No Lone Ranger Christians

“Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God’s people.”   Charles Spurgeon

If you boiled down the Christian life to one word what would it word be? At the risk of being too simplistic, I believe the word would be relationships. When Jesus was asked the most important commandment, He talked first about our relationship with God and then with others. He pointedly indicated one’s relationship with others must be a close second to our relationship with God. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matt. 22:35-40). Relationships are at the heart of Christian living.

  As a human being, community is in your design. We were created by God to live in vital relationships with each other. To understand why community is so vital, we must understand that we’re made in the image of God—and exactly what sort of God in whose image we were made.

  In Genesis we learn that humans are made in the image of the triune God. This means that, as humans, we’re made in the image of a God who is a “We,” not a “Me.” You’ll notice in Genesis that God says, “let US make man in our image.” God’s three-ness has huge implications for what it means to be human. Since we’re made in the image of the God who exists in community, we’re a being who has community hard-wired into our DNA. We’re designed for community. When we ignore relationships, we cut against the grain of our very humanity. We can’t isolate ourselves without becoming deeply broken and lonely.

  God told Adam at the beginning, “it is not good for man to be alone.” Adam was lonely not because he was imperfect, but because he was perfectly made in the image of the God of community. There was no sin, there were no relationship breakdowns. He was designed for “other,” not just self.  

  At Grace Church, we are committed to community. We are committed to being part of God’s solution to eradicate loneliness and don’t want anyone to be alone. We were built to know and be known because we’re made in the Father’s image.

  Our Grace  Community groups exist to foster this basic “life together” for which we were built. They’re vital to healthy Christian living. Yes, they will help us grow in our knowledge of God and His Word BUT that’s not their main purpose. Their main purpose is to help us draw closer to each other by drawing closer to the Lord. It’s unusual to find a growing Christian who is not part of some type of small group. That’s because…

  We are redeemed for community. When Adam fell into sin, we were not only separated from God, we were also separated from each another. The world was relationally fractured, resulting in racism, murders, strife, alienation, and every other kind of societal breakdown. A critical aspect of God’s work in Christ is to heal broken relationships caused by sin. And God has a wonderful plan for relational healing – the local church. God is a community-forming God. He never brings a person into a relationship with Himself, without bringing them into a relationship with others.

  In the New Testament the local church is described with strikingly intense metaphors. Christians are likened to “living stones” in a holy temple. We’re called “fellow citizens” of the kingdom of God and “members of the same household.” Throughout the New Testament we’re called “brothers and sisters.” Scripture is wonderfully clear. The gospel unites us in relationships closer than even with our blood relatives. Jesus connects people of different classes, races and genders into “one new man.”

  It’s impossible to be a Christian on your own. It’s a violation of God’s plan and it’s a sin to be a “Lone Ranger” Christian. God has redeemed you to be in a deep, rich, close-knit community.

  Love is the identifying behavior of a Christian. Jesus said, ““By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). The only way you can know that you love other believers is if you actually spend time with them and know them. You can’t truly love someone you don’t know or have little contact with.

  There’s a famous character in Dostoyevsky’s Brother’s Karamazov who considers himself a humanitarian. He loves humanity and gives lots of his money to charities. The problem is that he hates people.

  The power of the early church is seen in that former enemies (Jews & Gentiles) live together as “brothers and sisters” in a close-knit community. Community is the context where our love is tested. How do I know if I love others? You must get to know a real “other.” You get into close Christian community with a person that’s different than yourself, even a person who was once an enemy. Community is the only place where God’s agape love is revealed. That kind of love happens best in small groups.

  Community matters enough to be prioritized. It must be more than an afterthought. It must be our focus.

  It grieves me that many in our church miss this vital aspect of the Christian life. We’ve sought to make our groups very convenient in that many of them meet on Sundays after the morning service. There’s not a more important ministry in the life of our church than our small groups. It’s truly that important. They begin again on September 15^th at 10:45 am.

