Devoted to Prayer

In a letter Paul wrote to the Colossian believers, he prayed that they would be a people devoted to prayer. I felt a pang of conviction when I read that verse one morning recently. I had been awake for less than an hour, yet if I had to sum up what I had been devoted to so far, it would not have been prayer. I had woken up mulling over concerns that still had my mind’s attention. I had been devoted to dwelling on things that were irritating me, not prayer.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:2-4)

Paul was imprisoned in Rome, for goodness’ sake! He could have easily been devoted to thinking about how uncomfortable his chains were or complaining about his lack of freedom being constantly under guard. Yet we find him being devoted to prayer and instructing the readers of his letter to do the same. Instead of focusing on life’s irritations, he asked the believers to pray that he would clearly proclaim the mystery of the gospel. Wow, what a dynamic we can learn from.

What fills your mind when you wake up in the morning? I am deeply impacted by what Paul was devoted to and what he instructs believers to be devoted to. So whether it is during your personal times of prayer, with your family or others at a prayer meeting, or out on our Nature Trails, may Paul be an example to us of what to focus on and what we can be praying for.

New Day, I look forward to continuing to grow in prayer together. May it be said of us that we are a people who are devoted to prayer, a people who are watchful and thankful, and a people who pray that we all may proclaim the mystery of Christ to those who have yet to experience the joy of salvation through Christ Jesus.

There’s No Better Hope Coming

“Just got to make it to January.” Years ago, money was tight, and we were holding on until the next big paycheck, six weeks away. “Don’t spend any money” was our daily mantra. The money was set to come in, and until then, we had determined to go without until that time came around.

It was awful. We were second-guessing every decision. Every day was stressful. It felt like we were white-knuckling our life, fearing an unexpected expense would send us off the edge.

There’s a similar moment in scripture when the Jewish people are waiting for their Messiah. They endure invasion, occupation, exile, persecution and tyranny, white-knuckling it until their Savior King comes. The atmosphere is tense. Factions break out. There’s fighting between Jews. Everybody’s stressed.

One day, Jesus of Nazareth shows up in Jeruselem proclaiming to be the one sent from God to rescue, cleanse, and satisfy. Many believe in Him, but some question. In John 7, people ask: “How can He be the Messiah if we know where he grew up?” “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?” “Isn’t the Messiah supposed to come from Bethlehem?”

But among all the questions, this one spreads among the crowd: “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?” Basically, if Jesus isn’t the Messiah, how could the next guy hope to outshine Him? Out-miracle Him? Out-teach Him? Out-love Him?

And in the midst of this, Jesus stands up and says, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Jesus is saying “I am the satisfaction Your soul longs for. There’s no one better coming. ”

And when I read that, in the midst of my earthly lack, the Holy Spirit convicted me of waiting on another satisfier. Another savior. I wasn’t just waiting on the paycheck to come in to pay my bills. I was waiting for it to satisfy my soul. I was enduring two hardships at once, waiting to drink from that earthly well, in hopes that it would quench both my spiritual thirst and the dryness of my bank account.

The truth is, our soul can be satisfied by God even when our worldly situations aren’t going well. Our inward life can be lush and healthy, even if our outward circumstances are crumbling. We don’t have to wait. We can take a drink today!

After many believed in Jesus, their situation got worse. Jerusalem was set on fire. The Temple was destroyed. Christians were beaten and killed. But the living water that Jesus filled them with inspired one Christian to write this before he was martyred:

“We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day“ (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Semi-Annual Report

It’s been one year since Marilee and I took over as lead pastors of New Day…WOW, what a year! We are also over halfway through 2023. It’s a great time to reflect on what the Lord has done in our church and look forward to a strong finish to 2023.

New Day is healthy, strong, and growing! We have valued Spirit & Word, reading our Bibles with intention and listening to the lead of the Holy Spirit. We have cultivated family in Community Groups, sharing meals, and welcoming new members. We have done outreach with the good news about Jesus to our individual circles of influence, to our neighbors through the New Day Nature Trails project, and to greater Kalamazoo, Detroit, Appalachia, Mexico, Peru, and Japan. We have sought the Lord in prayer & fasting for the first 21 days of the year, through weekly prayer times, in preparation for mission trips, and in day-to-day life.

We have grown in number, with average attendance increasing by 16% compared to 2022. You can feel it in the room when we worship. There’s energy, life, and momentum in our Sunday morning gatherings.

We have seen the Lord answer prayers with miraculous healing! Arterial blockages have disintegrated! Lungs have cleared up! Knees have been freed from pain! Celiac was defeated! God is so good!

