Practicing God's Presence

The Practice of the Presence of God is a well known book by Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monk. Our sermon series for November is not based on his book, but shares a common theme. We must regularly practice being in God’s presence. 

Anything we want to do well requires practice. It would be ridiculous to assume you could pick up a musical instrument and in just a few tries be able to play proficiently. Unfortunately, we don’t think of spiritual skills in the same way. Although some people may be more adept at certain spiritual disciplines in the same way some are more adept at musical talents or other skills, everyone requires practice to achieve their best. 

Our emphasis is to get practical. We’ve taught on many of these topics often, but this month we hope to not only communicate the ideas but also encourage and give examples of ways to implement these disciplines. We hope to find ways to engage in some of these skills during the services, as well as ways to incorporate them into our lives. Spiritual growth—like physical, intellectual, or emotional growth—is gradual. At times we may experience a growth spurt, but normally it is so gradual it can go unnoticed. We’ve all experienced seeing a niece or nephew or the child of a friend after several years and exclaiming, “Wow, how they’ve grown!” In the same way, we may not notice the small incremental growth in ourselves and those around us, but God is faithful as we give attention to the things that feed our souls. 

We will explore prayer, hearing God’s voice, worship, prophetic ministry, soaking (a.k.a. contemplative prayer), and fasting. This entire year has been about developing our spirituality. We started out with Joy Wins and Emotionally Healthy Communities. With the onset of the pandemic, we delved into the book of James to learn from the first century church’s experience with Living Exiled. This was followed with the Perseverance character studies and the Fear Not series. The S.O.U.L. Search really drilled it down to teach us a new way to measure and communicate where we are spiritually. 

Our hope is that this series on practical ways to practice God’s presence will further develop our spiritual health. In this year of extended stress and trials of dealing with all of the unknowns of the pandemic, election, racial tensions, economic challenges, etc., it is good to know that we can continue to prosper in our spiritual maturity. In fact, the outward challenges are some of the best motivators of growing inwardly. Let’s all “up our game” in growing closer to God.

Outreach

One of the primary objectives of Christianity is to make God’s name famous in our circle of influence, pointing everyone we can to the true King, Jesus. We have the answers to the questions that burden the heart of the unbeliever: Is there a God? If so, who is he? Does my life matter? YES! His name is Jesus! And YES!

Christians are God’s mouthpieces and get to share in the call to declare God’s truth and love to the world. We have been commissioned and equipped to do so! Commissioned in Matthew 28 when Jesus told his followers to “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations…”; and equipped with the Holy Spirit inside of us. 

God declared this truth through the prophet Isaiah to the ignorant who carried around idols and prayed to gods that could not save them:

“There is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear, They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.  Isaiah 45:21-24

Outreach is focused time spent pursuing those outside of our immediate family and church family circles. Time spent reaching that outer ring of people keeps us from living an overly selfish, me-focused life. Don’t get me wrong, we shouldn’t neglect the former in pursuit of the latter. Taking care of ourselves and investing time with other believers is key. But, if it stops there, we miss the point. 

At New Day Nichols and Vandalia we deeply value both the people already in the family of Christ as well as those who may not know Him yet. We consider how we can impact those around us by making connections in the community and with the neighbors who pass our buildings each week. Our Nichols campus is holding a Candy Trail on Oct. 31st for this very purpose. We look forward to continuing to reach Cass county and the Nichols and Vine neighborhoods in 2021.

At New Day we will never give up this pursuit we’ve been called to and equipped for knowing our impact will be exponentially greater when we work together to make God’s name famous!

S.O.U.L. Search Questions

Our goal for the community groups is to provide an opportunity for everyone to have connections with others that are primarily focussed on meeting spiritual needs. It is difficult to form that type of relationship at Sunday services, and even more difficult in our current situation. 

