“While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.” Luke 2:6
God’s plan is ALWAYS perfect. No slip ups. No miss steps. No, “I wish I’d done that differently.” Nope! God’s plan for redemption was and continues to be perfect. For us, we look at those last few days before, as the scripture above states, “... the days were completed for her to give birth,” and this is not how we would plan it.
Mary is 9 months along in her pregnancy with the Son of God, the coming Messiah. Mary and Joseph live in Nazareth, a town in Galilee, but Joseph is from the family of David and because of the census, had to travel to Bethlehem, the City of David to register. You know Joseph must have put this off as long as he could. He had to be hoping Mary would deliver and then they could go. But time was drawing near, almost there, when he would be in violation of the law. I’m sure he did not want Rome’s wrath on him and his family.
Joseph begins this journey of 75 miles, probably 3 days of travel to fulfill the decree of the Emperor. Little did he know he was going to fulfill the prophecy of God. All working together of God’s purpose. You may say, but Joseph, a good Jew, would have known the prophecy of the Messiah and he knew this was HE. Yes, but Joseph was human and certainly would have had Mary and the baby on his mind. I’m not sure he would have said to Mary, “OK, Babe, We are going to wait until just before you are ready to deliver and then head to Bethlehem so we can fulfill the prophecy about the coming Messiah.” I just don’t think it happened that way. BUT, I do believe God was in control of it.
They arrived in Bethlehem and Mary is in labor, almost there. Joseph is trying to find a room and ends up in a stable (probably a cave which houses animals). They are almost there. Everything is in place. Mary is ready. The baby is ready. They are almost there!!!
We are almost there folks. Christmas 2015! It’s almost here. Today is Wednesday, 2 days before Christmas day, the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus the Christ. You have been readying yourself, your family with the purchase of gifts, preparation of food, the invitation of family, friends, neighbors to join you. You are almost there! The hectic, busyness of the season is about to be over. You will breathe a sigh, some collapse, others turn on the TV to watch the game. Just a few more days folks and it will all be over.
Oh, wait, it will not be over or at least not for the believer! It’s the beginning. We are almost there for the beginning. The beginning of again acknowledging the Birth of a Savior, the Birth of the King. The beginning to again embrace the one who came in the world that my sins could be nailed to His cross once and for all. We are almost there so we can say again, thank you Father for sending Your Son into a lost world for “me.” Yes, these should be everyday thoughts, but face it folks, they are not, at least for most believers.
Could we possibly change that this year? Could we possibly, this year, begin to offer thanks to the One who came that we might have life in His name? It’s the mind set we need to have. We are almost there folks. I would just ask for you to think on this things. Have a blessed Christmas!
Pastor Marty
Worship, Grow, Serve
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Vacancy or No Vacancy?
There are less than 10 days left until Christmas, so please make sure you don’t miss it this year!
I am convinced that most people “miss” Christmas every year. At Christmas, people are busy shopping, attending parties and school plays, decorating, and doing all the other things that compete for attention.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the waiting room during Caroline’s surgery talking with my mother. She caught me off guard when she said that she dreads Christmas Day. What she was really saying was that she dreads the stress of Christmas Day when the whole family gets together.
As I began to write this article, I thought back to the Christmas traditions of my childhood. We had Christmas Eve dinner with my dad’s parents, followed by gift opening. It seemed as if Santa’s sleigh mysteriously missed the rest of our entire neighborhood and dropped everything off at our house. Christmas morning was a mad rush to say goodbye to my dad’s parents and hurry down the street to spend the rest of the day with my mom’s family. Thinking back over the years, I can’t tell you how many times I felt a sense of emptiness when Christmas Day came to an end.
The problem is that I was making the same kind of mistake that the innkeeper did that night in Bethlehem. Luke 2:7 sets the scene: “And [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Christmas was at the innkeeper’s doorstep; however, in the hustle and bustle of the census, the innkeeper was so preoccupied in the pursuit of his career that he missed Christmas. In fact, he apparently did not take time to call anyone to help the young mother about to give birth. There was no indication that the innkeeper was hostile or unsympathetic but rather he was just too busy.
Similar to the innkeeper, my life was too consumed with the clutter of activity around Christmas that I missed the Son of God. I was showing Jesus to the stable compartment in my life and not making room for Him in the inn of my heart.
Today the world is filled with people like the innkeeper. People are so consumed with the pursuit of their careers, material possessions, pleasures, and comforts that they are giving no time to the Christ of Christmas. Don’t be like the innkeeper who missed Christmas! Let the Christ of Christmas find vacancy in your heart and invite Him in as Savior and Lord.
“Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!” Neal A. Maxwell
I pray that you are overwhelmed with great joy this Christmas. God provided us with the greatest gift of all that night in Bethlehem. Rejoice!
Blessings my friends,
Ryan Hutchins
RE HOPE Church - Raleigh
I am convinced that most people “miss” Christmas every year. At Christmas, people are busy shopping, attending parties and school plays, decorating, and doing all the other things that compete for attention.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the waiting room during Caroline’s surgery talking with my mother. She caught me off guard when she said that she dreads Christmas Day. What she was really saying was that she dreads the stress of Christmas Day when the whole family gets together.
As I began to write this article, I thought back to the Christmas traditions of my childhood. We had Christmas Eve dinner with my dad’s parents, followed by gift opening. It seemed as if Santa’s sleigh mysteriously missed the rest of our entire neighborhood and dropped everything off at our house. Christmas morning was a mad rush to say goodbye to my dad’s parents and hurry down the street to spend the rest of the day with my mom’s family. Thinking back over the years, I can’t tell you how many times I felt a sense of emptiness when Christmas Day came to an end.
The problem is that I was making the same kind of mistake that the innkeeper did that night in Bethlehem. Luke 2:7 sets the scene: “And [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Christmas was at the innkeeper’s doorstep; however, in the hustle and bustle of the census, the innkeeper was so preoccupied in the pursuit of his career that he missed Christmas. In fact, he apparently did not take time to call anyone to help the young mother about to give birth. There was no indication that the innkeeper was hostile or unsympathetic but rather he was just too busy.
Similar to the innkeeper, my life was too consumed with the clutter of activity around Christmas that I missed the Son of God. I was showing Jesus to the stable compartment in my life and not making room for Him in the inn of my heart.
Today the world is filled with people like the innkeeper. People are so consumed with the pursuit of their careers, material possessions, pleasures, and comforts that they are giving no time to the Christ of Christmas. Don’t be like the innkeeper who missed Christmas! Let the Christ of Christmas find vacancy in your heart and invite Him in as Savior and Lord.
“Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!” Neal A. Maxwell
I pray that you are overwhelmed with great joy this Christmas. God provided us with the greatest gift of all that night in Bethlehem. Rejoice!
Blessings my friends,
Ryan Hutchins
RE HOPE Church - Raleigh
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Have You Protected Yourself?
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:13
I know those of you over 50 years old probably have experienced this. When I was growing up in the 60’s I can remember standing up in the front seat of the car between my parents as we would be driving somewhere. I would claim between the front seats and back seats. I’ve even, as a young kid, laid in the back window behind the back seat and go to sleep. A seatbelt was not a mandatory requirement in those days. There were no airbags on any of our cars. And, the cars were made of steel and metal, not mostly plastic and some aluminum. Those of you under 50 may have not experienced this riding behavior, but I know you have heard us old folks talk about “in our day.”
