One Person at a Time...

___________ New Year!

You may be wondering, "Why the _________ in ___________ New Year?"  Well, It's because I wanted to put a different word in there in place of Happy.   Happy New Year is, after all, the common expression in our culture, but it just doesn't come close to my hope for all of you in 2008.   Try these ones on for size:  Blessed New Year!   Challenging New Year!  Jesus-first New Year!   God's Desire for Our Hearts New Year! 

I pray for each of you who reads this blog a New Year that is more than you can ask or imagine, because Jesus is at the center of it, and the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding every moment.  With about six hours left in 2007, I am so grateful for the opportunity to turn the calendar over and start a brand new year.  Just as each new day offers us the opportunity to life God's grace and mercy anew, a new year gives us the opportunity to stop, assess where we are, and to offer ourselves fully to God for another year.  Let's take some time this week to invite Jesus to take complete control in 2008.  Then let's do it, because as we do we can be sure that 2008 WILL be an amazing year!

Sorry, for No Snoopy's Christmas!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to Pat for letting me know that my link for Snoopy's Christmas was incorrect.  Unfortunately, I can't get it to work, so maybe NEXT year!

Merry Christmas-- Snoopy Style!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I came across the following youtube version of my favority secular Christmas song: Snoopy's Christmas by the Royal Guardsmen. I hope you enjoy it! Unfortunately, I can't embed it in my blog you'll have to go to the link below:
Snoopy's Christmas

WORD-FM Tomorrow

Tomorrow afternoon, John and Stephanie have invited me back to WORD-FM to share a "Christmas Message."  Without revealing too many "secrets," let me say that the message will be a challenge for us who already know the true meaning of Christmas to make sure that others do as well.  It is primarily a message for those who are followers of Jesus, since the listening audience is primarily made up of those who are followers of Jesus.  Those who listen in and don't have a relationship with Jesus, will certainly hear the Good News, but the emphasis will be on recognizing that the task of "sharing the new life of Jesus Christ with the world--one person at a time" still has many opportunities to be fulfilled in EACH of our lives!  I hope you'll be listening in at 5:35 p.m.

Next Step #31

    In one of the more amazing passages of Scripture relating to Jesus’ birth, we find that John the Bapitizer “announces” Jesus’ birth, while John was still in his mother’s womb! ACTUALLY, it was Elizabeth, John’s mother who was filled with the Holy Spirit and did the announcing, but John seemed to be aware of what was taking place. Let’s look at Luke 1:39-45: 

        ³⁹A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town ⁴⁰where Zechariah lived.   She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴²Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. ⁴³Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? ⁴⁴When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. ⁴⁵You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”     (Emphasis Added) Luke 1:39-45 NLT.

     The Holy Spirit did not come to EVERY believer in those days, but only to those selected by God to carry out a specific purpose. Thus, when the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth, this was a major event—particularly so, since Elizabeth was a woman. The Holy Spirit made it clear that Jesus was “the Lord,” when she called Mary “the mother of my Lord.” This is the first “announcement” of Jesus’ birth, and of course it was only announced in the hearing of Mary, Elizabeth—and Jesus and John! As we continue through this Christmas season, may we let the Holy Spirit FILL us daily that we, too, may announce not only our Lord’s birth, but also His life, death, resurrection and coming again! May our words be filled with the Holy Spirit’s power that others may respond to them and know the joy of Jesus’ salvation!

     Brothers and sisters in the Lord and in His Spirit, I want to wish all of you a blessed Christmas and joyous and productive New Year for His Kingdom! I will be taking a two week “vacation” from Next Steps during the Christmas and New Year Holidays and will present Next Step #32 during the weekend of January 5-6, 2008! God’s Blessings!!!

Words of Wisdom from a child

You HAVE to listen to this--words of wisdom from a child!

I Want THEIR Job!

Listened to the news and weather this morning, and decided once again that the best job in the world has got to be WEATHER FORECASTER!  The forecast for Saturday stated, "... and Saturday evening the snow will start to accumulate.  Depending on how it develops we'll see about one to three inches, although it could be a lot more than that, or a lot less."  REALLY?  What is a "lot less" than one to three inches?  After all, one inch of snow really isn't a lot of snow in western Pennsylvania in December.

The next thing we'll hear is "If you don't have to go out on Sunday morning -- DON'T.  Did you ever notice that the weather forecasters NEVER say that on Tuesday evening about Wednesday morning?   This is a tangent from the topic, but how is it that it's VITAL that we go out to work on a weekday, but NOT that we go out to worship on a Sunday?  Is worship less important than work?

Back to the point--How many jobs are there that permit such vague generalizations about the area of expertise.  What does it take to be considered an "effective" weather forecaster?  It is NOT an ability to forecast the weather!  While my tongue IS somewhat in my cheek right now, wouldn't you love to get paid whether you are right or wrong EVERY working day of your life?

