For,
“Who
has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”
But
we have the mind of Christ.
The
church was toasty warm on a cold day, and to make the welcome warmer, I was also
greeted by a Marine. The only cross I found was projected on the screen before
the service.
During
the announcements they talked about a free dinner for their neighbors on the 22nd.
The food will be provided by Discovery Church in Cranberry and the only thing
they would need is cookies. The plan is to pack some cookies in a bag with an
invitation to attend worship here…a viable plan.
The
pastor prayed insightfully for what he might say and for what the people might
hear.
The
sermon was part of a series on maybe lesser-thought-of “Gifts of Christ.” Past
weeks were on direction and rest, today’s on perspective.
In
2 Kings 6:15-17, when the servant expressed his fear of the army surrounding
them, Elisha asked God to open the servant’s eyes to God’s perspective of the
legions of angels surrounding them. We need to also pray for God’s perspective
on our lives.
We
were once forced to move from a house that we had lived in for some time. I was
convinced that God had a place for us already picked out and I was completely at
ease with His plan. I wish I had done a better job of convincing my family, but
God’s plan worked perfectly and the next move we made was a lot easier for
everyone to trust God’s perspective on where we were to go.
[Note
from Jan: During that time Bob lead by example, and he convinced me to adopt
his perspective. The more I said “God has a place for us,” the more I was able
to believe that, and I was ever grateful for his example to follow.]
A
reminder was quoted that Jesus stated wherever your treasure is, there your
heart is also. Pray to “Please let me see life from Your perspective.”
For
a number of years I tended an ever-larger garden that rendered a lot of produce
to donate to the local food bank. I had convinced myself that even though the
endeavor was killing me, it was God’s calling. When I finally asked for God’s
perspective, I got a much different plan…God’s not Bob’s.
We
are well familiar with the Center for Hope in Ambridge but did not realize the
building they vacated is now occupied by this church. Since the group is small,
today they met in an area reminiscent of a school but is easier to heat than a
church on this cold day.
The
congregation is small and extremely friendly; I believe every single other
person present greeted us.
The
bulletin looks festive and is extremely readable.
Much
effort is going into a free spaghetti dinner for the community next Sunday,
December 22. It will be held here in conjunction with Discovery Christian
Church in Cranberry. (Call 724.252.6299 for further information and/or to
support this very worthy endeavor!)
This
message series is “Christmas Gifts!” and focuses on unusual gifts such as
direction and rest, and now perspective.
The
pastor affirmed that how we see something makes all the difference. He outlined
three steps: ask for it (“and keep asking”), wait for it (“you learn to wait by
waiting”), and go for it (“do what you can when you can, walking in faith”).
In
the course of his message the pastor suggested that if we really want to know
how God sees something, we should ask God to help us see life from His
perspective. He warned that when this prayer is from the heart God will answer
it, and when He does, our perspective will change drastically. It can also aid
in unwrapping God’s gift of perspective and putting it to use.
Father, we pray for Your guidance as this church steps out in faith, going into the community seeking those who do not yet know they are seeking You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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