Prayer is NOT a List of Requests

It changed my prayer life completely. I used to go into prayer in order to ask God for things or to do something. I had no idea that prayer was never meant to be just a list, but a means of intimacy, comfort, silence, and growth.

Here’s my acronym that outlines how I pray and what it leads to in my life. I’ll only be explaining the part I didn’t include in the October sermon series (Yield):

PRAISE leads to Purpose & Identity.

REPENT leads to Forgiveness & Peace.

ASK leads to Provision & Trust.

YIELD leads to Obedience & Maturity

In order to “yield” in prayer, I’ve had to learn how to pray as I read through the Bible. I want to hear from God because I love Him and He’s my Father. Since He has spoken through the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16), listening to Him requires that I read His Word.

As I’m reading, I meditate on the words that stick out, taking brief moments to ask God to help me understand Him. Some of the Bible is difficult to understand even though I’ve been studying it for over two decades. A prayer I have memorized from the Bible comes from:

Psalm 119:18 (CSB) 18 Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wondrous things from your instruction.

It’s important to quietly listen for God’s direction as you are thinking about what is written in the Bible. This silence won’t be wasted.

Understanding His Word always leads to a changed life. As He is transforming my mind and heart, my actions are ready to follow. What God said was never meant to be buried in the past, but is still meant to be applied today.

As I contemplate how He wants me to apply His truth to my life, I often pray:

Psalm 139:23–24 (CSB) 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

This kind of prayerful contemplation and silence has be known as Lectio Divina in the past. (You can google it if you want to learn more.)

The bottom line is, God wants our prayer time with Him to include listening, not just talking. It should lead to obedience to what He said. And that obedience will turn into maturity if we let it.

I’m comforted by Jesus’ word to the disciples in John 14:

John 14:21 (CSB) 21 The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

God’s interest in your one-on-one time with Him is love. He desires for you to grow in your love for Him.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jack

Starts With V Ends With You

Are any of you major board game people like I am? Now, I'm not talking about “Candy Land” or the “Sorry” game. Not a mambo jambo game based on chance that’s over in 10 minutes. I’m talking about the longest game of Monopoly you’ve ever played or a strategy-filled game of Settlers of Catan. The games that take time and involve strategically outsmarting your opponents? That’s the kind of game I want to play. Maybe it's just because I am a guy and there are some of those building and conquering instincts in the fabric of my DNA, but I absolutely love the games where you conquer land or territories. In all these games, finding vulnerabilities in your opponent's defense is the name of the game. Sneak attacking, maneuvering, and positioning yourself in such a way that their vulnerabilities are exposed helps you win the night.

Now, what I find joy in, in board games, does not necessarily translate to the real world, but I believe there are some parallels to be drawn.

The Lord has placed on my heart the need for real vulnerability within the Church, and I mean the big "C" Church, not necessarily just Grace Community Church. I think this is one area that can be hard for Christians and humanity in general. Because of the sinful nature that is within us, there have been moments where individuals have weaponized someone's vulnerabilities or taken advantage of a vulnerable place in their life, and that can cause pain that rocks people to their core! This can cause us to throw up walls around our lives, where vulnerability is never allowed to show its face again.

Another danger that the Church faces is a “holier than thou” culture that never allows someone to be real with the mistakes and difficulties they might be currently facing. If the expectation is “I’m perfect, so you have to be too,” vulnerability will never safely be a part of normal routines within that community.

James 5:16 says, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." I have personally experienced the power of this verse and the value of being vulnerable with your community. Whenever we hold our cards close to our chest or struggle in silence, it's almost as if we’re fighting two battles: one against the struggle itself, and the other being the human need for community. Life only gets harder.

We were created to be honest and vulnerable with God and with others. Jesus modeled it in His flesh as He was approaching the day He would be hung on the cross. He cried out to God and was vulnerable to the fact that His flesh did not want to endure the pain. He didn't bottle it up, push it down, put a smile on His face, and tell the disciples, “Life is good.” He begged the disciples to come and pray with Him, for He was “grieved to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38).

Vulnerability, I believe, is a spiritual discipline that requires more attention than we realize. Vulnerability does not just happen by chance. It takes intentionality. On a spiritual level, it takes the constant removal of pride and the laying of everything at the feet of Jesus through prayer and petition. The more we do this, the easier it gets, as is the case with any discipline.

Now I am going to say something that is somewhat difficult. Vulnerability in a community where it is not present starts with you. If you look around and think, “I have nowhere to be vulnerable,” or, “Nobody seems to be honest with their struggles,” there is a strong possibility that God wants a culture and community of vulnerability to start with you. You just might be the needed vessel God wants to use. One thing I have learned in communities of vulnerability is that it gets easier and easier the more people around you are doing it. So if it is not happening around you, I’ll say this: it starts with you. Almost every time I haven't wanted to share the darkest parts of my testimony or be honest about my current struggles in life, but in obedience, I share anyway, the Lord has blessed those moments immensely. It’s worth it. Be vulnerable.

Where do you need to be more vulnerable? For your own sake, for others' sake, and for the kingdom's sake?

Peace and Blessings,
Bryant Hart

Ditches...

When I was in 2nd grade, I had a teacher (she was a long-term substitute because my teacher was getting cancer treatment) who wanted to push me to “do better” in my school work. She had me write an essay about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I did not have the best feelings for this teacher because she had sent me to the office multiple times, and I was not used to getting sent to the office. This teacher and I had a personality clash. I liked learning but did not like doing repetitive assignments that went over the same material over and over. I wanted to get my work done and learn something new. All my teachers before had liked my energetic nature (or at least they told my parents so), but this one preferred still and silent, more than I was able to muster in my 7-year-old little boy body. I think the principal knew this because I never even got a raised voice from him when I was sent there. He would usually just let me sit in the office for 15 min and then send me back. Well, I saw her strategy coming… I had been around my parents enough and knew this assignment was to,“prove a point.” 

