Chaplain’s Corner – Advent (Peace)

Dec12

The night Jesus was born angels appeared to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, `Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’” (Luke 2:13-14 KJV).

Peace – what a potentially misunderstood word for Christians. My mom (a faithful Christian) frequently expressed a desire for some “peace and quiet.” I can’t imagine whyJ. We often hear prayers for world peace; however, Jesus teaches his disciples that his second coming will be preceded by war and persecution. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come” (Matthew 24:6).  In other words, it seems that a desire for world peace is contradictory to a desire for Jesus’ return. So peace as defined by the absence of conflict and war is not realistic in the view of a Christian. Of course, that doesn’t mean that Christians are in favor of war, just that it is the reality of the end times we are living in.

That said, it is important to note that the heavenly hosts accompanying the angel were actually God’s Angel Army (see the Chaplain’s Corner from April 18, 2018). Among other duties, God’s Angel Army has been commissioned to engage in spiritual warfare with Satan and his demons. We read about their work in Old Testament passages (examples 2 Kings 6 and Daniel 10). Can you imagine how the heavenly hosts must have felt to be assigned to announce the birth of the Prince of Peace, knowing that at long last the end of war was in sight? To me, it would be similar to being in a time of turmoil, maybe like an interim period between pastors at church or between leaders at work, and finally the new pastor or leader is announced and we have hope that everything will be good now. These heavenly hosts know that there will continue to be spiritual warfare for a time, but there is a new “general” in charge. Although he is a tiny baby now, he will be the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS, and that is why they are singing so joyously about the peace that is to come.

And then, Jesus himself tells us in in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” What is this peace that Jesus promises to us, this peace that is not of this world? In this verse from John 14 is the promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is explaining to the disciples about his pending departure, and here he is promising that God will send the Holy Spirit to be with them in his physical absence. This is a wonderful reference to the triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The three persons of the trinity were perfectly reconciled to each other. Jesus came into the world to reconcile us with God, our Father, and he has asked that God also send the Holy Spirit to each of us. Ultimate peace is peace with God. We had alienated ourselves from God through our sin, and it is only through Jesus’ death on the cross that we can hope for reconciliation and peace with God, as Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NIV):

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

 There is war and discord going on all over the world—war between nations, between ethnic groups, between political parties, between individuals. There is a key principle in overcoming these conflicts–this lack of peace–and that is to realize who our enemy really is. This war and discord is but a symptom of the spiritual warfare that is being waged between God’s Angel Armies and Satan and his demons. The enemy of peace is Satan; our common enemy is Satan. As we strive to make peace with God and with our fellow man, let us pray for wisdom and strength to resist Satan and engage in spiritual warfare, calling at all times on the Holy Spirit.

During this season of Advent, let us praise God for his promise of ultimate victory over Satan and peace “that is not of this world” through the coming of his Son: “Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” (Romans 16:19-20).

Lyrics to “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” by Edmund Sears

 It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,
From heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.

In Christ,

Judy

Painting

Dec7

As I shared before, I am learning to paint as a member of the Artists on Main Painting Society in Goodlettsville. Here’s my third effort. It is a church that Wanda Diatikar and I saw this past October in Woodstock, Vermont (thanks Linda Coombs for the recommendation).

Chaplain’s Corner – Advent (Promise)

Dec5

There’s a lot not to like about December. It’s cold. It’s often wet. It’s often wet and cold. It can be dreary. The days are getting shorter, and the traffic seems to get worse. But over the years, I have learned to love December for many reasons. Here are a few:

  1. As much as I love to garden and see things grow, December affords me some time to clean out my gardens and to rest along with the ground.
  2. I try to appreciate the cold crisp air, contrasting it with the hot and humid days of summer when I was wishing for a break in the heat.
  3. With the leaves off the trees, I can see through the trees into people’s back yards and even further. I can see through the trees into the fields beyond as I am driving along the interstate. I know that sounds weird (please don’t judge me), but it’s just fun to see what is usually hidden by the trees and other undergrowth of spring, summer, and fall. And you are more likely to see hawks and other similar types of birds when the leaves are off the trees.
  4. I love homemade soup, chili, and other hearty meals. They are just better when it’s cold outside.
  5. I love “cozy.” Cozy is just a wintertime thing and it’s so comforting.

