Learning Love through Grandmas & Grandpas

Everyday, I miss my grandparents. I only knew three of four, but they all impacted my life in dramatically different ways.

My Grandma Hilbert was sweet and gentle. She was the kind of grandma who made you cookies and your favorite meal and showed her love through her actions.

My Grandpa Brownie was kindhearted. He was always quick with a hug and an "I love you, honey bunch". He taught me the most when I just sat beside him.

My Grandma Thelma was disciplined and strong. She was the grandma who told you when you were messing up and how you could do something better. And, she was pretty much always right. When she gave you praise, you felt like you'd won the Olympic Gold Medal, a Nobel Prize and an Oscar all in one.

I loved each of them - and still love them today. They all taught me how to love and showed me different facets of how God loves me.

When I think of each of them a smile always crosses my lips. I can still smell my Grandma Hilbert's scalloped corn and hear my Grandpa Brownie's laugh. But with Grandma Thelma I still feel her approval when I know I have done something to make her proud - and I still feel her disappointment when I have erred in judgement.

The same type of love emotion runs true for me when I think about God. His love is sweet and gentle and always quick with a hug and an "I love you"; But it also can be laced with sadness when I have disappointed Him by choosing against His will.

God's love for each of us transcends mere mortal love. He is every aspect and nature of love. He has high standards for each of us and He is disappointed when we do not meet them. But He is always quick to forgive, helping us to move past our mistakes.

We learn to love through the people around us, but they are only small tidbits of the grandiose love God has for us. When you are with those you love, remember that God is there too. He is loving you through your mom and dad; through your grandma and grandpa; through your aunts and uncles; through your friends.

God's love encompasses all of their love for you - and so much more.

Scripture

Deuteronomy7:8-10

Quote of the Day

Perhaps the feelings that we experience when we are in love represent a normal state. Being in love shows a person who he should be.

Anton Chekhov

Question of the Day

How have you experienced love?

A+B doesn't always equal C



Hmm...I hate cats...cats walked on this ground...therefore I must hate this ground.

Snoopy's philosophy seems to make logical sense. It is kind of like an algebraic equation:

A=Cats

B=Ground

C=My feelings

A+B=C

But does it really? Or better yet, is this what God asks us to do?

When someone or something has hurt us are we supposed to automatically despise every one and everything associated with that person? If someone "does us wrong" do we cut that person off and assume that they are unworthy of our love or the grace of God?

A+B doesn't always equal C.

Just because someone has hurt you or because you do not see eye to eye with someone doesn't give you the authority to hate that person or the people that person is connected to. We can despise the actions - bullying, lying, terrorizing, mean-girl-ing, but we cannot despise the person - regardless of how that person has harmed you.

You do not have to associate with that person or even like him or her, but God requires you to show that person love and kindness. And not just the person who hurt you but everyone in that person's circle.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? ...Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48

Loving your enemy is a tall order. It requires perfection - and we certainly are not perfect - but we can move toward perfection by putting God's love first regardless of the situation. We can begin to see people as individuals, separate from their actions and from their associates. We can choose to not allow the A's of the world to overshadow the B's. When we start to love those who our hearts want to hate, then we will find that our C is equalling God's love.

Scripture

Ephesians 4:1-3

Quote of the Day

“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Question of the Day

Who can you show God's love to who has been unkind to you?

Onward Soldier...Putting on the Full Armor of God

In "church circles" there is a phrase we often hear, "Put on the full armor of God".

This phrase - this challenge - comes from Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. He is giving the faithful a visual image of how to be fully enveloped in the wholeness of God so that they can withstand the trials they will face.

