 Why can't we all just along? Seems like a all too frequent question these days. If everyone could be just like me and you, wouldn't this be a better place? Sure seems like it most days.
What seems to separate us? Politics, for sure! Does a person have to be a republican to be a Christian? Is homeschooling better than public school? What does it look like to discipline kids? How should we spend extra money? Is it right or wrong to drink alcohol? Should a Christian work for a brewery? Should Christians have tat's? Is it ok to work on Sunday? Is a person who frequently drops the "F" bomb a Christian? I could go on, but you get the point? It makes me feel better to know all through time these and other topics have divided people. In the church and outside of it.. So how can we disagree without being disagreeable? From Paul's letter to his friends in Rome he mentions a couple things (read Romans 14 & 15 to see for yourself):
Let's be Good Neighbors! Let's be the kind of people others want to hang with. Starting today! See You Sunday friend! Pastor Mike PS - Join me in doing one kind act or giving one gracious compliment. Before the week ends. Just do it!
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 100 Days! Seems like a long time... then again not very long at all. In a given year, there are only 3 & 1/2 100 day intervals. What can you possibly hope to accomplish in so little time? Just 100 days... so what really?
100 Days is the time between this Sunday, the day prior to Memorial Day, which is the kickoff to summer and Labor Day, which is typically seen as the end of summer. What can you do of any value this Summer? That's the question? Besides vacation and beach and camping and sun and ball games and soccer games? What can you get done this summer that really matters? This Sunday we'll honor our graduates! They've accomplished a worthy goal and are excited to move on to the next phase of their life. What can they do over the next 100 days that matters? I have a friend who has just 31 days til retirement. What can they possibly hope to accomplish over the last month that remains? What could you do this summer to leave your mark!
100 Days - you can do far more than you realize if you'll only consider your legacy - the memory you want to leave behind. See You Sunday friend! Pastor Mike PS - Tell someone THANK YOU today!  It was going to be a socially awkward situation. Beyond just being embarrassed, it was bordering on shame. You underestimated your guest count and overestimated your beverage menu. And you ran out.
In John 2:1-11 we have the record of a wedding celebration about to turn into a bad situation. Jesus, his family and few of his followers had been invited. It was customary for the grooms family to host a week long party to introduce the new couple and love on them a bit. Food and wine should flow in abundance. Both because people like to party and the water quality was nasty. You didn't drink the water. You drank the wine. And it was running low. Mary, Jesus mom, went to her son and asked him to help. She didn't know exactly what He might do. She was alerting him to the likely embarrassment the family would face by running out of drink before the party was over. Hospitality is a big deal, and this family was about to be slapped in the face. The flow of wine for these folks was also symbolic of the source of joy. "Without wine these is no joy" is a quote I came across. What do you do when your wine is about to run out?
But trust can be hard. Today let me encourage you to seek Him. Ask Him. Trust Him. See You Sunday friend! Pastor Mike Sunday was an awesome day!  Sometimes moms feel like the most invisible people on the planet. Many days it seems like they are nothing more than nannies, Uber drivers, chefs or human clocks answering "what time is it?". Struggling to find time for themselves, they are always there for those they love.
We all have a God given desire to be seen. Hey have you seen ... Your mom? Your wife? Your husband? Your Friend? For who we are, what's going on in their world? Not just for what they've done or failed to do? One of the major sources of mom guilt or feelings of anxiety is the sense we haven't done a "good enough" job with our kids? Or our marriage? Or our career? We all want to be valued! Appreciated. Feel like we matter to those we love. We want to be noticed, to be seen, by those whose opinion matters to us. On Sunday we're going to look at a soon to be mom named Hagar in Genesis 16. Feeling unwanted and unappreciated, she was running away from it all. Until Jesus met her, in the desert (I told you she really wanted to get away). Where do you "look" when you want to be noticed? Many people "look" to be seen because of their work or career, are they considered successful? Some look to be noticed because of how funny they are, are they popular or well liked? Are they considered "beautiful" or "athletic"? Genesis 16:7 says "the angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert." How did God find her? Because He was looking for her. He saw her. He sees you. Today. Reading this. He knows your true worth. He knows your inner heart. Jesus loves the real you! I hope you join me on Sunday as we dig a bit deeper in this idea of being seen, to be known, for who we are. It's not just little kids that yell out, "Mommy can you see me?" It's each and every one of us. See You Sunday Friend! Pastor Mike PS- Register for Mother's Day breakfast- would love to see you this Sunday beginning at 9:15am. Click here now to register.  We live in the Show Me State. Right now I'm trying to book a place for a dinner for 40 people. They restaurants want some "money down". They want me to SHOW THEM the Money! Ever look for a home? You know then that you need some "earnest money", you need to put money down. People want you to SHOW THEM that you're sincere.
In John 4 we have the story of a desperate dad, His son is really sick. He comes to Jesus begging the Lord for help. To heal his son. I know many a parent who has begged Jesus to help when a child has a problem....Maybe even you? Read the dad's story here. Then as you see above, Jesus answers the man's plea by telling him to go home. That's it? Traveled a day to meet Jesus. Begs Jesus to return home to help his boy, and Jesus sends him home. John says the man TOOK JESUS at HIS WORD. Jesus just said the word and the dad left. Not really knowing, or did he? On his way, the man's servants ride out to meet him with Good News. The boy is well. A coincidence? There's only one way for the father to know? So he asks, "What time did my son get better?" Wouldn't you know it? The exact time Jesus said, "Go, your son with live". Here's one thought that emerges from this Miracle. When you face a problem or difficulty, where or to whom do you turn for help? You go somewhere? When you face obstacles you do something? Maybe as you read this you're facing a very stressful situation. Where is your help going to come from? The Bible reminds us in Psalm 121:1-2, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven & earth." It is the Lord who will watch over your life friend. Take Him at His Word today! Pastor Mike PS - register for mother's day breakfast - would love to see you on Sunday May 12 beginning at 9:15am. |
AuthorStonebridge Community Church is a Bible-based non-denominational church located in Dardenne Prairie, Missouri. Archives
September 2024
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