  Please plan to join one. Please make it a priority! Your spiritual health depends on it!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Thriving through the Teen Years

“Teenager: Someone who is ready for a zombie apocalypse 

but not ready for the math test tomorrow.”

God’s goal for Christian parents in raising their children is for them to be godly adults who love Jesus and desire to live for Him. It’s never been easy and the moral decay of our culture further complicates things.

  Our children are sinners, like us, whose hearts must be transformed by the Holy Spirit. As parents, pastors, teachers and mentors, we must seek to be God’s instruments in this process. While we pray, instruct and model what it means to live for eternity, we must also prepare them to live in this temporal world. The two aren’t disconnected: academic, professional, and relational success flows primarily from character and maturity. As Christians, we know that character flows from a God-centered heart. We’re not saved by good works, yet we’re saved for them (Eph. 2:8-10).

  Many parents try to survive the teen years, when God wants us to thrive. Because they get push back, they capitulate – too often on what really matters – the spiritual. It’s a tragic and repeated pattern that after four decades of ministry I’ve seen far too many times.

  While parents won’t surrender on school or household chores, they let their teen choose when it comes to the spiritual. Over the years it’s been heartbreaking as a pastor to watch parents who are complacent on spiritual matters, like attending church or youth group. Later, when their adult child goes off the rails, they can’t figure out what happened, or worse, somehow it was the church’s fault. Here are some things to consider when parenting a teen.

  Be the parent. It seems obvious, unfortunately it’s not. During the parenting years, your teen doesn’t need a buddy – he/she needs a parent. Most of us have observed in the workplace an ineffective manager who tried to be everyone’s friend. God expects you to draw the lines of safe boundaries. Teens need parents who ask questions and periodically say, “No” (yet, with a good reason). None of us like conflict or having others unhappy with us, particularly our children. Being a responsible parent means that you must do the right thing even if it makes your child unhappy. And mature parents don’t whine. Sure, it’s tough. Yes, with immaturity, your teen may say horrible things to you. You’re the adult – please act like it.

  Chose to love and serve the Lord. Parenting is our best opportunity to model our Heavenly Father. God chose to love us. Sometimes we must choose to love our teen. We’ll need to ask for God’s grace and His love to flow through us, particularly when they act unlovable. The more you’re aware of how undeserving you are of God’s love and in turn love and appreciate Him, the easier it will be to love your teen.

  So, be honest with God and your own heart. What do you truly love? Look at the people, activities and things you’re attached to. Look at sacrifices you make to see those people, do those activities or use those things. That’s what you love. Teens see our priorities and where our love is directed. God’s love helps us counteract natural, sinful selfishness. Teens learn God’s love through the sacrificial commitments we make for them.

  Be intentional. This means talking about and living out biblical values and priorities. All of us are tired, overworked and distracted. It’s easy to be passive and let the media, peers, school and other influences set our family’s priorities. A biblical worldview is to be a continual conversation. Deuteronomy 6:7 says of God’s law, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” We don’t cram it down their throats. That results in rejection and rebellion. It needs to be a part of daily life. It’s one reason the family dinner time is important. It’s an opportunity to interact with your teens.

  Be adaptable. Raising a godly teen is like driving in rush hour traffic, you must adapt. Being formulaic sounds good, but will end up in a dead stop. As someone wisely said, “rules without reason equal rebellion.”

  Unless there’s a biblical command at stake, be flexible. Scripture says very little about parenting. There’s no right time for your teen to get up, go to bed, to have or not have a phone. Choose your battles wisely. It’s much more valuable biblically that your teen obeys and is respectful to you than if they make good grades, are a star athlete or clean their room. We need to be adaptable and teach them adaptability. Stress comes with rigidity. Peace counteracts stress. It comes from trusting that God is in control even in the flow of life. Flexibility is grown in difficulty, allowing a family to walk through hardships and joys together, as we grow deeper in our faith.

