Overflow

Birth Pains

2010-03-01T09:48:00.002-05:00

First Haiti, now Chile. Experts on the news are debating whether world-wide seismic activity is increasing. We see images of great suffering as thousands are displaced, homeless or dead. Jesus said, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains" (Matthew 24:7-8).

There's no denying that our world is in turmoil. Economic foundations that once were strong are now crumbling. Wars and terror continue to rage. Natural disasters seem to strike with great frequency. What are we to make of it all? Is this the beginning of the end? Are these the birth pains that will bring about the consummation of this age and the advent of the age to come?

Well, yes and no. Yes, these are signs of the coming end of this world. Jesus said these types of things would happen in the days leading up to His return and the final judgment. When wars break out or the earth trembles, we are supposed to be reminded of Jesus' words, that this broken world must experience birth pains in anticipation of the new creation.

But then again, no, the events we are witnessing around our world are not signs that enable us to pinpoint the date of Jesus' return. He may return tomorrow, just as God could have chosen to send Him back a thousand years ago. What we are witnessing in the news is just what people have witnessed for two thousand years (really much longer than that): a sin-broken world groaning for redemption. We may see it all in real-time through the relentless stream of live media, but suffering in our world is nothing new.

Jesus told us wars and earthquakes are signs that He will return, that God won't abandon His people in His creation, no matter how corrupt we become in our sinfulness. And we are to live with the expectation and hope that Jesus will return in our lifetime, to live as though "it is near, right at the door" (Matthew 24:33). And yet we are also to carry on with the mission Jesus gave us, to continuing sharing the good news and loving people in Jesus' name.

So, as we witness suffering in Haiti and Chile, in Afghanistan and Sudan, we should rejoice in the good news that one day Jesus will return and put all things right. But we should also mourn with those who suffer and show them love just as Jesus has shown us love.

Meeting Jesus at the Table

2010-02-03T11:13:00.002-05:00

(First, let me apologize for not posting to my blog for the past several weeks. I appreciate those of you who take the time to read my thoughts here, and I will try to be more consistent in the future.)

This Sunday, as we worship our Lord, we will share in the Communion meal. Before serving the elements, I always say something like, "This is the table of our Lord Jesus Christ." It's important for us to remember that Jesus invites us to the meal that reminds us of His redeeming death. While the meal is about His death, we also can't help but celebrate His resurrection, believing that His living Spirit is with us as we worship and share the meal. We also hear the words of scripture, Jesus' own invitation to us: "This is my body that is for you" and "Do this in remembrance of Me." This is His personal invitation to all who know Him as Lord and Savior to remember Him in the breaking of bread.

The other reason I always remind the congregation that the Communion table belongs to Jesus is that we believe all of His followers are welcome at the table. It isn't up to me or our church leadership or our denomination to invite some and reject others. It's Jesus' table, and He invites all who know Him to join in the meal.

The theology of the Lord's Supper, unfortunately, divides the Kingdom. Churches differ on the how the elements should be treated, who can participate, what happens during the blessing of the elements, and the spiritual meaning of the whole affair. It's sad to see these divisions over such a beautiful moment in our lives of faith.

Of course, I believe my theology and the Covenant's practice of Communion is right and best (otherwise I wouldn't be a Covenant pastor), but even so, I don't want a dogmatic biblical interpretation to overshadow the beauty of the meal. This is the moment we celebrate and enter into Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. This is the moment we remember - as best as our human minds can - that God's own Son died to set us free. Insomuch as we can't fully fathom the depths of God's love or the glory of His grace poured over own lives, we also can't fully appreciate the spiritual meaning of our "participation" in the body and blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). Still, we rejoice that God considers us worthy to enjoy the meal!

Time to Give Thanks

2009-11-16T13:13:00.004-05:00

I happened to be in the grocery store a few days ago (never a fun time for me) and noticed a giant freezer bin full of turkeys. Thanksgiving must be coming.

While there's never a wrong time to give thanks to God, we are blessed to have a day set apart in our personal as well as national schedules for returning thanks. We are a blessed people. Even with a lousy economy and international unrest, God continually showers us with love, grace and daily sustenance. So, let's give thanks!

