley Hauerwas and I said that there was much a-theism in the contemporary church. Atheism? We go about evoking vague spiritual sensibilities in our listeners (preaching), soothing the anxieties of the affluent (pastoral care), keeping the machinery oiled (church administration) as if God didn't matter.

Most of us began worrying about our membership loses with the publication of Dean Kelly's Why Conservative Churches Are Growing (Harper & Row, 1977). Kelly's thesis, as best I remember, was not simply that conservative churches were growing because they were strict and conservative (although their relatively high demands upon their members was a positive growth factor) but rather because these churches kept themselves energetically focused on the main business of religion -- making meaning for their members. When churches become distracted, seeing themselves as just another volunteer service organization, or one more friendly social club, they decline. The business of churches, said Kelly, is meaning in God.

In the succeeding years, we pastors were deluged by studies and books on church growth and decline. Some said Kelly had neglected certain sociological factors; that he had made too much of the intellectual/theological basis for church growth. They pointed out that the mainline protestant birthrates had declined since the 1950's. Most mainline growth comes through births to members, therefore the decline.

Then a book by C. Kirk Hadaway and David A. Roozen, Rerouting the Protestant Mainstream: Sources of Growth and Opportunities for Change (Abingdon, 1995) showed the fruit of decades of studies of church growth and decline. As their title shows, Hadaway and Roozen, two distinguished observers of the mainline church, tried to get beyond analysis and more toward positive prescription.

We live in a buyer's market, as far as religion is concerned, say Hadaway and Roozen. And that's not completely bad. Having had a virtual monopoly on American religious life, today's mainline protestants must now adapt to a consumeristic culture where people shop for a church, where people demand quality, and where people drop their church if it doesn't meet their demands.

Too often those demands are identified as an upbeat worship service, a clean nursery, a big parking lot -- which are important factors. However, Hadaway and Roozen highlight a demand that echoes some of Kelly's earlier claims. They say that, when all the factors are studied, "the key issue for the churches seems to be a compelling religious character...not whether the content of that character is liberal or conservative" (p. 69).

For some time I’ve believed that Mainline Protestantism is in trouble because we provided people with the theological rationale not to go to church. We gave them a theology of secularity. Hadaway and Roozen seem to agree. Church cannot be a sanctified form of Rotary. We must clearly, intentionally, relentlessly be determined to be a place where we meet God and God in Jesus Christ meets us.

Hadaway and Roozen tell the delightful story of a Roman Catholic congregation that opened their worship with a time of friendly community and handshaking. The priest said, "It would be a shame to leave here without knowing those around us." Then, with a twinkle in his eye he said, "It would be a much greater shame to leave here without knowing God!" The congregation erupted into applause as if to affirm this is the reason why we are here.

A strong sense of identity and a compelling vision are the two essential characteristics for a vibrant congregation. Hadaway and Roozen are critical of Kelly and others who believe that high demands, conservative theology, or strict expectations are the key.

We desperately need leaders, say Hadaway and Roozen, leaders who are dissatisfied with decline, who refuse to bow to sociological determinism, who emphasize the distinctive, spiritual, God dimensions of church.

Halford Luccock, that great teacher and preacher, told the story of the Methodist congregation, somewhere in the remote Dakotas, who suffered a severe blizzard one winter. The snow was high. Even the mail did not get through for a week. That meant that the pastor and congregation had no clue what was the denominational emphasis for that week. They did not if know this Sunday in February was United Nations Sunday, or the Festival of the Christian Home Sunday, or what. So, said Luccock, the pastor strode embarrassed before the congregation that Sunday and said that, "In the absence of any other reason for gathering today, we'll just worship God."

Give up your Life (Max Lucado)

“He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.” --- Philippians 2:7

God grants us an uncommon life to the degree we surrender our common one. “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life” (Matt. 16:25 NLT).

Jesus did. He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men…He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death” (Phil. 2:7-8).

No one in Nazareth saluted him as the Son of God. He did not stand out in his elementary-classroom photograph, demanded no glossy page in his high school annual. Friends knew him as a woodworker, not a star hanger. His looks turned no heads; his position earned him no credit. “He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.”

God hunts for those who will do likewise—people through whom he can deliver Christ into the world.

God's first class love

Luke 7:36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.


Fred Craddock, pastor of the Cherry Log Christian Church in the mountains of North Georgia in tells the story of a missionary sent to preach the gospel in India near the end of World War II. After many months the time came for a furlough back home

His missionary society wired him the money to book passage on a steamer. So, this young missionary journeyed to the port city. It was December of that year. Port cities are always full of interesting and fascinating sights and sounds, but in this particular place, he discovered that a boat load of Jews had just been allowed to land temporarily. These were the days when European Jews were sailing all over the world literally looking for a place to live. Many countries wouldn't even let them come to port--most countries wouldn't let them stay for more than a few days. These particular Jews, anxious to be off the crowded conditions of their ship, were staying wherever they could find, in attics and warehouses and basements all over the port.