And so, in a very Christmas Story movie way, I set out to write an essay to prove a point of my own. My goal was not to get a BB gun out of the deal like in the movie, but it was to write an essay that would get her off my back… And so I attempted in my feeble 7-year-old mind to write the most convincing essay about how my life goal was to be a ditch digger. To toil away with a strong back and weak mind digging the deepest and longest trenches by hand at a speed that modern machinery could not compete with, much in the vein of the classic Legend of John Henry. My plan was to show her that I wouldn’t use all this learning I was getting anyway, so she should lessen her desire to see me excel. Well... after my teacher called my parents, and I got in sufficient trouble, deservedly so, I ended up having a good relationship with this substitute. She just wanted to push me to do as well as I could, and I actually liked being one of her helpers after that.

I told this slightly off-topic and personal story simply to highlight that I have always had an affinity for ditches. I did like to dig with a shovel as a boy, with an excavator as a man, and still to this day, don’t mind turning over some dirt. I also love the lesson I learned about clear communication and hard relationships turning good. But something I love even now is knowing where the ditches are in life. Maybe some of you remember driving with your dad and grandpa and hearing them say as they swerved on the road, “Well at least I kept it between the ditches!” The emphasis of that quip is an admission of some less-than-perfect driving, but also that the greater danger of leaving the road for the ditch was avoided. Life is not so different than that. I have tried to hone in on what I want my kids to know at this stage in their lives, and have landed on a few very simple things. I pray the fruit of the Spirit over them. The list found in Galatians 5:22 and 23 lists them as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We have also talked about those gifts, enough so that they remind me how often I forget to quote “faithfulness” when I quote the list. Now I can never forget it and nail the list… finally getting it consistently right after probably having it “memorized" for 25ish years. But what I love about this list is that it truly is a ditch, or rather if you live out these gifts of the Spirit, you will not go into the ditch because of the phrase tacked on after self-control. Paul, the writer of Galatians, says, “Against such things, there is no law.” Whatever mistakes you make when swerving a little on the road of life, you will avoid the big, scary ditches if you are living out the fruits of your connection to Jesus. Suffering will still happen. You will still annoy or frustrate people. You will hurt someone's feelings and have yours hurt as well, but there is no law against these things. These things will never swerve you into a ditch. 

My next “avoid the ditches” scripture to share with my kids will be Psalm 15. It starts with the basic question (in the Will paraphrase) “God… who can live with you?” And it ends with (again, my paraphrase), “You can’t swerve someone in a ditch who does these things.” I will let you read the middle stuff on your own, but again, I love these rock-solid promises. As I teach my kids, but also as I continually remind myself, God himself loves us enough to tell us how to avoid the ditches. Life is not like any of us imagined as a 7-year-old, I am sure, but there is so much joy in walking the road with Jesus. Whether you swerve a bit, or you get a little too excited and run ahead, or if you are struggling with despair and lagging behind. No matter your situation, Jesus offers a gentle path to stick close to HIM and with HIM to avoid the ditches.

Blessings,

Will Regier

The Realest

Psalms in the summer. All of the Psalms in one summer? One hundred fifty chapters of Scripture in a row for back to back days all summer? I can almost feel the winces of pain that those three sentences caused you. I’m just kidding, I’m kiddingggg. I know we all read our Bibles faithfully 3 hours a day every day and sometimes even twice a day if we’re feeling extra spiritual. Also kidding… But seriously you might ask why should I read Psalms and to that I respond: why not join us in reading through the Psalms? What a great cop out right?

If you have no idea what I am talking about, allow me to fill you in. During Pastor Jack’s sabbatical there will be a MULTITUDE OF HEAVENLY HOSTS… (excuse me I can never say the word “multitude” without thinking of that phrase in scripture and saying it in my head with the best Morgan Freeman impression I’ve got)... During Jack's sabbatical there will be a multitude of guys filling the pulpit. Because of this, we wanted there to be some semblance of uniformity so we decided on everyone preaching from the Psalms. To add to the significance of this series we thought it might be an awesome opportunity for us as a church to read through the Psalms in our daily devotions and quiet times. Now that you’ve been filled in, here is a link to the actual plan that we can all read through together in the YouVersion bible app https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/32323. And if you are not into apps or you’re not super “techy” you can email the office at office@gccnewton.com and we will gladly give you a list of Psalms to read each day or you can pick up a printed copy at the connection desk. 

But still why. “Why would I read through all the Psalms?” I could never make you read them but the few words that I might try to persuade you with are these: Praise, faith, despair, lament, anger, thankfulness, hope and Messiah. The gamut of emotions, feelings, and heart postures you can experience are wrapped up with the last 5 chapters that give praise to our Creator. The Psalms might just be the realest reflection of the human experience in a broken world that was ACTUALLY designed to display God’s perfection. Or to quote Pastor Kyle “No matter your season of life, there is a Psalm for you.” The Psalms are fascinating depictions of broken people experiencing life as real as it gets in the highest of highs and lowest of lows. They, the Psalms, are so relatable and so easily applicable to our lives on a daily basis. There is great value in reading the Psalms straight through. 

So let’s do it. Let’s read the Psalms together. Then let’s talk about it, pray about it. Let’s let this season be marked by our faithfulness to spend time with God and read His word. 

Love you Grace. Peace and Blessings,

Bryant Hart

Fellowship of Evangelical Churches

The five of us guys on staff at Grace, Jack, Kyle, Sean, Bryant, and myself recently attended an Orientation at our fellowship's headquarters in Fort Wayne Indiana. Grace is part of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches, or the FEC, and in the last 5-10 years they developed this Orientation to familiarize new ministry workers with the heart of the FEC. We also took the new pastor at our Hillsboro sister church AJ.

