ohhh, good blog entry, sara!
I think we're shy on having people point out our weaknesses because that usually means they're thinking badly of us, and too often that means that they're not loving us anymore because they see we are not worthy of love (like that should come as a shock!). And in our gut, we feel that we can only be loved if we're seen as perfect.

...BTW, it IS Sara, isn't it? Whatever...
-cel

yesterday during fellowship, ken reminded us that we are "spur one another on to good works." and as the wilson kids, and cora, danial, and bethany displayed--this can come in a wide variety of ways. this seems to be quite a fundamental concept, yet one all to quickly forgotten as we go about our day. we become consumed with our list of "things to do" and forget that many others need help in completing their list of things to do. and rarely does their list compare in significance to ours.
however, there is another side to this we must remember--and that is to be humble enough to receive the spurring. i myself seem to remember quite well that Scripture is there for edification and encouraging...but i often avoid at all costs (believe it or not) to use it for criticizing (constructively) and refining. furthermore, i absolutely hate being the one refined. but is this not an aspect of spurring? should i not thank my brother/sister who cared enough to see a fault, and then approach me so that i do not continue in my path to destruction? "spurring one another on to good deeds" often means reminding each other what "bad deeds" to avoid. we have been blessed with a group of Christ's followers that truly love one another, do we trst each other enough to have them spur us on by poiting out our wekanesses and faults, and not be hurt or create animosity in the mean time? even God's love comes in the form of discipine (see hebrews 12), therefore let us remember to spur and receive spurring, with love as our motive, in ways that might be hurtful in the beginning, but eternally constructive in the end.
(sjg)

Pondering God’s Purposes
Betsy Childs
12/19/03

[NOTE: this is a daily devotional from Ravi Zacharias ministries which I think is very appropriate, so I include it here. -ken]

Sometimes I’m ashamed of the questions that come to mind when I’m studying
the Bible. As I recently read through the account of the shepherds’ trip
to Bethlehem to find the newly born Jesus, the question that plagued me
was, “Who stayed with the sheep when the shepherds went to Bethlehem?” I
had visions of shepherds returning to their flocks in the wee hours of the
morning, only to find them scattered. I admit, this is not a very
spiritual thing for me to be worried about, but I’m someone who gets
concerned about logistics. All too often, I find myself thinking more
like Martha than Mary, worrying about things like food getting cold if a
prayer runs long.

When God ordains miraculous events in history, you would expect Him to
take care of the logistics. He certainly does in the sense that He works
out every detail necessary to fulfill his prophecies and work his will.
He made sure that Caesar Augustus would authorize a census so that Mary
and Joseph would be in Bethlehem at the right time for Mary to give birth;
after all, Micah had prophesied that the shepherd of Israel would be born
there (Micah 5:2-4). But God doesn’t always work the details of his plan
so that it is smooth sailing for us. If I had been Mary, I think I would
have expected God to find me a place to stay once I got to Bethlehem.
Since Mary was to give birth to the Son of God, you’d at least think He
would provide a bed for her. But Mary gave birth to her firstborn in a
stable, because there was no room for them in the inn. God did not fail
to plan a place for Jesus’ birth, but it is not the setting I would have
expected.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he told her twice that she had
found favor with God. If an angel said that to me, I would probably
interpret it as, “Things are about to get a lot easier for you!” But, as
Christian speaker David Nasser has pointed out, this is not what favor
with God means. The fact that God sent the shepherds to find the baby did
not necessarily mean that their sheep would be there when they got back.
Favor with God often makes life seem a lot harder! I believe this is a
hard thing for Christians to grasp. I’ve known those who, after
surrendering to God’s call to go to the mission field, are bewildered when
they have trouble raising their support. Pastors are understandably
confused when church giving isn’t adequate for the church budget. Any
itinerant speaker can tell you that Christians lose luggage even when they
are on missions of mercy, and God’s anointing on a message does not mean
that there won’t be problems with the preacher’s microphone.

