Mayday, Mayday!

It has been nearly ten years since the 9/11 attacks. The attacks used airplanes loaded with innocent people as “living missiles.” People were probably doing a lot of screaming as planes were headed downward or into one of the buildings, or as they were impacted by the planes hitting different buildings.

“Mayday” comes from a French word m’aider, which means “come help me.” Whether it was 9/11, the Titanic, earthquakes, tsunamis, or countless other emergency situations, people are needing help.

One of the cool mysteries of the Bible is the lineage or genealogy of Jesus. From Adam and Eve, clear through Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ lineage has been filled with some interesting characters. Also intertwined in this lineage are situations that, to you and me, almost caused Jesus to not happen, but God prevails through any situation.

Sunday, we looked at this “emergency” side of the lineage of Jesus – times when Jesus was in trouble, in one form or another. However, though it all, God prevailed. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week… (to review the texts/subjects covered, click here to listen/watch the recap)

• Out of Control Life, In Control God ~ Within the texts, we see situations like Cain killing Abel or Hezekiah getting sick or Jesus so hungry He needs bread. There are situations in our life that makes it seem like things are just totally out of control. However, even in the midst of any chaos, God is always in control – not only in the lives of “Bible” people, but in ours as well.
• Tempted? Resist! ~ I cannot imagine what hunger Jesus must have felt after being in the desert for 40 days! It would have been real tempting to fall into that first temptation. I think we all have been in a situation where you feel you can eat about anything due to hunger. Jesus was probably there. He resisted, so can we…let’s do it – even if it seems life is going down in a hurry.
• Do Something With Your Salvation ~ If there was no Jesus (Click here to watch Acappella’s song on YouTube of “If There Were No God”) then we’d be without a future, without hope, without eternal joy…just plain WITHOUT! Since there is a God and His Son, let’s do something with our salvation by bringing a light to someone’s day. Use your talents to make someone see your faith!

Can you hear it??? People hollering out as their life is going down…Mayday, Mayday! aka come help me!!!  Let’s go and help them!!!

Fireproof: Relationship of Rescue

We've all heard stories of parents going to great lengths to find their lost and/or abducted children. Maybe you've been one of those parents (even if it was simply lost in a public place). Once you realize that the child is missing you start looking, everywhere, very quickly. Hollering out their name. Heart beating quicker. Panic sets in. All this goes on because of the close relationship you have with that child. You would do anything for them. You have that "I'll always love you, no matter what you do" feeling.

That is a similar feeling to how God cares for His children. When we wander off, He's wanting to find us. When we do the unthinkable, He still loves us. He loves us because that is His nature. (I don't disregard the just-ness of God when referring to Him loving us). The relationship between God and us is a relationship of rescue. The relationship of us to a loved one should be the same.

As we looked at the movie Fireproof yesterday, we saw the scene where the husband realizes that he is not loving his wife the way he needs to be doing. She's "treating" him with a lack of care and consideration (much due to his previous actions), and he's trying to reconcile the situation. She doesn't seem to care. It is pointed out that that is much the same way we treat God. He does and does for us, but we still spit in His face; He still loves us.

Here are some applications to use from this week's message...

1. Pray for your partner everyday (Buy The Power of a Praying Wife/Husband to help you with some specific prayers).
2. Pray for your best friend - for the unmarrieds
3. Look for signs that your partner is in need of rescuing; ask God to help you see.
4. Work on strengthening your relationship with someone in your congregation that you don't normally talk to regularly - so as to understand them and know when to rescue them.

Being in a battle is not what we were at all created to be. We're too fragile as humans. When it comes to doing battle with the Evil One, we are also fragile. However, we can easily win when we have God with us. With God you're a majority in any battle!

Spiritually, we have a relationship that He will be there to rescue us. Earthly, you need to have a relationship that will rescue in times of need. If you're married, tell your partner how much you need/appreciate that. If you're unmarried, find someone that can be there for you when you need to be rescued. Rescuing could be a phone number to call in the middle of the night, a listening ear, or a place to come that is safe.

Appreciating my partner...

Throw Out the Life Line

Recently, I was watching television at my in-laws and we flipped by a news story that involved a break in a water main causing a river-like effect on a city street. Some of the 911 calls were being aired and the panic was evident. Their cars started to no longer be secure on the street as the water was starting to move them. They needed help. They needed rescued. That is the picture to the right.

There are still, today, millions of souls that need to be rescued from the rushing waves of sin. Some have never felt what it is like to be saved, where others have known what it is like, but been "washed away" from the shores of salvation to the river of a sinful lifestyle.

