Washing Machines

One of the things I’ve learned about parenting is to accept that I will always have dirty clothes. Whether it’s from drool, puke, or dirty lunch hands, my clothes always seem to bear traces of my children. Ah, the joys of parenting. Because of these “gifts” my children leave behind, I end up throwing my dirty clothes into the washing machine multiple times a week.  Washing machines are wonderful, aren’t they? They happily accept our dirty clothes, using water and soap to move between the fibers, cleansing them of dirt and stains.

The Apostle Paul links the idea of washing clothes with the reading of scripture. In Ephesians 5:26, Paul says that Christ cleansed the church “…by the washing with water through the word…” Just as our clothes get dirty and stained, so does our mind. While our minds are filled with good and beautiful things, they are also burdened with pain, hurt, and evil. Paul teaches that one way our minds can be washed and cleansed is through reading scripture. In the same way that a washing machine cleans clothes, God’s word washes and renews our minds.

So, here’s an invitation for all of us: this week, let’s spend time reading scripture. Let’s fill our minds with it, think about it, and pray through it. And as we do, may we experience a cleansing, a renewal of our minds.

 -Pastor Evan Davies

When The Finish Line Isn’t Visible, Don’t Quit

Life is difficult at times. But as we look back at the challenges, amazingly we got through each one. At the age of five I remember tying shoes was hard. But once I got the hang of it, no problem. And I learned tying shoes led to running, which was faster than walking or being idle.

Fast forward to 1990. With shoes tied, I gathered with thousands of others in Honolulu to run my first marathon. Even with all my training, I wasn’t prepared for the “wall,” runners talk about. It hit about mile 20, and from then on, I learned to appreciate the importance of pressing on, one step at a time. It seemed like each mile was longer than the last as exhaustion was setting in. Inching along Diamond Head before the final descent to the finish line I witnessed something that will stick with me forever. Ahead were two men running together, and they were joyful as they chatted back and forth. And what were they holding between them? Upon a closer look I understood. Each had a hand on a large rubber ring that kept them together, like a lifeline. One was blind, and his sighted friend was guiding him through the course. Were they tired? Probably. Yet, like me, they pressed on, because the prize ahead is always worth the pain behind.

Life with Jesus is a little like those two runners. As we hang on to Him He is there to guide us, strengthen us, and encourage us so that we may find joy in the journey even when life is difficult and we can’t see how much further until the prize. Remember, Jesus Christ will get us home, every step of the way. (See Philippians 3 and 4)

 - Pastor Jim

P.R.A.Y.

Have you ever started a prayer and then instantly been silent because you didn’t know what to say? Yeah, me too. It happens quite often for me. However, I’ve recently came across the P.R.A.Y. acronym which has helped my prayer life tremendously. I’d like to share it with you and lead you through it. It stands for Pause, Rejoice, Ask, and Yield. As we enter into a time of prayer with God, let us walk through these steps together.

Pause: Wherever you are, pause, stop, and be still. If your body has come to a stop, but your mind is still running, take a few breaths, and listen to the sounds around you. Take a minute to center yourself in the presence of God.

Rejoice: After stilling your body and thoughts, take time to rejoice in what God has done in your life recently. Maybe this was something big that God did this past week, or maybe it was something small that happened this morning. Whether big or small, take time to express your gratitude to Christ.

Ask: After a time of rejoicing, bring your request to God. Tell him about your needs, and the needs of others in your life. Ask God to intervene in your life and the lives of others in a real way.

Yield: As our time of prayer is coming to a close, take some time to yield your life to Christ. Commit this day, your life, your words, your thoughts, your actions to His way, to His mission, to His kingdom.

Amen.

 - Pastor Evan Davies

Devotion to God and a Spirit of Sacrifice

Having the right motivations makes all the difference in how we feel about giving to God. God wants our hearts in it with him. If our giving is all about him needing our stuff, then that would make him look bad, and it would make us feel resentful. God tells us, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”—Acts10:35. God wants us to experience more and more blessings as we continue giving to him. Since God owns everything, he doesn’t need our material gifts, Giving to God is about us. Where are our hearts in relationship to him?

When God has done so much for us: He sustains our every breath, he saves us from sin’s death, he gives us blessings every day. Why wouldn’t we be devoted to him, in love with him, and wanting to give him our time, talents, and means for his cause? The Apostle Paul says, “The love of Christ constrains us.”—2 Corinthians 5:14. Love always causes us to want to be generous towards God or others. So, if we love God so much, then our giving won’t seem like such a sacrifice.

There are two requirements for giving to God. 1) Our appreciative love for God – DEVOTION, and 2) a SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE. We may be wanting to give generously to God, but we may still feel a little expectation that our giving be used in only the way we would like to see it used. There is still a little bit of us in the gift, holding back something that we say is for God, but it’s not really for him completely, unless he uses it the way we expect. And if it isn’t used in the way we expect, then we’re going to take it back, or we’re going to stop giving to his projects anymore. A Spirit of Sacrifice is the second motivation for giving. It enables our love gifts to God to be given without strings attached. It also includes having a Spirit of Sacrifice, in which decisions for God’s project are mutually shared and agreed upon in unity, even though in our opinion some of the decisions may not be what we would have wanted. A Spirit of Sacrifice isn’t so much about how much we give, but it is about how we give. No-strings-attached-giving is truly the most unselfish and sacrificial kind of giving there is.

