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A Message for You — March 11, 2010
Find real hope
by MICHAEL CISLER
North Kent Bible Church
I am learning more and more in life that words have great meaning and that the use of some words can change, bringing a significant change in their effectiveness. Love is one of those words. In one sentence I can say, “I love my wife.” The next, “I love ice cream.” In no way are my priorities, desires or affection the same for both my wife and ice cream. The word love, through use, sometimes loses its rightful meaning. I have realized recently that another word like that is hope.
The Bible tells me I can put my hope in God (Psalm 42:5 and 11, and I Timothy 6:17). When I compare that to other things that I hope for, I begin to question its certainty. I hope it doesn’t snow again this winter. I hope the Tigers win the World Series. I hope my children grow up to be responsible teenagers and adults. Where it is my hope it doesn’t snow again this winter, history would suggest it probably will. Where it is my hope the Tigers win the World Series, their achievements last year mixed with off-season roster changes do not stir in me much confidence. Where I hope my children will be responsible in the future, I recognize they will have the ability to make their own decisions and if they are like me, will make some irresponsible ones along the way. If this is the kind of hope the Bible talks about putting in God, it is uncertain, unsure, and in it we can have little confidence.
That is not, however, the kind of hope we have in God. Hope has become a word that is much more synonymous with desire than what it really means as we look at the Bible. In the Bible there is certainty and confidence in hope. When we put our hope in God, we are not simply desiring He will be with us, but we are relying on Him to be with us.
Part of Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Our hope in God is like an anchor that will hold through all of the storms of life. Therefore, put your hope in God, for in Him is found real hope.
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A Message for You — March 4, 2010
My dream marriage
by PASTOR RON AULBACH
BridgeWay Community Church
What makes a great marriage? How would a person know if they were really experiencing the dream marriage that they signed up for? Why do some marriages thrive, while others fizzle or flame out? I thought these would be good questions to wrestle with now that Valentine’s Day has come and went.
I enjoy doing premarital counseling. I meet with young couples and they have all these dreams and ambitions of what they expect their marriage will be. They don’t have a clue.
Let me give you an accurate picture of “till death do us part.”
It looks like dirty clothes and bounced checks and layoffs and time pressures and mortgage payments. Your kids will climb into your bed in the middle of the night, all soggy wet with urine or throw-up, or worse. Lots of issues, and two completely different people God has placed as close as he possibly could to solve these daily dilemmas.
One of the most dangerous dishes to eat is wedding cake. And one of the most rewarding ways to honor God is by showing the world that it is all worth it.
You can refocus your marriage by taking an inventory of the C.R.U.D. that inevitably builds up over time. Every marriage has some issue, and a thriving marriage looks to get rid of it. C.R.U.D. is a term I use for the criticism, resentment, unhappiness and drifting desires that have incrementally stolen the love.
Take unhappiness as an example. I have this theory that the more a person looks for fulfillment and satisfaction in someone else, the more miserable they will become. Your joy comes from God, and you are to rejoice in Him, not your spouse. Yes, together life is richer, but your spouse is not responsible for your happiness. Take some time as a couple to identify the C.R.U.D. and get rid of it.
Marriage is not easy. It is an incredible gift, but not easy. It involves two people who are prone to make mistakes. When a marriage is in the most trouble is when one person focuses more on the other person’s mistakes than their own. The only force that will hold two people together in a relationship is grace. The only place to go for grace is God. So bring your marriage to God and reclaim the dream of marriage.
• • •
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A Message for You — February 25, 2010
Done for you!
by PASTOR DICK RILEY
Rockford United Methodist Church
Several years ago in California, a seven-year-old boy fell into an old abandoned mine shaft. His playmate ran for help. Rescue workers moved in quickly. Heavy machinery was brought in, and tons of dirt began to be moved.
Finally, after 36 hours of digging, the rescue operation was completed. The seven-year-old was taken out of the old abandoned mine shaft, was taken to a local hospital for tests and, when all the tests were completed and the “green light” was given, he was released and sent home.
On the way home, the boy persuaded his father to go back to the place where the accident had happened. When they arrived at the old abandoned mine shaft, the boy was shocked. He saw that a mountain of earth had been moved by the machinery, and he turned to his father and asked, “Do you mean that all of this was done for me?”
His father stopped the car, hugged his son tightly, and said, “Yes, my son, all of this was done for you—all of this was done to save you.”
That is exactly what the cross means to we who are Christians!
