THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

I'll never forget the winter that my car radiator blew. I had landed my first position as a young associate pastor; barely making enough to live on, yet excited to be serving nonetheless. God had gifted me with certain abilities which I was utilizing in ministry; unfortunately auto-mechanics was not one of them! My car started acting strange, and sure enough my radiator was broken. I had enough money to buy the replacement, but little extra necessary to pay for the expensive shop time for repair. Thankfully, a dear brother in the church congregation offered to help me install the new radiator, which translated into him doing the work and me holding the wrench! I will always remember his sacrifice of time and energy, working out-doors in the cold in order to fix my car.

Isn't this an an example of the New Testament Church, of which every Christian believer today is a part? In Acts chapter 2 the model is given through which people came to Christ every day. It states that believers broke bread together, prayed together, studied God's Word, and made sure that everyone's financial needs were met. Especially in today's troubled times and economic uncertainty, the Lord is calling us to help take care of each other. Jesus said, "they will know you are Christians by your love". The greatest thing which will draw people to God is true agape love in action, sacrificial and unconditional. Are you showing God's love through the things you say and do? Remember, witness all the time - use words if necessary!

WHY WORRY?

We certainly have a lot of cares and concerns as North Americans. Like pins tumbling down in a bowling alley, we worry about our lives falling apart. Naturally we get concerned about financial challenges, health issues, family problems and the like, but there is a difference between concern and worry. Worrying is our indulgence into fear, continually wondering "what if?" Add to these typical struggles in life a difficult economic environment where families are simply trying to make ends meet, and you are left with a perfect storm of fear and worry. I recall years ago when after four years of service, we felt God moving us on from the congregation we were serving. We put in our resignation and stepped out in faith, waiting for God to open up our next door of opportunity. The only problem was we had a house we couldn't sell, and significant medical bills left over from the birth of our son. It certainly seemed like an opportune time to worry, and honestly I won't say that we didn't dip our feet into that pond! However, true to his promise and character, God directed us to a great new ministry position, and all of our needs were met.

Our heavenly Father doesn't want his children to succumb to fear and worry. In fact, Jesus challenged us in Matthew 6 with this question, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" He goes on to say, "So do not worry . . . but seek first his (God's) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (that you need) will be given to you as well." He goes on to tell us in chapter 21, verse 21-22 that we will receive answers to our prayers when we have faith and do not doubt. Faith is the opposite of fear. We must make a conscious decision and choose to put our faith in God and his Word. For the believer in Jesus Christ there is instruction in Philippians 4, as it tells us; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." The same chapter goes on to provide this promise; "my God will supply all of your needs, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." The key is to present your needs to God, rejoice, and believe that he will fulfill the promises of his Word! The Lord always has and always will be faithful, so what are you worrying about?

MERCY RAIN - By Scott Peterson

A DECEMBER POEM

Looking back through the year during Christmas holiday

pondering the journey I've traveled each day

mountain top peaks of joy and blessing

valleys of pain, need, and testing

cherishing moments with family and friends

living by faith around every bend

through it all I continue to live and learn

the divine truth I still discern

though we travel through valleys in this life that we lead

never fear, God is near, and will meet every need

By T. Scott Peterson

ALL THINGS FOR GOOD

Have you ever felt like you are in a hockey game, getting beaten badly? Maybe you just had "one of those days", where everything seemed to go wrong, for no apparent fault of your own? I have had a few of those days myself, and though they are not enjoyable, I do find peace and assurance in this one important truth; "God works all things for the good of him who is called to His purpose"(Romans 8:28). Consider that statement for a moment - God is using all the events which occur in our lives, both positive and negative experiences, and is bringing good from it all! Now we either embrace and believe this or we don't, but personally I choose to take God at His Word. However, there is an important key to this promise being fulfilled; we must be living daily for Jesus Christ, living to fulfill His purposes, not our own. This is not to say that we have to be perfect; simply surrendered to His will and living for Him with our whole heart. Remember, God isn't so concerned about our perfection and He is our direction - following Jesus every day! Over time we can see how God uses our challenges to bring about something good, although we usually don't see how all of the pieces fit into place - only the Master Builder sees the master plan. Nevertheless, we do see enough evidence to know that God is genuinely at work in our lives, guiding our paths and our footsteps. Psalm 37 tells us that "The steps of a righteous man are ordered by God." What a comfort it is to know that God is directing my life, opening and closing doors, and helping me to fulfill my divine destiny each day!

