The Example of our Veterans

Luke 17:33(NLT)
If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.

On this very special Veteran's Day of 11-11-11, have you ever realized how much this scripture describes our military veterans? It is as if each member of our armed forces has made a concious decision to let go of the life they know, in order to save life, preserve life, keep life, as you and I, and they know it. They enter into a realm of such uncertainty, which could bring about their own loss of natural life. However each one of our veterans has chosen to honor that risk in order to "save" life as we know. Each veteran again chooses to leave the safety and sanctity of a life they know to enter into this realm of uncertainty with a passion to preserve "life". It really leaves me awestruck when I think of it this way. It makes me especially thankful to our veterans for the sacrifice they make in letting go of the "life" they knew to preserve the "life" we all know as freedom, despite the fact many -- in fact the majority -- have never met me. What a bold and huge step of faith these veterans take.

Similarly, Jesus was speaking to each of us. So many of us wouldn't for a second think of leaving the life we know; especially for something we can't see or aren't sure of. Yet our veterans do it for us daily and have done it for us all across history. Maybe Jesus is just looking for some more veterans; those who understand the scripture above. Maybe Jesus is trying to tell us the freedom He offers is worth fighting for. Maybe in honor of our veterans of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, those that fight for the freedom of "in God we trust", maybe it's time we consider our role in the scripture of luke 17:33. We may not be able to join the ranks of the US military, but there is always room in the Lord's Army. I am thinking we have no better examples of what it's like to give up this life to have life than those that do it for us everyday.

Thank you to all of our Veterans! Your willingness to give of yourself for me and my family mean more than words can say. Thank you for your example.

Blessings

Pastor Wayne

Who Do You Say That I Am

I remember a time at Illinois District teen camp, when we were as close to heaven as one could be without being there. The atmosphere was amazing, and the Holy Spirit was moving, lives were being changed, and it was a night many will never forget. Then I remember the meeting we as counselors had. How do we help our youth when they leave this safe zone and return to the real world full of their real world issues? It's easier when we are primarily surrounded by God's people, but soon we would all have to leave camp and return to everyday routines.

Similarly in our church we have been ultimately blessed by the moving of the Holy Spirit. We have been blessed with miracles, healings, and the witness of Jesus in the lives and the life changing of many; but then the real world returns. For me it was too soon and as I sat in my office reading the Word, I ran across a verse where Jesus changed me once again.

Jesus has just healed many, fed the five thousand, and is now hearing the beleaguering chit-chat of many wondering just who He really is. Jesus asks His disciples,(in a lead in situation), who people say He is. They give Him several answers and then in Luke 9:20, Jesus looks at Peter and asks, "who do you say that I am?"

In my time of revelling from my real life issues, it was as if Jesus was looking at me and asking me -- Wayne -- who do you say that I am? I realized at that moment how easy it is when surrounded by God's glory to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, but at this point it was as if Jesus was asking me if I still gave Him that glory. It was very similar to one of the many times Jesus would ask those He helped, "where is your faith?" I felt Jesus reminding me that the Messiah and Savior of my life I had been basking in the glory of these past few weeks, is and still will be the same Messiah and Savior of my life in those times of real life issues if I only continue to proclaim it. What mighty power did I feel in those words now! "Who do you -- Wayne -- say that I am?"
"You are the Christ of God, the Messiah, my Lord and Savior -- and with you I can do all things", is my reply.

So in your real world days filled with issues if Jesus were to ask you,"who do you say that I am?" How would you respond? Remember Hebrews 13:8 says: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So who do you say that He is?

Blessings,

Pastor Wayne

The Witness of Friends

Recently a friend of the family and a member of our church recently was told a growth she had found was sure to be breast cancer. Through mammography the doctor could see the tumor had "fingers" growing from it and to his best knowledge and experience these usually indicated cancer. As the doctor prepared our friend for the road ahead, which would include surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, we could see a sense of uncertainty and perhaps a glimmer of fear in our friend. She is a single mother of one. Her son is her life and she has worked very hard to provide him with a comfortable home and the things kids would want growing up. She has become close to our family as she made a connection with my wife and oldest daughter, while her son was a hit with our children. As I listened to her story, I couldn't help but feel that God had a plan and was going to be glorified in this situation.

