Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Stumbling block of stepping stone?

Romans 14:12-13 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

It almost sounds from this passage that the Christian life is a life of solitude and independence – that there is no inter-accountability among believers. Taking a closer look, I see that the author is virtually repeating Jesus’ teaching on removing the rainforest cedar from our own eye before trying to peck a speck out of someone else’s eye.

I am so inclined to look at others and how they ought to shape up, change their life, get with the program and get in line (enough clichés?) while at the same time leave my own life unattended. It is easy to judge others. It is much harder to live that life myself.

Lord, help me to slip out of my judges frock and into some sackcloth. May I not be an obstacle to my “brothers” as they find their way. May I help rather than hinder. May I not pass judgment, but pass along encouragement. May I not be a rock of stumbling, but a stepping stone on their journey upwards. Thanks for putting us on this journey together.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Why?

Sometimes we wonder why in the world God is allowing “stuff” to happen to us. “What have we done wrong? Why is he punishing us? What is he trying to teach us?” The Lord reminded me this morning that in these questions the centre of attention is “us” or “me.”

This morning I read In 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

When I face difficulties or dilemmas of any kind, whom am I depending on for strength and success? Am I doing what I am doing so that I might somehow get credit and acclaim from others? Am I trying to prove to God how good I am and what great influence I carry? “Look at me God! Are you ever lucky you have me!” I may not say that, but do I live and act like that?

I pray that my life will increasingly reflect God’s presence and God’s power. May He get the credit! After it is because of His work in my life that I am not totally wiped out.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Weed control

Okay, so it has been a week since I wrote in this blog…

In my journaling today I read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6. In verses 1-2 Paul writes, “Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.”

As a follower of Christ, He has called us to impact the world in which we live so that others will have the opportunity to experience life with Christ. Paul identifies the fact that in doing this we will face obstacles and difficulties. However, we don’t give up because we know that Christ has called us to this ministry and the result will be worthwhile.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Annual Celebrations

Deuteronomy 16:1-3 Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover of the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib he brought you out of Egypt by night. Sacrifice as the Passover to the LORD your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for his Name. Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste-- so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.

I am impressed with how many times God instructed the Israelites to hold annual celebrations to remember significant events of the past. The Passover was to be celebrated every year to remember God’s deliverance from bondage. Without these celebrations we tend to forget what life was like while we were living in bondage – whatever that bondage may have been. Sometimes we would rather forget.

Jesus, in establishing the New Covenant, instructed us to hold regular celebrations to remember the freedom he brings to us. We call this celebration the “Lord’s Supper” or “Communion.” Jesus Christ died and shed his blood so that we might be released from the bondage of sin. What a reason to celebrate!

If you would like to know how more about how to experience freedom from the bondage of sin, please email me at pastor@hmcchurch.com.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Seeing is believing?

Seeing is believing! That is what I am told. But do I have to see in order for me to believe?

In Deuteronomy 11:2-7 the Israelites were told Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt,... It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the desert …. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the LORD has done.

The second and third generation following the exodus from Egypt did not see the same miraculous work of God. God warned the Jews to teach God’s truth to their children so they would believe even though they had not seen the signs and wonders of God.

I makes me wonder how we would do if we were in the place of those second, third, and fourth generations. Would we say there is no God because WE have not experienced what others have experienced? Do we say there must be no God because WE don’t experience him the way others claim to experience him in other parts of the world?

Faith is really trusting God before we see the miraculous in action. May we learn to believe before we see. May we believe without seeing.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Remember this

Here are some verses that stood out for me as I was reading Deuteronomy 6-10 today. Go ahead, read them and I will let you draw your own conclusions.

6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

6:6-9 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

8:3 man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

9:6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. 10:16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Who's in Charge, Anyway?

"Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God." And David said, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." - 1 Samuel 17:36,37
David's going to kill the Philistine. There's no doubt in his mind, but his confidence comes from a strange source in the light of our modern times. Athletes of today, heroes to millions, go at it a bit differently, don't they?

Imagine David the golfer...

"It's about the training, you know, and I've trained against lions and bears for years. I'm ready both mentally and physically to take it to the next level, and I've got good equipment backing me. My coach has really had me working on my swing, and I'm at the point now where I'm confident that the rock will go where I'm aiming it."

If you're not bored already, read the rest here.

Into the Fray!

Hey, I thought I'd help John out here by getting on the Blogger bandwagon, as it were. I do a lot of writing myself, most of it mediocre but none of it angst-ridden or whiny. At least not most of the time. I'm running my own website and will cross-post material from time to time, as well as placing some originals right here on the HMCC blog. Look for my first devotional post in, oh, about eight minutes. Or less.

