A significant key to glorifying God is controlling our tongue. Psalm 50:23 says, “He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me….”

What would happen if you gave your mouth to God each day so that only godly words came from your lips? And I’m not just talking about praising and thanking God in your quiet time, or speaking positive, encouraging words over yourself. The health of your relationships depends on how you speak to, over and about others.

Psalm 34:13 says, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” Do you lie to others? Do you insult them or speak ill of them? Or do you speak encouraging, life-giving words that bring joy to everyone you meet?

Dedicate your mouth to God and use it only for what pleases Him, praise and worship, edification and exhortation, and giving thanks. Place your lips on the altar each morning. Give your mouth to God through praying His Word: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise” (Psalm 51:15).

Prayer Starter: Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will praise and thank You. Help me use my words to bring joy and life to those around me and to praise and glorify You.

PRay

Acid reflux, tummy trouble, GERD – all nasty stuff and they make life unpleasant! If we eat the wrong things or too much of the right things or eat too fast, our digestive system can stage a rebellion!

The phrase we often use is “I feel yucky, that (pizza, taco, too much birthday cake, fried foods, gravy [especially for those with gall bladder problems and I've been there, done that and have the scars to prove it]), didn't agree with me!”

 

This reminds me of Colossians 1:10 – “…that we may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way…”.   The word “please” in this context (and from the original Greek) means “to be agreeable and seek to be agreeable”.

May our prayer this and every day be “Lord, help me live a life that's pleasing to You, help me to be agreeable with Your word and even seek to be agreeable with every area of my life!”

You know this can be a dangerous prayer because the Holy Spirit may bring things to our attention that are not agreeable with the Lord and He may direct changes that need to be made.

It's an honest and simple prayer – give it a try today!

Pastor Mark

Ps 46:10 ‘Be still and know that I am God'

Psalm 46 starts with talking about how God is our refuge and strength…an ever present help in trouble.  The Psalm speaks of the problems of the world:

-          Violence in Nature (v. 1-3)

-          Violence in Nations (v. 6)

-          Violence of War (v. 9)

How do we ‘be still and know' that God is there?  As I was trying to think about this, I was distracted by the fact that we remember 9/11/01 this week.  The troubles of our world are overbearing.  The stresses of this life seem to distract us from being still with God.

My mind raced to thinking about training a puppy.  It is hard work.  My daughters want a puppy.  I know how hard it is to train a puppy.  The problem is puppies get distracted and can't sit still and listen to us.

I don't know about you, but I need to work on being still and listening to God.

PB

Is there any chance that a person can go to a county fair and not have rain?  I'm not so sure.  This year my youngest two kids took 2 ducks to the fair.  After taking bunnies, chickens and 3 whacked out goats over the years–bringing ducks was a breeze.  The bunnies started the fun for us.  One of our bunnies decided it would be fun to pay us back for locking her in a cage surrounded by hundreds of other Oryctolagus cuniculus's– She had diarrhea the morning of the show…and so we scrambled to clean a partly white bunny.  I never knew that you could bleach a bunny… After the bunnies we took 3 mangy looking chickens.  I fed them the wrong food, so they were not as developed as most, but someone had pity on us and bought them.  On a positive note, the extra chickens were pretty good tasting.  And then came the goats from the place I cannot say.  They did not train well except how to drag 70-100#'s across the show arena.

This year our kids took 2 female Mallards.  By far they were the easiest.  The only problem was, it rained and rained a lot.  The finances are not the greatest in Hardin County, so the poultry showing was held in a tent.  This would not normally be a bad thing unless it rained.  As I was wading through the mud/water mix helping my kids carry and care for their ducks, I thought about God.  My Jesus, left perfection, glory, beauty—and came to this earth to set us free. You can see this in this verse:  2Co 8:9  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Jesus left heaven… to descend into our mess, because He wanted a relationship with us, and He did what was necessary to make it possible.  As I think about what Jesus left, in order to make a way for me to come to Him…I think about what I need to do to help reach others.  Am I willing to get dirty? Am I willing to leave the comforts of this church building?  Would I leave my nice air-conditioned office for someone who has nothing to offer me in return? What would I be willing to do to see someone come to know Jesus?  God has challenged me, and I believe He is also challenging His church to do the same:

Pro 24:11  Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

As you read this verse, what does it mean to you? Are you willing to do what it takes to reach people?  Are you willing to get dirty to rescue those who are being led away—to their DEATH?  I am confident that the Spirit of God is showing you what He is asking us to do.  He and I are not asking you to compromise in your faith in any shape or form.  When I say: “Are you willing to get dirty?” I am talking about are you willing to GO to where people are at?  We have averaged the same attendance in our services since I have been at County Line. There are many reasons and factors contributing to this result.  One reason is unless we do something different—how can we expect different results? Another reason:  How many of us are going to where people are at? (Pause to think about that question).  How many are involved in their communities.  How many realize that we are enlisted to be part of a rescue team? How many are ready to roll up your sleeves and go to where the people are?  That's what Jesus did.  He didn't hang out in the Synagogues and wait for people to show up.  He ate with the heathens, forgave the prostitutes and corrected the religious…It should be clear that we need to do more than just invite people to our services.  If it's not then wake up!

