Discovering Christ as a person and relationship God has given us with Himself is entirely different from understanding Him as a proposition, program or system. Most programs, systems and propositions are very easily understood and clearly explained. Perhaps we will, on some level, disagree with them, but we will at least get them - we will understand them. For some reason this need to understand things is central to human nature. Now don't go hearing what I am not saying. It is good to understand things and people. In fact, it is a moment of true celebration in my home when I finally 'get it' and 'understand' something my patient and loving wife has spent 15 years trying to teach me.
But, sometimes we say we want to understand God and Christ but we really mean that we feel a need to control Him and fit Him into our life in a way that makes sense to us. For us, all to often, understanding Christ is dangerous and unhealthy because we make Him comfortable and easy - we make Him fit into our life and circumstances. By doing this we effectively change nothing, make no real commitments, do the minimum, smile a little and still 'feel okay' that we and Jesus are 'good.' As I read the New Testament I am quickly realizing that there is a great and discouraging difference between us and the follower we find there. In fact, sometimes I think we look a little too much like the religious leaders who opposed Jesus, rather than those who truly 'discovered' Him and spent the rest of their lives living into that discovery.
For instance, Jesus the carpenter takes a boat out and tells the professional guys how to fish - they doubt he is right, but already they sense in Him One who might know a bit more about their own profession and life than they do. So, despite what the text book tells them and the super conference on 'why you can't catch fish in the middle of the day,' they listen to Him. Yes, they are reluctant, but they listen to Him - they take time to 'get' Him! They take time, even if it is just a second and put Him before them and their knowledge.
This identifies difference #1 between them and us - we spend all of our time - yes all of it - reminding Jesus of why things cannot be done rather than submitting to His power in our life and trusting Him to do that which we cannot do for ourselves.
Okay back to the story - yep, you guessed it - the catch of the day nearly sank the boat - they even had to go get help. Here is the telling part of all of it - just when they were on the brink of making fishing history -building a long and successful career off of this one catch - they drop everything - all of it, nets, boats, lures, chum, you name it - and they FOLLOW HIM!
This identifies difference #2 between them and us - when Jesus blesses us we attempt to 'trade' on it for our glory and gain - to build our kingdom and give a cursory and typically unconvincing acknowledgement - that the Lord is 'on our side.' The early guys didn't even give this type of foolishness a thought - they knew the only response to the power of Christ was to give up their hold on their life and follow Him.
Next we see Jesus go to a 'leper' and heal the lame. The leper was considered an outcast. In fact, when a leper showed up on the scene he or she was greeted with the following chant: 'Unclean, Unclean.' How about that for an introduction. Imaging showing up at church or at school or at the community center, grocery store, ball field and hearing the words - 'you are disgusting - get away from us and don't ever come back.' That was the life of a leper. The religious guys did the same type of junk and often times they were the worst! Not Jesus, he reaches out to him and makes Him whole.
The message about Him spreads so much that we now see people actually bringing their friends to Christ. One particular set of men is so committed that they get through the crowds, climb to the top of some poor guys house and tear (ye, tear) through the thatch roof - just to get their friend to Him.
Difference #3 is, to me, the most disheartening - the early folks did anything they could to get their friends to Christ. You and I aren't even committed enough to invite our friends to church - and we have even provided two big doors for you to enter through so you don't have to bust apart the building. Think about that, please. Yes, we who are in Christ will be with Him in heaven, but there is a judgement of our deeds and works on this earth - how in the world are you going to handle that charge when you are standing before the throne of the most high? When we see Him face to face can we really expect Him to confess us before His father in heaven if we are unwilling to confess Him before our friends on earth?
Then Jesus goes and reaches out to a tax collector - a despised and hated position and person in those days. The religious leaders have a field day with this one and Jesus informs them, through a not so subtle rebuke, that he came to this earth to heal the seek and save those who are lost - this, in a nutshell - is a clear mission statement for Christ AND His church and it comes right from the lips of this Jesus whom we say we understand but refuse to discover.