The Bible is clear that we are to care for one another. Philippians 2:2-4 says, “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” But how can we facilitate this with a diversity of people—some that are brand-new to the faith or to our church, and others who have been around for years or decades? 

When I shared the S.O.U.L. acronym as a tool to review how we are doing spiritually, I mentioned that in our small groups, and when used at church, our answers should be brief. Learning how to respond in a meaningful but also appropriate and brief way is a skill that needs to be learned. In most groups there are about 8 to 12 people. Our goal is to make the groups sustainable by limiting the time to one hour (1 ½ if a meal is served). This hour is to be divided into a third discussing a sermon highlight, a third sharing where we are spiritually, and a third in group prayer. This time limit means each person will only have a couple of minutes in each segment. 

This is not meant to limit depth or more lengthy discussions and relationship building. Rather it is meant to “prime the pump” and enable those who may be unfamiliar, or uncomfortable, sharing spiritually in a group. As the groups develop relationships and maturity, there will be opportunities for follow-up outside of the group setting that would allow for more in-depth ministry. But we want to maintain a safe atmosphere where people can share at the level they are comfortable with and not fear being obligated to divulge more. 

Over time, these simple questions with brief answers will build a regular spiritual checkup and create a community that is praying for one another and available for one another as we all journey together in the Kingdom. 

I encourage you to develop a habit of daily evaluating if you are moving away from God, stuck, or moving toward God in your relationship with Scripture, Others, Upward, and Life. And then let’s learn together how to share this with each other as a way to maintain a community in pursuit of spiritual growth. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

Jump in the River

The presence of God is like a river. Ezekiel 47 paints a picture of the river of God flowing out of the temple, and transforming the Dead Sea from a lifeless body of water into a sea that is teeming with fish. Fishermen come running because there are so many. The borders of the sea flourish with every kind of fruit tree. These trees flourish so much that they bear fruit year-round. 

This river is available to each of us. We can receive the life and fruitfulness that the river brings by drawing close to Jesus in worship, in prayer, through studying the Bible, and any time that we turn our attention to God. Jesus says in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” The river is inside of us and brings fruitfulness to everything that it touches!

Are there places in your life that you want to be more fruitful? Do you want a greater sense of peace in the craziness of life? Do you want to walk in abundant joy even in difficult circumstances? Do you want to love people better? Anywhere you want to see life, abundance, and fruitfulness, invite the presence of God!

New Day is a river church. We pursue the presence of God every Sunday morning. This is a great opportunity to jump in the river. But it’s just the beginning. We don’t need to go far to encounter the presence of God. We can do it just by turning our attention to the Lord and inviting Him to flow into our lives every day.

Vision & Mission for New Day

The head of any organization is responsible for its vision and mission. Not merely a slogan, but the direction and its primary goals. “Christ is the head of the church, which is His body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So He is first in everything” (Colossians 1:18).

Christ’s vision is expressed vividly in Ephesians 5:25-27: “... Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” This is Jesus’ vision for the church: being holy, pure, and glorious. 

Jesus commissioned His disciples, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). This must always be the primary mission of the church. 

Our mission must look like Jesus' mission: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

Finally, the early church is important in understanding the Church. Acts 2:42-47 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” This is the basis and template we must follow to be a Biblical Church. 

Individual churches may tweak the wording and determine a particular emphasis, but the vision and mission cannot change, because God’s Word doesn’t change. We may express it meaningfully for our time, but must always remain true to Scripture. Any divergence from this Biblical mandate ends up diluting the power and purpose of the Church or, worse, deluding people into a false vision and mission that leads to division and, at worst, heresy. Let’s stay true to our calling and “Go, do, and be Christ in our community.”

Abide

What do you think when you see a guy like this walking through the airport? Nice suit! Maybe…but you also immediately realize this guy is only in town for a little while. He’s got some business to do, then he’s gone

Now check out the guy in this next picture...