Biblical stories remind us that logistical hitches are not signs that God
has abandoned us. It was not easy for the apostles to manage the early
church, which in one day increased by three thousand people (Acts 2:41).
The apostle Paul was repeatedly imprisoned, shipwrecked three times, and
even spent a night and day in the open sea (2 Corinthians 11:25). I’m
sure these tremendous challenges to Paul’s ministry made him at times want
to question his favor with God. However, ours is not a religion of
superstition in which we take any inconvenience or discouragement as an
omen that we should turn back. If you get in a fender-bender on your way
to deliver gifts to the homeless, or if your church’s power goes out right
before the Christmas pageant, God is still with you! We need to learn to
view logistical nightmares as opportunities to walk by faith and not by
sight. One of the most heartening promises in God’s word is Romans 8:28,
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (ESV).

Sometimes we see the reasons God has allowed a glitch in our plans. We’ve
all heard stories of how God’s providence has worked through unforeseen
circumstances. But when we don’t see how inconveniences will work for
God’s glory, we must still trust Him that they will. He is the one who
will insure that all things work according to his purpose. Mary’s
response to the birth of her firstborn in a stable was not doubting or
complaining. Luke tells us, “But Mary treasured up all these things and
pondered them in her heart” (2:19). We will do well to follow her example
this Christmas, if our plans go awry, by looking at every unforeseen
situation as an opportunity to ponder God’s plan as we wait for Him to
reveal his purposes.

Copyright © 2003 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM)

I had to think about this one for a while before replying...
You have to have faith in times of grief, because what other option is there? Only bad things come when faith is missing. To be grateful for whatever is left, that's important. To stop wishing that God would stop the bullets in midair so you don't get any pain in this life, to realize that the superficial and the deep walk side by side, and not beat yourself up for thinking about sewing on a button when you think you should be pondering the death of your loved one. It happens.
We're all going to go through this death thing. That doesn't make it any easier; as a matter of fact, having Joe Black pay more than a few visits in my life in the past few years has made me stare death in the face and KNOW I'm going to Just End one day- not in that cool, logical knowledge, "yeah, we're all gonna DIE someday, me included"........no, I understood almost completely through and through, that I am going to die. It's going to be an emotion, a comprehension, when it comes, and the best I can hope for is a dignified, painless death. Being an artist and a woman, I wouldn't mind if it were poetic, too.
We all go through death in different ways. I can't say "I know how you feel" to Bethany because our circumstances were different, and we're different individuals, and she's going to go through this differently than I did. Bottom line is, it's gonna be weird- sudden widowhood is really weird.
I can only pray fervently that she'll be given what I was given, the grace of God to not-go-nuts, to still notice the sunlight and all the tiny things in this world that are beautiful. Life is too short to let grief drain out the beauty from our vision. Bethany sees the beauty in life, and I don't want that to change.
-cel

shelly, if you get this, i can bring my vaccuum over monday and vaccuum for you...just let me know of a time. my phone number is 251-2973

chris green

i just heard on CNN news that the U.S. is growing in population faster than any other industrialized country. on an average, about 8,000 people enter our borders--either through birth, legal or illegal immigration. that means that 2.9 million more peole will be living inside our borders. given that, and assuming it stays the same (though it is currently on the increase), in nearly 85 years our country will consist of nearly 500million people, double what it is right now. just a while ago the book "The Prayer of Jebez" was making headlines as one of the top sellers, even in the secular market. so many people were praying and praying for God to "increase our borders" and to "broaden our horizons"...i wonder what book will be on the sales rack next week when we have as much poverty as other third world countries? the news cast guy even said that the growth rate is comparitable to many other third world population increases. now i am not anti-immigration, by all means please let them in! but this is a great responsibility for us Church. if we want our borders broadened, then we better be ready to take all the responsibility that goes along with it. the streets will have even more panhandlers than we can imagine, will we be willing to give more to the needy? we will be inviting strangers into our community so they can become family? God is giving us a great opportunity, may the flock come into our land, join hands with us, and then go back and reach the lost throughout the world.

