28Jun
As we approach the dog days of summer, it is a good time for some self-evaluation. Momentum slows in the middle of the year. The excitement of a fresh start has worn off, and the end is still too far away for us to anticipate the thrill of crossing the finishing line. It can be easy to lose focus.
Broken Resolutions
Too often, the goals we set in the beginning of the year fade by the second or third month. January gives us the hope of a fresh start. We plan to do better, then February comes and we fall back into the cycle of the previous year. By springtime we are exactly where we were last year, maybe even further from where we wanted to be. Continue reading »
28Jun
So I just came in from walking out to my car a few minutes ago and I noticed one thing: it is HOT. I know what you are thinking, “Way to state the obvious, Neil.” But I want you, for a minute, to just consider just how HOT it is outside…
Okay, good, I am glad that we are all on the same page as to how hot it is outside. People, we are already into the 90’s in relation to this summer. That means that it is mid to late June already! It is hard to believe, but I am completing my first month here! I judge what time of year it is by how the weather acts outside. So far I have noticed that scattered afternoon thunderstorms happen every now and then, the sun becomes unbearable, and the temperature goes up and up. Now you might be thinking that I am probably setting up for a final point that Hell is going to be really, really hot and that we should take heed in our every day lives; but that is not where I am wanting to go right now. Since it is getting so hot I want to say that this summer is really heating up in more ways than one. Summer provides the perfect opportunity for youth ministers such as myself to get some great stuff planned for kids of all ages, and that is exactly what I am doing! We have an exciting rest of the summer planned. From devos to Clandestine Destinations, there is something for everyone, so be sure to check the calendar on my door so that you can be fully aware of what is going on. I am really excited about this summer, and I hope that you are too. Be sure to take advantage of every opportunity this summer. Don’t let the summer heat cool down without taking part in the big things we have going on here. I would really feel bad if we let this summer pass away without taking full advantage of this summer that the Lord has given us.
21Jun
Jesucristo conmigo va.
When I visited Buenos Aires, Argentina this past March it left a pretty deep impact on me. I met so many brothers and sisters who had so much care for their North American partners. I spent a week there getting to know the people, making friends, and establishing relationships with anyone and everyone I came into contact with; and through that it left a mark on me.
One of the most lasting impressions left on me during my time there was the beauty of a particular song they sang. Roughly translated “Jesus Christ goes with me,” the song’s structure is one of beauty. But, the words are equally as beautiful. If we think about it, no matter what Jesus is with us. Jesus walks with us, guiding us, loving us. Jesus Christ goes with us every day we are here, and He is waiting to pick us up off the ground when we fall down. He is waiting to wash away the stains of our sin with His blood. No matter where we are, Jesus is there walking with us.
All this week remember that. Jesus is with you when you wake up and when you go to sleep. Jesus is a part of you now, as you come into contact with His blood. This should be our source of strength: Jesus Christ goes with me. No matter where I am – whether I am in downtown Buenos Aires or waiting in line at Subway in Leeds – Jesus Christ is with me. We need to remember that, and remind the world of that, too. This week, make an effort to remember not just that He is with us, but that the sacrifice He made was the ultimate. The least we can do is proclaim His name.
14Jun
Our fourth round of visitation meetings are scheduled for tonight, directly following an abbreviated Sunday evening service. Now that we are getting used to the new system, I thought I would make a few suggestions about how we can keep the momentum going.
We are getting good feedback about the program. Many of you have told me that you are getting to know people you have worshiped with for a long time but have never taken the time to meet. Also, the congregation is becoming more aware of itself. As our groups concentrate on the spiritual and physical needs of their own members, more cards are being sent, more phone calls and visits are being made, more prayers are going up on behalf of those who need them. Whereas in the past there were some needs only the elders and ministers were aware of, now the whole congregation is concentrating on these concerns. Continue reading »
14Jun
Wow! I can’t believe that V.B.S. has already come and gone! It seems to me that V.B.S. was a great success this year, and I can only wish that we could do another week of it (just kidding Tim and Millie). V.B.S. is always a great time for us as a congregation to get together and see what ways we can use the talents that God gives us. The time is such a great blessing on the kids as well as the adults.
The thing I always get out of V.B.S. is how childlike the kids always are. I know what you are thinking, “Neil…that is kind of an oxymoronic statement there.” And yes I do agree that is a terribly oxymoronic statement; but it takes a time like V.B.S. to completely remind me of the statement that Jesus made in Matthew 18:3 when He says, “Unless you repent and become like one of these children, you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.” It is words like this that make me think that everyone young and old should adopt a childlike mentality towards this world. Everything is black and white, so simple! It should be that simple for us as well: Love God and obey his commandments. It’s when the world gets to us, when the deceiver clouds our thoughts that we forget the first love of our spiritual “childhood”, the childhood we entered in after our death (Romans 6:1-5).
We need never to forget that first love and always devote ourselves to it. We need to remember this week to not “hide our Christian light under a bushel”, nor should we let Satan “phh” it out, but let it shine all the time let it shine.
Because of a Cross,
Neil