The events of Wednesday evening, June 17th, are nothing short of horrific, evil, and tragic. The family and friends of those killed in Charleston need our prayers. Listed below are 7 specific Bible-based requests that we can ask God for on their behalf.
We should pray: 1. That God’s grace, comfort, and presence would be consciously known and felt in the days ahead. They will all have to process this grievous loss from a mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual standpoint. We should pray for God’s strength to be theirs through this process. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) 2. That hate and bitterness would be overcome with love and forgiveness. This will require nothing short of miraculous intervention in the lives of those involved, because the temptation to hate is so strong when such evil has been committed. Romans 12:1 says that we should not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Pray that God will give strength to accomplish this. 3. That these dear folks can trust God’s good plan, even when it seems like He is out of control or absent from the circumstances. Pray they will remember that God is always good and that, as Romans 5:20 indicates, where sin abounds, grace and good always super-abound and overtake the evil. Even in the murder of God’s own son, Jesus, God certainly had a plan and overruled to provide eternal life for those who accept His free gift of salvation. 4. That family and friends would be assured that the Christians killed in this event are with the Lord in Heaven. They are not suffering and are experiencing eternal life. Pray that others may come into a relationship with God through this tragedy, for this is the only security we really have in this evil, sin-cursed world. Jesus told us that in this world we would face trouble, but that we could be of good cheer; because, through His plan of salvation, He has overcome sin and death and provides eternal life for all who follow him. (2 Corinthians 5:8) (John 16:33) 5. That justice would be accomplished quickly and faithfully by the authorities involved. God is a God of justice toward sin and evil and has given authority to the local, state, and federal government officials to carry out just punishment on His behalf. (Romans 13) 6. That the guilty man would find mercy for his eternal soul through repentance and faith toward God, even in the face of swift and severe punishment. This may be difficult to pray, but even Jesus prayed for His murderers while on the cross. He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) 7. That racial tensions would subside and people would remember that we did not evolve from apes. It is not about survival of the fittest, but the fact that we were all created by God. We are all of one blood--human blood. We suffer the same, we cry the same, and God loves us all equally. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten son that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” We are sure there are more ways to pray for these folks. Feel free to add your thoughts and prayers in the comments as we all continue to show compassion and concern for these dear people. Some other articles and information you may find helpful: How to Give Thanks in Hard Times How to Know God Our Church Beliefs What to Expect if You Visit Our Church (and we hope you will)
0 Comments
All of us hate to wait. Waiting in traffic, at the doctor’s office, or for that pokey family member can cause even the most patient among us to become frustrated. Frustration occurs when something out of our control gets in the way of our plans and goals. And let’s face it, waiting causes frustration because we’ve done all we can do and are out of control in the given situation. We can only wait on God to work and answer prayer. However, if you have been a Christian for very long at all, you have realized that waiting on God is a major part of our lives. Why do we have to wait, and how do we wait without getting frustrated?
Why do we have to wait? 1. God tells us to. Often parents tell young children to wait; and, like it or not, they must obey. Look at the many commands and verses that imply that God, our loving Father, tells us to wait. Psalm 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. Psalm 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Proverbs 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. Isaiah 8:17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Hosea 12:6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually. Psalm 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Psalm 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: Isaiah 25:9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 2. God’s ways and plans are wiser and better than our ways and plans. We wait for His time, which is the best time, whether we realize and understand that or not. Consider these verses from the Bible. Isaiah 55:9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. God has all power, wisdom and an eternal plan that he is executing flawlessly. Job 9:12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? Psalm 29:10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. Psalm 47:2 For the LORD most high is awesome; he is a great King over all the earth. Psalm 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. Daniel 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? How do we wait? When you are in a position of waiting on God, perhaps this acrostic, using the word “wait,” will help you know and remember how to wait. Watch without anxiety. We are told to watch and pray often in the Bible. The words associated with the Greek word “watch” in these passages means to keep alert and yet remain calm and collected. It seems to have the idea of expectancy as well. Continue to pray and watch for the answer. Do not be anxious and nervous