Seeing the devastation in Haiti through the news has stirred the hearts of people everywhere to give and help. We see people who have lost everything. Their homes. Family. Jobs. The ability to care for themselves and their loved ones. Their world has been turned upside down.
Though we have not experienced a devastating earthquake, for many in the US our world has turned upside down. The recession struck like a thief, stealing the many things that we held dear. Things that we based our entire lives on. Like a child who has lost their "security" blanket and now experiencing difficulty in going to sleep or to go through the day. We have lost many of the things that provided us a sense of security. Our homes are more than homes. They are investments against the rise of inflation. Millions are now losing their homes or they owe more than the home is now worth. Our mantra for years has been to save for retirement. If your investment portfolio is like mine, the thief has come and now it is worth half of what it once was. Many are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. That is, if you have a job. The recession has left in its wake lives that lay in devastation and despair. People are now living in fear.
During the reign of Idi Amin in 1970's Uganda, over a half million people were slaughtered. Many of them were Christians. Everything they had was taken. They lived in the shadow of death. One survivor of that reign of terror said that "living in danger can be liberating. For one thing, you are no longer imprisoned by your own security because there is none. So the important security that people sought was to be anchored in God."
Hebrews 6:19 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." If you read the context of this verse, you'll discover that our hope is in reference to God's oath, His word. God does what He says. He always has and always will. We can bank on it. God's promises are sure, so much so, that we can entrust our lives for all of eternity to them. There is not a better anchor that God. No one else is eternal. No one else can do all things. No one else loves us so.
When your world turns upside down (it's not "if", but "when" because tough times come to all people) then it is an opportunity to make sure that you are basing your security on things that will last. If you put your hope in the Lord, He will not disappoint. In the Lord our lives as well as our future are safe and secure. My prayer is that if you are going though difficult times, that you would turn to the Lord and grow deep in Him and discover the anchor that will hold.
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
A Sure Foundation
It’s On My Heart...January 2010
I haven’t come across anyone who is sad that 2009 is finally over. 2010 was like a distant friend who we knew was coming and would bring better times. Now that it is here, we already are anticipating what the year might bring. Many think that whatever happens will be better than last year. Truth be told, it really does not matter which year we are in. Whether its 2009, 2010 or 2011. Regardless of the year or where we are in life, God has promised to be right with us. With God beside us, we are able to face life’s challenges, knowing that God loves us, cares for us, and will never abandon us. We have His word on it and His promises bring encouragement when all else seems to fail.
Our theme verse for the year is found in Psalm 127.1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” It is a solemn reminder that we need the Lord in all that we do. Each of us can build elaborate lives and ministries, careers and retirement security. If however, we do it all without the Lord we miss out on His guidance and direction. In the end we will be very much like Ebenezer Scrooge before his three visitors that changed his life. He lived for business and money and forgot the more important things in life. The most important thing is not a thing. It is a person. It is God. God is always inviting us in. If we’ve blown it, He still calls. If we’ve wandered away, He still welcomes us and embraces us warmly. As we study our theme through out 2010, it will be an opportunity for us to examine our lives from top to bottom. What is it that we are building our lives upon? What is our foundation? Are we really, truly leaning upon the Lord or are we leaning upon our own wisdom and strength?
One thing about building is that the structure is only as strong as the foundation it rests upon. Jesus told a parable about this. One man built his house on the sand, but when the storms came it washed away. The other built his house on the rock and stood firm. Psalm 127.1 then is a wake up call and a challenge. May we heed God’s call and take up the challenge to build our lives God’s way. For God’s way is always the best way. In the process, we’ll discover that there is no better foundation to build and rest our lives upon. May you be the one to build upon the rock!
Have a Happy New Year!
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
I haven’t come across anyone who is sad that 2009 is finally over. 2010 was like a distant friend who we knew was coming and would bring better times. Now that it is here, we already are anticipating what the year might bring. Many think that whatever happens will be better than last year. Truth be told, it really does not matter which year we are in. Whether its 2009, 2010 or 2011. Regardless of the year or where we are in life, God has promised to be right with us. With God beside us, we are able to face life’s challenges, knowing that God loves us, cares for us, and will never abandon us. We have His word on it and His promises bring encouragement when all else seems to fail.
Our theme verse for the year is found in Psalm 127.1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” It is a solemn reminder that we need the Lord in all that we do. Each of us can build elaborate lives and ministries, careers and retirement security. If however, we do it all without the Lord we miss out on His guidance and direction. In the end we will be very much like Ebenezer Scrooge before his three visitors that changed his life. He lived for business and money and forgot the more important things in life. The most important thing is not a thing. It is a person. It is God. God is always inviting us in. If we’ve blown it, He still calls. If we’ve wandered away, He still welcomes us and embraces us warmly. As we study our theme through out 2010, it will be an opportunity for us to examine our lives from top to bottom. What is it that we are building our lives upon? What is our foundation? Are we really, truly leaning upon the Lord or are we leaning upon our own wisdom and strength?
One thing about building is that the structure is only as strong as the foundation it rests upon. Jesus told a parable about this. One man built his house on the sand, but when the storms came it washed away. The other built his house on the rock and stood firm. Psalm 127.1 then is a wake up call and a challenge. May we heed God’s call and take up the challenge to build our lives God’s way. For God’s way is always the best way. In the process, we’ll discover that there is no better foundation to build and rest our lives upon. May you be the one to build upon the rock!
Have a Happy New Year!
Blessings,
Pastor Pete
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