In a short while Sue Dunlap and I will give a workshop called “Rekindle Your Spirit When Working with Vulnerable People.” The heart of the message is that those who know Christ are called into ministry and mission to those who don’t know and to those for whom life is a challenge. Notice I said, it is those who know Christ who are called.

It’s foolish for my son John and his wife Tamara to give up professional careers to go to Ghana, West Africa as missionaries to reach out to those who are perishing. It is foolish for Mike and Glenda Miller to have given up everything and go to Honduras to reach out to gang members and to families that live in the slums. It is foolish to give a quarter million pounds of food away to people who might never give anything back. It is foolish to want to establish a new community of faith when there is so much to be done right here.

John 12:8 Jesus said, “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.” But you know what? There will always be work and maintenance to be done right here at our church. There will always be hungry people. There will always be people who don’t know the gospel. There will always be sacrifices to be made or even careers to give up when the message of the cross intersects with our life path.

So when is the right time to begin a work for God? If you wait for the right time, it will never come. So that means now is the right time, or it may never even get started. Whether we have 30 years to live or only 30 days to live, if someone is carrying the message of the cross to others, there will always be those who think it is foolish. But to those who are being saved, it is the power of the cross.

We will be challenged to consider the level of our giving and take a step up in our proportionate giving to God. We look forward to celebrating another victory as a result of this spiritual growth program. We will celebrate Saturday evening with a Pizza and Wings Party at 8:00 PM and on Sunday with a catered meal in our fellowship hall at noon. We hope you will plan to be with us for one of the services on May

Donna Draxler recently shared the following devotional from Our Daily Bread as it appeared about a month ago:

People hate change, or so I hear. But the change we generally resist is the kind that we think will make our situation worse rather than better. We eagerly change jobs when it means higher pay and more influence. We happily move to a bigger house in a better neighborhood. So it’s not change in general that we hate; it’s change that involves loss—sometimes physical, other times emotional or psychological.

Change is both inevitable and necessary. If everything stays the same, no one is growing. But we have a Shepherd who guides us through change and leads us to a better place. Getting there may be difficult, as it was for the Israelites in reaching the Promised Land. They grumbled when their situation got worse rather than better (Exodus 15:24, Numbers 14:2). But we have the example of Jesus. In less than a week, He went from being the leader of many to being abandoned by all. Between Palm Sunday and Good Friday, the Good Shepherd became the Sacrificial Passover Lamb. Because Christ willingly went through suffering, God elevated Him to the highest place (John 10:11; Philippians 2:8-9).

Not all change is pleasant, but when we’re being led to a better place by Someone who loves us, we don’t need to fear it. –Julie Ackerman Link
We have been undergoing some changes and appear to have some more change ahead of us. As we listen for the whisper of God, may we humble ourselves in obedience to God’s direction and trust that our faith in Christ will keep us steady in the stormy sea of change.

Changing with you!
Bill

Our sanctuary will be open to the public from 3:00-7:00 pm for prayer.

These words written by Paul the apostle blow me away. As far as we know, Paul never met Jesus before the crucifixion. However, he spent a great deal of time and energy trying to stamp out people who were telling all about Jesus and whose lives had been radically transformed after the crucifixion. As for Saul (Paul), he made havoc of the church, entering every house and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
Acts 8:3

Acts 9 records the story of Saul’s encounter with Jesus, which was so life-changing that his name changed from Saul (asked for, prayed for) to Paul (little, humble). Paul became radically transformed and he fully understood that Jesus was indeed “the Son of God” Acts 9:20.

Every Easter we are reminded of the story of Jesus coming to Jerusalem in victory only to be crucified a short time later. He was buried and then rose from the dead. Is it so familiar that it has become part of the “noise” of our lives? Is it simply one of the books on our shelves? Were we at one time crucified with Christ? Radically transformed, and seemingly raised from the dead. But now we’re getting over it and life is returning to ‘normal.’

We’ve just completed a wonderful series on faith. Paul says, “…the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…” How does that stack up with what you just learned about faith? Was Christ only needed to help us get through a rough spot? Or do we think maybe that spark of faith was just a passing fad? Paul says, “the life I now live.” It’s not just a one time thing, a vaccination, a pill.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The power of the Easter story is found here. Dying to ourselves and rising with Christ, that’s how we can now live our lives in the flesh, by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Knowing this, if you only had 30 days to live, would you live your life any differently?

While the arrival of spring motivates many of us to clean every inch of our homes, cars, or garages, etc. of the dust and debris that accumulate over time, our relationships, families and marriages can be plagued with annoying irritants too. Busy schedules and financial pressures can also contribute to a season dusted with annoyances.

The Bible encourages us to shake off such pollutants and bring in some “fresh air.” Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of
malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

Here are some cleaning tips for our relationships:

Declutter. Identify at least one thing you can give up to minimize the stress of your busy schedules.

Polish. Make your communication sparkle by talking face to face.

Make room. Connect with and pray for one another, making room for God to work in each of you.

Like your home, car, or garage, your relationships need a seasonal cleaning to sweep away the irritants that settle in. The results of these efforts can be refreshing!

Spring cleaning with you!
Bill