Tag Archives: God

What If…What Kind

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What if the recurring theme in all of our stories was the search for beauty rather than the resolution of conflict?

What kind of world would that be?

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What if our first response to conflict was to ask God for help rather than trying to solve it ourselves?

What kind of world would that be?

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What if the first question to our lips was “How can I help?” instead of “What’s in it for me?”

What kind of world would that be?

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What if instead of guarding our hearts from hurt we could assume that people would be kind?

What kind of world would that be?

Well that world is coming! But it won’t be created by any work of man or any world religion.

That world can only and will only be created when Christ comes to take His rightful place as ruler of the world!

6For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

will accomplish this. Isa. 9:6,7

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The wolf will live with the lamb,

the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearlinga together;

and a little child will lead them.

7The cow will feed with the bear,

their young will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8The infant will play near the cobra’s den,

and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.

9They will neither harm nor destroy

on all my holy mountain,

for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea. Isa. 11:6-9

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10This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel

after that time, declares the Lord.

I will put my laws in their minds

and write them on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

11No longer will they teach their neighbor,

or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest.

12For I will forgive their wickedness

and will remember their sins no more.”c

Men can deny it but God said this was going to happen and He said this is how it would happen.

The governments of Earth can’t accomplish this.

The education systems cannot teach utopia into existence.

But Christ will bring it!

What kind of world will that be?

Pastor Wrinkles: Little Heroes, Big World Pt. 6

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Today I am concluding the series “Little Heroes, Big World.” If you missed any of the previous discussions you can find them at:

Pt. 1

Pt. 2

Pt. 3

Pt. 4

Pt. 5

Now here is the conclusion of the matter…

In our previous segments we discussed the importance of being strong and the importance of putting our noses to the grindstone and working; But if you are Being Strong and if you are working there is one more thing you have to do as a “Little Hero with Little Power in a Big World.”

YOU NEED TO STOP BEING AFRAID!!

Haggai writes, “This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ Hag. 2:6

The truth is, God is going to show up! We are not forsaken! The Lord knows our names and He will never forget us! The remnant church is victorious and powerful! We are not condemned and He has made us more than conquerors! The only battles we have lost are the one which were meant to be lost and we are not called to go running into the woods with out tails between our legs! We are called to love this world with Christ’s love and to say with the old-time hymn writer,

“Faith is the victory!

Faith is the victory!

O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

His banner over us is love, Our sword the Word of God.

We tread the road the saints above With shouts of triumph trod.

By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath, Swept on o’er every field.

The faith by which they conquered death Is still our shining shield.

On every hand the foe we find Drawn up in dread array.

Let tents of ease be left behind, And onward to the fray.

Salvation’s helmet on each head, With truth all girt about,

The earth shall tremble ‘neath our tread, And echo with our shout.

Faith is the victory!

Faith is the victory!

O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.”  John Yates, Ira Sankey

If today you need to overcome the world, maybe it’s time for you to get a little strong, do a little work and maybe it is time to shoot down fear by giving up a shout of praise that faith is the victory!

Short People

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Big, little, short or tall, Jesus Christ still loves us all.

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Whether you’ve been called short, vertically challenged, half-pint, small fry, pipsqueak, squirt, or oompa loompa, if you’re less than average height, you have been made aware that others have noticed it.  I’ve discovered that over the years I have shrunk an inch.  Since I was only 5′ 7″ tall to begin with and with the average height of American males being just under 5′ 10″, I guess I definitely fall into this category.

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Back in 1977 Randy Newman wrote a humorous (and totally politically incorrect) ditty that got a great deal of airtime.  One part really stood out for me:

Short people are just the same as you and I,
A fool such as I.
All men are brothers until the day they die.
It’s a wonderful world.

Criticisms of various aspect of our lives is something that we have all faced at one time or another.  Someone is too…

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Pressing In and Pressing On

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I am on the road today, picking up my son in New Jersey so he can begin the next leg of his journey towards the nation of Korea. I drove the 6 hours yesterday with God as my copilot and He had me thinking on many things.

In our worship leader’s meeting Sunday afternoon two themes arose that seem to be directions for our church’s worship:

1. A move of repentance

2.The need to press in and press on.

A third theme came to mind as I meditated on the Lord yesterday and that was, the need for a transcendent God.

Like never before we need to comprehend that we have a God who is not controlled or determined by the forces of this world. Like never before we need to draw close to Him and away from the world’s ways. This act will cause us automatically to advance into the work He has given us to do (pressing in and pressing on), and that work is massive.

I have heard a lot of talk in the church world about how Jesus may be coming this fall. In sincerely hope He doesn’t. While I really want to see my Savior, at the moment only 2% of the population in my area (New England) reports themselves as born again. If Jesus should come in September 98% of New England would by their own admission not go with Him into glory.

The church has a lot of work to do and little time to do it in. We need to turn from our entertainments and press in and press on with a God who is big enough to help us with this work.

Who will join me ion the harvest field? Your help is needed. We are about to lose the harvest!

Pastor Wrinkles: Little Heroes, Big World Pt. 4

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Today we continue with Pt. 4 of “Little Heroes, Big World”.

If you missed any of the previous installments of this study they can be found by clicking on:

Little Heroes Big World Pt. 1

Little Heroes Big World Pt. 2

Or

Little Heroes, Big World Pt. 3

Now here is the next installment for your consideration

 In our previous installments we have seen that Haggai has some great advice for people who are feeling like little Heroes with little power in a big world. If the work God has called you too is bigger than you are. If life is a little overwhelming just now God says to you three things through the prophet Haggai.

The first things he recommends is Be Strong!

