Every generation of Christians has the responsibility and the privilege to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to our contemporaries. Our challenge is to tell the truth of Jesus Christ boldly, yet humbly. Lovingly, yet graciously. Passionately, yet gently. Piece of cake, right? Sure! (Okay, I admit it’s easier for me to write about some of this stuff than to do it.)
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Knowing God and Loving God
“…[N]o one can pretend to love God while rejecting all desire to know Him better and to study His perfections in the truth He has revealed to us about Himself.”—Thomas Merton. When we really love God, it is only natural that we have a genuine desire to know him better. So we pray—this is communicating with God. And we read his word—in which God reveals Himself.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Experiencing The Reality of God
There is a difference between “knowing facts” about God and “experiencing” the reality of God and knowing Him, in a firsthand way. “It is one thing to be told God is holy; it is quite another experience his holiness. The former might impress you, but the latter will compel you to live a holy life yourself.” Henry & Richard Blackaby
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Obeying God In The Little Things
Obedience to God in the little things of life can be very important. Sure, they are, by definition, “little”. But, the accumulation of obedience to God in the little things, over a long time, can end up being a very big thing.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
God's Love For Us Is Firm And Unwavering
Nothing “in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom.8:39. When we know that God’s love for us is a firm, unwavering, unconditional commitment, then we experience security, peace, and even a sense of victory. We understand that no matter what life throws at us “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Saturday, December 25, 2010
One Service At 10 a.m. -- First Church of God, Oak Lawn
On Sunday, December 26, 2010, we will be having ONE service at 10 o'clock a.m. Hope to see you there. Merry Christmas!!!
I'll be speaking on the subject: "After Christmas...Then What?"
First Church of God
4600 W. 111th Street
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
708-636-2620
I'll be speaking on the subject: "After Christmas...Then What?"
First Church of God
4600 W. 111th Street
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
708-636-2620
God Is With Us. Merry Christmas!
One of the remarkable things the Bible tells us about God is that he is not distant. He’s not a God “out there” who set the wheels of the universe into motion and then said, “Alright. I got it started for you. Now, you’re on your own. Good luck!” The Bible tells us that, actually, God is personal. God is intimate. He is Immanuel, the angel reminded Joseph, which means: God is with us. Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Do You Believe In Christmas?
If you believe in miracles. If you understand that it is better to give than to receive. If you believe that humility can be a profound form of strength. If you believe that God really does love you and care about you and that your life is meaningful. If you believe that we really do NEED a Savior. If you believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior. Then, guess what? YOU believe in Christmas! Merry Christmas fellow believer!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Humility Does Not Come On Its Own
Humility is not natural to us. It must be consciously pursued. Andrew Murray says it like this: “…Humility is not a thing that will come on its own. It must be made the object of…prayer, faith and practice.”
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Keeping No Record of Wrongs
What would it be like for the people in your life if you never brought up their mistakes and sins from the past? What if you never used their past errors against them? “Love…keeps no record of wrongs.” 1Cor.13:5(b) Let’s think about it this way: What would it be like if the people in our lives never brought up OUR mistakes and sins from the past? That sounds pretty good, huh?
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Be Still And Spend Time With God
How can we possibly pay attention to God when we are inundated with messages, all day long, in a culture like ours? It’s hard, isn’t it? This is why those with spiritual depth tell us: Go some place quiet, regularly, and get away from the calls, images, e-mails, commercials—yes, the online activity, too—and be still and listen for God.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Love Is Part of Who God Is
We are not loved by God because we are just so darned lovable, rather, we are loved by God because unconditional love is a part of God’s nature. The amazing love of God is not attributable to us, it is attributable to Him. It’s an extraordinary blessing, to put it mildly, that God is who He is.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
All Of Life Is Meaningful
Some people say that “everything counts”. In other words, there are no neutral moments in life, everything that happens is either moving us in the right direction or moving us in the wrong direction. I suppose this could be viewed as a form of pressure, like, “Oh boy, everything has to be a big deal, now, huh?” But I prefer to think of it this way: All of life is meaningful—even the little moments.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Encouraging Scripture Passages
Occasionally, someone will ask me if I can recommend a few passages of scripture that provide words of encouragement and hope. Or, similarly, passages that offer some of the inspiring promises of God. That would be a long list, indeed, and I have never attempted a comprehensive compilation of such verses.
However, in an effort to provide some help along those lines, listed below are some scripture passages that have been a source of inspiration to me. I have written these passages on index cards and I read them often in order to fill my mind with positive thoughts and helpful, wise promises from God. Again, this is not intended to be an exhaustive listing, it’s just an attempt to provide a little help.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” --Philippians 4:8
OLD TESTAMENT
Joshua 1:7-8
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
Psalm 23
Psalm 37:3-5
Psalm 108:13
Psalm 111
Psalm 112:7
Psalm 118:24-25
Psalm 125:1-2
Psalm 147:10-11
Proverbs 3:5-6
Proverbs 11:25
Proverbs 13:4
Proverbs 16:3
Proverbs 19:8
Proverbs 23:17-18
Ecclesiastes 10:10
Isaiah 54:17
Jeremiah 29:11
NEW TESTAMENT
Matthew 7:7-11
Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 16:24-25
Matthew 17:14-20
Luke 12:22-32
John 13:34-35
John 14:11-14
John 15:16-17
Romans 8:1-2
Romans 8:16-17
Romans 8:28
Romans 8:35-39
Romans 12:2
Romans 15:13
1 Corinthians 15:57
2 Corinthians 2:14
2 Corinthians 9:8
Ephesians 2:8-10
Ephesians 3:16-21
Philippians 2:1-11
Philippians 4:4-7
Philippians 4:11-13
Philippians 4:19
Colossians 1:10-14
Colossians 3:1-17
Colossians 3:23-24
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Hebrews 13: 5-6
James 1:2-4
1 John 4:4
1 John 5:14-15
Christ-Like Love Is The Destination
If you are a follower of Christ and His Spirit is alive in you, you will become more loving. You will! In fact, for true followers of Christ, we could say it this way: Christ-like love is your destiny. He will complete the work He has begun in you. That truth is a wonderful blessing, isn’t it?