He is moving in. He brought his wife, his dog, and all his possessions. He’s clearly going to spend the next couple days unpacking those boxes. Okay - let’s get real - he’s going to spend the next couple months unpacking those boxes. 

The point is this: there’s a real difference between a business trip and moving in.

In John 15, Jesus has a lot to say about “abiding”: 

• Abide in me and you’ll... 

• Those who don’t abide in me will... 

• Abide in my love…

• If you _______ you’ll abide in my love.

You get the idea. Jesus is really interested in this abiding thing. The word used in this passage is the same word used for living somewhere, staying with someone, or remaining in a place. Jesus wants you to move in. Move into Himself. Take up residence in His love.

It’s a lot easier to approach Jesus like a business trip. I have a few parts of my life packed in the carry-on and briefcase, and I’m going to see Jesus for a while. He has something for me to do this week, so here I go. That sort of thing. But after the trip is done, I’m heading back home to “normal life”. At home in normal life, I go to work, study for a degree, hang out with my friends, or have some hobbies…

Jesus is looking for something more personal, more expansive, more committed. I mean, think about it: my level of commitment to a three-day business trip vs. my commitment to the house I live in. I put my family in this house, my possessions are in here, and I committed to pay a mortgage every month to be here. I’m all in, and I’m not going anywhere. And at the end of every day, guess where I end up? Yep. Home. It’s where I abide.

Jesus invites us to abide in relationship with Him. To live in His love. Be honest with yourself and consider where you go to rest your head at the end of each day. Are you coming home to Him? Or have you made your home somewhere else?

The best place you could call home is in Jesus. He loves you. He gave His life for you.

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:9)

Made to Worship

Mankind was made to share fellowship with God. We were made in the image of God, and while the Father and Son revel in love towards one another with the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we are made to revel in love with our Creator in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Throughout Scripture, mankind demonstrates worship to God by bowing down, giving thanks, by the building of altars, by bringing sacrifices and with singing and praise. And in God’s goodness, he gives a promise to us that when we worship him, we’ll be blessed: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you….” (Exodus 23:25). When I lead worship, I’ll often remind people that God doesn’t need our praise, but he commands it because it is good for us! Getting our minds and focus off of ourselves and putting our focus on the Lord and his goodness creates a shift in our spirit. It builds us up as we declare our praise. As we humble ourselves and bow down, he lifts us up. We worship God in obedience and he responds with blessing and healing. 

If you search Scripture to find where God commands his people to worship, it is often accompanied first by a command not to worship other gods. “Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies” (2 Kings 17:38-40). When Jesus was tempted in the desert, Satan showed him the kingdoms of the world and said:  “‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only [Deut 6:13].”’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matthew 4:9-11). We worship God in obedience, and he responds with deliverance and care.

As humans, we’re going to worship something. It’s what we’re designed for. If we don’t worship God, we’ll be worshipping something or someone else. Giving our worship to anything else creates a void—it’s a robbery. Let’s give thanks to the Lord that we serve the One who responds to our worship by blessing and filling!

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Many of us are familiar with the wisdom passed to Peter Parker—a.k.a. Spider-Man—from his Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility.” These are important words for Peter as he tries to bring his newfound superpower to bear in his life. But where did Uncle Ben get such wisdom? I don’t know if Uncle Ben and Aunt May regularly went to church, but here is what Jesus says in Luke 12:48: 

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

As Christ-followers, we have been given much! We have been given love, acceptance, reconciliation, hope, forgiveness, and more. It is our responsibility to give out what we have received. This Sunday, in our series Soul Search, we will be talking about our relationships with others. These relationships should be saturated with these gifts. None of these things are supposed to stop with us. We are to be conduits of the gifts of God.

Look at Matthew 6:14-15. Jesus says:

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

We see something similar in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matt. 18:21-35). After the unmerciful servant is forgiven a huge debt and then demands repayment of a small debt, he is dragged before his master, who says, “You wicked servant. I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed.

