Ethan McCardell

Details on A New Edition....

2009-07-09T12:40:00.001-07:00

Friends:

For awhile now you've been hearing news of our new church plant (www.lightforlifenewchurch.org). I'm writing now to tell you of a new development on the book/class development side of things. I will be purchasing the rights to materials used for the books / lectures from Restyn, LLC (including a new ISBN #). This will allow me to release a revised edition of the book, as well as other materials that can be used in new volumes or classes over time.

My church is taking the month off of Sunday worship. During that time, we will also be researching Rev. Mark Pendleton's approach (on the steps of repentance) to prepare for him to come and give a series in the new year.

A small group will be starting on my book before "Living Courageously" (in the fall), and we'll marry this with service projects developed by our service coordinator. All in all, its shaping up to be an exciting year for me as an author and us as a church! Keep in touch with this blog and the church's site (www.lightforlifenewchurch.org).

Blessings for a happy and healthy summer!

In His Love,

Ethan

A New Church - A New Beginning

2009-03-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

Friends:

Its been a while now since I've written, but I have great news to share. First of all, my new church in the Seattle area - Light For Life - has its first website up (www.lightforlifenewchurch.org). We will host our first worship service where we invite the public on Easter (April 12th). We have also found a new full time facility in Redmond, WA.

We now worship every Sunday at 10:30 am here -

The Redmond Senior Center

8703 160th Ave NE

Redmond, WA 98052

(Online at: www.redmond.gov).

The other great news is that in August we are planning to run our first small group on BOGC (a link to "Be of Good Cheer" can be found to the right on this site). Another congregation in Rochester, MI is planning on using the book to fuel their small group this spring as well:

The Oak Arbor Church

495 Oak Arbor Circle West

Rochester, MI 40306

(Online at: www.oakarbor.org)

Blessings to you all for a healthy, happy, and hopeful Easter Season!

In His Love -

Your Friend,

Ethan

Three Buildings Later...

2008-11-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

Friends:

Well, after starting a new organization in our backyard as "Light for Life New Church", we've now tried three different buildings -

Two in Shoreline:

1) Spartan Recreation Center

2) Richmond Highlands Recreation Center

(Look them up on shorelinewa.gov)

One on Renton:

Carco Theatre

(Look it up on rentonwa.gov)

We have run demographic/psychographic/spiritual formation studies on 5 metropolitan Seattle areas (through Percept Group). Now we are bringing the results of those studies together with what we want in a worship space to find a consistent rental facility in the right location by Spring of 2009.

As our kickoff small group study once we launch publicly, we expect to use "Be of Good Cheer" for a full month followed by a celebration Sunday. Stay tuned to this blog and to ncchurchplant.blogspot.com for further details.

Thanks for your support!

Yours,
Pastor Ethan

And So It Begins...

2008-08-12T16:05:00.003-07:00

Friends:

I haven't written here for awhile because we've been in transition, moving from Sarver PA to Seattle WA to start a new church.

This Sunday (August 10th) we had our first worship service together as Light for Life - a new church plant project in Shoreline, WA. We had 42 people in attendance and the energy was wonderful! Any time you start something new its a risk, but God calls us to "risk on the side of love" for the growth of His kingdom. So, as we embark on a revision of BOGC, a new church, and a new beginning in the Seattle area - we want to (in the words of John Mayer) "do it with our hearts wide open."

Thank you for your support, your prayers and your contributions to the effort (whatever form they may take). We will have a website for the project up in another month or two and in the meantime check back here for information on Be of Good Cheer and other related book and church updates.

Blessings on the Journey!

Pastor Ethan

'Tis the Season

2008-01-24T15:02:00.000-08:00

This coming month (February), much of the Christian world will be celebrating Lent in preparation for Easter. I wrote an article for my Church (www.sowerschapel.org, www.sowerschapel.com) on a sermon preached at a Ministerium gathering for Lent in Freeport, PA (the nearest town to the church). I thought you might appreciate seeing it too, as it was inspired by Bill Heilman's story (Chapter 3 in "Be of Good Cheer").

See Below -

Dear Friends:

Here we are at February, and soon our hosting of the Lenten Dinner Series will begin in Freeport. As I was thinking about what to write this morning, I found a sermon that I preached for that series during my second year here (which you’ll recognize when you see the name “Bill” – referring to Bill Heilman and his family). I was struck with how much of that same talk still applies today, and so I offer it as a way of “focusing” our minds and hearts on the self examination necessary for us to be truly receptive of the Easter message. After all, any time we can be reminded of the need to focus on preparation for heaven through the choices we make in this life, it’s a testament to our believe in the Lord’s purpose for creation – that there be a heaven from the human race (DP 27).

We speak tonight about the whole purpose of Lent itself. In the beginning, it was three days of fasting signifying the three days of Jesus in the tomb before the resurrection. It was a simple reminder. Eventually, it became 40 days of fasting, mirroring not just this, but Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. And what is it now? In some respects, Lent’s become pretty commercial hasn’t it? I kid you not, but I drove by a billboard at Taco Bell the other day advertising bean burritos on sale for Lent. Is this what Jesus wants? I don’t know. I’m just asking the question. These days, we have trouble giving up a Snickers bar for Lent, don’t we? And the point is: that’s what Lent’s really all about? Or is it something deeper. Is it a time to pause and reflect on an internal level about the nature of our relationship with the Lord. About the ways in which He is leading us each day to know Him a little more and love Him a little better – if we would only open our minds and hearts to Him.
I think, friends, that this is the true message of Lent. Its about our spiritual rebirth as people. Its about our ability to see beyond the temporary wants and desires of the natural world, to let them die, for the eternity of heaven and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that’s what God taught me through my relationship with Bill and his family. That’s where my focus needed to be – on the life of heaven. And that’s what we can teach each other every day as followers of Him. That’s the simple truth that Martha didn’t get.
So, as we go out today to live our lives that are really just the preparation lap for eternity in the eyes of the Lord, what will we choose? Will we “be still” and listen for God’s voice in our daily decisions, or will we decide that the world’s values – social and societal convention - are what matter. Yes, by the world’s standard, Mary did the wrong thing on the surface. But we all must remember and cherish what Jesus said to Martha, and says equally to each of us:
And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10: 41-42)

May you, through a love of what is true and a willingness to do what is good, gain a “Mary” heart in a “Martha” world.

Your Friend, Pastor Ethan

We're Moving!

2007-10-29T06:39:00.001-07:00

Hey Friends:

I'm writing today to let you all know some more exciting news in our lives. We have accepted a call from our denomination (www.newchurch.org) to do a church plant in the Pacific Northwest - (Seattle area). We are very excited about this oppotunity, and what it means for "Be of Good Cheer." We will be issuing a revised edition for marketing purposes in this new setting, and look forward to the chance to show you the changes! This move will happen in June of 2008, so stay tuned to this blog and our current ministry websites (www.sowerschapel.org, www.sowerschapel.com) for further details.

Seattle is an up and coming area (home to Amazon, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Microsoft, and more...) with a seeker-friendly culture. The perfect setting to take the three dimensional message of God's love out into the mainstream market.

I'd be remiss not to mention our mixed emotions in making such a transition, as we will be leaving a church family that we have loved and cherished these last four years. We experience grief in life over anything that has added value that must change. We have most certainly added value to eachother's lives- that cannot be measured. I know the Sower's Chapel (my current congregation) and its ministry will continue to thrive under its new leadership, and we will carry the relationships and the sacred spaces we've shared together here in our hearts.

Until Next Time -

Your Friend,
Ethan

Opportunities Abound!

2007-06-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Loyal Readers:

We finished our Be Of Good Cheer small group campaign (see post below), and it met with great success. So much so that my publishing company (Restyn) and I are looking at how we might develop materials that could be implemented in YOUR church.

We envision a daily reading companion with the possiblity of a workbook that would take you through 21 devotions. For example, when our church (Sower's Chapel - www.sowerschapel.com) ran the campaign - we met once a week for a month. Every meeting we would connect the task to our lives that week, and then introduce the next section of the reading. (I kept a calendar so that everyone would know what chapters they were "supposed to" read that week).

If the possibilty of using Be of Good Cheer: Discovering the Redeeming Quality of Struggle in your church interests you, contact me (pastor@sowerschapel.org), or Restyn (pr@restyn.com).

And stay tuned over the summer for further developments.

In His Love,

Your friend -

Ethan

A Small Group Campaign

2007-05-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Friends:

Just a quick note to tell you first of all that I haven't forgotten you, and also to let you know that its been a while since I last posted because I had to upgrade to "new" blogger (what a pain in the neck). Anyway...the real reason I'm writing you though is to clue you in on the lastest happenings at the Sower's Chapel (www.sowerschapel.org, www.sowerschapel.com).

When I last wrote I was still finalizing the details for our month long crusade into "Be of Good Cheer." Now we've started (since May 10th), and I have to tell you its going wonderfully. With the help of Stephen Simons, I've also developed a reading guide to accompany our study that has each of the devotional readings from the 21 days printed out with a space to take notes.

So, we meet once a week on Thursdays (check our calendar at sowerschapel.org, or sowerschapel.com) at the church to discuss what we've read and just plain talk about what's going on in our lives. Since its a twenty-one day devotional, we'll probably run it again after our "Journey of Life" small group campaign that's starting in the fall.

For more information on "Journey of Life", please visit: www.newchurch.org.

