Remember God’s Works & Wonders

Psalms 77:11-12 – “I will remember the works of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds.”

Over the weekend we had a family reunion. The last time we all saw each other together was over ten years ago. We love one another and get along. It is just very difficult to arrange reunions. Family gatherings, especially my father’s side, are always interesting. Let’s just say we’ve had our share of characters.

Although my siblings and I grew up attending a Lutheran school and church, our faith was not very substantial. When I was powerfully transformed by Jesus as a college student, it was something my family had never experienced. Initially I preached to all my relatives. I soon discovered that preaching to family has limited, if not contrary, results. My oldest brother threw me out of his house! My zeal lacked wisdom.

As a young Christ-follower, I attended a Revival Church in Detroit. Brother Shock, an elderly revivalist, was a leader in the Latter Rain Revival in the 1940’s and 1950’s. He explained that witnessing to family is different than to others. He said, “Always spend more time talking to God on behalf of your family than talking to your family on behalf of God!” In other words, use your words to pray, not preach. Let God do His work in His time.

After I stopped preaching and spent more time praying, listening, and simply living a life following Christ, I’ve seen my entire family transformed. All of my siblings are confessing Christians. They are open about their faith in Jesus and one brother became a pastor. The brother that kicked me out has spent many years as an elder in his church. My aunt from California attends the church featured in the recent movie Jesus Revolution and personally knows Chuck Smith and Greg Laurie.

Remembering the works and wonders of the Lord means more than things I’ve read in the Bible or other books. The changed lives I’ve seen gives me confidence that my faith in Christ has not been in vain. Worrying is meditating on problems, fears, and issues that cause anxiety. Pondering the works and wonders of the Lord and recalling the changed lives I’ve seen replaces anxiety with anticipation and joy. We overlook the wonders of God because they may not be grandiose. The constant faithful presence and pressure of the Holy Spirit works wonders in our hearts and lives as well as in those we love. Celebrate all His works and wonders, and tell others of the faithfulness you have seen!

How Beautiful Are the Feet…Continued

Isaiah 52:7 – “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!”

We just returned from doing ministry in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee, so this scripture resonates with me. Our team spent three days going up mountains via switchback roads with beautiful scenic views. In stark contrast is the hopelessness of some of the people living in these mountains. The goal of our ministry was to bring the good news of the Gospel to those who would receive it. We met people who were shut-ins and lonely, kids who didn’t know who Jesus is nor what prayer is, and those in desperate situations that needed hope.

Isaiah was announcing to Israel that freedom from captivity was imminent. And the one that carried that good news was received with great joy. But much of scripture also contains a prophetic message for us today—the glorious message that we can bring HOPE to those who need it.

The Holy Spirit was with us in a powerful way and we boldly offered to pray with people. More times than not, the people we asked said yes. We saw salvations and hope restored. We experienced God’s love for all people regardless of their circumstances.

That boldness did not disappear when we drove back down the mountain to our home base. One evening, my vehicle stopped at the grocery store to pick up some supplies. While checking out, the cashier and I had a conversation. There was no one behind me waiting to check out so I asked the woman if she had a prayer request. She was taken aback and replied that I had caught her off guard. But I waited and then she asked for me to pray for her mother and I did. Then I bade her goodnight. As I was walking away, her manager came over to ask her what happened. We heard her exclaim, “She just prayed for my mom!” My heart leapt when I heard her joy.

We launched the trail project in May and with that came the call to reach our neighbors. Then we had the revival weekend, where we were encouraged to not be the 99% of church-attending Christians who don’t share their faith. Recently, New Day sent out 21 people to do exactly that in Tennessee: share the gospel with those who need it.

The Appalachian people are not the only ones who need to hear the good news. The people you meet every day need it too. I am looking for more opportunities, even in the grocery store, to share my faith and pray for people. What about you?

Paul says in Romans 10:15, “And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’”

Daily Burdens

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

What an encouragement this verse is. It acknowledges the experience of daily difficulties. Such was the case for the people in this passage who daily bore burdens imposed on them by their captors. The verse begins with exalting God who is both Lord and Savior then reminds us of the strength and nearness of God. His daily involvement to provide by alleviating burdens that are imposed on us, is positively reassuring. I found myself feeling quite thankful that this verse does not read, “God can probably help you out if you get in a pinch sometime this year.”

This daily provision draws me nearer to God, growing trust in my heart. It reminds me of the line in the Lord’s Prayer that says: “Give us this day our daily bread,” where we are encouraged to ask God to provide our daily, basic needs.

