Thought about Hurricane Katrina (Day 3)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Romans 8:26

Yesterday I went around to my parishioners to see how they weathered the mighty storm. Luckily we are in a place where the winds and rain didn't do enough damage to make people have to leave their homes. I found that the biggest hit was to the rice fields, which are laying on the ground now and will cost much more to harvest. As far as homes goes though, there were a few shingles off, a tree or two ripped from the ground and many limbs down all over yards. But we are dry and well.

Everyone that I spoke to was not so lucky though. In visiting, I came across people who live on the Gulf Coast and made it up here to safety. They do not know how bad their homes are. But they know that it's bad. One family I visited was at the home of parents and steadily watching the news trying to get a glimpse of their neighborhood. Another family was not complete because part of it stayed behind. Luckily the mother had spoken to her son and knew he was alive. But as she said to me, "I just want to hear his voice again." And as for me, I have yet to speak to one of my best friends in Laurel, MS. All I know is that this area supposedly got hit pretty bad as well.

Many people all over have been affected and will be affected by Katrina. And after so many prayers lifted up, it seems as though I keep saying the same thing, "Please be with those affected". There is so much need and nobody knows the total physical, emotional and spiritual damage that has been caused over the last few days (that is...nobody but God Himself). It has gotten to where I do not know what I ought to pray for anymore. But as Paul says, "the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

So keep on lifting up your prayers for healing. Remember, its not just the physical stuff. It's the emotional trauma of everything being lost, the feelings of fear for loved ones that people haven't heard from, the spiritual questions such as how can a loving God let this happen. Just pray the best you can and the Spirit will intercede where your words cannot express what your heart is yearning to say.

And finally, may God bless you who either live down south or are waiting to hear from loved ones down there.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought about Hurricane Katrina (Day 2)

My heart is heavy this morning as I've gotten my first glimpses of the news. I can do so because my electricity came back on last night. I am wondering how many of my readers will not be able to read this for a lack of power in their own homes.

Jesus teaches us to "Do for others what (we) would like them to do for (us)." He also says that "This is the summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12) He also teaches us to love one another as he loved us. How might this take on a deeper meaning at a time such as this?

I've already heard from one parishioner this morning who found someone on the side of the road needing help. This was one of several who had driven north to dodge the storm and were staying in the local park. There may be some of these people around you as well. Some of these people will be away from home for a long time. And when they do go back, they may find out that there is not much to come home to.

I can quote what I've heard this morning on CNN / Fox / and The Weather Channel (as I've switched back and forth). But I believe everybody has an idea of the massive devastation that occurred yesterday and last night all over LA, MS, and AL. I won't go into detail the death toll already discovered and the number expected to be uncovered later. What I will say is this. Most of us know someone who has been affected in some way (large or small). As I said yesterday, begin by praying for them. But now is the time to plan our action.

Remember Jesus' words to do unto others as we would have them do unto us as well as his command to love. How might we do this now?

How about contacting the Red Cross to see where people are housed?

How about finding people around you who may need shelter?

How about delivering home-cooked meals to those who may not be able to go home for a while? Can you imagine how it may feel for someone in their position to see that others do actually care about their situation? You may even be able to listen to them. You don't have to have all the answers. At times like these, some people just need another to listen.

How about getting ready to write some checks?

How about getting with your pastor and asking her or him to look into UMCOR and UMVIM's plans for clean-up teams? Maybe you can be a volunteer on one of them. A week or so out of your life is nothing compared with what some of these people have lost.

How about putting together flood buckets or buying supplies such as water so that they can be transported to needed areas in a week or two when we can go and help?

How about calling all those you know who may have had damage and check on them, asking them what is needed?

How about .... How about you fill in the blanks. And for all my parishioners and friends, if you see a way that you or I can help out that I have not mentioned, contact me.

I leave you with this thought this morning. Jesus said that if we wanted to be great, we would have to serve. Here is our chance friends. We can be great in this great time of need. Listen to your heart. Hear what Jesus has to say to you today.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought about Hurricane Katrina

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJ)

Over the last 24 hours I've been pretty anxious, not for my own well-being, but for the well-being of those south of me in LA and the gulf coast. The hurricane has now hit and there are varying reports as to what the outcome will be. I've heard, though, that this one is so powerful that it will continue as a category 3 hurricane even up to the northern part of MS and even into TN with high winds. This could likely cause major power outages all over my state of MS and tornadoes in several states.