chris

"We are all 'invincible' until it is our time" When Ken spoke those words today at the funeral, I had to think for a minute....WOW...we ARE! Until the time the Lord has for us to join Him, NOTHING and NO ONE can take us! So, we are to live without fear...fear from death, from what man can do to us. Chip lived without fear. And he was a man to have next to you in a pinch. He was ALWAYS serving someone. ALWAYS! The Vater's are a great example of servanthood. He was a man I wish to emulate. As Ken spoke of the 'eyes of faith', I realized that Bethany has those! The ability to experience joy and grief at the same time. To hurt terribly, but rest in the eternal Hope! And Jesus is that hope....who we all live for! For Bethany, Trey, Chaz, Kyler, and Kinnsa, we pray for Jesus to give you rest and for His Spirit to comfort you in your mourning. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away...Blessed be the name of the Lord!! mark

today at chip's funeral, ken made an interesting comment on how what happened monday was not an "accident", but rather a timely occurrence instituted by God Almighty, just as all "accidents" are. i think (correct me if i am wrong ken) that what he implied was that God is in control, and that what happened monday took place for a certain reason, and we are going to find that out as we stay faithful to God. however, i still find myself hurting, and wishing this "accident" never took place. then i stop and realize that what i am wishing for is for God to act differently, and to not intervene like He did and does. in all honesty i really do not know what to come of all this and i can't imagine what beth and the kids are going through mentally and spiritually. i think death is the epitome of how God's ways are higher than ours, and that we don't understand things like He does.
ken, i want to thank you for your leadership at CCIPH. it is leaders like you, ben, michael w., and yes chip that have made our congregation be so devoted to Christ. thank you for all your discipling, caring, praying, and leading. thank you for being worthy to follow. and for following Jesus yourself so carefully. and thank you ellen for being there for ken and being an incredible help-mate.
"come Lord Jesus come..."

chris g

Hello,I have never been more sure about the power of Gods voice than I am at this very moment.It started two years ago when I met Cory Bullock through the Price Hill Party at the Bible College and has been on my heart every scence.With every little or big obsticle in my life,the thought of God and the church has been my answer.God has said "remember the church and remember me".I think about that and I then think about prayer.When I went to that first Price Hill Party and I asked the dedicated college students teaching people so much older then themselves the word of God (and knowing what they were talking about) I asked them to pray for my family and to stregthen my relationship with God.Today about two years later I am sitting and reflecting on how many times I have prayed for the Lord to bring other Christian members into my life.It has just been amazing to me the Love that flows from Christ Community.I know that God has answered my prayers.Gods voice has been very strong in my heart that I should become more involved with my church family and I am not sure how to do that, so I am comeing back to you and asking you to please pray for me that I can see what God wants me to do from here.How I can serve him through Christ Comunity.Thank You for all your prayers,gifts,hugs,and love.
Shelly

P.S Would anyone happen to have a vacume cleaner I could borrow?

LESSONS FROM BALAAM

Balaam was a prophet of the Most High God. As such, I might assume that he was a man of integrity, a man free from the love of money, a man of God. But that was not the case. When Jesus wrote to the church at Thyatira in Revelation, our Lord harkened back to Balaam, urging the church there not to tolerate his teaching in their midst. What lessons can I learn from Balaam? Some powerful ones.

1. When God tells me something, do not come back and ask Him a second time. Balaam asked God if he could go, and God said no. When the men came back with more money this time, God permitted him to go with them, only with severe warnings not to compromise. Likewise, when Israel asked for a king, God said no. But when they continued to pester Samuel about it, they were permitted, but with great warning. God didn't want Balaam going, and Balaam knew it. That was the beginning of his problem.

2. God speaks through asses, and He has done so ever since. It is not the reputation of the prophet that makes his words true, it is the message. God put words into a donkey's mouth. Am I less gifted? Is that person that God uses to deliver a painful message to me less gifted? I must listen carefully and weigh the message, not the messenger.