when it does not seem to happen according to your reasoning and timing. Act on what you know to do. We must continue to function according to what God has called us to do. We must go about the normal responsibilities given to our care by the Lord. If the burden is great enough, the temptation for some is to “shut down” and do nothing but pray and fast. God may lead you in this direction, but be careful here, especially if you are of an anxious and fearful temperament. In most cases, the best solution is a combination of praying and fasting, and yet still working at what you know God has already given you to do. Be cautious of prayer that is nothing more than “sanctified worry.” This is when we find ourselves not really praying to God, but rehearsing our problem over and over again in our own minds in the guise of prayer. Often it is best simply to pray a short prayer, leaving the care with the Lord and then continuing with our business of the day, trusting God to do the work we cannot. Instruct yourself in the things of God. Spend time seeking God while you are waiting. This is when God will reveal new things about Himself to you from His Word, preaching, good Christian books, godly friends, and even through the moving of the Holy Spirit in your heart. This is not a time to complain, but to “Be still and know that I am God.” Keep a journal, especially through very trying times, and write down all that God teaches you. This is a prime blessing of waiting. You will grow closer to God! Trust. God is all-wise, all-powerful, and all-loving. His whole plan is for His glory and the good of His children. We know this from Romans 8. Sometimes all will seem chaotic and confusing as we try to wait for God to answer our prayer and lift our burdens; however, it is during this time that we must trust God. Someone once said, “When you cannot trace God’s hand, you must trust God’s heart, power and wisdom.” Most of the time we cannot trace his workings, but with the help of the promises in His Word and the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we can learn to trust Him. Other Articles You May Find Helpful Failure Isn't Final Struggling Teens and When God Ran How to Stop the Yelling at Home 4 Reasons Biblical Love Can be Extremely Romantic 5 Phrases You can Give Someone to Change Their World. Setting Goals and Moving Ahead for God's Glory Are You Biblically Wise? Take this Assessment (Also good for assessing a teen son or daughter) Learn how you can have a relationship with God and eternal life Here are few links to more info on our church or you can browse this website. Read about our Leadership What we believe and teach Ministries and Programs The only time God is pictured as running in Scripture is when He is running to a child who has miserably failed. I love thinking about this story in Luke 15. The prodigal son had previously turned his back on his Father. He wasted his inheritance on alcohol, immorality and partying. All this crazy sinful living had landed him in a pig pen slopping hogs. The Bible says he finally came to himself and decided to go home, humble himself in confession of wrong and ask to be a servant instead of a son. I can imagine him slowly walking home rehearsing over and over his lines, “Father I have sinned before God and you…” As he nears the gates of the town his father (a picture of our Heavenly Father remember) sees him in the distance. He forgets his business and takes off in a sprint toward his lost son. In my mind’s eye, I see the grown son being literally lifted off his feet in his dad’s embrace. The son quickly begins to recite his speech, “Father I have...” he hardly gets any further when dad cuts him off with shouts of joy…” My son is home!” No mention is made of the loss, the failure, the pain or regret. All is forgiven and the welcome home party begins. The Father knew the son’s heart. He knew he had repented and he ran. God ran!! God ran to meet that boy. He ran to meet you and me too if we’ve come to him in repentance and He and all Heaven rejoice in love when we come home. Perhaps you have a teen who is lost and running away from God. Please know that God is working to draw him back. Your prayers are not in vain. Your tears are not lost. God himself loves that boy and is at work. As you are led to pray, God’s Spirit is working too. He loves deeply. Continue to hope for the day your child comes home and you along with God run to meet him. If you feel that we can be of help to you with your struggling teen teen, please don’t hesitate to learn more about our ministry and contact us for free counsel. Read more: Join us this Sunday for a special emphasis on Biblical principles of reconciliation and struggling children. It is part of our Family CORE Development series. Learn more here. How to Stop the Yelling at Home 4 Reasons Biblical Love Can be Extremely Romantic 5 Phrases You can Give Someone to Change Their World. Setting Goals and Moving Ahead for God's Glory Are You Biblically Wise? Take this Assessment (Also good for assessing a teen son or daughter) Learn how you can have a relationship with God and eternal life Here are few links to more info on our church or you can browse this website. Read about our Leadership What we believe and teach Ministries and Programs Have you ever been yelled at as an adult? Maybe it was in traffic or when you accidentally spilled something on a brute at a ball game. Whatever the situation, how did it make you feel? Did you feel your face get red? Were you embarrassed or angry? After the fact, even hours later, did you feelvengeful or keep thinking of things you could have or should have yelled back at the person? Now, rewind to the last time you yelled at your child. Do you think they feel much differently? Do you think raising your voice or using harsh words helps or hurts the relationship with young people?
