Faith – Page 9 – Chad Stutzman

July 19, 2013

4 Ways To Growing Your Faith

This week I met with my older brother Brian for lunch. We don’t get to spend much time together anymore so it was nice to meet with him and talk about what is going on in his life. He is facing some big life-changing things like starting his own business, being an empty nester and getting involved in ministry at his church.

As we talked, I could see and hear how much God has been working in his life. He has grown more in the last two months than he had for the last several years. God really has gotten a hold of him and he is following God with all his heart. As I heard him talk about how close he felt to God I got to thinking about how many people aren’t experiencing that kind of relationship with God. Brian includes God in every decision and won’t make a move without hearing from God. He works hard at what he knows he should be doing and waits on God for things he is unsure of.

So here are a few keys I learned from Brian to growing our faith:

Listen – Most people are busy and we run from one thing to the other. We can fill our lives with all kinds of activities that distract us from listening to God. Brian’s new journey started while on vacation away from the distractions of life. Say no to some things so you can slow down and listen more and run less. Maybe its time for a short retreat to listen to God.
Read – Even if your not much of a reader, this is a key to growing spiritually. Most people don’t use much of the brain God gave them. I know I don’t. Reading the Bible and books about God, christian living, relationships and even leadership will stretch your mind and help you to grow. Brian told me he has read more in the last two months than he had in the last 10 years. He said his mind has been opened up and he is able to learn and grow like never before. Make a goal of reading a book of the Bible and another book on faith within the next two months. Reading feeds your mind and is one way to hear from God.
Pray – That may sound simple, yet many of us don’t take the time to pray. When we do its a quick thought or running through a list of items we need help with. What I am talking about is having a real conversation with God. Pouring out your heart and opening yourself up to what God wants to do in you. Start to pray out loud even when you are alone. Brian has gone on prayer walks and spends time throughout the day in conversation with God. Make it a practice to praise and thank God every day, confess anything that needs confessed, pray for people that God brings to your mind. Also pray for God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and for wisdom, courage and strength to do His will. You might even consider fasting and praying. Maybe you should get on your knees or even bow down on your face and pray & listen.
Do – It is great to read, study, learn and pray, yet if you don’t do something you will not change. Brian got involved in his church. He volunteered for the prayer ministry and quickly began leading that ministry. This helped him put into practice what God started in private. He started praying for people and God started using him to impact peoples lives. He did some things that made him uncomfortable and stretched him, and God used it to change him and the people around him. When you listen, read and pray God directs you in what to do. God will give you opportunities to influence other people, serve other people, encourage other people and even heal other people.

Lead On

May 23, 2013

Thoughts on Prayer

I have been reading a couple of books on the subject of prayer. Both are very good, one is an older book originally written in 1937 by Oswald Chambers called “If You Will Ask”. I am reading the 1989 edition. I am also reading a new devotional book by Mark Batterson called “Draw the Circle”. Both have inspired me and challenged me. I find myself praying differently, more often and more boldly. There are so many take-aways I could share, but I want to focus on one part of Chambers book entitled The Submission of Life.

He starts the chapter with this: “We are not built for ourselves, but for God. Not for service for God, but for God. That explains the submission of life.” Submission is one of the most difficult things to do and yet one of the most powerful things we can do. It seems odd that submission is powerful, but with true submission comes peace, unity and rightness with God. Chambers goes on to say this: “God is not concerned about our aims. He does not say, “Do you want to go through this bereavement, this upset?” He allows these things for his purpose. We may say what we like, but God does allow the devil, He does allow sin, He does allow bad men to triumph and tyrants to rule, and these things either make us fiends or they make us saints. It depends entirely on our relationship with God. If we say, “Your will be done,” we get the tremendous consolation of knowing that our Father is working everything according to His own wisdom. If we understand what God is after, we shall be saved from being mean and cynical.”

God isn’t checking in with us to see if his plan is ok. God sees all things and knows all things, therefore he knows what is best and how to work all things for good. When we fully submit to his will we can stop worrying about everything in the world around us and focus on how we are responding to the things in our lives. We can look to what God wants to do in us. Listen to what else Chambers says:

“The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, nobler men and women, or they are making us more captious, more insistent on our own way. We are either getting more like our Father in heaven, or we are getting more mean and intensely selfish. How are we behaving ourselves in our circumstances? Do we understand the purpose of our life as never before? God does not exist to answer our prayers, but by our prayers we come to discern the mind of God, and that is declared in John 17:22 “That they may be one just as We are one.” Am I as close to Jesus as that? God will not leave me alone until I am.”