With great power comes great responsibility. We are the Lord’s ambassadors on the earth. We carry the name and authority of Jesus everywhere we go. This does not put us in positions of pride and arrogance, but recognizing that we have a responsibility to serve others as we have been served, to love others as we have been loved, and to forgive others as we have been forgiven.

Soul Search

Probably the most-asked question is “How are you?” It’s more of a greeting than a true inquiry. And is answered simply like, “Great, and you?” But how do you answer the question “How are you doing spiritually?” That question implies something deeper, and we should be able to respond in a meaningful, appropriate way. 

Most Christ-followers lack two important skills: the ability to measure where we are spiritually—we don’t have a gauge or reference system to evaluate the state of our soul—and we lack language to express where we are spiritually. Our September series “Soul Search” will address these two things.

Several years ago, I became aware of this idea through my work with Kaleo Ministries. Some of the leaders had been trained using material developed by John & Charles Wesley during the revival that birthed the Methodist church. It was the biggest revival there had ever been, and it significantly shaped the culture of both England and the early USA. The Wesley brothers held massive revival meetings where tens of thousands were saved, healed, and transformed. But they credited the lasting transformation of individuals and communities to the development of small groups and a simple discipleship practice that helped individuals measure and communicate their spiritual condition. 

I was challenged by this testimony. For over two years, I have been prayerfully determining a way we can implement a similar way to measure and communicate the condition of our souls. It has to be simple and memorable, something that we all can use without having to read a book or take a test. 

Over the next four weeks, in services and in our new Community Groups, we will be introducing this idea. My hope is to create a shared understanding and language so that when we ask one another “How is your soul?” we will know how to respond in an appropriate and meaningful way. In doing so, we will create a deeper level of community and support for one another. Keep in mind that this question isn’t meant to open up a long, probing discussion into our spiritual lives. It’s meant to briefly communicate some aspect of our spiritual state in the present or recent past. It gives us a way to keep tabs on one another, not counsel one another or overexpose our hearts. Additionally, we will share other guidelines that help keep this functional, meaningful, and sustainable. 

As we teach through this, please attend our services—by coming on Sunday, tuning into the livestream, or watching on YouTube. I truly believe that this has the potential to help us grow spiritually and better reach our community with the Gospel of Jesus our Lord!

Wowza!

Do you ever read a familiar Bible verse in a different translation and have it speak to you in a new way? That was my recent experience with this verse about peace.

“Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” (1 Peter 3:11, NLT)

Search! Work! These are active words. It struck me that pursuing peace is not a passive endeavor. This verse tells us to search for peace. If we are asked to search for something, it likely means it is not obviously lying in front of us. When we walk into a situation, we must be prepared to actively seek out peace, looking for where peace can be found in that particular scenario. 

This verse also tells us to work to maintain peace. It’s work! Peace brings a tranquil end, but getting there often is not tranquil. After all, it can be easier and less work to avoid or distance ourselves, but that only brings a façade of peace. The kind of peace Jesus represents will require purposeful, often difficult actions and conversations. It requires a willingness to go toward people in humility: a willingness to first seek to understand, then share truth with love and reconciliation as our motivation. 

In fact, reconciliation is so important to God that he teaches us in Matthew 5:23-24 to go reconcile with the person who has something against us before we offer Him our worship. Wowza! Yup, that’s where the title came from.

Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. He is the person who made peace between mankind and God. He is described by this word and says we are to be peacemakers too. Did you know that Jesus said we are blessed when we work for peace?

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”
(Matthew 5:9, NLT)

Christians ought to be the people who are able to make peace with almost anyone. Even if people disagree with us, we are to be the peacemakers. We ought not categorize ourselves so deeply into a corner that we are unable to do this. When we enter a conflict-ridden moment in our culture, in our families, or with our friends, we should be the ones who walk in and everybody takes a breath of fresh air because we have been mentored in peace by the Prince of Peace. 