We too can take this imagery, even though we do not have modern centurions, the imagery of how to completely take on the mantle of God is a good starting point.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist:

A belt keeps your pants up - keeps your outfit secure - just like the Truth of Who God is and Who He claims for each us to be give our lives structure and support. Truth is our security.

the breastplate of righteousness in place:

A breastplate protects your heart and your lungs and righteousness is the state of being pure or holy. God's breastplate protects our hearts and allows us to live a pure life - holy - and devoted to Him.

feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace:

We, as Christians, are called to spread the Word of God; to share His love and His grace with the entire world - but we are called to do this not by force but through peace. The sharing of God's Word - being missionaries in this world - means two things. One, you need to get up and move out of your circle of comfort and share God's message with new people. Two, you must go out into the world with a peaceful attitude. You can't force someone to believe what you believe - that isn't true conversion, but capitulation. When you go in peace you know that God guides your steps.

take up the shield of faith:

Our faith is our protection against everything this world has to throw at us. Through our faith we can be assured that God is Who He says He is and He will do what He says He will do. We do not doubt - we know. Faith is believing in what you cannot see and knowing that it is truth.

Take the helmet of salvation :

We put on the "helmet of Salvation..." because we know without a doubt that we are saved - not by our works but through Christ. 

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

We study the Word that we can know God's will through the history of how He has acted in the past and through His promises for the future. The sword of the Spirit is powered by that knowledge

Putting on the full armor of God takes time. We don't just wake up one morning completely clothed. We learn - just as we learned as children to dress ourselves through practice and study - how to put the armor on and how to wear it each day.

Each piece is important and each piece will guide into a deeper commitment to Christ.

And as you assemble the armor, you can almost hear Him whispering,

"Onward Soldier, Onward we go. There is much to be done. Put on the full armor so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes."

Scripture:

Ephesians 6:10-20

Quote of the Day

“God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight.”

Reggie White

 

Question of the Day

 

When you think of armor - what vision comes to mind?

What's Your "Thing"?

What's your thing?

What's the thing, person, or situation which is like nails on a chalkboard to you?

Ahhh...I can almost feel you cringe.

We all have one or two things in our lives - our hot buttons - things which cause us to be quick to anger, to be easily hurt or to be an ugly version of ourselves.

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

2 Corinthians 12:7

Paul doesn't mess around. He calls out his "thorn in my flesh" as a "messenger of Satan". What Paul recognizes is that "the things" which trip us up, which torment and frustrate us are often obstacles put in our path by the evil one of this world. Satan uses "the things" as ways to derail us from our path and to pull our focus from God. But don't for one second think that God can't use our "things" to draw us closer to Him.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Whatever your "thing" is, God can and will use it for His Glory.

Your "thing" will cause you to stumble - but it will also cause you to recognize that you need God to carry you.

Your "thing" will cause you to be quick to anger - but it will also cause you to recognize you need to seek God to help you forgive.

Your "thing" will cause you to be hurtful and mean - but it will also give you the opportunity to see all "things" through the eyes of a loving God.

Our "things", our proverbial thorns in the sides, will likely follow us throughout our lives. Your thing will likely change as God teaches you to press through the obstacle and truly set Satan behind you. But that Satan is a tricky one and he is constantly on the search for the next new"thing" to try and bring you down and pull you away from God.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on guard - and stand firm - listen and watch for God to guide you over, out and through your "thing" so that He can give you the best "thing" ever - His Grace.

Scripture

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Quote of the Day

“Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.”

E. Joseph Cossman

Question of the Day

What is your greatest obstacle?

Thoughts for God

I had a good friend Kevin who was diagnosed with cancer at a fairly young age. Kevin had lived his life in a nice "good" manner, but once he was given his diagnosis he made a choice to eliminate negative thoughts from his mind. Kevin's initial diagnosis was not very hopeful, but Kevin lived eight years after cancer first struck him. And each day his life was a shining example of how to put God and His blessings first in your life. Kevin's life, though shortened, was rich with the beauty of all God has to offer when we keep our thoughts focused on Him.

It is estimated that the average person has between 50,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day.

What consumes your thoughts?

School? Work? Family? Love? The Middle East crisis? What you are going eat for dinner?

Our thoughts range from the deep and meaningful to the basic necessities, but we have a choice as to the pattern our thoughts will form.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

We can choose to focus on the pain and the suffering of the world - worrying how we, individually, will be impacted - or we can focus on a solution to the sufferings of the world - choosing to be active rather than passive.

We can focus our minds on Christ and the love he has generously showered upon each of us and in turn share that love with others. Or we can focus on the difficulties which surround us - the hate and the evil - and succumb to the will of the world.

