"And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command." Ezekiel 36:26 & 27
What's yours?
Thursday, September 05, 2013
The Chronological Bible- September
Hey All! Over the next three weekends, we are going to take a break from preaching through the Chronological Bible as we focus on some "Big Picture" kind of topics during September. But I know that many of you are dedicated to your reading and may be looking for an outlet to process some of what you are reading.
So, I'll open up this conversation and invite you to participate often during the month and interact with one another.
As you read through the kings and prophets of Israel from the time preceding captivity, during that time, and during their return, what are you learning? In other words, what is speaking to you these days?
Two aspects of the time of the prophets have impacted me this time in the reading. 1) I am amazed at how many warnings the people were given. Over and over and over, these prophets warned the people that God would not endure their wickedness or their worship of false gods forever. The prophets even promised that if they would turn from idolatry, God would bring blessing rather than punishment. So I have been impacted by the fact that people either didn't listen, or didn't care to change. Either option is surely an indictment against them. But before I get too high and mighty in looking down on them, I have to pause and wonder if I do this. Do I refuse to listen when God's word corrects me? At times. Do I listen, but decide that change is either too hard or not possible? Yes, I've done that. So as I watch Israel and Judah stubbornly pursue their own interests, I try and remind myself not to do the same!
2) The second aspect that has impacted me is the faithfulness of God. It seems that every day I tire of reading about God's judgment and the coming destruction, the prophets will follow-up this material with some kind of future promise. They extol and worship God for His faithfulness, His goodness, and His unwavering plans to create a people for Himself with new hearts and new spirits. I believe we have received that new heart and new spirit through Christ! And so I am reminded in the midst of my circumstances that I serve a God who has promised good. Even if I can't see how or when, He knows, and that is enough for me.
How about you? Process with us, and be sure to check back and read other's comments!
Peace-
Nick
So, I'll open up this conversation and invite you to participate often during the month and interact with one another.
As you read through the kings and prophets of Israel from the time preceding captivity, during that time, and during their return, what are you learning? In other words, what is speaking to you these days?
Two aspects of the time of the prophets have impacted me this time in the reading. 1) I am amazed at how many warnings the people were given. Over and over and over, these prophets warned the people that God would not endure their wickedness or their worship of false gods forever. The prophets even promised that if they would turn from idolatry, God would bring blessing rather than punishment. So I have been impacted by the fact that people either didn't listen, or didn't care to change. Either option is surely an indictment against them. But before I get too high and mighty in looking down on them, I have to pause and wonder if I do this. Do I refuse to listen when God's word corrects me? At times. Do I listen, but decide that change is either too hard or not possible? Yes, I've done that. So as I watch Israel and Judah stubbornly pursue their own interests, I try and remind myself not to do the same!
2) The second aspect that has impacted me is the faithfulness of God. It seems that every day I tire of reading about God's judgment and the coming destruction, the prophets will follow-up this material with some kind of future promise. They extol and worship God for His faithfulness, His goodness, and His unwavering plans to create a people for Himself with new hearts and new spirits. I believe we have received that new heart and new spirit through Christ! And so I am reminded in the midst of my circumstances that I serve a God who has promised good. Even if I can't see how or when, He knows, and that is enough for me.
How about you? Process with us, and be sure to check back and read other's comments!
Peace-
Nick
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
An Undivided Marriage - Interviews
Undivided. What can an “undivided” relationship look like in a marriage? The House asked several EHA couples/widows to share some of their personal struggles and commitments throughout the years.
Those sharing are : Noel and Georgia McRae, married 56 years with two children; Lorraine Bodin, a widow but married to Buell for 62 years, with two children; Peggy Breedlove, a widow but married to Jim for 49 years, with two children, and Jim and Denise Cram, married 36 years with two children.
The House: What things were “non-negotiable” in terms of keeping your marriage “undivided?” (Perhaps ways you weathered strong disagreements, while still learning to respect differences and resolve issues…)
Bodin: Divorce never entered our minds.
J. Cram: We work together as a team, both at home and in ministry. We keep each other informed as to our plans and decisions. No purchases over $50.00 without first discussing it with the other spouse. We take responsibility for mistakes and don't pass the blame.
The House: What kinds of disagreements were the hardest to resolve?
N. McRae: We have quite different personalities; Georgia is organized, detailed, and Noel is not. Georgia has a planned out 'best" way to go to Safeway, Noel takes a variety of ways. After 56 years, we still don't understand each other.
Bodin: Communication. His sister called him stupid, etc, so when an issue arose, he closed off. It took us awhile to work through this. Our years of marriage were entirely different than these years. His mother had two faces - one for me and one for him. One day he heard the differences and then we had to work through his hatred and still help his mother have a decent living.
Breedlove: Our main problem was Jim’s drinking. The first 16 years were sometimes pretty rough. Then he found Jesus and things became much better. The hard part for me was not to throw things back in his face when I got angry. The past belongs in the past.
D Cram: As most people are aware that opposites attract. I'm methodical and Jim is a "free spirit", go with the flow person. I'm a home body and Jim likes lots of people around. I had to learn how not to be so detail oriented, in simple words, not so picky. Jim had to learn to respect and value our home. I needed to learn how to socialize more and Jim needed to learn the value of family time. Jim's background was moving every 6 months or so after his parents divorced. I was raised in a home where at the time we met I'd lived there for about 10 years. I was used to things being constant and he was used to a lot ofvconstant change. Trying to find a happy medium took years of give and take and discussion. One thing that really helped was learning about how God had made us through classes similar to the DNA classes at East Hills. The other thing was analyzing the 5 love languages. This was a huge plus in allowing us to understand each other and how God wanted us to function.
The House: Please share some positive things you feel helped keep both of you committed to the marriage.
N. McRae: We have always surrounded ourselves with friends who are also believers - church, small groups, people we do the most with, etc. We have other friends, but believing friendships have always been the most important.
G. McRae: Even if we haven't worked out our tiff, we still would go to church. Given time and a renewal in our realization that there were more important things, the tiff usually faded pretty quickly. Putting Jesus first will eventually cause all the other "problems" or concerns to move into perspective.
Bodin: We did not live beyond our means. We trusted each other implicitly. We both had talents; we pooled them for the betterment of the household and family. Agreement in our children's rearing - he would not allow the kids to disrespect me.
Breedlove: The kids when they got older were sure they had all the right answers. It was sometimes hard, but Jim and I always presented a united front where they were concerned. If we had a difference of opinion, they never knew it.
Jim was always generous with money. If he had a dollar, he was always willing to give me 50¢ of it. But that didn’t mean we didn’t have money problems. We just didn’t let it become an issue. We were probably lucky as Jim always had a job and a steady income, however small. Once we all accepted Jesus, faith was a top priority in our home. There were still many disagreements but we had Jesus to guide and lead us though them. Jim was always very affectionate. It didn’t matter where we were or who was around, he always kissed me goodbye. He was never too macho or embarrassed or shy to show he cared.
J. Cram: (The fact) that God hates divorce. Love for each other and for God, as well as for our children. Books by Gary Smalley and Gary Chapman regarding understanding our personalities and our love languages. Our understanding of submission in marriage - it is mutual sub-mission, helping each other achieve the purpose, or mission, that God has given to each of us.
D. Cram: Our deep commitment to God. There was a time many moons ago, that if I thought the way the world thinks today, I would have thrown in the towel and given up on our marriage. I kept praying and crying out to God in my hurt and pain. Eventually, as Jim also cried out to God in his hurt and pain, God was able to help us resolve the pain slowly and rebuild our marriage.
The other high motivation for me was our girls. I was determined that they would have the wonderful childhood that I had experienced, carefree and fun. Jim & I didn't allow our struggles to be discussed or mentioned in front of the girls. We always showed a united front to them. If you asked them today they would say they had no clue anything was wrong.
The House: What kinds of routine things did you do to keep the marriage relationship alive?
N. McRae: We put our church family and get-togethers primary. We are also blessed by liking - and disliking - most of the same things. We like camping - can't imagine being married to someone who didn't like hiking, wild animals, and camping - and llamas.
G. McRae: Neither of us likes crowds, noise, big cities, etc. We like to find areas of quiet.
Bodin: Square dancing, activities in church groups, traveling together, honor and respect of each other.
Breedlove: We worked to have a strong family relationship. In our years of marriage Jim loved and respected me. He was never a dictator. We both knew who wore the pants in the family, and IT WASN’T ME! God has blessed me greatly since Jim has been gone, but I still miss him a lot. Jim was my lover, my friend and my confidante! He was the best of husbands and a great father.