3. Perhaps a prophet should not be paid. This is a little controversial, and I have to work it out, but I'm thinking that if a prophet is paid (especially if he is paid well), there is a conflict of interests that is not healthy. Balaam was paid in advance, and supposedly was immune to that conflict of interests by telling his benefactor that he would only say what the Lord told him. Yet, we find out in Revelation that Balaam talked out of both sides of his mouth. He blessed the people of Israel, and then told the king how he could defeat them by causing them to compromise. There is a problem when the prophet is beholden to the people that he addresses. Even indirect sources of income, such as book sales or honoraria, can bring compromise, as we are tempted to write or say what will generate the most money.

While a message may be separated from the messenger, it is still the duty of the messenger to be pure before the Lord.

"LORD, thank you for the warnings about Balaam. Keep me on your path, and cause me to walk with You rather than pursue the acceptance of people or their money. Let me be like Jesus, who was as pure as He was poor. In His name I ask it. Amen."
-ker

THANK YOU FOR THE SCAR

Jacob worshiped as he leaned on his staff, according to Hebrews 11:21. It seems rather strange to include a detail of leaning on his staff as he worshiped. I know Jacob was an old man by then, and an old man might lean on his staff, but why didn't he worship lying in his bed, or worship as he coughed?

Suddenly it hits me: Jacob leaned on his staff because he had a limp! He got that limp years before, when he had wrestled with an angel and had "won." No, he didn't win the contest, but he held on through the pain of having his hip knocked out of socket, through the fear and the darkness, until the angel would tell him his name and would bless him. Then the angel told him that Jacob had wrestled with God and with man and had won. He was renamed Israel the day he got his limp. And Jacob's limp, and his now-necessary staff became symbols of his thanksgiving, and of his renewed relationship with God.

What about me? Do I have any scars from wrestling with God? Any emotional or physical defects that I have cried out to God over, that have nearly driven me from faith and trust? Any events that have hurt me deeply, and yet proved to be a turning point in my life? Any foolish sins of my youth that have left their permanent marks on my soul or body? If so, these are the marks of worship, even as they are the reminders of past suffering.

I do have some painful scars. I have physical traits that I had considered to be defects that have since become my special marks of God's ownership. They are messengers from Satan sent to humble me, and I cried out for God to remove them, but instead heard that God's grace is sufficient. Sufficient. And so today I stand as a worshiper, even as I look in the mirror.

And there have been some deep hurts, some so personal that I almost can't talk about them. They were dark nights for my soul, but they were the nights when God stayed and held me through the night until I could see the morning light. And so today when I remember the pains of the past, I stand in worship.

And yes, there have been some foolish sins of my past that still bring the memory of shame and guilt with them. And yet there on the IOU is written by the hand of God, PAID IN FULL. God's grace causes me to stand in worship, even as I lean upon those painful memories.

"LORD, my heart overflows when I lean on my staff. Those scars from the past are milemarkers along my highway of worship, and I am thankful even for them. I wouldn't want you to take them away, for they are reminders to me of Your overwhelming grace. Thank you for the scars. Thank you for the staff to sustain me. Thank You for Jesus, in whose name I praise You, Father. Amen."
-ker

OVERCOMING A RELIGIOUS SPIRIT

Today's readings from the lectionary are full of warnings about a religious spirit. A religious spirit sings worship songs, teaches right doctrine, and does holy acts, and yet misses the Kingdom. God is seeking something deeper from me.

The Israelites in Amos 8 sang songs and did the actions, but there was no justice in their lives, and they needed to repent. In other words, their worship songs were not acceptable because their hearts were not right.

What did I just write? Good worship isn't what God seeks? As a "professional" worshiper, that is a sobering thought. But it's true. He seeks worshipers, not just worship. He has plenty of worship in the heavenlies, right now. But He is willing to leave the 99 and search for the one lost lamb who needs repentance. If the lost lamb is singing songs, that's good, but it's not the same as being in the fold.

The church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:5) had their doctrine together. They did what most churches are not willing to do; they tested false teachers and exposed their heresies. They worked hard for Jesus and had not grown weary. But their hearts were not right.

What did I just write? Right doctrine and untiring service aren't what God seeks? Sounds like a perfect church to me! But it's true. God has a heaven full of angels serving Him without fail, and there is no heresy in heaven. But here on earth He is looking for something more. He wants love. The Ephesians were in danger because they had forgotten that first love they had for Jesus, and I can be just as much in danger if I start doing religious things out of duty rather than loving the Lord.

