"... for the LORD gave them rest." 2 Chronicles 14:6

How would you like to take a break from what you are doing right now? To feel the release of whatever burden is holding you down and for just a few minutes, feel at rest. I have been thinking lately about the importance of rest in relation to our faith and obedience to God. God created rest. God rested. God gives rest. Why don't we place more importance on something that was created for us?

In reading through 2 Chronicles, I have enjoyed the faithfulness that God has shown to the kings who have turned to Him, but when I came to that verse about the LORD giving rest, I stopped and smiled. I have needed to hear that lately. I am walking through a very busy season in my life right now. God has given me one of the most wonderful gifts, a man who truly loves Him and reflects that love to me, and in 24 days I will be getting married. Planning a wedding and preparing for marriage is busy, at least. Constantly making decisions, rushing off to meet with someone or prepare something, adding to and checking off to do lists. Even if my body is not moving, my mind sure is. I constantly remind myself that this season is only temporary, and that I can rest after the wedding, but the reality is that I need rest now. I cannot serve the Lord wholeheartedly when I feel anxiety as I look at my calendar over the next three weeks.

Often times the things that we are doing are not bad things. We consume ourselves in our work, or family, or even ministry. But as Tim preached two weekends ago, anything that consumes our thoughts more than our Savior is considered an idol. I need to be able to release the wedding from my thoughts and let God take that place in dwell in the deepest part of my heart. My weary soul needs rest in the One whose yoke is easy and burden is light. 

What do you need rest from today?

Why haven't you taken that rest yet?

What are you going to do make sure that you get it?

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On a recent trip to the airport, our family carried, pulled and dragged along individual suitcases in an effort to avoid the crazy checked bag costs. It was rather humorous to see those carry-on’s loaded to the hilt with everything under the sun. But for the trip to work, everyone needed to be aware of their own baggage and be ready to deal with it through inspection lines and check-in counters. At times, it was slow going because that much luggage can really slow someone down.

In our Route 66 readings, we see lots of luggage in people’s lives. Many of the stories reveal people carrying around attitudes, desires and beliefs that just bog down their spiritual progress. They are dragging stuff with them, but unless they get it out of their lives, it usually ruins everything. Recently, we saw that fleshed out in the life of Samson.

As I read his story it caught me that the personal baggage he dealt with most was his own misplaced desires. Three times Samson’s desires get the best of him. In Judges 14:1, we read how he saw a woman in Timnah and told his folks to set him up with her. We don’t know if he ever even talked to her. It’s just that she was attractive. The second time it happened was in Judges 16:1 when he went in to be with a prostitute. Again, no relationship is needed. He just wanted a woman. The third time his desires weighed him down was with Delilah. In this final scene, we read something different than the other encounters. Here the Bible says that “he fell in love” (Judges 16:4). Prior to this encounter, Samson had never given his heart away to another person. As arrogant and selfish as his previous exploits had been, we don’t see him shift commitments from God to another person.  But along comes Delilah and he quickly gives his heart to her and soon breaks his vow made to God.  

We all carry a bit of luggage in life. Each of us probably wishes the load were lighter. I think Samson is a great reminder to watch out for those desires in life that lead us away from our commitments to God and aim us toward those people and situations that only weigh us down. Samson was a strong man, but that’s not the reason I would name a suitcase after him.

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"Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?' 'Neither,' he replied, 'but as a commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.' Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?" Joshua 5:13-14

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I know that this passage has already been blogged about, but this is the passage that I have been waiting for. 

Working in Children's Ministry for the past four years, I am very familiar with this passage. 

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Do you know why I love this passage? Because at HDC, we believe that parents have the primary role of shepherding their children, and I believe that every parent has the potential to succeed in that role. No where in the Bible does it say that you need to be a pastor to teach your child about God. Or that you need to have everything figured out. But what it does say is to love the Lord your God with all of you heart. I think that you can do that. 

Don't just talk to your child about God when you pick them up from the kid's program on Sunday. But create a rhythm of times that are already built into your daily schedule. 

When you sit. Talk with your kids during dinner time about what God has been teaching you.

When you walk along the road. Use your drive time to reinforce what your kids learned on the weekend in church.

When you lie down. End your day by praying with your kids. 

And when you get up. Start your day off by getting into the word of God. 

Post Bible verses around your house. Use scripture when disciplining your children. Pray for your children every chance you get. Use the resources that the church provides.

I love getting to see my room full of kiddos every Sunday. They bring me an immense amount of joy each week. But I also love the parents. I love when a parent asks me about a good parenting book to read. Or when a parent comes to the baptism class with their child. Or when a parent makes sure that their child has received their God Time Card before leaving Beach House.

It is an amazing opportunity to be able to partner with parents when it comes to their child's faith. I have seen your kids in my program. Your kids are amazing. Just last Sunday I had a second grade boy tell me about the trinity. I did not teach him that. I can tell that you pray with your child when I hear them pray during small group time. I can tell that your read scripture with them when they know how to navigate the Bible.

If you are a parent, you have about 3000 hours with your child every year. I have about 40. You have an incredible impact on your child's walk with Christ, and I appreciate the opportunity to partner with you in that journey.