On Christmas morning, the young missionary sought out an attic where scores of Jews were staying. He walked in and said, "Merry Christmas."

The people looked at him as if he were crazy and responded, "We're Jews."

"I know that," said the missionary," What would you like for Christmas?"

In utter amazement the Jews said again, "We're Jews."

And again the missionary responded, "I know that. What would you like for Christmas?"

Convinced that he was either crazy or possibly genuine, an elder answered, "Pastries. Melt in your mouth pastries. Good pastries, like the ones we used to have in Germany."

So the missionary went out. He searched high and low, and bought out every fine bakery he could find of their best pastries. He bought as many fine pastries as he could for all the Jews he could find staying in the port. He used all the money his mission society had sent for his return passage home.

Of course, then he had to wire home asking for more money to book his passage back to the States.

As you might expect, his superiors wired back. "What in the world did you do with the money we already sent?" they inquired. This, or course, was long before the day of email. Transoceanic telephone was impractical. Wires took some delivery time and some reply time. The young missionary sent his reply.

"I bought Christmas pastries for Jewish immigrants here in the port city."

He waited for the reply. His superiors wired back, "What in the world possessed you to buy Christmas pastries for Jews? They're not Christians. They don't even believe in Jesus."

He wired back: "Yes, but I do."

Not the crumbs from under the table, but God's first class love. That's the example we have from Jesus.

"If you suffer, whoever you are, enter, eat, sleep, recover hope, here you are loved."

L'Abbé Pierre was a man who had dedicated his entire life to the downtrodden, the poor and the homeless. He was the founder of Emmaüs, an organization "dedicated to fighting extreme poverty and its causes." He became famous when, in the severe winter 0f 1954, he made a desperate appeal for funds on Radio-Luxembourg, which began with the following words:

"Help, my friends... A woman just froze to death last night at 3:00 a.m., on the sidewalk of boulevard Sebastopol, clutching the paper informing her that she had been evicted. In front of their brothers dying of misery, only one opinion must prevail among men: The will to make it so that this cannot last."

In the aftermath of this appeal, he received 500 million francs worth of donations. His lobbying on behalf of the homeless led to the enactment of a law that forbids the eviction of tenants during the winter months. There are now over 350 Emmaüs communities in the World, including 110 in France alone. The man who called himself La Voix des hommes sans voix (the Voice of voiceless men) disliked being in the public eye, but would come to the fore when he had to denounce a blatant injustice and, in its article, Le Monde refers to him as the "conscience of French society."

This motto of his organization is:
"If you suffer, whoever you are, enter, eat, sleep, recover hope, here you are loved."

My friend John Coleman preached a sermon on June 10, 2007 on this story. You can find it by clicking here-------> http://coascension.nextmeta.com/content.cfm?id=2027

John called the sermon "Avert your Eyes." It is a challenge to not "avert our eyes" from those who are hurting.......

Riddles of God

"The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man" -----G.K. Chesterton

Praise versus Thanks

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Luke 11:2a

Many people mistake thanking the Lord for praising Him. Oftentimes we rattle off a list of things we are thankful for and move right to our requests, believing we have spent time giving glory to God. But there is a clear distinction between thankfulness and praise.

The Merriam-Webster definition of "thankfulness" is: conscious of benefit received. In contrast, the definition of "praise" is: to glorify, especially by the attribution of perfections. The primary difference is that when we give thanks, our focus is on what God has done for us, whereas during praise, the focus is solely on Him.

The Bible lists a myriad of God's attributes for which we can glorify Him. It tells us that He is holy (Lev. 19:2), just, perfect, and righteous (Deut. 32:4), merciful (Psalm 116:5), mighty and infinite (Psalm 147:5), and sovereign (Psalm 47:8), just to name a few.

So, let's remember to take a few moments at the beginning of each prayer to tell the Lord how much we love Him just for being the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

"When I give thanks, my thoughts still circle about myself to some extent. But in praise my soul ascends to self-forgetting adoration, seeing and praising only the majesty and power of God, His grace and redemption." --- Kristian O. Hallesby

What do you think?

Dick Freeman likes this music. I think I do as well. I really like the way the words are on the screen. What do you think. You can make comments below.

Do Not Lose Heart

Look outward and be distressed,
Look inward and be depressed,
Look upward and be at rest.
-Corrie Ten Boom

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Ten Minutes From Seeing Lazarus (Max Lucado)

“Jesus wept.”John 11:35 NKJV

Jesus…weeps. He sits between Mary and Martha, puts an arm around each, and sobs…

He weeps with them.
He weeps for them.
He weeps with you.
He weeps for you.

He weeps so we will know: Mourning is not disbelieving. Flooded eyes don’t represent a faithless heart. A person can enter a cemetery Jesus-certain of life after death and still have a Twin Tower crater in the heart. Christ did. He wept, and he knew he was ten minutes from seeing a living Lazarus!

And his tears give you permission to shed your own. Grief does not mean you don’t trust; it simply means you can’t stand the thought of another day without the Lazarus of your life. If Jesus gave the love, he understands the tears. So grieve, but don’t grieve like those who don’t know the rest of this story.