When I read that I said Wow outloud. Prayer is really about getting to know God, becoming more intimate with him and understanding his heart. The more we pray the more we change. God wants to be one with us, but that can only happen if we submit to His will and His ways. The more time spent in prayer the more clear our purpose in life becomes. What would happen if we would start praying for God’s will to be done in our lives, for us to become one with Him and see as He sees and think as He thinks. What would happen if we would do what He says and be obedient to His will. God’s will is that we become one with Him as Jesus was one with Him. To become more like Him in all our ways.

April 25, 2013

How People Change

I have been studying a workbook called “How People Change” by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp with a group of people. This is the material we use to prepare mentors for ministry at NewPointe Community Church. The material is great but the conversations we have is even better. We finished up last night and everyone in the group agreed they had grown a lot and experienced a sense of community with the other people.

Here are some quotes that really stood out in this last session:

“God does more than deliver us from the Heat (hardships of life), he delivers us from ourselves so that we can stand up under the heat and not merely survive but bear good fruit. Under the pressure of family difficulty, love can grow. Under the heat of unappreciated sacrifice, perseverance grow. In the middle of suffering, peace and sturdy faith can blossom. In the midst of want, giving can grow where thorns of greed and selfishness once lived. Under the heat of life in a fallen world, new and surprising fruit can and does grow.”

That is some amazing insight. That God does some of the most incredible work in our lives in the midst of the most difficult times. We all face challenges, hardship, struggle and even celebration moments. That is part of life in this world. Keeping God in the center of our lives during these times allows him to work deep within us. Only when our hearts are changed will our behavior and responses change. So if you are in the middle of a great struggle, look inside your own heart and ask God to do a work there.

Here is another great quote: “We all know that sin causes us to be more committed to ourselves than anything else. It causes us to love ourselves more than anything else. Sin makes us self-centered and self-indulgent as we give in to desires of the sinful nature and feed its cravings. Such selfish living destroys relationships and harms people. Our chief problem in relationships is not the fallen world we live in, but the fact that we ourselves are deeply self-centered and have trouble loving one another.”

Wow, that is very convicting. This speaks to the importance of understanding our human nature and how much we need God to transform our hearts. Only when we surrender to God and allow the Holy Spirit to flow inside our hearts can we change all of that. Our relationship suffer when we allow self-centered behavior or thinking to rule.

It is important to remember that Jesus asked us to follow him. He didn’t say follow these rules or go and do these certain things. He said simply follow me no matter where you are at. If you stumble and fall, Jesus waits for us to get up and continue following him. God has provided the Holy Spirit to help us follow him and help us get back up when we fall. If you want to change, it starts in your heart.

March 22, 2013

The Game Changing Relational Skill

Empathy is critical to emotional health. This is the ability to discern emotions in others and then experience, within ourselves, the same emotion. This is much different than sympathy, which is the mental awareness of what another person is going through.

Developing the ability to empathize is important if you want to improve your relationships and get healthy emotionally. Why is it important to be healthy emotionally. Well, I believe that our emotions play a big part in our physical and spiritual health as well. Emotions live inside us and if painful emotions are living inside you they eventually come out in behavior, thoughts and attitude. Unresolved emotions can lead to physical illness and mental damage as well. It also affects your relationship with God.

Emotions should not control us, we should understand and control our emotions. We should not try to shut off our emotions or hide them, that is why empathy is so important. It helps us to connect with and understand other people much better.

To develop empathy we must learn to listen and observe words, sounds and body language. Jesus was amazingly empathetic. He was moved with compassion as he discerned the needs and pain of others. Read Mathew 9:36 and 20:34.

When we can empathize with someone three things will happen:

1. The other person will feel that someone cares for them and is willing to enter into their emotional world.
2. They feel like someone understands them.
3. They feel that it’s ok to be emotional and express emotions, in other words, my emotions are legitimate.