J. Cram: Spend time together regularly, whether in the evening at home, coffee at Starbucks, dinner out, or a trip to the beach. Encourage and say positive things to each other. We had "love cards" I made up that we would put in places for each other to find and read (lunches, Bible, sink, luggage, etc) Show physical and verbal signs of affection (kisses, hugs, and "I love you's")
D. Cram: After we conquered our problems we were much more conscientious about spending time together. Walks, coffee together, trips to Lowes for house stuff without the kids. My love languages are quality time and acts of service. Jim's are words of affirmation and acts of service. When we begin to focus on these things for each other it set a good pattern of living.
Those sharing are : Noel and Georgia McRae, married 56 years with two children; Lorraine Bodin, a widow but married to Buell for 62 years, with two children; Peggy Breedlove, a widow but married to Jim for 49 years, with two children, and Jim and Denise Cram, married 36 years with two children.
The House: What things were “non-negotiable” in terms of keeping your marriage “undivided?” (Perhaps ways you weathered strong disagreements, while still learning to respect differences and resolve issues…)
Bodin: Divorce never entered our minds.
J. Cram: We work together as a team, both at home and in ministry. We keep each other informed as to our plans and decisions. No purchases over $50.00 without first discussing it with the other spouse. We take responsibility for mistakes and don't pass the blame.
The House: What kinds of disagreements were the hardest to resolve?
N. McRae: We have quite different personalities; Georgia is organized, detailed, and Noel is not. Georgia has a planned out 'best" way to go to Safeway, Noel takes a variety of ways. After 56 years, we still don't understand each other.
Bodin: Communication. His sister called him stupid, etc, so when an issue arose, he closed off. It took us awhile to work through this. Our years of marriage were entirely different than these years. His mother had two faces - one for me and one for him. One day he heard the differences and then we had to work through his hatred and still help his mother have a decent living.
Breedlove: Our main problem was Jim’s drinking. The first 16 years were sometimes pretty rough. Then he found Jesus and things became much better. The hard part for me was not to throw things back in his face when I got angry. The past belongs in the past.
D Cram: As most people are aware that opposites attract. I'm methodical and Jim is a "free spirit", go with the flow person. I'm a home body and Jim likes lots of people around. I had to learn how not to be so detail oriented, in simple words, not so picky. Jim had to learn to respect and value our home. I needed to learn how to socialize more and Jim needed to learn the value of family time. Jim's background was moving every 6 months or so after his parents divorced. I was raised in a home where at the time we met I'd lived there for about 10 years. I was used to things being constant and he was used to a lot ofvconstant change. Trying to find a happy medium took years of give and take and discussion. One thing that really helped was learning about how God had made us through classes similar to the DNA classes at East Hills. The other thing was analyzing the 5 love languages. This was a huge plus in allowing us to understand each other and how God wanted us to function.
The House: Please share some positive things you feel helped keep both of you committed to the marriage.
N. McRae: We have always surrounded ourselves with friends who are also believers - church, small groups, people we do the most with, etc. We have other friends, but believing friendships have always been the most important.
G. McRae: Even if we haven't worked out our tiff, we still would go to church. Given time and a renewal in our realization that there were more important things, the tiff usually faded pretty quickly. Putting Jesus first will eventually cause all the other "problems" or concerns to move into perspective.
Bodin: We did not live beyond our means. We trusted each other implicitly. We both had talents; we pooled them for the betterment of the household and family. Agreement in our children's rearing - he would not allow the kids to disrespect me.
Breedlove: The kids when they got older were sure they had all the right answers. It was sometimes hard, but Jim and I always presented a united front where they were concerned. If we had a difference of opinion, they never knew it.
Jim was always generous with money. If he had a dollar, he was always willing to give me 50¢ of it. But that didn’t mean we didn’t have money problems. We just didn’t let it become an issue. We were probably lucky as Jim always had a job and a steady income, however small. Once we all accepted Jesus, faith was a top priority in our home. There were still many disagreements but we had Jesus to guide and lead us though them. Jim was always very affectionate. It didn’t matter where we were or who was around, he always kissed me goodbye. He was never too macho or embarrassed or shy to show he cared.
J. Cram: (The fact) that God hates divorce. Love for each other and for God, as well as for our children. Books by Gary Smalley and Gary Chapman regarding understanding our personalities and our love languages. Our understanding of submission in marriage - it is mutual sub-mission, helping each other achieve the purpose, or mission, that God has given to each of us.
D. Cram: Our deep commitment to God. There was a time many moons ago, that if I thought the way the world thinks today, I would have thrown in the towel and given up on our marriage. I kept praying and crying out to God in my hurt and pain. Eventually, as Jim also cried out to God in his hurt and pain, God was able to help us resolve the pain slowly and rebuild our marriage.
The other high motivation for me was our girls. I was determined that they would have the wonderful childhood that I had experienced, carefree and fun. Jim & I didn't allow our struggles to be discussed or mentioned in front of the girls. We always showed a united front to them. If you asked them today they would say they had no clue anything was wrong.
The House: What kinds of routine things did you do to keep the marriage relationship alive?
N. McRae: We put our church family and get-togethers primary. We are also blessed by liking - and disliking - most of the same things. We like camping - can't imagine being married to someone who didn't like hiking, wild animals, and camping - and llamas.
G. McRae: Neither of us likes crowds, noise, big cities, etc. We like to find areas of quiet.
Bodin: Square dancing, activities in church groups, traveling together, honor and respect of each other.
Breedlove: We worked to have a strong family relationship. In our years of marriage Jim loved and respected me. He was never a dictator. We both knew who wore the pants in the family, and IT WASN’T ME! God has blessed me greatly since Jim has been gone, but I still miss him a lot. Jim was my lover, my friend and my confidante! He was the best of husbands and a great father.
J. Cram: Spend time together regularly, whether in the evening at home, coffee at Starbucks, dinner out, or a trip to the beach. Encourage and say positive things to each other. We had "love cards" I made up that we would put in places for each other to find and read (lunches, Bible, sink, luggage, etc) Show physical and verbal signs of affection (kisses, hugs, and "I love you's")
D. Cram: After we conquered our problems we were much more conscientious about spending time together. Walks, coffee together, trips to Lowes for house stuff without the kids. My love languages are quality time and acts of service. Jim's are words of affirmation and acts of service. When we begin to focus on these things for each other it set a good pattern of living.
Mexico Missions
The Team: Josh Droke, Logan Taylor, Randi Taylor, Keven Broschat, Claudia Broschat, Christian Broschat, Kendall Broschat, Shannon Gilman, Kyle Gilman, Justin Gilman, Vicki Echerd
What we’re looking forward to:
Kendall: Looking forward to playing with the children and making new friends.
Claudia: I am looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and making a bigger impact in missions. We are told that mission work can happen in our everyday lives through the people we come in contact with all around us. I like this idea of missions because it requires little on my part. It's easy. Working at an elementary school, I have a huge responsibility to positively affect the children around me through my words and actions. I do that every day without even thinking about it. It is a natural part of who I am.To think about missions on a global scale is whole other thing. I am not a very outgoing or social person. Sitting in the background and quietly observing is where I can be found most days. Going on this Mexico Mission trip is a step outside the norm for me. I feel like I will actually be doing something on the missions field. It is exciting and scary. I pray the bravery I assume others have who have gone on mission trips in the past finds it way to me. My nerves tell me this is a huge leap but hopefully when it's over it will be a small step. A hand-holding small step I have taken with family and friends.
Keven: I'm looking most forward to this being an eye opening experience for all the children. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to being able to serve God by spreading the word and doing work in his name, but, we could do that and have done that here. I anticipate seeing how everyone responds to serving people without the distractions of cell phones, televisions and all the things that go with being in a comfortable and familiar environment. In Mexico, it will be about serving God without distractions. I want the children to see how having God in your life can be enough to fill you up, and a lot of the things or items don't matter as much as they think.
Shannon: First of all I am excited about taking this mission trip with my two younger boys and my mom. I am looking forward to watching my sons grow while they serve. I also see this as a time where we will bond with each other and my mom as well. Our family has a sponsor child at Rancho de sus Niño’s and her name is Dianna; I cannot wait to see how much she has grown not just physically but spiritually. There are a few other girls that I made connections with and I cannot wait to see them again. The children and staff at Rancho have a special place in my heart and I look forward to introducing them to more of my family and hearing how things have been and how God is using them. I also am looking forward to meeting new people as we do on these trips; meeting the new staff and family at Rancho as well as other team members from other churches. I love going and ministering into the villages. There is a hunger for God, there is a hunger for healing, and there is a hunger for his love. I just love that we get to be used by God and we get to go along with the teenagers from Rancho and other adult staff (most who grew up at the orphanage) and we get to witness to the people and love on them.
Justin: Working with the children in Mexico and serving God.
Kyle: This is new for me and I know God has big plans for me. I look forward to using my Spanish I have been learning the last two years.
