The Holy Spirit and Theology

Pastor Terry welcomed us, and thanked everyone who helped his family move last weekend.
Announcements included a reminder that Sunday August 13 we will be meeting at the home of Walt and Gwen Cressman, a service that will include baptisms.
Pam shared that we are seeking to fill a part-time office position on the staff. Contact Pastor White.

Terry read from Ephesians 1:3-14, to set us on fire for today's theme, the Holy Spirit. We spent time in worship,gave generously and were led in prayer by Pam Johnson.

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The Holy Spirit and Theology

We turned to John 16 for our message today. Terry began by noting that the Spirit is a part of the Gospel we do not talk about a lot, so for the next few weeks this is our theme.

In the New Testament the Holy Spirit is explicitly talked about as a seed planted within our hearts to bring us to salvation. In the Old Testament the Scriptures approaches this differently. In Book of Judges we see again and again how "the Spirit of the Lord came upon" so and so and they did mighty things for God.

The Old Testament also talks about the Spirit of the Lord in conjunction with prophets and prophecy.

To some extent the way we use the word "spirit" can create confusion. The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity. The way we use the word is different. "Jack is a good-spirited fellow."

In the New Testament, Jesus talks about how He is going to be leaving soon. (John 16:1-16) What He promises is that the Spirit will be coming in His stead, counseling, revealing, comforting and guiding.

One of the words to describe the Holy Spirit is advocate. The advocate is one who speaks on our behalf, watches over us to protect and represent us. The Holy Spirit is with each of us and can be with all of us at all times. Jesus, in bodily form, He reminded them, could only be in one place at a time.

The Holy Spirit inspired and drove the writing of the Bible while simultaneously illuminating our own souls as we read the Bible. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the Bible come alive for us.

Another part of Jesus' last talk with the disciples is that the Spirit will receive from Jesus what He makes known to us.

In Acts 2 the Holy Spirit fell with flaming tongues of fire and they spoke in other languages. In another place Paul writes about the gifts of the Spirit and in Galatians he details the fruit of the Spirit. And in another places there is a command to be filled with the Spirit.

What is the meaning of all these things? In one place it is written that the Holy Spirit is a downpayment, or a deposit. In another we're commanded to be filled. How do we go from the deposit to the fulness, to the place where we are filled? This is what Pastor Terry will be talking about next time he preaches.

The Good News is that every time the Holy Spirit came upon people in the Old Testament it was for a great task that was humanly beyond them. God can do the same for us in this day and age.

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Correct Change

A perfectly unblemished blue sky greeted us this morning. At the beginning of the service Chuck welcomed us and shared this week's announcements.

Announcements

Wednesday is Adventure Club. Dinner and youth activities for all
Membership classes coming soon.
This Friday come explore your inner artistic qualities... Painting, crafting, potluck. Contact Paula Saxin or Darlene Vanderscheuren. Painting classes and more.
Next Sunday, Pastoral Candidate Q&A during Sunday school as well as Saturday from 1 - 2:30. There will be a variety of pies served and shared Saturday.
Please join us next Sunday the 22nd if you are a member. We will need a quorum to vote.

Chuck then read a passage from the Psalms and the worship team then led us in a time of worship. The offering was as the son I Need They Every Hour was performed.

We spent time in prayer for some heartbreaking needs and praise for answered prayers.

Correct Change

Pastor Terry greeted us and encouraged us to be here next weekend to get to know him and his family better. He also encouraged us to keep reading the Psalms every day this month as we work through God's Word.

The sermon today is Correct Change. But he began with a word problem and illustration of a quick change scam.

The real aim here is to help us think the way God thinks.

To be a good police officer you have to be able to think they way criminals think, so you stay one step ahead of them. The real point being to actually pay attention to how we think, and not just live unthinkingly as we go through life.

The message today would be from Ephesians 2:1-6

Terry then drew a pair of images that looked like doughnuts. He then illustrated how this hole in the middle is filled with deadness. Then he drew arrows to illustrate the pressures that push on us from outside. Our aim is to meet the expectations and conform to what is expected of them.

And then there are others who don't do so well at pleasing everyone and conforming the their expectations.

In the New Testament, the one group is best represented by the pharisees. The other doughnut illustrates the tax collectors, Samaritans and other outcasts...

In our modern time the same issues are going on.

One problem with parenting occurs when we make out goal to get our children to be good conformists, all the while neglecting the important thing going on in the heart, on the inside.

People who perform well

In Ezekiel 36, the prophet paints a picture of the future.