I think that December is also a great month because of Christmas, of course, and because I know that the New Year is right around the corner, with its promise of new beginnings.

Maybe promise is the best reason of all to love December, because December is a month of resting on God’s promises.

  • We know that December won’t last forever, that spring will always follow winter. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22).
  • We know that light followed darkness. “…the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16).
  • We know that eternal life is promised to all who believe. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Season of Advent began this past Sunday. It runs from the fourth Sunday before Christmas through Christmas Eve. During Advent, we plan and prepare for the second coming of Christ just as those in Jesus’ day anticipated the first coming of Christ. Let us celebrate the fact that we can both look back on how God fulfilled his promise beginning in Genesis 3:15 with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, as well as look forward to living each day in community with the risen Lord and our fellow believers.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude 401 (Suffering)

Nov28

Many of you most likely have a Ph.D. in hard times.  I have certainly had my experiences.  All of us have had our share, some more than others.  Maybe you are wiser than me, but my tendency is to try to get through those hard times to resume my “normal.”  But this is faulty thinking. In these verses, troubles and suffering seem to be a given.

  • Jesus said in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
  • Peter said in 1 Peter 5:10: “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
  • Luke wrote in Acts 14:21-22 of Paul and Barnabas that “They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they (Paul and Barnabas) said.”
  • Paul said in Philippians 1:29 “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake…”
  • Job said in Job 1:21 “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

God established a Paradise for his creation. However, Adam and Eve blew it. You and I blew it.  All humans have believed the lie of Satan rather than the truth of God (Genesis 3; Romans 1); and therefore we all, and indeed, the earth itself, will suffer for it until God calls his people home or until Jesus returns to take his followers with him to the new Paradise.

What this leads me to believe is that our “normal” is to suffer. We will struggle for a living. We will endure sickness and disability, and we will be persecuted. My perspective should be to expect suffering as my earthly “normal” and to be so thankful when times are good. In fact, in that regard, I mostly feel extraordinarily blessed. Certainly more than so many who reside in third world countries or in places where there are repressive governments.

In the book of John beginning in Chapter 13, Jesus and his disciples gather for the Last Supper. After supper, Jesus begins to talk in earnest to his disciples to let them know what is about to happen. He imparts much insight and wisdom during this last discourse. He continues in chapters 14-16, concluding with the amazing prayer in Chapter 17. Afterwards they go to the Garden of Gethsemane and the events of Jesus’ last days occur during which he endures unspeakable torment and suffering.  In the last verse of chapter 16, right before the prayer, He says this: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus wants us to know that even though we suffer in this world, we can have peace in Him, and we can take comfort in the fact that He has overcome the world.  He will fulfill the promise God made in Genesis 3:14-15 after Adam and Eve committed their sin and were banished from Paradise.  Through Jesus, we can have peace in this world and enjoy Paradise in the next.  We will have hard times, but we don’t have to let them defeat us.

Isaiah calls Jesus the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6.  Jesus himself promises us in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

This Chaplain’s Corner is the fourth in a series on Gratitude, and I have somewhat tongue- in-cheek referred to them as Gratitude 101 – Random Acts of Kindness, Gratitude 201 – Common Grace, Gratitude 301 – Saving Grace, and Gratitude 401 – Suffering. In fact, this Chaplain’s Corner on suffering could well be the Master’s or Ph.D. level course because it’s so difficult to be grateful in the face of suffering. But that is precisely what God calls us to. He knows that when we are grateful in the face of suffering, we are acknowledging His sovereignty and actively putting all our faith and trust in Him.

Here is one of my favorite songs by Getty Music, and it comforts me when I am struggling for any reason:  He Will Hold Me Fast.

I pray that you will experience the blessings and peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude 301 (Saving Grace)

Nov21

This Chaplain’s Corner is a continuation of last week’s theme on grace. Last week I focused on common grace. This week’s focus is on saving grace.

