On the way to Sunday . . . Learning to Trust

Eugene Polley the inventor of the first wireless remote control for television died May 20, 2012. He was 96 years old. The advertisement for his invention called the Flash-Matic in 1955 even made some prophetic claims:

Just think!,” an advertisement breathlessly proclaimed that year. “Without budging from your easy chair you can turn your new Zenith Flash-Matic set on, off, or change channels. You can even shut off annoying commercials while the picture remains on the screen.”

We now live in the day where we struggle for control of the remote in each every household. We get antsy if we don't have the remote in our hands ... what if they change the channel ... what if they don't change the channel ... what if I miss something ...

We surf the web and cable TV with ease ... as long as we are in control.

It's hard to trust someone else with the remote.

It's hard to give that type of control to somebody else.

Yet that is exactly what we are called to do as followers of Christ.

Who is pushing your buttons?

Where are you placing your trust?

Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you. Psalm 84:12 NIV

On the way to Sunday . . . Change is coming

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. Acts 2:2

The winds of change blow and in most cases we run for cover.

When the holy spirit arrived there was no where to hide.

Change arrived.

Ordinary men became extraordinary.

Days earlier the disciples remained huddled and frightened in an upper room in Jerusalem. Now they will lead a change that is still transforming people today.

As we celebrate Pentecost (the arrival of the Holy Spirit) this Sunday, we are reminded that the wind of change is still blowing.

Change continues into come to our lives ... Our church ... Our community.

Are you ready for change?

Be transformed this week ... do something extraordinary.

Celebrating a Community

If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together,
they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands
is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 NIV


A community united for a common cause this past Saturday and it was a beautiful thing to watch.

People came ranging in ages from 4-90.

People came with various skills.

People came from different churches and denominations.

People came with disabilities and limitations.

In total over 200 people came ... young - old ... male - female.


All of us came together to do what no one individual could.

The end result was over 48,000 meals packaged and prepped for distribution to those in our community and around the globe who are hungry.

For one morning ...

generations converged and conversed ...

neighbors reunited ...

a community united ...

faith led the way ...

And for one brief moment we became the hands of Christ in Hagerstown ...

Refrigerator Theology: You want me to do what?

An old story/joke worth repeating:

On one particular instance, the wife was ill and the husband volunteered to go to the grocery. The husband was sent him off to the store with the list from the refrigerator that was carefully numbered with seven items. The husband returned shortly very proud of the quick work he had made of the shopping and proceeded to unpack the grocery bags. He had one bag of sugar, two cartons of eggs, three hams, four boxes of detergent, five boxes of crackers, six cucumbers, and seven green peppers.

That’s the problem with lists. You have to understand them. I am a list maker. I make lots of lists. I believe in our lives as followers of Christ, in our lives as members of God’s church, that we are each given the opportunity to do things. Some things we are enlisted to do; some we volunteer to do, but no place in Scripture are we ever told that our work is done, or our list comhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifpleted, while we are living on this earth ... we have a list of things to do.

But how do we figure out what we should be doing? How can one person respond to all that is needed to be done in the world, the community, the church?

Moses was called by God to do God’s work and Moses had every reason to go where God sent him and every excuse why he didn’t want to go. In Exodus chapter 3, Moses was out tending his father-in-law’s sheep when he saw the burning bush. God called to him and said, “Moses! Moses!” He replied, “Here I am”. God then explained that He had seen the misery of the Israelites in Egypt and had plans to free them. He told Moses that He was sending him to Pharaoh to lead the people out. Moses then replied, “But God, Who am I to do this?”

God reassured Moses by telling him, “I will be with you.” In chapter 4, God told Moses that He would work miraculous signs to show that Moses was indeed from God. Even after all of this, from the burning bush to the miraculous signs and God’s reassurance, Moses says, “Please send someone else to do it."

Too often this is our response and our ability to reap all the benefits of our service is limited by our lackluster response and our “desire” to let someone else do it.

Isaiah was also called to be one of God’s prophets and his response stands in stark contrast to that of Moses (Isaiah 6:1-8).

Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And he responded saying, "Here am I. Send me!"

What a difference in this answer and Moses’ answer! When Isaiah was struck with the realization of where he was and whose presence he was in, he was overcome with fear! He cried out, “I am ruined!" Isaiah knew that even though he was God’s prophet, he was also a sinner. What I like about his response is that it is a response of availability.

Isaiah doesn’t respond with what he can do because of his talents, skills, or resources, but rather Isaiah says, “I am available. What do you want me to do?”

Too often our desire to serve is driven by our desire to be rewarded, to be seen, to be in front. Isaiah provides the example that a better response is to simply be available. But why should we make ourselves available?

“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’ Matthew 25:34-40

We are each called to serve the world as Christ served the world. This is a mission that we share together.

But how will we respond, with excuses or availability?

• “Whom shall I send to care for those that are homebound?”
• “Whom shall I send to straighten up the church after Sunday services?”
• “Whom shall I send to befriend the lonely?”
• “Whom shall I send to pray for our teachers and our schools?”

God is still asking you, “Whom shall I send?”

What is your answer?

Not what do you have to offer, but will you make yourself available.

Take a step of faith. No more excuses - Heed the call – make yourself available in the service of the Lord this week.

On the way to Sunday . . . Feeling Hungry

Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”

The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”

Matthew 25:44-45 NIV

There is a problem with hunger in our world. Every day more than 14,400 children die of starvation. This frightening statistic is due to many factors, and it is a problem that can be corrected.

One packet of Kids Against Hunger food provides SIX highly nutritious meals. These meals were designed to combat starvation and are also widely accepted at food pantries in the USA.  Ingredients include Fortified Soy, 21 Vitamins & Minerals, Dried Veggies and Rice.

Kids Against Hunger works because volunteers of all ages work together, and pack tens of thousands of meals in an amazingly short time! The meals are distributed to partners overseas, as well as to local food pantries in the community.

Beyond the problem of hunger there is another problem. This problem is the response of the people of God. We too often to paraphrase the words of Christ to read something like this:

For I was hungry while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved.

Perhaps instead of finding excuses, we should be about doing the work of the kingdom.

They will know we are followers of Christ by the love we show and I might add by the things we do.

What will you be doing this week as you prepare for Sunday?

On the way to Sunday . . . Spreading some Mulch

I love the results that laying down new mulch provides. Everything looks brighter and more alive!

That said, I am done moving mulch. While I very much appreciate that Nettle Creek Custom Gardens delivered and donated all the mulch, but moving it all over the yard was more work than I really wanted on Thursday afternoon.

Not wanting to waste any moment as a teachable moment . . . I made an observation I wanted to share with you.

In gardening, mulch is a protective cover placed over the soil to retain moisture, reduce erosion, provide nutrients, and suppress weed growth and seed germination. at least that is the technical reason for mulching. The reality for most homeowners is that they like the look that adding new mulch creates in the flower beds and around the lawn.

I confess that while I didn't like the work, I did enjoy the view of the garden afterwards. All the colors seemed brighter and everything seemed more alive and green.

I know the look will wear off. I also know that the mulch won't keep all the weeds from coming back. There is still work to be done in order to keep everything looking good.

That is when it dawned on me ...

Too often that is what we try to do with church.

We show up on Sunday, as if laying a little "mulch" on our lives will take care of everything. We go to church and leave feeling better about ourselves and our lives. BUT and here is the problem ... Church alone won't get it done.

It might look good to others.

It might even help you feel better.

But if you aren't doing the daily work of prayer and study ...

If you aren't doing the daily work of living your faith ...

You will have done nothing more than throw mulch on the problems of your life and in no time you will be right back to where you started.

So this week, when your done spreading the mulch continue the work you started.

Put on some work gloves.

Pull some weeds.

Water the flowers.

Trim the shrubs.

See you Sunday, I'll be the one with the work gloves in my back pocket.

On the way to Sunday . . . Mother's Day

Shock your mother this Sunday and go to church!

