Notes of Faith January 31, 2024

Notes of Faith January 31, 2024

Truth and Tone

The Art of Compassionate Conversations

“Sir,” the woman said, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can You get this living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,

but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” — John 4:11–15

A few years ago, I visited an audiologist to have my hearing tested. Unfortunately, my hearing seems to be diminishing, and for some odd reason, it correlates to the frequency my wife speaks on. She playfully refers to it as “selective hearing” — at least I think that’s what she said. After a consultation, the doctor led me into an isolation booth and fitted me with a clunky headset. To my surprise, my hearing was deemed relatively good, dashing my hopes of attributing my listening lapses to a medical condition.

I did discover, however, that because of an auditory processing disorder there are some frequencies that I can’t hear anymore. Apparently, as we age, we lose the ability to hear certain high-frequency sounds, especially in loud environments like restaurants, discos, and church services. Okay, I made the disco part up to avoid dancing, but I’m not giving up food or Jesus. Sadly, I don’t hear conversations well when there is a lot of background noise, which is a problem, since I spend a lot of time in loud rooms with loads of background noise.

Sometimes it feels like our whole culture is going through an auditory processing disorder and we’re losing our ability to hear one another.

Life is loud.

The world is a cacophony of sound, a screeching symphony of noise, where quiet stillness is a precious gift, a rarity that dwindles with each passing day. Gordon Hempton, an acoustic ecologist, mourns the loss of silence, naming it one of the “endangered species” of our modern age.1 Perhaps it is the turmoil within our own hearts that perpetuates the absence of serenity in the world around us.

When was the last time you found solace in the stillness, contemplating the state of your community, and pondered ways to serve it with grace?

When was the last time you tuned in to the lamentations of those around you and, instead of offering hasty solutions, simply lent an ear and a heart to heal?

When was the last time you listened to the whispers of your neighbors’ hearts yearning to be seen, valued, loved?

There are so many raised voices and loud noises clamoring for our attention. I can’t remember a time when everyone was screaming at the same decibel level. From politics to products, everyone has their cause, and they are eager to shape our consciousness. I can’t imagine what the world will feel like in the future if we keep shouting at one another across tables and on social-media platforms and in forums of every kind.

Amid the cacophony of life, the fight for dominance never ceases. Each technological marvel further intensifies the voices that compete for our attention. Although I embrace the positive potential of technology, I cannot ignore its potential to consume us if we’re not vigilant. It has already opened new avenues for spreading hope, yet the path it takes must be carefully monitored to ensure it serves our purposes, not the other way around.

Sometimes the loudest noise isn’t around us, it’s in us.

Do you find your thoughts racing more these days? Do you struggle to quiet your mind? Do you talk out loud to yourself in a desperate attempt to sort through the competing ideas in your head? Yeah, me neither. I think that the noise in us is the loudest because we hear it in our own voice. The negative self- talk in our heads is worse than any troll on Twitter.

All of this noise makes it really hard for us to hear ourselves, let alone each other.

Deep conversations require the willingness to abide in quiet moments no matter how uncomfortable they make us. Sitting in silence with another person is scary. What if we don’t know how to respond? What if the conversation gets heated? What if they say something offensive?

It’s easier and so very tempting to jump in with answers, responses, and assumptions when all we really need to do is listen.

The Ministry of Listening

Within the opening verses of her story, the Samaritan woman delivers four lines of dialogue while Jesus responds with only two brief sentences. Her words seem to convey a sense of incredulousness as she questions whether Jesus is greater than Jacob. Instead of becoming defensive or agitated, He remains attentive, curious, genuinely hearing and addressing the underlying pain behind her questions. Perhaps there is something significant for us to glean from this exchange.

The art of listening is an essential skill for every Christian.

Approaching others with a willingness to listen, free from judgment or interruption, holds great power in cultivating trust and fostering genuine relationships. Conversely, refusal to listen often leads to assumptions about one another, which become barriers that hinder our witness. When people sense judgment and condemnation, their defenses rise swiftly. But when they feel heard and understood, they find a sense of safety, enabling them to share their stories.

Deep listening does not mean we have to agree with what is being said, but we must embrace the idea that human connections are more important than conversational outcomes. Something of value may be said that we can learn from.

Throughout their conversation, the Samaritan woman progressively feels safer in the presence of Jesus, allowing her to gradually open up to Him. She became receptive to His words as she sensed that her voice was being heard. Jesus’ ability to listen attentively amplified her curiosity and receptivity to his message.

Our listening suffers when our curiosity is contained.

Engaging in a ministry of listening surpasses merely leaving gaps in the conversation for others to interject their thoughts. We have all experienced situations where someone remained quiet, yet we knew they were not fully present or attuned to what we were saying. Instead, genuine listening entails offering our undivided attention to the person before us. When we wholeheartedly invest ourselves in a conversation, it influences our tone and manner of responding. We become more intentional about filling silences and more measured in our replies.

This profound human connection paves the way for deeper and more compassionate communication.

1. Gordon Hempton, “Silence and the Presence of Everything,” May 10, 2012, in On Being with Krista Tippett (podcast).

Excerpted from Loving Samaritans by Terry Crist, copyright Terry M. Crist.

Communication, true communication where each person hears what the other is saying before even thinking about a reply is extremely difficult. There is a cacophony of noise in our brains that keeps us from listening. My prayer is to become like some of the men and women God has placed around me that are better listeners than I am. If I practice being still and listening to my neighbor, my friend, my spouse, I will learn more about them, learn more from them, and show more love and compassion than I ever have before. Lord, give me grace to be more like Jesus in His love and compassion for those around Him. Learn to listen well…

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 29, 2024

Notes of Faith January 29, 2024

Emotions of Grief

Grief that comes with loss is overwhelming. Emotions are so heavy, we can stagger beneath the weight. Scripture becomes even more precious during bereavement because we remember that God will never leave us alone. Lean in with this excerpt from Through a Season of Grief.