ARE YOU TIRED? (Max Lucado)

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Come to me…The invitation is to come to him. Why him?

He offers the invitation as a penniless rabbi in an oppressed nation. He has no political office, no connections with the authorities in Rome. He hasn’t written a best-seller or earned a diploma.

Yet, he dares to look into the leathery faces of farmers and tired faces of housewives and offer rest. He looks into the disillusioned eyes of a preacher or two from Jerusalem. He gazes into the cynical stare of a banker and the hungry eyes of a bartender and makes this paradoxical promise: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29).

The people came. They came out of the cul-de-sacs and office complexes of their day. They brought him the burdens of their existence, and he gave them not religion, not doctrine, not systems, but rest.

Don’t praise yourself... (Max Lucado)

“Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it.”Proverbs 27:2

Demanding respect is like chasing a butterfly. Chase it, and you’ll never catch it. Sit still, and it may light on your shoulder. The French philosopher Blaise Paschal asked, “Do you wish people to speak well of you? Then never speak well of yourself.” Maybe that’s why the Bible says, “Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it.”

Do you feel a need for affirmation? Does your self-esteem need attention? You don’t need to drop names or show off. You need only to pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this: The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that is a fact. So if you need to brag, brag about that.

Church Picnic

Thanks to Stuart and Perry for the Great Music at the Church Picnic. (Stuart skipping an Alabama Football Game is truly the "Hands of Christ"....)

Administer true justice

"This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Administer true justice;
show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow
or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not
think evil of each other."
-- Zechariah 7:9-10

THOUGHT: Do you want a clear, simple, straightforward word from the Lord today? That's what Zechariah gives us. He reminds us that God wantsus to be fair, compassionate, caring, without prejudice, and tenderhearted to those in need, and to give each other the benefit of the doubt. In other words, he wants us to treat each other like Christ treated people. Why? Because we can't be right with God and be wrong with people!

PRAYER: Loving Father, please forgive me for the times I've gottenb ogged down with hard-to-understand verses in Scripture and ignored your clear teaching on how to live. Please give me the opportunity this week to live like you have commanded me. In the future, when my heart grows cold or my response to others is not what it should be, please use your Spirit to bring to my remembrance this passage

A Finished Work (Max Lucado)

“God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished.” Philippians 1:6

The message of Jesus to the religious person is simple: It’s not what you do. It’s what I do. I have moved in.

Religious rule-keeping can sap your strength. It’s endless. There is always another class to attend, Sabbath to obey, Ramadan to observe. No prison is as endless as the prison of perfection. Her inmates find work but never find peace. How could they? They never know when they are finished.

Christ, however, gifts you with a finished work. He fulfilled the law for you. Bid farewell to the burden of religion. Gone is the fear that having everything done, you might not have done enough. You climb the stairs, not by your strength, but his. God pledges to help those who stop trying to help themselves.

The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations

The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations Website: http://5practices.org/

Radical Hospitality
Passionate Worship
Intentional Faith Development
Risk-Taking Mission and Service
Extravagant Generosity

Room for Miracles (Max Lucado)

“I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands and…

put my hand into his side.”John 20:25

In our world of budgets, long-range planning and computers, don’t we find it hard to trust in the unbelievable? Don’t most of us tend to scrutinize life behind furrowed brows and walk with cautious steps? It’s hard for us to imagine that God can surprise us. To make a little room for miracles today, well, it’s not sound thinking.

We make the same mistake that Thomas made: we forget that “impossible” is one of God’s favorite words.

How about you? How is your imagination these days? When was the last time you let some of your dreams elbow out your logic? When was the last time you imagined the unimaginable?… Has it been awhile since you claimed God’s promise to do “more than we can ask or imagine?” (Eph. 3:20)

John Wesley Quote

Do all the good you can,

by all the means you can,

in all the ways you can,

in all the places you can,

at all the times you can,

to all the people you can,

as long as ever you can.

~ John Wesley ~ (1703-1791)

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

Final Poll Results: Other than Sunday School, what type of small group do you attend?

Women's Circle -----------------7 (21%)
Men's Group ------------------10 (30%)
Wednesday Bible Studies------- 9 (27%)
Women's Bible Study -----------3 (9%)
Prayer Group ------------------6 (18%)
Service Team ------------------ 4 (12%)
Disciple Class ------------------10 (30%)
Youth Group------------------- 5 (15%)
Dinner/Supper Meeting------- 10 (30%)
Worship Team----------------- 16 (48%)
Other --------------------------9 (27%)

Everything You Need (Max Lucado)

“My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need.” Philippians 4:19

May I meddle for a moment? What is the one thing separating you from joy? How do you fill in this blank: “I will be happy when _________________”? When I am healed. When I am promoted. When I am married. When I am single. When I am rich. How would you finish that statement?

Now, with your answer firmly in mind, answer this. If your ship never comes in, if your dream never comes true, if the situation never changes, could you be happy? If not, then you…need to know what you have in your Shepherd.

You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need.