Two responses to this one. First, Levi, the tax collector (whom we also know as Matthew) reverses the direction of His entire life and begins to use his time and resources for Kingdom work - he holds a banquet - huge party - probably costing much money - and invites all of his friends to come and meet this Jesus.
Second, the religious leaders stay entrenched, unwilling to 'dive into' this new reality God is crafting in Christ. They end up getting rebuked by Christ - yep - he tells them like it is and they refuse to hear and respond.
To Discover (read submit and trust) Christ today means to hear and respond. On the other hand to merely understand (read control) him means to tell him that we know better and then go our own way.
Yes, the first is difficult, but come on - is the second really even an option at all? Let's journey together toward Christ this year! Join us this Sunday - and yes, invite your friends!
From His Grace, For his Glory!
Biz
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Discovering Christ in 2010 and Haiti Update
The Gospel of Luke, chapter 4, has the potential to leave one with many interesting questions, here are just a few that have struck me in my reading:
1. Why did the Spirit of Christ lead him into the wilderness?
2. Christ ate or drank nothing, but is Luke trying to teach us about fasting or just giving us an accurate portrayal of what happened at this time in the life of Christ?
3. Satan, offered Christ dominion (which already belonged to Him), but if Satan has this magnitude of power, what are the ramifications of that in our world today?
4. Further, Are there any indications of 'deals with the devil' (and even more difficult, could we really tell?) in today's world, or are we simply too quick to write that off as nonsense?
5. Why did Christ's hometown reject and dismiss him out of hand and are people always bent on rejecting that which is new and fresh from the Lord?
6. How can we have, within these few verses, a direct recognition by both Christ himself and the demons that Jesus was indeed, Christ the Lord and still question that truth today? Seriously, what other evidence does the truly humble of heart or 'poor' as Christ says, need?
7. What's the deal with the enemy knowing Scripture and if he knows Scripture and clearly distorts the Scripture would it not be to our benefit to literally drink and devour God's Word just so we are ready for the life and ministry to which we are called?
8. How in the world did Jesus get away from the mob - that is so cool and a power I wish I possessed at times, particularly in Orlando traffic?!?!
9. And further, did Jesus really say something that would cause someone to push him off of a cliff (which by the way, in some circles, was the only true way to 'stone' people).
10. If Christ defeats the enemy with the Word of God in hand to hand combat (1 - 13), understands himself to be Christ the Lord (14 - 30), then goes about proclaiming that truth (31 - 44) in absolute victory, then is this not an amazing and completely liberating truth that should set me free and cause me to follow, serve and give my life to him no matter the cost, knowing that in the end victory and celebration is what will greet me at my homecoming?
Oh well, there are 10 questions I have enjoyed processing from this chapter. This week we will look at getting it right in 2010 - making it different from 2009 - by beginning where we must begin - discovering Christ our Lord! Join me at 9:30 and 11:00 for this awesome adventure!
From His Grace, For His Glory!
Biz
Haiti Update: Right now we just need your prayers. I have been informed that some boxes of supplies are sitting on the ground! So, I am contacting our partners to find out what teams, supplies and funds they will need in the future! If we put teams together, I will need to know if you are available for that effort. At this point I am only exploring this so let me know!
1. Why did the Spirit of Christ lead him into the wilderness?
2. Christ ate or drank nothing, but is Luke trying to teach us about fasting or just giving us an accurate portrayal of what happened at this time in the life of Christ?
3. Satan, offered Christ dominion (which already belonged to Him), but if Satan has this magnitude of power, what are the ramifications of that in our world today?
4. Further, Are there any indications of 'deals with the devil' (and even more difficult, could we really tell?) in today's world, or are we simply too quick to write that off as nonsense?
5. Why did Christ's hometown reject and dismiss him out of hand and are people always bent on rejecting that which is new and fresh from the Lord?