Having said that, have you ever had a flashback to the past? That happened to me last Wednesday afternoon. I was leaving the church heading over to Sam’s Club to pick up some things. And last Wednesday afternoon it was raining and the roads were wet. As I pulled out onto Green Road heading towards the stoplight at Millbrook, I pulled into the left lane knowing I would need to turn left into the road to Sam’s. An old white van pulled out onto Green Road beside me out of the Urgent Care parking lot heading in the same direction. The light was “Red” so we both stopped and were sitting still beside each other. As we were sitting there stopped I heard something behind me and looked in my rearview mirror. There was a white car (new model) which I often call these bumble bee cars (you’ve heard them, they sound like a swarm of bees when they take off) was flying in the right lane and had all of sudden realized we were stopped in front of him. He had put on the breaks, but on the wet road was just sliding. He hit the back of this white van beside me with such a force and collision that I thought, someone has to be injured. The man in the van beside me got out, he was fine. He ran back to check on the driver in the car that hit him and he too was OK. But his car was totaled. His bumper was laying in the road. The front end of his car was crushed all the back to the tires. The engine was smoking. Also, though this was a new car, even with the impact, the airbag did not deploy.
On the other hand, the gentlemen looked at the back of his van and folks, this old van, after this violent collision, did not look as if anything had happened. This van had a steel bumper on it which took all the force from the bumble bee car. No damage!!!
I was certainly glad everyone was OK and my guess is that the gentlemen in the car in the rear was either on the phone or texting and never saw us stop. Awareness of your surroundings at all times is so important and having the right protection is also important.
I thought about this crash that had just happened beside as I shopped at Sam’s Club. I pictured the damaged cars in my mind and thought about several things. When I was growing up without the protection of a seatbelt or airbags, there were times I certainly was in a position of danger because of where I was in the car. But on the other hand, I was better protected from how the car was made. Protection is important was my thought. And protection that works. This man’s new car’s airbag was worthless to him. It never deployed.
The Apostle Paul was writing to the church at Ephesus and in the closing of his letter he reminds them to take up the full armor of God. Why? So you will be protected, be able to resist evil and stand firm. We are to gird ourselves with truth, the breastplate of righteousness, protect our feet with the preparation of the gospel, taking up the shield of faith, and put on the helmet of salvation along with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Eph. 6:13-17)
In our cars today we no longer allow kids to wander, babies to sit in their mother’s lap, or anyone to remain unsecured. The car makers have added protective devices to help save lives and that is a good thing (provided they work properly). God has done the same thing in relationship to our spiritual lives. He has given us all the tools, everything necessary to protection us from the evil one, the pit falls, collisions with this fallen world. What God has provided is like the steel bumper of the old white van, it can take the most violent hit and stand unhurt, while what has hit will bounce off and be destroyed.
Here is the key though folks, God tells us we are to PUT ON the full armor He has provided. If we fail to do that, if we fail to listen and take heed, then when the evil one strikes, our protection is not there. God provides for us, but we have a part to play. Here is my challenge to you. I want you to read Ephesians Chapter 6 and then ask yourself, “Am I fully protected from this evil one? Or is there something I need to do to fully protect me in my walk with Christ?”
Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.
I know those of you over 50 years old probably have experienced this. When I was growing up in the 60’s I can remember standing up in the front seat of the car between my parents as we would be driving somewhere. I would claim between the front seats and back seats. I’ve even, as a young kid, laid in the back window behind the back seat and go to sleep. A seatbelt was not a mandatory requirement in those days. There were no airbags on any of our cars. And, the cars were made of steel and metal, not mostly plastic and some aluminum. Those of you under 50 may have not experienced this riding behavior, but I know you have heard us old folks talk about “in our day.”
Having said that, have you ever had a flashback to the past? That happened to me last Wednesday afternoon. I was leaving the church heading over to Sam’s Club to pick up some things. And last Wednesday afternoon it was raining and the roads were wet. As I pulled out onto Green Road heading towards the stoplight at Millbrook, I pulled into the left lane knowing I would need to turn left into the road to Sam’s. An old white van pulled out onto Green Road beside me out of the Urgent Care parking lot heading in the same direction. The light was “Red” so we both stopped and were sitting still beside each other. As we were sitting there stopped I heard something behind me and looked in my rearview mirror. There was a white car (new model) which I often call these bumble bee cars (you’ve heard them, they sound like a swarm of bees when they take off) was flying in the right lane and had all of sudden realized we were stopped in front of him. He had put on the breaks, but on the wet road was just sliding. He hit the back of this white van beside me with such a force and collision that I thought, someone has to be injured. The man in the van beside me got out, he was fine. He ran back to check on the driver in the car that hit him and he too was OK. But his car was totaled. His bumper was laying in the road. The front end of his car was crushed all the back to the tires. The engine was smoking. Also, though this was a new car, even with the impact, the airbag did not deploy.
On the other hand, the gentlemen looked at the back of his van and folks, this old van, after this violent collision, did not look as if anything had happened. This van had a steel bumper on it which took all the force from the bumble bee car. No damage!!!
I was certainly glad everyone was OK and my guess is that the gentlemen in the car in the rear was either on the phone or texting and never saw us stop. Awareness of your surroundings at all times is so important and having the right protection is also important.
I thought about this crash that had just happened beside as I shopped at Sam’s Club. I pictured the damaged cars in my mind and thought about several things. When I was growing up without the protection of a seatbelt or airbags, there were times I certainly was in a position of danger because of where I was in the car. But on the other hand, I was better protected from how the car was made. Protection is important was my thought. And protection that works. This man’s new car’s airbag was worthless to him. It never deployed.
The Apostle Paul was writing to the church at Ephesus and in the closing of his letter he reminds them to take up the full armor of God. Why? So you will be protected, be able to resist evil and stand firm. We are to gird ourselves with truth, the breastplate of righteousness, protect our feet with the preparation of the gospel, taking up the shield of faith, and put on the helmet of salvation along with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Eph. 6:13-17)
In our cars today we no longer allow kids to wander, babies to sit in their mother’s lap, or anyone to remain unsecured. The car makers have added protective devices to help save lives and that is a good thing (provided they work properly). God has done the same thing in relationship to our spiritual lives. He has given us all the tools, everything necessary to protection us from the evil one, the pit falls, collisions with this fallen world. What God has provided is like the steel bumper of the old white van, it can take the most violent hit and stand unhurt, while what has hit will bounce off and be destroyed.
Here is the key though folks, God tells us we are to PUT ON the full armor He has provided. If we fail to do that, if we fail to listen and take heed, then when the evil one strikes, our protection is not there. God provides for us, but we have a part to play. Here is my challenge to you. I want you to read Ephesians Chapter 6 and then ask yourself, “Am I fully protected from this evil one? Or is there something I need to do to fully protect me in my walk with Christ?”
Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Lessons From Children
As I watch my little girl grow and play with Emma, Benjamin, Mary, Nathan, Dhuart, Christian, Charlotte, Caroline, Josiah, and Ezekiel – ‘the Entourage’ - I can’t help but pause and picture how Jesus would interact with each of them. There’s always a picture in my mind – many of you may have one similar to it in your minds. It’s a picture of Jesus surrounded by little children. He is smiling. The children are speaking to Him, sometimes even showing Him their most valuable possessions. I see heartfelt laughter and pure motives to just play – no hidden agenda, no inhibitions to seek an ideology – just to play until utter exhaustion. There is no indication of awkwardness between Himself and the children; there is no harshness of discipline. There is only innocence, peace, joy, and a fond loving relationship. You don’t get the sense that the children have a desire to be anywhere else, but to be right with Jesus.
How does Jesus do it? How does He hold such love for them? How does he never turn away one child? How does He have time for each one of them? How does He take the time for each one individually? I don’t get the sense that anything they say is insignificant to Jesus. He hears all they say. How does He deal so patiently with them? And we can’t forget this - how would He discipline them in such a way that His only goal is love, repentance, and growth? These questions run through my head. They motivate me to be a better parent, but they are also a constant reminder of how I fail him daily because they serve to let me know where I am and where He is as our Father who loves us more than our earthly parents ever could.
There are a number of verses that give us a clear idea of how Jesus views little children:
“One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.” (Mark 10: 13-16 NLT)
“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:10 NLT)
In each of the verses above, Jesus clearly tells us that heaven is made up of ones like these. Why? The answer starts with the character of Jesus. He is love, patience, and tenderness exemplified. These are only a few adjectives that will be used to describe Jesus in this article. One could use a thousand more to describe Him; there are not enough words or paper to contain all that He is.
Little children desire a parent who loves them unconditionally. The next couple of verses articulate it perfectly and no further explanation is needed:
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety- nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:12-14 NLT).
THAT IS POWERFUL. A child needs to know that his/her parent would be willing to do whatever it takes for the child to be safe and secure. Patience and tenderness go hand in hand. They have to. Children will get into trouble, and Jesus is aware of that fact. Jesus patiently endures these “mishaps”. Jesus is the master teacher; He seeks to teach and train the children on the proper way to live. He makes it no mystery. His aim is for us to have a right relationship with Him. Again, my words cease to have meaning compared to His.
“I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace.” (Isaiah 54:13 NLT)
“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.
Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” (Deut 6:5-7 NLT)
“But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3: 14-15 NLT)
“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (Hebrews 12:7-11 NLT)
Do you see the goal of His patience, His training, and His discipline? The greatest Father of all desires nothing but for His children to grow in His likeness. He wants to spend all of eternity with His children. Do you remember that image of Him in a garden surrounded by His children. He desires nothing more than to bring that image to life. The work has already been done. It is up to us – His children - to make the decision to follow our Father in obedience.
In His Name,
Sherif Mikhael, Elder, HOPE Church - Raleigh
How does Jesus do it? How does He hold such love for them? How does he never turn away one child? How does He have time for each one of them? How does He take the time for each one individually? I don’t get the sense that anything they say is insignificant to Jesus. He hears all they say. How does He deal so patiently with them? And we can’t forget this - how would He discipline them in such a way that His only goal is love, repentance, and growth? These questions run through my head. They motivate me to be a better parent, but they are also a constant reminder of how I fail him daily because they serve to let me know where I am and where He is as our Father who loves us more than our earthly parents ever could.
There are a number of verses that give us a clear idea of how Jesus views little children:
“One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.” (Mark 10: 13-16 NLT)
“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:10 NLT)
In each of the verses above, Jesus clearly tells us that heaven is made up of ones like these. Why? The answer starts with the character of Jesus. He is love, patience, and tenderness exemplified. These are only a few adjectives that will be used to describe Jesus in this article. One could use a thousand more to describe Him; there are not enough words or paper to contain all that He is.
Little children desire a parent who loves them unconditionally. The next couple of verses articulate it perfectly and no further explanation is needed:
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety- nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:12-14 NLT).
THAT IS POWERFUL. A child needs to know that his/her parent would be willing to do whatever it takes for the child to be safe and secure. Patience and tenderness go hand in hand. They have to. Children will get into trouble, and Jesus is aware of that fact. Jesus patiently endures these “mishaps”. Jesus is the master teacher; He seeks to teach and train the children on the proper way to live. He makes it no mystery. His aim is for us to have a right relationship with Him. Again, my words cease to have meaning compared to His.
“I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace.” (Isaiah 54:13 NLT)
“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.
Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” (Deut 6:5-7 NLT)
“But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3: 14-15 NLT)
“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (Hebrews 12:7-11 NLT)
Do you see the goal of His patience, His training, and His discipline? The greatest Father of all desires nothing but for His children to grow in His likeness. He wants to spend all of eternity with His children. Do you remember that image of Him in a garden surrounded by His children. He desires nothing more than to bring that image to life. The work has already been done. It is up to us – His children - to make the decision to follow our Father in obedience.
In His Name,
Sherif Mikhael, Elder, HOPE Church - Raleigh
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
My Pleasure
All of us, I would guess, have been to Chick-fil-A to eat a meal. And it doesn’t matter whether you are in Kalamazoo, Michigan or Raleigh, North Carolina you are going to receive the same phase once your service is complete. What’s that phrase? Let’s all say it at the same time, “My Pleasure.” One of our church members at HOPE told me that he tries his best to phrase his response to being served so that they would have to respond in a different manner. He has not been successful yet.
“My Pleasure,” is ingrained in every Chick-fil-A employee. My son worked there for a while and said, if you are heard by a supervisor responding to a customer in any other way, you are reprimanded for it. So let’s break down this word pleasure.
Webster’s Dictionary says:
1.the state or feeling of being pleased. 2.enjoyment or satisfaction derived from what is to one's liking; gratification. 3.worldly or frivolous enjoyment:
the pursuit of pleasure. 4.recreation or amusement. 5.sensual gratification. 6. a cause or source of enjoyment or delight. 7. pleasurable quality.
But there is one phrase Webster gives that I want to focus on. Under the synonyms section it reads: “Enjoyment that brings about well-being from satisfaction.” By now, many of you are saying, “Where in the world is this man going with this?”
Ok, I’ll tell you. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I know that the first Thanksgiving is traditionally dated 1621 in Plymouth where the Pilgrims and Natives joined together to give thanks. Later, the President of the United States, George Washington, proclaimed the first nationwide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God”. If you need to read that phrase from George again, please do so. Many of our politicians today state religion had nothing to do with the beginning foundations of our nation. But let me move on!
You remember I said I like the phrase “...enjoyment that brings about well-being...” Then you read President Washington’s phrase, “...acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God.” I believe there is a correlation between giving thanks to God and our well-being. As we give our continued thanks to the Almighty, as we worship, as we grow, as we serve Him, and when we pray and give thanks, our countenance is lifted up. Our well-being is given a shot of adrenaline. It makes us feel good. There is just something about giving someone thanks that they cannot (in most cases) respond negatively to.
So as you gather tomorrow to give thanks to the Almighty God for all He has done for you, how about also giving a few words of thanks to those around you, those that serve you, those that care for you, those that love you for just being you. I will tell you that not only will it bring pleasure to you, it will be good for both’s well-being.
So folks, it’s “My Pleasure” to serve you and serve God. I’m thankful to Him and for all of you!!!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Pastor Marty.