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wisdom Is Valuable
Wisdom emerges when knowledge and experience come together in such a way that helpful, insightful judgments about the effective living of life are understood and pursued. Wisdom does not make a person flawless or without error but it is a wonderful and highly valuable attribute. “For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” Prov. 8:11
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Love Is More Than A Feeling
Love is sometimes presented as being, essentially, a positive emotion—a feeling. It is more accurate and more helpful to understand love in terms of unwavering commitment to the well-being of those we love and corresponding actions in service of those we love.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
God Has Not Deserted Us
There are times when God seems like He’s hard to find. And there are other times when He seems like He’s almost impossible to avoid. It’s helpful for us to know that, either way, He still loves us and He hasn’t deserted us.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Rebuilding Trust
It is very difficult to rebuild trust after is has been violated. But with time and with regular deposits of faithful love, and with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, it can be done. Take heart, with God all things are possible, even broken trust can be rebuilt.
Monday, December 13, 2010
E-Flash From Dan, Dec. 13, 2010
Dear E-Flash Friends;
A friend said to me, recently, “People go to church on Christmas and Easter.”
I said, “Good. I’ll be seeing you at church pretty soon, then, right?”
He laughed and said, “I’m not one of those people.”
Despite the tricky reply, my friend has a valid point. A fairly good number of people will go to church on Christmas or Easter when they might not frequent church services very often during other times of the year. So, that presents us with an opportunity!
We will be celebrating Christmas this Sunday, December 19th at 9am & 11am. And we will also be celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve, at 9pm.
I hope you are planning on attending these services (I know I am) and I would like to ask you to pray with me about inviting someone to these services. This could be a time where one of our friends could encounter God in a fresh and meaningful way—perhaps even an eternity-altering way. Wouldn’t that be cool?
I’m excited about Christmas…because I’m excited about Jesus! I hope you are, too.
Love and blessings….and Merry Christmas to you!
Dan
P.S. The day AFTER Christmas is Sunday, this year. I will be speaking on the subject: “After Christmas, Then What?” We will be combining the 9am and 11am services for one big, thrilling, praise-filled, inspiring service at 10 am! If you miss this one you will be kicking yourself for the rest of the year. (Actually, that will only be 5 more days. But still. That’s a long time to be kicking yourself.)
The Beauty of Simplicity
In a culture like ours that is strongly oriented towards more, more, more, it can be an incredible relief to discover the simplicity and beauty of less.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Speaking The Language of God's Kingdom
Heard noted theologian, Bishop N.T. Wright, speak a while ago. He said, love is the language we will speak in God’s coming kingdom. But we can learn to speak it now. I really liked that line. “Love” is the language of God’s kingdom. Here’s a good question for us: are we becoming more and more fluent in God’s language?
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Having Our Beliefs & Values About God Settled
It’s helpful when certain key beliefs & values are “settled” in our minds before significant challenges and difficulties arise. “When we are in the midst of bewildering circumstances, that is not the time to make conclusions about what God is like. We should have already reached our conclusions before we entered the difficult experience.” Henry&Richard Blackaby.
Friday, December 10, 2010
You Are Valuable To God
God cares about you and you are valuable to him. “Says who?” Says, Jesus…“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matt.10:29-31. (In my case, it’s getting much easier to count those hairs on my head.)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
God Always Makes Obedience Possible
When God tells us what to do He always makes it possible to be obedient. Admittedly, there may be times when obedience represents a very significant challenge, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, God always ensures that obedience is POSSIBLE. (Okay, it was pretty darned easy to write this comment. Now, with God’s help, I’m going to try to live it.) J
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Wanting What's Best For Others
If I really love someone, I want what’s best for that person, and I will pursue what is best for that person even if what is best for him/her is not what benefits me the most. The Bible says that love is not self-seeking, it is other-focused.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
How's Your Heart?
Because Jesus is Holy, his standards for us have to do with MORE than just compliance to external behaviors. Jesus’ standards for us involve having a heart that’s been changed by the Holy Spirit, a heart that’s soft and compassionate, a heart that’s caring, a heart that reflects the genuine presence of God. How’s your heart, these days?