6. How can we have, within these few verses, a direct recognition by both Christ himself and the demons that Jesus was indeed, Christ the Lord and still question that truth today? Seriously, what other evidence does the truly humble of heart or 'poor' as Christ says, need?
7. What's the deal with the enemy knowing Scripture and if he knows Scripture and clearly distorts the Scripture would it not be to our benefit to literally drink and devour God's Word just so we are ready for the life and ministry to which we are called?
8. How in the world did Jesus get away from the mob - that is so cool and a power I wish I possessed at times, particularly in Orlando traffic?!?!
9. And further, did Jesus really say something that would cause someone to push him off of a cliff (which by the way, in some circles, was the only true way to 'stone' people).
10. If Christ defeats the enemy with the Word of God in hand to hand combat (1 - 13), understands himself to be Christ the Lord (14 - 30), then goes about proclaiming that truth (31 - 44) in absolute victory, then is this not an amazing and completely liberating truth that should set me free and cause me to follow, serve and give my life to him no matter the cost, knowing that in the end victory and celebration is what will greet me at my homecoming?
Oh well, there are 10 questions I have enjoyed processing from this chapter. This week we will look at getting it right in 2010 - making it different from 2009 - by beginning where we must begin - discovering Christ our Lord! Join me at 9:30 and 11:00 for this awesome adventure!
From His Grace, For His Glory!
Biz
Haiti Update: Right now we just need your prayers. I have been informed that some boxes of supplies are sitting on the ground! So, I am contacting our partners to find out what teams, supplies and funds they will need in the future! If we put teams together, I will need to know if you are available for that effort. At this point I am only exploring this so let me know!
Monday, January 18, 2010
New Update from Helping Him in Haiti
Hello Westsiders (and friends), please take a minute and read the lates update from Richard Field's whose team is now in Haiti! There is a great, great need for medical teams - if you know of any in the medical field who can get over there quickly, then Richard's team may be able to make that happen!
Richard and Team are in Haiti !!
The needs are great!
Phil Murphy, Nate Wilkerson and Richard are currently at the Qvisqveya Christian School (QCS) trying to set up counseling for missionaries & people coming into Missionary Flights International (MFI) at Ft Pierce, FL; getting information to set up Medical Teams; trying to set-up for assistance for MFI for those coming out of Haiti for lodging, transportation, etc.; and many other needs they seen that needs to be implemented there in Haiti and here in the States.
Michelle Murphy, Phil and Lonnie’s daughter, speaks Creole, and is at the Hospital Of Hope interpreting for English speaking German surgeons.
Medical teams are needed badly! Call me if you are interested or know of a Team willing and ready to go.
Trained trauma counselors are needed in Haiti and in Fort Pierce , FL to serve the missionaries and with the people returning from Haiti .
The Big Needs in Haiti now are:
Pain Medication (Darvocet, Percocet, Vicodin, etc)
Antibiotics, especially those used for cholera
Relief Medical Teams & Surgeons – the ones there need to be switched off and a refreshed Team sent in, plus more are needed
Counselors – Trained Trauma Counselors
Money
PRAYERS
Other Needs:
Medical supplies including:
V pain relievers
V ointments
V gauze
V bandages
V medical tape
V ace bandages
Tents
Tarps
Rope
Blankets
Sleeping bags
Baby formula
Non perishable foods
Spring and summer clothing (especially children’s clothing)
The Lord protected the area of Delmas 44 through Delmas 60; this is the area where Qvisqveya Christian School (QCS) is located, the school where Lonnie used to work. There is very little damage in this area, and no damage to speak of to the school. The Army and several Ministries are setting up their command posts in the school. It is close to Petionville , Haiti , which is just south of Port Au Prince. Richard said he was in awe after going through all the mass destruction and then seeing this area – it was like God put His Hand over this area and protected it.
We need to pray that the water and food that is already in Haiti will be able to get out to the populous. The people need these badly!
