Monthly Archives: May 2011
Stay On Target
Growing up, us kids loved to watch Stars Wars with our dad. There is this one scene at the end of Episode IV: A New Hope when the heroes are attacking the Death Star and trying to make the galaxy safe from the evil Galactic Empire. In that scene there is a point 
when three of the fighters think they can get close enough to weak spot in the Death Star to take a shot at destroying it. As they get closer, one of them is shot down by Darth Vader and another starts to panic. But Gold Five keeps saying, “Stay on target!” That line is incredibly quotable. So there were often times we went around the house as kids saying, “Stay on target!” As I read today’s passage, I was reminded of this line.
James is writing to Hebrew Christians who are scattered because of persecution. His opening statements are like he’s saying to them, “Stay on target!” Their circumstances that are completely beyond their control and not what we would call good. But James tells them to “Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trialsof various kinds, for you know thatthe testing of your faithproduces steadfastness.” He also reminds them, “Blessed is the one who remains steadfast under trial.” Everything around them seems controlled by the evil Empire, but James is there to remind them to stay on target.
I wonder about us… how often do we need to be reminded to stay on target? To keep our eyes fixed on Jesus? What distracts us? Who is around you to encourage you to stay on target?
Fun Ways to Play with Paint
With summer break coming up, I thought it might be a good idea to be armed with a few extra activities and ideas!
Psalm 106, part 2
Psalm 106:19-48 (English Standard Version)
19Theymade a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a metal image.
20They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
21They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
22wondrous works inthe land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23Thereforehe said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, hischosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them.
24Then theydespised the pleasant land,
havingno faith in his promise.
25They murmured in their tents,
and did not obey the voice of the LORD.
26Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
27and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
scattering them among the lands.
28Then theyyoked themselves to theBaal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
29they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
30Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.
31And that was counted to him as righteousness
from generation to generation forever.
32Theyangered him at the waters of Meribah,
and it went ill with Moses on their account,
33for they made his spirit bitter,
and hespoke rashly with his lips.
34They did not destroy the peoples,
as the LORD commanded them,
35but theymixed with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
36They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters tothe demons;
38they poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was polluted with blood.
39Thus theybecame unclean by their acts,
andplayed the whore in their deeds.
40Thenthe anger of the LORD was kindled againsthis people,
and he abhorred his heritage;
41hegave them into the hand of the nations,
so that those who hated them ruled over them.
42Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were brought into subjection under their power.
43Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and werebrought low through their iniquity.
44Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when heheard their cry.
45For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
46He caused them to be pitied
by all those who held them captive.
47Save us, O LORD our God,
andgather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
48Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the LORD!
Pslams 106, part 1
Read the Psalm then, either as a family or on your own, think about God’s story in your life. What has God done in your family history to show how good God is? What lessons have you learned? What lessons can you learn from other people? It’s important to remember them!
Psalm 106
Give Thanks to the LORD, for He Is Good
1Praise the LORD!Oh give thanks to the LORD,for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all his praise?
3Blessed are they who observe justice,
whodo righteousness at all times!
4Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
5that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.
6Both we andour fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
7Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
theydid not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
butrebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
8Yet he saved themfor his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
9Herebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and heled them through the deep as through a desert.
10So hesaved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
11Andthe waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
12Then they believed his words;
theysang his praise.
13But they soonforgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
14But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
andput God to the test in the desert;
15hegave them what they asked,
but sent a wasting disease among them.
16When men in the camp were jealous of Moses
and Aaron,the holy one of the LORD,
17the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
and covered the company of Abiram.
18Fire also broke out in their company;
the flame burned up the wicked.
All About Relationships
This will be the last passage we look at here from Colossians- at least for this season! Paul basically wraps it all up by reminding us how we should treat one another. And it all comes down to this statement: You are serving the Lord Christ.
Everything we do, everyone we interact with, every time we are with people or thinking of people, in it all, we should be Christ focused. Our relationships with other people matter to Jesus because they reflect our relationship with Jesus.
What do you think?
New School
Off with the old, and on with the new! New life that is. Once we know who Jesus is, who we are without Jesus (the old life), then it’s time to look at new life with Jesus. And life is good.
Now note that no where does it say “life is easy.” No, that is not the deal. But life is good. I mean, just imagine living with people who are consumed with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. People who are quick to forgive and not to judge. That would be good! Well, guess what…. that is the design of the church and it starts with me and you. We are the church! We are the ones to live like this! It starts with me and it starts with you.
So how do we live like this? Well, Paul has some ideas in verses 16 and 17. Do you see them? What impacts you? What are you going to be after to accomplish new life?
Old-school
This is where it gets pretty good! One of the things I have always liked about Paul’s writing is that he spells it out for us. He almost always starts with “remember how great God is and look at Jesus.” Then that causes him to go into, “so if that is Jesus, then this way of life just makes sense.” So this passage starts the way-of-living part. 
Look at his transition- If then you have been raised with Christ… Because of Jesus, something happens in us. When we begin to see who Jesus is, it changes us. It’s out with the old and in with the new. The old way is to have our mind set on our own ideas. The new way is to have our minds- our hearts, ideas, motives- set on Jesus.
Paul even helps us know exactly what the old way looks like. What descriptions of the old life stand out to you? What convicts your heart? What parts of the old life have you seen God take away? What impacts and challenges you from this scripture?
Not about this- all about that
Do you ever feel like there are just too many rules to follow? Too many do’s and don’ts to keep up with? I’ll bet if you asked a kid those questions, they would answer yes! There are too many rules to follow and remember!
It can be overwhelming to keep track of everyone’s rules and how to please different people. Then, sometimes it seems even more overwhelming if you begin thinking of 
following Jesus as a bunch more rules to add.
But that’s not what it is about.
Paul reminds his readers in Colossians that following Jesus is not about keeping up with the rules. It is not about even following the really good ideas of other people. Nope. It’s just about following Jesus. It’s about remembering who Jesus is… and therefore, who we are in Christ. Now, I’m not saying to forget all the good guidelines or rules that help us function with people- but how often do we get wrapped up in the list that we forget about just following Jesus?
At the end of the day it will not matter if we followed all the good ideas and suggestions and rules of people. Nope. The only thing that will matter is if we fell so head-over-heels in love with Jesus. ‘Cause when we do, that shapes us so much more than any rules or regulations.
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