“Daily bread” is like God’s daily provision of manna for the Israelites when they were wandering in the wilderness. It is beneficial to note that the reason the Israelites were in that predicament in the first place was because of their faithlessness and contempt toward God for refusing to believe they could inhabit the Promised Land he was giving them. You can read about that in the book of Numbers, chapters 13 and 14.

Yet we see that God provides daily sustenance for them throughout the forty years of wandering, even as they reap the consequences of their unbelief.

These verses cause me to consider the righteousness of God. Righteousness describes God’s character; he will always act with justice, doing what is good and right. The dynamic of God’s justice and goodness is addressed in Romans 11:22-23, when Paul explains how faith-filled Gentile Christians are grafted into God’s family tree, but can be cut off, and how unbelieving Jews are broken off, but can be grafted back in.

“Consider therefore the kindness and the sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.”

We see God’s love and severity operating. These verses are both a challenge and a comfort. A challenge to remember that there are standards of maintaining faith that God has put in place that if broken result in consequences. And a comfort that our righteous God offers his people the daily provision of carrying their burdens and providing sustenance. If our faith is in him, we can trust that he will provide in these ways through difficult situations and through the easy-breezy ones!

Answer the Call!

Last weekend, John Cahill and Michael Graff brought a straight-shooting word for us at Revival Weekend. It’s well summed up by the vision Michael shared of Jesus with a sickle in endless fields of wheat. Jesus is holding back the final harvest to give you and me more time to share the gospel.

His heart burns with compassion for all people. No one weeps more over suffering, oppression, and injustice. We feel it to the degree we are aware of it, but the Lord sees and intimately knows the pain of every single individual on planet earth. He wants to end that suffering. The book of Revelation looks forward to that day:

“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’.” (Revelation 21:3–4)

The day is coming when Jesus will return. He will put an end to injustice, pain, sin, and death. Why does he wait? Why does he prolong the suffering? Why does he let it keep hurting those he loves? SALVATION.

In 2 Peter chapter 3, it says, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.” The Lord allows our current suffering in patience, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Do not be lulled to sleep by American comfort. The end will come. Those who reject the Lord will experience eternal separation from him. The loss of the presence and goodness of God will burn like a fire eating up the chaff. But those who accept Jesus as Lord will be gathered into his barn like wheat. They will enjoy the fullness of life in his presence forever!

Revival Weekend sounded a wakeup call! Answer the call, my friends! Set aside busyness, fear of failure, self-consciousness, comfort, and every other hindrance. Go and share the good news about Jesus! Be yourself, be genuine, and be bold!

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14)

Revival Weekend June 2023

Summer is here! Although I felt that we had a marvelous spring this year, summer arriving in Michigan is always a time to rejoice. More than in most places, in our state, weather significantly affects life. In winter, harsh and cold weather, dangerous roads, and early dark are often reasons to stay home and hunker down. When it’s warm and sunny, everyone wants to maximize their time enjoying the outdoors. I had a good friend who lived in Indianapolis his whole life until moving to Kalamazoo to pastor a church not far from New Day. He was shocked at how much the weather determined people’s involvement in church activities. Indianapolis gets cold, but only gets a fraction of the snow we get here. He said he had never even considered weather when planning church activities while pastoring in Indy, yet in Kalamazoo it was a primary concern.

Proverbs 10:5: “He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” This proverb is about being a diligent worker. But wherever the harvest is mentioned in the Bible, it is appropriate to make a spiritual application to winning souls. Jesus made this clear in John 4:35-36: “Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life.”

This weekend, Saturday June 10 and Sunday June 11, we are having special services as part of our Revival Weekend. At 6:30 pm on both days, we will gather to worship, encourage one another, and be equipped to gather the harvest. Pastor John Cahill and his wife, along with Pastor Michael Graff and his whole family, will be here from Livingston, Tennessee. They minister at First Church Livingston, the church where we are sending a team this summer to do mission work in Appalachia. Both Pastor John and Michael have extensive experience in reaching out to those disconnected from God and His church. Their church in Tennessee is one of the few that grew numerically during the pandemic years, as their model of reaching the lost works in any circumstance. They not only are here to teach us principles; they are here to impart a spiritual gift. New Day needs this impartation. We have begun to see a significant increase in reaching our neighbors and our community. Let’s add to this momentum by coming together and receiving an impartation and training to become wise sons and daughters who gather the harvest.