In short, our campaign outline together with the new "reading companion" have made this year's "Be of Good Cheer" campaign something that I'm sure will become an annual tradition for the Sower's Chapel. Even if you've never done small group work before, this is a wonderful introduction. Come see why people are leaving church "lighter" on Thursdays. And most importantly...BE OF GOOD CHEER!

Your Friend,

Pastor Ethan

California Dreamin'

2007-04-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

Friends:

First of all, Happy Easter! I'm just writing to let you know that I'll be headed off to California in about two weeks for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on the UCLA campus. Its an annual events featuring over 400 authors with their books, and an opportunity to hob knob with thousands of exhibitors, including: Barnes and Noble, Target, Oxford University Press, ...and many more.

I've been asked to return by the California New Church (in La Cresenta) to feature my book "Be of Good Cheer," in booth number 107. For more information on the event, please visit: www.latimes.com/fob.

To contact me and find out about attending the event or participating in the booth, please e-mail: pastor@sowerschapel.org.

Wishing you a blessed and happy Easter season.

Your Friend,
Pastor Ethan

Be of Good Cheer Featured on Web Store

2007-02-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]

February 1, 2007 - (Bryn Athyn, PA) Pastor Ethan McCardell's denomination, the New Church, has selected to feature his book, "Be of Good Cheer: Discovering the Redeeming Quality of Struggle" in their online bookstore.

After inviting McCardell for a lecture and book signing at the Bryn Athyn Cathedral, the New Church Bookstore picked up "Be of Good Cheer" on their "Featured Products" section of http://store.newchurch.org on February 1, 2007.

McCardell is the pastor of the Sower's Chapel in Sarver, PA, where he leads public services of worship every Sunday at 9:00A.M. and 10:00A.M. When asked about his ministry at the Sower's Chapel, McCardell says, "What I hope you find here is a group of people dedicated to loving and living God’s commandments. A group of people dedicated to loving the neighbor and serving the Lord more than their own personal fulfillment. A group of people looking to the Word of God for the answer to life’s challenges, rather than to self-help or pop psychology. We are a growing church community, dedicated to the worship of the Lord God Jesus Christ in His living Word."

Here We Go Again.....

2006-12-26T13:25:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas (and Happy New Year).....

In this season where we celebrate all that God did in coming to earth as Jesus Christ, to reset the spiritual balance of the world and restore human freedom, it seems appropriate to give a lecture entitled "What to do with struggle." Using the text of the book "Be of Good Cheer", I'll be talking about the purpose behind the challenges we face in this world, and the lessons God's hoping we'll learn (if we're open) about how our relationship with Him and His children are actually deepend through our response to crisis.

I hope you'll join me to learn how we discover the touch of God's love in circumstances that can often feel furthest from it.

Love and Best Wishes for the New Year!

Your friend,

Pastor Ethan

P.S. Here's the information on where the lecture is to be given.

Wednesday, December 27th, 7pm
BRYN ATHYN CATHEDRAL
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
www.bacathedral.org

From the WEST (via PA Turnpike):
Take Exit 27 (Willow Grove, Doylestown). BEAR TO THE LEFT on Route 611 (South). Follow that road through a few traffic lights and turn LEFT on Fitzwater. (It is at the top of a small hill, and there is a Dunkin Donuts on the corner.)
Fitzwater changes its name to Terwood when you cross York Rd. You will pass Davisville Rd. and Edge Hill Rd. The intersection at Edge Hill is a three way stop, and you jog a bit but continue on Terwood. You will drive past horses in a wooden fenced field and another field without horses. Just as the end of the wooden fenced fields there is a somewhat sharp turn to the right in the road. There will be a small section of the road that is flat, and just before the road starts to go down another hill, you will turn LEFT onto Fettersmill. Fettersmill is a small hill and at the bottom there is an old mill house right next to the road. The road turns to the right at the mill house. You must go very slowly around this turn. Immediately after the turn in a one-lane bridge that you will cross. You will the Bryn Athyn post office on your left and continue up a hill. The road will dead-end and you will turn RIGHT onto South Avenue. Follow this road to the traffic light. Turn LEFT onto Huntingdon Pike, Rt. 232. At the next light turn left onto Cathedral Rd.

From the WEST via Blue Rt. and PA Turnpike:
Take the Blue Rt. NORTH (476) to PA Turnpike EAST. Take Exit 27 (Willow Grove, Doylestown). FOLLOW DIRECTIONS From the WEST (via PA Turnpike).

From the LEHIGH VALLEY:
Take the Northeast Extension to Rt. 276 East. Take Exit 27 (Willow Grove, Doylestown). FOLLOW DIRECTIONS From the WEST (via PA Turnpike).

From CENTER CITY, Philadelphia:
Take Broad Street (611) North. 611 will BEAR RIGHT and turn from Broad Street into Old York Rd. (The distance from City Hall to the point where 611 turns into Old York Rd. is approximately 7 1/4 miles. There is a Ford agency near this turn off.) Follow Old York Rd. for approximately 2 1/4 miles. Turn RIGHT onto Meetinghouse Rd. This turn will come just after a synagogue on the right. Follow Meetinghouse for a apprximately 3 miles until it meets Rt. 232 (Huntingdon Pike) and turn LEFT (North). After approximately 2 1/4 miles Rt. 63 will cross Huntingdon Pike (at the Bethayres shopping center). The 4th traffic light after Rt. 63 is Cathedral Rd. Turn LEFT. Byn Athyn Cathedral is on your left.

From PHILADELPHIA via Rt. 76 (Schuykill Expressway):
Take 76 West to Roosevelt Blvd. (Rt. 1). Exit off of Rt. 1 onto Broad Street (611). Turn LEFT (North) on Broad Street (611) and travel for approximately 2 1/4 miles. 611 will BEAR RIGHT and turn from Broad Street into Old York Rd. (The distance from City Hall to the point where 611 turns into Old York Rd. is approximately 7 1/4 miles. There is a Ford agency near this turn off.) Follow Old York Rd. for approximately 2 1/4 miles. Turn RIGHT onto Meetinghouse Rd. This turn will come just after a synagogue on the right. Follow Meetinghouse for a apprximately 3 miles until it meets Rt. 232 (Huntingdon Pike) and turn LEFT (North). After approximately 2 1/4 miles Rt. 63 will cross Huntingdon Pike (at the Bethayres shopping center). The 4th traffic light after Rt. 63 is Cathedral Rd. Turn LEFT. Byn Athyn Cathedral is on your left.

From ROOSEVELT BLVD. (Traveling North):
Take Roosevelt Blvd. North. At the Nabisco plant turn LEFT (West) onto Byberry Rd. Travel Byberry through about 7 traffic lights. Turn LEFT (South) on Rt. 232. (There is a Citgo gas station on the left corner.) At the 1st traffic light (Cathedral Rd.) turn RIGHT. The Bryn Athyn Cathedral is on your left.

From I-95:
Take the Woodhaven exit (West) to the very end where you have to exit to the LEFT onto Evans. Turn RIGHT (West) at the 1st light (Byberry Rd.). Travel Byberry through about 7 traffic lights. Turn LEFT (South) on Rt. 232. (There is a Citgo gas station on the left corner.) At the 1st traffic light (Cathedral Rd.) turn RIGHT. The Bryn Athyn Cathedral is on your left.

From Delaware:
Take I-95 NORTH to the Blue Route NORTH to the PA Turnpike EAST. Take Exit 27 (Willow Grove, Doylestown). BEAR TO THE RIGHT on Route 611 (North). At the 1st traffic light (immediate) turn RIGHT on Mill Rd. (This later becomes Warminster Rd. when it crosses York Rd.) Turn RIGHT at the 2nd light (Byberry Rd.). Travel Byberry for approximately 3 miles. At the 3rd traffic light, turn RIGHT (South) onto Rt. 232 (Huntingdon Pike). Turn RIGHT at the 1st light (Cathedral Rd.) Bryn Athyn Cathedral is on your left.

From PRINCETON:
Take Route 1 SOUTH to Route 132 WEST (Street Rd.) (It's right near the PA Turnpike.) Travel Route 132 WEST (Street Rd.) for about 4 1/2 miles. Turn LEFT onto Rt. 232 (South). Travel Rt 232 (Huntingdon Pike) for about 3 miles (or 7 traffic lights) to Cathedral Rd. Turn RIGHT onto Cathedral Rd. Bryn Athyn Cathedral is on your left.

From the NORTH:
Travel SOUTH on the New Jersey Turnpike to the PA Turnpike (Exit 6). Travel the PA Turnpike and exit at Exit #28 (Philadelphia). BEAR RIGHT immediately after going through the toll onto Route 1 SOUTH. Stay in the right lane and exit off Rt. 1 almost immediately (about 1/8 of a mile) onto Rt. 132 (Street Rd.) WEST. Travel Street Rd. for about 4 1/2 miles. turn LEFT oto Rt. 232 (South). Travel Rt. 232 (Huntingdon Pike) for about 3 miles (or 7 traffic lights) to Cathedral Rd. Turn RIGHT onto Catherdal Rd. Bryn Athyn Cathedral is on your left.

A Success!

2006-11-28T15:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Devoted Readers:

Just a quick note to let you know the booksigning went well, and to encourage you to visit "Be of Good Cheer's" latest display shelf at Grand Book and Bible (see directions by our previous post) in New Castle, PA. It was a wonderful experience with a wonderful staff. The store is locally owned and opperated, and its selection easily competes with other major Christian supply outlets in our area. In short, if you're looking for church supplies, small group ministry materials, or just simply a great place to browse the latest religious titles - this is it!

