As we continue to look at that big, big word "SEX" and chew on what that really means for our lives--I want to keep directing our focus back to God's plan and purpose for sex. If you look back at the Book of Genesis--we can see early on that God wanted man to be "fruitful and multiply." So God had a purpose for sex to be used to procreate. And we see that with Adam and Eve being the first married couple if you will--we see that:
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame (Genesis 2:24-25, NIV).
So God had a plan early on, that a husband and wife would be united together. And that having children would be an important part of that union. Thus sex was meant for special things--special plans God had.
And notice that Adam and Eve were naked--but "Had no shame?" Why would they not have shame? And yet--even those who are often stuck in sexual sin (who are not completely depraved and given over to Sin by God)--recognize the awkwardness and embarrasing feelings of certain situations where there is nudity or sexual discussions. Many adults who are living in fornication or adultery--still don't want their kids watching movies that involve sexual situations or watching pornagraphy. Because deep inside--they know that God intended sex to be a holy and pure thing--not something to deal with wrecklessly and abuse! Even many non-Christians get that basic concept.
So we see situations like the mass sexual sin and abuse of sex in Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18 and how tired God was of that institution HE created being so preversed. We know that ultimately God destroyed this town and burned it to the ground!
But before we get too deep into this all being about "RULES," let me say--that God does not just put HIS commandments and requirements just "BECAUSE HE IS GOD AND HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS"--God knows what is harmful for us!
God said we are not to lie because HE knows that when we do--we lose the trust of those who love us and relationiships get hurt and sometimes destroyed. God said not to allow anger to take control of us because it will cause a lot of pain for us and those we love. God said not to gossip and spread malicious rumors because a lot of pain and suffering come from it. HE even told the people not to have mold in their homes--and we all know how harmful mold is in our homes surely? So--HE said not to partake of sex out of marraige--because HE knew it would be very harmful to HIS children!!!!
HE knew that long term venerial diseases could attack our bodies. HE knew that future marraiges could be hurt by the emotional scars left from pre-marital sex. HE knew that families could be destroyed by adultery. HE knew how difficult it would be for children who are born out of wedlock and how damaging broken homes can be. HE knew that teen aged girls having babies out of marraige--would affect many lives for generations to come and end beautiful childhoods. HE knows how dangerous and harmful it is when we abuse something HE created for very special purposes.
However, when we engage in sex in marraige--and it is holy and pure--it can be the most beautiful thing and God will bless that and make it so much more than what the world has always told us about sex!
If your marraige is struggling due to sexual issues and both of you want to keep sex holy and between the two of you--there are many books out there that are written by Christian but professional counselors that can help--as well as in person counseling. But whatever we do--let us keep the marraige bed pure and holy as scripture tells us to do.
Now--for those who are single--who struggle with sexual desire and urges--that is another issue altogether that we need to discuss. We will engage that next posting. God can help those struggles too! Lets have a conversation.
Bruce
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Dream And Seek God's Vision For Our Congregations
I am taking a break from my series on what God intended purpose for sex and I am sharing some thoughts on my heart about big things God could make happen through our local congregations if we were to choose to totally say YES TO JESUS!
Dear Fellow Workers in Christ,
Before I get into what is on my heart here--I want to again request that any shepherds who could come help us pray over children Sunday afternoon at 12:45 (sometimes we don't start til 1pm)--we would be so grateful! We want our several new Christians to see who shepherds are and the importance of shepherds praying over members of the flock.
Here is what I wanted to share tonight. I have been in Bonham, Texas the past couple of days to get away to have some alone time with God. Today I was walking around in Bonham State Park--a beautiful place to enjoy God's creation--and I was standing there reading in the Psalms--and while I had none of my members there to hear me preach/read scripture--I did have a flock of 4 ducks who just sat there at my feet looking up at me while I read!! I'm not kidding!! :)
Then I began to walk and just talk with God. I remembered seeing a few small trailer parks earlier in the day where people live very simple lives. And I then remembered watching that old movie recently that I so love--"Lillies of the Field." I was reminded today of the part of the movie where the Catholic Priest is going from little impoverished community to community and having worship services. And I had a continued vision I began having months before we started the Nehemiah Ministry over 5 years ago at Allenhurst Apartments--which is simply that we keep spreading the Gospel all over our communities--where there would otherwise be little Christianity! In Mesquite alone, there are several other rough apartment complexes where children are growing up with no Godliness among any of the people they grow up around. And I was dreaming of how wonderful it would be if more and more congregations started ministries in all those apartments--and made those communities an extension or a second campus of their congregation. There are old neighborhoods that have been forgotten where vacant houses could be easily bought or rented and mission churches started--and soon my dreams were envisioning Sunday afternoon picnics in the front yards of those houses where preaching and singing is taking place and much agape love is abounding and there is hope in children's eyes!