All emotions can be grouped into two categories: Potentially painful and potentially positive. The Bible teaches us how to attune or empathize to these two groups of emotions. In Romans 12:15 it says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.”

When someone is sad, we often think it is important to try to cheer them up. That is our natural response, but what is actually most helpful is to be sad with that person. Seems odd, but that is what empathy is. The people around us will feel blessed when we allow and encourage them to express their positive or painful emotions and we either rejoice or mourn with them.

This life skill of empathy is a game-changer for relating to other people. This skill allows you to connect with people in a way that helps them feel safe and valued. They will actually feel better after talking with you than before. It also helps you to better understand why people do what they do.

As a mentor and a pastor this skill has helped me to help other people. When people cannot process their emotions with someone they end up in a downward spiral that leads to destruction of relationships, and their physical well being. It often causes them to feel distant from God as well. To stay healthy emotionally a person must be able to process and express their emotions to God and other people.

As a leader, spouse, parent, boss, employee, sibling or friend, the ability to empathize will improve your relationships and deepen them as well. Learning this skill takes time, effort and patience. Paying attention to the details, asking the right questions and sometimes just being silent and feeling the emotion the other person is feeling. This can be hard work and frustrating at times, but in the long run empathy leads to better emotional health for you and those around you.

December 30, 2012

7 Distractions That Keep Us From Growing

Most of us would agree that there are areas of our lives that are not where we want them to be. It might be a marriage relationship that has deteriorated or maybe a relationship with a son or daughter or parent that is unhealthy. Maybe we are not where we want to be in our professional lives. For some it could be emotional health, hurts from our past that are causing problems in our present lives. Many of us struggle to be where we want to be spiritually as well. So what holds us back from growing in these important areas of our lives? Why do so many people simple remain the same and maintain the status quo instead of growing and changing?

Here are some of the distractions that keep us from growing:

Busyness – Being consumed in a rat-race to keep up and get things done does not allow us the margin to think deeply and focus on the important things. We keep adding things to our lives without stopping other things, so the list just gets bigger and longer.
Comforts – Most people look for and desire comfort and when they find it they become trapped by it. Getting out of our comfort zone becomes more difficult the longer we stay there.
Too Many Options – Today there are so many opportunities to learn and grow and change that we can sometime be confused by the wide range of options and opportunities. When we have too many options, we often choose nothing. This can also lead us to simply be busy because we choose to do too much.
Insecurity – If we don’t really know who we are, how can we know what we are suited to do or where we should go.
The Past – Issues not dealt with will hold us back, and this is often expressed through fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being misunderstood, fear of being inadequate and hundreds of other fears. These fears pop up every time we experience something that connects us to our past hurts.
Laziness – This is often what keeps us in our comfort zone.
Secret Sin – This dulls our senses and blocks our ability to enjoy healthy emotions and relationships. It keeps us from the vision that God has for our lives and keeps us stuck in darkness and slaves to sin.

One or more of these may be keeping you from growing and making progress in certain areas of your life. In order to move forward it takes a decision to face these things head on by first acknowledging the problem and then developing a plan to make a change.

I love to spend time planning this time of year. It is a great time to evaluate where we are at in all the important areas of our lives. If there is an area we are not happy with, we can begin to focus on how to make a change in that area. It might mean getting help from someone that has been through what you are dealing with or taking a risk to try something new or different. The important thing is to acknowledge that you do not want to remain the same and that you desire to grow. Then start praying and asking God to help make this happen. A year from now will you be the same person you are today or will you be in a new place spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally and financially?

August 1, 2012

Why I Love My Church

This past weekend we opened a brand new facility in Millersburg Ohio after meeting in a High School for three years. I am grateful for all the sacrifice and work that went into making that happen. It took a lot of people working together to accomplish what happened on Sunday. This marks the beginning of another phase in the life of NewPointe Community Church, as we reach out to the Holmes County community through the Millersburg Campus.

