I hope you've enjoyed this beautiful whether this week. Thank you so much to all of you that gave to Save Our Seniors. We gave a truckload of supplies to help senior adults in our community. You are making a difference!
This week, we finish up the series "The Early Church" as part of our Journey through the Bible. We'll be talking about the conversion of the Apostle Paul. If you've ever wondered if God could use you (or would even want to), I believe this passage will speak to you in powerful way. Can't wait to see you on Sunday!
Thought for the Week
"On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. " Revelation 22:2-3
The curse of sin is that we don't live forever. Adam and Eve were no longer allowed to eat from the tree of life. Death entered the picture for humanity. We are broken. We are at war with each other. But, in the Kingdom of God, in eternity, the Tree of Life is open to God's children again. And we are no longer at war with one another. Our hurt and hearts are healed. The curse is gone. In one sense, we could simply hopefully wait for that unclouded day, but I also believe that part of God's call on those who call on Him as Lord is to bring His Kingdom. For in Jesus, we have abundant life. Christ has broken the curse of death, and we can bring healing to the nations. We can bring healing to our schools and communities. Healing online. Healing in families. Healing where there is brokenness, hurt and deep wounds. When we pray, "Thy Kingdom come," that's what we mean. We are praying that we could help bring the Kingdom to earth. One way to do that is to be instruments of healing where ever we go.
In Christ,
Carter
First United Methodist Church of Griffin
Showing posts with label Serving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serving. Show all posts
Friday, April 22, 2016
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
When Disaster Strikes
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| Canaan United Methodist Church in Ridgeville, SC |
- Why would God allow such a thing to happen?
- If God controls the weather, why didn't he stop it?
- Where is God in natural disasters?
God allows a lot. Contrary to popular belief, I don't believe the message of the Bible is one of a puppet-master God in the sky who controls every moment in history. Being in control and controlling are two different things. God is in control, but God doesn't control everything.
Sin knocked the cosmos off its axis. In the Garden of Eden, sin caused childbirth to be painful and the ground to become difficult in agriculture. We take these things as normal. They are not normal. God did not intend them to be this way. Sin brought death to humanity. Sin broke the world, and we're still living in the brokenness. A crazed gunman at a college campus, a flood in South Carolina, and cancer in a loved one. They are reminders of our brokenness.
Is there good news? The message of Jesus is that he is redeeming all this -- he is making all things new. And one day, when there is a New Heaven and New Earth, this will all be fixed. Murder is not normal. Natural Disasters aren't normal. Cancer isn't normal. God is fixing this back to the way it should be. And He can fix it through us.
When we reach out in love across the picket line, when we volunteer and donate to disaster relief, when we care for a friend with cancer, when we pray for the family of the murdered, when we choose love over hate, when we choose selflessness over selfishness, we begin to bring more of that redemption into this world. God is with us. The question is how will we allow Him to revealed in us?
God didn't do this. Stop saying that. God's not into flooding things anymore. Trust me. I read about it one time. It's a broken world. It's messed up. We're messed up. Our weather is messed up. Our systems are messed up. How are allowing Him to fix a corner of this messed up world through you? How is He redeeming you, making you new, restoring you?
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (8.28.14)
I hope you're having a great week and beating the heat. I can't believe it's almost September! This Sunday is Tailgate Sunday, so I hope you'll plan to bring a side dish or two and wear the gear of your favorite team, school, or driver. We'll have awards for Best Outfit, Best Side Dish, & Best Dessert.
We're also finishing up the Legacy series as we talk about what kind of legacy to leave for our children and grandchildren. I believe God has an important word to speak to all of us as we conclude this series.
Thought for the Week
"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves." Genesis 11:4
For thousands of years, humans have been trying to make a name for themselves. Whenever it is about our fame, our fortune, a name for ourselves...it is coming from the wrong spot in our hearts. The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis was about age old struggles with which we all deal: arrogance, pride, and fame. They wanted to make a name for themselves. The problem with this mindset is that it isolates from others and God, and we were created for relationship, not isolation. When we seek our own glory and fame, we naturally create competition with others. Our success becomes more important than the success of others, the team, the company, the society. We isolate ourselves that our name might be lifted up, and we hurt others along the way. Moreover, we isolate ourselves from God. The more we seek to be our own god, the farther we get from God. As we seek to make a name for ourselves, we begin to feel like God is pretty lucky to have us on the team. We miss God's amazing grace then. When we walk in humility, we are able to embrace God's mercy and love, which we don't deserve, which makes us more humble. We then work to lift up the name of Jesus, the redeemer of our souls. And we begin lift up others because we begin to have the heart of God. Isn't it interesting that what God did by confusing the languages at Babel was, essentially, isolating the people. That is what arrogance does. In what ways or in what areas are you seeking a name for yourself rather than making great the name of Almighty God?
