Changes

Ch-ch-ch-changes. We all want to grow and progress in live. BUT, we seldom want to change. We want "things" to change. WE just don't want to have to change anything. I have found that if I want "things" to change I have to change. I will have to change what I am doing, saying, who I am associating with, etc.

Some changes are forced upon us. We just lost our youth and music pastors, JD and Jame Swilley. They have been with us for seven years. They did a wonderful job. I did not want anything to change. Guess what, "Life happens!" They now live in Colorado. My kids are growing up and moving away from home. I don't like that either. Whitney lives in Tulsa. Morgan leaves on Monday for Thailand! I am glad for them, and sad for me.

Ch-ch-ch-changes. We should embrace change. It is part of life. If our children don't grow up and sprout their wings and fly, then there is a big problem. This change is good and healthy, even if it is painful for the parents.

If my financial situation is going to change, I might have to make changes. If my marriage is going to change, I will have to make changes. If I am going to be more healthy, I will have to make changes. Change, grow, live!

Peace,

Stan

Hope

The lack of hope is a great tragedy in life. Pearl S. Buck said, "We must have hope or starve to death." I see so many people that have little or no hope. They seem to only be existing in this world, not really living.

Helen Keller has always been such an inspiration to me. She said some amazing things about hope. Here are a couple: "When one door of happiness closes, another opens" and my favorite "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what sunflowers do."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT), "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" Jeremiah 31:17 (NKJV), "There is hope in your future, says the Lord." Every person with a relationship with God through Jesus Christ has hope for the future.

There is hope for you!

Peace,

Stan

King's Kid

Romans 5:17 (NKJV), "For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." Because of our relationship with Jesus Christ, we reign in this life. The idea of reigning suggests that we are royalty. In fact we are. Romans 8:14 - 17 (NKJV), "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."

We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We have not earned this position; it is a gift. We have received abundance of grace. Grace is the ability of God freely given to us. We have been given the gift of righteousness. Righteousness is the ability of God to stand in the presence of God without any sense of guilt or shame, as if sin never existed in our life. Jesus became sin, so we can be made right with God.

Jesus' authority is our authority. Jesus gave us power of attorney to use his name. Jesus is the name above every other name. Every knee bows to that name. All the resources of the kingdom are at our disposal. Psalms 24:1 (NKJV), "The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein."

When the crippled son of Jonathan was found, King David called Mephibosheth to come to him and to eat at his table continually. In the same way, our Heavenly Father calls us to dine with Him continually. Live like a king's kid, because you are.

Peace,

Stan

Hearing From God

While interviewing potential candidates for our job openings in our youth and music departments, one candidate said something quite thought provoking. He said that he wished God would just speak to us in an audible voice about our decision. That would be nice, but we can't count on it.

Romans 8:14 (NASB), "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." One thing we can count on is that God will lead us by the Holy Spirit. We must trust guidance He gives us, which is followed by supernatural peace. We can train ourselves to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Regular reading and study of God's Word helps us to hear the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible. This is the language He speaks. Knowing God's written Word helps us discern the subtle leading of the Holy Spirit. Usually the Holy Spirit will lead us in small, unimportant matters. As we learn to trust those inward impressions and that still small voice, we gain confidence in following His leadership in more weighty matters.

God will speak through others. Usually this is in agreement with what we already know to be true inwardly. Jesus said, "My sheep know my voice..."

Peace,

Stan

Passionate Love

Zechariah 8:2 (NLT), “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!" God's love for the church is passionate and strong. There is nothing like the church. We are God's plan for man on the earth. He has no other plan! The church is the body of Christ. He is the head, and we are the body. God loves us like He loves His own Son.

Zechariah 8:4 - 5 (NLT), “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play." This is a wonderful picture of the way church ought to be. Old people sitting around enjoying each other's conversation. Young people playing together. This is church.

When church is done well people are happy. Those outside become intrigued with what they see. Many are drawn to the fellowship of the church. God loves the church. We should love it too.

Peace,

Stan

And on it goes...

My last blog was about how Life Happens. The example I used was the injury my wife, Michelle, sustained while on vacation in Colorado. She handled that situation very well. She is mending quite well. Thank you.

Speaking of Life Happens. JD Swilley, our youth pastor, came in my office on Monday to inform me that he and Jame are moving the family to Loveland, Colorado to take a position in a church there. I wish I could say that I was prepared for this announcement. However, I was not. Life Happens.

So, we have a big challenge ahead. We need to replace our youth pastor and music leader. These are important roles at Cornerstone Church. I believe that Jehovah Jireh (God who see ahead at supplies our need) is already on the job. He is preparing the right people to fill our vacancies.

Life Happens. Thank God for God.

Peace,

Stan

Life Happens

I am home from vacation now. We like to ride bikes and hike in Colorado. On the first day of vacation, the entire family went on a ten mile hike with our friends. The twelve of us are quite a site. The park ranger asked what group we were? "Just two families," I replied! The trail followed the stream down the mountain. It was a good hike.

Michelle and I took a bike ride around Lake Dillon on the second day of vacation. It is a beautiful ride. She was riding very strongly. It started raining. Then it rained harder. So, we decided to pull over. Mistake! Michelle executed a perfect stop, twisting her foot our of her clipless pedals. She put her left foot down of the slippery trail, and slid. Her bike came crashing down. As she fell, her right leg landed on the crank of the bike. The crank sliced her right calf open like a filet knife would have. She immediately instructed me to take off my jersey to stop the bleeding.

Several rescue workers responded to my 9-1-1 call. The ambulance pulled away, leaving me on the trail with my bike. I rode hard and fast on the wet trail to catch up to Michelle at the emergency room of the local hospital. After the wound was cleaned, the doctor put about 30 stitches into my wife's leg. Our vaction took an immediate turn.

Michelle's vacation was stolen from her. It was altered for the rest of the family. Life happens. I am proud to announce that prayer and praise came immediately out of my wife's mouth during her accident. She was a perfect peace. During the remainder of our vacation, she had a wonderful attitude, as the rest of us took off on hikes and other biking adventures.

We sure have a memory. God is good. Michelle is on the mend. The stitches come out in a few days. Scars are tatoos with stories. She has one to tell. There will be future vacations. Life is hard and sometimes unfair. During Michelle's trial, her faith was strong, and her attitude was great.

What comes out of you, when Life Happens?

Peace,

Stan