Keeping the Faith; Never losing Hope; Always Loving

Today I was reading some scripture and saw a definition for faith that caught my eye.  The author said that faith is the “assurance” of things hope for and the “conviction” of things not seen.   Faith is the assurance and conviction of a reality that is not physically seen in the present.  It is something that wealth, power, prestige, or privilege cannot get for me or for you.

In the midst of a culture where all value is placed upon what is seen; on the assurance and conviction of what one “has” as a direct result of wealth, power, prestige, and privilege we should not be surprised that faith is difficult for us.  In fact, we should not be surprised that we have made “faith” into “safety and security” of that which we posses.  We have assurance and conviction of what we can see that comes from wealth, power, prestige, and privilege.  And the more wealth, power, prestige, and privilege we have the more assurance and conviction we have.  The result is we lust after what we can see.

Jesus has come to lay down a new set of rules that equals the playing field where those with wealth, power, prestige, and privilege are actually at a disadvantage because for the first time in their life what they see as a result of what they have are worthless.  Its no surprise that people in our culture have a hard time with Jesus or that most churches replace the gospel faith with a call for “safety and security” because we are so caught up in the false security of what we have that we cannot see a “better way” that comes from lusting after something hoped for and something unseen.

Truth shines light into darkness; may this truth shine light into the darkness of your life.

Peace from Pastor P.

There’s this place in scripture where an author makes the claim that it is “impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”  This implies that it is not bulls or goats that are responsible for sin.  Therefore it is only the blood of that which is responsible for sin that can take away sins.  Meaning, it is only human blood that can take away sins but yet it must be a God sized portion.  This is the reason that Jesus is the heart of the matter.  Followers of Jesus claim that Jesus is 100% human and 100% God; the Incarnation.  Hence, the blood of Jesus on the cross is human blood in a God-sized portion which satisfies the requirement for taking away sin.  My question this morning is what kind of God is so committed to His standard of righteousness and justice while at the same time being so in love with His creation that He deals with the human situation through Jesus?  I’m not sure what is more amazing the fact that He will not budge on His standard of righteousness or He doesn’t want to imagine life without us.  I wonder what would happen if we took our sin and God’s love for us as serious as God does?  This is certainly worthy question for us to ponder and act upon.

Peace from Pastor P

One of the things I love about scripture is the way it asks the deep questions that we have inside of us but often don’t have the language to articulate the feelings.  My hunch is that we all have and struggle with the side of God that suggest God brings about trouble in the world.  My hunch, is most of you are like me and are uncomfortable with the idea that God’s brings about all the trouble in the world but are equally uncomfortable with the idea that God doesn’t bring about any trouble in the world.  However, I’m even more uncomfortable thinking about how I am supposed to hope in a God that brings about trouble in my life.  It seems counter productive.  Why would I hope in the one that brings about trouble?

It’s a great question and one that I didn’t come up with but a questioned that is awakened in my soul after reading the question in scripture (2 Kings 6:33).  The response to this question from the prophet Elisha is profound and gives me great comfort today.  Elisha begins the response with “hear the Word of the Lord.”  I’m reminded today that if I can “hear the Word of the Lord” then I can have hope.  Hope is tied to hearing the Word of the Lord.  More importantly, Hope is tied to the reality that God speaks.  Hopelessness is only merited in the event that God would refuse to speak.  However, in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, God promises to never “shut up”; God promises to speak.  And as long as God promises to speak I have hope in spite of whatever my present confusion might be.

Today I am comforted by this promise of hope that is rooted in God’s promise to continue to speak to His people.  My hope for you today is that you hold on to this same hope throughout the struggles of your questions.  May you hold on to the promise of hope that God promises to continue to speak throughout your journey of life, which means that a piece of your story will be about “hearing the word of the Lord” and this is grounds for eternal hope.

Peace from Pastor P

“and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the  fullness of God”  Ephesians 3:19

Often I forget that the modern culture of evangelical christianity in America has spent so many hours constructing a box around God that we (I consider myself an evangelical christian in america) are choking out the Holy Spirit and the power of mystery of faith.  We have so many “check boxes” to check and if one of the boxes isn’t checked then that means that person or that community of faith doesn’t pass the test.  Are we really that arrogant to think that we have it figured out?  In our effort to be faithful we have replaced the power of mystery (that is essential to the faith…..”we proclaim the mystery of our faith…Christ had died; Christ has risen; Christ will come again.”) with a box that is grounded in our own need for safety and security in our tightly knit package of culture that says it all needs to “fit together” or else is can’t be valid.  But yet scripture seems to say the opposite.  Scripture shouts from the rooftops that the love of Jesus surpasses our knowledge (our effort to piece together a tightly knit package of the story that fits perfectly in the effort to prove its not all a lie) and that it is only in realizing this that we can experience the fullness of God.  When the fullness of God is linked to our ability to systematically prove why our faith is true then we will never experience the fullness of God.  That’s the amazing thing about faith in Jesus.  It frees us from having to systematically prove that “we” are right and “they” are wrong.  So often evangelical americans (again I consider myself one) have traded in their faith in the mystery of Jesus for a tightly knit constructed box that is a false attempt to walk by faith but is actually walking in a fear that at the end of the day they are afraid they might be wrong.  The result is evangelicals protect the box on all sides because of this fear instead of experiencing the fullness of God that comes through the love of Jesus that surpasses all human knowledge.

