Give us this day our daily bread...
I wonder on a given day, when people get in their cars to go to work, how many people tell God, Thank you for providing for the needs of our family through this job?
It dawned on me yesterday as I drove up to pick up my dry cleaning close to my house. I casually joked with the owner how he needed to take a day off. It seems as if he has been working a lot. I said, "you need to hire someone so you don't have to work so hard." His serious reply was, "things have changed. Life is hard for everyone now. Our business has taken a huge hit in the past year. People have cut corners everywhere, the dry cleaning business is just one more corner to be cut. Prior to last year, my pressers were working 40 hours shifts. Today if I am lucky, a good week for them is 30 hours."
There are few who have escaped the effects of the economy and most people's lives have been changed. So many people struggle to make ends meet, if they still have a job. My husband tells me when he comes home from work at times how people complain about how much they make, that it isn't enough, they need more. I think that is part of our human nature, that what we have isn't enough.
Our pastor has been doing a series on contentment the past few weeks. Yesterday was just one more living example of being content. For out of a heart of gratitude, results in contentment. Being thankful each day that my husband has a job and is willing to work for a living is another reason to Thank God.
Do you see the hand of God, providing for your daily needs through the work that you have been given? If you do, just say Thank you. He is faithful, kind and merciful in providing for us!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
What is the Purpose of Church?
I have been pondering this question for months...
I find so many people attend church today for so many different reasons. Some attend to find friends, others attend to find a spouse. Some people go to church because they have been through emotional trauma; a divorce, loss of loved one, loss of job. Some go to church to find business contacts. Some attend church because they are in a new business venture and need to add people to their tiers.
Some attend church as part of a ritual. Some people were raised going to church and it is the thing to do. Others feel that somehow attending church will add to their list of good works. Some parents feel that their children need a moral compass and think that maybe they can find it by sending their kids to a study or a church service. Some like to be entertained. They like music and know where they can find a good play or musical at Christmas or Easter. Some people come to church as part of a holiday routine, twice a year, they will do it.
There are all kinds of churches to choose from. Some are very contemporary with videos and a rock band. Some are small and personal and others are huge and one can just quickly slip in after the music starts, sit in the back row without being noticed and slide out just as quickly as they came in without saying a word to anyone. Some have been started by famous sports players. Others can provide your kids with the latest and greatest entertainment, just like home they can play the WII. Others offer entertainment for the whole family at the same time. We have become a society that wants to hear a message in byte size forms, and it has to be hip and current. Churches provide book stores and coffee shops and any kind of program you are looking for; singles, AA groups, MOMS groups, sports teams and Game nights. While all these things are good, what purpose are they providing? If they exist to point others to Jesus, bring it on. But if He isn't even mentioned then what purpose do they serve?
It is the same coast to coast, even in the midwest, churches are popping up everywhere providing what I am describing. With all the newness, current vibes blending in with today's culture one question comes to mind...
Where is Jesus?
Churches provide messages about self-help and positive thinking, talks are based on the latest and greatest new book and philosophies that have just hit the printing presses. Bible studies for the kids are based on character traits just like they teach in the public schools. Bible studies and small groups talk about how you can have a better self image and reinvent yourself, healing all of your past woes. Groups are filled with I believe, In my opinion and I feel. Where is Jesus?
Scripture or the Bible is summarized from Summarized Versions, all in reaching the most unknowledgeable or newest person off the street. There is need for that don't get me wrong, but what about the times, when not even a Scripture is read in its full context and at times not even mentioned at all. Where are Jesus' words?
Some of you may not like what I am saying at all, but I have to say, quite simply that sometimes I feel like standing up and saying, is there anyone at all any more who feels like I do? Where are the people who love the Bible? Where are the people that read it on a daily basis? I hear people say, I don't even know what the purpose of reading the bible is... I wonder how many people who attend church feel that way? I wonder if you took an honest survey from every person in every congregation and you asked them why are they at church, I wonder what they would say?
