Men–Are You Ready?
August 30, 2010 by Jay Messenger
Filed under Uncategorized
The weather is changing, leaves are starting to turn, kids are about to go back to school…and football season is right around the corner!
Maybe you’re a football fan (I am!) and maybe you’re not (which may be true of you)…. But much of the sports talk at this time of year is about the upcoming football season, who is expected to do what, who’s looking good and who isn’t, and what team will eventually make it to the Superbowl. But behind the scenes, for several months now, training camps have been spooling up, players are conditioning, working hard, memorizing plays, practicing and preparing for what’s ahead…so is the same true of you?
I was talking to a Dad recently who kids have entered adulthood…they’ve gone off to school, moved out of the house, and some have just gotten married. All of his kids are believers, which he’s very grateful for. But he’s facing the reality of letting go…entrusting daughters to the care of new husbands, hoping that their parents have prepared them to lead, protect, and love their wives the way Christ does His church.
But the reality is that some many of our kids today are growing up in homes where Dad is absent…literally. Statistics tell us that 40% of American kids will go to bed tonight without Dad at home…he’s gone…separation, divorce, abandonment have all taken their toll. With Dad out of the picture, who is going to teach these boys to become men? Christian Men? Men who are strong, loving, protective, persevervant, faithful…like Jesus?
That’s the reality this Dad is facing…he has a son in law who is a believer, but who was never taught what it means to be a Christian Man. Quite frankly, instead of acting like a man, his son in law is a boy who has never grown up…he’s making poor choices because he’s never had anyone to show him what it means to be a Jesus-Follower AND a husband. What if this was YOUR son in law? Your son? Your friend? Or maybe this is YOUR story too…?
For your own spiritual development (as well as for those the Lord has entrusted to you) it’s time to hit training camp…and it’s called Men’s Fraternity. We’re offering two blocks this year at the Journey…the first year “The Quest for Authentic Manhood” and the second year “Winning at Work and Home.” Come join us as we learn and grow together as Men of God. What it means to be a husband…a dad…an employee…a friend…and a spiritual leader in your home. What if you already know how to do that stuff? Then bring someone with you…like your son(s)…your neighbor(s)…your co-worker(s)…your friends.
If you were with us last year, we invite you to come join us again. If you’re like me, you saw some true growth and development this last year and want to keep the momentum going…so don’t let this opportunity pass you buy.
Your wife, kids, grand-kids, family, friends, and co-workers need you to be the man God has created you to be…don’t put off your own development because “you’re to busy.” Find a way to make time early Tuesday mornings…or come to the Journey on Wednesdaynights. Your life is not the pre-season…this is the real deal. Are you ready?
An Answered Prayer
August 18, 2010 by Gerry Smith
Filed under Feature, Uncategorized
I just finished reading my good friend Ben Sadler’s blog on praying. I know that he and Heidi have been excited about bringing a prayer class to Grace in the fall’s journey. More importantly I know that God has really been convicting Ben and Heidi that they need to seek God more fervently in all that they do. They have, and this new dependence on God has brought about some incredible answers. Ben and I have talked a lot about this- I don’t speak for him, but I know that we are fed up with doing things through our own strength and we really have this incredible desire to see God move in the lives that we are connected with.
That said, you know that I have struggled with prayer in my life. I find that one of my greatest temptations is to do life on my own (like I have it figured out) and come up with my own answers and make my own decisions based on how I see things. At times giving into this temptation has caused me to hurt others by addressing issues that I thought needed to be addressed, long before the Holy Spirit spoke to them. My reasoning has been that I’m a pretty smart guy and I could really help them see things differently.. now I am talking about good people who love the Lord and people for whom the Holy Spirit is active. Lately though, I have been impressed with the need to rely more on God’s spirit then on my own. I have seen Him move in counseling sessions where we pray for wisdom… and then low and behold he answers. I’ve seen him answer weird almost forgotten prayers.