LOOKING FOR A SAVIOUR

On January 20th the eyes of the world were set on the inauguration of America's first African American president, Barak Obama. It would seem that millions of people from countries all around the world are looking to President Obama as the individual who can save us from our financial problems, our environmental predicaments, and our international war proliferation. Finally, our countries can get back on track with stability and prosperity, right? Well, time will tell. David Gregory, moderator of "Meet The Press" reported on the disdain and disrespect certain people demonstrated to President George Bush on the day of his departure from the White House. Fatigue from the war effort in Iraq and frustration over the economic crisis had reached a boiling point. But wait a minute, wasn't there a democratic senate helping to make decisions for the U.S. while Bush was in office? Wasn't the lack of regulation for Wall Street taking place while Clinton was in office as well?

We need to understand that the challenges we face today were not created by any one man, nor will they be solved by any one man. It was a collection of greed, mismanagement, and poor decisions which created this mess, and recovery takes time, wisdom, and unified leadership. We need to pray for our national leadership, but we also need to ask ourselves this question: can Barak Obama and the American government assure us that we will be safe, secure, and provided for? The answer is no, only God can. On the day he was sworn into office, President Obama quoted a passage from I Corinthians 13, which states, "When I was a child, I talked like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things." Chapter one of this same book states, "He (God) will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." Jesus told us in Matthew 6 to "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things (that we need in life) will be added unto you." I believe in these tenuous times God is going to draw more and more people to the reality of His truth, love, and safety. Is your hope and trust in the real savior of the world?

SCOTT, KARI, COULTER, & SPENCER PETERSON

THE POWER OF PRAISE

The popular slogan "have an attitude of gratitude" may sound quaint and sweet, but there is a powerful biblical truth behind it which can significantly improve our daily lives. Although you may become irritated at somebody who refuses to be negative and share your misery, it's a good idea to consider the reason for their joy! The enemy is intent on bringing people down, especially those who are living for Jesus Christ (I Peter 5:8). If you have been serving God for at least a little while, you have probably learned the importance of putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6) complete with Truth, Faith, and the Word of God, so you are ready to defend yourself against spirtual attacks. However, one important area that we tend to forget about is the Power of Praise. When Paul and Silas were being held in a Roman prison for preaching the Gospel, they certainly could have had a bad attitude and a bitter spirit. Instead they chose to praise God for His goodness, and the power of God invaded the jail and broke their bonds free! (Acts 16) Even if you are dealing with more than one challenge at a time, remember that our blessings far outnumber our trials, every time! Worship ushers in the presence of God, filling our hearts with peace, power, and joy. We all experience challenges at various times in our lives, and God is faithful to help us through all of them. Philippians 4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always . . . with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." The chapter goes on to promise that God will supply all of our needs. Do you see how Praise, Peace, Power, and Provision are all tied together? Start praising God every day for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do. Even in the trials of life, you can thank Him that He is in control, working all things for our good and His glory! (Romans 8:28)

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

"I'm so sick of my job!" "I feel so depressed." "Life is so stressful!" Statements like these are common place among people I minister to as a local church pastor. It seems that many people, christian and non-christian alike, are stuck in a rut in their every-day lives. A job transition or relationship change may seem to be the answer, but usually it isn't. There is a key to happiness that the follower of Jesus Christ has access to, and it is this; Joyfully Give Jesus Your Best! Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward." It can be un-fulfilling to work for an earthly boss or go through the mundane routines of life, but if we do things wholeheartedly as unto the Lord, then suddenly life has true significance! As you give your best and "bloom where you're planted", you will shine your light for Jesus and make a positive difference in this world.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Life can be confusing, hectic, and exhausting. We try to maintain our priorities in their proper order, but they easily get muddled in the mayhem! Sometimes we overload our calendars by trying to do everything (some things necessary and others not so much), including every child's sporting event, PTA meeting, and extra shift at work. The problem with this lifestyle is that we become spread too thin, and important areas in our life begin to suffer, such as quality time with our family or prayer time with the Lord. It helps bring clarity of purpose when we simplify, living selective to be effective, so I decided to give my personal belief on What Matters Most in this life. Many things come to mind; God, family, friends, freedom to worship, enjoying life, helping others, and for some, winning the Superbowl! For me it boils down to fulfilling the two "Greats" given by God; 1. The Great Commandment ~ Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12), and 2. The Great Commission ~ Go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28). Everything we do in life should serve to accomplish these two great mandates given by God. It may not always be easy, in fact, it can be down-right challenging. But Jesus helps us everyday through the instruction of His Word and the counsel of His Spirit speaking into our hearts. The road is hard, but the reward is great - eternal life in Heaven!