The Cahills and the Graffs are sacrificing a lot to travel here and invest their entire weekend to minister to us. I hope you honor their sacrifice by prioritizing attending the special evening meetings. We only do this a few times a year in respect for the time it requires from the congregation. Let’s make the most of what God is providing and get all that He has for us!

Who's Right?

In John 4, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman. At some point, she finds out that He’s got divine knowledge. For this woman, her burning question she has to ask is “who’s worshiping the right way?” The Jews and Samaritans have these generational fights, and one of the largest issues is “Who’s right and who’s wrong when it comes to worshiping God?”

The Jews worship at the temple in Jerusalem. The Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim. Who’s right? Am I doing it right? Which, honestly, are great questions to ask.

We might read this and think that she’s just trying to “be right,” but I believe at least part of her question is an honest desire to please God. And the answer that Jesus responds with is this: “True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

We see this idea in the Old Testament when the God tells the prophet Samuel, “Man looks at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” God’s looking for genuine worship that’s motivated from a love for Him. That’s the greatest commandment: to love the Lord with all our whole self.

There are so many details and disagreements that could distract our attention and keep us from offering our worship to Him. Should we worship at the temple, mountain, church building, or prayer closet? Should our music be loud or quiet? Should the lights be bright or dim? Should we use drums, guitars, and projected lyrics? Or organs, choirs, and hymnals? Should our services be 60 minutes or 3 hours? Should we use incense or flags? Should our songs be 1, 10 or 100 years old?

This posture of criticism is present all over scripture. King David dances extravagantly before the Lord and gets criticized. His response: “I’ll become even more undignified than this.”

There’s the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her hair, her tears, and a fragrance. Onlookers criticized, saying there was a ”better way.” Jesus’s response? He basically says, “This is love, don’t you recognise it?”

And as Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, people are waving palm branches, laying down their coats and shouting “Hosanna…” and they are criticized. Jesus’ response? “If they don’t do it, the rocks will start shouting.”

When we see people worshiping the Lord in a way that doesn’t meet our standards, we can either use it as our reason for not joining in…or we can do all we can to give our true and proper worship.

Join in. Give your praise that’s motivated by your love for the Lord. He’s looking at your heart. The right response is to have our eyes on Jesus, instead of on some other worshiper.

Be Known By Your Love

Recently our youth group hit the streets of New Day’s surrounding neighborhoods, to knock on doors and ask if people had any spare cans they could donate to our pop can drive fundraiser for the upcoming Tennessee mission trip. As we split into small teams of 2-3 and started actually getting to meet with & talk to our neighbors, I was hit with the revelation of a choice I had each time someone opened their door to hear me: was I going to simply go through the script and try to get cans from them, or was I going to intentionally try to make a connection with and loving impact on this person? Boiled down—was I reducing them to a transaction, or was I seeing them as a person to love and connect with?

In today’s day and age, I find this decision to be one we make all the time. Sure, we usually don’t even need to think about it when it comes to our friends and family, but what about the other people we see in our day-to-day lives? That barista at your favorite coffee shop, the person who held the door open for you, the grocery store clerk at the checkout? Our lives are full of interaction with those in our social spheres (especially so with social media), and yet how often do we not even think about how we treat these quick connections? I know I’m certainly guilty of not sparing half a thought at times.

In chapter 13 of the Gospel of John, Jesus actually speaks into this, laying out clearly what is one of the definitive marks of a Christian. In the final moments of the Last Supper, as He is sharing with His disciples for one of the last times before His crucifixion, He states “a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35 ESV).

How should the world see us? What should people take away from our interactions? How will they know we’re Christians?

Our love.

When I knock on a neighbor’s door and ask if they have any cans to donate, I have an opportunity to show love and thankfulness, even if they don’t give anything to me. When I’m at the checkout, I can choose to look into the clerk’s eyes and smile, treating them like a person rather than a transaction. When I see an opinion I disagree with online, instead of ridiculing them under my breath, I can choose to love them and bless them.

So dear friends, let us keep this ever on our hearts, both when it comes naturally and when it takes effort. The love we show to each other and those around us is the lens through which we demonstrate the love of Christ. Even if it’s small, it makes a miraculous impact.

Help!