And then as I was walking in the sunshine and among the grass and the tall trees--and my vision began to encompass the faces of children who are currently suffering around our communities. Children who are currently witnessing all kinds of sin in their homes. Children who are already sexually active and who many would test positive for marijuana if they were tested because it is so heavily smoked in their homes/apartments. Then my vision went from seeing the despair of those children--to seeing many Christians coming out of the woodworks to minister to those children--and then my vision went to 20 years later--and seeing those children sitting in a worship service in one of our congregations or hopefully one of several new congregations that was planted from those early efforts--and these Christian adults who were once children under fire--are now living faithful lives and they are now going out to reach out to children who need Jesus!! AND GENERATIONS OF LIVES ARE CHANGED FOREVER AND WILL ALL BE IN HEAVEN TOGETHER BECAUSE OUR CONGREGATIONS TODAY SAID YES TO JESUS AND LEFT THE BUILDING TO GO SHARE THE HOPE AND LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST!!!!
If God has been putting a dream and a vision on your heart--write it down and start making plans to go out and live out the Great Commission. I leave you with these words from Habakkuk:
Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay (Habakkuk 2:2-4).
We need to be asking God to reveal HIS vision to us--of how HE wants us to take the church out of the buildings and into the community! If we ask--HE will answer!
Dear Fellow Workers in Christ,
Before I get into what is on my heart here--I want to again request that any shepherds who could come help us pray over children Sunday afternoon at 12:45 (sometimes we don't start til 1pm)--we would be so grateful! We want our several new Christians to see who shepherds are and the importance of shepherds praying over members of the flock.
Here is what I wanted to share tonight. I have been in Bonham, Texas the past couple of days to get away to have some alone time with God. Today I was walking around in Bonham State Park--a beautiful place to enjoy God's creation--and I was standing there reading in the Psalms--and while I had none of my members there to hear me preach/read scripture--I did have a flock of 4 ducks who just sat there at my feet looking up at me while I read!! I'm not kidding!! :)
Then I began to walk and just talk with God. I remembered seeing a few small trailer parks earlier in the day where people live very simple lives. And I then remembered watching that old movie recently that I so love--"Lillies of the Field." I was reminded today of the part of the movie where the Catholic Priest is going from little impoverished community to community and having worship services. And I had a continued vision I began having months before we started the Nehemiah Ministry over 5 years ago at Allenhurst Apartments--which is simply that we keep spreading the Gospel all over our communities--where there would otherwise be little Christianity! In Mesquite alone, there are several other rough apartment complexes where children are growing up with no Godliness among any of the people they grow up around. And I was dreaming of how wonderful it would be if more and more congregations started ministries in all those apartments--and made those communities an extension or a second campus of their congregation. There are old neighborhoods that have been forgotten where vacant houses could be easily bought or rented and mission churches started--and soon my dreams were envisioning Sunday afternoon picnics in the front yards of those houses where preaching and singing is taking place and much agape love is abounding and there is hope in children's eyes!
And then as I was walking in the sunshine and among the grass and the tall trees--and my vision began to encompass the faces of children who are currently suffering around our communities. Children who are currently witnessing all kinds of sin in their homes. Children who are already sexually active and who many would test positive for marijuana if they were tested because it is so heavily smoked in their homes/apartments. Then my vision went from seeing the despair of those children--to seeing many Christians coming out of the woodworks to minister to those children--and then my vision went to 20 years later--and seeing those children sitting in a worship service in one of our congregations or hopefully one of several new congregations that was planted from those early efforts--and these Christian adults who were once children under fire--are now living faithful lives and they are now going out to reach out to children who need Jesus!! AND GENERATIONS OF LIVES ARE CHANGED FOREVER AND WILL ALL BE IN HEAVEN TOGETHER BECAUSE OUR CONGREGATIONS TODAY SAID YES TO JESUS AND LEFT THE BUILDING TO GO SHARE THE HOPE AND LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST!!!!
If God has been putting a dream and a vision on your heart--write it down and start making plans to go out and live out the Great Commission. I leave you with these words from Habakkuk:
Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay (Habakkuk 2:2-4).
