"...Thy Will Be Done..."

“I wish we were on the same page.”  This is a comment I hear in church, marriages, and as people talk about their relationship with God.  The desire is to be working from the same goals, desires, projects, etc.  In spiritual term, we want to be discerning and doing the will of God.  This desire should drive us to spend time in prayer with God continually.

Melanie and I have coffee time as often as we can.  This is a time when we sit down and discuss life stuff, heart stuff, and set our direction as a family.  When we meet regularly it is amazing how many difficult things can come up in life and we remain on course.  But if there is a period of time that life “gets in the way” of our coffee time, it is very predictable that life will get in the way of our relationship.  Have you had those times when things seem to just work, not because things go as planned, but because you have taken time to get on the same page with others?  This is the way relationships work.  Time spent together getting on the same page is essential to working from the same page.  I have found that it works in a similar way with God.  When time is spent with God in prayer regularly, it makes life work much more smoothly even though difficulties arise.

Jesus spent His “coffee time” with His Father on a regular basis, and His life reflected that relationship.  It served as an example to how our relationship with God and others should go.  Many times in the gospels we see Jesus retreat to pray.  In Mark 1:35-39 we see the demands of the people around Him did not throw Him off course.  He and His Father were on the same page.  When Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray, He taught them to say, “Thy will be done…”  Time in prayer puts you on the same page as God through submission to His will.  Prayer is listening to His will breathed into your life.  

This 40 day challenge in prayer should deepen your relationship with God, and in turn, should give you a clearer focus on His will in your life.  Begin with simply submitting to His will.  Ask for His direction.  Ask for His wisdom.  And listen in silence to His voice.  You may not have a great revelation at that moment, but over time together with God, He will place the pieces of our lives and hearts in the place that they should be.  Let's allow ourselves to get on the same page as our creator.

May God clarify His will for you as you spend time with Him in prayer.

40 Days of Prayer

“The Christmas lights at the church are wonderful!”  This can be heard many times over throughout the season as you could imagine.  It is interesting what comes next in many cases.  I usually follow this comment from someone by asking if they have parked and tuned their car radio to 97.7 to see and hear the full experience.  Many of the people I talk to have only seen the lights on Hwy 285, and then there are some who have parked and watched the animated lights without realizing that the lights are choreographed to music and broadcast on the radio.  Others still have seen and heard the full experience.  The last group are the ones who are the most amazed.

For many of us this illustrates well our experience of the Christian faith and in particular, a life of prayer.  Many experience prayer simply as a drive-by observance.  The intersection of life and prayer consists of hearing an elder, pastor, or worship leader pray at church, and occasionally sharing in a word of grace when the family is gathered for big meals.

Others have said prayers at bedtime, dinnertime, and difficult times throughout their lives.  This experience can be rewarding and challenging.  It is as if you are watching life flash in front of you with only the soundtrack of your particular life playing.  You are left to create your own music in your head, and many times that music is silent.

But then there are those who seem to be constantly in a prayerful attitude.  They see and hear things that others do not.  They have answers to their prayers, and there is a sense of constant contentment as the storms of life rage around them.  Somehow they have tuned in to the correct station and hear what music is suppose to be playing in the otherwise seeming silence and chaos.

As you can see from the illustration of the Christmas lights, there is not a great distance between those three experiences.  My hope and prayer is that during the first 40 days of 2014, as we commit to pray in new ways, we will all see that there is a full and meaningful experience within the Christian faith and relationship with God that is not too far from where you are right now.

What is 40 Days of Prayer(DOP) suppose to be?

40 DOP is a spiritual growth campaign lasting for the first 40 days of 2014.  The personal challenge is to ask yourself, “What does my prayer life look like right now?” And “What are some small steps of faith through prayer can I take in the first 40 days of 2014?”  Maybe you have never prayed regularly or daily.  Set aside a few minutes each day in the morning and evening to simply pray. You don’t have to have the “right” words.  You just need a heart that desires to be in tune with God’s heart.

Maybe you have been praying bedtime and mealtime prayers for years, but there seems to be a deeper experience that you are missing.  It may be good for you to set aside a larger block of time to pray and listen to God’s guidance.  You may want to pick a Psalm and pray through he Psalms.  This can keep your thoughts and prayers focused on God rather than the concerns of the day.  You may also want to use a prayer devotional such as Draw the Circle to help guide your prayers for those 40 days.

Perhaps you consider yourself a “Prayer Warrior.”  You will probably already know what to do when we as a church and community set 40 days to prayer.  You may want to spend some time at the church praying through the rooms, and walking around our property praying for God to keep His hand on His church.  You may also decide to walk around your neighborhood praying for those who live close to you, and when you are walking through the grocery store pray for those who you pass between the aisles.  You may also want to sit and pray for those around you at church on a Sunday morning.  Pray that God will bring His Spirit to life among us in 2014.  The possibilities are limitless, and the growing experience is priceless to see God at work.