The Bible says in Ephesians 4:29-32, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." There is powerful truth in this passage regarding communication in general especially at home, but let’s focus for now on the word “clamor” in verse 21. The word comes from a word that means to croak (as a raven) or scream that is, shriek, cry (out). This unfortunately describes most every one of us as parents at one time or another in the way we speak to our kids. We lose control because we had a long day, our kids get under our skin, they disobey or disrespect one too many times and instead of responding firmly in love, we respond firmly in anger, clamor and evil speaking. Instead of solving the problem, we makes it worse. Here are 10 suggestions for dealing with yelling and/or its aftermath. 1. If you’re guilty, make it right. If you know you’ve been wrong in this area, let your child know you were wrong, you feel badly about it and you are going to take steps to correct this issue. This may be difficult, but it will help you and your child. Make sure you also go to the Lord and ask for forgiveness and help as well. He will not only forgive us but strengthen us to overcome our sin. (I John 1:9) 2. Communicate with your child in age appropriate ways that you struggle with anger and yelling at times. Let them know you are praying for victory and ask for their help. Let them know what actions cause you to struggle more. Don’t blame them or make them feel your sin is their fault (it’s not) but communicate that their actions do make a difference. 3. Give advance warning when possible to avoid the yelling. Let your child know that their actions are elevating your emotions in a negative way and that you feel like you’re going to explode. Let them know when possible that you both need to work to defuse the situation immediately. 4. Pray. Ask God right there in the heat of the moment to give you strength to control your words and voice. Step away and cool down if possible. 5. Envision a stage. God sees your actions, but imagine that a group of your peers or co-workers are watching you and your child on a stage. Would your yelling embarrass you in front of them? Perhaps it will help to envision them as being there. 6. Remember you are the parent. Yelling and warring with words reduces your level of authority and respectability. You are the adult. Remember to act like one. When you yell, it makes it easier for your child to yell back because you seem more like a sibling or peer. 7. Memorize this passage of Scripture together with your child. Agree that it is wrong for both of you to participate in these sins of words and voice. A joint memorizing project will help with accountability and relationship building. Ps. 119:11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” 8. Have your husband or wife help. Be accountable to someone regarding your words and voice. A husband or wife it perfect. If that doesn’t fit in your particular situation, ask your pastor, pastor’s wife or a close friend to keep tabs on you and ask how you’re doing weekly. Ask them to pray with you about the struggle. 9. Thank the Lord your child is safe and healthy. There have been times I felt myself becoming irritated with my child and feeling like exploding. It helped to envision them sick or hurting and thank the Lord that they were actually ok, safe and well. This filled me with more compassion and thankfulness which helped defuse the anger and tone down the situation. 10. Read a good book on Words. A new book is currently available by Paul Tripp called “War of Words.” You can order it here and watch a short helpful video here. So is there ever a reason to yell? Sure. Perhaps to get attention, to create urgency or emphasis, but yelling with sinful anger is never good. Like any sin, it always makes things worse Join us for our Family Core Development Series on Sundays (February and March) 9:30am Read more: 4 Reasons Biblical Love Can Be Extremely Romantic 3 Reasons God Wouldn't Want Your Money (and neither would we) 5 Phrases You Can Say and Change Someone's World Forever Read More: Pastor's Notes Learn About How to Have a Relationship with God Learn About our Beliefs Looking for a Church Family With Exegetical Practical Teaching and Preaching? Join us for a Service soon. Folks may wonder if visiting our church will somehow obligate them to give money in an offering plate. In case you are wondering, the answer is no. There is never pressure to give money at our church. In fact, we teach that there are at least 3 reasons that God specifically tells people not to give. Here are three specific reasons God says he wouldn't want your money. 1. God says he wouldn't want your money if you know you have a broken relationship with someone due to offending them. Matthew 5:23 “therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 2. God says he wouldn't want you money if you are trying to impress him, appease him for your guilt or win his favor so you will go to Heaven. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost…” We want to make sure everyone understands that giving in the offering, coming to our church, getting baptized or any other “work of good” has no power to remove guilt for sin or save your soul. Forgiveness is a free gift of God’s grace through the gift of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. His death and resurrection secure our forgivness and salvation once we accept the free gift and give our lives to his control. It has nothing to do with giving tithes or offerings of money. We are much more concerned for folk’s spiritual condition before God than if they give any money in an offering plate. 