For the Sunday service of October 23, 2012, I had felt a strong leading of the Spirit to hold a healing service. I felt like the Lord wanted me to anoint these ladies and anyone else in need of healing and believe God was going to be glorified. Notice I say ladies. You see along with our family friend, we had another church member and family friend with a very similar report. This lady of the church was also a potential bearer of breast cancer. She had called me, but I was on the line with another call so she called my wife, of whom just happened to be home that day. She too gave the report of uncertainty and yet she too put her trust in God for her future. So yes, the Lord led me to pray over these two women and anoint them in a special healing service. That's when the miracles begin.

After speaking on Luke 5, and the various healings Jesus did that day, I excitedly exhorted the congregation to be the friends that were lowering their friend through the rooftop in front of Jesus for healing. I asked the second lady mentioned to come up for prayer as I had already covered this part with her. Unexpectedly the first lady of the story couldn't be at church that day. As our friend (the first lady) stood at our door telling us how she couldn't be there, I assured her we would still pray for her in a special way. You see these two ladies not only go to our church, but they are very close friends and work in the same office at the same workplace doing the same type of work. Therefore it only seemed fitting to not only pray for the second lady, but to pray over the second lady a second time on behalf of her friend the first lady.

As she knelt down at the altar I informed her I would anoint her left shoulder and pray on her behalf first. I would then anoint her right shoulder and pray on behalf of hers and our friend who couldn't be there with us. After an outpouring of prayer and a special anointing of the Spirit not only for these two women, but for several others, we left the altar believing and trusting God. Tears were shed, hearts were lightened and eyes were opened. Then we received the miraculous news.

Monday late morning our friend we had prayed for by way of her friend who was at church sent us all a message. The tumor that was so assuredly cancer was benign; there was NO CANCER! We all witnessed a true living miracle through our friend and praised God all through the day. Then I realized what part of that miracle was meant for me. Yes, I am exuberant that our friend does not have cancer. But I am also excited that I got to witness such an amazing miracle. I am one of the friends that got to witness the healing power of Jesus Christ. What makes it more exciting, is the fact that the shoulder anointed on behalf of our friend, (right shoulder) was also the affected side in question of our friend. Only God would direct something like that. Only God would lead me to pray like that. I am blessed to have a healed friend, but I am blessed that I was able to be one of the friends to witness the miracle too. Just like the friends that lowered the lame man through the rooftop and witnessed the healing of their friend, I too got to witness our friends healing. What a mighty and loving God we serve! I wouldn't trade this for anything, and yes....I believe in miracles!

Blessings to you

Pastor Wayne

St. Jude Run

Tonight I had the privilege of bringing a short, encouraging devotional to the runners of this year’s annual St. Jude run from Champaign to Peoria. As I sifted through the stories from St. Jude, and the importance of children to Jesus, I came upon the scriptures found in Matthew 18 and 19. I studied these and it came to me how often we here a child cry out for help, and how we seemingly, almost impulsively respond with the all too familiar phrase, "oh it will be all right". I was reminded of how my son Krys cried out after a leg injury and I did just that. I felt he may be dramatizing a less than serious injury because his older brother had suffered an injury on the same leg a week earlier. As I displayed little regard for the potential of injury, I grabbed his injured leg and Krys screamed out in pain. As I frantically dropped the injured extremity I realized he was undoubtedly hurting. The paramedic in me kicked in and as I examined the extremity it became clearly obvious. Exactly where I had grabbed his leg was a major step off, or in layman's terms, a deformity to his once continuous perfect little leg bone. As tears welled up in my eyes and apologies flowed, I informed him that his leg was probably broken and we would need to go to the emergency department for x-rays. To make a long story short, it was broken and so was the other bone in his leg. Yes, Krys had broken his fibula and his tibia.

