No Time to Lose Your Fizzzzz

Not long ago, I went to the fridge to get a drink. I surveyed the possibilities and made the final choice. The two liter bottle of ‘Mug’ root beer caught my attention and it was about to quench my thirst, so I thought. What you need to know is that in our freezer we keep a mug just for the rare occasion of having a glass of root beer. I pulled the mug from the freezer and opened up the two liter, but much to my dismay, there was no fizzzzzz as I opened up the bottle. Apparently the last time it was used, the cap on the root beer had not been fastened tight enough. I tried it, but it was just flat, no carbonation. Needless to say, it was no longer good to drink.

 

As Jesus was talking to his friends, he told them about the role of the follower. Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (Matthew 5:13 NIV)

 

As we talk on Sunday’s in our “Real Life” series, may we continue to press on to a deeper walk with Jesus so that we might not lose our fizzzzz and our excitement about the Jesus who saves us. It is a joy to find new challenges in the study as we journey through 1 Peter. Next Sunday we will be reminded of the joy of being the family knit together in the name of Jesus. I hope you can be here to worship and fellowship with the family.

Have a great week.

 

Mike

 

 

The Right Way

The question of the day is not whether we are young or old or somewhere in between. The question isn’t even how long we have attended church, or how many songs we know. It really is not about knowing all the books of the Bible or how many books there are in the canon of scripture.

The real question is how acquainted are we with the author of the Word of God? If we are in a casual relationship with God, then worship on a regular basis probably will not be a priority. If we are only doing the bare minimum in our connection with Jesus then we are missing out on the joy He is ready to give. If we only speak with the Father in heaven when we need something then we are the ones who are cutting short the blessings He has prepared to give us. The day will come when we will have wished we would have established a greater rapport with the Creator.

 

Grandma was telling her granddaughter all about the many different things she did as a child.  Since she didn't grow up under the spell of television, much of her entertainment came from creative outdoor activities. Some of us can relate to that. She talked of riding horses, swinging from a tire hanging off a tree, skating on a frozen pond, picking berries in the woods, and swimming in a creek.  After listening to all of these exciting adventures, the little girl said, “Granny, I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"  

 

May that not be the case with our connection with God. This Sunday we are going to continue the teaching from first Peter and discuss the “Right Way” to conduct ourselves according to the Word of God which stands forever and can be trusted beyond all other opinions or writings. So, I hope you can join us for worship this coming Sunday for a time of praise, worship, examination and being delightfully amazed with the presence of God.

 

Be blessed this week,

Mike

 

 

"Real Life"

The summer is now upon us and we are enjoying the warmth of each new day as it is created by our Father in heaven. The summer brings so many events to our lives. We can easily find ourselves so busy doing good things in the summer months we run the risk of losing sight of the great thing in life—that of making a positive impact on others as we live for Jesus.

 

For the next eight weeks our Sunday morning study will take us to the book of 1 Peter. We are going to enter into a series of teachings called, “Real Life.” In the crazy culture we live in, we may need to take a break and be reminded of what ‘Real Life’ has to offer.

 

In John Maxwell’s book, ‘Success One Day at a Time,’ he quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson as he says, “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded.”

 

May this summer be a time of reflection where we find ‘Real Life’ a success. May you have a blessed day!

 

Mike

 

 

My Father's Face

Do you remember the last time you were so angry you just couldn’t see straight? That guy cut you off and caused you to curb your brand new tires. The lady had no business being so short with you. Your friend, for some reason has turned against you and there are no words which seem to lead to reconciliation.

 

Well, the next time that happens, recall the story told by Max Lucado. He writes in The Applause of Heaven about a big, muscle-bound man named Daniel who was swindled by his own brother. He vowed that if he ever saw him again, he would break his neck. A few months later, Daniel became a Christian. Even so, he couldn't forgive his brother. One day, the inevitable encounter took place on a busy avenue. This is how Daniel described what happened:

I saw him, but he didn't see me. I felt my fists clench and my face get hot. My initial impulse was to grab him around the throat and choke the life out of him. But as I looked into his face, my anger began to melt. For as I saw him, I saw the image of my father. I saw my father's eyes. I saw my father's look. I saw my father's expression. And as I saw my father in his face, my enemy once again became my brother.

The brother found himself wrapped in those big arms—but in a hug. The two stood in the middle of the river of people and wept. Daniel's words bear repeating: "When I saw the image of my father in his face, my enemy became my brother."

 

The next time we find ourselves in that unenviable place, may we fix our eyes on the Father who will make a way even when we can not imagine a path. The Bible says in Hebrews 12…

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:3)

 

May you have a delightful week as you gaze into the face of our heavenly Father.

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

What Will They See and Hear?

Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, 'Why is the bride dressed in white?' The mother replied, 'Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life.'  The child thought about this for a moment then said, 'So why is the groom wearing black?'

 

We are given the opportunity to educate our children in every realm of maturity. One of the goals of this series, “Family Matters,” is to help us discover a way through the trials of the day and search for the answers God would lead us to through His Word.

 

Living in constant crisis mode is not the original design of our Designer, and at times we just have to step back and look at our situations through the lenses of the Higher Authority who knows the answers to all things.

 

This Sunday Brad is going to talk about showing the way for children to be reared in a positive way in a negative culture. Our pattern as parents is going to be emulated by our children whether we like it our not. The good news is we have the choice as to what pattern they are going to witness. I hope you can be here this Sunday to love the Lord with all your heart and dismiss the crud of the negative environment which attempts to rob us of the joy we have in Jesus. Have a blessed day and join me in keeping our eyes on the Author of life.

 

Mike