The Door

This past week the 86th annual National Spelling Bee was held. The winner was Arvind Mahankali, a 13 year old from the state of New York. Twice in previous years he lost to words derived from the German language. Twice this year he overcame German derived words to become the champion of this year's spelling bee. The last word was "knaidel." I'm sure that most of us in Occidental would not know that it is a word used for a small mass of leavened dough. OK, maybe the Blanz's know. The participants study hard in order to know all the variations of words from multiple languages that somehow blend together into words on the spelling list. Leavened dough is used daily, sometimes multiple times each day to make our bread. In the Bible, leaven became associated with sin. Just a little bit of leaven affects the whole batch of dough. So it is with our lives that just a little bit of sin affects our entire life. To rid the dough of leaven is impossible. Once infected, it does it job. The evidence that sin has infected the human race is all around us. From fragmented lives and broken relationships to greed that often results in war and killing. Sin is all around us. In the time of Noah, God said that he was grieved that He had made mankind, for every inkling of their heart and mind was intent on evil. God did judge the human race then and wiped all but one family off the face of the earth. Noah found favor in God's sight. God promised to never destroy the earth by flood again. Jesus said that in the end times it would be like as in the days of Noah. It seems that every inkling of man's heart is full of sin again. It is in the last days that God will judge man again for his sin. The question then is how to survive God's judgment. Noah survived because he found favor with God. The Bible says that he was a righteous man. He did that which was right before God and his fellow man. The only way to please God is through faith in God. So we can conclude that faith plus doing that which is right is the key to surviving God's judgment. Noah expressed his faith by doing what God said to do. So he built an ark according to the specifications God gave. He installed one door on the side to enter in. When God said load up, he did so, along with all the animals that God brought to the ark. After everyone was in, God closed the door. Only those who went through the door were saved. For us today, Jesus is the door. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." We enter the door through faith in God's provision for sin expressed by the sacrifice of His son on the cross. As with Noah, there is only one door. As with Noah, there is only one way to find God's favor, and that is through faith expressed in our actions. So many today say they believe in God and are Christians, but that is the extent of their profession. But if a person does not ever act upon that "faith" is it really faith? Genuine faith in God will change hearts and transform minds and result in life transformation. God brings about change from the inside out. It is when we live out our faith that we discover the wonderful purpose and will of God for our lives and find God's favor. Jesus, the bread from heaven, offers Himself to us, that we may take, eat and live. May we who profess Christ with our mouths also profess it in how we live our lives. May we bring the bread of heaven to the hungry hearts of a lost world. Blessings, Pastor Pete

What Is On The Heart of God?

Have you ever wondered what is on the heart of God? Would it be a deep love for us, as a mother has for her children? Such love would do anything and sacrifice everything. It is a love so deep that even when we blow it we know that we are still loved by God. Would God's heart be filled with pride over our faith and accomplishments? Pride like when a parent hangs their child's artwork on the fridge or is quick to show the latest pictures. When Satan approached God, God asked, "Have you seen my servant Job?" Can you sense the pride in who Job is? I wonder, does God point us out to the angels and ask with pride, "Have you seen... isn't he or she great? Would God's heart be filled with joy as He considers who we are and who we are becoming? It was for the joy set before Him that Jesus endured the cross. We are His joy. Nothing gives God joy more than when we walk and talk with Him and trust Him fully. Would God's heart be full of confidence as we encounter tough times? Confident we will stand. Confident we will make it through. Confident that our faith will grow stronger. A confidence that cheers and encourages us onward as we walk the narrow way. Would God's heart be please with how we live out our faith? For it is impossible to please God with out faith. Too often we live by what we see and what makes sense to us when God wants us to walk by faith, trusting Him with our all. I wonder, what is on the heart of God when He considers you and me? For all the things that could be on the heart of God, I am awed by the fact that God loves me enough to call me His child. Blessings, Pastor Pete