Living in the Delta just outside of Greenville may actually mean that we will be on the outside edge getting only moderate winds and some rain. But even here there could be problems if too much rain is dumped on the fields right at harvest time.

So I have been thinking about the lives of those people still in New Orleans. The people who've gotten north but may not have a home to go back to. The families of those who've already lost loved ones and those who will. Those people whose livelihood is in danger of being wiped out. And it's hard not to be anxious.

But it's in these times that we find out what kind of people we truly are. Are we really people of faith? Do we believe in a loving God? Are we ready to really get on our knees (literally or figuratively) and pray? Are we willing to show love of neighbor and get involved in clean-up efforts or sheltering or feeding those who will be without homes? Are we willing to work with UMCOR by making flood buckets or go above and beyond our tithing and make an offering to UMCOR or Red Cross or some other agency helping out?

If we look deep inside ourselves and see true disciples of Christ, then we will get involved. We will get involved because we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. And when our neighbor hurts, we hurt. Many will not be able to go to the sites and clean up. Many will not be able to afford to give a lot of money to the effort. But the one thing that all of us can do is pray. Pray for all involved. Pray that the peace which surpasses all understanding will come upon those who believe their lives are lost. Pray for God to perform a miracle and stop the hurricane from going any further.

And if you are one who is worried about your own livelihood or safety or that of your family, pray to the Lord and give thanks for what you have. "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over."
Matthew 18:15

Many people will hold everything in. And so when a brother or sister sins against them, they pack it in until finally the stress leads to something unhealthy...either inwardly or outwardly.

Other people will let out their aggressions when they've been sinned against by complaining to anyone who will listen. They continue to let it out so that they don't explode, but to the wrong people. And so they wind up not feeling any better either because they've not actually been healed.

Jesus said that if someone sins against us, that we should confront the person. This is the only true way of healing ourselves. The person may not have known they sinned against you. A bond could be formed. And if not, at least you can start a healthy healing process knowing that you've done what Christ would want you to do.

This is not always easy. And the other person may not always listen. But nobody ever said that doing what is right is easy. May God bless you as you do His will.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Until we meet again

I will be out of town until late on Wednesday, so there will be no more posts until either Thursday or Friday. I just didn't want anyone to think I got lazy. Here's a bit a scripture to think about until then.


O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.
Psalms 63:1-2 (NLT)

Are these your thoughts and feelings today?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.
Ezra 3:11-13

The first temple had been destroyed and a new one was being built. And change was happening. The ones who remembered the glory of the old temple wept because the new one wouldn't be the same. Those who had never worshipped there shouted praises to God for the greatness of the new one.

The one constant in this world is that there's always going to be change. We can choose to live in the past and weep. Or we can choose to remember the past while building on it as we rejoice in the change of the future. For as scary as change can be, it's what brings new life and opportunities.

This is the same with our churches and with ourselves. We have to change from being unrepentant sinners if we're to become children of God. I just read a quote from a book I'm reading entitled An Unstoppable Force by Erwin Raphael McManus. McManus writes, "To cry out to God and ask him to act is an invitation for God to bring radical change in our lives." In other words if we truly want to ask for God to be a part of our lives, we better be ready for some radical stuff to happen. We better be ready for change.

And our churches have to change as well. That is, if we want to keep reaching out to the unchurched in an ever-changing world. We must NEVER change (or water down) the message, only the way we go about getting it out to those who look, act and in many ways are different from the people of just a generation or two ago. These are the ones who are like the people who shouted praises at the foundation of the new Temple. They're searching for something, but often times don't know where to find it. And the old ways of doing church just doesn't look like it to them. These are ones who need to be shone the Gospel in ways that they can not only understand, but actually get excited about. This is not anything new. The Church has been changing since its beginnings in the book of Acts.

So are we willing to allow ourselves to be changed by God's Holy Spirit? Can we also be willing to allow that same Holy Spirit to change our Church so that it will be inviting to those who need her most? Let us not weep because we have to do some things differently (both personally and corporately in worship). Instead, let us praise God for what He's done for us and what He's going to do for others through us and His Church.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

God has great plans for all of us if we will only submit to Him.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT)

The narrow path is our faith and trust in Jesus. And the small gate is our repentance. Repentance simply means to turn around or change. This gate is so small and few ever find it because when all's said and done, few truly want to repent.