Choosing your thoughts isn't easy. In 2 Corinthians Paul writes, "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ". By focusing our minds on the blessings Christ has given to us, by trusting in God's promises, and by being wholly obedient to God, we will find our thought lives are focused more on the positive and less on the negative.

Focusing our thoughts in a positive and up lifting manner takes practice, diligence and self control. It will not happen over night, but as you begin to transform your thoughts from the negative to the positive you will experience a true renaissance your life. You will begin to see fully the blessings in your life - even in the midst of trial.

You will begin to see God.

Scripture

2 Corinthians 10:1-8

Quote of the Day

I want to know all Gods thoughts; all the rest are just details.
Albert Einstein

Question of the Day

What is the thing you think about most during the day?

The Church on Two Legs

If you printed all of the clichés about church and being a Christian you could probably wallpaper St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. There are thousands…see if you have heard or read any of these:

“You maybe the only Bible someone reads”

“God’s only hands and feet are you”

“What would Jesus do?”

In each saying there is deep theological truth, but we often give these clichés or slogans little more than lip service. What would happen if we started making them reality?

As children of God we are called to go into the world and to make disciples of all nations. We are not called to preach to only the people we see in our church building on a Sunday morning. We were commissioned – by God – to go out into the world and seek out the lost, the hurt, the lonely and the unloved.

With this mission from God in mind we begin to understand that true “church” isn’t what happens on Sunday morning. True church is what happens between Sundays. When we leave the building – the place we consider holy – we go out into the world – into the mission field as God’s emissaries. We are the church on two legs.

Every where we go, we go as the church. To everyone we meet, we are the church.

So often we get caught up with what happens between nine and eleven on Sunday morning that we forget true church – truly being the Body of Christ – doesn’t have a time frame and it isn’t confined to a single place.

When our worship service is completed on Sunday mornings, the acolytes extinguish the candles at the altar and they carry them out of the sanctuary. This is a symbolic action of what we are called to do. We are called to carry the light of God from the church building and take it out into the world.

The next time you meet someone new or even when you are hanging out with a friend, ask yourself if you are treating that person with the care and love you would give to him or to her if they had entered the sanctuary of your church on Sunday morning. As a Christian, you are called to be so much more than simply a good person; you are called to be the church – the Church on Two Legs – meeting the hurting people of this world with the love and compassion God has already shown to each of us.

Scripture

Matthew 28:16-20

Quote of the Day

"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart"

— Bob Pierce, World Vision founder

Question of the Day

How can you "be the church" today?

Doubt vs. Questions

Doubt is a nasty little word.

We can suffer from self-doubt; doubt about our relationships; doubt about God's will; doubt about our country...and on it will go.

Doubt can creep into the edges of your being in ways which can cripple you. You can begin to question everyone and everything around you. Doubt can make you want to curl up in a ball and hide under your covers.

But - doubt doesn't have to win.

Our ability to have faith, which transcends what we can hear, see, smell, taste and touch is a gift from God. Faith acts like water to the fire destroying power of doubt. Faith will put out the flames and help to keep the embers of doubt from resurfacing.

Sometimes, we can confuse challenging the status quo with doubt. When we challenge the status quo, or ask questions, we aren't saying that we do not believe or do not have faith, but we are simply following in the path of Jacob who "wrestled with God". All of the great theologians throughout history have challenged their thoughts and their beliefs in order to strengthen their faith - not destroy it.

The distinct difference between doubt and challenging is that at the core of a challenge is the knowledge and the faith that God is Who He says He is. We may face difficult circumstances, but if we view them as a challenge - if we seek out God in the midst of our questions - we will find wisdom. When we allow our doubts to overshadow our faith, we will find weakness.

Questions are good. Questioning why you believe what you believe is a good thing - but be cautious to keep your eyes and your heart focused on God so that He can continue to answer your questions with His wisdom. Otherwise if we allow our focus to be centered on the world we will be pummeled with doubts rather than answers.

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:6

Scripture

James 1:4-6

Quote of the Day

Faith isn't believing without proof – it's trusting without reservation.

William Sloan Coffin

Question of the Day

When have you questioned what you believed in the past week?

