Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Dads: An Earthly Example of our Heavenly Father

I had the privilege to host our annual Father/Daughter Night at our church.This year, like last year we had an ice cream bar for the fathers and daughters to enjoy. After the ice cream and a time of fellowship, I shared some thoughts with the fathers and daughters about how I saw my dad as an example of my Heavenly Father, God. I encouraged the fathers to be that type of example for their daughters. Here are is the outline of what I shared with the fathers and daughters.

My dad is my hero because he points me to my Savior.

Earthly fathers should be the example of the love of the Heavenly Father
  • This is not done through 1 large gesture but instead through lots of little ones.
    • The Old Testament talks about teaching continually (Deuteronomy)
      • And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
    • The New Testament shows us that this was carried on. 
      • Many came to see Jesus, and it wasn't all just adults, whole families came to learn from Jesus.
      • Then the little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray. but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "
Earthly fathers should be the example of the love of the Heavenly Father
  • He tells me he loves me 
    • Isaiah 43:1But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
    • Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
  • He shows me through giving me his time 
    • Time is one thing that once it is gone can never be gotten back, its value is priceless
    • Ecclesiastes 3 (There is a time for everything)
  • Caring about the seemingly little things
    • Conversations in the car
    • Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
  • His priorities (Work)
    • He is a provider
    • Matthew 6:28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
  • His priorities (The Scripture)
  • Patience
    • 1 John 4:8 b …because God is love.
    • 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient…
  • Prayer
  • Wisdom
    • Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
  • He is strong when I am weak
    • The DAD Jobs- The jobs I have him do when he visits because I am too weak or don't know how to do it on my own.
    • Matthew  19:26 “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”
    • Psalm 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
  • Helper
    • Psalm 118:14 The Lord is my strength and song...
  • Sacrificing
    • Romans 8:31-32  What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
  • Teaching
  • Correction
    • 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.
  • Consistency
    • Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
  • Encouraging (Grandpa too)

Thursday, February 12, 2015

My Good Shepherd

Tuesday night at the small group I attend we studied John 10. In this chapter Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. As a modern american I have no real life experience in the area of shepherding. In fact, aside from random watching of the Discovery Channel, my only exposure to shepherds and sheep is through my reading of the Bible. Shepherding is a common theme in Scripture because it was a concept and occupation that everyone in the audience was familiar with. And through study we can find out a lot about shepherds and sheep that we can parallel in our lives today. 

One of the first things I learned about sheep is that they aren't really all that smart on their own and so  depend on their shepherd to take care of them. I have also learned that in the time of the Bible, Shepherding was a full time job. Most shepherds spent both their waking and sleeping hours with their sheep. It was because of this that the shepherd and his sheep had a close relationship. In John 10:4 we learn that the sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice. 

Jesus in trying to tell the people once again that He is the promised Messiah sent from God the Father, states that He is the Good Shepherd. After learning these things about shepherding it is clear to see in this passage of scripture, and others just how much Jesus loves us and cares for us. In this passage Jesus talks about how the Good Shepherd leads his sheep, he sleeps at the gate to their pen to protect them, and is even willing to lay down his life for his sheep.

I am in awe that the holy and awesome creator of the universe cares enough to not only know my name but to speak it to me. In return I must work to build the type of relationship with Him to where I know His voice. Because I belong to Him I can recognize his voice in the midst of all of those in the world trying to lead me a stray.

A few weeks ago I was listening to Beth Guckenberger speak at Children's Pastor's Conference, she told us a story of a trip she took to Israel. While there she saw a group of sheep and a shepherd on a nearby patch of land. She asked the taxi driver what they were doing and he explained to her that there wasn't much good grass in the area and so the shepherd walked ahead of his sheep kicking away rocks that hide the grass and pointing to his sheep where they can find food. The shepherd is leading them to each bite of food, the sheep do not have to worry where it is going to come from, or look for it themselves. Their shepherd is there taking care of them, providing for their needs. Just as that shepherd was there leading his sheep, Jesus is with us leading us to what we need in life. It is not up to us to take care of our own needs only to follow Him. But we must make ourselves like the sheep and fully depend on God to take care of us. He has promised that he would, we need only take him at his word.

I am challenged daily to give up what little bit of control I think I have and  depend on my shepherd to lead me where he wants me to go, to take care of my needs, and to protect me. All I need to do is listen to His voice, He cares for me and calls me by name because I am His. There is no better place to be than in the loving care of my Good Shepherd!

Continually Growing at The Grove!
Miss Megan


Thursday, February 5, 2015

Little People Can Do Big Jobs Too

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak at Lakeview Christian's Preschool Chapel. As I was preparing my lesson, I was trying to think of a story that would be applicable to kids 5 and under. I was reminded that the life of David shows us that its not about you, its how you let God use you, no matter what age you are. I ended up telling the preschoolers the story of David's anointing. We talked about how God put Saul in charge of Israel as the king but he decided that he didn't need to listen to God. And we all know that we should always listen to and obey God. And then I told the kids how Samuel was sent to find the new king that God had chosen.
If you haven't read the story in a while take a quick moment to read it in 1 Samuel 16:1-13. I don't want to spoil it for you, so i'll wait.
Ready? Ok good, now that we are all caught up I will continue. As you know Samuel went to the house of Jesse to look at his sons because God had chosen one of them. The first one, Eliab, comes along, and Samuel thinks this has to be the one. The first child always gets all the good stuff right? And he must be the biggest and strongest of his brothers since he is the oldest. In Samuel's eyes, Eliab is the perfect choice. But God says, NO. So Jesse brings forward his second son, Abinadab, to pass before Samuel. I am gonna guess that this one is still pretty big and strong, he is after all the second born. But God says, NO. Next is Shammah, but the same answer comes from God, NO. The Bible doesn't even bother to tell us the rest of the sons names only that the same happens with 7 of Jesse's sons. Each time God tells Samuel that "man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." Hmm well thats a cryptic message when looking for a king. So it seems that Samuel has run out of sons of Jesse. So he asks, "Have you any more sons?" And as you well know Jesse had one more son. The littlest one, the one that no one bothered to get from the fields because there was no way he could be considered to be the future king. David was the least likely choice by even his own father. But Samuel had David come in from the field where he had been tending sheep. And as David stood before Samuel, probably smelling of dirt and sheep, God spoke to Samuel and said, "this is the one." God saw the heart of David, He saw that David was going to follow Him with his whole heart. And that was the type of king God wanted for Israel. Someone to follow Him and lead the people to do the same. I am not trying to say that David's brothers weren't going to be spiritual leaders, but it is possible that they, like Saul, would have depended on their own strength and knowledge instead of God.
David's anointing was just the first instance in his life of God choosing someone little to do something big. If you keep reading, a couple of chapters later we see David facing off against a giant named Goliath. Once again David is being underestimated because of his size. David knew that though he may be small, his God is big and can defeat any foe.
So how did I tie this in to the lives of preschoolers? No I don't expect a prophet from God to be coming to their houses to anoint them the next king of Israel. But I do expect there to be times in their lives, even now where they can choose to obey God. Times when they may be discounted because they are small, but they can show the truth that God can use them to do something big because HE is big inside them.

Thankful to be Growing at The Grove!
Miss Megan