God created the universe and all that is in it. Only God could do such a great work. Everything that we as humans do to create, invent, or build first starts with God-given abilities and materials. Before the universe existed, God is. He is the Great I Am.

When God created the universe, he created mankind. He set aside the Garden of Eden (Paradise) for Adam and Eve and allowed them free rein, except for one thing—they were not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Have you ever thought about the fact that this tree was evidence that evil was already present? God had also already created the angels, and Lucifer/Satan had already fallen and was now in open conflict with God.) God gave mankind the choice to obey Him or fall into the hands of Satan. Obedience to God would lead to eternal life (the Tree of Life was also in the Garden of Eden). Disobedience would lead to death (banishment from the Garden and access to the Tree of Life).

The following then transpired:

  • Genesis 3:3-4 – Satan tempted Eve/Adam (it’s always Satan who tempts, never God).
  • Genesis 3:6 – Eve, then Adam, fell for Satan’s lies (Satan is the great deceiver) and disobeyed God. This is what we call “The Fall.”
  • Genesis 3:15 – God cursed the serpent and promised that one day Satan would be crushed by the son of Man (Jesus).
  • Genesis 3:23-24– God banished man from Paradise. However, we see through the Scriptures that even though man was banished from Paradise, and even though the earth became more and more corrupted (Genesis 6:11), God remained a presence in their lives. He continued, and continues, to provide common grace as we read last week.
  • All the Scriptures from Genesis 3:16 until the appearance of Jesus in the New Testament tell of God’s relationship with man after the Fall. God, through Moses, created a system of religion by which man could access Him. He gave the law and the ability to daily offer sacrifices to atone for sins. God’s promise to man continued to be to obey and have eternal life, or to disobey and die. This is known as the Old Covenant (Deuteronomy 30:15-18). It is conditional upon obedience, and therefore a works-based religion.

Then, with the appearance of Jesus in the New Testament, God fulfilled his promise in Genesis 3:15. Some of the Old Testament prophets also referred to the promise of a New Covenant (example Jeremiah 31:31, 33). God sent his beloved Son, Jesus, to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus Christ has paid the price. He has done the deed. He has been obedient to his Father and offered himself as the once-and-for-all sacrifice for all our sins so that by believing, we can receive the promise of eternal life. The old religion of works is over. There is nothing we can do on our own. We just have to accept this incredible gift of saving grace (Hebrews 9).

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

I am so thankful that God didn’t give up on us. I am so thankful that he has continued to love on his Creation. I am so thankful that he sent his Son, who was obedient to death on the cross, for me and you. I am so incredibly grateful that my salvation is not conditional upon anything I do; because hard as I try, I can never be good enough. I am thankful for saving grace.

A few weeks ago, my oldest granddaughter (age 12) told me that she had accepted Christ into her life. I told her that nothing in her life would ever make me happier—not the day of her birth, the day of her graduation, the day of her wedding or first child that would make me happier than the knowledge that she has accepted Christ. A couple of weeks ago, our fellow NRM staffer Michelle Brinson shared that her son Jadon had accepted Christ into his life. She rejoiced, and we share in that rejoicing. I pray that you have received this gift. If you are not sure, please let me know. I will come and pray with you and we can talk about it. I want you to possess this gift of saving grace. I can’t think of anything greater to be thankful for.

Blessings,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude 201 (Common Grace)

Nov14

“He (God) causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45b)

Have you ever forgotten to turn off the coffee pot before leaving the house, or maybe left the lights on accidentally? Have you gotten distracted and missed the birthday of someone important? A couple of Monday’s ago I missed a doctor appointment. It was in my calendar, but I failed to look at my calendar and didn’t realize I had missed the appointment until several hours later. I felt so bad because I needed to go the doctor and now I was going to have to wait until the next opening. My husband will tell you I am the worst at turning off the lights. Well, he’s not so good at remembering birthdays, just saying.

