“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from a childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:14-17

            As another year comes to a close I want to look back with you over some of the events and other things that happened:

·         Feb 2nd - Seattle Seahawks defeat Denver Broncos 42-8 to win Super Bowl XLVII

·         Feb 17th - The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon premieres on NBC

·         Mar 8th - Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 with 239 people loses contact and disappears, prompting the most expensive search effort in history

·         Jul 14th - The death toll from the West African Ebola outbreak passes 500

·         Sep 4th - Archeological remains of a Viking fortress from the 900s CE, the Vallø Borgring, is discovered in Denmark

·         Sep 11th - South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is found not guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp (and is later found guilty of culpable homicide)

·         Sep 18th - Emma Watson delivers an address to a standing ovation at UN Headquarters in New York City, helping launch the UN Women campaign HeForShe, which calls for men to advocate for gender equality

·         Nov 25th - Protest erupt across US after a decision by Missouri grand jury not to bring charges against a white policeman who shot dead a black teenager

·         Dec 3rd - Protests erupt in cities across the US after a grand jury decides not to charge the NY police officer who killed Eric Garner with a choke-hold

Now that is a very brief overview of what our 2014 looked like. There were probably some things on this list that you knew about and some that you might not have. There are so many more things to put on this list to help give future generations an understanding of what our year was really like that it would take me until next year to put them all on there. Get it, next year, because that’s tomorrow.

Anyway… If I asked you to put together a timeline of your 2014 what would that look like? Did you get married or engaged? Did you have your first child? Your first grandchild? Did you graduate high school or college? Get some big job or promotion? Move across the US or across the world? Lots of things happen over the course of a year don’t they? Lots of good things and maybe lots of bad things, but what about God things? How many God things can you point to in the last year? I know for me and my wife there are so many in the last few months that I can’t even remember the ones from early in the year. Along with those God things, how was your relationship with God?

Were you talking with Him on a daily or weekly basis? Did you let your faith go by the wayside because there were enough other things going on in your life that it didn’t fit? Or maybe you decided that Sunday mornings were enough and you didn’t need anything more to do with Him. Whatever your relationship timeline with God was this year it’s okay. It won’t be perfect, and it won’t always fit your schedule. The best part about your relationship with God is that it can always improve. There are always ways to build that relationship and each day is a new day to start building that relationship again. So as we go into the new year, I want to encourage you to spend a little more time with God to see where He is at work in your life. The best place to start is to open up the good book and see what He has to say. If you need a place to start here is a resource for you to dig around and figure out what works for you: https://www.youversion.com/

I pray from my family to yours that you have a blessed new year celebration and that God would remind you of the hope we have in Christ for the coming year. Let’s talk next year!

Question of the Day: How was your walk with God this year? What can you do to spend a little more time with Him on a regular basis? Have coffee with the Most High!

“A relationship with God is the most important relationship you can have. Embrace it every day.”

 –Anonymous 

“He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all… Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.” –John 3:31-34

As I look out my window this morning I am getting to see the sun peek over the horizon and it makes me glad. December, at least for Minnesota, has been more overcast than usual. We have had 7 Sunny days, 5 partly cloudy days, and 18 overcast days which is why I am happy to see the sun this morning. After enough cloudy days it starts to wear on you doesn’t it? When you don’t see the sun for enough days in a row it puts you in a downer mood, or at least it does for me. If it is missing for enough days in a row you even start to wonder if you will ever see the sun again. Thankfully, even when we don’t see the sun for days at a time we still know and understand that it is still there, it is just hidden by all of the clouds and atmospheric stuff going on at the moment.

            Changing gears just a little bit, let’s think back over the last week or two to the Christmas season that we have just gone through. What was your favorite part? Was it all of the time you got to spend with your family and friends? Maybe it was grandma’s special meal that she always brings or serves. Maybe some of you got engaged! Or maybe this Christmas was more difficult for you and your family. Maybe there were financial troubles, or a relative who has passed away, or it went to fast and you feel like you missed it because you were so busy trying to get everywhere and see everyone.

However your season went, whether bright and sunny or cloudy and overcast, there is a reminder here. HOPE HAS COME. Christ came as a baby, this God man, and had to live through all of the sunny and overcast days that we experience. He rejoiced at weddings and He cried at the death of a friend. He had meals with His closest friends and His closest friends deserted Him when He needed them most. He has been where you are, and He has never left you. Just like when the sun is behind clouds for what seems like forever, we still know it is there. The same is true for Christ. When we go through times in our life where it seems like there is no hope, Christ is still there. He may seem clouded by all of the crap that is going on but He is there above it all. He has never left you because He loves you and will love you till the end of your days. So when it seems like the world is hopeless and overcast remember to: Look for the SON because Hope Has Come!