We have been faithful to share the good news! People prayed to receive salvation in Jesus: at Jesus Loves Kalamazoo, in Mexico, and on our nature trail! We received training and a challenge to share the gospel—and as we have answered the call, the Lord has used it powerfully!

Giving toward missions doubled in the first half of 2023 compared to the last six months of 2022. At the same time, regular tithes and offerings declined by 12.5%. Giving a tithe (10% of your income) to your local church is one of the ways the Bible teaches us to worship God. God then designates that 10% toward the care of the house of worship and those who serve in it. If this is your home church, you’re invited to continue the New Day legacy of generosity as we worship the Lord together.

What’s the plan for the rest of 2023? STEADY ON! We will keep loving the Lord with all our heart and following His lead. Father in heaven, may your kingdom come and your will be done, at New Day as it is in heaven. Amen!

Learn to Linger

I don’t know about you, but I find that in my day-to-day life, I struggle to make space to just sit & linger. For instance, if I’m going on a hike on a beautiful day, I often find myself not thinking about the nature at all but rather the work I need to do after that hike, or if I’m eating dinner I’m not actually focusing on enjoying the food, but rather paying attention to the video or show I’m watching at the same time.

We, in today’s culture, are so captivated by constantly keeping ourselves entertained & updated on the next thing that we hardly ever take time to simply linger in a moment. The question is, however, if we do this so constantly in our day-to-day lives, how often do we simply move on from a moment that God wants us to linger in?

Recently at one of our weekly Thursday night prayer meetings, God confronted this mentality in me. While we were praying, He revealed to me a picture of Him tending plants as they grew into trees, but He highlighted that despite the season (whether dry, wet, sunny, or snowy), the trees remained planted where they were in His presence, and He remained to tend to them. The trees didn’t need to get up & walk to another place to be filled up & grow. They knew to dig their roots deep & linger in His presence, and that He was enough for them.

The psalmist in Psalm 1 writes about this in a very similar picture, declaring that He who delights in the law of the Lord is “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:2-3 ESV). By intentionally choosing to meditate & linger on the Lord & His word, we are filled like a fruitful tree.

In a world so consumed by the fast paced life, God is calling us to slow down & spend time with Him. To choose to set aside time to welcome His presence, & to continue to linger with Him after welcoming Him. He wants to reside with us, be present in the routine of our lives, & continuously pour His love into us as we learn to remain in His presence, rather than just doing it for two minutes each day & then moving on.

So let us learn to not simply move on, but rather learn to linger. To rein in our minds & hearts to spend just a few more minutes with Him & Him alone. When we remain, our roots dig deeper & our branches stretch higher, we develop intimacy with Him, and He tends to us as the Good Gardener He is.

A Song is Just a Springboard

Because I’m a worship leader, I often get song recommendations from people. Some are new songs, but some may be throwbacks or classic hymns. No matter the genre or the age of the recommended song, the reason for the recommendation is the same: because the song moved the person, and they could relate to lyrics in a significant way. We all know the power of music, and how it stirs memories of experiences in our hearts. There is nothing wrong with that!

What troubles me, however, is receiving a suggestion with the flavor of a complaint. For example,“I don’t like ___ song,” or “why don’t we do more ___ songs, etc.” It is okay and normal to not like certain songs. It is unfortunately unavoidable because we are a large gathering of people with different tastes, personalities and experiences. I would like to suggest, however, that just because you don’t like a song, it doesn’t mean you can’t worship the Lord with it. You can and you should. Here’s how:

I often use the analogy of a greeting card. When looking for a card for a specific person for a specific occasion, you may find one that fits perfectly and has the correct words expressing the exact sentiments. But sometimes you can’t! So what do you do? You handwrite the sentiments in your own words at the bottom of the card below the printed text. In some cases, the best bet is a blank card wherein you write all of your own words.

A song is merely a springboard—a jumping-off point. Begin with the printed text, but if the words don’t convey exactly your sentiments toward the Lord, guess what? You can express them to God in your own words. If a song we’re using is unrelatable for you, use your own words. If we’re in the middle of an instrumental, use your own words. If we’re repeating a bridge too many times and you begin to tune out, close your eyes, and use your own words! I like to think of us all forming a unique, joyful sound. You have probably heard that sound from time to time during our worship services when a throng of people are singing, praying and shouting aloud together all at once.