For those of us who still believe in the words sin, I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE, consequences and judgment knowing there is only ONE way, we are considered fundalmentalists, traditionalists. At times, pastors believe they need to be politically correct and choose their words wisely, so that no one will be offended by the truth.
I wonder if Jesus walked into churches across America, or small groups, or even Sunday Schools, if you can find any left, what would Jesus think or say? Would He say, Where am I in these discussions? Does anyone read my words any more? Does anyone still believe that I am the only way? Does anyone still live by Scripture?
As I get older I realize, time is dwindling away. Many people are going to be blown and tossed by the wind. Their spiritual roots are growing very shallow because they are not firmly planted in their knowledge of Jesus, they don't know much about God and who He is, and they know even less about what the Bible says or even where to find anything.
Our pastor says each Sunday, church is to turn our hearts and minds toward God. I believe that statement is correct. Church is also to gather with other believers and to serve others with no strings attached. The real question comes, when people get there, Where is Jesus??
I find so many people attend church today for so many different reasons. Some attend to find friends, others attend to find a spouse. Some people go to church because they have been through emotional trauma; a divorce, loss of loved one, loss of job. Some go to church to find business contacts. Some attend church because they are in a new business venture and need to add people to their tiers.
Some attend church as part of a ritual. Some people were raised going to church and it is the thing to do. Others feel that somehow attending church will add to their list of good works. Some parents feel that their children need a moral compass and think that maybe they can find it by sending their kids to a study or a church service. Some like to be entertained. They like music and know where they can find a good play or musical at Christmas or Easter. Some people come to church as part of a holiday routine, twice a year, they will do it.
There are all kinds of churches to choose from. Some are very contemporary with videos and a rock band. Some are small and personal and others are huge and one can just quickly slip in after the music starts, sit in the back row without being noticed and slide out just as quickly as they came in without saying a word to anyone. Some have been started by famous sports players. Others can provide your kids with the latest and greatest entertainment, just like home they can play the WII. Others offer entertainment for the whole family at the same time. We have become a society that wants to hear a message in byte size forms, and it has to be hip and current. Churches provide book stores and coffee shops and any kind of program you are looking for; singles, AA groups, MOMS groups, sports teams and Game nights. While all these things are good, what purpose are they providing? If they exist to point others to Jesus, bring it on. But if He isn't even mentioned then what purpose do they serve?
It is the same coast to coast, even in the midwest, churches are popping up everywhere providing what I am describing. With all the newness, current vibes blending in with today's culture one question comes to mind...
Where is Jesus?
Churches provide messages about self-help and positive thinking, talks are based on the latest and greatest new book and philosophies that have just hit the printing presses. Bible studies for the kids are based on character traits just like they teach in the public schools. Bible studies and small groups talk about how you can have a better self image and reinvent yourself, healing all of your past woes. Groups are filled with I believe, In my opinion and I feel. Where is Jesus?
Scripture or the Bible is summarized from Summarized Versions, all in reaching the most unknowledgeable or newest person off the street. There is need for that don't get me wrong, but what about the times, when not even a Scripture is read in its full context and at times not even mentioned at all. Where are Jesus' words?
Some of you may not like what I am saying at all, but I have to say, quite simply that sometimes I feel like standing up and saying, is there anyone at all any more who feels like I do? Where are the people who love the Bible? Where are the people that read it on a daily basis? I hear people say, I don't even know what the purpose of reading the bible is... I wonder how many people who attend church feel that way? I wonder if you took an honest survey from every person in every congregation and you asked them why are they at church, I wonder what they would say?
For those of us who still believe in the words sin, I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE, consequences and judgment knowing there is only ONE way, we are considered fundalmentalists, traditionalists. At times, pastors believe they need to be politically correct and choose their words wisely, so that no one will be offended by the truth.
