God Our Rescue

Written by Pastor Rex Hamilton Since becoming a father 11 years ago, not a single day has passed where I haven’t asked God to protect my kids and our family. Sometimes it’s a quick simple prayer, other times, I find some solitude and spend time asking God to protect my family in very specific ways.

These have always been some of my most confident prayers because I know based on Psalm 91 that it’s God’s nature to protect and rescue his people. But...I’m not naive to think bad things can’t, or won’t happen. We live in a very broken world...

Here’s a little faith exercise to put into practice this week:

Spend a few minutes every day by reading Psalm 91 and then write out specific areas of your life that you need God to either protect or rescue. The point? Wait and watch God come through on His promises! Sounds so simple, right? But how easily we can get off track and forget who God says He is, and just how much He desires our complete dependence upon Him.

He’s a good, good Father who loves us deeply and wants to show Himself to us through His word.

Photo Credit

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw1KfjmnRQ4

A Rod, Staff and Oil…

Written by Fiona Monaghan A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Philip Keller was an eye opener for me. Many of us know the Psalm that starts “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” and there are references made throughout the Psalm to physical things like rod, staff and oil. Mr. Keller explains how a shepherd would actually use these tools in his vocation and what it means to us.

The Rod was a weapon made from a sapling specially chosen and whittled down to suit the shepherd. The root was used and shaped to fit the shepherd hand. He would use this in a couple of ways. If a sheep was wandering off, as they are prone to do, he would throw down the rod to startle the sheep back to the group. It was used to check the condition of the fleece. Checking the skin by parting the fleece with the rod looking for sores, ticks etc. It was the ultimate protection tool used as a deterrent for predators and beating the bush for snakes etc.

Whereas the rod was protection, the Staff was considered a tool of help or compassion; not for defense, but for rescue. If a newborn lamb got separated from its mother, the shepherd would use the staff to lift it back into proximity of the mother and not put his human scent on it. If he needed to draw an animal back into the fold he could reach out and pull them closer; used to rescue a wayward animal if it got caught in thickets or brambles. Also a means of support for him to lean on and assist his walking and used for guiding sheep on a new path.

The Oil referenced was a healer. It was put on sores or scrapes to prevent infection. Flies would bother the sheep and want to lay eggs in their nose, so the shepherd would put a coating of oil mixture to prevent this. A distraught sheep having to deal with these flies would disrupt a flock so it was very important to treat them by anointing with oil.

It was no mistake that we as a people were referenced as ‘sheep’ and Jesus our Shepherd. Sheep are not the smartest of animals. They tend to follow rather than lead. They are totally defenseless in the proximity of an enemy so need a Shepherd to protect them.

How often have we needed the Oil of healing in His words at a difficult time, or the Rod of correction if we are heading off in a wrong direction or the Staff of comfort when needing to know we are not alone.

Read Psalm 23 with the meanings of these words made clearer. See how this might be useful in your own life.

Photo Credit

Breathe In...Breathe Out...

Sometimes it’s all too easy to forget the mystery in the Bible. That’s not to say God is mysterious, as he’s been fully revealed to us in the person of Jesus. The Bible? Different story... Throughout the Old Testament, we see various writers using strong symbolic imagery to describe the presence and works of God. David is one of those writers. In Psalm 39, we read that he’s wrestling with his own life, recognizing that his time here on earth is short. His exact words are, “my life is but a breath”...

Breath. A central ingredient to life.

People like Moses, Solomon and David all believed that when they inhaled- they received the presence of God. Kinda mysterious, right?

Here’s a little exercise for you. Next time you’re alone and praying; be thoughtful about your breathing. Breathe in...breathe out. Know that God created you from His Spirit and that His peace, comfort, grace and strength are always accessible. He’s a good Father. A loving God.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Rex

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb9cq1EEco0

Self-Control

The mention of the term self-control undoubtedly brings to mind different images for people depending on their particular circumstances. Many probably think of combating dominating habits that can range from the simple to the more complex and debilitating. It may be as simple as a poor diet or a tendency to overeat at Thanksgiving, or to talking too much. It may also be something far more serious like chain smoking, drunkenness, drug abuse, sexual sins (pornography and adultery), a quick temper, a pattern of exaggerating or lying, etc. Others may think of dealing with an abusive spouse, parent, or employer or of dealing with their own tendencies toward losing control and becoming abusive. Others need self-control because they are lazy or have poor work habits while others are workaholics and need self-control to back off and learn to relax. Regardless, self-control is very much an important part of maturity. One of the basic characteristics of infancy is a lack of self-control. Not only do babies need diapers, they must be carried because they lack the necessary control and muscle coordination to sit up much less walk or run. If a babies are healthy and normal, in time they will develop more and more self-control—a sure sign of growth and maturity.

