Wrestle with the Father

In Genesis 32, Jacob is stressed. For most of his life, he’s fled from his brother Esau who, after Jacob stole the firstborn’s blessing, has wanted to kill him. This has haunted Jacob (even his name means “supplanter”), but in chapter 32, he and God have had enough. The Lord told him to “return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good” (Gen. 32:9), and now, after sending his family across the river Jabbok where he and Esau plan to reunite, Jacob stands at the river’s edge, alone in the night.

Just before this, Jacob cried out to God in a desperate prayer: “God, I’m terrified. I don’t know what’s going to happen, Esau could kill me, my wives, and my children. I know I haven’t been a good man, I don’t deserve any blessing, but please, deliver me. You promised to bless me after all, please follow through.” (paraphrase of Gen. 32:9-12). He’s following what God told him to do, but that happens to mean confronting his past; the thing that’s held him back his whole life. It's overwhelming (rightfully so).

In verse 24, the story takes a wild shift. It’s revealed that Jacob, though he was alone, was also not alone. A “Man” (revealed to be God) appears, and the two of them wrestle all night until dawn, when the God-Man supernaturally pops Jacob’s hip out of place. In this moment Jacob demands a blessing, and God obliges, but in an unexpected way.

God’s blessing isn’t some power or something, but a deliverance (exactly what Jacob prayed for earlier)—except it’s not from Esau, it’s from Jacob’s own name, and the burden it bears. Rather than “Jacob the Supplanter,” God declares he shall now be known as Israel, for he has “striven with God and with men, and has prevailed” (v. 28).

When we come up against struggles in our own lives that trigger the wounds of our past, let’s learn from Jacob not to flee or numb ourselves from what it brings up in us, but to face that internal turmoil with God, to be open to wrestling through these struggles with Him. It may be hard, it may hurt (Jacob had a limp the rest of his days), but through that confrontation, the Father wants to bring redemption & transformative liberation. A new name, if you will.

So it begs the question: when the turmoil gets real, will you wrestle with Him?

Pray Without Ceasing

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ’If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” (John 7:37-39 NIV). 

Jesus interrupted this ceremony at the pinnacle of the celebration. He turned the focus from the priest who, tradition says, was pouring water from the stream of Siloah, which flowed under the Temple Mount onto the altar as a thanksgiving offering, and directed all attention upon Himself. 

This act would have been irreverent, heretical, and crazy, if it hadn’t been true. Jesus was claiming that He alone was the source of life and salvation. No wonder the Jewish leaders were seeking to crucify Him! That ancient ceremony has ceased, but billions of people over the years and to this day come to Jesus to receive the living water of the Holy Spirit. 

Since I was saved and filled with the Spirit, I have spoken aloud in tongues. I was taught early on that one should pray daily in tongues. For me it is life-giving, as essential as drinking water. Recently I’ve begun praying in tongues aloud in public. I’m never disrespectful, and I'm not loud. People talk on their phones in public, so I talk to God in public, in English and in my spiritual language. When I’ve shared this with other believers, they think I’m kidding, but it’s true. Why not? I have found that it helps change the spiritual atmosphere when I pray aloud. I carry on a continual conversation as I walk through stores, drive, or do errands. I need all the prayer I can get.

If we really believe that the Holy Spirit, and particularly speaking in tongues, is the living water Jesus promised (see Acts 2), then we and those around us need all that God will give. Think of it this way: the Holy Spirit is an unlimited well of life, but we are the valve that controls the flow. I choose to let the river flow. And I’ve found it is helpful in keeping my mind and body focused on Jesus. I encourage you to give it a try! “Pray without ceasing!”(1 Thes. 5:17).

Who Influences You?

I spent a glorious week with my three-year-old grandson, Max. Three-year-olds are so interesting. They are little mimics and repeat back to you things you say and even things you wished they hadn’t heard. I had to be careful of what I said even when he wasn’t listening to me. He looks up to me and allows my words to influence him. 

Numbers 11:4 says, “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, ’If only we had meat to eat!’” I did some digging and the “rabble” among them was most likely Egyptians or other foreigners that joined the Israelites out of Egypt. Why would they listen to these people? The Israelites had seen God perform miracles, exempt them from the plagues, free them from slavery, plunder the Egyptians, part the Red Sea, and provide food and water in the desert for them.