Jesus teaches us not to fuel the conflict in the world we are living in, but to bring peace into it through following Him. Let’s be people who are active in the pursuit of peace by searching and working for it, knowing that peace is what God has called us to.

Politics, Media, Pandemic, Masks, Riots, Elections ... What Should We Do?

Paul was in prison facing a death sentence because of his faith. At the beginning of the letter, we see his desperation. He expresses that he’d prefer to die and “be with Christ.” But for their sake, he would press on and continue the battle. Never forget the context that most of the New Testament writers were enduring. Persecution and martyrdom were common, and opposition from the community and even family was pervasive. Yet throughout the Bible, there is not once where we are instructed to act in rebellion to the established authorities. Even though these authorities were literally anti-Christ in that the Romans and Jewish religious leaders had conspired to crucify Jesus. 

What are we called to do in such dire times? Paul says in Philippians that he is glad he was imprisoned because through it the church was motivated to preach Christ. Philippians 1:18 reads: “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

Communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ must be every Christian’s primary agenda. Any cause that becomes more important than Jesus has become an idol. We must ensure that the issues we fight for never supersede our calling to be ambassadors for Christ. Every other agenda must remain at a much lower level of significance. 

As Christians and citizens of our nations, we are called to influence our communities by promoting godliness in every sphere of life. Certainly we need to be involved in politics and other ways of shaping our society. Thankfully we have the ability to be an active part of the governance through voting, freedom of speech, supporting those individuals or groups that are advocating for godly governance, and in many other ways. In everything we do we must reflect the character of Christ and not be drawn into a reaction based in fear or anger. 

Paul’s exhortation to the church is as important today as it was when he wrote it. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:4-8)

The Corporate Pursuit

In July I had the opportunity to share briefly on what worship looks like in a “Presence-Based” church, how I prepare when I lead worship, and how we, as a team, seek the Lord for what he wants to do during the worship service. We prepare prayerfully, and we are led by the Holy Spirit both before and during the service, so that we can facilitate what He wants us to accomplish and release what He wants us to release. But even more importantly, being a presence-based church is the direct result of the members leading presence-based lives. 

Read Psalm 34. David exhorts us to extol the Lord at ALL times. It is important that we worship the Lord throughout the week, with His praise always being on our lips. “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” When we do, look at the results that unfold in this chapter. He answers us, delivers us from our fears, and we are radiant and never covered with shame. It is promised in this passage that those who fear him lack nothing, that He will deliver them from trouble, and that He’ll be near and save those who are crushed in spirit. Not only do we really need that right now, but the whole world needs that! If this is the fruit of our lives, I can’t imagine how we wouldn’t be having an impact on those around us who really need that kind of help. 

For me, this is the vision for our corporate worship. We seek the Lord daily as individuals, worshipping him and praying and growing in relationship with Jesus. We pursue an intimate walk with Him, seeking His will for our lives. Then, when we come together as a church, and we bring our worship as a whole, we experience the rich presence of God together. We have genuine, life-changing encounters with Him and enjoy that majestic overflow of the Spirit because we have all sown into pursuing Him! 

In Ephesians 3, Paul is praying for the Church, asking God that they “may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”. Read that whole chapter. I’m convinced that we won’t experience that fullness unless we seek it TOGETHER. I believe when we come together in one accord, it will create an atmosphere of power and authority in our meetings and we’ll experience his FULLNESS. Let’s sow in prayer together so we may reap the manifestation of that answered prayer in our corporate meetings. 

Carrie Miller is the Worship Director at New Day’s Nichols campus. She has been a worship leader for over 20 years, and has been a member at New Day since 1986. She is married to Greg Miller and they have four amazing children.

