MINISTRY NOTES

Week of February 21, 2010

Hi Everyone,

"continue raking …"

Over a week ago, I had the opportunity to help some people in a local running club who are creating some trails and clearing some trails at a Lodge for a trail running event. On this particular day, the man in charge, who has also designed many of the trails, asked me to rake the leaves on an old existing Lodge trail #2. Hidden under the leaves on most of the trails are a few sharp jutting rocks that stick up 4 to 6 inches and apparently are attached to the bed rock and are a real hazard to runners if they trip on them or fall on them. I have a large plastic rake that the man at Wal-Mart was correct when he said it is indestructible. My rake will go over the jutting rocks and move the small branches and small hand size rocks as well as several inches of leaves mulching with no problem. After I finished # 2, he asked me to rake a new trail he had made that intersected with the old # 3 trail and then make a hard right on to # 3. The # 3 trail stopped after a while where it was wiped out during an ice storm a few years back. There were so many broken branches and fallen trees up ahead; there was no way to be sure where trail 3 originally went. I knew from a sign on trail 2 and from an old lodge map that originally trail 3 intersected with trail 2 but it was way too far away to see where trail 2 might be. I considered calling the Running Club's outstanding trail designer on my cell phone for help, who is also the guy in charge and was very busy that day, and then God told me to "continue raking and I will show you where to rake". I could only see about 10 to 15 feet that might be clearable but when I got to that point God let me see the next opening between trees and continued to show me where to rake. Judging from the many inches of decaying leaves and dead branches I was raking, this was definitely a new path. Before Christmas I had helped them make new trails using my big two handed pruner to cut small trees, branches and vines, where the trail designer had previously marked off. With God's guidance I found myself making a new trail with just a rake. Often I would stop and God used my shadow to guide me in the direction of my shadow. Finally I arrived at trail 2. I would have never guessed that it was located in the general direction of my shadow. It was an awesome experience. It is experiences like this that make me feel like a baby Christian. The people at Post Oak Lodge probably will be unaware of the new trail section since their old map still shows trail 3 connecting with trail 2 and the people with the Tulsa Running Club probably have already planned their trail routes for the Marathon and other races.

If you are ever at Post Oak Lodge and want to see the trail God designed using my rake and my shadow, as you go down the asphalt road between the cabins there is a sign pointing to the right saying Trail 3. As you follow the trail eventually there is a small stream to step or jump over and then up the hill and then when you cross the remnant of an old two lane road that only goes to the left you can see a few feet straight ahead where the trail 3 was wiped out by the ice storm. That is where the God designed part begins a little to the right, at first.

As many of you know God healed my eyes after wearing glasses for over 46 years (click here for details). Everyday I thank God for healing, restoring and strengthening my eyes. Now I include "… strengthening my eyes both physically and spiritually. I have never previously experienced God guiding me where to go in this way. We serve an awesome God

Marriage Workshop Moment

To refresh what you have learned in our Workshop or entice you to experience our Workshop

"Remember, all marriages can be better, if you use what you learned."

Why work on your marriage? 1. Most people want enjoyable, lasting marriages. 2. Jesus quoted (Matthew 19:5 TEV) God (Genesis 2:24) when He said "…two will become one…". Being one doesn't happen automatically, you have to work at being one and learning how to work together as a team. 3. God said in Malachi 2:16 (NIV) "I hate divorce…" Being obedient to God is important to your eternal life. Take no pleasure in getting divorced and then telling your ex they are going to hell.

Recently, a high profile Christian who once shared with a group of pastors including me about what a strong Christian his wife was, made the news that they filed for divorce after over 30 years of marriage. My wife and I had been married over 30 years when we went through our first marriage workshop together. In that workshop we agreed that if we saw any one we knew we would just say we were learning how to help others. The truth is our marriage needed help and we benefited from the workshop. Subsequently, I was trained to conduct workshops and I did learn how to help others. Today, I can tell you that our marriage is better than it has been in years and it continues to get better every week. Some people seem to have so much pride they would rather get divorced than work on their marriage. Our workshop at Jesus Center is better than counseling because we help you learn how to work together as a team and resolve your own problems.

Also it is good to know that from a study in 2009 of over 3 million households, 76 % have married only once. Over 19% have been married twice; and only 5% have been married three or more times.(7.25% in Oklahoma). Often to try to encourage people to work on their marriages people manipulate statistics to make people feel like everyone is divorced. Actually the exact opposite is true. Join the majority and stay married. Our workshop can help every marriage be better. We don't want you to say we have been married for 25 years and haven't talked to each other in 5 years. We want you to say that your marriage is better and more enjoyable every week.

The Better Half "When your partner won't support your efforts to make your marriage better" Without your spouse's support to improve your marriage, you can still pray daily for God's will to be done in each of your lives and your marriage ("all things are possible with God", Mark 10:27 NIV). Also you can treat your spouse like you want to be treated as Jesus teaches us to Luke 6:31 (TEV) "Do for others just what you want them to do for you."

A Psalm for reflection "Those who worship idols should be ashamed. They brag about their false gods. All the gods should worship the Lord." Psalm 97:7 (ICB)

Understanding the Teaching: What I share in the teaching is what I believe God wants me to share. All the direct quotes from God are highlighted in royal purple. Of course the words of Jesus are in red. Rather than follow some made up doctrine, remember that Jesus said that every thing He said (Jn 12:49) and everything He did (Jn 14:31) comes from God. All teachings and all opinions should be supported by what we learn from God or Jesus (see the scripture referred to in the footnote).

A Jesus Teaching:

Misguided Worship

God said, "You will worship Yahweh, your God and then I will bless…"1. Jesus said, …"You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only Him!"2. Wow, is that simple or what and yet some Christians mess it up. Over the last twenty years God has caused me to lead an increasingly sheltered life from Christian doctrine. He made me stop watching Christian TV and my exposure to other churches and ministries has been limited. Recently God had me attend an academic Christian meeting and I was reminded of many Christian doctrines that the people at the meeting accept as fact.

Even though Jesus said we should only worship God, many Christians worship Jesus. When Jesus taught us to pray, He started off teaching us to pray to "Our Father in heaven"3. Jesus also made it very clear that when we pray to God we need to ask in Jesus' "name". Jesus went on to make it very clear that when we pray in His name He was "not" interceding or asking for us or on our behalf4.

Some Christians are so blessed by what God accomplishes by His Spirit or the Holy Spirit that they pray to the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit "…will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears…"5. I agree with you completely that the accomplishments of the Holy Spirit are wonderful but the source is God and God is the only one we should praise and pray to.

Some Christians pray to dead people, who may be Jesus' mother or people they call saints, following teachings that these dead people will intercede for them. Jesus mother was at His crucifixion and with the early Christians in the days following including the day of Pentecost and yet she was never treated extra special. Once when a woman said His mother was blessed Jesus responded, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it"7. Mary is simply Jesus' mother. It is foolish to go through someone else living or dead when we can go directly to God. Moses states it is really offensive to God if we "…talk with spirits of the dead"6. Even Jesus says He will not intercede for us4. Yes, there are many human made doctrines that justify or support worship for others besides God. Rather than consider these doctrines, let the words of Jesus be sufficient, …"You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only Him!"2

Let's pray,

"God we worship You and pray that You will help us to serve only You. Help us to know the truth and reject every teaching and idea that does not come from You. Thank You for revealing the truth to us, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Exodus 23:25 (NJB)

2. Matthew 4:10 (ICB)

3. Matthew 6:9

4. John 16:26-27

5. John 16:13 (NIV)

6. Deuteronomy 18:11-12

7. Luke 11:28 (NIV)