Our prayer requests:
Shannon: That my boys will be transformed by this trip. Also, that we will have neither health complications nor injuries and that we will be kept safe. I know from previous trips team members can get tired so pray that we can all keep in good spirits.
Kyle: Pray for protection and that we glorify God on this trip!
Justin: Pray that we will have no injuries, illnesses, and learn what God wants us to learn.
Vicki: That I would see God move in ways that I’ve not seen before; that I will be willing to get out of my comfort zone; that I won’t get in the way of His plan; that I will see what God has prepared for me to see (fully expecting to be blown away by what He will do); that there will be harmony with me and my travel buddies; that I won’t listen to the “mocking voice;” that I can deal with the heat.
Claudia: Pray for safe travel there and back.
Keven: Please pray for my back. It's been bothering me lately and I'm a little worried about the long drives, sleeping conditions, and some of the work we'll be doing. I'm hoping that I won't aggravate it more. Please pray for all of our safety and health.
Josh: I am praying that I will be more focused on what God is doing than on the logistics of the trip, and that what He is up to will be more important to me that anything else. Please pray that we all choose our words carefully, choose patience over stubbornness, and choose to come together for a movement of God that is way bigger than ourselves.
What we’re looking forward to:
Kendall: Looking forward to playing with the children and making new friends.
Claudia: I am looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and making a bigger impact in missions. We are told that mission work can happen in our everyday lives through the people we come in contact with all around us. I like this idea of missions because it requires little on my part. It's easy. Working at an elementary school, I have a huge responsibility to positively affect the children around me through my words and actions. I do that every day without even thinking about it. It is a natural part of who I am.To think about missions on a global scale is whole other thing. I am not a very outgoing or social person. Sitting in the background and quietly observing is where I can be found most days. Going on this Mexico Mission trip is a step outside the norm for me. I feel like I will actually be doing something on the missions field. It is exciting and scary. I pray the bravery I assume others have who have gone on mission trips in the past finds it way to me. My nerves tell me this is a huge leap but hopefully when it's over it will be a small step. A hand-holding small step I have taken with family and friends.
Keven: I'm looking most forward to this being an eye opening experience for all the children. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to being able to serve God by spreading the word and doing work in his name, but, we could do that and have done that here. I anticipate seeing how everyone responds to serving people without the distractions of cell phones, televisions and all the things that go with being in a comfortable and familiar environment. In Mexico, it will be about serving God without distractions. I want the children to see how having God in your life can be enough to fill you up, and a lot of the things or items don't matter as much as they think.
Shannon: First of all I am excited about taking this mission trip with my two younger boys and my mom. I am looking forward to watching my sons grow while they serve. I also see this as a time where we will bond with each other and my mom as well. Our family has a sponsor child at Rancho de sus Niño’s and her name is Dianna; I cannot wait to see how much she has grown not just physically but spiritually. There are a few other girls that I made connections with and I cannot wait to see them again. The children and staff at Rancho have a special place in my heart and I look forward to introducing them to more of my family and hearing how things have been and how God is using them. I also am looking forward to meeting new people as we do on these trips; meeting the new staff and family at Rancho as well as other team members from other churches. I love going and ministering into the villages. There is a hunger for God, there is a hunger for healing, and there is a hunger for his love. I just love that we get to be used by God and we get to go along with the teenagers from Rancho and other adult staff (most who grew up at the orphanage) and we get to witness to the people and love on them.
Justin: Working with the children in Mexico and serving God.
Kyle: This is new for me and I know God has big plans for me. I look forward to using my Spanish I have been learning the last two years.
Our prayer requests:
Shannon: That my boys will be transformed by this trip. Also, that we will have neither health complications nor injuries and that we will be kept safe. I know from previous trips team members can get tired so pray that we can all keep in good spirits.
Kyle: Pray for protection and that we glorify God on this trip!
Justin: Pray that we will have no injuries, illnesses, and learn what God wants us to learn.
Vicki: That I would see God move in ways that I’ve not seen before; that I will be willing to get out of my comfort zone; that I won’t get in the way of His plan; that I will see what God has prepared for me to see (fully expecting to be blown away by what He will do); that there will be harmony with me and my travel buddies; that I won’t listen to the “mocking voice;” that I can deal with the heat.
Claudia: Pray for safe travel there and back.
Keven: Please pray for my back. It's been bothering me lately and I'm a little worried about the long drives, sleeping conditions, and some of the work we'll be doing. I'm hoping that I won't aggravate it more. Please pray for all of our safety and health.
Josh: I am praying that I will be more focused on what God is doing than on the logistics of the trip, and that what He is up to will be more important to me that anything else. Please pray that we all choose our words carefully, choose patience over stubbornness, and choose to come together for a movement of God that is way bigger than ourselves.
On Hearing God
How does God speak to us? It seems like we often hear that a key to faith is hearing God’s voice and then doing what He says. This is all well and good when “the voice” of God we hear is through Scripture. In fact, we could spend a lifetime simply trying to do what He says in His Word. But this same Word also holds out another promise to us- that God is a God who continues to speak. He has something to say about our personal situations and the individual experiences we all have from day to day. So, in the rush of life, how exactly does God speak to us? Someone asked me this very question a few weeks ago. I thought for a bit about how I personally attempt to listen to God. Like many others, I try to take some time each day to be quiet before God, in a prayerful place to listen to what God might have to say. As I pondered this approach, however, it occurred to me that very rarely if ever have I heard God in that moment!
Now that seems kind of strange, doesn’t it? I believe in a God who is speaking and who wants to speak to me, yet when I actually go to listen, I must honestly admit that I rarely hear anything. Perhaps you are encouraged by this! Maybe you have grown weary of this kind of listening because it feels like wasted time where very odd and random things pop into your mind. Be at ease,-you are not alone!
But back to the question at hand- how do we hear God speak? I am not trying to create precedence here or say this is the right way, but I want to share my experience because you may find similarities. What I have found is that when I am setting aside time to hear from God, though I rarely hear from Him in that moment, I very often hear from Him in that season. In other words, when I am being consistent in this posture of listening, I will find that at other times in my day, a voice or a thought will suddenly pop up and somehow in my soul I just know it is God’s voice. An answer to a question. A new perspective. A lyric from a song I haven’t thought of in ages. A verse in Scripture I haven’t read in months. But there it is. To me, I feel like God has to catch me off guard in these moments.
The more I think about it, the more this makes sense to me. When I sit and pray, “God, I want to hear your voice,” whether I realize it or not, I have many presuppositions in that moment. I have ideas of what God should or shouldn’t say. I have ideas of what He will say and how He will say it. I put up all these filters that make actually hearing His voice in that moment difficult if not impossible. But in doing this, I believe that I am somehow aligning my heart with His. I am opening up a portion of my soul and making it more ready to receive. And at just the right moment, God speaks. When I am not even aware of Him, He is aware of me and of my need to hear His voice. And so He speaks.
So though I rarely hear God “in the moment”, I will continue to be one who listens. And when He catches me off guard and speaks just what I need to hear, I will be grateful that He spoke in His way, and His time.
We have a speaking God. May we be a listening people!
Now that seems kind of strange, doesn’t it? I believe in a God who is speaking and who wants to speak to me, yet when I actually go to listen, I must honestly admit that I rarely hear anything. Perhaps you are encouraged by this! Maybe you have grown weary of this kind of listening because it feels like wasted time where very odd and random things pop into your mind. Be at ease,-you are not alone!
But back to the question at hand- how do we hear God speak? I am not trying to create precedence here or say this is the right way, but I want to share my experience because you may find similarities. What I have found is that when I am setting aside time to hear from God, though I rarely hear from Him in that moment, I very often hear from Him in that season. In other words, when I am being consistent in this posture of listening, I will find that at other times in my day, a voice or a thought will suddenly pop up and somehow in my soul I just know it is God’s voice. An answer to a question. A new perspective. A lyric from a song I haven’t thought of in ages. A verse in Scripture I haven’t read in months. But there it is. To me, I feel like God has to catch me off guard in these moments.
The more I think about it, the more this makes sense to me. When I sit and pray, “God, I want to hear your voice,” whether I realize it or not, I have many presuppositions in that moment. I have ideas of what God should or shouldn’t say. I have ideas of what He will say and how He will say it. I put up all these filters that make actually hearing His voice in that moment difficult if not impossible. But in doing this, I believe that I am somehow aligning my heart with His. I am opening up a portion of my soul and making it more ready to receive. And at just the right moment, God speaks. When I am not even aware of Him, He is aware of me and of my need to hear His voice. And so He speaks.
So though I rarely hear God “in the moment”, I will continue to be one who listens. And when He catches me off guard and speaks just what I need to hear, I will be grateful that He spoke in His way, and His time.
We have a speaking God. May we be a listening people!