With practice, you can worship with or without a song. You can worship in a Sunday service, or while driving around town in your car—with or without music! Worship is a posture of the heart, and I am suggesting that with the right posture you can worship at any time. “With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him” (Psalm 109:30).

Friends, take up the challenge to not get stuck only being willing to worship the Lord if we like a song. It’s way too limiting!

Remember God’s Works & Wonders

Psalms 77:11-12 – “I will remember the works of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds.”

Over the weekend we had a family reunion. The last time we all saw each other together was over ten years ago. We love one another and get along. It is just very difficult to arrange reunions. Family gatherings, especially my father’s side, are always interesting. Let’s just say we’ve had our share of characters.

Although my siblings and I grew up attending a Lutheran school and church, our faith was not very substantial. When I was powerfully transformed by Jesus as a college student, it was something my family had never experienced. Initially I preached to all my relatives. I soon discovered that preaching to family has limited, if not contrary, results. My oldest brother threw me out of his house! My zeal lacked wisdom.

As a young Christ-follower, I attended a Revival Church in Detroit. Brother Shock, an elderly revivalist, was a leader in the Latter Rain Revival in the 1940’s and 1950’s. He explained that witnessing to family is different than to others. He said, “Always spend more time talking to God on behalf of your family than talking to your family on behalf of God!” In other words, use your words to pray, not preach. Let God do His work in His time.

After I stopped preaching and spent more time praying, listening, and simply living a life following Christ, I’ve seen my entire family transformed. All of my siblings are confessing Christians. They are open about their faith in Jesus and one brother became a pastor. The brother that kicked me out has spent many years as an elder in his church. My aunt from California attends the church featured in the recent movie Jesus Revolution and personally knows Chuck Smith and Greg Laurie.

Remembering the works and wonders of the Lord means more than things I’ve read in the Bible or other books. The changed lives I’ve seen gives me confidence that my faith in Christ has not been in vain. Worrying is meditating on problems, fears, and issues that cause anxiety. Pondering the works and wonders of the Lord and recalling the changed lives I’ve seen replaces anxiety with anticipation and joy. We overlook the wonders of God because they may not be grandiose. The constant faithful presence and pressure of the Holy Spirit works wonders in our hearts and lives as well as in those we love. Celebrate all His works and wonders, and tell others of the faithfulness you have seen!

How Beautiful Are the Feet…Continued

Isaiah 52:7 – “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!”

We just returned from doing ministry in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee, so this scripture resonates with me. Our team spent three days going up mountains via switchback roads with beautiful scenic views. In stark contrast is the hopelessness of some of the people living in these mountains. The goal of our ministry was to bring the good news of the Gospel to those who would receive it. We met people who were shut-ins and lonely, kids who didn’t know who Jesus is nor what prayer is, and those in desperate situations that needed hope.

Isaiah was announcing to Israel that freedom from captivity was imminent. And the one that carried that good news was received with great joy. But much of scripture also contains a prophetic message for us today—the glorious message that we can bring HOPE to those who need it.

The Holy Spirit was with us in a powerful way and we boldly offered to pray with people. More times than not, the people we asked said yes. We saw salvations and hope restored. We experienced God’s love for all people regardless of their circumstances.

That boldness did not disappear when we drove back down the mountain to our home base. One evening, my vehicle stopped at the grocery store to pick up some supplies. While checking out, the cashier and I had a conversation. There was no one behind me waiting to check out so I asked the woman if she had a prayer request. She was taken aback and replied that I had caught her off guard. But I waited and then she asked for me to pray for her mother and I did. Then I bade her goodnight. As I was walking away, her manager came over to ask her what happened. We heard her exclaim, “She just prayed for my mom!” My heart leapt when I heard her joy.

We launched the trail project in May and with that came the call to reach our neighbors. Then we had the revival weekend, where we were encouraged to not be the 99% of church-attending Christians who don’t share their faith. Recently, New Day sent out 21 people to do exactly that in Tennessee: share the gospel with those who need it.

The Appalachian people are not the only ones who need to hear the good news. The people you meet every day need it too. I am looking for more opportunities, even in the grocery store, to share my faith and pray for people. What about you?

Paul says in Romans 10:15, “And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’”

Daily Burdens

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

What an encouragement this verse is. It acknowledges the experience of daily difficulties. Such was the case for the people in this passage who daily bore burdens imposed on them by their captors. The verse begins with exalting God who is both Lord and Savior then reminds us of the strength and nearness of God. His daily involvement to provide by alleviating burdens that are imposed on us, is positively reassuring. I found myself feeling quite thankful that this verse does not read, “God can probably help you out if you get in a pinch sometime this year.”