Something to think about.
In Christ,
Carter
We're also finishing up the Legacy series as we talk about what kind of legacy to leave for our children and grandchildren. I believe God has an important word to speak to all of us as we conclude this series.
Thought for the Week
"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves." Genesis 11:4
For thousands of years, humans have been trying to make a name for themselves. Whenever it is about our fame, our fortune, a name for ourselves...it is coming from the wrong spot in our hearts. The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis was about age old struggles with which we all deal: arrogance, pride, and fame. They wanted to make a name for themselves. The problem with this mindset is that it isolates from others and God, and we were created for relationship, not isolation. When we seek our own glory and fame, we naturally create competition with others. Our success becomes more important than the success of others, the team, the company, the society. We isolate ourselves that our name might be lifted up, and we hurt others along the way. Moreover, we isolate ourselves from God. The more we seek to be our own god, the farther we get from God. As we seek to make a name for ourselves, we begin to feel like God is pretty lucky to have us on the team. We miss God's amazing grace then. When we walk in humility, we are able to embrace God's mercy and love, which we don't deserve, which makes us more humble. We then work to lift up the name of Jesus, the redeemer of our souls. And we begin lift up others because we begin to have the heart of God. Isn't it interesting that what God did by confusing the languages at Babel was, essentially, isolating the people. That is what arrogance does. In what ways or in what areas are you seeking a name for yourself rather than making great the name of Almighty God?
Something to think about.
In Christ,
Carter
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (5.15.14)
I hope you've had a great week. We're rolling toward summer, and I'm excited
about some of the things we've got happening this summer. Get plugged into a
Summer Serve Team or one of our Summer LIFE
Groups.
This Sunday, we'll continue the series "BASIC" as we talk about "Reading the Bible." It's kind of one of those things we know we're supposed to do, but many of us don't know where to start, or we feel like we've hit a little bit of a dead end with Scripture. Why is it important? What does it mean for our spiritual lives? Come Sunday to find out.
Thought for the Week
"The islanders showed us unusual kindness." Acts 28:2
Sometimes I struggle to just be kind, much less 'unusually kind.' We often pick the lowest common denominator of being nice or kind. We even say, "That's the least I can do." And that's just what we do -- the least. Do we ever ask ourselves: "What's the most I can do?" What would it mean for you to not just show the usual kindness but unusual kindness? How would that change how you treat your neighbor, your children, your parents, your coworkers or boss, and your spouse? What would it mean to go the extra mile. This past Sunday, we talked about serving, but mostly within the context of serving Christ's Church, which is hugely important. Yet serving goes beyond the walls of the Church. We are also called to serve the world, and a little kindness won't do. The world needs to see radical hospitality. I have no idea what that means for you, but my guess is you do. You're thinking of a neighbor or coworker to whom you can show unusual kindness. Let me be clear: we do this because of what Christ has done for us. Jesus didn't do the least he could do for us. Jesus did more than required. Jesus went all the way. God shows us unusual kindness every day. Be unusually kind today.
In Christ,
Carter
This Sunday, we'll continue the series "BASIC" as we talk about "Reading the Bible." It's kind of one of those things we know we're supposed to do, but many of us don't know where to start, or we feel like we've hit a little bit of a dead end with Scripture. Why is it important? What does it mean for our spiritual lives? Come Sunday to find out.
Thought for the Week
"The islanders showed us unusual kindness." Acts 28:2
Sometimes I struggle to just be kind, much less 'unusually kind.' We often pick the lowest common denominator of being nice or kind. We even say, "That's the least I can do." And that's just what we do -- the least. Do we ever ask ourselves: "What's the most I can do?" What would it mean for you to not just show the usual kindness but unusual kindness? How would that change how you treat your neighbor, your children, your parents, your coworkers or boss, and your spouse? What would it mean to go the extra mile. This past Sunday, we talked about serving, but mostly within the context of serving Christ's Church, which is hugely important. Yet serving goes beyond the walls of the Church. We are also called to serve the world, and a little kindness won't do. The world needs to see radical hospitality. I have no idea what that means for you, but my guess is you do. You're thinking of a neighbor or coworker to whom you can show unusual kindness. Let me be clear: we do this because of what Christ has done for us. Jesus didn't do the least he could do for us. Jesus did more than required. Jesus went all the way. God shows us unusual kindness every day. Be unusually kind today.