I have been part of the FEC since 2017 because the Christian camp I worked at in Michigan was part of the FEC. Some of the other guys have been part of the FEC for a while too. So needless to say, we cleaned house in some trivia games…LOL… The point wasn’t getting free t-shirts though it was to make connections with other ministry workers for collaboration and networking in the future. We also got to hear from our fellowship president and leaders and we got reminded of what our little group of churches really cares about. It was a joyful reset for me to remember the wonderful strengths of our organization.

The mission statement of the FEC is:

We exist to help our local churches obey the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) by establishing reproducing churches worldwide. 

You can read more about this here: https://fecministries.org/about/our-beliefs/

This highlights 2 of the FEC’s greatest initiatives. Ours is a church planting fellowship. The goal of our FEC churches existing is to produce more churches. At a local level, all of your pastors and the pastors from the other FEC churches in KS meet to work on church planting. Our group is called Synergy KS and we meet monthly to work on things like planting a church in El Dorado. But the FEC doesn’t just major on growth. The goal is to establish healthy churches and to establish healthy churches they need to be planted out of established healthy churches. 

That leads to the other aspect of the FEC mission that is so key. If churches are obeying the Great Commandment, the Great Commission and are healthy then they are the kind of church that can reproduce other healthy churches that can reproduce themselves. That is why the FEC puts a high value on supporting staff in local churches to be healthy themselves. From pushing things like sabbaticals to offering events for people in ministry to practice caring for their own souls the FEC is intentional about keeping pastors and staff in churches healthy. This is such a good emphasis that the FEC has. The statistics of people leaving the ministry is staggering and the FEC takes an active role in working to keep our churches healthy. As a ministry worker, you can call the FEC office and get advice, counsel, or help personally or professionally. The people who work at FEC headquarters work so hard, not to push their own agendas, but to be a support team for people on the front lines of ministry in any FEC church. They don’t just say that they care, they show it at every opportunity.

There is so much more I could say about the FEC but one thing is very special to me. I did not have a direct path into full-time ministry. I was a bi-vocational youth pastor for years, got into full-time ministry, and then had to step back out due to my wife's health being critical. There are so many guys and gals in the FEC like me, so many that have come from blue-collar jobs or had to take time out from ministry due to life happening. This dynamic builds a special flavor into our FEC gatherings and the fabric of our culture. There are plenty of people with awesome degrees but even those people have a humility that they carry with them. We are a group of pastors, staff, and leaders who have worked other jobs, ministry often isn’t our only option but it is people's passion. They know that the local church is God’s plan for His kingdom advancing and that God has no plan B after that. A lot of people in the FEC know what it's like to have bad bosses or a bad work/life balance in the private sector so they have joy in their ministry and also empathy for the people in their churches going through similar situations. All in all, God has truly blessed us to be a part of the FEC and I would encourage any of you to learn more about who our other churches are in KS and what the FEC is all about. It is an encouraging story of what God has done and is doing right now!

-Pastor Will

Faithful Reminder

From afar my car looks great, but if you were to stand even ten feet away from it, you would notice that it has been put through the wringer.  My husband has fixed my car over and over again.  Between nature and teenagers, I don’t know how my car has survived.

Not long after I purchased my little car, a coyote ran out in front of me.  He was able to run off because all I hit was his tail, but it left a nice ding in the front bumper.  Soon after that, one fateful night, a deer crossed my path on a highway.  This completely destroyed the front end of the car. Luckily it was repairable, but it took my husband months to restore it.  Probably within six months of the repair, some teenagers, whom I am utterly close to, accidentally went into a ditch, and also went over a damaging cinder block.  Crazy, huh? This car is a magnet for destruction.  

Recently, on my drive in to work, I looked over at my driver’s side window, and on it right next to my shoulder I noticed a decal of a car with a rainbow over it.  I laughed so hard!  God has surely protected my car and all who have ridden in it!

The rainbow is a reminder of the covenant between God and man that He will never flood the earth again. But the rainbow is more than that to me. The rainbow shows us God’s grace and it shows us the purpose of redemption for humanity to start again.  It also shows us God’s amazing power over the elements.  I also think it directs our attention to God sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, and then to rise again to redeem those of us who “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.” Romans 10:9.

There are big stressful things that have been bombarding me in life lately.  God is reminding me that I can make it through it because He is my rainbow.  He is beside me.  “He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul…Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for [He is] with me; [His] rod and [His] staff, they comfort me…my cup overflows. Surely Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23

So, even though the exterior of my car has taken many hits, God has protected the frame and mechanics of it to continue to give us a great dependable car.  He is comforting me through my little car and of course through bringing His Word to mind. He is showing me how much He loves my family. We are extremely blessed.

I pray that if you are struggling through some tough times in life right now, that God will use some mundane thing that you see daily to show you how He is with you and that He truly loves you.

Love to all,

Amy

Why Sabbatical?

This summer has been planned for multiple years. I italicize “planned” because I had direction, but no details. Our church and denomination encourage a Sabbatical for our pastors once every 7 years, and I am completing my 7th year in May. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long!

If the concept is new for you, a Sabbatical is an extended leave from ordinary work for rest, renewal, and uninterrupted focus. They are usually several weeks long, and many leaders swear by them.

I have a book on my shelf entitled “Leading On Empty” by a well-known and respected pastor in the Northwest named Wayne Cordeiro. His story is a testament to the need for rest and renewal.

Sabbaticals are more than a reward for years of service. They are an investment for healthy years of service to come. At Grace sabbaticals are one part of an overall ministry health plan designed to keep our pastors healthy.

Other than rest and renewal, I plan to spend time reading and writing on the topic of discipleship within a church context. If anybody’s interested, below is a list of the books I have lined up. I cannot vouch for them yet, but I was particular in researching reputable books.

• Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer

• Intentional Disciplemaking: Cultivating Spiritual Maturity in the Local Church by Ron Bennett

• Down to Earth Discipling: Essential Principles to Guide Your Personal Ministry by Scott Morton

• The Multiplication Effect: Building a Leadership Pipeline that Solves Your Leadership Shortage by Mac Lake

• Hero Maker: Five Essential Practices for Leaders to Multiply Leaders by Dave Ferguson and Warren Bird

• Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development by Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck

• No Silver Bullets: 5 Small Shifts that will Transform Your Ministry by Daniel Im

• Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt

Of course, I plan to spend a lot of quality time with Courtney and the kids. I would be understating if I said everybody’s looking forward to our time together.

