Christ and Work: Wisdom - Pastor Chris

Work Is Good!!!

In the very begining when God created man he gave him a job. Genesis 2:15 (NLT) 
¹⁵ The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. This was prior to the fall of man. Work is not a punishment from God. Now, on the other hand, work got much harder after the fall. Genesis 3:17 (NLT) ¹⁷ And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. (Dang Woman j/k) But work itself is good, we see throughout scripture that we are called to do good works. So in light of the biblical principle that work is good, here is some encouragement from Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived:

1.       Stop Chasing Fantasies – Start Working Productively (Proverbs 12:11, 28:19).

2.       Stop Scheming For Quick Money – Start Honest Diligent Planning (Proverbs 1:30-33)

3.       Stop Sleeping - Start Working (Proverbs 6:6-11)

4.       Stop Borrowing – Start Earning (Proverbs 22:7)

5.       Stop Spending On Little Luxuries – Start Saving For The Future (Proverbs 21:17)

6.       Don’t think of distant future success – make it happen here and now. (Proverbs 17:24)

7.       Diversify your enterprises. (Eccl 11:2)

8.       When making plans get good advice from many sources (Proverbs 15:22, 20:18)

9.       Plan your work and work your plan. (Proverbs 21:5)

10.     But don’t fall for the paralysis of analysis. (Eccl 11:4)

11.     When dealing with governments follow the procedures even if you are upset. (Eccl 8:6)

12.     No matter how keen you are on your project Work steadily and carefully, do not be hasty. (Proverbs 19:2, 21:5)*

Last Thought: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT) 

¹⁰ Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” (Hunger is a Great Motivator)

Good Luck as you head to work, and if you don't have a job currently the best advice I ever received was: Getting a full time job, should be a full time job! Good Luck!

God Bless

Pastor Chris

   

*http://www.aibi.ph/tmk/tmk12_biblical_work_ethic.htm

Christ and Work: God's Challenge--by Linden Malki

Jesus worked. People kept saying,"Isn't that the carpenter's son from Nazareth?" In context, that would have been a whole series of mental images: the little kid sweeping up shavings, the bigger kid fetching tools, holding the other end of something, probably working one end of a two-man saw. My dad grew up in the lumber business and was always building or remodeling something; as the last kid at home, I was the assistant. Woodworking wasn't Dad's day job; it was something he did because he loved making something that filled a need.

We know that Joseph and Jesus were known for their work. We know that he respected hard workers; on at least two occasions he took pity on Peter and his fisherman collegues who were not catching anything and miraculously filled their nets with fish. On the other hand, the angriest we ever see him is when he drives out those who were using the Temple sacrificial system to make money from the pilgrims and worshippers. Jesus repeatedly explains that whatever he does is what His Father does and commands.

And what is the first thing that we know about God? In the beginning, God creates! And there is work involved, because even God takes a deserved break. And what do we know about what God made? That it was good! And we are created in His likeness--which implies that we are to work, and the result should be something better than there was before. Jesus called a few people to leave their day jobs and become his proteges; he called others to serve him in the places he found them. As St Paul put it, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24)

My husband John and I found ourselves called to smooth some of the bumps of the imperfect world we live in; I have said that if nobody's cars broke, I could go home and starve. But we have had opportunities to serve God beyond the nuts and bolts. I had not realized how many people John had mentored until after his death. A few months later, I got an email from a former apprentice who said that he had not only learned about repairing cars at our place, but about God and family as well; and that he and his family were active in a church. Are we doing a job not to only our own best but calling on God's help; and is what we are doing worth doing in His name?

EVANGELISM: WIN THIS CITY by Pastor Paul

 

 I have a confession to make!

Over the past few years I think God has been working on my soul.  Let me rephrase that... I know God has been at work on my soul!  You have heard the story!  The loss of money, house, car, pregnancies of those I love, schools, laptop, staff, church property, members, and confidence!  Some call it the Dark Night of the Soul.  Wilkinson calls it the WasteLand.  I call it God kicking the "crud" out of His servant to get him where He wants him!  