We need to be asking God to reveal HIS vision to us--of how HE wants us to take the church out of the buildings and into the community! If we ask--HE will answer!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
"SEX, SEX, SEX!!! (Part 1)
As we look at what God intended sex to be, we must first go back to the beginning. In Genesis 1:26-28 God said:
"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
My first thought here, is that given that God is mighty, powerful, all knowing, merciful, and the creator of the heavens and the earth--and if we were made in His image--we must be very special! So if God is a holy and pure God--He expects His children to be holy and pure.
Beyond God's expectation that we would live holy and pure, we see that man is superior to the animals and other living creatures and that man was told to be fruitful and multiply. So we can early on see that God must have had a very special plan for man to increase and multiply--which would obviously eventually require sex for that to happen.
A little further along in Genesis 2, we see that God saw that man needed a suitable helper and thus created woman. And soon thereafter, we see basically, the institution of marraige formed with this verse:
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
Lets ponder today, just how much God then would value this creation--the institution of marraige. We know that God does not do things haphazardly. If He so perfectly made the heavens and the earth--then His greater creation of mankind--He would have high expectations! When our children are born and are small children, we also have great expectations that they would grow up pure and with innocence and goodness--so maybe we can understand why our Father wants sexual purity for His kids just as we do.
Sex therefore was created for the marraige covenant. In my next entry, we will talk about why God would require sex to be only for those who are married.
"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
My first thought here, is that given that God is mighty, powerful, all knowing, merciful, and the creator of the heavens and the earth--and if we were made in His image--we must be very special! So if God is a holy and pure God--He expects His children to be holy and pure.
Beyond God's expectation that we would live holy and pure, we see that man is superior to the animals and other living creatures and that man was told to be fruitful and multiply. So we can early on see that God must have had a very special plan for man to increase and multiply--which would obviously eventually require sex for that to happen.
A little further along in Genesis 2, we see that God saw that man needed a suitable helper and thus created woman. And soon thereafter, we see basically, the institution of marraige formed with this verse:
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
Lets ponder today, just how much God then would value this creation--the institution of marraige. We know that God does not do things haphazardly. If He so perfectly made the heavens and the earth--then His greater creation of mankind--He would have high expectations! When our children are born and are small children, we also have great expectations that they would grow up pure and with innocence and goodness--so maybe we can understand why our Father wants sexual purity for His kids just as we do.
Sex therefore was created for the marraige covenant. In my next entry, we will talk about why God would require sex to be only for those who are married.
Monday, March 15, 2010
SEX, SEX, SEX!!!!!
The purpose of the title of this blog is not to be cute or to create shock value. Its just that sex is sooo prevalent in our society--and not just among those who live apart from the family of God--but it is a huge struggle in the daily life of many Christians. So often we are told that such topics are taboo or not appropriate in a worship setting or among a church fellowship--and I say there is no better place or time to discuss something that God created that was intended to be something beautiful and holy.
Over the next few blog entries, I intend to talk about this subject of sex--that can be a blessing for God's people--or when used out of the marraige covenant--can absolutely destroy families and leave emotional, mental, and spirtual scars for a lifetime! It is not my intention to be overly "Preachy" or condemning of those who struggle with sexual sin. So let me be up front right away and say that sexual sin was always this preacher's worst struggle!
Like many boys growing up in the 70s and 80s, I found my share of dirty magazines and was quickly drawn to desire the images in which I had been exposed. I think by the time I was 14, I probably had a dozen dirty magazines hidden under my bed. By the time I was 15, I was exposed to hardcore cenematic pornography at a buddy's house. Over the next few years, I found myself getting more and more addicted to porn--in any shape or size I could get that exposure. I remember wanting and desiring to find a nice girl to marry some day--but I also was so obsessed with wanting to experience sex--that it just almost seemed silly to wait to get married first. It seemed that I should make sure the sex part would be good first. And so I remember not looking at girls the way I should have. I remember not looking at girls and women as my mothers, sisters, and daughters--but as something less--much less!
And it wasn't that my parents did not try to raise me with good values on that subject. My parents did wait til they were married to be intimate and I remember being taught that sex out of marraige could cause a lot of problems. And yet--children's hormones are changing day by day--and it doesn't take much to set those hormones off in a big way once a young man or woman gets exposed to things they were not yet meant to see. Fortunately for me, I was too much of a "dork" as my wife often refers to me as when I was younger and I was unable to get into sexual sin in my teen years. But it was not for lack of trying!
But my time came in my early 20s and I then discovered the reality of pre-marital sex--I was quickly hooked. I remember some very unhealthy relationships--that only created lots of pain and hurt on both sides of the relationship. And scripture teaches us that once we start sinning--it gets easier and easier to slip deep into that sin! I remember not treating some of my girlfriends very well and treating them just shamefully. I remember being almost desensitized to sexual sin--and not caring about what pain it might cause myself or others.