Not too long ago, a dear friend had been on my heart. I’ve known this guy for over 17 years but lately I have noticed several character issues that seem to be contrary to the Spirit’s movement in his life. Many times I have talked to him about them and many times he has put up walls of defense and said in not too many words, don’t boss me- you do not have anything to say about me and my life. And so, just out of desperation I have been praying. Praying because I really couldn’t do anything about what I was seeing. I tried and he rebuffed my help. I really prayed, I was like Jacob on the banks of the river holding onto God because I knew that if He didn’t bless this man then nothing would happen. And it happened, the other day as we were talking he was telling me some of the things that God was doing in his life… and they were in direct answer to prayers that I had prayed! God was convicting him of sin, God was creating desires in his heart that only He could put there. Wow, if that didn’t increase my faith. I’ve got to tell you, I am encouraged to continue praying fervent, “I can’t do it” kind of prayers. I am more convinced today then yesterday that God is not only God- creator of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them but He is also my shepherd and concerned about the things in my life and the things that I am concerned about. I am going to continue to pray. Would you join me? Would you trust God to work in your life today?
The Power of Prayer
August 10, 2010 by Ben Sadler
Filed under Feature, Uncategorized
Do you really believe that prayer changes things?
I mean seriously do we come to God with a sense of expectancy in our conversations with Him. Throughout our day are we waiting and looking for ways in which He might be moving? When we come together on Sunday mornings and we sing songs asking God to meet with us…do we really believe and expect Him to do so?
“You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God” James 4:2
Now this is not a blog about asking God to give you a car or make you wealthy but this verse serves as a reminder that God is our Provider and we need to be coming to Him believing that He provides.. God wants to give good gifts to His Children and the greatest gift of all is Himself. Like pastor and writer Jim Cymbala asks How many blessings from God have we missed out on because we haven’t asked Him?
Over the past several months God has really been placing a burden on our heart (ours meaning Heidi and I) regarding the discipline of prayer. For me prayer has been one of the weaker disciplines in my life. Sure I prayed… about the big things…. About the things I felt I had no control over. But most of the time I was too busy doing ministry and reacting to life to really take time to pray. Does this ring true to any of you? And what is the fruit of such living? Honestly for me…. I have walked in anxiety, fatigue, and discouragement.
But a major turning point began a few months ago. It started with reading Richard Foster’s chapter on prayer in his book “Celebration of Discipline” In that chapter he talked about God using prayer to change things. There are many instances in the bible where God changed His mind in response to the prayers of His people. I asked myself, do I really believe that prayer changes things? Do I believe that God can truly change lives of those I minister to? Do I believe He is on the verge of doing something miraculous at Grace? The scary thing is I’d been so concerned with just surviving the ministry week I hadn’t taken much time to wrestle with questions like that. So, my wife and I began getting up earlier and being very intentional in the way that we prayed. Being as specific as possible even over little things, and we have seen God do some amazing things in the lives of our young adults. There is such an expectancy in our hearts regarding his intentions for Grace Community Church and we have a hunger for his people to deepen in their relationship with Him.
We want to see His people get on board in asking Him to use this church as an agent of restoration and life change through Christ in this community. Starting in the fall we will be teaching a prayer class at The Journey. Through it we hope to equip and encourage people to engage God in conversation expecting to see Him move. Sure we will teach ‘about’ prayer. .. but we will spend a lot of the time ‘praying’. If you are interested come talk to me, Heidi or Gerry. If you aren’t able to attend the prayer class we have a prayer night at our place 2817 NE Rene Ave. Gresham, OR. 97030. On the first Wednesday of every month starting at 6:30. We’d love to pray with you. One other resource I’d recommend is this sermon from Jim Cymbala on prayer. Take an hour and let it challenge you.
Which WAY are you going?
August 3, 2010 by Jay Messenger
Filed under Feature, Uncategorized
Which WAY are you going?
In first Corinthians 13 Paul describes “the most excellent way”…the WAY of love. Love should be what motivates everything we say and do…love for God and love for others. Love is what compels us to use our gifts in order to bless others. Love is how we make Jesus visible to a watching world. And when we do things God’s WAY it makes a huge impact in the lives of others.
Last weekend I met someone who lives in the apartments next door and it was her first Sunday here. As we introduced ourselves she explained why she chose to “give church a try”.