Where We Are Now
Toward Two Congregations
I sat at Starbucks across from a church planter who has just launched a congregation in Kelso. In his first message to the new church community, he had challenged them to search their hearts for their motive in joining the movement. He voiced the words that have been on our collective hearts and minds, “This area doesn’t simply need more churches. So why are we doing this? Because there’s a lot of people who aren’t reached, and we need more churches determined to reach them.” Amen, brother, amen!
A few years back, we called every church in town and asked for their seating capacity. We took this number and we doubled it. Then we added a few thousand just to be sure. The results? We discovered that if every church in town was filled to capacity twice a weekend, there would still be 25,000 people without a seat! Does this county need more churches for churched people? No, but we could use a whole lot more faith communities that are effective in reaching the lost and creating bridges for people to walk back to God.
In May of this year, Jon and Susan Donohue went through a church planters’ assessment and were given an enthusiatic recommendation to be site planters. Since that time, we have continued to progress toward a date of September 2014 to launch this second congregation, and the Donohues will be a critical cog in working alongside this venture.
Our Alliance District is also stepping up and partnering with East Hills. To begin with, they have provided us with a 6-month “planning phase” grant of $6,000 to help offset the cost of salary for Jon. They have also covered our registration for a year-long cohort called The Multi-Site Jump Start Lab. Run by the Leadership Network, this process will have two separate two-day gatherings in Dallas, as well as a mid-year online forum. Jon and I will both take part in this, along with Kendra Shaw, out of the District Office, who will serve as a mentor and a coach in this process. While Jon will take a significant role in the launch, we need to all clearly understand that this is a team effort. WE are planting a church. WE together are launching a second congregation. And in the end, we will be one church meeting as two congregations. So this will still be us! And WE need all hands on deck! Right now, we want to encourage you to continue praying for the process and the location of the second congregation. In the months to come, you will also hear opportunities to jump on board financially, and ultimately the chance to partner with the second congregation. Be praying for God to move in your heart about your level of involvement.
Kelso/Longview doesn’t need one more cozy place for Christians to sing nicemusic. We need places of restoration and redemption where people who are far from God find that He is the very center of life, and so they return to Him. That is what we are trying to build here at East Hills, and in the next congregation as well. May God’s Kingdom expand through us!
I sat at Starbucks across from a church planter who has just launched a congregation in Kelso. In his first message to the new church community, he had challenged them to search their hearts for their motive in joining the movement. He voiced the words that have been on our collective hearts and minds, “This area doesn’t simply need more churches. So why are we doing this? Because there’s a lot of people who aren’t reached, and we need more churches determined to reach them.” Amen, brother, amen!
A few years back, we called every church in town and asked for their seating capacity. We took this number and we doubled it. Then we added a few thousand just to be sure. The results? We discovered that if every church in town was filled to capacity twice a weekend, there would still be 25,000 people without a seat! Does this county need more churches for churched people? No, but we could use a whole lot more faith communities that are effective in reaching the lost and creating bridges for people to walk back to God.
In May of this year, Jon and Susan Donohue went through a church planters’ assessment and were given an enthusiatic recommendation to be site planters. Since that time, we have continued to progress toward a date of September 2014 to launch this second congregation, and the Donohues will be a critical cog in working alongside this venture.
Our Alliance District is also stepping up and partnering with East Hills. To begin with, they have provided us with a 6-month “planning phase” grant of $6,000 to help offset the cost of salary for Jon. They have also covered our registration for a year-long cohort called The Multi-Site Jump Start Lab. Run by the Leadership Network, this process will have two separate two-day gatherings in Dallas, as well as a mid-year online forum. Jon and I will both take part in this, along with Kendra Shaw, out of the District Office, who will serve as a mentor and a coach in this process. While Jon will take a significant role in the launch, we need to all clearly understand that this is a team effort. WE are planting a church. WE together are launching a second congregation. And in the end, we will be one church meeting as two congregations. So this will still be us! And WE need all hands on deck! Right now, we want to encourage you to continue praying for the process and the location of the second congregation. In the months to come, you will also hear opportunities to jump on board financially, and ultimately the chance to partner with the second congregation. Be praying for God to move in your heart about your level of involvement.
Kelso/Longview doesn’t need one more cozy place for Christians to sing nicemusic. We need places of restoration and redemption where people who are far from God find that He is the very center of life, and so they return to Him. That is what we are trying to build here at East Hills, and in the next congregation as well. May God’s Kingdom expand through us!
Daily Bible Reading
Several years ago I shamefully realized that I found time to read the paper every day but not my Bible. With fresh determination I canceled my subscription to The Daily News. and purchased a read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year Bible – it also happened to be in chronological order. I jumped in to whatever day it was in the year and read daily. That was the beginning of a habit I have continued ever since. I’ve lost track of how many years I’ve been doing this. Ironically, late in 2012 I thought I would take a break at the end of this year and maybe do some topical studies or some other kind of devotion. Then Nick announced that we would be reading through a yearly chronological Bible as a church body and it wasn’t too hard to figure out that God was telling me not to give up my daily reading.
Every day I get up 15 minutes earlier than I need to in order to have time to do my daily reading. Now before you spit out your coffee and call me names, I realize not everyone is a morning person. This is just what works for me. My husband (bless his night owl heart) does much better just staying at the table after dinner when he has something to accomplish.
Why do I continue to do this day after day? There are several reasons. The most basic is that it’s the right thing to do. How often have I told my kids, “Do the right thing even if it’s not the easy thing?” If I am a Christian, then God should be the most important thing in my life. How can I be a Christ follower if I don’t know what Christ says? Granted there are parts of the Bible that I know better than others and there are parts that are quite honestly tedious to read. However you can’t only have dessert; you must have your vegetables too. The Bible says that all Scripture is important so I read all Scripture. (This is where I channel my stubborn side into something positive.) I truly love starting my day in God’s Word. It keeps me focused. By starting every day with the most important thing in my life, it doesn’t really matter what happens the rest of the day. Each time I read I try to learn something new. I love how we have been focusing on the Old Testament as a foreshadowing of Christ. There are so many things to learn within these pages and since I continue to make mistakes I know I must continue to learn.
I will close with some encouragement from the greatest source of inspiration. Psalm 112:1 “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.” Psalm 115:13-16 “he will bless those who fear the Lord – small and great alike. May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Go get your Bible and start reading because Galatians 6:9 tells us “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Jennifer Sharer
Every day I get up 15 minutes earlier than I need to in order to have time to do my daily reading. Now before you spit out your coffee and call me names, I realize not everyone is a morning person. This is just what works for me. My husband (bless his night owl heart) does much better just staying at the table after dinner when he has something to accomplish.
Why do I continue to do this day after day? There are several reasons. The most basic is that it’s the right thing to do. How often have I told my kids, “Do the right thing even if it’s not the easy thing?” If I am a Christian, then God should be the most important thing in my life. How can I be a Christ follower if I don’t know what Christ says? Granted there are parts of the Bible that I know better than others and there are parts that are quite honestly tedious to read. However you can’t only have dessert; you must have your vegetables too. The Bible says that all Scripture is important so I read all Scripture. (This is where I channel my stubborn side into something positive.) I truly love starting my day in God’s Word. It keeps me focused. By starting every day with the most important thing in my life, it doesn’t really matter what happens the rest of the day. Each time I read I try to learn something new. I love how we have been focusing on the Old Testament as a foreshadowing of Christ. There are so many things to learn within these pages and since I continue to make mistakes I know I must continue to learn.
I will close with some encouragement from the greatest source of inspiration. Psalm 112:1 “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.” Psalm 115:13-16 “he will bless those who fear the Lord – small and great alike. May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Go get your Bible and start reading because Galatians 6:9 tells us “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Jennifer Sharer
Chronological Reflection
Read the entire Bible in a year… Sure, I thought, I’ll try that. Chronologically? Intriguing! I’ve always wondered what order all those old testament books actually go in. I would love to get some context on the prophets. But stick to it? 365 days straight? You’re kidding, right?
You see, I have always known that I should be doing quiet times every day. I should be spending time in God’s word daily. I should have the follow through to make it a priority, even when life is crazy, or the kids are crazy, or my work is crazy, or when… you get the idea. There are a lot of things that can seem “more important” in the here and now. I have to make my lunch. Ashlynn has to go to the bathroom. Sharilee needs to be fed.
I tend to be the kind of person that jumps into things, and does really well at first. I have done Bible reading programs before that were supposed to take a year, and somewhere around Leviticus I have fallen off the wagon. My most recent one year Bible plan took about 18 months. I made it, but only because it was a forgiving plan that had a “Catch Me Up” button that meant it would look like I had always been on pace to finish on February 12. I mean March 16. I mean April 30. Yeah – that was when I was supposed to finish.
