Sundays With The Family on KTIS

Notes from my Bible Study - Day One

I'm writing a daily devotional for our church's blog, http://wccchallenge2010.blogspot.com, based upon the daily readings in our journey through the Bible in 2010. I've decided to include the notes that I am putting in my study Bible on this page.

Here are today's notes.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 - What an interesting way to begin the New Year! As I begin another season of life, looking back at what is behind and looking forward to what is ahead, it is important also to look within. What season of life am I in? What do I want to see God do during this season? How will I respond to His leading?

2009 was such a difficult year for so many people that I love. I'm praying that 2010 will be a better year, and that this season of life, which was a time to mourn for so many, will turn into a time for dancing.

No matter what happens this year, may it be a year where we seek to know and understand God; keeping Him as priority number one in all that we do.

Genesis 1 - It only took four words in our English language translations of Scripture before the Subject of the greatest book ever to be written was presented front and center for all to behold. In the beginning God . . .

History is His story from beginning to end. As I begin this year, I want to focus more on knowing my Creator. I want to please Him with my life. I want to live the great purpose for which He created me.

1 Chronicles 1 - I added no notes to my study Bible in this passage. But, I am curious as to what verse 19 is speaking about when it talks about the days that the earth was divided.

Luke 1:1-25 - I am blown away when I read the description of who John the Baptist would become, and what his calling in life would be. What an awesome calling it would be to make ready for the Lord a people prepared. I love the way that the ESV translates verse 17. John was to prepare a people for the Lord. He would be used by God to turn many of the Children of Israel to God (vs. 16). Notice it doesn't tell us that all people will be prepared. Not everyone is willing to hear the voice of God in their life. May our hearts be the hearts of people who are prepared for God's calling.

I love the way that Gabriel responds to to Zechariah's doubt. His words, "I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news," are awesome words. I think there are times when I doubt God that the Lord must want to use similar words with me. "Hey Brian, I am God! I have it under control. Are you doubting My word? Do you know who I am?"

May we be a people who trust God for who He says He is.

My 10 Favorite Sermons To Preach of 2009

One of my favorite parts about being a pastor is the opportunity to preach week after week. Like those who sit in the pews, pastors have favorite sermons too. There are some sermons that I really enjoyed preaching because of how our congregation responded. Some of the sermons are favorites because of what I learned or how I was impacted in my preparation time. Some are favorites because God used them in ways that I could have never imagined during my study time. Here are my favorite sermons that I preached in 2009. All of these are available for download on iTunes by searching for Woodbury Community Church in the iTunes store, or by clicking on this link.

10. In The Beginning. . . Love - The Bible, from beginning to end is a love story between God and us. This message deals with God's love for humanity as demonstrated in creation, fall and redemption.

This is a sermon that I preached on October 4, 2009. It was the first sermon of our 2009 Spiritual Emphasis Week. God did awesome things during that week, and I remember having a hard time sleeping the night before the message because I couldn't wait to see what God would do with Spiritual Emphasis Week. The week led to four people coming into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

9. Getting It Right - What Is The Gospel? - Study after study shows that the majority of churched people can no longer articulate the Gospel. When asked what makes Christianity different than any other religion many are content to give trite answers like, “It’s a relationship,” or “Jesus.” But, what it is the Gospel? What is it that makes someone a true follower of Jesus Christ?

This is a sermon that I preached on September 6, 2009. I believe that it is so important that Christians understand and can articulate what the Gospel is. If we can't do that, are we truly saved? This was the sermon that introduced our series on evangelism.

8. "Perhaps God Will Go With Us" - The Armor Bearer and the Prince -Jonathan and his armor bearer are two of Scripture's most underrated heroes. They were men who in the face of insurmountable odds believed God instead of men. Their story is an inspiration to anyone who has ever taken a risk for God. People who recognize that their life is a mist, and God is most important are willing to take courageous risks for God. Big Idea: Courage happens when we persevere under pressure. It happens when we say, “No” to fleshly desires in order to say "Yes" to God's desires.

Part of our Mist Stories series, this sermon, given on May 17, 2009, was so fun to preach. There is something incredible about taking risks for God. I love the passion of Jonathan and his armor bearer. I had a lot of interesting conversations after this message. One woman told me that she had studied this passage extensively, and believes that Jonathan's armor bearer was a young King David. Another person, a friend who lives in Israel, told me that he has a friend who believes that he has discovered where Micmash Pass, the site of this famous confrontation, is located. I'm traveling to Israel in 2010 and hope to get a chance to visit this site.

7. Jesus: The Champion - It was a day unlike any other. Grief was replaced with joy. Sin's curse had been broken. Jesus had defeated Satan. Everything in John's Gospel comes down to Easter! Easter changed everything. Big Idea: Want life? Believe. The Resurrection changes everything.