Richard and Phil have met with John Ackerman and Els Vervloet today and they have made short and long term plans. Other than what I have stated here, I do not know what they are.
Tomorrow’s plans are that Nate, Phil and Richard will head to Phyllis Newby's to evaluate her situation and the damage. The next morning they start their travel to Callabasse and the House Of Blessings Orphanage to access their situation, search for those still unaccounted for and to love on them. Michelle Murphy will continue to serve at the hospital and school, wherever needed.
Helping Hands In Motion is set up to accept Haiti Relief Donations, and donations for:
V House of Blessings
V Phil and Lonnie Murphy
V Tanya and Francky at the House Of Blessings
V John Ackerman
V Helping Hands In Motion
V General Relief Work in Haiti
It is warm there, a breeze can be felt off of the ocean at the airport, but as you travel inland, the breeze is no longer felt. Once they start climbing and going up the mountains, the temperatures will drop.
A blessing in the midst . . . Richard has been told that so far the looting has not been taking place as they expected, and instead of voodoo drums and chanting being heard, you can hear the Haitians singing praises to God in the streets. Thank you, Lord! This is something they have never heard happen in Haiti before!
Please share this information as you feel led, but please pray and act as God leads you…
I will keep you posted as I hear from Richard. Thank you and God bless you and our loved ones and the people in Haiti . In Awe of Him,Debi FieldsHelping Hands In Motion
www.hhimtoday.com/blog
"For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right." Psalm 84:11, NLT
Richard and Team are in Haiti !!
The needs are great!
Phil Murphy, Nate Wilkerson and Richard are currently at the Qvisqveya Christian School (QCS) trying to set up counseling for missionaries & people coming into Missionary Flights International (MFI) at Ft Pierce, FL; getting information to set up Medical Teams; trying to set-up for assistance for MFI for those coming out of Haiti for lodging, transportation, etc.; and many other needs they seen that needs to be implemented there in Haiti and here in the States.
Michelle Murphy, Phil and Lonnie’s daughter, speaks Creole, and is at the Hospital Of Hope interpreting for English speaking German surgeons.
Medical teams are needed badly! Call me if you are interested or know of a Team willing and ready to go.
Trained trauma counselors are needed in Haiti and in Fort Pierce , FL to serve the missionaries and with the people returning from Haiti .
The Big Needs in Haiti now are:
Pain Medication (Darvocet, Percocet, Vicodin, etc)
Antibiotics, especially those used for cholera
Relief Medical Teams & Surgeons – the ones there need to be switched off and a refreshed Team sent in, plus more are needed
Counselors – Trained Trauma Counselors
Money
PRAYERS
Other Needs:
Medical supplies including:
V pain relievers
V ointments
V gauze
V bandages
V medical tape
V ace bandages
Tents
Tarps
Rope
Blankets
Sleeping bags
Baby formula
Non perishable foods
Spring and summer clothing (especially children’s clothing)
The Lord protected the area of Delmas 44 through Delmas 60; this is the area where Qvisqveya Christian School (QCS) is located, the school where Lonnie used to work. There is very little damage in this area, and no damage to speak of to the school. The Army and several Ministries are setting up their command posts in the school. It is close to Petionville , Haiti , which is just south of Port Au Prince. Richard said he was in awe after going through all the mass destruction and then seeing this area – it was like God put His Hand over this area and protected it.
We need to pray that the water and food that is already in Haiti will be able to get out to the populous. The people need these badly!
Richard and Phil have met with John Ackerman and Els Vervloet today and they have made short and long term plans. Other than what I have stated here, I do not know what they are.
Tomorrow’s plans are that Nate, Phil and Richard will head to Phyllis Newby's to evaluate her situation and the damage. The next morning they start their travel to Callabasse and the House Of Blessings Orphanage to access their situation, search for those still unaccounted for and to love on them. Michelle Murphy will continue to serve at the hospital and school, wherever needed.