  Be grateful. Gratitude is a cultivated habit and essential to healthy relationships. While you’re raising children, God is maturing you. He’s given you the children, strengths and weaknesses in them, that you need to help you mature spiritually. Gratitude isn’t some polite response to good things. It comes from thanking the Lord for even the irritations and hurts, knowing that He has a bigger plan for all of us than we often see. Gratitude to God and your teen needs to be expressed regularly and in deliberate ways. It helps us grow a healthier soul and helps our teens learn to see all the good God does in our lives.

  Practice confession, grace and forgiveness. God’s grace is shocking! We can’t experience it without first confessing our failures. Because you’re a sinner, you blow it…a lot. Confess it to God and confess it to your children. As God forgave us while we were still sinners, He shows grace to imperfect people. We’re teaching our children what it means to have a healthy relationship with God and with others. Pride destroys relationships. We must learn to be humble ourselves before God and our children. In so doing, we prepare them for a healthy relationship with a Heavenly Father.  

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

In Government, we trust???

“A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.”  Gerald R. Ford

G. K. Chesterton was an accomplished novelist, poet, biographer, and journalist. He often wrote about Christianity and current events. In 1932 he attended the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin and wrote: “Dethrone God, and the state becomes God. It is only by believing in God that we can ever criticize the Government. Once abolish God, and the Government becomes God…Wherever the people do not believe in something beyond the world, they will worship the world. But, above all, they will worship the strongest thing in the world.”

  Money is power and our government is taking more and more of it.

  What would you do if you had 30% more of your money? 30% is what the average American pays in taxes. Things like sales, gas and cell phone taxes are virtually invisible, but are still taxes. Add to that, other items that are taxes but called other names like permits, licenses or user fees. All those fees go to the government. They’re taxes by another name.

  While the Bible commands us to pay our taxes, Scripture also warns of overbearing governments. The Bible has an insightful history of King Rehoboam who lost much of his citizenry who rebelled against him because he planned to overtax them. When they intreated him for needed tax relief, he harshly told them: “My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions’” (1 Kings 12:10-11). Supreme Court Justice, John Marshall, saw full well the power of taxes, responding in a ruling: “That the power to tax involves the power to destroy … [is] not to be denied.” 

  High taxes are discouraging. They discourage hard work and entrepreneurship. Why work hard or be innovative when government takes more and more? It undermines marriage and the home. Both spouses often have to work just to take care of the basics because government is taking so much of their necessary hard earned money to give it away to others.

  Politicians throw supporters the “red meat” of promised tax cuts. Tax cuts without budget cuts are always short lived. Other politicians rally support with the promise of new programs by taxing the rich. But in America, we’re all rich.

  America is on a downhill slide into Socialism, which is essentially an atheistic governmental system. Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opium of the people.” As a country becomes more socialistic, it also become more atheistic, as the worship of God is replaced by the worship of government. The State becomes God. We look to the state to give us our rights, freedoms, livelihood, jobs, meals, education and healthcare. There’s no appealing to a higher authority because the State is the final authority. (Please understand, this is not to say that Capitalism is a biblical economic system and without its problems.)

  The 8^th commandment says, “Thou shalt not steal.” Yet, what’s the basis of a socialist government? Stealing, or as Frédéric Bastiat, the 19^th century French economist, called it, “legal plunder.” Government should protect our right to the fruits of our own labor, not take it from us. Part of the Creative Mandate is to work and enjoy the fruit of our labors (Gen. 1:28).

  Just one example, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has proposed a 70% federal income tax on incomes above $10 million. Is it really possible to tax the super-rich to fully fund some of the popular new initiatives?

  Here’s a hypothetical exercise to test out the theory (World Magazine, 04-13-19). The Trump administration has requested $4.7 trillion in spending for 2020. One way to raise this revenue in a progressive manner would be to confiscate all income, starting with the wealthiest Americans. Based on the latest Social Security wage statistics tables from 2017, raising $4.7 trillion starting at the highest income levels would require ALL of the taxable earnings of over 35 million Americans. The government would have to completely take away all taxable income of individuals earning over $65,000 in 2017 in order to cover the proposed spending for fiscal year 2020. If, on the other hand, we were to outlaw billionaires, a good place to start would be the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans.