I have been a part of NewPointe for 10 years and have enjoyed the journey. It has been challenging, fun, hard, fulfilling and significant for me. As I think about the church, it is way more than building a new building. There is so much that goes into a healthy growing church. So here are some reasons why I love my church:

I Love that NewPointe Community Church:

Is a safe place to hear a life changing message
Believes that people matter more than projects or events
Is willing to talk about the important and difficult issues of life like (sex, money, marriage, parenting)
Helps me apply the Bible to my everyday life
Is outward focused rather than inward focused – meaning we are more concerned with reaching people than keeping people
Is willing to take risks and make mistakes
Embraces and expects change
Pursues Excellence, but not perfection
Values being healthy emotionally
Is big on relationships and helping people connect
Is a place that I can serve and make a difference
Wants to partner with parents to impact children for eternity
Equips people to become better leader’s at home, at work and at church
Is a creative fun place
Is a warm, welcoming place where people feel accepted and loved
Is willing to take anyone
Mentors individuals and couples that are struggling with life
Empowers people to lead and serve
Embraces technology as a way to connect with people
Keeps things simple
Partners with local organizations to impact & improve our communities
Has a vision to Change the World!

Our vision is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. That is why we exist and that is why we open the doors every day.

July 13, 2012

Why Church?

Most people have had a negative experience at a church at some point in their lives. Maybe it was frustration, confusion, rejection, boredom or just irrelevant. The word church can bring up some bad memories for many people. For others the church is a mystery because they did not grow up going to church. It can actually be intimidating and confusing. Yet the church exists and has for thousands of years.

The purpose of the church is an extension of the purpose of Jesus Christ. So what is the church? In order to accurately look at the church, we need to discover what it is not.

The church is not a physical building – The building is simply a place for the church to meet. It is a place to gather, but the building does not make the church.
The church is not an institution or organization – The church is not a denomination or an affiliation. Often times people say they go to a Baptist church or a Methodist church. That may help to describe the over arching beliefs of the people that make up the church, but it is not the church.
The church is not a set of services or activities – The activities we do are simply the vehicle that takes us to a prescribed result.
The church is not just a congregation – A congregation is simply a group of people who gather together.

In the New Testament the word church refers to the universal church, which is all believers on earth. It also refers to a particular location and the actual gathering of believers in any place for worship. The word church also refers to the body of Christ, which is an analogy for how the church should function. So why does the church exist?

Evangelism – That’s a church word that means to tell people about Jesus. Through the church is how people hear the good news of what Jesus did.
Discipleship – This is simply the process of becoming more like Christ. It is growing or maturing in faith and spiritual matters. It is exploring God’s ways and following him as best you can.
Worship – Worship brings the church to life and life to the church. It is exalting God’s worth and acknowledging him as Lord. Worship is expressed through singing, music, praying, reading Scripture, baptism, preaching, having healthy relationships, and the way in which you live your life. It is keeping God first in all you do.
Fellowship – The church must be a place that embraces a culture of encouragement. People need healthy human relationships. This is often accomplished through environments like small groups, mentoring, mission trips, social events, and healthy friendships.
Ministry – Everywhere Jesus went, he extended grace and mercy to those who needed it most. When people serve unselfishly, they become extensions of Jesus. Ministering to a messed up, broken and bruised world should characterize the life of every followers of Jesus Christ.

The church is made up of people that all are working together to do those 5 things. When a church creates environments where people can experience those things it allows them to mature as a Christian. These environments should be designed to help people connect with God and give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to transform the person. Environments are worship services, youth events, children’s classrooms, adult classrooms and training, mission trips locally and internationally, small group or home group, accountability groups, one-on-one mentoring, and many more.

The local church is the hope of the world.

June 15, 2012

Dealing With Your Past

As I have interacted with people and worked at understanding them it has become more clear to me that the past is an important part of the actions of today and how people are preparing for the future. I have heard many people say that you need to forget the past and move on. That is a dangerous way to approach life. Whether you like it or not, your past affects your decisions and actions today, and these, in turn, affect the future. If you do not learn from your past mistakes and hurts, you will most likely repeat them. There are also lies that you have believed and that have shaped you and what you believe. Those lies steal your joy and cause you to be afraid.

The junk from your past causes you to react to conflict or difficulties in a certain way. Everyone has buttons, that when pushed will take them back to those historical moments that feel similar. When stirred up those lies and fears cause you to react or respond in unhealthy ways. This behavior is often learned from your parents and other influential people in your life. Many of the unhealthy responses like withdrawing, defending, attacking, and deflection were ways you could protect yourself when you were little. Now that you have grown up you are still responding in those ways and it leads to death not life.