Monday, December 6, 2010
Loving God & Doing His Will
When we see someone who is obedient to God, we’re seeing someone who loves God. Genuine love for God reveals itself in compliance with the will of God. A person who says, “I love God” and then actually does what God says to do, is demonstrating that the words he has spoken represent the authentic condition of his heart. (Check out 1John5:3)
Sunday, December 5, 2010
God Wants Our Transformation
Sometimes, what we want is not the same as what God wants for us. That idea is expressed well in this quote: “God’s purposes are not the same as ours. We want him to indulge us; he wants to transform us.” Henry & Richard Blackaby
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Wanting Those We Love To Flourish
“…Love means creating for another the space in which he might flourish, at the same time as he does this for you.” [Philosopher, Terry Eagleton] To “flourish” means to make steady progress. A person who is flourishing is “thriving” in a good and positive way. This is what we desire for those we love. We attempt to assist this flourishing in practical ways for those we love.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Good Is The Enemy of Great
Author Jim Collins, says that “Good” is the enemy of “Great”. In other words, it is easy to settle for “good” in our endeavors and not pursue “great” because good is…well…it’s good. What’s wrong with good? Answer: Nothing. But that’s precisely why it’s so easy to settle for good and that’s precisely why, oddly enough, good is the greatest enemy of great.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
God's Love Makes A Difference
If you know that God’s love is real and if you have experienced the truth of God’s love, how could it NOT impact your life? “We naturally expect that those who have had a glimpse of divine love will exhibit more courageous love in their lives than they have had before. We do not expect perfection, but we expect the experience to make a difference.” [David Elton Trueblood]
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Some Wise Advice I Was Given
When I was first trying to identify and understand my calling to ministry, my pastor gave me these wise words of advice: “If God has NOT called you to pastoral ministry but you go ahead and enter into it, you will be miserable. However, if God has called you to pastoral ministry, you will never find peace and joy doing anything else.”
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Loving Others Is "Right"
If you find it difficult to say “I love you” to certain people, it may be that those are the very people to whom you need to express this phrase. Being loving toward others isn’t always easy, but it’s always right.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Watch Out For False Teaching About Jesus
In Christianity, false teaching will frequently involve incorrect teaching about Jesus. For example, the humanity of Jesus will be denied, or the deity of Jesus will be denied, or the central importance of Jesus to salvation will be denied. “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” Phil.4:8
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Coming Alongside Those Who Are Hurting
“…Tears without…someone to hear and care, leave [our] wounds unhealed. When someone listens to our groanings and stays there, we feel something change inside us. Despair seems less necessary; hope begins to stir where before there was only pain.”—[Crabb]. We were created by God to connect with others. That’s why it helps heal our pain when someone comes along side us and loves us.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Faith Encourages Greater Dependence On God
We know that Christianity involves faith, however, the fact that there is a “faith” component to spiritual life does not diminish its truth, rather, faith encourages greater dependence on God. And that’s good because God is actually the truly trustworthy One, anyhow.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Jesus Knows About All of Our Stuff And He Still Loves Us
Jesus reaches His nail-scarred hand out to you and me. He loves us. He knows about all the stuff we’ve done, all the mistakes, all the nonsense and, yet, He still loves us totally and completely. In fact, if you were the only person in the world who ever messed up—you’re not, but if you were—Jesus would have died just to bring you into His family!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
I Have Much To Be Thankful For
If I take a pen and paper and actually engage in the process of writing down the blessings in my life, I am stunned by the many, many, many things I have to be thankful for. My friend Greg often says, “God treats me better than I deserve.” This is true. Today, my hope and prayer is that you are a recipient of this kind of incredible goodness, love and grace, too! Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Growing In Love
Are you GROWING in love? This is normal for followers of Christ. If we’re not growing in love, there is a disconnect somewhere and it’s time for some honest soul-searching. The longer we live with Christ, the more His love will grow in us. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1John4:16(b)
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thinking of Others
“Turn from your selfish ways,” says Jesus. It’s a tall order, but with the help of God’s Holy Spirit we can come to an orientation in life in which we regularly begin to think like this: “How can I help others? How could I encourage others? What could I do to benefit others?” Jesus, also, says, if you give up your life for my [Jesus’] sake…guess what?...You actually find LIFE…the true life you’re looking for!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Don't Keep A Record of Wrongs
The Bible says that love “keeps no record of wrongs” [1Cor.13:5b]. Ouch! So, if I really love someone I won’t keep that little mental list in my head of all the times the person did something wrong and therefore all the times he “owes” me? I’ll let that go because I’m so loving? Ouch! Apparently, I still have some growing to do.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
God Isn't Trying To Ruin Our Fun...His Laws Are For Our Own Good
God’s laws are not arbitrary, nor are they intended to “ruin all of our fun”. When we consider the matter honestly and carefully we see that God’s laws are designed to benefit us and protect us. We tell little children, “Don’t touch that hot oven.” We do this for their own good. In a similar sense, God establishes his laws and says, “Trust me, I love you. This is for your own good.”
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Saying "I Love You"
It’s important to say the words “I love you”. Even if people already know that you love them, say the words anyhow. Words are important and what the words “I love you” convey to others goes beyond the potency of a simple phrase. It lifts people up, it encourages them and it strengthens the bond that exists between people. And even if they already know, it’s a nice REMINDER that…you love them.
Friday, November 19, 2010
God's Glory Is The Main Point
Sometimes people approach faith in God as if the primary point of it all is that God serves some practical benefit. But that’s not a correct view of the matter. “God’s glory” is the central issue. “The point is that God be glorified in us, not that He become useful to us.” ~Larry Crabb
Thursday, November 18, 2010
God Wants Us To Love Him With Our Minds
“God has revealed himself in WORDS to MINDS. His revelation is a rational revelation to rational creatures. Our duty is to receive his message, to submit to it, to seek to understand it and to relate it to the world in which we live.” [Stott] God cares about our intellect. God gave us minds and He wants us to THINK soberly and effectively. And He wants us to love Him with our minds, not just our emotions.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Jesus Wants Us To Experience Real, Full, Abundant Life
“When you look in the mirror and see the light gone from your eyes, when you stop laughing, listening to music, or thinking about a positive future,…then you see a ruined man’s reflection.” ~Bill Hull. That is not the existence Jesus wants for us. What He wants for us is life—real life, full life, abundant life—life with Him. He is the source of all true living.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Is "Love" Worth The Trouble? YES!