Blessings,

Pastor Ray

First, a quote from Chuck Swindoll – which summarizes the importance and responsibility of our attitudes:

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.”

 

Second, a discovery I made while looking up the definition of attitude.  It's easy to Google, but it's the end of the definition that intrigued me! It says “attitude is sometimes confused with altitude.”  Do you see it?  How far we go, how high we climb, how successful we are, the health of important relationships – attitude does in fact determine altitude.  Let me frame this idea positively and negatively.  If your attitude often stinks – you are determining your altitude and worse, you've climbed about as far as you are likely to go.  If your attitude lifts you and others – there are no limits for you!

Read Swindoll's thought again before you click out.  J

Pastor Mark

Do you remember that song from Sunday school?  That song is probably stuck in your head for the rest of the day…my apologies…yet maybe it will help us remember the following thought.

That seems to be the message of this week for me.  It has come up a couple of times in my devotions.  How much joy do I show on a daily basis?  Do others see me as being joyful?  You know, that is a fruit of the spirit.  Am I growing, showing the fruit of the Joy of the Lord?

Ecc. 8:15 (NLT) ‘So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink and enjoy life.  That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.'

I am going to try to show more joy in my life.  I have been blessed by God with a great family (at a fun stage of life), a great wife, great job, great friends, great things…I should reflect that.  I also have a great relationship with God! And that is worth showing to others!

Want to join me?

PB

When I look through the viewfinder on my Canon 60D digital camera, I see a lot going on – composition opportunities, colors, texture, and light!  I get lost in that little window as I view the world.  It's one place where I can separate from stress and daily responsibilities.  I've  spent 30 minutes or more looking at a flower or arrangement.  How light plays into the composition, aperture settings (which give blur or clarity or depth of field), and a dozen other considerations give me almost unlimited variety simply by looking for what's there! And I often take a picture of what I THINK the picture is, but a closer look reveals something I didn't see.  There's so much going on and I just can't see it all, much less capture it all.

God often places situations like this in front of us.  If we're not careful, we see what we think we see and then react without any real effort of thought.  But when we take a little time – look through the viewfinder a little longer than we might NEED to – we see a bigger and often, more accurate picture.

I recommend reading Psalm 73 a few times this week.  Asaph, the writer of the Psalm and chief musician to King David, looked through a viewfinder – one you and I may have looked through.  What he saw at first wasn't the complete picture. There was a lot going on that he didn't see! Asaph's incomplete picture of life is one you might identify with, so read Psalm 73 and be encouraged today!

Pastor Mark

Luke 6:47-48  Some people come to me and listen to me and do what I say. I will show you what they are like.  They are like someone who builds a house. He digs down deep and sets it on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against the house. But the water can’t shake it. The house is well built.

A few years ago, not exactly sure, so just go with it…we had a tornado blow through here.  I remember my wife calling me on the phone saying get ready, there is a big storm coming.  Usually that means we have around a half an hour to prepare.  Not this time.  I looked out the door that faces the parsonage and saw it coming. So I ran down the hall and told our secretary that we better head to the basement. By the time I made it back to the door to run home, the storm hit. I was 100 yards from my family but I couldn't get to them…

I taught our youth from a series by Joshua Harris, called “Dug, Down Deep”.  The main thing that this series stresses is the biblical truth that we need to have our foundation built on Christ alone and make sure it is secure. If our foundation is unsure…we are not going to last long.

Back to the storm.  There used to be a jungle gym play set behind the church.  Let me stress the USED to be part…It was built well, but it's foundation was weak, and the tornado had a good time rolling it. The Bible tells us that we will endure trials, tribulations and storms in life. No one is exempt from going through things.  The key is having the RIGHT foundation.  I know that most reading this will say they know Jesus is their foundation, but I am hoping you catch something new here.  Read the verse at the top again… Those who listen and DO what God says—they are the ones who are building a solid foundation on Jesus.

