RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD

"Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." (Mark 10:9) Recently I saw a picture of a street in Las Vegas and in the background I saw something that both shocked and saddened me. It was a drive-through divorce window. What a sad commentary on the condition of our culture. If your marriage is boring you don't even have to get out of the car to get rid of your spouse. That's as bad as the rebuke Jesus gave to the Pharisees because they were divorcing their wives because they had burnt the dinner.

I know that the Bible's teaching on divorce is complex and it requires more time to discuss than what I have in this blog. But I do want you to see a couple of things:

First, I think we all realize that we live in a throw-away culture. We throw away everything from contact lenses to babies. We throw away friendships and marriages. It's the easy way out.

Secondly, we see in the passage of Scripture above, that Jesus calls us away from an attitude that trashes marriage simply because it would take too much effort to work at fixing it. Jesus calls those who have chosen to follow Him to a commitment that moves beyond such selfishness and superficiality.

So don't give up on your spouse or on that relationship in the Body of Christ. Relationships can be complicated, and there aren't always easy answers, but the quick fix doesn't fix anything. If you are struggling in your marriage, ask God to help you put forth the effort that it takes to build a good marriage. Or any relationship, for that matter.

CALLED TO BE A WATCHMAN

".....encourage one another daily." (Hebrews 3:13)

"I'm called to be a watchman". This is what I was told by the physically large man who showed up at our Church one Sunday morning and informed me that he would be staying because The Lord had led Him in coming to us. From that day on he spent all of his time scrutinizing and evaluating everyone and everything. He was picking and questioning everything, but not in a normal, healthy way, but with an obsessive zeal, a determination to catch everyone of us doing something wrong. His criticisms were always couched in terms of "this church", "you" or "they".

He never used the term "us". And he never noticed that we did anything right.

I often wonder what inner sadness made him so eager to criticize and never encourage? He never spoke to anyone one word of affirmation.

Let's not forget the power of encouragement. Hebrews 10:24-25, tells us that encouragement helps spur us on. So go ahead and make someone's day. Catch them doing something right. And unless unless you're willing to pray long and hard into the late hours of the night for your Church, don't call yourself a watchman.

Who can I encourage today?

Unceasing Prayer

     In the early 18th century the Moravians launched the modern missionary movement from Herrnhut. One of their mottoes was "no one works unless someone prays". To that end they started a prayer meeting that lasted 100 years. Unceasing prayer went up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The result was that they changed the world. 

     The Moravians were no different than you or I, but they made a deep commitment to Jesus and to prayer, which transformed and changed them forever.

     God wants to change the world again and He is looking at you and me. Are you willing to seek the same fire that inspired the Moravian believers two centuries ago?

Pastor Ron

Territorialism

Every year, before Easter, a ceremony takes place in the tomb of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where tradition holds that Jesus was buried. Not long ago, as the Greek Orthodox Priest and the Armenian Archbishop made their way toward the tomb a fight broke out between the two and their communities. The police had to be called in to try and separate them.

Another time, a fight broke out in the Holy Place between the denominations. Since then more than a thousand police are on standby for each year's celebration.

But there's more! Another time a fight broke out whether a door in the Chapel should be left open or closed. Another time an expensive carpet extended a few inches into the Franciscan's space, so one of the priests cut it off, creating conflict.

You might remember seeing this one on the news a few years back. A ladder had been left in one spot, leaning up against a wall for decades, because the various denominations couldn't agree about who left it there.

What do you think is behind this kind of un-Christlike behavior? It's all about who's in control. Join me in praying that the Lord will save us from this kind of immaturity that insists on everything being done "my way". "Your kingdom come, Your will be done".

Pastor Ron

How did I Do

HOW DID I DO?

RCC just had it's Annual Business Meeting. I place great priority on Business Meetings, not only because it's a time to remember and rejoice in what God has done, but also because we are celebrating the way we do life together by "walking in the light", which is characterized by transparency, openness , and loving accountability. This was certainly true of our Annual Business Meeting last night.

When I was serving as Senior Pastor, I always told people who were "checking us out" to see if our Church was the "right" Church for them, to come to one of our business meetings, because that's where you find out what a Church is really like.

As I've reflected upon the reports given by the Ministry Directors, at the A. B. M. this year, my attention was drawn to a passage of Scripture in 1Samuel 12. Samuel, an old man at this time, stood before the people of Israel and said, in verse 3: " Here I stand. testify against me in the presence of the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated?" I love His openness and vulnerability.