God Never Leaves

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13-14

In life we each will have temptation. What tempts you, may not tempt me and what tempts me may not tempt you. Regardless, we, each of us, needs to be on guard against the pitfalls and the tempters of life.

Temptation lures us off the path God has set for us. When we give into temptation, we always lose.

When we give into the temptation - even taking one tiny bite - we can find ourselves lost in the woods. Being lost can be frightening - even terrifying. We can think we have no options, no solution for the miserable state we find ourselves in. This sense of hopelessness can be devastating and can make you feel as if in the midst of your worst days you have lost everything and everyone - even God. But, regardless of what you have done, how you have given in or given up, God will never forsake you.

God never leaves.

When you finally turn away from your temptation, and turn to God, you will find that He has forged a trail for you to return to the His path for your life. Sometimes that path may be all up hill, but you can trust in the knowledge that He will be walking along side you on the journey.

God allows temptation in our lives to help us to better understand that we need Him to carry us through all of the days of our lives. Each time we turn from temptation to God our level of trust and reassurance in His presence grows. We begin to understand we cannot withstand the temptations of life without God carrying us through. When we think that we can do it all on our own; that we do not need God, this is when we need Him the most.

None of us can withstand the temptations which will cause us to fall on our own - even Jesus turned to God in prayer to help him walk through the valleys and the temptations he faced while he was here on earth.  We all need God. Only He can keep each of us on the path to life abundant with Him.

Temptation will come. The only way to be prepared is to have your 24-HR Guard on duty - allow God to be your shield and you will not have any problem just saying no.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Quote of the Day

God is better served in resisting a temptation to evil, than in many formal prayers.

WILLIAM PENN, Some Fruits of Solitude

Question of the Day

What is your greatest weakness?

The There that is Home...

Why do you always forget us?
   Why do you forsake us so long?

Lamentations 5:20

Do you ever feel like this is you?

Do you ever feel like God is allowing problem after problem to float your way without any end in sight?

Do you ever just want to sit down and not take one more step because you feel like it is pointless?

Many of us can find it very easy to sit down in our mud pits; to wallow in the sadness and pain of life. We can allow the misery we are feeling in the moment to overshadow the promises of God.

[Jesus said] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Jesus told us we would have problems. He told his disciples that they would surely face death because they followed him. But he also promised new life in the power of the resurrection.

This world isn't heaven. But, we occasionally see glimpses of heaven:

 ...in the beauty of a sunset or the laughter of a child;

...in the fragrance of a lilac or the touch of a friend;

...in the taste of a perfect dinner or a wonderful night of worship.

But heaven isn't here; we will have problems.

We will face death, disease and taxes. We will endure wars, poverty, unstable economies and corrupt leaders. And yet, through it all we can rest in the knowledge that this here isn't there. The there which is waiting for each of us is greater than any one moment we can imagine.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea...“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21: 1-4

We will have trouble...The pain of the moment will still exist, but in the midst of the mud pit we can see the light of hope shining in the distance as a beacon calling out to us...calling each of us HOME.

Scripture

Lamentations 5:1-4

Quote of the Day

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”

Eskimo Proverb

 

Question of the Day

 

What does heaven look like to you?

Worship - Being Found By God

Worship.

By definition, worship is to feel an adoring reverence or regard. 

When you go to a worship service on Sunday morning, evening or Wednesday night - what attitude goes before you? What attitude do you bring with you? Do you go into service with the attitude of adoration and reverence? Do you allow the Spirit of God to fill you?

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
   make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
   tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
   let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Psalm 105:1-3

Do you have this attitude going into worship; an attitude which is ALL about God and what He has done - how He has created the glorious wonders of the world?

Or is your attitude more self focused? When you walk into worship are you worried about all of the details of the service itself? Do you wonder if the sermon or homily will "speak to you"? Do you become annoyed when the music isn't "your style"?

With blunt honesty, I often find myself falling into the latter category. I can become so inundated with the pieces and parts of a worship service or of the workings of the church that my heart and my mind are not centered on the ONE thing I should be focused on: Worshipping God. That's it. That is all worship is supposed to be about - not whether or not I get something from the sermon or if the music is my taste or if the PowerPoint is engaging.