What pastor doesn't love preaching on Easter Sunday? April 12, 2009 was a special day. This was my second-to-last sermon in a series through the book of John. I hadn't planned it this way, but I came to the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. God works in awesome ways during the sermon planning process. I brought EPPIC Ministries, a mime team that had traveled with me to Guatemala on multiple occasions, to act out the story of creation, fall and redemption. They came in about five minutes into my sermon. You can view that mime on the sermon page of our web site.

6. Jesus: The Good Shepherd - In John 10, Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd, and he talks about who His sheep are. What are the signs of genuine faith? How does a follower of Christ live? What does it mean to hear God's voice?

It was on January 25, 2009 that I had the privilege of preaching about Jesus, our good shepherd. In the sermon I remember showing a couple videos of sheep, and telling about how dumb sheep can be. One video that struck me was how utterly helpless sheep are if they fall over. We desperately need Jesus. I'm so glad we have a Good Shepherd in Him.

5. Good Name or Great Wealth - What does your life say about you and your God to world around you? Who are you when nobody else is around? How serious are you about protecting both your reputation and the reputation of your Heavenly Father. Your name is more valuable than any amount of money, because you are created in the image of God and for His glory. Big Idea: A good name is a byproduct of a life that seeks to honor God.

On August 23, 2009 I preached a sermon in our Proverbs series on the importance of integrity. I told one of my favorite stories from childhood about meeting my hero, Pete Rose. I showed our congregation a baseball with two signatures. On one side of the ball is the autograph of my childhood hero, Pete Rose. On the other side of the ball is A. Bartlett Giamatti's signature. Giamatti was, at the time, the President of the National League. He eventually became the commissioner of baseball and banned Pete Rose from life for betting on the game.

As great a player as Rose was, he is most remembered for betting on the game. Our names matter. It's great to know that if we are Christians we carry the name of Christ with us. At the end of the sermon everyone was encouraged to come up and grab a football (this was the week Brett Favre signed with the hometown Vikings) and to sign it with their name on one side, and "child of God," on the other side.

4. When God Shapes Your Character - Elijah bursts onto the scene, pronounces judgment upon the land and then just as quickly is told to hide away in the Kerith Ravine. Sustained only by the hand of God, Elijah the Prophet learns much about the character and nature of God. This sermon will challenge us to live our lives trusting God one day at a time. Big Idea: Where God guides, He provides.

Part of our Elijah series, this sermon was preached on October 25, 2009. I think I enjoyed preaching this one so much because I could relate so much to Elijah's feelings in it. Does God ever take you somewhere that makes no sense to you, only to shape you and mold you into someone that you couldn't have become had He not? I incorporated much from a sermon by Craig Groeschel into this message. I was so encouraged by listening to some of what he preached to his congregation on this passage, and I'm glad that I did. Many people talked to me after this message about the impact that it made on them.

3. "I'm Speechless" - Zechariah's Story - Zechariah is one of the most intriguing people in Scripture. The old man dreamt of the day that he would chosen to go into the temple of the Lord to burn incense. When his turn finally came, he got more than he bargained for. This sermon will be given in the first person, as a dramatic interpretation of the life of Zechariah. Big Idea: We are tools in the hands of Almighty God. Embrace your place in His story.

Based upon congregational response, this December 6, 2009 sermon was probably the favorite of 2009. I preached this sermon as a dramatic monologue. I had a makeup artist come to our home and make me look like an old man, early in the morning. This was such a fun sermon to preach because it was unlike anything else I had done all year long. People told me that they readily identified with Zechariah. It helped them understand and appreciate the faith of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, and helped them understand God's grace in a new light. The video of that sermon is available on our sermon page at WCC's website.

2. Your Life Is a Mist: What Are You Doing With It? - We all have one life to live on this earth, and only what is done for Christ will last for eternity. So, why is it so hard to not get wrapped up in the world's system of acquiring as much as we can for ourselves? This message focuses on living our lives for God and His priorities. Big idea: God has given us everything we need to know and to live the life that He desires for us.

I'll never forget what God did after this message was preached on May 3, 2009. This was the first message in a series entitled Mist Stories: The Intersection of Faith, Life and Love. In the message I challenged our congregation to basically live like they were dying. In other words, we need to recognize that we have not been promised tomorrow, and only what is done for Christ in our lives will last. Then each attendee was given a can of Sierra Mist to keep as a reminder that our life is a mist. They were supposed to keep the can in a prominent location, and to try to give it away before the week was through. Each week, they were supposed to pick up another can. It was one small way to show love to someone else. If possible, I encouraged each member to try and find an even greater way to show love. I also asked them to e-mail me their mist stories. We started a page on our website to chronicle the mist stories of our congregation. The month of May saw over 40 mist stories e-mailed in to me. I couldn't put many of them on our web page because they were far too personal. Our congregation was changed as a result of this series. I'm still hearing stories today about how God is using members of our church to reach out to others. God has also given me the opportunity to preach this message to about 500 other people this year in various venues. You can view the Mist Stories page by clicking here.

