One man's prayer

Father, thank you so much for the grace and mercy that you have shown to me in Jesus.  I deserved none of it but have willingly and gratefully received all of it.  And, you didn’t stop with giving me new life, you have molded and shaped me, protected and challenged me, worked through and in spite of me.  You have done miracles in my family’s life and continue to walk with us to this very hour.

Father, thank you that you have given us a wonderful church home. It is through this body of believers that your overwhelming message of grace and forgiveness, of restoration and rebirth, of Christ dying so that each of us might live, was proclaimed. And thank you that the Holy Spirit took that gospel message from their lips to our hearts.  Lord, we praise you that your good seed landed on the good soil you prepared in our hearts and that you have brought growth both to me and my family.  On top of all that, you have called us to join this local body in their mission to proclaim the excellencies of your Son who lived and died and rose again.

Father, now this body, Christ’s body, has found themselves at a crossroads of sorts.  You have allowed a building to be given to us and we are so grateful.  And yet we are perplexed. Father, somehow our eyes and our hearts have lost their focus on you and instead they are trained upon ourselves. Like Peter in the storm, our faith has wavered.  And like Peter help us seek the only real solution: Lord save us!

Father, protect us from the idolatry of church buildings, both new and old.  Protect us from the twin errors of not listening to anyone else and not thinking for ourselves. Protect us from trying to address spiritual concerns with worldly techniques.  Protect us from putting bricks and mortar ahead of gospel and grace.  Protect us from the schemes of your enemy and ours. And, most of all, protect us from ourselves. Your Word is clear; we are our own worst enemy.

Father, we really do want you to do your will. We really do want to be a part of building the kingdom of your Son. We really do want to be a testimony of your extravagant love and grace. Ultimately, we really, really want Jesus to return and complete the saving, sanctifying, restorative work he began. So Father I close with the apostle’s heart-felt plea, “Come Lord Jesus”.  Amen.

A True Heart for Building

Oh God, if you could get our hearts and minds to where David's was...


[10] Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. [11] Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. [12] Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. [13] And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.
[14] “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. [15] For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. [16] O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. [17] I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. [18] O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. [19] Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision.”

(1 Chronicles 29:10-19 ESV)

Are You Hungry?

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6 ESV)

The beattitudes are always intriguing.  Sometimes they reassure.  Sometimes they provoke.  Sometimes they simply leave us realizing how short we fall.  Yet, for most of them we can understand them.  For the most part we know what a peace maker is or what a meek person looks like, even if we don't always exercise meekness or seek out peace.  We understand persecution and poverty of spirit even as we usually try to avoid both.

However, hungering and thirsting for righteousness seems different.  One part of really grasping this verse is knowing what hunger and thirst really are.  Its probably a fair statement that most reading this have never really been hungry. Go a day without food or drink in America in you are on the ragged edge of deprivation.  Yet, that is what Christ is calling us to experience regarding righteousness.  To want it so badly that it seems like we are starving for it and will do anything to get it.

The bottom-line?  The big idea?  Righteousness is not what we do; its who we are.  And we are not righteous in ourselves (Check out Romans 3!)  However, if we are poor in spirit and mourn over that state, the Holy Spirit will begin to build in us a true hunger and a real thirst for righteousness.  Christ's righteousness!  

For you are our glory and joy.

Ever wonder how a pastor, elder or overseer views the people God has placed in their care?  Are they brothers and sisters? Co-laborers in Christ? Children to be nourished, trained and protected?  In reality, it all of these and probably some others.  But in reading 1 Thessalonians today, I ran across 2:19-20. "For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy." (ESV) One way we as your God-appointed leaders need to view you as our crown of boasting before Jesus.  How does this work?  Well, I'm not entirely sure, but as we pour the gospel and ourselves into your lives and you respond by the grace and mercy of God, you are becoming what God had intended for you and we are becoming what God had intended for us.  Then, when we stand before Christ, He will survey our work of leadership and your response to that leadership and say "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

Our mission

Check out Col 4:12. "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God." (ESV). This verse is a great encouragement and exhortation to us on the Board that your maturity in Christ is our primary responsibility before God.  It is very telling that Paul uses the word for agony when he describes how Epaphras prays for the Colossians.  Are we there yet in our prayers for you?  Not by a long shot.  But, by the grace of God and reminders like Col 4:12, we too are growing and maturing in Christ.  To God alone be a glory.

First post from your overseers

"Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him." (Ephesians 3:7-12 ESV)

There are many truths packed in these six verses, but the one I'd like to draw out for you is that all the wisdom of God is demonstrated through the church.  And this is not only for people here and now, but for the heavenly realms as well.  This, of course, isn't because we have any value in ourselves, but because of God's purposes that He continues to unfold through Jesus.  It is incredible to consider that the collection of people that the Holy Spirit has gathered together at Bethany is being used by God as an illustration of His great and perfect wisdom throughout the spiritual world.

In praise of God's glorious grace!