“All of this,” says God, “all of this was done for you—all of this was done to save you!”
And that’s what the holy season of Lent is all about. In this very special season of the year, I strongly encourage you to attend the church of your choice this week, and to remember to thank our gracious God for all that He has done and continues to do for you!
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The more you give away, the more you have
by REV. LAURIE TENHAVE-CHAPMAN
First Congregational Church, Rockford
On any given weekend, we could expect to see the same scene when we looked out our window across the parking lot: a middle-aged man buffing his vintage car to shimmery perfection. We lived in a condo complex when first married, and you get a peek into other people’s priorities because you live in close proximity to each other. Clearly, nothing mattered more to him than this car. I never saw any evidence of a wife or grown children coming to visit—just him and his beloved car.
We were newly in ministry in this suburb of Chicago and I knew of countless needs in our community. People in our congregation were involved in so many different forms of outreach: food banks, clothing supply, a homeless shelter in our church basement, a victim-offender reconciliation program, a street ministry in downtown Chicago. These varied ministries and so many others were giving people rewarding opportunities to deepen their faith and meet Jesus in the face of others. I imagine that those who volunteered their time slept well and found good reason to get up each day, knowing that their skills were needed. How sad that this man had no knowledge of how his skills could be used to help other human beings. This inanimate object passively received the life’s blood of his time and energy, offering nothing more than a flashy show when he would take it out for a spin—not much lasting satisfaction in that.
This man is just one individual, but he represents countless others who struggle to understand what their purpose is for each day. One of the challenges to those of us in faith communities is to pray for these people, befriend them and invite them into situations where they might discover the joy of giving for the sake of another. The mathematics of Christian outreach is hard to teach: the more you give away, the more you have. However, once someone experiences this—perhaps in a smile gently offered from someone helped—they will likely find that a few smudges on their car is not so catastrophic after all.
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A Message for You — February 11, 2010
God meets you at the bottom
by JON HUIZENGA
River Rock Church
Jesus begins his famous “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) with the words, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Next comes “Blessed are those who mourn”, then “blessed are the meek”, and then “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”. All four of these opening “blesseds” are for people who don’t have the resources to make it happen. They don’t have the ability or power to make life work. They need help. Jesus points out that God stands with them.
We would never say these are blessed from our culture’s perspective. We would say, “blessed are the celebrities” (for they get to walk the red carpet), or “blessed are the wealthy” (for they eat regularly at fancy restaurants), or “blessed are the healthy” (for they have killer abs). Let’s be honest. If you don’t have the resources to make it happen, we don’t think you are blessed.
So why does Jesus say they are blessed? Because, there is blessing in being at the end of yourself. In fact, from Jesus’ perspective, the person who is not blessed is the person who says,” Thanks, but no thanks, God. I’ve got it covered. I can handle it.”
Are you feeling like you have come to the end of your ability or resources? Then God has you just where he wants you. You are ready to ask him for help. In fact, you might have a bunch of money and still be in that end-of-your-resources position. We are ready to cry out to God when we realize we can’t do it without him.
God meets us at the bottom. As the Bible says, “But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Want to talk about it? Feel free to email me – jonhuiz@iserv.net
God meets you at the bottom
by JON HUIZENGA
River Rock Church
Jesus begins his famous “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) with the words, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Next comes “Blessed are those who mourn”, then “blessed are the meek”, and then “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”. All four of these opening “blesseds” are for people who don’t have the resources to make it happen. They don’t have the ability or power to make life work. They need help. Jesus points out that God stands with them.
We would never say these are blessed from our culture’s perspective. We would say, “blessed are the celebrities” (for they get to walk the red carpet), or “blessed are the wealthy” (for they eat regularly at fancy restaurants), or “blessed are the healthy” (for they have killer abs). Let’s be honest. If you don’t have the resources to make it happen, we don’t think you are blessed.
So why does Jesus say they are blessed? Because, there is blessing in being at the end of yourself. In fact, from Jesus’ perspective, the person who is not blessed is the person who says,” Thanks, but no thanks, God. I’ve got it covered. I can handle it.”
Are you feeling like you have come to the end of your ability or resources? Then God has you just where he wants you. You are ready to ask him for help. In fact, you might have a bunch of money and still be in that end-of-your-resources position. We are ready to cry out to God when we realize we can’t do it without him.
God meets us at the bottom. As the Bible says, “But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Want to talk about it? Feel free to email me – jonhuiz@iserv.net
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