If You Could Change The World

by Sylvia Gaston

If you could do one thing to change the world for the better, what would it be?

It’s very easy to get frustrated with the way things are today. There are many things that need to be fixed. Here are some of the things that I consider…

War

Crime

Political division

Substance abuse

Disease

Homelessness

Environmental problems

Hunger / Lack of clean water

Absence of parental guidance

There is a tendency to look at a problem, see the magnitude of it, and simply back away and do nothing because it seems overwhelming or futile. Yet, many amazing, world-changing things occur because a single person takes that first small step.

The world seems too large to influence yet some of you are destined to influence communities, states, nations. But most of us will live our entire lives on a much smaller scale. So what one thing could you change on a smaller scale to make the world a better place? Many have turned the tide because they stepped out, did or said something, and influenced others toward change.

Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War 2, is best remembered for his inspiring speeches and for his refusal to give in, even when things were going badly. He successfully led Britain through World War 2. He changed his world.

Rosa Parks was not the first African-American to boycott racial segregation but she was the first one to see her act of “civil disobedience” through the lengthy court process. She, and the year-long bus boycott that followed, became important symbols for others to rally against racial segregation. She changed her world.

One man…one woman…making a significant change to their world by taking that first small step.

You are one man, one woman. What first small step could you take to influence your world – on a large or small scale?

For me, it comes down to looking for opportunities to come alongside a person who is struggling or in a personal crisis. It might be a pending divorce, a health issue, errant children, or depression. Sometimes their crisis seems much too large for me to influence. But I can pray with them and for them, I can tell them what God says about their situation, I can point them to a Creator who will never abandon them  - even in the darkest days. A first small step.

There’s a huge difference between optimism and hope. Optimism is defined as “confidence about the future or a successful outcome of something”.

Hope is the “expectation of something desired; desire combined with expectation”.

We can be optimistic about our circumstances or we can have the expectation that our outcome will be positive.

My hopes and expectations originate with Jesus. Once I chose to put my trust in Him, I no longer had to worry about my future. Despite what life throws at me, I have an expectation that God will see me through it. He will stay by my side, His Holy Spirit will guide me through it, and eventually, I will live forever worry- and pain-free with Jesus in Heaven. My hope! My expectation!

The first thing you can do to change your world is to choose to follow Jesus. You can begin to lead a life that is not perfect, but a life that is hopeful. 

If you already are a Jesus-follower, take that first small step – whatever it may be – to change the world around you. That step will look different for each of us. Don’t be afraid. You have nothing to lose. Be hopeful! Be expectant! Change your world.

God Moments and Faith Talks

by Sylvia Gaston

It can be tough to share with family and friends why I am a Christian. Why did this former wild child one day choose to listen to God and follow after this man, Jesus? How to explain the seemingly coincidental people God placed in my path? How do I tell others about the strong pursuit I felt from my Creator over a span of several years? The opportunities to share these oh-so-important details and deep thoughts don’t come up casually or often. But they can come up in little windows of time that allow you to share precious nuggets of your faith with others.

We used these nuggets as we raised our kids. Little ones can’t comprehend your entire conversion story – the entire belief system you’ve adopted for an unseen God. But they can pick up on little discussions that take place through the course of everyday life. Slowly and consistently, you can explain why God is the center of your existence.

Welcome to “Faith Talks” and “God Moments”!

Faith Talks:
These are intentional times set aside for conversations with your family about the Bible. Spiritual training takes place one step at a time in the context of everyday life.

While having Faith Talks, relationship is your priority, the Bible is your handbook, and life is your classroom. Teach your children or grandchildren about God, the Bible, salvation, and how to live life God’s way – which is better than our way. Keep it simple. Select a Bible verse and discuss it. What does the verse mean? Who was it written to? What can this help me do today? Does it teach us how to live or how to pray?

Proverbs 22:6 tells us that if we train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not turn from it. This goes for grownups too.

God Moments:

God Moments are my favorite. They’re not structured like Faith Talks and they’re not just for our children. God moments are great anytime and with anyone you talk to – family, friends, co-workers, strangers.

God moments go something like this: Something happens in your life. You tell someone about it. Then you tell them how God helped you or got you through it. Or the reverse scenario might take place. Someone tells you about something they’re going through. Then you tell them how you handled or got through something similar with God’s help. (bonus points if you then ask if you can pray for or with them about the thing they’re going through.).