When my turn comes up to write the pastor’s blog for the week, sometimes I struggle to come up with something valuable to say. I am not one to think my thoughts and opinions are important or profound enough to write down, let alone have someone else read. So what I end up doing is thinking about what God is doing in my life, what he’s showing me, what I’m pondering in my heart; and then I write it down. So here it is:

When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone
I'm not so self-assured
And now I find I've changed my mind
And opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me, help me, help me, ooh

– The Beatles (1965)

Years and years ago, Mark Morris and I actually put this song at the end of a worship set on a Sunday morning, because we really felt like the Holy Spirit was highlighting our need to accept help and even ask for help. It was really fun to prepare and sing, and I’ve been remembering it frequently lately.

I have been on the receiving end of a lot of help in my life, but there was a time when it was very uncomfortable for me to receive help. I was the willing helper, not the “help-ee.” It took a serious injury and a long battle with chronic pain to get me to the place of being willing to receive help and to be at peace with it, and recognize it was God’s provision for me. It was a long, tough lesson, but very necessary for me to understand a very important aspect of my relationship with God (being dependent on him) and with his church (the entity God uses to provide for his people). God uses people every day to be his representatives and to show people that he sees them, loves them, and practically cares for them.

God has shown me that He is looking out for me in so many ways recently, and it has come through people. Random texts of encouragement have come my way. Obstacles that I faced were easily overcome because the right people picked up the phone on a given day. Because I asked for help when I needed it, several people answered my request, and made what could have been a laborious day a much easier one!

Philippians 2:12 says, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” I see this scripture two ways. It is necessary for me to put in effort to work out my Christian walk, so I’ll put it into action by being a helper, but also by asking for help when I need it. I also see that as I am obedient to this, God is very much at work for my good, and it brings Him pleasure to be in relationship with me. I hope this encourages you today.

Generous Beyond

“A generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand” (Isaiah 32:8). “Generous Beyond” describes New Day’s outreach vision for missions. We’ve always been a generous church, and have benefited from that generosity in many ways. God has met and exceeded our needs as a church, and many of us can testify to His faithfulness.

We have an opportunity to help our sister church in Japan. Every Nation Izu, pastored by Dennis & Kaku Sager, needs to replace their commercial heating and air conditioning machines. This is crucial, as summers are unbearably hot and humid and winters are very cold. Even though they’ve been saving for emergency needs, the cost of $26,000 far exceeds the ability of this small congregation to meet. Though Japan is prosperous, this congregation is mostly made up of low-wage workers. 

When we tithe to our church we benefit directly. We enjoy a heated and air-conditioned building every week. We have access to facilities for many activities, children’s rooms, sound systems, livestream equipment, and paid ministry that literally work to meet our needs. This is a New Testament application of the Old Testament law: "You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.” (Deuteronomy 14:23). Many OT sacrifices were eaten by those who brought them. Of course, no one could eat 10 percent of the harvest at one celebration. They ate of the tithe, not all the tithe. The majority went to support the priests and the Temple throughout the year. This principle teaches us the tithe belongs in the local church, whereas missions offerings are above and beyond our tithes. Scholars estimate that the OT offerings represented nearly 25% of a person's income, not merely a tithe (10%). 

When we give to missions, we receive no benefit personally. It is 100% invested into the Kingdom. This means we are trusting God to give us a generous return both here and in the life to come. We are partnering with New Day SC and Vandalia to meet this need. But New Day SC is also raising money for their new building. And New Day Vandalia is a much smaller congregation. Saints, this challenge is mostly up to us—but I’ve seen our church come together and do much more many times.Would you please prayerfully give Generously Beyond to meet this challenge by Sunday May 28th? A sacrificial gift may be $5 for some and $5000 for others.  The amount is between you and God. But the need is urgent. Give by indicating it on an offering envelope, online giving, or the memo area of a check or bank bill-pay transaction—just the word “Japan.” I love the promise of Isaiah 32:8, “By generosity we shall stand.” This means that our generosity empowers us to stand up to all that life assaults us with.  Let’s stand together, generously.

Don't Be Surprised

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.  Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

I’ve often read this verse and thought that a fiery trial had to be one of severe persecution. For example, going to jail for my faith or being martyred. However, fiery trials can be much more subtle than we realize.

You see, the enemy's goal is to stop you from doing what God has called you to.  In John 10:10 (NLT), it says, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy,” yet God's purpose for you is “to give them [us] a rich and satisfying life.” 