“My Pleasure,” is ingrained in every Chick-fil-A employee. My son worked there for a while and said, if you are heard by a supervisor responding to a customer in any other way, you are reprimanded for it. So let’s break down this word pleasure.
Webster’s Dictionary says:
1.the state or feeling of being pleased. 2.enjoyment or satisfaction derived from what is to one's liking; gratification. 3.worldly or frivolous enjoyment:
the pursuit of pleasure. 4.recreation or amusement. 5.sensual gratification. 6. a cause or source of enjoyment or delight. 7. pleasurable quality.
But there is one phrase Webster gives that I want to focus on. Under the synonyms section it reads: “Enjoyment that brings about well-being from satisfaction.” By now, many of you are saying, “Where in the world is this man going with this?”
Ok, I’ll tell you. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I know that the first Thanksgiving is traditionally dated 1621 in Plymouth where the Pilgrims and Natives joined together to give thanks. Later, the President of the United States, George Washington, proclaimed the first nationwide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God”. If you need to read that phrase from George again, please do so. Many of our politicians today state religion had nothing to do with the beginning foundations of our nation. But let me move on!
You remember I said I like the phrase “...enjoyment that brings about well-being...” Then you read President Washington’s phrase, “...acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God.” I believe there is a correlation between giving thanks to God and our well-being. As we give our continued thanks to the Almighty, as we worship, as we grow, as we serve Him, and when we pray and give thanks, our countenance is lifted up. Our well-being is given a shot of adrenaline. It makes us feel good. There is just something about giving someone thanks that they cannot (in most cases) respond negatively to.
So as you gather tomorrow to give thanks to the Almighty God for all He has done for you, how about also giving a few words of thanks to those around you, those that serve you, those that care for you, those that love you for just being you. I will tell you that not only will it bring pleasure to you, it will be good for both’s well-being.
So folks, it’s “My Pleasure” to serve you and serve God. I’m thankful to Him and for all of you!!!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Pastor Marty.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Hope For Our Future
Over and over again, we lose sleep thinking about how we'll meet a certain deadline. Or, we are consumed by fear or dread of losing a loved one. We spend multiple agonizing moments worrying about how we would provide for our families or stress over making a critical decision. Insert your own scenario here. Anxiety, fear, and depression can cripple us from taking even the basic or simplest of steps. No one is immune. We all have things that consume us and rob us of our joy. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). In order to do that, I would argue that one of his first steps would be to steal our hope. If we have no hope, we have no purpose. If we have no purpose, we have no direction. If we have no direction, why would we follow a Savior?
In this present world, it's entirely too easy to lose hope. Why? It's because our focus tends to be on our present situation. We forget that this is not our permanent home. This pain is temporary. Peter reminds us:
"There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while." 1 Peter 1:6 NLT.
I suspect that Peter begins his letter with this reminder because he understood our need for hope. Pain is not a new occurrence, especially to Peter. He knew that we needed hope in order for us to face what lies ahead. He urges us to persevere; this pain won't last but a short while. Our permanent residence awaits us.
Hope - it's the name of our church. Hope in what? Hope in salvation, renewal, growth? Yes to all of these. We also need hope to know our future eternal place. Heaven is our future if we place our trust in Him and repent of our sins. Recently, I read about Joni Eareckson Tada. Wikipedia being my trusty guide and a reliable source, I decided to learn more about this woman. I encourage you to also visit her own website and read her story. She is a Christian writer/artist who was paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident in 1967. As I prayed about this article within the context of her story, I found her to be an example of someone who affirmed my own hope and encouraged me when I felt overwhelmed recently. It strengthened me to read about her and how she reacted when she was in a valley. One might argue that this is not your typical person. One can say that she is more driven than the average person or that she has more ambition or is better gifted. In my opinion, I believe it starts with her focus. Her focus is on her eternal home - heaven. This is not escapism. Heaven should motivate us and encourages us that nothing in this world can prevent us from having this type of hope. What is heaven like? How would Joni describe it? She said, "I've never succeeded in painting a picture of heaven. People have asked me why, and I haven't come up with a good answer, except to say that heaven defies the blank canvas of the artist." She describes Earth's most glorious spot as "only a dim reflection, a preliminary rendering of the glory that will one day be revealed." Can you imagine such beauty? To the ordinary person, heaven can't even be put into words.
How is heaven described in Scripture? Here are a couple of verses quickly found in Revelation:
[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. [2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, [4] and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:1-4 NASB
Again, in Revelation:
[1] Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, [2] in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. [3] There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; [4] they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. [5] And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5 NASB
I urge you to seek your own verses. This is our motivation and destination. We all have pain and face discouragement on a daily basis. The question is – how do we deal with them, knowing that this is only temporary. Joni didn't rely on her own abilities because they were taken from her. She relied on His strength. Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. He richly blessed her. He'll do the same for us according to our own spiritual gifts and His grace. He doesn't need us to be superheroes for His kingdom. Trust and repent. Hope in Him. He'll take it from there.
In His name
Sherif Mikhael (Elder - HOPE Church, Raleigh)
In this present world, it's entirely too easy to lose hope. Why? It's because our focus tends to be on our present situation. We forget that this is not our permanent home. This pain is temporary. Peter reminds us:
"There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while." 1 Peter 1:6 NLT.
I suspect that Peter begins his letter with this reminder because he understood our need for hope. Pain is not a new occurrence, especially to Peter. He knew that we needed hope in order for us to face what lies ahead. He urges us to persevere; this pain won't last but a short while. Our permanent residence awaits us.
Hope - it's the name of our church. Hope in what? Hope in salvation, renewal, growth? Yes to all of these. We also need hope to know our future eternal place. Heaven is our future if we place our trust in Him and repent of our sins. Recently, I read about Joni Eareckson Tada. Wikipedia being my trusty guide and a reliable source, I decided to learn more about this woman. I encourage you to also visit her own website and read her story. She is a Christian writer/artist who was paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident in 1967. As I prayed about this article within the context of her story, I found her to be an example of someone who affirmed my own hope and encouraged me when I felt overwhelmed recently. It strengthened me to read about her and how she reacted when she was in a valley. One might argue that this is not your typical person. One can say that she is more driven than the average person or that she has more ambition or is better gifted. In my opinion, I believe it starts with her focus. Her focus is on her eternal home - heaven. This is not escapism. Heaven should motivate us and encourages us that nothing in this world can prevent us from having this type of hope. What is heaven like? How would Joni describe it? She said, "I've never succeeded in painting a picture of heaven. People have asked me why, and I haven't come up with a good answer, except to say that heaven defies the blank canvas of the artist." She describes Earth's most glorious spot as "only a dim reflection, a preliminary rendering of the glory that will one day be revealed." Can you imagine such beauty? To the ordinary person, heaven can't even be put into words.
How is heaven described in Scripture? Here are a couple of verses quickly found in Revelation:
[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. [2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, [4] and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:1-4 NASB
Again, in Revelation:
[1] Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, [2] in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. [3] There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; [4] they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. [5] And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5 NASB
I urge you to seek your own verses. This is our motivation and destination. We all have pain and face discouragement on a daily basis. The question is – how do we deal with them, knowing that this is only temporary. Joni didn't rely on her own abilities because they were taken from her. She relied on His strength. Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. He richly blessed her. He'll do the same for us according to our own spiritual gifts and His grace. He doesn't need us to be superheroes for His kingdom. Trust and repent. Hope in Him. He'll take it from there.