Worship - our corporate worship - is all about bringing the Body of Christ together to lift praise to God, to remember all of the wondrous things He has done and to learn a little more about how we can seek Him better in our everyday lives.

I know I want to be a worshipper who says:

Look to the LORD and his strength;
   seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done...

Psalm 105:4-5

This is what true worship is about - - seeking God.

This week - as we focus on the ins and the outs of every day living, let us take time to settle our hearts and seek God. Worship isn't just about Sunday morning...worship is about seeking God, because He promises us:

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD

Jeremiah 29:13-24

What a glorious gift of worship - to be found by God!

Scripture

Psalm 105

Quote of the Day

"The whole person, with all his senses, with both mind and body, needs to be
involved in genuine worship."

Jerry Kearns

Question of the Day

When have you been "in worship" in the last week?

The Truth Never Lies

All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 5:37

"It is the truth - no seriously it is the truth."

"I promise - there is 100% satisfaction guaranteed"

"9 out of 10 customers agree, this is the very best..."

Why do we always feel the need to overemphasize a statement?

We like to embellish the truth - going above and beyond a simple, "yes, it is snowing outside" or "no, I didn't take out the trash."

Instead we like to say:

"YES! I've never seen so much snow before in my life. This is the worst I have ever seen road conditions. Never before has anything ever been this bad!"

or

"I just forgot to take the trash out. I was really going to do it, but this thing came up and then I had to go and save a kitten in a tree and then I lost an arm..."

As people of faith, one of our goals in life should be to allow what we say to be the truth; the simple, uncomplicated truth.

Honesty is at the core of who we are as Christians:

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know^[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

John 15:6-7

Our pathway to God is through Jesus. He is truth and the truth never lies.

We cannot live in lies or half-truths and expect to have a relationship with God. We must be honest with ourselves, those around us and most importantly with God.

Let your yes, be yes and your no, be no...seems like a pretty simple concept, but in a world built on twisting and turning the smallest of things into a distorted vision of their former state, being a truly honest and straight forward person can be a challenge. But knowing that a relationship with God is the reward for living honestly is worth the challenge.

Scripture

Matthew 5:33-37

Quote of the Day

If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.
~Mark Twain

Question of the Day

When have you had the opportunity to be honest - - but made the choice to follow a dishonest path?

GUMY this SUNDAY NIGHT!!!!!

Carrying Each Other

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

As Christians, we are called to carry each other's burdens. This doesn't necessarily mean that we are supposed to carry each others heavy luggage or help each other move (although those are very nice things to do). What Paul was telling the Galatians, and all of us two thousand years later, was that we are to be a support to each other. We are called to listen, to empathize and to help each other press on and through difficult circumstances.

We aren't necessarily trying to fix each other's lives or conversely wallowing in pity with someone; carrying each other's burdens means to be Christ to another person.

When Jesus met the woman at the well (John 4) he told her of all the wrong things she had done in her life, and yet he still showed her love, compassion and mercy. He forgave her sins - and then told her to go and sin no more. He did not accept the pit where the woman was living. Rather, he met her where she was and then showed her a way to get out of her pit.

As we are conduits of Jesus's love and grace to the world, we shoulder each other's burdens by empathizing with each other but also displaying the love of Christ by offering his grace as a solution.

We carry each other's burdens by sharing Christs love in all that we do.

The load isn't heavy, because Jesus is doing all of the heavy lifting.

Scripture

Galatians 6:1-10

Quote of the Day

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.
Samuel Smiles

Question of the Day

When have you been the hands and feet of Christ this week?

Letting Go of the Boulder - Selah

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
   What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 118:6

Some days I feel like I am pushing a one thousand pound boulder up a steep incline without any support. I get frustrated and fearful that I am in this world alone. In these times I allow the world to dictate my thoughts, but often I hear God in my heart saying:

'Selah'

Selah is a word we often see in the psalms. It is placed in the melodic phrases so that the reader or the singer will pause, stop and listen with his or her heart to what the Lord is saying; to take pause and simply be in the moment - to allow the Lord to wash over him or her.