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Your Emotions

Your emotions can be intense, draining, and hard to hold back; they run deep and are tangled up inside you.

Everyone goes through some unexpected emotions, and it helps for you to identify and sort out the emotions that apply to you. This is part of the healing process.

Which emotions have you experienced during the grieving process?

denial

rejection

guilt

anger

jealousy

fear

pain

loss

sorrow

apathy

rage

confusion

anxiety

sadness

inadequacy

envy

dread

anguish

betrayal

distrust

loneliness

helplessness

disappointment

resentment

vindictiveness

depression

bitterness

dismay

abandonment

lack of control

Jesus can identify with your sorrows.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. — Isaiah 53:3

Lord Jesus, You alone know my suffering and pain. Please sort through these emotions with me. Amen.

Sudden and Unpredictable

Emotions during grief do not occur in an orderly fashion. You cannot follow a checklist and mark off the emotions you are finished with and then move on to the next. They come suddenly and unpredictably.

“People ask me, ‘How are you doing?’ And I say, ‘Wonderful.’ One moment I’m sobbing uncontrollably — I carry Kleenex around in my pocket — and the next moment I’m so exhilarated with joy with all that God is doing in my life,” says Dr. Jim Conway.

Circumstances will change. People will change. Surroundings will change. But the Bible leads you to the one sure thing:

I the Lord do not change. — Malachi 3:6

Almighty, unchanging God, I grasp on to Your hand as my emotions confuse and overwhelm me. You alone cannot be moved, and I am confident that as long as I remain in You, I, too, will not be moved. Amen.

Out Of Control

Not only are your emotions unpredictable, but they may also seem uncontrollable. This changing nature combined with the intensity of the emotions can cause you to feel disoriented, forgetful, and over-powered.

“There was this overwhelming feeling of being out of control... overwhelmed and watching life pass by,” says Cindy following her daughter’s death.

Your response to these uncontrollable emotions can be confusing to you as well as to others; for instance, sometimes you may want people with you, and sometimes you do not. You may also act in ways you later regret.

Job expressed this sentiment:

If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—no wonder my words have been impetuous. — Job 6:2–3

Precious Lord, You know the desires of my heart. In my confusion give me peace to know that You are in control of all life and You do not make mistakes. Amen.

God puts great salve on deep wounds.

This Can't Be Happening

Although your mind knows the facts, your heart is often reluctant to accept the death of someone you know and love.

“You may have a tendency to deny,” says Dr. H. Norman Wright. “Denial covers over the sharpness of the pain.”

Denial is a process that occurs during grieving to minimize the struggle. This is a natural and transitional part of your healing journey. Randy shares how he experienced denial after his sister died, but over time, he found that denial was impossible: “After the funeral I was basically in denial. I tried to dive into my work and forget about it. It’s taken a long time. Little things will remind me: things that she did, places she went to. Things like that will all of a sudden bring this very empty, hollow feeling inside me, where I can’t breathe. I feel like the air is just sucked out of me. It’s been five years, but trying to deny it or to ignore it is not possible.”

You may be tempted to “dive into” your work and fill your mind with anything but the truth of the situation. But the book of Proverbs tells us to be open to the truth and to pursue it:

Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. — Proverbs 23:23

Jesus, give me the courage to face the truth. With Your help I know I can do it. Amen.

Isolation

Sometimes you just want everyone to leave you alone. So you build a protective wall around yourself, not only to keep other people out, but also to guard against unwanted emotions. You may think you are playing it safe, but instead you are blocking out the healing.

“There are people who love you and want to pray for you and want to talk with you,” says Dr. Tim Clinton. “If you allow that to happen,

God puts great salve on deep wounds.”

Doesn’t that sound wonderful—a great salve on deep wounds? Jeremiah cried out to God for just such a thing and found Him to be faithful and true.

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people? — Jeremiah 8:22

‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LorD, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares’.

— Jeremiah 30:17

Faithful God, bring me out of my self-imposed isolation that I may be healed by the Balm of Gilead—Jesus Christ. Amen.

Suppression Can Lead to Explosion

Are you quelling your emotions within you and consciously keeping them at bay? Think about the amount of force and energy this involves. Your emotions may be packed in so tightly that the pressure could build up to the point of possible explosion.

“You can delay the grieving process by denying it or just not allowing yourself to cry or to face it,” says Dr. H. Norman Wright. “It’s like you put a lid on your life and on your emotions. It is a form of repression, and whenever you repress any of your feelings, you bury them alive. Someday there will be a resurrection, but you will not be in charge of it. It could come through depression. It could come out through explosiveness.”

In the midst of overwhelming emotional suffering and pressure, Jesus looked to God with determination.

And being in anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. — Luke 22:44

Holy God, may my resolve to release my emotional pressure and to seek You be as earnest as Jesus’ prayer. Amen.

Anger: Your Strongest Emotion

The Bible instructs you to be angry!

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. — Ephesians 4:26 NASB

Anger by itself is not a sin, and it is one of the most common emotions associated with grief.

“I went through that shock and denial period for about three months,” says Dora after the death of her daughter. “Then suddenly, as the shock wore off and the reality set in—anger. Intense anger. Just wanting to wail, to scream from the depths. There’s no way I could express as much anger as I was feeling.”

You need to release your anger in a way that is productive for healing and not harmful to others around you. To release your anger does not mean to lash out, to throw a fit, or to lose control of it; releasing your anger involves the open and honest expression of your emotions in a way that is physically, mentally, and emotionally freeing. You can do this by expressing your anger to God in prayer (don’t hold back!). You can release your anger in the presence of a person who will listen quietly and neither judge nor offer advice. Another healthy way to release anger is to write down every angry thought that comes to mind until you cannot think of another angry sentence to write. Some people find that expressing their anger out loud—and loudly—in a private place is helpful.

