Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (11.21.13)

I hope you've had a great week and you're gearing up for a big Thanksgiving.  This Sunday, we finish out the series "grATTITUDE" by talking about being grateful for God's provisions in our lives.  Also, keep a couple of big happenings this weekend in your prayers:

• Our Turkey Fry is on Sunday.  Pray for the families and safety for the fryers!
• New Frontiers Retreat for One Way.  Pray for God to move and for safe travel.

Thought for the Week
"The Holy One of Israel is our Redeemer."  Isaiah 47:4

Do you use coupons?  Many of us do, and that's especially important when you're buying food and gifts during the holidays.  Have you ever thought about what happens when you "redeem" a coupon?  Like, if you have a buy one get one free meal at a restaurant and you redeem the coupon, what happens?  Well, you don't pay for it.  But somebody pays for it.  The restaurant pays for it.  Sometimes, in grocery stores, a manufacturer pays for it instead of the local store.  Sometimes the chain pays for it.  But someone does.  It's not free.  To redeem a coupon means you're getting something for free that someone else has paid for.  Today, I was reading about how God told Israel after the Exodus from Egypt to 'redeem' the first born son of each family.  They were to offer sacrifices of their first born animals to redeem their sons and remind them of God's deliverance with stories of the first Passover and Exodus, how God brought them out of Egypt.  But someone paid for those boys.  The animals were sacrificed.  Death is the price of sin and to be 'bought back' for God, someone had to pay.  Enter Jesus, the Redeemer.  He gave to us free what was very costly to Him.  The price of our redemption was blood.  That blood made us right with God.  We take for granted getting on our knees before a Holy God. We take for granted a relationship with our Heavenly Father, kind of like a BOGO meal.  Somebody had to pay.  That relationship was not free.  We had to be redeemed.  When we let that sink in, then it all starts to makes sense.  Don't you want everyone on the face of the planet to know they are 'redeemed'?

In Christ,

Carter

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (11.14.13)

I hope you've had a great week.  I'm so enjoying this season of "grATTITUDE" at Church of the Way.  This Sunday, we'll continue the series by talking about how we're sometimes ungrateful for people and the implications of that on our lives.  An attitude of gratitude is always what God desires.  Can't wait to see you there!

Thought for the Week
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  2 Peter 3:18

I caught wind of something going on at my high school alma mater.  They're having an alumni football game.  Yes, old men in full gear.  And I thought for a minute, "That'd be fun."  I've got plans Saturday, but my wife (and father) reminded me that those days have passed, and I'd probably end up in the emergency room.  I heard a great quote this week, "There comes a time when a little boy needs to sit down, and a man needs to stand up."  That's what Peter was saying.  A walk with Christ is supposed to be a walk in which we improve.  Too often, we come to faith in Christ, but we don't grow.  We fade back into old habits, behaviors and mindsets.  We think it's wise to act the way we used to, and it ends up injuring us.  The little boy, the little girl, the 'babe in Christ' never seems to sit down for us.  You were saved to grow.  God's grace is not done with you in salvation.  Just like the nutrition and exercise needed to help our bodies grow, there are some crucial things that help us grow as Christ Followers:

• Scripture - reading it, studying it with others, hearing it, memorizing it.
• Prayer - we have to communicate if it's going to be a relationships.
• Worship - we need to be with others to worship God and hear God's word proclaimed.
• Serving - something happens to our hearts when we give of ourselves.

That's not it, but those things are pretty important.  Let us be people that grow in the grace.  Let a 'babe in Christ' sit down, and a disciple stand up.

In Christ,

Carter 

Prison Break

Have you heard about Ryan Ferguson?  If you haven't, click on the link.  He's 29 and was just freed from prison after being in there for 10 years for a murder he didn't commit.  That's right, he missed all of his 20s because he was wrongly accused.  First, I am very impressed with him and his attitude.  I can't imagine the range of emotions he's feeling.

When I heard one of his comments, I thought about something our LIFE Group was talking about last night.  Ferguson had made the comment that it was very easy to get wrongly accused and put in prison, but very difficult to get out.  Once you're in, you have very little power.  They both pointed to one source as their saving grace:  their attorney.

You know, the word that Jesus uses to describe the Holy Spirit is a word that comes from the field of law.  Many versions translate it as "Counselor."  Another uses "Advocate."