As I looked at these scriptures in Matthew, I saw the disciples arguing about who would be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 18) It was then that Jesus took a small child ¬- sat the child in front of them - and proceeded to tell them they must have the innocence of a small child, the heart of a child, the humbleness of a child, if they wanted to see the Kingdom of Heaven. BUT! In the next chapter, (chapter 19) Jesus is healing the people. Soon some parents move to the front of the crowd with their children in hopes that Jesus can heal their sick children. Yet the disciples, the same disciples that had just been taught the need to be like a child and how important children are to Jesus, pushed the parents aside and told them not to be bothering Jesus. Jesus stopped them and reminded them in His compassionate way, that the children are what make’s us. Jesus said, let the children come to me, and then he blessed them and healed them.

This story made me think of how many times the cries of a child go unheard. Sure we may hear them audibly, but many times we set them aside, possibly because they are young, and tell them it will be all right. My new friend Austin has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He also designed the T-shirt for this year’s St. Jude run. Yet much like the story of the disciples, and the story revealed of me, Austin’s diagnosis didn’t come immediately. Oh his family took him serious and kept returning him to the doctors for continual appointments. However, it wasn’t until several weeks after the first signs of illness, that the family of Austin learned the in-depth news. Olivia is his sister and she is a part of a family that I know appreciates all of those who give of themselves everyday for the betterment of children. I know they, as many of us do, appreciate all of those who are running for the cause and for the innocence of children. Austin was my helper tonight as I shared this devotional. He was and is the child Jesus says bring unto me. Pray for them and those of all ages who suffer from this growing epidemic called cancer.

Blessings,

Pastor Wayne

A Testimony

One day as I was sitting and wondering why people go to church and what it is that drives people to go to church, I was reflecting on the writings of the Apostle Paul. I noted he was indeed a great church planter so to speak. Why, he went to many places and not only started churches but helped many of them become self-propigating as well. I reflected on the fact that then, the church couldn't have been a giant complex with multiple overhead screens and all of the lates audio-visual equipment, but that of the greatest simplicity. I reflected on how blessed our new start has been and is and how far we have come, despite the fact we too don't have many of the comforts of the mega churches. As I read from the book of Acts in the latter chapters beginning in chapter 21 I was also pondering the question as to what it would take to grow our new start more. That's when the Lord spoke to me through His Word as He so often does. In these chapters Paul is being accused and potentially tried for nothing more than his beliefs. Yet in each case when he is presented before his accusers his defense always starts out the same; with a testimony! YES, I can picture him telling emphatically the way Jesus literally knocked him off his high horse and showed him the light. It was Paul's testimony and his repetative telling of it that God revealed to me as a method of growth. We just need to share our testimony. Jesus taught in Mattew 25 that if we have something as great as Salvation we shouldn't hide it, so let's tell those we come in contact with by sharing a testimony. Oh sure we may and most likely will meet up with some Festus' like Paul did who consider us insane, but we could actually run across a few who like King Agrippa in Acts 26 potentially feel the tugging of the Lord on their own heart through our testimony. Then potentially we could grow the church in general and just not one church but the whole Kingdom of God! WOW, what a concept!

Think about it, would you have liked to have known Jesus sooner? Or if you don't know Jesus, wouldn't you like to know what He has done for others you know? Our testimonies as Christians can be delivered in so many ways, but if we at least share some sort of testimony, who knows someone could be intrigued enough to seek what it is you have. So how about it, have you told anyone what Jesus has done for you today? It could change a life.