The fact that you should “not let the sun go down on your anger” means you should deal with it when it is present. Don’t go to sleep and forget it, only to have it come back in greater strength later.

Holy Spirit, grant me the freedom and opportunity to release my anger in a way that helps, not hurts. Amen.

Excerpted with permission from Through a Season of Grief by Bill Dunn and Kathy Leonard, copyright The Church Initiative, Inc.

My prayer for you in grief is that you will not isolate yourself but rather share the emotional pain and suffering that you are experiencing. May God provide one or more good listeners that will not judge or advise you, just allow you to vent and offer a hug or shoulder to cry on. Don’t deny your emotions or try to bottle them up. Allow them to flow that you might heal. God will always be with you, knows your circumstances and is preparing you to share His glory in eternity. Stand firm in your faith and trust in God, persevere through difficult emotional times and you will, by God’s grace, make it through each day!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 28, 2024

Notes of Faith January 28, 2024

I Miss My Son Today

That goes without saying, I suppose, since I miss him every day. But on this day, the pain is particularly sharp, the ache especially deep. I miss my friend and brother; I miss my protégé́. I miss the son of my youth, the delight of my heart. I miss seeing him and hugging him. I miss teaching him and learning from him. I miss the sound of his voice and the cackle of his laugh. I miss having a son at all. I just plain miss my Nick.

The time between now and when he went to Heaven has passed so quickly, yet so slowly. It often feels like it was just yesterday that we received the phone call, just yesterday that we endured the funeral, just yesterday that we watched the casket being lowered into the cold, dark ground. But at the same time, it feels like it was a lifetime ago. We were different people back then, a different family with different desires, different assumptions, a different understanding of life and death and the God who is sovereign over it all.

And just as the time between now and when Nick went to Heaven has passed both quickly and slowly, I expect that the time between now and when I go to Heaven will pass both quickly and slowly. This life is a dash, a blip, a vapor, yet just as truly a slog, a marathon, a long and wearying pilgrimage. I have begun to notice that while the brevity of life is best seen in retrospect, it’s the slowness of life that tends to be felt in the moment. It may be brief as we look back on it, but it’s long as we live it.

And it feels long today.

It looks long today.

It looks long as I gaze into the future and see a road laid out before me that may well lead through months, years, and decades. It looks longer still as I consider the heavy burden of grief God has called me to carry. I am confident I can carry a great weight for a short distance but far less confident that I can carry it for many miles or many years. I just don’t know how I will bear up under this sorrow if I have to carry it all the way to the end.

By His grace ... I can bear the burden of this day’s sorrow until night falls and my eyes close in rest.

My father was a landscaper, and he used to take me to work with him from time to time. I remember one day when he brought me with him to be an unskilled but low-cost source of manual labor. He showed me a skid of bricks that had been delivered to the end of a client’s driveway and then a walkway he was building to the front door. My job was to get the bricks from the first spot to the second. I remember gazing at that giant pile with despair. How could I, at twelve or thirteen years of age, possibly move what looked like a literal ton of bricks? I realized I would have to do it in the only way I could. Piece by piece, brick by brick, step by step, I carried each one to my father. He laid them as quickly as I could bring them to him until a perfect path led to the entrance of that beautiful home.

And just so, while God has called me to bear my grief for a lifetime, and to do so faithfully, He has not called me to bear the entire weight of it all at once. As the pile is made up of many bricks, a lifetime is made up of many days. The burden of a whole lifetime’s grief would be far too heavy to bear, and the challenge of a whole lifetime’s faithfulness far too daunting to consider. But the God who knows my frailty has broken down that assignment into little parts, little days, and has promised a grace that is sufficient for each one of them.

My challenge for today is not to bear the grief of a lifetime or to be faithful to the end, but only to carry today’s grief and only to be faithful on this one little day that He has spread out before me.

And I am confident that by His grace I can carry out today’s assignment. I am confident that I can bear the burden of this day’s sorrow until night falls and my eyes close in rest. I am confident that I can be faithful in today’s calling for as long as the day lasts. I don’t need to think about tomorrow or next week or next year. I don’t need the strength to carry the burdens of any other day or the resolve to remain faithful through any other circumstance. My God-given task began this morning and extends only until tonight. Then, when I awake again tomorrow with the dawning of a new day, I will awaken to new blessings, new strength, and new grace that will allow me to be strong and faithful through that day as well.

And in just that way — brick by brick, step by step, day by day — He will lead me, He will keep me, He will enable me to be strong and faithful in all that He calls me to. And as I serve my Father in the assignment He has given me, I know that each brick, each step, each day, is bringing me a little bit closer to the entrance of that great home He is preparing for me.

Excerpted with permission from Seasons of Sorrow by by Tim Challies, copyright Tim Challies.

I keep thinking of friends who have lost loved ones, mostly parents, sometimes a spouse or sibling, rarely a son or daughter, and yet here is one, and one of the greatest possibilities in life that I fear. Can I live with trust and grace when the course of events has taken that which my heart longs for. I pray for all of you that I know who have lost a loved one, no matter their relationship to you, the grief and loss is great. I pray for you to have the life of one who carries your burden one brick at a time until the day when you have to carry it no more. God loves you greatly and so do I.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 27, 2024

Notes of Faith January 27, 2024

Redemption in the Face of Tribulation

For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!

— Job 19:25-27

Despite the storms that rage against me, Lord God, I will not become embittered against You. Would that I respond to hardship like Job who refused to doubt Your goodness in the face of relentless tragedy and loss.

For I know that my Redeemer lives. You are my Redeemer. You transform the crude sketches in my life into priceless works of art. In Your time, You make all things beautiful (Ecclesiastes 3:11), including my life. Perform Your redemptive work — but give me Your strength to hold on until the end.