Bottom line is that each of us takes a new step in prayer as we begin a new year.

Why 40 Days?

There are a few reasons for the 40 day designation.  Before I give you a few reasons, realize that there is nothing right or wrong with doing things this way.  It is simply a designated concentrated time for us to be on the same page for 40 days and developing the same spiritual discipline for that time.  With this in mind here are a few thoughts on the 40 days:

1)  40 is a significant number used throughout the Bible.  The rain fell for 40 days and nights on Noah.  The children of Israel wandered for 40 years in the wilderness, and Jesus went into the desert for prayer and fasting for 40 days before He began His ministry.  Again there is no magic in the 40 days other than it is a significant period of time to focus our hearts and lives.

2)  40 days will help you develop a new “prayer habit” for the new year.  If you build a new habit for this amount of time consistently, it is more likely to become a lifestyle.  We should be constantly striving to build patterns in our lives that reflect the character to Christ, and prayer is one of those disciplines that builds character and causes growth effectively.

3)  Why prayer for 40 days?  We are encouraged by the apostle Paul to “Pray continuously” (1 Thess. 5:18).  Prayer is as essential to our relationship with God as studying His Word and worship on Sundays.  Prayer adds a dynamic to our relationship with God that allows us to express our deepest struggles, confess our sins, and listen to His voice and will.  40 days of concentrated effort and expression will allow us to grow significantly in our spiritual lives.

What is the plan for the 40 days?

Personally:  Set aside time each day for prayer and pray during that time.  There will be resources provided to help guide those prayers for our church, community, and personal lives.  If you have a kindle you may want to purchase the 40 day devotional Draw the Circle to set the tone.

As a Church:  We will have designated opportunities to come together in prayer and study during the 40 days.  Share your stories and struggles during this time of prayer with others that you know well.  My hope and prayer is that this time will broaden our vision of our God and see the things He wants us to set our hands to do this year and into the future.  Sermons will be focused on the topic of prayer and challenges will be proclaimed each week through God’s Word.

Two Services

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

1 Corinthians 3:6

Dear CCC Family,

As I have mentioned a couple of times in service, the leadership is considering if this is the time God wants us to move to two services on Sunday morning.  This is both an exciting and prayerful time for us all.  We are still welcoming any feedback you may have about two services.  I appreciate the honesty with which many of you are expressing your feelings about this potential move!  Each comment is being taken seriously and with great contemplation.  As you are processing the prospect of this potential change, here are just a few prayerful thoughts reflecting some of the feedback so far.  

1)  Some have asked the basic question, "Why are we thinking about two services?"  

The short answer is because space is limited, and we are seeing a consistent increase in attendance.  The elders have been watching this for a couple of years pretty closely.  This Fall has been the greatest seasonal increase in recent memory.  The average attendance has increased 18% comparing Fall of 2012 and Fall of 2013.  There are also many new people/families visiting.  We are seeing an increase that God is providing and our desire is to be a good steward of what God provides.  Another thing we must consider is capacity in parking.  With our service attendance at 167 on December 15 with Elk Creek, the parking lot was full.  We should not plan that we can sustain full for an extended period of time. (see capacity discussion under question 2)

2)  What other options can we consider or have been considered?

A couple of things have been discussed, and a couple of things have been enacted.  We have added more seats to the main level and the balcony which increases the capacity slightly.  This should provide for a small increase in attendance, but it will not accommodate the size of increase experienced between Fall of 2012 and 2013 again.  This reasoning is based on church growth principle which states that a congregation will not be able to sustain attendance of more than 80% capacity in any given space, parking included.  We are staying in the 70-80% range right now.  Where there can be exceptions to any rule of thumb, I don't think we should plan with the idea that we are the exception.

It has also been suggested that the children be kept in their classes instead of attending the beginning of the service.  The space created by children and leaders would not amount to a great increase of space at this point.  The children are also attending out of a conviction from leadership that our children need to be brought up to understand the importance of broader church worship.  This is a valuable time for the children to learn the songs of the congregation, join in communion as appropriate, learn about communion, and interact with leaders in the church through the children's sermon.

We also have the new renovation area to consider, but we are a ways away from being able to develop that and parking lot in a way that will double our capacity.

3)  Will this create more work and time commitment for those who are serving?

Yes and no.  For some there may be increased time commitment initially, but we also must keep in mind that it creates more opportunity for others to get involved.  With the potential of more people in attendance and particularly new people joining, there will be an increase in the number of people participating on teams who are serving as well.  This, in most cases, is not simply a doubling of work, but it is a time of multiplication of ministry.