Sometimes love doesn’t feel like it’s worth the trouble because love requires vulnerability and it opens us up to the possibility of being genuinely hurt by others. It’s tempting to withdraw and say, “Forget it!” But the example of Jesus is clear: we are called to love anyhow. We are called to love even though loving others mean there will be pain. This is why TRUE love is a “God thing”.
Monday, November 15, 2010
I Want Me Some Deeeee-Licious Squirrel!
Jasper was sitting in front of the picture window in our living room looking outside and his head was going back and forth. It looked like he was watching a tennis match. I peered beyond Jasper to the outside area that he was viewing and I could see a couple of squirrels running back and forth.
Jasper was completely quiet which was unusual. Normally, he growls or barks or plays violin when he sees squirrels outside. But this time he just sat silently while his gaze went back and forth and he watched the critters.
Then, as if he could sense that I was staring at him, Jasper turned his head my way and looked at me and that’s when I saw it. He was literally drooling. I burst out laughing! He looked like he hadn’t been fed in weeks. A long string of drool was stretching down about 6 or 7 inches from his mouth and there was slobber around his lips. I was cracking up! He looked so funny!!! (I tried to get a photo of the drool, but I missed it, I didn’t get there in time. A lesson to future photographers: There’s an important timing factor involved in capturing “drool”.)
Occasionally, I’ve wondered, “What would Jasper actually do, if he caught one of those squirrels?”
I have a feeling that I know, now, what he would do.
By the way, it’s hard to blame him. At one point, I’m pretty sure I saw the squirrels come up to the window and look in at Jasper and do that move where you hold your hands up by your head, with your thumbs in your ears, wiggle your fingers, stick out your tongue and say, “Nah, nah…nah, nah…naaaah, nah!”
About an hour later, I saw Jasper in the exact same spot watching the squirrels again, but I noticed that, this time, he had a bottle of barbeque sauce sitting next to him.
…Oh yeah, I have a feeling that I know, now, what he would do if he caught one.
P.S. A little more time went by and I walked past the area again to see that Jasper had moved to a nearby chair so that he could lay in a more relaxed position but still watch the action outside.
…Yep, life is pretty good for Jasper.
When God Calls Us To Do Something Difficult
There have been people in the Christian faith who have been called to extraordinarily difficult things. We get two very clear messages from scripture that are relevant to this reality: 1) we must do what He calls us to do no matter how difficult it is; and 2) He will go with us. We will not be alone.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Speaking The Truth Gently and Humbly
The truth is good and right and it should always be upheld. However, the truth can be delivered like a sledgehammer or it can be delivered with love and grace and gentleness and humility. When speaking the truth it’s helpful to keep this in mind: How would you like this truth to be told to you? “. . . [C]lothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Saturday, November 13, 2010
I Finally Get Some Rest
Last night when I got home, after officiating at a wedding…and participating in the worship team rehearsal—yep, both in the same evening—I was worn out and I had a headache.
I looked at the clock. It was 8:45. Still too early to go to bed. But I thought, “I don’t care. I’m going to bed anyhow.” (See how good I am at high level, executive decision-making? This is why the Pentagon is constantly calling and asking for my advice. Sheesh! I wish those guys weren’t so needy and dependent.)
However, I have had trouble sleeping over the years and that fact, along with the headache, made me think that I should take something for the headache that also helps with sleeping.
I began searching through the cabinet where we keep aspirin, cough medicine, cold & flu medications, canine heartworm pills, etc., and I found a bottle of Advil PM. Here’s what the bottle says, “Relieves itching caused by ticks, mites, and other insects…”
Oops, hold it. That’s not the Advil PM, that’s Jasper’s flea pills. Sorry.
Okay, here’s what the Advil PM says, “For relief of occasional sleeplessness when associated with minor aches and pains.” Perfect. That’s what I needed.
Now, I’m not trying to create a commercial endorsement or anything of that nature—I receive no benefit from writing this—but I have to tell you…that stuff worked! Man, did it work! I have officially become a fan of Advil PM. Well, can you blame me? It’s pretty typical for me to get up a couple of times every night, due to…well… nevermind… let’s just leave that part alone. Take my word for it, I usually get up a couple of times every night. But last night I slept right through the whole night. It was great!
When I woke up in the morning I felt refreshed. I felt rested. It was wonderful.
Nadia said, “Boy, you slept well.”
I said, “Yeah, it feels good. I don’t normally sleep through the night.”
She said, “By the way, there are a couple of tablets missing from Jasper’s flea pill bottle. Dan? Did you hear me? Dan? I said, there are a couple of tablets missing from Jasper’s flea pill bottle…..Dan???”
But I couldn’t hear her. I was out in the back yard burying a bone.
God's Not Lost
“When we lose God, it is not God who is lost.” ~Author Unknown. God loves you—and nothing will ever change that fact—and if you’re sincerely looking for Him, you’ll find Him.