Our church will gather Tuesday evening, November 24th, at 7 p.m. for a Thanksgiving Service. Along with hymns of praise and prayers of thanks, we will also hear one of our brothers give testimony to God's amazing work in his life. Many of you know Juan Carlos Montoya was seriously injured in a workplace accident last spring. In the days following his fall, doctors feared Juan may not survive; if he did, he would never regain the life he had lived with his wife and children. God had other plans for Juan! His story of healing and renewal is truly worth hearing.

I hope you will join us on the 24th and that you and your family enjoy a wonderful celebration of God's abundant blessings on Thanksgiving.

Worship Concert, Nov. 22

2009-10-19T13:27:00.002-04:00

You probably haven't heard of Jennifer Shaw. Yet.

She will perform a worship concert at ECC on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. What an amazing opportunity this is for our church and community to be blessed by Jennifer's music and ministry. Jennifer is music director at Faith Covenant Church in Westerville, Ohio and is a classically-trained Christian recording artist with a fast growing audience. She has produced five CDs of worship music and will soon release another that will include "Your Great Name," a song that recently cracked the top 5 on the national worship chart.

Listen to Jennifer tell her own story:

Visit her website: www.jennifershawmusic.com.

Jennifer's concert will be an exciting event for ECC and a great opportunity to invite family, friends and neighbors to our church. You don't need to buy a ticket, but don't let that stop you from coming! (We will collect a free-will offering that evening for Jennifer.)

New Clothes

2009-10-07T13:54:00.002-04:00

Do you ever find that it’s hard to watch the news? There’s so much bad news about bad people doing bad things. In fact, if all you knew about the world was what you learned by watching the evening news, you probably wouldn’t ever leave your house again!

Of course, the Bible teaches that we are all sinners, that we all do bad things; we all hurt people and hurt God and live as though God weren’t there or just didn’t matter.

But in Christ, God calls us to a new life, a different kind of life. He calls us to a life that honors Him and loves other people. Colossians 3:12-14 is a beautiful image of this new life:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity (NIV).

The world is full of bad things. Sometimes we run into bad people. But we are called to be different. We are called by Jesus to be compassionate, not selfish; to be kind, not rude; to be humble, not arrogant; to be gentle, not rough; to be patient, not greedy.

And we are called to make a difference in the lives of others. Jesus asks us to help others learn how to honor God by the example we set. I hope we all clothe ourselves with love each day.

Finding Joy

2009-09-16T09:18:00.002-04:00

Last fall I shared a short message from Isaiah 35 during a Praise Night event. The words I shared touched at least one heart, and I was asked a few days ago to send this person a copy of what I said that evening. Maybe these words will be meaningful to others as well, so here is an edited version of that message.

Isn’t it good to be in God’s presence and to lift our voices to Him, to feel His love and return love to Him. We belong to a good God. He meets us in this place and walks with us everywhere we go. He is always near, and He always works to restore, renew and redeem.

We’re going to look at a beautiful passage in Isaiah this evening. It was written to people who were hurting, lost and afraid. They needed words of comfort and hope. These words speak to our hearts too. Whatever burdens you carry, whatever you need this evening, God is here, ready to renew and redeem.

I want us to focus just for a few minutes on 2 images from Isaiah 35. The first comes in v. 4a: “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come.’” We all feel weak and afraid at times. Life is full of fearful things, full of things that threaten and sometime hurt us. Jesus made us many wonderful promises. Some of His promises, though, we would like to forget, like John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble.” We all know that’s true.

But then Jesus said: “But take heart! I have overcome the world!” That just was God spoke through Isaiah, “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come.’” How do those words impact your heart this evening? Let the Lord’s assurance fill your mind and soul.

The second image to focus on comes in v. 10c: “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Joy replaces sorrow. This is an image of entering Zion, coming into God’s kingdom. For us, it’s the promise of eternity and the joy we will feel in God’s glorious presence. It reminds us of God’s promise in Rev. 21:4: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

God knows our sorrow. He knows life isn’t the way it’s suppose to be. God created this world good and pure. He created a place to know and enjoy Him forever. But the world we know today is broken, and that brokenness fills us with sorrow. Now, we have live with broken promises, broken relationships and broken dreams.

Here’s the good news: God isn’t about to leave us in sorrow! He has better plans for us, plans that Jesus makes real in our lives. One day we will enter Zion. One day these words will be spoken of us: “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” For now, we get a taste of God’s glory as we worship, as we open our hearts and step for a moment into that place of joy. That’s why we are here tonight!