This daily provision draws me nearer to God, growing trust in my heart. It reminds me of the line in the Lord’s Prayer that says: “Give us this day our daily bread,” where we are encouraged to ask God to provide our daily, basic needs.

“Daily bread” is like God’s daily provision of manna for the Israelites when they were wandering in the wilderness. It is beneficial to note that the reason the Israelites were in that predicament in the first place was because of their faithlessness and contempt toward God for refusing to believe they could inhabit the Promised Land he was giving them. You can read about that in the book of Numbers, chapters 13 and 14.

Yet we see that God provides daily sustenance for them throughout the forty years of wandering, even as they reap the consequences of their unbelief.

These verses cause me to consider the righteousness of God. Righteousness describes God’s character; he will always act with justice, doing what is good and right. The dynamic of God’s justice and goodness is addressed in Romans 11:22-23, when Paul explains how faith-filled Gentile Christians are grafted into God’s family tree, but can be cut off, and how unbelieving Jews are broken off, but can be grafted back in.

“Consider therefore the kindness and the sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.”

We see God’s love and severity operating. These verses are both a challenge and a comfort. A challenge to remember that there are standards of maintaining faith that God has put in place that if broken result in consequences. And a comfort that our righteous God offers his people the daily provision of carrying their burdens and providing sustenance. If our faith is in him, we can trust that he will provide in these ways through difficult situations and through the easy-breezy ones!

Answer the Call!

Last weekend, John Cahill and Michael Graff brought a straight-shooting word for us at Revival Weekend. It’s well summed up by the vision Michael shared of Jesus with a sickle in endless fields of wheat. Jesus is holding back the final harvest to give you and me more time to share the gospel.

His heart burns with compassion for all people. No one weeps more over suffering, oppression, and injustice. We feel it to the degree we are aware of it, but the Lord sees and intimately knows the pain of every single individual on planet earth. He wants to end that suffering. The book of Revelation looks forward to that day:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’.” (Revelation 21:3–4)

The day is coming when Jesus will return. He will put an end to injustice, pain, sin, and death. Why does he wait? Why does he prolong the suffering? Why does he let it keep hurting those he loves? SALVATION.

In 2 Peter chapter 3, it says, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.” The Lord allows our current suffering in patience, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Do not be lulled to sleep by American comfort. The end will come. Those who reject the Lord will experience eternal separation from him. The loss of the presence and goodness of God will burn like a fire eating up the chaff. But those who accept Jesus as Lord will be gathered into his barn like wheat. They will enjoy the fullness of life in his presence forever!

Revival Weekend sounded a wakeup call! Answer the call, my friends! Set aside busyness, fear of failure, self-consciousness, comfort, and every other hindrance. Go and share the good news about Jesus! Be yourself, be genuine, and be bold!

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14)

Revival Weekend June 2023

Summer is here! Although I felt that we had a marvelous spring this year, summer arriving in Michigan is always a time to rejoice. More than in most places, in our state, weather significantly affects life. In winter, harsh and cold weather, dangerous roads, and early dark are often reasons to stay home and hunker down. When it’s warm and sunny, everyone wants to maximize their time enjoying the outdoors. I had a good friend who lived in Indianapolis his whole life until moving to Kalamazoo to pastor a church not far from New Day. He was shocked at how much the weather determined people’s involvement in church activities. Indianapolis gets cold, but only gets a fraction of the snow we get here. He said he had never even considered weather when planning church activities while pastoring in Indy, yet in Kalamazoo it was a primary concern.

Proverbs 10:5: “He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” This proverb is about being a diligent worker. But wherever the harvest is mentioned in the Bible, it is appropriate to make a spiritual application to winning souls. Jesus made this clear in John 4:35-36: “Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life.”

This weekend, Saturday June 10 and Sunday June 11, we are having special services as part of our Revival Weekend. At 6:30 pm on both days, we will gather to worship, encourage one another, and be equipped to gather the harvest. Pastor John Cahill and his wife, along with Pastor Michael Graff and his whole family, will be here from Livingston, Tennessee. They minister at First Church Livingston, the church where we are sending a team this summer to do mission work in Appalachia. Both Pastor John and Michael have extensive experience in reaching out to those disconnected from God and His church. Their church in Tennessee is one of the few that grew numerically during the pandemic years, as their model of reaching the lost works in any circumstance. They not only are here to teach us principles; they are here to impart a spiritual gift. New Day needs this impartation. We have begun to see a significant increase in reaching our neighbors and our community. Let’s add to this momentum by coming together and receiving an impartation and training to become wise sons and daughters who gather the harvest.

