A Good Question for the New Year

Be Inspired by Jesus' Ministry

Did you know that Jesus' ministry was between 2-4 years long (depending on scholarly opinions & interpretation). I have to admit that I did not. I had never really thought about it and certainly had never timed it out. I always assumed that it was much longer than that. Take a minute to think about that, Jesus' ministry - 2-4 years.

For me, this idea has huge implication: Two to four years of Jesus' life have reverberated and impacted people for more than 2,000 years around this entire earth. While clearly none of us are the Messiah, we are God's wonderous creations. What can we accomplish if we devote ourselves to a cause? What impact may we have?

This idea of micro & macro effect struck me. Jesus, one man in a very small area of our vast world, preached for a relatively short time and he changed the world. What seed did God plant in your heart? What gifts? How can your actions inspire others?

2 years, 2,000 years ago changed the world
What can you do with 1 hour a month?
a week?
a day?

The Miracle of the Loaves and Fish except with apples and pasta

This morning I was trying to figure out what to make for breakfast. We are out of milk so choices were a little limited. I opted to make Apple Oatmeal Muffins as we have a bag of apples that was given to us after helping out at the crop walk (note: I know it takes milk, fortunately dry milk saves practically forever). As I was cooking away, it dawned on me that in the past two week’s several of our meal had come by the grace of God. I’m sure like many of you out there; we are starting to feel a pinch in this economic time and have been downscaling and being careful. One of the few discretionary expenses is food. The question becomes how far can you stretch a dollar.

Lately, especially after my car died this week, I have been feeling very depressed about the situation. I’ll be honest. I was losing hope. This morning though as I was stirring the muffin mix I realized that I was in the middle of my own loaves and fishes story. In the past week and a half or so, God had truly provided. Whenever we have done something for others or for the church, we have been rewarded. DH helped a friend at a Spaghetti dinner. He came home with extra ziti, sauce, apple cider, bread, and parmesan cheese. DH helped with our church auction, he and the kids were fed and we received a very helpful gift which allowed he and DS to get breakfast and lunch. We all partook in the Church pot luck for which DH made Chili using some of the meat sauce that we got from the spaghetti dinner. Then as I said from the crop walk DD and I received a bag of apples which have now served us apple crisp and now apple oatmeal muffins. Thanks be to God.

Sometimes you just need a reality check. As I worry, in my warm house with tv and internet, there are so many in worse shape. I could be serving my children mud pies like in Haiti to quell their hunger.

God, Thank you for all that you provide for me and my family. I am truly grateful. I am sorry for those times that I seem like an ungrateful, selfish child. Please forgive me. Thank you for reminding me of your presence today when I needed it. Please show my family how we can best use our talents to help in your service.
Amen

A Culture of Life / A Culture of Death

Why in our country do we have to make every issue a political issue? What exactly is a culture of death. Today, we had to put our dog down. He has been our trusty dog for 12 years. We took him in when he needed a home, but as with other times that you help others, we got back 100 fold what we gave to this adorable dog. Certainly, I don’t believe that I belong to a culture of death for euthanizing a dog whose quality of life had evaporated over the last few days. Why do we have to use such politically charged terms, when what we are talking about choice that pain people on a very deep level. We get so caught up in the black and white, we fail to appreciate the shade of grey that lead to the choice which we so easily condemn. What if instead of standing on either periphery, we leapt into the middle and tried to help the people that have to make these choices? What if we could preempt these choices from ever having to be made? Perhaps if we stopped being so high and mighty, we could leave the judgment to God and instead be his hands on earth to comfort his children in their time of crisis.

I can tell you I personally have struggled with the choice to euthanize James. I could not come to terms with making a choice that I believed was God’s. I prayed for his intercession, but He left the situation in my hands and I could not continue to see him suffer. Fortunately, the Veterinary Hospital staff was wonderfully supportive and helpful. Their compassion was much appreciated at such a difficult time. As the doctor said, it is his job to help animals live a happy and healthy life, but this is also a part of his job, assisting animals out of suffering. It is not a part of his job that he enjoys, but he is glad that he is able to help them in their time of suffering.

I think we could all learn from that philosophy. Instead of being a culture of life or a culture of death, let’s have a culture of compassion.



In loving memory of James
1-5-96 to 9-11-08

Children’s Sermon – Threefold cord – Ecclesiastics 4:12

Do you know what this special book is I have with me today? (show the Bible) It is a best seller. It is better seller than the Magic Tree House. It is a bigger seller than Harry Potter.

This book is not actually a book but a library. It is a collection of 66 books put together in two major sections or testaments.

The Bible contains stories that are very old. Stories that talk about the beginning of the Earth itself. It has stories about families like yours. It tell of Jesus and the people that spread Christianity after Jesus was crucified. It has action and intrigue, birth / death. It even speaks to us today.