Thanks to the people of Grand Book and bible for hosting (congregation member) Ken Blair and myself for what I'm sure was a useful and productive outing. A success - and a future opportunity!

Your Friend,

Ethan

A Book Signing

2006-11-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

Hey Interested Bookies:

I wanted to write to let you know that there will be booksigning (I know...I've been waiting to be able to tell you this for awhile) this month at a bookstore in New Castle, PA. It will take place on November 27th, from 11am to 2pm. Copies of

Be of Good Cheer

will be available, along with coffee and light refreshments. And of course...me! There will be time for conversation afterward, and we're hoping that all who are interested will consider making the trek to this end of the year event.

Here's the address:

Grand Book and Bible
2416 Wilmington Road
New Castle , Pennsylvania 16105
724-658-1626

If you have any questions, or wish to hear more information - e-mail pastor@sowerschapel.org.

Thanks, and may God continue to bless you - this day, every day, and for the rest of your life.

Yours,
Ethan

An Update

2006-10-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks!

Its been awhile since I've written you to give you an update on the book, church life, and everything that makes us tick out here in the Sower's Chapel.

First the Church - We've been continuing our work on the Ten Commandments using a campaign based on the book "Rise Above It" by Ray and Star Silverman (www.riseaboveit.org). This campaign material has been updated on our church website (www.sowerschapel.org). We continue to see a rise in attendance, participation, and energy for true Chrsitian living in the congregation. Stay tuned to this and our other websites for updates.

Next, the book. We are also developing a Podcast of our local sermons and "Be of Good Cheer" book content to be rolled out later this year. For updates, please visit: www.sowerschapel.com. We are truly blessed by the work our Lord, Jesus Christ is doing to grow His church from the inside out in the North Pittsburgh area. Come out and visit us this fall - its a wonderful time of year in God's country of Western Pennsylvania. (Of course, I'm biased). I have sent out many a postcard recently to local book distributors letting them know of the existence of Be of Good Cheer, and gathering interest in local stores hosting signings. The thing is: we've gotten some real response to this effort. So, check back soon on this website to see a listing of possible local appearances.

And as for this moment - we just finished our first outdoor family service covering what the Commandment to "Honor Father and Mother" means for our spiritual lives. (Check out www.sowerschapel.org to hear an audio posting of the sermon later this week. Have iPod, will travel.) Anyway, during this sermon I was reminded of a talk I gave on a similar subject, outlining what it meant for Moses to remove his sandals at the burning bush because he was on holy ground. This made me think you might enjoy seeing a further application of that sometimes confusing text to how we prioritize our daily decisions - putting God and heaven's life first.

Check it out - and may God bless you this day, every day, and for the rest of your life.

Your Friend,
Pastor Ethan

Take the Shoe From Off Your Feet
A Sermon By: Rev. Ethan D. McCardell

Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." (Exodus 3:3-5)

Often, when God commanded prophets and sages in visions, or in drawing special attention to the holiness of His presence, He would demand that shoes be removed. There are examples that immediately come to mind. In this story is the most famous example, where Moses is commanded by Jehovah God to remove his shoes because he was on holy ground. Then the commander of the Army of Jehovah told Joshua to take his shoes off because “the place on which you stand is holy”. And finally, one of the most powerful images of all, when John the Baptist spoke of our Lord Jesus Christ: “It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” (John 1:27)
The sandal itself seems like a pretty important image in Scripture, doesn’t it? But why? Why would almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of the world and all in it, be concerned with the removal of foot wear? In the time of Israel, people treated the sandal much like we might treat a car. A way to get from here to there, protecting yourself for the journey. Something you took care of, so that it would take care of you. In fact, in the book of Ruth we’re told the cultural value of the sandal:
Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. (Ruth 4:7)

As with all things, however, its not historical or cultural value of the sandal that the Lord’s pointing us to in this story, its His investment in our personal spiritual growth and development. It’s a message for our spiritual lives which was emphasized by Moses removing his sandals before Jehovah God. See, sandals mean the basest natural tendencies we have – from the love of dominion, to character assassination, to the political pole positioning we succumb to at times for the sake of our own honor or reputation. The internal need to be “built up” is part of our message this morning. But the other part is what needs to be “broken down” in us in order to sense the Lord’s leading.
'The place which you are standing on' means the state in which he is up to this point; and ‘holy ground' means the holiness which goes forth from the Lord. Thus a state of the holy influence from the Lord's Divine Human is what these words are used to mean. This meaning - that otherwise the Divine cannot come in - follows from what is said immediately before, namely that if a person were not removed from the powers of the senses, which form the external levels of the natural, that is, if he were not raised from them to more internal levels, the Divine could not flow in. The reason why the Divine cannot flow in as long as the person's thought remains on the level of the senses is that influx from the Divine extends right through to things that are last in order, thus right through to the powers of the senses which form the external levels of a person's natural. If those levels consist solely of bodily and earthly interests the Divine influences coming in are reduced to nothing since they are incompatible with what is there. Consequently when a person is about to receive the Divine, that is, matters of faith and love, he is raised from the powers of the senses; and once he has been raised from them, the Divine no longer flows in there, into the external level of the senses, but into the more internal level to which the person has been raised. (AC 6845)

What do you suppose was the biggest challenge facing Moses when the Angel Of Jehovah (meaning the Lord’s Divine Humanity) called him to action? Was it his stammer? His lack of self confidence? His feeling overwhelmed at the immensity of the mission that was in front of him – to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt? Were there these kind of questions nagging at him? Almost definitely. But what God was saying to Moses was something deeper than all of this. “MOSES, I AM.” I Am Your Creator, Redeemer, Savior. I Am the Lord Jesus Christ, God Himself – available, accessible to your every need. But you have to remove your sandals from off your feet.
You think the challenges of being a parent are overwhelming? Recognize that the Ten Commandments are not just a list of rules and regulations – they are the map to the love of God (that’s what they mean in the internal sense). In order to help our children see that, we need to connect them to the reason for the rules – the love they come from. Show them they are, because I AM.
You think the environment at work is morally or ethically challenging? Connect the job you do to the love you have for being a useful human being, putting a product or a service out there into the world that helps to make it a better place. And you’ll start to notice the atmosphere you’re working in beginning to change. Show others they work for the One who Always Is. Not for temporary and selfish goals – that may fatten your paycheck but will shrink your heart. Quality always leads to quantity – spiritually.
Is your marriage facing real struggle? Are you praying together, asking the Lord to place words in your mouth that honor rather than degrade, trust rather than suspect, build up rather than tear at your spouse and their perspective. God ordained marriage. He says you are a marriage because I AM.
Is there contention in your dealings with a neighbor because of a different system of belief? Have you stopped and considered the two great unifiers in True Christian Religion: a belief in God and a life according to the Ten Commandments? Have you considered the love He has for all people dedicated to living a good life? The relationship between others and God is just that – between them and God. He tells us we don’t have the monopoly on Him – I AM is not a denomination.
Have you signed off or given up on relationships with coworkers, acquaintances, friends, or family members because they seem “past the point of no return?” Have you stepped back and looked at your own tendencies, speech, and behaviors with these people and taken the shoes from off your feet? Because 'the shoe' meant the lowest natural, shedding, that is, 'taking off the shoe' meant that the lowest things of nature were to be shed. (AC 1748:4) So we have to take off our shoes, that lowest part of us which seeks temporary glory, preeminence, and dominance instead of humility, repentance and service - in short to glory God above self. There’s a great passage in the Apocalypse Explained which shows us what happens when we remove the sandals of earthly life:
That the Lord is called "holy" because charity is from Him, and consequently that "holy" in the Word is predicated of charity and of faith from this. …There is spiritual faith, and there is faith merely natural. Spiritual faith is wholly from charity, and in its essence is charity. Charity, or love towards the neighbor, is to love truth, sincerity, and what is just, and to do them from willing them. For the neighbor in the spiritual sense is not every man, but it is that which is with man; if this be truth, sincerity, and what is just, and the man is loved on account of these, then the neighbor is loved. That this is what charity means, in the spiritual sense, anyone may know if he will but reflect. Everyone loves another, not for the sake of his person, but for the sake of what is with him; this is the ground of all friendship, all favor, and all honor. From this it follows, that to love men for the sake of what is true, sincere, and just in them is spiritual love; for what is true, sincere, and just are spiritual things, because they are out of heaven from the Lord. For no man thinks, wills, and does any good thing that is good in itself, but it is all from the Lord; and what is true, sincere, and just are good things that are good in themselves when they are from the Lord. (AE 204)

We cannot have true charity friends, in fact we cannot even have a rudimentary understanding of the truths of faith without self-examination and repentance – two actions that engage the love of God in rooting out the love of self. In order to have true faith, in fact – in order to even have an accurate perception of what the truth is: we have to begin by realizing that what the body tells us and what the world tells us are only a piece of the picture, a sliver of what the true reality is. They can be illusions that obscure a true picture of God from even entering our minds and hearts –so we have to take our sandals from off our feet – just like Moses did – to hear the voice of God calling us to new life.
What the Lord is trying to tell us in this story is strikingly simple: if we are to build a healthy work environment, home environment, or school environment, if we are to build healthy relationships, if we are to build the church inside of ourselves, and if the Sower’s Chapel will come to embody all that the church should be – in service to the Lord Jesus Christ and eachother. We have to start with us. We have to take the sandals from off our feet. We have to move away from pandering to personal agenda, societal mindset, or cultural trend. We have to set our mind on the Word of God, our heart on the life of heaven, and our bare feet firmly upon the holy ground of a relationship with the Lord God Jesus Christ. Then we will know God and love Him. We won’t have to hide our face from Him as Moses did. We’ll be facing Him in a new life – knowing who sent us.
And God said to Moses: “I Am that I Am. Tell the Children of Israel, I AM has sent you.” (Exodus 3:14)

AMEN.