The Israelites allowed others to influence them. They were the chosen people, delivered and set apart. Now they are allowing others to tell them what they deserve or should have. Oh, how quick they were to listen to others and stop trusting in God. 

What about you? Do you allow what you see, read, or listen to influence you to live your life in a way that is opposed to what God tells us to do? The Bible has a lot to say about how we are to live our lives. 

How we should talk: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).

How we should live: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Spend time with God and in His word and allow the Holy Spirit to be the one that influences you!

Hard Rock Cafe

"No, I can't think of anything, but thank you," is the most common response I get whenever I directly ask someone, "is there anything you need prayer for?" While it often comes up during street ministry, I actually hear it most from people in church, especially when there's no immediate health or relationship crisis.

Why is that? Why is it that those who complain about their jobs on Monday, or their family during the holidays, or their back pain in the morning, or how aimless they feel at night, can't think of something to bring to the Lord in prayer? Why don’t we connect the dots between our need and God’s providence? 

 Here's the biggest reason for this: We're in the habit of meeting our own needs.

During Jesus' 40-day fast in the desert, Satan tempted him with the strangest thing: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread" (Matthew 4:3). Jesus was hungry and the devil tempted him to feed himself with limestone? “Meet your need! Eat these rocks.” Weird, right?

I finally understood the devil’s tactics after God showed me the “rocks” in my own life: cheap sex, endless video games, school, job-chasing, worship music, Instagram, steak dinners. All of these things were “good enough" to numb my real hunger for aliveness. I didn't need anything from God because, in theory, I had everything covered. Since I turned those things into breakfast, I felt too "full" to ask for anything. And as it turns out, there's no room for blessing when your belly is stuffed with stones!

Jesus' response to the devil's temptation is profound and helpful. He replied, "It is written, man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Mat. 4:4). Bread, the things we supply for ourselves (even good things), can't make us alive. According to Jesus, being filled with His Word by thinking about it, acting on it, and living by it, provides the aliveness that we crave.

If you’re in the habit of eating lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, the solution is to learn how to feast on God's word. He has something to say about work, family, pains, purpose, and entertainment. So as the Lord leads, let Him become the one who meets your need by tuning in to His word. One by one, you can safely surrender the stones in your pantry to make room for the abundant life that only God can supply. 

Then the next time someone asks, "What do you need prayer for?" you'll have a long list of rocks that you're ready to replace with whatever the Lord sets on the table.

New Day Vine Ministry Center Update

Forty-four years ago, I stepped into a small church on Locust Street. I’d become a Christian that summer, and when I returned to WMU, finding a church was a top priority. I visited several churches but had yet to find one as passionately alive as the Mexican church I attended in Lansing. While at a church on campus, I expressed to another student how I found the service lacking passion and intensity. A friend of hers attended a church she thought I’d like and gave me directions to it.

That was the Redemption Center, now called New Day. It met at 2 PM in a small building on Locust Street (not New Day Vine, but the building next to it). The church was passionate and biblical and I quickly joined. We would often pray to get the larger laundromat next door, but soon moved to various locations before building our Nichols Road facility. About 30 years later, our prayers were answered. Sarah and Seth Gerber bought the old laundromat building to use the upstairs as income property and the downstairs as a young adult ministry center. The Gerbers and New Day raised a lot of money and invested a lot of work to completely renovate it. When the Gerbers moved to California, New Day purchased the building. The young adult group was replaced with a satellite church which prospered for several years. For a variety of reasons, during Covid, New Day Vine services ended and regrouped at our Nichols building.

The Vine Ministry Center is still being used for the Kingdom on a daily basis. Three different Recovery Group ministries use the building and are extremely grateful for the facility as it perfectly accommodates them. This is a very meaningful way New Day is meeting genuine needs in our community. Additionally, my office for New Day and for leading Harvest Alliance, our international network, is located there. Ministry literally is streamed from there around the world. The building is also often used for other smaller groups and special events. The upstairs functions as a residential facility for those involved in ministry and leadership development. It's incredibly rewarding to see the answer to prayers from 30 years ago being fulfilled.

I am deeply grateful for the vision of all who invested, and continue to invest, in enabling New Day to have a ministry center in the heart of our community. You never know how or when God will answer your prayers!

