On Committees

While looking through one of my journals this morning, I came across a couple of observations about committees.  In my 23 years in ministry, I worked with many effective groups of people and saw many things get done that extended the outreach of the church.  Then, there are some committees that were less effective.  I'm not sure where these quotes came from but here you go...

To get something done, a committee should consist of three people - two of whom are absent.

If you want to kill any idea in the world, get a committee working on it.

Put your worries into God's hands

A new week with worries, some old and some new.

When will this all end? Are we doing enough to stay well? Am I going to have a job to go back to?  Are the kids going to fall behind because online schooling isn't the same as being in the classroom?  How can I work from home with all this noise? Are the grocery stores going to run out of the basic necessities? Why can't our governmental leaders work together?  I'm frightened by all of this. 

In his book, "Every Day Deserves A Chance," Max Lucado wrote:  Worry give small problems big shadows.  Montaigne said, "My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened."  Corrie ten Boom commented, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength."  Worry scuttles our lives, hurts us and most sadly, dishonors God.

One help I learn when I read through David's psalms is how he confidently puts his worries into God's  hands.  

Psalm 34 is a good example.  You might say the theme of this psalm is "The Lord saves from troubles those who trust in Him."  The circumstances which led to the writing of the psalm are described in 1 Samuel 21:10-15.  David does something we all do - he failed to put his trust in the Lord and lost confidence in the Lord's protection.  Saul wanted David's head so what did David do? He fled to the Philistines, Israel's arch enemies.  When David realized that he'd made a big mistake, he fakes insanity to escape from them.

Reflecting on what had happened, David gives an offering of praise to the Lord.  See verses four and eight for examples.  Also, verses 17 & 18 are instructive - The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Are you overcome with worry? Cry out to the Lord for He will hear you.  Do troubles surround you on every side? Trust in the Lord's deliverance.  God is near.  He will lift you up through the promises of His Word.  As David writes - A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.  (verse 19)

Live for today only.  Do not fret or worry about tomorrow.   Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  (verse 8).

Have a blessed Easter Monday!

I know that my Redeemer lives!

He lives all glory to His name!

He lives, my Jesus, still the same;

Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives:

I know that my Redeemer lives!

May the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ fill your hearts with joy and peace! Amen!

Welcoming the Future Church

It continues to be the question that perplexes the church - how do we reach young adults?  There are plenty of books available that provide ideas on becoming a church that young adults would attend.  Jonathan "JP" Pokluda has been able to reach this important age demographic and he wants to help you do the same.

"Welcoming the Future Church" is Pokluda's story of how he learned what young adults are looking for in a church.  He describes how this generation thinks and acts.  Learning how to be engage Millennials and pointing them to Jesus seems like a mystery to many church pastors and leaders.  Reading Pokluda's new book will help.

Let me be with You every day of my life

It's a great comfort for me, Lord Jesus, that Your body has also been in a grave.  You allowed them to carry You away and lay You down, lifeless and cold.  They closed Your grave and left You in the dark and cold.  You went there, too, and You prevailed.  The land on the other side You trampled with Your feet.  Now I don't have to go down that path.  I pray to You for the great comfort in life and death that You alone can give me.  Let me be with You every day of my life until the Last Day, and after that, forever in Your kingdom.  Amen.

From "To Live With Christ," pages 274-75 

A Good Friday Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, I know I will never be forsaken by God the Father because You are my Savior and my atonement - You, who hung forsaken on the cross at Golgotha for me.  Even if I never finish what I ought to do and want to do in thankfulness and love for what You did for me, I can still know that You completed everything, even what I was supposed to do.  You took upon Yourself all my guilt, all my trespasses, and everything I was responsible for.  You took my sin upon Yourself when God saw it and it had to be consumed by the burning coals of His holy fire.  I know I can never thank You enough for what You did out of love for me.  Yet, I know You did it so I would receive it free of charge.  Therefore, I stretch my hands out to Your cross and take hold of it, praying that I may rest under its blessed arms, now and forever.  Amen.

Bo Giertz, from To Live With Christ

Thinking about Maundy Thursday

So come to His table, listening only to His words and receiving what He gives.  All your doing doesn't count against you anymore.  There is none of you, none of your doing outside of Jesus forgiveness.  Nothing can separate you from Him, for He has borne it all and answered for it in your place.  The Lord invites you to His table, family and fellowship to share all His happy good.  This is how much He loves you.  And by this Meal the Lord brings you on your way to that glad feast that is the feast of the Lamb with all His saints.

Saints - that is you and me and all His disciples, the many accounted righteous, whose iniquities He bore, whose chastisement He took, those whom He makes whole by what He did as the sacrifice for sin and by what He gives us to share together at His table.  Amen.

Selected Sermons of Normal Nagel - page 112