Those God Moment opportunities come up all the time! But, you’ve got to be looking and listening for them and be prepared to take advantage of them.

These are the times when you get to really brag about God. These are the times when you can explain the supernatural ways you’ve seen Him rescue you, give you wisdom, heal you, help you. Simple life – but better because of God.

A God Moment can also be the simple opportunity that may arise when you explain to someone how your life was before and how it’s different today now that you try to live life God’s way. Not perfect; just different and better…waaay better.

The goal of Faith Talks and God Moments is not to coerce or manipulate conversations nor is it to shove your faith down someone’s throat. The goal is to share your real life story with others because you love and care about them. You want others to have a more abundant life of love, and an eternal hope, that is found by following Jesus.

Paul said it well, “Follow my example just as I follow Christ’s”. (1 Corinthians 11:1 CEB)

Jesus said it best, “I am the way and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

Now get out there and start discovering your own faith talk and God moments! You’ll love it! 

On Point

by Andrew Cromwell

When you are setting a course for a long journey, a few degrees off-course can be the difference between Hawaii and Taiwan. It is critical to stay on course and on point if you want to get somewhere specific. The farther you have to go, the more important it is to stay “on point”. Pilots know that one degree off between Los Angeles and New York means you’re as likely to end up in Scranton or Philadelphia instead.

Similarly, in the course of life, a few degrees can be the difference between success and failure. One degree off — one little white lie, one careless financial decision, or one flirtatious glance — may not be a big deal today, but uncorrected, those small errors in judgment can result in lost jobs, mountains of debt, and ugly divorces.

By definition “on point” means “relevant and appropriate to what is happening or being discussed”. When I think of staying on point, I think of how easy it is to get off point! At our staff meetings, we frequently find ourselves off-topic and wonder how it is that we arrived at this severely “off-point” location. We then have to course-correct and get back on topic.

Isn’t life like that? We head out in one direction — we determine to do it right, stay on track, make good decisions, and not make the same mistakes we made last year — but before you know it, we find ourselves far from where we meant to be.

The Apostle Paul reminds us to “give attention to your spiritual life.” In other words, stay on point! It is so easy to drift off course and get distracted. We quickly forget that there is a spiritual world underneath the things we can see with our eyes. And before you know it we ignore the very part of us that is eternal (our spirit).

Paul goes on to say that if we stay close to the truth, we will experience a kind of life that is transformative and powerful both for us and for the people around us. That’s the kind of life I want! And I’m guessing it’s the kind you want too. But in order to experience it, we’re going to have to pay attention and make sure we stay on point.

Do you need to get back on point? Maybe you’ve been meaning to get things right with God for a while but just haven’t seemed to get around to it. Or maybe, you’ve never even tried. I want to see you find real success in life — the kind that echoes into eternity.

Need Some Reassurance?

by Sylvia Gaston

2019. It’s a new year and a great time to reflect on last year and plot a course moving forward. Without setting goals, the likelihood of forward progress is slim. As I set goals for myself, I reflect on the following pieces and parts:

·     Spiritual – Is my relationship with Jesus getting deeper? Do I know Him better? Am       I on the path that He has set for my life?

·     Physical – What do I need to do to be healthier this year?

·     Professional – What can I do to improve my effectiveness at work? How can I help my company/organization reach its goals?

·     Financial – Am I spending and saving my money as I should?

·     Emotional – Are there relationships that I need to work on? Are there things I need to focus on to be more emotionally mature?

·     Intellectual – As a lifelong learner, what can I do to keep my mind sharp? Are there new skills I need or want to acquire?

Remember to not set too many goals. Success is more likely if you just choose one or two things and remain focused on them throughout the year.

As I was exploring what the Bible says about moving forward, I was drawn to the story of Joshua. Most of us have seen some version of the movie - The Ten Commandments - the story of how Moses led the freed nation of Israel from slavery to the land God has promised them. Moses has died and Joshua must fill some very large shoes as his successor. God, in His infinite compassion, assures Joshua that He is still with them.

God tells Joshua, “’Moses my servant, is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.  I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you…No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.’”

And as the Israelites moved toward the promised land, they followed the Ark of the Covenant – a brilliant and beautiful chest that contained the stone tablets of God’s ten commandments and other sacred items.