My heart’s desire is to be more like You. As gold is refined in the fire, purge me of the dross that tarnishes your character in me (Romans 5:1-4). I look forward to the day when I will be able to see the changes You have made in my life.

You see the big picture — the forest — while I can see only the trees.

Although I may not fully understand the reason why I’m in this situation, one thing I do know: You are good, and Your mercy endures forever (Psalm 106:1).

Therefore, I will not give up. I will not allow the hardships I face to dictate to me my emotions and responses. Lord, I rest myself in Your care. I trust You. You are in control, and You know what You’re doing.

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Because I cannot escape Your love, I also know I can go to You in prayer.

Magnifying the Lord

I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;

The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears. — Psalm 34:1-4 NKJV

This day, O God, I choose to bless Your name. I bless You because You are great, and Your greatness does not depend upon my circumstances. The problems of this world are mere child’s play in comparison to Your ability to overcome. So, I choose to focus on the Problem Solver rather than any problem. I will boast in You, O God, because nothing is impossible for You (Matthew 19:26). Only You can make the impossible possible.

I proclaim Your name, O Lord. I ascribe greatness to You, my God, for You are the Rock. Your work is perfect and all Your ways are just (Deuteronomy 32:3-4). For this reason, I place my trust in You with confidence. You are greater than my problems; greater than my sins; greater than my sickness; greater than those who oppose me; greater than the powers of darkness; greater than my own shortcomings; greater than the failings of Your people; greater than the powers of human government; greater than my limited conceptions of how big You really are. My God You are greater!

My power to overcome any situation comes only from You, because greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). My heart’s desire is that Your great name will be made known throughout the earth, beginning in my life.

I lift my arms in surrender to the One who reigns above the heavens and the earth. There is no power on earth greater than Yours. No love stronger. No wisdom deeper. You alone stand above the earth, but You have willingly chosen to also stand beside me.

The fact that You are great, yet You choose to reveal Yourself to me through Your Son, Jesus, through Your Word, and through Your Holy Spirit, drives me to my knees in gratitude. You didn’t have to reveal Yourself to me, but You did. Now may Your greatness be revealed in my life so that others may see Your glory as well (Ezekiel 38:23).

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Meditating on His Omnipotence and Omnipresence

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the LORD God Omnipotent reigns!” — Revelation 19:6 NKJV

Hallelujah! For the Lord God almighty reigns! The heavens and the earth are no match for Your awesome power and might. As You spoke through Your prophet Jeremiah,

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? — Jeremiah 32:27 NKJV

There is no mountain or battle too great that Your might cannot cast it into the deepest sea. Nothing is too hard for You.

Despite Your great power, I have nothing to fear. I revere Your great name, but I need not be afraid of You because Your love is as great as Your power.

Through Your Son, Jesus, Emmanuel, You are “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). Clothing Yourself in human flesh, You prove Your love and willingness to meet me at the point of my need. Jesus, You are God’s power and presence revealed. Only through You can I truly be freed from my bondage to sin.

God, where can I go to outrun Your love (Romans 8:35)? You have positioned Yourself right beside me, carrying me, encouraging me, believing in me. At the end of my rope, when I feel all alone, Your Word promises that You are with me (Hebrews 13:5) and that no one can snatch me from Your hand (John 10:28-29).

And because I cannot escape Your love, I also know I can go to You in prayer. You alone have the ability to answer my requests according to Your power and might.

Because You are all powerful, all present, all wise, and all loving, I can entrust the control of my life to You without fear of being unloved and uncared for. You have raised up Your people for the express purpose that You would show Your power in us, and that Your name would be declared in all the earth (Exodus 9:16). And so here I am Lord, willingly giving to You the praise and honor befitting only You.

Excerpted from Battle Prayers by Michael Klassen & Thomas Freiling, copyright Michael Klassen and Thomas Freiling.

There is nothing like knowing God, believing in God, trusting God, and serving God. Let us endeavor to wake up praising God for who He is, secure in the outcome of the day, that God’s love and care for us is for our good and His glory. May His mighty name be declared to the nations and His praise proclaimed for every tongue!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 26, 2024

Noes of Faith January 26, 2024

You Are Loved Constantly and Perfectly

I want you to experience the riches of your salvation: the Joy of being loved constantly and perfectly. You make a practice of judging yourself based on how you look or behave or feel. If you like what you see in the mirror, you feel a bit more worthy of My Love. When things are going smoothly and your performance seems adequate, you find it easier to believe you are My beloved child. When you feel discouraged, you tend to look inward so you can correct whatever is wrong.

Instead of trying to “fix” yourself, fix your gaze on Me, the Lover of your soul. Rather than using your energy to judge yourself, redirect it to praising Me. Remember that I see you clothed in My righteousness, radiant in My perfect Love.

In order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. — Ephesians 2:7–8

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. — Hebrews 3:1

Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. — Psalm 34:5

I am with you, watching over you constantly. I am Immanuel (God with you); My Presence enfolds you in radiant Love. Nothing, including the brightest blessings and the darkest trials, can separate you from Me. Some of My children find Me more readily during dark times, when difficulties force them to depend on Me. Others feel closer to Me when their lives are filled with good things. They respond with thanksgiving and praise, thus opening wide the door to My Presence.

I know precisely what you need to draw nearer to Me. Go through each day looking for what I have prepared for you. Accept every event as My hand-tailored provision for your needs. When you view your life this way, the most reasonable response is to be thankful. Do not reject any of My gifts; find Me in every situation.

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.” — Matthew 1:23

Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. — Psalm 34:5

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. — Colossians 2:6–7

Excerpted from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, copyright Sarah Young.

John 15:1-11

15 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

A joy-filled life is one lived abiding in Christ. Our minds must be focused on Christ and things that are godly, worthy, holy, and pure. This is not an easy task but will bring great joy to us and honor and glory to God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 25, 2024

Notes of Faith January 25, 2024

God’s Peace for When You are Missing a Loved one

Missing a loved one is a very lonely feeling.