If and when I come to mind, pray that I can make meaningful connections with God and the family. I am blessed to be one of your pastors, and I thank God for you constantly.

With love and gratitude,

Pastor Jack

Find It

Where’s your safe space? You know, the place you feel the most comfortable to completely be yourself and do whatever it is that you love the most. The place you sometimes do the embarrassing things you would never do around anyone other than MAYBE your spouse. My safe space is my car and I know for some of you it is your car too. I know this because I have definitely pulled up next to some of your cars at a stoplight and have caught you digging for gold if you know what I mean. Hey, no judgment here. Sometimes you got to do what you’ve got to do. But my car is my safe space where I practice my stand up comedy career that will never happen or to scream a song at the top of my lungs without a worry in the world of hitting all the wrong notes solely because no one is around. It’s just me! It is also, at times, the place that I have the most raw conversations with God, and the deepest moments of worship.

I absolutely love the moments that it is just me and God driving down I-135 southbound to Wichita, with a song full of truth on the stereo that I can belt out at the top of my lungs. If you have never done this I would highly encourage you to. If that feels too weird to you I totally get it. What is it that you offer to God in your safe space? Anyways, I just wanted to share a worship song that has been blessing me, is full of truth, and I have loved singing to God recently.

The song is called Altar by Joe L. Barnes. My favorite part is honestly in the bridge and it goes like this.

You don’t need four walls You don’t need an altar call

You’ll meet me right wherever I am (I know you will)

From a table in my house down to a stack of stones

You’ll meet me right wherever I am 

And though my feet may fail when things aren't going well 

You’ll meet me right wherever I am

And if I go astray I know you’ll find a way

To meet me right wherever I am

Singing this is a declaration of the Power of God. That no matter the situation I know my God is powerful enough and loving enough to show up. It’s a declaration that I know I have a God that is present with me wherever I go and wants a deep relationship with me. But that is right now when I feel like things are going well in life. 

This song is also an amazing prayer that I can sing in the moments that I feel so far from God. When I wonder if he is ever going to show up and when I even doubt his existence. One of my worship leader buddies shared a quote with me that I'm sure was a quote from somebody else, but it goes like this. “Sometimes we sing the words because we believe them. Other times we sing the words UNTIL we believe them.” That was simple but profound to me. The words in this song are true, but that doesnt mean I always believe them. It doesn't mean that I always want to sing them at the top of my lungs. But sometimes I need to sing them until the Spirit has time to penetrate my hardened heart. 

Where is your safe space? Find it. Maybe you need to “sing it until you believe it” this week. 

Peace and Blessings Grace,

Bryant Hart

The Big Serve is a Big Deal

The Big Serve is coming up! Registration is closing in just a few days! Please consider registering and please consider being willing to coordinate a site. The Big Serve is such a joyful event at Grace every year. We gather together and worship and hear from God’s Word and then we make our words into action and we go out to be the church. This event has the chance to have a massive impact on our community. Not just because it might look nicer, but because people can see the love that Jesus put in us for them. 

It is special that we would give up part of our Sunday to serve our community. This can impact not just people through our service but through our being willing to give up “our day” for others. Most people who have any knowledge of Christianity know that Sunday is a special day for us. Us being willing to give time, effort, and energy to them on a Sunday can speak something significant. 

But what if landscaping or light construction aren’t your thing? There are other ways to serve! We will be doing a diaper drive for a local community pantry and all it takes to serve there is a smile and a willingness to explain to people what we are asking for as they go in and out of Walmart. In fact, our first diaper drive two years ago was so successful that the Heartland Pregnancy Care Center here in Newton still does not need more diapers. That previous drive wasn’t a short-term blessing to them but a long-term one and we are hoping it will be the same for the Porch Pantry as they seek to provide basic needs for new or struggling moms in Newton. 

We have seen some long-term relationships come from this yearly service and our reputation as people who love where they live has grown. If you cannot be with us as we serve on April 21 please come worship with us at 9 AM and then pray for us as we go out. That the blessing of that one day will last and that lasting relationships will be born. Praying with us and for us is just as real of a role as swinging a hammer. You can also ask about the projects another person did afterward or encourage someone who you know has skills to serve. 

Thanks to all of you who have already registered! We are so excited for those who have stepped up to be Site Coordinators already. This is a great role to serve in. You do not have to know how to do every aspect of the project. We will find you those people. You just have to coordinate communication on the days ahead of the event and on the day of the event. 

I am always grateful for our church. We have so many wonderful people so ready to serve Jesus. It is rarer than we might be used to here at Grace for people to be so willing to serve and it is so worth celebrating. I am looking forward to sharing this day with all of you and loving our community like Jesus would!

Register now by clicking this button!

Pastor Will

Friday Was Coming

On Sunday a large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”” John 12:12-13 ESV

This did not cause Jesus to gloat or to be proud as He knew Friday was coming and could see His children being redeemed.

On Monday Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.” Matthew 21:12-14 ESV

This did not take Christ's eyes off what was important and He had honor and respect for His house and attempted to put things in order. He knew that Friday was coming and He could see His children being redeemed.

On Tuesday Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and asked “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.” Matthew 26:15-16 ESV 

Jesus knew this was going to happen and He was not shaken as He knew Friday was coming and He could see His children being redeemed. 

On Thursday evening, he came with the twelve. As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be sorrowful and to say to Him one after another, “Is it I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”” Mark 14:17-21 ESV

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”” Matthew 26:26-29 ESV

Jesus said these things to His disciples to help prepare them because He knew Friday was coming and He could see His children being redeemed. 