3. God wouldn't want your money if you have not fully surrendered your whole life to His authority and are growing in your relationship with him. In 2 Corinthian 8 in the Bible Paul, the writer, is talking about the believers in the church at Corinth giving money. He makes this statement, “…And this (giving) they did, not as we hoped (or expected), but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and (then) unto us by the will of God. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace (of giving) also.” God wants his children fully submitted to his will for their life and living in a daily relationship with him before they give. He wants them growing in other areas of their spiritual life first. Make no mistake, giving tithes and offerings of money is part of the life of a believer, but we believe that that giving is between you and God. Sure, we give opportunities for people to give at our church, but there is never pressure to do so. We want believers to give, not out of compulsion, but from a grateful heart for all God has given and done for them by his Grace. Here is your invitation... We certainly don't want to take you away from a great church, but if you don't have a church home where the Bible is preached and taught in a way that helps you grow deeply in your relationship with God or if you attend a church where you feel that the truth is compromised, we'd love to have you visit Eagle Heights. Perhaps you have never really gone to church or even worse don't have a real relationship with God. If so, we invite you to join us soon to learn more about the Bible and how you can enjoy a personal daily life with God. Here are some other articles from Eagle Heights you may find helpful. 5 Phrases You can Give Someone to Change Their World. Setting Goals and Moving Ahead for God's Glory Are You Biblically Wise? Take this Assessment (Also good for assessing a teen son or daughter) Learn more about our Church staff Read about what we believe and teach Learn how you can have a relationship with God and eternal life Here are few links to more info on our church or you can browse this website. Read about our Leadership What we believe and teach Ministries and Programs How to Know God and Have a Relationship With Him “Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house were tensions and frustrations. What a rouse!
The hurts and offenses from long long ago seemed just under the surface. Things were ready to blow.” Does this, in some measure, describe your family Christmas each year? Are you concerned about the gathering over the next few days? You are not alone. It isn't just your family. In fact even in the Bible we see family conflict from the first family (Cain murdered his brother Able) right on to the family of Jesus himself. If you study the families of historical heroes in the faith, missionaries and even pastors, you’ll find conflict to one degree or another. Why? We are all sinners. We irritate each other at the very best and “bite, devour and destroy one another” (Galatians 5:15) at worst. So how do we handle tough family situations during the Holidays when it is supposed to be a time of love, joy and peace? A time to cherish the memories of each other’s company, yet it is filled with strife? Certainly there are an infinite number of situations. This post is not intended as a “cure-all” article nor do we want to minimize your family’s needs by trying to tackle them in a short blog post. However, we want to offer some basic Bible principles and a few practical ideas that may be of help. 1. Love your family. Jesus said that our love for family must be secondary to our love and devotion to him. He also said to love our enemies and those who spitefully hurt us. In order to love Jesus and honor him, we must love our families. What does this love look like though in practical terms? Does it mean we open ourselves or our children up to physical or spiritual harm? No! However, It does mean that we love biblically. Study 1 Corinthians 13 for a refresher on what this means. We suggest you seek wise biblical counsel from a pastor or godly friend for help in your particular situation especially if it is involves an abusive situation. 2. Pray. Pray for yourself. Pray that you will show grace, love, patience, mercy and reflect Christ and his actions toward those who hurt him. Pray also for the family members who cause problems. Seek God's help diligently about the whole situation through serious prayer. 3. Open neutral lines of communication. The Christmas visit probably isn't the best time to confront or rebuke. Instead, perhaps you could make an actual list of topics you can chat about which you know will be neutral. Try crafts or hunting and fishing. What about new apps you've found for your phone? Recipes, pets, new restaurants… the list could go on, but think ahead about it and write it down. Maybe write it in a note on your smartphone so you can discreetly refer to it when needed in the middle of the room or in the car. 4. Don’t preach. Again, this probably isn't the time to correct, advise or rebuke. If frustrating topics arise, do your best to suggest postponing the conversation. Have a plan of action for politely walking away. (I have to email a friend for Christmas, wrap a gift, check on the kids…) Do your part to avoid tense subjects especially if you’re prone to being a confronting type person. 