My hope is that Jesus would continue to save His church from themselves; that He would destroy our boxes; confront our fears; and force us to walk by faith and not by sight.

Peace Pastor P

PS. It occurs to me today that in the same way the church opens it doors for recovery from addiction and abuse we should begin opening our doors to longtime “evangelicals” who’s boxes are being destroyed and think they are losing their faith…..the church must open their doors and help them to see they are not loosing anything but actually being set free to experience the fullness of God.

Romans 7:7

S—What should we say then?  That the law is sin?  By no means!  Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin, I would not have know what it is to covet if the law had not said, “you shall not covet.”

H—Here Paul transitions into a conversation around the relationship between law and sin.  It seems that some folks that he is writing to have a question about the law being sin.  Paul is clear to point out that the law is not sin but it is through the law that we know what sin it.  Its as if Paul says that the law gives us a language to know what our deepest problem as humanity is….our disease of sin.  Its as if Paul says that without the law we would not know what sin is and would not know what are deepest problem is or that we have a deep problem that needs fixed.

A—This is a jewel in this unending mine of scripture.  Paul is brilliant to point out this relationship between the law and sin to his readers.  I am forever grateful this morning for the reminder that the law is the tool that God uses to show me what sin is.  Without the law I cannot know what sin is but just continue to live blindly infected with the disease of death.  The law helps to shine in light upon the sin of my life which makes room for the Holy Spirit to expose that sin and give me the grace to know that I need to be cleansed through the blood of Jesus.  If the law is that tool that helps me to see and give language to my human situation then Jesus is God that comes to solve my problem and give me language to the Godly solution to my human situation.

P—Lord, I come to you this morning grateful for this scripture and grateful for the remind that the law is a tool that you use to show me what sin is in my life.  Give me the grace to look at your law through this lens.  Help me to see it as not a standard that I will never achieve but as a language that explains what sin is in my life and helps me to see and be reminded of my deepest need of forgiving grace.  I pray today that you would forgive me of my sin and I give you great thanks for showing me what my sin is.  Otherwise, I would continue to walk blindly in this world to my destination of death but yet through your law and the mighty acts of Jesus Christ I now have experienced forgiveness and am walking boldly toward eternal life.  Amen.

E—I’m excited to be reminded that the law gives definition to my sin and invites me to a place of repentance and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

Peace from Pastor P

S—So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

H—In chapter 11 and 12 we see all the accomplishments of Solomon.  With out a doubt he was one of the most envied men of his day.  He had it all….power, wealth, status, wisdom.  Folks would come from all over to bring him things just to have an association with him.  From the outside looking in he was living the life.  But yet this verse tells us that Solomon didn’t follow the Lord completely as his father.  It seems that God is not impressed with all of Solomon’s accomplishments.  After all, Solomon was set up for success; his accomplishments are not impressive to God.  What God sees is that Solomon didn’t follow the Lord completely but had relationships with foreign women which led to the worship of foreign gods.  This decision is the tipping point that divides the kingdom and the reality of exile becomes one step closer.

A—So often we look at someone’s life from the outside in and it seems they have it all together.  We are so impressed with the accomplishments of the world and we become drunk upon these stories and want to just be associated with the Solomon’s of the world.  In our infatuation we are blinded to the fact that God is not impressed with our worldly accomplishments.  For most of us we are set up to succeed and these accomplishments are the norm and not the exception.  What God is interested in is our complete devotion to him.  God wants to know if we are “all in”; if we are going to follow Him completely?  God wants to know if we are going to be another Solomon in the world or are we going to be a David after His heart?  God is not impressed with our worldly accomplishments but defines us based upon our complete faithfulness toward Him.

P—Lord it is so easy for me to make a long list of my accomplishments and rationalize those accomplishments as a valid excuse for not completely following you.  I confess to you this morning that the Solomon in me comes to life far to often then it should.  I pray today that you would free me from thinking my accomplishments are an excuse not to be completely faithful.  May you empower me today to not rationalize my sin but to be a man after your heart completely that you might cleanse me and mold me into the man you are calling me to be.  Amen.

E—through the grace of God in Jesus Christ I am invited and able to follow God completely.