Friday, November 12, 2010
You Are Exactly Who Jesus Died For
Sometimes people say to me, “Could God really love someone like me, Dan? I’ve done a lot of bad things.” Notice that Romans 5:6 says this, “When we were utterly, helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” So, the answer to the question is: Yes, God can love you. In fact, you are exactly who Jesus died for.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
A Sincere "Thank You" To All Of Our Veterans
My dad was an infantryman in WWII. His stories from the battlefield have always helped me to realize the hellish nature of war. Sometimes, while listening to my dad’s experiences, I would try to imagine what it would have been like. The idea that a group of people are coming in your direction and their primary intent is to kill you and your primary intent is to kill them—you won’t both survive—is more than a little bit frightening, sobering, motivating, strange, and no doubt several other feelings that I could never describe or understand, having never been there. Have you ever tried to imagine such a thing?
Dad told me some of the ways that the brutal and ugly realities of war would mess with a young man’s mind. I can understand how the stress and fear, along with the constant life and death stakes could easily “do a number” on a person. One of the things that always stuck with me was the comment that I heard him say about war on a couple of occasions. He said this, “there are things that happened that I would never tell people because they just wouldn’t believe it.”
As I think about my dad’s experiences, I am reminded once again, that I can sit here and freely share my thoughts because men and women have paid a price—and are continuing to pay a price—to make these freedoms and other kinds of freedoms possible. Freedom has a cost.
By the way, even if you disagree with what I’m stating in this post, it’s interesting to think about the fact that your freedom to disagree was also paid for by the people who have protected my freedom to write it.
I do not, for a moment, discount the role of God in the freedoms we enjoy, all good gifts come from Him. But God has clearly worked through people to allow us to experience the wonderful freedom and liberty that we enjoy. It’s helpful for us to remember that in the entire history of the world, the freedom that we have in the United States
So, to ALL OF THE VETERANS who have served to protect our freedoms, I express a heartfelt THANK YOU!!! What you have done and what you are doing is good and honorable and GREATLY APPRECIATED!
Thank you and God bless our Veterans!
Dan Marler
Veterans Day 2010
Lose Your Life In Order To Find Your Life
There is a relinquishing of our “self” that God calls for. It is not easy and even the most mature among us have a tendency, sometimes, to fight it. But, as hard as it is for us to believe, the self must be relinquished in order to experience true life. “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” [Jesus] Matt.16:25
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Pastor's Report 2010
Pastor’s Report
I’ve been reminded again this year of something that brings me great joy and happiness. I’ve been reminded that this is a very loving church.
I know someone might say, “A pastor’s report ought to express something more substantive than that.” But, I don’t know. It seems like that’s a pretty significant thing to say about a church.
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another." John 13:35, Jesus.
I am reminded of this terrific truth because people who are not regular attenders of the church mention this loving quality to me. I’ve received several comments like this: “Dan, it really felt to me like a very loving group of people when I was at your church.”
I am reminded of this truth when I meet with other pastor friends and they tell me stories. Please understand, I’m not suggesting that their stories reveal that our church is better than other churches or that our church is loving and their churches are not loving. It’s just that the stories I hear will often, somehow, remind me of the authentic love that is freely expressed here at our church.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7&8
I was reminded of this truth when my dad passed away earlier this year and your many acts of love toward my family and I gave me great encouragement and support.
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1&2
I am reminded of this truth when I see people around our church treat each other with love and graciousness and compassion—particularly when the usual response in a situation might typically be something less than loving.
This report probably sounds like a lot of bragging and I want to be quick to admit that I realize our church is not perfect. And we don’t always get things right. And sometimes relational disputes happen that make me sad. But, the love of God is genuine here and people can tell. And that is not only a wonderful blessing but, based on the teachings of the Bible, it’s fair to say that it is a substantive thing to report about our church.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
I am honored and blessed to be your pastor. As I look forward to 2011, I look forward to these things:
Obedience to God
Faith
Discipleship
Prayer
The reading and study of God’s Word
Listening to God
Reaching out in love to others
Hope
Adventure
Sharing my faith with others
Grace, given and received
Friendship
Encouraging others and being encouraged by others
The proclamation of Truth
Worship
Helping those who are hurting
Trusting God
Giving of my time, talents, and treasure to
God and His work
Fellowship
Growth
Loving God and loving others
Being strengthened in the difficulties
Serving others in Jesus’ name
Giving honor to God
Commitment to the Lord
These are some of the key things that are involved in living our lives for Him. Sounds good, doesn’t it? I hope we will faithfully and lovingly do these things, together! I’d rather do these things with you guys than anyone else.
Love and blessings,
Helping hurting people find and walk with God. – First Church
P.S. I could have written a paragraph about each of the factors mentioned above. …But aren’t you glad I didn’t? (It’s called: “Being merciful.”)
Is It Possible To "Agree To Disagree"?
Sometimes the fighting and disagreements and the apparent lack of understanding among various Christian groups gets a little tiring to me. I understand that real differences of opinion exist regarding substantive issues. However, I’m disappointed with myself when my faith that states: “and the greatest of these is love”, is unable to find ways to “agree to disagree” with respect, humility & grace.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Ideas Matter
Ideas are not inconsequential; ideas matter! “Both Communism and National Socialism (Nazism) had their birth in abstract philosophical systems, discussed by university professors in classrooms and faculty lounges. Both were eventually imposed politically through a coercive state orthodoxy. And both were used by totalitarian regimes to justify the mass murder of their own citizens.” ~Nancy Pearcey
P.S. I posted this because I know that some people believe the ideas that are debated and written about by “egghead” intellectuals in “ivory tower” universities are a waste of time and they have no impact on real life. The truth, however, is that—as the examples above indicate—these ideas are ultimately embraced by real people and translated into real systems that GREATLY impact people’s lives.
