Research

Want to get involved? I'm doing some research for an upcoming camp session. One of the big topics is the relevance of God in today's world. How do you convince a young, or old for that matter, non-believer that God is relevant in todays world? Let's go on from there, how about the relevance of the Church today? What example do I give of the "Church" being relevant in our current society? Now understand, I do not need convinced of these things. I work with young people and this is a difficult subject for non-believers so I thought I could pool our collective minds about this topic. I am offering you an opportunity to practice evangelism for the benefit of young people you may never know. You don't have to face to face with anyone or even leave home. Just another useful piece of technology, you can help by posting comments and in the process participate in youth ministry. Post your thoughts on this issue, I could use the help. Thanks

The Truth of the Matter

When we look around us at the world today it's hard not to be amazed at what we see. If your old enough to remember even little things that have changed so rapidly. Remember gas at 78 cents a gallon? Maybe you can remember it at even lower prices. I love to listen to my grandmother recall the world she remembers from her childhood and think about the differences in her life and mine. The world changes all the time, the things one person can see in a single life time are vast. In my short life I have seen the Berlin Wall come down, the collapse of the Soviet Union, 9/11, the U.S. declare War for the first time since WWII. That's just a little bit; computers, cell phones, and TV on demand. From the Commodore 64 to Playstation 3 it's all been a world wind as the world changes. The truth of the matter is surprisingly simple in a complex world though, for over 2000 years it's been all about Jesus. The things you have yet to see and that are still to come can never change this one simple truth; it's all about Jesus. That's the truth of the matter.

The Painter

The Painter of the Coulee

Sunday we were returning home and notice there seem to be a little more snow on the shoulders of the road from Bridgeport south to Leahy Jct., Then from there to Grand Coulee it was very evident that there had been light frosting of snow while we were at church services.

We live in such a beautiful place in this land; it is hard for me to understand when people cannot find beauty here. When it snowed in the Coulee last time and this time I was overcome by the beauty of The Painters strokes!

The Painter took the white of the snow and matched it with the dark gray of the slide plies of crumpled rock, some far up towards the rim and others some distance from the rim of the Coulee to make a soft gray that stands out in the Sun. With white of the snow in other places, He had the snow stand out white against the lighter big rocks that dot the roadway. If you look out my back door, the one out of our bedroom, he added the deep green of huge evergreen trees that line the mid part of the cleft. Down in the Coulee on the water in the bay by Electric City He lined a then layer of ice that even the ducks could not have walked on that shimmered in the sunlight. Have you ever noticed, when it snows that every road or path, paved or dirt shows up instantly? He then contrasted the snow covered south walls of the Coulee with the Southwest side of Steamboat rock where there is very little or no snow at all, and with the blue water, there is simply not a better masterpiece to be found except maybe in the next Coulee where Dry falls is located.

I am convinced God is willing to be “The Painter “in our lives. He still gives us the choice to let him paint in our lives’; never does He take that away! He would paint us using only the best or choicest paints. He would paint our faces with both the yellow, bright yellow of Joy and sky blue of peace, calm soft sky with no wind in it. He than is willing to paint us a patient green you know the green from evergreen trees that last hundreds of years. Next it is the pink if kindness and the orange of goodness. Pink is so soft and so is kindness! Orange is alive with color Orange just shouts good for you! Then there is the gold of Faithfulness, it shines in your eyes and almost blinds one to everything else that a goes on! Don’t forget the soft purple, that royalty that shouts gentle, gentle, gentle and then the Black and white of self-control! Don’t ever forget the God promises that we can run away from evil any time we choose too! It is pretty black or with the choice always being ours! The question is; Who is painting you? Will you be masterpiece or simply a water color? Dave

Our Witness

Will you lay down your life for me? Would you be my servant? Do people know you are/we are God’s people by the way we love each other? Three questions that are asked in this week’s text in John 13! What would your answer be? Oh sure Jesus I will be your servant, you can tell by what I do when I …., Yes my Lord I will lay down my life for you, but first let me go bury my ___________! (father, friends, mother, education, what I am doing today, my plans for life, my hopes my goals, my dreams) How can people in community know we love each as Christ loves us if we don’t ever spend time with one another or be willing to set aside what we would do to be with our brothers and sisters? There was a time when in our belief that churches of Christ might have been accused of that, because we were always ‘At church”! But, I doubt that could be used as a reason in our present time in this Country! Extremism by humans is never a witness for right in our Country or Church. Christianity is always a balance not a chaotic approach or action. If we need to fight against evil then fight, if we are at peace then be peaceful, if we love one another then be committed!

Being, I think a realist most of the time, I realize that church attendance or even sharing times together in out of “church” time is not going to be a witness to most people in general that in God’s kingdom we love and/or trying to love each other as Jesus loves us! BUT, I do think there is witness to family members or maybe all folks, one at a time. It is difficult to balance our lives with the purposes of our hearts and yet God calls us to do just that! I would imagine it was difficult for the Apostles to do that, especially after the church was driven out of Jerusalem after Stephen’s death. They didn’t have text messaging or IPhones. So, Preacher tell us how we do this? After all that is why you have written the first part of this article?

Well since you asked! The WORD scripture uses is COMMITTED. I expect Kathy to know that I am committed to her first because I said I was in exact words! I want her to see it in the way I look at her! The tone I use with her is one way to communicate to her that she is first in my life under God! Sometimes I have had to ask her forgiveness because the words and tones didn’t convey what is truly my heart. My touch whether it is physical or just a brush, or a look

or…….. You see the same way I expect Kathy to see from me my commitment to her is the same way I expect you to see my commitment to you as a brother or sister in the kingdom. It is our witness to a sinful world. Give it a thought! Dave