There are plenty of reasons to go to church besides making your mother happy:

1 Because it is an act of obedience to God and it honors the Lord's Day -Exodus 20:8

2 Because we need to belong to a community of faith that includes our brothers and sisters in Christ who are trying to live out the gospel

3 Because we benefit from being taught and led in worship by others, rather than always depending on ourselves to read and study the Bible

4 Because we need help to face the issues of life and faith as presented through the teachings of the Bible

5 Because we need to hear reminders of God's love

6 Because we need an alternative to the messages of a culture that ignore God

7 Because we need a conscious break from work, family problems, and self interests in order to gain a Godly perspective on life

to explore more ideas visit www.rethinkchurch.org

In addition to your mother not objecting to you going to church with her this Sunday, here are a few more things Mom Would Never Say

"How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?"
"Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too"
"Just leave all the lights on ... it makes the house look more cheery"
"Let me smell that shirt -- Yeah, it's good for another week"
"Go ahead keep the stray dog, honey. I'll be glad to feed and walk him every day"
"Well, if Roger's mom says it's OK, that's good enough for me."
"Curfew is just a general time to shoot for"
"I don't have a tissue with me ... just use your sleeve"
"Don't bother wearing a jacket - the wind-chill is bound to improve"

See you Sunday . . .

Refrigerator Theology: Stick this on there!

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,
just as the Father commanded us 2 John 1:4 NIV

Go in to most any home that has children and you can discover a parent’s joy on the refrigerator. Parents relish in joy when their child brings home his or her first drawings from school. They go on the refrigerator for all to see. But if you are not careful, your child can go into mass-production mode. Suddenly, one work of art has multiplied to four, then twelve then…forty-eight...maybe even ninety-seven pieces! There is no more room on the refrigerator!

What reports or pictures make there way to your refrigerator?

In our desire to raise children that “walk in the truth” we often turn to the church, Sunday school, or youth group in the hopes that they will provide the desired results. It is our on-going quest to raise children of faith that reminds me that there is no actual manual for raising children. There aren’t even contracts for parents to sign or a license to apply for before having children.

In the movie Parenthood, Keanu Reeves says "You need a license to fish and a license to drive, but any jerk can become a parent." There is no way to prevent people from becoming parents just because they weren't issued a license. But if there were such a parenting license, what would the questionnaire look like? What are the most important things that every parent needs to know before taking that baby home from the hospital?

Does the Bible have anything to say? And if it did, could we reduce to a few words to put on our refrigerator to remind us daily? I believe John revealed some of those things in his second letter.

1) You Must Pass Along Your Faith v4 “your children walking in the truth”

If God were writing the contract, He would definitely place teaching a trusting faith in Christ at the top of the list. It won’t matter what you’ve done with your life or what you’ve given to your children if you’ve not made living a life of faith in Christ a priority. In order to pass this faith along, to teach this faith, you as a parent must be able to explain or understand this process of faith. Parents don’t be dependent on someone else to actually talk to your children about faith. Don’t wait for someone else to introduce them to Jesus.

2) You Must Pass Along A Love For Others V 5-6 “Continue to love one another”

Just teaching them to have faith is not the end of your obligation. The Bible teaches us that how we live our faith matters! The love of a Godly mother is a great example of God’s love. It is from the mother that most children learn how to love and be loved. Children watch how their parent’s express their love to their spouse. They see how you love them. They also observe daily whether you express love for other people, particularly people who are hard to love.

Remember Jesus said that it wasn’t much of a big deal for us to love our friends, but the real test of love is whether you can love those who are unlovable.

Are you a loving person, or have the circumstances in your life calloused you? Have you become hard and uncaring, or do you have a genuine love for other people?

I’m not suggesting that it is easy to love others, but I am suggesting that the generation of children coming up in this world need to see love being modeled in their lives and you may very well be the greatest model of love they will have.

3) You Must Pass Along Godly Values v 8-9 “Watch out do not be deceived ... continue in the teaching ...”