Self-control means to be in control of one’s attitudes or thought processes, desires or passions, and patterns or habits so they do not dictate one’s behavior. The question we must ask ourselves, is are we asking and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce self-control within us?

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Rex

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHNc320DAXE

Who poked the bear?

Written by Fiona Monaghan We like to think we have all kinds of self control, but what happens when someone ‘pokes the bear’ or ‘pushes your buttons’? That is when we find out just how much self-control we really have. Now we have come to the last of the nine fruit of the spirit and this one is probably the toughest one to live with or without.

The only way to develop self control is to continually work at it. When stress or temptation comes into our lives and we can remember to take a moment before responding. Trying to ‘count to 10’ or take a deep breath, will give us a better chance of not doing or saying something we will have to fix later.

Choosing a correct response to things that come at us in life requires taking time to sort through and determine an appropriate response. Many of us don’t do that. We have that “quick trigger finger.”

The good thing about this is that we can ask for help. God does provide the power behind the doing. We just have to be willing to ask for the help.

Then, of course, we have to put into action self-control when opportunity is presented. To stop and think, to weigh the outcomes of a certain response and the more we can practice the more it should become easier…

This week pay attention to those times you are called on to exercise self-control: in traffic, with children or spouse, with co- workers. Be willing to ask God for help in becoming better self-controlled.

Photo credit: Never & Proverbs

Are you True Blue?

Written by Fiona Monaghan I wonder if we might get a better idea of what faithfulness is if we looked at what it is not?

Someone who is not faithful is one who can be swayed to do mean things. Who can feel ok with letting people down, not living up to promises, not staying true to a loved one but will sell them out for a price.

“…Faithfulness has two different meanings. If we mean the faithfulness of God or Jesus, it refers to steadfastness, honesty, firmness, and God's utter dependability based on His unchanging character. If we mean human faithfulness, it refers to our steady allegiance to God and our trust in Him. A "faithful" man is "full of faith"; he believes in the reality of God as revealed in Scripture…”  compellingtruth.org 

I think I have learned more about God’s personal faithfulness toward me since losing my hearing. I saw things line up to provide me with hearing aids from an unlikely source, was able to get in to see the best surgeon in Seattle to do the implant, to funds being available to pay for it. I could see his promises coming true right before my eyes.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Proverbs 3:5-6 - (The Message)

This fruit is a result from when we put into action our trust and loyalty in God. We want to live our lives to please Him. We won’t be looking to find a way out of things, or being disloyal to others or trying not to commit to something that requires effort on our part. We will discover that we are becoming people of faithfulness:

“Doing what is needed to take good care of what is entrusted to us”

I would suggest a word study on this one. We think we know what it means, but when you look it up in the dictionary or online, there is so much more to this word. You might be surprised…

Photo Credit: Faithfulness & Lucado

Strong Gentleness

Written by Pastor Rex Hamilton A couple years back, I read a fascinating book by Dr. Henry Cloud called, Changes That Heal. In it, he speaks to the notion that one cannot be a healthy person without the presence of both Truth and Grace. He states that without truth and grace being lived out on a daily basis a person cannot be emotionally healthy.

When it comes following Jesus, the same can be said about Strength and Gentleness. Both work together to help form our faith and trust in Jesus, they drive our ability to be a credible witness in our world.

Look at the life of Jesus. Countless times people confronted him and every single time he exhibits strength through his gentleness. He never backed down from people, but he never pointed a finger in their face. I wish I could say that about myself!

Today, as you read this- ask yourself if your thoughts, actions or words have been marked with strong gentleness. Be truthful with yourself. And then show yourself some grace. I know Jesus will...

A Fruitful Effort

Written by Fiona Monaghan Gentleness is a trait, I think, that we would like more of. It paints a picture of someone who is careful with other’s feelings, who can soothe with their words and be mindful of other people that share their lives. It is not a place of weakness, but of great strength. For someone to be gentle requires effort. To be mindful of how our words come across to another, requires effort, and to be careful toward people in our lives, requires effort.