5. Limit the time. Plan ahead to limit your time together. Don’t over-stay. Planning ahead allows you to politely let them know you’ll only be staying for a few hours or just for a meal. If family is coming to your house, plan something ahead that you’ll be involved in after the family visits. Invite others over at a certain time so the family members in question will need to leave etc. This is not being rude. It is planning to avoid conflict. 6. Plan activities. Perhaps you can visit a local landmark together. Go to dinner at a neutral place in public. You can plan crafts with the kids, outdoor or indoor games or watching a Christmas movie. Avoid down time where people are bored, restless or have opportunity for negative conversation and/or arguments. Keep the flow of activity moving with things that give options to keep minds and talk active with positive subjects. 7. Create Space. If possible, plan ahead for times of space for yourself and/or your family while still visiting. Maybe you’ll take the kids for some last minute shopping or to a McDonald’s Play Place. Plan a walk or run each day. Plan to call a friend for Christmas which takes you away into a private room for a short time. Bring a project to work on with the kids – a model or craft. Whatever it is. Plan ahead to create some space so tensions can ease. Space allows you and them time throughout the visit cool down. We fully realize that these few suggestions could seem trite depending on how difficult things are for you. We hope not, but we do want you to know that we realize that the Christmas and New Year’s holidays are not always “the most wonderful time of year” and we care. If we can be of help to you or your family, please join us for services and talk with us. We care and we believe the Bible can bring hope to your situation. Here are more articles and information you may find helpful. Are you wise? What about a teen son or daughter you're concerned about? Perhaps you're wondering how to tell if a friend, child or loved one is wise. This evaluation will help. We think you'll quickly see which categories point toward wisdom and which point toward foolishness but if we can help answer any questions for you or help with a family struggle, please don't hesitate to email us by clicking here. Our pastor will respond to you very shortly. We'd love to have you come by the church for a visit too.
1. “I love you.” If you love someone, let them know it. Tell them and show them often. You may think they know it, and they might, but it is always nice to say it. I Corinthians 13 reminds us that we can be smart, sacrificial and sound wonderful in our speech, but if we don’t have love, we are nothing. Tell your wife, your son or daughter, call your mom and dad. Even in the struggles, an "I love you" sure can't hurt.
2. “I was wrong, forgive me.” One of my professors in college encouraged us to substitute this phrase for “I’m sorry.” In saying, “I was wrong” there is no doubt in the offended and hurt person’s mind that you know you hurt them and desire their forgiveness and restoration of the relationship. We can not be rightly related to God if we have broken and torn relationships with others. Perhaps you need to use this phrase with your teen today. Don't wait for them even if they were wrong too. 3. “Thank you.” In Luke 17 we read about those with leprosy who Jesus healed. He literally changed the rest of their lives. Things were different because of His intervention. Only one returned to say thank you. There certainly have been people who have made a difference in your life. People whose intervention changed things for the better. Do they know you are thankful? What about old friends, parents, your children, their teachers, a coach or former pastor. Make sure they know you are thankful. “Thank you” is never said too late or too much. 4. “I will .” We must say “I will” to God as he speaks to us about things he wants us to do or change, but we also need to say it to others. Jesus showed us in John 13 his willingness to wash his disciple’s feet. He then commanded us to do the same. Look for needs you can meet, and then when you see it, say, “I will.” 5. “I can.” Have you hit some brick wall in your Christian life? Do you feel defeated because of a sinful habit, or lack of prayer. Perhaps there is some difficult trial you and your teen are going through. In either instance, it is easy to say, “I can’t make it.” Paul reminds us that we CAN do all things THROUGH CHRIST who will strengthen us. A great lesson we must learn is that in myself I can’t, but in Him, “I can.” Learn More About our Church - Click Here. ExploreEagleHeights.org Learn the real meaning of Christmas and how it can change your life for ever. Click Here. Join us on December 21 at 10:45 am for our Christmas Program - The Promise of a King. A group of SBC leaders consulted with a prominent independent pastor. They were seeking advice on ways to reduce the number of young people leaving church after high school graduation. Reportedly, they estimated they were losing around 93% of their students while perceiving that the independents were losing only 73% of their young people. Can you imagine consulting with