Abide: Peace & Plan

Our hearts reveal how much the ailments of the age affect us. We want a fulfilling life—but many of us are surviving, not thriving. We want a strong sense of purpose—but many of us feel confused, not clear. We want to engage with something of lasting meaning—but many of us feel insignificant, not important. We want to feel a deep sense of belonging–but many of us feel lonely, not loved.

Our culture peddles endless answers to these ailments. More information and “solutions” are at our fingertips than ever before, but it isn’t helping. As a society, we are more anxious, depressed, confused, and lonely than ever before. So where do we go from here?

We go to Jesus! He has compassion for us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Are you ready to come in out of the wind for a rest from it all? Those who come to Jesus find peace, but also a plan.

John 15:4,9,11 (ESV) — Abide in me, and I in you …  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love … These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

The life you were created for can be yours in Jesus! The key is found in one simple word: Abide. Jesus calls himself the vine and means for us to be the branches. If we abide in him, as a branch remains connected to its vine, his life will flow through our veins! 

Sounds great doesn’t it? For “abide” to move from an inspiring idea to a way of life, we need to take action. Have you ever driven by vineyards and noticed how the grapevines stand in identical rows? Why is that? The answer is: a trellis. The job of a trellis is simple: bear the weight of the grapevine so it can grow and bear the most fruit possible.

Our spiritual life needs a trellis too. If you want to burst with life and joy, you need a support structure to bear the weight of that fruitfulness. This comes in the form of daily habits. How will you create a little margin for connecting with Jesus each day this year? Will you start your day with prayer and Bible reading? Will you schedule a daily walk-and-talk time with the Lord? The options are limitless! Have fun! Be creative! May the joy of the Lord be in you, and may your joy be full!

Learn to Linger (originally posted in 2023)

I don’t know about you, but I find that in my day-to-day life, I struggle to make space to just sit and 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 and 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 and walk to another place to be filled up and grow. They knew to dig their roots deep and 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 on the Lord and 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 and spend time with Him. To choose to set aside time to welcome His presence and continue to linger with Him after welcoming Him. He wants to reside with us, be present in the routine of our lives, and continuously pour His love into us as we learn to remain in His presence, rather than just doing it for two minutes each day and then moving on. 

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

The Power of Testimony

“Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, ‘It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.’” (Revelation 12:10-11 NLT)

We know we are saved by Jesus' sacrifice. Believing this, and committing our lives to follow Jesus, is what makes us Christians. In this passage we see an additional component of salvation—our testimony. Those who overcame the accuser, the devil, did so by the “blood of the Lamb AND by their testimony.” 

In Greek, “testimony” means: evidence given, record, or report. It's the evidence in our lives of the power of the blood of the Lamb that enables us to overcome the devil. The record and report of overcoming temptation, doubt, fear, and the accusations of the devil is our side of the salvation story. 

“He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world” (1 John 2:2). This is true, but those who do not accept Jesus’ sacrifice, reject his Lordship, and refuse the gift of salvation do not benefit from his sacrifice. So there are two parts of salvation, God’s part and our part. God’s done his part; Jesus “died once to break the power of sin” (Romans 6:10). In doing so, he accomplished all that was needed for our salvation. Accepting the gift does not add to the work of the cross. The cross was sufficient; nothing can be added. But we need to accept it, and there needs to be evidence in our lives that demonstrates Jesus is our Lord. 

That evidence is our testimony. Not only our salvation story, but every circumstance that demonstrates Jesus is our Lord. So what is your testimony for today? What is your testimony for this past week or month? What’s the standout testimony for 2024? Let’s share our testimonies as a way to openly display Christ’s defeat of the accuser and celebrate our victory!

Wonder

Have you seen the wonder in a child's eyes as they behold the Christmas tree light up a dark room? Or when they see all the houses lit up at night? Do you have things that fill you with wonder?

It seems that as we grow older, we lose some of our wonder. We learn more about the world and our surroundings, and things that once amazed us become commonplace. The things that caused our awe and wonder as a child at Christmas dim and get replaced by our busyness. 

I want to encourage you to take the time to stop and consider the wonder of the first Christmas. It had been 400 years since the Old Testament prophets spoke of the Messiah. Generations came and went waiting for this hope to be fulfilled.