This “Chronological Bible” plan is less forgiving. There are readings assigned to each day. If you miss on February 14, what do you do on February 15? When Pastor Nick introduced “Grace Mondays” I balked. Would that make me feel like this was possible? Would I be able to give myself grace on Mondays to skip back to where I was supposed to be? Would I feel like I was cheating?
But then, an interesting thing happened. I stayed on track. The realization that it didn’t matter where I was, on Monday I would be “caught up” made me stress less. And what I noticed each day has kept me more on track that anything else. Simply put: on days I do my Bible reading in the morning, no matter how late I am running, how many things are on my to do list, how many times Sharilee woke up hungry in the middle of the night – things just seemed less stressful. I made the mistake a few mornings early on deciding I was “running too late,” or “I’ll sleep a few extra minutes and catch up at night.” The results were obvious. I was a walking train-wreck of anxiety, frustration, and feeling like I needed to save the world all by myself. You see, God’s plan – get up early and meet with Him – has changed my priorities and focus back to one on God.
So – wherever you are, whatever your plan was, however far behind you are: offer yourself some grace. Jump back in with both feet. Set a time and a place – and see what it does for your priorities and anxiety. You might just find out what I did. Even when reading about Israelites toiling in the desert God has a message of peace to speak into your life each and every day, and it will affect your attitude and disposition in ways that you would never want to go back to the “old way” again.
Wendy Droke
You see, I have always known that I should be doing quiet times every day. I should be spending time in God’s word daily. I should have the follow through to make it a priority, even when life is crazy, or the kids are crazy, or my work is crazy, or when… you get the idea. There are a lot of things that can seem “more important” in the here and now. I have to make my lunch. Ashlynn has to go to the bathroom. Sharilee needs to be fed.
I tend to be the kind of person that jumps into things, and does really well at first. I have done Bible reading programs before that were supposed to take a year, and somewhere around Leviticus I have fallen off the wagon. My most recent one year Bible plan took about 18 months. I made it, but only because it was a forgiving plan that had a “Catch Me Up” button that meant it would look like I had always been on pace to finish on February 12. I mean March 16. I mean April 30. Yeah – that was when I was supposed to finish.
This “Chronological Bible” plan is less forgiving. There are readings assigned to each day. If you miss on February 14, what do you do on February 15? When Pastor Nick introduced “Grace Mondays” I balked. Would that make me feel like this was possible? Would I be able to give myself grace on Mondays to skip back to where I was supposed to be? Would I feel like I was cheating?
But then, an interesting thing happened. I stayed on track. The realization that it didn’t matter where I was, on Monday I would be “caught up” made me stress less. And what I noticed each day has kept me more on track that anything else. Simply put: on days I do my Bible reading in the morning, no matter how late I am running, how many things are on my to do list, how many times Sharilee woke up hungry in the middle of the night – things just seemed less stressful. I made the mistake a few mornings early on deciding I was “running too late,” or “I’ll sleep a few extra minutes and catch up at night.” The results were obvious. I was a walking train-wreck of anxiety, frustration, and feeling like I needed to save the world all by myself. You see, God’s plan – get up early and meet with Him – has changed my priorities and focus back to one on God.
So – wherever you are, whatever your plan was, however far behind you are: offer yourself some grace. Jump back in with both feet. Set a time and a place – and see what it does for your priorities and anxiety. You might just find out what I did. Even when reading about Israelites toiling in the desert God has a message of peace to speak into your life each and every day, and it will affect your attitude and disposition in ways that you would never want to go back to the “old way” again.
Wendy Droke
Tuesday, June 04, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 22
This week brings us to the end of the united Kingdom of Israel. Solomon's wisdom gives way to the in-fighting and separation of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
Solomon's wisdom is on full display in Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs and the end of Proverbs. His most poetic language, in the Chronological reading, leads directly into the outcome of his life- how his heart is led astray by his many foreign marriages. What do you make of this? How did such a wise man end up with such a foolish heart?
Happy Reading! Be blessed-
Nick
Solomon's wisdom is on full display in Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs and the end of Proverbs. His most poetic language, in the Chronological reading, leads directly into the outcome of his life- how his heart is led astray by his many foreign marriages. What do you make of this? How did such a wise man end up with such a foolish heart?
Happy Reading! Be blessed-
Nick
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 20
Well, it appears this posting has become an every-other-week kind of event! Sorry about that. We'll try to stay more on top of it here!
This week is an interesting bridge between the leadership and poetry of David into the life and wisdom of Solomon. The Chronological readings provide an interesting week for us, in that the building of the temple- which is reported in two different books- will consume the bulk of the week. Some of this technical detail (size, height, amount, builders, etc) can become burdensome to our modern mind, but these passages are communicating an important point. This building, this temple to the Most High God, would become the pinnacle place of life and worship for the entire Jewish nation. The completed work would be so impressive that foreign dignitaries, most notably the Queen of Sheba, would take pilgrimages just to behold the wonder.
So I encourage you as you read to keep in mind the New Testament. In light of this week's reading, how shocking would Jesus' statement have been that he would tear down the Temple and rebuild it in three days? (yes, it was a different temple by then, but I would argue that it carried the same weight of importance in the Hebrew heart.) How crazy was it for Peter and Paul to tell the church that they had become the living Temple? What does it mean for us personally if our bodies are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit? When we grasp the deep significance of the first Old Testament Temple, we can appreciate in new ways the "new" Temple we have become through Christ.
Read in joy-
Nick
This week is an interesting bridge between the leadership and poetry of David into the life and wisdom of Solomon. The Chronological readings provide an interesting week for us, in that the building of the temple- which is reported in two different books- will consume the bulk of the week. Some of this technical detail (size, height, amount, builders, etc) can become burdensome to our modern mind, but these passages are communicating an important point. This building, this temple to the Most High God, would become the pinnacle place of life and worship for the entire Jewish nation. The completed work would be so impressive that foreign dignitaries, most notably the Queen of Sheba, would take pilgrimages just to behold the wonder.
So I encourage you as you read to keep in mind the New Testament. In light of this week's reading, how shocking would Jesus' statement have been that he would tear down the Temple and rebuild it in three days? (yes, it was a different temple by then, but I would argue that it carried the same weight of importance in the Hebrew heart.) How crazy was it for Peter and Paul to tell the church that they had become the living Temple? What does it mean for us personally if our bodies are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit? When we grasp the deep significance of the first Old Testament Temple, we can appreciate in new ways the "new" Temple we have become through Christ.
Read in joy-
Nick
Monday, May 06, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 18
Hey Folks! Thanks for keeping up with the reading through the Old Testament. May the Spirit continue to whisper good things from the Word!
This week, we'll watch the transition of leadership from David to his son Solomon. I'm always encouraged by the ways in which David created a leadership position for Solomon, encouraged him, and then helped protect Solomon's kingdom while he was still alive. The typical pattern of kingship in those days would have been for an old king to hold onto power until he died. David, however, looked ahead and saw that he needed to pass on leadership to his son while he still had a say in the matter. There's a lesson here about leading and leaving a legacy.
There's also a lesson here about wisdom. Early in his leadership, Solomon receives the blessing of wisdom from the Lord. But by the end of his life, he has compromised his leadership, and the entire kingdom, through the worship of foriegn and false gods. This is a sad commentary on the move of the human heart- we can know all there is to know in the world, but the focus of our worship will always determine the outcome of our lives. So, what you know isn't nearly as important as what (or who) you worship!
May your reading lead you into deeper and more authentic worship of the one true God!
Nick
This week, we'll watch the transition of leadership from David to his son Solomon. I'm always encouraged by the ways in which David created a leadership position for Solomon, encouraged him, and then helped protect Solomon's kingdom while he was still alive. The typical pattern of kingship in those days would have been for an old king to hold onto power until he died. David, however, looked ahead and saw that he needed to pass on leadership to his son while he still had a say in the matter. There's a lesson here about leading and leaving a legacy.
There's also a lesson here about wisdom. Early in his leadership, Solomon receives the blessing of wisdom from the Lord. But by the end of his life, he has compromised his leadership, and the entire kingdom, through the worship of foriegn and false gods. This is a sad commentary on the move of the human heart- we can know all there is to know in the world, but the focus of our worship will always determine the outcome of our lives. So, what you know isn't nearly as important as what (or who) you worship!
May your reading lead you into deeper and more authentic worship of the one true God!
Nick
Monday, April 22, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 16
This week belongs to David. At the beginning of the week, David ascends to the throne over all Israel. By the end of the week, he'll be fighting to take it back from his own son Absalom. The timeline moves quickly when reading through chronologically!
In this span of seven days, it is amazing to me how the stories of David can have such a wide variation. Some of these stories reveal an amazing faith as David builds the kingdom for the glory of God. Turn the page, though, and other stories reveal David's humanity and sinfulness. The good and the bad juxtaposed by just a few pages, or at times just a few paragraphs.