  So, if we confiscate billionaires’ money until we fund the 2020 federal budget what happens? Surely that would cover years of federal spending and leave plenty left over for new programs…or would it?

  The budget proposal of $4.7 trillion annually represents $13 billion daily. If we start with Forbes billionaire No. 1, Jeff Bezos, with $160 billion in net worth, we can fund the federal government for 12 days. Who’s next? Bill Gates and his $97 billion will get us to January 20. Next is Warren Buffet with $88 billion. That takes us to January 27. This isn’t going very well. We’ve reduced the three wealthiest Americans to food stamps, yet we’re not even out of January! If the government takes all of the wealth of the Forbes 400 (a total of $2.9 trillion), it would only fund the federal government for 225 days. But now all of those billionaires aren’t taxpayers but a welfare expense for the government. They’re no longer a revenue source. We also have bankrupted state and local governments that are equally dependent on the success of these wealthy Americans.

  The Lord Jesus pointed out that taxes were a moral issue when He said, “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21). Scripture teaches tough love. 2 Thes. 3:11: “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” History warns us that our country can’t sustain a continued increase of governmental programs, increasingly higher taxes and allowing capable individuals to not work. Add to that, it’s morally wrong to overtax and discourage individuals from using their creativity and abilities. There are no simple solutions and it won’t happen quickly. It begins with a reasoned dialogue and problem-solving thinking.

  The Church is responsible to disciple which includes biblical money management, personal responsibility, commitment and generosity for those who truly need assistance. God’s Word teaches personal responsibility not dependence on government. Socialism is an unbiblical governmental and economic system. We dare not deify the State at the risk of our very souls.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

"Parenting" your adult child

“Children are victims, adults are volunteers.”

Recently, I read Blogger, Craig Harper who wrote:

  “Dear Parent Blamer, Firstly let me say, stop it. It’s pathetic and pointless. And for the rest of us innocent bystanders…very annoying. To be completely honest, we’re sick of your whining, your complaining, your anger, your victim mentality and your inability to see that your current attitude (not some historical event) is your biggest problem. We’re also sick of you blaming your (current) bad behavior on your parents. What’s standing between you and success right now is YOU. Not your folks, not your history… you. And the fact that you think THEY have sabotaged your life and are somehow responsible for your (current) stupid behaviors and less-than-desirable outcomes, wreaks of denial, immaturity and delusion. Yes, we all get that your childhood, or parts thereof, sucked – welcome to the world’s largest club...”

  Not too long ago a mother shared with me how her adult child blamed her and her husband for her problems. Frankly, I was shocked. This couple isn’t perfect, yet I knew the horrible trials that they’d faced and still held their marriage together. Couples with less commitment or character wouldn’t have made it. To me, they’re heroic and I told her so.

  So, how do we handle parenting our adult child?

  Recognize and grow with the new relationship. The relationship has changed. You’ve moved from parent and child, to what should be adult friends – though there are age, maturity and responsibility differences.

  It’s time to step back and let your now-adult child experience adulthood. The day of lecturing is over. Unsolicited advice is often unwanted and frequently rejected. It helps to see your adult child as a younger adult friend like a neighbor or co-worker. That means be cautious on how much you say to them, just as you would a neighbor.

  If they’re married, their relationship with their spouse must have precedence. Genesis 2:24, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” A parent who puts pressure on a married adult child is violating Scripture and sowing seeds of marital destruction and resentment for their intrusion in the new couples’ married life. When it comes to a now-married adult child, the old saying is true – you get more flies with sugar than salt.

  So, be wise. Don’t put pressure on them for family events like Christmas, Mother’s or Father’s Day, or birthdays. Leave invitations open-ended with no pressure just as you would with any other friend. Make your home and events so that they want to attend, not that they feel obligated.

  The goal is independence: spiritual, mental, emotional, social and financial. 18 is not some magic age when all of that suddenly happens. The preparation begins years before. It’s vital we give our children roots and wings. Our culture has devolved from helicopter to what’s now dubbed lawnmower parents, mowing over everyone in their child’s way. Your child needs to flunk if they don’t get the work done or go hungry if they forget their lunch. They need to face consequences for being late if they caused the lateness. They need to learn personal responsibility. Most of all, they must learn to stand on their own and develop their own convictions.