And I confess to you and to God, that I surrender!  I am tired of fight, tired of knowing, and tired of resisting.  The last few years have been about knowing!  I want to know!  I want to understand!  I want it to make sense!  I want to know why!!!  

This week I buried myself in a small book by Bruce Wilkinson that my good brother, Michael Weiss had commended to me.  In "The Dream Giver" Wilkinson writes...

"But the hurt we felt went deeper than that.

You see, we all felt that God had called us to do a magazine for Him.

We had obeyed Him at great personal cost.

And then it felt like God had watched from the sidelines while we went down in flames.

It was one of the most disillusioning seasons of my life.

All our efforts had added up to failure and waste.

As a result, I lost all confidence that I could ever lead again."

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson P. 114  

 As I sat in my office and read those words I bowed my head and wept!  My lack of understanding and questions have kept me from sharing my faith.  Everything I don't know about God in my own life has kept me from sharing Him with others.  The answers I don't have kept me from sharing what I do have!

Wilkerson writes... "Most Dreamers emerge from the WasteLand feeling spiritually and emotionally depleted.  Our relationship wih God has been tested and, in many cases, damaged by distrust."  How can I share Christ with others when I don't understand what he is doing in my life!

But something is beginning to stir.  I can't explain it.  I can't justify it.  As stupid as it may sound, my desire to be with Him is growing stronger than my desire to understand  Him.  I have felt myself worshiping, and crying.  And crying, and worshiping, and really praying, for the first time in a long time.  For reasons I can't understand, and probably never will, the need to know is fading into the background, and a need for His presence is being rekindled. 

It sounds very cliche, but I feel like the boxer who is on the canvas... and the referee is counting four, five, and six!  The crowd wants him to stay down!  People know it is over!  But out of nowhere, or somewhere, the boxer raises up his head.  He knows he can't stay down, and something deep in his soul tell him it isn't yet over.  

I have no idea what God has for NCF.  But I know that in 1995 I felt God call me to this town for two reasons.  To win souls, and to make disciples!  I know that we are pursuing a Biblical and God given model of ministry!  And I know that God wants me to use the gifts of preaching and teaching He has given me!

If God has called you to NorthPoint I pray you will Celebrate on Sunday, fully engage your Life Group mid week, open your heart to your Mentor, and pray for your OIKOS.  On the day of Pentecost 120 believers gathered for prayer.  God used them to change the world.  What will God do with us if we seek Him with all of our heart, and serve Him with all of our strength?  Only He knows!

I love you all,

Paul 

Evangelism - Italian - Pastor Chris Reinhard

Tuesday night Shannon and I went on a date and decided to go to this great Italian place called Carino's. We had been there once before a year or so ago and decided to go again. When we walked in the wait staff greeted us in a friendly manner, they sat us promptly and got our drinks. When the food came it was fresh and very good, I really like the fried mozzarella. The Prices were pretty reasonable. I will go back again, in fact you should go with me. Maybe we can all go together.


What? Wait. You mean this is not a food blog. Nope, we are talking about evangelism. The best evangelism is just sharing your experience. We can do the same thing I did above in sharing our faith with people. The best evangelism is sharing your experience with God. Why you went to him in the first place, what your experience was, how it impacted you and inviting them to join you next time.

We evangelize all the time (share the good news) we just don't do it in regards to our faith like we should. We tell people about restaurants we went to, movies we saw, books we read etc...

I know one thing for sure, the more time I spend with God, the more he impacts my life, and the more I want to share that with others. So maybe the secret to being a better evangelist is to be a better disciple. If God is making an impact in your life you will naturally want to talk about it with others. On the other hand if you don't have a vibrant growing relationship with God than your evangelism will seem forced and unnatural, like a salesman selling a product he himself does not use.

So you want to be a better evangelist, be a better disciple, the evangelism will come naturally out of that.

And that is the best kind of Evangelism.

Comments?

Pastor Chris

Are you eating the "food" that God provides, so that you can share how it "tastes" with others?

Evangelism: Missing Pieces--Linden Malki

"Evangelism" as an assignment is not one of most people's favorite challenges. We worry about whether we know enough, or have the right presentation, or expect questions that we don't know the answers to. Often we not only don't go looking for seekers, but miss obvious opportunities.