Also, on the day of the church's 6th birthday, I'd just like to say that I'm looking forward to the celebrations tonight! Happy birthday HMCC!

Friday, November 10, 2006

Comments

Hey, does anyone actually read this? If you do, send me a short comment letting me know. Or you can email me at pastor@hmcchurch.com.

Laughter

When I Relax I Feel Guilty is the title of one of the books in my library. It may be time to read it again. Maybe you should too.

It is easy for us to get caught up in the seriousness of life and not stop to enjoy the moments along the way. There are times when we do stop to "smell the roses" or take time to laugh - and we feel guilty. I'm not so sure that is what God has in mind for us.

God created us with the ability to laugh. Not only do we have that ability, but it is important for us to laugh. Laughter is truly some of the best medicine. Tim Hansel author of the book afore mentioned writes,

When laughter fades

the tendency is toward self-absorption

and the iris of life's eye

squeezes the light to a pinpoint.

Morning only intimidates you into another day

and creativity no longer has the energy to care.

To read more go to http://www.okanagan.net/users/jreimer/articles/laughter.htm.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

What's that warning sound?

I thought I heard something as I woke from a good sleep. Trying to fall back to sleep I heard it again. Sure sounded like a beep. It must be the smoke detector. Now what? Try what I might, I could not ignore it.

Obviously the battery in the smoke detector must be low and the beeping was a warning to replace the battery. I had never paid any attention to where the smoke detectors were located in our new home so I began to search for them – without waking Debbie at 5 am. I finally found one all the way downstairs. Was that the one? I heard the beep again but the sound was not coming from this smoke detector. It sounded like it might be coming from the kitchen.

I stumbled upstairs and try as I might, I could not find the smoke detector anywhere. I heard the beep again. It had to be in the kitchen but I couldn’t find it anywhere.

Finally, after about an hour, I discovered that the beep was not from a smoke detector, but from my cell phone. I had a text message waiting for me. I felt so foolish (never mind tired). Our daughter had sent me a text message from Ireland.

I could not help but think of how we listen to God (or not). Do we go stumbling around hearing this warning sound not knowing where it is coming from or what it is all about? Finally we discover that God is trying to get a message to us?

As I am starting to read Deuteronomy in my quest through the Bible, I find the Israelites sometimes took quite some time before listening to God’s instruction for them. May I learn to first check my “text messages” from God before running around in the dark, making a fool of myself.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Ungodly Influence

At first I was horrified! Why would God instruct the people of Israel to destroy ALL the people that lived in the land God was giving to them? But then, in the last 5 chapters of Numbers we find the answer. They were to remove everyone else from the land or they would be led astray by ideas contrary to God’s instruction for them. Even though I still don’t like the idea, we do learn an important principle.

We need to be careful what influences we allow to remain in our lives when we follow God. It is amazing how we allow ungodly influences to shape us without us paying any attention to them.

The question I need to ask myself today is: “What influence am I allowing in my life today that may lead me away from God?”

Friday, November 03, 2006

The Joy of the Lord

In Nehemiah 8, we read of how the Israelites heard the reading of God’s Law for the first time in years. They were moved to weeping and mourning. However, they were instructed to stop weeping, but rather go and enjoy the best food and drink. “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength,” Nehemiah told them. When we see God for who he truly is I believe we will be moved to rejoicing and celebration, shouting our praise to God.

Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and joy in his dwelling place.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,

ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.

Bring an offering and come before him;

worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

1 Chronicles 16:27-29

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Paige Sophia

Children are a precious gift from God! Chris and Sarah are happy to announce the birth of Paige Sophia. Paige was born yesterday morning. We wish Chris, Sarah, Chloe and Paige, God’s blessings at this exciting (and exhausting) time!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Honest Reflection

For by the grace (ca,rij charis) given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment (sensible), in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts (ca,risma charisma), according to the grace (ca,rij charis) given us… Romans 12:3-6a

When Paul tells me that I should not think more highly of myself than I ought, I am inclined to remember how as a kid growing up I was firmly told not to be proud – not to think too highly of myself (arrogant). I remember sermons where the preacher said we should remind ourselves that we are nothing. As I read this passage I hear Paul saying that I should look at my life with honesty and see how God has shaped me. We all have gifts and abilities and I need to look at who I am, not who I think others want me to be, or even who I would prefer to be. When I play hockey, I cannot be a goalie and forward at the same time. We all have a part to play in order for the team to be most effective.