1. My Big Dysfunctional Family - The genealogy of Jesus is full of less than perfect people. But, it’s the stories of some of these people that help us to see just how beautiful the grace of God is. Jesus’ coming into this family should give all of us hope about what can happen when God takes over a life. Big Idea: No one is beyond the grace of God.

Nothing could have prepared me for what God did on November 29, 2009 at Woodbury Community Church. It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving and I was expecting a small crowd. We had one of our largest Sunday attendances of the year! I had been on vacation in Illinois all week, and had promised my family not to work on my message during our vacation. It wasn't until the ride home on Saturday that I was able to work on my message. (I plan my basic outline months in advance but write my messages out in manuscript form on the week of the sermon). I drove to our lunch stop in Wisconsin Dells, and then my daughter Breanna took over driving. That is when the Lord just really spoke to me as I typed my sermon out. Throughout my preparation, I felt the Holy Spirit calling me to give an invitation to accept Christ at the end of the sermon. I felt that the Spirit was calling me not to just invite people to come to Christ, but to indicate it by raising their hands at the end of the prayer. I give invitations often, but not usually accompanied by raised hands. I asked my wife, Cyndi, to pray about this, because this isn't something that we do much in Minnesota.

God worked in incredible ways! By the end of the second service seventeen people in our congregation prayed to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. That is about ten percent of our average attendance. Fourteen of those seventeen people are adults. Youth for Christ has a statistic that says that 95% of those who come to faith in Jesus Christ do so before the age of 21. We saw God work in miraculous ways that day.

I'm praising God for what He did in 2009, and can't wait to see what He does in 2010.

The Challenge Is Coming!

Woodbury Community Church is sponsoring a churchwide challenge to read through the entire Bible in a year in 2010. I'm so excited about what God is going to do through this time. You can access our Challenge Blog at
http://wccchallenge2010.blogspot.com/ Click on the link to find out more!

Imagine Hearing the Christmas Story for the First Time

God is doing something amazing on the African continent. He is using a team of translators from all around the world to translate the Christmas story into nine languages. Woodbury Community Church sent the Gilmore family to Tanzania, Africa years ago to be a part of this team. Last year the Zinza people received the Christmas story for the first time in their language. This year nine language groups will receive the story. Take the time to watch this story about the Christmas translation miracle! God is doing awesome things.

"I'm Speechless" - Zechariah's Story

On Sunday, I preached a dramatic sermon entitled "I'm Speechless" - Zechariah's Story. It's a first person monologue about the birth of John the Baptist from Zechariah's perspective. This is part of our Advent Series Meet the Family: Lessons from Jesus' Family Tree.

God is doing some amazing things at Woodbury Community Church. The Sunday before this, 17 people came to faith in Jesus Christ. Keep our church in your prayers. We're looking forward to seeing what God does throughout the remainder of this Advent Season.

"I'm Speechless - Zechariah's Story" Woodbury Community Church, December 6, 2009 from Brian Schulenburg on Vimeo.

God's Chisel - The Skit Guys

I showed this video in church today and many of you have asked where you can view it. It's available on YouTube, or you can just watch it right here. There is great theology here. Enjoy, and be encouraged and convicted.

Spiritual Emphasis Week Preview Video

Many thanks to Erik Lundin who did an awesome job editing this expanded video preview of Spritual Emphasis Week, 2009: You + God. . . It's A Love Story, happening at Woodbury Community Church, October 4-11, 2009.

Woodbury Community Church Spiritual Emphasis Week 2009 Promo from Brian Schulenburg on Vimeo.

Spiritual Emphasis Week Is Coming to Woodbury Community Church, October 4-11, 2009

I'm so excited about a very special week that is coming to Woodbury Community Church, October 4-11, 2009. We're calling it You + God . . . It's A Love Story.

There is nothing like fall in Minnesota; a new school year, the start of another NFL Season with hopes of a Viking championship (or the Bears if you happen to have the privilege of pastoring this church), the MLB playoffs, the chill of fall mornings, the closing of cabins and pulling of docks, and full churches. As a new fall season approaches, how about committing to a fresh start in your spiritual life as well? Join us, at Woodbury Community Church, October 4-11, for Spiritual Emphasis Week. You + God. . . It’s a Love Story. We'll examine the theme of God's amazing love and what our response to that love should be.

