Category: Faith

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Nehemiah

My favorite book in the Old Testament is Nehemiah. This is an incredible story that is packed with wisdom, leadership principles and examples on how to live life and get things done. Nehemiah had a good life, he was comfortable, had a good job, made plenty of money, had influence with his boss and was well respected by many. Things were good, until God revealed to him the situation his home town was in. His home town was Jerusalem, and it was a mess and the people that were trying to rebuild it were under attack and being taken advantage of.

When Nehemiah heard what was going on he was deeply troubled and impacted. He was never the same again. He felt deep compassion for the people and their situation. But he did more than just feel for them, he immediately began fasting and praying for how he could make a difference.

I love that about Nehemiah. He started by seeking God with all his heart. He focused fully on God by fasting and not getting distracted from praying for this situation. He did this for months, before God opened up an opportunity for him to make a difference. What I really love about Nehemiah was that during those months of praying and fasting, he also began to make plans. He thought about what it would take to go and help the people that were in Jerusalem. He put a plan together and began gathering resources and thinking through what it would take.

What I take away from that, is that we need to pray and seek God with all our hearts. We also need to continue to work hard and make plans while we seek God. If we do both of those, God will open up the doors to help make things happen. It may be as simple as giving you favor with your boss, like he did for Nehemiah. When Nehemiah got that chance to go, he had a plan on how to get there.

Has God put a burden on your heart? Are you deeply concerned for a person, a family, a people group, a country, a leader? If you are, then start fasting and praying for them. Also start making plans on how you can make a difference. Maybe it is building a better relationship, maybe it is doing some research, maybe it is giving some money, maybe it is writing a letter, maybe its getting involved in your church. Whatever that burden is, pray and make plans, be ready when God gives you that opening.

If you have not read Nehemiah lately, I suggest you read it. Nehemiah didn’t complain about what was going on around him, he did something about it.

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Intimacy with God

When was the last time you got alone with God and just praised Him? I mean, really praise Him, not thank Him or question Him or ask Him for anything. A couple of days ago I did that. I have been getting up early in the morning to pray and read my Bible. This is a discipline I am trying to establish in my life. I don’t do it every morning, but the majority of mornings I have been doing this.

I have been reading in the book of Revelation the last couple of weeks. I am going very slow, through my NIV Study Bible. I read the Scripture and then the notes. Then I reflect on what I read, not more than one chapter at a time. As I was reading in Chapter 4 I came across a portion that described how God was being praised and worshiped in heaven.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” When I read that, I stopped and read it again. Then I read it out loud several times. Then I closed my eyes and repeated this about ten times directly to God. Each time I said it, it felt more meaningful and powerful. I was not just chanting something mindlessly, I was praising the Almighty. I pictured myself at His feet worshiping Him.

After I had prayed that to God I did the same with another portion of Scripture, verse 11 – “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have there being.” I prayed that to God, slowly and forcefully.

Try that sometime. Get alone in a quiet place and read that Scripture or another Scripture over and over out loud to God. Pray the Scripture to Him. The more you say it and pray it to God, the more meaning comes from the Scripture. This is an example of building intimacy with God.

True intimacy with God has to come from our personal efforts to get closer to Him and get to know Him better. It is great to go to church and listen to great messages, sing great songs and read Scripture together. It is also great to get together with other Christians and study the Bible or talk about the message you heard or pray together. Getting out and putting into practice what you are hearing and learning also builds intimacy with God. But if you never get alone with Him and pour out your heart to Him and share every part of yourself with Him your intimacy is limited. It only remains on the surface and doesn’t get real.

Personal worship is an important part of your growing relationship with Jesus Christ. If it has been a while since you did that now is a great time to start. Don’t allow your life to be so busy that you neglect the most important relationship you will ever have. Don’t face the day without plugging into the most amazing and powerful source we have. Start right now!

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

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Can I Pray for You?