There are many out there who've never cared about religion or God and will never change. These will continue down the broad road that leads to destruction. But there are also many who are in church today that made a commitment to Jesus once but never truly changed. They're actually on the same path as the others.

You cannot merely claim a belief in Jesus and think you can do anything you wish afterwards. True believing is not only intellectual thinking. It's also living what you believe. Here, let me put it another way:

A man and a woman both come to the local gym one day and decide to sign up. The man never goes back, yet he pays for his membership yearly. The woman goes faithfully every week. Two years later these two meet again. The man has gained fifty pounds, whereas the woman has lost fifty. The man is in the worst physical shape ever and complains that he's been having heart problems. The woman is in the best physical shape of her life and has never felt better. Both were members of the same gym. But one took the easy route and did nothing. He paid the price in the end. The other not only attended the gym, but also participated and lived out what she had signed up for. She was blessed because of it.

We can attend church. We can pay for our membership through weekly offerings in the offering plate. But if that's all we do to live out our Christianity, then we'll pay the price just like the man in the gym.

Being a Christian is much more than offering up an hour on Sunday mornings and a few coins in the plate. You might be able to buy a membership to the gym. But you'll never be able to buy your way into Heaven. Many so-called Christians are strolling down the easy path. DON'T be one of them!

If you do truly believe in Jesus and have put your whole trust in Him for salvation, then you will live your life on the harder, narrower path that's more about love of God and neighbor than love of self. And this path will lead you to life instead of death.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life.
2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)

Knowing Jesus better means growing in our relationship with him. We do that through finding out more about him and speaking to him constantly, while allowing him to speak back.

When we do this, His divine power (being used through God's Holy Spirit) enables us to do things we couldn't do before we grew in this relationship. For instance, before I had a strong relationship with Jesus, I was a follower. In high school I would do just about anything to be accepted by others, even if it was something bad. But now I know I am accepted by my Lord and Savior and do not feel as though I have to do anything to be accepted by others. And this has led to me living a more godly life.

This is merely one example of how the divine power of God gives us everything we need for living a godly life. Jesus knows each and every one of us and sees where there are things in our lives that we can battle on our own, but will never win. For the temptation to do them is too strong. If we will only seek the help of our Savior, his divine power is enough to defeat whatever the devil throws at us. It may not be all at once, but as your relationship grows, so will your ability to fight sin.

In the love of Christ,
greg

"Hearts on Fire" - The Lake Junaluska Controversy

A problem's been a stirrin' over at Lake Junaluska. And the question is what to do about it.

It seems that a group called Reconciling Congregations, who support the ordination of homosexuals and same-sex marriage...and who disrupted General Conference last year, have decided to have their conference at Lake Junaluska this September. And what a hornet's nest this is stirring up.

This post will be rather long, but in it I place three things. 1st is a letter from my District Superintendent, Rev. Steve McDonald (D.S. of the Greenwood District of the Mississippi Annual Conference). 2nd is the article that he has submitted to the Advocate (the Mississippi A.C. newsletter). And 3rd will be a link to an explanation from Jimmy Carr, executive director at Lake Junaluska, of their actions.


Rev. McDonald's letter to the clergy in the Greenwood District


Dear Greenwood District Colleagues,

Many of you will have had questions concerning the upcoming “Hearts on Fire” conference being held at Lake Junaluska over the Labor Day weekend by the Reconciling Network of Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgendered United Methodists. Some have received an appeal from AFA or Don Wildmon to withhold payment of apportionments to protest, and a large number of you have called me to ask about all this. I ask you to think clearly and carefully before you advocate non connectional activities by your church or lay people. Keep in mind all the good things that happen every year for United Methodists through the programs and events sponsored by the Southeastern Jurisdiction and Lake Junaluska. None of our apportionments are going to this Labor Day event, and to withhold giving does nothing to prevent or punish the Reconciling Network, but may profoundly injure the good work of our church. There are those who benefit from controversy and embarrassment of the United Methodist Church, in that it helps them in fund raising.

Lake Junaluska is in a legal quandary. The real villain of this situation, in my opinion, is the Reconciling Network, which has been having meetings for years in places that raised no controversy. They have been careful and clever in avoiding any technical violation of the language of the Discipline. It seems clear to me that they chose Lake Junaluska precisely to generate the maximum publicity and to embarrass and damage the mainline United Methodist Church, especially in the Southeast, where traditional Christianity is strong. I have also included a letter I have written to the Advocate, so you will understand my take on this whole mess.