First we need to understand what a rich and satisfying life entails. I believe that it is one where you are carrying out God’s plan for you. Although we each have different lives, we all are called to love God and love others. We are also charged with carrying out the Great Commision and sharing the good news about Jesus

Now, how does the enemy stop us? By getting us to be distracted, discouraged, or depressed. He would love for us to doubt God’s goodness and become apathetic about our faith. Another tactic is to bring up the past hurts to get us living under shame and condemnation instead of the freedom God offers. He also uses sickness and physical fatigue to bring us to a low state. All of these are ways the enemy tries to stop us from fulfilling the plans the Lord has for us. 

Recognizing these attacks as fiery trials is the first step in taking action against them. Thank the Lord for showing you the attack. Praise Him for His goodness and worship Him! Worship can be songs, but it can also be thanking Him for what He has done in your life. It can be sitting in awe of His creation. 

Then, go and do what He has called you to! Love Him and love others, today and every day!

Beautiful Feet

No matter where a person comes from, the Lord is poised to richly bless all who call on his name! Romans 10:13-15 clarifies the steps between one calling on his name and beautiful feet:

“For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

Pedicures, anyone? Just kidding. 

But why are the feet beautiful in this verse? It is because of the hope that is carried within the message of the one who is attached to those feet. This passage is calling back to Isaiah 52:7, which celebrates the messenger who ran to tell the good news of the people’s return from exile. Here it refers to the good news being proclaimed that people can be released from the captivity of sin.

Whether our feet have been freshly pedicured or are in need of some thorough attention, what really matters is that we use them to carry out eternally significant things. 2 Corinthians 4:18 explains why we ought to fix our eyes on an eternal glory that far outweighs all our current, momentary troubles. It says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what I sunseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 

As a church, we aim to focus on what is eternal. On May 1st we are launching a 6-month-long outreach called “Hosting New Day Nature Trails”. We look forward to all God will do in each of us and through all of us as we extend a warm welcome to our New Day neighbors. We will offer the gift of our land as a representation of God’s generosity in his gift of salvation. Our beautiful feet will be bringing good news as we continue to LEAN IN to where GOD IS MOVING! 

*Access a thorough description of Hosting New Day Nature Trails on our website (click here)

Hosting the New Day Nature Trails

Over a year ago, the Lord inspired me to ask my friend at the Department of Natural Resources a simple question: “New Day Community Church owns 18 acres surrounded by neighborhoods without any park…could we form some kind of partnership to share the land with our neighbors?” At that moment, New Day Nature Trails was conceived.

We entered into a partnership with the DNR and cleared the land of invasive species last year in phase 1. This year in phase 2, we plan to establish new walking trails and refine the beauty of the property. As one neighbor said last summer, “This is going to be an absolute treasure to our community!”

We are responsibly caring for God’s creation and sharing it with our community, and we get the benefit of enjoying it too! What I love most about this project is how it is such a clear expression of our Christian faith. God offers salvation freely to everyone through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We freely offer the New Day Nature Trails to our community as a reflection of that gift. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).

Everyone is invited to join the New Day family in Hosting New Day Nature Trails, beginning May 1st, 2023. We are teaming up to be out on the trail every calendar day from May to October. Sign up weekly, monthly, or whatever frequency works for you. You can spend a few minutes or a few hours, it’s up to you. 

On your day, as you enjoy a beautiful nature walk, you will look for neighbors to warmly greet on behalf of New Day. You can tell them about our trail restoration project, offer to pray for them, share a testimony, invite them to church, share the gospel, or all of the above! For the parts of your walk where there isn’t a neighbor to talk to, pray. Pray for the neighborhood, the project, and for God’s will to be done here as in heaven.

Marilee and I continue to hear from the Lord how he wants to use this project and use YOU to bring his blessing to people that live in this community. We can’t wait to hear the testimonies of how you were able to demonstrate the love and kindness of God, and how you were able to explain the “why” behind that love: the Gospel!

Remember to Remember

I love roses.  Over the years, God has used my love of roses to remind me of his presence.  On a number of occasions when I needed him, he would “send” me some roses.  It is like he was saying, “See these roses?  I made them for you.  I haven’t left you.  I’m still here with you.  I love you.”  Whenever I see roses, I am reminded of the many times God has encouraged me, protected me, provided for me, and spoken the exact thing I needed to hear at the perfect moment. 