Planting Seeds

2009-09-10T10:09:00.002-04:00

The first Senior Drop-In of the fall is today. This wonderful ministry draws seniors from our church and from the community. Many are followers of Jesus, while others are not yet believers. It is a colorful, joyful group who loves one another's company and the good food provided by our talented and devoted volunteers.

Each Thursday I share a brief devotional before praying over the meal. Today I plan to share from Mark 4:26-29. Jesus said these words (from the NIV):

"This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

We share God's word with people because we believe, based on God's own promise and the experience of our lives, that His word makes a different. When it is planted in our hearts, even into unbelieving or callous hearts, it does take root, grow and produce a good harvest. Reading, hearing and trying to live according to scripture is the most basic and effective spiritual discipline we can practice. I pray that each of you sets aside time to scatter the seeds of God's truth in your heart.

Politics and Religion

2009-09-03T13:13:00.002-04:00

I studied international politics in college and now I'm a pastor, which means that if the old advice about not discussing politics or religion in polite company is to be heeded, I'm bound to have trouble in social gatherings. Luckily for me, politics is on everyone's mind these days and pretty often on the tips of our tongues. So, I thought a few words on the issues of the day might be appropriate.

Before going on, I should add that it would not, however, be appropriate for me, as a Christian pastor, to advocate for or against any particular political position or figure. So, I will try to avoid the language and landscape of politics, and rather focus on moral issues, about which I do feel free, and often compelled, to comment.

The issue of the day, of course, is health care. How much involvement should the federal government have in providing health care for the people of our nation?

Socrates often taught by leading his students through a series of questions, the answers to which directed the students' minds to the ultimate conclusion or truth he desired them to grasp. I like that method of teaching, so here are a few questions:

Should everyone in our nation be entitled to high-quality health care?

If so, is it the government's responsibility to provide that health care or the funding to pay for it?

Jesus called His followers to care for those in need (parable of the good Samaritan, Matt. 25:31-46, etc.). Is that the same as saying the government should care for those in need?

If so, what role should the church play? What role should other responsible citizens and businesses play?

Which is the more Biblical and moral approach: (1) to take resources from the wealthy to provide for the poor or (2) to provide equal opportunities for everyone to provide for their own needs? (This question is at the heart of the political divide in our nation, and we all have to acknowledge that good, honest people may differ on how they answer.)

If you do not support some sort of government-sponsored health care solution, what do you suggest to meet the needs of those who are under-served by our current system?

These are tough questions. Usually, politically divisive issues have to be solved through compromise, not bullying. My sense is that Congress will eventually settle on a plan that falls short of the President's wishes but does in some way provide health care coverage for those who have little ability to provide it for themselves (expanding Medicaid, for instance). Let's hope that along the way, we don't divide ourselves too severely or forget how to speak truth in love.

Vacation Fun

2009-08-19T11:06:00.003-04:00

My family enjoyed a wonderful two weeks of New England vacation fun. We spent time on the coast of Maine, in the New Hampshire mountains, in downtown Boston, at Six Flags, plus a few other spots in between. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful and diverse part of the country. God is good, and it's good to enjoy His many blessings!

It was great to get away, and now it's nice to be back home and back to the church. I pray that each of you knows God's goodness and walks in His ways.

VBS - Crocodile Dock

2009-07-27T15:10:00.004-04:00

VBS is off to a great start! With the combined efforts of dozens of ECC volunteers, including lots of youth, we are sharing the love and message of Jesus with nearly 150 kids this week. The sanctuary and much of the church have been transformed into a fun, swampy dock. Kids are learning great songs of praise and faith. We are providing breakfast and lunch for dozens of the kids. We are connecting with parents and helping kids meet new friends. We are playing games, doing crafts and generally having a great time.

And above all, we are bearing witness to God's goodness and telling the story of Jesus.

So, if you are not here already, take some time out of your schedule one morning this week and stop by the church. Watch God at work in the lives of young people through the faithful service of your brothers and sisters at ECC. And join us in praying that God's hand will be evident and His grace real in the lives of each of the kids this week.