Monday, November 8, 2010
E-Flash From Dan, November 8, 2010
Dear E-Flash Friends;
I was having a conversation recently…
“Tom and his troops really have a need for certain items,” Grace told me.
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Grace is Marine Lieutenant Tom Schueman’s mom. Tom is a young man from our church who is currently stationed in a dangerous location in Afghanistan
I said, “Grace, if we would make those needs known to the church, I believe people would respond. I believe they would want to help Tom and the guys who are serving with him. Would you send us a list of the items that they need?”
Grace said, “Yes, I can do that.” And she added, ““If we collect some of these items at the church, I will make sure that they are boxed up and sent to Tom and his team.”
I said, “Good. Let’s do that.”
Grace said, “Alright, I will get a couple of boxes and put them in lobby.”
I thought to myself, “Yes, I’m sure people will respond and fill up a couple of boxes. I really believe that the folks in the church want to help when genuine needs like this are made known.”
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Last Sunday—a week ago—the announcement was made to the church that there is a need. And a list of items was provided on an insert in the weekly bulletin. And two boxes were placed in the lobby along with pictures of Tom and some of his guys.
Yesterday, after the 11 o’clock service, I was thrilled to see the two boxes filled to overflowing along with additional bags of the requested items surrounding the floor space next to the boxes. It’s a great response. THANK YOU! Your response is a blessing and it’s an extension of God’s love to those who can really use it.
We will continue to collect goods for a couple more weeks and then we will ship your gifts of help and support and encouragement to these terrific young men and women who are serving us valiantly. And let’s continue to pray for Tom and for all of the young men and women who are serving us in the military. We have several others from our church who are serving, as well. Please include them in your prayers.
By the way, speaking of “serving us valiantly”, Thursday of this week is Veterans Day. We know that all the good things in our lives are gifts to us from God and we thank Him for that. However, we also know that God works through people. We enjoy the incredible freedom and opportunities of our country because people have served—many of them even giving their lives—to make these wonderful gifts possible. Let’s try to offer a word of gratitude and appreciation to our veterans.
We are very blessed! I hope we will all have a genuine sense of that truth.
Love and blessings,
Dan
Are You Growing In God's Love?
How do you know if you are growing in God’s love? One way is this: If you find that you are increasingly willing to SERVE those who are, perhaps, not so easy to serve, or those who you would not necessarily be naturally inclined to serve.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
We Were Created For Adventure...Not Mundane Living
“Why do certain movies capture our imaginations? It’s because there is something in our human fabric that longs to be transported beyond our mundane living.”~S.J. Hill. God has not made us for “mundane living”. He created us to experience the fullness of life that is realized in the adventure of truly living for him. Anything less than that leaves us feeling like there’s something that we’re missing.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Avoiding Gossip Is A Significant Act Of Love
“Refusing to gossip and trusting God to help us silence as much gossip as we can is one of the most loving things we can do for others.” [James Bryan Smith] One of the reasons the Bible calls “gossip” sin is because gossip tears down others. The Christian faith is about loving, encouraging and building up others. So, avoiding gossip—which can be challenging—is a significant act of love toward others.
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Value of Hard Work
There is dignity and value in working hard and being industrious. These qualities also indicate something important about the CHARACTER of a person. “The young [person] of leadership caliber will work while others waste time, study while others snooze, play while others daydream.” ~J.Oswald Sanders.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
God Honoring Relationships
Sometimes a person can view other people as “objects” to “use” for his or her purposes. This is never God’s desire. When we enter into God-honoring relationships with people, we see them as important, valuable, special and unique; and we treat them with dignity and respect. We understand that everyone we meet is a precious soul for whom Jesus died.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Work On Changing "Me" First
Real, consequential “CHANGE” agents always begin with themselves. “I have spent a lot of my life trying to make things happen and trying to get the people around me to do what they didn’t want to do or didn’t have the character to do. I’ve decided to stop trying to change the world. I’ve even stopped trying to change the church. People seem to get so angry. I have decided to focus on changing me.”~Bill Hull.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Render Unto Caesar...Vote
When Jesus said “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” I believe a reasonable application of that comment to our time and culture would include participation in the voting process. We are invited to participate in this process which has an effect on the leaders who impact important issues having to do with morality, justice, and even the extent of “Caesar’s” role in our lives.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Is Anyone Else Excited About The Green Hornet? Of Course You Are!
Oh boy, I am excited!!!
Seriously, I am. You know how a little kid gets excited about Christmas? That’s what I’m talking about, I’m excited like that. In fact, Nadia has to keep reminding me every few days that Santa is carefully watching to see who’s a good boy or girl because in my excitement I’m liable to do something foolish or rash.
To explain my excitement I have to go back to the time when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I forget what year it was, but just for the sake of argument, let’s say 1984. [Stop laughing, you punks!] A television show called “The Green Hornet” began airing. It was awesome!!! And when I say “awesome”, I mean “like really totally completely awesomely awesome”. The best part of all was Green Hornet’s sidekick, Kato (played by the legendary Bruce Lee).