The only thing to really resolve the ache of loneliness is to actually see the person you’re missing. But many times, it’s not that easy. You may miss your mother who passed away last year, your daughter studying abroad, or your husband on a long business trip. Even though it may not be an easily fixable situation, there is a longing in your heart that cannot be denied.

It’s a mixture of sadness, grief, discontentment, loneliness, and maybe even a bit of anxiety when you’re missing someone you love. When you miss someone, that void can’t truly be filled unless they are in your arms, hugging you. But that doesn’t answer the question of how you can get to sleep tonight, when you’re feeling their absence so tangibly.

The answer is simple, but it’s not simplistic. Call to God to fill your void.

He hears you, and He will come to your aid. It may not be in the way you want or expect. It won’t mean a certain loved one will come jetting back to you in the next twenty-four hours. It doesn’t mean that you won’t feel a palpable absence. But when you cry out to the Lord, He is quick to bring compassion and comfort. He will be your refuge, dear friend. He will console you in His perfect, timely, all-knowing way.

We can find comfort in the presence of our God — especially when we are troubled or missing a loved one.

In the Bible, 2 Corinthians 1:4 (NKJV) says that the God of all comfort “comforts us in all our tribulation.” Cling to that truth, dear sister or brother. Look for the Lord’s presence this evening. He can fill that empty, cavernous hole that feels so desperate. Pour out your heart to the Lord; He will sustain you in your most pain-filled moments. He will provide a light in the darkness; He is a reprieve in the pain, a provider to the weary, and a strength to the weak.

Trust in him at all times, O people; before him pour out your heart; God is a refuge for us. — Psalm 62:8 ESV

He will answer the prayers of the needy; he will not reject their prayers.

— Psalm 102:17 NCV

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. — Revelation 7:17 ESV

Dear Father, I miss ___________________________ so much right now. The ache I feel is almost unbearable and the void is so palpable. I know You will sustain me, and I ask You to come quickly to my aid, Lord Jesus. ease the pain I feel in my heart and wipe away my tears with Your loving hand.

Excerpted from God’s Peace for When You Can’t Sleep, copyright Thomas Nelson.

We have many in our church family who have a loved one who has gone before them to heaven and are facing this separation. All of us likely have someone in our mind that has been away from us causing anxiety and loneliness. May we trust the God of love and care to draw us close to Himself and meet our every need.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 24, 2024

Notes of Faith January 24, 2024

Open Mind, Open Heart

Elie Wiesel was a correspondent for a Jewish newspaper in Paris, France, in 1954. A decade earlier he was a prisoner in a Jewish concentration camp. A decade later he would be known as the author of Night, an account of the Holocaust. Eventually he’ll be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Nobel Peace Prize.

But tonight Elie Wiesel is a twenty-six-year-old unknown newspaper correspondent. He is about to interview the French author François Mauriac, who is a devout Christian. Mauriac is France’s most recent Nobel laureate for literature and an expert on French political life.

Wiesel shows up at Mauriac’s apartment, nervous and chain-smoking, his emotions still frayed from the German horror, his comfort as a writer still raw. The older Mauriac tries to put him at ease. He invites Wiesel in, and the two sit in the small room. Before Wiesel can ask a question, however, Mauriac, a staunch Roman Catholic, begins to speak about his favorite subject: Jesus. Wiesel grows uneasy. The name of Jesus is a pressed thumb on his infected wounds.

Wiesel tries to reroute the conversation but can’t. It is as though everything in creation leads back to Jesus. Jerusalem? Jerusalem is where Jesus ministered. The Old Testament? Because of Jesus, the Old is now enriched by the New. Mauriac turns every topic toward the Messiah. The anger in Wiesel begins to heat up. The Christian anti-Semitism he’d grown up with, the layers of grief from Sighet, Auschwitz, and Buchenwald — it all boils over. He puts away his pen, shuts his notebook, and stands up angrily.

“Sir,” he said to the still-seated Mauriac, “you speak of Christ. Christians love to speak of Him. The passion of Christ, the agony of Christ, the death of Christ. In your religion, that is all you speak of. Well, I want you to know that ten years ago, not very far from here, I knew Jewish children every one of whom suffered a thousand times more, six million times more, than Christ on the cross. And we don’t speak about them. Can you understand that, sir? We don’t speak about them.”1

Love is patient.

— 1 Corinthians 13:4

Mauriac is stunned. Wiesel turns and marches out the door. Mauriac sits in shock, his woolen blanket still around him. The young reporter is pressing the elevator button when Mauriac appears in the hall. He gently reaches for Wiesel’s arm. “Come back,” he implores. Wiesel agrees, and the two sit on the sofa. At this point Mauriac begins to weep. He looks at Wiesel but says nothing. Just tears.

Wiesel starts to apologize. Mauriac will have nothing of it. Instead he urges his young friend to talk. He wants to hear about it — the camps, the trains, the deaths. He asks Wiesel why he hasn’t put this to paper. Wiesel tells him the pain is too severe. He’s made a vow of silence. The older man tells him to break it and speak out.

The evening changed them both. The drama became the soil of a lifelong friendship. They corresponded until Mauriac’s death in 1970. Mauriac even dedicated a book on Jesus to him: “To Elie Wiesel, who was a crucified Jewish child.”

“I owe François Mauriac my career,” Wiesel said, and it was to Mauriac that Wiesel sent the first manuscript of Night.2

What if Mauriac had kept the door shut? Would anyone have blamed him? Cut by the sharp words of Wiesel, he could have become impatient with the angry young man and have been glad to be rid of him. But he didn’t and he wasn’t. He reacted decisively, quickly, and lovingly. He was “slow to boil.” And because he was, a heart began to heal.

May I urge you to do the same?

“God is being patient with you” (2 Peter 3:9 ICB). And if God is being patient with you, can’t you pass on some patience to others? Of course you can. Because before love is anything else, love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4).