Helping Hands In Motion is set up to accept Haiti Relief Donations, and donations for:
V House of Blessings
V Phil and Lonnie Murphy
V Tanya and Francky at the House Of Blessings
V John Ackerman
V Helping Hands In Motion
V General Relief Work in Haiti
It is warm there, a breeze can be felt off of the ocean at the airport, but as you travel inland, the breeze is no longer felt. Once they start climbing and going up the mountains, the temperatures will drop.
A blessing in the midst . . . Richard has been told that so far the looting has not been taking place as they expected, and instead of voodoo drums and chanting being heard, you can hear the Haitians singing praises to God in the streets. Thank you, Lord! This is something they have never heard happen in Haiti before!
Please share this information as you feel led, but please pray and act as God leads you…
I will keep you posted as I hear from Richard. Thank you and God bless you and our loved ones and the people in Haiti . In Awe of Him,Debi FieldsHelping Hands In Motion
www.hhimtoday.com/blog
"For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right." Psalm 84:11, NLT
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Children's Sunday and Haitian Relief and Assistance
I first want to begin by letting our church family know that this weekend is our Children's Sunday at WCC! It will be a great, great time to see our children participate in all aspects of worship as well as to 'roll out' the vision of partnering with families to raise Spiritual Champions! Please join us for this awesome weekend celebration at either of our services - 9:30 or 11:00!
For the remainder of my blog I just want to provide information for you in regard to mission agencies that we currently work with or that we have relationship with who will be lending assistance to the peoples of Haiti. Right now the best way we can help is through our prayers and through our financial donations. I am going to list below two emails from both agencies - the contact information is also available - if you wish to support the Haitian fund through WCC then just give a gift to WCC and mark it Haiti relief fund. The agencies are Helping Him Ministries who we have partnered with in India and Heaven Sent Ministries who we have been developing a relationship with, but have not yet partnered with them as such (they are personal friends of mine and of the highest character, integrity and heart for the Lord)!
First email from Heaven Sent Ministries:
Dear Friends -
Heaven Sent Ministries is committed to sending an emergency shipment of food to the people of Haiti who have been devastated by yesterday's earthquake. How can you help? If you are close enough to our West Virginia facility to physically come and package food, we welcome your help. Call our office at (304) 425-7120 to reserve a specific two hour time slot during the next three weeks when you can volunteer. Or message Lynda Gravier or Mike Gravier on facebook and we'll get back to you. We will begin packaging this Friday and working every day through February 7. If you are too far to help with your hands, we desperately need extra funds to buy the food ingredients for this effort. You can send a check to HSM and write "Haiti Food" in the memo, or go to our website and find the details about how you can donate online.
This is absolutely a God-sized undertaking for our us, but we are trusting that God will get all of the glory. As we provide life-giving food to the victims of this disaster, we know that the food will arrive with the eternal-life-giving message of salvation. God can use this disaster to bring glory to Himself and to draw the people of Haiti into a relationship with Him!
You can reach us at this email address, gravierml@gmail.com
This one is from Richard Field's and Helping Him Ministries:
Dear Praying Partners,
As you can imagine the news coming in from Haiti is very sketchy at best. We have not been able to contact the House Of Blessings orphanage since the initial contact. So continue praying for them. The last we heard, Franky has not been able to contact Tanya. So continue praying for him, his safety and that he will be able to make contact with Tanya. Frankie is a great man of God, I am sure he is trying to do everything he can to contact Tanya and the orphanage. I am sure he is helping others wherever he is, he will let the light of Christ shine.
The ones who have satellite Internet have been able to continue communicating through this mode. That is how we are getting information and updates. Please pray that these connections remain, so we can continue to receive the information as it is gathered.