Joke

When Jerry Garcia died, he woke up and found himself on a stage on which a number of instruments were set up. A door offstage opened and in walked Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, John Lennon, Otis Redding and Buddy Holly. Each musician picked up his favorite instrument and began tuning up. Jerry walked up to Jimi and said, "Man, so this is what heaven is like."Jimi looked at him and said, "Heaven? You think this is heaven?"At that moment, Karen Carpenter walked in, took her seat behind the drums, and called out, "Okay guys, 'Close to You.' One, two, three, four!"

No Fear of Bad News (David Jeremiah)

He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:7

At first reading, Psalm 112 seems too good to be true; but on further study, we realize it's so good it must be true. This Psalm explains how God blesses us when we praise Him, fear Him, and delight in His commandments (verse 1).

Our children will be blessed by our faithfulness (verse 2), our needs will be met (verse 3), we'll become more gracious, compassionate, and righteous (verse 4), and more generous and discreet (verse 5). Best of all, we'll be secure in our hearts, unafraid of bad news (verses 6-8).

This isn't a promise that bad news will never come, for we all read the headlines every day and sometimes face that dreaded call in the night or those difficult conversations with a friend. But faith turns the bad news into items of prayer and objects of trust, for we know God works all things together for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Because of God's sovereignty and Christ's resurrection, we have a peace the world can never understand. Our hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

"(The) peace of God . . . is an unspeakable calmness and serenity of spirit, a tranquility in the blood of Christ, which keeps the souls of believers, in their latest hour, even as a garrison keeps a city." John Wesley

Baptism

Christmas and Easter

A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the

preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands.

He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside.

Pastor said, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!”

My friend said, “I’m already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.”

Pastor was puzzled and questioned, “How come I don’t see you

except at Christmas and Easter?”

My friend whispered back, “I’m in the secret service.”

Allan R. Bevere is the pastor of First United Methodist Church in Cambridge, Ohio. Once a week on his blog he has The Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup. It is always interesting to browse.

Click here to view this weeks:

http://arbevere.blogspot.com/2007/10/methodist-blogs-weekly-roundup_14.html

A righteous man

“Surely this was a righteous man.”Luke 23:47 NIV

If it is true that a picture paints a thousand words, then there was a Roman centurion who got a dictionary full. All he did was see Jesus suffer. He never heard him preach or saw him heal or followed him through the crowds. He never witnessed him still the winds; he only witnessed the way he died. But that was all it took to cause this weather-worn soldier to take a giant step in faith. “Surely this was a righteous man.”

That says a lot, doesn’t it? It says the rubber of faith meets the road of reality under hardship. It says the trueness of one’s belief in revealed in pain. Genuineness and character are unveiled in misfortune. Faith is at its best, not in three-piece suits on Sunday mornings or at V.B.S on summer days, but at hospital bedsides, cancer wards, and cemeteries.

from No Wonder They Call Him the Savior (Max Lucado)

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it,

but because by it I see everything else.

C. S. Lewis

Quote from G.K. Chesterton

"The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion, but, on the contrary, of its liberality and humanity. It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted: precisely because most things are permitted, and only a few things are forbidden." (Quote from G.K. Chesterton)

Final Poll Results - Sunday School

Final Poll Results - Do you attend Sunday School?
Yes - Every Week ---------------------------- 25 (60%)
At least Twice a Month------------------------- 8 (19%)
Sometimes ----------------------------------------4 (9%)
Rarely------------------------------------------ 1 (2%)
Looking for a good class to join ------------------0 (0%)
Not interested ---------------------------------- 3 (7%)

Editors note: I absolutely love the honest answer from the three folks who said "not interested"!!!! How cool is the honesty.

Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you. ----Corrie ten Boom

DO YOU BELEIVE IN RADICAL HOSPITALITY?

In his newly published book, Five Practices of a Fruitful Congregation, Bishop Robert Schnase highlights the practices that shape and sustain a vital church: radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity.

Schnase states, "Christian hospitality refers to the active desire to invite, welcome, receive, and care for those strangers so that they find a spiritual home and discover for themselves the unending richness of life in Christ" (p. 11). Christian hospitality is radical because it extends beyond the basic hello and moves beyond welcoming only those who are already part of the congregation.

Hospitality is a major theme in the Bible (e.g. Deuteronomy 10:19), and Jesus' placed great emphasis on it in his teaching and in his actions. "...Jesus radically challenges the disciples' expectations by overstepping the boundaries to invite people in. Hospitality has us seeing people as Jesus sees them and seeing Jesus in the people God brings before us" (p. 13).

Schnase briefly recounts the radical hospitality practiced by John Wesley and the early Methodists that many church leaders of his day found offensive. Wesley believed that before people come to Christ, they have an innate desire to be in relationship with God that they attempt to fill in other ways. Hospitality is the invitation to them to enter into that relationship.

"A congregation marked by such hospitality adopts an invitational posture that changes everything it does. Members work with a heightened awareness of the person who is not present, the neighbors, friends, and co-workers who have no church home. With every ministry, they consider how to reach those who are not yet present" (pp. 21-22).