This is how God gave to us. He didn’t come and sacrifice himself for us on condition that we would love him back. He gave his life for us regardless of anyone ever responding to his generous gift. He gave himself anyway. I am so thankful that God loves us unconditionally. I pray that you and I will be able to respond to his invitation to give back to him generously (DEVOTION) and unselfishly (with a SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE). And we will receive that highest blessing of participating with him in the work of saving others for his kingdom.

 -Pastor Ben Moor

Send It On Ahead

When we moved to Portland in 1964 the local newspaper interviewed my parents, and one question asked was where would they send us 6 kids to school?  Without knowing how, their answer was, “Holy Redeemer.”  Sure, it was a sacrifice, but it taught me something about purpose and how to be  grateful, content, and invested in others.  I’m thankful for the example of selfless living shown by my parents.   

In Matthew 6:19-20 Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”  True, Jesus is talking about our money and possessions, but on a deeper level it is a matter of the heart.  As Jesus concluded in verse 21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” we are reminded that who or whatever has our heart has our wallet.  

And if Jesus has my heart, then my purpose for what I do changes.  It becomes a natural response to my relationship with Him.  Work has greater fulfillment, peace replaces anxiety over money, and returning tithe and offerings becomes a faith partnership with Jesus that I know will bless someone, somewhere for eternity.  Why does Jesus have my heart?  Because I know He supplies all my needs and I am grateful to know He loves me, forgives me, saves me, places me in right standing with God the Father, and I am a new creation, an overcomer, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

The result:  I send what He asks me, ahead in ways that will bring further results for eternity.  Money?… Why not?  Possessions?...sure.  Time?...of course.  Talents?...naturally.  I send whatever He asks on ahead so that the good news of Jesus’ love and salvation can be preached in word and action.  Just like someone sent it on ahead for me…and you.  

May God bless you as you send it on ahead for Him.

-Pastor Jim

Don’t let greed give you a hollow pie

 I remember a familiar “Uncle Arthur,” story about a hollow pie.  Greedy for the biggest and best of everything, young Robert finally learned his lesson when, at his Aunt’s home for dinner, it came time for dessert.  As usual, Robert went for the biggest and best desserts only to find great disappointment.  Knowing his greedy habit, the best looking desserts had been doctored to be the worst tasting.  By the end of the story, we find Robert deciding greed has its consequences.

As humans with our fallen nature, we all are naturally bent towards selfishness, which leads to greed.  “Bigger,” “better,” “more,” the advertisements and books abound telling us that we can’t be content unless we have it all.  I’ve bought that lie more than once, and like the hollow pie, there is always an empty disappointment down the road.  

What is the cure?  Well, it certainly isn’t more of the same.  And it isn’t solved simply by giving everything away.   Without a change of thinking we will just collect stuff again.  Instead, the solution is found when we come to a place where we realize God is enough for us.  The counsel in Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us that God is responsible for all our talents, achievements, and material blessings.  When we forget that, we are left with self as the reason for what we do or don’t have.  This causes us to measure our worth by the world’s standards, and our motivation for doing more and getting more is so we can feel better about ourselves.   

God’s desire for us is that we find our worth in Him.  Throughout history Jesus has demonstrated that He wants to be our, “enough,” by the multitude of blessings He provides.  Enough provision, enough protection, enough deliverance, enough mercy, enough joy, enough peace, enough hope, enough love.  Jesus said, “ For God so loved the world (He sees value in us), that He gave His one and only Son (God’s provision), that whoever (that’s us) believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  To prove what He meant, He died our unrighteous death, and His resurrection gave us His righteous life and it’s available to anyone who trusts Him as enough.  May we all find our contentment in the riches of Christ, knowing He is enough for us.

 -Pastor Jim

Owners or Stewards?

One teaching in scripture is that God owns all things. Here are a few examples: In Job 41:11, God says: “Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.” In Exodus 19:15, God said to Moses, “All the earth is mine.” And Psalm 24:1 proclaims, “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof.” These are just a few scriptures proclaiming that God is the owner of all things.

Well, what does that make us? Scripture teaches that while God owns all things, he also gives all things. He gave life to Adam and Eve, he gave them a garden, he gave them the command to have dominion and rule. God gave Adam and Eve, and all of humanity, stewardship over his resources. This means that ultimately, we are stewards of all that God has given us.

Many may find this idea troubling, after all, being an owner is a good feeling. We are proud of the things we own: land, homes, cars, clothes, etc. But, when we start to change our mindset from ownership to stewardship, we start to see our resources, not as things to progress our kingdom, but as things to progress God’s kingdom.

So, to end, here are a few questions to ponder this week:

1. Have you primarily viewed yourself as an owner or a steward?

2. How can you use your resources to advance God’s kingdom?

3. What can you do this week to live as a steward of all that God has given you?

Blessings to you this week, as you live life as God’s steward.

-Pastor Evan