The Cahills and the Graffs are sacrificing a lot to travel here and invest their entire weekend to minister to us. I hope you honor their sacrifice by prioritizing attending the special evening meetings. We only do this a few times a year in respect for the time it requires from the congregation. Let’s make the most of what God is providing and get all that He has for us!

Who's Right?

In John 4, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman. At some point, she finds out that He’s got divine knowledge. For this woman, her burning question she has to ask is “who’s worshiping the right way?” The Jews and Samaritans have these generational fights, and one of the largest issues is “Who’s right and who’s wrong when it comes to worshiping God?”

The Jews worship at the temple in Jerusalem. The Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim. Who’s right? Am I doing it right? Which, honestly, are great questions to ask.

We might read this and think that she’s just trying to “be right,” but I believe at least part of her question is an honest desire to please God. And the answer that Jesus responds with is this: “True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

We see this idea in the Old Testament when the God tells the prophet Samuel, “Man looks at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” God’s looking for genuine worship that’s motivated from a love for Him. That’s the greatest commandment: to love the Lord with all our whole self.

There are so many details and disagreements that could distract our attention and keep us from offering our worship to Him. Should we worship at the temple, mountain, church building, or prayer closet? Should our music be loud or quiet? Should the lights be bright or dim? Should we use drums, guitars, and projected lyrics? Or organs, choirs, and hymnals? Should our services be 60 minutes or 3 hours? Should we use incense or flags? Should our songs be 1, 10 or 100 years old?

This posture of criticism is present all over scripture. King David dances extravagantly before the Lord and gets criticized. His response: “I’ll become even more undignified than this.”

There’s the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her hair, her tears, and a fragrance. Onlookers criticized, saying there was a ”better way.” Jesus’s response? He basically says, “This is love, don’t you recognise it?”

And as Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, people are waving palm branches, laying down their coats and shouting “Hosanna…” and they are criticized. Jesus’ response? “If they don’t do it, the rocks will start shouting.”

When we see people worshiping the Lord in a way that doesn’t meet our standards, we can either use it as our reason for not joining in…or we can do all we can to give our true and proper worship.

Join in. Give your praise that’s motivated by your love for the Lord. He’s looking at your heart. The right response is to have our eyes on Jesus, instead of on some other worshiper.

Be Known By Your Love

Recently our youth group hit the streets of New Day’s surrounding neighborhoods, to knock on doors and ask if people had any spare cans they could donate to our pop can drive fundraiser for the upcoming Tennessee mission trip. As we split into small teams of 2-3 and started actually getting to meet with & talk to our neighbors, I was hit with the revelation of a choice I had each time someone opened their door to hear me: was I going to simply go through the script and try to get cans from them, or was I going to intentionally try to make a connection with and loving impact on this person? Boiled down—was I reducing them to a transaction, or was I seeing them as a person to love and connect with?

In today’s day and age, I find this decision to be one we make all the time. Sure, we usually don’t even need to think about it when it comes to our friends and family, but what about the other people we see in our day-to-day lives? That barista at your favorite coffee shop, the person who held the door open for you, the grocery store clerk at the checkout? Our lives are full of interaction with those in our social spheres (especially so with social media), and yet how often do we not even think about how we treat these quick connections? I know I’m certainly guilty of not sparing half a thought at times.

In chapter 13 of the Gospel of John, Jesus actually speaks into this, laying out clearly what is one of the definitive marks of a Christian. In the final moments of the Last Supper, as He is sharing with His disciples for one of the last times before His crucifixion, He states “a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35 ESV).

How should the world see us? What should people take away from our interactions? How will they know we’re Christians?

Our love.

When I knock on a neighbor’s door and ask if they have any cans to donate, I have an opportunity to show love and thankfulness, even if they don’t give anything to me. When I’m at the checkout, I can choose to look into the clerk’s eyes and smile, treating them like a person rather than a transaction. When I see an opinion I disagree with online, instead of ridiculing them under my breath, I can choose to love them and bless them.

So dear friends, let us keep this ever on our hearts, both when it comes naturally and when it takes effort. The love we show to each other and those around us is the lens through which we demonstrate the love of Christ. Even if it’s small, it makes a miraculous impact.

Help!

