Relfections of Glory

I read James McDonald's sermon after 9/11 and see a lot of the points we've been discussing both in Crosswalk through our study of Daniel and in George's Sunday sermons.

He talks about us being created for God's glory, which made sense to me for the first time. How could we, imperfect humans ever be created "for God's glory"? I understand now that it's because when we are saved, and the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, we become capable of reflecting God's Glory through His son, Jesus Christ in us.

I thought back to one of sthe tragic times in my life when I was with a loved one who died, at the moment they died.

My elderly Aunt Lena had just moved from her assisted living apt. to the nursing center in her complex as her cancer was in its final stages. I had spent the morning fighting with her doctor over the telephone to put her on a morphine drip because she could no longer get any relief from the liquid morphine the nurse was giving her. As she drifted off into a fitfull sleep, I decided to go to my car to get my lunch, but changed my mind at the elevator when I saw medics bringing a new patient into the nursing unit. Something told me that they were going to move her into the room with my aunt, and I did not want her to wake up and be frightened, so I went back to the room to sit with her.

I climbed into bed next to her and she rested her head in the crook of my arm. She looked kind of peaceful. In a few minutes, she stopped breathing and was gone. I realized that God had nudged me to go back to her room and that He intended for me to be with my aunt when she passed away. I was so glad that He had allowed me to comfort my aunt in her last moments on earth.

I think that's what is meant by "reflecting God's glory" through His son Jesus Christ, who lives within our hearts from the moment we are saved. I thank God for His goodness and grace.

--Marthann

Questions about God in a Time of Crisis

When there is a major earthquake, or terrorism attack or major accident we experience anger, grief, concern, compassion, and heartache. Often our anger is directed at God, "How could you....?" It is at times like this that people need God the most.

During a time of disaster, people who haven't talked about God in a long time begin to talk about Him. We all have questions that are hard to answer, and if we are not careful, we will feel alone and far from God.

James MacDonald preached a sermon on the Sunday following September 11, 2001 that still rings true - even after the earthquake two weeks ago and the plane crash yesterday. Read the sermon.

Behaving As If Jesus Were Here In The Room With Me Right Now

Jan. 24, 2010

I was trying to correlate the sermon George preached today ("The Challenge of Christian Manhood") in conjunction with the lesson from Daniel we studied together in our Crosswalk Class , ("Choices to Make").

George said we are to make the choice to be obedient (i.e., a "choice to make").

Beth Moore said "God wants us to recognize the critical priority of deliberate training in godliness." (a challenge of Christian man/womanhood)

These two things are very much interrelated, and I think the reason we studied them both the same week is that GOD WANTS US TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE MESSAGE!

Here it is in my own words:

If you live as if God were watching you always, which He is, then you'd never have to worry about straying far from Him.

This sounds really easy to do, conceptually. However, it's hard to do while living in this worldly-world of ours. Think about how your children behave when you're there with them in the room, and how they behave when you're not. Is there any difference? Should there be any difference?

I think God wants us to make the choice to be obedient to His will for us.

--Marthann

Looking for the Messiah - Max Lucado

posted January 16, 2010

Max Lucado in one of his earlier books, asks if we would recognize Jesus if he visited our church. What if Jesus visited the early service at Bethlehem next Sunday morning. What would he look like; how wouod he be dressed? Would he choose to visit a Sunday School class? Reach Max's comments here.

Planning for 2010

Posted by David Ashcraft on January 16, 2010

The beginning of a year is perfect for planning activities that move an organization toward its goals. The goal of CrossWalk Sunday School class is to reach the unchurched; teach them the good news of Jesus' death on the cross as payment for sins; win them and then mature them into a daily walk with Jesus.

Crosswqlk's buffet of activities for the new year is the starting point to make 2010 a great year for Jesus. Paraphrasing the apostle Paul, at the end of 2010 we want to say that we fought a good fight; we ran a good race. We finished the course.

James Macdonald on Depression

Emotions: Good Followers, Lousy Leaders, Part 1

• Posted By James MacDonald on January 14, 2010

What I want to talk about is we have to be a little more consistent. I want to be consistent, don’t you? I mean I want to be steady. I want to be reliable.

Of course, a big part of that is managing your emotions. If you need a box to put this in, you could call this, kind of—I want to talk a bit about depression for a moment. And I want to talk about what it is and how it happens. Of course, there’s a fierce debate raging today, even among Christians, about the cause and the cure of depression. Is it chemical? Is it behavioral? Is it curable? I really don’t want to wade where angels fear to tread, but I’m going to. Read More.

Where do you Want to be on December 31, 2010?

posted by David Ashcraft January 2, 2010

I really enjoy the last week of the old year and the first week of the new year; I have time to reflect on life and plan for the new year. Since I am task oriented, I use this time to set targets for the goals I have in each area of responsibility in my life. These goals are determined in part by where I am in my long range plan of serving God.

Dr. Ray Pritchard posted an interested article that asks the question, “Where will you be on December 31, 2010?” He lists 31 questions that originally came from Don Whitney that help make certain that 2010 is not wasted. Here are the questions; you must supply your own answers:

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
11. What's the most important decision you need to make this year?
12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what's one way you could simplify in that area?
13. What's the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?
14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?
15. Who do you most want to encourage this year?
16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?
17. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?
18. What's one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?
19. What's one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?
20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?
21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?
22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?
23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?
24. What's the most important trip you want to take this year?
25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?
26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?
27. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?
28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?
29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?
30. What's the most important new item you want to buy this year?
31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

Believing in the Light

Here it is 4:37 a.m. on New Year's Day. I actually went to bed around 11, but was awakened by firecrackers and car horns at midnight. I have not been able to fall back asleep since.

I think I am having trouble sleeping because I am worried about so many people right now. My prayer list has gotten so long that I confess I sometimes fall asleep at night before coming to the end of my prayers. I've taken to praying throughout the day and dividing my list up so I don't forget any body.

There is so much illness and earthly sadness right now in the lives of some of my friends and family members that it breaks my heart. There is also a lot of good to be thankful for. I would say that they sort of balance each other out, but then I'm not the one whose life is on the line, or whose child is in ICU, or who is grieving a loss. All I know is that I have to believe God has a plan, and that whatever happens, it will part of some bigger plan of His that I cannot see.

That is what faith is. It is what gives us hope and allows us to keep on fighting and trying to stay in the light of God. I pray that each of you all in Crosswalk will begin this new year in the light.

Marthann