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

People who live to perform get their strokes by trying to make everybody happy. But there's pressure from trying to please everybody.

On the outcast group there are all kinds of failings and issues people have, but where does one begin in the process of change? The real starting point is to get people to listen to the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 41  "Heal me because I have sinned against you..." It goes on to express the pressures David is under, not only from his enemies but from a close friend.

At the end of the day, I want to honor my Lord with my life. And the only way this will happen is through internal changes.

Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye

A New Year's Day service. Chuck welcomed us and shared how they went downtown to listen to the symphony.

Announcements
Next Sunday the regular service hours will be in place, with Sunday School.
January 20 there will be an artistic event here in which there will be a day to learn how to paint. There will also be crafts or whatever you bring.
Next Sunday Covenant World Relief jars will be handed out.

How neat it would be if the Holy Spirit were in control all the time, Chuck said, leading into a reading from Psalm 51 before taking time for worship. The quartet sang Give Them All to Jesus during the offering.

Prayers for the needs in our church family preceded the message.

Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye

Terry had us turned to Psalm 1. It's on his heart to get us reading the Scriptures this year. To get to know God, reading the Bible is one of the best ways.

PSALM 1
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

God makes things new. Change is often difficult even though we often like it.

When was the last time you tried to change something about yourself... dietary or money spending or exercise. Significant life changes are hard, because we are so used to what our former habits were.

Embracing change is a commitment. God calls us to be like Jesus, which means making changes in our lives because we are not yet there.

Romans 12:1, 2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Reminder: the therefore is there for a reason. All of us fall short, Therefore we need to be transformed.

So Terry showed us a Transformer that comes in one form and get transformed into another. The Greek word "morph" is the basis of our word for Metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is a complete change from one kind of thing into another, best exemplified in what caterpillars do when they become butterflies.

A lot of people ask "Why do so many kids go off to college and lose their faith?" What Terry said was that we have not done a good job of getting our kids to embrace faith from within. Too often our young people have only been taught to conform to rules and how they are supposed to be, and when they go to college they conform to a new set of peers.

What we need is transformation within, not conformation of external behaviors.

What we need is to learn how to listen to the Holy Spirit. And this is what our kids need to learn how to do...

Conforming is like saying, "Cloneliness is next do Godliness." But this is not the same as real transformation.

One cause of chafing in marriage is when we try to be the Holy Spirit for our spouses. What we need in our marriages is to each listen to the Holy Spirit ourselves.

My thought for you this week is for all of you to be reading. Tomorrow, Psalm 2. Tuesday, Psalm 3. This year we will experience a gradual becoming that is good.

Note: God is on your side. You be on God's side. And this week, whatever God prompts you to do, take the step and see what surprises God has in store for you.

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Here are some photos from last week's Christmas service.

You Will Receive Power

It's hard to say whether the dreary weather, holiday weekend or the first week of summer hours was responsible for the thin turnout this morning, but those who were here were greeted by a red-themed cross and flowers that brightened the sanctuary. Today was Pentecost Sunday. "If you are a believer in Jesus Christ God has given you His spirit to empower you," Pastor Brad said as he welcomed us.

Announcements today included:
1. Duayne Anderson lost his mom. The memorial service for Virginia Anderson will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church down the road. We need a few volunteers, and also need people to bring bars. Call Ruth Anne for details.
2. We could still use help with food for VBS in June.
3. Baby shower next Sunday for Lisa and Jesse Smith. (It's a boy!)
4. In order for the Bloodmobile to stop here in July we need to have at least 20 people. Let Ruth Anne know if you are planning to donate blood.

After singing a set of beautiful worship songs the offering was taken, followed by a time of prayer.

You Will Receive Power 

Brad began by reading Acts 2:1-21. "Every time I read this page something new strikes me," Brad stated. In preparing this week he was struck by the amount of divisiveness in the contemporary church, much of it due to fuzzy ideas about the Holy Spirit. "Jesus was not vague about the Holy Spirit." In John 16 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, it is for your good that I go away….”

Put yourself in the shoes of these disciples. Their lives had been on a treadmill up until this Jesus entered their lives. They spent 3 years following, having given up everything to follow Him, always looking forward to what would happen next. They did not expect it to end this quickly or in this manner.

Here in John 16 Jesus tells them it will better for you to live in the period of the spirit than while I was here with you. This does not seem possible.