Pressing On

2009-07-20T13:37:00.003-04:00

I grew up a Tom Watson fan. As a native Kansas Citian, Watson is a Midwest hero, and I learned to love golf by watching him and Jack Nicklaus. Who would have thought 32 years after Watson out dueled Nicklaus in the 1977 British Open, Tom would be back in contention for his sixth Open title. Add to the mix that the 59 year-old Watson had hip-replacement surgery less than a year ago, and this was almost the greatest sports story of the decade.

If you missed it, Watson hung around the leaderboard all four rounds, and took a one shot lead to the final hole Sunday. All he needed was a par to become the oldest major championship winner, breaking the mark by nearly 13 years. Golf is a tough game, and sometimes the ball bounces too far. Watson hit two great shots followed by two poor putts, and walked off with a bogey and a 72-hole tie with Stewart Cink. The playoff was all Cink, and Watson's bid for history fell short.

The result was disappointing, but the drama was still fantastic. And for me, it brings to mind Paul's exhortation in Philippians 3:13-14:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Followers of Jesus never take a vacation from our faith, never retire, never stop following our Lord. Years may eventually slow the body or even dull the mind, but our souls never tire of serving the cause of Christ and honoring our glorious God. We press on and will keep pressing on until Jesus calls us home.

CHIC

2009-07-16T09:43:00.002-04:00

Every three years they gather, and every three years lives are changed forever. CHIC 2009 is drawing to a close, and our young people, along with a few thousand others, are having a great time and being challenged to follow Jesus.

The people of ECC worked hard to raise money and encourage our youth to attend this great event. Now we should rejoice in what God is doing in Tennessee. Visit the Covenant Church website for updates and pictures: http://www.covchurch.org.

Reaching the Unreached

2009-07-09T11:07:00.002-04:00

We had a great mission dinner last night with Rich and Pam Agnew. If you are not familiar, they serve in Mexico with New Tribes Mission, an organization that seeks to bring the message of Jesus to people groups that have no other access to the gospel. Some missionaries with New Tribes spend a lifetime ministering to one small people group. In some cases, the language these people speak has no written form. So, the missionaries create an alphabet and develop a dictionary. Then they teach the native speakers who to read their language. As this work is going on, they translate scripture into the new language. Ultimately, some 20-30 years later, the tribal group has a written language, are literate, and have God's word to read.

Can you imagine what extraordinary commitment, perseverance, patience and devotion to the cause of Christ these missionaries must have! Why would someone devote his or her life to this work? Because God loves everyone and wants multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language to join together before His throne in praise (Revelation 7:9).

Living Eternal Life Now

2009-07-06T10:33:00.002-04:00

Henri Nouwen"s Here and Now is a collection of short essays on spirituality. He deals with many topics, but they all boil down to how we live in the presence of God and through the in-dwelling of the Spirit, how we embrace spiritual realities in the midst of what we think of as "real life." Nouwen understands and communicates beautifully the truth that the most real parts of life are spiritual and eternal, not the passing physical stuff we see and touch every day, and more importantly, that our calling as followers of Jesus is to engage the physical world and those living in it in light of spiritual truth.

Nouwen writes, "When my clear goal is the eternal life, that life must be reachable right now, where I am, because eternal life is life in and with God, and God is where I am here and now." His point is that we who know Jesus and have accepted God's gift of new life, have already entered into our eternal life, we have been born anew in the Spirit and will never again be separated from God by anything. We don't wait for the eternal life to begin after our physical death; we embrace life in Christ now, knowing it will last for eternity. This is just what Jesus said in John 3:16: whoever believes in Jesus "shall not perish but have eternal life." We who believe have this eternal life right now.

And this perspective has to change things. We can't look any longer at money or possessions or suffering or illness or accomplishments or, most of all, people without differentiating between those things that endure and those that will pass away. If we are living eternal life right now, it changes what things we value most highly and hold most dearly. It's okay to enjoy the consumables of this world, so long as we don't cling to them as though they also had eternal life.

U2 sings a powerful song about a woman held in prison for her religious and political views. The song deals with releasing temporary things to take hold of eternal things. It speaks of holding on to "all that you can't leave behind" as you anticipate "a place that has to be believed to be seen." We look forward to heaven and the glorious, unveiled presence of God, but even as we wait, we take hold of those things that truly matter, that won't fade away, those things we can't leave behind.

