Struggling For Perspective

I’ll be honest, I’m frustrated.

But maybe not in the ways you might think. Sure, I’m feeling the stress of the pandemic and of the state of U.S. politics. And, of course, my heart breaks for all the division, hatred, and ugliness we’ve seen around us. It’s been taking a toll on me, affecting my disposition, and sometimes making me cynical or hard-hearted.

 

And that’s what frustrates me. But I’m not frustrated with the things that are causing me to feel this way. I’m frustrated with myself for letting them. 

 

Because as a follower of Christ, my hope, my joy, and my peace are not dependent on the circumstances around me. At least they shouldn’t be. So why am I struggling to keep my perspective? Why are these temporary things living rent-free in my heart and mind? Why are they becoming the biggest, most significant things to me?

 

The answer is simple, even if it’s hard to admit. These things are determining my emotional health because these things are where I have placed most of my focus. Do you see now why I’m frustrated with myself?

 

I’m the one who chooses what I will fill myself with each day. And whatever I put in will determine how I feel and how I function. It’s no wonder I’m angry, cynical, and hopeless. All I’ve been doing is looking at the here and now. And yeah, things aren’t so great. But what does the here and now have to do with my hope for the future? If I keep myself filled with God’s word by reading my Bible, and I keep myself filled with His Holy Spirit by spending time alone with Him, then my perspective becomes much bigger than all that.

 

The things of our Father’s eternal Kingdom should make up the majority of what we consume and dwell on. But it’s so easy to get out of balance because of the sheer volume (in this case, meaning both the quantity and the loudness) of competing sources. And it’s not enough just to say “well, I’ll have to read my Bible a little more” because when I look at my phone’s battery usage statistics I can see that as of 12pm today I’ve already consumed almost an hour and a half of the world through news websites, videos, and social media! Have I prayed or read my bible for 90 minutes today? 

 

I don’t think we even realize how much we’re taking in. It’s deceptive because it comes in small doses divided over multiple sources and spaced throughout our entire day. But there’s no way we can bring it into balance simply by upping our time with God. We also need to silence a huge amount of the other stuff, or we’ll never keep up in this battle. And make no mistake, this is a battle - for your time, your attention, the condition of your heart, and the health of your mind and emotions. All of these things are what ultimately determine the course of your life, the closeness of your walk with Jesus, and the fruitfulness of your faith.

 

Where is your focus? And how is it working for you?

 

“Finally, brothers and sisters, 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

 

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2

 

Bryan Vickers
Worship Pastor

Knock Down Ginger; Nicky Nicky Nine Doors

These are Canada’s names for ‘ding dong ditch’. Others are ‘ring run’ and ‘knock-a-door-run’. Remember when you used to ring someone’s doorbell and run away before they could answer? Was that just me? It was definitely before doorbell cameras. In America, we call that ‘ding dong ditch’.

 

And that is the premise of my holiday season plans. I am ready to have some fun – good old, clean, childhood fun! My plan is to combine ‘ding dong ditch’ with blessing someone’s socks off during the 2020 holiday season.

 

In the midst of this lock down, distanced, mask-wearing culture, I am planning a coup (cue evil bwahaha laugh).

 

I’m tired of complaining. I’m tired of all the ‘don’t’s’. I’m tired of the negativity and divisiveness.  I just don’t care for any of it, any more. But, most of all, I’m tired of just hanging on, waiting for it all to pass. I am on a mission to be the light of the world during this holiday season . . . or at least on my block. I am about to turn this pandemic on its tail and become counter-cultural!

 

Here’s my plan:

1.     Set my goals:

-       Have fun

-       Bless my neighbors

-       Be contagious (in joy, not the other stuff)

-       Make myself available to my neighbors

-       Involve my young adult kids (the toughest part)

2.     Brainstorm ideas:

-       Who are my neighbors?

-       What can I do for them that is safe, helpful or fun?

-       How do I let them know that I’m here for them whether it’s for a cup of sugar, to store their kids’ presents until Santa comes, or for some needed prayer?

3.     Develop a plan and a schedule

4.     Buy or make the things

5.     Implement the plan while dragging my kids along

 

Simple enough. Now to follow through. That’s actually why I’m writing this in a very public place. I need the accountability because it’s way too easy to have good intentions that lead nowhere.

 

My real motivation is that I really care about people AND I really want to make a difference in my small world AND I want people to know me as their Christian friend – even if they don’t know what that means. You know . . . be a good neighbor.

