Sharing some thoughts today!

Not writting any devotional today, because I just want to bounce some ideas and thoughts off of my readers.  I attended a youth workers conference this past weekend and it really has me thinking about a few things that have been on my mind in a more clear message.  I want to do some research in my community to discover what is needed to reach more youth.  Don't get me wrong I love the youth that come to youth group and church, but I am feeling the call to expand my reach to those that are not getting any mentoring in life.  If I continue to work with the youth that willingly come to youth group and church that is great I am helping them grow and expand in their walk of faith.  Yet, I am not fulfilling my call to reach those that are lost.  Let's face it those are the ones that will not find their way to church and youth group, so I need to meet them where they are and stop expecting that they will just "show up" on their own intuition.  My challenge is for myself to get out of the mentality that we need to bring more people to my specifc church, but to go out and be the church!  We have to stop sitting around in our church meetings and discussing how we can get our churches to bring in more money to pay for our events, activities, and plans.  We should not be concerned with how much money we can bring into a church bldg. instead we should be reaching out to our community that needs programs and support.  Getting out and being THAT church will inturn probably fill the pews on Sunday morning, why?  Because when the church stops being the entertainment for God and starts being the church on GODS Word then God will fill the pews.  So, anyway what I am looking for is help to get some demographics of my community to see where the economic, employment, school, etc. levels are at in the Hanover and surrounding areas.  To those outside of that  region I ask you to give me your thoughts of things that you see in your communities, how they are working, any contacts to make for me.  This will be a large and arduous endeavor for me, but I really do feel like it is time to begin meeting folks where they need to be met and stop wondering why to our surprise that nothing seems to be getting better.
Thanks for your comments, concerns, questions and help with all of this!

Tuned in Tuesday

Last but certainly not the least of all the new artist and music that will impact the christian music scene this year.  But, by far one of my most favorites will be performing at Creation this year is Francesca Batestelli and "This is the stuff", remarkabley true how God uses the stuff that is used to get us to understand the plans better.

Quick Gospel

John 2:14-17
14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me

Thought:
It is spring, believe it or not to those in the northeast.  So I grew up with a mother that always did "spring house cleaning", and this text brings to mind that fact for me.  No my mother did not stand around whipping her children to clean, but as we go through cycles of cleaning up our houses let us not forget that our bodies are referred to as the Temple of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians.  So as we do our legalistic house cleaning, we should also do our spirtual house cleaning too!  Clean out all the thoughts and things that bog us down, and fill those spaces with Words from God that will enlighten us to go be better people in the world.  There is indeed much more going on in this text, but just re-read it only for the actions that Jesus is doing here as he cleans up the House of God.  Without question he gets rid of all the bad things and removes all the waste that should not be there and he does it in an action that probably only takes 1 or 2 minutes of time.  His quick response should be that easy for us as well as we clean up our "temples".  We should not sit and try to contemplate these things or try to find cause, or reason or even blame with why we still hold on to them.  Just dump them from our lives for good. 

Prayer:
Dear God, we so often get caught up with doing what the world tells us is OK, that we forget to keep our minds clean for you.  Today, let us begin our "house cleaning" stage and depart with all those things that keep us from truley understanding the space that we need in our hearts and minds for you to fill to keep us clean.  Amen

Quick Gospel

1 Corinthians 9:20-22
20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

Thought:
Inevitably what Paul is saying here is to become what you need to become to reach and teach those for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Do not just sit and try to contact them from where YOU are, get up and GO, and MEET them where THEY are.  Everyone needs to be approached a different way they are wired differently to understand.  It becomes our jobs as the teachers to reach them how they need it, not for them to come looking for us.  Today challenge yourself to approach someone to reach them with the words and actions of Christ.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, putting oursleves to teh test is hard, because we do not want the blame to fall on us if something goes wrong.  So Lord just let us listen for you to go and reach those that need to be reached in a way that they will get it!

Quick Gospel

Stained Glass Masquerade - Casting Crowns
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

*Chorus*
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is CONVINCING
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Chorus x2

Well if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Thought:
Are we happy plastic people under shiny plastic steeples with walls around our weakness?  For most of us yes this is exactly what we are.  We try to hide who we are at church, and that needs to be the place where we should be who we really are.  God know we are broke, and undone, that is why we ned to be a part of a church.  To fellowship with others that are the same way, and we can rely on others to help us grow on our journey for living a better life for Christ.

Prayer:
Gracious God, remove our stain glass windows that we put up around peole.  Allow us to reveal the real us at all times so we can be genuine with them and they can truley see us for the broken peices that we are.  As we do this, then others will see how we turn to you Lord God to repair us and make us whole and complete.  Amen.

Tuned in Tuesday

Phenominal JJ Heller takes the stage today with "Save Me".  Love her style, writing, approach at reaching us that are lost and hurting in this world.  Hope you enjoy, and have a great and blessed week.

Quick Gospel

Selah:

se·lah

/ˈsilə, ˈsɛlə/ Show Spelled[see-luh, sel-uh] Show IPA

–noun

an expression occurring frequently in the Psalms, thought to be a liturgical or musical direction, probably a direction by the leader to raise the voice or perhaps an indication of a pause. (boldface added)

Thought:

This word Selah appears a lot in the book of Psalms in the Bible.  The boldface definition above is the definition that I have heard and use it for.  So as we see this word in the text we are to stop and pause and breathe before continuing.  The past 6 weeks have been mind blowing for me in a personal, spiritual, emotional, and financial way.  Why does it seem like life only gets busier and harder the more we try to move for God.  Maybe it is true the old cliche " idle hands are the devil's handy work"  If we are not doing the work FOR God, then the devil already has us right where he wants us.  Yet, if we are working hard at doing God's work the devil will continue to pursue us in every level he knows how.  Although it is good to know and then see that even in text that we read from the bible we are to take moments to breathe.  I need one of those moments right now....Selah!

Prayer:

Dear Gracious and giving God, thank you for the ability to be able to move and do your work on this ever fearing, lonely world of earth.  Thank you for the chance to stay in you, and be able to take a breath every now and again and catch that mouthful of your glory that you sustain us with.  Amen.