When was the last time you said that to someone? Every day we come into contact with people and they may share something that is happening in their lives. When people trust you enough to share something personal, do you say you will pray for them or do you pray for them right then? Both are good, but taking the time to pray with them in the moment can be very powerful and life giving to that person.

I believe that Christ followers should be life givers. We are carrying on the ministry that Jesus started so long ago. Jesus loved to minister to people in a close personal way. He got his hands dirty and talked to people that were considered unclean. In our tidy, neat, safe lives do we take chances to minister up close with people that are considered unclean, uneducated, undesirable? Do we even take the time for the clean, educated desirable people?

Jesus talked so often of caring for and loving your neighbor. One of the most powerful ways to love your neighbor is to pray for them. Not only in private, but with them in person. Some people may not be ready to do that, and that is ok for now. However, God wants you to grow in your love for Him and other people. He wants us to be able to pray for people and extend care to people for Him.

This week I had a chance to pray with 6 people in person and 2 on the phone. Whenever I meet with someone, I try to end our time together by praying for them. I ask them if it would be ok if I prayed for them. I have only been turned down two times. You might say, Chad, your a pastor, so you are paid to pray with people. I might get more opportunities, but every Christian is called to be a minister. Every day God brings people across your path that need prayer. You might not be able to pray out loud with them at work, but you can pray silently. You can walk through your workplace and pray for your co-workers and boss. You can pray while you drop your children off at school. You can pray for your neighbors on your drive home from work.

When people come to church hurting and broken, they need prayer. The people that make up the church should be praying through out the week for the people that God is bringing to church. I believe when you pray for others, you take the focus off of yourself and it helps you have the right perspective on the church and the work of the church.

This Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. there will be a time of prayer in our prayer room here at NewPointe. Every Sunday morning people are praying for the morning service and inviting God to come and do a work in the people. Every Monday morning our staff gathers and prays together. Our prayer team prays for every request that comes in during the week. Prayer is a very powerful way to influence the world around us. It also is a great way to stay intimate with God and grow in our relationship with Him.

My challenge to everyone that reads this Blog is to pray for someone you come into contact with this week. Try to pray for someone every day, either in person, on the phone or just silently. Start your day by asking God to bring the people across your path that need prayer and then pray for them. Even if you don’t know how to pray for them, lift them up and ask God to minister to whatever they need. Step out of your comfort zone and take a risk.

Can I Pray for You?

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Every Second Counts

On Saturday morning I ran in the Swiss Festival 5k. This is only the second 5k I have run, the first was earlier this year at Tuscora Park. I started running this spring and have been enjoying the challenge of running distance. The race started at 9:00 am in downtown Sugarcreek. I am guessing we had 60-70 runners. My goal was to run in 24 minutes, my previous race I ran in 25 minutes and 4 seconds.

I started out strong over the first mile, trying to keep pace with a runner that normally runs in 22 minutes. After about a mile and a half I fell back. We ran several hills that really took the energy out of me. As I was running the last hill and kept telling myself that every second counts in a race. That thought kept me moving and going up that hill. The race finished downhill which was nice. I ran 24 minutes and 13 seconds.

You know, every second counts in our lives as well. We only have so many seconds on this earth and then we go on to eternity. How we use those seconds is very important. Every second matters with your family, on your job and at church. I happen to work at a church and this whole race thing made me think about the church and the race we are running. The church is the hope of the world. In the church every second is vital, because we are dealing with where people will spend forever.

As Christians we need to realize the race we are in and work hard at influencing the people around us. The Church needs to be the most influential, relevant, exciting place in the world.

I am much more aware of the seconds that I have each day. We have been talking about this in my men’s group and my couples group. God has given us time to grow closer to Him and to show love and compassion to other people. Each day we need to spend time developing those relationships. This simple change of perspective can lead to a fuller, more meaningful life. Most people spend their seconds thinking about themselves, their problems and their wants. I am in that boat as well. Because each second counts, I want to spend time thinking about others, thinking and acting on those important relationships in my life. Taking some risks and doing things that will make a difference long after I am gone.

Each second counts!