Staci Horodyski

Books I recommend:

Kids Bibles- The Action Bible: God's Redemptive Story, The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

Storybooks- You are Special, You are Mine, Because I Love You (all by Max Lucado)

Parenting books- Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna, Parenting Beyond Your Capacity by Reggie Joiner, Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

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How’s the trip down Route 66 going?  I hope you’re hanging in there with it, and that God is using His word to encourage you in life, strengthen you in faith, and make you godly and effective in all things.  The Bible actually does has the power to do that, you know!  That’s because it’s a living, breathing, active thing…and it wields a double-edged sword that cuts to our heart and knows who we truly are.  Shoot, it knows us even better than we know ourselves! That’s both intimidating and encouraging at the same time.  But like a good friend or a faithful spouse, though it knows the worst about us, it’s patient and committed to seeing us become more.  To this end, it will continue to faithfully carry out its purposes in us by:

Teaching us.

Rebuking us.

Correcting us.

Training us.

Making us wise.

Reviving our hearts.

Refreshing our souls. 

Keeping us from sin.

Giving us joy.

Providing us clarity and vision.

Transforming our lives.

Showing us that it’s more precious than gold.

Convincing us that it’s sweeter than honey.

Enduring forever.

So, as you continue to read through the Bible this week…ask God – beg and plead with Him – to use His living Word in a tangible way to accomplish these essential things in you, that you would be thoroughly equipped for every good work in the days ahead.

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Ohhh Numbers. The census. The offerings. The complaining. Sometimes this book seems a little random and unnecessary. However, as we go further into Numbers, we can start to see how God is preparing the Israelites for what is to come and how He continues to use Moses to lead the people. 

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If you have been keeping up with the Route 66 reading plan, we started Numbers this weekend. I wanted to give you a synopsis of the book that will hopefully help you to understand what you are reading over the next two weeks.

Author: Moses
Setting: From Mount Sinai to the Plains of Moab
Timing: 1445 BC - 1400 BC

Summary: Numbers gets its name from the "numbers" of people counted in the first census of the Israelite people after they left Egypt. God had delivered them from 400 years of slavery and was about to lead them into the land he had promised to give to them. However, the Israelite people were rebellious and disobedient to God. That kept them wandering in the desert instead.

Thought to consider: What does rebellion and disobedience to God lead to in our lives?

Evan Nelson

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Looking at Joseph this weekend was a great reminder of the need to forgive others. And though we spent some significant time on the subject, there is no way to cover everything that needed to be said. One of those topics that could use clarification is the relationship between forgiveness and trust.  

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So what is the Singularity? According to its proponents, it is a future
point in time when societal, economic, and technological change increases
at such a rapid pace that today's human mind will be unable to comprehend
its implications. Many who hold to this belief (they call themselves
Transhumanists or Singularitarians) are confident that this event will
usher in a new era for the human race. In fact the greatest hope they
have is that the singularity will lead to "post-biological humans" who are
able to shed their biological bodies and "upgrade their hardware." By
downloading themselves into a network like this, they believe they will
effectively become "immortal."

So what are we supposed to think about all this stuff? On the one hand,
this idea of exponential growth seems to make sense. It is undeniable just
how dramatic the economic, medical, computational and genetic changes that
have taken place in just the past 20 years. My phone does stuff right now
that my first computer never came close to accomplishing. And for the
most part, these advancements have been a plus to my own little world
(love the iPad). I believe we should leverage the technological
advancements as much as possible, without forgetting where our hope should
fully rest.

You see that is the big issue. Those hoping to find heaven on earth,
freedom from our broken bodies here and now is nothing new. Everyone I
know wants to be immortal, it's just they have different ideas of how to
get there. The Bible says that one day followers of Christ will indeed be
changed. The perishable will take on imperishable. Jesus will accomplish
this transformation through His Spirit and we will see Him as He is. Sin
removed, pain vanquished, temptation extinguished, and hope realized. That is the kind of exponential change I can believe in because our
loving, personal, triune God is truly running the show.

Pastor Kurt

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James 3:2-12

         We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

         All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

         With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Is your tongue bleeding?  Is your tongue sore?  Should it be?

This passage always brings to my memory the old adage, “Bite your tongue!” You know, the one you use to hear from your mom when you said something less than appropriate.  When you think about it, it might not be such a bad idea.

 Now, I’m not suggesting that we all become masochistic or wound inflicting, but wouldn’t it be a really good reminder; clamp down on that destructive little member of our bodies and remind yourself that what you say can hurt.   It can scare.  And it can set a destructive fire in your relationships, that perhaps you never intended.

If you think this is whack, check out what Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-30.

Any comment?

Brian Haney

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A friend sent me this video link of old Apple Valley and I want to pass it along to you. It is funny how much things have changed around here.  You may not want to watch more than the first couple of minutes (sorry John Denver), but it does make you wonder what the future holds.

Kurt Thielen 

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How do you know if you know something, or just know about something?

Like asking a blind man what a sunset was like, so is asking most “Christians” what the Gospel looks like.  It is one thing to be able to describe what God did in sending His son into the world to take our punishment for our wrong actions, and quite another thing to really know His forgiveness and tell someone about it. 

Growing up, and even still, it is sometimes hard to be motivated to share with people the power of the Gospel, because often I have such a limited and small view of it’s power.  Not that I don’t believe it, but I often become so busy with the activity of being a Christian that I void the effect that the power of the Gospel is supposed to have in my life.  It is the power to help me overcome myself and my sin and worship God in truth.

I know God.  I know Christ.  I know the Holy Spirit.  But, I want to know Them.  I want to rid myself of the practice of American Christianity and follow Christ with the power of the Gospel transforming my life.  There is much more to Christianity than saying a prayer and going to heaven.  There is much more to following Christ than going to church. 

Do you KNOW this? 

Check out Ephesians 1: 15-23, and together we can get to know Him better.

¶          For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Brian Haney

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