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I can remember sitting mesmerized, while watching this show. “Who is this guy?” I thought, unable to take my eyes off the screen. I was stunned, excited, curious, thrilled, fascinated…all at the same time. Kato was an expert in kung fu. I didn’t know the word “kung fu” then but I knew that Kato could move with breathtaking speed, grace, and agility as he easily dispatched any bad guy who dared to get in the way of his lightning-fast fists of fury.
In my mind, I had never seen a character in any TV show or movie as impressive as Kato…ever! At that point in my life—when I was 8 or 9—if you would have sat down with me and engaged in a careful analysis of characters from literature, film, or theater, and asked, “Which character has emotionally moved you in such a way that it has resulted in the most significant impression upon your young psyche?” I would have stopped fidgeting with the whoopee cushion that I carried around with me and answered, “Well, that’s easy. It would be Kato.” Then I would have stuck my gum to the bottom of your chair.
(You’ll be glad to know that I no longer carry a whoopee cushion around with me. [Chuckling] Yep, I’ve long outgrown that kind of humor…and moved on to fake vomit and that pack of gum that sets off an exploding cap when you pull a stick out of the package. It’s a riot, I’m telling you! And it’s a big hit at minister’s meetings. Although, it’s curious that I never get invited back to minister’s meetings a second time. Hm…oh well.)
Kato was absolutely the coolest!!! Really. He was. And if you don’t agree with me then “you’re a big dummy-head. So there!!!”
And if you’re thinking some kind of witty comeback, then you know what I say to that? I say: “I know you are, but what am I?”
[Pretty hard to argue with that one, huh?]
Okay, now that we’ve firmly established my maturity level, I can tell you that I’m excited because a Green Hornet movie is coming out in January of 2011!!!! Yes, you read that sentence properly, a Green Hornet movie!!!!
Stop. Relax. Take a deep cleansing breath. And read those words again: A GREEN HORNET MOVIE IS COMING OUT IN JANUARY OF 2011!!!!
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Whoo Hooooo!!!!
You’re all as excited about this as I am, right? Of course you are, it would be impossible not to be excited about a Green Hornet movie, after all, gee whiz, you’re only human.
Okay, let’s stay calm and remember that overreaction is never helpful. But let’s make sure we all go out and see the Green Hornet movie. And let’s hope and pray…I mean, pray really hard…that they found someone really good, someone really cool, someone awesome, someone really exceptional to play Kato.
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Made In The Image of God
The Latin phrase “imago Dei” means the “image of God”. A foundational truth of Christian theology is that human beings—ALL human beings—are made in the image of God. [See Gen.1:26-27] It is because we are created by Almighty God, in His image, that we have inherent worth and dignity; and we are deserving of respect and love.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Encountering Authenticity
In a world in which we encounter lots of hype and phoniness, AUTHENTICITY can actually make some people feel uncomfortable. Here’s an insightful thought on the matter: “When you and I stop pretending, we expose the pretending of everyone else.” ~Mike Yaconelli.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
How Does Rachel Prepare For Trunk Or Treat?
Since my story earlier this week—the one about Rachel’s Trunk or Treat costume—calls, letters, and e-mails have been pouring in from all over the country. (President Obama sent a couple of text messages and Vladimir Putin called 4 times begging for photographs and further information!)
The question on everyone’s mind is this: “Dan, how does Rachel prepare for Trunk or Treat?”
It’s an excellent question—right up there with “What is the purpose of life?” or “Where’s Waldo?” Well, fortunately, it’s actually a very simple process and I was able to document it, firsthand, as it unfolded last night.
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Step 1, began with a trip, early in the evening, to Taco Bell. I suppose this step almost goes without saying. EVERYONE knows that a person needs to be properly nourished in order to participate in the fun and energy-burning excitement of Trunk or Treat. And, the perfect place to nourish the body is Taco Bell. The Bell
After Rachel’s nutritious Taco Bell supper, it was straight back to the Rachel International Headquarters where her mysterious team of Hollywood designers, simply known as “La Nadia”, stood waiting to begin the costuming process.
That leads to Step 2 in the Rachel Trunk or Treat preparations, putting on the clown clothing. This is quick and easy. Rachel’s designers had her dressed in a few moments. Her clown outfit was specially designed by Vera Wang for Walmart. (I know absolutely nothing about fashion—you can tell, right?—but I thought it would be fun to see “Vera Wang” and “Walmart” used in the same sentence.)
Step 3 is the bright red hairspray. Unfortunately, this led to a slight snafu in the evening’s costuming prep. We had 1 can of bright red hairspray. That’s because we assumed that we only needed 1 can of bright red hairspray. But as we applied the bright red hairspray it became apparent that 1 can would not be enough. To make Rachel’s hair truly bright red it appeared that we needed about 3 cans of bright red hairspray.
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When the can of hair spray ran out, Rachel’s design team, “La Nadia”, determined that 1 can would have to be sufficient.
I said, “But, hold on, her hair isn’t really bright red!”
Rachel’s design team, “La Nadia”, said, “It’s good enough. Besides she has a hat.”
And you know what? That ended the discussion regarding the matter of the bright red hair. So, Rachel’s clown hair ended up being brown with red highlights.
You say, “But Dan, clowns don’t have brown hair with red highlights!”
To that comment I respond: “It’s good enough. Besides she has a hat.” And I’m confident that’s the right answer because that’s what Rachel’s design team told me.
The final step in Rachel’s Trunk or Treat preparation involves the application of the clown make-up. This is where the artistry comes in. The way that a clown makes up her face is her trademark. It creates the essence of the clown persona. The design of the clown make-up is part of the magic the clown brings to her adoring audience.