A Picture of Heaven

2006-08-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone. I haven't chatted with you for a while, and I wanted to share with you a sermon I preached recently on the reality of eternal life. Its amazing to think about how many decisions in life are influenced by the "timetable" we assume. Here's my take on what God would like that timetable to be. Enjoy!

If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear them. (Just click the corresponding links below this post).

'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.’ (Deut 11:13-14)

When you think about it, this is an incredible list of blessings God is promising His people. In particular, the promise of rain – a fullness of rain – early rain and the latter rain. In Old Testament times, rain was a precious commodity. Because of the land, people would endure famine consistently, rejoicing at even a glimmer of hope that rain would restore their crop – indeed their lives.
Clarke’s Bible Commentary describes the circumstance of rain and the appearance of its governance by God this way: “The rain-in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain.” By the first or former rain we are to understand that which fell in Judea about November, when they sowed their seed, and this served to moisten and prepare the ground for the vegetation of the seed. The latter rain fell about April, when the corn was well grown up, and served to fill the ears, and render them plump and perfect. Rain rarely fell in Judea at any other seasons than these. If the former rain were withheld, or not sent in due season, there could be no vegetation: if the latter rain were withheld, or not sent in its due season, there could be no full corn in the ear, and consequently no harvest. Of what consequence then was it that they should have their rain in due season!” (Clarke’s Comm. Deut 11:14)
Looking at just the physical reality, it makes sense that there would be this much rejoicing about rain. It was a marker of the Lord’s providence, and evidence of His relationship to His people. He was in charge, and their obedience determined the degree of their fulfillment in life, even down to ultimates. Because their reception of God (or lack thereof) necessitated a more external linking, the appearance to the children of Israel was that they were under an “obey and get rewarded”, “disobey get punished” style of governance. The fact was, through their unwillingness to raise their sight above the cares of the world, they “rained” punishment upon themselves. The moment they were willing to lift their sight, even a little, they were allowed a window into the operation of Providence that is the full expression of the Lord’s love.
Rain is powerful. It is meaningful not just because of what it did for the land, but because it stands for an energy that’s spiritually potent in our lives. In the work Divine Providence, we’re told:

Jesus said that we can do nothing apart from Him (JN 15:5), that we can acquire nothing unless it is given us from heaven (JN 3:27), and that the Father in heaven makes His sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Here as elsewhere in the Word, the sun in its spiritual sense means the divine good of divine love, and the rain means the divine truth of divine wisdom. These are given to evil people and good people, to just people and unjust people, because otherwise no one would have either sensation or thought. (DP 173)

Divine truth of Divine wisdom. Sounds pretty abstract, eh? Not really though, when you think about it. If taking true ideas and connecting them to the choices we make is what makes us wise, then they are intrinsically linked. They belong to each other. What’s true is only true to the extent that it conveys love. What’s wise is only wise if it manifests that love. So, sending “rain on the just and on the unjust” is just another way of saying that God’s an “equal opportunity” Creator. We all have the same opportunity to approach the Lord Jesus Christ, educate ourselves about Him, through repentance and prayer - have two way dialog with Him, and live for Him. Remember the passage: “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” (Ps 145:18)

That 'rain' signifies Divine Truth out of heaven is established from these passages:-  My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew Deut 32:2.  If you shall serve other gods, the Lord shall shut heaven, so that there may be no rain Deut 11:11, 14, 16, 17.    For as the rain comes down out of heaven, so shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth Isa 55:10, 11.  O sons of Zion, rejoice and be glad in Jehovah, for He shall give you seasonable rain in justice. Joe 2:23.  Thou, O God, did cause to drop a rain of kindnesses Ps 68:9 [H.B. 10].  He shall come down like rain upon the herb of the meadow, in his days shall the just flourish [Ps 72:6, 7.  Jehovah who prepares rain for the land, who makes the mountains to grow grass, who gives to the beast his food*] Ps 147:8, 9.  Jehovah shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain He shall water the land. Hosea vi 3.  My word shall drop upon them, and they shall wait for Me as the rain, and he shall open his mouth to the latter rain Job xxix 22, 23. (AR 496)

In Pittsburgh, we see a lot of rain. A lot of rain. And its funny isn’t that our reaction most days is: “Eh, not again!” But there’s another way to look at rain. We may disparage it coming when we have other plans, but the fact is we NEED it. The land NEEDS it. The air NEEDS it, in order to be cleaned. Its easy to say: “Why does something this yucky have such a wonderful correspondence?”

The fact is, we have to seek the beauty. We live in a world of appearances that all the time is cloaking the reality and power of the other world. And beyond that, we are procrastinators, especially about our spiritual lives. The last things we’re thinking about doing in life should so often come first. That family gathering that you really don’t want to go to. Its just an obligation. You’re tired. Yet, once you drag your feet out the door you discover its exactly what you needed. That yard work you need to tackle that’s be nagging at the back of your mind, but seems so overwhelming. Yet, once you’re out in the sun its amazing how manageable it seems – and how much fun you’re having. Sharing your hopes, or dreams, or fears, or even the resolve you’re looking for in an argument you’ve face with your spouse. It seems easier to switch on the TV at night – but if you can just reach for the power button, turn and look each other in the eye, and start talking – you feel lifted. Don’t you?

Do you know where your Bible is? How many books of the Heavenly Doctrine (www.heavenlydoctrines.org) have you tried reading? How much of the message have you actually absorbed? Because now’s the time. And you may find in your tired moments at the end of the day, as you reach up on that shelf and pull down that passage you’ve been meaning to look at – that its not such a chore after all. You feel washed, refreshed, renewed by the falling rain – rather than depressed. And that’s the other thing. Don’t feel depressed at what you don’t know, feel empowered by what you have yet to know, to discover. In Divine Providence it says that the real beginning of true spiritual development is when you realize that what you know is just a “drop in the lake” next to what you don’t. And humbly and sincerely, you seek a new perspective. You may not find what you’re looking for right away, but be patient. Let the rain wash over you. You may be surprised at what you find.

When you think about it, we have such a short time here in the scope of eternity. The Writings tell us there is no ratio of comparison that hacks it when you try to compare the time we spend here to the time we’ll spend in the spiritual world. So God says: “Make it count.” Use what I’ve given you. Do your homework, so that your time here lays the foundation for you, your neighbor, your family, and ultimately your world. Get outside yourself and seek a new perspective. Lift your head up, and see what the Lord’s been waiting to show you. A picture of heaven. "Let him who wishes to be eternally happy know and believe that he will live after death. Let him think of this and keep it in mind, for it is the truth." (AC 8939)

AMEN.

Are We Forgiven?

2006-07-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Friends:

I sit down to write this morning after having a conversation yesterday with a good friend of mine about sin. I remember someone telling me once about a well intentioned minister he heard - who used a piece of tinfoil to convey the "truth about sin." He opened by saying that in the beginning, we are all like this piece of tinfoil. "A clean slate." Over time though, as our affections and angelic associations change - we can fall away from our beginnings, and the sins we perpetrate create an indelible mark on our spiritual life. (Then the tinfoil was crinkled and "straightened" back out as best as possible to illustrate the point).

While I'm sure this example was given with the best of intentions, the fact is it illustrates a very damaging concept of sin - and one most of us Christians (of whatever our denomination) are prone to. Theologically, the math doesn't add up, does it? If we believe in a God of love, how can this be? From the earliest beginnings of the Christian church, the concept of sin has been wrestled with. Here you had all these people who were baptized, and they were sinning? How could this be?

I believe the full expression of God's love for us, the true theological reality about how He works with us and for us is summed up in this passage from the Heavenly Doctrine (www.heavenlydoctrines.org):

"Being able to be maintained by the Lord in the good of love and the truths of faith and to be withheld from evils and falsities constitutes the forgiveness of sins; and at the same time keeping well away from evil and falsity and detesting them constitutes repentance. But all this is so only with those who have received new life from the Lord through regeneration, for those things belong to the new life." (AC 9448)

So when we say that a person is forgiven sin, released from sin, purified from sin, pardoned from sin, delivered from sin, or that his sins are remitted, it means that the Lord Jesus Christ had the freedom to withhold us from them, to keep them back from our conscious life. What God does in forgiving us our sins is remove their activity further and further away from the center of what we think about, what we love, and so how we live – until they’re powerless to affect us. In fact, if we sincerely approach Him in repentance, and open ourselves to His to work inside us this way, its like they are put to sleep forever. (Example: Simon Peter’s complete denial, the Lord’s complete forgiveness).