Radical hospitality resists the notion of the church as a social club simply gathering for a good time. Radical hospitality is based on the church as the Body of Christ that in all things seeks to fulfill the mission that Christ gave it.

The Trustees of the church are not normally thought of as a hospitality committee, but Schnase underscores the importance of having not only a functional, but also an attractive grounds and facility that will provide not only a useful, but an inviting atmosphere, and one that will particularly attract young people. He writes, "Most young adults work in newer buildings with modern lighting, contemporary colors and textures, and fire security systems that make them feel safe. They eat in restaurants and sleep in hotels and attend movies that meet high standards. They are accustomed to quality and cleanliness in restrooms, and they come with high expectations about the safety of the nursery and classrooms for their children. Many feel like they're traveling back in time when they visit a church and see the 1950s institutional green paint, the rust-stained floors and cramped toilets in restrooms, the dim lights in hallways, and the absence of smoke detectors and handicapped accessibility" (p. 25).

The decline of the church can only be reversed in a change of attitude, practices, and values. Schnase gets to the heart of the problem when he quite bluntly states, "Too many churches want more young people as long as they act like old people, more newcomers as long as they act like old-timers, more children as long as they are as quiet as adults, more ethnic families as long as they act like the majority in the congregation" (pp. 27-28).

A church that does not intentionally practice radical hospitality will not attract people. But, of course, there is more that a church must practice if it is to keep them; and first on the list is passionate worship. That is the subject of the next post.

Why did Jesus live on the earth as long as he did? (Max Lucado)

"We can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy…to help us when we need it.”Hebrews 4:16

Why did Jesus live on the earth as long as he did? Couldn’t his life have been much shorter?

Why not step into our world just long enough to die for our sins and then leave? Why not a sinless year or week? Why did he have to live a life? To take on our sins is one thing, but to take on our sunburns, our sore throats? To experience death, yes—but to put up with life? To put up with long roads, long days, and short tempers? Why did he do it?

Because he wants you to trust him…

He has been where you are and can relate to how you feel. And if his life on earth doesn’t convince you, his death on the cross should. He understands what you are going through. Our Lord does not patronize us or scoff at our needs. He responds “generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5 NIV).

The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel. ---Thomas Watson

Who was Jesus? By Bishop William H. Willimon

Who was Jesus? Jesus was a wonderful teacher and preacher. Many found in his words the words of life and words that wisely pointed the way to greater love of God and neighbor. However, when some sincerely tried to follow the way that was cast by this great teacher, they found it virtually impossible. It would have been one thing if the teacher had urged us simply “do not worry about tomorrow” (Mt. 6:34), which might have led us to greater peace of mind. But he went on to say that we should love our enemies (Lk. 6:35), pray for rather than revenge our enemies (Mt. 5:44), and hate our mothers (Lk. 14:26). Such talk forever disturbed our peace. Paul spoke for us all in saying, “I do not do the good that I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Rom. 7:19). That many believe that Christianity is mostly about “trying to live a good life and being kind to your neighbor” suggests that they have never actually listened to or tried to practice the teachings of Jesus!

Who was Jesus? He was not just a great ethical teacher, he was the Redeemer who went to the cross and “died for our sins” as the church said from the first, attempting to account for the significance of Jesus’ death on the cross. We are, as we have admitted, sinners. What’s to be done about our rebellion and estrangement from God? Whatever is to be done, it can’t be done by us. Our debts are too great, our lives too corrupt and deformed. So somehow, in the cross of Christ, God took up our sin, our propensity to serve death rather than life, and redeemed us (bought us back from slavery to sin and death), atoned for us (did something about the great gap between us and God), judged us (our sin is deadly serious), and pardons us (writes off our debts that we have incurred through our sin).

Note that the Discipline doesn’t spend much verbiage in attempting to explain just how this happens. For us, God’s reconciling the world in Christ is a great mystery that we Wesleyans would rather experience and live into rather than explain. All we know is that, from the testimony of Scripture and in our own experience, God in Christ did something decisive at Calvary, wrought a victory that totally rearranged relations between God and humanity.

Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served by to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:43-45)

FROM ANGIE LEWIS

IT’S A PICNIC!
Yep! It’s that time again! Our church picnic will be on Saturday, October 20, 2007 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Gamble Park. We will have Danny’sBar-B-Que for lunch. Bring a dessert and come prepared to have a good time! We will have activities for the children and music by Stuart and Perry. Wear your “play clothes”, usually an adult game of football and/or sack racebreaks out! Can’t wait to see you there!

Angie Lewis
angie@fumcjasper.com

Not Good if Detached

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:4

After horrendous experiences in the Nazi death camps during World War II, Corrie ten Boom became a roving evangelist, taking the message of Christ to the world. In bringing her story to the United States, she frequently traveled by rail. She noticed that the train tickets were perforated in the middle. The whole ticket had to be presented to the attendant, who then separated it. In prominent letters on each ticket were the words: "Not Good if Detached."