Question of the Day: How has God showed you recently that He is above all?

“To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.” –Charles De Montesquieu

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” –Hebrews 10:23-25

            Christmas time is a wonderful time of year. I enjoy the nice crisp air and the beauty of the snow covering the ground as well as getting together with family and friends. It brings such joy to the time of year when you are spending time with those people in your lives that care about you and what is going on in your life. You get to hear all of the random stories from that crazy uncle or grandparent. You continue the tradition of getting together for family meals or to open presents. And some get to welcome new members or reminisce about members who have since passed. But it all boils down to the time that you are spending together being in relationship with one another. You get to be together, and if there were no presents or the food was bad you would still have the memories that you share with those people.

            The same thing can be said about the time you spend in relationship with those people at your church or in your youth group. Those people who you spend Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights with are the same people who you will begin to form relationships with. They are the same people who you will dig into the bible with, or go on mission trips with. They are people who will be around when you start a family or are watching your family be part of some program. They may even be those people who you turn to when you hurt and need a friend to talk to. These people that you see on a regular basis are people who are walking through life just like you are.

            Maybe you don’t see them on a regular basis. They may be gone because they are taking care of a loved one or are sick themselves. They may be gone because their children are involved in the traveling sports that take them away from church regularly or maybe you are that family. Maybe you aren’t involved because other things come up or get in the way of you and/or your kids getting to church and building those relationships or making those memories. That’s where the writer of Hebrews has a reminder for us today. He says “And let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” It’s a reminder that says Hey! It’s important that you are here and are engaged because we care about you! We care about your family and we care about you hearing the message Christ has for you. So find that family or friend that you haven’t seen in a while and give them a call. Send them a reminder that you miss them and want to see them because they are important to you and more than that, they are important to God.

Question of the Day: Is there a family you can encourage to be more regular at church of youth group? Does your family need some encouragement?

“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” –Charles Dickens

“And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven.” –Daniel 5:22

Were you ever a rebel? Did you ever do anything that you had seen an older sibling do and get in trouble for but you did it anyway? Or maybe your parents told you stories of their childhood and the trouble that they got into and you did the same thing? That is the situation that Daniel is dealing with in the text. King Nebuchadnezzar, the previous king, had these dreams and no one could interpret them on his council so he asks Daniel, and through God’s power Daniel is able to interpret the dreams for the king. In his, king Neb’s, time in power we see him as a good leader, then a complete screw up, and then repent and give God the glory for what he had accomplished.

When Neb died his thrown was given to his son Belshazzar who doesn’t learn from his father’s mistakes. Belshazzar has a big party using the dishware from the temple in Jerusalem and then a human hand appears and starts writing a message that no one else can interpret but Daniel. Since Daniel was an advisor for king Neb and saw what he had gone through, he gives king Belshazzar a piece of his mind. Daniel points out that not only did Belshazzar know what mistakes his father had made he didn’t learn from them. Unfortunately for Belshazzar that situation ended with death.

Thankfully for us that is not usually the case, especially when it comes to our sins. We know the mistakes that others have done and some that we have done before. We know the consequence of our sins is death but we get so sucked into them that we forget what our purpose is. We forget that God wants us to use our gifts and our talents for His glory and that we were made to be vessels of the gospel message for others. Thankfully we don’t also get messages from random hands that tell us we are going to die either. Instead we get the patience and love of our heavenly Father who looks past our mistakes and sins and reminds us to get up and keep trying. No matter how many times we fall or how badly we rebel and screw up, God will always be there to pick us up and give us another chance. That’s just the kind of God we serve.

Question of the Day: When was the last time you messed up and got the “go get’em tiger” speech from someone? Does someone you know need that speech from you?

“If someone puts too much pressure on me, I will automatically rebel.” –Carnie Wilson

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” –Philippians 1:9-11

            Think back to your time in high school. Let’s do a little reminiscing and think about our friends, teachers, and favorite subjects throughout your time in high school or maybe even college. Sometimes I wish that I could go back to those days only because I was involved in a lot of activities that I don’t necessarily have time for any more like playing in jazz band. For me, and I’m sure for many of you, the teachers that you had influenced how much you enjoyed their class and the subject they taught or they made the subjects you disliked at least bearable.