In His name
Sherif Mikhael (Elder - HOPE Church, Raleigh)
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Superficial vs Depth
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. -- 2 Corinthians 5:17
As many of you know that attend HOPE Church, we have recently re-sealed our parking lot. The parking lot is well over 2 decades old and had begun to deteriorate. Sand and pebbles covered the surface. Having the lot checked out, we were told that if we re-seal it we could get 3 to 5 years more use out of it before having to put down a new asphalt surface. For the Leadership Team, that sounded like a good solution for us at this time.
When the company that came to re-seal cleaned off the parking lot. Then they took melted tar and filled in the breaks and cracks in the existing asphalt. And then finally they sprayed on a tar based chemical sealant. It actually looks pretty good.
I was walking out to the mailbox on Monday which is near Green Road and as I walked I began to look at the parking lot surface. Yes, as I said, it looks very nice and new. But if you look a little closer, what you will see is the old cracks showing through. It is not a new parking lot, not a new surface, but only COVERED by a spray on tan. In this case, black in color. Everything under the spray on black is still the same. In a few years we are going to have to come back and either try the re-sealing again or actually put down NEW asphalt. It's actually just a make-over, nothing permanent.
Folks, many of those today that say they are Christians seem to have done a make-over. They appear to be new, they show up for worship, put a little something in the plate when it is passed, say some of the right words, do some good things. BUT is there evidence of a true change?
God's Word tells us that we are a new creature in Christ, the old things have passed away and new things have come. In many people today I see them trying to hold on to the old while claiming the new. If we try to do that in our walk with Christ, all we have done is sprayed on a new look, but nothing has changed inside that makes us NEW. And in time, because we are holding on to the old self, the pebbles will make their way to the surface again and we will be in the same place we were years before.
In our 1 Corinthians sermon series we are learning what it means to live a holy life. Learning what it means to be changed as a follower of Jesus Christ from the inside out. No superficial Christianity, but authentic Christianity! Paul says that we need to mature, grow up in our faith, not continue to live on babies milk.
How can we do that? How can our new life in Christ have the depth of newness He requires? It is very simple. Worship, Grow, & Serve! Worship the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Grow in Him by study of His Word, a daily devotional life, daily prayer life, exposing yourself to biblical preaching and teaching. And then finally loving your neighbor as yourself. Serving! Serving is not just doing a mission project, fixing something for a special dinner. Serving is much more than that. Serving is sharing Christ with others. Being Christ in a lost world. Serving is looking for opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. Serving is selflessness, placing others before you.
When we become a people who Worship, Grow, & Serve, Oh my goodness folks, you will begin to see the depth of your love for God and your walk with God explode. No more spray on superficial covering that will wear off in time and produce again the old self. NO! This depth of your new self in Christ Jesus will last, never wear out and ultimately bring you to victory one day as you hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant!"
Here is the question: Is your walk Superficial or does it have Depth?
Blessing my friends,
Pastor Marty
As many of you know that attend HOPE Church, we have recently re-sealed our parking lot. The parking lot is well over 2 decades old and had begun to deteriorate. Sand and pebbles covered the surface. Having the lot checked out, we were told that if we re-seal it we could get 3 to 5 years more use out of it before having to put down a new asphalt surface. For the Leadership Team, that sounded like a good solution for us at this time.
When the company that came to re-seal cleaned off the parking lot. Then they took melted tar and filled in the breaks and cracks in the existing asphalt. And then finally they sprayed on a tar based chemical sealant. It actually looks pretty good.
I was walking out to the mailbox on Monday which is near Green Road and as I walked I began to look at the parking lot surface. Yes, as I said, it looks very nice and new. But if you look a little closer, what you will see is the old cracks showing through. It is not a new parking lot, not a new surface, but only COVERED by a spray on tan. In this case, black in color. Everything under the spray on black is still the same. In a few years we are going to have to come back and either try the re-sealing again or actually put down NEW asphalt. It's actually just a make-over, nothing permanent.
Folks, many of those today that say they are Christians seem to have done a make-over. They appear to be new, they show up for worship, put a little something in the plate when it is passed, say some of the right words, do some good things. BUT is there evidence of a true change?
God's Word tells us that we are a new creature in Christ, the old things have passed away and new things have come. In many people today I see them trying to hold on to the old while claiming the new. If we try to do that in our walk with Christ, all we have done is sprayed on a new look, but nothing has changed inside that makes us NEW. And in time, because we are holding on to the old self, the pebbles will make their way to the surface again and we will be in the same place we were years before.
In our 1 Corinthians sermon series we are learning what it means to live a holy life. Learning what it means to be changed as a follower of Jesus Christ from the inside out. No superficial Christianity, but authentic Christianity! Paul says that we need to mature, grow up in our faith, not continue to live on babies milk.
How can we do that? How can our new life in Christ have the depth of newness He requires? It is very simple. Worship, Grow, & Serve! Worship the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Grow in Him by study of His Word, a daily devotional life, daily prayer life, exposing yourself to biblical preaching and teaching. And then finally loving your neighbor as yourself. Serving! Serving is not just doing a mission project, fixing something for a special dinner. Serving is much more than that. Serving is sharing Christ with others. Being Christ in a lost world. Serving is looking for opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. Serving is selflessness, placing others before you.
When we become a people who Worship, Grow, & Serve, Oh my goodness folks, you will begin to see the depth of your love for God and your walk with God explode. No more spray on superficial covering that will wear off in time and produce again the old self. NO! This depth of your new self in Christ Jesus will last, never wear out and ultimately bring you to victory one day as you hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant!"
Here is the question: Is your walk Superficial or does it have Depth?
Blessing my friends,
Pastor Marty
Any Hidden Secrets
"The Lord knows the thoughts of man,..." Psalm 94:11a
Any hidden secrets? Last year the engine light came on in my truck. As you might know, your vehicle has an on board computer and that computer monitors everything your vehicle does. This allows the mechanic to plug a device into our on board computer and get readings to see why the light is on and what needs to be done to fix it. But one key is this, the light needs to be on to get a true reading from the computer.
I took my truck to my mechanic to get it checked out and to my surprise he said your computer has failed and you need to have it replaced. Great!!! And how much is that going to be? He rattled off some numbers north of 4 digits and I'm sure my eyes glazed over. He said, "Hello! Do you want it replaced?" "Do I have to replace it?" I said. "Can't I just drive it with the light on?" "Sure" he said, "but I cannot inspect it for the State of NC thus you cannot renew your license tag. You might find someone who would over look the check engine light and inspect your truck, but I can't." "Well, this is dishonest,
cheating, lying, just plain wrong" I said, "Go ahead and replace it"
Fast forward to today. Over the past two months my check engine light has been coming on. Here's the thing, it will stay
on for a week or so then go off for a day, then back on. I called my mechanic and he said bring it to me when the light is on and I can see what is going on. But without the light on, it will be hard to diagnose the problem. On Monday I had to take the truck to him for new brakes, rotors and a new Master Cylinder which is failing, YEAH, more money into my 2005 truck, but my light was on and I told him so and he said "Great, we can check that too." My appointment was at 1:30 pm and so I decided to eat lunch in Knightdale on the way to his shop. I was less than two miles from his shop and after eating got into my truck and cranked it up and guess what, the light was off!!! Yes off!!!