That became the title of Corrie's book about John 15 and the reality of abiding in Christ. A branch must be connected to the vine for the sap to flow uninterrupted and for the fruit to appear. If it's severed, it withers and dies. It cannot bear fruit on its own.

Our daily connection with Christ allows the Holy Spirit to flow through us, producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Christlike qualities come as a result of our relationship with Christ, and we become more like Him by spending time with Him in abiding fellowship in His Word and simple trust.

Are you "attached"?

Without Him, I am nothing. Like some railway tickets in America, I am "not good if detached." Corrie ten Boom

Youth Happenings this Weekend from JASON SCOTT

Just wanted to remind everyone about what all is going on this friday and saturday.

Friday
We will be hosting a Tailgate Party outside the stadium before the Walker Football Game. We will start at 5:30. Invite friends, especially unchurched friends. We'll be giving away $100 in cash at halftime. We'll also have music and food! Just come hang out! We'll be on the practice field side.
After the game, we're hosting the Fifth Quarter for Jasper. We'll open the doors at 9:30 or whenever the game ends (which ever comes first.) Cost is $2 per person with free snacks (including ice cream) during the event. The band will begin at 10:15 and play for about an hour. We'll close shop at 11:30pm. We're still in need of a few volunteers...if you can help, let me know.

Saturday Night
We're going to be hanging out with the band on Sat night at the Youth Center. If you want to come, just let me know (we have to prepare for food) by Fri Night. We'll be at the church at 6:30 with food and stuff. Come hang out and play video games, pool, etc. We'll also have football on in the movie room. We'll say we'll be finished at 9:30pm.

Sunday Night
We will not be having youth this sunday due to the Stewardship Dinner at the CHS building. We will resume Sunday nights next week (10/21) with our first installment of Sunday Night Live! Our take on the other show on Sat Nights with a little twist. We'll even have special guest hosts (sometimes) and musical guests as well. On Oct 21 join us for Yungtown, a 17 yr old rapper from B'ham.

Following Sunday Night Live we will be having a Parent/Youth Meeting for any interested Sr Hi youth or parent who wants more info on our pending Summer 08 mission trip to Ecuador. If you think you are even remotely interested in this trip, please attend this info meeting. You are not committing to the trip, just gathering info. The trip is for current 9th through 12th graders. We don't have a set cost or dates yet, but we will know more by the time of the meeting.

Any questions, let me know!

jason
jason@fumcjasper.com

Prayer Requests

Sue Upchurch, Ken's mother, is at Walker Baptist in Room 2206. She will be having a procedure tomorrow and the Fenders need your prayer support for the family.

Please remember Dwight Hicks, Iva Beard and their families in your prayers. Dwight's brother, Bruce Hicks, and Iva's sister, Ollie Lee Schoeder passed away this week.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge ...Psalm 91:4

THOUGHT: Life is filled with many uncertainties. You never know when something unexpected is going to happen. You have no idea when the next disaster will strike. In a world filled with hate and terrorism, none of us has a clue when the next horrible atrocity will take place. So what do we do when we can't be sure of our circumstances? We take shelter under the wing of the One who is above all circumstances! We take assurance in our Father who has promised to bring us to himself no matter what may happen today ...in our world ... and to our bodies. Our lives are hidden with our Father because we've been joined to Christ. He is our Refuge! His wings are our shelter!

PRAYER: Father, what words can I offer that are sufficient to thank and praise you for your deliverance that is greater than death? You arethe Alpha and the Omega. You are the God who was and is and is toc ome. You are my Abba Father, who has adopted me and made me your own. I place my trust, my hope, and future in you and I will not be afraid. I find my refuge under your wings! All praise to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Allan R. Bevere is the pastor of First United Methodist Church in Cambridge, Ohio. Once a week on his blog he has The Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup. It is always interesting to browse.

Click here to view: http://arbevere.blogspot.com/2007/10/methodist-blogs-weekly-roundup.html

When We Miss the Target (Max Lucado)

Read the first verse of Matthew’s gospel. Jesus knew David’s ways. He witnessed the adultery, winced at the murders, and grieved at the dishonesty. But David’s failures didn’t change Jesus’ relation to David. The initial verse of the first chapter of the first gospel calls Christ “the son of David” (Matt. 1:1 KJV). The title contains no disclaimers, explanations, or asterisks. I’d have added a footnote: “This connection in no way offers tacit approval to David’s behavior.” No such words appear. David blew it. Jesus knew it. But he claimed David anyway.

He did for David what my father did for my brother and me.

Back in our elementary school days, my brother received a BB gun for Christmas. We immediately set up a firing range in the backyard and spent the afternoon shooting at an archery target. Growing bored with the ease of hitting the circle, my brother sent me to fetch a hand mirror. He placed the gun backward on his shoulder, spotted the archery bull’s-eye in the mirror, and did his best Buffalo Bill imitation. But he missed the target. He also missed the storehouse behind the target and the fence behind the storehouse. We had no idea where the BB pellet flew. Our neighbor across the alley knew, however. He soon appeared at the back fence, asking who had shot the BB gun and who was going to pay for his sliding-glass door.

