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Archive for the ‘Community’ Category

Go Make a Difference

Posted in Church, Community, Hope, Missions on March 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

If you read the headlines today, you will see things like “nuclear armament,” “solar storm,” and “severe drought.”  It would be easy to pick up a paper or surf the web this morning and become very overwhelmed with all the problems we face.

Personally you have a lot on your plate – activities with the family, more work than you can do, church activities, civic duties and somewhere in there finding time to take care of yourself.

Then add to that all the need you see around you.  It would be possible to spend every waking minute caring for others who are struggling if that is what we chose to do.  We sit in the midst of one of the worst recessions of our lifetime.  People’s lives have been destroyed as a result.  And people are running scared.

It is easy to become overwhelmed with life.

The typical response when we feel overwhelmed is to retreat.  We desire to get away from the pain.  We resolve that things are just too bad – too hard – there is nothing that can be done.  And so that is what we do – nothing.  We allow ourselves to be pushed into indifference.

But today, I want to remind us that God is still on the throne and still in control.

Today, you might not be able to change the world but you can impact your little corner.  It is a choice.  It is a commitment.  It is what it means to be salt and light.

Go be make a difference today.

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How Will They Know?

Posted in Community, Hope, Missions on February 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »

As believers, we should understand that we have something that others are missing.  That should not make us proud – it doesn’t make us better than anyone else.  In fact, it makes us obligated.

We are obligated to share what we know.  We are mandated to spread love and truth and hope everywhere we go.

Paul wrote to us in Romans about this very fact.  He asked how anyone would know about Jesus unless we tell them.  You can read it here.

The question I have for you today is a little more personal.  Could the person standing behind you at the store today tell that you are a believer?

Something to think about.

Be a blessing today.

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Where Do You Put Your Faith?

Posted in Church, Community, Formation on February 7, 2012| 2 Comments »

Last week I started the post on Tuesday as Tuesday Faith Check (you can link to that post here).  In keeping with that idea, I have a question for you:  Where do you put your faith?

Here is what I mean by that question.  Often times, with good intentions, we begin to put our faith in the system and not in the person.  And this is not a new problem.  Case in point, my scripture reading this morning was from the Gospel of Mark.  As this story unfolds, Jesus has a run-in with a group of Pharisees and scribes who have a real problem with the disciples not washing their hands before a meal.  You can read the story here.

Now, on the surface, we might say that the Pharisees made a good point.  It is a good idea to wash your hands before you eat.  It’s just a sanitary thing to do.  But when you dig down to what was really going on in the story, the words the Pharisees were using were religious terms.  They were complaining that the disciples were eating with “defiled” hands and not paying attention to the “traditions” of the elders.

What was meant, many, many years before as a good thing – a common sense thing – washing your hands before a meal, had become a ritual.

There was an entire book written to interpret the Bible.  This book, the Midrash, was an attempt to explain the law and develop practical systems for keeping the law.

Again, not a bad idea to have some practical steps for keeping the law.  But what was meant as an aid, became the new “law.”  In the story from Mark, Jesus explained to the Pharisees that they had forgotten the law and had become focused on the tradition.  Over time, their faith had been moved from what God intended to what man had created.

So back to our question for today, Where do you put your faith?  Is it in Jesus and his teaching?  Or do you put your faith in the traditions we have created?  Is following Jesus about a set of rules?  Or is it about a relationship?

Now that you are thinking about this, I need your help.  I am planning on developing this thought into a sermon.  I would love some feedback from you that might just make it into the sermon.

Take a few minutes and respond to this question:

What are some ways today that we in the church have taken our focus off of what God intends and put our faith in the traditions we have created?

You can reply here or send me an email at bhill33@me.com.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Be blessed today!

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What Would the World Be Like If . . .?

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on January 23, 2012| 2 Comments »

In preparing for our devotional time last night, I ran across a quote from Lion and Lamb, by Brennan Manning.  He said,

What distinguishes the Christians whose faith is deep, burning, powerful, and luminous is . . . seriousness.  Seriousness is not the opposite of joy but of superficiality.

