FUN d MENTAL pastor

The Heart of the Matter
Don Henley

... These times are so uncertain
There's a yearning undefined
...People filled with rage
We all need a little tenderness
How can love survive in such a graceless age
The trust and self-assurance that can lead to happiness
They're the very things we kill, I guess
Pride and competition cannot fill these empty arms
And the work I put between us,
Doesn't keep me warm

I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you, Baby
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I figured out, I have to learn again
I've been tryin' to get down to the Heart of the Matter
But everything changes
And my friends seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down and hurt your pride
Better put it all behind you; life goes on
You keep carrin' that anger, it'll eat you inside

I've been tryin' to get down to the Heart of the Matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

(P)Reaching to the Future

(P)Reaching to the Future!
ISAIAH 40:1-31

WHAT ARE WE TO PREACH?
1) The Lord Forgives. . . . . . .v.1-2

2) The Lord Returns. . . . . . . v.3-5

3) Know the Bible. . . . . . . . . v.6-8

4) Know Your God. . . . . . . . . .v.9

WHAT DO THEY NEED
TO KNOW ABOUT GOD?
GOD IS. . .
1)  JUDGE  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v.10

2)  GENTLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v.11

3)  CREATOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  v.12

4)  ALL KNOWING  . . . . . . . . . . v.13

5)  RIGHTIOUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . .v.14

6)  ALL POWERFUL . . . . . . . . . v.15-17

7)  FEARLESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v.18-20

8)  VICTORIOUS . . . . . . . . . . . .v.21-24

9)  IN CONTROL. . . . . . . . . . . . v.25-26

10) UNDERSTANDING. . . . . . . .v.27-28

11) the STRENGTH GIVER. . . . v.29-31

Dead Christians and Churches

Why do Christians, and churches refuse take up our crosses daily?
We do not wish to die to ourselves, that would require a change in me/us.
We are told in scripture that we are to be transformed (inside out) rather than be conformed (outside appearance).
We like things being conformed, because quite frankly that usually ...means that things change into my image.
To be transformed into the image of Christ requires, submission to others and authority, it requires that I lay aside my desires and lay aside my rights and make myself into a bondservant.
In churches today little gods that we are making ourselves into sit in the pews seeking an experience that entertains ourselves rather than corprately acknowledge the one true sovereign LORD, and our own need for Him.

What is truely needed is a death to self.
Our greatest fear.
We send a lot of effort trying not to die physically although we believe that we will be changed into that which is eternal and perfect.

How much more so on the spiritual sense.

Churches fall apart because we refuse to die to ourselves. We make them into our image in apperance; choosing that rather than being transformed into the image of Christ whose victory was in emptying his rights to heaven and divine power, coming into the world as a human child, submitting himself to his parents and the whims of the world. Beyond this he made himself into a servant, and beyond this death upon a cross for the sins of others.
The same power that rose him from the dead, is the same power that would give us new spiritual life if we would trust enough to take up our daily cross and die to ourselves.

Hamlet said it well:
... who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action. - Soft you now!

We all die daily; either to ourselves or to our fears.

Watching my favorite Christmas movies tonight: It's a Wonderful Life and Die Hard... They both make me cry at the end!

Wal-Mart California*
© 11-28-2007 Douglas Lee Sr.

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of great values, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a great big blue sign
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I stopped for something to buy
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard their squiggly yell
And I was thinking to myself,
’This could be Heaven or this could be Hell!’
Then she gave me a flyer and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

“Welcome to the Wal-Mart California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely price
Plenty of stuff at the Wal-Mart California
Any time of year, you can buy it here!”

Their minds are certainly twisted, they got their glory fade-ed
They got a lot of pretty, pretty toys, to give their friends
How they dance in the aisles, sweet shopper sweat.
Some buy to remember, some buy to forget

So I found me the Man’ger,
‘Where may I find wine?’
He said, ’We have it down this aisle here for $19.69.’
And still those voices are calling from far away,
calling out in the middle of the night
you can hear them say...

“Welcome to the Wal-Mart California
Such a lovely place . . . Such a lovely price
We’re livin’ it up at the Wal-Mart California
Fill your shopping cart, bring your Visa cards!”

Fixtures for your ceiling,
The Pink record, dry ice
Someone said ’We are all just prisoners here, of our own device!’
And in the Action Alley,
They gathered for the feast
slashed the price with their steely knives,
But they just can’t kill the beast

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
’relax,’ said the cashier,
‘We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
But you can never leave!’

* Parody of Eagles “Hotel California”

What’s in it for Me?

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 

"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Questionable things:

Should we or shouldn’t we participate in Halloween?

Is it ok for Christians to drink or smoke?

What kind of music should be in the church?

Different followers have come up with many contradictory answers, each with much conviction.

The answer here is everything is permissible.

In essence “Yes you may”.

May I have a pork chop when there are those who believe that it is morally wrong?

“Yes you may”.

May I have a gin and tonic with a friend even though some believe it is a sin?

“Yes you may”.

That solves the question from the I/my perspective.

But it may not be beneficial or constructive.

Beneficial is not that pork is bad for my cholesterol, therefore it would be better for me to not to eat it.

Beneficial here has to do with bearing and bringing together; to help another.

Do I have permission? Yes.

Does it benefit someone else? Will it bring us closer or keep us apart?

Now those are better questions.

Constructive?

Does it edify? Does it build the Church of God? Does it bring others closer to Christ?

That’s another couple of good questions.

May I …? Yes.