Yesterday, we looked at a challenge to throw out the life line to those we come in contact with. To all be active in doing it to create a net effect instead of a few single lines out trying to rescue. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Pray that God will give you the necessary sight to see those who need rescuing.
2. Pray and decide to be bold enough to "throw" out the lifeline to those who may need rescuing
3. Send an e-mail, a card, or a text to someone to invite them to our church - If they have never gone, tell them it would be a great way to start the new year. PS - Maybe even offer to feed their family (whether you make it or you eat out) - people usually don't pass up free food!
4. Ask them if they've been "rescued" from anything - tell them a rescue story of yours - whether it is spiritual or life experience.
5. Ask someone in the church if they've thrown out the lifeline this week - then ask how did it go.
6. Invite someone to our New Year's Eve party
7. Look with anticipation how God and you will team up to start the rescue process for someone

Lots of different ways we can be throwing out the life line to those needing rescued. As we are all doing our part I look with anticipation at how big the rescue will be!

Let me know your rescue/life line stories by leaving a comment...

Have a great week...Happy New Year!

Anticipating the opportunities...

At Just the Right Time - Exodus 14:10-14

This year's Olympics were filled with some exciting finishes, specifically in swimming. Michael Phelps has gone down in history as one of the greatest male swimmers for the US of all time. In a couple of his races, he or his team, won by a fraction of a second. Which means, at just the right time, a person on the US team touched the wall before the opponent's. There are times which God does the same thing when it comes to dealing with us.

Yesterday, we looked at the text where Moses and the Israelites are on the verge of being captured by the Egyptian army. The Israelites have the Red Sea in front, mountains to side, and an army behind. They're doomed! However, at just the right time, God allows the waters to recede, forming two walls of water and dry ground underneath. Thus giving them a chance to cross over, free from the Egyptian army. Here are some applications to choose from in applying the lesson...

1. New situations make us uncomfortable. When you are involved in something new, the old life may seem better because you were used to it. Whether you are moving to a new town, trying out a new church, got a new job, etc., allow time to be given so that you can see how God is going to use you where you're at right then.
   
2. We live in a cruel world and it can be lonely sometimes. You may not be walking on water, but still, don't look down, keep your eyes on Jesus! Pursue Him, knowing that He is always there for you when you need Him - and boy, do we need Him a lot more than we think!
3. Undergoing trials? Trials allow us to refocus ourselves on Him and not on the impossiblities. Look throught obstacles as ways to be closer to God and find Him in the midst of these trials. "Seek and you will find"!
   

God is faithful and He will take care of us. Some of the solutions may seem so far off that we are not comfortable with them when they do come. However, at just the right time, God will bring you through your "Red Sea" on dry ground!

Praising Him for His Rescue, at Just the Right Time ~

Monday Mentionings: Got Debt, Don't Fret - Nehemiah 5:1-6

Christ's church is just awesome! Paul describing it as a body that has "many parts" all doing different things is just an ever-chewing idea. I am fascinated by what can be accomplished through people working together. I left our Vision Team meeting with a recoiled spring in my step. This was able to bounce me into Sunday morning where it was enjoyable to attend the "family reunion". Not forgetting, capping my evening off with a great Love and Respect group. Weekends like this make me so look forward to starting "all over" on Monday! I hope you have had similar experiences this weekend!!!

Nehemiah is a mind-blowing book. Maybe I look at it from the perspective of a leader. He had responsibilities and he tried to be constantly stirring. That is tough to do, but I enjoy the challenge! The Jews were coming back from exile and they had very little. They had been working just to pay off taxes/debt. They needed some relief and Nehemiah was the one to go to bat for them. Here are some other applications from yesterday...

1. How big is your debt? You might think of tangible (monetary) debt first; how about spiritual debt? Thanks to Jesus, our spiritual debt is at zero because he paid the price! Say a praise prayer to Jesus for paying the price for the debt you owed when sin came into your life.

2. When was the last time you were forgiven of something? How did it feel? Genuine forgiveness allows us to not have the mental unrest that debt puts on us. Does someone owe you something? Something like money, an apology, etc.? Think of a way you could alleviate some of that debt that is owed to you. God alleviated it by giving us a Savior. What can you do? If you don't have this in your life right now - keep it mind for when you do.

3. Pray that God sends you someone that you can be a "slave rescuer" to. Someone you can help pull out of the debt of sin. Also, pray that you have the wisdom to know when that "someone" comes into your life and that you will be bold enough to walk through the door.

We are in the rescuing business - who will you rescue!?

Praying that God will give you many open doors this week!

Turning the knob ~