Do Not Worry

Matthew 6:25-34 says:

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

The life of the Christ-follower is a life of faith. Jesus tells us not to worry about material things like food, clothing, and shelter—not because they are unimportant, but because there are more important things that we should be concerning ourselves with. Our worry for physical things can distract us from running after Jesus’s kingdom and righteousness.  According to Jesus, if we run after his kingdom and his righteousness, He will take care of everything else. 

In the midst of this season, let’s seek first Jesus’s kingdom and righteousness as a community, and trust that the Sovereign King is going to take care of everything else.

Don't Panic

A favorite sci-fi story is “The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy,” originally a BBC radio broadcast. On the cover of the book featured in the story are the words “Don’t Panic.”  Of course the entire story is filled with scenes in which panicking would be the natural response, and the comedy is in how the characters deal with the absurd adventures.

If I were to write a book about 2020, I’d put those same words on the cover - “Don’t Panic.” I certainly didn’t foresee the events that have transpired, nor could possibly imagine a year ago all of what has happened. I did not know, but God did. And the reason for not panicking is not some science fiction comedy but the reality that we serve a God that is in control. 

Psalms 60:12 declares, “Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” With the same confidence that David sang this song, we can sing it today. Our confidence is in the mighty God we serve, and we fear no enemy. We do not fear the Covid virus, nor the media’s influence, nor the political partisan division, nor the requirements of state (whether or not we agree with them), nor the economy, nor the future. 

Romans 8:35-39 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our victory is not determined by the state, the economy, the media, or anything that can or will happen. Our victory is ensured by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We can endure all things because He already has overcome them. John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Join me in being CHEERFUL and GRATEFUL that we have the peace of Christ in us, and through Him we have overcome every threat in this world! 

Rooted

Last October, Micah and I took to the trail in search of father-son time and some cool pictures. We got both in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. One of our favorite spots was Chapel Rock—a place where you find a tree that seems to laugh in the face of wind and erosion.

This white pine sits atop a rock formation that is freestanding from the rest of the shoreline. The tree has these roots that shoot out across the free air and find their home in the soil on the mainland. It’s nuts! Just take a look for yourself...

Apparently there used to be an archway supporting these roots. It collapsed in the 1940s, leaving this 250-year-old tree to survive on the strength of its roots or fall into Lake Superior.

It’s a modern-day picture of what the Apostle Paul wrote about in the letter to the church in Ephesus...

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

(Ephesians 3:16-19)

Paul’s prayer for his church family is that they would be rooted and established. POWERFUL. This power comes from the love of Jesus Christ.

This passage pushes us to be powerful at a deeper level than intellectual agreement with who Christ is. It challenges us to have knowledge and faith—yes. And then to push deeper into Christ—into the place where we have learned about Him, believed in Him, and now share a relationship of love with Him.

Dear church, grasp His love with your mind. Encounter His love with your heart. And serve Him with all your strength.

There are forces in this world that would see you blown into the lake, forces that would erode the ground beneath you. But you have the power to stand the test of time. You have the opportunity to send your roots deep into a relationship with Jesus—to grab hold of his deep, rich love for you. That’s a picture worth taking!

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4)

Jesus does not gloss over the pain of life in this world. As I sit and write this exhortation, I feel the weight of sadness on my shoulders. As I have gone about my day with that kind of hazy moroseness that accompanies grief. Luckily, as Christians, we don’t need to be happy all the time to prove our faith. According to the Psalms, the life of faith is well acquainted with all manner of emotions: joy, peace, anger, frustration, love, hope, doubt, and fear. 

But in the midst of sorrow, we can hold fast to the promise of God’s comfort: a promise that even in the dark days we are blessed. As Christ-followers, we are those who receive divine favor. Being blessed means that we have not been forgotten, but that God the Father loves us and is with us. It is easy to think that the happy person, the rich person, or the successful person is the one that is blessed. But that is a worldly way of thinking. God says that even those who are down and out, overlooked, struggling, and sad are the ones that receive his attention and favor. Their current struggles do not keep them from the certain hope of knowing and being known by God. 