I have a business colleague who has some acquaintance with the gospel, but I have heard him reject at least two hard-sell attempts at evangelism by well-meaning people, one of whom is a preacher. One day during an general conversation, he suddenly asked me, "Linden, you're pretty well educated and intelligent--how can you believe in God?" And without thinking, my immediate answer was "Because He changed my life." And then I was able to tell my story, and he actually listened. I don't know what God has done or will do--yet--but that's God's business.

Ultimately, it's about God, not about ourselves. What we really need to know is Who He is, and what He has done with us. People can challenge Scripture if they don't believe it's anything special; they can recognize a canned spiel. What they're more likely to listen to is our own story. We each have one, and each one is different. Each one is a separate piece of the overall puzzle that God has created. When we tell our story, we may not get an immediate response, but God will send other Christ-followers with other pieces. We know that not everyone will accept the invitation to add their own piece to God's kingdom, but we can look at everyone in our Oikos as having a piece with its own place of importance in God's overall design.

THE FRUIT OF HONESTY by Pastor Paul

OPEN YOUR HEART AND LET IT OUT

 

When I was a brand new Christian God stirred me up to start a fellowship in our Army Barracks.  We went door to door in the three floor barracks and invited everyone.  The Day Room was cleared and we circled the chairs.  My friend Kathy would come and play "It Only Takes a Spark to get a Fire Going."  It was the one song she knew.  Then we would go around the circle and confess our sins, and pray for one another.  James 5:16 was the only verse we knew for a model of ministry.  We were just young and foolish enough to believe it.

James 5:16 (MSG)
¹⁶ Make this your common practice:

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other

so that you can live together whole and healed.

The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.

We would go around the circle and soldiers would confess.  One shared about drugs, another about alcohol, and another about his latest illicit affair.  One horrific story of debauchery followed the next.  Men wept while their friends prayed.  One night the Army Chaplain came to see what we were doing.  He stood with his mouth open as men honestly shared the deepest sins of their heart with one another.  This was way outside his normal military realm of experience.

The amazing thing is that confession opened the door to relationship.
Relationship opened the door to encouragement and accountability.
Encouragement and accountability loosed the fruit of transformation.

The hardest thing was to open up and let it out.  The devil can hold us in bondage and beat us up with our secrets.  Our secrets separate us from the rest of the human race and are the seedbed for feelings of shame, guilt, and unworthiness.  When our sins see the light of day in the presence of trusted brothers and sisters they lose their power!  The hardest thing is to open up, and let it out!

God gave us a wonderfully progressive promise through James.

Confession to Others + Prayer = Healing and Wholeness

I pray you open your heart and mouth today and begin enjoying the liberating power of freedom through confession and prayer.  Be brave and honest.  Open your heart to someone you trust.  Let their love and prayers lift you to the throne of grace where true healing and transformaion take place!

Your Brother

Paul

Honesty: You Want Me To Do What!!! - Pastor Chris

A - Admit Your a Sinner

I have spent my whole life trying to show everyone that I am "Okay." Well, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but probably not much. It starts with our parents, and then our teachers, and our pastors, and then spouses and bosses and then it comes full circle with our children. We want all these people to think we have it all together. In fact we sometimes believe that we can even fool God into thinking we are okay.

And when we finally decide to come to church, and we begin contemplating giving our life to Christ, the first thing they want us to do is admit that we are not okay. No wonder we have such a hard time with this. God wants us to be honest. Not just with him, but with ourselves as well.

But it does not end there. It is probably easy to admit you are a sinner when you first come into the church. (I'm not sure I was born in the 3rd row) But I will tell you, it gets hard when you have been there 5, 10, or 20 years. Or when you are a Deacon, an Elder, or even the Pastor (yes they sin too). We have to be honest through the whole process. We need to be honest first with God, then with ourselves, and then the others around us. When we are honest together, we can grow together, and we can accomplish amazing things together.

Ephesians 4:25 (NLT)
²⁵ So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

Are You Okay?

Pastor Chris