When I became a Christian when I was 27, the first few months I stayed very pure and was determined to stay that way. But it only took an old relationship I had once been impure with, to hit me at just the right weak moment--and I was back into sin again. And over the next couple of years of being a young, new Christian--I struggled with wanting to stay pure--but those fleshly desires had already been given into--and the temptation was constantly on my back!
Later in my first few years of marraige, I loved my wife dearly and very much desired her--but like many men--struggled some off and on with pornography and lustful thoughts. And then I would struggle with those awful feelings of guilt and shame. However, by the grace of God--and my relationship with Jesus continuing to grow over the years--God has helped me overcome much of that struggle and I can honestly say--that I only desire my wife. She is absolutely beautiful to me and I know that is who God gave me and I want to honor my covenant--with both my wife and with God! However, as wonderful as that is--I am not so naive as to think that if I let my gaurd down for a moment--that Satan would look for any opportunity to tempt me so my marraige and family could be destroyed! Scripture tells us to watch closely and be on gaurd at all times. NONE OF US ARE EXEMPT FROM SATAN'S LURING LIES AND DECEPTION!!!
My heart now, desires to look at women as my mothers, my daughters, and my sisters. And I so want that for my boys too! I want my boys to grow up to be Godly men who treat their future wives with honor and respect and learn to love their wives as Jesus loves the Church as Paul teaches us in Ephesians 6. But I know that there are many odds against my boys and your boys and your girls. The world (and the powers of darkness) are working non-stop to lure our children into sin. The world says "Go ahead and grow up now and experience grown up stuff now." And innocence is being destroyed daily! But our God is more powerful! The corner can be turned and victories for our children's futures can be won! We will be talking about all these things that are at stake over the next several days in this series. We will be talking about how God wants sex to be something absolutely beautiful for His children--not something to be abused and lives destroyed and much pain be handed out for generations! This is something God's people need to be talking about desperately! Lets have a conversation.
Over the next few blog entries, I intend to talk about this subject of sex--that can be a blessing for God's people--or when used out of the marraige covenant--can absolutely destroy families and leave emotional, mental, and spirtual scars for a lifetime! It is not my intention to be overly "Preachy" or condemning of those who struggle with sexual sin. So let me be up front right away and say that sexual sin was always this preacher's worst struggle!
Like many boys growing up in the 70s and 80s, I found my share of dirty magazines and was quickly drawn to desire the images in which I had been exposed. I think by the time I was 14, I probably had a dozen dirty magazines hidden under my bed. By the time I was 15, I was exposed to hardcore cenematic pornography at a buddy's house. Over the next few years, I found myself getting more and more addicted to porn--in any shape or size I could get that exposure. I remember wanting and desiring to find a nice girl to marry some day--but I also was so obsessed with wanting to experience sex--that it just almost seemed silly to wait to get married first. It seemed that I should make sure the sex part would be good first. And so I remember not looking at girls the way I should have. I remember not looking at girls and women as my mothers, sisters, and daughters--but as something less--much less!
And it wasn't that my parents did not try to raise me with good values on that subject. My parents did wait til they were married to be intimate and I remember being taught that sex out of marraige could cause a lot of problems. And yet--children's hormones are changing day by day--and it doesn't take much to set those hormones off in a big way once a young man or woman gets exposed to things they were not yet meant to see. Fortunately for me, I was too much of a "dork" as my wife often refers to me as when I was younger and I was unable to get into sexual sin in my teen years. But it was not for lack of trying!
But my time came in my early 20s and I then discovered the reality of pre-marital sex--I was quickly hooked. I remember some very unhealthy relationships--that only created lots of pain and hurt on both sides of the relationship. And scripture teaches us that once we start sinning--it gets easier and easier to slip deep into that sin! I remember not treating some of my girlfriends very well and treating them just shamefully. I remember being almost desensitized to sexual sin--and not caring about what pain it might cause myself or others.
When I became a Christian when I was 27, the first few months I stayed very pure and was determined to stay that way. But it only took an old relationship I had once been impure with, to hit me at just the right weak moment--and I was back into sin again. And over the next couple of years of being a young, new Christian--I struggled with wanting to stay pure--but those fleshly desires had already been given into--and the temptation was constantly on my back!