By the end of his life, though, David will be remembered as a man after God's own heart. New Testament writers will look back and say, "there's someone who ran after God." I don't know about you, but this gives me hope. Perhaps in some ways like David, I find that the good and the bad can exist quite closely in my life- moments of great faith followed quickly by moments of selfishness and sin. If David could have his ups and down, his highs and lows, and still be called a man after God's own heart, then I think there is hope for the rest of us.
What it says to me that faith before God has less to do with our actions and behaviors than we might think. The condition of our heart matters more than the results of our choices. God can redeem all things, and looks more at what's happening inside of me than outside of me. I can be a man after His heart, even if I stumble along the way.
What are you learning this week? What stands out to you?
Read on!
Nick
In this span of seven days, it is amazing to me how the stories of David can have such a wide variation. Some of these stories reveal an amazing faith as David builds the kingdom for the glory of God. Turn the page, though, and other stories reveal David's humanity and sinfulness. The good and the bad juxtaposed by just a few pages, or at times just a few paragraphs.
By the end of his life, though, David will be remembered as a man after God's own heart. New Testament writers will look back and say, "there's someone who ran after God." I don't know about you, but this gives me hope. Perhaps in some ways like David, I find that the good and the bad can exist quite closely in my life- moments of great faith followed quickly by moments of selfishness and sin. If David could have his ups and down, his highs and lows, and still be called a man after God's own heart, then I think there is hope for the rest of us.
What it says to me that faith before God has less to do with our actions and behaviors than we might think. The condition of our heart matters more than the results of our choices. God can redeem all things, and looks more at what's happening inside of me than outside of me. I can be a man after His heart, even if I stumble along the way.
What are you learning this week? What stands out to you?
Read on!
Nick
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Chronological Bible- Week 15
Intrigue. Conflict. Honor. Deception. Jealousy. This week finds us immersed in the time of the kings of Israel. The big three- Saul, David, and Solomon, will reign over Israel for a period of about 90 years. During this time, the borders of the country will be expanded, most of her enemies subdued, a strong sense of nationhood will develop.
But the heart of these stories is the people themselves. The kings take center stage, and it is their actions, decisions, and their heart for God (or lack there of) that will guide each story. In this week, I would encourage you to watch carefully the interactions between Saul and David. As Saul's kingdom declines and God clearly begins to anoint and lift up David, their courses of behavior become more and more telling. One trust, waits, and listens to God. The other lashes out in anger, protects himself and his reputations, and ultimately looses everything. There are lessons to be learned here about the true nature of godly leadership, and the life that honors Him.
May your reading this week be blessed!
What are you learning?
What are you challenged by?
Read on-
Nick
But the heart of these stories is the people themselves. The kings take center stage, and it is their actions, decisions, and their heart for God (or lack there of) that will guide each story. In this week, I would encourage you to watch carefully the interactions between Saul and David. As Saul's kingdom declines and God clearly begins to anoint and lift up David, their courses of behavior become more and more telling. One trust, waits, and listens to God. The other lashes out in anger, protects himself and his reputations, and ultimately looses everything. There are lessons to be learned here about the true nature of godly leadership, and the life that honors Him.
May your reading this week be blessed!
What are you learning?
What are you challenged by?
Read on-
Nick
Monday, April 08, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 14
Well, hopefully you are having more success reading through the Chronological Bible than we are keeping the blog up to date! Things got a little hectic around Easter and a few weeks were overlooked, but the blog is back and ready for your input!
This, in my mind, is where reading the Bible chronologically gets really good. Up until this point, the Scriptures have been pretty linear- one story following another in a logical, sequential fashion. Now, however, we have stories occurring in multiple books, other books that interrupt or occur during the stories, and additional writings that provide comment, prayers, or prophetic words on the events that are happening. Placing the material together as the Chronological Bible does, really makes these stories come to life.
This week marks the inauguration of the era of the Kings. Saul, David and Solomon will all appear on the scene soon, followed by the lesser known kings of the divided kingdom. Before the kings ascend to the thrown, we meet the man Samuel. The prophet Samuel becomes a transitional figure between the sporadic, regional leadership of the judges and the over-arching rule of the monarchy. Samuel becomes the first nationwide leader in Israel since the time of Joshua. He plays a crucial role in directing the hearts and minds of the people back to God. In fact, he will take this role all the way into the reign of David. Watch how Samuel becomes a represenation of the voice and will of God throughout these stories!
What are you learning? What is God challenging you with this week?
Blessings on your week and on your reading. Read on!
Nick
This, in my mind, is where reading the Bible chronologically gets really good. Up until this point, the Scriptures have been pretty linear- one story following another in a logical, sequential fashion. Now, however, we have stories occurring in multiple books, other books that interrupt or occur during the stories, and additional writings that provide comment, prayers, or prophetic words on the events that are happening. Placing the material together as the Chronological Bible does, really makes these stories come to life.
This week marks the inauguration of the era of the Kings. Saul, David and Solomon will all appear on the scene soon, followed by the lesser known kings of the divided kingdom. Before the kings ascend to the thrown, we meet the man Samuel. The prophet Samuel becomes a transitional figure between the sporadic, regional leadership of the judges and the over-arching rule of the monarchy. Samuel becomes the first nationwide leader in Israel since the time of Joshua. He plays a crucial role in directing the hearts and minds of the people back to God. In fact, he will take this role all the way into the reign of David. Watch how Samuel becomes a represenation of the voice and will of God throughout these stories!
What are you learning? What is God challenging you with this week?
Blessings on your week and on your reading. Read on!
Nick
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 11
This is the final week of reading in the Pentateuch! (5 books of the Law) After this, the nature and flavor of Scripture really changes. So even though some of the reading is a bit cumbersome, try to appreciate the uniqueness of this section of Scripture. Realize that for hundreds of years, this alone WAS the Hebrew Bible. I always find the end of Moses' life to be particularly compelling- his relationship with God, his willingness to lead well to the end even though he wouldn't enter the promised land, and the passing on of his leadership to Joshua.
The "blessings and curses" section gives a particularly instructive view into Old Covenant theology: do this and good will happen, don't do this and bad will happen! But notice how their security- the ability of the people to dwell successfully in the land- was tied to their willingness to live within the Covenant. Though the terms of our Covenant with God through Jesus Christ are radically different, I believe the same can be said of us. Our ability to live a "successful" life in this world is directly related to our willingness to be "Covenant people" who have bound ourselves to life in and through Jesus Christ.
What are you learning?
What do you find interesting?
Interact, ask questions, and let the reading cause you to wrestle-
Nick
The "blessings and curses" section gives a particularly instructive view into Old Covenant theology: do this and good will happen, don't do this and bad will happen! But notice how their security- the ability of the people to dwell successfully in the land- was tied to their willingness to live within the Covenant. Though the terms of our Covenant with God through Jesus Christ are radically different, I believe the same can be said of us. Our ability to live a "successful" life in this world is directly related to our willingness to be "Covenant people" who have bound ourselves to life in and through Jesus Christ.
What are you learning?
What do you find interesting?
Interact, ask questions, and let the reading cause you to wrestle-
Nick
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Getting to Know...
Bio-Notes . . . Amy Guartuche (gwuare-two’chay): I grew up in Kelso, with my parents, Tom and Ann Hight, and my brother and sister, Ross and Laura. Mom homeschooled us until we entered the public school system at Kelso High. Our family came to East Hills Alliance in 1995, and I was a part of the church for the next eight years, growing up here involved in VBS, Bible quizzing, youth group and miming.
I continued my education at Lower Columbia College, exploring the idea of elementary education as my career. Then I decided to enter the military, and joined the Marine Corps. I received my training in North and South Carolina and became a mechanic, building helicopter engines. Part of my assignment was to walk alongside new Marines, helping them to adjust to their new routines, keeping their connections with home. I found I was more and more interested in helping them and gained a lot of personal satisfaction in doing that.
I had the "concrete" experience of constructing engines for eight hours, and perhaps ten minutes of mentoring time every day, helping junior Marines, and found myself feeling like that ten minutes quantified "what I had accomplished" that day.
The House:
What do you enjoy in your "free time"?
Amy:
(Laughing) I gave up my favorite free time activity for Lent this year! It’s reading, both fiction and nonfiction. When I have time, going to the gym is also refreshing for me. I enjoy family time and reacquainting myself with this area. My husband, Daniel, is from Corpus Christi, Texas, and I have been showing him around beautiful Southwest Washington.
The House:
What is your latest reading material, since Lent has taken away your reading for pleasure?
Amy:
I have been reading some church history texts for my classes, which have dismantled some of my assumptions about that subject. Also the Chronological Bible; it has been fun to join with so many others in the church and take on this project together!