The Lord encourages us to remember his goodness.  God told Noah that rainbows would be a sign of his covenant to never destroy the earth with a flood again (Genesis 9:12-26). After an intense encounter with the Lord in his sleep, Jacob used the stone he was sleeping on to make a pillar of remembrance (Genesis 28:10-22).  Joshua commanded the Israelites to gather twelve stones from the Jordan River after they crossed it on dry land, in order to create a memorial for future generations to remember God’s amazing miracle (Joshua 4:4-7).  Jesus instituted Communion as a way for all of us who believe to remember him (Luke 22:19-20).  Over and over again, we see in Scripture the importance of remembering what the Lord has done.  

There is great value in remembering the ways in which we have encountered the Lord.  We may not have access to large stones, like the Israelites. We can, however, make our own memorials by recording these experiences in a journal or on a smartphone’s note-taking app.  This is a simple, practical way to create little reminders.  When times are hard, being able to look back at the ways we have seen God move in our lives can be pivotal. 

The goodness of God is all around us.  I pray that we notice, remember, and are encouraged.

A New Commandment

We’re right in the middle of Holy Week: between Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the moment that the crowd turns on Him, His disciples scatter, and our Lord is taken to the cross. Between Palm Sunday and Easter, the tension surrounding Jesus of Nazareth escalates to the breaking point. There’s so much going on, but Jesus gets these private moments with His disciples, during which He gives some final commands. 

In this divided environment, between the shouts of “Hosanna” and the shouts of “Crucify Him,” there’s a day known by the Church as Maundy Thursday. Maundy means “commandment” or “mandate,” and it commemorates the new commandment Jesus gives to His disciples after He washes their feet:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another” (John 13:34).

“Love” is a word that we have many definitions for, but Jesus leaves us no room to question what He means: “Just as I have loved You.” Just as I have washed your feet. Just as I have welcomed you. Just as I give my life for you. Love one another. Forgive one another just as I will forgive those who put me on the cross. Bear with one another, just as I will never leave you or forsake you. 

Receiving and enjoying the love of God is so important, but it’s not just for us to enjoy. That’s the sort of love we’re supposed to give to one another. Christianity is not a selfish or self-centered faith. It’s not simply introspective nor private. It’s meant to be lived out, in love, to everyone we meet. 

You say “how?” How can we possibly duplicate the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God? How could we hope to give a love that matches the love of the Lord? I know how to show basic kindness, but the love of the Savior? 

With God, nothing is impossible. This is one of those not-impossible things. The Holy Spirit can give us the sort of 1st Corinthians 13 love that’s patient, kind, humble, self-sacrificing, and never failing. Just like the love of Jesus. He’s our model. He’s our example. 

During this week leading up to Easter, follow the pattern of Christ. As we contemplate the love of the Savior, find ways to reflect that to those around you. Take time in your afternoon to speak words of kindness to someone who’s experiencing shame, like Jesus did at a well in Samaria. Make meals for the people around you who are hungry, like Jesus did for the 5,000. Care for the children. Pray for the sick and the lost and the oppressed, just like Jesus. Follow Him.

To Welcome a King

“The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:6-9, ESV)

In ancient Jewish culture, welcoming a traveler with palm branches and laid-out cloaks was no ordinary occasion, but rather one saved for only the most important of entries: the entries of kings and conquerors. When one of these very important guests came to town, the branches and cloaks acted as powerful metaphors. The palms represented victory and triumph, and the cloaks represented the absolute surrender of the people, literally being walked upon by the king or conqueror. To put it bluntly, welcoming Jesus in this way was extraordinarily lavish of the Jews, and seems to suggest that they understood the true importance of who He was and the purpose of His mission. 

Then why, not even a week later, did they cry out “crucify him!” as Jesus was on trial? 

Because they welcomed the Jesus they had constructed in their minds, instead of who He truly was. After centuries of persecution and waiting for their savior, they had the expectation that Jesus would overthrow the occupying Romans and make the Jewish people the rulers of the world—not that He would come preaching grace, humility, and love. When Jesus didn’t meet their expectations, they turned on Him and abandoned Him. 

The thing is, what Jesus was truly there to do was greater than anything the Jews would have imagined, and in fact set them more free than any liberation from the Romans ever could

The thing is, what the Jews did isn’t just something of the past; we do it just as much as they did. Think about it—have you ever prayed that Jesus would do something in your life and He didn’t? Did you feel betrayed? I know I certainly have. But thank God, He does with us exactly what He did with the Jews: He gives us more than we could have ever asked for. All we have to do is welcome Him for who He is. When we do this, we open our hearts to the work He is doing, the miracle He’s creating, and the breakthrough He’s sowing, and boy is it beautiful. 