Later in my first few years of marraige, I loved my wife dearly and very much desired her--but like many men--struggled some off and on with pornography and lustful thoughts. And then I would struggle with those awful feelings of guilt and shame. However, by the grace of God--and my relationship with Jesus continuing to grow over the years--God has helped me overcome much of that struggle and I can honestly say--that I only desire my wife. She is absolutely beautiful to me and I know that is who God gave me and I want to honor my covenant--with both my wife and with God! However, as wonderful as that is--I am not so naive as to think that if I let my gaurd down for a moment--that Satan would look for any opportunity to tempt me so my marraige and family could be destroyed! Scripture tells us to watch closely and be on gaurd at all times. NONE OF US ARE EXEMPT FROM SATAN'S LURING LIES AND DECEPTION!!!
My heart now, desires to look at women as my mothers, my daughters, and my sisters. And I so want that for my boys too! I want my boys to grow up to be Godly men who treat their future wives with honor and respect and learn to love their wives as Jesus loves the Church as Paul teaches us in Ephesians 6. But I know that there are many odds against my boys and your boys and your girls. The world (and the powers of darkness) are working non-stop to lure our children into sin. The world says "Go ahead and grow up now and experience grown up stuff now." And innocence is being destroyed daily! But our God is more powerful! The corner can be turned and victories for our children's futures can be won! We will be talking about all these things that are at stake over the next several days in this series. We will be talking about how God wants sex to be something absolutely beautiful for His children--not something to be abused and lives destroyed and much pain be handed out for generations! This is something God's people need to be talking about desperately! Lets have a conversation.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
My Diverse Job
I say job, I truly don't look at being a minister as a job. There are many good ministers out there who have secular jobs and give their extra time to serve the Lord's Church. I am blessed to be able to provide for my family and serve the Lord full time--at least for now. In my ministry, that kinda goes year to year as if I will have a salary. My work does not have a 401K or health benefits--but the Lord does take good care of us! But again, its not a job--its a labor of love! And really, how can I not preach the good news of Jesus Christ?
One of the things I love about my work--is the often diverse things I get to be a part of and experience. This last Saturday--I found myself taking a few of our members to meet up with another congregation's members to go help them knock doors in the neighborhood near their building. Later that morning, I was on the phone counseling one of our members who was struggling with a personal crisis. Later in the day, I had to put together a last minute sermon since the one I was going to do got postponed a couple of weeks. Then I met over at Mesquite Church of Christ to baptize a young man whose dad is one of my oldest friends. An hour later, I was sitting at Grandy's eating some good chicken fried steak and doing some pre-marital counseling with a couple I will be marrying next month. Later that evening I had another crisis situation that needed some help. But let me be clear--I really can't help anyone--I just direct people to our God of grace and mercy and love and His blueprint for life--His word--The Holy Bible!
In my work, I often find myself ministering to all kinds of people--not just my congregation nor the families who live at Allenhurst and Peachtree Apartments. But all kinds of people--and I take great joy in the diversification of my work. I am thankful and honored to serve God. He blesses me and my sweet family everyday! I am excited about future journeys in which He may lead me!
He Is Faithful and mighty to save!
Bruce
One of the things I love about my work--is the often diverse things I get to be a part of and experience. This last Saturday--I found myself taking a few of our members to meet up with another congregation's members to go help them knock doors in the neighborhood near their building. Later that morning, I was on the phone counseling one of our members who was struggling with a personal crisis. Later in the day, I had to put together a last minute sermon since the one I was going to do got postponed a couple of weeks. Then I met over at Mesquite Church of Christ to baptize a young man whose dad is one of my oldest friends. An hour later, I was sitting at Grandy's eating some good chicken fried steak and doing some pre-marital counseling with a couple I will be marrying next month. Later that evening I had another crisis situation that needed some help. But let me be clear--I really can't help anyone--I just direct people to our God of grace and mercy and love and His blueprint for life--His word--The Holy Bible!
In my work, I often find myself ministering to all kinds of people--not just my congregation nor the families who live at Allenhurst and Peachtree Apartments. But all kinds of people--and I take great joy in the diversification of my work. I am thankful and honored to serve God. He blesses me and my sweet family everyday! I am excited about future journeys in which He may lead me!
He Is Faithful and mighty to save!
Bruce
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I Love Watching Baptisms
Tonight--we were about to go eat dinner after Bible class at Allenhurst Apartments--and one of our members--Sarah Medders got a call that her younger brother Caleb was about to be baptized. So we immediately said dinner would have to wait--and went to go watch this young man be born into Jesus Christ!
As I watched Caleb's dad Seburne take his confession, I saw the deep emotion Seburne felt and was expressing--to have the honor of baptizing his last child into Christ. I remembered getting to baptize my two step children--and Jayden's baptism was only about a year and a half ago. My heart was so full of joy for both Caleb and his family.