I wonder if Jesus walked into churches across America, or small groups, or even Sunday Schools, if you can find any left, what would Jesus think or say? Would He say, Where am I in these discussions? Does anyone read my words any more? Does anyone still believe that I am the only way? Does anyone still live by Scripture?
As I get older I realize, time is dwindling away. Many people are going to be blown and tossed by the wind. Their spiritual roots are growing very shallow because they are not firmly planted in their knowledge of Jesus, they don't know much about God and who He is, and they know even less about what the Bible says or even where to find anything.
Our pastor says each Sunday, church is to turn our hearts and minds toward God. I believe that statement is correct. Church is also to gather with other believers and to serve others with no strings attached. The real question comes, when people get there, Where is Jesus??
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Less than Perfect
Tonight our topic in our youth group was, why is it that we feel we need to be perfect? Even more applicable to us, why do Christians feel they have to wear the persona of being perfect?
I have thought about this question so many times in my life. I even thought of a title for a book; for it was my childhood story "Voices from Inside the Glass House". Being a daughter of a pastor, I felt as if all eyes were on me. From a young age, people noticed if I ran in church, was talking or passed notes to my friends during a service.
My list of rules were longer than my daughter's hair. Some would say, I lived through legalism. For those of you who don't know what legalism is, it is a set of rules created by men as part of a religion. They could be don't go to movies, don't go to dances, don't ever drink alchohol. For some, this will be hard to read and understand. Fear was my guide for living and abiding by the list of rules. Today I understand rules from a different perspective which I will talk about later on, however then all I knew was that if I didn't abide by "all the rules" that I would be a bad reflection on my dad and his place in the church. Was this just my perception, that all eyes were on me? Not hardly! Many people put my dad and everyone who lived under his roof under the same microscope waiting for one of us to make a mistake.
I learned to wear a false sense that everything in my world was perfect, that I never made mistakes and neither did my parents. However, it was so hard to wear the mask and hide behind the phisod, I wanted to break free. I used to have a recurring dream that I was a bird, flying high over the city where I could see everything from very high heights. I was free. I think it was a representation that I truly disliked living a glass house. It wasn't a life that I had chosen, I was born into the glass house on display for all to see. I played the part well. I attended all the wedding showers, baby showers, weddings with my parents, playing the grown up child. Outwardly I followed all the rules and inwardly, I couldn't wait to escape the glass house. My prayer was that God wouldn't make me marry a pastor or missionary to force me to live and raise children back in the glass house.
It started to make me think that God was watching my every move too like every other human being, waiting for me to make one wrong move. If I was a good child, He would love me. If I made a mistake, then I would have to work hard to earn His love and trust back. It took me until I was 35 to accept the fact that I didn't have to do one single thing to earn the love of the Heavenly Father. He loves me unconditionally no matter what I say or do. He isn't mankind, giving bars of performance that I have to reach to gain His love. I don't have to say the right things all the time or follow every single rule perfectly to gain His approval.
In essence I felt that I had to live perfectly to gain approval of man. I learned to live life to please others. I wasn't following the rules out of love and respect for God, I was following the rules out of respect for my family or how we would viewed.
The Bible says there is no one righteous (right with God), no not one. We all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. This is so freeing to know and believe that every human being on earth is not perfect. We ALL make mistakes. Whether we are a student, or a teacher, parent or a child, grandparent, young or old, as long as we are breathing, on a daily basis, we will all continue to make mistakes. Having said that, it means that we all need to extend grace to others in their moments of humanness. Not one of us can stand on the outside of the glass house looking in on the life of another and think that we have the right to put their life under a microscope.
Today I read the Bible and there are many commandments that Jesus gave us like Do not Steal, Do not murder, Do not commit adultery. They are not just a list of rules. There are natural consequences to the commands. Some consequences cause us to suffer personally, others do damage to those around us. The rules were not created to keep us from fun, they were for our protection and protection of those around us. These are not rules that I nor my pastor made up, they are God's commandments. I have personally seen the consequences and the lives are destroyed by some choosing to break these commandments. There is still forgiveness even in making mistakes that I have spoken of. God says if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
I always tell my kids that I will love them no matter what they say or do. Sometimes they challenge that statement, but in the end, regardless of their actions, they are still my child. God feels the same way about us. He knows that we are going to make wrong choices and break His commandments from time to time, yet He still loves me anyways!