Grow the Church with a testimony today. Try it :)
Pastor Wayne

What Jesus DID not WWJD

Many times I see the common bracelet WWJD being worn about and I have come to realize it's not what would Jesus do, but what DID Jesus do. He set the example for us in every situation and He taught us as well in His short time here in an effort to prepare us for situations as well. So it's not a question of what would He do, but what DID He do in a certain situation. With that in mind it brings me to the thought of how He interacted with people. Seems like today if someone we know has done something wrong or has been speculated as to have done something wrong, we tend to by human nature shy away from them. It's apparent in many instances we no longer want to be associated with that person because WE think we know the story, so in human nature we do what human nature does and we shun them. HOWEVER, from the aspect of what DID Jesus do we can see that this is not the way He handled these situations. Throughout the Gospels you see Jesus actually going right into the midst of these supposed wrong-doers and witnessing to them. And in each case He did it without condemnation or bring on a sense of pre-judgmentalism. Look at Matthew the tax collector, one can only speculate to the many wrongs he may have caused, after all his title itself is one that says corruption. Of course just as in today's world the people shunned the corrupt tax collector, yet Jesus went and ate dinner with him and his buddies and to top it off asked Matthew to become one of His disciples.

What if we took that approach today with someone of whom we have a predisposed notion about as well. What if instead of presuming to know the absolute truth of the matter, we do as Jesus DID, and we show them some kindness. Instead of shunning these people and pushing them away what if we actually open our arms to them and show them the love of Jesus, just as Jesus DID, therefore bringing a potential life altering change to the situation should their actually be a need for one. I mean let's face it, if these supposed bad people really did something so horribly wrong then they would be the very one's Jesus told us to love and be compassionate to wouldn't they? Aren't these the very people who need to know the life-changing message of salvation given to us through the grace of God by His Son Jesus? We can't possibly help them become followers or disciples if we shun them because, well, because they are bad. Jesus said someone who isn't sick doesn't need a doctor, so if they truly are afflicted we need to lead them to the great Physician don't we? And should there be no truth to the story we presumed to have known all about, then again by showing them some compassion we can tear down that barrier of discord as well.

What Jesus DID, was build relationships not destroy them. There are enough lost people in the world that are under the control of the enemy that like nothing better than to destroy relationships, so why not DO as Jesus DID and reach out to someone. You could literally save a life. Look at all the lives Jesus saved, and He told us not to hoard that for ourselves but to share this life changing Gospel news with those that need it. Love your adversaries, it's easy to love those that already love you. (Luke 6)

So if you know someone who may be discounted as less than honorable, remember Jesus approached the likes during His earthly ministry and expects the same out of us. Approach them, be kind to them, pray for them, and know that Jesus is the answer. Asking what would He do seems a way to put off the doing of what He actually DID.

Love you my brothers and sisters

To Die For

Last night as I was doing review with my children's quiz group we ran upon an interesting verse of scripture. Exodus 14:30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.



My young group of 1,2, and 3 graders all seemed to pick up on how weak the faith of the Israelite people was UNTIL they actually saw all of the Egyptians lying dead on the sea shore. The question was raised why didn't they believe (the Israelites) that God was able in the first place. After some elementary discussion we concluded that this is true today and that sometimes it takes that much extreme in our lives for us to really believe in God, even to the point sometimes of the death of a loved one.



But then if you look at this story you can also see the similarity of Jesus in here too. Jesus has come as the Messiah and predicts that he must suffer as the Son of Man, so that all may have life. He even goes as far to predict His own death. But just as the Israelite people seemed not to believe totally until they saw the dead Egyptians, it would seem the same can be said of the Messiah as others failed to believe until they saw Jesus actually on the cross being crucified. But even then it is evident that the visual of a lifeless Messiah who predicted His own suffering, as well as His own resurrection still hadn't convinced everyone. As in the resurrected Christ and His appearance to the disciples there was still disbelief until some could physically touch Him.



So as we look at the patterns of life even throughout the Bible is it that hard to believe that sometimes it takes actual death for people to begin to believe that God is real? Perhaps it's that final realization that God is the giver and taker of all things that finally sinks in, or perhaps it's the realization that the loss of the one loved should they be a Believer is not a loss at all but a beginning to a life with Christ in eternity and it's our realization that in order to share that we need to put our trust in God. Or perhaps in the uncertainty of it all, we learn that the only sure thing is the presence of God as we lean upon Him more and more during our times of heartache. Whatever the case may be it would seem it brings a new insight to the words of Christ when He taught in Luke 9:24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.



For it seems in death we believe.



Blessings to you all