One of my thoughts after the baptism, was the long line of Godly leaders in his family. Seburne is a deacon in the Lord's church, Caleb's uncle Jeff is a preacher, Caleb's grandad Harvey was an elder and a great evangelist--and I was informed by Caleb's grandmother that there were other great men of the church in the family also.
Don't ever underestimate the example we set and hopefully instill in our children! I praise God for the seeds that were planted in the Medders family many years back! Congratulations brother Caleb! Welcome to the Kingdom of God!
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6, NIV).
As I watched Caleb's dad Seburne take his confession, I saw the deep emotion Seburne felt and was expressing--to have the honor of baptizing his last child into Christ. I remembered getting to baptize my two step children--and Jayden's baptism was only about a year and a half ago. My heart was so full of joy for both Caleb and his family.
One of my thoughts after the baptism, was the long line of Godly leaders in his family. Seburne is a deacon in the Lord's church, Caleb's uncle Jeff is a preacher, Caleb's grandad Harvey was an elder and a great evangelist--and I was informed by Caleb's grandmother that there were other great men of the church in the family also.
Don't ever underestimate the example we set and hopefully instill in our children! I praise God for the seeds that were planted in the Medders family many years back! Congratulations brother Caleb! Welcome to the Kingdom of God!
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6, NIV).
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
HOPE
Dear Fellow Workers in Christ,
I probably sometimes sound redundant about our Tuesday morning food pantry at our building--but each week is truly a different worship experience! In fact, my vision and desire for Tuesday mornings--is not to be a time of "handing out food--but instead a time of: EVANGELISM, SHARING LOVE, PLANTING SEEDS, GIVING JESUS A GOOD NAME, SINGING PRAISES, PRAYING FOR FOLKS, AND BASICALLY A WORSHIP SERVICE!!!!
Today was so wonderful. When my sister Sherry (who has come so far in her walk with God since she came to me a year plus ago having lost everything due to a gambling addiction and just living a rough life for years) and I pulled up to the church building--there was probably already 25 people standing in line waiting for us to open up. As I was walking up to the building--I am saying hello in english and in spanish--and got so many smiles and faces full of hope and thankfulness--not just from our regulars--but from a few folks that had not been there before. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT USED TO BEING TREATED WITH LOVE AND KINDNESS! Especially the poor. And while we still don't have a spanish interpreter (I use my best "restaurant spanish"), all the spanish speaking folks seem to happy and excited to be there!
And our wonderful volunteer sisters from Highland Oaks Church of Christ along with my sister and a couple from At The Cross that I baptized and married this summer--were all working and serving and helping all these people--a good 45 to 50 people if you include the children and family members who were not getting food. And I sooooo felt like we were in Heaven--with so much love and hope and sooooo many smiles!!! God is sooo goooood!!! I thought of the verse from the Lord's Prayer--"THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!!!" I felt God's will being done today and it was GOOOOOOOD!!!!
So many more lost souls to reach! So many children who need Jesus! LETS GO!!!
Bruce
I probably sometimes sound redundant about our Tuesday morning food pantry at our building--but each week is truly a different worship experience! In fact, my vision and desire for Tuesday mornings--is not to be a time of "handing out food--but instead a time of: EVANGELISM, SHARING LOVE, PLANTING SEEDS, GIVING JESUS A GOOD NAME, SINGING PRAISES, PRAYING FOR FOLKS, AND BASICALLY A WORSHIP SERVICE!!!!
Today was so wonderful. When my sister Sherry (who has come so far in her walk with God since she came to me a year plus ago having lost everything due to a gambling addiction and just living a rough life for years) and I pulled up to the church building--there was probably already 25 people standing in line waiting for us to open up. As I was walking up to the building--I am saying hello in english and in spanish--and got so many smiles and faces full of hope and thankfulness--not just from our regulars--but from a few folks that had not been there before. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT USED TO BEING TREATED WITH LOVE AND KINDNESS! Especially the poor. And while we still don't have a spanish interpreter (I use my best "restaurant spanish"), all the spanish speaking folks seem to happy and excited to be there!
And our wonderful volunteer sisters from Highland Oaks Church of Christ along with my sister and a couple from At The Cross that I baptized and married this summer--were all working and serving and helping all these people--a good 45 to 50 people if you include the children and family members who were not getting food. And I sooooo felt like we were in Heaven--with so much love and hope and sooooo many smiles!!! God is sooo goooood!!! I thought of the verse from the Lord's Prayer--"THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!!!" I felt God's will being done today and it was GOOOOOOOD!!!!
So many more lost souls to reach! So many children who need Jesus! LETS GO!!!