Excerpted from Stories for Your Soul by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

I just spoke to a Messianic Jewish friend yesterday who changed my life and spiritual understanding by sharing the history of his family and the pain and suffering caused by “Christian” anti-Semitism. I am grateful for his patience in my ignorance and my impatience and lack of understanding. Let us pray for grace to be patient with others and let God draw them to Himself in His time.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 23, 2024

Notes of Faith January 23, 2024

The Win-Win Principle: Be Sensitive

Sensitivity is essential in the building of worth-while relationships.

When Paul said to Philemon, “Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting” (Philemon v. 8), he was essentially saying, “I could be bold and order you do the right thing.” But this people person was sensitive to the fact that people do not like to be bullied through coercion or compulsion. The best way to win them is through consideration and cooperation. Paul could have played the win-lose game, but he resisted that temptation. His desire was that all three of these men would emerge as winners when all was said and done.

Instead of being sensitive in relationships, there are some who like to give orders and make other people squirm. Some are foolish enough to think they win by taking this approach. The easy thing for Paul to do with Philemon was to call in his chips and order Philemon to do what he ought to do. But Paul resisted. There was no hint of a command. In fact, he appealed to Philemon on the basis of love and with a high degree of sensitivity, saying,

For love’s sake I rather appeal to you. — Philemon v. 9

Any other approach would have caused guilt or a grudge, with a damaging result to all three of the relationships.

When sensitivity becomes a lost word in our relational vocabulary, we have eyes for our side of the issue only.

Paul was extremely sensitive to Philemon here. His goal was a long-term, continuous relationship with his trusted friend. Consequently, he was sensitive enough to realize that if he muscled and maneuvered his way into this breach, both Philemon and Onesimus would end up losing in the end.

Sensitivity is essential in the building of worth-while relationships.

The fact that Paul reminded Philemon that he could pull rank in the issue was not lost in his sensitivity to the delicate matter, which he would soon broach — that being, to receive Onesimus back, and not as just a servant but as a “beloved brother” (v. 16).

Paul had already encouraged Onesimus, the offending party, to do what he ought to do. This meant to face up to his wrong and go back to Philemon in a spirit of general remorse and repentance, making restitution and asking for forgiveness. Next, Paul turned to Philemon, the offended party, encouraging him to do what he ought to do. This meant to forgive and receive the repentant Onesimus “no longer as a slave but more than a slave — a beloved brother” (v. 16).

How many relational breaches would be resolved if we would simply do what we ought to do? At home. In the office. In our social circles. The first step in developing relationships in which everyone involved ends up winning is to be sensitive, to walk in the other person’s shoes for a while.

Some people live a lifetime with few long-term, lasting interpersonal relationships because of their desire to control and command others on their own terms. The lack of any semblance of sensitivity to the others’ feelings and needs is too often prevalent for many of us.

If you are in a relationship with someone who always has to be in control, who issues commands with no sensitivity to your own needs, you are headed for trouble, no matter how much you continue to live in denial.

The first step in paving the way for win-win relationships that are genuinely, mutually beneficial is to be sensitive. It may take two to tango, but often in relationships one person doing what he or she ought to do — being sensitive to the other’s needs — can start a new beginning in which everyone ends up on the winning team.

Be sensitive.

Excerpted from The Connection Code by O. S. Hawkins, copyright Dr. O. S. Hawkins.

This goes against our fallen nature. We are sensitive to ourselves and want what is best for number one. But, being a follower of Christ compels us to be sensitive toward others, to consider others more important, to be humble and love and respect others. This is a Christ-like way to lead. May we continue to pursue the call of God on our lives through Jesus Christ.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 22, 2024

Notes of Faith January 22, 2024

Devotionals Daily - Make every day a better day… when you start with the Lord!

How to Master the Bible So Well That the Bible Masters You

Today's inspiration comes from:

30 Days to Understanding the Bible

by Max Anders

There is a very close connection between God and His Word.

Jesus Himself is called the Word of God (John 1:1, John 1:14; Revelation 19:13). To know God, you must know His Word; to honor God, you must honor His Word; to be in touch with God, you must be in touch with His Word. Mighty promises are given to those who master the Bible so well that the Bible masters them.

We are promised spiritual stability, fruitfulness, and true prosperity as we meditate on His Word day and night (Psalm 1:1-3).

When the words of Jesus abide in us, our desires will be given to us, according to God’s will (John 15:7).

Meditating on God’s Word leads to prosperity and success in our endeavors (Joshua 1:8).

We will have more wisdom than our enemies, more insight than our teachers, and more understanding than the aged (Psalm 119:97-100).

We will have greater power over sin (Psalm 119:11).

We will have comfort in affliction (Psalm 119:50).

By drawing near to God, we have His promise that He will draw near to us (James 4:8).

These astonishing observations, these magnificent claims, these profound promises — they help us to realize how important the Bible is, and what remarkable potential we bring to our lives when we become serious students of Scripture. That’s why it’s so important that we commit ourselves to mastering the Bible so well that the Bible masters us.

There are four steps to mastering the Bible so well that the Bible masters you:

Read the Bible

Study the Bible

Memorize the Bible

Meditate on the Bible

Seems simple. Obvious, even, for those who have been Christians for a while. Yet very few people take all four steps. Many take one step. Some take two steps. A few take three steps. Very few take all four steps. As a result, very few people ever experience the full life transformation, the fellowship with God, the spiritual stability and strength, the power in ministry, the joy in worship, and the spiritual prosperity that the Bible promises to those who master it so well that it masters them.

READ THE BIBLE FOR BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

To begin a mastery of the Bible, you must read the Bible. This may seem self-evident to some, but to others who have never developed the habit, it is groundbreaking. Some Christians do not read the Bible, or they only read snippets that are attached to daily devotionals. This will not get you where you want to go. You must begin to read the Bible widely.