            English was one of those classes. It has never been a subject that I have enjoyed very much and was always the class that I never wanted to go to. It was and still is all about language. Participles and verbs that make sentences understandable even when I’m not entirely sure what a participle is. Even while I am looking at the green squiggly line under my sentences and words as I type I’m not sure what I did wrong. But language is incredibly important. It is how we are able to tell stories, order food, check out our groceries, and express our feelings. But it also does something that we might not even notice. It shows what we are focusing on.

            I learned the hard way that when you are working on a team to accomplish a goal that the language you use can be a major influence on the impact your team has. When we use language that is in line with I, Me, and My  or you and yours, things tend to get heated and productivity slows dramatically, but if you use language like We and Us there is a sense of unity and connection which increases the production and effectiveness of the team. This is especially true when we are trying to share the message of Christ. The language that has an inward focus tends to push people away. Have you ever heard someone who has been sharing the message of Christ and said “If you don’t believe you will go to hell?” Not a very encouraging message is it? It is pointing the finger at them saying change your ways because you aren’t as good as me and will face eternal punishment if you don’t.

            How would the message of the church change if we changed our language to use more caring terms? How much more effective would our relationships and language be if we came alongside others to invest and focus on what is happening in their lives and walking through that with them? People would start to wonder why you do what you do and what causes you to be so loving and caring, which would lead to doors opening and discussions being had about the work and ministry of Christ. Language has a major impact on our lives. So why not use it to share the message of Christ and change someone else’s life?

Question of the day: How can our language toward others change this week to be more focused on others instead of ourselves?

“Who you are is not defined by worldly “stuff” but by your heart for God.” –Tony Dungy

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you.” –Mark 11:24-25

            This morning I want to start out by asking you to do something for me. I want you to sit quietly for 3 minutes. Do your best not to think about the stresses of your day or things that you need to get done. Set a timer and just spend 3 minutes in complete solitude. That might mean that you just sit in your car before or after work for an extra couple of minutes. Here’s my 3 minutes, ready, GO!

            Outside my office window is our nativity scene and some beautiful houses in a nice wooded area covered with a light dusting of snow. That is what I got to look at and ponder for my 3 minutes. Solitude time. A time to be alone and take 3 minutes for yourself to look at and admire what is around you. If you ever get the chance, go up to northern Minnesota to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park and spend a couple of hours of solitude time. Now I am not one who does well by himself for long periods of time but that is a great experience. So what does solitude actually accomplish and why do I suggest it?

            It’s a time where you are alone or away from everyone else. You can relax and listen or watch God’s creation. You can be happy or upset, joyful or sad, and many other emotions that no one else needs to know about but you and God. It is a time that you can take to have a candid conversation with God. Some time to pray. Don’t get me wrong, God knows what’s going on in your life, He just wants to hear it from you. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You can just start telling Him the story of what is going on in your life. Tell Him like you would tell a friend. And maybe you will be compelled to tell Him things that you normally couldn’t or ask for forgiveness for things that you have done or not done that have hurt others. Whatever the case may be He is listening. He is always listening. And in that same solitude time He is communicating with you. You just have to listen. You can see the wind blowing through the trees or the birds flying through the air and know that they are taken care of. And if they are taken care of why wouldn’t God take care of you?

           

Question of the day: How can you fit some solitude/prayer/forgiveness time into your busy day?

“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” –Mahatma Gandhi

“For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.” -1 Corinthians 15:9-10

            There are certain events in your life that bring to you a lot of pride, there are some that bring a lot of pain, and there are some that you just don’t know how to react to. The same thing can happen for people in your lives. There will be some that make you proud, some that bring you pain, and some you just don’t know what to do with. In high school my friend group had an acquaintance that we weren’t sure what to do with. We were all pretty average high school kids who were involved in sports, music, or clubs and this person was one of the outsiders. He ran with the tough crowd and never seemed to care too much about anything.

            If I am honest with you I’m still not sure to this day how we got connected up with him. The first time I remember interacting with him was when one of the other guys had taken the time to say hi and not just walk by him. Over the course of a couple of months that led to regular conversations. Six months later the same friend started asking him if he wanted to come to church with us, and six months after the first invitation he finally agreed to come. That didn’t start regular attendance for him but it did get him in the door, and once that happened we saw the spirit work on him and move him from denial to acceptance of Christ.