We have heard from the Ackerman's, Els and Stephon Vervloet and many others that they are safe and doing the best they can under the circumstances. Many friends and co-workers of the Murphy's have been sending messages that they are OK. There are some families that were in two different locations at the time of the earthquake and have not been able to contact each other. Then there are others that we have heard their homes and ministry centers have been severely damaged and no word at all from anyone.
So, as you see and can imagine many family members are worried and concerned about other family members, co-workers and friends. Many still are trying to locate others, so continue to pray for them to be found and reunited. Franky is not the only one that communication has been affected, as you can see there are several.
During the night there continued to be many aftershocks, many people slept outside away from their homes because of this. This has led to other concerns of safety. I am sure many did not sleep due to the location they are in and the circumstances.
As some of you are aware of, there is one main road going up the mountain from Port Au Prince to where the orphanage is located. It is a very mountainous road, cut into the side of the mountains. With an earthquake of this magnitude it could have been severely damaged, making it impassable. That could be the cause of Franky and others not able to make it home and much traffic delays.
We have been told that when the earthquake hit, there were many people in large buildings and stores that had time to get out before they collapsed. Some of the larger buildings withstood the initial earthquake, which gave time for the people inside to get outside. Then as the after shocks came these buildings crumbled to the ground. For this we are so thankful, I am sure we will hear how many lives were saved because of this. However, the reports remain that many people did not make it out alive.
The Vervolet's sent a message earlier that they were leaving their home to go and see if they can locate some of those unaccounted for and to see how they will be able to help. Pray for their safety as they travel, we are sure that some roads are impassable and all will be filled with people, ruble and the sort.
I am sure you have been keeping up with what the news media is saying. This is a very bad earthquake, many lives will be lost, it will take much to rebuild for many years to come.
People are sending us message about relief work camps and how to help out financially. As we stated earlier if you want to help financially at this time, send funds to us designating the funds for the relief work in Haiti. As for work camps, we are uncertain when we will be able to get teams in. The major air carriers have suspended flights into Haiti at this time, not giving a time when it will resume. The private ministries that fly supplies into Haiti are trying to get clearance to fly relief supplies into Haiti. The last we heard they were hoping to get a flight out today around noon time. We have been told the airport landing strips are in good shape but the airport tower has suffered sever damage.
We will continue to keep you posted as we get the news. Please pray for the people of Haiti!
Blessings,
Richard
Helping Hands In Motion
www.hhimtoday.com/blog
I trust, hope and pray that you will become more involved than ever in the life of your local church and work with us as we reach our communities, both at home and abroad with the help and hope that only Christ can provide!
From His Grace, For His Glory!
Biz
For the remainder of my blog I just want to provide information for you in regard to mission agencies that we currently work with or that we have relationship with who will be lending assistance to the peoples of Haiti. Right now the best way we can help is through our prayers and through our financial donations. I am going to list below two emails from both agencies - the contact information is also available - if you wish to support the Haitian fund through WCC then just give a gift to WCC and mark it Haiti relief fund. The agencies are Helping Him Ministries who we have partnered with in India and Heaven Sent Ministries who we have been developing a relationship with, but have not yet partnered with them as such (they are personal friends of mine and of the highest character, integrity and heart for the Lord)!
First email from Heaven Sent Ministries:
Dear Friends -
Heaven Sent Ministries is committed to sending an emergency shipment of food to the people of Haiti who have been devastated by yesterday's earthquake. How can you help? If you are close enough to our West Virginia facility to physically come and package food, we welcome your help. Call our office at (304) 425-7120 to reserve a specific two hour time slot during the next three weeks when you can volunteer. Or message Lynda Gravier or Mike Gravier on facebook and we'll get back to you. We will begin packaging this Friday and working every day through February 7. If you are too far to help with your hands, we desperately need extra funds to buy the food ingredients for this effort. You can send a check to HSM and write "Haiti Food" in the memo, or go to our website and find the details about how you can donate online.