God's Victories

2009-07-01T12:37:00.000-04:00

I have been lamenting to God recently that our church needs a victory. We need to see His power and grace show up in a mighty way. There are always many reasons to feel gloomy, especially with a troubled economy, international unrest and a culture in moral free fall. In addition, our church has travelled down a rocky road for the past several years, and we have seen some of our dearest friends lose battles with illness or suffer under financial burdens. In a troubled world, we could use a victory about now.

That's what I have been telling God lately - or to put it more accurately, that's the desire God placed in my heart as I have prayed for His church. He knows what we need before we ask, and as God works through all things to bring about the good He desires, He knows just when and how to bless us with His transforming grace.

All this to say God has been answering our prayers in wonderful ways the past few weeks and is bringing victories to His people and His church. Three of our beloved brothers have received God's healing touch. Steve, Juan Carlos and Joe each faced a frightening diagnosis; doctors feared for their lives. But we prayed, and God answered! Each is now a living testimony to God's goodness and power.

We trust all things into God's loving hands, knowing that He will never let us slip from His grasp. Healing does not always come for our physical bodies, and not all problems evaporate by God's miraculous decree. But no matter what we face, our Lord holds us in His love for eternity.

Road to Damascus

2009-06-24T11:01:00.001-04:00

When I was in college, I wrote a weekly column for the student newspaper entitled, "Road to Damascus." I wrote about everything from campus issues to international politics, but I chose that title because it was along the road between Jerusalem and Damascus that Saul encountered the Living Lord and was completely transformed in mind and spirit (Acts 9:1-19). It was a moment of revelation, conversion, surrender and rebirth.

We don't all have Damascus road experiences like Saul had. I have never seen the glory light of heaven or heard the voice of Jesus. But we are all confronted, from time to time, with the unmistakable presence God and His life-changing word. It may happen while reading scripture or during a time of worship. It may come while you are actively seeking God's presence and intentionally listening for His voice. Or you may encounter God in unexpected, startling ways.

God knows how to speak to you. He created you and knows you inside and out. When He is ready to get your attention and speak His truth into your heart, He will. The issue for us is whether we will listen, believe and obey.

Soul

2009-06-18T10:36:00.000-04:00

CS Lewis had a way of saying extraordinary things in ordinary language, like this simple line from Mere Christianity that reveals volumes about theology and the Biblical view of what it means to be a human: "You don't have a soul; you are a soul. You have a body." Let that truth rest in your mind for a while.

The truest, most real, and eternal part of who you are is your spiritual nature that is housed, somewhat uncomfortably, inside your mortal body. Many people live as though their soul did not exist. Even people who claim spiritual enlightenment often live as though the body and its limitations were the extent of human experience.

The Biblical truth is, God created us to be immortal, to live forever, but not to be bound for eternity in the frail, broken, sin-drawn bodies we now inhabit. He created us to know and love Him from a part of our being that can reach deeper and soar higher than our minds and muscles. The Psalms are filled with soul-language. We read there the groanings and longings of the deep places. We hear of our spiritual drive to be with God even as the body is failing or suffering or fleeing.

Listen to these lines from Psalm 42:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. (v. 1)
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls. (v. 7)
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed with me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. (vv. 5, 11)

You hear in these words the voice of the soul crying out. This spiritual part of our lives is not separate or other than our bodies and minds, but fully integrated and yet able to transcend. When our bodies suffer, our souls long for relief. When our minds worry, our souls seek comfort.

As we follow Jesus, one of our souls' most vital tasks is to listen to God's voice and discern His leading. We can't always understand what God is doing or why, but our souls can recognize His voice and find refuge in His presence. Whether we face moments of happiness or sorrow or anxiety or success, our souls anchor us to God and give us evident assurance that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Shine

2009-06-11T10:51:00.000-04:00

How well do you know your neighbors? In some communities, everyone knows their neighbors. They borrow tools and eggs; they help each other fix things; they watch one another’s kids or dogs. But in other neighborhoods, people don’t seem to know each other. Everyone is private, keeping their doors and windows shut.

Which ever type of community you live in, do the people around you know who you are? Do they know more than your name, but really know your heart? Jesus said His followers are to be known in public, that people should be able to tell that you know Jesus. He said, “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light” (Luke 8:16, NIV).

