Living Water Church

What would you think if someone came up to you, untied your shoes, pulled off your socks, and began to wash your feet?  The thought just makes me cringe—I’m afraid I might kick the person in the nose.  (I’m not that big into someone tickling my feet.)  Yet, the Bible tells us to wash each other’s feet?

In Biblical times, people walked through dirt, sand, and other unmentionables as they travelled from place to place.  Washing ones feet was a means of helping someone, giving to them, taking care of them.  Today, we travel differently (thank God) and so foot-washing is no longer necessary.  But there are other ways that we can give to each other.  This last week, Steve H. came and moved a ton of dirt for us; Julie helped us move furniture; my mom babysat Nate so I could work; my Dad helped us paint.  All of these people “washed my feet.”   They gave of their time and energy, they gave of themselves, to help Ken and me.

It’s somewhat humbling to accept help.  I think that’s why we often resist it.  But let’s not let pride keep us from receiving from others.  Additionally, look for opportunities to serve others.   Are you a foot-washer?

Do you ever feel like the world is going by at 100 mph and you’re only traveling at 55 mph?  Often, I have trouble keeping up with each of my boys’ schedules and activities.  The events of my life can pass by in a blur.  I think being too busy is one of the curses on the American culture.  We can get so busy we start to focus on the small things instead of the big picture.  We “major on the minors.”

One of my favorite songs is “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”  There is a line in the song that ministers to me every time I hear it.  It says, “Look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim…”  There is something that changes us when we slow down long enough to look into Jesus’ face, to read the words He spoke as recorded in the Scriptures, to talk to Him in prayer.  When I slow down and do this, I am constantly amazed that the things of earth (life’s worries and craziness) pale in comparison—they grow strangely dim.  Take time this week, in your busy schedule, in spite of all of it’s demands, and look full in His wonderful face.  Talk to Him.  Cast your cares of Him.  Tell Him who much you need Him, how much you love Him.  Turn your eyes upon Him.

This week, I found myself singing the old Gaither song, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there’s just something about that name.” Though it’s a line from a song, the message behind it is absolute truth.  Have you ever noticed that if you have a conversation with someone about God, no one seems to take notice?   You blend in.  But if in your conversation you bring up the name ‘Jesus’ suddenly people react?  There’s something about the name ‘Jesus’ that polarizes people.  No other name evokes such strong reactions.  Why is that?

Popular culture will acknowledge Jesus’ existence, and many will claim that He is one way to heaven.  But the only way?  Jesus proclaimed, “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.  No one can come to the Father except through Me.”  John 14:6.  The exclusivity of this statement has caused generation after generation of people to react.  Nobody wants to be told that there is only one way.  So people react to Jesus, the name and the man.

For me, the name Jesus evokes an entirely different reaction.  His name gives me a sense of peace, a sweetness, but also an awesome wonder.  Because of Him, I have hope beyond this life.  And because of Jesus, I have hope and peace in this life.  This Easter season, will you take a few moments today and praise the name of Jesus?  “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.  Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there’s just something about that name.

What do you think is the most beautiful word in the English language?  Some might say love or friendship; sadly others might say money or success.  To me, the most beautiful word in all of language is the word forgiveness.  Without forgiveness love and friendship couldn’t exist.  Without forgiveness, we would live in the depths of guilt and condemnation.

Ken and I got mad at each other this week.  (I know, shocker… you find it hard to believe.)  We said things to each other that we would take back if we could.  (How quickly I forgot what I said in a recent sermon that a harsh word spoken is not easily forgotten by the person it is spoken to.)  However, in spite of our shortcomings, because of the redeeming grace of the Father, we forgave each other.

Ken and I confessed our issues to each other, and we looked each other in the eye, and said, “Will you forgive me?”  Then the other one said, out loud, with direct eye contact, “I forgive you.”  The words are simple but the question and response are completely humbling.  And the result is powerful—beyond words really.  There is amazing power in forgiveness.  There is healing, hope, and restoration.   Choose to forgive someone today.  Say the words, “I forgive you.”  “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

“This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24.

As our church draws our study of Philippians to a close, one of the themes of the letter is the command to rejoice.  The concept of rejoicing or joy appears 16 times in just four chapters.  Paul dedicated his life to following Christ, but in so doing he faced poverty, beatings, and imprisonment.  In his letter to the Ephesians, he wrote that he was writing while living in chains.  Can you even imagine…living in chains?  But in spite of all this, Paul chose to rejoice.  He learned to be content.  How?

Wouldn’t it be easy if the answer was just a simple formula like A+B = contentment.  Sadly, it is not so.  As I pondered the question, I came to the conclusion that Paul did not live in denial.  He didn’t live in some mental la-la land where he refused to admit to his problems.  Rather, he openly acknowledged the chains, the poverty, the pain.  But at the same time, he chose to focus his mind and his heart on the promises of God.  Promises like:  “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.”  Phil. 4:19.

Paul had an assurance about him, a hope, that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with Him.  And with this confident assurance, Paul was able to choose to rejoice.  The Psalmist wrote, “I will rejoice and be glad…” Sometimes rejoicing is an act of our will.  Choose to rejoice today!

“If the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us…they would have swallowed us alive.”  Psalm 124:2-3 NIV

I still find myself reeling from the school attack this week in Littleton.  Perhaps this was such a hit to me because my niece is a survivor of the attack on Columbine High School.  I will never forget that day.  After I got the phone call that she was in the school, and had not been heard from, I frantically drove across town to her family’s home.  I will never forget slowing down, over and over again, as ambulance after ambulance passed me by.  Helicopters were hovering everywhere.  It all felt so ominous.  I cried out to God the whole way there, asking Him to spare her life.  And He did.