And then, one dark night, Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, and “the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them” (Luke 2:6-7 NIV).

An angel appeared to shepherds nearby and they were filled with wonder and awe: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” (Luke 2:13-16 NIV).

Then there were the wise men: “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:9-11 NIV).

I pray that you too can rediscover the awe and wonder of what it means for Jesus to come into the world as a human baby, live a sinless life, die on the cross for our forgiveness, and rise into new life for you and me. 

Let us shine with the love Jesus has for us so that others can discover the wonder of Christmas.

2025 Theme

Each year we seek the Lord to highlight the theme that He would have our church focus on for the next year. Bill and I, along with other New Day leaders, spent focused time praying into God’s direction and heart for our church. I am excited to share with you the theme God revealed to us for 2025 through that prayer time. Drum roll please…..It’s….. 

ABIDE

This theme perfectly follows our year on being ROOTED. In 2024, we focused on cultivating strong roots in Jesus so that we can stand firm when the storms of life blow. We know that strong, healthy roots are a necessary component for a tree to grow and bear fruit. The Bible teaches in John 15 that our Heavenly Father causes fruitfulness in our lives, but our part is to abide in Jesus. Jesus says:

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4)

Abide in Jesus is what we will intentionally do in 2025. Our sermon series, church events, and even the pace that we move as a church will be guided by this aim. Psalm 91:1 teaches us that when we dwell in the secret place of the Most High, we will be lodging in the shade of the Almighty. Wow! That’s a beautiful picture of what abiding looks like!  

To start off 2025 solidly in this vein, we are going to host one week of prayer and fasting with nightly services for prayer and worship. This special week will span from Sunday, January 5 through Saturday, January 11. It will be a unique and special time for our congregation to consecrate the new year to the Lord in a very tangible way. I believe He will meet with us mightily and we will see much growth and fruit as a result of this week. 

I encourage you to begin praying into this theme now. Doing so will position your heart, mind, and spirit to be ready when the new year arrives. Bless you all, precious church. It is such a wonderful adventure following the Lord together. We are grateful and expectant for what God will do in 2025 as we press into this theme together.

Identity

Companies appeal to identity to sell you stuff. Candidates tailor messaging based on their notion of who you are. People don’t call it a “sex life” anymore, they call it “sexual identity.” Being L, G, B, T, Q, or + in our culture functions as an identity marker, not just an expression of gender or sexuality. Identity is woven into nearly every part of our society today.

Carl Trueman calls our collective understanding the “social imaginary” in his book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. The twenty-first-century American social imaginary assumes all sorts of things about identity. The common belief is that you look inside yourself, decide who you are or what you want to be, and then express that identity to the world. So much of our social interaction then gets funneled into one of two categories: affirmation or rejection. No wonder everyone’s so angry with each other. We no longer discuss and debate. We accept or reject each other.

Jesus calls you higher! Just as he took the question about taxes higher in Matthew chapter 22 – he embraced neither the framework nor the fight set before him. Instead, when he said: “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Matt. 22:21, NIV), he invited his hearers to transcend their social imagination.

Jesus offers that same invitation today. Will you accept the culture’s framework? Or will you embrace a heavenly perspective? God personally bestows identity. You bear his very image (Gen. 1:26-28). Christians: you are born of God (John 1:12-13), he chose and adopted you (Gal. 4:4-7), and he chooses to dwell in you as his living temple (1 Cor. 3:16).

Christian sexual morality is not rooted in rules! Our sexual ethic stems from our identity! That’s why the Bible says to flee sexual immorality. Not because it’s a religious rule – because you are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:18-20). Because Jesus suffered and died to make it so! You are forgiven, cleansed, and made into a holy dwelling for the Lord. What a blessing! What an honor to make it a dwelling worthy of his presence! What amazing grace that we can be restored when we fail to do so!

As we consider identity and engage in our culture, let’s be voices that transcend. Let’s join Jesus by inviting our neighbors higher. Every person you meet beautifully bears the image of God. Let’s build bridges of lovingkindness that lead them back to him.

Overcoming Chaos

Life is chaotic. Not only in the sense that things get hectic at times, but more so that sometimes circumstances are just plain difficult. When we try our best but hardships get the better of us, what are we meant to do? When chaos raises its head, what can we do?