You and I are much like Ryan Ferguson.  We won't get out of prison without an advocate.  Unlike Ferguson, most of us can recount the steps of how we got there.  Now were are stuck.  Stuck in addiction.  Stuck in debt up to our ears.  Stuck in passionless marriages.  Stuck in lies.  Stuck in a career that we hate but can't afford to leave.  Stuck in a pattern of sin.  Stuck in rages of anger.  Stuck being the parent we promised ourselves we wouldn't be.  Stuck in despair.  We're stuck.  Trapped.  Imprisoned.  You won't get out without a Counselor.  You need an Advocate to fight for you.  That Advocate is ready.  And here's the trick.  Are you ready?  Do what the Advocate says.  Can you imagine if Ryan Ferguson would have gone against his counselor's orders?  Can you imagine if he'd scheduled an interview she didn't want him to have or said something to a fellow inmate she advised him not to?  He'd still be in prison.  When you're in prison, you've got to trust the advocate.  Do what He says.  If you listen, if you study the Bible, if you really open your heart up in church, if you seek the counsel of wise, trusted, Christian friends, and if you pray...you'll start to hear what to do.  Now, hear me out.  It will take a while.  You're not getting out tomorrow.  All you're responsible for is the next step.  Take the next step.  The good news is this.  Jesus, through his grace has freed our souls from the prison of sin and death.  That's Jesus' work.  That's done for us through His death and resurrection.  But we often don't know how to live like free men and women.  We have to learn to walk...to take the next step.  Like Ryan Ferguson, you are in a prison you don't have to be in, but get out you're going to have to listen very closely to your Advocate and do exactly has He says.  So listen for the Spirit.  And do what He says.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (11.8.13)

Happy Friday!

I hope you've had a great week.  The leaves that cover my yard tell the story that fall is in full force.  I'm so excited about starting a brand new series this Sunday focusing on the theme of November:  giving thanks.  I'm not sure we've ever really done a Thanksgiving type series, so I'm pumped.  I hope you'll make plans to be there this Sunday and throughout November as we focus in on "grATTITUDE".  (And, yes, I know it's spelled wrong).  See you there!

Thought for the Week
"In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content...I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:12-13

I was thumbing through Facebook and just noticing the stark contrast of what's going on in the worlds of people who have at some point been a part of my life.  Some are excited about accomplishments of children or announcing a new job they've taken.  Some are asking for prayers for surgery or for a friend.  Some are giddy over a new relationship.  Some really like to take pictures of what they're eating for dinner, and this seems to make them happy.  Some are hurt or angry.  Some have experienced the loss of a loved one or suffered a broken heart.  Some of finding their way through divorce and singleness again.  Some like to complain about politics.  What's clear is it's all out there, and at any moment each of us is prone to extreme happiness and incredible heartbreak depending on outside circumstances.  But the outside world can't shape our attitude and spirit.  The Apostle Paul said that he had learned the secret to being content no matter what happened.  Don't you want to listen to that?  It's a secret that has been unlocked.  It wasn't success, doing what you want, getting your way, more money, or more power.  It was understanding that in all things, all circumstances, our strength comes from Christ in us.  I'm not promising you the road will always be easy or that your 'posts' will always be happy.  There will be mountains and road blocks and bumpy paths.  There will be valleys.  What Paul teaches us is that we can make it through whatever is happening on the outside because of what's on the inside.  I hope you've invited Jesus inside, and I hope you're leaning on him.

In Christ,

Carter 

I promise I'm not a teenage girl

I'm a big country music fan.  I grew up on 80's pop and rock, but turned to country music in the 90's when Garth Brooks bursts onto the scene.  There was a time I wanted to be a country music singer, and I've got the belt buckles to prove it.  So, when the CMA awards were on Wednesday night, I had to watch.

I watch mainly for the music, and I love it when something different is done, like Dave Grohl playing drums with the Zac Brown Band.  However, Grohl and the Foo Fighters are one of my favorites, so I was totally bummed he didn't sing.

But, I found myself kind of in awe of Taylor Swift.  A few years ago, I wanted to not like her.  "She's another teeny-bopper that won't last," I'd say.  Except she's not.   They gave her a new 'Pinnacle' Award, and you could see the respect her older colleagues have for her.  She's written every song on every album she's ever recorded.  She sings about what she cares about.  She carries herself and her industry with class.  She adores her fans and they adore her.  She's 23 and still brings her parents to award shows.  She's honorable.