By Faith

Christians are a very diverse group of people. Coming from all walks of life and from every part of the world, comprising thousands of different denominations. It can be quite confusing trying to figure it all out. But there is one thing that we do have in common. Christians are a people of faith. It is what unites us, even when we come from different faith traditions. We are a people of faith. Specifically, a people who trust in God. Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the Hall of Faith. Within this chapter are the highlights of people just like you and I who lived by faith. Sixteen times the words "by faith" appear. It is by faith that we believe that God exists, that God made the universe, that God has a plan for our lives. "By faith" simply means that we are living by faith. Our faith in God guides us and directs our decisions. Read through this chapter and you will see people living out their faith in God, even in difficult circumstances. Inspite of what we see we hold onto God's promises and entrust ourselves to His plan and purpose. This is the kind of faith that unites all Christians, whether Catholic or Protestant, High church or the most casual gathering. From Hebrews 11 we see the importance of our faith, for without faith we cannot please God. This is the very area that Satan attacks us most. He strives to cast doubt so that we live according to what we see rather than trusting in the promises of an invisible God. But it is faith that gives us sight. It is through faith we realize the promises of God, and it is through living out our faith that we receive the commendation of God. Since we started on a journey of faith, let us not stop nor turn from it. Rather, let us continue on, keeping our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. He endured it for us that we might be with Him in heaven. He was raised from the dead that we might share in His life and glory. Keep the faith and encourage one another to do the same, for there is no other way to please our heavenly Father. Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I've trusted my own abilities to get me through life. Help me to live by faith in You and then through faith to receive all You have planned for me.

Silence is Golden

The prophet Zephaniah (1.7) said, "Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near." Being still is quite a challenge for us today. We're always on the go, going from this event to that job, to do a certain errand or picking up kids, grocery shopping or a Costco run. We are a people on the go. And on the way we listen to the radio or talk on the phone. Silence seems to be a golden luxury that few enjoy. There are times when we are silent. When we gaze upon a beautiful sunset or a forest surrounding a mountain lake, it can take our breath away. I spoke with someone today who was spewing hatred towards Israel and made comments that there is no history of the Jews being in Palestine, nor in all of Europe. I began to engage him and realized nonsense is nonsense no matter where you find it. I simply kept going. There was just nothing to say to him. His mind was made up and I kept quiet. But Zephaniah enjoins us to be silent before the Sovereign Lord. There is something about the Lord- His presence, His Sovereignty, His majesty. The Lord is an awesome God. What an incredible thing it is to be silent and consider the ways of the Sovereign Lord. 600 years before the birth of Jesus, Zephaniah was given a vision of the future and the nearness of the Lord's return. 2600 years later, we are on the edge of His return. Things are rapidly changing. No, escalating. Earth is moving towards the day of the Lord. In Revelation 8.1 the Apostle John said, "When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about a half an hour." The angelic choirs pause their praise, the chants of the elders around the throne stop their worship, the angels proclaiming the holiness of God stop mid-sentence. Total silence in heaven for 30 minutes. Silence in heaven tells us something. The judgment that follows is breathtaking. The day of the Lord is near. We are to be silent as we contemplate all that it means. We also notice a specific time mentioned. 30 minutes. Half hours are important to God. Perhaps a half hour can be our goal, to be silent before the Lord for 30 minutes. To simply contemplate His wonder and majesty. To mediate on His Sovereignty and holiness. To consider His return which is near. Prayer: Lord, help me to be silent before You, my Sovereign Lord. Help me to recall Your glory and holiness, wonder and majesty. May my moments with You prepare my heart for Your return. Amen.

Time To Be Real

A few weeks ago President Obama took another oath of office for his second term. I find it amazing that President Obama stood in our nations capital, placed his hand on the former President Lincoln's Bible, and swore to fulfill his duties as President of the United States. All this on the same day that we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King. A black President being sworn into the highest office in our country, on a national holiday honoring another black man who cared and died for the civil rights of all people. Among the many festivities of the ceremony, Beyonce sang the national anthem. God has gifted her with such an incredible voice. As good as it was, rumors began to fly that she lip-synched the national anthem. On the news today, Beyonce confessed she did lip-synch, and then proceeded to sing the national anthem acappella. Beautifully done, once again. Besides it being a slow day in the news room, I wondered if this isn't a cry from the masses for the authentic. They want it real. Genuine and with raw talent. There is something about a live performance, with all the different pressures working against you, from the weather, to the orchestra, to the large crowds gathering close to hear. I remember shortly after I began a second job driving fork lift that one of my co-workers got in my face. All day long he bumped his fork lift into mine, he cut me off, raced around me, got in my way and in my face. I didn't say anything at the time, but wondered why he was doing it. The next week I asked him, "What's up with last week?" He replied, "Oh, I was just testing you to see if you got angry or not." Knowing I was a Christian and a Pastor, he wanted to know if I was real or a fake. He knew the difference. Jesus calls us to authenticity. It begins with an honest response to God, acknowledging our sin and our need of His forgiveness. At that moment, in complete humility, we find acceptance, love, grace and forgiveness. It is the moment we put our faith in Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us to be real and authentic, in our character, in how we influence others, in how we practice our faith, in our relationships and in what we ask for in prayer. In his sermon, Jesus compares the hypocrite with the authentic follower. The hypocrite puts on the show. The authentic Christian seeks to do that which is honoring to the Lord, whether or not others see him. James says (2.26) that faith without expression is no faith at all. We can talk about faith all we want, but if we are not living it, then somehow we have transitioned from the real to surreal. Prayer: Lord, help me to be real, beginning with my honesty with You, and help me to live the life You call me to, one that is godly and genuinely based upon my faith in You. May I not play the game of religion, but honestly seek to live out my faith everyday. Amen.

