Contentment...What Is It?

By Tawna Wilkinson

Contentment…what is it? A thing to be grasped? Illusive, but right in front of me? A dream when awakened it vanishes? A mystery never to be understood? Something to strive for and never attain? We all desire it, yet curiously fight it, choosing not to give in.

Contentment…what is it? A state of being. An attitude of the heart and mind. Never to be grasped, but fully embraced. Illusive, yet visible. A dream to be lived completely awake. A mystery understood, but never solved. When one has attained, it cannot be measured.

Contentment…what is it? Heaven on earth – indescribable and yet, it’s like the flower that blooms, though no one sees. The tree that stands regardless of the harsh winds. The human being accepting the Divine Influence on his heart and reflecting it in his life, no matter what assaults or what blessing is sent.

Contentment…what is it?  My challenge and joy.

What Is The Church?

It is more than a building of bricks and mortar;
    Much more than a gathering of people with similar interests.
        It is not a stagnant pool of ideas;
            Nor is it a wasteland void of intelligence.

The Church is a living organism.  
          In constant change while remaining rooted on one solid foundation:
   

Jesus Christ 

  










Just as Christ was hated, so people hate the church.

It is seen as an organized group of hypocritical, weak-minded, non-thinkers who use religion as a crutch to mystically explain the galaxy and justify the outcome of their existence.


While sitting in service on a recent Sunday morning, I began to look at those around me --

I saw the Brave - 
    Who have recently lost a baby
          And still are serving children in the nursery.

I saw the Strong -
     Who have seen marriages crumble
          And take time to feed a young widow.

I saw Professionals - 
     Who gave up careers to share Jesus
          And love people more than comfort.

I saw the Aged - 
     With achy bodies and facing the twilight of life
          And greet others with a smile and hug and words to encourage.

I saw hurting women, doubting men, struggling teens, questioning husbands, tired moms, weary travelers and seeking students.

I was surrounded by the broken, the struggling and the lost.    
There was sin and illness and pain;  anger issues, workaholics and recovering addicts.

And it was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed.

The church is not a refuge for the perfect from a fallen world.

It is a sanctuary for the struggling, striving, growing, forgiven followers of Christ.

It is a way-station for the weary travelers on life's road.

It is an emergency ward for those who are wounded both physically, emotionally and spiritually.

It is a school for those yearning to walk closer with God.

It is a place where Truth is tempered with Grace and Mercy.

Where hands are held and tears are shed and joys are shared.

Yes, the church is  full of hypocrites and sinners.

     But so much more ------

It is HOPE !

The Church is not perfect because it is filled with people.

People battling the hurt of a fallen world.

Imperfect people who need the HOPE of Jesus Christ.

May we be brave to be perfectly imperfect and love those around us with Christ's perfect love.  May we serve those in our community - at work, our neighbors and in our church.

How can you show Christ's love to the Church?

How can you serve those in the Church?

A Walk In The Dark

By Tiffany Bleger

Have you ever taken a walk in the dark? 

I'm not talking about a stroll downtown under the street lamps. I'm talking pitch black, middle of nowhere, only the stars and moon as your light dark? It's intimidating. You don't know what's out there. It's really hard to see your path. It's easy to stumble and fall. 

The Bible tells us that each of us made this walk before Christ entered our hearts. We were stumbling in the dark, desperately searching for any path that worked. We tripped and fell. It was hard, it was scary. It hurt. 

And then He came. The Word Made Flesh invaded your personal darkness. 

And He brought you light. His light shined in your darkness. It lit your path. 

Do you remember that feeling, the first time you felt like the darkness would not consume you?

If you are anything like me, that light gave you a thrill like no other. You felt like you could fly. You felt like there was nothing that could hurt you again. And so you began to run. In the dark. You had the light now, nothing could stop you. 

But there was a learning curve. That light didn't shine on every corner of your darkness, did it? It didn't illuminate every crack and crevice. It didn't make the world around you as bright as day. You could see the path in front of you, but there was darkness beyond that circle of light. It was like a flashlight, and you began to learn an important lesson. 

Do you notice what Father revealed to the psalmist? A lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I picture coming down a hiking trail at night. You have a flashlight to illuminate your next few steps. You have the lights of town that reveal your destination. But, in between, there is darkness. 

In this journey called life, we have a guide. His name is Jesus. He will, if we ask, illuminate the next steps we should take. We can see the pitfalls and avoid them. He also shines the light of our destination with Him, that dream or vision He planted in our hearts. But the in-between is darkness. 

He doesn't light the whole path. 

This fact, to me, is frustrating. I struggle to stay within that small circle He has illuminated for me. Boundaries annoy me. Not knowing annoys me. And so I wander outside the circle, into the darkness. And I trip. And I stumble. But when I call out, Jesus is right there to pick me up and dust me off. And we start again on my path. 

If I am diligent to stay on the path He is lighting, my walk is easier. It's not easy, but it is easier. There are still things to avoid and obstacles to overcome, but it's not nearly as hard as when I stumbled by myself in the pitch black.  

It is possible, this walk in the dark. He promises to walk with me, to light my steps. And I can choose to trust Him and stay in His light. And I can look forward to His promises, to my destination He has chosen for me. 