“And Jesus came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:39-44 ESV

Jesus knew what was coming and He was in His human flesh fearing and not wanting to have to do all that was required, He was stressed to the point that He sweated blood instead of water. but He remained faithful to His task and was willing to proceed with the plan because He knew Friday was coming and He could see His children being redeemed.

Early Friday morning “While Jesus was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”” Luke 22:47-53 ESV

Jesus was betrayed by a friend and arrested, He recognized the darkness and the power it had but He knew Friday was here and He could still see His children being redeemed.

All this happened while it was dark and before light would come Jesus would be tried two times then a third, forth, fifth and a sixth time He would be tried after sun up.  Only to be found guilty and sentenced to die.  

Jesus was falsely accused and grossly mistreated but He knew Friday was here and He could see His children being redeemed.

Jesus was beaten and mocked and humiliated amid these trials but still He spoke no contempt nor did He complain or cry out because He knew it was Friday and He could see His children being redeemed.

They took Jesus “and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called, “The Place of a Skull”, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified Him, with two criminals, one on either side of Him. Pilate wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”” John 19:17-22 ESV

Jesus endured this because Friday was here and He could see His children being redeemed.

“It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.” Luke 23:44-49 ESV

Friday was here and Jesus was gone and the Father God had turned His back on His son who was so wretched from taking all mine, yours and the entire world's sins upon himself that God could not look at Him.  But God the father could see His children being redeemed because He knew Sunday was coming.

Pastor Sean

Charting New Frontiers: Church Planting in El Dorado, Kansas

In May 1804, President Thomas Jefferson sanctioned the Corps of Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, to embark on an expedition through the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase, with the primary aim of uncovering a direct route to the Pacific Ocean.

The journey commenced with an assumption that the unfamiliar Western territories mirrored the known landscapes of the East. However, their progress was impeded by the imposing obstacle of the Rocky Mountains. Despite their adeptness in navigating rivers, they encountered the reality that their established methods were unsuitable for traversing the rugged terrain ahead. Confronted with a pivotal decision, they deliberated between retracing their familiar route back to Missouri or pressing forward, ultimately opting for the latter. The subsequent events have etched an enduring mark in history.

In his perceptive work, "Canoeing the Mountains," Tod Bolsinger draws parallels between the expedition of Lewis and Clark and the challenges encountered by church leaders today in our ever-evolving world. Our contemporary landscape presents us with a milieu vastly different from our past experiences.

To effectively engage with people today and disseminate the gospel, we must be open to adapting our methods while steadfastly upholding the integrity of our message and mission. Nowhere is this more evident than in our church planting endeavors in El Dorado, KS. El Dorado transcends mere geographical boundaries; it embodies a community characterized by its unique attributes, needs, and opportunities. Similar to Lewis and Clark's transition from river navigation to mountain exploration, we must be prepared to adapt and sometimes depart from conventional approaches, innovating new strategies to extend the reach of Christ's love to the people of El Dorado.

While our overarching goal remains unchanged—to share the transformative message of the gospel with all—we acknowledge the necessity of tailoring our methods to suit the specific context of the community. This requires active listening, keen observation, and wholehearted engagement with the residents of El Dorado to discern their needs and devise effective means of service.

As we embark on the venture of planting a church in El Dorado, let us draw inspiration from the journey of Lewis and Clark. Let us exhibit courage and adaptability, embracing novelty and innovation as we endeavor to fulfill our divine calling within this unique locale. Together, let us confront the challenge of church planting in El Dorado with unwavering faith, resilience, and a spirit of exploration.

Warm regards,

Jay Nickless

Church Planting Developer

Synergy Kansas Network

“Self-Control or Legalism?”

Ever notice the similarities between 1 Peter 1:5–7, and Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–25)?

They both use the word self-control as one of the abilities Christians have when they are submitted to the Holy Spirit. Peter describes it as a divine power from God, and Paul describes it as “keeping in step with the Spirit.”

If you look up self-control in their language, it’s defined as “restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires.” It’s a compound word, grouping “in” and “strength/power.” The idea is “in control.” It’s even translated as “temperance.”

Do you ever lose your temper? Do you ever say something you later regret? Do you ever get so frustrated that you react in a way you wish you didn’t?

Self-control is the ability that God gives us to keep things in check.

As I reflected on the word, I started to ask, “isn’t this just behavior modification?” This could be understood as a form of religious legalism.

So I asked the question, “what’s the difference between self-control and legalism?”

You find the answer is in the motive (also see Sermon on the Mount). Both share the exact same discipline, the same pursuit, but they have different motives. 

The motive for self-control is love, the motive for legalism is pride and acceptance. One is joyful and brings freedom, the other is arduous and leads to arrogance or despair.

There’s a lot more to say about this, but I encourage you to reflect on your own self-control as you pray and search the Scriptures.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jack

Aaawwe Yeah

Salt Lake City Utah. Once home to Joseph Smith and now home to the epicenter of the Mormon religion. It also happens to be the place where several of my friends have moved to, settled down in, and are diving into doing ministry. I have a high regard for these friends and their commitment to sharing the true word of God in a place where a twisted version of the truth is so heavily ingrained in the culture and people. Which is super interesting in and of itself but maybe i’ll cover that topic in my next staff journal. Back to Salt Lake. Recently my wife and I flew out and visited Utah because one of our friends was getting married. Man, that place is absolutely beautiful beyond belief! From anywhere in the city you have a 360 degree view of snow capped mountains that reach above the clouds on a covered day. I am a strong advocate for Kansas sunsets because of the sheer amount of sky and color that our flat landscape can boast. But, I think that this place can take the cake when it comes to “the most beautiful sunsets” category. I know some people are ocean and beach people, but I am a mountain man through and through. So, you take the mountains and add a God painted beautiful sunset… Chef’s Kiss, there are few things better in this life that God shows us through his creation. 