One clue as to why it will be better is found in Acts 1:8 where Jesus says, “You will receive power when My spirit comes upon you.” One word that is associated with the Spirit: power. "You will receive power." The disciples were no doubt wondering how it would happen. What would happen if they missed it?

They really didn’t have to worry about it…. Suddenly … like a mighty wind… What an amazing demonstration of power. "The disciples began speaking in languages… Egyptian, because there were Egyptians there, and Greek because there were Greeks there… and Swedish because that was the original language of heaven." (congregation laughs)

It was an amazing event. Peter stood and spoke with such power that 3,000 were saved in that one day. The power of Spirit was demonstrated in that groups at odds with one another were made one. Scripture says that there was such oneness in the community that there was not a needy person among them.

After the Spirit fell, the disciples experienced the power to heal. And the power of changed lives. Peter, who denied Christ, later rejoiced to be beaten for His name.

You will receive power…

For over 2000 years the Holy Spirit has been the fuel for the church. Brad urged us to reverence the Spirit’s power and mystery. 

The Holy Spirit is not our genie in a bottle, nor is He someone who retired 2000 years ago. The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity.

Brad’s prayer for us was that we would align ourselves with what Spirit is doing. Don’t quench the Spirit. Walk with the Spirit. Become a student of the Holy Spirit. Request the Holy Spirit to manifest His power in your life. Earnestly ask.

Brad reminded us of Paul's prayer for the Ephesians: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." 

Why can’t that happen to us here? The power of the Holy Spirit poured out over this place… Ask God to let that wind blow freely. I don't know a lot of things about where it comes from or where it's going, but God, let it rip, let it blow. I know only this one thing: you shall receive power.

Sealed

The sunny morning light invited us to a bright new day, and to the gathering of the faithful in our little country church. Pastor Brad welcomed us warmly, as is his custom. In his welcome he noted that his message today would be about yet one more gift that is ours through the Holy Spirit: His seal, the gift of assurance.

Announcements included the following:
1. Last year we had a rummage sale to raise money for various good causes including Break the Chains. Paula asked for someone (or a team) to take the helm this year if able because she cannot at this time.
2. Duane shared that next weekend the men will make and serve a Mother's Day breakfast. Those men wishing to help can arrive Saturday evening at 7 p.m. for prep and/or 7:30 a.m. Sunday for setup.
3. Pam mentioned that the donations from Adventure Club and Sunday School have enabled us to purchase a second bike for the Congo mission work.

It should be noted that though the introit is usually mentioned in passing here on the blog, it is no minor portion of the service. We often arrive heavy laden with cares and concerns, and these things often don't readily slip from our hearts and minds upon entering the sanctuary. Somehow, once the church business (announcements) is completed, this wonderful little space is inserted as a mechanism to help us truly letting go of the daily grind so that we're more receptive to God, His Spirit, His message and His messenger. Thank you, Darlene, for your faithfulness in taking us away from earthly cares through your musical selections and the sensitivity with which you play each week. These moments serve a wonderful function that contributes to the meaningfulness of the whole.

Today Darlene played How Great Is Our God as an introit, and it was wonderful.

Brooke took the pulpit to share a Moment for Mission, focusing on three areas this morning.
1. Thanks to everyone who helped make Adventure Club the success it was again this year.
2. VBS will be held at Twig Hall this summer instead of at the church. There's more space to run, and for other activities. Two things of note. The hours have changed, will be in the mornings this year. Second, we need more volunteers. VBS will be the week of June 14. A planning meeting will be held Wednesday evening at 6:00 here at the church.
3. Brooke was able to the Covenant Northwest Conference this week and again found it very special. Our denomination has 11 regions and this has been the 18th consecutive year of growth for the NW Conference. There were 8 new churches birthed this year and 17 ordinations. Brooke closed by saying that it is "exciting to be a part of something bigger than ourselves."

After an offering was taken and the reading of Revelation 21:1-6, Brad shared a message from the Scriptures.

Sealed

Brad began by having us look at Mark 1:9-11

9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

In numerous places New Testament writers refer to our being "sealed" by the Holy Spirit, having our faith affirmed. This passage serves to show how Jesus was Himself "sealed" and affirmed by God's Spirit. Brad noted that the crowds did not hear or see this. This event took place for Jesus' benefit.

Jesus, Brad reminded us, was a man. When He was a baby, He was a baby, and did not have a baby's body with God's full knowledge. Brad comically shared how it might have been had that been the case when the Lord was born in a manger. "Phew, it smells in here."