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Meditating on God

When was the last time you rested in God’s glory? What I mean by that is just being in the presence of God, enjoying His goodness, His creation, His Love. Some times we forget to just be with God. It is so easy to get caught up in our lives and miss just being with Him. Distractions come every day that keep us focused on things that will fade away. Even when we do spend time with God, it is often praying about things, people, circumstances, health, relationships and more. We can do most of the talking and never just enjoy God and just be still.

So here is the deal. Next time you decide to have some “quiet time” with God, make it a quiet time and just sit in His presence. Meditation is a spiritual discipline that gets missed. Silence and solitude are also important spiritual disciplines that we need more of in today’s busy world. God is always present, always near and always with us. Spend 5, 10 or 15 minutes in silence and solitude. Fill your mind with thoughts of God, His character, His love, His mercy, grace and forgiveness.

The reason Yoga is so popular right now is that it encourages us to relax and be still. It is a way of escaping from the business of life. The big difference between meditating on God and Yoga is that in Yoga you empty yourself and in Meditation on God, you fill yourself with Him.

When you are meditating and being with God, expect Him to talk with you. Pay attention to the thoughts that come to your mind. Keep a sheet of paper close by to write down things that may be a distraction, but that you need to remember. Keep bringing your focus back to enjoying the presence and power of God. Don’t ask Him for anything, just think about how Good and perfect He is and how much He loves you. Rest in His glory!

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Add to your Faith

This morning I was reading 2 Peter and came across this passage in chapter one. I just used this passage in a lesson I taught to some small group leaders. It is 2 Peter 1:5-9 “For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; ands to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.”

This is saying that our faith must be more than simply believing in certain facts; it must result in some action on our part. It says to make every effort, which means we need to work at it. These things don’t just come naturally and easily. However, if we work at it and grow, these character traits will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive. If all we do is sit and learn about Jesus, we will be ineffective and not very useful to God in reaching the world with His Good News.

Our faith in Jesus is what saves us and gives us eternal life. Our faith is also what begins to change us and transform us into a person with these character traits. If there is no change in our actions, then do we really understand saving faith?

So are you making EVERY EFFORT to grow in your faith through action? Would people say that you have goodness in your character? How about your knowledge of the Bible? Would those close to you say you have self-control? Do you exhibit perseverance in times of difficulty or do you give up easily? Are your actions and interactions with people like Jesus (godliness)? Are you kind even to those that are unkind? How is your love for other people?

These are some tough questions that Peter raises and that all Christ followers need to ask. When we display these qualities in our everyday relationships it shines a bright light to a dark world. It opens up endless possibilities for God to use us as an instrument in reaching and helping people.

After reading that this morning, I am really challenged to make some changes in how I live out my faith. God is more concerned about our character than our circumstances. He wants men and women that are growing, that are humble, teachable and willing to constantly be changing. I admit that I have some character flaws that need improvement. My desire is to grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I want to be that instrument that He uses on a regular basis.

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Life comes at you fast

I had a conversation this weekend with a guy that has had a heart attack, cancer and other medical conditions. He has had many challenges and has fought through them all. God still has a plan for his life.

One thing he shared with me is that a friend of his had moved to Australia and lived there for several years. When she came back she noticed right away that life here in Tuscarawas County is much different than in Australia. She made the comment that they know how to live life and enjoy it down under. She could see that we are way to busy working and running around to stop and enjoy life. She had a different perspective, because of the different culture.

When was the last time you just stopped and enjoyed the world around you? When was the last time you took off work early to spend time with your wife or kids? When was the last time you went on a walk in the woods? When was the last time you slept in? When was the last time you took a real vacation? When was the last time you ate together as a family?

I could go on with that, but I won’t. I also had many conversations with people lately that are feeling overwhelmed and worn out. They are working long hours and running their kids all over the place. They are not getting enough sleep and not eating right. Why do we make our lives so busy? Why do we miss the important stuff? Why do we live beyond our means? Why do we work so hard?