  Home rules change to tenant guidelines…if they still live at home. Unless they’re continuing their education, there needs to be rent (though possibly limited) and responsibilities, just as there would be if they rented their own place. If you live alone, you clean and wash your own stuff. There are certain boundaries that need to be house guidelines. Your home is God’s (you’re His manager), so illegal or immoral behavior can’t be tolerated. As a believer, attending church should be part of their responsibilities. It can be a church of their choice, but it’s just part of the “rent.” It will help both of you with relational issues.

  Communicate, communicate, communicate. There’s nothing more frustrating than having a boss who keeps changing the rules. God clearly sets boundaries for responsible behavior in Scripture. Follow that example with your adult children. Before an adult child moves back in, talk through things like timeframes, rent, pitching in, etc. They’re not a child anymore and shouldn’t expect mom or dad to cater to every need or want. If an adult child is already living at home, please have this conversation sooner rather than later. The more time that passes without clear boundaries, the more difficult it will be to rein in bad habits. These respectful conversations should periodically continue to take place during the duration of a child’s stay. As there are adjustments on the job to meet new challenges, there will be needed adjustments in the home.

  Own personal failure and apologize. Every parent looks back on their childrearing years with some regret. We’ve never raised a child before Hopefully, it means that we’ll be phenomenal grandparents! But we know we’ve made mistakes and sinned. Confess where you’ve blown it to God, and then confess and apologize to your adult child. If you want them to grow into adult responsibility, you must first model it.

  Share your faith but don’t force it. If they don’t have a personal relationship with Christ, make it a matter of prayer. If they show no spiritual fruit, don’t delude yourself based on a childhood decision that they know Jesus. Make sure that you model Christlikeness. Just a side note, you’re a fool if you criticize other Christians or your church in front of a lost adult child.

  While you want the best for them, you can’t tell them how to live or make this decision for them. So please, never push the faith issue, though it’s wise, with their parents’ permission, to help your grandchildren know the Lord. And be transparent about your own faith struggles, failures, and God’s grace. Let the grace of God that drew you to Christ draw them.

  Our Heavenly Father knows how to get their attention. He’ll use His Spirit, struggles, or another believer, but in the end, you’ll be able to look back and say that God left no stone unturned to reach them.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Listening to God's Creation

“All creation is meant to be a finger pointing us to ultimate glory, the only glory that can ever satisfy the human heart, the glory of God.”  Paul Tripp

  Did you see the Youtube making the rounds some years ago with three-year-old Mateo. “Linda! Linda, just listen to me!” Little Mateo is very frustrated with his Mom. When she said, “No cupcakes,” Mateo disagreed. After all, he’s at Grandma’s house. Everybody knows Grandma makes the rules at her house, not Mom. Mateo’s mom wanted to set her little boy straight, but each time she began to correct him, Mateo protested with “Linda! Linda! Listen to me!” It’s hilarious and obviously Mateo’s mom found some humor in the whole thing because she recorded it and posted it where it went viral.

  Yet, what isn’t so funny is that too often I know that I’m like Mateo. I’m either so busy or talking so much that I’m not listening to my parent, my Heavenly Father. Are you like me? I find it hard to drive without music or a podcast playing. At the very least I’m catching up on phone calls. Currently, I’m seeking to keep my digital leash turned off. Either I’ve been successful or I’m in a rubber room surrounded by men in white suits. I find I’m often so obsessed with being connected, I miss what God is saying.

  This world is anxious with silence. Every moment of the day is filled with motion and sound. Even in the middle of the night, our phones buzz and beep. Never-ending noise is exhausting. In the midst of all of this God quietly speaks, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). To be spiritually healthy, we need periods of silence. We need times of indulging in the wonders of God’s creation.