What? It had been on for 3 weeks straight. 3 weeks and less than two miles from a place that could have found the issues, it goes off.
I was thinking about that on the way home Monday and for some reason in my brain I have to run my experiences
through some biblical matrix. So these were my thoughts!
This on board computer is like us in the world. The world looks at us and often sees us living our lives with no "check engine" light on. Every now and then issues will arise and the light comes on and a few of our family or closest friends see the light is on, knowing something is
wrong, but we really don't want everyone to know its on (our problems). That's certainly natural. Here's the problem, that intermittent light, going on and going off just masks the problem. The problem is still there, though the light has gone off and those around us can no longer see it. It's what I call hidden secrets.
Our on board computer is saying "FIX IT! FIX IT NOW!" We say, "Oh, the 'check Human engine' light is not on any longer, I'll just go on with my life as is. It will be OK. The world will overlook the problem with me and I can get away with it."
But believer, you know that light is coming on to warn you that something is wrong, you can not overlook the warning. Furthermore, whether anyone else can see it, God sees it. "The LORD knows the thoughts of man/woman."(Ps.94.11a)
Here is the great thing, God can fix the intermittent light, or the light that stays on. It makes no difference to Him. What He wants is for us to take those hidden secrets and expose them to Him and He will deal with them. You know what this is called... "surrender." While the world tells you, "It's OK, live as you want, do as you want, we will overlook your 'check HUMAN light' being on," God is saying, "Look, I know every thought, every hidden secret, I will NOT overlook it, but I will help you clean it up and fix it so that you are running on all cylinders for Me."
Any hidden secrets? Is your check HUMAN light on? No one else may see it, but God does and He is the only one that can truly fix it.
Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.
Any hidden secrets? Last year the engine light came on in my truck. As you might know, your vehicle has an on board computer and that computer monitors everything your vehicle does. This allows the mechanic to plug a device into our on board computer and get readings to see why the light is on and what needs to be done to fix it. But one key is this, the light needs to be on to get a true reading from the computer.
I took my truck to my mechanic to get it checked out and to my surprise he said your computer has failed and you need to have it replaced. Great!!! And how much is that going to be? He rattled off some numbers north of 4 digits and I'm sure my eyes glazed over. He said, "Hello! Do you want it replaced?" "Do I have to replace it?" I said. "Can't I just drive it with the light on?" "Sure" he said, "but I cannot inspect it for the State of NC thus you cannot renew your license tag. You might find someone who would over look the check engine light and inspect your truck, but I can't." "Well, this is dishonest,
cheating, lying, just plain wrong" I said, "Go ahead and replace it"
Fast forward to today. Over the past two months my check engine light has been coming on. Here's the thing, it will stay
on for a week or so then go off for a day, then back on. I called my mechanic and he said bring it to me when the light is on and I can see what is going on. But without the light on, it will be hard to diagnose the problem. On Monday I had to take the truck to him for new brakes, rotors and a new Master Cylinder which is failing, YEAH, more money into my 2005 truck, but my light was on and I told him so and he said "Great, we can check that too." My appointment was at 1:30 pm and so I decided to eat lunch in Knightdale on the way to his shop. I was less than two miles from his shop and after eating got into my truck and cranked it up and guess what, the light was off!!! Yes off!!!
What? It had been on for 3 weeks straight. 3 weeks and less than two miles from a place that could have found the issues, it goes off.
I was thinking about that on the way home Monday and for some reason in my brain I have to run my experiences
through some biblical matrix. So these were my thoughts!
This on board computer is like us in the world. The world looks at us and often sees us living our lives with no "check engine" light on. Every now and then issues will arise and the light comes on and a few of our family or closest friends see the light is on, knowing something is
wrong, but we really don't want everyone to know its on (our problems). That's certainly natural. Here's the problem, that intermittent light, going on and going off just masks the problem. The problem is still there, though the light has gone off and those around us can no longer see it. It's what I call hidden secrets.
Our on board computer is saying "FIX IT! FIX IT NOW!" We say, "Oh, the 'check Human engine' light is not on any longer, I'll just go on with my life as is. It will be OK. The world will overlook the problem with me and I can get away with it."
But believer, you know that light is coming on to warn you that something is wrong, you can not overlook the warning. Furthermore, whether anyone else can see it, God sees it. "The LORD knows the thoughts of man/woman."(Ps.94.11a)
Here is the great thing, God can fix the intermittent light, or the light that stays on. It makes no difference to Him. What He wants is for us to take those hidden secrets and expose them to Him and He will deal with them. You know what this is called... "surrender." While the world tells you, "It's OK, live as you want, do as you want, we will overlook your 'check HUMAN light' being on," God is saying, "Look, I know every thought, every hidden secret, I will NOT overlook it, but I will help you clean it up and fix it so that you are running on all cylinders for Me."
Any hidden secrets? Is your check HUMAN light on? No one else may see it, but God does and He is the only one that can truly fix it.
Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
All That We Have & All That We Offer
Over the past several weeks, as I have contemplated writing this article on stewardship for the Hope Connection, the Holy Spirit has made me keenly aware of so many things that relate to what we are called to be as Christ's church. The following are a few of the "lightning bolts", as Pastor Bill used to refer to, that I have experienced.
The words of a song we recently sang at worship... "Knowing you Jesus, knowing You, there is no greater thing." As Christians, that is a fact that we have come to understand and know with our whole being. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, it affects our prayer life, what we think about and how we use our time, talents and money. It makes us think more about our words and our actions. We are called to not only enjoy that relationship ourselves, but to be Christ to the world and invite others into a relationship with Jesus.
1. When Jesus interacted with the Samaritan woman at the well, he told her about living water. John 4:7-14 - "A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans. Jesus answered her. "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks, drank from it?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."
One of my devotions recently referred to the above scripture and pointed out that during different seasons of our lives our internal spiritual lives can become parched due to the stress and frustrations of living in this world. When we draw closer and seek a closer relationship with God, he is able to soothe our dry, cracked and irritated souls with His living water. We are reminded each week at Hope Church that we are to pray, to be in The Word, and that we are called to share the hope that we have with the world around us. That hope is the living water that Jesus offers to all who will accept Him – the joy of our salvation. But before people can accept something, they have to come to trust it. That is where we as followers of Christ come in. The world needs to see and experience Jesus living in us through his Holy Spirit. And when we, even as Christians, begin to feel parched and thirsty due to the effects of this world, those around us need to see that His living water is what sustains us.
2. The words of the song we now sing each week at the end of worship... "Make us one Lord, make us one. Holy Spirit, make us one. Let your love flow so the world will know we are one in You." That song led me to contemplate on some of the definitions of church – a local assembly or group of believers, or a body of individual living believers, or as the universal group of people who have put their trust in Christ. Whether as part of a local assembly, or as a part of the bigger body, we as believers are called to be the temple of God, with Jesus as our Cornerstone.