It is only by covering a lot of territory in Scripture that you gain a breadth of knowledge. If you never read the Old Testament, you will never have a general knowledge of it. If you only read the Gospels, or the Epistles, you will never have a basic grasp of the other sections of the Bible. As a result, your life will be untouched by important truth, plus your ability to connect the dots from various different Scripture passages — a critical component of a mature Christian experience — will be limited.

The New Testament tells us that many stories in the Old Testament were “written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). If we never read those Old Testament stories, we will never gain the insight, the power, or the freedom that become ours when we do.

The good news is that there is a simple way to read for breadth of knowledge. If you read the Bible for five minutes a day, you will read the Bible over thirty hours a year! (5 minutes × 365 days = 1,825 minutes divided by 60 minutes per hour = 30.4 hours!)

Think of it!! Thirty hours a year! Perhaps no other discipline will provide a breadth of Bible knowledge more easily. If you want to master the Word so well that the Word masters you, begin by reading it.

Very early in my Christian experience, I was challenged to read the Bible at least five minutes a day. I took that challenge, and have not missed my daily time in God’s Word in over forty years. As a result, I have read the Bible for a couple thousand hours! And it was all done at the manageable pace of five minutes a day. There is no easier way I could have gained and maintained the breadth of knowledge of Scripture than by taking this simple step. I urge you to take this first step, too.

Mighty promises are given to those who master the Bible so well that the Bible masters them.

Pick a readable translation.

To begin with, pick a translation that is easy for you to read. Many Christians have a New International Version of the Bible, which is a fairly readable translation. I study out of the New American Standard Bible, which is a good study Bible because the translation is very literal. However, for those times of just reading for the story and flow, and breadth of knowledge, I have found that more conversational translations sometimes allow the Bible to come alive in a way that the NASB does not. I experimented for years with more conversational Bibles and, frankly, was disappointed with them for two reasons. First, they often interpret unclear passages for you to make it more readable, and I didn’t always agree with the translators’ interpretation. Second, in their attempt to be conversational, they often dumb down the language so that it is unsatisfying to read.

However, I have found The New Living Translation to be an effective reading Bible. This version began as a paraphrase that author and publisher Ken Taylor wrote to help his young children understand the Bible better. In a paraphrase, you start with an English Bible and reword it to make it easier to understand. But in 1995, Taylor commissioned a team of translation experts to go back to the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts and change whatever needed to be changed in order to bring the version up to the level of a translation. In my opinion, they did a commendable job.

All Bible versions have strengths and weaknesses. More literal translations have the strength of being closer to the original languages but the weakness of sometimes being more difficult to understand. More conversational translations are often easier to understand, but sometimes that clarity comes at the expense of accuracy, especially when a difficult passage may have two possible meanings in the original language.

For those reasons, I prefer having both a more literal translation for studying and a more conversational translation for reading. This way, I can compare both translations to gain a fuller understanding.

Pick a time to read.

I read before I go to sleep. By experimentation, I learned that I could always carve out five minutes before I go to sleep. But when I tried to read in the morning, sometimes I would get too busy and forget, and I would end up having to read in the evening, so I just switched to reading in the evening.

I found that I can always stay up an extra five minutes to read. No matter how late it is, another five minutes is not going to make or break my evening’s rest. There have been times I have been so tired I had to read standing up so I wouldn’t fall asleep, but I did it. I have been accused of being legalistic. I’m not. I’m being realistic and disciplined. I’ve learned that if I give myself an excuse one day, I am likely to give myself an excuse another day and another day. So, I have just not given myself an excuse. And more than two thousand hours of reading the Bible later, with a breadth of knowledge of Scripture I could never have gained or maintained any other way, I am glad I haven’t.

Others find that they must read first thing in the morning. It really doesn’t matter when you read. The bottom line is: read when it is best for you.

Read for understanding.

This was a recommendation given to me by the man who led me to the Lord. He said, “When you read, don’t get bogged down by anything you don’t understand. Just skip over it, and read for the things you do understand… and underline everything that seems especially important.” This counsel was extremely valuable to me, and it set me on a course of Bible-knowledge acquisition I’m not sure I would have taken any other way. Without that advice, whenever I would come to something in the text I didn’t understand, I would grind to a halt, or be forced to stop reading and start studying, both of which destroyed the original intent.

Read with a plan.

Many people are motivated by the goal of reading through the Bible in a year. I think it is something that everyone might want to do at least once, just to know that one has read the entire Bible. However, it is not an easy task, and many who start the project do not complete it. You might set a goal of reading through the Bible without committing to having to do it in a year. Just read five minutes a day, and let it take however long it takes to get through the entire Bible. Other reading plans can be found online.

If the Bible is new to you, I recommend what my mentor recommended to me when I first became a Christian. Read the Gospel of John six times in a row, not worrying about what you don’t understand but underlining everything that seems especially important. Then you might read the rest of the Gospels and then the New Testament. After that, you might read the first seventeen books of the Old Testament, known as the historical books. Or, there are eleven primary historical books that you might start with: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Those are the eleven books that tell the story of the Old Testament. The other Old Testament books give additional information, but do not advance the Old Testament story significantly. Then, reading Psalms and Proverbs is always a profitable experience.

On the other hand, if you are a more seasoned Christian and are generally familiar with the Bible, read what is interesting to you in your current circumstances… but be open to stretching yourself into other territory from time to time, remembering the importance of reading for breadth of knowledge.

STUDY THE BIBLE FOR DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

Few of us can gain a depth of knowledge without sitting under skilled teachers. So, for most people, they must sit under effective preaching from the Bible and be involved in a Bible study taught by an effective teacher. For maximum benefit, Bible study must have assignments that get you studying and interacting with the Bible on your own. To gain a depth of knowledge, you cannot be passive. You must become active in the process of deepening your knowledge. Crawl before you walk, and walk before you run, but this should be your goal. That is the only way you will progress to a depth of knowledge.