At this point I disowned my brother. I changed my last name and claimed to be a holiday visitor from Canada. My father was more noble than I. Hearing the noise, he appeared in the backyard, freshly rousted from his Christmas Day nap, and talked with the neighbor.

Among his words were these:“Yes, they are my children.”“Yes, I’ll pay for their mistakes.”

Christ says the same about you. He knows you miss the target. He knows you can’t pay for your mistakes. But he can. “God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins” (Rom. 3:25 NLT).

Since he was sinless, he could.

Since he loves you, he did. “This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:10 NLT).

He became one of us to redeem all of us. “Jesus, who makes people holy, and those who are made holy are from the same family. So he is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters” (Heb. 2:11 NCV).

He wasn’t ashamed of David. He isn’t ashamed of you. He calls you brother; he calls you sister. The question is, do you call him Savior?

“Now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away from God are brought near.” Ephesians 2:13

Nothing remains between you and God but an open door.

Something happened in the death of Christ that opened the door for you and me. And that something is described by the writer of Hebrews.

"So, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place without fear because of the blood of Jesus' death. We can enter through a new and living way that Jesus opened for us. It leads through the curtain–Christ's body" (Heb. 10:19-20).

To the original readers, those last four words were explosive: "the curtain–Christ's body." According to the writer, the curtain equals Jesus. Hence, whatever happened to the flesh of Jesus happened to the curtain. What happened to his flesh? It was torn. Torn by the whips, torn by the thorns. Torn by the weight of the cross and the point of the nails. But in the horror of his torn flesh, we find the splendor of the open door.

by Max Lucado

With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can think or imagine. Ephesians 3:20 (New Century Version)

THOUGHT:
You’ve been waiting for months for the release of the sequel to your favorite movie. Finally, the time has come. You’ve waited in line, purchased your ticket, and found yourself a seat. You have an idea of what lies ahead, but you don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. All you know is that it’s bound to be great. That’s the kind of expectation you can have about the life God has planned for you. He is more creative than any filmmaker, more amazing than any special effects, and more wonderful than any cinematic hero. You may not fully understand your story’s beauty until you’ve reached the finale, but God promises that every detail of the plot has been chosen for your ultimate good.

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, You are the best of what’s yet to be! Thank You that my life is in Your hands and that You have amazing plans for me, plans that I cannot even imagine. As I trust in You and let Your power work through me, great things will happen! Amen.

Joy in the Ordinary (Max Lucado)

We played every game we knew. We ran up and down the hall. We played “find me” behind the couch. We bounced the beach ball off each other’s heads. We wrestled, played tag, and danced. It was a big evening for Mom, Dad, and little Jenna. We were having so much fun that we ignored the bedtime hour and turned off the T.V. And if the storm hadn’t hit, who knows how late we would have played.

But then the storm hit. Rain pattered, then tapped, then slapped against the windows. The winds roared in off the Atlantic and gushed through the nearby mountains with such force that all the power went off. The adjacent valley acted as a funnel, hosing wind on the city.

We all went into the bedroom and lay on the bed. In the darkness we listened to the divine orchestra. Electricity danced in the sky like a conductor’s baton summoning the deep kettledrums of thunder.

I sensed it as we were lying on the bed. It blew over me mixed with the sweet fragrance of fresh rain.My wife was lying silently at my side. Jenna was using my stomach for her pillow. She, too, was quiet. Our second child, only a month from birth, rested within the womb of her mother. They must have sensed it, for no one spoke. It entered our presence as if introduced by God himself. And no one dared stir for fear it would leave prematurely.

What was it? An eternal instant.

An instant in time that had no time. A picture that froze in mid-frame, demanding to be savored. A minute that refused to die after sixty seconds. A moment that was lifted off the time line and amplified into a forever so all the angels could witness its majesty.

An eternal instant.

A moment that reminds you of the treasures surrounding you. Your home. Your peace of mind. Your health. A moment that tenderly rebukes you for spending so much time on temporal preoccupations such as savings accounts, houses, and punctuality. A moment that can bring a mist to the manliest of eyes and perspective to the darkest life.

Eternal instants have dotted history.

It was an eternal instant when the Creator smiled and said, “It is good.” It was a timeless moment when Abraham pleaded for mercy from the God of mercy, “But if there are just ten faithful.” It was a moment without time when Noah pushed open the rainsoaked hatch and breathed in the clean air. And it was a moment in the “fullness of time” when a carpenter, some smelly shepherds, and an exhausted, young mother stood in silent awe at the sight of the infant in the manger.

Eternal instants. You’ve had them. We all have.

Sharing a porch swing on a summer evening with your grandchild.

Seeing her face in the glow of the candle.

Putting your arm into your husband’s as you stroll through the golden leaves and breathe the brisk autumn air.

Listening to your six-year-old thank God for everything from goldfish to Grandma.

Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is okay. The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living. Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession and the future is nothing to fear.