When my turn comes up to write the pastor’s blog for the week, sometimes I struggle to come up with something valuable to say. I am not one to think my thoughts and opinions are important or profound enough to write down, let alone have someone else read. So what I end up doing is thinking about what God is doing in my life, what he’s showing me, what I’m pondering in my heart; and then I write it down. So here it is:

When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone
I'm not so self-assured
And now I find I've changed my mind
And opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me, help me, help me, ooh
– The Beatles (1965)

Years and years ago, Mark Morris and I actually put this song at the end of a worship set on a Sunday morning, because we really felt like the Holy Spirit was highlighting our need to accept help and even ask for help. It was really fun to prepare and sing, and I’ve been remembering it frequently lately.

I have been on the receiving end of a lot of help in my life, but there was a time when it was very uncomfortable for me to receive help. I was the willing helper, not the “help-ee.” It took a serious injury and a long battle with chronic pain to get me to the place of being willing to receive help and to be at peace with it, and recognize it was God’s provision for me. It was a long, tough lesson, but very necessary for me to understand a very important aspect of my relationship with God (being dependent on him) and with his church (the entity God uses to provide for his people). God uses people every day to be his representatives and to show people that he sees them, loves them, and practically cares for them.

God has shown me that He is looking out for me in so many ways recently, and it has come through people. Random texts of encouragement have come my way. Obstacles that I faced were easily overcome because the right people picked up the phone on a given day. Because I asked for help when I needed it, several people answered my request, and made what could have been a laborious day a much easier one!

Philippians 2:12 says, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” I see this scripture two ways. It is necessary for me to put in effort to work out my Christian walk, so I’ll put it into action by being a helper, but also by asking for help when I need it. I also see that as I am obedient to this, God is very much at work for my good, and it brings Him pleasure to be in relationship with me. I hope this encourages you today.

Generous Beyond

“A generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand” (Isaiah 32:8). “Generous Beyond” describes New Day’s outreach vision for missions. We’ve always been a generous church, and have benefited from that generosity in many ways. God has met and exceeded our needs as a church, and many of us can testify to His faithfulness.

We have an opportunity to help our sister church in Japan. Every Nation Izu, pastored by Dennis & Kaku Sager, needs to replace their commercial heating and air conditioning machines. This is crucial, as summers are unbearably hot and humid and winters are very cold. Even though they’ve been saving for emergency needs, the cost of $26,000 far exceeds the ability of this small congregation to meet. Though Japan is prosperous, this congregation is mostly made up of low-wage workers. 

When we tithe to our church we benefit directly. We enjoy a heated and air-conditioned building every week. We have access to facilities for many activities, children’s rooms, sound systems, livestream equipment, and paid ministry that literally work to meet our needs. This is a New Testament application of the Old Testament law: "You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.” (Deuteronomy 14:23). Many OT sacrifices were eaten by those who brought them. Of course, no one could eat 10 percent of the harvest at one celebration. They ate of the tithe, not all the tithe. The majority went to support the priests and the Temple throughout the year. This principle teaches us the tithe belongs in the local church, whereas missions offerings are above and beyond our tithes. Scholars estimate that the OT offerings represented nearly 25% of a person's income, not merely a tithe (10%). 

When we give to missions, we receive no benefit personally. It is 100% invested into the Kingdom. This means we are trusting God to give us a generous return both here and in the life to come. We are partnering with New Day SC and Vandalia to meet this need. But New Day SC is also raising money for their new building. And New Day Vandalia is a much smaller congregation. Saints, this challenge is mostly up to us—but I’ve seen our church come together and do much more many times.Would you please prayerfully give Generously Beyond to meet this challenge by Sunday May 28th? A sacrificial gift may be $5 for some and $5000 for others.  The amount is between you and God. But the need is urgent. Give by indicating it on an offering envelope, online giving, or the memo area of a check or bank bill-pay transaction—just the word “Japan.” I love the promise of Isaiah 32:8, “By generosity we shall stand.” This means that our generosity empowers us to stand up to all that life assaults us with.  Let’s stand together, generously.

Don't Be Surprised

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.  Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

I’ve often read this verse and thought that a fiery trial had to be one of severe persecution. For example, going to jail for my faith or being martyred. However, fiery trials can be much more subtle than we realize.

You see, the enemy's goal is to stop you from doing what God has called you to.  In John 10:10 (NLT), it says, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy,” yet God's purpose for you is “to give them [us] a rich and satisfying life.” 

First we need to understand what a rich and satisfying life entails. I believe that it is one where you are carrying out God’s plan for you. Although we each have different lives, we all are called to love God and love others. We are also charged with carrying out the Great Commision and sharing the good news about Jesus. 