Seminars are offered Monday-Saturday from 10:00-11:30 and 1:00-2:30. Seminars Include: Couples Communication Builder with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Pastor's Wife, Marsha Schauer; Parenting in Perilous Times with Brian Schulenburg and Dan Boal; Healthy Habits sponsored by UpLift Fitness with Amy Rodriguez and Jill Strand; Personal Peacemaking Seminar with John Kimball; Raising Kids With Confidence with Jason Barthelemy, Senior High Pastor at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN; Using Your Retirement Years To Make A Difference with Roger and Linda Proch, Building Our Faith Through Prayer and Worship with John and Kathryn Kimball, a Golf Clinic Dick Nelson, Teaching Pro at Indian Hills Golf Course in Stillwater, MN; and a Biking the Gateway Trail trip with Dan and Terri Beran. All seminars are free, and you may register for any seminar by following this link.

General Sessions will happen each evening at 6:30 and on Sunday mornings at 9:00 and 10:30 AM. The general sessions will feature nine diffferent speakers and worship leaders. Here is a schedule of our general sessions.

Sunday, October 4 at 9:00 and 10:30 AM - Speaker: Brian Schulenburg, Senior Pastor of Woodbury Community Church
Worship Leaders: Monte Abeler, Worship Director at Woodbury Community Church featuring special guest musician Huntley Brown

Sunday, October 4 at 6:30 PM - Speaker: Huntley Brown, Worship Leader: Huntley Brown

Monday, October 5 at 6:30 PM - Speaker: Troy Dobbs, Senior Pastor of Grace Church of Eden Prairie, MN, Worship Leaders: Lightswitch

Tuesday, October 6 at 6:30 PM - Speaker: Dan Schauer, Senior Pastor of New Heights Community Church in Inver Grove Heights, MN, Worship Leader: Matt Klein, Worship Director at Brookwood Church in Shakopee, MN

Wednesday, October 7 at 6:30 PM - Speaker: Rob O'Neal, Senior Pastor of Brookwood Church in Shakopeee, MN, Worship Leaders: Josiah Smith Band

Thursday, October 8 at 6:30 PM - Speaker: Matt Milligan, Senior Pastor of a new church plant in Hudson, Wisconsin, Worship Leader: Kara Doten

Friday, October 9 at 6:30 PM - Speaker: Jeff Holton, Senior Pastor of Spring Valley Congregational Church, Worship Leaders: Heidi Haskin and Heartbeat

Saturday, October 10 at 6:30 PM - Speaker: John Kimball, Director of Conference Care & Church Redevelopment for the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, Worship Leader: Mark Aardahl

Sunday, October 11 at 9:00 and 10:30 AM - Speaker: Ron Hamilton, Director of Church Multiplication and Placement for the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, Worship Leaders: Monte Abeler and the Youth Worship Team from Woodbury Community Church.

Family Camp Memories

Last week was a special one for our family. We were at Camp Lebanon in Upsala, MN for Family Camp Week B. I was asked to be the camp speaker earlier this year, and we had been to family camps before, but never as the speaker's family. Wow. What a wonderful experience.

The staff at Camp Lebanon are fantastic. Bill Abeler has been the Camp Director for over 20 years, and that experience shines through in everything that he and his wonderful wife do. He is a mentor to the high school and college students that are employed by the camp over the summer, and a tireless servant to the families.

Camp Lebanon's motto is A Meeting Place With God. The camp, which is set on the beautiful Cedar Lake truly does allow one to meet with God. There is such beauty surrounding the camp. One night as I fished on the dock I watched a shooting star blaze across the night sky. The bass fishing is great. Camp Lebanon allows campers to use the camp's pontoon boats, kayaks, canoes, etc. There are beautiful hiking trails and opportunities for recreation abound with a zip line, beach, disc golf course, and more.

But, it was the people who made Camp Lebanon truly special. There were about 80 campers last week, from a wide variety of denominational and church backgrounds. My highlight, by far, came on Tuesday night. It was my last night in my thirties and I had the opportunity to share the Gospel. Ten people invited Christ to be their Savior and Lord, including an entire family. What a wonderful way to end a decade of life! God worked in an awesome way. I'll be back at Camp Lebanon for "Family Camp A" next year. It happens towards the end of June. I hope your family will consider joining us. Everyone in our family loved their time at Camp Lebanon. You will too.

Chicago Mission Team Departs

My daughter and son (Breanna and Chris) left for a youth group mission trip to Chicago this morning with our church youth group. It's the first time that either one of them have done a mission trip without me. I'm so excited about what God is going to teach them as they minister in the city this week. And, as a former youth pastor, I have to admit that I'm a bit jealous that I won't be with them. You'll be able to follow the progress of the trip at http://wccmissiontrips.blogspot.com. Please keep our team in your prayers.