So what can you do about the junk from the past, the fears that lurk inside you and pop out when touched? Major changes begin on the inside where these fears, hurts and hangups live. Change starts as God works on your attitudes, beliefs, and desires. When your attitudes, beliefs and desires start to change and line up with what is true, your outward behavior changes and the transformation takes shape. Philippians 2:13 says “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” This is telling you that God helps you to want to obey him and then gives you the power to do what he wants. The secret to a changed life is to submit to God and allow him to do the inside work needed to transform the person you are.

So to unload the junk from your past means taking the first step of being reconciled to God. If you have not taken that step, God will not start the transformation process. God is at work on every person alive, drawing you to himself, but he never forces the issue, he just keeps it in front of you. Once you take the step of believing that Jesus Christ was God and man, that he lived a perfect life, that he took all your sin on himself and died for you, that he overcame death and sin by coming back to life in three days and that he is alive today, then you can ask for forgiveness of your sins and be reconciled with God. Doing that brings the gift of living forever with God in heaven. It also begins the process of spiritual maturity.

If you have done that and are continuing to live with fears that are controlling your behavior, then start asking God to change you on the inside. He will continue the process of change on the inside if you ask him. The way in which to do that is to take in God’s word on a regular basis and communicate with God on a regular basis. Remove the distractions around you and listen to God, then ask for courage to follow through on what he is telling you to do. One of the best exercises to help get that started is the Steps to Freedom in Christ by Neil Anderson. Going through those steps is like cleaning up your house. It brings your focus on God and shines a light on your past and your inside attitudes, beliefs and desires. Remember that you don’t clean up your house just one time, it is an ongoing discipline. The good news is that God is doing most of the cleaning when you let him inside and ask for help.

Once you have dealt with the past in the right way you can move on and never have to bring it up again. These are the words that Moses used to encourage Joshua “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” That is your message today.

February 15, 2012March 27, 2021

Who’s Filling Your Cup?

As human beings we have basic needs. Some are physical like food, oxygen, water, sleep. We also have needs for our inner being or our soul. This includes the realm of our emotions. This is what fills our cup and keeps us going. There are four basic soul needs that all of us crave. We are all created with these needs and we all search for ways to meet these needs everyday. Most of the time we look in the wrong places to meet these needs. So here they are:

Acceptance – Knowing you are loved and needed by others.
Identity – Knowing you are individually significant and special.
Security – Knowing you are well protected and provided for.
Purpose – Knowing you have a reason for living.

These basic needs are the driving force behind what motivates us in life. Just like we crave food and develop an appetite, we crave emotionally to have these needs met on a regular basis. If we go too long with these basic needs unmet, we become depressed, anxious, fearful, angry, lonely, and numb. These are needs, so we must have them met or we cannot survive. The problem is that the way we seek to meet these needs is primarily through other people or things. When we do that three things usually result:

We will be disappointed with the results, no matter how well things go.
We will lack the inner resources we need to love others the way we should and confront life successfully.
We almost always will be hurt or offended eventually by the one we trust.

When we trust in people and things our inner security is dependent on someone or something we cannot predict or control and that is limited. Often our ability to give is dependent on what we get from from others. If I am not getting what I want, then I don’t give what I know I should. This leads to a life of disappointment and frustration. When our expectations are that others meet these needs it creates a negative atmosphere of tension in our relationships. It can even push the people around us away and create a gap in our relationships. We are constantly disappointed with the people around us, because they can never live up to our expectations of meeting these four basic needs.

The answer is to put our trust in God to meet these basic needs. When we trust in God our inner strength and security are dependent on God who is faithful and has unlimited resources. Our ability to give to others flows from God living in us. When others are not giving to us, we can still love generously and unconditionally which strengthens all our relationships over time. Our lives are filled with an atmosphere of blessing, satisfaction and optimism because our perspective has changed from other people to God. Our expectations of others changes, which takes pressure off of them and us.

So, who is meeting your basic needs? If it is other people, let me encourage you to turn to God and ask Him to meet those needs of acceptance, identity, security and purpose. As your relationship with God grows those basic needs are met in a deeper and more significant way. The results are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control.

Category: Faith