Samuel had walked with integrity. Verse 2 says that Samuel had " walked before " the people as a consistent model of living. In 1 Timothy 4:12 and Titus 2:7, the word "example" means to "strike a blow on wax", which literally means to "make an impression".

Samuel, and I believe it was true of those who gave reports of their ministry last night at the A.B.M., was bold enough to ask the people "How did I do?".

It is my prayer that we will always have the humility and courage to ask how we are doing.

Pastor Ron

Perseverance

Perseverance

I believe that God is actively working in our lives all the time. I also know that there are times when I feel like nothing is happening and that God is a million miles away. I get really excited when I pray for something and God answers right away. But there are other times when I pray and have to hang in there for a long time before the answer comes. The Bible calls this "perseverance". Prayer requires perseverance. Waiting and suffering teaches us endurance, which in turn produces character and maturity. A good illustration of the word "perseverance" is found in Mark 3:9 where it says Jesus had a small boat "kept ready waiting" for Him. The Greek word used here is "perseverance". If you have been waiting for a long time for God to answer your prayer, I encourage you to stay moored in faith.

Read: Luke 18:1-8; Romans 5:3-4; James 1:3-4; 1Peter 1:6

Pastor Ron

Dreaming of a "Right" Christmas

DREAMING OF A "RIGHT" CHRISTMAS

Like most people I love Bing Crosby's "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas". It's doubtful that for those of us who live in the Central Valley will have a white Christmas this year or any year for that matter. But it would be better if all of us could have a "right" Christmas. May I suggest that you prayerfully look to God, this year, for a "right" Christmas for you and your family?

Let me start by saying that for a Christian a "right" Christmas begins with a right emphasis, which means putting Christ at the center of our lives and activities.

In Luke chapter 2, when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem there was no room in the inn. The tragedy of Christmas in America is that many people, while observing the season, have the wrong emphasis. Too often the emphasis is on gifts, work, parties...(Which has its place) but with little emphasis, or no thought at all, of Christ who came to be the Savior of the world.

In order for your Christmas to be right, I would like to suggest four vital ingredients:

1-TAKE SPECIFIC ACTION IN YOUR PLANS TO MAKE "ROOM" FOR JESUS.

   A.Read and study the Christmas story. And do it also as a family.

   B.Let your decorations, cards, wrappings communicate the true meaning of Christmas.

   C.Along with gifts such as toys, clothes, tools, etc...consider gifts that meet the person's

      spiritual needs (Bibles, books, games with christian themes,etc.). This of course requires

      wisdom. You don't want to give a Bible to a family member whom you know is hostile to

      the Gospel.

2-THE "RIGHT" CHRISTMAS SHOULD INCLUDE WORSHIP.

   A.Not only with your Church family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but with your

      immediate family around the Christmas Tree. Be creative. In my family, one of the adults

      was asked to read the Christmas Story, until our oldest grandson, Judah, was old enough

      to read. This year we will be asking our second oldest grandson, Jarin, to read it.

   B.Don't let the pressures of shopping, entertaining, etc, destroy your relationship with Jesus,

      and your inner peace. It is a known fact that families have their biggest fights around

      Christmas. Not because they don't love one another, but they allow themselves to get under

      pressure.

3-A "RIGHT" CHRISTMAS SHOULD INCLUDE GIVING.

   A.The Bible says that "God so loved the world, that He GAVE...".

   B.We are all in a frame of mind to give to one another, but let's not forget God. Christmas can

      be a wonderful time to rededicate one's life to the Lord. It is also a great time to give to

      God's work, to missions, to the poor.

4- A "RIGHT" CHRISTMAS SHOULD INCLUDE TELLING OTHERS ABOUT JESUS.

   A.You can tell your loved ones, your neighbors, your co-workers, etc.

   B.Again, you need wisdom. You can destroy a Christmas if you try to "preach" to people.

   C.There are ways of telling the Good News: Christmas cards with a well chosen verse of

      Scripture, an invitation to a neighbor to attend a Christmas Service with you, etc.

   D. God will show you the right way to share Jesus with others.

   E.As it was on that first Christmas when the angels spread the Good News, Jesus' coming is

      the best news mankind can hear.

I pray that God will bless you and yours, and give you a wonderful holiday season with Jesus as the Lord of all.

Pastor Ron