Can I trust that the darkness in-between, the parts of His plan I can't yet see, are not as scary as my imagination tells me? Can you?

Only Jesus

By Esther Belin

O how I do enjoy the mountain high

To restfully ponder in God’s good grace,

God’s wondrous covering, sweet by and by,

How the years fold away, a lost embrace.

No turning back to hold regret, or shame

No longer tangled in a spiraled snare

Only peace when my Savior calls my name!

Like fluffy clouds, a brilliant glow, He cares.

I know God’s love, His perfect plan for me

Yet gnawing disdain feeds my unbelief

Covered and protected, where none can see

The growing painful lies, becoming grief.

To whom I run, to whom upon I call

Only Jesus – carries me when I fall.

The Power of Encourgament

By Kim Beach

Who doesn't like a surprise party?

Well, evidently I don't. I've been the recipient of two surprise parties in my lifetime and both times I was so determined to stay home that I almost missed my own celebrations.     

Recently some of my dear girlfriends dressed as Pirates - in honor of my favorite movies -  and threw me a Surprise Birthday / Encouragement Party. There was sushi and pirate booty, pirate punch, cannonball meatballs and even a Pirate Ship chocolate cake! The wackiness was great, the laughter healing and I'm so glad they were able to get me to my own party!

Their gifts to me that evening were simple & yet extravagant.

Their time.

Their attention.

Their love.

Then each person took time to share with me either a scripture or word that God had shown them I needed to hear; they shared what I had meant to them in their lives.

It was awesome and humbling. 

This season of our life has been long and hard and weary. There are days that getting dressed is a major victory. These ladies have stood with me, prayed for me and stood in the gap when I could no longer pray at all.

As they shared words like Determined and Listen and scriptures from Psalm 20, a balm was poured over my soul and freshness awakened within me.

New Strength ~ New Peace ~ New Energy!

Everyone needs Encouragement now and then. It doesn't have to be a Pirate Party - a card to your neighbor, an email to a friend, a text to your spouse - those words mean so much.  

Your words of love and truth can bring life and hope to a hurting heart. 

Who needs to your Words of Encouragement?  

Ask the Lord to show you - in the grocery store, in your workplace, at school,

in your own home - who needs to hear words that

bring life!

When All Is Quiet

By Tiffany Bleger

When all is quiet

Where do you go?

When His voice isn't clear

Where do you run?

Do you charge ahead

Determined in your path?

Do you stand stock still

And wait for the whisper?

Do you turn and run

Back to the familiar?

Do you wander in circles

Moving but going no where?

When all is quiet

Where do you go?

When His voice isn't clear

Where do you run?

Do you lean on your friends 

For an encouraging word?

Maybe listen a little harder

To Sunday's sermon?

Do you beg and plead

And beat your head?

Do you make promises 

You know you won't keep?

When all is quiet

Where do you go?

When His voice isn't clear

Where do you run?

Do you pick up your bible 

And blow off the dust?

Do you listen to music

You think He would love?

Or do you trust and wait

And remember His promises?

Do you know Him well enough

To be still in the quiet?

When all is quiet

Where do you go?

When His voice isn't clear

Where do you run?

Are You Invoiced?

By Tawna Wilkinson

Putt-sing around my house a few months ago, I was wrestling with a dogging question: Should I or should I not help an individual with a genuine need, which in this case happens to be close to me? When I heard: “Bear one another’s burdens…” And…“for each one shall bear his own load.” (Galatians 6.2, 5)
 

A familiar frustration rose in my spirit, for in times past I had grappled, without resolution, with these exact phrases and specific words.

“Lord,” I said. “In one breath You command us to bear another’s burden, and in the next You seem to contradict commanding the exact opposite. I don’t know what to do or how to be.”

“I know,” He replied. “Look into it.”

So I dropped what I was involved with, went to my Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, and looked up the words and phrases I felt Him emphasize.

To my chagrin, in both instances, the definition of bear was exactly what I thought: “to remove, lift, endure, sustain, receive, etc.” However, I was surprised to find where its meaning was derived….from the base of the Greek word basis which means “to walk; a pace (‘base’) i.e. (by implication) the foot.”

Immediately a picture came of two people walking side by side, one was carrying a large burden while the other, walking in pace, was helping alleviate some of its weight, but was not taking the burden from them.

Intrigued, I dove into the definition of load, and was even more startled at its meaning: “an invoice (as part of freight) i.e. (fig.) a task or service.”

“Wow, Lord…an invoice?”

“Yes, an invoice. I assign to each an invoice; a task; a service to join with Me. If I have not invoiced you to walk side by side with another, yet you choose to, you are in fact sabotaging their relational footing with Me. And, by carrying all, or some, of another’s burden I did not invoice harms our walk as well. Be watchful, child. Do not disrupt your, or another’s, relationship with Me by carrying what has not been invoiced you.”

Sweet release washed over me shedding light on my present situation, as well as evaporating that unresolved and dogging question. For I had many times, out of guilt, shame, or condemnation, whether self-inflicted or imposed by others, helped carry, or carried all of another’s burden never invoiced me. And the results were damaging to the cadence of each relationship.

So, when another’s need arises, I am now inclined to stop and ask, “Have you invoiced me to come along side, Holy Spirit? Or is this theirs to join with You, alone?