What Jesus wants more than anything is for us to live a simple life. A worshipful life. One free from the chaos that the hells are constantly nagging at us, trying to create. Its His whole desire and effort to work within our hearts to help us reprioritize, reorder what’s most important to us. Help us reach the highest reaches of our spiritual purpose where we choose God over us, where we’ve been repatterned to follow His will. This quality of Divine love is what the Psalmist called out: “For You Lord are good, and ready to forgive; and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.” (Psalm 86:5) The Lord wills to forgive all people their sins. In fact, we’re told He does not “impute a single sin to any person, for He says: ‘They know not what they do.’” (TCR 539) What that means is, since every choice has a series of consequences that extend into eternity, it would be impossible for us, unless we were God, to really “get” the effect of sin in our life. And yet what He says is: “I forgive you.” I will each act of it forgiven. Jesus Christ instructed Simon Peter to forgive others their sins not once or twice, but “seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:21-22) And the Heavenly Doctrine points out that if this can be the quality of forgiveness with us folks, “What then will not the Lord do?” (TCR 539)

A lot of the misunderstanding of forgiveness has been a faulty idea of what our responsibility it in it. When the Scriptures talk about people “calling” on the Lord for help, they’re not just talking about the emotions behind it, the feeling of desperation when we’ve fallen down, succumbed to evil in some aspect of our life, and from being overwhelmed with a sense of our own guilt – we cry out to God to forgive us. That’s gonna be there. It’s the forgiveness the natural part of us looks for in temporary states of remorse, or under mental pressure or sickness of the body, or anything else like it. A call to God like this is a beginning, but not the end in view.

We have a job to do to engage with the love of God in the process of forgiveness. And unless we do it, we don’t provide the means for the Lord to complete the forgiveness. Remember, the principle always is that His love is always there, its a question of whether we are making ourselves receptive of it. The Lord can’t enter the areas of our lives where evil and falsity are still tolerated. And He can’t remove it unless and until we’re ready for Him to do it; we can’t just say we need help, its got to be written on our heart and life. What the Writings say is that God can’t take away sins unless He does it according to the laws of His Divine Providence. (DP 280)

The work we people have to do in seeking the forgiveness of the Lord God Jesus Christ is to perform repentance. This was why, in preparation for the coming of Jesus, John the Baptist’s message was so strong, so in your face. As the literal Word, he was there with the hands and face reminder that before God can enter your life, you’ve got to get out of the way – repent where you’ve done wrong, and allow His message of what it takes to live a spiritually proactive life in. In the True Christian Religion it says: “In the same measure as a person performs repentance, sins are removed, and as they are removed they are forgiven.” (TCR 510) Self examination is crucial, but then we’ve got to do something with what we’ve seen. It has to motivate you to change your life. Because remember, the whole point of religion is that you life a changed life for the Lord. Unless our self examination is a prelude to the effort to resist more sins, its nothing but self imagination. But when we do something with it, we’ve opened the door to Jesus to come in and move it from “doing the math” to “changing the heart.”

The power and spiritual influence of a our sins can only be moderated and removed over time (it’s a process) as we perform repentance. This means that the evil desires have to be shunned, together with the thought and act they inspire in us. But think about this (and this is where the community aspect comes in): if you’re doing repentance effectively, you have to carry the thought and effort of your repenting into your relationships. You have to because relationships – your relationship to Him and your relationship to each other is what He values more than anything else. If you’re going to shun evils as sins against God you also have to shun evil thought and behavior with your neighbor. Right? More than that, you’ve got to make the effort to do what is good and just in their place. More than any other message, the New Testament says that if we’re seeking forgiveness from God we first have to forgive our fellow man. In fact, this principle is so important, its part of the Lord’s prayer we need to repeat every day: “forgive us our debts and we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12, Luke 11:4) Many other times Jesus taught things like, “if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14) “Forgive and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)

God wants nothing more than to forgive us of everything. The fact is, He already has if we’re open to it. But He won’t force it on us. He can’t force us to change our nature against our will. Our freedom to choose is too important. It’s the person who’s unwilling to give us his evil desires, and who makes himself the arbiter of truth, believing there’s nothing true that doesn’t usher from him – that can’t be forgiven. Because he takes every saving truth and torques it for his own purposes. Since the Lord can’t lead a person in freedom unless he can use his understanding to see and acknowledge the truth, the destruction of the understanding is called the “unforgivable sin.” This is what Jesus referred to when He said: “All manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven unto men: but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Matt. 12:31-32; AC 8882)

The Lord Jesus while on earth taught and healed people as the Word made flesh, as the Son of Man. He was the Divine Truth incarnate, now revealed to people in His Divine Humanity. He taught that “The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” (Mark 2:10) As the Son of Man He said to many, “your sins are forgiven you.” (Matt. 9:2) In all these places the Lord was teaching that people can only be released from sin as they respond to the truth. There’s no other way for people to find forgiveness, no other mysterious exclusion to this law of God’s wisdom. This truth is so important, the Lord brings it to mind regularly in the Holy Supper – “This is My blood (My truth), of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission (the forgiveness) of sins.” (Matt. 26:28)

While its hard for us to know just where we are in our regeneration (new spiritual life or birth) the Writings do give us some signs that can comfort us that our sins are forgiven, as well as signs that encourage us that we’ve begun what is a life long journey to align our will with God’s. We can know we are forgiven when we feel a delight in worshiping the Lord for His own sake; serving the neighbor for his own sake; doing good for the sake of good, and believing true ideas simply because they’re true – for the sake of truth. And do these things ascribing all the credit to God.

We need to know we are not alone on this journey toward forgiveness. Its what the Lord is constantly pulling us to. Even as we’re on the road to victory, as our loves are being reset for heaven, we are on the threshold of true spiritual rebirth, we are going to go through times of temptation – states of sadness, despair, at the horror of evil and the destructive power of falsity that we’re still facing. They are temptations where, if we’re open, the love of God and neighbor is working to bring our whole mind and character into co-respondence with itself. The evil and falsity driven to the outer reaches of our mind, heart, and life.

This new person we’ve become is the story of King Solomon – who prepared a permant, a beautiful new home for God. Its an analogy for our life. His prayer for forgiveness, while at the same time asking the Lord to live in him, is the prayer that He, Jesus Christ the Lord will lead him to new priorities; that He will remove the war, the famine, the pestilance, the captivity, and all the hosts of hell trying to define us by our sins. That God will redefine us by His mercy. Its not a prayer of passing emotion, or fear. It’s a prayer from the living knowledge that the Word of God will change your life if you let it, that you can worship God from the inside out, that if we are willing and determined to do what if just and good in the eyes of the Lord – He will lead us to the kingdom of heaven.

“O Lord my God, listen to the cry and to the prayer, which Your servant prays before You this day: that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day… And listen Lord to the supplication of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, when they will pray toward this place: and hear Lord in heaven Your dwelling place: and when You hear, forgive.” (1 Kings 8:30)

Back in the Saddle

2006-07-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

After lots of recent travel, I'm back!

First, I went to a retreat for leaders of the Rise Above It seminar - a small group campaign for churches based on the book "Rise Above It" by Ray and Star Silverman (http://www.riseaboveit.org). It's all about how the principles of the Ten Commandments are actually our spiritual "bill of rights", and have application to every decision we make in daily life. This campaign will last for 10 weeks, running from September 17th to November 19th. It will focus on one commandment a week as the topic for each small group meeting! This will be a congregation campaign, based at the Sower's Chapel. For more information, e-mail me under the "contact" page.

Second, I just got back from Maple Leaf Academy (http://www.newchurch.org/news/calendar), a youth ministry camp in Palgrave Ontario. Our theme for the year was "Peace: How to Acheive it." There was a total attendance of about 55 campers and 8 staff at a camp full of music, worship, prayer, small group excercise, and fun! For more information on how to contact or support the efforts of the camp (or for information on scholarship) - please contact me!

Finally, I just wanted to take a moment to share with you about what's on the calendar as far as "Be of Good Cheer" is concerned (find it to your right). On Friday, July 21st I will be speaking at a motivational event for religious authors (hosted by the Armstrong County League of Arts).

ARMSTRONG COUNTY LEAGUE OF ARTS BUILDING:
Armstrong County League of Arts
724-763-7457
Cadogan Road (PA 128 N), Slate Lick

This event begins at 6:30pm, and will highlight what it takes to get your book from "concept to reality" as an author. There will be time for a formal presentation, including question and answer at the end. There will also be the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of the book at the end of the night.

In the meantime...I will be on vacation from the 9th until I return for the speaking event on the 21st - so have a blessed week! I'll talk to you soon!

Mission: Kenya: Inspiration

2006-06-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

Mission: Kenya: Inspiration: "Have you ever wanted to do something others thought was crazy, and even scared you just a bit, but you knew it would satisfy your spirit?
Mission Kenya chronicles my family's journey across the world to a new home with a new people in Kenya, to do the LORD's work through the sharing of truth and the use of community service."

I want to take a moment here to thank Angela Cowley for sharing her very inspiring story, and for speaking so poignantly on the use of the challenges we face in life. Having faced many herself, Angela is imminently qualified to speak to the lessons we learn and the growth we experience when we choose to respond to crisis from a belief in God for the sake of a relationship with God.

I want to talk today about the importance of risk taking. A famous phrase of Rick Warren's (pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County CA, and author of the "Purpose Driven Life") is that "God's more interested in your character than your comfort." I say Amen. It is often the things that stretch us the most spiritually, that make us the most profoundly uncomfortable, that are the most essential to character development. Two passages from the Heavenly Doctrines come to mind:

1) Your character is stamped on your soul through the life that you live in the world. (AC 6467)

2) In temptation (a struggle between the internal and external person) we are reduced to despair when we recognize that we cannot manufacture the answer to life's challenges ourselves, but that only with the Lord Jesus Christ can we find the power to chose heaven over the world, His love over our pride - and we give our Lord the opportunity to change our heart and reset our priorities. *(See TCR 599).

Angela, go in peace - and may the God of peace go with you.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, today and everyday. Amen.

Think Big!