Day Fifty-Eight

Psalm 136, Numbers 18‐19, Isaiah 56‐57,1 Thessalonians 4:1‐12

Psalm 136

Ps. 136 - The theme of this Psalm is obvious. The psalmist wanted those who sang this song to remember that no matter what the steadfast love of the lord endures forever. There are many times in my life that this Psalm has been particularly special to me. I remember a time in my childhood when my parents gathered their children in their living room for a family devotion time. My Dad read this Psalm and like a worship leader. He'd read the first half of the verse and then we would respond with the words: His love endures forever.

I also remember a time a few years back when I took a group of students to Guatemala for a mission trip. It wasn't the best trip. We'd had some problems with team unity and sickness. One night during our team devotions I read this chapter. Like my Dad I had our students respond with the words His love endures forever. For the rest of the trip this chapter became our theme. We looked for places where we saw the truth of these words on that trip. By the end of the trip we had many examples of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Take some time this week to look for God's steadfast love. If you seek, you will find.

Numbers 18-19

I did not add any notes to this section of my Bible. These chapters deal with the duties of the priests and Levites and the laws for purification.

Isaiah 56-57

Is. 56:1 - Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. - Justice and righteousness are themes that are repeated throughout all of Scripture. God is passionate about His children pursuing justice and righteousness. He cares about those who are oppressed. He cares about the way that we live our lives. He cares about us pursuing those things that He is passionate about.

Is. 57:20-21 - But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” - A stern warning is given by God to those who are wicked. There is no peace for the wicked. Sometimes it seems like those who walk with God are living it up here on earth without a care in the world. But, if the truth was known, all men and women who walk without God experience a life with no real peace. They place their faith in things or circumstances or people that will fail them, and therein have no lasting peace. Rejoice, those of you who walk with Christ. While you may face hardship in this world, you can do it with God's peace and joy.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

1 Thess. 4:7-8 - For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. - 1 Thessalonians 4 deals with a life that pleases God. Paul begins by challenging the Thessalonian Christians to live a life of purity. I love these two verses. God has called us to live holy lives. It's simple. And, if we don't we disregard God. That is a serious thing. Why is it that sometimes we think we know better than God? Why is it that we think that our ways are better than God's ways? He is ALWAYS worth following. His ways are ALWAYS worth trusting. His ways will NEVER fail you. Don't fall for Satan's lies.

Mist Stories from the Woodbury Community Church Web Site

Your Mist Stories!

On Sunday, May 3rd, Pastor Brian Schulenburg began a new series entitled: Mist Stories: The Intersection of Faith, Life and Love. At the conclusion of his sermon each person received a can of Sierra Mist. The can is supposed to be kept in a prominent place where you will see it every day as a reminder that your life is a mist. Then, at some point during the week, you are supposed to find a way to show love a friend, neighbor, co-worker, complete stranger, family member, etc. by using the can of Sierra Mist. We're not limiting you to showing love through a can of pop. The Sierra Mist is an idea generator that we are hoping will spur our congregation on towards pouring out God's love towards others in practical ways.

This page records your stories. If you have had a chance to share God's love in a practical way with someone this week, please e-mail Pastor Brian at bschulenburg@wccmn.org and share your story.

Loving Through Weed and Feed

"I had 1/3 bag of Weed and Feed left over after doing my own grass. So I spread it over my neighbor’s yard as well. He had just purchased a bag and can now take it back to the store." -- Anonymous

Giving Mom a Sierra Mist

"My mom was working very hard in our back yard. And, I was planning to give her my Sierra Mist after she was done working. So, after like an hour of work she asked if she could have water. So, instead of giving her water, I instead thought, 'Well, this is the perfect time I could give her one.' So then I went to get a glass, opened my Sierra Mist can and poured it in the glass. Then I stuck ice cubes in it and I gave it to my mom. And, first she thought it was water and she said, 'Thanks for the water.' And then she realized it was the Sierra Mist and she thought that was funny that my whole plan was to give it to her." -- Jeremy

Sharing a Sierra Mist With Neighbors

"My neighbors were working very hard also. So my mom and my dad said that I should get a Sierra Mist can, pour it in two cups and give it to my neighbors, because they were working so hard. Then I took a glass and filled it with ice and poured my Sierra Mist in again. I stuck on my shoes and went outside with my little brother. Finally when I got into the yard with my little brother he had the glasses and I was the one who was going to talk. So, I told them about the challenge in church we were having and my little brother gave them the Sierra Mist. Later, my other neighbor was working in his lawn. And so I decided that I would get him a Sierra Mist. And, so I brought that over to him and they were very happy that I gave it to them." -- Jeremy

Hoping For A Mist Story Revolution

"Our daughter was visiting for the weekend. As she began her trip back to her home in WI on Sunday afternoon I gave her my can of Sierra Mist telling her about what we were doing at WCC for the next month with the Mist series. She thought that her church would be interested in hearing about our Mist plans. We enjoy sharing information about our churches with each other and this is just one more connection for us." -- Linda

Baking Cookies for the Hospital

"Linda and I have been volunteering at the Hudson Hospital for the past year. Our task is very simple. We bake ( made from scratch) cookies in the kitchen and then distribute to patients, and visiting family members. In addition, we visit various areas in the hospital to share cookies with people waiting for scheduled appointments.