4)  Will this create a generational divide in the congregation?

This is probably the biggest concern looking at the transition, and I don't have a solid answer for this.  It is an issue that consumes much of my prayer time with regards to two services.  Having generations represented in each service is of such great value.  Our leadership team is taking a very careful look at what is "offered" during each service, and our intention is to make sure there is no generational divide created because of the offering of programing.

At the core of this concern is also a question of fellowship with those whom we enjoy each week, will I see them any more?  One of the things that has been considered an essential in this discussion is a transition period of about 30 minutes between services for fellowship and community building.  This would give a time for people to connect between services.  

5)  When will this happen?

Currently the leadership team is taking time to pray as we look at the data and listen to the congregational concerns.  After the first of the year, Ministry Council will meet and decide if this is the right time to go to two services.  As soon as the decision has been made a timeline will be communicated so that we can prepare as a congregation, volunteer teams, and leadership teams.  The bottom line concern is that we are good stewards of the people God is sending our way.  

6)  How should I prepare?

Prayer.  We will begin 2014 with 40 days of prayer.  Among the things we lift to the Lord should be the growth of His church.  Listen carefully as you study His Word.  Pentecost began as the disciples were simply gathered in prayer.  Their minds and hearts were open to what God wanted to do, and the church began.  Also communicate the thoughts you are processing.  You are welcome to speak with a ministry leader, email Dorothy in the office, or email me.  

This is an exciting time when God is moving clearly in our midst.  I hear stories each week of how people are growing in their relationship with Christ through the ministries of CCC.  Excitement is contagious.  Watch, listen, and learn what God is doing.  Join Him in His purpose with CCC, and let us step boldly into 2014 in prayer.

Prayerfully,

Pastor Lance

From Margaret Clark

Here is such a meaningful and thoughtful prayer from one of our Children's teachers at CCC, Margaret Clark...

O Friend of little children, hear our prayer this day for all who are devastated by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

To Your merciful keeping we commit all who have died this day; for in You there is a life that death cannot destroy.
...
To Your kind embrace we especially commend the parents and families of those children whose voices are now stilled; hold them in Your loving arms.

Remember the injured and grant them, according to Your kind will, healing and restoration.

Remember all who have been traumatized by what they witnessed, the students and the teachers and the staff, all whose world has been shattered; comfort them in the midst of tears.

Remember the police and medical workers and all who seek to bring order after chaos; help them to serve in this dark hour with courage and wisdom and compassion.

Remember the community of Newtown which will never be the same again; bring to it the peace that can come alone from You.

O Mighty One, we know that the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but that You have come that we might have life and have it abundantly. Help your Church at this time to shine the light of Your compassion and truth into the darkness and despair. Help Your people to proclaim, even with tears, that hatred and death will not be the end of this world; for You will come to bring a Kingdom of light and joy and peace. Make us witnesses to this great hope and in the certainty of Your kingdom’s triumph to bind the wounds of this world with tenderness and care. We ask it in Your name, who knew in Your own flesh unreasoned violence and hatred, and whose Love has triumphed over all. Amen.

Grieving and Processing Tragedy

December 14, 2012 will be a date our country will remember.  There are so many questions that come to mind when such a horrific act is reported.  Who did it?  Why?  What in the world would motivate such a violent and life changing tragedy?  As the dots are connected by the investigators and reported by the media, we look in shock, anger, concern, hurt, worry, etc.  What response should we have?

As a parent of an elementary age child my first reaction was a desire to go to Tyler's school and scoop him up so that I know he is safe.  As a pastor my prayers began immediately, and I could feel empathetic pain for those parents and family members whose lives will never be the same. Here are a few of my initial thoughts in the face of tragedy.

First, the best first and continued response is prayer.  Pray for the families who lost children or family members.  Pray for the peace of God to minister His shepherding love to each one.  Pray for our families.  Pray that God will protect and help us as we consider moving forward in a world where inexplicable violence is becoming more common.  Pray that we come to a thoughtful and effective way to prevent such acts in the future.

Second, for those of us with young children there are a few things we should remember.  We should remember that our children may not have enough understanding of the world to even comprehend what has happened.  Where we may be feeling deep hurt and/or concern, an extreme emotional reaction by us as parents can create an unnecessary scenario of fear and insecurity for our child.  Certainly hug them tighter, tell them you love them, and come up with meaningful words to help them understand why mommy and daddy are sad or concerned.  It certainly would be appropriate to gather as a family and pray for those affected directly.  Turning it over to God as a family would not only be a healthy and proper response, but it will train your children how to respond when bad things happen.