2006-05-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

And that's just what we did! My publisher and I just went to Book Expo America (May 18th to the 21st) in Washington, DC and had conversations about the book, the industry, and most of all how God works with us through the challenges we face in life.

I know its a theme I keep bringing up - because WE NEED IT! You may not be in charge of the circumstance, but you are ALWAYS in charge of the response. What will you choose to live for? There's really only two choices when it comes right down to it - there's God and there's us. Jesus said: "If you love Me, keep My Commandments." Now there's a mission statement you can hang your hat on. And what is a summary statment of those commandments, on which hangs "all the Law and the Prophets?"

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ...And love your neighbor as yourself."

There you have it. The keys to the kingdom. The key to true happiness, fulfillment, and peace. If you're feeling lonely, isolated, depressed, or fearful - our Lord Jesus Christ has an answer for you. An answer that works. An answer that seeks to break that pattern of disillusionment, filling the voids in our life with something spiritually real and lasting.

Its useful to ask yourself when you go through times like this what you think the point of religion is. When you're worshiping, what are you worshipping for? When you're praying, what are you praying for? These are good questions, but in the end, the better way to phrase them is: "What are you living for." All worship is "of life." All prayer is "of life." Any true spiritual devotion is "of life." So humble yourself before God, sure. Pray to God, sure. But we live from God and for God - so it all better be leading you that direction.

Micah summed this up beautifully: "He has shown you, o man, what is good. What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love what is merciful, and to walk humbly with your God." (6:8)

Start walking. Why are you depressed and lonely - because YOU are not the center of the universe, and once you can put a bead on the source of your sadness, you might discover the reason is YOU. Our Lord didn't create you to sustain yourself alone - He asks you to care for yourself so that you can care for others. Its the same reason God created us - to love us - and He's looking for ROI. That's what heaven is: its full of people who layed down their life for their friends.

Be Encouraged. God is larger than any temporary struggle, whose care extends far beyond life in this world. "Let him who wishes to be eternally happy know and believe that he will live after death. Let him think of this and keep it in mind, for it is the truth" (AC 8939). You're preparing for an eternity that depends on your ability to forge relationships right now! Take it, and you're doing your part to ensure heaven will descend.

Lift your head up. Almighty God is being glorified through every act of selflessness, even as He - the Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life for His friends, that we might be freed to choose Him again. Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. ...A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:31-35 NIV)

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, God of the universe, be with you all!

Festival of Books

2006-04-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody. Just a quick note to let you know what's new and exciting!

The Los Angeles New Church has invited me to speak at their Church in La Crescenta, CA on Friday April 28th, and then to attend the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books as a featured author at their annual booth that weekend. This means that I will be one of about 300 other authors presenting their books. If you want to find me, look for me at booth number 107, where the tagline will be, "Get a view of heaven from booth 107!" To learn more about Be of Good Cheer check it out on Amazon, the Google Book Search, or any of the links on the right of this page.

This event promises to be an exciting opportunity to share my story of temptation ministry and the good news that God is with us and for us. The LA Times Festival of books is an annual event sponsored by many popular retailers including:

Target, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Ticketmaster, Book TV (C-Span 2), and many more. To see the complete list, for more information on this event, or to get involved, go to: www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/contactus.html.

I will be signing books at booth 107 on Sunday April 30th. And I will be at the Festival of Books on both Saturday April 29th and Sunday April 30th. To learn more about this event, my involvement in it, my ministry, and the healing message of God's true Christianity - please e-mail me at: pastor@sowerschapel.org. I would love to hear from you.

IN OTHER THE NEWS...
I will also be attending Book Expo America, "the largest event serving the largest book market in the world" this year. Sponsored primarily by the American Booksellers Assocation, and the Association of American Publishers (together with Publisher's Weekly and more than 500 authors) this promises to be an event to remember. I will be attending with my publisher, Restyn LLC from May 19-21st, 2006 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. where my book will be featured at the Publisher's Marketing Association cooperative booth.

Thanks for your interest and may God bless you this day and every day!

A God Who Reaches Us; Who We Can Reach

2006-03-14T12:26:00.000-08:00

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14,15)

Jesus addressed these words in the Gospel of John to a man who’d come to Him secretly in the dark of night, wanting to question and learn more about who He was and how He taught. Nicodemus, was a ruler among the Jewish people. He was well versed in the law, and a member of the Jewish Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin. Even though he was a Pharisee, he didn’t join with them in their attempt to undermine and destroy the teaching and influence of Jesus of Nazareth. Instead he came secretly by night, to learn, to be instructed; and then he later defended the right of this prophet of Galilee to be heard before the law, before being rejected and condemned (John 7); and finally, it was Nicodemus, who, together with Joseph of Arimathaea, brought myrrh and spices to anoint the Lord’s body, and place it in a new tomb.
The Word doesn’t tell us much of anything about the character or quality of Nicodemus, and that’s not what’s really important anyway, because its not his personality that’s important, but what he stood for that we have to get if we’re going to understand Jesus’ words to him in context. Even though he was a scholar of the law, what’s clear is what he didn’t know about spiritual things, which he proves in his second question: “can a man enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be reborn?” (John 3:4)
Nicodemus represented the state of the church before the Lord’s coming. The few spiritual truths that were left with the church had been completely perverted, and by the time of Jesus’ coming that church had died. People fell into such incredible selfishness and externalism that there wasn’t even a spark of heavenly light able to get through. In spiritual darkness like this, there was not way people could see or interact with their God, and so no way of seeing anything spiritual – since it all rests on a living knowledge of God. (ref. AC passage). People who were seeking knowledge of the Lord did it like Nicodemus, seeking Him in the dark cover of nighttime – seeking Him from the outside in – from externals first – where falsity could creep in and confuse people about His true nature. How could a mind like Nicodemus’ recognize who it was he was talking to – God Himself – appearing to him in a newly assumed human form? When our minds are focused so completely on the things of this world, so completely on ourselves, how can we recognize the Lord’s Divine Humanity? Jesus gave the answer to Nicodemus, although the meaning is deeply hidden: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
So, to understand God’s words here, let’s go back to the Old Testament and the story of Moses lifting up the brass serpent in the wilderness. The story took place in the last forty years of wandering by the children of Israel in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula. Because they continued to disobey God’s laws, most of those who had left Egypt in adult life were past away, including Moses’ brother Aaron, and his sister Miriam. Although the Lord had performed many wonderful things in leading the Children of Israel out of the bondage of life in Egypt, and in all His guidance and care for them even during their time in the wilderness, they still complained to God. Even though now they were literally on the verge of reaching the promised land, Canaan, they wanted to go back to Egypt. When they were short of water and tired of eating Manna, they cried out against the Lord. When they did this, fiery serpents appeared and bit the people – severely enough that many of them died. Seeing this terrible punishment, the people repented and cried out to Moses to pray to God that He might remove the serpents. It was then that God said to Moses: “Make a fiery serpent, set it on a pole: and it will be that everyone whose bitten, when he looks at it, he will live. So Moses made a serpent of brass, put it on a pole, and indeed when people looked at it who were bitten – they lived.” (see Numbers 21:8-9)
We know from the Heavenly Doctrine that serpents, vipers, dragons, these things often stand for something evil. The condemnation of the serpent, and things relating to it or coming from it – run throughout the Scriptures. The serpent is cursed by God in the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve give in to its temptations. Even in speaking later of the journey through the wilderness itself, the Lord says: “Jehovah God led you through the great and terrible wilderness of the serpent, the fiery serpent, and the scorpion.” (Deut. 8:15) In the Psalms, speaking about people in the love of evil we’re told: “They sharpen their tongue like a serpent; the poison of the asp is under their lips.” (Psalm 140:3) And in the prophets we find many warnings like this: “They lay asps eggs; he that eats of its eggs dies, and when one presses it out, a viper is hatched.” (Isa. 14:29)
In the New Testament, Jesus called the Pharisees “Serpents; a generation of vipers.” (Matt. 23:33) He gave His disciples power to “tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.” (Luke 10:16) And finally we’re told in the book of Revelation of the war between the great Red Dragon and the God of heaven – picturing the Last Judgement in the spiritual world, where “the Great Dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, that deceives the whole world.” (12:19)
The Writings tell us that all animals represent our affections. In the spiritual world where our affections come to the surface, we could appear to others as an animal, or like we’re surrounded by different animals. According to the law of the spiritual world, people’s affections – both good and evil – can be presented to others like this. It was from spiritual law like this that the most ancient people learned to tell what each animal form represented, and then would tell stories describing our affections and loves. When these things became Written Revelation in the Ancient Church – they took their information about what animals represented from these stories.
The serpent from the beginning of time stood for a person’s sensual side – sense affections. These included all the delights of the body and all the sensations that flowed through the body’s senses from the world. It included all the delights of the senses in our will and understanding, too. (AC 191:7) The serpent creeping on the ground and licking the dust of the ground meant that sensual affections were the most external of all human affection. When people turned from the Lord and started to reason about heavenly things from selfish love and intelligence – his senses were where he was most tempted to do evil in the sight of God. Finally as the hells were formed, because of their base nature, people’s affection for sensual things contained the state and love of hell. The external man was no longer a servant to the internal man, to those higher affections for things that were Godly and heavenly. Now they were exchanged for nothing but pure selfishness. Because the serpent stood for this perversion of loves with people, he was cursed above all forms of animal life. (AC 242)
The sensual person which in the Scriptures shows up as a serpent, is talked about a lot in the Doctrines. It’s a serpent we’ve all got to deal with in this life, if we’re going to exchange our will for God’s. This is why Jesus was addressing all of us, not just the Pharisees when He called them “Serpents; a generation of vipers.” All of us have to work against making this world, this life, our wants, our desires, our lusts, our demands for control – all there is to life. All of us have to look to God and shun evil to allow the inner self, our higher self, to rise up and make the external serve it.
Our love of self, if not kept in check wants to assert its independence day, rise up inside of us, and cast of the leadership of the Lord – returning to Egypt – to all those base desires we love so much. We’re tempted like this when we want to fill the holes in our lives with all those temporary things instead of what’s spiritually real and lasting. This is what Jesus meant when He said: “He who drinks of this water will thirst again, but he who drink of the Water I shall give will never thirst.” The Lord Jesus doesn’t want for us what’s temporary. He wants us to reach for what lasts – the purpose for which we were created – to love and be loved as a child of God in His heaven to all eternity.
The brass serpent Moses was told to raise up represented the sensuous of the Lord’s Divine Humanity. Moses raising the serpent was prophesying how even down to the Divine sensual things the Lord Jesus Christ would be raised up, “even as the Son of man was to be raised up” and become the means to salvation for all people. Our Lord took on our temptations and struggles, and overcame them all. He rejected the external heredity from Mary and took to Himself His own Human – Divinely ordering everything on the plane of the senses.
The message of the story, while it might sound complicated is really simple. God wants us coming to know Him at every level possible – from Divine Natural on up – but in order to do that, we first have to become like little children. The picture of God as a Man has to come first. God in His Divine Humanity. The Lord Jesus who walks with you through daily life. (AC 4211) The Lord Jesus Christ who cares for you, loves you and protects you. Who forgives you and reaches our His arm for you that you might come back to the flock. Who says: “Its okay. I know what you’re going through, but the most important thing for you to know about Me is this: I love you and I will always be there for you.” This simple concept of Jesus Christ, God come to earth in Human form – who we can now approach as human. For the Israelites, they had a much more natural perspective on God than this (with an idolatrous mindset), and still Moses raised up the bronze serpent on the pole – meaning that something had to happen to begin to move their thought from all the sensual information they were receiving being about them – to being about the life of charity – and so about heaven. It was a beginning. This is was what was represented by the bronze serpent which Moses raised up. The truth is, we can overcome our selfishness – that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan – which deceives the whole world. In this fundamental concept of God as a Man, all of our reformation and regeneration has its beginning. We begin to think of something higher than ourselves - a picture of God we can really turn to – and that starts us changing what we care about. The Son of man has been lifted up, “That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

