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Daniel's Fast Day 18

The day has started out very slow. Spent most of the morning trying to create a new website for the church - no luck so far. Others are trying now - good luck brothers.

I stayed away from the men's breakfast Saturday morning because I knew it would be hard to be around Carl's good cooking and not eat it or look like I wanted to eat it - lol. This passage came to mind:

Matthew 6:16 - When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

I am going to work on my sermon some this afternoon and I will post more later.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968).

In 1954, Martin Luther King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

In December, 1955, King accepted the leadership of the first great Negro nonviolent demonstration of contemporary times in the United States, the bus boycott described by Gunnar Jahn in his presentation speech in honor of the laureate. The boycott lasted 382 days. On December 21, 1956, after the Supreme Court of the United States had declared unconstitutional the laws requiring segregation on buses, Negroes and whites rode the buses as equals.

In 1957 he was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization formed to provide new leadership for the now burgeoning civil rights movement.

In the eleven-year period between 1957 and 1968, King traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice, protest, and action; and meanwhile he wrote five books as well as numerous articles.

He directed the peaceful march on Washington, D.C., of 250,000 people to whom he delivered his address, "l Have a Dream", he conferred with President John F. Kennedy and campaigned for President Lyndon B. Johnson; he was arrested upwards of twenty times and assaulted at least four times; he was awarded five honorary degrees; was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963; and became not only the symbolic leader of American blacks but also a world figure.

At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.

On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was assassinated.

For this and other information go to:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html

Daniel's Fast Day 17

Day 17 – only 4 more days. I just finished my lunch – a bowl of beans and a salad – and surprisingly I feel like I had plenty. I would love to top it off with a diet soda though – lol.

Worship today was awesome. I really felt like God was present and was leading the whole service. I pray the word I shared touched someone’s heart. It certainly was from the Lord. Those who were at 8:45 heard Babette’s testimony and know the power of God from that sharing.

This afternoon the following passage came to mind.

Luke 9:23-27 – 23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

It followed right on the heals of today’s message about celebrating Jesus – about commending God to the next generation. It really touched my heart – for sure. I hope it touched yours.

I would love to hear from some of you who went through the fast last week. What has or is the Lord telling you?

Haiti Relief

Mt. Oak & Friends,

Recently I was listening to a podcast from a pastor I respect greatly – he said that if a pastor wants to lead by example – he must be willing to share what he is doing. With that in mind he gave an example of how he and his wife gave to a project at their church – not in figures (amounts) – because that would only be relevant if they knew his pay and then only based on his pay scale… what he did was make it relevant to all.

With this in mind – we should all be aware of what has happened this week in Haiti. More than 3,000,000 Haitians – a third of their county – has been impacted by a devastating earthquake. It has been called the greatest one day death toll in the history of earth.

With this in mind and with the mind of encouraging our congregation - Carolyn and I have decided to give an extra week’s giving (a gift beyond our tithe) to the relief effort in Haiti. We give weekly so it was easy to figure out our gift. If you would like to follow suit, figure what a week’s giving would be for you and yours and give it tomorrow or next Sunday – a check made out to Mt. Oak UMC with Haiti or UMCOR in the memo.

If we all do this – Mt. Oak could send from $12,000 to $15,000 to UMCOR for the Haiti relief effort – wouldn’t that be amazing? I know this would be a challenge for some – maybe for most – but it is nothing compared to what those in Haiti are facing as they try to recover from this devastating earthquake. Some of our weekly gifts to the church are more than some Haitians make in a year. You can see how it will help.

UMCOR is the United Methodist Committee on Relief and is already in Haiti. 100% of our gifts will go to the relief effort. We will collect the checks over two weeks and write one check to UMCOR from Mt. Oak.

I pray that you will put this to prayer and do as God leads you to do.

Daniel's Fast Day 16

Day 16 began very early - at 5:30 am I was at my desk working on Sunday's sermon. It isn't flowing very well and I would appreciate your prayers.

Most of the things we do are in light of something. We are a product of our environment by-in-large. What has happened in our life helps to shape us. For the good or bad. We are not slaves to what has happened in the past. We can rebuke the bad and strive to live in the light of Christ. God can forgive the sins of our youth, the sins of the past, and by His grace we can move forward in Christ.