So, as we enter this Holy Week with Palm Sunday, let’s learn from the Jews, and choose to welcome Jesus as He truly is, rather than the construction we might make of Him in our minds. You may just find He wants to do a work within you that’s greater than you could ever imagine.

Why Suffer

I heard someone say in a podcast recently that “I don’t believe we can ever know any more of God than we are willing to know of ourselves. Any flight into fear is a flight away from God.” That really made me think. I had already been pondering why I go to pretty significant lengths to avoid pain and suffering. It seems I’d rather endure a mild, continual discomfort, than to really go at a conflict and duke it out. I mean, who doesn’t avoid pain if they can? We all do! But just because we all do it, doesn’t mean it’s right. What if my fear of addressing pain is keeping me from the freedom that God intends for me? What if I would just turn around and confront the fear and pain, and sit in the ugliness of it all? Jesus is very willing to meet me in that space. Wouldn’t I learn something more about myself if I examine the pain, and couldn’t I then perceive what God is trying to work in me? If I allow it, wouldn’t I know Him more fully and experience greater freedom? Consider the potential: suffer, learn, grow, know.

In our “Got Questions?” teaching series, our pastoral team has been tackling some tough questions (e.g., why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Why does God heal sometimes and not others?) We’ve learned that there is so much more to these questions than what appears on the surface. These discussions have kept me pondering. As a parent, if I sheltered my child so much from the world that he or she never had the opportunity to suffer a disappointment or a negative experience, it wouldn’t really teach them anything about growing up. It wouldn’t allow them to develop into a resilient person. The truth is that without any kind of hardship or growing pain, there is no opportunity to mature.

Romans 5:3-5 says, “…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” There it is in black and white: suffer (feel the pain), learn (persevere in following Jesus no matter the cost), grow (let God shape your character through sanctification), know [Jesus, our hope of glory]! We are enthusiastically invited to know the hope and freedom in Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit, and to know God more fully! It isn’t easy, and it costs us something (okay, everything). Jesus is worth it, and the freedom gained is worth it. And best of all, we never have to pursue this alone. We have Christ and our community to help us every step of the way.

Go Easy

Jude 1:22 (NLT): “And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.”
Jude 1:22 (MSG): “Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith.”

Often we think that the Bible, God, and Christianity in general are very hard on those who struggle with doubt and those who fall away from the faith. It is certain that in some cases we are told to confront, rebuke, and at times even avoid those who turn away from the message of the Gospel. But this verse in Jude, and the general tone and message of the whole Bible, demonstrate that God is very gentle to those who are experiencing doubt, areas of uncertainty, and even temptation and sin. 

The pinnacle of the Gospel of Matthew is the Great Commission. Jesus had done years of ministry and miracles. He had been crucified and buried. He had risen on the third day as prophesied, and revealed Himself many times to the disciples and others. On the mountain as Jesus is about to ascend and speaks his departing words over his disciples Matthew 28:17 (NLT) states, “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him—but some of them doubted!”

I absolutely love this verse. It reveals how real the Bible is and the brutal honesty of the Gospel. If this were a myth or a carefully constructed tale of a fictional King, would the main characters—the King’s closest followers—have doubt at the very end of the story?  Of course not; it’s almost ridiculous, except that it is so accurate to the human story. Even those who had seen miracles, who knew Jesus personally, who were standing there listening to the words of a man that was dead just a few weeks earlier, experienced doubt. 

The doubt in the disciples did not deter Jesus from commissioning them with the command to spread the message. Likewise, it did not disqualify those who heard the commission. It simply reveals the reality that part of faith is dealing with doubt. It reveals that Jesus is able to overcome doubt if we stick around and let Him do His holy work in us. 
Yes, there are times when we confront others, or even ourselves. But often, if not most often, we need to show mercy, go easy, and be gentle on others and ourselves when doubts arise. If doubt didn’t stop the Twelve from birthing the church and beginning the work of the Great Commission, doubt will not stop us from continuing this amazing call we’ve been given.

Family

This past Sunday we had the honor to witness baptisms. It was incredible to see people make that commitment to the Lord. But baptism also symbolizes the expanding of our spiritual family. 1 Cor 12:13 “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

Romans 8:16 says that we have been adopted into God's family and become God's children. We are family! Ephesians 2:19 says, “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” When we receive God’s gracious gift, we are grafted into the family of God. Family doesn’t just mean we have a Father, but we have brothers and sisters! That’s so exciting. We have others that we can turn to in times of joy and sorrow. However, we also have a responsibility and are instructed to build one another up. In doing so, we are built up too. 