Whatever you are feeling today, don’t try to rush through it and get to “happy”. Sit in your emotions and invite in the Holy Spirit. Let him remind you that you are blessed; you are the recipient of divine favor. You are not forgotten. And whatever you are going through is not the end of the story. 

We have an eternal hope; Jesus wins. 

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 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.’” (Rev. 21:3-4)

The Zealot & the Tax Collector

The current climate in our nation has had me thinking a lot about two guys with radically different ideologies that Jesus invited to be part of his twelve disciples. First, there was Simon the Zealot. According to brittanica.com, “The Zealots were an aggressive political party whose concern for the national and religious life of the Jewish people led them to despise even Jews who sought peace and conciliation with the Roman authorities.” 

This was a group in complete opposition to Roman imperialism and anyone connected to it. “Extremists among the Zealots turned to terrorism and assassination and became known as Sicarii (“dagger men”). They frequented public places with hidden daggers to strike down persons friendly to Rome.”

Then there was Matthew the Tax Collector. Tax Collectors “were reviled by the Jews of Jesus' day because of their perceived greed and collaboration with the Roman occupiers. “Tax collectors amassed personal wealth by demanding tax payments in excess of what Rome levied and keeping the difference” (Wikipedia.com). This was Matthew through and through. Can you imagine some tense conversations in the Twelve’s travels around Galilee? Did Simon still carry a dagger hidden in his clothes?

Our current cultural polarization is not that different from that of the 1st century. Whether it is COVID, racial equality, sexual identity, conservative or liberal ideas about government, or a myriad of other contentions, we find ourselves digging into our camps and lobbing grenades at the other side. But, just as Jesus called Simon and Matthew to a better way he is calling us to a better way. Christians are those who are called to follow Jesus as peacemakers and reconcilers. 

I think there is a good chance that Matthew and Simon reconciled their differences and became peacemakers through their long conversations on the roads between ministry stops. As they got to know one another, and as they learned to surrender everything to the way of Jesus and the kingdom, they stepped into unity. They bore witness of the good news that Jesus was king, not Caesar and not Israelite nationalism. 

My prayer is that we can be a church that models this. We are all united with one another in Jesus. We all put our hope ultimately in Jesus and his kingdom. Let’s walk alongside one another: getting to know one another, praying for one another, and bearing with one another as we look forward to Jesus’ return and his setting right of this fallen, broken world.

Be the Church

About 15 years ago, I found out that there were about 260 churches in Kalamazoo county. I was working with church leaders and we were trying to build unity between churches. A group of us actually telephoned every church in our county inviting them to a leaders’ gathering. Additionally, we mailed invites and promoted it in other ways. The event was successful, but we didn’t get even close to every church participating. 

I also discovered that there are about 260,000 people living in Kalamazoo County. Wow. That means that there is potential for nearly every church to have as many as 1000 members! Of course not every church is called to be that large, and some churches are called to be much larger. But it’s the idea of so many souls not living in connection with a life giving spiritual family that grabbed my heart. 

When starting New Day Vandalia, one of the first things I did was see how many people live in Cass County. I found out that there are over 52,000 people that live within about a 20 minute drive from our church there. I’m not sure how many churches there are in Cass County, but it’s likely similar to Kalamazoo County. The BIG IDEA is that we are surrounded by thousands of people that either do not know the Father or have a genuine relationship of faith in Jesus, or they may, but are not connected in a meaningful way with a local church. 

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” The church is the only thing Jesus said He would build. In Ephesians 5:25-27 we discover what Jesus intends for His church, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” So the church, though no doubt still in the process of having our stains, wrinkles, and blemishes removed, is nevertheless the bride of Christ and the object of His affection. 