We all would answer these questions differently, because we are all in different circumstances. But why does it so often take an illness or an accident to slow us down? My friend told me that it took these physical things to slow him down. Why can’t we just slow down and enjoy life every once in a while?

My challenge to you today or tomorrow is to relax, enjoy life, look around you and appreciate the good things in your life. Make a list of everything you are thankful for and then go on a walk. Ask God to help you slow down, so you don’t miss something He has for you. Slow down to spend more time with your Heavenly Father and to listen to what He has for you. I believe we have divine moments every day that we miss, because we are stressed out, busy or preoccupied. By slowing down we can speed up our spiritual growth.

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Baptism at NewPointe

I love baptism Sunday’s at NewPointe Community Church. Today we baptized 9 people. Each one shared their unique story of what God has been doing in their lives. To hear stories of life change, and to see people making a public commitment to Jesus Christ is very exciting. I get to hear the stories of each person when we video tape them telling a little bit of their story. I always am encouraged by how God is working in their lives.

Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. It is a way of publicly identifying with Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ day people that wanted to become Jewish had to go through a long list of things before they could become Jewish. The last thing on that list was to do a washing or baptism. When they came up out of the water, they were considered Jewish. This tradition transferred to people that wanted to become Christian or Christ followers.

Jesus was baptized by John the baptist to align himself with what John was saying, that the Messiah is coming, repent and be baptized. That is why everyone that calls themselves a Christian should take this step of baptism. Jesus did it Himself, and He asked His disciples and now His church to go into the world and make new followers, baptize them and teach them His ways.

In the New Testament, when someone believed and decided to follow Jesus, they were immediately baptized. This should be done when you make that decision on your own. Many people that attend NewPointe have been re-baptized, because they did not fully understand baptism before or they were baptized as infants. Doing it after they understood what it means to be a Christian is an important step in their spiritual journey. It does not minimize their infant baptism, which was very meaningful to their parents. It just let’s the world know you are a follower of Jesus Christ. It also is an act of obedience and submission to Christ. It represents dying to your old self and being a new creation, a new person. Our faith is a very personal thing, but Jesus asked us to also make it a very public thing, and being baptized is an incredible way to witness to people by sharing your story.

Our next Baptism is scheduled for Sunday August 31st, I can’t wait.

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Truth

I was reading today and came across this line, “Don’t hide from the truth you need to hear.”

This guys was talking about feedback at work and even going to the doctor or dentist. It resonated with me because I was that guy. Often times I would hide from the truth I needed to hear. I knew areas I am weak in and struggle with at work and personally. I knew I needed to get a physical, yet avoided making an appointment.

About three years ago I got a heath screening and was shocked at the results. At the age of 36 they told me to go see my doctor right away. I had high cholesterol, high blood sugar, very low good cholesterol, was overweight and my blood pressure was not good. Needless to say, that truth got my attention. I began the long process of change in my physical health. You could say that the truth I was hiding from found me and shook me up. Well, three years later my cholesterol is down almost 100 points, my good cholesterol has more than doubled, my sugar is way down and my blood pressure is right on. I have lost weight and am exercising regularly. I have changed the way I eat and exercise and my perspective on health and food has changed.

All that made me think about other truth that we hide from. The Bible says that the truth will set you free. To be set free we need to face the truth and not hide. Adam & Eve hid from God after they sinned in the garden of Eden. We too, often try to hide from God when we sin or fall short. We look at some of our behavior and think, I can’t change, that is just how I am. We keep doing the same things over and over again and feel worse and worse after we do it. We usually only change after the truth shakes us up. To find out the truth maybe you need to ask for some feedback from those closest to you.

When was the last time you asked your spouse how you could be a better husband or wife? When was the last time you asked a friend the truth about yourself? When was the last time you felt God telling you to surrender that certain thing to Him? When was the last time you heard a message at church that hit you between the eyes? When truth hits us, it can sometimes bounce off of us. We can feel conviction, but not change. We know we should follow through, yet we don’t put into action what we know will be good for us. To really change you must make a decision that you want to change and that you will get the help you need to change.

