Thoughts from Pastor Tim - November 4

Dear Church Family –

When Richard Nixon was President of the United States, and would walk into a cabinet meeting, Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger would say, “Mr. President, the decisions you make today will change the course of history.”

It’s true.  It’s true of you and me.  The decisions we make today will change the course of history—for ourselves, our families, our community, our church, our friends and neighbors.

Even little decisions make a big difference.  In his book, Run With the Horses, Eugene Peterson wrote,

“Every time that we retrieve a part of our life from the crowd and respond to God’s call to us, we are that much more ourselves, more human.  Every time we reject the habits of the crowd and practice the disciplines of faith, we become a little more alive.”

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

What part of your life could you retrieve from the world—the crowd—today?

What habits of the crowd should you reject?

One of the great things about church is that it creates a “crowd” that helps us move in the right direction, that helps us form habits of holiness.

“…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2)

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14)

Retrieving parts of life for Christ – Pastor Tim