Since we have started this series, God has showed me more ways to apply this truth.  First of all, God showed me that in order to get to the place where the Foundation should be built; we have to do a lot of digging.  Anyone building a house, has to dig out an area before they start pouring the concrete.  You and I want to build a great house, but first we have to dig down deep. Digging is not always a pleasurable past time… It can be painful.  It brings blisters, sore backs, and money to the Chiropractors. But we do it because it is necessary.  You cannot build a solid house without it!  So in the spiritual…God is telling us—I want you to dig, and dig deep. I want you to shovel out anything that is not pleasing to me!!!  Are you holding on to anything that you know is not right?  Is there sin that you need to repent of and remove from your life? Dig it out.  Remove it far from you.  Give that dirt clod a name—(anger, etc) and then dig it out!!!  There is a storm coming.  The question is whether or not you and I are going to make it through… Some are in a storm right now…

So how do we shovel out the junk so that we can build a solid house on Jesus our foundation?  His word told us:  You and I do this in the spiritual realm when we listen to His word and then DO what God is telling us. Can you hear the voice of God?  Are you listening to the conviction from the Holy Spirit's?  We will either start digging and then build our foundation on Jesus.  Or we will build on top of land with a foundation that will not survive the storm that will come…

If we hear God's word but will not DO what He says then Jesus is not really our Lord!

Luke 6:46  “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and still don’t do what I say?

Digging is not fun, but when the storm hits you, you will stand. You will stand because you chose to build on a solid foundation (Jesus) for your home.

Blessings to you,

PRay

On Sunday, August 11^th, Dinah and I celebrated our 40^th wedding anniversary.  I know – she's Saint Dinah for lots of reasons, not the least is living with Mr. High Maintenance (which I denied for the first 39 ½ years).  While there are too many highlights of our 40 years to list, here are seven.

Our wedding day.  I remember my pastor asking me (in a front room of the sanctuary, before we went out to do the deed) if I wanted to use the side door to escape.  He was kidding, but Dinah was moments from coming down the aisle and I wouldn't trade that day and our life together for anything!

Our college years, 1973-77.  Dinah worked full-time to get her Ph.T. degree (put hubby through) and I worked 30 hours each week.  We often talk about that busy, but carefree time (meaning no mortgages and lots of energy).

Our first church years, 1977-79.  We were youth pastors in Ashtabula, Ohio and had no idea what we were doing.  College prepares pastors for everything but pastoring!  Not totally true, but…

Our young parenting years, while our children still thought we had brains.  Though I see my children as adults, I still often see them with my heart and memory as little guys who delighted to be with dad.  I wish you could have seen Dinah with them!  She taught them to read.  Dinah led children's musicals in the churches we served.  She taught the boys about Jesus and brought joy into their lives. I've never seen a woman take so naturally to being a mother and I love her so much for it!

Our later parenting years.  I could relive my son's senior years over and over again.  What delight it brought us to see Nathan in the Allen East Band and all things musical and watch Joe become an all-conference basketball player!  Their college graduation and careers have made us so proud of them!

Our grand-parenting years.  If we had known how much fun grand-kids are, we would have had them first!  To have two little girls look at me and squeal “Hi grandpa (Zoie) or Papa! (Kenzie Rae) makes my day!

Our pastoral ministry years.  Dinah and I have been serving the Lord and pastoring for over 32 years.  We love the people and churches we served. In our 17^th year at Union Chapel, we've spent over half of our ministry serving the UC family.

My uncle Ethan used to say “Everyday is a good day because Jesus loves me perfectly.”

I am so blessed!

Pastor Mark

One of the big words being used a lot right now is ‘busy'.  For some reason, this seems to be the state of our culture.  If you aren't busy, something must be wrong.  When I looked at my calendar for the summer, I was a little sad because it was so busy; filled with events, things to do.  Then I started hearing stories of others who had even crazier summers.  As I sit here typing, I see the newest book in my collection (I collect books…not really read them!) sitting on my desk.  It is entitled: ‘Enjoy the Silence'.  WHAT is SILENCE?  I live with 5 girls, is there such a thing as silence?  I have a schedule full of events, things to plan, as well as serve the congregation…the list goes on.

I bought this book because I know that I need to create space in my day to be silent with God.  If I, we, keep running at the pace of the world, we will burn out.  I am doing better at this, but it is still a struggle.

I don't want to seem like I am complaining about my schedule.  It was a busy summer, busier than I had hoped.  However, I watched my kids play softball/t-ball, built relationships with families while at those games.  I also watched kids learn about God at VBS.  I sat under excellent teaching at camp and conference.  Those things are energizing, yet tiring as I see new ways, get new ideas of how to make my ‘to do list' even longer.  But I still must take time to be quiet with God.  I hope you do too.

Mark 1:35 – after a busy time of ministry, the next day, Jesus… “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed…”

If it's important for Jesus, it should be important to me.

PB