“But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord,” Hag. 2:4

The word used for “Be Strong” here is  the word “chazaq” and the idea behind it is to strengthen yourself by having or taking hold of, retaining, holding up, sustaining or supporting yourself.

The Bible tells the story of David living among the Philistines. While he was with them he acquired a city for himself and his people called Ziklag. One time while he was away on campaign fighting, enemies broke through the gates burned Ziklag and kidnapped all the wives and children of the city. When David and his armies returned to find their homes burned and their wives and children kidnapped the men turned on David and began speaking against him but David refused to give up. The Bible tells us that “David encouraged Himself in the Lord.” He then organized his angry men and set off on a rescue mission that ended up bringing the restoration of all the wives and children and many of the possessions they had lost. David had chosen to “Be Strong”. He held on. He didn’t give in to despair. He sustained himself IN THE LORD. And as a result he won even when everything stood against him.

We are called to Be Strong  like David was and there are things we must do to accomplish this task

First we must encourage ourselves in the Lord…BY

Praying  over everything and I do mean everything.; And once we have prayed let us worship God that He is about to bring and answer!

Second, start thinking positive. Christian, It’s not over! It is just a new beginning! You aren’t dying! You are entering newness of life. You haven’t lost! You just have another battle to fight, and you are going to win!!!!

Finally, we have to refuse to believe the evil in the report. Don’t ignore the facts but refuse to accept that those facts are God’s final word. The battle you are currently facing is not God’s final word. It is only a sentence in the book, and God hasn’t written “The End” yet. There is a lot more of your story still to be written but you and God have to determine to write it together.

So what do you need to do to be strong? Pray more? Think positive? Stop believing the evil IN  the report? I would love to hear your thoughts on being strong!

Pastor Wrinkles: Little Heroes, Big World Pt. 3

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Today we are stepping into part three of the sermon series, “Little Heroes. Big World”. If you have missed Pt. 1 or Pt. 2

they can be found Here and Here.

Haggai said,

Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a] the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”  Haggai 2: 2-9

You see, God knew the struggle going on in the hearts of the Israelites. He knew that the people or at least some of the people, realized exactly how much greatness they had lost. He knew that while the temple they had built was a restoration, it was also a reminder of just how weak they had become. God was calling the people of Jerusalem to do some pretty heroic things at that particular time and the people were realizing that their strength would not be enough. They were little heroes with little power in a big world.

Today God is in the business of restoring many of us as well and He is telling us about big plans He has for us, for our families, for our lives. And like the Israelites of Haggai’s day, we are coming to understand that while God has restored us the plan of God is bigger than us and that we are little heroes with little power in a very big and very scary world.

Frankly, that is just how God intended it. He knows we are little heroes with little power in a very big and scary world. Still, He intends that we should move forward with His plans no matter how big, no matter how scary, no matter how impossible those plans seem.

How does that seem to you?

Weekly Photo Challenge: Symbols

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In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Symbol.”

This week the Daily Post has asked us to display and elaborate on symbols that are meaningful to us.

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I suppose it won’t surprise anyone who knows me that the cross or the crucifix is one of the symbols that is most important to me. Every time I look to it I remember,

he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53: 5,6

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I am also reminded that because Jesus died and rose again, We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”[i]

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Cor. 15:51-57

But I have other symbols which run a close second to the cross such as…

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And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Ge. 9:12-16

And also…

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which stands for freedom, liberty and responsibility. And finally…

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this symbol reminds me, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.” I Cor. 13:4-8

Pastor Wrinkles: Little Heroes, Big World Pt. 2

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Today we are continuing with part 2 of the series, “Little Heroes, Big World”. If you missed part one check it out HERE.

Now on to today’s post

Before we begin in earnest, I want to bring a little context to the verses we read in part one of “Little Heroes, Big World”. For some of you this might be old news but  when reading Scripture understanding the context, the story that is going on around the Scripture, is very important in helping us understand the Scripture itself.

In order to understand our text in Haggai 2, we have to go back to the year 588 B.C. In that year the city of Jerusalem was attacked by the Babylonian armies under King Nebuchadnezzar. The walls were breached after a two-year siege and in 586 B.C. the people of Jerusalem, totally beaten and starving, were led away into a 70 year exile in the city of Babylon

After about 50 years of slavery in Babylon a new King, named Cyrus, rose to the throne and he allowed the Jews to return to their homeland to rebuild the temple which had been destroyed in 586 B.C.

Some of the Jews returned and they rebuilt their houses but for many years no work was done on the temple. Then God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to remind the people that they were supposed to be building a temple. The people obeyed and rebuilt the temple and on the day it was dedicated in 516 B.C. the people all gathered. The Book of Ezra tells us that the young people cheered because the new Temple was built. But the old people who had seen Solomon’s Temple wept because the new Temple was nothing in comparison to the original. The sound of weeping and cheering mixed together and grew so loud that people could hear it for miles away but could not understand exactly what the sound was because it was so mixed.

Into this confusing harangue Haggai the prophet stepped and he spoke the words we read in part 1.

How would you have felt in this situation? Jubilant or saddened?

Pastor Wrinkles: Little Heroes, Big World

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I recently had the privilege of preaching the Independence Day Message at Cornerstone Church in Winchendon. The message I preached was entitled, “Little Heroes, Big World”.

Over the next several days I will excerpt the sermon for us here so that we can have discussions on what we see in the Scripture.

Our opening Text is from the Book of Haggai chapter 2 verses 2-9

Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a] the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”  Haggai 2: 2-9

I, of course, have my ideas but I would love to hear from you what stood out to you in this passage.