The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’” –Joshua 3:7-8

God gives Joshua specific instructions so that the people can easily and safely cross over into the land that He has promised them.

So, “Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’” –Joshua 3:5.  Consecrate means: to make or declare sacred; to devote or dedicate to some purpose. Joshua tells his countrymen to prepare themselves and that they are going to see the amazing things God is going to do.

What I love about this narrative is the reassurance God gives to this newly appointed leader, Joshua. Can you imagine the uneasiness Joshua must have felt moving forward? He was being entrusted to lead the nation that had followed Moses for decades and had witnessed the miracles God previously performed through him. God reassures Joshua that He is still with him and that He will demonstrate that fact to the Israelites and to the other nations watching.

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. –Joshua 3:17

God performed a miracle similar to the one that had previously brought about their freedom (remember the parting of the Red Sea?) by halting the Jordan, a river at high flow, to giving them dry passage. Amazing!

Are you in a place where you need reassurance to move forward? Do you need to know that God is still with you in 2019? You need only ask Him. The God Who created the universe is just waiting to hear from you! 

Take another look at those different areas of your life! Pick one or two goals you’d really benefit from. Then move forward with the reassurance that God loves you, He has a plan for you, and He is ready to lead you just as He led Moses and Joshua – showing you AMAZING things that He will do!

Are You Listening?

by Tim Howard

My wife and I were out to breakfast not too long ago and the waitress who came to our table was bubbly, vibrant and very friendly. After a few moments of exchanging pleasantries, she asked us if we wanted some coffee and what we would like to order. Since I was hungry, I began to rattle of a list of several things. Midway through my request she interrupted me and said: “ I’m sorry, could you start again, I wasn’t practicing active listening.”

I can’t begin to tell you how hard the three of us laughed. I had never heard anyone say that out loud! A person may not be listening but he or she doesn’t outright say it to you!

At times we all have moments when we drift off. We may hear what someone says but aren’t necessarily paying attention. We don’t practice active listening – we consciously or unconsciously choose to turn our proverbial hearing aid off.

Francis A Schaeffer wrote a book titled “He Is There And He Is Not Silent” 

God isn’t silent and He really wants to talk with you! His preference is to talk ‘with’ you and not ‘at’ you because He’s genuinely interested in your feelings, your thoughts, your concerns and your words.

When you speak – He listens! When He speaks, He wants you to listen!

Jesus said: Matt. 4:4 … “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Having ears that actually hear and listen to God’s voice is crucial – if we want to experience true life.

God has given you His written ‘Word’ as an aid to help you learn how to hear His voice. When you read it and study it – your ears become attuned to His voice like antenna that locks into the right frequency.

He has also invited you to join with a church family of your choice each week to help assist you in hearing. When you set aside some time to meet with others – you practice active listening.

My mother use to say: “ I’m not talking to hear myself talk!” And neither is God. He want’s you Practice active listening. 

He has some great things to share with you. He wants to tell you how to face the challenges confronting your life. He wants to tell you how to dispel the confusion you are currently experiencing. He wants to tell you where to find life and purpose and He’s wanting to tell you why things keep falling apart and how you can make things last. He is speaking good news!

On one occasion a young boy named Samuel was learning to hear God speak to him and a wise priest told him this: The next time you sense the Lords presence say “Speak, your servant is listening.” Too often we are guilty of wanting Him to hears us and we say: “Listen my Lord, I am speaking.” It’s important to remember that it’s impossible to listen when you are talking!

When you speak to God – He listens!

When He speaks to you – do you listen?

Are you positioned to hear His voice?

Do you have a strategy to discover what He is saying, to you, right now?

Keeping It Wild

by Candace Cortez

One of my favorite things about God is that He never runs out of ideas. Looking at the faces of people as they pass by me in a store or on a street, I am amazed that God has it in Him to design, create, mold, each set of eyes, each different shaped head, and each heart full of layers we can’t fully grasp even within ourselves. God is a wonderous creator. In the unique way we were created, I believe each believer has a specific gifting that delights God when it is used in worship. I believe there is a way that I can worship Him, that nobody else can, and it is delightful to God, while simultaneously I can sing with the angels who will sing “Holy Holy Holy” for eternity. I believe God hears and loves all of those voices. I believe you have something to give to Him that is different, specific, and a sweet aroma to Him. The thing that unifies us, believer and non-believer, is that we were made to glorify Him.