 

We live in a small enough community where we actually have the power to make a difference. Jesus REALLY cared about people (to the point of death). He certainly made a difference (for all eternity). He was extremely intentional about making Himself available to others who needed a friend or a neighbor. He particularly cared about the lowly, the disenfranchised, the forgotten, the lonely, the sick, the widowed, the orphaned, the lost.

 

When challenged by an antagonist about the most important thing to God, He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 ERV)

 

Seems simple enough. I’m going to focus on those two things. I’m going to minimize everything the world is trying to push on me and make this my daily priority.

 

I can set my agenda. I can determine my attitude and priorities. I can choose joy and kindness. I can choose to not be a victim of my circumstances. Anyone else want to be counter-cultural with me? I hope to look back on January 1, 2021 and say to myself, “THAT was fun. THAT was meaningful.”

 

Don’t just be a neighbor; be a good neighbor.

 

“Ding dong!”

 

 

Sylvia Gaston 

Pastor of Connection and Development 

 

 

 

How To Pray For The Sick

My mom used to keep a tattered and worn piece of paper near her phone that had a list of people on it that she was praying for. I always knew that if I needed an answer to prayer, all I had to do was ask mom to get involved. I used to tease her that she must have God by the ear because she seemed to have a direct line to him. The truth is that we all have a direct line to God through prayer.

 

Prayer might seem like a tedious chore. We might have memories from childhood of being told to say our prayers at bedtime. “Now I lay me down to sleep…”. We recited all the things we wanted God to help us with, including asking for prayers for a sick cat or “God, please make sure I get a bike for Christmas.” That last one was my prayer for a couple of years.

 

Nowadays, we seem to be surrounded by friends, family and acquaintances that are in desperate need of prayer, especially in the area of sickness. Not only are we concerned about COVID-19 but we all probably know someone battling cancer or other illnesses. Their diagnosis might seem insurmountable and praying for them might seem useless. The truth is, that God hears every prayer from the faithful and God will heal. He may not do it in the way that we expect. There may not be an obvious miracle, but God hears our prayers and answers every single one.

 

So, how can you pray for the sick without letting your logical mind interfere with the supernatural? Here are some simple guidelines to keep your focus on God and his plan for healing:

 

Pray with Faith

My favorite story about praying with faith is found in Mark, chapter 9, verses 14-27. The disciples have been unable to cast out a demon in a young boy and Jesus has them bring the boy to him. The boy’s father says to Jesus, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?”, Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help overcome my unbelief!” (emphasis mine)

 

When a friend is given a terminal diagnosis or is battling a particularly terrible illness, it can be difficult to pray with faith for a complete physical healing. The truth is that we know that God can heal in that way. The other truth is that evil is in the world and we are all going to die someday. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t still pray with faith and ask God to help us when there is that little niggle of doubt in our hearts. We put our focus on Jesus and his healing blood from the cross. He died for our sins and by his stripes we are healed! (Isaiah 53:5)

 

Pray with Thanksgiving

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

 

There’s that little phrase between two commas: “with thanksgiving”. I actually love that part of praying for people who are sick. I enjoy thanking God for them, telling him how grateful I am that I can pray for them and that I can trust him to comfort them and heal them. I thank him for their life and all the things that he has called them to accomplish. I praise and thank him for all the good things that come to mind about the person I’m praying for. Praying with thanksgiving causes a supernatural joy to bubble up and it will bolster your faith as you pray.

 

 

Pray with Authority

We have been given powerful authority in Christ. Whenever Jesus prayed for someone who needed healing, he was pretty quick about it and spoke with tremendous authority. You might say, well, of course he spoke with authority! He is God! Yes, this is true. But he also told us in John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done…”

 

When you read through the gospels, you’ll see words accompanying Jesus’ healings such as rebuke, command, reprimand, and instruct. Jesus was full of action and sure authority because of his relationship with the Father. Because of Jesus and his death and resurrection, we have that same authority and certainty when we pray for healing. We are doing battle against the evil of this world and praying with authority is essential when praying for the sick.

 

In Conclusion

 

Prayer takes our faith to an entirely different level. Through prayer we transcend the physical world and enter into the supernatural. Our faith will grow from the tiniest mustard seed into a strong tree that flourishes in God’s presence.

 

Matthew 14:14 is a passage that is indicative of Jesus and the multitudes that he healed during his ministry:

“When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.”

 

 

Paula Aiton is a member of Koinonia Church worship team in Hanford, CA and a freelance writer, musician and artist. Her blog, ‘God’s Glory Girl’, can be found at godsglorygirl.com.