Now, how does the enemy stop us? By getting us to be distracted, discouraged, or depressed. He would love for us to doubt God’s goodness and become apathetic about our faith. Another tactic is to bring up the past hurts to get us living under shame and condemnation instead of the freedom God offers. He also uses sickness and physical fatigue to bring us to a low state. All of these are ways the enemy tries to stop us from fulfilling the plans the Lord has for us. 

Recognizing these attacks as fiery trials is the first step in taking action against them. Thank the Lord for showing you the attack. Praise Him for His goodness and worship Him! Worship can be songs, but it can also be thanking Him for what He has done in your life. It can be sitting in awe of His creation. 

Then, go and do what He has called you to! Love Him and love others, today and every day!

Beautiful Feet

No matter where a person comes from, the Lord is poised to richly bless all who call on his name! Romans 10:13-15 clarifies the steps between one calling on his name and beautiful feet:

“For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

Pedicures, anyone? Just kidding. 

But why are the feet beautiful in this verse? It is because of the hope that is carried within the message of the one who is attached to those feet. This passage is calling back to Isaiah 52:7, which celebrates the messenger who ran to tell the good news of the people’s return from exile. Here it refers to the good news being proclaimed that people can be released from the captivity of sin.

Whether our feet have been freshly pedicured or are in need of some thorough attention, what really matters is that we use them to carry out eternally significant things. 2 Corinthians 4:18 explains why we ought to fix our eyes on an eternal glory that far outweighs all our current, momentary troubles. It says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what I sunseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 

As a church, we aim to focus on what is eternal. On May 1st we are launching a 6-month-long outreach called “Hosting New Day Nature Trails”. We look forward to all God will do in each of us and through all of us as we extend a warm welcome to our New Day neighbors. We will offer the gift of our land as a representation of God’s generosity in his gift of salvation. Our beautiful feet will be bringing good news as we continue to LEAN IN to where GOD IS MOVING! 

*Access a thorough description of Hosting New Day Nature Trails on our website (click here)

Hosting the New Day Nature Trails

Over a year ago, the Lord inspired me to ask my friend at the Department of Natural Resources a simple question: “New Day Community Church owns 18 acres surrounded by neighborhoods without any park…could we form some kind of partnership to share the land with our neighbors?” At that moment, New Day Nature Trails was conceived.

We entered into a partnership with the DNR and cleared the land of invasive species last year in phase 1. This year in phase 2, we plan to establish new walking trails and refine the beauty of the property. As one neighbor said last summer, “This is going to be an absolute treasure to our community!”

We are responsibly caring for God’s creation and sharing it with our community, and we get the benefit of enjoying it too! What I love most about this project is how it is such a clear expression of our Christian faith. God offers salvation freely to everyone through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We freely offer the New Day Nature Trails to our community as a reflection of that gift. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).

Everyone is invited to join the New Day family in Hosting New Day Nature Trails, beginning May 1st, 2023. We are teaming up to be out on the trail every calendar day from May to October. Sign up weekly, monthly, or whatever frequency works for you. You can spend a few minutes or a few hours, it’s up to you. 

On your day, as you enjoy a beautiful nature walk, you will look for neighbors to warmly greet on behalf of New Day. You can tell them about our trail restoration project, offer to pray for them, share a testimony, invite them to church, share the gospel, or all of the above! For the parts of your walk where there isn’t a neighbor to talk to, pray. Pray for the neighborhood, the project, and for God’s will to be done here as in heaven.

Marilee and I continue to hear from the Lord how he wants to use this project and use YOU to bring his blessing to people that live in this community. We can’t wait to hear the testimonies of how you were able to demonstrate the love and kindness of God, and how you were able to explain the “why” behind that love: the Gospel!

Remember to Remember

I love roses.  Over the years, God has used my love of roses to remind me of his presence.  On a number of occasions when I needed him, he would “send” me some roses.  It is like he was saying, “See these roses?  I made them for you.  I haven’t left you.  I’m still here with you.  I love you.”  Whenever I see roses, I am reminded of the many times God has encouraged me, protected me, provided for me, and spoken the exact thing I needed to hear at the perfect moment. 

The Lord encourages us to remember his goodness.  God told Noah that rainbows would be a sign of his covenant to never destroy the earth with a flood again (Genesis 9:12-26). After an intense encounter with the Lord in his sleep, Jacob used the stone he was sleeping on to make a pillar of remembrance (Genesis 28:10-22).  Joshua commanded the Israelites to gather twelve stones from the Jordan River after they crossed it on dry land, in order to create a memorial for future generations to remember God’s amazing miracle (Joshua 4:4-7).  Jesus instituted Communion as a way for all of us who believe to remember him (Luke 22:19-20).  Over and over again, we see in Scripture the importance of remembering what the Lord has done.  

