On Mother Teresa & Life

The life of Mother Teresa is one that fascinates me. You might know her as a great champion for the poor and disenfranchised in Calcutta.  She has often been held as someone who persevered in faith even in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances. Where this is certainly true, it was revealed several years ago following her death that she knew what it meant to struggle in her faith like many of us do. As she observed the suffering and felt the hopelessness of the conditions in which she served, she asked the same kinds of questions you and I have likely asked from time to time; questions about suffering, pain, agony, helplessness and hopelessness. Through her perseverance, however, Mother Teresa continued to find GOD in and through her opportunities to make a difference in a person's life. Things should be no different for us.

When faced with my own questions, doubts, and dilemmas, I like to turn to others who have faced similar struggles. Being able to turn to someone who has made it a few more steps down the path of life's journey can be extremely helpful to remind us that despite how we feel, we are not alone. These experiences can be so beneficial for me personally as I realize that I am not the only one who struggles to make sense of life every now and then. And to learn such a lesson from Mother Teresa? Well, it just goes to show that all of us can be left with little more than our questions even when heeding the call of GOD.

I thought I'd share a great thought from Mother Teresa that she wrote about the duplicitous nature of life. Check this out and see if you might be able to find some new insight as to how to live, persevere, and follow GOD even when life throws all sorts of conundrums your way.

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.”

                             ~ Mother Teresa

Have a great week and I hope to see you in worship on Sunday!

Pastor Mark

Pentecost Brings The Winds Of Change

This past Sunday, Pentecost was celebrated in many Christian churches. It is the day we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit. You can read all about it in Acts 2.

It was on Pentecost that Jesus fulfilled His promise that he would send another Counselor—the Spirit of Truth—to come to the disciples. (John 14.15) It was this Spirit that would give them the ability to stand up in the face of persecution with the same gumption and character as Jesus did. And on that fateful morning, just a little more than a month past Easter, a mighty wind swept across the hearts of those who believed in Jesus and brought forth life. The winds of change had blown!

And did the winds of change blow! Looking at Acts 2, we read about a particular disciple named Peter. You might remember Peter. He is the one who swore that wherever Jesus went, he would follow—even to death. This is the same Peter who denied knowing Jesus three times. Well, on Pentecost, this impetuous cowardly Peter stood up and proclaimed, “Salvation comes no other way; no other name [Jesus] has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one.” (Acts 4.12, MSG) Peter was infused with the Holy Spirit’s power and the change it brought in his life brought about a change for the rest of the world!

The Spirit’s winds of change can blow in our lives, too. The Spirit fills us with God’s power enabling us to stand in the face of persecution; to go places to spread God’s glory we otherwise would not go; and to give us glimpses of glory divine, eternal in the heavens.

“Lutheran pastor Dan Mangler tells the story of a Shetland sheepdog his family owned named, Amber. He recalls that Amber loved windy days, and no matter how windy it was she would stand on their front lawn, face the direction that the wind was coming from, put her nose up in the air ... and immediately enter doggy heaven.

She was oblivious to anything else going on around her, and Mangler thinks he knows why: It was the smells that the wind brought her. Her movements were, for the most part, confined to the house or yard, so the wind was, for her, a sumptuous blessing.

The wind brought her experiences of a world beyond her powers to visit, including the smells of a dozen kinds of trees and hundreds of wildflowers, of squirrels and rabbits, of pigs and cows. ‘There is in that example, I think, a picture of Pentecost,’ writes Mangler. ‘Pentecost is the wind that brings us experiences of a world beyond our powers to visit.’ May we all experience such a visitation!”[i]

How are the winds of change blowing in your life? Are you finding yourself infused with power to stand against the naysayers of God? Are you finding yourself with the powerful desire to go places and share the glory of God where you otherwise would not go? Or are you like Amber, finding yourself given glimpses of glory divine, outside of yourself in places where only God can lead?

The winds of change are blowing! Where are they blowing you? Happy Pentecost and may the power of the Spirit be with you always!

---

[i] The Spirit Scale, Homiletics Online, May, 15, 2005. www.homileticsonline.com

Einstein On Miracles

The concept of miracles is one that has been very important for me lately. After doing some study, research, and prayer, I am convinced that GOD is still very much in the miracle-working business. We might be inclined to think that GOD is not working miracles like He did in the days of parting seas, raising the dead, and helping the immobile move, but I know for a fact in thinking about GOD's presence and power that gets manifested in my own life, that He is still very much in the miracle-working business! 

Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” This begs the question for me: how are you living? Are you living as though everything is a miracle, or are you living as though nothing is a miracle? In order for us see everything as a miracle, we need to acknowledge the miraculous love of Jesus Christ, and consider that in light of what Paul wrote as recorded in Acts 17:28, that in Him we live, move, and have our being. This is talking about a perpetual acknowledgement of GOD's presence and power and striving to apply that knowledge to every aspect of our lives. This is not to say that life will always be perfect...far from it...but that we can sense GOD's presence and activity regardless of what is currently transpiring.

Life can be a real challenge sometimes, but understanding that GOD's desire is to prepare us for Heaven and not make us comfortable in the here-and-now makes a HUGE difference. This can provide some serious faith inducing hope to give perspective for all of life foibles...the ones of our own making and the ones over which we have no control. Having that kind of knowledge can transform us not just today, but for eternity as well. What is important is perspective and viewing life itself as a miraculous gift from GOD Almighty!

So how are you living life today? Are you viewing it as a miracle or just some random accident? How do you think GOD wants you to see your life in Him? My guess is as the miracle that it is!

Have a great rest of the week and live miraculously!

Today is National Clean Your Room Day

I get a kick out of the funny and nonsensical holidays. Some days I pay attention to them when others I do not. Today's (May 10th) national day is one that really struck me. Did you know that today is National Clean Your Room Day? It is...no kidding!

Room cleaning is something that strikes different people differently.

Personally, I find cleaning to be therapeutic. I know some might think I need therapy for finding it therapeutic, but I do. There is just something about the sense of a job well done when I see vacuum tracks in our carpets, a shiny kitchen floor, the aroma of pine sol emanating from the bathrooms, and knowing that everything is in its proper place.

I have learned something in my life, however, and that is I am far more willing to clean my house than I am the homes of others. Maybe that will quell the offers I'm sure will come for me to come and clean your house. When we really get down to it, though, we might feel a bit uneasy about having another come to clean our house because it will destroy the illusion of how clean we try to make ourselves appear. I have honestly heard of some who clean before a housekeeper arrives to try to help alleviate some embarrassment of being dirty. The fact of the matter is, if we are truly living in our homes, then we are bound to make a mess that must be cleaned.

If we are truly living, we also must acknowledge and admit that there are times when our homes aren't the only things that need a little TLC. The difficulties and struggles of life can wear us down, tire us out, and make us in desperate need of someone to come and work on us...someone who truly knows what to do.

As Jesus was about to burst on the scene, John the Baptist was being asked if he himself was the long-awaited Messiah.  He adamantly professed he was not, and one time said the following, as told in The Message paraphrase of Luke 3:16-17: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before GOD; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned." What an amazing promise! John was telling His disciples, and us today, that Jesus wants to come and bring the power of GOD to us so we can be right with GOD. Once we are right with GOD—and remember, this is GOD's work, not just yours—then we will be able to enjoy the peace that comes when we know everything is in its proper place.

On this National Clean Your Room Day, may you make it a personal task to welcome the Lord into your life so He can do what He does best...clean YOU so you can enjoy the peace and hope that comes from being right with Him. He definitely wants to, but He needs you to welcome Him in. In fact, the Bible says that Jesus stands at the door of your heart, knocking and to be welcomed inside (Revelation 3:20). Once He is there, the remodeling job He does in your life will absolutely be something to behold. So open up your life, and let Christ do what He does best on this, the National Clean Your Room Day, and every day of your life!

“I Once Was Lost But Now Am Found”

There is a story that is captivating me right now and perhaps you have heard it. It is the story of a Philadelphia man who has had quite an intriguing life. When he was an infant, his mother decided she could no longer parent him, so she took him to an orphanage in Hawaii. After he was taken to the orphanage, the rest of his biological family began an all-out search for him. Unfortunately, his whereabouts were never revealed and he was for all intents and purposes lost in Hawaii. This man was eventually adopted by a very loving family and he has had a good life. His circumstances always gave him reason to wonder about his past. His curiosity began to manifest in impulses to learn more, so he began looking for any information he could find that might reveal any clue about his heritage.

Those impulses proved fruitful earlier this year when he found a picture of himself on a missing persons website. The pictures included were one of him as an infant (which he immediately recognized) and a picture of himself as experts believe he could look after applying age progression technology. He knew it was him at first glance! As I watched this story, I could not help but think about the poignant line from the hymn, Amazing Grace, that says, “I once was lost but now am found…” Since being found, the man has been reunited with his biological father and introduced to siblings he never knew he had. I can only imagine how dizzying this situation must be, but for him, it is the answer to a prayer. It does not diminish the loving feelings he has for his adoptive family, but it rounds out who he is in ways that only someone who has been through anything similar could understand.