No, Jesus was human in His knowledge and understanding which He gained through avid study of the Scriptures and prayer. At the beginning of His ministry God affirmed His sonship and "sealed" Him with the Spirit. This even took place for Jesus' benefit. And Jesus had to draw upon it many times in the years to come because there are many voices striving for our attention with the intention of causing us to veer from God's purpose. In the wilderness Satan challenged, cajoled, tempted. And in His ministry other voices mocked, scolded, questioned His identity. Even while nailed to the cross, Jesus was challenged, tempted. Yet He never wavered, because He knew the one voice that mattered.

How is it that Jesus maintained such a steadfast commitment to His call? The Gospels show that no matter how busy He was he found time to withdraw to a quiet place to listen to God's voice.

Brad talked a little about the acronym DTR. It means, Define The Relationship. He shared how when a guy asks a girl to marry him, he gives a ring. It is an expression of a pledge, something of value and also a reminder of the promise. It is like a seal that the relationship is more than just friends, that there is a future here.

In the same way God seals us with His Spirit. God doesn't want us to simply belong to Him, He wants us to know that we belong to Him. If you made a decision to follow Christ, you have been sealed and you are marked. God wants you live with a settled confidence of His favor every day of your life.

All this was the lead in to Brad's three main points. He stated that there are three occasions or experiences which are recurring in life in which we need to do what Jesus did... that is, to withdraw and listen to God in a quiet place.

1) When we feel disappointment

Disappointments are a part of life, but we can't let them throw us off track. The verse he directed us to was II Cor. 5:1-5

1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

One thing that can cause disappointment is that our earthly bodies are subject to deterioration. We take care of it best we can, but still, it can be a burden. For those in Christ it is good to know that we are more than the tent that houses us. One day our tent will come down, but this is not the end for us.

2) When we feel convicted over sin

In John 16:8 Jesus says the the Spirit will convict the world of guilt in regards to sin and righteousness.

What's interesting is that before we were Christians some things were not painful to us, but as we grow they become painful through awareness, or conviction of our sin. This pain is a good sign that we have not been abandoned by God. If you have pain over sin, it is not because of God's absence from you life. It is because of His presence.

3) When we feel alone

Brad asserted that God speaks in a still, small voice, and we have to get very still to hear it. He then told a moving story about a girl with a deformity who grew up fully aware that she was different and she hated it. The girl was convinced no one outside her family could love her. She had a very special teacher, Mrs. Lenard, who did something that cut through to her in an powerful way. It was the day of the hearing test. Mrs. Lenard conducted the test by sitting away from the pupil and whispering. Everyone in th class had taken their turn, and this little girl now sat in the place designated where her hearing was to be tested. She expected questions about the sky being blue or what color her shoes were, and she waited. Instead, she heard seven words that changed here life. "I wish you were my little girl."

"You're here today," Brad said, "because somewhere along the way one day the Holy Spirit came to your heart and whispered, 'I wish you were my son' or 'I wish you were my daughter.'" You're here today because of the amazing ministry of the Holy Spirit.

At this, we celebrated the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

NOTE: Photos on the blog entry today are from the art projects of our young people during Adventure Club. Click images to enlarge.

The Holy Spirit & the Miraculous

A few important announcements should be noted here. The first is that Vacation Bible School will be held this year at the Twig Town Hall. One of the reasons for doing it there is so there can be a large area for playing outdoor games. The current plan is for VBS to take place the week of June 14th-18th from 9:30a.m.-12:00p.m. Volunteers are needed to sign up in various areas. If most volunteers could better do it another week the week stated could be changed.

Mother’s Day is coming up on May 9th and the church men are again planning to make and serve breakfast that day.

This Wednesday will be the last day of Adventure Club and everyone is invited to come to see the art that has been done over the past year and eat a meal together. This will begin at 5:30, which includes joining the opening time and hearing the kids sing.

Today’s sermon used as a text 1 Corinthians 12 and was about the Holy Spirit and the Miraculous. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to bring unity, but often church teachings on the Holy Spirit have caused divisions.

What is the role of the Holy Spirit? Has the time of extraordinary manifestations passed away? Is that era done? No! Read 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. Various manifestations are said to be given for the common good. For example, prophesy, which is sometimes thought of as predictions of the future is actually a gift given to help a group of people in the church to address a difficult situation as it should be addressed. Did miraculous gifts cease in the first century? There is not good Biblical evidence to support that idea. The Holy Spirit is free to work in amazing ways.

A story was told about Tony Campolo who went to speak at a Pentecostal chapel service.