Letting your light shine doesn’t mean being a show-off, it doesn’t mean calling attention to yourself. But it does mean not covering over your faith, not being shy about who you truly are, not being ashamed of your relationship with Jesus. He is our light, our source of life and goodness. It is our joy to let our light of faith shine brightly.

The Last Days

2009-06-10T14:14:00.000-04:00

People often ask me my opinion of how Jesus will return and how the world will end and, in particular, about my interpretation of the book of Revelation. One of the privileges of being a pastor is the right to express my opinion on matters that truly matter. Some people in the church worry about the end of the world as though if they believe the wrong thing, they may somehow miss out on Jesus' return. Others boldly (and sometimes foolishly) predict how the end will come and even point to evidence that it is near at hand.

For me, Revelation is exciting, joyful and comforting. It is the only book in the Bible written specifically to us, to followers of Jesus who live in this in-between time, waiting for Jesus' second coming. Revelation is a guide post for the church, a beacon of hope in the midst of turmoil. Jesus appeared to John in glorious form and instructed him to write "what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later" (Rev. 1:19). That's the outline of Revelation: a dramatically symbolic telling of things that took place during Jesus' time on earth, of things that are taking place now in the church, and of things that will come to pass at the very end of this age.

We live in the "what is now" time which much of Revelation describes. By "we," I mean every follower of Jesus since John until now and on and on through the generations until the final events of this age and the creation of the new heaven and new earth. We are living Revelation, just as the church has for 2,000 years. We see anti-christs come and go; we endure persecution and tribulation; we suffer under the weight of political and economic oppression. And most importantly, we overcome all these trials through Jesus.

Our world is a scary place. Jesus said we will hear of wars and revolutions. He said hardships would come. He promised persecution and trouble for His followers. And yet, more powerful than anything that stands against us, Jesus also promised that because He overcame the world, so will all who follow Him as Lord. "To him who overcomes," Jesus said, "I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne" (Rev. 3:21). This is our hope, and nothing in the world can take it away.

Finding Refuge

2009-06-04T10:50:00.000-04:00

I think every kid believes that she is safe in bed if the covers are pulled tightly under her chin or, better yet, over her head. Do you remember hiding under the covers at night? Do you remember that feeling of being safe and warm?

As you grow up, you realize the covers don’t really protect you, but you also realize there isn’t really a monster in the closet! No matter your age, we all need a place of safety and warmth, we long for a refuge in times of trouble.

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.
(Psalm 31:1-5, NIV)

God is our refuge, our place of shelter. He never promised that we wouldn’t face storms in life, but He did promise to be with us through the storms. We hide ourselves in the Lord, trusting that He will watch over us, protect us and hold us close.

Ends Do Not Justify Means

2009-06-01T10:38:00.000-04:00

Tragic irony. Our nation's most notorious abortion provider was murdered by a pro-life extremist as he passed out bulletins before worship at his church in Wichita, KS. Dr. George Tiller was a bad man. At his "health" clinic, he routinely killed healthy babies in a procedure known as late-term abortion. His profession is abhorrent to those who value the lives of unborn children. And yet to murder the doctor is also abhorrent.

Those of us who oppose abortion and also oppose violence as a means to stop abortion, are left to shake our heads in dismay. Nothing good comes from Tiller's murder. Evil cannot defeat evil. Violence only spawns more violence.

Scripture tells us to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). Jesus commanded that we love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). Followers of Jesus are to be known for our love, not our hate or violence or bigotry. May God grant us wisdom for the facing of this day.

If you were a tree...

2009-05-28T10:20:00.000-04:00

My grandmother was a gardener. She wasn’t really a farmer, but she liked to garden. For years, she had a great, bountiful garden on her rich Kansas soil. She grew enormous cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, green onions and potatoes. She knew how to care for her plants and was blessed with good soil and lots of patience.

I’ve never had much luck as a gardener. We had a decent strawberry patch in Michigan, but after a couple good years, the berries lost their sweetness. Our tomatoes we always small and bland. We grew a few good peppers, but they were too spicy to eat.

We all produce fruit in our lives. We all make things and affect change and build relationships. We touch other lives. Some people grow good, delicious fruit; they love people and make a positive difference in the world. Others grow sour, mealy fruit, fruit you would rather throw out than eat.