But the Rachel design team had never applied clown make-up before. How do you do this? What’s the procedure? What kind of clown persona should be created? Where would the make-up artist even begin?
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I posed these questions out loud and the room became silent. Only the soft crunching of a few leftover nachos could be heard. Now what? What do we do? I quickly moved to the computer to research the matter. [That means searching on Google.] While I did that, Rachel’s design team “La Nadia” just dove in and began putting white stuff on her face. By the time I developed a comprehensive make-up plan based on sound geometric principles and rigorous research, the design team had already transformed Rachel into…Raquel Le Clowne! (Clowns are always just a little bit scarier if they’re French.)
You say, “Wow, Dan! Did all that effort pay off?”
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Well, a person has to be philosophical about such a question. When we speak of the effort expended and the pay off received it’s important to carefully consider all the variables, being sure to enter this factor into the equation: “Chocolate”.
We made a pretty good haul of chocolate last night. So, does that make it worth the effort? Oh yes. In fact, I’m chuckling at the question, even as I type these words.
“Does chocolate make it worth it?” Ba ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
Of course it does! After all…it’s chocolate! Chocolate definitely makes it worth the effort.
Now, excuse me, Raquel Le Clowne has a sack containing a few Snickers bars.
Au Revoir!
[*NOTE: That’s “good bye” in French.]
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*We're still not sure who these people
.
God's Love Makes Forgiveness Possible
Genuine Godly love creates a powerful capacity in us for forgiveness. This does not involve a blind unwillingness to confront the reality of wrong-doing, or its consequences. This does not mean that we pretend we haven’t been hurt, when we have been hurt. But real love fills the heart in such a way that true forgiveness becomes possible. “…Love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1Peter4:8(b)
Friday, October 29, 2010
A Question That Matters
Once a person seriously considers a question like, “what’s the point of my existence?”, it’s very hard for that person to ever go back to living as if the answer to that question does not matter.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Interested In Others
Arrogance and pride are destructive to genuine loving relationships. Part of the reason for this is that authentic concern for others is rare in the hearts of those whose pride has them entirely wrapped up in their own selfish interests. Love involves being truly interested in others and concerned about their well-being.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
God Has Given Us Imagination
We are made in the image of God and that means, among other things, that we have the capability of seeing things in our minds. Sometimes, even, things that don’t yet exist. God has given us imagination. “…Far more than any other power, imagination is what sets human beings apart from every other species on earth.” ~Ken Robinson.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Caring, Constructive Discipline Is An Act Of Love
The one who is being disciplined may interpret discipline as a form of punishment by someone who is being mean. But the truth is that constructive discipline is generally administered only by those who honestly care about us. We know from the Bible that God’s discipline is a manifestation of His love for us. “The Lord disciplines those he loves…” Heb.12:6
Monday, October 25, 2010
E-Flash From Dan -- Costume Edition
Dear E-Flash Friends;
Tonight, Rachel gave Nadia and I permission to buy her a new Trunk or Treat costume. That sure was nice of her, wasn’t it?
So after supper, we drove to the local Walmart and checked out the Halloween department. It was crowded. I guess that’s bound to be the case on the week of Halloween. In fact, at one point, a couple of kids began chasing each other around with some kind of spray-on Halloween make up and I was almost caught in the crossfire. I barely escaped with my usual lustrous hue.
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In the meantime, Nadia and Rachel soberly considered several different costumes. Rachel has gotten a little too big for the “girls” costumes but many of the “women’s” costumes are…well… they’re a bit racy. (The “racy” ones were NOT up for consideration.) So, some time was spent looking and deliberating.
To be properly outfitted for Trunk or Treat requires careful analysis, you know. But it finally came down to a decision between some Fairy-type character and a clown outfit. The fairy costume included wings and that’s a definite attraction. But there’s a costume spray that temporarily turns your hair a bright red color and I think that may have helped cinch it for the clown outfit.
Come on, when it comes to making an impact with an outfit, bright red hair is hard to resist! We all know that, right?
As we walked to the check out counter, I told Rachel, “Hey, I might use some of the red hair coloring, myself. That would be fun, huh?”
She said, “No.”
I said, “Just for a joke. You know, just to get a few laughs. It washes out.”
Now Rachel…AND Nadia both said, “No!”
I said, “People have a good time with that kind of joking around.”
Then they pointed off behind me and acted like they saw someone we know. I turned around and no one was there. When I turned back, they were gone.
This happens two or three times a week. I always find them…after I walk home.
Sheesh, why can’t a guy have a little fun, once in a while?
(*NOTE to readers: Shhh, don’t mention this, but I’m usually out the door early on Sunday mornings before they can stop me, so, you never know. Imagine the spiritual impact that can be had when a guy is preaching with bright red hair. To be honest, I’m surprised Billy Graham never tried it.)
So folks…don’t forget: Friday night, 7pm, Trunk or Treat! It’s going to be a ball! (It’s fun, even if you have your regular hair color.)
Also, don’t forget: Sunday morning 9 and 11 am. The message is titled: “Rescued From The Kingdom of Darkness” (I didn’t even think about the fact that Sunday is Halloween day when I came up with the title of the message a couple of months ago.) It’s based on Colossians 1:13&14.
See you then. Hope you have a great week!
Blessings,
Dan Marler
* To have the "E-Flash" sent directly to your e-mail, send an e-mail message to: cog111st@aol.com and type: "Send me the E-Flash" in the "subject" field.
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