In Christ,
Carter
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The Pressure of Christmas
I love Christmas. Love it. My parents did (and still do) Christmas big. It was magical at my house growing up, and looking back, I got a ridiculous amount of stuff. I love getting Christmas presents for my family. I love when you think of the perfect thing or get a great buy on something you shouldn't be able to afford for them, but somehow found it 70% off. Or you think of something really creative. It's a great feeling to do something heartfelt for someone you love. It's better to see them open it. I love it.
But there is also pressure at Christmas, and I'm not sure where it comes from. You know, it's the feeling of knowing you've gotten most people in the family something really awesome and you bought their presents in, like, July. But you're driving around the whole week before Christmas trying to find those last one or two people something. And you're not satisfied because you got them something made by the Totes company that was in the center aisle display with the wallets, earmuffs, and piggy banks. But it's all you could find. And you couldn't show up with nothing. And you're embarrassed when they open it.
Then there's the feeling like you wish you could do more, but you just can't. You want to spend more on presents for loved ones, but you can't. And you feel guilty. Then, you look under the Christmas tree and want there to be more presents for your children there. You're not sure there are enough under there, but you're not sure what enough is. You know they have more than most children in the world, and you also know they will have friends who have the latest technological gadgets that they don't. So, you find yourself strolling through the store to buy one more thing for them to make sure it's 'enough', even though they have rooms full of toys that they don't play with now.
And it makes you hate Christmas. I hate what it does to me. This year, underneath our tree is a little more bare than usual. I'm going to back to school and that's a huge expense. We're remodeling our kitchen. Don't ever do that. Listen to me: don't ever remodel your kitchen. It is a black hole of expenses. We've got two kids in preschool, and four growing boys, and it's just a little tighter this year.
Don't feel sorry for us. My children have more toys than they could ever play with. They have nice rooms decorated for them. They eat good and go to great schools. We are able to travel as a family together a lot. We tithe to our church and see our money make an impact for the Kingdom. And we have enough money to do things like (slowly) remodel our kitchen. And still, I'm wondering if I should buy them one more thing to make sure it's enough. Or worrying if I need to get one more family member one more thing so that it'll be enough, when they, like us, have more than enough.
This is what Christmas has done to us. I'm a pastor. I want to say that I know what Christmas is all about. It's Jesus' birthday. Of course I know that. We celebrate that in my house and with our church. We know He's the reason for the season. But why do I feel this way every year at the Holidays? Why does the over-commercialization get to me every season, telling me that I should get more and buy more for people who don't need any more? How do I figure out what 'enough' is?
I think the answer is Jesus is enough. He's enough so I don't need more. Having Him is enough. And my children and family won't remember what I got them for Christmas. They won't be able to recall if they had 'enough' each Christmas. (They might remember the year I got them those electric socks -- they seemed like something useful at the time.) If I am Jesus for them, that will be enough. If I serve them, love them, care for them, love them as Jesus does, that'll be enough. If I die to myself for them as Jesus has, that'll be enough. I can't wrap that and put it under a tree. I can afford it because it's totally free, yet it will cost me everything. That's what I want to give others all year. That's how we get out of this crazy mindset we've let takeover Christmas. And that's enough. If we are Jesus for others, the gifts we buy will have little impact on their lives. Being Christ for the world is enough.
But there is also pressure at Christmas, and I'm not sure where it comes from. You know, it's the feeling of knowing you've gotten most people in the family something really awesome and you bought their presents in, like, July. But you're driving around the whole week before Christmas trying to find those last one or two people something. And you're not satisfied because you got them something made by the Totes company that was in the center aisle display with the wallets, earmuffs, and piggy banks. But it's all you could find. And you couldn't show up with nothing. And you're embarrassed when they open it.
Then there's the feeling like you wish you could do more, but you just can't. You want to spend more on presents for loved ones, but you can't. And you feel guilty. Then, you look under the Christmas tree and want there to be more presents for your children there. You're not sure there are enough under there, but you're not sure what enough is. You know they have more than most children in the world, and you also know they will have friends who have the latest technological gadgets that they don't. So, you find yourself strolling through the store to buy one more thing for them to make sure it's 'enough', even though they have rooms full of toys that they don't play with now.
And it makes you hate Christmas. I hate what it does to me. This year, underneath our tree is a little more bare than usual. I'm going to back to school and that's a huge expense. We're remodeling our kitchen. Don't ever do that. Listen to me: don't ever remodel your kitchen. It is a black hole of expenses. We've got two kids in preschool, and four growing boys, and it's just a little tighter this year.