So, here’s the question this raises in my mind: if I were a tree, would you eat my fruit? Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

God’s Spirit lives inside all followers of Jesus, and one thing the Spirit does is to help us grow good fruit. Instead of producing the selfish, rude, angry, jealous fruit we used to grow, the Spirit inspires us to grow love, joy, peace, patience, and the other good fruit that God desires. To grow this good fruit, we have to let the Spirit in, we have to let God do His gardening. He may have to prune back some bad branches. He may have to till the soil of our hearts. The gardening my be painful and difficult, but if we let the Spirit work in us, He will produce a good, abundant harvest.

If you were a tree, would people eat your fruit?

Old, Slow Ways of Life

2009-05-26T10:05:00.000-04:00

My family visited Old Sturbridge Village on Memorial Day. It was a beautiful afternoon, and we had a fun time learning about 18th and 19th century life. We visited the grist mill and saw corn being ground into meal. We also learned that's where the phrase "milling about" originated. Farmers would gather at the mill with their corn, and as they waited their turn with the miller, they would talk with each other and "mill about."

We also went into the Meetinghouse, the colonial version of a congregational church. Our New England ancestors would spend two hours each Sunday morning and two hours each Sunday afternoon in the Meetinghouse. They would sing hymns, pray, listen to sermons and fellowship with one another. It was a time when Sundays were set aside for worship and family - not a bad cultural habit.

The Meetinghouse was filled with boxed pews, each with a little gate. Parishioners who wanted a reserved seat each Sunday could purchase a pew box. Interestingly, the more expensive pews were at the front! The idea of selling reserved seating to church is clearly objectionable to our modern view of Biblical standards, but to them it was a way of showing commitment to God and to the community.

What was most interesting about the pew boxes is that each family decorated their box as they wanted and could afford. Some had carpeting or a padded seat. Some had arm rests and foot stools. There's something compelling about this practice, that they planned to be at church every Sunday for several hours and made an effort to make their time in church comfortable and enjoyable instead of looking for ways to get in and get out as quickly as possible.

The biggest impression Old Sturbridge Village left with me was the joy and simplicity of a slow paced life. We watched a potter take several minutes to form a simple drinking cup. The blacksmith skillfully heated, pounded and moulded a single iron nail. A man sheared a sheep for over half an hour -- a task made longer when the sheep wrestled free and ran back to its pin! People worked hard but they didn't rush. We could learn from people who milled about with each other and decorated their church pews and carefully did their work to the glory of God.

Life Still Matters

2009-05-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

One thing you can say for sure: President Obama is not afraid of addressing controversial issues. In his first five months in office, he has taken on socialism, torture, global warming, Middle East peace, and now abortion. His commencement speech at Notre Dame Sunday afternoon was his latest bold declaration that intelligence and eloquence can solve our world's problems.

He advocated for "fair-minded" debate and encouraged everyone to keep their hearts open to the opposing side. These are nice sentiments nicely articulated, but they miss the point of the abortion debate. The fundamental issue is when we believe human life begins, at conception or sometime after. Once that question finds resolution in someone's mind, the "fair-minded" debate gets very short. If, as many people believe, life begins at conception, abortion is murder.

Scripture makes it clear that God is the author of all human life and that life as well as human identity and purpose begin at conception. David understood that he was sinful not only from birth but even from "the time my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:5 NIV) and that he, like all of us, was "woven together" by God who saw his "unformed body" in the womb (Psalm 139:15-16 NIV). Jesus' life, calling and ministry were ordained before He was formed in Mary's womb, and His presence was at very least spiritually palpable during the first trimester when Mary visited her relative Elizabeth (Luke 1:26-45).

It's fine to debate issues with an open mind and fair words, but let's rise above the debate, as President Obama might say, and pray that our Supreme Court and elected leaders will join the majority of Americans who oppose legalized abortion and finally end this shameful practice.

Sitting with Jesus

2009-05-07T11:41:00.001-04:00

There is a wonderful little story in Luke 10:38-42 about Jesus visiting the home of two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha tends to every need, cleaning, cooking and greeting guests. She is “distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.” Mary made a different choice. She “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.” This story is just a few words, but it gives us much to think about.