AMEN.

Lessons:
1) Numbers 21:1-9
2) John 3:1-15
3) AE 581:12

A Fear of Intimacy

2006-01-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

A Sermon By: Rev. Ethan D. McCardell
For: The Sower’s Chapel

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. (1 Samuel 15:9)

Saul’s an interesting character in the Word. A man whose leadership was often tainted by an inability to see clearly what complete obedience really was. In fact, when you think about it, how true was that quality for all the Children of Israel. The Old Testament is so full of “almost’s” – isn’t it?
The people almost manage to destroy the Amalekites the way the Lord commanded. When Moses goes up Mount Sinai – they almost worship the Lord in his absence. In the book of Judges, the people repeatedly almost remember the legacy of the previous judge, and how much peace their obedience to God had yielded for their lives. Almost.
And these patterns aren’t historical accounts limited to the Israelites, they are equally patterns that apply to our lives. What is it that short circuits our memories, that has us continually forget the pattern of God’s leadership in our lives? Is it simply our destiny to wander in the wilderness of human indiscretion? Are we to become victims of our inherited tendencies to evil? Or is there another answer? Another barrier to recognizing all God made us to be, that He’s trying to show us in this story?
As the story opens, the command Saul receives from the Lord is really simple. “See those Amalekites? Destroy them, their land, and their livelihood. Wipe them out.” And we know from the internal sense that the reason for the command was because they represented falsity that attacks (to the point of destruction) the truths of faith. And Saul went right ahead and…almost did just that. Why? Why not comply? Well, I guess one of the larger questions lurking below the surface is – are we just talking about simple compliance to a God whose purpose we don’t really understand, or something deeper? Is there something more we’re supposed to understand about what it means to follow God – really follow Him – from an inner awareness of His presence with us? Is there something more we’re supposed to know about God that would allow us to follow Him within – that would write His commands upon our heart?
This morning I’m suggesting that, in some ways, we suffer from the same root condition that caused the repeated sin of the Israelites – the sin of “almost” obedience. We do it all the time don’t we? If we’re honest, several times a day, amidst the spiritual battles we face – there are those we take on confidently – strong in the Lord, and aware of His ability to help us overcome any challenge with His help. Just like Jesus during His life on earth went through times of glorification (strong in the knowledge of the Divine). And in those times, we really feel as if we can conquer the world, don’t we? As if anything’s possible with God on your side, which is the reality.
But what about the darker corners of life. Jesus also went through times of exhinanition (a Latin term meaning “emptied out”). We have times where we need to address the need to be emptied out. To really look at those evils we’ve become more accustomed to – sins we’ve become comfortable with. Patterns that in our weak moments cause us to question even God’s ability to help us break the cycle of spiritual self-destruction. Or even have us question whether we want God’s help. We’ve grown comfortable with complacency. But why? It doesn’t seem to make much sense, does it? If we know there’s a God, why wouldn’t we reach out with all the strength we can muster at those times? Why wouldn’t we affirm the truth that He walks with us through the things that seem like the biggest game-breakers of all?
Because we have fear. FEAR. I believe we face more fear in our relationship with God that in any other aspect of our lives.
Falsities that ring from evil desires belonging to the will are foul and do not easily allow themselves to be rooted out, for they cling to a person's life itself. A person's life itself is that which desires, that is, which loves. As long as he is making that life firm within himself, that is, confirming that desire or love, all things of a confirmatory nature are false and are implanted in his life. Such were the people before the Flood. (AC 1679)

What is it that we fear? We know the Lord right? Fear means worship or love – so we know He doesn’t want us afraid of Him – He wants us to worship Him in heart. Why are we afraid? We’re afraid of true spiritual intimacy. We’re afraid that if we expose too much, disclose too far, open the flood gates beyond a crack – we will pass the point of no return. We’ll pass the point where even God Himself can save us. We let out so much darkness from our inner selves that His light won’t be able to penetrate it anymore.
We fall into believing these things when the influence of hell convinces us that there’s no relationship capable of surviving what they call in the Psychology world “full disclosure.” There’s no relationship that achieves true intimacy.
And they’d be right, save One. One relationship which seeks to knit your heart to His, whose pulse is the source of your own. Our Lord Jesus Christ, God in all His humanity wants nothing more than know you and love you – forever. And if you really believed that, day by day – moment by moment, then I could stop saying it. But you don’t. I don’t. Nobody really feels worthy of the love of God, and our culture from church to social moray reinforces it all the time with phrases like: “Lord have mercy on all us helpless sinners.” (I saw this one just the other day driving through Saxonburg). We are not helpless, worthless lemmings.
We can know and love a God that is with us and for us. We can have an intimate relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a message the children of Israel never got, and it turned their life inside out – with so much unnecessary struggle and heartache. Heartache God doesn’t want us to experience. Heartache He created us to overcome – where there is no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying and no more pain. Where the former things have passed away. This is what God wishes for us. A kind of intimacy with Him that can surpass all other relationships in our lives.
Intimacy begins with a very simple behavior: a willingness to admit our mistakes.

'And repent [of the evil] against Your people' means having mercy on them. This is clear from the meaning of 'repenting', when it has reference to Jehovah, as having mercy. The reason why 'repenting' means having mercy is that Jehovah does not ever repent, since He foresees and makes provision for all things from eternity. Repentance is a reaction that can take place only in someone who has no knowledge of the future and who sees, as events unfold, that he has made a mistake. (AC 10441:2)