Don't feel sorry for us. My children have more toys than they could ever play with. They have nice rooms decorated for them. They eat good and go to great schools. We are able to travel as a family together a lot. We tithe to our church and see our money make an impact for the Kingdom. And we have enough money to do things like (slowly) remodel our kitchen. And still, I'm wondering if I should buy them one more thing to make sure it's enough. Or worrying if I need to get one more family member one more thing so that it'll be enough, when they, like us, have more than enough.
This is what Christmas has done to us. I'm a pastor. I want to say that I know what Christmas is all about. It's Jesus' birthday. Of course I know that. We celebrate that in my house and with our church. We know He's the reason for the season. But why do I feel this way every year at the Holidays? Why does the over-commercialization get to me every season, telling me that I should get more and buy more for people who don't need any more? How do I figure out what 'enough' is?
I think the answer is Jesus is enough. He's enough so I don't need more. Having Him is enough. And my children and family won't remember what I got them for Christmas. They won't be able to recall if they had 'enough' each Christmas. (They might remember the year I got them those electric socks -- they seemed like something useful at the time.) If I am Jesus for them, that will be enough. If I serve them, love them, care for them, love them as Jesus does, that'll be enough. If I die to myself for them as Jesus has, that'll be enough. I can't wrap that and put it under a tree. I can afford it because it's totally free, yet it will cost me everything. That's what I want to give others all year. That's how we get out of this crazy mindset we've let takeover Christmas. And that's enough. If we are Jesus for others, the gifts we buy will have little impact on their lives. Being Christ for the world is enough.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (12.5.13)
I hope you're having a great (rainy) week! It's starting to look and smell like
Christmas around my house, and that's certainly the season at Church of the Way.
This Sunday, I hope you'll get into the spirit as we continue to talk about
getting from Christmas what we really need in the series "White
Elephant." This week, we'll be talking about 'Good
News.' I'm looking forward to sharing that news with
you!
Thought for the Week
"For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat...I was a stranger and you took Me in." Matthew 25:35
This time of year I get a lot of calls about whether or not we're sponsoring families. Sometimes LIFE Groups are able to help. Simply, there are lots of people in need in our community, and the holidays bring that to light. This coming Sunday we start another week of hosting homeless families through Family Promise of Gwinnett. We'll be sharing in hosting them with our sister church, New Hope UMC. It's a big job. There are lots of things that have to be done and lots of volunteer spaces that must be filled. But it's a week...to help families...who don't have a home. It's children who sleep in Sunday School rooms every night. It's moms that don't have a stove to cook their kids a meal on. It's families that don't have a Christmas tree because they don't have a corner to put one. And all God needs from me is to cook a meal, share some fellowship, set-up some beds, or sleep overnight? And when I do that, I'm not just ministering to people, but Jesus said I'm ministering to Him? That sounds like a no-brainer. There is no relationship with God that isolates us from community. Relationship with God means a relationship with others, for we are all made in God's image. So, when we serve others, we serve God. When we love others, we love God. When we feed others, we feed God. When we welcome others, we welcome God. There are lots of ways to serve others this Christmas season, and Family Promise is a simple and profound way to do that. Let's be a people who take seriously our relationship with God by serving the ones made in His image. You can find out what opportunities there are to serve in Family Promise by contacting Jim Ramsdail or Kim Navarro.
In Christ,
Carter
Thought for the Week
"For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat...I was a stranger and you took Me in." Matthew 25:35
This time of year I get a lot of calls about whether or not we're sponsoring families. Sometimes LIFE Groups are able to help. Simply, there are lots of people in need in our community, and the holidays bring that to light. This coming Sunday we start another week of hosting homeless families through Family Promise of Gwinnett. We'll be sharing in hosting them with our sister church, New Hope UMC. It's a big job. There are lots of things that have to be done and lots of volunteer spaces that must be filled. But it's a week...to help families...who don't have a home. It's children who sleep in Sunday School rooms every night. It's moms that don't have a stove to cook their kids a meal on. It's families that don't have a Christmas tree because they don't have a corner to put one. And all God needs from me is to cook a meal, share some fellowship, set-up some beds, or sleep overnight? And when I do that, I'm not just ministering to people, but Jesus said I'm ministering to Him? That sounds like a no-brainer. There is no relationship with God that isolates us from community. Relationship with God means a relationship with others, for we are all made in God's image. So, when we serve others, we serve God. When we love others, we love God. When we feed others, we feed God. When we welcome others, we welcome God. There are lots of ways to serve others this Christmas season, and Family Promise is a simple and profound way to do that. Let's be a people who take seriously our relationship with God by serving the ones made in His image. You can find out what opportunities there are to serve in Family Promise by contacting Jim Ramsdail or Kim Navarro.
In Christ,
Carter
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