  Ironically, as humanity is the pinnacle of God’s creation, we tend to be isolated from creation. A defining feature of Scripture is how often the Bible points us to God’s world. Scripture assumes a level of understanding about nature. Yet, if we fail to unplug and step outdoors, or experience and engage in God’s creation, our faith suffers.

  Nearly every book of the Bible bursts with references to creation, chronicling in soaring prose the making of the universe, identifying God’s covenant promise with a myriad of colors in the sky. He invites us to gaze in wonder alongside Abraham at the starry hosts, where an even greater promise was written. The Psalmist compares the longing of his soul for God with the thirst of a deer running to the water, fully expecting his readers to get the word picture! He sings of the heavens’ divine declaration, he praises the Lord for making mankind ruler of “all flocks and herds…animals of the wild…birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea…”

  In the earliest book of the Bible, “Ask the beasts, and they will teach you,” exclaims Job, “the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; the bushes of the earth and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” The prophets look forward to the restoration of creation using vivid imagery of a radically transformed created order: wolves lying down with lambs, lions eating straw like oxen, and myrtles and cypress replacing the thorns and briars of the curse.

  The Lord Jesus announced the Kingdom of God with parables about trees, seeds, birds of the air which God feeds, along with lilies of the field He clothes. The Bible at length promises that the consummation of history, like its beginning, will take place in a garden-city atop a mountain, with a river of life and trees whose leaves are to heal the nations.

  Yet, if we never stop and spend time outside in God’s creation, we’ll never fully grasp things Scripture wants us to understand. Technology tends to cut us off from the natural world and the general revelation of God, perhaps more than ever before in history. Whether it’s our temperature-regulated homes and offices, our glowing screens, or our asphalt jungles, much of our lives happen in an artificial world designed to insulate us from nature. C. S. Lewis insightfully said, “We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment.” To enjoy what God created for us, we must first stop to enjoy it. How can we cultivate this in our lives?

  We simply ask God to help us. Ask the Lord to help you stop, to open  your eyes and ears to experience more of your Father’s handiwork.

  We search out God’s beauty. We study the Scriptures that reveal specific aspects of His beauty. We look for tokens of it in His creation and science. We behold God’s beauty in little glimpses about Him as we search for insight through Scripture, creation, science, and history, and so on—brief glimpses that bring a spark of inspiration to our heart and mind. A life isn’t usually transformed by one huge insight, but by the accumulative effect of many small insights and glimpses of His beauty over the years.

  We experience God’s creation. It’s simple – Go outside! Take a walk in your own yard or a local park. Opportunities to experience the majesty of God’s creation are all around us. Yet, when was the last time you let yourself intentionally get wet in the rain. Let the wind nearly blow you over or walked barefoot through the shallows of a river or lake? When you do one of these things, be intentional and think about God and His created intent. Not only will it lead to a greater sense of awe about God and His world, but you’ll also better understand His written Word.

  We thank the Lord for the beauty of His creation. We verbalize our admiration of God’s beauty and glory. We speak out in gratitude for the small things we see about Him. When we praise Him for small insights into even one facet of His beauty, we’ll often receive more insight, inspiration, and delight. Encountering the beauty of creation is essential to experiencing victory in our lives, especially in this hour when fear, lust, offense, rejection, and violence are increasing in society. God’s desire is that we’d more fully experience the wonder of His creation, realizing that the same Creator-God loves us and we’re His children. Take some steps to encounter and enjoy more of His beauty that He made for you this week.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Family: Some Assembly Required

“You don’t choose family. They are God’s gift to you,

as you are to them.” Desmond Tutu

After the dedication of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy blubbered, “That pastor said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!”

  The vital importance of family is seen early on in Scripture within the provisions of the Mosaic covenant. Two of the Ten Commandments deal with maintaining the cohesiveness of the family. The 5^th commandment regarding honoring parents is meant to preserve the authority of parents in family matters. The 7^th commandment prohibiting adultery protects the sanctity of marriage. From these two commandments flow all of the various other stipulations within the Mosaic Law which seek to protect marriage and the family. The health of the family was so important to God that it was codified into the national covenant of His chosen people, Israel.