My experience as a member of Hope Church is that we are a group of believers, a local church, that truly acknowledges Jesus as our Cornerstone, and that we also understand that we are part of the bigger body of Christ. We continue to seek a deeper relationship with Him and to be changed by that relationship. Through prayer, study of His Word, and the preaching and teaching of His Word by our beloved pastors and elders in the church, we have grown as followers of Jesus. We humbly ask the Holy Spirit, who lives within each of us, to lead and guide us, and His living water has sustained us.
It is that time of year again when we are asked to think and pray about the subject of stewardship at Hope Church. We all know it takes prayer, time, talents and money to sustain our local church called Hope. Each of us has different talents and resources, which include our time and money. All are truly gifts from God and we are called to be good stewards of those blessings and to use a portion of them to serve God and serve others.
After having been led by the Holy Spirit to think on these things, it is with a grateful heart that I will continue to prayerfully consider how I will use my time, talents and money in the year to come. I have witnessed God do amazing things in and through Hope Church in the past, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us in the future. What an awesome God we have and what an honor it is to serve Him!
Your sister in Christ,
Lynn
(Lynn Joyner is a member of HOPE Church Raleigh)
The words of a song we recently sang at worship... "Knowing you Jesus, knowing You, there is no greater thing." As Christians, that is a fact that we have come to understand and know with our whole being. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, it affects our prayer life, what we think about and how we use our time, talents and money. It makes us think more about our words and our actions. We are called to not only enjoy that relationship ourselves, but to be Christ to the world and invite others into a relationship with Jesus.
1. When Jesus interacted with the Samaritan woman at the well, he told her about living water. John 4:7-14 - "A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans. Jesus answered her. "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks, drank from it?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."
One of my devotions recently referred to the above scripture and pointed out that during different seasons of our lives our internal spiritual lives can become parched due to the stress and frustrations of living in this world. When we draw closer and seek a closer relationship with God, he is able to soothe our dry, cracked and irritated souls with His living water. We are reminded each week at Hope Church that we are to pray, to be in The Word, and that we are called to share the hope that we have with the world around us. That hope is the living water that Jesus offers to all who will accept Him – the joy of our salvation. But before people can accept something, they have to come to trust it. That is where we as followers of Christ come in. The world needs to see and experience Jesus living in us through his Holy Spirit. And when we, even as Christians, begin to feel parched and thirsty due to the effects of this world, those around us need to see that His living water is what sustains us.
2. The words of the song we now sing each week at the end of worship... "Make us one Lord, make us one. Holy Spirit, make us one. Let your love flow so the world will know we are one in You." That song led me to contemplate on some of the definitions of church – a local assembly or group of believers, or a body of individual living believers, or as the universal group of people who have put their trust in Christ. Whether as part of a local assembly, or as a part of the bigger body, we as believers are called to be the temple of God, with Jesus as our Cornerstone.
My experience as a member of Hope Church is that we are a group of believers, a local church, that truly acknowledges Jesus as our Cornerstone, and that we also understand that we are part of the bigger body of Christ. We continue to seek a deeper relationship with Him and to be changed by that relationship. Through prayer, study of His Word, and the preaching and teaching of His Word by our beloved pastors and elders in the church, we have grown as followers of Jesus. We humbly ask the Holy Spirit, who lives within each of us, to lead and guide us, and His living water has sustained us.
It is that time of year again when we are asked to think and pray about the subject of stewardship at Hope Church. We all know it takes prayer, time, talents and money to sustain our local church called Hope. Each of us has different talents and resources, which include our time and money. All are truly gifts from God and we are called to be good stewards of those blessings and to use a portion of them to serve God and serve others.
After having been led by the Holy Spirit to think on these things, it is with a grateful heart that I will continue to prayerfully consider how I will use my time, talents and money in the year to come. I have witnessed God do amazing things in and through Hope Church in the past, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us in the future. What an awesome God we have and what an honor it is to serve Him!
Your sister in Christ,
Lynn
(Lynn Joyner is a member of HOPE Church Raleigh)
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Buyer's Remorse
Have you ever suffered from buyer's remorse? You know - the concept of when you buy something and then later regret it. I think we all have felt this way to some degree. We need that new iPhone! Well, but I really needed that new car (even though my car was running perfectly fine)! I needed those leather boots. I need, I need, I need. These things will make me feel better if I purchase them. If I upgrade I will be keeping with the current trend. I will feel like I'm keeping up with the Joneses. Do you ever make the purchase and then the new high-tech device, designer shoes, or diamond bracelet lay on the side table, in the back of the closet, unused, or worse yet, *gasp* forgotten?! Or, what if you make the purchase after doing all your reviews and due diligence for smart shopping? You've clipped all the right online coupons. 25% off, free shipping, it's on sale to boot - SCORE! What a smart buyer I am! What a deal I just got!
It all sounds kind of silly and pointless when you put it that way, right? But yet, in our current society, this is the way it is. If you don't feel this materialistic pressure at some point, from peers, from commercials, from your neighbors the aforementioned (and infamous) Joneses, then you are a special creature I tell you! Ok, so big deal. You succumbed to the lure of the shiny new thing. Question for you - Did those purchases make you feel better in the long run? Let's get deep here - did they do anything to satisfy your soul? In my personal experience, that brief moment of joy of opening a new package is short-lived and usually not all it's cracked up to be. The new car smell fades, folks.
Let's take it a step further. If it's not the new gadget craze that has you hooked, what about your retirement and savings funds? How many hours have we spent with financial advisors, on the phone with stock brokers, on a webinar at our job to learn about the new 401K plan? How much time and brain power have we used up to plan for our finances so we can retire? So we can send our kids to college? So we can pay for that boat at the river? For the beach house?
Let me tell you a story. I recently talked to one of my friends about buying a new car and my reluctance. Oh, I would love to have all the bells and whistles of a newer car. Integrated blue tooth! Navigation touch screen! My car is 16 years old and a dinosaur. But, I really don't want another car payment. She just kept saying "You NEED a new car. " But, but, my car is a Honda and hasn't yet hit 200K miles. I owe it to a Honda to at least hit that milestone, right? "You NEED a new car." Ok, ok. I'm sure my friend was just trying to help me with indecision?
Or what about this. My company recently went through a sale where you can invest your company shares in the new owners and hopefully get a return of X amount during the next sale. My thoughts were honestly greedy. If I invest X amount, I will get 3X back in 4-6 years?? Wow, what a great investment!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you can't get something nice for yourself or your family every now and then when the time is right. It's not wrong to be financially responsible and save for your children and the well-being of your family. But this is the question the Lord prompted me with when I prayed and read His word:
What are you really investing in?
All these hours spent researching, planning, collecting, buying, even hoarding? Does not our Lord Jesus Christ deserve the same amount of investing, if not more? (Certainly more!) More planning, more discussion, more thoughts, more prayer, more focus on Him, with Him.
I am not preaching here. I am the first guilty one over here of not dedicating enough to my Lord and Savior. I have felt regret over old purchases. I have felt like my financial investments were never enough. I have had my first taste of greed of investing in a company and envisioning the dollar signs pop up in future years. And to be perfectly honest, it all feels like rubbish. It's stressful, time-consuming, and one can obsess over it all! On the flip side, I do not feel like my time or money was wasted when I invest in my Lord! Coincidence? I don't think so. Jesus explained it like this:
19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19-20 NKJV)
Jesus went on to say that you can't serve money and the Lord, both as your masters:
24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24 NKJV)
Guess what I learned in preparing this article? That Jesus repeats the same warning in Luke 16:13 where he says the exact text from Matthew 6:24 (that you cannot serve two masters). I don't know about you but if Jesus said it twice, to me it has a special "Listen up!" connotation attached to that scripture.
