Month: February 2009

Something I wrote on the first day (first post) of this blog has come back to haunt… about a church being as good as its people.

(Made me realize that yes, I do need to take classes (seminary or theology). I mean, it reiterated the point for me. And this is what I plan to do but have to wait on our financial situation to change – we’re counting on this happening by next year. If God wants me to go sooner, the money’s got to show up. I mean, we do not believe that God would have us go into debt for this. There is plenty to learn in the meantime. (And yes, I’ve prayed about this whole issue.))

Oh, back to my lead off statement. There is some truth in that statement. However, God is God and who knows what could happen in a church? But when people are “living right” (living best they know to do, in confession before God), this is supposed to put them in better position for the Holy Spirit to work….

I’m not going to go find scripture to support this at the moment. Well, maybe in a few before bed.

Well, no worries. I just want to blog responsibly!

DD

I want to escape From this flesh to flee Though my spirit is willing My flesh still pursues me.   I want to escape Have it all stripped away Save the true me, The spirit Christ saved.    I want to escape No more to fight sin. But to be pure Simply “as is”.    I want to escape Leave this part of the journey Take a detour, where there’s no pain, no hurting.    I want to escape To quit already Yet I know, I know Lord You have a plan for me.

I want to escape – There are such crosses to bear! I am not You, Jesus! Do You even care?    I want to escape Though certainly I know the truth: You loved me enough to die (Yes, You care. The cross, ample proof!)    I want to escape Yet You call me to life. Oh, it wasn’t for naught That Jesus, You died.    I want to escape Yet I’ll remain and walk on through For I’m never alone, Jesus  Because of the Cross   Dear Jesus, I have you.

     Do you know of anyone who’s lost a job? I do. I know probably four families that have been hit with job loss. Close to home, yes.

     But how do we help these people when we’re trying to hold on to what we have, scared of facing the same crisis?

     Certainly the Bible says to be givers – not to hold onto things of this life. Our reward is in heaven, not here. However, we must use common sense and be prepared without hoarding what God would have us give. 

     Comes back to another spiritual law of life: you reap what you sow. Led to help someone but scared of losing yourself? Just remember that God calls us to lose ourselves because we’re taken care of in Christ Jesus. And that we’re to be obedient, and give up everything so that His glory will be revealed to all around.

Lord we’re on our faces

  We’re crying out to you.

We’re losing jobs and wages

  Worried over shelter, food.

Lord we certainly don’t deserve it

  Don’t deserve your help at all

Why would you help us now

  When we’ve taken so long to call?

We can claim that we’re human

  We make all kinds of mistakes.

But that doesn’t answer the question

  Why did we wait and wait and wait? 

Lord we’re arrogant, prideful people

  Consumed with self no doubt

(We’ve even gotten extravagant

  In what we call shelter, consider a house!)

Lord we just don’t get it

  Until life is bearing down

That we’re the created beings –

  Not the toast of the town.

Please forgive our arrogant ways

  And our considerable lack of faith.

Please help us through this crisis

  Help us to be humble, to seek you.

For we have no other Savior

  Only Jesus, only Jesus will do.

Welcome to my new blog. My other blog, dradaker.blogspot.com is still up but is outdated. Like my writing, I’ve changed since starting that blog. Time for a new beginning.

Today we didn’t attend our church because my daughter’s Aroma of Praise group sang at another local church during their worship services this morning. It went well. They sound good – you can hear some harmony in certain parts of the songs. I’m always amazed at how they come into a new place and can get up there and sing without being nervous. It’s good training for the future I guess.

The state of churches across the country has been on my mind today. Like other churches in this area, our church has gone through a lot. People have come and gone, though right now I wouldn’t say that’s happening now. But we’ve had our ups and downs – and that is really a reflection of us. I mean, we’re being sanctified and that involves change; naturally, this is reflected in the operations, ministries, etc of the church.

There is no perfect church, since churches themselves are made up of fallen, sin-laden people – and so it bothers me somewhat when I hear criticisms of local ones. I mean, it isn’t a business or a corporation. It’s a church and it’s only as good as its people.

If your church doesn’t have the greatest outreach program, don’t complain – get involved! Although I’ve been in different church ministries and thus know the frustrations of trying to draw people in and get them involved, I also know that ministries and church programs have to begin somewhere.

If your efforts in ministry before seemed ineffective, then take a step back, learn from what happened, and commit to not giving up but persevering with God. Lately I’ve thought how what we’re up against in this day and age, is not persecution by burning at the stake – rather, we’re up against the the unseen persecution by the tantalizing of the flesh (and all of its pleasure-seeking ways).

(And okay, the word persecute primarily means to cause to suffer because of belief – maybe you can see where I’m coming from. It is evil out there surrounding us in a manner that earlier Christians couldn’t have dreamed of. (Well, they had to dream it. They certainly couldn’t accidently pull it up on the internet or flip by it on tv.))

Our ministries are in competition with much these days. Used to be churches were the places where people gathered in community. Our best bet is not in going all out, spending extra money on flyers, campaigns, PowerPoint presentations – our best bet is to do something we can always do regardless of weather, regardless of our financial situation, regardless of what’s going on around us.

Our best bet is simple really.

Our best bet is to pray.

DD (Doubly Destitute)