Deception comes to our children most easily in the areas where we have failed to teach them. We need always to be teaching our children Godly values? What kind of values am I speaking about? There are many. Allow me to mention a few:

1. Will you pass on a high estimation of obedience? Or will you pass on a life of bending the rules and looking for loopholes in everything? Will your children learn about obedience to God from you? Will they learn about obedience in the workplace from you? Will they learn about obedience to the law from you?

Last weekend we out running errands as a family and Sherry said something she says every time we get in the car, “Riley, do you have your seatbelt fastened?” The lessons and values we teach everyday were driven home when for the first time Riley responded not by saying, “Yes, Mom!” but instead replied, “No because Daddy doesn’t have his on.” Needless to say I quickly fastened my seatbelt.

2. Will you pass on biblical values about money? about stewardship? about giving?

3. Will you pass on things like tenderness, kindness, forgiveness and mercy?

4. Will you pass on the biblical value of personal responsibility?

By this I mean, let them clean their rooms, give them chores to do, let them help with the lawn or the dishes. They ought to never hear from your mouth, “I’ve done my part and that’s all I’m doing.”

When they do wrong, help them own up to it and then discipline them accordingly and when they do right, praise them and be an encourager.

5. Will you pass on a high regard for church? Or will you pass on a set of shifting worldly values? I often like to ask children whether they will be in church on Sunday. Listen to some of the things children have said to me:

a.I have a ball game/practice.
b.I have to do my homework.
c.I needed to rest.
d.It’s our only day off.

Suffice it to say that for too many people church and Godly values come last when they need to come a lot higher on our list of priorities.

Christian parents are under attack to conform to the thinking of the world. And the world uses your own feelings of guilt, feelings of inadequacy, to pressure you to give in and to lighten up.

I know there are no real contracts, but there is certainly a great responsibility for you to be different from the rest of the world as you claim faith in Christ in your life and in your role as a parent.

So, I want to challenge you. If you agree with these things you need to be passing along to your children -faith, love, Godly values

If you want to work on these things - if you want to make a conscious effort to apply them - then I am going to give you the opportunity to sign a contract between you and God on behalf of your children.

I,____________, commit myself to passing along God’s priorities to my children. This will not be a lip-service commitment, but I will give my all in seeing that my children come to know Christ as their personal Savior, that they love and obey Him, that they learn His values from my life, and that they understand Jesus is first place in my life. I will make every effort to please Jesus first by giving myself to Him in service and in growth and maturity. I understand that I am not alone in this endeavor because the Lord is my Helper and Comforter, and He has given me a church that will pray for me and aid me in times of need.

Perhaps on the refrigerator at your house there is a place for this contract.

A reminder to you, your children, and all who enter you home – that you are willing to be accountable as a parent.

On the way to Sunday . . . A Parent's Joy

May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!
Proverbs 23:25 NIV

As a parent, what brings you joy?

Raising a child that brings a parent joy doesn't happen by accident.

www.allprodad.com is a great place to get ideas for being a great Dad and/or parent.

Here is just on thought that comes from all pro dad:

Many parents traumatically brand their children’s souls for life with their words. Phrases like, “You always” and, “You’ll never” need to disappear from your vocabulary, starting now. Instead, substitute praises like “I love you because ___.” and “The three things you do better than anyone are: ___, ___ and ___.” As a father, you have the power to shape your child’s self-image for years to come. Why not shape children who know they are securely loved, who have integrity, and are courageous in their choices.

For more ideas on complimenting your children click Here.

On the way to Sunday . . . A Parent License

In the movie Parenthood Keanu Reeves says, "You need a license to fish and a license to drive, but any jerk can become a parent."

What if you had to have a license to become a parent?

Check out this faux advert for a parent license: Parenting License

What kind of questions would be asked in order to get the license to become a parent?

Would you have to sign a contract?

What would be on the contract?

I think John has some ideas about what being a parent entails in his second and third letters.

Consider what you might be willing to promise as a parent . . . and I'll see you on Sunday . . .

Until then have a laugh . . .