Peace from Pastor P

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Coming from Jack Britt/Gates Four Area

• find way to Stoney Point Rd (or Rockfish Rd) and come towards Hope Mills
• Stay on Rockfish Rd. till it ends and make a right onto Hope Mills Rd. (nc 59)
• Go underneath railroad and make a right at next light (lake will be on right)
• Road will bend around to your left (50 yards) and you will see a big red brick mill; that’s us.
• There is a fence around the parking lot.
• Pull into the Lot and we are the door right beside the YMCA….there will be a sign there.

Coming from the east (Grey’s Creek area)

• Find your way to chickenfoot rd. and head towards Hope Mills.  When you get to the stoplight before the lake (Lake on your right) make a left onto Trade St.
• Road will bend around to your left (50 yards) and you will see a big red brick mill; that’s us.
• There is a fence around the parking lot.
• Pull into the Lot and we are the door right beside the YMCA….there will be a sign there.

Coming from the west (Raeford)

• Find your way to 401 heading toward Fayetteville
• Take 401 (Raeford Rd.) all the way to Hope Mills Rd.; make a right onto Hope Mills Rd. (Rt.59)
• Go approximately 5 miles (@ 1 mile past Walmart in Hope Mills), and you will go underneath railroad tracks.
• At next light after railroad tracks make a right (Hope Mills Lake will be on left) on Trade St.
• Road will bend to left (50 yards) and there will be a large brick building in a fenced area….that’s us
• Pull into parking lot and we are the door right beside the YMCA

Coming from Ft. Bragg

• Find way to skibo rd. and head south on skibo rd. until it ends
• make left at end of skibo onto Raeford Rd.
• Go about 3/4 mile and make a right on Hope Mills Rd. (nc 59)
• Go approximately 5 miles (@ 1 mile past Walmart in Hope Mills), and you will go underneath railroad tracks.
• At next light after railroad tracks make a right (Hope Mills Lake will be on left) on Trade St.
• Road will bend to left (50 yards) and there will be a large brick building in a fenced area….that’s us
• Pull into parking lot and we are the door right beside the YMCA

Coming from North Fayetteville

• Take Ramsey St. to Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and enter Parkway (87s)
• Get off at Robeson St. Exit and make a right
• Go @ 1-2 miles and make a left on Village Dr.
• Go @ 2-3 miles and make a left on Ireland Dr.
• Go 1/2 mile and make right Cumberland Rd.
• Go 2 miles and make left on Hope Mills Rd.
• Go approximately 3 miles (@ 1 mile past Walmart in Hope Mills), and you will go underneath railroad tracks.
• At next light after railroad tracks make a right (Hope Mills Lake will be on left) on Trade St.
• Road will bend to left (50 yards) and there will be a large brick building in a fenced area….that’s us
• Pull into parking lot and we are the door right beside the YMCA

From the South

• Find way to nc59 and follow directions from “East” (above)

From I-95

• Take Exit 41 (make left if headed north or right if headed south) and make turn toward Hope Mills
• Follow rest of directions from Grey’s Creek area

If you need any help please contact us and we’ll be sure to help find us for worship on Sunday….

info@connect2crossroads.com; 910-366-3869; wedesiremore.com

S—Ask for whatever you want me to give you…….the Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.

H—Here God asks Solomon to ask for whatever He wants and Solomon responds by asking for wisdom.  God is so pleased in this request.  It seems that God is pleased because Solomon’s request is not for personal gain but for the gain of the Kingdom of God.  In this case the management and leading of the great nation that God has brought into reality through the leadership of David.  Its as if Solomon’s prayer is a chance for God to see Solomon’s heart.  Is Solomon going to think of himself first or will it be others?  God leaves the door open to how the story will turn out by saying to Solomon as long as you continue to do “this” I will continue to bless you.

A—So often we think of prayer and Jesus as this place for us to put our personal requests of selfish gain into the hands of God and expect Him not only to hear these requests but to actually grant these requests.  The result is a our “little” Jesus in a jeanie bottle and all we have to do is “rub him the right way” and our request will be granted.  But yet this scripture seems to suggest that prayer is a chance for God to see our hearts.  Its as if God is asking in prayer, “is this person with me for selfish gain or is this person here for the gain of my Kingdom.”  Prayer as a test of the heart and I have to admit my culture is failing miserably.  It must grieve the heart of God to know that when His people can ask for anything that they often desire selfish gain instead of advancing God’s Kingdom.

P—Lord I come to you this morning to repent of my unfaithfulness in prayer.  Far too often have I prayed for the gain of “Chad” instead of the gain for “You.”  I pray that you would help my prayer life be centered in your Kingdom gaining ground in the world.  Protect me from the temptation to focus my prayer life around my personal gain and may you find me to be faithful in my request made to you through prayer.  Amen!!!

E—Prayer is God’s invitation to me to ask to mold me into a tool that will advance His vision and mission in the world.

Peace from Pastor P