Picture a small child who has been given a kitten to hold. We tell them “be gentle” as their tendency would be to squeeze and maybe get scratched in the process. It is by extra effort that gentleness is managed.

Jesus was portrayed as a gentle man. But no one would call him a weakling or someone who was easily pushed around. He showed gentleness to people caught in bad circumstances by extending kind words and gentle commands. ‘…neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more…” He came along side people at their most vulnerable and never seemed to be at a loss of words. He just knew the right things to say.

If we are to grow in this fruit I believe it requires effort on our part. The other fruit we have looked at previously result from a trusting place - trusting God with our lives and circumstances. This one has us making the effort to think about what we say, how we say it and what action we use around people who share our lives. The better we can do this requires us to know the one who showed how to live it. As we study Jesus’ life and the way he treated people we would feel encouraged to do likewise.

Try asking the people in your life if they see you as a gentle person and then act upon that.

Photo Credit

What has its hold on you?

Written by Fiona Monaghan We looked at what living a life attached to the True Vine or Jesus would like versus living attached to things of this world and looking for them to satisfy and provide for us.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:7-8

I heard a pastor use a visual for the word ‘abide’ that has really stuck with me. He showed a little kid’s toy, this little man inside a gargantuan robot body. When the little man wasn’t inside (or abiding) in the robot he was in his own power and susceptible to all kinds of trouble and problems. But when he climbed inside the robot body, he was able to use all the power available to him in that robots power. That is what abiding in Christ looks like. We climb into Jesus and let Him ‘live out’ in us, He is also the Power behind the work.

“The disciple who abides (is at home) in Jesus is in the will of God, and what appears to be his free choices are actually God’s foreordained decrees…” Oswald Chambers

To live within His will and plan for our lives then frees us from all sorts of things. We take steps daily toward our future knowing He’s got it all mapped out. If we turn our concerns over others into prayers for them, it accomplishes things for the Kingdom far better than worrying will do. To do this we need to trust God with every aspect of life with the confidence of a little child who is totally focused and accepting that our Father would never do anything to hurt or disappoint. He loves us and wants only the best for us in order to grow and strengthen us to be useful in our time here.

Are there some things that have got you ‘hooked’ - things that have too strong a hold on you that need to be cut away so you are free to live your life fully and healthily getting your sustenance from the True Vine?

Photo Credit

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdgaO37W2Fs

Your last is never your last

Written by Pastor Tim White Rey’s last message was not his last. Sunday was a moving day as Pastor Rex and his wife, Christalle, led us in a time to launch the Diaz family into their new global ministry based in Dallas, Texas. It showed how our church is in good hands with a group of young, gifted, gracious, fun pastors rising up. It also demonstrated how our church is more than a church- it is a movement.

Dr. Rey Diaz is going to work with Orphan Outreach, trying to solve the world problems of orphans on the streets. He is working on the solution of radical terrorism. Because terrorist find many of their recruits from the Hell holes that these children are forced to live in the midst of these monstrous slums. Orphan Outreach is unique because they collaborate with practically every other Christian orphan society to help with building orphanages, setting standards for their Christian care, working with local churches each time so that Jesus gets the glory, working with adoptive parents, foster parents and lobbying governments into setting higher standards for orphanages. Rey will continue to preach both around the world and when he visits Washington Cathedral in November for a special Orphan Sunday.

The point I want to make to you today is your last sermon is never your last. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Thursday, I visited Elling Halvorson for the last time in the hospital. We had our last devotion. But it wasn’t our last because he’s out of the hospital looking better than I have ever seen him. His mind was sharp as he held a business meeting at the hospital with many of the leaders of Boeing. As we prayed together with his amazing daughter Brenda, who is the president of Papillion Air lines, we knew that God has the best yet to come ahead of him. Here is my point.

Your last is never your last if you put your effort in God’s hands.

Jesus put it this way, “I will be with you always even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20a) Our work and our prayers are eternal and continue as long as God is God. So when I preach my last sermon it won’t be my last. Little kids will still listen to the bible stories we put on CD long after I am gone. My books will be read by those that love me long after I am gone. My sermons will be preached by preachers that I have taught as a professor in college and seminary. My discipleship will continue in the lives of people all around the world. Why because it isn’t my work it is God’s and he is eternal. Love is eternal. So your last is never your last. Get it. Get positive because today is a new day to be lived with the thrill of faith in Jesus Christ working through you.

---