The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it. Put your head back on the pillow and soak it in. Resist the urge to cut it short. Don’t interrupt the silence or shatter the solemnity. You are, in a very special way, on holy ground.

___________________
from God Came Near
Copyright 1987 Max Lucado

Final Poll Results - Where were you when you became a Christian?

Home 5 (13%)
Regular Church Service 13 (34%)
Revival or Crusade 6 (15%)
Friend's home 0 (0%)
Pastor's office 3 (7%)
Youth Event 6 (15%)
Sunday School or Other church class 3 (7%)
Other 2 (5%)

Scared to Death

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

During the Gulf War of 1991, Iraq launched a series of Scud missile attacks against Israel. Although the death rate among Israeli citizens spiked on the day of the first missile attack, the majority of the deaths were not directly attributable to the missiles. Instead, the majority of deaths were from heart failure brought on by fear of chemical and biological agents in the missiles. When it was discovered there were no such agents, fear subsided and the Israeli death rate returned to normal.

Fear is a powerful emotional force—it can literally scare us to death. Positively, fear can keep us from taking unnecessary risks. Negatively, fear can paralyze us—it can keep us from walking through doors God has opened. Even when we know God is with us, the "fear" of the unknown may be present. But fear can always be overcome by power, love, and self-discipline, all of which come from God (2 Timothy 1:7). "Butterflies in the stomach" are normal, but they should not rule the day.

Don't let what you don't know make you afraid. Let Who you do know give you courage to step through God's open doors.

"Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered and no one was there." Unknown

He lets me rest in green pastures.” Psalm 23:2

By Max Lucado:

For a field to bear fruit, it must occasionally lie fallow. And for you to be healthy, you must rest. Slow down, and God will heal you. He will bring rest to your mind, to your body, and most of all to your soul. He will lead you to green pastures.

Green pastures were not the natural terrain of Judea. The hills around Bethlehem where David kept his flock were not lush and green. Even today they are white and parched. Any green pasture in Judea is the work of some shepherd. He had cleared the rough, rocky land. Stumps have been torn out, and brush has been burned…

With his own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He tore out the thorny underbrush of condemnation. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place he planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy.

And he invites us to rest there.

Wear my Shirt

Below is a link to an awesome sermon. I know people always tell you to listen to stuff and it sometimes is not that great. I promise this is worth the time. (If you aren't completely happy, Henry Allred will buy you a doughnut next Sunday at Church.......) It takes minute to load and it will take 30 minutes to listen to:

Click below:
http://lagniappedata.com/MP3files/Sundayam/non-series/JLOnZep_6.3.07_FinalCopy.mp3

The preacher is a former campus minister for RUF at Ole Miss named Jean Larroux.

Zephaniah 3:17
17 The LORD your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

Final Poll Results - Favorite Slower Songs????

Favorite Slower Songs

Heart of Worship 3 (5%)
Ancient Words 20 (33%)
Draw Me Close 5 (8%)
Above All 14 (23%)
He Knows My Name 16 (27%)
Here I am to Worship 15 (25%)
I See the Lord 22 (37%)
There is None Like You 18 (30%)
We Fall Down (we lay our crowns....) 20 (33%)
I Love you Lord (and I lift my Voice...) 11 (18%)
Sweet, Sweet Spirit 9 (15%)

VERSE: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. -- Ephesians 4:29

THOUGHT: The goal in Christian communication is not just clarity. Neither is the goal just to be understood. The goal is not even just to be truthful. The goal is to be appropriate, encouraging, and uplifting to others based on the needs of that other person.

PRAYER: Tender Shepherd, give me a heart that is pure so that my words may be pure. Give me a heart that is kind so that my words may be kind. Give me a heart that is full of joy and encouragement so that I may share these with those you bring to my path and with whom I share conversation. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Susan Long's surgery is this morning. Brandy, Winslett and Bud are with her. She will be home in a few days. I spoke with Chad Hill this morning. We thought the best way to send her a message might be to email Brandy.

Brandy's email is: brandy411@charter.net

She will print them all out for her tonight and take them to her tomorrow. You can send her a message this way for the next few days.

Another Day to Serve Jesus

Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning. Ecclesiastes 11:7 (NLT)

Put a finger to your pulse. Are you alive? Then be thankful! God has given you another new day on this earth, and you can see the clouds floating in the sky, hear the birds in the trees, smell the roses, and tell someone you love them. We have earthly service to attend to and tasks on earth to do for Jesus.

We don't know if we'll be able to do those things tomorrow, for we might be in heaven. Yes, in many ways, that would be better; but it would mean a ceasing of our earthly service. Paul told the Philippians that while he preferred to go on to heaven, he also desired to stay awhile longer on earth to serve them (Philippians 1:23-24).

So we have another day. Don't waste it in sin, depression, self-pity, or laziness. Live to the fullest, for this is the day the Lord has made.

Rejoice and be glad in it!

Draw me day by day nearer to Thyself, until I be wholly filled with Thy love, and fitted to behold Thee, face to face, Amen. (Edward B. Pusey, Anglican Clergy)