Do You Know the Password?

The house where I grew up in Austell had some very special spots. One of my favorites was the cellar my grandfather dug out when he owned the house. The cellar was originally a crawlspace, but he painstakingly excavated it by hand to give him some extra storage, a place to do some work, and almost quite literally, a man-cave. When he and my nana moved to Cartersville, we moved into that house and my Papa’s man-cave became a magical lair for my brother and me. In there we would have epic battles with our GI Joes, imagine we were in our own bunker, and do other things that little boys would do in a grungy utilitarian retreat.

This space wasn’t just special for my brother and me, it served as a sort of clubhouse for the handful of kids on our small dead-end street. In classic “Little Rascals” fashion, we had a secret password to grant entrance through the doors, descending into our hideout. And though we were “He-Men” in our own eyes, there certainly was no woman hating in our club (the name of the club in the Little Rascals was the He-Man Woman Haters). Our passwords ranged from the intricate to the absurd, served no purpose whatsoever, but for a bunch of kids, it added to the mystique.

Passwords are interesting things, aren’t they? These days, with all of the different websites, apps, and other accounts we use in this digital age, we have passwords for everything! In fact, now there are password protected apps to keep track of your passwords! Need entrance to a special or protected place? Use the password.

Did you know that the Bible teaches us that there is an actual password into the most special of all places, the presence of GOD? Check out Psalm 100:4, “Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’ Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.” How about that?!? The password into GOD’s holy presence is rooted in thanksgiving!

This week, as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, many people will pause and reflect upon the things for which they are thankful. This is something we will do around our dinner table, and I hope you will, too. The concept of giving thanks is a very biblical one, and a concept that when practiced regularly – and not just on the 4^th Thursday of November – can radically change the trajectory of your life!

When was the last time you paused to give thanks to GOD for all you have in life? When was the last time you paused to give thanks to GOD for all you need not worry about in life? Check out Philippians 4:6-7 in the New International Version: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

As you pause to celebrate this Thanksgiving, remember that it is a simple Thank You that is the password into GOD’s presence. May your heart and mind be guarded in Christ Jesus. May all the worries and anxieties melt away as you enjoy time with friends and family. And in the midst of so much uncertainty in the world, may the peace of GOD manifest in your life and on your home. 

Let the River Flow

This past weekend, Cokes Chapel joined with other United Methodist Churches in our community, to make a difference in the name of Jesus through River of Life: Coweta. The impetus for this event came as a result of our FOCUS Youth’s faithful participation in River of Life: Macon for the past several years. The goal was to help the River branch out into our community and begin providing opportunities for the youth in our church and community to come together in worship, fellowship, and service to experience the synergistic power of the Holy Spirit that occurs when followers of Jesus gather to make a difference. After watching the event unfold this past week, I can emphatically say the goal was achieved!

In John 7:38, Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” This verse is something that many got to witness as our youth joined in with others to passionately serve and worship the Lord. The Holy Spirit descended into our church in a mighty way, filled the hearts of the participants, which they then carried out in service to impact others. This is precisely how the flow of the Spirit works in our lives…it sweeps us up and then moves us in ways only God can orchestrate to accomplish God’s task for us to share the Good News. Just think of it – youth and adults, giving of their weekend, working and serving in the record cold temperatures, to share the love of God and experiencing God’s love in a new and profound way.

In worship on Sunday, we were blessed to hear the record of service from this River of Life. I want to share it with you again in this format so you can see and celebrate with us how the flow of God swept us up as a church, joining together with others in the community, to serve, share, and shine for God. Consider what was accomplished:

   

·        17 months of prep work

·        288 hours of planning

·        72 hour prayer vigil

·        Included 4 states

·        427 work hours

·        63 facility hours

·        92 kitchen hours

·        52 lbs meat

·        180 pancakes

·        112 gallons of beverages

·        20 lbs of fruit

·        12 actually consumed

·        1 lb actually juggled

·        40 students

·        72 adults

·        6 worksites

·        50 people served yesterday

·        Over 300 served this week

·        Infinite number of lives changed!

I hope you will join with me to celebrate what God accomplished through our youth and leadership. And as we prepare for Thanksgiving and the holy seasons of Advent and Christmas, remember these impacts and let the river flow from us to share with others the goodness and love of God!