One of the days our friends were amazing hosts and took us up into the mountains for brunch and sightseeing around Sundance Resort. A Ski Resort and oasis that Robert Redford started in 1969. While there I had a moment, like many of you have had, where I was overcome with awe and wonder at the sight of God’s creation all around us. Then I was moved to thank God for who He is, His awe and wonder, His glory and majesty and how he loves me and how He even wants a relationship with me. It was a special moment where I connected with my creator on a deeper level giving him the worship that only He deserves. And then I got on a cheap Spirit flight back home and that moment was over. 

We have all had these experiences, if you have been a christian for any length of time. These spiritual mountain top experiences (no pun intended) where our relationship with God is easier and better than it seemingly has been in a long while. Those are great moments, and I know the highest of highs are not always sustainable. But, I believe the Holy Spirit has been challenging me in the couple of weeks following our trip that I need to be more in awe of God on a daily basis. Bringing God more of my praise solely because of who God is and He IS THAT GREAT. Why do I need a literal mountain to be in awe of my creator God? He is the sustainer and provider of every breath that I have, every experience that I have experienced, every relationship that I have built, and any hope I have ever received. I do not need a literal mountain, because I have something so much better. 

Take a moment to be in awe of who God is today. Take a second to praise him for all the things he has done for you, but also… just for WHO HE IS. 

If you need a little help doing so use Psalms 145 to pray through today! 

Psalm 145 Praising God’s Greatness

A hymn of David.

1 I exalt you, my God the King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 I will bless you every day; I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 The Lord is great and is highly praised; his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts. 5 I will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty and your wondrous works. 6 They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare your greatness. 7 They will give a testimony of your great goodness and will joyfully sing of your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. 9 The Lord is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made. 10 All you have made will thank you, Lord; the faithful will bless you. 11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom and will declare your might, 12 informing all people of your mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions. 14 The Lord helps all who fall; he raises up all who are oppressed. 15 All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all his acts. 18 The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with integrity. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry for help and saves them. 20 The Lord guards all those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked. 21 My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise; let every living thing bless his holy name forever and ever.

Peace and Blessings Church Family

Bryant Hart

Eggs with a Side of Truth

Breakfast food is my favorite food. I like eggs but I love bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, and hashbrowns. I can eat breakfast food at any meal and be very happy. With my beard, any meal can turn that beard into an unintentional food storage device. Many of you have probably heard the expression “egg on your face”, as much as I like breakfast food I also like to look up the origins of phrases like that. This one doesn’t have a clear origin but having egg on my face has clear ties to a childhood insecurity I have often felt and sometimes relive today. I have never felt like I can trust people who will literally or figuratively let me walk around with egg on my face. If there is something obvious I can do to make people’s experience of me more pleasant then I would want to do that and those people who have shown to be my friends in life have been the ones who love me enough to tell me I have something I need to wipe away, I have something I am blind to that I need to correct. When I read Ephesians 4:25 it makes me think of what a true friend or good community should be like. 

Ephesians 4:25 (ESV) says “ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” This verse highlights that we are connected with each other and that one of the best ways to live that out is to speak truthfully with one another. I am sure not many of us would think about lying directly or intentionally to one another. However, on the other side of every sin of doing something to someone, there is the other side where we do not do what we should do for someone. The verse doesn’t just say not to lie but to “speak truth” to one another. 

When I was working at Miracle Camp, my previous ministry before GCC, I was exposed to a list of communication rules that made me feel as free as I ever had and squashed the insecurity in me that people were letting me walk around with egg on my face. I want to highlight the key to this free and unifying communication. As much as it hurts at times, hearing the truth from a friend is so freeing because you know you have somebody watching your back (and your face) for things you can’t see about yourself. Trust starts to happen at a deep and ever-deepening level. 

Here they are with short explanations:

Candid and Authentic Communication- Say what you want to say and say it in your own words. Talk about things when they are small and can be candid before they need a meeting.

No Triangulation- Talk with someone directly, don’t talk to someone else hoping that things will get back to the person you should talk to. They will get back to them but it will foster bitterness and not trust. 

Speak for Yourself- The theoretical “they” that don’t like something should never be referenced. “They” may have something to say but “they” don’t matter. 

Bring a Solution with Your Issue- This is very akin to “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.” When trying to bring a solution (and “do better” doesn’t count) you have to consider the resources and circumstances a person is working under. Maybe they haven’t thought of a solution on their own because their situation is a hard one. This exercise shows love and compassion. It builds that membership in one another's lives Ephesians talks about.

Confront Issues within 48hrs- Deal with things fresh, this helps guard against triangulation, judgement of others and keeps things small. The tagline is “no hands from the grave” and that means that if you don’t make it a point to talk about something with someone quickly then you give up your right to talk to them. 

A family of people who tell the truth to each other in these ways will be unbreakable and will have so much joy and security in each other. These are all framed in the negative about issues but following this same model for praise, encouragement, and thanks is even more powerful. 

Will Regier

PHOENIX

I was watching a show sometime back called “Flight of The Phoenix”. It was a pretty good movie and it got me thinking about life. In this movie there is a group of oil rig workers who are being flown out of a job site they were on in the middle of the desert and their plane crashes. They spend part of the movie waiting for their company to send out a search and rescue party but finally they realize that it is not coming and they build a plane out of the remaining parts of their crashed plane. It is a really far-fetched story but there is a definite correlation between that story and our lives.

As a result of our nature that we are born into, we are destined to wreck and then have to figure out what we are going to do.  There are a few options we have as a result of the wreck. The first is to do nothing but just go along with the flow and hope for the best. Second, we can make a plan and then try to create something with which to save ourselves.  