You see I did not lose weight and get healthy by myself. I had my wife helping me, I had a coach I met with and a program I followed. If you want to change spiritually or emotionally, you must do the same thing. You need people around you to support and encourage you; to challenge and motivate you; to hold you accountable and push you. The Bible is full of truth for us to follow. When we apply those truths to our lives we grow, change, influence and impact people. When we take truth and put into into action we begin to change. Our perspective about God and other people begins to change. We start seeing things differently.

What truth are you hiding from? Is it the truth about money, possessions and work? How about relationships and marriage, or being single? What about the truth about our hearts or what we put into our minds? It may be the truth about eternal life or even physical health. Most people say they are searching for truth and want truth, yet most of us hide from the truth we need to hear.

Have you heard the phrase to speak the truth in love. When we know something is true, we are to speak it, not to hurt or destroy, but to lovingly help. Don’t think about speaking truth to someone unless you have built a bridge with that person. Otherwise they are not going to want to hear it from you. First build the relationship and trust, then wait for God to open the door to share whatever truth will help that person. If you want to be healthy spiritually, emotionally and physically you need to apply the truth from God’s Word to your everyday life. It starts with the little things that we know we should do. Build on that day by day and don’t procrastinate about things you know you need to face. Ask others for feedback on how they think you need to change, and don’t get offended when they are honest. Remember that only when the truth shakes you up do you begin to really change.

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Weekend in Review

This weekend was very interesting for me. It was busy, but relaxed, if that makes sense. Friday was a holiday and I spent the day with my wife shopping and just hanging out. Saturday morning I got up and went to the First Town days in New Philadelphia and ran in my first 5k race. I ran with some other NewPointer’s Dave Cantwell, Kevin & Marianne West, Pat Walker, Jenn Klopfer. I am sure there were some others as well. I was a little nervous before the race, because people kept telling us how tough the course was, a lot of hills. I ran most of the race with Dave, he helped me set the pace. I ended up running a better time than I expected and loved the whole environment of running. I can see how this can be a little addictive. I did not realize the running world was so popular. I can’t wait for the next race I can run in.

Later on Saturday I did a wedding for a couple at the Carlisle Inn in Sugarcreek. Congratulations Ron & Jackie! I went home and relaxed Saturday evening by mowing the yard and pulling some weeds in the garden.

Sunday morning I was scheduled to preach at my parents church. I did catch the first part of the NewPointe service online. It rocked! Pleasant View Mennonite church was having a day at the park (Memory Park near Mt. Hope). I grew up in this church, so it was a little weird to be preaching in front of that church. My grandpa and grandma came out to see me as well. They had never heard me preach. My grandfather was a pastor at Sharon Mennonite for many years. He is very passionate about preaching and still loves it, he is in his mid 80’s.

I talked about loving God with all your soul. How we need to make sure our souls are well tended. These were the main points:

1. Receive God’s love – You matter to God. You are significant and God loves you. You can’t do anything to make God love you more. God wants to use the pain from your past for ministry in the future. To do that you need to allow God to heal the hurts and hangups you have from your past. Only then can you experience His love and become the person He wants you to be.

2. Set some Soul/spiritual goals – Spiritual growth doesn’t just happen. You need to plan and work at it like any relationship. When was the last time you sat down and set some spiritual growth goals?

3. Prayer – Prayer is how we build intimacy with God. We are all priest’s that can communicate with God at any time. Your prayers should be simple, real and honest.

4. Love other people – If you can’t get along with other people then you may have a problem with God. Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourselves. He said this is as important as loving God. How compassionate are you about other people.

I challenged them to stand out from the ordinary Christians. To be a purple cow Christian, that will turn heads and make people ask questions. The local church is God’s only plan to change the world!

That was my weekend. I had a couple of naps, finished a John Grisham book and went on a walk with my wife as well. Oh yea, we drove to Canton and bought some cat food.