Directions

What direction are you heading?

Directions are a big part of our life. We have the basic north, south, east and west that we use all the time. They usually refer to longer distances or areas. “I’m going up north for vacation.” “They go down south for the winter.” “We live on the west side of the Detroit area.” “I have enjoyed going to visit out east, but would not like to live there.” Right and left are reserved for more of a local area. “Go about a mile and turn right at the old red barn.” “Follow that road for about a half mile and the place you are looking for is on the left.” Up and down can also be thrown into the mix at times, as in “The place you are looking for is up the road a piece” or maybe “Go down the hill and you can’t miss it.” We would be lost, geographically, if we didn’t have directions.

When it comes to our spiritual lives we have directions. We think of Heaven as in one direction and Hell, well that is in the other. As we have gone through this year the elders have asked us to think about three directions. They are more general in nature rather than specific and deal with people and relationships more than places. We can remember these though the idea of IOU dealing with our response to what has been given us.

We are to look inward to each other. This is a focus on the body and what we can do for each other. What have you done for a brother or sister this past week or month? In what ways have you encouraged them? Maybe stopping by to visit someone who would enjoy sitting and talking? Sending a card just to say you were thinking about them? Praying for them is always a great way to be there for them. God wants us to be an encouragement for our brothers and sisters.

We also need to look outward, to those who are outside of God’s kingdom. We often think of those that are in need or down on their luck. And we do need to be there to serve and help them. But looking outward isn’t about just serving someone in need, it is about bringing them into God’s salvation. Who is not a part of God’s kingdom that you can you drop an encouraging note to, maybe stop by and say hi to? But don’t stop there, though Satan wants you to, go ahead and invite them to be a part of something we are doing here. Maybe to be part of one of our small groups that are starting back up, maybe to join you on a Sunday morning or at one of our fellowship activities. Or maybe ask if they are open to studying God’s word with you. Our focus can’t be just inward, it must also be outward.

These two things are hard, and take looking past one’s self. Which is where the “U” or Upward comes in. Looking to God to grasp what has been done for you. Looking to God to help you as you look past yourself to others. Looking to God for peace when this world does not provide it. In all that we are doing, make sure you set aside time to be with God each day. Maybe it is five minutes most days and then a longer period when you can. Don’t leave God out, He is our strength!

So what direction are you going to go? Left? East? Down? Regardless of what physical direction you travel through this world make sure that you are looking inward to encourage your brothers and sisters, outward to help others know of God’s love for them and upward to your Heavenly Father for the guidance as you go forward, remembering what has been done for you.

On the move,

Randy

Upside Down

According to Merriam-Webster upside down means “in such a way that the upper and lower parts are reversed in position”. This can be a really bad thing when you are talking about the ice cream sundae that you have been waiting for all day. Upside down on the floor is not a good thing at all. Now, it isn’t quite so bad when it comes to cake being on the bot- tom and the fruit is on top when we flip it out of the pan. When the fruit is pineapple it can be a very good thing, which we call pineapple upside down cake. So, the term can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the situation.

But Merriam-Webster gives a second definition, “in or into great disorder”. Then it gives an example, “turned their world upside down”. The idea that the normal order of things is not what it normally was. In the first century Jesus came and turned the world upside down. What was normal, religion as usual, the structure of things, was not going to be what it was. His followers went on and turned the known world upside down as they spread not only His message but lived as He called them to. Then it got even more turned upside down a couple of centuries later when the Roman government, which at one time was persecuting those who followed, was now embracing it and the ruler was seeking the blessing of the church. Yea, you could say it was in great disorder from what had been normal.

What about today, could the world be turned upside down by the followers of Jesus? Could they make such an impact that the people would notice the influence of Jesus? Could there be such an impact that those in government would be influenced by Jesus?

Maybe if we set up a tent in our yard so all those who daily pass by on Pontiac Trail would notice. We could have a sign in our front yard saying “Tent Meeting”, get a well known speaker in. They would just flock to our building. Naw, that is too old school.

Maybe design the best web page, have ads pop up on news feeds younger people get. We turn our service into a high energy emotionally charged event where people are just bounc- ing off the walls with a rock band to bring in the younger crowd. They would just flock to our building. That may work, until people found something more entertaining and they would bounce over there.

Maybe we do it God’s way. It was about personal responsibility. Jesus told His followers to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). Maybe a clearer picture would be, “go and talk to your friends”. We are told that when the church was scattered (Acts 8:4) they announced to those around them the good news of Jesus. We see the example of it spreading be- cause someone was willing to invite friends and relatives to come and hear that good news (Acts 10:24). Spreading God’s love and showing people Jesus is about relationships, yet we want to reduce it to hype, a program, or an event. We keep trying to improve on God’s way of doing things, do we really think we have a better way?

We all want the church to grow. And we want someone else to do it. But unless we take the responsibility upon ourselves to “Go”, we will limp along until five, maybe ten years from now we sell the building and move into something smaller. Then five to ten years after that close the doors of that place. It’s about dying to self, it is about stepping up and doing what may not be comfortable, it is about following through on that commitment to Christ.

Jesus and His church are all about relationships. The world has turned that upside down and made Christianity about the outward flash. It is time we stopped following the world and

start following God’s ways. It is time to turn the world upside down one person at a time!

Flipping things over, Randy

Hats

We all wear many different hats.

On the top shelves of my office there are a number of hats. They represent different things to me from over the years. There is the one that I wore when I preached about building up the body of Christ. The one that I wear for special occasions that became my “special events hat” when I was doing campus ministry. Some of the hats remind me of a a family trip, the first trip after a new daughter and son in law were added. There is a spiritual hat given by a close friend or the hat I was given when a group of us went out to help at Timothy Hill Boys’ Ranch in New York. And of course the fedora that was my grandfather’s. Hats that remind me of different things or times that I wore them.

What isn’t on the shelf are the multiple hats I wear that you also wear. It may be the “parent hat” that you have to put on at times. The “friend hat”, that allows you to be there when a friend is in need. Then there is the “provider hat”, providing for the family, maybe physically, maybe emotionally. Probably one of the most fun hats is the “grandparent hat”, the one that comes with all the fun and love but fewer responsibilities. These aren’t physical hats that we put on, but more roles that we take on.

The hat we wear, the role we take on is usually because of a need that has come up and we need to step up. And though he doesn’t mention any hats in the passage, that is the idea that Paul puts forth in 1Corinthians 9:19-23

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Paul put on different hats in different situations in order to please his Heavenly Father. He put on different hats in different situations because he knew he had been forgiven. He put on different hats in different situations because he knew others needed him.

As you put on the “mom hat” this week, or the “friend hat”, or maybe you’re lucky enough to put on the “grandparent hat”, think about the hat you need to put on because of what has been done for you - wear this hat for the person who needs to clearly see our Father’s love or just because you want to show your Heavenly Father how much you love Him.

Fortunate to be wearing my “grandparent hat” this weekend,

Randy