Tag Archives: spiritual journeys

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.

Bigger Angels

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I once heard Joyce Meyer preach a message in which she said that when you go to a bigger level you are going to face a bigger Devil. That is the truth. The enemy tends to oppose us in increasing strength as we grow closer to God. While I think there is some merit in recognizing this truth, so as not to be caught unawares; It is important to remember that this is only a part of the truth.

As we grow closer to God we may face greater attack or resistance from the Devil but we also receive more power from the presence of the Living God. if we are confronted by “bigger devils” then God will always be faithful to send us “bigger angels” to war on our behalf.

We have to remember that God and Satan are not coequal. However much power the Devil might have at His disposal, he is quickly outmatched by the power of God. In fact, comparing the devil’s power to God’s is like comparing a static electric shock to an atom bomb.  And God’s power is dedicated to seeing us through every valley of shadow the Devil with his power creates.

However else it might sometimes feel, Christians never fight from a disadvantage. We always wage our warfare (which by the way looks different from any other warfare in the world) from the already-won victory of the cross and resurrection.

Bigger levels (growing closer to God) bring bigger devils, ’tis true. But the far more important info to cram into your head is that bigger levels also bring bigger angels.

It’s OK That It’s Not OK

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One of the terms my grandfather used for this world after my grandmother passed away was “This vale of tears”. Gramps was a pretty cheerful and easy-going guy but Grams passing knocked a lot of the wind out of his sails. He didn’t curl up and die exactly but he just wasn’t the same after her death.

I think there are few who can relate to the pain of losing a spouse after 61 years of marriage but each of us have life events that rock our worlds in foundational ways.

I remember during one of my own earth shaking events a well-meaning brother walked up to me in church and asked, “How are you doing J?”

“I am OK.” I answered ( I wasn’t really but then the moment wasn’t right for a sit-down-and-cry).

His response was to wrinkle his nose and say, “Just OK? Not fantastic?”

The brother knew what I was walking through at the moment and I was a little… no a lot flabbergasted by his insensitivity. But I didn’t haul off and clock him, Pastors aren’t supposed to do that.

Instead I simply said, “Sometimes, brother, OK is good enough.” Then I went to my office and had a sit-down-and-cry.

Can I just say that sometimes it’s Ok not to be “good” or “fantastic” or even “OK”. There are life events that are just so wrong or hurtful that it is OK to not be OK for a bit. Further it is OK to think and feel that your situation is definitely not OK. While God may work all things together for good not every situation is good, in fact some situations just suck.

We have had four deaths connected to our church in the last week-and-a-half, six in the last month. Today I prayed with two  men in church who wept through the entire service. What they are walking through is definitely not OK and I wouldn’t be OK if I were in their shoes.

Hope isn’t found in pretending that everything is coming up roses while your really sitting under a pile of manure. Hope is found when we realize that though we may be walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, God is with us through all of it.

Brother…Sister, It’s OK to admit that it’s not OK right now. In fact admitting that to yourself and others is the first step in moving to a better place. Being honest about where you are now is part of figuring out how to move beyond it. Here’s a song to help you in your meditation this evening.

Share Your World 2015 Week 20

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Hey folks! Here we are at Share Your World once again. Do you realize we have shared over 1/3 of 2015 with each other already? Time flies when you are having fun! If you click the icon above it will take you to our hostess Cee’s site and from there you can have your world enlarged by entering into the community of sharing she provides.

Here are this week’s questions and my answers.

What is the most important thing that you ever learned? (I bet it’s not something you learned in school)

The most important thing I ever learned was, that God so loved the world ( and me) that he gave his only son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for my sins ( and the whole world’s sins) so that if I would believe in Him  I would not perish but have everlasting life ( and that also goes for every other man woman and child on the face of the planet). Every other lesson in life is defined by what we do with that truth.

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What feeds your enthusiasm for life?

9But if I say, “I will not mention his word

or speak anymore in his name,”

his word is in my heart like a fire,

a fire shut up in my bones.

I am weary of holding it in;

indeed, I cannot. Jer. 20:9

 

https://youtu.be/5pwbDo1ef9M

What’s your most memorable (good or bad) airplane commercial or private flight?

The first time I visited my sister in The Netherlands I flew Iceland air into Keflavik. Our lay over was about two hours and I remember looking out at the beauty of Iceland and thinking that someday I would return to explore this place that looked a bit like the moon to me.

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If you were a great explorer, what would you explore?

Iceland.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am so grateful for the wonderful Network Council I just came from. I am looking forward to teaching my class in the Minor Prophets tonight and preaching on Sunday morning a message called “For God and Country.”