If this is new to you, begin by attending a church that is committed to teaching the Bible, not only from the pulpit during sermons, but also in small groups or Sunday school classes. You might also find helpful information in Christian bookstores or online. More seasoned Christians might be able to give you helpful suggestions as well. If you are an avid reader, there is a wealth of knowledge available to you as well through good books available online or at Christian bookstores.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders, copyright Max Anders.

My great desire for our congregation since I started was for each person to spend more time in the Word. It is alive and powerful and changes lives. Do you have a designated time and space to be still and know God? If not, there is no better time to start than right now!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith January 21, 2024

Notes of Faith January 21, 2024

Bringing Out the Best in Those We Bless

We want to bless the ones we love…. but sometimes we lack the knowledge or skills. After more than a million copies sold, the John Trent and Gary Smalley’s classic The Blessing is newly revised and is a great tool for everyone to learn the gift of blessing others.

Picturing a special future for a child, spouse, or friend can help bring out the best in their life. It gives that person a positive direction to strive toward and surrounds them with hope. We can see this very thing in our relationship with the Lord. Listen to the beautiful way the prophet Jeremiah assures us of the special future we have in our relationship with God:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. — Jeremiah 29:11

Jesus also went to great lengths to assure His insecure disciples that they had a special future with Him. During their last Passover meal together, Jesus made sure they knew their future together would not end at His death.

In My Father’s house are many mansions, He told them, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. — John 14:2–3

Time and time again in the Bible, God gives us a picture of our special future with Him. However, His written Word is not the only way God communicates this message to us. Scattered throughout nature are a number of physical pictures of spiritual truths, pictures that illustrate the importance of providing a special future for the ones we love.

Anyone who has ever watched a caterpillar emerge from its cocoon as a butterfly has seen such a picture. The caterpillar is probably not on anyone’s list of the world’s “ten most beautiful creatures.” Yet a caterpillar has the potential to be transformed into a list-topping, beautiful butterfly. What does this have to do with the Blessing? Words that picture a special future for a child, spouse, or friend can act as agents of this kind of transformation in that individual’s life.

Words really do have that kind of transforming power. The apostle Paul certainly thought so. The actual term for the trans- formation of a caterpillar to a butterfly is metamorphosis, based on a Greek word. Paul used this same Greek word in the book of Romans. He was aware that the world had tremendous power to squeeze and mold the saints in Rome into a godless image. To counter this, he told these young believers,

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. — Romans 12:2

What does it mean to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind”? One excellent New Testament commentator explains the concept this way: “Since men are transformed by the action of the mind, transformed by what they think, how important to have the organ of thought renewed!”1 In other words, godly thoughts and thinking patterns have the ability to transform us into godly men or women rather than leaving us to be squeezed into the imperfect mold of the world. Let’s see how this works with regard to the Blessing.

Children are filled with the potential to be all God intended them to be. It is as if the Lord places them on our doorstep one day, and we as parents are left as stewards of their abilities. During the years we have children in our homes, the words we speak to them can wrap around them like a cocoon. What we say can shape and develop them in a positive way.

Words that picture a special future for a child, spouse, or friend can act as agents of this kind of transformation in that individual’s life.

Let’s look at another important picture in nature that mirrors what happens when we bless our children with words of a special future. This picture, explained to me by my twin brother, Jeff, a doctor in the field of cancer research, is found in something that happens in every cell in our bodies.2

Imagine a typical cell in your body by thinking of a circle. Attached to the outside of this circle are a number of receptor points. You could picture these receptor points as little squares that almost look like gears on a wheel. To make things easier to under- stand, picture these receptor sites as little square people.

Floating around near the cell are hormones and enzymes.

Think of them as Harry Hormone and Ethyl Enzyme, who would each love to shake hands with (or activate) these little receptor people. And while a great number of these hormones and enzymes have the ability to connect with a receptor site, some have a special ability to stimulate a cell’s activity and cause it to work harder.

You can picture this special ability as someone coming up to you and shaking your hand up and down so vigorously that your whole body shakes and you feel energized. In fact, your neighbors start shaking and feel energized too. Such stimulation by hormones and enzymes, which causes the receptor sites to work harder, is called positive cooperativity.

But other hormones and enzymes act in a negative way when they shake hands with a receptor site. This is negative cooperativity. Have you ever had your hand squeezed so hard that you almost crumpled over in pain? That’s the kind of thing that happens when these hormones and enzymes grab hold of a receptor site. In fact, not only does this one receptor site shut down and stop working because its “hand” is being squeezed, but all the receptor sites around it stop too.

And this applies to the Blessing... how?

Words that picture a special future for a child act like positive hormones that attach themselves to a cell. They stimulate all kinds of positive feelings and decisions within a child that can help them grow and develop. Words of a special future can inspire a child to work on a particular talent, have the confidence to try out for a school office, or even share their faith with other children.

But just like the negative hormones that shut down cell activity, a critical, negative picture of the future can crush or pinch off healthy growth in a child. Emotional, physical, and even spiritual growth in a child can be stunted because of the stifling effect of a negative picture of the future.

Jay Stifler, The Epistle to the Romans (Chicago: Moody Press, 1983), 119.

We would like to extend our special thanks to Dr. Jeffrey M. Trent, associate professor of medicine, University of Arizona, for putting this example into “everyday English” for us.

Excerpted from The Power of the Blessing by John Trent, Gary Smalley, and Kari Trent Stageberg, copyright John Trent and Kari Trent Stageberg.

We would experience a blessed life if we were a positive infuser into the lives of those around us. It is hard work to be that kind of influence all the time but being a negative infuser causes us and the world around us to be bleak and miserable. Let us seek to be positive and healthy infusers with truth and grace and bless the world around us!

Pastor Dale