I remain available to talk with any of you who would like to call about this.


Grace and Peace,

Steve McDonald


Rev. McDonald's letter to the Advocate


CONSIDERATIONS
IN RESPONSE TO THE “HEARTS AFIRE”
CONFERENCE AT LAKE JUNALUSKA

The impending conference of homosexual, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-gendered United Methodists scheduled for Lake Junaluska Assembly for Labor Day weekend is an occasion to reflect on our church, its values, processes and directions. The freedom of United Methodists of any persuasion to gather for any purpose is not at issue. Homosexual persons are free to meet and discuss subjects of mutual interest, just as we all are. A constructive, theological dialogue on same sex attraction and homosexual practice would be very helpful to all parties. The letter of church law is also not at issue. The Discipline (Para.806.9) forbids the expenditure of church funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. There appear to be no church funds being spent in connection to the conference. The groups involved are paying for the use of the Assembly, as other hosted gatherings do.

The concerns which arise over this planned event are, therefore, not legalistic or technical. There are, however, serious concerns raised by this event which deserve consideration. These concerns fall into three categories; financial, spiritual, and theological. The consistent majority of United Methodists are in agreement with the language and positions of the Discipline regarding homosexuality and Christian faith and practice. To be presented with an agency of their own jurisdiction playing host to groups whose expressed purposes include changing the positions of the church flies in the face of their sensibilities. Lacking legal grounds to respond and express dissatisfaction with the decision to host the event, many United Methodist laypersons and churches will withhold funds in protest. I anticipate this will be a significant problem in many Annual Conferences, but none so profoundly as here in Mississippi, the home conference of the Director of Lake Junaluska Assembly. The effect might be limited to the SEJ line item, or it might spread to adversely impact all apportionments. This is unfortunate, and inappropriate. No monies from the SEJ will be spent on this conference, and to penalize other apportionments is to cripple vital ministries and missions wholly unrelated to Lake Junaluska; like throwing the baby out with the bath water. I encourage those unhappy with the Assembly’s decision to write, call and e-mail officers and staff of the SEJ rather than cripple essential programs of faithful ministry by withholding giving.

The second concern is spiritual. While the letter of church law is being observed in this case, the spirit of our covenant life is being broken. There is no doubt whatsoever that one of the primary objectives of this conference is to build support and plan for the effort to change the law of the United Methodist Church, and to take steps to build greater acceptance for homosexual practice, marriage, and ordination. I know of no other organization or association in America that would condone and facilitate the undoing of its own basic principles. This is not a blanket condemnation of persons with same sex attraction, or of the right of any person to gather for a variety of purposes. But, the involvement of the church, through one of its own facilities, in enabling the dismantling of its own established beliefs is incomprehensible. It appears to violate, in some very basic ways, the spiritual covenant of United Methodists to live their life together according to a shared standard expressed in church law.

By far, the most troubling concern raised by this conference is theological. To embrace the practice of homosexuality, not to mention bi-sexuality or trans-gendered lifestyles, one must first dispose of several very clear statements in scripture opposing homosexual practice, clear and consistent teachings in scripture about male-female marriage, and two millennia of development of theology and doctrine regarding the authority of scripture and the nature of God’s self-revelation. In addition, any theory of Biblical interpretation which allows for the removal or reinterpretation of these texts and their supporting tradition and church history will, necessarily, also remove, along with the prohibitions of homosexual practice, the exclusion of incest, pedophilia, necrophilia, and violence which are contained in these same passages. It is an all or nothing proposition. So, the question raised by this conference is a theological one: will our church continue to stand for Biblically revealed truths, or will we become morally relativistic (that is, will we consider every belief system, every lifestyle, every practice as morally equivalent to one another, with no beliefs normative or authoritative, and all behavior considered relative in moral terms).

The “Hearts Afire” Conference at Lake Junaluska is not illegal according to church law. In fact, to refuse to host such groups would probably place the church in legal jeopardy. The issues which so deeply move so many have to do with what such a conference says about our church, and where our church could possibly go, if we are not faithful and responsible to the will and Word of God

Steve McDonald


Lake Junaluska's response to the controversy


Jimmy Carr's response can be found at http://www.lakejunaluska.com/sejac/news_releases.cfm?id=322

Thought of the Day !!