She explained that her grand-kids had come to the Journey last spring. They had really enjoyed Kidmo, playing games, making new friends, and learning about Jesus. When Kidmo ended, they could hardly wait for Vacation Bible School to come.
She went on to describe how much her grand-kids loved VBS. When they came home each day they were so excited they wouldn’t stop talking about it. They told all their friends in the apartments. They counted down the hours until they could go back. And they made her promise they would go to the Family Fun Night at the end of the week.
When the time came, she brought her kids over and they stayed the whole evening. She was amazed at how many people were volunteering their time to flip hamburgers, make popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones, serve drinks, put on games, etc. She couldn’t believe that so many would serve the community and neighborhood so generously.
As she spoke, her eyes began to mist and her voice began to break. “Most of all, I want to thank your church for LOVING my grand-kids. The LOVE that the Kidmo volunteers have show them, the VBS teachers, their Sunday teachers has been overwhelming to me. The reason I came to church today is because of how you have LOVED my grand-kids. The WAY your church has reached out to my grand-kids has made all the difference to me. The only thing I can say is thank you so much!”
Our vision and passion as a church has been to take the good news of Jesus to our community…especially our neighborhood right next door. I’m here to tell you (again) that God is at work among us. Your generosity, your faithfulness, your gifts are making a difference…right here in our own neighborhood. Because you’re heading the right WAY. God’s WAY. The WAY of love. Because God IS love. Let’s keep doing things His WAY. And watch what He’ll do!
Fasten Your Seatbelt!
July 22, 2010 by Jay Messenger
Filed under Uncategorized
When you hear the words “spiritual gifts” what comes to mind? Something “churchy” people do? Weird predictions of future events that never seem to come true? People speaking in funny sounds and gibberish that makes no sense what so ever? Or people truly enjoying themselves, having fun, worshipping their God and using what He has given them…and enjoying it! And it’s not weird…it’s appealing. Inspiring. Fulfilling. Maybe even exciting. And you instinctive want to be a part of it.
This week we start a four week series on spiritual gifts. The irony is that the very expressions of the Holy Spirit that we designed to bring us joy, bring us together, and bring God glory so often keep us apart…create misunderstanding… cause feelings of fear and apprehension…and cause us to question what we believe…or should believe.
The church in Corinthian was filled with people very much like you and I. Many wanted to know God better…to be more like Him…to be who He was calling them to be. But some were ignorant about spiritual gifts. Either they rejected the gifts they didn’t understand, abused the gifts they had, or created a “pecking order” of which gifts were “best” and which were “second class”. And it was causing division. And it was destroying the church.
My hope and prayer for us is that we will turn to Scripture as the “grid” by which we understand and use our spiritual gifts. Every single one of you is a gifted person. God personally selected you to gift you with what you have. Your gifts were not earned but were given to you as an act of grace by a God who gives incredible gifts…and no one gives gifts like He does. My fear for us isn’t that we’ll go to the extreme of abusing our gifts but instead go to the extreme of not using them…disgarding or neglecting them because we don’t trust the Holy Spirit to move in ways that will inspire, excited and quite possibly, surprise us. Assuming that because we don’t have the “spectacular” gifts that we’re second class citizens in God’s kingdom. Or denying others the usage of their gifts because we don’t understand them…or fear them.
My prayer for us is that we’ll come to corporate worship, each and every week, expecting God TO DO SOMETHING. To call us to repentance. To give us a compelling vision of what He promises us…so we don’t settle for functional saviors or false idols that leave us empty and unsatisfied. To see people accept Jesus Christ as thier Lord and Savior. To enter His presence with holy fear and trembling. To crawl in His lap and feel His love and approval course through our soul and spirit. To see His Spirit work in ways and call forth gifts that unify us, inspire us, encourage us and excite us to know Him better.
If we come to worship with a sense of anticipation, a sense of expectancy, and invite our great God to reveal Himself to us, to dwell among us and TO DO SOMETHING in us…then FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS. Because He will. He WANTS us to see Him, to know Him, and to experience Him. Are you ready? Then BUCKLE UP…it’s going to be a great ride!