  It takes God’s grace, work and commitment to have a Christian home that is more than one merely in name. It won’t just happen. And there are countless sources of advice out there. Many define a successful family as one that communicates or where everyone gets along. Others define it as a place where the family lives comfortably. But God designed marriage and the family, we wisely then begin with His definition of success.

  It’s a privilege to welcome my good friend, James Hauser, to Grace Church today. James is the regional director for Youth for Christ in SE Wisconsin. He’s also one of the missionaries our church supports. For the next six Sundays James will be unpacking for us a biblical worldview on the family. So, what is a successful family?

  A successful home has faith as its foundation. Success begins in Scripture with both husband and wife having a personal relationship with Christ. It’s so vital that one of the few exceptions for the dissolution of a marriage is when an unbeliever abandons it. When both know the Lord, they work from the same blueprint. Can you imagine attempting to build a house with different sets of blueprints? That’s what it’s like if both don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This doesn’t always happen. Sometimes one partner comes to Christ later in life or violates Scripture and marries an unbeliever. The Bible makes provision for that. It’s best though to begin with a solid foundation. Having a husband and wife with a relationship to Christ is the place to begin.

  A successful home is built with commitment. It takes commitment to persevere together through inevitable trials to make a family successful. Both spouses being committed to the marriage must come first. The marriage must have priority even over the children and they must not allow them to be a place of division.

  Marriage is a reflection of Christ’s relationship with His Church. God made Adam and Eve in His own image. A successful family reflects God’s love because God is love (1 Jn 4:8). Though we’re not perfect or holy like Him, we’re to imitate Him in our relationships, especially the marital one.  

  Think of how that should change your relationship with your spouse if you behaved as if you are Jesus to your spouse? Think of how it changes your relationship with your children if you work through that you are Jesus to them? Ephesians 5:1 commands us, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” In our marriages and families, we’re saying, “I will do all that is in my power to love you even when you fail me and to love you even if you don’t love me. I will seek to love you as God has loved me. I am committed to you.” It’s not easy. It takes God’s grace and power. Yet, this is how God loves us and it’s how we are commanded to love.

  A successful home takes time. You won’t have a successful family without spending time together. There’s no substitute for time. In our busy lives, family time must be a priority. It won’t happen without scheduling it and by carving out specific times for your spouse and family.

  God’s Word says that we must learn how to number our days (Ps. 90:12). This means that we need to understand that time is a precious commodity. All of us know how to number our years, God reminds us that every day is so precious that we should treasure it and number it as valuable for our lives. How valuable is an hour? Ask the businessperson whose flight was delayed for an hour and missed an appointment in another city. How valuable is a minute? Ask the man who had a heart attack and the person sitting next to him knew CPR. How valuable is a second? Ask the person who hesitated for 1 second before swerving to avoid an oncoming car in his lane. How valuable is a fraction of a second? Ask the L.A. Spurs who were beaten by the Lakers in a playoff game with 4/10 of just 1 second left on the clock.

  Husbands, do you love your wives? Wives, do you love your husbands? Give them your time! Parents, do you love your children? Give them your time. Love is not spelled T-H-I-N-G-S. It’s spelled T-I-M-E! There will always be something else to do or somewhere else to be. Learn to say no to some of the good things in life so you can have God’s best. It means saying ‘Yes’ to the Lord and ‘no’ to others, including our boss, friends, and others.

  Fifty years from now which is going to more important: Spending time with your family or watching a TV sitcom, scanning your phone or running around with your friends? Not one person on their deathbed has said, “I wish I’d spent more time at work making more money.”

  A successful home plan for tomorrow today. God has a multi-generational plan, yet most Christian families barely survive one generation of faith. Genesis 2:4 teaches that the Bible is summarized as a book of generations. We won’t understand God’s plan without understanding that His plan unfolds for generations. The gospel and a biblical worldview are to be passed on. It’s a biblical mandate and shames our one-generational approach of only blessing individuals.