Bruce
Sunday, March 7, 2010
NOTE TO MY CONGREGATION
I thought I would share a note to my congregation--for our Monday morning church e-mail on my blog today:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ! I titled this e-mail "New Week, New Blessings" because I believe God wants to bless all of us this week!!! Lets be ready to receive those blessings! God stands ready and willing to do GREAT things in our lives--not always what we want--but great and wonderful things nonetheless--if we will accept HIS blessings and love! Why not start this week? Why not listen closely to what HE has to say to us? Why not spend some time each day in HIS word for HIM to reveal how we should live and follow HIS ways? God's on the move!
I was so moved at the love I felt from all of the Highland Oaks family today when I told the congregation thank you for helping us with the fundraiser and all their other help on the ground. I got prayed over by several members before I left--my cup runneth over!!
James Chancellor did such a wonderful job these past two Sundays about bringing Christ into our homes! I really meant what I said today too--that as much as I want our congregation to be about outreach and evangelism--IF ALL EACH OF YOU DO IS JUST GET BETTER AT MINISTERING TO YOUR FAMILIES--THAT WILL BE A GREAT WAY TO EVANGELIZE!!! Love your spouses a little more, love your kids a little more, learn and talk to God a little more and your homes will be very joy filled places!
I enjoyed me, James, and JT taking the Sr. High teens bowling--AND JAMES CAN BOWL!!! We also had a great time last night at the church apartment with the 6th grade and under kids for the pizza/devotional. Special thanks to Sarah, Tim, and Megan for helping me.
NEW PREACHING SERIES
This Sunday Lloyd and I will be starting a new series on The Book of Ruth. We will be spending some time unpacking this wonderful story of love, devotion, compassion, and mercy along with how God can take something difficult--even our sin and rebellion--and make it something beautiful! Then the following Sunday--is our special celebration for our children.
The Leadership Team loves each of you very much. LETS SHARE JESUS WITH SOMEONE THIS WEEK!
Bruce
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ! I titled this e-mail "New Week, New Blessings" because I believe God wants to bless all of us this week!!! Lets be ready to receive those blessings! God stands ready and willing to do GREAT things in our lives--not always what we want--but great and wonderful things nonetheless--if we will accept HIS blessings and love! Why not start this week? Why not listen closely to what HE has to say to us? Why not spend some time each day in HIS word for HIM to reveal how we should live and follow HIS ways? God's on the move!
I was so moved at the love I felt from all of the Highland Oaks family today when I told the congregation thank you for helping us with the fundraiser and all their other help on the ground. I got prayed over by several members before I left--my cup runneth over!!
James Chancellor did such a wonderful job these past two Sundays about bringing Christ into our homes! I really meant what I said today too--that as much as I want our congregation to be about outreach and evangelism--IF ALL EACH OF YOU DO IS JUST GET BETTER AT MINISTERING TO YOUR FAMILIES--THAT WILL BE A GREAT WAY TO EVANGELIZE!!! Love your spouses a little more, love your kids a little more, learn and talk to God a little more and your homes will be very joy filled places!
I enjoyed me, James, and JT taking the Sr. High teens bowling--AND JAMES CAN BOWL!!! We also had a great time last night at the church apartment with the 6th grade and under kids for the pizza/devotional. Special thanks to Sarah, Tim, and Megan for helping me.
NEW PREACHING SERIES
This Sunday Lloyd and I will be starting a new series on The Book of Ruth. We will be spending some time unpacking this wonderful story of love, devotion, compassion, and mercy along with how God can take something difficult--even our sin and rebellion--and make it something beautiful! Then the following Sunday--is our special celebration for our children.
The Leadership Team loves each of you very much. LETS SHARE JESUS WITH SOMEONE THIS WEEK!
Bruce
Friday, March 5, 2010
Sad Days
Today, a family that has been with me the last four years at Allenhurst Apartments to a rough part of Dallas. It breaks my heart! I baptized three of the kids and the parents over the years--and married the parents this last summer.
We have always had so many families who have come and gone from Allenhurst. So to have a handful of families that have been with us for a few years, are just so very dear to our hearts. Its pretty obvious we will not have the access to the kids we once had and I fear for them.
Sometimes, the kids we work with often become like our own--and its painful when you so want the best for kids and yet--we really have little control over their livese.
So we pray and we pray--that the seeds that were planted while they were a part of our congregation--will one day bloom into the abundant life Jesus promised!
So while I rejoice for the time we had with them--my heart is also heavy right now. Every soul is so precious!
Bruce
We have always had so many families who have come and gone from Allenhurst. So to have a handful of families that have been with us for a few years, are just so very dear to our hearts. Its pretty obvious we will not have the access to the kids we once had and I fear for them.