This means that every expression of the church is valuable and is intended by God to display certain characteristics of Christ. Over the next few weeks we’ll be looking at four aspects of being a church that we feel are ingredients that define the New Day Flavor. These are aspects we work into everything we do, and make us unique among all the churches in our region. We will look at our vision of Making Disciples & Multiplying Churches out of our Passion for Jesus, what it means to be a Presence Based Church, our Core F.I.R.E. Values, and our emphasis on Healthy Community. 

New Day is an amazing church with three distinct but interdependent congregations that all share these same ingredients. It's time to celebrate who we are and what we offer to our communities. You are New Day; you are the affection of Christ and the fruit of His labors. Let’s step up and be the church in our community!

GO!

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus gave the charge to his disciples to GO, to share the gospel with people all over the world and then help train them up in the Lord. Beloved church, while we are all called to GO, I want to point out, your fulfillment of this call may be local. 

Yes, sometimes “going” may look like moving away to attend ministry school or to plant a church in another city. But if not, you must know it is no less valuable a call. There are plenty of people in our communities and neighborhoods who need us to go to them, love them, share the gospel with them, and disciple them right here. The Spirit of God is moving. You can be a part of bringing it to others, right now, in this season of life. Your two options aren’t “go and do cool stuff for God somewhere else” or “stay behind twiddling your thumbs”!

This weekend, New Day celebrates Pastors Jimmy and Chloe McKee being blessed and released to go to the east side of the state, to continue their obedience to the Great Commission call to GO. They have spent the last three years pastoring at New Day, and we have thoroughly enjoyed them. While we are excited for them, we are sad and will miss them dearly. 

Over the years, many from our New Day congregation have gone to other cities or states to follow God’s call on their life. Simultaneously, God has called many of you to stay to continue the ministry here while consistently adding more amazing people to our church family. We can plan on this dynamic continuing, as it is the way of the church. 

In the book of Acts, we see the dynamic of some going and some staying play out as Christians spread the gospel. The Apostle Paul would travel to a new city, share the gospel, then stay for a time to establish a church there. When he was called to move on, he would often bring someone with him, but the majority of the believers didn’t leave. They stayed to disciple people and spread the fame of Jesus in that place. They got to do cool stuff and see cool stuff happen right there.

Remember, if you aren’t called away to serve the Lord, your call is no less valuable. The important thing is that we all GO, whether locally or to a distant place, to further the kingdom of God on the earth, thus fulfilling the Great Commission. What does your obedience to this call look like? Ask the Lord to affirm what and where He’s called you to.

Luke 8

Reading the Gospel of Luke a week and a half ago, I saw something that I can’t get out of my mind. In Luke 8:18, just after explaining the parable of the sower to the disciples, Jesus says “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Long story short, I’ve always wondered what in the world Jesus was talking about. What does one person have? What does it mean that whoever “thinks” he has will lose what he has? Weird, right? Then I realized (about 30 years late…) that Jesus ends the parable of the sower with this exhortation: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!”

...and when asked to interpret the parable, He said: “‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’”

I’ll get right to the point: Jesus is saying that we’d better have ears to hear and understand what he says to us. Further, he promises that if we listen in such a way as to understand, we will be told more. Frighteningly, if we think we have some divine understanding but we actually aren’t listening, Jesus promises to take away what we mistakenly think we have. 

That’s one really encouraging promise and one super-scary promise sandwiched together. 

Jesus doesn’t leave this there, though. He puts a finer point on it. The next scene is Jesus’ family coming to take him away. He doesn’t go with them, but instead says: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Having ears to hear is so important to Jesus that it elevates you to the level of immediate blood relation. Intense. But who is eligible for that? Anyone? Oh yes, friends. Anyone. 

Later in the same chapter, Jesus casts a legion of demons out of a violent, creepy, naked guy. Afterwards, this happens: “Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”

Did you see it? He heard. He obeyed. He will be given “more” and is now Christ’s brother. We should expect no less, if only we have ears to hear. Really, that’s all I want to say: pray for ears to hear and a heart to obey. The rewards are great. The alternatives are dismal.