That brings me to my second Chaplain’s Corner on Thanksgiving. Last week I expressed my gratitude for all the random acts of kindness expressed by you. This week I want to reflect on God’s intentional expression of common grace to all his creation. I am so thankful that God is not depending on me (or you) to ensure that the sun comes up in the morning or sets in the evening. Thank goodness he isn’t relying on my capricious nature to direct the rainfall.

What is common grace, and how does it differ from saving grace? You know, God didn’t have to create mankind; it was his choice to create us to experience relationship with Him. And when Adam and Eve disobeyed him after all he had done for them, he didn’t have to preserve them or any of their descendants. He could have wiped out any or all of creation right then and started over. Who would have blamed him?

When I disobey (I know you are surprised to hear that about me), he has every right to take me out, or at the very least to isolate and punish me by withholding his providence and the benefits of his creation. To be sure, there are consequences to sin that we must bear, but one thing we don’t have to worry about is whether he will withhold the providence of nature. We can be sure that the sun will rise every morning and set every evening on schedule for all–believers and nonbelievers alike. We can be sure that when he sends rain, it rains on everyone in its path regardless of their relationship with him. This is common grace.

Why does God provide common grace? He explains in a passage known as general revelation that he wants us to have no excuse to realize that it is an all-powerful and eternal divinity, our Creator, who provides for all out of his love for his creation. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”  (Romans 1:20)

In other words, God provides common grace because He wants all mankind to know him and to realize his authority and power over sin and the grave. This does not mean that God will preserve us eternally unconditionally. We must receive the blessing of eternal life by believing in God’s gift of Jesus his son as the sacrifice for our sin to receive saving grace.  To clarify, the condition is not anything that we do, it is about what Christ has done for us and our willingness to receive that gift.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is saving grace.

I am thankful for God’s unfailing, consistent expression of common grace to me, to you, and to all mankind. And let’s remember to express our gratitude for this expression of his love by worshipping him as David did in Psalm 19:1-6.

A psalm of David

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Source and additional reading: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/providence-and-common-grace/

Blessings,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude 101 (Random Acts of Kindness)

Nov7

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

I keep a small, red, heart-shaped box on my desk to remind me to be grateful.

I received this red box this past Valentine’s Day from a man who had graduated from the program, joined our staff, relapsed, disappeared, and then reappeared in Guest Services Pathways. It really touched my heart. I’m pretty sure I was not the only recipient of one of these boxes of candy, but I still felt special.

This small, red, heart-shaped box contained four pieces of chocolate. I was able to stretch this bounty over two days (you should know that I consider chocolate to be a major food group and an essential part of my diet). As I enjoyed eating the chocolate, I kept thinking, “I should go downstairs and find him and thank him.” But a week went by, or maybe two, and then one day I saw him in the parking lot. He said, “Did you get the box of chocolates that I gave you?” I said I did, thanked him and hugged him, and he expressed how delighted he was to be able to give this gift.

I was so humbled, and frankly embarrassed, at my tardiness in expressing my gratitude for a gift that I knew had meant so much to the giver. I knew that he didn’t have much, if any disposable income, and whatever he had spent on this gift meant that he had to go without something himself. Being able to give this gift was a giant step in the right direction for him, and my failure to acknowledge without prompting was more than rude, it was a failure to acknowledge him for his heartfelt expression of generosity, his way of giving of himself.

I am truly so thankful for all the random, and not so random, acts of kindness that I receive on a daily basis from you, from our guests, and from our program participants. It is really a bountiful display of friendship and love, and it means so much to me. I pray that I never take it for granted what these gifts mean to me and to the givers, and I pray that I will be much more faithful to express my gratitude on a timelier basis.

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now ….” (Philippians 1:3-5, NIV)

Blessings,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Progression

Oct31

I consider myself to be a motivated person.  I truly want to do right.  Most of the time I did what my parents expected of me (most of the time).  In school, I was a good student.  I studied and made good grades.  When I got married, I wanted to be a good wife, and then a good mother, doing all the things that I thought good wives and mothers did.  And of course, I wanted to be a good employee.  I tried hard, but felt like I always fell short.  I thought I could muscle through, using my powers of self-control which I must say were pretty good.   So there I was, a fairly driven person, and miserable.  “Good” as I was, I never felt that I was enough.