I have thought about this question so many times in my life. I even thought of a title for a book; for it was my childhood story "Voices from Inside the Glass House". Being a daughter of a pastor, I felt as if all eyes were on me. From a young age, people noticed if I ran in church, was talking or passed notes to my friends during a service.
My list of rules were longer than my daughter's hair. Some would say, I lived through legalism. For those of you who don't know what legalism is, it is a set of rules created by men as part of a religion. They could be don't go to movies, don't go to dances, don't ever drink alchohol. For some, this will be hard to read and understand. Fear was my guide for living and abiding by the list of rules. Today I understand rules from a different perspective which I will talk about later on, however then all I knew was that if I didn't abide by "all the rules" that I would be a bad reflection on my dad and his place in the church. Was this just my perception, that all eyes were on me? Not hardly! Many people put my dad and everyone who lived under his roof under the same microscope waiting for one of us to make a mistake.
I learned to wear a false sense that everything in my world was perfect, that I never made mistakes and neither did my parents. However, it was so hard to wear the mask and hide behind the phisod, I wanted to break free. I used to have a recurring dream that I was a bird, flying high over the city where I could see everything from very high heights. I was free. I think it was a representation that I truly disliked living a glass house. It wasn't a life that I had chosen, I was born into the glass house on display for all to see. I played the part well. I attended all the wedding showers, baby showers, weddings with my parents, playing the grown up child. Outwardly I followed all the rules and inwardly, I couldn't wait to escape the glass house. My prayer was that God wouldn't make me marry a pastor or missionary to force me to live and raise children back in the glass house.
It started to make me think that God was watching my every move too like every other human being, waiting for me to make one wrong move. If I was a good child, He would love me. If I made a mistake, then I would have to work hard to earn His love and trust back. It took me until I was 35 to accept the fact that I didn't have to do one single thing to earn the love of the Heavenly Father. He loves me unconditionally no matter what I say or do. He isn't mankind, giving bars of performance that I have to reach to gain His love. I don't have to say the right things all the time or follow every single rule perfectly to gain His approval.
In essence I felt that I had to live perfectly to gain approval of man. I learned to live life to please others. I wasn't following the rules out of love and respect for God, I was following the rules out of respect for my family or how we would viewed.
The Bible says there is no one righteous (right with God), no not one. We all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. This is so freeing to know and believe that every human being on earth is not perfect. We ALL make mistakes. Whether we are a student, or a teacher, parent or a child, grandparent, young or old, as long as we are breathing, on a daily basis, we will all continue to make mistakes. Having said that, it means that we all need to extend grace to others in their moments of humanness. Not one of us can stand on the outside of the glass house looking in on the life of another and think that we have the right to put their life under a microscope.
Today I read the Bible and there are many commandments that Jesus gave us like Do not Steal, Do not murder, Do not commit adultery. They are not just a list of rules. There are natural consequences to the commands. Some consequences cause us to suffer personally, others do damage to those around us. The rules were not created to keep us from fun, they were for our protection and protection of those around us. These are not rules that I nor my pastor made up, they are God's commandments. I have personally seen the consequences and the lives are destroyed by some choosing to break these commandments. There is still forgiveness even in making mistakes that I have spoken of. God says if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
I always tell my kids that I will love them no matter what they say or do. Sometimes they challenge that statement, but in the end, regardless of their actions, they are still my child. God feels the same way about us. He knows that we are going to make wrong choices and break His commandments from time to time, yet He still loves me anyways!
God died in our place, gave us grace and mercy for our weaknesses when we didn't deserve it, why are we not able to do the same with others?
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