Landmark: August 2007
Grabbing God’s Grace
Sometimes God moments don’t exactly leave us giddy and feeling good. When men met God in a special way in the Scripture they were sometimes scared to death. But one thing is certain, those moments always leave us better.
On Sunday July 15th, Lee and I had a difficult day preaching. We experienced Satan’s opposition to what God had led us to speak about. It wasn’t fun and didn’t leave us giddy. It did leave our entire church better. It was intended as evil, God used it to make us better.
Here’s how. We learned something important about how Satan is holding us and blocking our deeper experience of God. It is not unique to us here at RMCC, but it is us. We have to own it, and examine ourselves, each one of us. He is able to grab hold of us in times of hurt, when people have hurt us, when life has dealt us a blow, or when we have hurt ourselves in some way. The spouse that violated you, the business partner that let you down, the disease you contracted, the investment that went bad, the death of one you loved, maybe something in the church that disappointed you, all of them hurt. In the aftermath, when we’re so very vulnerable, Satan sows seeds of bitterness in us.
We can start blaming. We can blame others and even blame God. We become suspicious. It feels good. It gives short term relief. The trouble is, soon we are being shaped by the one’s we blame. It’s awful, because the things we hate begin to own us and shape us. We are their slaves. When God does a great thing, it doesn’t move us like it should. We somehow miss us. The truth sets us free―the truth about us, about God, about what really happened.
Who shapes you? Does God? Or have you handed the tools over to someone or something else? Grab hold of God’s grace. It will help you let it go, whatever it is. It will help you deal with the hurt, without letting it deal with you. It will be a landmark moment that leads to a whole bunch more.
Bob Fox
Holy One
This past month, July 13th to be exact, we had our fourth Abandon―a night of going deeper in our worship experience! This all–church event provides an opportunity for anyone from any genre to gather together in corporate and personal worship of our Great God! The God of the universe desires to meet with us, to know us personally, to be honored and glorified by us! How completely mind–blowing is that?! So once a quarter (or so) we provide a place, a mechanism, a catalyst for doing just that — going and growing deeper in our worship and knowledge of Jesus. Read about this God story of how one person, a fellow believer in Christ, met The Almighty!
This summer has proven to be a season in my life dominated by busyness. For the first time in my life I have been working 40 hour weeks. I know for the average person a 40 hour week is something that, without a moment of contemplation, is routine. Due to the change in my schedule though I have found a dwindling in my quiet times with the Lord. I say all that to emphasize just how vital to my spiritual stamina the last Abandon night at the church was for me. I vividly remember driving to the church thinking about just how much I longed to become lost in the worship. The night proved to be one that filled my cup as I poured out my heart to the Lord. Usually I love having the opportunity to respond to the Lord through the different stations that are set up but on this particular night I found my self firmly planted in my seat, mauling over scripture, scribbling in my journal, and dwelling in the presence of our Almighty God. I want to quote something I wrote down in my journal as a response:
"The song I am sitting here mauling over is a great reflection and remembrance of where my heart has come from. Holy One, when I first heard this song I was a character in a skit that featured a man who was throwing off all the sin in his life and running all for You. Lord God renew me. Make me that man again." – Journal entry 07-13-07
Abandon proved to be a night I will forever remember in my journey with the Lord as one where the Lord met me and ministered to my surrendered heart.
And that is, indeed, what happened on July 13th at Abandon!
Susi Bennett, Interim Worship Leader
Summer Oasis
I work fulltime during the school year and so the best time to take a class is in the summer. I have taken a summer Bible study for three years and each time these lessons have spoke volumes to me personally. Two of the lessons made me want to change my way of thinking and actions so I could be the kind of woman God wants me to be. I would like to share my personal "landmarks" with you.
This summer’s Bible study was on the Women of the Bible. One week while studying Luke 10:38-42, which is the passage where Jesus was at the home of Martha and Mary; I felt much empathy for Martha and frustration for Mary. Upon review, I realize that I am like Martha wanting to be hospitable but ignoring the awesome opportunity of hearing Jesus’ words. I am learning to be conscious of my surroundings even when I might be caught up in "busyness" and this ultimately leads to the feeding of my soul.
The Power of the Tongue a study I took by Beth Moore made me more aware of what damage could result from mere words. During emotional times, I go to the Lord first, ask for His wisdom before addressing the situation. To keep things in perspective, I focus on strengths rather than weaknesses. Then my last check before speaking is to ask myself "is it true, is it necessary, and is it kind." Only then am I able to understand and distinguish if my words will be helpful rather than destructive. When I concentrate on God’s examples through His word, my spoken words are spirit influenced.
I hope you have been encouraged by the story of one of our women as she committed to studying God’s word and then living for Him! If you are not in a study, RMCC offers so many opportunities. For women, please check our website and learn about the great classes offered on Monday evenings and Tuesday mornings.
Nancy Braun, Women's Ministry Pastor
Walking Small Through Your Neighborhood
Lyle and Linda Parker have been active in our Marriage & Family ministry. They have most recently facilitated Laugh Your Way To A Better Marriage for groups in our church. Recently they took a risk and moved outside of the walls of the church and into their neighborhood. Here is their story:
Carlyle Naylor, Spiritual Formation Pastor
We began this adventure called marriage 44 years ago this week. For the first 13 years, we had a good solid life―then through a miraculous physical healing the Lord brought us into His family. We quickly began having small groups of couples in our home working through various marriage enrichment programs. Some of those same couples from the 70’s are still in the ministry of helping couples.
At communion Pastor Carlyle gave a talk on "Walking Small in your Neighborhood." We began to envision how we could do that. We learned about Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage and felt lead to invite our friends & neighbors. We invited a social club that Lyle was the past treasurer, which are good, but not close friends.
Our concern that Satan played on was that we would be offering a church–type function to a group of social–only contacts. We were fearful of their response, even though they knew we were Christians because every couple invited had all been in our home before for a gathering and had seen our large painting of Jesus over our fireplace.
What were we fearful of? What if we loose some of our friends? Or heaven forbid, what if we make them uncomfortable? The favorite tool of Satan―to not talk about religion in social settings―kept making us nervous. Funny how the Holy Spirit works―He made us very uncomfortable until we stepped out and began our small outreach to our neighbors & friends!
Of the 30 couples invited, 4 couples responded. Initially we had no idea where they were with the Lord. Laugh Your Way presents the gospel message twice during the seminar. Toward the last session we found out they were either Catholic, Presbyterian, Mormon or Christian. Each couple wanted to encourage others to attend. We have now scheduled a bonus session to continue the new-found closeness and keep talking through ongoing marriage issues.
This fall we feel the Lord is calling us to show Laugh Your Way to a group of newly married Mormon couples, please pray for us. What if all of us reached outside the walls of our church and took a stand for Christ? What if our friends and neighbors saw our concern for them―in practical and relevant ways―like marriage? What if we understood our influence and stepped out and used it for God’s glory?