So what was my role in this whole situation? I was the guy who was very skeptical. I didn’t care to much either way. I was content enough with what I had going on that I really didn’t make any effort to go outside my comfort zone to do anything. The most I cared to do was acknowledge him so that I wasn’t on his radar much at all. But is that what we are called to do for people? Paul in 1 Corinthians thinks otherwise. He says in chapter 9 that we are called to be “all things to all people” so that we can “save some.” Now maybe you think that God can’t use you or that isn’t your spiritual gift, which may be true, but if anyone had a reason not to share Christ it was Paul. Paul reminds us in chapter 15 that he is the most “unworthy to be called an apostle” because he “persecuted the church of God.” He was causing all sorts of pain and trials for Christians until God got ahold of him and turned his life around.

Every time that I wonder about whether I can be a messenger of God to others, or how uncomfortable that will make me feel, I think about how little things like saying hi and acknowledging someone can lead to them learning and knowing Christ. I have to know myself and get out of my own way, put aside my pride, and ignore how uncomfortable I might feel because the gifts that I have are not mine to hide away and keep to myself. It is a gift that can be life changing to someone and all they need is an in. We get to be that pathway to Christ for others in this world. So boast in the work that Christ does through you and be that “in” for someone to Christ today.

Question of the day: Who in your life could use an “in” to Christ today?

“The knowledge of yourself will preserve you from vanity.” –Miguel De Cervantes

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 –Romans 12:2

Christmas time is one of my favorite times of the year. I really enjoy all of the decorations and lights that people put up in, around, or on their houses and trees. But one of the best parts of the Christmas season are the Christmas movies that start showing on TV. You’ve got The Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34^th Street, Santa Clause, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and one of my favorites… Elf!

Last night as we were meeting for youth group we started doing and Elf study. That just means that I get to watch movies in my office while I prepare for leading the study. But yesterday we watched the first half an hour of the movie and got into a discussion about how Buddy the elf doesn’t fit in wherever he is. When he is living with the elves in the North Pole he is different. He is tall and out of place because he is human and not an elf. He doesn’t do things as fast as the elves but he does have their Christmas spirit. Then when he goes to find his dad in New York we see that he doesn’t fit in again. He is dressed unusually and is very cheerful. He wants people to be happy and make sure that things get done the right way for Santa’s arrival the next day.

The beginning of Buddy’s story sounds a lot like our lives as Christians here on earth. We don’t always fit in or belong because we don’t have the same beliefs or ideals that everyone else around us have. Sometimes we even get brought down or ridiculed because of those things. But that’s okay. In Romans 12 it talks about how we are not to conform to this world. Now does that mean that we can’t go to baseball games, or eat hot dogs because that is something of this world? No, because God created all of those things. In Genesis 1 we read about how God created the world and everything in it and called it all good. So the things of this world aren’t necessarily bad. It is when we start making those things of this world, like money and fame, more important in our lives than God and what He has done for us.

Unfortunately Christmas is a time where we all get sucked into that idea. We get focused on making sure that all of our Christmas presents are bought for others, and that our tree looks the best it can. We focus on making sure we get our meals cooked for everyone who is coming over, or we don’t even take the time to acknowledge the Christmas season because we put our jobs and our careers ahead of everything else that’s going on. Thankfully, there is nothing that can get in the way of what God has done for us. He has set us apart from this world and chosen us to be His vessels to take the message of Jesus’ birth to all of creation. We are the ones who are different here on earth and get to share that message in our everyday lives by living and caring for others. Just like Buddy spreading the Christmas spirit, we get to share the good news of God’s love throughout our neighborhoods and everywhere we go!

Question of the day: Where can we share the message of Jesus Birth today?

“The real end of prayer is not so much to get this or that single desire granted, as to put human life into full and joyful conformity with the will of God.” –Charles Bent

“Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” –Acts 13:3

            What are some of the things that you think about during your day? For me it starts out with if I want to shower or not in the morning, then what to eat, FIND COFFEE, what I have to get done at work today, then eating again, and then usually more about work, and then about all of the things that I have or don’t have to do that night. Then what happens? You go to bed and sleep. Hopefully. If you don’t sleep then what are you doing? You are probably thinking about the things that you need to remember or get done the next day at work or at home or for the kids. Now let me ask you another question. How often do you think about your hands? Yep, those things at the ends of your arms with the fingers on them. I bet the only time you really think about your hands is when they aren’t working right. When you have pain in your fingers or you broke it when you fell. Maybe arthritis is setting in and that causes your hands to be stiff and painful not letting you get things done you wished you could.

            As I did my personal devotion this morning one of the verses mentioned hands and it got me thinking. What are some of the amazing things you can do with your hands? Well first of all I can type this jumble of words in case anyone needs to kill some time and hear about Jesus. Some other things that you can do with your hands are write, lift, grab, shake, pray, praise, twist, work, design, and drink your coffee! Hands are pretty amazing things if you really start thinking about it.