The Third is really the only choice that will work and that is dependent on someone else to rescue us.  We are all living a life that has been wrecked, whether we know it or not and desperately need someone to help us rise out of the ashes. (The meaning of the word Phoenix in case you didn’t know)  This is literally what Jesus does for us.  We are all destined to go to hell after we finish our journey here on earth and there is nothing that “We” can do about it, but Jesus can raise us out of those flames and ashes.  In fact He desires to do that.  Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  This tells us that we cannot depend on ourselves or others to bring us out of the ashes but only Jesus Christ.  We are reminded of this in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

I have a few questions for you whether you have or have not made a decision to follow Jesus.  Are you willing to let Jesus pull you out of the ashes?  Do you truly desire to be a Phoenix or are you content with where you are, whether it is trying to rescue yourself or just acting like you are allowing Jesus to raise you?  

It’s time to trust Jesus completely, and let Him make you a Phoenix. 

BXFC

(Be Xtreme For Christ)

Pastor Sean

Count Your Many Blessings...

Reflecting on last year’s blessings is always a worthwhile practice. It produces gratitude in the heart and perspective in the mind. This is one of the many benefits to journaling. Writing about priorities (mine include my spiritual and physical health) and concerns reminds me of how God graciously carries me through life.

Doing this at Grace is also rewarding. I am reminded of the many brothers and sisters I have that continue to sacrificially give and serve here in our church.

To you, I joyfully say “thank you!” Thank you for your commitment to building God’s Kingdom, sharing in God’s generosity, and investing in Grace Community Church.

The year 2023 had a number of highlights that reflect your sacrifice and ministry:

• 13 people were baptized.

• 302 people signed up to serve during our Big Serve event at 26 locations.

• 110 individuals volunteer on Sunday morning to serve our 6th grade and under (SS and Nursery).

• 53 adults serve the younger generations in AWANA.

• 56 students serve our church through Route 56.

• 76 people volunteered for Summer Quest.

• We gave $111,439.11 to local and global missions!

• We now have $51,394.80 set aside for church planting.

• We also gave away $18,944.88 through benevolence.

By the way, our benevolence fund continues to serve people in our community through financial assistance and caring for individual families. YOU are making this possible through your generosity, and how cool is it that we are able to do this together?

We have so much to be grateful for. Brother or sister, I love you and am honored to be one of your pastors at Grace. May you rest in knowing that our heavenly Father will continue to supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jack

Tools

What did you do during your Christmas break?  Celebrate Jesus? Relax? Spend time with family? Eat a lot of food? All of the above? Well of course we did the same. However, my wife Jillian and I just so happened to buy a house a week before Christmas break so we might have done a liiiittle more working than relaxing. On account of the current real estate market, my wife being a private christian school teacher and me being in ministry, we bought a good ole HGTV Fixer upper. Then proceeded to put on our best Chip and Joanna Gaines britches and make that thing look good as new *wink* *Sparkle.* 

In the process we ended up fully refinishing the original hardwood floors throughout the house, pulled off all the baseboards, redid some sheetrock, replaced two sinks, fixed(and are still fixing) garage doors, painted every single wall, repaired and painted the base boards and then put them back on, updated light fixtures, replaced locks and doorknobs and I think that's it. But as many of you know, that was just to get us in the house. Now we can continue to do many more house projects as we live in it along the way. 

Admittedly, as we were working on some of the bigger projects I thought to myself “is this even worth it?” “This is really hard work.” Several times I thought “I’m making this problem worse, I should just stop and let someone else do this.” But as we moved in we looked around and were extremely proud of the transforming results that were all around us. A sigh of relief and joy in accomplishment. 

Not to Jesus juke you but recently I have found myself -more often than I would like to admit-   in the same “is this even worth it” category but more so pertaining to my spiritual life. I get tired and worn out. I get distracted by the grass being greener on the other side. I get too focused on the immediate results of seeing life transformation happen before my eyes; and accidentally make results my god instead of truly dwelling with the only one that can cause life transformation in the first place. I think to myself  “I’m making my sin problem worse, I should just stop and let someone else do this.” 

Though fixing up our spiritual lives and fixing up our homes are two completely different things, the Lord has given me some practical parallels or realizations recently. For one, I need to use the right tools. There were several times in the fixing process of our home I either didn't want to make the burdensome trek ALL THE WAY to the garage to grab the right tool or I didn't have the right tool entirely. Then I ended up wasting my time on something that would have been resolved by just taking, what in reality is, a quick trip to the garage or going and buying the right tool at Ace. I sometimes have the same problem in my spiritual life where instead of just getting up and looking for the solutions to my sin in the greatest spiritual tool, the bible, I sit right where I am at struggling with the same issue while trying to muscle it myself. Why would I not take a trip into God’s word? Why would I not pick up the tool that God has designed specifically for this job of life? My flesh fails me. During this process there was a moment when redoing the floors that I truly believed I was making matters worse and ruining them more than I was fixing them and I wanted to just let someone else take over. I have the same moments in my spiritual life where I realize I truly am making things worse in my own life and I want to let someone else take over. Then DING, Holy Spirit light bulb. Every joy, every success, every life transformation, every greener pasture I have ever seen or experienced is because of our God! In those moments I do need to let someone else take over and it is our Savior.

I know the benefits of surrendering to our savior and spending time in the word. But my flesh fails me, and I stray away. I pray that you are in a season of strength and close devotion to the Lord. But if you are not, don’t worry, I hope you know you are not alone. The Lord has given us the right tools and has paid the righteous price so that we can live in devotion to him and community with him. 

The Tools

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

• 1 Peter 5:6-10  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,  casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.  Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.  Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever Amen.

Peace and blessings Grace

Bryant Hart 

Acts 2 and You

We are working hard to pass our faith on to our kids as I know any of you parents are. Some of you have adult kids and they have made their decisions either for our joy or for our heartache. In my reading lately, I read Acts 2, specifically Acts 2:14-28, and I was struck by a few phrases that made me think about how my kids think about Jesus now and how I want them to think about Him. Give that section or better yet the whole chapter a quick read.