"There’s a Pentecostal college near Eastern College where I teach. I’m not Pentecostal, but I talk fast so that they think I’m speaking in tongues, so it works out alright. One day, they invited me to speak at a chapel service, I like speaking there because they’re dynamic, happy people, and I enjoy being with them. Just before I spoke, 8 guys took me into a back room of the chapel, and got me down on my knees. Then they laid their hands on my head and prayed for me. That’s good, I can use all the prayer I can get. There was only one problem -- these guys prayed a long time. That’s usually okay too, but the longer they prayed, the more tired they got, and the more they leaned on my head, and I want to tell you when 8 guys are leaning on your head it doesn’t feel so good. One guy wasn’t even praying for me, instead he went on and on praying for some guy named Charlie Stolzis. 'Dear Lord,' he shouted, 'You know Charlie Stolzis, he lives in that silver trailer down the road about a mile, you know the trailer Lord, just down the road on the right hand side.'

"I felt like saying 'Knock it off, fella, what do you think God’s doing, saying ‘what is that address again?’ Anyway, he went on and on and on. 'Lord, Charlie told me this morning he’s decided to leave his wife and three kids. He told me he’s walking out on his family. Lord, step in, do something, bring the people in that family together again.' All this time I’m kneeling there with eight guys leaning on my head, asking myself, when is this guy going to knock it off so I can get these Pentecostal preachers off my head. But he went on and on and on about Charlie Stolzis leaving his wife and kids, giving God constant reminders that he lived in a silver trailer about a mile down the road on the right hand side.

"Finally the prayers were over, and I went into the pulpit and preached. After I finished, I got into my car, drove down the Pennsylvania Turnpike and headed for home. Now, as I drove onto the turnpike, I noticed a hitchhiker. I know you’re not supposed to pick them up, but I’m a preacher, and whenever I can get anybody locked in as a captive audience, I do it. So I stopped, and picked him up. We drove a few minutes and I said 'Hi, my name is Tony Campolo, what’s yours?' He said, 'My name is Charlie Stolzis.'

"I couldn’t believe it. I got off the turn pike at the next exit and started heading back. He got a bit uneasy with that and after a few minutes he said, 'Hey mister, where are you taking me?' I said, 'I’m taking you home.' He narrowed his eyes and asked why, I said, 'Cause you just left your wife and three kids right?' That blew him away. 'Ya, ya, that’s right,' he said, with shock written all over his face. He plastered himself against the door and never took his eyes off me. I drove off the turn pike at the next exit, then I really did him in as I drove right to his silver trailer.

"When I pulled up, his eyes seemed to bulge as he asked, 'How did you know that I lived here?' I said, 'God told me.' I believe God did tell me. We got out of the car and I ordered him to get in that trailer. Half shaking, he answers, “Right mister, sure sure, I’m going.' When he opened the door, his wife exclaimed, 'You’re back!' He whispered in her ear and the more he talked, the bigger her eyes got. Then I said with real authority, 'The two of you sit down, and I’m going to talk and the two of you are going to listen.' Man did they listen. I mean, I was like E.F. Hutton. That day I led those two young people to Jesus Christ, and today that guy is a preacher of the gospel in California.”

Is the work of special manifestations of the Holy Spirit over in our day? No! The Holy Spirit is alive and well and at work in people’s lives.

The work of the Holy Spirit is not ever done in order to call attention to Himself. It is not spectacular for the point of being spectacular. Suppose one church becomes a giving church and dramatically helps the poor in its area. Another church practices levitation. Which one will people flock to see? Which one is truly doing the work of God’s Spirit?

What about tongues? Some churches teach that those who use tongues are at best, deluded, and at worst are demonic.

The Holy Spirit does not always manifest itself the same way through history. Some people teach that there are two separate events, salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and that the sign of the baptism is speaking in tongues. But God does not give salvation on one hand and withhold the Holy Spirit on the other hand, He gives us the Holy Spirit when we come to Him. Is speaking in tongues the litmus test of salvation or of having received the Holy Spirit? In the Old Testament story of the Tower of Babel the people had gathered together to try to build a tower but God frustrated their attempts by mixing their languages so that they could not understand each other. In the book of Acts during Pentecost many people who had been scattered and could not communicate were now speaking each other’s language and could understand each other. What was wrong at Babel was made right at Pentecost.