This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
1 John 4:10 (NLT)

Giving up the most important thing in your life so that someone else can benefit from it is about the surest way that I can see of displaying "real love".

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12 (NLT)

Do for others what they did to you?
Do for others what you would like to do to them?

NO!!

Jesus says to do for them as you would like for them to do for you. Think about how others would act towards you in a perfect world. Then do your part in making the world more perfect by doing the same to them.

If we continue to try to get even or let our anger force the way we act towards others, then we're no better than those who treated us badly. And we're awful reflections of the light of Christ. But when we speak to others or treat them in a kind way (even if they've skipped us in the Wal-Mart line and the checker is glaring at us and never says "Good day" or "Thank you") then we just might make a difference in someone's life. It may be the person who skipped us. It may be the checker. It may be someone standing nearby that we never notice or meet.

What Jesus did...and what he wants us to do is to act Christ-like. Even though it was easier for Christ to actually be Christ-like than it is for us, He wants us to try. And when we do, we'll realize that our day is better. You actually feel better when you've been nice to people instead of treating them poorly. Why not give it a try today?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalms 9:10

Seek God in your life and He will be there in any circumstance. His promise is to never forsake you. So no matter how bad things seem to get, seek His face, His love, His peace, His encouragement, His strength...His grace in all places. He may speak to you in your innermost being or through something outside such as a friend or an occurrence. Just seek Him, for He's there for those who know His name and trust in Him.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Matthew 7:1

People judge others all the time. We judge and are judged based on attributes such as sex, skin color, political beliefs, religious beliefs, and on and on. If a person looks a certain way or acts a certain way or believes a certain way, then there must be something wrong with that person. And judgments are often incorrect. Nathanael judged a man because of where he came from..."Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" This judgment was not a very good one indeed. For Jesus is the one he was talking about.

When we judge others, we take on a privilege that has not been given to us. For Jesus, the only perfect one to ever live, is the true Judge. We may disagree. We may argue about various things. We may try and persuade others against a certain behavior. But the difference in this and judging is when we start believing that we know the totality of God's will on the subject and that the other person (or group) cannot possibly be trying to listen to God. In other words, believing something like "I know what's right and what's wrong, whereas you cannot since you disagree with me".

Issues like homosexuality and abortion and the death penalty, along with environmental, economic or political issues can divide us because we believe so adamantly that we're right and the other side is wrong. This can lead to believing that the person on the other side is a bad person. And so we judge that person based upon his/her belief.

You may be right on an issue. And on the other hand you may be wrong. For when two sides are so far apart from each other, one or the other side has to be wrong. But never let the devil use these issues to convince you to break the second greatest commandment...love of neighbor.

You may sense that God is calling you to stand up to support or go against a certain issue. And if that's the case, by all means, do what God is calling you to do. But even though you may find it your calling to make a stand for what you believe is God's will, never allow yourself to get caught up in judging someone else. For the other person may honestly believe that they're just doing what God wants them to do as well. And only God knows for sure what is truly right. So let someone who's more qualified have the job of judging. Allow Jesus to do this. Anyway, we're supposed to be in the business of loving, not judging.

As for me, I ask for God's forgiveness where I have judged and will judge in the future. And I ask that You, oh Lord, will be more lenient with Your judgment of me than I have been with others at times.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25

Have you ever heard (or said) something to the extent of "I can worship God in the woods on Sunday mornings" or "God is in nature and can be seen or felt on a golf course (or lake) just like in a church" or "I don't have to go to church to be a Christian". I know I have. I even used to say that last one.

The fact is, there is some truth in these. You CAN worship God anywhere. You CAN see God anywhere. And you DON'T have to ever walk inside a church building to be a Christian. BUT...every time I've heard these or said these, they were being used as excuses not to go to church and not explanations of how someone actually planned on being with God.

The Church of today may not be what it was in the book of Acts. But when anything grows tremendously it's going to change. So maybe we should look back to the early church that is detailed in Acts to remind us of our roots and where we need to be more like our beginnings. And as for coming together, we have to do this. We need it for accountability, for learning, for lifting up and being lifted up. God wants it, for it shows that we're putting Him first before ourselves. I really do believe that the Church would have never been formed if God didn't want us to gather together. You can debate if this gathering should be on Sunday mornings at 11am or Saturday or Wednesday nights. You can debate whether or not you go to a big church, a small church, a home church or whatever. The point is simply that we gather with others for the purpose of placing God first and being guided by His Holy Spirit.