Jesus told the Pharisees that they were lost because they did everything for show (Matt. 25). They said long prayers full of spiritual words, they memorized Scripture, they wore holy clothing, and they were careful to keep themselves from the corrupt world. But their hearts were not right.

What did I just write? Prayer and separation from the world aren't what God seeks? These guys would be elders in most churches! But it's true. The Holy Spirit is the One to whom the Father listens in prayers, so He doesn't need our impressive vocabulary. And He looks on the heart, not on outward appearances. The Pharisees were cursed because they did outward acts but completely missed the character that comes from following God.

The fruit of the Spirit grows from a life that is focused on the Lord. I don't "work up" spiritual fruit, but God brings it from my life as a result of my living in communion with Him.

"LORD, keep me from trying to make myself a Christian from the outside in. I purpose to be a man of the Spirit, and to diligently watch for a spirit of religion. Kill religion in me, and place a relationship of the heart in its place. I ask You in the name of Jesus, who is one with the Father and the Spirit. Amen."
-ker

These days
I suspect that what holds many back from being closer and more hospitable to others is the sheer fact that the custom of our time says dropping in on someone or asking someone for help is NOT DONE. It is considered rude to do what our ancestors did not too long ago, and just drop in on a neighbor. The daily chat over the back fence is getting to be a thing of the past, because our lives have taken a turn in a hectic direction. Our grandparents worked from sunup to sundown, but went home to little in the way of amusements. Quite possibly no TV or phone, no internet, not many new books or periodicals. Watchin' the grass grow.

I've been thinking about the many, many obstacles of trying to establish community. Maybe some of you are like myself, and were not raised in a household that encouraged hospitality, so you have no example to follow, no good habits formed. Inviting someone over may be something you don't even think of until the random thought enters your head, "you know, I should be more hospitable". And then you go on with paying the bills or doing the yard work or helping your kids with their homework or whatever. And time slips away and you still haven't had anyone over for coffee.

I don't really have any good solutions to pass along here, I have hermit blood in me and am very very bad about this, myself!
The thing is, our lives our epidemically busy (duh), and until we can work our way out of THAT, we're going to be in a constant struggle to keep in touch with our friends and family, or invite people over on a regular basis. I know I'll probably be fighting for the rest of my life to make it a habit.
Let's agree to be patient with the people who don't call back or write back, and be patient with ourselves when we forget to call back or write back, and remember that we're all on a whirlwind these days-and we're all trying our best. Let's agree to keep trying.
-cel

WHEN CHRISTIANITY DOESN'T SEEM TO "WORK"

You know, in many ways it is only fair to acknowledge that Christianity just doesn’t seem to “work” in this world. People ask for healing, and it doesn’t happen. The divorce rate here in America among Christians is perhaps even higher than among non-believers. Our money says, “In God we trust,” and yet we Americans are in greater personal debt than anywhere else on earth, and we are rapidly increasing our collective borrowing from the future. Ask Christians in North Korea if their prayers for deliverance are being answered. Ask disciples of Jesus in southern Sudan or in Iraq if their faith is working for them to have personal peace. Ask the Russian Orthodox believers why only 2% of the people of Russia attend church weekly. Ask any of the prophets through the centuries if their faith has made the abundant life “work” for them.

I have inquired of the Lord, and I am assured that the purpose, the destiny, the calling for our city of Cincinnati is reconciliation between Blacks and Whites. It is appropriate that the Harriet Tubman House and the Freedom Center are here, for this city was and is the place to which the enslaved find freedom. And yet it seems that every time we turn around, race issues flare up, especially between the white police force and the black citizenry. Ironically, we find that the only people allowed to put up a cross are the abominable KKK, while public schools aren’t allowed to pray or to display the Ten Commandments. What has happened to our destiny of reconciliation?
What kind of answer can we give to these assertions? If Christian faith doesn’t “work,” then what hope is there? Is it all a lie?