This is absolutely a God-sized undertaking for our us, but we are trusting that God will get all of the glory. As we provide life-giving food to the victims of this disaster, we know that the food will arrive with the eternal-life-giving message of salvation. God can use this disaster to bring glory to Himself and to draw the people of Haiti into a relationship with Him!
You can reach us at this email address, gravierml@gmail.com
This one is from Richard Field's and Helping Him Ministries:
Dear Praying Partners,
As you can imagine the news coming in from Haiti is very sketchy at best. We have not been able to contact the House Of Blessings orphanage since the initial contact. So continue praying for them. The last we heard, Franky has not been able to contact Tanya. So continue praying for him, his safety and that he will be able to make contact with Tanya. Frankie is a great man of God, I am sure he is trying to do everything he can to contact Tanya and the orphanage. I am sure he is helping others wherever he is, he will let the light of Christ shine.
The ones who have satellite Internet have been able to continue communicating through this mode. That is how we are getting information and updates. Please pray that these connections remain, so we can continue to receive the information as it is gathered.
We have heard from the Ackerman's, Els and Stephon Vervloet and many others that they are safe and doing the best they can under the circumstances. Many friends and co-workers of the Murphy's have been sending messages that they are OK. There are some families that were in two different locations at the time of the earthquake and have not been able to contact each other. Then there are others that we have heard their homes and ministry centers have been severely damaged and no word at all from anyone.
So, as you see and can imagine many family members are worried and concerned about other family members, co-workers and friends. Many still are trying to locate others, so continue to pray for them to be found and reunited. Franky is not the only one that communication has been affected, as you can see there are several.
During the night there continued to be many aftershocks, many people slept outside away from their homes because of this. This has led to other concerns of safety. I am sure many did not sleep due to the location they are in and the circumstances.
As some of you are aware of, there is one main road going up the mountain from Port Au Prince to where the orphanage is located. It is a very mountainous road, cut into the side of the mountains. With an earthquake of this magnitude it could have been severely damaged, making it impassable. That could be the cause of Franky and others not able to make it home and much traffic delays.
We have been told that when the earthquake hit, there were many people in large buildings and stores that had time to get out before they collapsed. Some of the larger buildings withstood the initial earthquake, which gave time for the people inside to get outside. Then as the after shocks came these buildings crumbled to the ground. For this we are so thankful, I am sure we will hear how many lives were saved because of this. However, the reports remain that many people did not make it out alive.
The Vervolet's sent a message earlier that they were leaving their home to go and see if they can locate some of those unaccounted for and to see how they will be able to help. Pray for their safety as they travel, we are sure that some roads are impassable and all will be filled with people, ruble and the sort.
I am sure you have been keeping up with what the news media is saying. This is a very bad earthquake, many lives will be lost, it will take much to rebuild for many years to come.
People are sending us message about relief work camps and how to help out financially. As we stated earlier if you want to help financially at this time, send funds to us designating the funds for the relief work in Haiti. As for work camps, we are uncertain when we will be able to get teams in. The major air carriers have suspended flights into Haiti at this time, not giving a time when it will resume. The private ministries that fly supplies into Haiti are trying to get clearance to fly relief supplies into Haiti. The last we heard they were hoping to get a flight out today around noon time. We have been told the airport landing strips are in good shape but the airport tower has suffered sever damage.
We will continue to keep you posted as we get the news. Please pray for the people of Haiti!
Blessings,
Richard
Helping Hands In Motion
www.hhimtoday.com/blog
I trust, hope and pray that you will become more involved than ever in the life of your local church and work with us as we reach our communities, both at home and abroad with the help and hope that only Christ can provide!
From His Grace, For His Glory!
Biz
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Who Is the Christ?
Many of you know by now that we are going to focus and dig deep into the life of Christ this year at Westside Community Church. The person of Christ has offered hope beyond belief for centuries to countless numbers of people. Yet, we also know that this same person, Christ Himself has brought venom, attacks and ridicule from masses of people throughout history since his ministry began. If you follow world wide Christianity you begin to sense just how pivotal to life your understanding of Christ really is. You see, in many countries, today people are killed because of their believe in Christ or, conversely, promoted because of their denial of His claim.