Most staff members of the hospital know us as "The Cookie People" The experience has given us the opportunity to meet a lot new people,share conversation, help brighten their day, and make a difference in our community. Blessings to all." -- Roger

Hosting a Garage Sale

One family agreed to host a Garage Sale for someone that couldn't have it at their home. They don't normally do Garage Sales, but saw this as a way to show love.

Bible Study Invitation

"I didn't hand out my Sierra Mist - but with it in mind - I invited my new neighbor to BSF on Thursday morning." - Kari

Sharing Sierra Mist Over Lunch

"This week I visited my sister at her work for lunch. We have enjoyed doing this for several years especially since I retired. Part of the joy is that I get to bring her lunch to her so she doesn't have to pack one. Her beverage this time was a can of Sierra Mist. Sharing our Mist Series information and some bible passages made for a wonderful lunch even more wonderful for us." - Linda

Barking Dog Mist Story

One member of our congregation has a neighbor whose dog barked for over an hour after 11:00 PM earlier in the week. After calling the man to let him know that he needed to get control of his dog, this church member went over to his home with a can of Sierra Mist and an invitation to join his small group. That barking dog may have just led to a life that will be changed.

Sharing Christ With A Stranger at Lunch

Two men in our congregation had an opportunity to go to lunch together. When one offered to pay for the other and the person refused, the man behind them in line said, "You can pay for me." So, they did. And they enjoyed a deep spiritual conversation for about an hour. The man did not receive Christ as his Savior, but he was very open to conversation and there are hopes of meeting again.

Garage Sale Love

Our congregation hosted a community-wide garage sale last weekend. While working the garage sale I had an opportunity to purchase toys for a number of the children who came through with their parents. The smile on their face was priceless as they left the Garage Sale. - Anonymous

Day Fifty-seven

Psalm 135, Numbers 16‐17, Isaiah 55, 1 Thessalonians 2:17‐3:13

Psalm 135

Ps. 135:5-6 - For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. - This is an amazing psalm. When you read it you are immediately struck with the majesty and glory of our God. There is no one like Him. He is the God that is above all gods. And, He will do whatever H pleases. If anyone but God were to have this power, we would have reason to fear. But, God is good. His plans for us our good. That doesn't mean that we will always like what God does, but it is always good. Sometimes God allows trouble to come into our life to teach us something. Sometimes God allows it to come so that we will be dependent upon Him. Sometimes He displays His power in our weakness. Sometimes He makes us wait. God is good, and His love endures forever.

Ps. 135:16 - Your name, O Lord, endures forever, your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.- Recent surveys have shown that the fastest growing category of religious belief is that of no belief. Atheism is on the rise in America and the world. We have replaced God with thinking, reason, science, feeling, compassion, causes, humanism, or any number of other things. Try as those who are mockers of God might, God's name will endure forever. His renown will be throughout the ages. May we be a people who say, "I don't care what the rest of the world says, as for me and my house, I will trust the Lord and praise His name forever!"

Numbers 16‐17

Num. 16-17 - As a pastor of a local church, my heart aches for Moses as I read Numbers 16-17. Moses was a man of God. He was God's chosen leader for the children of Israel. He was one of many spiritual leaders that the children of Israel looked up to. The descendents of Levi were priests. Korah was one of the priests. An influential leader, Korah was not pleased with the way that Moses was leading. He was also jealous of Moses' position. And so, Korah led a rebellion against Moses. He criticized Moses' leadership, undermined his authority, questioned his motives, cast doubt on Moses ability to lead to a group of spiritual leaders and those that he led. It was an all out attack on Moses, Moses' character and Moses' spiritual life.

The results for Korah and those who rebelled was not good. God killed every one of them. God was not pleased with the attack against his chosen leader. The next day the children of Israel grumbled to Moses and Aaron that the spiritual leaders, the priests had been killed. God became furious. He struck the people with a plague and 14,700 more died. So, in just a couple of days 14,950 people were killed. Why? Because they were rebelling against the Lord's anointed one and causing disunity in the camp. May we not be such people. It's important to be involved and ask the tough questions. It's also important to lovingly pray for and support those in leadership. To aspire to leadership is an honorable thing, and it can also be a lonely path.