First, keep in mind that no other system “works,” either. Unbelievers around you are no more fulfilled than the Christians; there are plenty of statistics to prove that fact. Communism in Korea and China is what oppresses the Christians, not the church. Muslims oppress the people of Sudan and Iraq. It is our NOT trusting in God that has brought America to such personal debt. Mankind is radically depraved, and any religious or governmental system is filled with sinfulness.

But there is another level to look at here. Unanswered prayers and failed attempts to find inner peace leave us wondering if there really is a God out there. The world seems to spin uncontrolled by the Divine sometimes, and random things, both good and bad, seem to happen to people on this planet. So we are left wondering, are we alone in this big, empty universe? Where is God when it hurts?

If we walk by sight, and not by faith, we might indeed come to the conclusion that God has abandoned us. Christians suffer unjustly. You yourself might be one of those who suffer. When you come to that point, let me encourage you to read to the end of the Book and hang on.

THE CASE FOR HOSPITALITY-BASED MINISTRY

No gift was more honored in the early church than that of hospitality. Being a “lover of strangers” was a requirement to become an elder, and was often written of as a mark of a godly person. What happened to the emphasis? Our culture created nursing homes and hospitals and orphanages and hotels and restaurants, and our hospitality is now done by strangers who make a living doing things that used to be done voluntarily for free.

Nonetheless, today there is still a great need for hospitality. Some single adults need a home away from home, whether it includes overnight housing or simply evenings spent in pleasant company of close friends. We need foster parents and extended families and adoptive parents, both formal adoptions and informal. We need established households who are willing to give radical hospitality to long-term guests. We need adult children who are willing to forego career to help take care of (“honor”) their father and mother. We need church members who gladly sell houses and lands to make funds available for those who are in need.

On a smaller scale, we need people who are willing to reach out to invest their time in high-maintenance people. I know that often there is not enough energy left over at the end of the day for energy-draining folks. But if you don’t give your energy to those who are friendless, then who else will? What do you think Jesus would do? (See Matthew 14 for a clue!)

Families can find their greatest ministry through radical hospitality. Instead of Mom directing the choir, Dad serving on the board, the teens running off to youth group, and the younger ones attending outreach functions, the whole family can stay and serve together. Of course, a family should be careful about how much exposure to special-needs people each member can tolerate. You don’t want to have such an open door that you endanger or embitter your children. But the family can serve as a kind of collective witness through the way they interact with one another, and a family working together can minister grace to another family on every level. What better way could there be for other parents learn the kind of skills they need to discipline their children in the ways of the Lord than to watch you with your children?

Can single adults exercise hospitality? It is commanded, without specifying limitations, so it must be possible. Of course, a single adult will have to exercise caution about who would stay, but married couples must have similar barriers of protection. Nonetheless, one of the basic needs of every person is for a sense of belonging, and singles can work together to create their own home away from home as adults.

Hospitality should not be confused with entertainment. Entertainment might be done with an eye to impress someone, or perhaps with a goal of being invited back. But hospitality is done with selfless abandonment and gracious servanthood toward another person, with no thought for self. Is hospitality difficult? Yes. A hospital (which is related to the word “hospitality”) has sick people who are in a “taking” mode, and those who help them must sacrifice on behalf of the needy. Is it dangerous? Yes, there is risk. Is it tempting to quit? Yes, otherwise Peter would not have had to remind us to “practice hospitality without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9) But is hospitality worth the difficulty, the risk and the temptations? Definitely.

There are many worthwhile programs that feed the poor, train parents, educate children, teach the truth, supply the needy and shelter the homeless. But I would be so bold as to assert that none is as effective as an open home, a welcoming smile, a listening ear and a loving heart. Every program that has been devised could be done better in the home. If one home out of every ten would adopt a fatherless child, there would be no more orphans. If every Christian family would minister radically to just one other family per year, then in a decade the entire world would be turned upside down!

All of this and more is what it means to be given to hospitality. May the church today remember and return to a radical commitment to being hospitable.

[This article is posted on the church web page at http://www.cciph.org/Articles/article027.html ]