You could see that in the eyes of those experienced musicians who spoke of her.  They see that what she's done, she's done it with great honor.  She wrote songs that people wanted to hear.  She wasn't just a face that got pushed on the the scene by a record label who was barely a musician.  She did it with honor, and she carries herself with honor.

We live in a culture that has seemingly forgotten honor.  The Bible says that humility brings about honor.  It would be a good thing for each of us to be honorable.  It'd be a good thing for us to carry ourselves with honor.  Honor is admired by every generation.

Alone

I went to see the movie Gravity a couple of weeks ago.  I'd been dying to see it.  It was crazy.  One of the most unique movies I've ever seen.  It's quiet, because space is quiet.  So, that's weird.  There are also very few actors in it, kind of like Castaway.  And, to me, it was terrifying.  I've told people that it's basically the scariest situation you could imagine yourself ever being in -- floating in space.  There's nothing you can do.  You can't move.  There is no game plan.  There is no one to help.  You are utterly and completely helpless.  And alone.

I began to think about how I would react in a situation like that.  I thought, "My only hope would be in knowing that I was NOT alone."  Floating in space is about as stark and empty as you can get, but it's not out of God's reach, for He is the creator of the universe.

A lot of people feel that way in life -- like they are floating around helplessly with no game plan and no hope.  It feels stark and empty in the face of heartache, illness, divorce, depression, or sin.  Some people feel numb because of where life has taken them.  Earth and the rest of the world look like a long ways away.  But you are not alone.  We get really confused about the promises of God.  Some of that has been the fault of the church that has told us to pray this or do that and God will give us what we want or take us where we desire.  I'm not sure God works that way.  I don't see that in the Scriptures.  I see people who were floating along in life and grabbed hold of a lifeline in God.  The promise we have is that God is here.  Jesus came to scream at us that God is here.  The Holy Spirit blew through the Early Church to announce that God is here.  God knocks on our heart in the quiet moments or during a song or in the strangest places to tell us that He is here.

If you can grab hold of that promise, I can't tell you that it'll all be okay right then and there.  I can't tell you that every problem will get fixed.  I can tell you that you'll get there, though.  You'll stop spinning in space.  You'll stop floating in hopelessness.  Just hold on to Him, even when...especially when...He's all there is.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (10.17.13)

I hope you've had a fantastic week.  I'm so stoked for Sunday as we've got a Baptism Sunday coming up.  It's always awesome to see what God is doing in people's lives, and this week will be no exception.

This Sunday, I'll also be continuing our series "In Living Color" as we talk about the emotion of anger.  The Bible actually speaks about this issue a lot.  It's something we all deal with one way or another.  I believe God has something important to speak into our lives about when we're 'seeing red.'

Thought for the Week
"When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, 'Moses, Moses!'"  Exodus 3:4

The story of the Burning Bush in Exodus 3 is a famous and fascinating passage.  It's when God reveals His name "I AM" to Moses.  But, before all that happens, and interesting thing occurs.  God is up to something in the bush.  God is at work.  There are no words, just an appearance of the Almighty.  God only speaks to Moses after God sees Moses come to check out what God's doing.  We sit around and wait for God to speak to us.  We twiddle our thumbs and wonder when God is going to tell us what to do, often never getting clarity for our direction.  Moses moved where he saw God doing something.  When you get close to where God is moving, when you go check out the places God is showing up, it's amazing how much you'll begin to hear God speak to you.  If you want direction in life, start looking for the places God is moving.  Start serving in ministry.  Start volunteering with missions in the community like Family Promise and the Co-Op.  Start mentoring young people.  Start pouring your life into Kingdom work.  Start plugging into a Bible Study or LIFE Group.  Start having breakfast or lunch with a Christian friend in whose life you see God at work.  Start making worship a habit.  Start giving away your life to God's causes.  That's the process.  God moves.  We step closer.  God speaks.  We usually wait for God to speak and tell us to move or how He's about to move.  Moses learned a valuable lesson for all of us.  God's already up to some cool stuff.  We ought to go check it out.  We might just hear God's voice there, and it might just change our life.  It sure did change Moses' life.

In Christ,

Carter