Distracted

 

Some might disagree, but the art of multi-tasking very well could be one of the most overrated concepts in the history of the human race. While we may feel as though attempting to accomplish several tasks at once is an efficient use of time, more often than not, we become so distracted that we’re not able to effectively complete any of the projects we set out to do. Even more serious is the tendency to leave out some important step or not be aware of a potential danger. Certainly, no one would want to be driving behind the man in the above photo. 

To say distractions can be dangerous is something of an understatement. How many lives have been lost because people just weren’t paying attention. It isn’t that they purposely brought about a tragedy, it’s that they took their eyes off what was most important. 

Spiritual distractions are subtle but often fatal. Well intentioned believers earnestly want to serve Christ each day, but those good intentions quickly end up being forgotten simply because we get so caught up in living our daily lives. Jesus repeatedly warned his followers about even good and healthy activities becoming bigger in our lives than they should be. One of the most challenging temptations we face is putting Christ ahead of those good things in our lives which so easily can crowd Jesus out of the first place in our hearts. 

Many years ago, a group of people struggled with putting God before other pressing concerns. God used a man named Haggai to write a little book about it. If you’re dealing with distraction on a daily basis, you might want to check out what Haggai has to say. 

Sunday Worship Time: 10:00 am

Is God Twiddling His Thumbs?

 

It can be a very frustrating experience to provide an essential service to people without their realizing it. To make matters worse, those same people often complain that you really aren’t doing much of anything and wonder why you don’t do so much more. Parents go through this drama on a regular basis!   

One wonders how God endures the constant criticisms of human beings who accuse him of either doing too little or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. And there is a growing consensus that God is just basically twiddling his thumbs. 

A cursory reading of the Bible makes it pretty clear that far from just passing time looking at his naval, God is intensely and intimately involved in human life in an extremely active way. What muddles our understanding of how much and what he is doing is found in our way of looking at life. We see it from our perspective and assume God shares the same vision. It should be pretty obvious to us, but he doesn’t. God’s determination of good and evil, happiness and unhappiness, success and failure are often worlds apart from ours. And that not only causes misunderstanding, it creates conflict. 

A close study of God’s working in this world shows consistently that his activity is always driven by his committed, loving concern for the creatures he calls his children – creatures like you and me. No, God is not twiddling his thumbs, he is urgently and powerfully working toward one purpose – to bring you into his presence for all of eternity. Join us this Sunday and spend some  time thinking about what that can mean to you. 

Sunday Worship Time: 10:00 am

Can I Trust God?

 

He had been distracted going into the doctor’s office. It was a routine check-up after which he had planned several other appointments, all of which were on the high priority list. Walking out of the doctor’s office everything had changed. Within 30 minutes he went from life in the fast lane to tying up loose ends. He had been a Christian all his life. He had heard that God is good all the time and all the time God is good, but never really had considered what that meant. Now he wondered if God was good any of the time. How could God be good letting a man in his prime wither away from disease? How could God be good dashing all his hopes and dreams prematurely? Wasn’t God supposed to be about helping us out? Where was all that help when the doctor gave his diagnosis? 

It’s easy to say “God is good” when life is good. It’s a whole other matter when life falls apart, when we feel as if we were falling into an abyss with no one to catch us. 

Many years ago, a man with the curious name of Habakkuk, was in a free fall. But instead of walking away from God in bitterness and resentment, this man talked to God. He asked the tough questions, questions like “Why are you doing what you’re doing? It doesn’t make any sense!” Today, we can still read Habakkuk’s questions and more importantly, God’s answers. If you aren’t sure if God is worthy of your trust, join us for our Sunday morning service. God’s responses to the tough questions we have for him aren’t always the easiest to swallow, but they do give us a reason to hope. And that is what we need most when we’re stuck in a spiritual black hole.

Sunday Worship Time: 10:00 am

Give Peace a Chance

 

In the late 1960s there were a series of hit songs which appealed to the need for peace. The melodies were contagious, the lyrics basic – Give peace a chance. Every generation of humanity has felt the need for peace. We realize that it is far better than conflict. We admit that openly. But we human beings keep fighting. 

We hold peace talks. We go to seminars to learn how to get along more effectively with each other. But we have to ask ourselves, “Is it working?” For those who have a financially comfortable lifestyle, maybe the answer is “Yes”. But what happens if that comfortable lifestyle ends. It seems that our definition of peace is: extended periods of getting what we want. 

And what about the times we don’t get what we want? Are we condemned to unending conflict as we pursue obtaining the kind of life we covet? 

Many centuries ago, a man named Micah talked about someone very special who would be born in Bethlehem. His specialness would be that he would not only bring peace, he would be the source of peace. 700 years after Micah spoke of that Peace Bringer, he came in the person of Jesus Christ. He came to bring a peace that wasn’t subject to the ups and downs of our erratic lives, but rather a consistent, sturdy, supernatural peace. Best of all, that peace is accessible to all of us. 

If you are looking to give peace a chance in your life, join us this Sunday for our worship service. The peace Jesus offers you is too important to ignore. 

Sunday Worship Time: 10:00 am