Now I don’t mean that the book itself talks, but if you read it or have it read to you, it will give you advice and tell you how to be Godly children.

Today Reverend Riggles is going to talk to your parents about one scripture in particular, Ecclesiastics 4:12. ______________________, would you read us the scripture.

(let the child read the scripture)

When we read scripture, we should think on what we have read. We can talk to others about it. We can even read book’s about what we’ve read. And then we are to apply it to our own life.

Does anyone have any idea of what this scripture means?

Let me ask you some questions.

_____________, I need you to paint one of the classrooms. Is that a big job? Would you like some help? How about if ________________ could help you? What if _________________ helped you too? How does this job look now?

How about if instead of sending 70 plus people to Kentucky (you can replace this with any of your missions projects), we sent only one? Could we accomplish the same amount? Even if it were just Mr. Davenport?

We all know the fair is coming. If you could go by yourself, would it be fun? How about if you could go with one very best friend? What if you could go with a bunch of friends?

If you had a very big job and needed a rope, which one would you like to have with you (show several different diameter ropes).

“9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

You are strong when you stand by yourself, even stronger when you stand with one friend and stronger still when we all stand together.

Today we stand united under God, getting ready for a great Sunday school year. Before my words of prayer are said, I fold my hands and bow my head:

“Dear God,
Thank you for bringing us all back safely. We are happy to see all our old friends and look forward to meeting new friends. We hope that you will look over our entire congregation and teach us all that we can rely on one another. Help our congregation to be a threefold cord.
Amen”

Mission Mondays - Operation Christmas Child

Ok, I realize it is not Monday today but Tuesday, but I have decided to add a new weekly entry: Mission Mondays. If you have any mission ideas that you would like me to add, please let me know.

Let me introduce you to a mission project that I have been involved with for the past couple of years – Operation Christmas Child. Our church has collected boxes for several years, but it wasn’t until about three years ago when I took over facilitating the program at our church did I fully understand the focus of the program. OCC had always been promoted in our church as a collection of toys for those at need during the Christmas season. And while this is indeed the action of what you are doing, it is not the purpose.


"Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.” " Matthew 19: 13-15

But how can the children know of Jesus, if they are never introduced. This is the true mission of operation Christmas Child. Although giving to those in need is worthy, this additional insight for me made this program even more worthwhile. Now in our church, we have included a children’s sermon about OCC, we pray over the boxes that we send, and have whole church activities to emphasize the sending of God’s message.

OCC was founded by Samaritan’s Purse and is run by Rev. Billy Graham’s son, Franklin Graham. I encourage you to checkout their website and if your church is not already involved in a collection for this program to start. There are plenty of materials on the website and that can be ordered to help you along the way. Collection week this year is November 17-24. Our plan will be to kick off the collection on October 5th, announce that collection will end on November 9th (we’ve learned that you get a lot of “oh, I left it at home by mistake” and this gives them an extra week to get it in), and plan a packing party on November 16th. The completed boxes are then delivered to a local coordination office (there is more information on this on the website. As collecting time comes closer they will post collection sites in each state). If you are lucky enough to live near one of their regional offices you may want to sign up to volunteer there.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28: 19-20

Life Lessons from the Titanic

Two things struck me as my dd, my father, and I toured the Titanic exhibit today:

-Small Actions Can Make a Difference
-Things that seem bad at the time can be a blessing

Small Action Can Make a Difference. This idea struck me twice during the exhibit. Once, we read about the band playing even as ship sank. Apparently, without concern for their own life they continued to play to comfort and entertain others. This seems so selfless. And I’m sure to people that realized that they were not getting onto those final lifeboats, the music they played offered some kind of consolation. The second small action was a priest that stayed behind and prayed with the passengers that had been consigned to death after the last lifeboat was launched. Compare this action with president and Chairmen of White Star Lines (the manufacturer of the Titanic) J. Brue Ismay, who bore some responsibility for the sinking and yet ensured his own survival by taking one of the few seats available in the life boats, while so many others were set to die.

What use is it,my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
James 2:14 (KJV)

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:20 (KJV)

Things that seem bad at the time can be a blessing. There were so many stories about people not getting aboard because of sprained ankles, colds, a change in plans, or, the most interesting to me, getting kidnapped. Harold Irwin was kidnapped the night before the sailing and forced to labor on a ship heading to Egypt to pay his gambling debt. I’m sure at the time, it seemed that the worst thing possible had occurred in his life. If he was a religious man, he may have prayed to be saved and not realized that God had already answered his prayer. This made me think of the many times that I may pray for specific intercession by God instead of asking for courage to accept HIS will.

Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.
~Socrates

Lessons can be found everywhere, if we are open to see them.