Third, and maybe one of the most difficult things to work through is the question, how could God allow such a tragic thing to happen?  A crisis of faith is certainly something that can occur in our minds and hearts when processing such a horrid event.  Things to remember here initially are that during a time of initial response there is shock, anger, denial, etc. which are natural.  In those natural responses we don't process things with as clear thoughts as we would during non heightened times.  Recognize and calm yourself from reacting extremely.  The time will come when you can see more clearly.  That is the time to think through questions of faith and world view.  Check back for more thoughts on this from me or others.

I don't pretend to think this is the only or right way to handle things, but I hope it helps minister shalom (peace) to your heart as you experience and consider such a terrible day in our history.

As for the immediate, let us pray and be comforted by these words...

Psalm 23

English Standard Version (ESV)

 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Advent: Peace 02

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

John 20:26

At first glance it is easy to be distracted by the miracle of Jesus appearance in a locked room.  But don't get lost in the flash.  Consider the situation.  Jesus had been crucified before the eyes of the disciples, and His suffering put on public display.  Everything they had followed was seemingly gone. Where do they go from here?  What does it all mean?  What in the world is happening?  Everything is changing in an obvious way, but the reason and needed perspective are unclear.

We have all experienced times in life when we asked the same questions.  What is happening?  What is next?  There is a feeling of shock and unrest.  The loss of a friend or family member, the loss of a job, the loss of a relationship, or even the loss of a pet.  There is such a sense of unrest in the face of grief.  The human experience of grief includes anger, denial, shock, etc.  None of those include tranquility or calm.  It is as if you are enduring a great storm of emotion.

During my college years, a hurricane hit the Gulf Coast of which I was living about 100 miles inland.  The storm came straight in to our little college town of Auburn, AL blowing all night long.  The winds were sustained around 80-100MPH.  There was one point in which there was an erie calm.  We could see some of the destruction by the street lights, but almost no wind was blowing.  We were in the eye of the storm.  

When Jesus entered the grief stricken room of disciples unbeknownst to them, he said, "Peace be with you."  He was the calm, content, completeness they needed in an emotional storm of life.  Even bigger than that, Jesus was the calm, content, completeness the world needed in it's brokenness.  The ministry of the incarnation was peace in the midst of grief and turmoil.  It was healing for the brokenhearted.  It was a peaceful eye in the midst of the storm.

During the storms of life that you experience now, will you cling to Him as He enters the room saying, "Peace be with you"?  Allow Him to be the eye of the storm.  There is much needed peace in the midst of all of our lives.  The circumstances may be irreversible, but there is calm in Christ.

May the lyrics of this song comfort you in the midst of trouble, and may the Son of God minister peace to your heart.

All who sail the sea of faith

Find out before too long

How quickly blue skies can grow dark

And gentle winds grow strong

Suddenly fear is like white water

Pounding on the soul

Still we sail on knowing

That our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm

With a whispered peace be still

He can settle any sea

But it doesn't mean He will

Sometimes He holds us close

And lets the wind and waves go wild

Sometimes He calms the storm

And other times He calms His child

He has a reason for each trial

That we pass through in life

And though we're shaken

We cannot be pulled apart from Christ

No matter how the driving rain beats down

On those who hold to faith

A heart of trust will always

Be a quiet peaceful place

Sometimes He calms the storm

With a whispered peace be still

He can settle any sea

But it doesn't mean He will

Sometimes He holds us close

And lets the wind and waves go wild

Sometimes He calms the storm

And other times He calms His child

Advent: Peace 01

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke 2:14

"Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.

The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled.

As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.

A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.

The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?

A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power.

A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil." 

(Berit Kjos, A Wardrobe from the King, pp. 45-46.)

Where do you look to find peace?  So often we think of escape to find peace, or we think that serenity and calm will follow the life after God's own heart.  Both seem to be contrary to the report of Peace in the New Testament as we will see over the coming days.  Peace is found in the midst of suffering, pain, and worry NOT in its absence.  Surely there are times of peace that come at the absence of difficulties, but there is a certain Christological and Pauline quality to finding peace in the midst of tumultuous times.  After all, when is it that we call out for peace the most?  It is in times of difficulty.  

The incarnation of Christ is the picture of peace that we see illustrated above.  In a world full of anxiety, sin, worry, pain, suffering, etc.  God became man.  God brought His peace to a broken world.  God came to suffer, and in the midst of His suffering He offers peace through grace.  He came because escape wasn't an option.  He came because no one else could offer the peace found in God.  In the midst of tumultuous times the angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth PEACE among those whom He is pleased."

So as we search and long for peace this season, let us not look for it in escape, but let us look in the midst of trouble to find peace in the presence of Christ.

Lord, may your peace reign in my heart and life.  Help me see the your peace through my circumstances.  And may Your salvation be the nest where I rest in your peace.

Amen