This family dynamic also gives us an opportunity to learn how to deal with conflicts.  When you were a child in your parents' home, you couldn’t just leave every time you had a conflict with one of your siblings or your parents. You learned how to cope with the situation. That coping could have been a healthy or an unhealthy skill. The good news is that God gives us instructions on how to handle conflicts in a healthy manner. And He gives us opportunities to hone those skills by allowing us to experience conflicts within our church family. Amazingly, He also promises to be right there with us! 

In Matthew 18, Jesus is giving instructions on how to deal with our spiritual family. He gives instruction on how to deal with offense in verses 15-20. And he ends with, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." He promised to be with us in our conflicts with one another. When we learn how to lean into the Lord and deal with others in a healthy way, we will grow in our love for Him and one another! 

Although learning how to handle conflict isn’t easy, it is necessary for healthy families. We want all of our family at New Day to not just grow but thrive. The next time you have a conflict with your brother or sister at church, don’t run from it. Invite God to lead you to resolve the conflict and trust He will be there with you every step of the way!

River Sunday! (revised by Pastor Marilee)

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39)

John explains that the river Jesus speaks of is the Holy Spirit. Rivers are not static; they move. The flow of a river brings life and is powerful. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is dynamic, bringing life and power. 

This week is a River Sunday—a service designed to follow the flow of the Holy Spirit with time for us to experience the gifts of the Spirit. It’s a great opportunity for growth in the area of corporately hosting the presence of God—something we highly value as a Spirit and Word Church. 

1 Corinthians 14:26 says, “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” This verse is a guide for us. The Bible also says in 1 Corinthians 14:40, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” 

We seek to pattern the service after these verses, providing opportunities for individuals to come share a prophecy (rhema word), tongue with interpretation, song, word of wisdom or knowledge, prayer for healing, or whatever the Holy Spirit gives. We will bring order to this by having a pastoral leader direct the flow of the service. 

We already make room for this every Sunday by allowing people to share an exhortation, scripture, or rhema word. This Sunday will simply be giving more time to intentionally follow the flow of the river of the Holy Spirit. This service is not simply an extended time of singing songs of worship, however the worship team will be involved as we all lean in to follow the Spirit. 

Although we do not have our normal sermon portion of the service during a River Sunday, the Spirit sometimes leads a pastor to teach on a particular passage. We invite you to come with high expectations of what God will do and with a readiness to contribute your part. This doesn’t mean everyone will end up sharing but all New Day regulars should be willing to be used by the Lord and open to receiving from one another.

Their Eyes Were Opened

“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (Luke 24:15-16)

Resurrection Sunday: two disciples walk the road to Emmaus. Shocked by word of the empty tomb, confused by Jesus’ death on the cross, they walked, they talked, they tried to process…

A tidal wave of Jewish tradition, culture, and expectation painted a portrait of the role of the Messiah. The anointed one would come to conquer and kick out the Gentile oppressors, restoring what belonged to God’s people.

They had Scripture figured out. They were sure of it! When Jesus started preaching with the authority of God, healing the sick, freeing the demon-possessed, and raising the dead—his disciples started licking their chops. “It’s time! Jesus is going to conquer Rome. The promised land is going to be ours once again!”

But that didn’t happen. What they were left with was unmet expectations, disappointment, and disillusionment. He died, but in their words: “...we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (vs 21). What does Jesus say to them? “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe…” (vs 25)

He begins to reframe the Scriptures for them in light of God’s true intentions. He had a plan much greater than an earthly kingdom. He had more in store than ending Roman oppression. He had in mind an eternal kingdom that would forever end the oppression of sin and death.

As he spoke, their hearts began to burn within their chests. Same Scriptures—now reframed in the mind of Christ, not in the wisdom of man.

Then, even beyond the revelation of what the Scriptures said about him, he revealed HIMSELF to them in the breaking of bread. Away from all the noise of Jerusalem, on a quiet road, and ultimately, at the communion table: “...their eyes were opened, and they recognized him” (vs. 31).
What situations have you interpreted through the tidal wave of cultural vibes, influencer opinions, or even celebrity Christian leaders? Are your expectations of what Scripture says so rigid that you can’t see Jesus for who he really is? I recommend a walk away from the noise. Get away from it all and make space for him to speak to you. Break bread and commune with him. Who knows how he might open the Scriptures to you if you make yourself available? Who knows how he might reveal HIMSELF?