What Does Your Hope Rest On?

Hope. The feeling that what you desire can really occur. Hope is believing that even in the worst of circumstances, that it will somehow turn out OK. With the advent of another year comes a renewal of hope. There is so much we hope for, from better economy to a Congress working together, from world peace to better times. For better health and more success. All of these are good things to hope for. But our hope does not rest in any of these things. For the things we hope to happen may or may not happen. And if we do achieve them, there is no guarantee that we will keep them. What we need is a hope that is secure and able to withstand the fiercest of storms that life can bring. Our hope must run deeper than just a feeling or in the expectation and achievement of certain outcomes. It must rest in the One who is eternal, the One who Is Mighty, the One who is Sovereign, the One who can be our Source of true Hope. Our hope must rest securely in God. Psalm 71.5 "For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth." If the Lord is our hope, then He is our refuge- the One we can always turn to. When we feel inadequate, He is the One who becomes our confidence. When we need help, He is the One who shows up. When we seek purpose, we find it in Him. God is the light that chases away our darkness. His grace and mercy gives us hope. David said the Lord had been his hope, since his youth. He wrote this in his old age. Now when a king gets old, people get gittery. Change was in the air. How would the new king do? Would he be fair? kind? What changes might come? The Psalmist knew why he could put his hope in God. God is Sovereign. God is in control. He has dominion over all things. These are words seldom used today but often used in ancient times due to the rule of kings. A king was sovereign, or in control over his kingdom. David knew that God was Sovereign over all because He is the Creator of all things. God invites us to trust Him with our lives and allow Him to accomplish what He desires. For God has a purpose for each one of us. During 2013 we'll be looking at God's Sovereignty and why, when we put our hope in God, that we will never be disappointed. Have a Blessed New Year! Pastor Pete

Which List Do You See?

The Christmas Season has commenced like a well planned marathon, running down the days to shop, starting with Black Friday and winding down on Christmas Eve. Decorations are up, lights are on, Santa is at the mall, holiday music playing, and presents are appearing under the tree. All seems well as we prepare to celebrate once again the birth of Jesus. I wonder what Mary and Joseph would think of all the glitz, glamour and clamoring for presents at Christmas, for our Christmas celebration is far removed from what it was really like on the night of Christ's birth. Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to register and pay taxes. The village was overflowing with people, so the only place to bed down was in a stable among animals. They did not have shopping malls to get baby clothes, nor 7-Eleven or grocery stores to get milk or food. Joseph and Mary could've thought about the house back in Nazareth, the warm bed, the fire in the hearth that warmed their home, the friends, relatives and especially moms that could come help when it was time for Mary to give birth. Perhaps the list of what they didn't have was much longer than the list of what they had. But isn't that how life is? When we focus on what we do not have, we get moody and edgy. The list of what we do not have somehow overshadows the beauty of what we do have. We miss loved ones who are absent and overlook the ones who are present. We get caught up in memories of Christmas past and sometimes do not enjoy what is right before us. The challenge is to enjoy what you have and leave the list of what you do not have with God. Mary and Joseph made due with what they had in less than ideal circumstances. It wasn't long before they began to have visitors. The Shepherds came first, then others who heard of the Shepherds story of an angelic chorus proclaiming the birth of Jesus. The visitors soon replaced the longing ache for family within their hearts. Joseph began to take on the responsibility of a family. It had been difficult for Mary to travel while pregnant. Now that she had given birth, she would need time to heal up. Having a baby to travel with would slow things down too. How would he pay for all that was needed along the way? These worries were soon replaced with amazement at God's wonderful provision. For wise men came and brought gifts for Jesus, which provided for them for some time. Here's the challenge: Enjoy the moments of each day along with each one you meet. If you find yourself in less than perfect or ideal circumstances, take a long look at what you do have and praise God for each item on that list. Praise chases out worries and fear, moodiness and agitation. Make this a season of praise, for our Lord has come and has brought us salvation. Prayer: Lord, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to bring me salvation. Help me to see Your many blessings and praise You for the things I have, for You are a God of wonder, and You delight to surprise us in ways we never thought possible, especially in less than perfect circumstances. In You I will rejoice. Amen. Have a Merry Christmas!