In our world we will face many days when we are pushing a proverbial boulder up a hill. We will get frustrated and fatigued. We will become fearful over what the future holds. We will feel alone, left out and on an island no one else wants to reach.

But in the midst of these, and many more, woes we have the encouragement that God is always with us - what should we fear?

When those days of boulders bear down upon you take a moment - Selah - and listen to the love song the Lord is singing to you:

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again, and you...will be rebuilt....go out to dance with the joyful

Jeremiah 31:3-4

Regardless of the situation, regardless of how huge your boulder is, the Lord is always with you and always cheering you on.

Today, take a moment and Selah.

Be patient, wait upon the Lord, delight in all that He has done for you and know that He is bigger than every boulder.

Scripture

Psalm 118 (a psalm of praise & thanksgiving)

Quote of the Day

Everything is okay in the end, if it's not ok, then it's not the end.

Anonymous

Question of the Day

How can you find time today to focus on God's grace?

GUMY is back this Sunday, January 15th

GUMY prep - 5PM

GUMY Dinner - 5:45 PM

GUMY JR - 6:15PM

If you are an adult who reads this blog, please join us for a special activity Sunday evening at 6:30PM.

Questions? email me: courtneyhilbert@aol.com

Kicking the Summer Heat...

Did you ever avoid admitting you shattered a vase or busted a window?
Did you ever hide a messy room?
Did you ever lie to try and fix a broken situation?

As much as we want to hide our mistakes, the lies and the deception can eat at us like a disease, crippling us until we can no longer walk and to quote a co-worker "kill us with pin pricks".

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Psalm 32: 3-4

The psalmist has the description of how a lie or a sin affects our whole person. "My strength was sapped as in the heat of summer." Although it is hard to imagine the middle of winter, the feeling of July heat with 100% humidity and not a cloud in the sky is quite distressing. Your body is weak and you do not have a desire to do anything, but lie around in an air conditioned room and pray for rain. When we live in a lie, when we allow its suffocating nature to consume our beings, we are drained of the life and the joy which typically fills our soul. The lie or the sin pushes out the joy and takes up residence in your house.

But just like rain on the parched gound in the summer breaks a devesating drought, confession of our sin to the Lord returns the joy to our souls and salvation to our spirits.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Psalm 32: 5

We cannot hide our sin from God. He knows everything. Hiding our sin, our lies, our deviousness, only hurts ourselves. Releasing our sin to God, seeking His forgiveness, gives us new life and a boldness which can only be found in a relationship with our Savior.

We all sin.

But we have choice to wallow in the heat and the muck, allowing that sin to drag us down or we can turn to God and seek His grace-filled rain on our parched souls. His renewing water will refresh our spirits and allow us to rejoice in the Lord and all of His goodness.

Even in the midst of winter, I still do not want the devestating heat of summer.

How about you?

Scripture

Psalm 32

Quote of the Day

“Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful”

Benjamin Franklin

Question of the Day

What have you tried to hide in your life?

GUMY is back - this SUNDAY, January 15th.

GUMY Prep - 5PM

Dinner - 5:45PM

GUMY JR - 6:15 PM

If you are an adult who reads this blog, please join us at 6:30 at the church to participate in a unique activity...

Questions? please drop me a line - courtneyhilbert@aol.com



Hello, Goodbye and a Lesson in Theology from The Beatles

"You say goodbye and I say hello"

Hello, Goodbye by the Beatles

The Beatles wrote the song “Hello, Goodbye”. It might seem nonsensical to most, always answering the opposite of the person you are with, but as I listen to the lyrics I am struck by the theology which rests in the words.

You say "Yes", I say "No".
You say "Stop" and I say "Go, go, go".
Oh no.
You say "Goodbye" and I say "Hello, hello, hello".
I don't know why you say "Goodbye", I say "Hello, hello, hello".
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello.
I say "High", you say "Low".
You say "Why?" And I say "I don't know".

Oh no.
You say "Goodbye" and I say "Hello, hello, hello".
I don't know why you say "Goodbye", I say "Hello, hello, hello".
You say "Yes", I say "No".
(I say "Yes", but I may mean "No").
You say "Stop", I say "Go, go, go".
(I can stay still it's time to go).
Oh, oh no.
You say "Goodbye

As Christians, we often are contradictions to the logical things of life. We have eternal life. We believe that we cannot earn our salvation – it was a gift. We believe that we should love everyone as we love ourselves.