Isaiah 55

Is. 55:6-9 - “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. - This Old Testament passage spells out the grace that is offered to all of us through Jesus Christ in a marvelous way. I'm preaching a series at my church called, "Mist Stories: The Intersection of Faith, Life and Love" right now. It's based off of James 4:13-17, where we are told that our lives are a mist that appears for a little while and then are gone. Isaiah reminds us that we need to seek the Lord now, while He can be found. We are not promised tomorrow. And then he spells out for us just how gracious and loving and forgiving that our God is. Have you gone to the mercy seat of God? Have you found forgiveness at the table of God's grace? He wants you to experience life to the full. He wants you to know true joy. Give your sin, your burdens, your grief, your dreams, your life to Christ today. If you'd like more information on beginning a life with Jesus, or want to know how to experience forgiveness, joy and peace call 1-800-NEED-HIM. There are wonderful counselors waiting there to talk and help you experience the grace and compassion that these verses so eloquently speak of.

Is. 55:12-13 - “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” - What a picture of joy! Where there was sorrow before God's grace, there is now joy because of it. Have you experienced that type of joy? Jesus wants to give it to us.

1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13

1 Thess. 3:8 - For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. - Have you ever led someone to faith in Jesus Christ? Paul had. In fact, Paul had led people to the Lord all over the world. I love that Paul was deeply concerned for the spiritual welfare of those he had ministered to. I can echo Paul's words when he says that he and his co-laborers are most alive when they hear about the faithfulness of the Thessalonians towards God. May we all experience such wonderful moments!

Days Forty-six through Fifty-six. . .

Did not happen. Today is day fifty-seven. Let's see if we can get this going again.

Day Forty-five

Psalm 125, Numbers 6, Isaiah 42, Philippians 2:12‐30

Psalm 125

Ps. 125:1-2 - Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. - Trust is a beautiful thing. To trust someone means that you believe in them. When our trust is broken it can be a painful thing. It's hard to feel the betrayal of someone. The psalmist assures us that when we trust in the Lord, we won't be let down. He will not fail us. Trusting in the Lord brings security to us, because He is faithful and won't let us down. He is the safest place to place our trust.

Numbers 6

Num. 6:22-27 - The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. 27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” - Numbers 6 begins with teaching about the Nazarite vow and ends with the priestly blessing that Aaron and his sons were to give to the children of Israel. I love this particular blessing. The first time I heard it was at my eighth grade graduation. My class actually sung the blessing as a song of blessing for each other. It's interesting to me that this blessing was given by God to Moses to give to Aaron and his sons to give to the people. In other words, God wanted this particular blessing to be given to the Children of Israel. "The Lord bless you and keep you" speaks of the wonderful blessing and security that is available to followers of Jesus Christ. While we may not be materially wealthy, we are spiritually blessed beyond measure. To be kept by God is HUGE. No one is going to take away from God what is His. "The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you," speaks of the presence of the Lord in the life of His followers. God is watching over us. And, when the Lord watches over us we experience His grace. "the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace" speaks of God's ministering presence. He is there to give us peace when our world seems shaky. He is near.

Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42 is a beautiful chapter that is ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Isaiah writes about the Lord's chosen servant. As you read the chapter look for ways that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in this chapter.

Philippians 2:12-30

Phil. 2:12-13 - Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. - Paul charges the Philippian believers to live a life of obedience to the Lord. He then goes on to describe what this looks like in verses 14-16. I love his use of the words "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." We need to constantly be adjusting our lives to God's standards. We need to recognize that our faith is a daily thing. We can't rely on past successes. We should live our lives to glorify God each day.

Phil. 2:19-20 - 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. - I love Paul's description of Timothy in this passage. Timothy was a dedicated servant of Jesus Christ. You see Paul's leadership in these verses and the verses that follow. He describes his relationship with Timothy and Epaphroditus and you can see how he has equipped them for leadership in the local church. I want to be this type of leader.

Day Forty-Three

I missed this day.

Day Forty-two

Psalm 122, Numbers 2, Isaiah 39, Ephesians 6:10‐24

Psalm 122

Ps. 122:1-2 - I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! - Psalm 122 is a song celebrating Jerusalem, the Holy City. David begins the psalm by remembering a pilgrimage to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. He was thrilled to be able to worship God in Jerusalem's majestic temple. The psalm ends by urging the singers to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. There is a longing in David that the people of God might always be able to celebrate the great city of Zion. As Christians we can celebrate our King, Jesus at our house of worship. Jesus is always present with His followers.

Numbers 2

Numbers 2 gives us the details of how the Children of Israel were to camp in the wilderness. 603,550 men, not including the Levites was a massive amount of people to look after. God had specific instruction for how the people were to camp, who the leaders should be, and where the people were to camp.