Joseph was a man who battled against the tides of chaos his whole life. Many of you are likely familiar with his story, but here’s a quick recap: Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers when he was young. While a slave, he was falsely accused of sleeping with his master’s wife & was thrown into prison. In prison, he interpreted the dreams of prisoners, was forgotten for 2 years by one who was freed, only then to be asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, after which he was placed in authority over all Egypt, allowing him to save the lives of the very brothers who sold him into slavery.

It’s so easy to see how chaos roared against Joseph during each step of his journey, however Joseph’s response to this chaos is what truly hits home: in every situation, he was faithful with what was given to him, despite the chaos.

Forced into slavery? He was faithful & honoring in his responsibilities. Trapped in prison? Rather than shutting down, he offered comfort & interpretations to those struggling. When Pharaoh, the leader of the nation that had afflicted Joseph for years, asked for help with a dream, he humbly accepted and shared God’s interpretation.

Joseph could’ve hardened his heart & cursed his lot in life many times, but rather than giving into chaos, he submitted to the Lord and chose to bless those around him rather than curse them, and from this, the Lord blessed him. 

This is what God is calling us to when we experience hardship, turmoil, letdowns, & inconvenience. Are we embittering ourselves, or showing faithfulness & honor? My encouragement to you in this season is the principle Joseph lived by: when the tides of chaos rise against you, press into the Father.

In doing so, you live as a citizen of Heaven rather than of the world, welcoming God into the wilderness to strengthen & nurture you within your hardship. As Joseph himself said “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” (Gen 42:52 ESV) 

Will you let Him do the same for you?

Perfect Peace in Perilous Times

Isaiah 26:1-21: “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”

In this election season we once again sense the fear, strife, accusation, and contention that exists. In addition to the political and social battles in our nation, the world is at war in many places. Our hearts grieve the mass suffering caused by warfare in and around Israel. Once again the significance of that historic region and the battle for that land is in the world’s headlines. 

War in Ukraine continues, though media attention has waned. War is in Africa. Heidi Baker of IRIS Ministries, who lives in Mozambique, was the keynote speaker at our Harvest Alliance UK Gathering. Due to war, IRIS had to move all their schools elsewhere. Yet Rolland and Heidi continue to live in that war-torn, poverty-stricken place. 

In Isaiah 26, the prophet is confronting God’s people for lack of faithfulness and the resulting consequences, and comforting them with the promise of God’s deliverance. The promise of “perfect peace” is spoken to a people who are facing punishment and political upheaval. Yet those who “trust in the Lord” are steadfast in mind. Their thoughts are not consumed with anxiety and dread, but rather the strength and promises of their mighty God. 

This is the state where all Christ-followers should remain. “The Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal.” The Lord alone is the Rock on which we must place our trust. None other can take His place. We are not to look to anything or anyone else to provide the solid ground upon which we must stand. 

This is true for our thoughts, emotions, aspirations, political convictions, financial hopes, and relationships with others. In all these areas we should declare our trust in the Lord. This doesn’t mean that we disengage from the political and social issues of our day. We absolutely should lead in those arenas. But we must do it from the steadfast footing of standing upon the eternal Rock — Jesus Christ the Lord of all.

How Am I the Bad Guy?

You know that moment when someone says something crazy and time freezes while you figure out how to respond?

Once upon a time, I missed a phone call. It buzzed in my pocket while I was at work, I wasn’t able to pick up, and I forgot to return the call that afternoon. Thankfully it wasn’t an emergency, but it was an honest little blunder on my part. These things happen, right?

They followed up with me right before church started the next Sunday. I said offhandedly, “Sorry I missed your call, I was pretty busy,” which was a perfectly reasonable explanation. Wasn’t it? We finished our business, exchanged pleasant chit chat and went into worship. All good, right?...Right!?

Wrong. 