If we are to be receptive of the mercy of God – we have to begin with honest examination of our lives, not in order to demonstrate how worthless and evil we are, but to recognize our mistakes – and ask God to inspire in our lives a new beginning where we had sinned. We need to ask Him to allow our repentance and good decision making to redefine what we care about and move aside past mistakes, instead of allowing them to define our future. This is the beginning of intimacy – the beginning of a true relationship to the Lord.
And we can apply these same behaviors wherever we’re facing a fear of intimacy in our lives. In our relationships to friends and family, are we using our relationships as leverage – threatening a lack of intimacy where there isn’t complete agreement? If God did that, we wouldn’t have anything left to lean on in life, would we? Where we’re willing to admit mistakes with our friends and neighbors, and begin again from a living acknowledgement of God, true intimacy becomes a deeper possibility. Not that we’ll achieve the same kind of intimacy we do with God – but an intimacy that does seek to reflect His relationship to us in love.
The Israelitish church wasn’t a church, because they didn’t get that what builds a church isn’t rules and regulations , but relationships. Instead of our Lord – a God we can know and love – they therefore had only the most remote and general presence of God to interact with on a daily basis. A God they didn’t know or love, but obeyed out of fear – a fear of intimacy based on their worldly perspective.
Rather than an intimate relationship with God, the Children of Israel chose introspective and selfish life which distanced them from Jehovah. So Jehovah took on our struggles and overcame them as Jesus Christ. This is a lesson to us. How are we thinking of the Lord Jesus in everyday life? Are we asking Him to lift us up in our daily struggles? Are we inviting Him into our secret battles against sin that seem overwhelming? Are we believing its really possible for Him to change our perspective, reorder our priorities, and change our life? Or is God a casual acquaintance, and has church become just something you’re supposed to do on Sunday?
If you go home today without sensing a call to look at and change the aspects of your life that are forcing you away from intimacy, the admission of mistakes, and the willingness to forge a life of faith through the response to the challenges of life in this world – you’ve missed the point.
Saul didn’t get it in this story, but Samuel did. He summed it up beautifully – that deep internal call to a new life that comes with an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam. 15:22)
It is an undeniable truth that the Lord Jesus loves you and wants you with Him in His kingdom. It is an undeniable truth that the only way to that life is shunning evil as sin against Him and embracing charitable living because it is of God and from God. And its an undeniable truth that if you’re willing to follow His model, you will have an intimate life changing relationship with Him. Don’t go out this door and continue a life of hatred and deceit – don’t almost follow God. He wants so much more for you than that. He is with you and for you – and wants you to join Him now. He wants you to understand that fear itself is an illusion –there is only hope. “Let Your mercy, Oh Lord, be upon us just as we hope in You.” (Psalm 33:22)
From [many places in the Word] it is clear that 'the fear of God' means worship based either on fear, or on the good that flows from faith, or on the good that flows from love. But the more there is of fear present in worship the less there is of faith, and still less of love. Conversely, the more there is of faith present in worship, and even more so of love, the less there is of fear. Present within all worship there is fear, but this fear takes on a different form and nature; for it is holy fear. But holy fear is not so much a fear of hell and of damnation, as a fear lest anything whatever be done or thought that is contrary to the Lord and contrary to the neighbour, thus anything whatever that is contrary to the good of love and to the truth of faith. It is an abhorrence which on the one side forms the boundary of the holiness of faith and of the holiness of love. And since, as has been stated, it is not a fear of hell and damnation, it exists with those who abide in the good of faith, less so with those who abide in the good of love, that is, who abide in the Lord. (AC 2826)

If we abide with God, all barriers to true intimacy – the shadow of hell which hangs over relationships based in fear – we will find the good of love. We will see the face of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ carrying us through the temporary challenges of natural life to the eternal joy and eternal peace of heaven. There’s a wonderful quote in the book the “Purpose Driven life” which says that spiritual immaturity exists where we are either trying to push the fast forward button all the time past our struggles, or are complacent in facing them. Spiritual maturity means that you learn to “live with the tension.”
True intimacy with God doesn’t just allow you to live with the tension, it allows you to sense the thread of the Lord’s leadership through it – and grow increasingly content in the awareness that God truly does lead all things toward an end that is good, whatever the appearance in the natural world. We need the sense of peace and hope that comes from being grounded in an intimate relationship with our Creator, Redeemer, and Savior. Don’t allow yourself to “almost” follow God – find it in your heart to hear those words of Samuel. Words that teach us we do not worship a God we should fear, but our Lord Jesus Christ whom we should love – now and forever.
Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. (1 Sam. 15:22)

AMEN.

Discover All That God Made You To Be

2005-12-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

Be of Good Cheer This Christmas

As a pastor with the mission of reaching people with the message of the Lord's love, I invite you to read my newly released book, Be of Good Cheer: Discovering the Redeeming Quality of Struggle. God wants you to know that He is always there for you. God created you because He loves you. He created you to go to heaven if you want to be with Him. On a deep, spiritual level, we know this and want a relationship with God, but sometimes we just don’t know how get there. Especially when life throws us curve balls and sinkers we can forget that God's answers always work, God's power is complete, and God's leadership can gently guide us to success, peace, happiness, and eternal life.

When John the Baptist came to prepare the way for our Savior's birth, he preached, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 3:1).

With these words came the most powerful sentiment John the Baptist expressed during his entire ministry of preparing the world for Christ. He was saying,
"Before you will know the Lord Jesus Christ, before you will understand the purpose of His life, before you will experience everlasting peace in your own, you have to clean the inside of tthe cup of your mind, and reach for what's above it. Reach for the Lord Himself, in thought and affection, shunning evil and death, accepting love and life, and you will find all that God has planned for you from the beginning."

Be of Good Cheer, Day 16 - Christmas More Often Than Not

And so every day we can celebrate the joy of Christmas, we can celebrate the gift of eternal life, we can celebrate the work that God does every moment to enrich our lives with His blessings and His peace. Merry Christmas and may God bless you.

Yours in Faith and Life,
Ethan McCardell

Sharing My Faith

2005-11-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I include this month an article I was asked to write first for my National Church's paper, and then for the Sower's Chapel (my church) newsletter. I thought you might be interested to see how the pastoral role impacts authorship, and visa versa. It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to write about one of my favorite topics - evangelism. I hope you enjoy reading the article as much as I did writing it.

Sharing Our Faith

This is a subject that’s close to my heart, because its something we’ve seemed to have a lot of struggle with in the church. Our difficulty (even at times our embarrassment) in talking with others is, I believe a function of a number of different factors: our size, limited name recognition, denominational confusion, and even lack of “passage trading” ability next to our other Christian neighbors. So, what do we do?

When I was asked to write this article, frankly, I was a little scared myself – because there’s such a broad range of opinion on what’s most effective, appropriate, or even perceived as more or less doctrinally accurate. So, I decided the most I could do was share an approach that’s not only seemed to reach people, but is the most moving to me.

It all comes down to one word: Witnessing. It gets some bad press at times because of the “revivalist” movement. But it also has some wonderful qualities. When you look it up in the Dictionary (I used quotations from the American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Edition, 2000) – definitions 4 and 5 were what really stuck out to me:

4. An attestation to a fact, statement, or event; testimony.
5. One who publicly affirms religious faith.

An attestation to a fact, statement, or event. When you testify, as when you are asked to testify in court, you report what you saw. You “bear witness” to the impact that it had on you, and its on that basis that you have credibility. And when you do it publicly, you have witnesses to the witness – you have a group of people that you are now accountable to, because they’ve heard what you said.

But we are talking about all of this on a spiritual level, right? And yet, the principle still holds true – people want to hear about what matters to you, what changed your life for the better, what moves you from the inside out as a human being. Just like a court setting, the witnesses credibility is determined through how much the event shaped or reshaped their perspective, their worldview. I think the same is true about “witnessing” to our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

People want to hear how that belief has changed your life. Its on that basis, and not on the basis of how many theological “proofs” you can utter, that you will have credibility to the average person. They want to hear how your worldview is impacted by your spirituality, and not the other way around. Knowledge is important, in fact its essential, but it only becomes living to the listener when they understand “why” that knowledge is so important to YOU.

And I think the most powerful why is: You were created to be in union with God. Everything He does to guide you, and every decision you make in the scope of that guidance is for the sake of union with Him. God wants a living and vital relationship with you – and its at the times you least believe that where He is closest to you – in mind heart and life. (* See DLW 170, and TCR 126). Its at those times that you understand most clearly that you are not alone, but that the Lord God Jesus Christ wants to know and be known by you. And its this living knowledge we need to share.

So when I share about my faith, I think about these things. Think about how your belief in the Lord has shaped the purpose of your life, has refocused the way you make decisions, has driven you to a more open and honest relationship with yourself, your God, and all those around you.

THEN SHARE THAT. It’s the good news that the Lord Jesus wants the whole world to hear!

Prayer that Lives: Living Your Prayers

2005-10-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

With so much happening in our world, most specifically our nation, I would be remiss not to mention both the four year anniversary of 9/11, and the devastation of hurricane Katrina along the gulf coast. I know that we all hold those involved in our hearts and prayers. But it also got me to thinking about how we can more concretely facilitate connection to each other and the community of the church through our prayers.

Prayer has long been one of my favorite subjects. The Heavenly Doctrine for the New Church describes prayer as: speech with God (AC 2535), disposing ourselves to what is holy (AC 3054), adoration in worship (AC 10298), asking help (AC 8391) and seeking peace (AC 8179:2), desiring that God’s will and not one’s own be done (AC 8179:3) , and even life itself (AR 956). We’re also told that our conscience guides us in what to pray for:

They who have conscience, speak from the heart the things which they speak, and do from the heart the things which they do. They have also an undivided mind, for they act according to that which they understand and believe to be true and good. (NJHD 131)

Jesus Christ, God Himself prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, while He was in the throes of temptation prayed the supreme example of an effective plea for help: “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” On the threshold of the glorification, His struggle against all the external heredity from the world pulling against the Divine will is an image of what the challenge of true spiritual life looks like. It is also a beautiful picture of how we ask the Lord for help in despair. We have to surrender. We have to recognize that it is He and not us that forges the path to heaven, and overcomes the battles against temptation. He reorders our lives for the sake of a lasting relationship with Him. We make the as of self choice to follow Him in life, and He fills in that heart.

For all these reasons and more, I’d like to see us make prayer more of a priority in the life of the church this month. As always, there are devotional cards at the back of the church for you to include a favorite passage, prayer, or struggle in your life which you would like to have included in the thoughts of the congregation during the week. Please take advantage of this opportunity to engage the power of prayer in the church. I read those cards, and make sure that both the passages and prayers are dedicated in the collection plate along with the financial contribution.

Let’s remember our church, our country, and our whole community in our prayers this month. All of them our neighbors. We are to pray for the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ – that it might touch the heart, mind, and life of all God’s children with a sense of the guidance of His Providence and the eternity of His peace.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love You.” (Ps. 122:6)