someone who has a failure rate of about 75% for advice? Things must be really bad. Scores of young people “jump ship” when they come of age. Seven in ten evangelical young people ages 18-30 stop attending church by age 23 according to one survey. Talking with many young people, pastors, and youth workers has unveiled some of the reasons for the massive fallout. Below are some of the prominent explanations for the current plight. INSINCERITY On Sundays students hear things and observe behaviors that seem markedly different than what they see and observe Monday through Saturday. When duplicity and pretense are seldom challenged, it is seen as an endorsement of that which is artificial as opposed to that which is authentic. LACK OF COMPASSION Many do not feel engaged or welcome. A warm embrace is just as important as a biblical worldview. How many churches actually target the 20 to 30 age bracket even in towns where there are colleges and universities? People will go where they find love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Activities may “attract,” but it takes love to “attach” people. Peripheral things must be treated as such, and not as the main thing. Someone commented, “Wherever you find strong convictions with shallow sympathies there is the possibility for much unconscious cruelty.” Proactive and unconditional love is a powerful incentive not to jump ship. MORALISM Moralistic preaching majors on duty and external issues to the neglect of heart-felt devotion to Christ. Outward things are not unimportant, but they are not all important. When obligation (what) is divorced from affection (why), the faith becomes just a list of rules. And rules without relationship produce rebellion. Preaching principles without giving the context of how they relate to God’s Person is legal preaching and it kills. Fleshly obedience is not only wearisome—it is impossible! Church kids know about the gospel for sinners, but they need to experience the “gospel for the saint.” Preaching that empowers us to live a God-focused life is what we all need to hear from the pulpit. Gospel meditation will in turn drive biblical application. INCONSISTENCY IN THE HOME Admittedly no homes are perfect, but lip-service without life application does not promote fidelity to the Lord or His church. Mixed signals register loudly on the hypocrisy meter. The church can never resurrect what the home puts to death. LACK OF MISSION Ingrown churches become “institutionally focused” instead of missional (mission focused). Maintaining the preferences and prejudices of prior generations does nothing to engage an age group who grew up in a totally different context. Failure to provide “tracks to run on” (service) does not integrate the younger into the larger group. If they spend their adolescence exclusively in age-segregated settings, why should we expect them to change gears at age nineteen? Further, if the only purpose is to keep the museum open during business hours, why expect those who are full of energy and life to rally around an ingrown establishment? They must see the overarching PURPOSE. Some sensitivity to cultural relevance is not always compromise. It would do us all good to sit down with young people in a coffee shop and LISTEN. PARENTAL DISCONNECT The main thing missing in parenting today are the parents! Fathers left the farm and the home during the Industrial Revolution. Soon the mothers left the home in pursuit of careers. Around 1950 parents handed their children over to the state to educate. Television became the nation’s baby sitter, and it has been downhill ever since. Someone will have the hearts of children—and it should be the parents! When the parents have the hearts of their sons and daughters, children will confide in and seek counsel from Dad and Mom. God commissioned the parents to “shepherd” the hearts of their children (Deut 6:6-7). Without the stabilizing influence of strong parental bonds, many children have difficulty in assimilating the faith of their fathers on a personal level. UNCONVERTED “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 Jn. 2:19). Instead of condemning them, we must love as Jesus loved. Check out the “crowd” Christ took into His company. Tattoos, body piercings, and the like are not the problem. Being “in church” does not change people—being “in Christ” does. LACK OF FIRE Orthodoxy without Holy Spirit power is the breeding ground for atheism. When the supernatural energy of God is missing, there is no transformation on a personal or corporate level. Ed Stetzer says, "People are looking for a faith that can change them and to be a part of changing the world." Doctrinal belief without zeal is dead. It is a sad fact that the fear of man has purged all excitement from many traditional churches. God’s chosen symbol for the Holy Spirit is fire. But we don’t need a symbol—we need FIRE! Ezekiel, through his vision, witnessed a revival in a bone yard. Their need was not to locate the corner pins (landmarks) of the graveyard—they needed resurrection! The preaching of the gospel under the anointing of the Spirit is God’s appointed means to bring LIFE into the assembly. LACK OF VISION Sight is a function of the eyes, but vision is a function of the heart. The absence of visionary leadership has left a tremendous void. Leaders are those who call us to something larger than ourselves. Being part of a living community where lives