Closer to home this question, while it doesn't bring torture or martyrdom, does pose for us a dividing line of sorts as well. I know of families split over this question, as some members come to faith while others deny it. I know of marriages in tatters over this question as one spouse has responded to God's grace in Christ while the other vehemently opposes it. I know of relationships at work where if you stand up for your faith, you are pretty much assured that you will not advance. Yet, in each instance - even in the face of the persecution - the followers of Christ who truly know Him have great peace, joy and comfort. Yes, there is indeed a uniqueness about our Lord, this Jesus whom we call the Christ. It is this uniqueness that I intend to explore at Westside over the course of 2010!
So, who is Christ to you? To be honest with you, even if you have been in the church for some time, there is a pretty good chance that you don't really 'get' Him. Perhaps on some level you see Him as Savior, but that 'sight' alone carries with it implications that are simply not lived out by us with any consistency anymore. To see one as Savior is to see one as worthy of service, submission, and One whom we willingly obey! Following Christ in NOT a 'list' of things to do. Following Christ is a response to the mercies and grace of God. In Romans we are told that following Christ is our 'reasonable' act of worship. This statement occurs in Romans 12:1 - 2. Do you know why it is a 'reasonable' act of worship? Because in light of the tremendous grace and mercy we read of in Romans 1 - 12, how could we do anything but respond? In some senses, Paul is saying that when we really 'get' Jesus, then following Him is, well, it is logical - it simply makes sense!
I have shared from the pulpit in the congregation as well as in my Wednesday Morning Bible Study a picture, vision or word that God has given me that I am intent upon pursuing fully. The vision is one that I have stated in these terms:
Closer to home this question, while it doesn't bring torture or martyrdom, does pose for us a dividing line of sorts as well. I know of families split over this question, as some members come to faith while others deny it. I know of marriages in tatters over this question as one spouse has responded to God's grace in Christ while the other vehemently opposes it. I know of relationships at work where if you stand up for your faith, you are pretty much assured that you will not advance. Yet, in each instance - even in the face of the persecution - the followers of Christ who truly know Him have great peace, joy and comfort. Yes, there is indeed a uniqueness about our Lord, this Jesus whom we call the Christ. It is this uniqueness that I intend to explore at Westside over the course of 2010!
So, who is Christ to you? To be honest with you, even if you have been in the church for some time, there is a pretty good chance that you don't really 'get' Him. Perhaps on some level you see Him as Savior, but that 'sight' alone carries with it implications that are simply not lived out by us with any consistency anymore. To see one as Savior is to see one as worthy of service, submission, and One whom we willingly obey! Following Christ in NOT a 'list' of things to do. Following Christ is a response to the mercies and grace of God. In Romans we are told that following Christ is our 'reasonable' act of worship. This statement occurs in Romans 12:1 - 2. Do you know why it is a 'reasonable' act of worship? Because in light of the tremendous grace and mercy we read of in Romans 1 - 12, how could we do anything but respond? In some senses, Paul is saying that when we really 'get' Jesus, then following Him is, well, it is logical - it simply makes sense!
I have shared from the pulpit in the congregation as well as in my Wednesday Morning Bible Study a picture, vision or word that God has given me that I am intent upon pursuing fully. The vision is one that I have stated in these terms:
- Christ IS NOT a proposition to prove, a program to purchase or a system to manage!
- Christ IS A relationship to be pursued and discovered, a person to be explored!
Unfortunately we in the church are accustomed to living in the first statement - that is where life is easy and manageable. Christ calls us into the second statement, full exploration of Him as who He claimed to be and then following Him because when we have truly pursued, explored and discovered Him, following simply becomes logical. Join me at Westside this year as we 'explore Christ' in 2010!
From His Grace, For His Glory
Biz
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