As I heard the news of another attack this week in our city, I couldn’t help thinking, what is this world coming to?  But then I realized the amazing truth—a man gained access to Deer Creek Middle School, walked around the school, even got a visitor’s pass.  At some point, he got his gun and began to shoot—and no one was killed.  Only two students were physically injured.  They are both doing well.  This is nothing short of a miracle!  And rather than shaking my head in disgust at our society, instead I got on my knees before God and gave thanks.  Thank you Father for Your protection, for Your mercy.

Will you take a few moments today and just thank God for intervening in this violent act?  And will you pray?  Pray for our schools and for our children.  Pray for the 2 injured students and their families, for emotional, physical, and spiritual healing.  Pray for Deer Creek Middle School, the students, the staff, the parents.  Pray for Divine protection.  The Psalmist wrote, “God is our very present help in times of trouble.”

“I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  Psalm 121:1-2.

I have talked with numerous people in the last few weeks who are struggling with various life issues.  Sadly, God never promised that life would be easy, but He did promise to walk through the hard times with us.

I find Psalm 121 very comforting when I am walking through valley-experiences.  The Psalmist wrote that he lifted his eyes to the hills.  This refers to the mountains of Jerusalem, the OT symbol for the dwelling place of the Lord.  In essence, the psalmist is looking toward where the Lord dwells.  He declares that his help comes from God.  Then, in the next six verses, the writer acknowledges that the Lord is his Guardian and Caretaker.  “He who keeps you will not slumber.”  v. 3. The Hebrew word for keeps (preserves) is used six times in this psalm, dramatically emphasizing the care of God.  “The Lord is your keeper…The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.”  v. 5-6. God offers 24 hour protection.

Yes, hard times come.  But there is something so very comforting about the fact that God is our keeper.  He is our very present help in times of trouble.  Wrap your thoughts around the promises of God.  He is our helper and comforter, our source of strength and our hope.

“Now these three remain:  faith, hope, and love.  And the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:13

Ken and I participate in LWC’s Open Door Outreach.  Once a month, a team from LWC goes to Aurora City Park and we hand out food and clothing to the homeless people gathered there.  At the last outreach in January, we fed about 80 people!  Hats, gloves, coats, and shoes were taken the very moment we put them out for distribution.  Most of the people in the park do not speak English, so it’s very hard for me to communicate with them, in that my Spanish is very limited.  But I’ve noticed something, even if we don’t speak the same language, everyone, everywhere understands the language of love.  I can say hello, smile, shake hands and show kindness.  Though few words are said, love is spoken.

Col. 3:12-14 tells us to “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other…  above all these things put on love.”  Love is the greatest of all human qualities because it is the expression of the very essence of God.  God is love.  Today is Valentine’s Day.  It’s the day of love.  Choose to love someone today.  Show someone you care.  Be considerate of others.  Ask someone questions and really listen to their answers.  Show love.  Love is the language everyone understands.

Last Sunday’s sermon began with an alter call.  (Isn’t church fun?  You never know what you’re going to get.)  The message of the altar call was from Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Are you like me and you experience times of weariness and drought?  As Ken and I have taken over the responsibilities of being senior pastors, we have noticed an enormous increase in the barrage of enemy assaults.  Since we are more on the “front lines” of ministry, we feel the hits more directly and more intensely. It’s easy for us to get overwhelmed.

But I am discovering that in times of stress, I can do one of three things.  I can do nothing but worry.  Or, I can take action (hoping that God agrees with my plan).  Or, I can trust God and pray.  I am finding (sometimes the hard way) that worrying doesn’t help me or solve any problems.  When I take off and try to solve the problem on my own, I usually create more problems, not less.  And so, by the grace of God, I am learning to trust and pray.  Jesus said, “Come to Me…”

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to come to Jesus.  All you really need to be is like a child.  That pretty much makes everyone qualified, doesn’t it?  Come to Jesus.  He is teaching me to learn to trust, obey, and pray.  God is completely aware of my troubles.  He knows the problem and thankfully He knows the solution.   I can find rest and help as I trust in Him.  Come to Jesus.

Did you enjoy last week’s service.  I did.  And you know what, I think God enjoyed it too.  There is something about walking in the light, being transparent, and admitting our need for God’s help and grace that is so pleasing to the Father.

Thankfully, God is not looking for perfect people to serve Him.  Rather, He exalts the humble.  He is near to the brokenhearted.  Jesus Himself said that it was the sick who needed the Physician.  Yet, God doesn’t want to leave us sick and broken.  But often to heal us, the first thing He must do is humble us.

In our culture, we are ingrained with the “I did it my way” or the “I can do it myself” mentality.  My 5 year old son wants to do everything for himself.  So I spend a lot of time waiting on him.  (It’s amazing how our children teach us patience.)  But that aside, there is something ingrained in us, whether by culture or original sin, that demands it’s own way.  There is an independence and self-sufficiency in us that God must break to bring true healing to our lives.  As God prunes us and breaks this independent spirit, it hurts because it’s humbling.

It’s humbling to publicly admit that we need God.  It’s humbling to be transparent about our struggles and our issues.   Can’t everyone agree that it’s easier to be plastic and fake?   But if we want God’s blessing, if we want the favor of God, we must walk in the light and acknowledge our need of Him.  This was modeled for us last week and I believe God was honored by it.