“When you said you didn’t have time for my call, it really hurt my feelings. I felt like I wasn’t important to you,” they said tearfully, having pulled me aside after service. I know exactly where I was standing in the foyer of the church because this is the moment time literally stopped while I scrambled to respond.
Here’s the (unflattering) transcript of my inner dialogue:
Wait, your feelings are hurt because I was busy? Should my schedule revolve around you? Am I supposed to be glued to my phone? Did I miss something? I was at work, like a normal person. I have a life! You’re being unreasonable.
…but it actually doesn’t matter. Jesus said, “If your brother has something against you…” yada yada. I don’t get to decide whether it’s legit or not. Right now, I’m the bad guy! Between them and me, Jesus will take their side, I know it. I can either correct or I can apologize…Hmm. Better apologize. How Christlike of me.
But I didn’t do anything wrong! Ughh!
…but I really hurt them. Okay, fine. Looks like I have to just swallow it this time.

After 3 eternal seconds, I said, with as much sincerity as I could manage, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, and it was certainly not my intention to communicate that you’re not important. You are important. Please forgive me!” We hugged and made up (and had a quick chat about my availability), but oh man was my ego bruised.

Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:23-24, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you...first be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift.” He made it your responsibility to proactively reconcile when you’re the bad guy in someone else’s story. Whether it seems reasonable or not, He requires us to own our failures, apologize, and repent before the worship music starts.

Complaining

In our culture it is normal to complain. How many times a day do you complain? One might think that they don’t complain at all. That’s what I thought. Then I decided to count my complaints:
“Ugh, it’s so cold in the morning; I have to wear a sweatshirt.” 
“Drat, there’s not enough wind to sail.” 
“The service here is so slow.” 
“That person is driving so slow. They’re going to make me late.” 
“The doctor's office hasn’t called me back yet. They are so bad at communicating.” 
I uttered all of those complaints before noon!

Paul has something to say about complaining in Philippians chapter 2: “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you” (v. 2:14-15a). This directive to the church is not because of any outright dissension, but because of their grumbling. Just as a slow drip in a leaky faucet is an indication of a problem, grumbling or complaining is a sign of discontent. Just like a leaky faucet is annoying to hear, our complaining to others is not pleasing to the Lord.

John 10:10 starts with, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” The enemy can use our discontent to draw us away from God. Grumbling, complaining, and discontent can lead us down the path of questioning God and His goodness, which can lead to outright rebellion. Yikes! Yet, Jesus has a solution, as v. 10 continues: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus came to lay down His life, without complaining, so that we could be forgiven. And He calls us to live like He did. He modeled how to live in a world full of darkness. 

How can we do that? Start with an attitude of gratitude! 
“The cooler weather allows me to wear a sweatshirt.” 
“This summer weather is letting us be outside more.” 
“No wind means I have time to work on something I’ve been putting off. Thanks, God!” 
“That person is driving slowly; maybe they’re having a bad day. I should pray for them.”

Paul continues to exhort us to live like Jesus: “Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people” (Philippians 2:15b-16). Let’s live differently than our culture. Instead of complaining, let's be thankful every day and become a shining light. Our dark world needs it!

In Case You Were Wondering

In case you were wondering, we are not going to tell you who to vote for. New Day pastors are not going to do that, because we feel it would be a misuse of our position. We are called to teach the Word of God and guide this congregation in the direction God has called us to go. We will teach what the Bible says about the topics at hand in our country and culture. We will talk about how to be Christ-like in our engagement with politics. (In fact, we have a sermon series in October to do just that.) But ultimately, you must prayerfully decide how you will vote given your personal conviction through the Holy Spirit. 

You must also prayerfully decide to what degree you will engage with politics. Some of us are called to be very involved and make an impact for the kingdom on that platform. Others are called to make kingdom impact in different ways, which may mean they have very little engagement with politics. We should be careful not to judge another’s political involvement in comparison to our own. 

Just because we are not going to dictate how you ought to vote, that does not mean we don’t care about the current state of our country. It is important; however, it is not more important than our citizenship in the kingdom of heaven or our allegiance to Christ. Our security does not lie in the outcome of this election; it’s much more secure than that. 

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body…” (Philippians 3:20).

Christians can live without fear, even though things often don’t go well here on earth—because regardless of what happens, believers will spend eternity in the heavenly kingdom with our perfect Father. Therefore, we stand secure, firmly rooted in Christ, our solid rock.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2).

Our glorious eternal destiny should not cause us to be indifferent to the world’s problems—instead we should be bold, peaceable, gentle, and open to reason when discussing culturally hot topics. Remember people come to each topic from different contexts, meaning their perspectives will naturally vary. 

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense” (James 3:17).

