Elections, Elections

It's amazing the emotional toll elections take on society as a whole, isn't it?  People are quite passionate about their political persuasion.  If one's political party wins, often there is elation!  If one's political party loses, often there is devastation.  Along with this comes polarization.  Our personal preference of political party and the candidate representing them becomes almost faultless to us.  The other party and their candidate?  Almost utterly demonized by us.  As interesting as all these dynamics can be, the hardest one to fathom is how divisive this all can become even with the people we love.

Jesus said in John 8:36, "So if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed."  If we have room in our heart for Jesus and His Word, He will show us the way in all roads of life, even our pothole filled, political paths.  Here are some verses from God's Word worth contemplating during this political time:

· Should we feel better than others because of our political choices?  Philippians 2:3-5

· Should we feel our opinions are infallible?  Proverbs 14:12-16

· Should we feel the other party is our adversary/enemy?  Luke 6:27-36

· Should we hold people accountable for what we consider to be wrong thinking?  1 Peter 4:8-11

God is calling us to share His love to all people at all times.  Elections are exhausting for many.  What if we begin seeing them more as an opportunity?  Let's seize the moment for sharing the tenants of God's eternal kingdom.  May God and the eternal joys of Heaven be our greatest passion now and forevermore.   . 

Politics are a thing.  Jesus is everything.

 - Pastor Michael Brackett

The Christian Paradox

What does it mean to be a Christian? There are many possible answers, but I think Martin Luther captured it well with this paradox:

“A Christian is completely free, subject to nothing and no one.
A Christian is a dutiful servant, subject to everyone.”

This is the essence of the Christian Paradox: we are free from all, yet servants to all. The Apostle Paul writes about this in a few places, such as in 1 Corinthians 9:19, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all,” and in Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

For me, this paradox has deeply shaped how I view and live my life. First, it has helped me realize that in Christ, I am free—free from condemnation and death, free to live my life in grace, love, and freedom. Living in Christian freedom has been refreshing for my soul.

Second, this perspective has clarified how I should act in my various roles. How can I be a good husband? A good father? How should I approach my work? How should I interact with others? Each answer points to service. So, when I wake up in the morning, I ask myself, “How can I best serve those I will be in contact with today?”

This, I believe, is the most beautiful way to live: in freedom and in service. As we embrace this Christian paradox, may we experience the grace and peace of Christ.

In His freedom, and in His service,
- Pastor Evan

Reflection Questions

How does the Christian paradox shape your life?

 In what areas might Christ be calling you to greater freedom—or greater service?

 - Pastor Evan

He Knows

Matthew 6:31-34

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we

wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. We all worry about things. Some worry about passing a class, others worry about their children or tension at work and still others worry about the roof leaking or being accepted in a group of people. We all worry, not always the same things, but we all worry about something. Jesus knows that, and this is what He said about it: “Don’t do it!” Just don’t. And here’s why.

Your Heavenly Father knows you need these things. He knows! In so many ways He knows. He knows because He created you. He created you to love and to want and to hunger and to thirst. He created you that way. Because of creating you, He knows what you will worry about. On top of that, He knows because he lived as a human and He hungered and thirsted and was cold. He experienced it and knows what we need. So in confidence we can say, “I won’t worry because God knows what I need and has already made provisions for me.”

So what should you do instead of worrying? Seek first His kingdom. At CAA week of worship this week Pastor Urijah talked about fasting. During a fast there are times when hunger and cravings come. Those are signals that tell our body to eat and consume what we are craving. The key to fasting is when those signals come, they become reminders to pray and to spend time with God.

So the next time you feel worry, take that as a reminder to look for the kingdom of God. Take that moment to trust God and be thankful that He knows what you need. Take that moment to be grateful that He is watching out for you and has already made plans for taking care of you, because He loves you very much.

 - Pastor Kristen

Higher Than Harvard

2 Peter 3:17-18 says, “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever!  Amen.”

Peter encourages us to not slowly be carried away, but instead to steadily grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.  I’m so grateful we value learning and growth within the Meadow Glade SDA Church!  We so value our schools and the excellent learning that takes place on these two campuses every day throughout the school year.  I hope all of us who are now out of school always value learning every day also through eternity!

This past Sabbath we talked about how lovely it is to learn from Jesus.  The context of Christianity is the greatest framework for learning found in this world and beyond!  Jesus is next-level learning and there is no better focal point for our forward progress than Him, period.  For an example, on Sabbath we looked at the Harvard Business Review and found four key attributes for successful learning:  1.  Aspiration, 2.  Self-awareness, 3.  Curiosity, and 4.  Vulnerability.  Harvard was absolutely right.  It's not difficult to believe these attributes can bolster anyone’s context for learning.  But inject Jesus into the matrix, and it gets even better.