People sometimes have a divisive and arrogant spirit re: the spiritual gifts. What was meant to unite is now a cause of division in the church. In the end of the chapter 12 and into chapter 13 Paul addresses this issue. He says that not all have the various gifts but we should eagerly desire the greater gifts. The in chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians which is a very popular text read at weddings, he tells us what the litmus test for knowing whether or not a person has the Holy Spirit. LOVE. Love is the measure of true spirituality. The Pharisees were very religious and had lots of knowledge of scripture, but were lacking in love. The evidence is never spectacular gifts. If you are a Christ follower the fruit of the Spirit will be growing in you.

Why do we not have more miracles in our day? Why do some people get healed, at times even those who do not follow God’s ways, and others die young who have prayed for healing? We do not know. But God cannot be coerced by human techniques. It is never because we have not prayed enough or believed enough or have not discovered the right technique. Our job is just to pray and ask. There is no magic formula to manipulate God into doing what I want Him to do.

However, any real movement in our lives toward holiness and better living choices IS the work of the Holy Spirit.

Use your knowledge to serve, not to impress. Don’t measure or gauge the work of the Holy Spirit in superficial measures.

Connecting Point

With Pastor Brad not yet returned from his conference, Chuck Vanderscheuren led our service today, welcoming us warmly.

There were a host of announcements. Here are the main ones.
1. Darlene is starting an adult choir which is open to anyone with a heart sing. Practices will be held noon to one on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month.
2. There will also be a children's choir, with practices on Wednesday evening the 1st and 3rd week of each month.
3. Adventure Club is beginning on Wednesday October 7, a weekly program for children preschool to 6th grade. Volunteers always welcome. Contact Brooke for more information.
4. There will be an Old Fashioned Hymn Sing at the Newmans next Sunday at 4:00 p.m. It will also be a potluck meal, with meat provided.
5. Paula noted the Annual Women's Luncheon on Saturday, October 10. A very powerful speak will be sharing.
6. The deacons toured Caribou Lake School this past week to determine its viability as a potential new building to grow into. This was a very preliminary review and there are many variables. Please pray for wisdom for the church leadership.


Chuck then opened the service with the traditional, "The Lord be with you." To which the congregation replied, "And also with you."

The worship team consisted of Ken, Darlene and Chuck, who opened by reading Psalm 105. Then they jumped right in to a rousing version of Your First Day In Heaven, followed by a very powerful Midnight Cry. After a set of worship choruses, Gwen read to us from I Corinthians 12:12-27, the famous passage about the interconnectedness of the body of Christ.

Prayer needs and praises were shared. Then Walt Cresman came forward to share the message.

Connecting Point

Walt brought to church individual bags of Legos for every person in the congregation which were distributed just as he began his message. His aim was to use these Lego sets to share a number of insights pertaining to church life, family life and our purpose in life.

He first drew attention to the fact that all the pieces were different. So it is in the body of Christ and our church family, that we are all different. God forms each of us in different ways and for different purposes.

If you have ever had Legos, you will notice how the one thing they all share is the ability to connect to other Legos. These connecting points enable us to build relationships in various ways. One other thing Walt noted at this time is that the individual pieces may be a variety of colors, but color is not a variable that has any impact on our ability to connect.

He then shared this passage from Ephesians 4:1-6

1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Walt asked, "What does God intend our church to look like?"

Walt said he purchased nearly every Lego set in town in order for us to experience this set of object lessons today. Only one had a steeple, but that is O.K. After showing us how the steeple piece prevents additional connections on the top, he suggested that the best form for a church would be flat, wide and broad. This would allow the maximum number of open connectors for bringing people in to the church family.

Walt also showed how families are an important part of the church. The broad connectivity strengthens a community of believers.

The passage from Luke 10:25 and following was referenced, the wonderful story of the Good Samaritan. Walt noted that acts of kindness make an impact on people. This is one of the ways we make connections.

Walt also asked us to consider how Legos can show a marriage relationship. What does marriage look like?

He showed one example, of two single piece Legos, in which they are connected, but one is on top of the other. A second example was a single Lego with two connectors. The side by side relationship was good, but then he showed us a three piece Lego and cited the role of the Holy Spirit in our marriages. A three-fold cord is not easily broken.

At this point Walt went a bit sideways to make an important point. He spoke about expectations, how our disappointments are in proportion to the disparity between unmet expectations and reality. It is very true that the variance between our expectation and reality can cause us hurt.

He noted then that we're all wired differently, and for this reason we all, like the Lego blocks, have varying numbers of connectors. This was a setup for a profound observation. Like the Lego blocks our pastor and his wife also have a finite capacity for deep connections. Our expectation is often that because our pastor and family is so wonderful we all want to be in a tight connection there. However, the truth is, only God has unlimited, infinite connectors. God can connect to all of us in a manner which is deep and significant.