Sometimes, the kids we work with often become like our own--and its painful when you so want the best for kids and yet--we really have little control over their livese.
So we pray and we pray--that the seeds that were planted while they were a part of our congregation--will one day bloom into the abundant life Jesus promised!
So while I rejoice for the time we had with them--my heart is also heavy right now. Every soul is so precious!
Bruce
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Who Is God?
As I work my way through each of our age groups in my congregation--I am spending the next few weeks with the Sr. High teens of my congregation and from Allenhurst Apartments. Not always the easiest group of kids to work with--but I love them dearly! I just finished a stint with a few months with our 3rd through 6th graders and before that had taught our adults for several months.
I am doing a series with these kids who I know struggle with understanding what it means to have a relationship with Jesus--and the series is called "Who Is God?" Tonight we are going to get into the nitty gritty about creation and perhaps what God's desire was with His creation and how much all of us as creators tend to love and adore that which we have created. Thus, I hope to eventually help point these kids to the fact that God is simply--A GOD OF LOVE!
If we don't find a way to help our young people discover who the Lord really is--many will most likely struggle and miss many of the opportunities to enjoy the abundant life Jesus promised!
God is indeed--a God of love!
I am doing a series with these kids who I know struggle with understanding what it means to have a relationship with Jesus--and the series is called "Who Is God?" Tonight we are going to get into the nitty gritty about creation and perhaps what God's desire was with His creation and how much all of us as creators tend to love and adore that which we have created. Thus, I hope to eventually help point these kids to the fact that God is simply--A GOD OF LOVE!
If we don't find a way to help our young people discover who the Lord really is--many will most likely struggle and miss many of the opportunities to enjoy the abundant life Jesus promised!
God is indeed--a God of love!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Renaissance Apartments in Midland, Texas
A couple of years ago, there were some Christians from Golf Course Road Church of Christ in Midland who were dreaming about how they could better spread the hope and love of Jesus Christ to those who would often otherwise be forgotten by most churches. Over a year and a half ago or so--I was in Midland and a group of those Christians were talking about starting an apartment ministry like we were doing here in Mesquite. One afternoon I went out with some brothers from the GCR family to look at a handful of apartment complexes where they could possibly start a new ministry for Christ. One particular complex I most remember us driving by was called Renaissance Apartments. Renaissance is a typical apartment complex with lots of lower income families, many whom most likely don't have a church home or are not actively involved with the Lord.
I remember us sitting there in the car, just praying for God to direct which complex GCR was to go to and begin a work. For some reason, I felt something special about Renaissance. I had these visions of cookouts and bounce houses and lots of kids having fun and the love of Christ abounding all over the complex. And the Lord did indeed direct the GCR family to Renaissance Apartments!
Several months back I went to Midland to preach at GCR and I got to go see the work at Renaissance. They had just had a VBS there and I got to see the apartment they are using. I found out today from a brother on the GCR missions team--that the work has exploded! He said several kids are coming to church each week, there is a meal on Monday nights for the kids, and several Bible studies going on with adults. HALLELUJAH!!!!! Praise God for the Golf Course Road family--they are getting out of the building and living out the Great Commission! Many lives will forever be changed because the Golf Course Road family said yes to Jesus!
Are there some apartments or a neighborhood near your church--that your congregation could go and start a ministry? Start dreaming. Start believing.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV).
Let us be in prayer for God to continue to bless the work at Renaissance Apartments in Midland, Texas!
Peace,
Bruce
I remember us sitting there in the car, just praying for God to direct which complex GCR was to go to and begin a work. For some reason, I felt something special about Renaissance. I had these visions of cookouts and bounce houses and lots of kids having fun and the love of Christ abounding all over the complex. And the Lord did indeed direct the GCR family to Renaissance Apartments!
Several months back I went to Midland to preach at GCR and I got to go see the work at Renaissance. They had just had a VBS there and I got to see the apartment they are using. I found out today from a brother on the GCR missions team--that the work has exploded! He said several kids are coming to church each week, there is a meal on Monday nights for the kids, and several Bible studies going on with adults. HALLELUJAH!!!!! Praise God for the Golf Course Road family--they are getting out of the building and living out the Great Commission! Many lives will forever be changed because the Golf Course Road family said yes to Jesus!
Are there some apartments or a neighborhood near your church--that your congregation could go and start a ministry? Start dreaming. Start believing.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV).
Let us be in prayer for God to continue to bless the work at Renaissance Apartments in Midland, Texas!
Peace,
Bruce
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