Isaiah 39

Is. 39:8 - Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.” - Isaiah 39 is a short chapter of Scripture that tells a tragic tale. Hezekiah was considered to be on of Israel's good kings. But, when envoys from Babylon come to visit him, Hezekiah foolishly shows them all that God has blessed him with. God tells Hezekiah that a day would come when all of Hezekiah's wealth would be taken away to Babylon. His own sons would be taken away to become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Hezekiah responds with joy because at least in the days that he ruled their would be peace and security. What a sad statement from a king and a father. He may have been one of Israel's good kings, but he was a weak leader and a terrible father.

Ephesians 6:10-24

Eph. 6:10-20 - We are in a spiritual battle, plain and simple. Ephesians 6:10-20 gives us the most profound teaching in all of Scripture in regard to spiritual warfare. Take some time to read these verses and think through the significance of each piece of the armor of God. I know many people who are in the habit of praying on each piece of the armor of God each day.

Day Forty-one

Psalm 121, Numbers 1, Isaiah 38, Ephesians 5:22‐6:9

Psalm 121

Ps. 121:1-2 - I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.- I love this simple phrase. Where does our help come from? It comes form the Lord, who, by the way, happened to make the heaven and the earth. Need help today? I can't think of a better place to turn. God is good and able to meet our needs better than anyone or anything else on this earth. Why don't we turn to Him first?

Numbers 1

God instructs Moses to take a census of the people in Numbers 1. The only tribe excluded from the census was the tribe of the Levites, for they were the priests and were not to be counted. The total men counted in Israel during that time was 603,550! What a massive amount of people to be in charge of moving into the Promised Land.

Isaiah 38

Isaiah 38 records the story of King Hezekiah on his death bed. He is about to die, and pleads to the Lord for more time. God tells Hezekiah that he will have 15 more years to added to his life. Hezekiah responds with a song of praise to God. Hezekiah had not been walking with God. He had at one time, but he was no longer faithful. He promised to live once again for the Lord, and God promised to deliver Hezekiah and the Israelites out of the tyrannical hands of the Assyrians.

Ephesians 5:22-6:9

Day Forty

Psalm 120, Leviticus 27, Isaiah 36‐37, Ephesians 5:1‐21

Psalm 120

Ps. 120:1 - In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. - Psalm 120 is a psalm of deliverance. The psalmist in this case is asking for deliverance from those who are lying about him, his God, etc. He lives amongst these liars. He know what to do with his distress. He takes it to God. Why? Because, God has proven faithful in the past to answer prayer, and he is sure that God will answer prayer in the future. God can be trusted with any problem that we face, no matter how daunting it may seem.

Leviticus 27

Lev. 27:34 - These are the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai. - The book of Leviticus ends with laws about vows. In this interesting book we've seen how seriously God took the law as He delivered it to Moses. The people took these laws seriously too. That doesn't mean that they continually obeyed God. When they didn't they paid the consequence. Aren't you glad that we do not have to follow the letter of the law that was prescribed in Leviticus? Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the law. He did not do away with the law, but He summed the law up for His followers. May we be a people who love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, soul, mind and strength, and may we love our neighbors as ourselves. According to Jesus, all the law and the prophets hang upon these two commands.

Isaiah 36-37

Is. 37:5-7 - When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’” - The odds against Israel were huge. King Hezekiah was about to enter a battle that he had no business being in. The mighty Assyrian army was mocking Israel. Even Hezekiah's most trusted advisers told him that he would lose. But, Hezekiah went to Isaiah and to the Lord. He prayed. He sought God's protection. I love his prayer. And God answered. In Isaiah 37:36 we read, "And the angel of the Lord went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies." So, what are you having trouble trusting Jesus for today? I know for me it's been a home selling. But, God is so much bigger than a housing market. He is the God who answers prayer. Let Him show you His wondrous works.

Ephesians 5:1-21

Eph. 5:1-2 - Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - These verses are some of the reasons that I love this book. Paul writes so plainly and simply to the Ephesians. We are to be imitators of Christ. When we do that, we walk in love esteeming others as more valuable than ourselves.

Eph. 5:15-17 - Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. - The verses preceding this one are some of the most practical verses in all of the Bible in how to live the Christian life. I like Paul's warning here. As Christians we should seek to know and understand what the will of the Lord is concerning us. On Sunday, I'll be beginning a new series at Woodbury Community Church entitled, Mist Stories: The Intersection of Faith, Life and Love. The sermon this Sunday deals with James 4:13-17, where James is very specific that we know and follow the will of God. We should not be so arrogant as to think that living outside of God's will for our life will bring us to a better spot than being in His will.