This Sunday at New Life!

Join us Sunday as we continue our series "Preparing the Way for Jesus!" by investigating the role of shepherds in Jesus coming.  The message is titled, "Unlikely Messengers!" and emphasizes both the unlikely nature of shepherds being the first earthly heralds of Jesus' birth, as the great difference between Jesus first coming--as an infant in Bethlehem and HIs second coming, which we all await.  Come and be part of preparing the way for Jesus!

Annual Meeting of the Corporation...

In 40 minutes the Elders Board and Council will hold the annual meeting of the Corporation of New Life Christian Ministries, Inc.  It's a legal "formality" on the one hand, it's an important time of reviewing the year and anticipating a new one on the other.  It's good to stop and see what God has done, what He has empowered us to do, and also what we have failed to do to advance His Kingdom.  That's what annual meetings of a local group of followers of Jesus should be, and what they are at New Life.  One of the greatest joys for me as the founding pastor of New Life is that we have a structure that is designed to enhance MINISTRY, not maintenance.  I frankly  don't care if New Life exists as a local body of Jesus if all that means is that we "maintain" what we've always maintained.  A local church exists to expand God's universal Kingdom, to work together with other local congregations to see God's realm grow bigger with each passing year.  The gains at New Life have been modest this past year--but there have been gains.  Lives baptized in obedience to Jesus.  Missionaries supported to the glory of God.  Worship celebrated to God's pleasure.  Fellowship shared to deepen the bonds of love in Jesus.  This is why the church exists!  Some think that one day, when New Life has a building or buildings at 127 Knoch Road we will "really" be a church.  Praise God that we are already a church!  A building will be just one more "tool" God uses to lead others into His Kingdom, and for that reason, I look forward to the day when 127 Knoch Road is our "mission outpost" or "embassy of God's Kingdom" in our community.  Until then, by God's grace and the Spirit's power we will continue to advance His Kingdom at South Butler Primary Center, in our homes, schools, workplaces and in the world.  After all, our "corporation" is a world-wide conglomerate, with billions of constitutents, and thousands added each day--to God's eternal glory!

Pain or Injury?

Last week my knees started hurting--fairly bad.  I decided to take a few days off from the regimen of running and praying.  I wasn't sure if it was "just" pain, or if it was the start of an injury.  With a few days off from running my knees hurt--more!  I've had that happen in the past.  A twinge here, more than a twinge there, and it's "self-diagnosis" time.  I've been injured in my life--broken ribs, broken leg, broken wrist, broken hand.  Injury requires REST and REPAIR.  The type of repair depends on the extent of the injury.  Sometimes it's just rest and nutrition, or medication.  Sometimes a "manipulation" from a chiropractor does the job.  Sometimes it takes a cast or surgery.  Obviously, PRAYER is always the first form of repair, but sometimes a prayer for healing doesn't bring immediate results.  In my life it has not often brought immediate results.  So, it's back to the original challenge--is it "just" pain or is it an injury?  I decided to get back to trail yesterday, and test out the knees.  A funny thing happened--the knees loosened up and felt fine, but by the time I finished my four miles, my left achilles tendon was "screaming."   Pain or injury?  I went home, took a long, hot shower, didn't take the time to ice the achilles, which I know I should have done, and by evening, the pain was barely noticeable.  I went out this morning in the rain and ran three miles and came in early, because the achilles was sore.  This evening it's just a "twinge" again. 

What's this have to do with "Living in Jesus Every Day?  EVERYTHING!  Whether we're talking physically or spiritually, there are always "twinges," "aches," "pain," but when do they become INJURY?  Sometimes they DON'T ever become injury, because we rest, and let God renew us.  Sometimes they BECOME injuries, because we think we're too important to rest and be renewed.  When that happens rest and renewal are replaced with REPAIR.  Don't get me wrong, injuries aren't always the result of "overuse."  Accidents happen and injuries can come in an instant.  What I'm writing about here, though, is the TENDENCY all of us have--especially at this time of year to "overuse."  This is a time for rest and renewal, a time to REFLECT on God's greatest gift of all--Jesus.  Take the time to STOP and smell the candy canes, to consider the joy that is ours because Jesus absorbed all the pain and injury of humanity's sin in Himself on the cross.  It started in a stable.  It ended on a cross.  A lot of pain must have come between the two for one who had to put up with us, despite His own perfection.

Take some time this season for rest and renewal.  If you're in pain--physically or spiritually, pause to call on the Great Physician.  Carve out time to join in the celebration of Jesus' birth AND His coming again one day to renew and restore ALL things!  It's well worth the effort, and it'll definitely be "salve" for the pain life brings!