Several years ago, I remember reading 2 Peter 1:3-11.  The idea of a progression, beginning with faith, then doing good, increasing in knowledge and self-control, but then progressing to perseverance, then godliness, then mutual affection, and finally love, made so much sense to me. These qualities are echoed in the passage about the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23:

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

As a good Christian, I knew that I should be exhibiting all the fruits of the spirit, but I was treating them like they were the result of my own efforts to do good, thinking that I should be able to accomplish most anything through my powers of self-control.  Feeling frustrated, I continued to pray about this, and then the Holy Spirit revealed to me that self-control is actually one of the fruits of the Spirit (as it clearly states in the passage above).  I was going about it all wrong!  I thought I could possess the fruits of the Spirit through my own abilities, rather than realizing that I needed to recognize the Holy Spirit as the source, even of my self-control.  I also believe that the order of the fruits is intentional, with love being first and self-control being last.  Rather than powering through my to-do list, I needed to engage the Holy Spirit to help me to love God and others first and foremost. In fact, the passage in 2 Peter clearly says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” 

The passage in 2 Peter not only references a progression, but also “increasing measure” (v.8).  However, rather than instilling in me a frustration with never being good enough, instead I am now inspired to continually deepen my walk with God, knowing that my reward is not my goodness, but “a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”.

I pray that this message is an encouragement for us all.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life (Jude 20-21).

Blessings,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Belonging and Communion

Oct24

As I wrote last week, I made my profession of faith just before my tenth birthday. What I didn’t tell you was why I asked my pastor to baptize me right away. Baptisms were usually scheduled for every couple of months since we had to heat the baptismal pool.  However, I happened to know that we would be participating in the Lord’s Supper (Communion) the next Sunday and only members of the church could participate. Technically I would not become a member of the church until I had been baptized, so I asked to be baptized right away, that evening during the Sunday night service.  What I remember about being baptized is that the water was really cold. However, I got to participate in the Lord’s Supper the very next Sunday. (Yes, I realize that no one would have kept me from participating in the Lord’s Supper, but I felt that sense of urgency.) Maybe I was a little proud of being able to take Communion, but I don’t think that’s all bad.  I was so happy to demonstrate that I was now a member of the church, and I felt part of something very important, Communion. Sometimes we would all hold hands afterwards and sing “Blessed Be the Tie That Binds.”

Sometimes we participate in Communion while in our pews or chairs, sometimes we go to the altar. Sometimes it’s bread, and most times it’s crackers (it’s always grape juice where I go). Some special memories include going to visit our shut-ins and taking Communion with them. While special for my husband and me, I could tell that it was even more meaningful to the elderly men and women we visited who so missed this act of community. Another very special recollection was when I was at a Women’s Retreat and we were preparing to take Communion.  We had a time of prayer and reflection, and I remembered an interaction I had with another woman at church who happened to be there.  She is a wonderful woman of God, but we had differed on something not very important. I went to her and asked for forgiveness for my hard feelings and we prayed and took Communion together. I will never forget that.

Fast forward to a few Sundays ago, when our congregation celebrated Communion.  I love this ordinance of the church, and I love sharing with my fellow believers the symbols of our LORD’s sacrifice for us, representing his body broken and blood shed for us. Our pastor provided time for us to get our hearts ready for Communion with a time of prayer and confession. I prayed over my relationships. I asked for God to reveal to me any sins, problems, issues. You know, because Jesus died for us for the purpose of reconciling with our Heavenly Father, it just doesn’t seem right to not pursue reconciliation with all our brothers and sisters in Christ. In fact, it seems essential that we live in reconciliation with each other as well as with our Heavenly Father. That’s what community is, and why the Lord’s Supper/Communion is so meaningful when taken in community, especially with our church family.