Goodbye holds a sense of finality.

With the phrase we are closing a door, leaving for what could be forever.

Hello holds promise for the beginning of something.

We say hello when we first see or talk to someone; there is almost a sense of anticipation and excitement in the word.

As Christians, we never have to say good-bye. We have the promise from Jesus that he has prepared a place for us to be with him for eternity.

My Father’s house has many rooms… And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

John 14:2-3

Even as we ponder death, our concern should not be for good-bye rather our joy should be in the hello we will have with Jesus and with all of the saints who have gone before us.

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 22:3-5

Hello. Goodbye.

The world will always see the end in what we see as only the beginning.

 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Revelation 22:12-13

Scripture

Revelation 22

Quote of the Day

A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn't see the clouds at all - he's walking on them. Leonard Louis Levinson

Question of the Day

What give you the greatest hope for tomorrow today? 

Living by Faith...Not New Resolutions

"So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy.”

1 Peter 1:13-16 (MSG)

This is the week of New Year's resolutions. Have you made any? I have. I do every year.

In the past I have resolved to lose weight, keep my house clean, follow a budget, read the Bible in a year, and on and on the list could go. And each of these resolutions I broke within a month, maybe two if I was being really strict.

I tend to go all or nothing with things. Either I am 100% committed and completely disciplined or I am a complete slacker and quit before I ever get started. Often when we miss a day or two with our new resolutions, we go ahead and quit. When we fail at not living up to a standard or a goal, we can sometimes feel discouraged and like it no longer matters what we do because we have already failed.

God asks us to be resolute in our decision to follow Him and to live a lifestyle after His heart. We will fail - we are only human - but the important thing is to get up and try again.

Our walks with God are too important to treat like throw away New Year's resolutions. When we trip along the path, we must pick ourselves up and starting walking again.

God wants us to live " an energetic life blazing with holiness". We can't live that kind of life if we quit with the first obstacle we face in the road.

Scripture

1 Peter 1:10-20 (MSG)

Quote of the Day

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.

Hal Borland

Question of the Day

What is one thing you can start today which will impact your life by this time next year? 

Mistakes: A Part of Life

"Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Mistakes are part of life. 

Regardless of how we try, each day we will slip up, take a wrong turn or all together "drop our baskets". We are not perfect and our lives are surrounded by the sin of this world. Sin and mistakes are two peas in the same pod.

Sin infiltrates our lives in a variety of ways. Sometimes we sin by consciously choosing to turn away from what God has asked of us. And sometimes we sin by following the simple temptations of life. We make these mistakes by listening to the world or to our own selfish desires rather than focusing on what God wants us to do.

Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
   stop doing wrong.

Isaiah 1:16

At times it can feel overwhelming to think of how we each, individually, fall short of God's expectations for us. The frustration and disappointment might even cause one to turn away from God completely assuming that he or she could never measure up to what God requires.

In reality, while we live on this earth, we will never fully measure up to what God intends for our lives to be, because we will consistently fall into the mistakes of everyday living, but God has a solution.

Though your sins are like scarlet,
   they shall be as white as snow

Isaiah 1:18

We will never be able to avoid mistakes  - to avoid the sin of this world - but with God's help and the grace of Jesus we will be able to turn away from as much sin as possible, trusting that God's love and forgiveness will wash each of us clean as snow.

Mistakes are part of life, but with God's help we will find that each day can have fewer than the day before until the great day when we are resting safely in Jesus's arms and we are free with no mistakes.

Scripture

Isaiah 1:16-18

Quote of the Day

"Forgiveness is God's invention for coming to terms with a world in which, despite their best intentions, people are unfair to each other and hurt each other deeply. He began by forgiving us. And he invites us all to forgive each other."
Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

Question of the Day

What mistake that you made yesterday (or last week or last year) can you ask God to help you avoid in 2012?

Seeing Miracles in Tithing

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.

