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Published: 06 October 2016

People can be a pain.  Words can be harmful.  Love hurts.  There, I’m glad we cleared that up.  If you have been hurt by someone or you are grieving a loss you know how hard it is to move forward.  Outwardly you keep moving because life doesn’t stop for you but internally you may feel frozen.  Other people can sing “Let it Go” and tell you to get over it but let’s face it, some hurts are harder to get rid of than others.   And, frankly, we never get rid of some things.  The wound might heal but the scar remains and some days even the scar hurts!  As I studied our next passage in Acts I discovered many wonderful truths but I have been most affected by thinking about the effect of the death of Judas on the disciples.   He was their friend.  He had been “with them” through three of the most amazing years in human history.  They would have forgiven him, Jesus was alive!  As they grieved over their own doubts and failures, they surely experienced some pain over the loss of their friend.  While we learn about the way they replaced him we also learn about the way they moved on.  I really think it is possible to “move on” even when we can’t “get over it.”  The narrative in Acts is peppered with some principles that show the way.  I hope you’ll join us Sunday for worship, rejoicing, prayer and time in the Word…”wink, wink, wink…”

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Published: 30 September 2016

Is there an absolute answer to that question? I think so but I believe in God and I believe that He has spoken.   The people who do not share that presupposition will have a variety of answers.  Some think we are here to “do our best.”  Some believe we are here “to have fun.”  Some believe we are here to “improve conditions.”  The sheer number of causes that exist in the world reveal a desire on the part of humans to have some sense of meaning and purpose.  Paul summarized a lot of Scripture in this purpose statement in Romans 11:36, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever, Amen.”  To the church at Corinth he wrote, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  The more we read the Bible, the more this theme rises to the surface; we exist for the glory of God.  What does that mean?  It means that we are here to worship, adore, surrender to and bless His Name.  That makes it sound like God is on some kind of ego trip.  That would be true if glorifying God wasn’t good for us.  Our good and the glory of God are always connected.  We could say it very simply this way…”Doing what we were designed to do is best for us.”  When you go to work in your shop, office or school or when you shop, play or cut your grass, there is a way to honor God in doing so.  It starts with gratitude, continues with obedience and results in a better life with a better destination.  Thanking God and trusting God brings Him glory.  We can glorify God individually and corporately.  As a church we are a mission outpost at the end of the earth for the glory of God.  The building that occupies the building glorifies God throughout the week in thousands of different places but even the “fixed” building itself can be used for the glory of God.  Hundreds of cars drive by MidTown and Montcalm every week.  Our buildings and activities point to something…Someone greater than us.  Psalm 96 reminds us that God’s glory should be proclaimed among the nations and that the reasonable thing for every person on the planet is to give the LORD the glory due His Name.  We are here for that purpose and consideration of that reality must be at the core of our planning for the future.  I’m looking forward to the presentation this coming Sunday, I hope you can join us as we think about glorifying God as “Our Story Continues.”