He then went on to use Francis of Assisi as an example saying that he was fun-loving, light hearted and whimsical.  But that was only a part of his character.  He was also committed to a “relentless search for truth and reality.”

And then he made this statement about Francis of Assisi.  He said Francis was a “Jesus-haunted man who gave up all to obtain all.”

Jesus-haunted.  I don’t guess I have ever thought of it that way.  I interpret this idea as being unable to rest in our pursuit of Jesus – pressing ever forward toward knowing him more fully and deeply and living out of that increasing knowledge and growing relationship.

I have been challenging our 1st B family to be the church outside the walls.  Yesterday, I made the point that our community would forever be impacted if each family member were completely tuned in to the same unified focus of becoming more like Jesus.

So often, our biggest problem is superficiality – we don’t take the whole “Christian thing” seriously.  I can’t even imagine all the ramifications of what our world would look like if we all lived a sold-out existence for Jesus.  Can you?

I challenge you to dream with me.  What would it be like?

I would love to hear your thoughts.  Please take the time to comment here or on Facebook or even email me at bhill33@me.com.

Let’s put our heads together and dream of a world in which Jesus followers were sold out for Him.

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Make an Investment

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on January 16, 2012| 2 Comments »

I had an idea of what I was going to ramble on about today.  I had to leave the house early to head to Lubbock and I left early on purpose in order to have time to stop by my new favorite coffee shop.  As I drove, the sun was just beginning to come up and the sky lit up with an explosion of orange and purple.  It was breath taking.  I took some pictures with my phone thinking I would talk about the beauty of God’s creation.

Then I arrived at J & B Coffee and all of my plans changed.  As I ordered my house coffee, I surveyed the room to find a place to plant and write.  I noticed a group of people around a table but really didn’t pay any attention to what they were doing.  My coffee in hand, I headed to the doctor bar (the place where I take the perfectly good coffee and add things to it so that I can actually drink it – yes – I am a wimp).  As I stood there adding half and half and a Splenda, I noticed the group more closely.  It was made up of 5 people – two young ladies in their 20’s and two young men about the same age.  But in the middle was a man in his 70’s.  Being a little intrigued, I looked more closely.  I thought maybe that this was a study group – J & B is just a few blocks off the Texas Tech campus.  But as I observed, I realized that each of the people around the table had their Bibles open.  What a refreshing sight!

As a pastor, I wanted to go over and make a fuss about how great it is to see folks gathered for Bible study in a public place.  Or how cool it is to see people up early to spend time together in God’s word.  But I decided to take a seat across the room and just watch and write this little post.  As I sat and watched – and even tried to listen in just a bit, the picture that overwhelmed me was a 70 year old man investing in the eternity of 4 young adults.  As he led the discussion, his eyes were on fire with passion for God’s word.  Even though I could not hear what he was saying over the Indie music being piped in through the sound system, I could see the compassion and love in his face.

It was a humbling and beautiful sight – even better than the sunrise today!

I was inspired to renew my commitment to invest myself in others.

Who will you invest in today?

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Where Do You Encounter God?

Posted in Community, Formation, Grace, Hope on January 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Where do you encounter God?  Is it at church?  When you are there, do you sense God’s real presence?

Or maybe you encounter God when you witness a breath taking sunrise.  The colors and magnificence scream of an amazing God.

Maybe for you, God can be found in the face of a child – their eyes filled with trust and innocence.

Honestly, I encounter God in each of these ways – and others as well.

But what about in the face of the homeless person you see at the corner with his sign that reads, “Homeless – Please Help.”  Do we encounter God there?

I must admit, I have allowed myself to become callous to the scene.  I have allowed my busy schedule and my own needs to blind me – to block those folks from my vision (at least much of the time).

But I can’t get around this passage in my mind.  Jesus told us that we can encounter God in the hungry and in the hurting.

Today, I will not look past or see through the suffering.  Today, I will look for Jesus in everyone.

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Seeing With God’s Eyes

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on January 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I was reading an article written by a pastor in the early 1900’s last night.  The title of the article by Percy Ainsworth is The Wilderness and the Sunrise.  The overall theme of the article is the hope we have in Jesus.