Does Jesus provide greater aspiration?  He promises and proves to be the Way, the Truth and the Life and that He has come that we may have life more abundant!  Does Jesus provide greater Self-awareness?  He tells us without Him we can do nothing but with Him all things are possible!  We don’t have to rely on ourselves but absolutely can rely on Him!  Does Jesus provide us with greater curiosity?  He promises to never leave us and to work all things together for our good.  Even the negative events in our life He promises and proves to use to help us grow!  These facts can keep us optimistic and curious to what’s ahead!  And does Jesus help us with vulnerability?  Jesus helps us embrace vulnerability and endorses greater humility.  He made Himself of no reputation to elevate us to the highest possible place with Him in the Heavenly kingdom coming!  We are called to humble ourselves now all for the sake of elevating others.

Peter was right.  To Him, Jesus, belongs glory both now and forever!  Amen.

 -Pastor Michael

Learning With A Purpose

I believe that the Bible is God’s inspired word to us from beginning to end.  Within it there are books rich in history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom, biography, and I’m sure other genres, but all with the narrative that tells us of God’s love and redemptive desire for mankind, in spite of our sinful condition.   In reading it we can gather trivia, factual information, stories of dysfunctional people, and the drama of life.  However, that is just breaking the surface of the beauty of scripture, with so much more to learn.  

In John 5:39-40 Jesus shared these words, “You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me, but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.”   Jesus wants us to know that Biblical knowledge without a realization and acceptance of our sinful rebellion, our inability to fix the problem, and therefore, our need of Him, our Savior, is just the gathering of information that may come in handy on Jeopardy. 

God calls us to approach the studying of His word prayerfully, knowing that when we do, He will take us deeper into understanding His character, and His plan for us.  Submitting ourselves to His authority, the Holy Spirit will ground us in the truth, strengthen our faith in Jesus as the way, truth, and life, and change our hearts and way of thinking so we can better reflect Jesus to the world around us. 

Today, with so many differing opinions on God, and so much natural and political unrest happening around us, we are wise to find out what God would say to us about why, about His return, and His great love that just wants to get us all home.  But it won’t just happen.  We actually have to read and listen, and that takes time, not a lot, but if we’re honest, probably more than we have been giving.   Together let’s be recognized as people of “the Book,” who are getting to know Jesus as the answer to the questions of life, so that we too can live and love like Him. 

May God bless you as you learn from Him.

-Pastor Jim

I am the Woman

This past Sabbath we reflected on Jesus interaction with the women at the well. Again, I invite you to reflect on this story by reading the poem, I am the Woman, by Rose Teteki Abbey.

- Pastor Evan

I am the Samaritan Woman.

I am the Woman who met Jesus at the Well.

He asked me for water and I refused.

After all, he was a Jew, I was a Samaritan

But there were other reasons for my refusal.

People condemn me and my lifestyle.

Women shun me for reasons best known to them.

And men?

Ask the five who stayed with me. They use me in secret and despise me in public.

I was used to loneliness, it was welcome to me.

It was better than being condemned by people.

How then was I to socialize with this man at the Well?

How could I add him to the long string of my accusers?

But, before I was aware, he had drawn me into conversation.

He was not ashamed to sit with me.

He sat with me at the Well and had a long conversation with me.

My culture said I was nothing without a husband

But Jesus didn’t care that none of the five men was my husband.

He gave me the meaning of true religion.

He corrected my notions about faith.

True worshipers, he said, worship in Spirit and in Truth.

Listening to him, I felt liberated.

It didn’t matter any longer that I was a woman-

A woman without a husband.

What mattered was that I was hungry, I was thirsty.

He gave me the living water.

I left my jar and ran to the village.

“Come!” I said to the people.

“Come and meet the liberator”

I truly was liberated.

I could talk about my fears to Christ. I still do.

He neither rebuked me nor laughed at me. He still doesn’t.

I felt full because Christ gave me the Living Water.

I still feel full, because Christ still gives me the Living Water.

Climbing

Ever since I was little I loved to climb things.  Rocks, trees, mountains, even onto the roof of my house.  When I climb up high on a mountain and look out across the valley, I begin to see how small I am in comparison to the rest of the world.  Things that might seem like big problems when I’m in my office seem to be less important up there. 

“In prayer I shift my point of view away from my own selfishness.  I climb above timberline and look down at the speck that is myself.  I gaze at the stars and recall what role I or any of us play in a universe beyond comprehension.  Prayer is the act of seeing reality from God’s point of view.” -Philip Yancey

With how busy life can get its easy to loose sight of God’s point of view.  But we shouldn’t let it go that easy.  Take a moment today to pray for God’s point of view.  And if it helps, go climb something!

- Pastor Kristen