Even though I know and believe all of that, after following the Lord for a while, it’s possible to find yourself in a spiritual rut. Numerous times, I have experienced a distance from God’s perceivable presence, even though I was doing all of my normal prayer, worship, and Bible reading times. This always brings at least an eyelash worth of doubt: is this all real? Is God there? Does it matter?

This morning I read the story of King David in the Bible, in 2 Samuel 6, when the ark of the Lord was on the way back into the City of David. David was so thrilled to have the presence of God back in his camp that he worshiped, danced, praised until his robes fell off. There was no other time in scripture that describes David’s worship exactly like this. There were times he sang, there were recorded times of playing instruments. There were examples of obedience and times of humbled repentance. I believe this dance is an example of how David kept it wild. He did not allow his worship style, habits, or timing to be solely dictated by past experiences, present pressures, or hopes for his own advancement. The recorded nature of David’s praise to God is dynamic, mirroring the dynamics of God Himself.

God has it in Him to listen to the same song on repeat by the angels and make billions upon billions of different faces and spirits. Yes, sing the songs you know and love, but also, take time to intentionally breathe creativity into the ways, postures, and places you give honor and praise to the Lord. Keep it wild! This will not only add some fun to your walk with the Lord, but you will also keep from getting too deep in the rut. Staying out of the rut will combat the doubts and lies of the enemy that sneak in during distant times.

I’m not an expert, but here are some ways to switch it up, if your creative worship wheels are rutted too deep to begin. 

• Read the Bible outside (Preferably with a view! Hello, mountains! God likes long walks on the beach.) to give a backdrop to the One who made it all.
• Gather a few friends and sing some songs, pray for each other, and ask some of the more challenging faith questions you’ve had rolling around in your heart.
• Turn off your phone! Spend a crazy amount of time listening, reading, and writing the things God does when the distraction count is significantly lower.
• Go to a store with a monetary gift, and pray for someone to bless in Jesus name.
• Write down your personal testimony. Sometimes we need to think about all the things God has done and actually write those things down!
• Make something! Anything! God is an artist and likes when we act like Him. This can be a blanket, a painting, a cake, or a plan.

It’s ok to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone, or even our talent zones. Just because you are not talented in a specific way to worship, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it out. The author of 2 Samuel didn’t tell us that David danced well, we read that he danced with all his might. Stay engaged. Remain faithful. Keep it wild!

Broken

by Tim Howard

Opening presents at Christmas is fun for children and adults but there’s one thing that remains a joy killer! It’s opening a present that needs batteries and none are included. Even worse is opening a present, only to find that it’s broken.

A few years ago at Christmas, my wife opened a beautifully wrapped box only to find a gorgeous colorful glass vase broken. Even though she was careful to unwrap the gift, the pedestal was severed in three distinct places.  The end result was — Broken!

Hopefully everyone has a Christmas present under their tree this year but we tend to forget that people are gifts as well. Especially our family and friends! What we may not realize, however, is that every person surrounding and supporting us is broken as well.

You and I live in a world of brokenness. Marriages are breaking up at an unprecedented rate. Broken families are everywhere and our society is experiencing long-lasting ramifications as a result – much like the aftershocks of an earthquake.

That’s why Jesus came to heal the sick, free those who are bound, forgive all who have sinned and restore that which is broken.  I like what the old prophet Isaiah said in chapter 42 of his book. “God won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant.”

Jesus came to restore – not to discard and dispose of the broken!

My reaction to the broken vase was quite different than my wife’s.  I immediately decided to throw it away and purchase a new one.  From my point of view the decision seemed rational and logical. After all, it was broken – not valuable – and should be thrown away.

My wife’s response, however, was not quite so rash.  She carefully studied the vase from every angle for several moments.  She studied it as though she were a scientist in search of a cure for a rare disease.  Finally, she announced to me with great conviction, “I can fix it.”  And she did. 

If you find your life broken at some point, don’t believe the lies that tell you – you’re beyond repair! You’re not worth restoring or nothing can be done.

You may remember the Nursery Rhyme that says:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Here’s some good news that will bring great joy to all who believe! Jesus is the King of Kings and He is willing and able to put you back together again. All you need to do is ask!

Luke 2:10-11 “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” NIV 

Merry Christmas