The House:
What classes are you taking presently?
Amy:
Right now I am finishing up classes in church history and New Testament studies, which are part of the requirements for the Master of Divinity degree. I finished my BS in Religion through the online Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, which has a campus in Virginia. I also have my MA with Liberty, and should finish this last seminary degree next year.
I believe I am being called to the military chaplaincy, and that appears today to be His Plan. It may not go as I see it now; we’ll see. Dad (Tom Hight) always said that what is happening now is always preparing us for the future.
The House:
How do you feel God has prepared you for this assignment as intern at East Hills?
Amy:
Danny and I had a hard time finding a home church in North Carolina. The little church we eventually felt led to join had some great people in it but didn’t seem to have a lot of opportunity for us long-term. We are excited to be in a place where there are so many opportunities to "plug in"; to give and receive in so many areas of church life.
The House:
What is there about you I haven’t asked that you want to share as we get to know you?
Amy:
I am naturally an introvert, and tend to be very quiet. However, I am not shy or afraid, and I care about people, just quietly. I want to help, connect and serve, but will always be doing that quietly. I feel a deep love for God’s people.
I want people to know I am approachable, just quiet!
The House:
What is there about your assignment as intern that I haven’t asked that you want to share with us?
Amy:
It is probably going to be changing! I’ll be going forward as an intern six months at a time, then addressing with staff how I’m doing, changes to be made, addressing learning curves. Three current areas of focus are:
Discipleship: helping with connections, one-on- one or in groups; mentorship
Volunteer Organization: supporting volunteers so that they have what they need, know they are the right person for the right job, and are loving it!
The House:
Last words?
Amy:
If you have questions, call me. Daniel and I feel like we have come home to EHA, that EHA is our family, and we really appreciate that feeling, which has come from you and getting to know you.
Preparation for Pounding
So what is THIS issue about?!?
Sounds uninviting, unless you’re a country girl from East Texas and know what a "pounding" is. I grew up the daughter of a Baptist preacher in East Texas, which I labeled "Archie Bunker’s Shangri-La" in my youth. Despite my rebellious ways, I have to acknowledge all the loving country people who lavished their bounty on our family when the church had to choose between paying the light bill, or paying the preacher.
Daddy was also a cabinet maker, always with a waiting list for his work, so he supplemented our income when the little church couldn’t, and Mother was Assistant Director of Nurses at the local state hospital for the criminally insane, where I earned my college money during the summer. (Another story, another time!)
Back to "pounding", and how it relates to the subject of this month’s The House, Preparation.
A pounding from our church family meant lots of gleaming glass jars filled with peaches, pears and berries; watermelon, dill, sweet, and bread and butter pickles; chow-chow relish; red and green tomatoes; black-eyed, green, wax, yellow, pinto, cream and crowder peas or beans; jams and jellies and butters; freshly caught or hunted fish, fowl and game.
All that lovely provision for our pantry equaled lots of preparation: clean guns, the right ammunition, sorted fishing gear, prepared gardens and fields, and many times handmade quilts, pillow cases, doilies and kitchen towels, embroidered and tucked in among the jars. These faithful country folks worked hard, gathering right materials, plowing fields, planting seeds, saving seeds for next year’s planting. Pounding meant all that preparation, and then, at the right time, producing fruit.
And all this nostalgia brings me to Lent, and what Preparation might mean for us. What is God preparing us for right now? What "fields" in your character and knowledge is He "plowing under"? What feels like fallow ground? What feels tilled up, sorted, or sifted?
He has good plans for us. (Jeremiah 29:11) Are your mind, will and emotion in agreement with His plan for you? How might this Lenten season prepare you for being "sown" and for His Harvest in your life sometime in the near, or distant, future?
I reflect on the sweaty, sunburned face of the deacon who taught me to drive in his little black ‘40’s Ford pickup. His name was Crit Teer, and he learned to read because he delivered mail to the church, met my dad and met Jesus, and Dad taught him to read as they read the Bible together. Many times there were peck and bushel baskets of lovely things from his garden, left with my mother when he came by to pick me up for the weekly lesson.
I’m reminded of how often I need to be "broken and spilled out", like Crit was, in order to prepare for His Love to grow in my soul. How about you?
Mary Hagle
Editor, The House
We grow as we share.
Book Review
"Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking"
by Susan Cain
Almost all my life, people have said, "You’re so quiet." My teachers commented that I didn’t speak up in class. My parents tried to push me to be more outgoing. My least favorite words in church are, "Turn around and greet someone near you." (On second thought, there is something worse: "Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know.") I am an introvert, and I grew up thinking that was a bad thing. I always wanted to be the outgoing girl that everybody noticed, but I just wasn’t made that way. And contrary to what my mother tried to convince me, I couldn’t fake it, either.
In her bestseller, Susan Cain says that at least one third of the people we know are introverts. We are often overlooked by our American culture that values extroverts. Teachers pay more attention to their extroverted students. Parents worry about their children who are quiet and introverted. Introverts are passed by for jobs and promotions. Even in the church, pastors are encouraged to adopt an extroverted, exuberant persona.
Cain points out that introverts aren’t necessary shy or socially challenged. She provides fascinating stories of introverts who have made important contributions to our world, from Rosa Parks to Steve Wozniak to Dr. Seuss. She highlights the benefits of listening and taking time to think things through.
She shows how the trend of working in teams rather than individually is not necessarily better for education and business. Some of the most interesting stories in the book are about top-notch Asian students who come to the U.S. to study, are overwhelmed by boisterous American college life, and then face difficulty getting jobs with companies that seek to hire candidates who score high on the extrovert scale on personality tests.This book helped me to better understand myself. One of the true-false questions in an informal quiz is, "I often let calls go through to voice mail." I hadn’t realized how often I do that, especially on my business line. Now I understand that I’m hoping the caller will leave a message and tell me why they are calling, so I can be prepared for the conversation, rather than being forced to speak off the cuff – something introverts aren’t good at.
Cain offers suggestions on how introverts can be more extroverted when they have to be, and tells stories of individuals who have successful careers in fields such as entertainment and teaching. She talks about how extroverts and introverts can communicate with each other. I think one of the most important chapters addresses how parents can nurture introverted kids rather than trying to change them.
I highly recommend this book to those of you who are introverts, who live with introverts, and especially parents of introverts. It’s a well-researched and fascinating book that will help you appreciate your own strengths as well as those of other people who are "Quiet."
June Hoover
by Susan Cain
Almost all my life, people have said, "You’re so quiet." My teachers commented that I didn’t speak up in class. My parents tried to push me to be more outgoing. My least favorite words in church are, "Turn around and greet someone near you." (On second thought, there is something worse: "Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know.") I am an introvert, and I grew up thinking that was a bad thing. I always wanted to be the outgoing girl that everybody noticed, but I just wasn’t made that way. And contrary to what my mother tried to convince me, I couldn’t fake it, either.
In her bestseller, Susan Cain says that at least one third of the people we know are introverts. We are often overlooked by our American culture that values extroverts. Teachers pay more attention to their extroverted students. Parents worry about their children who are quiet and introverted. Introverts are passed by for jobs and promotions. Even in the church, pastors are encouraged to adopt an extroverted, exuberant persona.
Cain points out that introverts aren’t necessary shy or socially challenged. She provides fascinating stories of introverts who have made important contributions to our world, from Rosa Parks to Steve Wozniak to Dr. Seuss. She highlights the benefits of listening and taking time to think things through.
She shows how the trend of working in teams rather than individually is not necessarily better for education and business. Some of the most interesting stories in the book are about top-notch Asian students who come to the U.S. to study, are overwhelmed by boisterous American college life, and then face difficulty getting jobs with companies that seek to hire candidates who score high on the extrovert scale on personality tests.This book helped me to better understand myself. One of the true-false questions in an informal quiz is, "I often let calls go through to voice mail." I hadn’t realized how often I do that, especially on my business line. Now I understand that I’m hoping the caller will leave a message and tell me why they are calling, so I can be prepared for the conversation, rather than being forced to speak off the cuff – something introverts aren’t good at.
Cain offers suggestions on how introverts can be more extroverted when they have to be, and tells stories of individuals who have successful careers in fields such as entertainment and teaching. She talks about how extroverts and introverts can communicate with each other. I think one of the most important chapters addresses how parents can nurture introverted kids rather than trying to change them.
I highly recommend this book to those of you who are introverts, who live with introverts, and especially parents of introverts. It’s a well-researched and fascinating book that will help you appreciate your own strengths as well as those of other people who are "Quiet."
June Hoover
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 10
Well, you did it! You can pat yourself on the back if you have persevered through Leviticus and Numbers, for this week we forge ahead into the book of Deuteronomy. Way to go! If you are jumping in mid-way through the journey; no worries. Welcome! Enjoy Grace Monday and start fresh.