My kids are young so things are very straightforward for them and I hope in some ways they never lose that. In Acts 2:24 (ESV) it says “God raised him (Jesus) up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” My son gets this statement as clear as day. Jesus is bigger and stronger than anything and He was too powerful for even death to hold him. My son gets that concept all day long. He understands the full gospel that Jesus died for his sins, and rose from the dead, and that he has to believe in that to live with Jesus forever. But in his kid mind one of the most important things is that Jesus would protect him from “bad guys” or that Jesus in general is out there in His strength stopping “bad guys” right and left like a holy superhero. We remind our son that we are all bad guys sometimes and that’s why Jesus came, to change bad guys into Jesus followers so that we can be covered over by Jesus’ goodness in God’s sight. Though I don’t think that 100% computes for my son I think he gets it in the basics. 

But as I look at Acts 2:28 (ESV) where it says “ You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” I see that my kids still have a ways to go in the growth of their faith. This verse is a quote of Psalm 16 which is also well worth a read. This whole section in Acts is a record of a sermon the apostle Peter preached. I know that my kids still often get their “gladness” from toys or fun or praise from a job well done. They are still very early on in learning to find their full joy in Jesus their Lord. But in every judgment of another person we always need to turn the lens on ourselves, yes even when we correct or teach our kids…. Ugh… It is zero fun sometimes to make sure everything I am teaching my kids that I am also living out! 

When I start to then look at myself this is what comes out. Am I letting good or bad work circumstances change my gladness over God’s presence, am I even taking the time to pursue God Himself, am I being quiet enough to hear Him, and am I taking time to savor His presence? These are the questions that start rolling around in my heart. I both pass and fail regularly. As I consider a new year I do not make resolutions but I do try to set or reset my mindset. Is the simple but real presence of God enough to make me “full of gladness?” Not for it to just be something that I hope gets better this year but to exclaim that it is true? My hope is that for every day God’s presence is not enough to fill me with gladness that there are two days that it does. Aside from hope I am setting my mind in this new year not just to “try” but to commit to it being true that I am full of gladness with God’s presence. I want to daily remember that He is with me and that there is not a single thing better than that! We all hope that “things” go better for us in the new year but I am committing my mind to be set not on fixing any of those “things” but on the presence of God with me. I will work on “things” and then be fully aware that my savior is there with me when I do. God bless each of you first and foremost with His presence and your commitment to be glad in it this new year!

- Will Regier

Our Saviors Birth

As I get ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior, I am reminded of the lowly manger where Jesus lay. Do you ever think it would be amazing to go visit Israel and walk where Jesus walked and visit where Jesus was born? This fall our staff retreat included a trip to a Biblical antiquities museum.  They had many articles on display that they claimed to be first century and from the Israel area.  They even have a stone manger that they heard might have come from the Migdal Eder or the Tower of the Flock near Bethlehem where the shepherds would have prepared the lambs without blemish for the Temple sacrifices.  So to the curator, he would like to believe that baby Jesus might have even been laid in the actual manger that he has on display there at his museum.  These items were neat to see and to hear what their possible history might have been.  But why do we get so excited about seeing and touching things that Christ might have seen and touched?  Do these things and places change us somehow?  Is there some kind of blessing bestowed upon us?  What is the draw?  Over the centuries, we humans have even erected churches over the places where we believe Jesus events took place. Don’t get me wrong. I do often think it would be super exciting to visit Israel to see what Jesus would have seen while here on earth and to see the places I have studied in God’s Word.  And I do believe it is important to have these special places to remember the life of our Savior here on earth. But am I too much of a fan of these items? By placing so much worth on these items, am I worshiping them?  They are just items right?  They are not Jesus himself.  And while Jesus created these things, didn’t he also create the things in my backyard?  Isn’t all of nature created and sustained by our God? “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:3

All of creation praises the Creator.  These things that are spoken of in the Bible should be discovered, studied, and displayed so that we can keep proving the Word of God is true and in so doing, prove to skeptics that Jesus lived and is the Son of God.  But maybe I should keep my “fangirling” under control. I need to always remember that in seeing and studying these things from Jesus’ time, it is to always bring me closer to my God, not things.  In comparison, it is pretty exciting isn’t it then that this Creator of the universe, our King of kings and Lord or lords desires to be near us? 

He even made a way for us sinful broken people to be redeemed so that we can have eternal life with Him. I imagine that someday, when we are face to face with God, we will look back and think that our infatuation with the things Jesus touched was nothing compared to what we are experiencing. 

I will keep enjoying and studying Biblical artifacts, but only in worship of the One who made it all. I want to praise the one who was laid in the manger.  I want to get closer to the one the angels sang of.  This Christmas let’s praise HIM with all our might!

I want to wish all of our Grace family a Merry Christmas!  

Let all the earth rejoice!

Blessings,

Amy

Temporary Halt in Communication

I’m standing at my desk and my phone rings; it’s Courtney. I can hear her breathing a little heavier than usual as she quickly begins with what sounds like an exciting story. 

Turns out, a fellow resident in our neighborhood accidentally knocked over our mailbox. We happen to know this guy (great neighbor in our area), and we know this could happen to any of us. So, all is well.

The downside is that we won’t get our mail until we have a mailbox; one that isn’t lying on the ground. And, per the usual when the unexpected happens, this made me think of my relationship with God.

Sometimes it may feel like we aren’t “getting our mail” from God. It’s like He’s not responding or sending us anything. However, it may just be that our metaphorical mailbox is down. The problem isn’t with the carrier. The problem is on our end. 

We aren’t receiving anything because we’re not positioned to.

I know that if I don’t set aside time to listen to God, I won’t hear Him. I think this is why Jesus had to get away from the disciples to a private place (see Mark 1:35). Even God in the flesh had to position Himself to spend time with the Father.

This is the season of Immanuel—God with us. But that doesn’t mean we will automatically sense His presence if we are too distracted with the noises and people around us. 

My prayer for my family and yours is that you will get in the right position to hear from Him. It’s always worth the effort.

I’m looking forward to the Christmas Program on Sunday. This is one story that never gets old!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jack