There are many Marthas in the world. People like Martha are driven by responsibility; they can’t sit still if things there’s a job to be done. I am often like Martha. I like things neat and orderly. I can’t relax at home until the dishes are done and the kid’s toys put away.

There’s nothing wrong with being responsible and working hard, but that’s not the point of the story. See, Martha and Mary had to make a choice. Would they clean the house, make the dinner, tend to all the various household needs or would they sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to His wisdom. Mary made the better choice. She chose to cherish those few wonderful moments with Jesus.

So, here’s the challenge for each of us. Don’t get too busy, too distracted by the cares and needs of life that you don’t also take time to sit with Jesus. We need quiet moments to read His word, pray and worship. We need to make space to simply sit in His wonderful presence and feel His love.

National Day of Prayer

2009-04-30T11:00:00.001-04:00

There is never a time when we don't need prayer. Sorry for the double negative, but it's true. We always need to lift up our burdens and those of our families, church, community, nation and world to God. Prayer unleashes God's power. Prayer makes a difference. Jesus prayed, so we pray.

Thursday, May 7th is the National Day of Prayer, a moment to ask for God's blessing and guidance on our nation and on those who lead and influence it. There is never a wrong time to pray, and this is most certainly a right time for prayer. Our economy is struggling to regain solid footing. The federal government is expanding to address financial and social needs. Cultural battles rage over same-sex marriage, abortion, privacy rights, freedom of expression and religious tolerance. American soldiers continue to face violence in Afghanistan and Iraq while new threats are mounting in Iran, North Korea and Pakistan. With all this turmoil, it is tempting to choose sides, draw lines and rely on human ingenuity to solve our problems. But this is a moment when we desperately need God.

When ancient Israel fell away from God and God prepared to cast them away from His holy presence, prophets like Isaiah were raised up to call people of faith to repentance and prayer. Through Isaiah, we are given a simple and powerful prayer:
O Lord, be gracious to us;
we long for You.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress. (Isaiah 33:2 NIV)

I hope you will join your ECC family and others from churches throughout the Pioneer Valley on Thursday, May 7th at 7 p.m. on the steps of Springfield City Hall as we pray for our nation. If you would like to carpool, be at ECC at 6:15 p.m.

Pray for our Missionaries

2009-04-28T14:17:00.000-04:00

Please pray for our short-term mission team in Mexico this week. They are working on construction projects and sharing the message of Jesus with the people of Chihuahua. Pray for their work, their witness and their protection. As you have probably heard on the news, Mexico is the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak, and the US State Department is strongly discouraging travel to and from Mexico.

We trust that God will watch over these men and women and bless their efforts in Jesus' name. And we trust He will bring them safely back to us at the end of the week.

Updated from Wednesday, April 29th: We received a good report from the mission team. They are safe and getting a lot done!

Upcoming Messages

2009-04-16T13:22:00.000-04:00

I hope you will join us Sunday mornings at 10:30 for worship.
Here's my preaching schedule for the next few weeks. If you can't make it to church, messages are posted on www.ecovs.org, usually by Monday afternoon:

Building Your Family God's Way
5/3........Song of Songs 8:6-7......Building Your Marriage God's Way
5/10......Exodus 2:1-10...............Parenting God's Way
5/17......Deuteronomy 5:16........Being a Child God's Way

Living as the Church
5/24.....Acts 1:1-11.....................Living as a Witness
5/31.....Acts 2:1-21.....................Living on Fire
6/7.......Acts 2:42-47...................Living Together
6/14.....Acts 5:17-42...................Living without Fear
6/21.....Acts 7...............................Living to Die
6/28.....Acts 9:1-19......................Living with New Purpose

Welcome to Overflow

2009-04-08T14:06:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first Overflow blog! I hope this site becomes a blessing for the people of ECC and everyone else who reads it. My plan is to write regularly about how the world looks through Biblical eyes, to share my perspective on things great and small as a follower of Jesus, a pastor, and a real person living in our real world. We'll think about ministry in the church, Bible passages, current events, even personal experiences.

God calls us to be transformed, made anew (Romans 12:1-2). That's a spiritual concept, but it's supposed to be realized in how we think and behave. Our minds are renewed as we learn to see the world through God's eyes, to understand His will, and to read the world through the words and images of scripture.

So, that's our agenda. I hope you enjoy it!