This was a profound observation, and your faithful blog scribe was impressed by it. America's pastors have one of the toughest jobs in the world. We can play a significant role in providing encouragement and praying for him as he strives to bring us God's truths.

It was a good service, and I believe there were many good messages for all.

Spiritual Growth, Part 2

The service today had a refreshing "unplugged" quality about it this morning. No choirs or electric instruments, no overheads or videos streaming from laptops. Just a simple gathering of believers in the presence of the God, here to worship Jesus and to hear a message from the Word. Despite the simplicity of the service, the message Brad delivered was especially plugged in as he conveyed some extremely important truths about who Jesus is and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Brad welcomed us with his usual warmth and presented his theme. What potential is there for change in our lives? Can we change, or is it a meaningless pursuit that will only leave us disappointed in the end? Brad affirmed up front that there is indeed great potential for change with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Two important announcements were shared. First, that on August 2 there will be an all-church picnic at the Cresman's after the service. Bring bathing suits and an appetite. Be sure to sign up after next week's service so we know how many to prepare food for.

Second, there will be two final photo sessions for the purpose of creating a church directory. If you have never moved or changed churches, you may not realize how invaluable church directories are for helping us connect to one another and for new people to connect to us. If you've not had your picture taken, July 26 and August 16 there will be photos taken right after church.

After a time of worship Leonard read to us from the Scriptures.

Psalm 24

Ephesians 1:3-14

Spiritual Growth: Part 2

Brad got a laugh when he opened with the question... "How many of you would say there's at least one thing I would like to change.... (pause) about the person sitting next to me?"

When we're totally honest, we all know that we have weaknesses, personality issues, bad habits, attitudes or behaviors in our lives that we want to change. But do we believe it will happen? Many people feel discouraged and resigned about ever changing. That's why so many say, "You have to accept me the way I am. What you see is what you get."

Do you think you can change? The question is very important because if I'm not capable of personal transformation, I should beware of getting my hopes up.

The key, Brad said, lies in understanding the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus. But first, we need clear understanding of who Jesus is.

Historically there have been two primary heresies regarding Jesus, who is fully God and fully man. The first error, common in our own time, is that Jesus was a man and not really God. He was enlightened, but not really the Creator of the Universe.

In the earlier part of church history the more common heresy was that Jesus was not human, but only played the role of being human. The word "docetism" was used to describe this heresy, based on its root word "to seem." Jesus was God but only seemed human. He was play-acting.

Brad compared this view to the Superman character of comic book and movie lore. Superman would take on the role of Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter, to give the appearance of being one of us. But underneath he was really a being from another planet, with X-ray vision, the ability to fly and other extra-ordinary powers. The problem with this view, however, is that ordinary people could never aspire to become like Superman.

The reality is that Jesus put aside his Godhood and truly became a man. When he was a baby, he cried like a baby. In Luke 2:52 the Gospel states that he "grew in wisdom." He was not all-knowing and just pretending to be a boy. He got tired, he bled, he got thirsty knew anguish and even cried, like all of us.

So where did Jesus get His power? In Luke 4:1 we read, "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert where for forty days he was tempted by the devil." This was just after He was baptized in the Jordan, the time of Jesus' anointing.

In the Old Testament we see many instances of God's anointing people for exceptional service, set apart for a mission. Typically a prophet or representative of God would take pour oil from a container of some kind onto the person's forehead as a way of indicating that person has a mission from God. Oddly enough it usually came upon people who did not expect it.

When Samuel anointed Saul, the reaction was, "How can I be king? I am from the smallest tribe in Israel." Likewise, David was the most unlikely candidate, a shepherd and the youngest of many brothers. Each of these were special moments historically, but Israel looked forward to that day where a Messiah would come and express the full anointing.

Many don't realize that Christ is not Jesus' last name. Rather, it is a title or designation, "one who is anointed." And in our Lord's case this designation was affirmed by His Resurrection (Romans 1:3-4).

But the anointing doesn't end there. In I Corinthians 1:21-22 Paul writes, "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

We have been anointed for a purpose. We are on a mission from God. Every day, including when you go back to work tomorrow, you will run into opportunities for service, evangelism or expressing compassion.