There is great value in remembering the ways in which we have encountered the Lord.  We may not have access to large stones, like the Israelites. We can, however, make our own memorials by recording these experiences in a journal or on a smartphone’s note-taking app.  This is a simple, practical way to create little reminders.  When times are hard, being able to look back at the ways we have seen God move in our lives can be pivotal. 

The goodness of God is all around us.  I pray that we notice, remember, and are encouraged.

A New Commandment

We’re right in the middle of Holy Week: between Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the moment that the crowd turns on Him, His disciples scatter, and our Lord is taken to the cross. Between Palm Sunday and Easter, the tension surrounding Jesus of Nazareth escalates to the breaking point. There’s so much going on, but Jesus gets these private moments with His disciples, during which He gives some final commands. 

In this divided environment, between the shouts of “Hosanna” and the shouts of “Crucify Him,” there’s a day known by the Church as Maundy Thursday. Maundy means “commandment” or “mandate,” and it commemorates the new commandment Jesus gives to His disciples after He washes their feet:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another” (John 13:34).

“Love” is a word that we have many definitions for, but Jesus leaves us no room to question what He means: “Just as I have loved You.” Just as I have washed your feet. Just as I have welcomed you. Just as I give my life for you. Love one another. Forgive one another just as I will forgive those who put me on the cross. Bear with one another, just as I will never leave you or forsake you. 

Receiving and enjoying the love of God is so important, but it’s not just for us to enjoy. That’s the sort of love we’re supposed to give to one another. Christianity is not a selfish or self-centered faith. It’s not simply introspective nor private. It’s meant to be lived out, in love, to everyone we meet. 

You say “how?” How can we possibly duplicate the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God? How could we hope to give a love that matches the love of the Lord? I know how to show basic kindness, but the love of the Savior? 

With God, nothing is impossible. This is one of those not-impossible things. The Holy Spirit can give us the sort of 1st Corinthians 13 love that’s patient, kind, humble, self-sacrificing, and never failing. Just like the love of Jesus. He’s our model. He’s our example. 

During this week leading up to Easter, follow the pattern of Christ. As we contemplate the love of the Savior, find ways to reflect that to those around you. Take time in your afternoon to speak words of kindness to someone who’s experiencing shame, like Jesus did at a well in Samaria. Make meals for the people around you who are hungry, like Jesus did for the 5,000. Care for the children. Pray for the sick and the lost and the oppressed, just like Jesus. Follow Him.

To Welcome a King

“The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:6-9, ESV)

In ancient Jewish culture, welcoming a traveler with palm branches and laid-out cloaks was no ordinary occasion, but rather one saved for only the most important of entries: the entries of kings and conquerors. When one of these very important guests came to town, the branches and cloaks acted as powerful metaphors. The palms represented victory and triumph, and the cloaks represented the absolute surrender of the people, literally being walked upon by the king or conqueror. To put it bluntly, welcoming Jesus in this way was extraordinarily lavish of the Jews, and seems to suggest that they understood the true importance of who He was and the purpose of His mission. 

Then why, not even a week later, did they cry out “crucify him!” as Jesus was on trial? 

Because they welcomed the Jesus they had constructed in their minds, instead of who He truly was. After centuries of persecution and waiting for their savior, they had the expectation that Jesus would overthrow the occupying Romans and make the Jewish people the rulers of the world—not that He would come preaching grace, humility, and love. When Jesus didn’t meet their expectations, they turned on Him and abandoned Him. 

The thing is, what Jesus was truly there to do was greater than anything the Jews would have imagined, and in fact set them more free than any liberation from the Romans ever could. 

The thing is, what the Jews did isn’t just something of the past; we do it just as much as they did. Think about it—have you ever prayed that Jesus would do something in your life and He didn’t? Did you feel betrayed? I know I certainly have. But thank God, He does with us exactly what He did with the Jews: He gives us more than we could have ever asked for. All we have to do is welcome Him for who He is. When we do this, we open our hearts to the work He is doing, the miracle He’s creating, and the breakthrough He’s sowing, and boy is it beautiful. 

So, as we enter this Holy Week with Palm Sunday, let’s learn from the Jews, and choose to welcome Jesus as He truly is, rather than the construction we might make of Him in our minds. You may just find He wants to do a work within you that’s greater than you could ever imagine.