            Some of the words that describe what we can do with our hands are words like handy, handcraft, handshake, handpick, and handsome! Okay being handsome isn’t necessarily something you do with your hands but it had the word hand in it and I couldn’t resist because let’s be honest. We are all handsome people! Anyway, another thing it got me thinking about were things that Jesus did with His hands. He prayed, blessed, healed, and taught along with many other things. He used His hands to help others in their time of need and faithlessness. The cool thing is that we can do the same thing because we are the hands (and feet…) of Jesus! We get to use our hands and abilities to show others the love Christ has for them.

            So what does that look like for you? How do you get to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others? Is it through your job? Your friendships? Your smile to the crabby check out person at the store? Being the hands and feet of Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean you have to use your hands to show people who Jesus is but sometimes it will involve it. I can think of many friends and people who are wonderful examples of Christ to others who do very demanding jobs with their hands. Plumbers, fire system inspectors, child care workers, engineers, etc. Hands can come in pretty hand…y. What makes us able to do all of these things and be the hands and feet of Jesus?

            It’s because Jesus used His hands And feet to show us what real love looked like. He prayed, blessed, and healed, but He also carried a cross, and took nails in those hands and feet to pay for all of the times that we are a handful. He handpicked and handcrafted every person and cared about them enough to willingly take on all of our sins so we can be examples to others of that love and forgiveness that He shares with us. So next time you are using your hands remember the important role that Jesus’ hands played in your redemption story.

Question for the day: How will your hands show Jesus’ love to someone else today?

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” –Audrey Hepburn 

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” –Philippians 4:19-20

          Does God really care about my individual life? Does He really have the time to show me His plan for my life? Why do we think there is a God if we can’t understand what He is doing?

           

Have you ever thought about or wondered any of these questions before? For some I know it is a daily struggle. To wonder if God is even there and if He is, why would He care about me? For others it might not be so difficult. The questions might be something more like:

Are you there God? What is your plan for my life? Why can’t I figure it out?

Whatever the case may be I am willing to bet that every one of you have doubted either the existence of God or His plan for your life. I know that I have. Fairly recently too! Back in June I finished my DCE (Director of Christian Education) Internship, and for me that internship did not turn into a full time position like it did for some of my classmates. So my wife and I moved back home with my parents and started looking for retail jobs while we waited for a Call.( That is when a church is looking to fill a staff position and they think that God is working through them to offer that position to someone.) So we start looking for retail jobs so that we can save up some money and be ready to move when the Call comes.

Not more than a couple of weeks went by and my wife found a job and I am in the interview process with a church. Everything seems to be going to plan for us. We had gotten a little time off to be with family and friends at home and now the job possibility was there. Well needless to say that interview did not turn into a Call and the waiting process continued and continued and continued. Over the next 3 months I went through a couple more interviews all of which did not turn out to be the position that God wanted me to have and I started to wonder if He was still getting to His plan or if I had missed it and couldn’t figure out something that He had already told me. I was becoming more and more frustrated because through this whole experience I was filling out other retail job applications like it was my job and not once did I get a phone call or email asking to interview for any of them. I had filled out nearly 20 applications and nothing had come through.

            I’m sure that some of you have experienced the same thing and know just how frustrating that is. But isn’t it always that when you are getting the most frustrated or upset that God steps in and shows His plan for your life? That’s what happened for me. Nearly 4 months later I interviewed with my current church, and all of the doors God had seemed to close before were flying open. The Call came, my wife got offered a job, someone offered us a place to live while we got adjusted to our new surroundings, and then we found an apartment (which is a story for another time).

            Sometimes we get bogged down with the plan that we have for our own lives. We have our five year plan all laid out and want everything to go according to our plan. But that’s not usually how life works is it? Something comes up and causes us to rethink or rework our plan. It causes us frustrations beyond belief because we want to be in control of our lives. We want to know that we can make it on our own without help from our parents, earthly or heavenly. Thankfully God knows. He has planned how our lives are going to be used to show His plan and His mercy to others. Whatever situation you are in now, look for the hand of God. How might He be using you right now to show someone else that He cares for them or showing you that He cares for you? How might He be meeting your needs without you knowing it?

Don’t worry. He’s got you.

Question for the day: How has God been showing you He cares for and has a plan for your life recently?

                               

“God meets daily needs daily. Not weekly or annually. He will give you what you need when it is needed.” –Max Lucado