Should I?  How will others be effected?

I will not be close to Christ when it all comes down to what’s in it for me.

Are you seeking Christ’s will . . . a good check is are you seeking the good of others?

It’s not about me
It’s all about You
It’s not about my pride
It’s all about Your truth

And so right here from the start
I open up my heart
And say Lord here’s every part
Cause it’s all about You

Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, it’s all about You

Big Daddy Weave

 

Blessings,

Pastor Douglas

Uriah the Hittite

2 Samuel 23:39a  and Uriah the Hittite . . .

This is one of the saddest verses in the Old Testament. It is also a verse that sings the mighty work of God.

David’s mighty men. 37 elite men – empowered by the Spirit to do mighty deeds to serve and protect their king.

Among them an Ammonite and a Hittite. Proof that Our Lord has and always will except any from among the nations who will put their trust in Him.

They were supposed to be enemies of Israel; but stood and protected God’s anointed one.

Some of their exploits are mentioned just before the list of 30. What are the exploits of these men though? Most we will never know on this side of glory.

Except for Uriah the Hittite. . .

We find the greatness of Uriah at the same time we see David at his worst.

Back in chapter 11 we see their stories come together through Bathsheba; Uriah’s wife. We find a king who wouldn’t control himself and a soldier who deprived himself of every pleasure to uphold his king and his fellow troops.

Uriah’s true strength was in his honor. In this case an honor that was greater then God’s anointed. This coming from a Hittite!

Who acted with more reverence towards his king; David or Uriah?

Who should have known better?

Who had more to lose?

Is there a Hittite of today (a non-Christian) that is acting with more honor than you?

Are there non-Christians who have more reverence towards our Lord then you do?

David learned, to late, in this instance that God is forgiving, and ever faithful.

A child died; a family destroyed; a king whose soul was rotted to nothing until he admitted his sin, focusing once again on his Lord and not his own self.

Through this sadness the Lord’s grace shines through.

It’s not too late to turn back to God. You can say at the end just like David …

`When one rules over men in righteousness,  when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise  on a cloudless morning,  like the brightness after rain  that brings the grass from the earth.' “Is not my house right with God?  Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part?  Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?

2 Samuel 23:3-5

Blessings,

Pastor Douglas

RC Mission Statement

Mission Statement

 

 

Rainier Chapel exists to fulfill the Great Commission by teaching our congregation to reach out to this generation so all may be:

·    Fully devoted followers of Christ Jesus

·    Fully prepared servants of the Church

·    Fully prepared missionaries to the world

 

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:18-20

 

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.   Ephesians 4:11-16

 

Goals:

1)   Teach the whole Bible

a)   Christ centered

b) Old Testament and New Testament

c)   Systematic and expositional

d) Knowledge and application based

 

2)   Develop a whole life curriculum with measurable goals

 

a)   Elementary

i)     Main bible characters in chronological

ii)   Books of the bible

iii)    Main characters in church history

 

b) Jr High

i)     What we believe and why

ii)   Spiritual disciplines

iii)    Spiritual gifts

iv)    Church service

 

c)   Sr High

i)     Christian worldview

ii)   Evangelism / witnessing

iii)    Missions / outreach

iv)    Church leadership

 

d) Adult

i)     Spiritual disciplines for the family

ii)   Spiritual gifts

iii)    What we believe and why

iv)    Church leadership

 

3)   Strengthen support of and participation in missions

a)   Increase congregations knowledge of who our missionaries are 

b) Encourage involvement in local missions

i)     AWANA

ii)   CEF

iii)    Union Gospel Mission

iv)    Young Life

v)   Care-Net

vi)    Community outreach

c)   Encourage short term foreign missions

 

4)   Increase church and community service

a)   Find service areas appropriate for age and training 

b) rack/acknowledge involvement

i)     Food Bank

ii)   Senior Center

iii)    Library

iv)   Lions/Rotary/Kiwanis

All the Lord's Promises Prove True

2 Samuel 22:31-32   New Living Translation

“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.

He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?

In his life David learned to trust God’s word.

Although David had failed at times the Lord never wavered from what He had said.

Nothing has changed in three thousand years… Our Father has continued doing exactly what he promised to do.

His children still need to learn to trust His word.

Our Lord’s promises were not just for those bible people.

He has plenty of promises for all of us today also

Here are just 5 out of 41 that Wilmington had in his book of Bible Lists:

Answers to prayer    1 John 5:14

God’s protecting care 1 Pet. 5:6–7

Spiritual fullness    John 6:35

Victory  1 John 5:4

A heavenly home        John 14:1–3

When we learn to trust the Lord as David and others have then we also can say along with David…

For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?

Blessings,

Pastor Douglas

Fireproof

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.  For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

 

    A humbling thought for each of us.

    The Day will bring Christ in judgment towards the ungodly, which we like to hear about. It also comes with a testing for those in Christ; not one of our enjoyable thoughts.

 

What each one of us works for and adds upon Christ Jesus’ work of the Cross and Resurrection will one day be tested.

    One simple test . . . Fire.

 

    Much of what we put effort and importance to will be vaporized in a moments flash; gone for all eternity.

 

    Church buildings will be gone.

    Books, Cds, tapes, dvds- all gone.

 

    Devotions, Worship, Service, Prayers, Sacrifices, Witnessing, and Love will remain.

 

    On that Day we are left with rewards and ashes.

 

    What are we laboring to build?

    Will it stand the test, is it fireproof?

 

   

Blessings,

Pastor Douglas