In Jeremiah 1:5, GOD tells the prophet, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart…” This is a powerful lesson for all of us to understand, in that we have a Father in Heaven who created us lovingly to be part of His family. As we grow and mature, we come to know a longing that only be filled by GOD. Some have described this by saying we have a GOD-shaped hole in our hearts that can only be filled by the Lord. When we come to realize we were created by GOD and for GOD, then we come to understand a part of our identity that we will only be able to comprehend once we know the true origin of our story.

Your story matters. It does! You were created by GOD and for GOD. Knowing this is an enormous part of what it means to “Be Part of the Miracle;” that your story can help point others to a deeper understanding of GOD’s love and the hope we all can find in Him. You might be fully aware of our earthly origins, but there is a wholeness that can only come in knowing that GOD knows you and that you are set aside for a life lived in Him.

May you ponder this today and think about how your own life might be impacted by the knowledge of GOD’s love. May you think about how your life might be changed if you, too, knew that you once were lost but not are found! May you then use your story to help others realize that they, too, are part of GOD’s miracle!

I tend to be a bit of an infomercial hound. I like to see what new products are on the horizon and how they will change the way we live. Some are ingenious, some completely outlandish, and some downright absurd. I guess that’s why infomercials are so entertaining.

Several weeks ago I was watching a little television and ran across an infomercial for the latest and greatest life-changing gizmo. During the half-hour commercial, a paid spokesperson was shown going around town aiming to convince people they have not lived until they have experienced what this doo-dad can do. Toward the end of the infomercial, this spokesperson made the following pronouncement, “It will change your life!” Needless to say, I really began wondering if this thingamabob was truly what my heart lacked.

In my short years, I have heard many pitches for products that will change my life. I have even bought a few of these products myself—mostly exercise equipment in search of perfect abs—only to realize that another gadget did more for my credit rating than it did my waistline. I needed to realize that buying these things would not guarantee a change until I was first committed to my desired results. The magic, therefore, was not in some new space-age trinket, but within my own heart and dedication to the change. In other words, no piece of workout equipment would change my body unless I first committed myself to using it and then actually used it!

We were created with a very specific purpose in mind: fellowship with God. When we are not living for GOD, we very plain and simply are not living “on purpose.” To quote the famous theologian, Saint Augustine, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in [GOD].” In order for life to have meaning, we must realize we were intended to live with GOD all along.

As part of our human nature, we hope we’ll find fulfillment from the perfect body, new car, or a faster latest fad. We try to buy happiness but end up filling our garages while emptying our hearts. We might look for a true life-changing experience in a treadmill, abs gadget, juicer, or rotisserie cooker, but these searches invariably leave us (pardon the pun) hungry for more. So we must consume ourselves with searching for GOD and our heart set on a transformed life!

The problem is we still yearn for fulfillment from things we can wrap our arms around. You might find it impossible to believe GOD would want to be in a relationship with you, and for this reason, you probably yearn for things you can see and understand; for example, being able to see yourself enjoying the thrill of a new dream car, dream house, or dream job. But in the end, you are left wondering if some “As Seen on TV” gadget is what you’re lacking.

We are in the Easter season—and will be until Pentecost which is May 27th this year—a time when we are continually called to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for you and me. This might seem hard to wrap our arms around, but the promise of Easter is that GOD is wrapping His arms around us! And friends, there is nothing in the world that can effect as much change in any one person’s life as the cross of Jesus! So realize that the answer to life’s question will never come from an infomercial doohickey, but in a prayerful turn to GOD.

If you find yourself searching for a real life change in things that will only rust and decay, turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in his wonderful face. Realize that all you need to see is your Lord, Jesus, and hear his soft voice of love and forgiveness welcoming you home. This, my friends—with all due respect to the latest thingy—will change your life!

Maundy Thursday

Today is Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, and it is a significant day in the history of the Christian church.

The word, "Maundy," comes from the Latin, "mandatum," which is where we get our English word, "mandate." The idea for Maundy Thursday is we commemorate Jesus offering His commandment -- to love as we have been loved by GOD -- as recorded in John 13.34: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another"(NKJV). After saying this, Jesus then showed us the connection between love & personal service by kneeling to wash His disciples' feet. After that amazing act of loving service, Jesus gave us the format for our modern day Holy Communion services as He broke bread and passed the cup saying, "Do this in remembrance of me."

We hope you will come to experience this unique opportunity to bask in the power of Jesus' mandatums on this Maundy Thursday. We hope to see you for Holy Communion at noon and then again for our formal Maundy Thursday service at 7pm. Both services are to be held in the sanctuary.


Praise GOD from whom all blessings flow!
Pastor Mark