Leviticus 27:30

Tithing means to give back to God a portion of what He has given to you. Tithing often has a negative connotation in our secular world where our focus tends to be: "What's in it for me?"

The idea that we are required to give a sizable portion rankles our selfish nature. We want to keep everything we have an only share what we want to share. We tend to not like the idea that we are required to give a specified portion of our goods, wealth, gifts and skills back to God...even though He is God.

Tithing isn't about what we are giving up or what we are losing. Tithing is about each of us recognizing the supremacy of God and honoring Him for the grace He has bestowed upon each of us. God could have asked us to give Him 90% and we keep 10% but He told us to give Him 10%. And with that 10%, He will do mighty things.

When I stop and think what is done with only 10% of our wealth I am amazed. Missions are funded. Children are saved. Churches are built. People are welcomed. The hungry are fed...and the list goes on and an on... Only through God's miraculous grace could such feats be accomplished with so little.

When you evaluate what you will give to God, remember the blessings He has showered upon you and what little He has asked you in response. Think about what awesome things He can do if you willingly and cheerfully give God what He requires. 

What an awesome gift to know that by giving what is asked, you are part of thousands of miracles.

Scripture

Leviticus 27:22-34

Quote of the Day

“If you as parents cut corners, your children will too. If you lie, they will too. If you spend all your money on yourselves and tithe no portion of it for charities, colleges, churches, synagogues, and civic causes, your children won't either. And if parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, another generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out.”

Marian Wright Edelman

Question of the Day

If you don't already tithe, how can you start focusing on what you are giving to God?

Seeking Self-Discipline

 

We have a ton of temptation staring us in the face each and every day. From food to technology and everything in between, the world is a veritable playground of debaucherous activities.

We could easily overeat, overstimulate, oversleep, over speak, and flat out over-do-it without ever leaving the comfort and warmth of our homes.

Being disciplined following the example laid out for us by Jesus, can be difficult in the face of the bounty of delights which await us at our very fingertips. Even now, as you read this either in an email or on the website, you could easily click on an advertisement or another email and lose yourself in something which has no real value, but could be fun for a bit of time.

Our whole world is set up to make life easy. We have convenience stores and to home shipping. We have services which will clean your home and research your paper. We have organizations which will write resumes and restaurants which will cook all of your food. For a price, you can buy anything you want - whenever you want it.

But, the ultimate price has already been paid for each of us. Jesus bought us through his sacrifice on the cross. He didn't look for the easy way out or search out the "thing" which would give him the most pleasure in that exact moment; rather he gave up perfection for nails in his hands and a criminal's death to pay the ransom for each of our lives.

In order to redeem our salvation, all we have to do is ask Christ into our hearts and seek his perfect love and forgiveness. However, in order to honor Christ for all that he has done on our behalf and to reflect the loving relationship God has offered us, we have the obligation to turn from the wickedness of this world and seek the beautiful discipline of a right relationship with God.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age
Titus 2:11-12

God gave us everything. And in His salvation He has provided us the tools for living a life which honors Him.

As you begin this new year, begin to think about how your life reflects, or doesn't reflect, the relationship you have with your Savior.

Scripture

Titus 2

Quote of the Day

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Aristotle

Question of the Day

What is one bad habit you can leave in 2011?

Each Day...

Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

January 2, 2012....

What does today mean to you? Are you beginning a bunch of new resolutions? Are you relieved that 2011 is completed? Is today your last day of vacation before you return to the grind of your daily routine?

January 2, 2012....

Each day is important, regardless of the date. Each day we are given a chance to learn something new and exciting. Each day we are given the opportunity to mend a broken relationship or create a new one. Each day we have the ability to stop a bad habit and begin a good one. Each day we can...we can do anything. We are only limited by the restrictions we place on ourselves.

You have a decision today. You can simply allow today to float by like any other day or you can make today January 2, 2012. You can make this day matter. You can make a choice to seek everything this one day has to offer. You can make today an each day and discover all of the possibilities it holds.

January 2, 2012...What will today be to you?

Scripture

Psalm 90

Quote of the Day

There's a time for daring and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for.

John Keating, Dead Poet's Society (1989)

Question of the Day

If you could do anything today...what would it be?