One of the statements Ainsworth made in the article has set me to thinking and reflecting on my approach to people.  Here is what he said:

Jesus knew more about the sinfulness of the world than anyone else could ever know, and yet he never seemed to be expecting to find sin in human hearts.  He was always looking for something good.

Let that thought wash over you for a few minutes.

Jesus, who knows everything about you – he not only knows your actions, he knows your thoughts, your motives and your attitudes.  He sees what is in your heart.  And yet, when he looks at you – he looks for the good.

What a thought!

That should bring you hope today.  That should motivate you to look for the good in others as well.

For me, I have been challenged to strive, with God’s help, to really look at the people God puts in my path today.  I want to look past what the outward appearance presents to the good in each person.

Isn’t it possible that we could find something positive and good in each and every person we find standing in front of us today?  That is seeing people with God’s eyes.

Those are the eyes I want.

Be blessed!

 

 

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Who Is Thankful For You?

Posted in Community, Formation on January 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Last week I read a question that I have not been able to get out of my head all week.  This was the question:  “Who will praise God for you in 2012?”

I guess I don’t think much about other people praising God for me.  But as I have pondered this question, I have reached the conclusion that I truly hope someone could praise God for me during the coming year.  That would assume that I had followed God’s leadership in serving someone else in some capacity which would result in them stopping to praise God for me.  I hope that my life and actions will impact someone in a positive way in 2012.

But I also realize that it won’t just happen.  I must make it a priority to connect with others.  Each day I must look for opportunities to make a difference.  I firmly believe that God will provide those opportunities.  The key is for me to be sensitive and aware when these divine appointments occur and then be willing to seize the moment.

Are you with me?  Will you join me in making others a priority in your life?

Who will praise God for you in 2012?  Who will thank God for you today?

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Make a Difference – – Today!

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on December 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I subscribe to several blogs and news sites by email.  So each morning, my inbox is overflowing with information begging to be read.

This morning, the subject line of one of the emails was simply – “Make a Difference.”  I clicked on it to see where this subject line might take me and it was a plea for donations to an online news site.  It is a worthy cause I know but the subject line is what has kept my mind churning this morning.

One of my foundational goals in life is to make a difference.  I want my life to count for something.

But as I have thought about these three simple words, I have been reminded that while I do want my life to matter – that tends to be a broad, “some day” idea.

The reality is, having our lives count for something will take making a difference in small (and occasionally big) ways on a daily basis.  So maybe, my motto for each day should be “Make a Difference – Today.”

How about you?  Care to join me in making a difference today?

Be a blessing!

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Remembering at Christmas Time

Posted in Community, Hope on December 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I have a confession to make – – it is December 7 and we still don’t have our Christmas tree up at our house.  I realize this would be a travesty in some homes and I am feeling the guilt even as I write this.  Tomorrow night will be the first time we have been home as a family in the evening since Thanksgiving so I hope to at least begin the process then.

As I think about the whole “putting up the tree” event, I have to admit, the part I dislike the most is putting the lights on the tree – wrapping each branch individually – it gives me  a stomach ache just thinking about it.

But I can say with all honesty, the best part of decorating the tree is getting the ornaments out and hanging them.  Why?  Because just about each and every one has a story or special meaning.  Most are tied to each of our kids.  So as we go through the ornaments, we see each child’s first Christmas.  We see ornaments that each of the boys has made either in school or at church.  It makes the tree special!

Last night, I had a very moving and unique opportunity to be part of a wonderful Christmas tradition that one of the funeral homes does each year here in Littlefield.  They call it the Service of Remembrance.  It is a time for families who have lost loved ones over the past year to come and remember.  A part of that service is a reading of the names of all who have passed this past year.  And each name has an ornament which is then hung on the tree in remembrance of the person.

It was truly a moving experience.  So often, holidays are difficult for those who have lost loved ones recently.

If that is you today, don’t fight the feelings but don’t focus on the loss.  Today, focus on the gain.  Focus on what an impact your loved one has made on your life.  You are a better person because of them and, as believers, we will see them again some day.

Be blessed today.

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