So in the end, I say to you today to be a part of the Church. You'll make God happy, and you'll be blessed for doing it. Remember, the Church is not a building...it's all of us who claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, putting our faith and trust in Him for our salvation.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Mrs. BroGreg stopping to smell the roses (literally) 

BroGreg 

Thought of the Day !!

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 8:12

When the light is turned on in a room, all in that room is seen. We see the television in the corner, or the picture on the wall that we bought because it made us feel good. We may see that comfortable chair that we have sit in many times before, or that certain item that we've been looking all over for. But there are other things that can become painfully visible to us as well. The dust that has piled up an inch thick or the stack of bills that's a reminder to us that they're all due now. The point is, we see the good and the bad when the light is turned on.

Jesus said, in the Gospel of John, that the light came into the world but the world loved darkness. Think about that room and it's reminders of a cleaning that is needed or debts owed. When the light comes into our lives, we see the greatness of God, but we also see the same as in the room I just mentioned. We don't want to be reminded that our lives have become dirty or that we owe a debt to the one who created us. We don't want to know that things are not as perfect as the front we put up. And so, seeing the light can hurt. But the light is not turned on to make us miserable. It's turned on so that change can happen. And when this change happens, we will be made better and happier people.

The only way to be really happy is to be clean and debt free. And the only way we can be clean and debt free is through the powerful love and forgiveness that comes from the light of Christ.

In the powerful light and love of Christ,
greg

A Thought from Jerry Salley

A good friend of mine (Jerry Salley) has started sending out a daily thought to his congregation and to anybody else who would listen to him. I just happen to be one of those and enjoyed his thought this morning so well that I thought I would just send it on. Enjoy and be blessed.

In the love of Christ,
greg

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned..." Mark 16:15-16

Have you ever heard of the ripple effect? Sure you have, it's what happens when you throw a pebble into water. It really works best when you throw the pebble into still water. If the water is already moving, you won't see much of an effect. But when the water is calm and you throw in the pebble you'll notice ripples that spread out from when the pebble landed. You don't just influence the spot where the pebble landed, you influence the water all around it.

Life is like that, and we produce a ripple effect even when we don't intend to. Do something good for somebody, and maybe they'll do something good for someone else. Tell them about Christ in your life and when they become believers, they'll tell others. Show kindness, and kindness spreads.On the other hand, when you are dishonest with someone, perhaps they'll find it hard to trust others. When you don't help those who are in trouble, maybe they'll never have a chance to help others.

Just as the Apostles' teachings were spread by those they taught, so can our lives, our teachings, even our unintentional teachings, be spread by those we reach.

There are people who will learn from you every day, even when you don't intend to be teaching, and then they'll pass on to others what they have learned. Don't you want it to be something positive? Wouldn't you like to think you've had at least a small role in making this a better world? You can, by living a better life, by living a Christ filled life.

Now here's an interesting thought (or at least I think it is): Sometime, it doesn't matter when, stop while you're around a group of people and imagine ripples flowing out from you the way they do from a pebble thrown in the water. Ask yourself what your ripples look like. Ask yourself if you've made an effort to reach any of those people within your circle of influence. Are you just letting it happen, or do you work at it?

Jerry S.

Thought of the Day !!

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
Ephesians 4:1-5

It's not just pastors or missionaries who are called by God. Each of His children are called. First we are called to accept His invitation to be in a relationship with Him through His son Jesus. Secondly, we're called to love one another as Christ loves us. And thirdly we are each called for different purposes here on earth according to the gifts that our Father gives us.

Some live a life worthy of the calling that God has placed upon their hearts. Others fall short of this. Which are you doing? How is your everyday living? Is it worthy of your calling?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Titus 3:3-6

When you experience, accept and allow the kindness and love of God (through the work of the Holy Spirit) to break down the walls of enslavement to this world, you'll be set free. You'll have less anxiety. And you'll be a much happier person. But God doesn't ask for a part of you. He wants your whole self. And when we're willing to give the whole of our beings to Him, He'll pour His blessings upon us generously.

In the love of Christ,
greg