Each of you, each of us, has been anointed. Jesus is not just a forgiver, He is not just our rescuer and we are not simply forgiven. Jesus is the supreme example of what human life can become when lived fully under the Spirit. If you've ever wondered what God had in mind when God said "let us then make man in our own image" then just look at Jesus. That's what God had in mind.

He was guided and given power from one moment to the next all through His life by the Holy Spirit and lived a rich, interactive life with God. And now that anointing He's given to you and me.

Breath of Life

What a beautiful sunny morning. It may be that summer is finally sneaking into this corner of the world, like a breath of fresh air. And inside the sanctuary we were greeted warmly as well, Pastor Brad reminding us of our current theme: the Holy Spirit, who strengthens and gifts us to do God's work.

Chief among the announcements was that this week is VBS. A time of worship was followed by today's Scripture readings.
I Sam. 15:34 to 16:13
Mark 4:26-34

After a time of prayer the congregation sang Be Thou My Vision and then Brad stepped to the pulpit.

Breath of Life

Brad began the message by asking us to indulge him a moment. Sit up straight and take a deep breath, then just let it out. "It's funny how something that simple can help you relax and make you feel more alive."

Whereas breathing is something we all do without giving much thought to it, there are actually some people who have studied it extensively and are experts in breathing. Singers, divers, and many athletes devote a lot of time to learning how to breathe better.

Breathe out, breathe in. Exhale the bad things, take in the good and the necessary.

It's interesting, Brad noted, that in both Hebrew and in Greek, the word for breath that is used in each language is also the same word for spirit. In Hebrew the word is "ruha" and the first time it appears in the Bible is in Genesis 2:7.

7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Why did God create us this way? God breathed in us the breath of life and man became a living soul. Why didn't God just snap his fingers or say a word. No, God breathed into the man. God's ruha.

In the Old Testament, where the spirit is present there is life. For example, in Psalm 104 the writer said, When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.

An interesting turn of phrase. When you take away their breath they die. That is what sin does to people. It makes them forget how to breathe.

The manner in which the Spirit worked in peoples' lives in the old Testament was different from today. The Spirit of God would come upon people and work in exceptional ways through them for specific purposes. David was granted empowered and also given wisdom. In the same manner Gideon likewise led Israel like a mighty warrior when the Spirit rested on him. When the Spirit came upon Samson in the book of Judges, he had extraordinary strength. It is written that on one occasion he struck down a thousand men. King Saul, when he began ruling there are evidences he felt dependent on God to rule.

Pastor Brad cited another interesting passage, this one in Exodus 31:1-5. It was interesting because it shows how the Spirit not only gave supernatural strength, God's Spirit gifted men to be craftsmen.

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.

Gifted by God's spirit to build a new tent of meeting. Craftsmen, breathed on by God... empowered to design, and build by His Spirit.

Brad took this opportunity to go sideways and remind us of our own building project, that we should seek God's spiritual empowerment, should pray for his wisdom to produce a "tent of meeting" that bears witness to something bigger than ourselves. This may be our moment... a way to remind people in out community of God's presence here.

God was not AWOL in the Old Testament. He just manifest Himself differently. In the Wilderness God led Israel in the form of a pillar of fire. God ministered through the priesthood. There were a few people who prophesied, too, but Moses expressed a bigger vision when he said, "I wish all the Lord's people were prophets." I wish everyone had the Spirit he was saying. Moses knew God's heart.

And in Joel 2:28 we see this theme projected to a future day as the Lord said through Joel, "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." This became the great dream of God's people... and ultimately, this is what happened. Unlike the Old Testament where there was a single pillar of fire, on the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit rushed in that fire separated, split apart and rested on every individual.

There are other stories of the power of God's breath. Brad then cited the passage where Ezekiel was shown the valley of dry bones. God asked Ezekiel, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

God's breath has power. If God can make life from a lump of clay, and make dead bones live, He can do it for you.

Breathing matters. This is the whole reason Jesus came, to usher in the era of the Spirit. And to breathe on us God's air. John the Baptist said, "I baptize with water, He will baptize you with the Spirit."

Breathe... We must breathe out the bad stuff, rid ourselves of judgementalism, guilt, anxiety, and breathe in life. Breathe in the Holy Spirit. Carbon dioxide isn't the only toxic substance inside of us. Self-preoccupation, fear, guilt over unconfessed sin... breathe it out. Breathe in the breath of life. Breathe in His grace, mercy and healing.

Brad closed by leading us to consider Ephesians 6:18 where Paul wrote, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."The Spirit of God is with us, in us, when we pray. On all occasions, stop and breathe.