I love this except from Tim Challie’s website (referenced below) regarding our preparation for Communion:

“A Renewing of Love – We come to renew our love not only to God but also to our brethren. “For it is a feast of the Lord, and it is an act of communion; communion not only with Christ, but with His churches, with His saints… The Lord requires that His children should not fall out who come to His table, but that there should be love and peace. There’s a mighty bond when you come to the sacrament, and therefore, first all heart-burnings and heart-grudges must be laid aside.”

So although we serve, work for, and worship Jesus at the Mission, the Mission cannot take the place of our church family. Fellowshipping with Christ and other believers in baptism and communion are essential to our Christian walk. These ordinances are regularly practiced in the local church. I pray that you are a member of a Bible-believing church and that you are actively participating in all the areas of worship in your church.

For more on this subject, I recommend this website: https://www.challies.com/articles/preparation-for-communion/

Blessed Be the Tie That Binds

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne,
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts, and our cares.

We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

Blessings,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Belonging and Baptism

Oct17

The Christian walk is not intended to be solitary. That is one big reason why the Mission is so wonderful—it has community built in for our guests and program participants. Because of the shared vision for the Mission and our brotherhood/sisterhood in Christ, it is also community for our staff, and I treasure that. We support each other and work together to advance the kingdom. The connections I have with each of you are so precious to me.

That said, this Chaplain’s Corner is about community within a local church, and I am making a case for each of you to find and foster membership in a local church because I believe it to be essential to your personal health and to your ministry. (If you are tempted to quit reading, please don’t. I would not write this if I didn’t think it was important.) As close as I feel with you, my relationships with my local church family are essential to my health as a Christian. I have always been a member of a church; I have been a member of four churches in my life, and even though I am currently a member of only one of them, the other three remain important to my life. I honestly can’t imagine not belonging to a local church.

I made my profession of faith just before my tenth birthday. In the church my parents belonged to, the next step was my baptism by immersion.  This was usually scheduled for every couple of months since we had to heat the baptismal pool.  However, I asked to be baptized right away–that same evening during the Sunday night service.  What I remember about being baptized that evening is that the water was cold and the lady helping me to dress afterwards had to rub me down pretty good to warm me back up. I have always been appreciative of my pastor’s willingness to get into that cold baptismal pool with me, and the fact that he honored my own sense of urgency.

Since then, I have witnessed baptisms by both immersion and sprinkling; and in church baptismal pools, in rivers and lakes, in a swimming pool, and even in a large tub (small child). They are all very special acts of community, of sharing in an important step in a believer’s walk of faith. Although baptism is an act of obedience, it is not necessary for salvation. We are following Christ’s example; we are demonstrating that we have repented of our sins and that we have died to our old life and are now new creatures in Christ. For those who are able to be baptized, in many churches it is an essential act of obedience necessary for membership in that local church. As a member of a church, when someone is baptized, it is like a family wedding in the sense that we celebrate the addition of a new member of the family.

Commenting on this text of scripture, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” — Mark 16:16, Charles Spurgeon said:

“Why do you suppose that baptism is put into this prominent position? I think that it is for this reason, Baptism is the outward expression of the inward faith. He who believes in Christ with his heart confesses his faith before God and before the Church of God by being baptized. Now, the faith that speaks thus is not a dumb faith; it is not a cowardly faith; it is not a sneaking faith. Paul puts the matter thus, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”*

 Baptism is an ordinance that is practiced in community. Have you ever thought about that fact that you cannot baptize yourself?  Jesus asked to be baptized by John the Baptist, who in turn thought he should have been baptized by Jesus. And when Jesus was baptized, God spoke from Heaven, and the Holy Spirit was also present in the form of a dove. This is one of the few examples in the Bible of the Trinity all being present at one time. Baptism demonstrates community.

So although we serve, work for, and worship Jesus at the Mission, the Mission cannot take the place of our church family. Fellowshipping with Christ and other believers in baptism and communion (more about this next week) are essential to our Christian walk. These ordinances are regularly practiced in the local church. I pray that you are a member of a Bible-believing church and that you are actively participating in all the areas of worship in your church.

For more on this subject, I recommend this website: https://www.challies.com/articles/whats-the-purpose-of-baptism/.

Blessings,

Judy