I have always found Deuteronomy to be much more accessible than her predecessors. Take courage!
Deuteronomy means "second law" or "repetition of the law." What makes this book exciting and interesting to me is the context. This second reading or giving of the law was most likely done by Moses on the doorstep of the Promised Land. He speaks out these words of God to a new generation. The adult population that saw the miracles of God through the plagues, the power of God at the Red Sea, and the glory of God at Mount Sinai have now passed away. A young generation, many of who were only kids or not even born at the time of the Exodus, have now come into maturity and represent the people of God. The giving of the law at Mount Sinai is only a story to them. Most of the miracles have come to them second hand. They have only experienced a small portion of the power of God compared to their ancestors.
This is what makes Deuteronomy so good. Moses is looking out across a vast crowd of young men and women that are about to enter the Promised Land. And Moses calls them to God. He calls them to remember the miracles, even ones they didn't see personally. He calls them to hold on to the covenant and the promises. He calls them to live out the words of God in a way their parents never did. He calls them to be the people God dreamed of creating and crafting for Himself when He called them out of Egypt.
I think I like this book so much because it confronts our "what have you done for me lately" mentality that is so common among us. If God hasn't parted the seas in the last few months, or days, we start to wonder what's wrong with Him, or us, and we are tempted to lose faith. We hear stories of what God did in missions' movements of the past, or revival meetings long ago, but we weren't there. We haven't always had the first-hand, front-row seat experience of our ancestors. But like Israel, we are called to remember. We are called to remember a God who gave His life for us. We are called to remember when He first found us and saved us. We are called to remember His goodness and faithfulness to us throughout the years. And then we are called to turn and face the challenges of entering a Promised Land. We are called to go and be His people.
May Deuteronomy speak to you this week of who YOU are called to be-
Nick
I have always found Deuteronomy to be much more accessible than her predecessors. Take courage!
Deuteronomy means "second law" or "repetition of the law." What makes this book exciting and interesting to me is the context. This second reading or giving of the law was most likely done by Moses on the doorstep of the Promised Land. He speaks out these words of God to a new generation. The adult population that saw the miracles of God through the plagues, the power of God at the Red Sea, and the glory of God at Mount Sinai have now passed away. A young generation, many of who were only kids or not even born at the time of the Exodus, have now come into maturity and represent the people of God. The giving of the law at Mount Sinai is only a story to them. Most of the miracles have come to them second hand. They have only experienced a small portion of the power of God compared to their ancestors.
This is what makes Deuteronomy so good. Moses is looking out across a vast crowd of young men and women that are about to enter the Promised Land. And Moses calls them to God. He calls them to remember the miracles, even ones they didn't see personally. He calls them to hold on to the covenant and the promises. He calls them to live out the words of God in a way their parents never did. He calls them to be the people God dreamed of creating and crafting for Himself when He called them out of Egypt.
I think I like this book so much because it confronts our "what have you done for me lately" mentality that is so common among us. If God hasn't parted the seas in the last few months, or days, we start to wonder what's wrong with Him, or us, and we are tempted to lose faith. We hear stories of what God did in missions' movements of the past, or revival meetings long ago, but we weren't there. We haven't always had the first-hand, front-row seat experience of our ancestors. But like Israel, we are called to remember. We are called to remember a God who gave His life for us. We are called to remember when He first found us and saved us. We are called to remember His goodness and faithfulness to us throughout the years. And then we are called to turn and face the challenges of entering a Promised Land. We are called to go and be His people.
May Deuteronomy speak to you this week of who YOU are called to be-
Nick
Thursday, March 07, 2013
The Chronological Bible- Week 9
As we continue to wind our way through the first five books of the Bible, one of the things we can't help but stop and ask is, "why are there so many laws in these books?" And, "why are they in the Bible?" For most of us, I think we feel like there is little that we can gain today from studying them, and we never hear them preached on, if not for more than a passing reference here and there. This blog is an attempt at helping all of us to understand the place these laws have in our faith today.
If you think about it, these first five books were the only Bible the Israelites had for quite some time. In fact, for several thousand years, when Jews would ask the question, "How do we live in a way that is pleasing to God?" these books- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy- were their answer. Their ONLY answer.
So imagine if you had been alive many, many years ago before the Bible came to be the Bible. You had no written record of what pleased God and what didn't. One day, God came along to you and said, "Person, if you sin, you should bring me a sacrifice!" With no other reference point, you are going to have many, many questions. Such as, "what is sinful and what isn't? What kind of sacrifice? Do all sins require the same sacrifice? When do I bring the sacrifice? Where do I bring it? Do I sacrifice it myself, or does someone else do that? What does it mean to sacrifice something to begin with? Burn it? Kill it? Eat it?" All of these questions and many like them would be logical, and expected responses to God's command.
In light of this, the length and specificity of all these books starts to make a lot more sense! I have been told that even in the 1st century at the time of Jesus, Jewish school boys were still required to memorize the entirety of these books in school. Crazy as that may sound, it actually makes a lot of sense when we remember that these rules were their primary link to pleasing God.
If reading all of these laws and commands does one thing for us, it ought to make us eternally grateful for the work of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice has ended the system of sacrifice (Hebrews 10) and made righteous forever all who trust in His name. So as you read about bulls and goats one more time, pause and thank Jesus for coming on your behalf.
So while Jesus made our approach to God much simpler, he actually made the requirements infinitely more challenging! When you think about it, Jesus summarized thousands of laws with two: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Very simple, but very, very hard to do. It would actually be much easier for us to follow the sacrificial system than to live out the laws of love in every single thing we do.
This is the amazing conundrum of Jesus. He raised the bar of God's righteous standard even higher than the Old Testament law, but he lowered the bar of acceptance. In the past, the people had to obey all the commands in order to be acceptable. Jesus, however, made everyone acceptable through His blood. Why? Because God knew that when people understood they were loved and accepted by God already, they would be empowered to go and live out his law of love.
We can never hope to love God and others perfectly. But thanks to the amazing love and grace of Jesus Christ, we have the freedom to try, knowing that our acceptance before God isn't contingent on how well we obey His law. How cool is that?
So go for it. Go and love God and love others with all that you have. And when you realize you've come up short, which you always will, fall back into the amazing grace of Jesus Christ. And then go out and love some more.
May your journey through Scripture give you a deeper love for Jesus than ever before!
Nick
If you think about it, these first five books were the only Bible the Israelites had for quite some time. In fact, for several thousand years, when Jews would ask the question, "How do we live in a way that is pleasing to God?" these books- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy- were their answer. Their ONLY answer.
So imagine if you had been alive many, many years ago before the Bible came to be the Bible. You had no written record of what pleased God and what didn't. One day, God came along to you and said, "Person, if you sin, you should bring me a sacrifice!" With no other reference point, you are going to have many, many questions. Such as, "what is sinful and what isn't? What kind of sacrifice? Do all sins require the same sacrifice? When do I bring the sacrifice? Where do I bring it? Do I sacrifice it myself, or does someone else do that? What does it mean to sacrifice something to begin with? Burn it? Kill it? Eat it?" All of these questions and many like them would be logical, and expected responses to God's command.
In light of this, the length and specificity of all these books starts to make a lot more sense! I have been told that even in the 1st century at the time of Jesus, Jewish school boys were still required to memorize the entirety of these books in school. Crazy as that may sound, it actually makes a lot of sense when we remember that these rules were their primary link to pleasing God.
If reading all of these laws and commands does one thing for us, it ought to make us eternally grateful for the work of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice has ended the system of sacrifice (Hebrews 10) and made righteous forever all who trust in His name. So as you read about bulls and goats one more time, pause and thank Jesus for coming on your behalf.
So while Jesus made our approach to God much simpler, he actually made the requirements infinitely more challenging! When you think about it, Jesus summarized thousands of laws with two: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Very simple, but very, very hard to do. It would actually be much easier for us to follow the sacrificial system than to live out the laws of love in every single thing we do.
This is the amazing conundrum of Jesus. He raised the bar of God's righteous standard even higher than the Old Testament law, but he lowered the bar of acceptance. In the past, the people had to obey all the commands in order to be acceptable. Jesus, however, made everyone acceptable through His blood. Why? Because God knew that when people understood they were loved and accepted by God already, they would be empowered to go and live out his law of love.
We can never hope to love God and others perfectly. But thanks to the amazing love and grace of Jesus Christ, we have the freedom to try, knowing that our acceptance before God isn't contingent on how well we obey His law. How cool is that?
So go for it. Go and love God and love others with all that you have. And when you realize you've come up short, which you always will, fall back into the amazing grace of Jesus Christ. And then go out and love some more.
May your journey through Scripture give you a deeper love for Jesus than ever before!
Nick
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