When a message doesn't flow, some times I think it is because I have something blocking God from speaking to my heart. So I have spent some time this morning confessing and repenting of my sins. Someone prayed for me this week - that a yoke sin or burden would be removed from around my neck - and I have been praying the same thing.

The fast seems natural now, I have less than a week left in my 21 day fast. There is still the occasional urge for a Diet Pepsi, a ham sandwich on rye, or a bowl of ice cream (any flavor). One of my prayer during the fast is that this will be a new way of eating even after the fast - with a shrunken stomach that requires less to satisfy it. My weight was one of my sins - a miss use of the temple of God. I pray that I have a gained spiritual control over the physical hunger and sinfulness that reigned before this fast.

Last night I shared with the congregation gathered that unity has been my key thought through the fast. Yet I believe God has so much more for me/us. It might be that after I have shown spiritual control over some physical aspects of my life, God will speak.

In Isaiah 58, the prophet writes about fasting. He gives a how not to and a how to and after he has taught about fasting he writes these words:

Isaiah 58:9a - Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

The implication I get from this passage - in its context - is that after the fast, after showing our love for God by showing spiritual control over the physical in our lives, God will speak with us. Then is a word that means after what is before - then. So I look forward to the weeks and months after the 21 day fast for God to continue to speak to me and to Mt. Oak now that our week long fast is over.

Listen to God and share what He tells you!
NIV

The Manhattan Declaration

A Call of Christian Conscience (read all at http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/)

Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1. the sanctity of human life
2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Read this whole article at http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/

Daniel's Fast Day 15

Today is day 15 for my Daniel Fast and day last for those who have been on a fast for the week at church. Tonight is a celebration of what God has done in our lives so I hope you plan to be there!

Numbers don't mean a lot to some people but - for those who like them - since January 1 I am down 14 pounds on the Daniel Fast - not why I did it but a nice side note. Down 24 since last fall. Carolyn is so excited she wants me to stay on the fast till Easter. Jaclyn till her wedding in June - lol.

Unity and the family continue to be in my prayers. Today I was thinking about the paid staff and the lay leadership teams at Mt. Oak. How can we be more excited and committed to Christ? How can we be more of one accord as the sisters and brothers at Pentecost? How can we - collectively - reach the community for Christ in a more effective manner? What would draw us together?

1 Peter 3:8-12 - 8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,"Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 11 He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

See you tonight at the celebration as the churchwide fast ends!

Marriage and the Family

As marriage comes under attack - so does the family. Today people living together and not married is common place. Divorce is common place. Other living arrangements are common place.

How about listing some resources to help the family and our marriages? Put some links up that will be good reading.

Here's one from Focus on the Family
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/divorce_and_infidelity/should_i_get_a_divorce.aspx.

You will find links to articles about subjects like:

• Who gets divorced?
• How would divorce affect me?
• How could divorce affect my kids?
• Is there hope for my marriage?
• How should a Christians view marriage and divorce?
  

And more...

Are there some you are familiar with and could pass along?

Daniel's Fast Day 14

Today my prayers stayed with unity but centered on the family - specifically the marriages in our church. Years ago I taught a Marriage Enrichment Group. This was a group where I would present certain teachings about marriage and a group discussion would ensue. It was very helpful. In 30 plus years as a pastor I have worked with couples from pre-marriage counseling to post marriage counseling and everything in between. Some would be surprised at the similarities of concerns many couples face. Attending a group where marriage joys and concerns are discussed - short term - can be very eye opening. I offer such a group if there are any interested couples. This is not a group for couples with only issues. It is for health to troubled marriages and everything in between. It can be beneficial for all.

In focusing on unity I realize that what impacts our society the most, in my humble opinion, is the destruction of the family. Our society has labeled marriage and the family as discardable. If at first you don't succeed, society says, don't be surprised, try again and again and again.

Mt. Oak is very pro-family - which includes singles, couples, couples with children, singles with children, and more. I am not trying to define what a family is - rather I am suggesting that we spend more time and focus on keeping the family together.

I am convinced that Satan would like nothing more than to destroy the family and promote our sinful, carnal, nature - to satisfy self at all costs. Pray with me for ways we can strengthen the family at Mt. Oak.

I would like offer a short term - 3-6 week group. Is anyone interested? We would limit it to 4-6 couples and offer it over and over again if the demand called for it. Pray with me. If the demand is great, we will work with people's schedules.

Every marriage could be strengthened by sharing with a group like this.