This must be why I feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled when I invest in possessions and my retirement plan. It's never enough. Those things won't last. They fade away. They may be even rendered useless one day! A thief steals my new car, or the stock market crashes and all my retirement savings are wiped out. Such things aren't meant to last, and standing on them to attain fulfillment and security in life is like standing on sand when a wave from the ocean rolls in!
My prayer is that we will all take more time with our Lord who is the only retirement plan in this life worth investing in. You want a fail-safe 401K that will last forever? Contact the Lord God ASAP.
"Lord, please help us to wisely invest the money and abilities You and You alone have blessed us with. For we have nothing that doesn't come from You. We pray that we will honor You with our use of these material things, so that You can use them to further Your kingdom while we are here on earth, eagerly awaiting the coming of your Son Jesus Christ, in full glory. Amen!"
Your sister in Christ,
Aimee
(Aimee Andrews is a member of HOPE Church Raleigh)
It all sounds kind of silly and pointless when you put it that way, right? But yet, in our current society, this is the way it is. If you don't feel this materialistic pressure at some point, from peers, from commercials, from your neighbors the aforementioned (and infamous) Joneses, then you are a special creature I tell you! Ok, so big deal. You succumbed to the lure of the shiny new thing. Question for you - Did those purchases make you feel better in the long run? Let's get deep here - did they do anything to satisfy your soul? In my personal experience, that brief moment of joy of opening a new package is short-lived and usually not all it's cracked up to be. The new car smell fades, folks.
Let's take it a step further. If it's not the new gadget craze that has you hooked, what about your retirement and savings funds? How many hours have we spent with financial advisors, on the phone with stock brokers, on a webinar at our job to learn about the new 401K plan? How much time and brain power have we used up to plan for our finances so we can retire? So we can send our kids to college? So we can pay for that boat at the river? For the beach house?
Let me tell you a story. I recently talked to one of my friends about buying a new car and my reluctance. Oh, I would love to have all the bells and whistles of a newer car. Integrated blue tooth! Navigation touch screen! My car is 16 years old and a dinosaur. But, I really don't want another car payment. She just kept saying "You NEED a new car. " But, but, my car is a Honda and hasn't yet hit 200K miles. I owe it to a Honda to at least hit that milestone, right? "You NEED a new car." Ok, ok. I'm sure my friend was just trying to help me with indecision?
Or what about this. My company recently went through a sale where you can invest your company shares in the new owners and hopefully get a return of X amount during the next sale. My thoughts were honestly greedy. If I invest X amount, I will get 3X back in 4-6 years?? Wow, what a great investment!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you can't get something nice for yourself or your family every now and then when the time is right. It's not wrong to be financially responsible and save for your children and the well-being of your family. But this is the question the Lord prompted me with when I prayed and read His word:
What are you really investing in?
All these hours spent researching, planning, collecting, buying, even hoarding? Does not our Lord Jesus Christ deserve the same amount of investing, if not more? (Certainly more!) More planning, more discussion, more thoughts, more prayer, more focus on Him, with Him.
I am not preaching here. I am the first guilty one over here of not dedicating enough to my Lord and Savior. I have felt regret over old purchases. I have felt like my financial investments were never enough. I have had my first taste of greed of investing in a company and envisioning the dollar signs pop up in future years. And to be perfectly honest, it all feels like rubbish. It's stressful, time-consuming, and one can obsess over it all! On the flip side, I do not feel like my time or money was wasted when I invest in my Lord! Coincidence? I don't think so. Jesus explained it like this:
19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19-20 NKJV)
Jesus went on to say that you can't serve money and the Lord, both as your masters:
24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24 NKJV)
Guess what I learned in preparing this article? That Jesus repeats the same warning in Luke 16:13 where he says the exact text from Matthew 6:24 (that you cannot serve two masters). I don't know about you but if Jesus said it twice, to me it has a special "Listen up!" connotation attached to that scripture.
This must be why I feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled when I invest in possessions and my retirement plan. It's never enough. Those things won't last. They fade away. They may be even rendered useless one day! A thief steals my new car, or the stock market crashes and all my retirement savings are wiped out. Such things aren't meant to last, and standing on them to attain fulfillment and security in life is like standing on sand when a wave from the ocean rolls in!
My prayer is that we will all take more time with our Lord who is the only retirement plan in this life worth investing in. You want a fail-safe 401K that will last forever? Contact the Lord God ASAP.
"Lord, please help us to wisely invest the money and abilities You and You alone have blessed us with. For we have nothing that doesn't come from You. We pray that we will honor You with our use of these material things, so that You can use them to further Your kingdom while we are here on earth, eagerly awaiting the coming of your Son Jesus Christ, in full glory. Amen!"
Your sister in Christ,
Aimee
(Aimee Andrews is a member of HOPE Church Raleigh)
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Feasting On the Word of God
“For these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10
This past Sunday, Elder Sandra Pierce introduced to us, during her message, the Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is latin for “Divine Reading.” This is a Benedictine practice of scriptural reading, mediation and prayer for the purpose of increasing communion with God and knowledge with God’s Word. This practice treats God’s Word not only as a text to be studied, but as the Living Word of God.
The roots of this practice originated in the 3rd Century with Origen. Later, St. Ambrose taught them to St. Augustine. Then the monastic practice of Lectio Divina was formally established in the 6th Century by St. Benedict and the four step process, currently used today, was set in the 12th Century by the Carthusain Monk Guigo II. Origen believed and taught that God’s Word, “Logos” was incarnate in Scripture and could teach, even touch the reader or hearer. He believed the Word of God provided wisdom and by mediation this wisdom could be conveyed to the reader. This practice was likened to feasting on the Word, taking a bite, chewing on it, savoring it, and finally digesting it as part of the body. Other Monks from the 6th to the 12th Centuries used this practice in reading Scriptures and in the 12th Century Guigo II called this a four step ladder of prayer. These steps are as follows:
The steps for Lectio Divina:
Lectio “read” – read the verse slowly and reflectively allowing the meaning of the words to sink deeply into your mind
Mediatio “meditate”– reflect on the passage allowing thoughts and images to come as you consider what God is telling you
Oratio “pray” – response; allow your thoughts to become a prayer to God concerning the message you are hearing in the scripture
Contemplatio “contemplate”– relax in the presence of God. Let your thoughts rest and picture yourself with Jesus in an embrace as a child embraces his father
“But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2
“…I meditate on You in the night watches…” Psalm 63:6b
“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19
“Let the words o my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
Lectio Divina may not be for you, but try it few times, give it a chance, and see how the Holy Spirit may speak to you through His Word.
Here is my council, whether it is use of this ancient practice of meditation and prayer or some other method you may use, please, please feast on the Word of God!!! It is so important of us to do this and God will speak to us through His Word giving us instruction, wisdom, guidance and yes, even peace. Praise God!
Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.
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