Responding according to this verse during this campaign season will be a sign of God’s wisdom in us. Remember that believing you are right is not an excuse to be harsh, impatient, or judgmental. The best thing to do is faithfully pray and then wisely engage as God directs, in case you were wondering.

Koinonia

The Greek word koinonia is often translated as “fellowship.” It might bring to mind potlucks, wedding receptions, funerals, etc., but koinonia means so much more than a gathering of people. It also includes participation, contribution, and even partnership. Let’s consider it as a progression for a moment.

When someone hears the good news of salvation and decides to make Jesus their Lord, they pledge allegiance to the King and enter his kingdom. This brings them into a shared citizenship with others: fellowship. But the Kingdom of God is more than an impersonal government. He calls it a family and a body. There’s a deep level of interconnection we have to one another because of our connection to Jesus. He is the Head of the body, the Father of the family, and the King of the kingdom. By our fellowship with him, we gain fellowship with one another. Koinonia.

Taking the next step, fellowship leads to participation. The Apostle Paul describes participation in the body and blood of Jesus when we take the communion cup and bread (1 Cor 10:16). Communion symbolizes and spiritually facilitates a joining together, making “...we, who are many, one body, for we all share the one loaf” (1 Cor 10:17). A personal act of participation, eating the bread and drinking the cup, unites us. Koinonia.

The next step brings us to contribution. In several places, the Bible describes acts of fellowship that are personal and costly. God’s interconnected people care for each other and the poor through service and monetary contributions. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul talks about the joy and generosity of the Macedonian church in “sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.” He’s talking about an offering collected to support the Jerusalem Christians suffering under a famine. God’s people serve and contribute to help those in need. Koinonia.

Finally, we consider the aspect of partnership. Business partners share ownership and responsibility. This gives a helpful picture for understanding how the Bible talks about kingdom partnership. In several places, the New Testament letters discuss this idea of partnership (Ph 1:5; Phm 6). True believers buy in—they support the ministry of others spreading the Gospel. True believers take ownership—they understand themselves as commissioned by Jesus to share the good news too! God’s people partner together to accomplish the mission. Koinonia.

Koinonia is both a responsibility and a blessing. We’re responsible for offering koinonia and we’re blessed to receive it from other members of the family of God. Let’s continue to cultivate rich koinonia here at New Day.

Say Yes

Over the past few months, God’s been challenging me. Throughout my life I’ve seen His Spirit move in miraculous ways—whether through physical healings, words of knowledge, or the outpouring of His Spirit—but over time, I’ve found myself occasionally questioning if He’s actually moving at any given moment. For instance, when a worship set would be powerful, I’d love it and hop in, but at the same time, I’d question in the back of my mind if this was really Him or just nice music. 

Turns out it wasn’t me being astute to question His moving, but rather was me struggling to say “yes” to how He wanted to move in me. This is what He’s been confronting in me.

Over the past 2 months, I’ve been able to go on 2 incredible trips, one to Mexico as a mission trip and one to Fayetteville, NC as a youth camp. In each trip, I approached it with openness to whatever God wanted to do, but also hesitation over if He was really going to move powerfully. I’ve seen God move before, but like I said, I had this question lingering in the back of my mind.

However, on each of these trips, God immediately began to move in powerful ways. In Mexico, people received emotional healing from traumatic memories and life hurts, where they had fear and hesitation, they now had joy and confidence. In NC, students began to not only meet God for the first time through prayer and prophetic words, but also through miraculous physical healings all week long. God was moving; it was undeniable.

What was the common theme in these situations? People said “yes” to Him. That’s what He began to hammer home to me.

Open up a painful memory so you can see how He’s always been there? Yes. Invite Him into your heart during worship, even if it looks silly? Yes. Give Him a chance to physically heal you, and choose to run after Him whether or not it happens? Yes. 

God pouring out His Spirit into our lives, giving us opportunities to live a miraculous life with Him, but it’s on us if we choose to receive it. So I ask you, will you say yes?

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18, ESV)

Mission/Church

Reg Layzelle was a leader in The Latter Rain revival in the 1940s thru 1960s. This revival was a resurgence of the work, gifts, and fruit of the Holy Spirit. Another emphasis was evangelism and missions. As an old man, Reg visited our church in the early 1980s. He made a profound impact upon myself as a newly saved college student. Reg declared, “Mission is the primary purpose of the Church, and the Church is the primary purpose of missions.” 