are transformed has a captivating power. Standards and principles must be seen as an expression of devotion to Almighty God, not an end in themselves. No wonder scores are not “buying in” when conformity is emphasized apart from a divine relational purpose. We can do a much better job of answering honest questions instead of just hammering away on issues. Unless youth see the larger picture through the lens of a scriptural worldview, they will never grasp the reality of the good news of the gospel. CULTURAL CURRENTS The pull of unbelief, moral relativism, peer pressure, and hedonism are stronger than we realize. Older people don’t understand the environment in which their children and grandchildren have grown up. The age of the “Oldsmobile” is over. Today American culture, as a whole, bears no resemblance to the consensus of the baby boomers. Unless, the young have a reasoned faith in the Scriptures and strong foundations in spiritual experience, they cannot stand up to the forces around them. THE GREAT OMISSION Youth ministry should be more than a holding tank that resembles MTV. Equipping young people with answers to relevant issues is imperative. The supplemental teaching children receive from others, in addition to the parents, must emphasize discipleship and service. “Taking up the cross and following Jesus” is the heart of the New Testament. This is a costly call in any generation—especially this one. In brief, compassion, connectedness, conversion, and coaching are essential keys to reverse the trend. - Harold Vaughan - Learn More about Harold at Christ Life Ministries. Used with Permission www.christlifemin.org Learn More about Eagle Heights Baptist Church and Christian School... ExploreEagleHeights.org We see often in Scripture the saints of God in times of suffering. Adam and Eve suffered the murder of their son by his own brother. Job suffered the loss of almost all he had. The faithful Christians in Revelation suffered and even in Heaven seem to question why they were not being avenged for their suffering. Hebrews 11 has a whole list of suffering saints. We are faced with the question of why God’s children suffer if an all-powerful God loves and cares for them. Though that seeming dilemma is not the point of this article, a few quick notes may lead you to further help and study.
1. Sin. We live in a sin-cursed world. Romans 8:22 reminds us that all Creation groans because of sin. In addition, the consequences of our own personal sin often bring pain. The sins of others can bring heartache, too. 2. Strangers. We are strangers in this world. Hebrews 11:13 reminds us that this world is not our home. This is not our place of rest. We can’t expect to be too comfortable here. Heaven is our resting place. 3. Sons. We are sons of God. Therefore God, as a loving Father, brings suffering at times to discipline us in order that it may yield the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” in our lives (Hebrews 12). 4. Satan. Job 1 allows us to see that Satan and his minions are allowed by God to bring about hard times for God’s children in order to bring glory to God. Always remember though, that God’s glory and the good of his children are eternally bound together. Our good does not suffer to bring God glory. 5. Selfishness. Although a derivative of #1 above, it still should be mentioned, because the selfishness of those we love (as well as those we don’t even know) can cause great pain. So, Here Are The 5 Ways We Can Learn to Give Thanks Even When Life Is Hard 1. Relinquish control to God’s sovereign plan, knowing that He is never out of control. Even with the problem of sin and evil, God overrules and works all things for our good as we become more like Christ. 2. Rest in God’s wisdom and love. God is all-wise. He knows the end from the beginning and is always acting in love toward us, His children. We often cannot see that when in suffering, yet we can understand it when we compare parenting to God’s love. As a parent allows a non-understanding, crying baby to undergo surgery, an immunization shot, or other pain for ultimate healing or good, so God does the same. As the parent would not love the child if he/she stopped the pain, so God would not fully love us if He did not allow what was best. 3. Run to His Word. God’s Word, the Bible, contains “all things that apply to life and godliness.” We open it to find the truths we need, and we depend upon His Spirit to lead us in applying it to our situation and to our hearts personally. 4. Reach out to others. In the midst of our pain, it is helpful to serve others. Serving helps us get our focus off of our suffering. It is an encouragement to know that we have helped others and been used by God to bring joy to them. Even during Jesus’ suffering on the cross, He was mindful of His mother’s needs. 5. Share your burden. Don’t substitute fellowship with others for time with God; but if at all possible, find a close Godly friend who will faithfully listen and point you back to God’s truth when your faith begins to waiver. Confide in your church family to find healing and strength. God works through the body of Christ, the church. Would You Like a Free PDF of Bible Promises for Life's Needs? Click Here. Learn more about Eagle Heights Baptist Church at www.ExploreEagleHeights.org |
AuthorPastor Bob Franseen, Pastor of Eagle Heights Baptist Church & Others Archives
April 2019
Categories
All
|