God, Pastors and the Calling #calling519

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I am just returning from our network pastor’s council. So much wonderful work was done this weekend. Our fellowship ordained 21 new pastors from Southern New England including our very own Youth Pastor here at Cornerstone Rev. Brad Hackett

Cornerstone Church - Winchendon's photo.

Our Lead Pastor and Presbyter Rev. Barry Risto and newly ordained minister Rev. Brad Hackett

During our missions banquet an offering was taken to support three large projects being tackled around the world by missionaries from our Network in Southern New England. 180 churches joined to raise  $121,000.00 for projects in Indonesia, India and Mozambique! And the District Youth Director made an appeal to our Network Pastors to help my sister raise the budget required for her vehicle when she returns to her mission in the The Netherlands.

Today the council was rounded out as we began what is going to become a year-long discussion about “being called by God” the title of the seminar was #calling519 (its Twitter designation)

Here are some quotes from the day

WHAT IF GOD IS TELLING YOU TO STAY WHEN EVERYTHING EXTERNALLY IS TELLING YOU TO GO?- SCOTT GIORDANO

WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOUT “GO” BUT GOD CALLS YOU TO STAY, THE STAYING IS THE GOING.- SCOTT GIORDANO

INSTEAD OF PRAYING FOR A WAY OUT PRAY FOR A WAY IN.- SCOTT GIORDANO

FINDING THE GREAT ASSIGNMENT IS NOT NEARLY AS EASY AS HEARING THE GREAT CALL.- BRIAN KROGH

IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE OUT THE CALL OF GOD WITHOUT EVER MAKING IT TO THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID? BRIAN KROGH

THERE ARE ASSOCIATE ROLES AND POSITIONS. THERE ARE NO ASSOCIATE CALLS.- BRIAN KROGH

THE CALLING IS NEVER ABOUT SAFETY. SALARY PACAKAGE, PRESTIGE, TITLE, SELFISH GAIN OR PERSONAL GRATIFICATION. THE CALL IS SIMPLY ABOUT FOLLOWING GOD.- SELWYN BODLEY

MOVE IN GOD’S POWER AND AUTHORITY. LEAVE YOURS AT HOME.- SELWYN BODLEY.

Not So Pretty Yet

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My sister and I were driving to the grocery store last night and along the way I got thinking about how ugly the start of Spring can be. The grass is still brown. The trees all look like dead sticks poking out of the ground. The streets are covered with sand from the winter road treatment. What snow is left is black with mud and nothing is left to cover the damage the winter storms have done to the forest. Still, people are outdoors in the evening raking and cleaning up the mess. The stores are filled with pansies and marigolds hoping to be planted and the maples are beginning to bud, promising that soon and very soon beauty is going to return to the Earth.

Seasons of transition in life, like in nature, are not so pretty. They can be discouraging because they leave us feeling naked,  exposed, and feeling incapable. As we grasp to catch up with the next level of life the world around us can perceive us floundering gracelessly to make the leap, or at least that’s how it often feels to me.

Christianity, to me, seems sometimes like one long season of transition where my weaknesses are exposed and challenged and I am called to rise up to higher heights than I think myself capable of. It feels like I am constantly sweeping away last season’s sand to make room for some new planting of the Lord whose outline is yet to be revealed. Can anyone out there relate?

But I have been through enough of these seasons now to know that everything is going to be all right. The upheaval, the challenges, the feelings of being exposed and incapable all just go with the territory, They are things to be grinned at and borne with grace. The plans of God may not yet be fully revealed to us but that is to be expected. It is how God has made faith to work. What we can know in our seasons of transition is that like Spring our seasons of transition may appear at the first deformed and ugly but in a brief time they shall appear glorious!

With care my flowers tend, But keep the pathway open Your home is at the end.

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. Romans 8:16-19 NIV

The Road To Powerful Prayer

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Our church is hosting Ron Auch this week author of several books dealing with The Christian’s Intimacy With God, including

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Ron taught on the subject , The Road To Powerful Prayer.

Here are some quotes from the conference.

“If you wonder if you have faith for a thing you don’t. Those who have faith know it and walk in it.”

“Worship is the one thing we can do to bless the Lord.”

“The Lord of the work is always more important than the work of the Lord.”

“Revival needs intimacy. Intimacy creates revival. Revival brings new birth. We want the new birth without the intimacy.”

“You can have church growth without prayer but you can’t have spiritual awakening without prayer.”

“Sometimes we think if we don’t give God good instruction, He might mess up.”

“Part of Satan’s plan is to make us fight him and stop pursuing Jesus.”

It was a great conference and we have more teaching today and tonight.

Which quote resonates with you?