The church is called to preach the gospel to every nation therefore sending and supporting missions is essential to its purpose. And the goal of every Mission is to form local churches with those who respond to the preaching of the gospel. There is a beautiful symmetry between Mission and Church that self-perpetuates both aspects of Kingdom work. The Layzelles did mission work in Uganda, and our church was a primary sponsor. Our founding pastor Ken Norberg visited Uganda several times, once staying a full six months. Our church raised enough money to have electricity run to the village where the base was located. Later we raised enough money to send a team to install a water pump and plumbing system for the village. It was known as “Kalamazoo Light & Water!”

At the 1981 Urbana Missions conference, I—along with about 17,000 college students—learned the Biblical basis for missions. I was deeply impacted and was ready to go. My heart was filled with anticipation for moving to a foreign land and devoting the rest of my life to world missions. But, to my surprise, near the end of the conference I heard God clearly speak to me: “You are not called to go. You are called to send.”

Since then I’ve devoted myself to sending and supporting missionaries worldwide. Our church has sent out so many individuals and teams that I don’t even know all of the nations we’ve influenced. I have no doubt we have given well over a million dollars to the work of missions and we continue to do so. Eventually I was able to go overseas on a mission, but not until I was in my 40s. Now, in my later years, my focus on missions is growing. In addition to my work at New Day, I travel extensively supporting missions and training missionaries and church planters. My ministry is a sending ministry, which is an expression of the apostolic call. New Day is my primary support, but I am also building a donor base to enable me to continue to minister to those who need it most—those on the front lines of mission work. You can learn more about what I do at www.cameronwright.org.

This month we are sending a team to Peru where Jon Yerty (who grew up at New Day) lives with his wife and leads a mission base. Later this year I will travel to Kenya, England, and Mexico. Every member of New Day is directly involved in every mission work we do. Even if you don’t go with a team, you support by giving financially, praying, and doing all the work to make church happen here every week. Church and Mission are two sides of the same ministry coin, and we all have a part in this calling.

More Than an Offer

A sheet of cool South Carolina winter rain painted the pavement about three feet behind me while we huddled in lawn chairs under the eaves of the church. It was the final evening session of the Harvest Alliance Leaders Conference, and I sat with Kathy, Bill and Marilee preparing to reflect on the week so far. Around this moment, after some banter and prayer, I was overcome by a vivid, weighty realization: that I belong. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but the moment hit me with the weight of a much larger story.

I’ve been attending New Day (when food was provided) for over 13 years. I was first welcomed in by Elaine Stryker who greeted me at the door, and Emilee Lawrence who invited me to Friendsgiving Dinner. Then Chloe, who made spaghetti before Seth and Sarah’s group started at 6. When I transitioned to the Nichols campus, Carrie let me lead a worship team. Cameron still gives me credit (partially deserved) for designing the coffee bar at the Vine campus. And Bill and Marilee’s approval of my vision for the Young Adult group was bolstered by actual years of encouragement, hugs, hopeful conversations, and a relentless commitment to getting to know me. (And I didn’t make it easy. Pray for them!) 

The whole community has repeatedly, emphatically affirmed their affection for years. They’ve entrusted me with two ministries (Worship and Young Adults group) that sit close to the heart of New Day’s mission. In their minds, I’m a pillar. I carry the vision. I’m part of the family. According to them, my inclusion was more than an offer, it was an assumption. As long as I’ve been around this church, I’ve belonged to it. And they’ve always said it.  

Do you see how much I should NOT have been surprised, sitting with old friends at this leaders conference? All these years, all this evidence, and for some reason I still felt like an outsider. It must have been the Lord opening my eyes to see the whole story, that all this time I’d been sheltered from the rain with people who always loved and included me. The gravity of the moment spilled into teary eyes while I shared the feeling with my friends. Soon, all of our cheeks were as soaked as the pavement behind me. 

 It was only after years of staying put and serving where I could that I recognized the truth; that I belong. But you don’t have to wait 13 years. You belong. We want you here. You’re part of the family. And they’ve always said it.  

Even the sparrow finds a home … at your altars, 
O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.  
— Psalm 84:3 (ESV)