  Christian parents need a long game. We’re not raising children, we’re raising our grandchildren’s parents. How do we want our grandchildren raised? Living in the perspective of tomorrow must alter how we parent today. Success always begins with God and His perspective.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Sabbaticals: A Time for Rest & Refocus

“God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.”

In his powerful book, Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome, Pastor Kent Hughes shares this story:  

  “The wife of a close pastor friend of ours enjoys telling how she awoke one night to find her husband asleep on his elbows and knees at the foot of the bed. His arms were cupped before him as if he were embracing the base of a tree, and he was muttering. ‘George! What on earth are you doing?’ she cried. ‘Shhh,’ he answered, still asleep. ‘I’m holding a pyramid of marbles together, and if I move, it’s going to tumble down…’

  A classic pastor’s dream! First, because it was the subconscious revelation of a pressured parson. Second, because the pyramid of marbles is an apt metaphor for a pastor’s work.”

  Today is my last Sunday before a several week Sabbatical. Words can’t adequately express my appreciation to our leaders and church family for supporting and encouraging this!

  What are our plans? Jane and I will take a few vacation days to work on some needed projects in our home and then we’re headed to Florida where we’re renting a pastor friend’s winter home. On the way, as we go through Georgia, we’ll connect with my family for a few days.

  What’s the purpose of this Sabbatical?

  Spiritual focus. I need undistracted time for prayer, study and focus. Lord willing, I’d like to pastor Grace for another decade, if my health holds and the Lord allows me that privilege. This fall I’ll be 60. To do that though requires planning and preparation.

  Our culture is rapidly changing and with our growth, our church is changing. The next decade needs wise and godly planning. During the past few months I’ve wished that I was nearing 40, not 60. Prayers, dreams and visions that I’ve long had for our church are now coming to fruition.

  We’re making strides in ministry now that years ago I only longed for. For example, in the last year and a half, we’ve had nearly 200 visitors, and these are the ones who have shared their information with us. What a stark contrast to 2017 prior to our new building. That year we had less than 40.

  More people means more opportunities for the gospel! We have many who regularly attend who have not yet committed their lives to Christ. God has blessed us in that we’ve seen several others come to Christ and move forward spiritually. What was a trickle is a steady stream, and we are very, very grateful for God’s goodness to us!

  Yet, our purpose is not a big crowd. Our purpose is to see more come to Christ and become committed Christ-followers. If you study the life of Christ, that’s supremely biblical. The Lord never commands us to attract a crowd but to make disciples. The Christian life is one of total commitment of “taking up your cross” (Matt. 16:24).

  Our church is sailing into new waters. Tragically, we’re unusual in American Christianity in that we are a growing church. I was shocked to recently learn that less than 20% of churches in America are growing.

  With growth, the needs also grow. The weekly pastoral responsibility is all consuming. Even as I was typing this, I had to stop and deal with  several “emergencies.” Then, weekly sermon preparation alone demands some 20 hours a week. Add to that, counseling, hospital calls, administration, church ministries and outreach. Wonderfully, I’m never bored, yet often I’m tired.

  For our church to move forward, we must continue to move forward into more of a team ministry. That requires training and empowering leaders. Scripture is clear that one has not reached spiritual maturity until you are reproducing yourself spiritually in those who can then reproduce themselves (2 Timothy 2:3).

  We must plan generationally. The pages of church history are littered with examples of churches that failed to do that. They had a great period of victory and success, yet because they were locked in the past, resting on their laurels or unwilling to give away power and authority, the ministry peaked and declined. While our message must never change, in that we seek to base our ministry on God’s authoritative and unchanging Word, yet methods and messengers continually change.

  During the next six weeks I am so thankful that my good friend, James Hauser, is filling the pulpit at Grace and teaching a series on the family – Family: Some Assembly Required. James is truly a kindred spirit. Please be praying for James as he shares God’s Word with us. And please invite family and friends. The key to family success is to follow the Master- Designer’s original blueprint. If you’re a grandparent, invite your children and their families to join you.

  Personal and marital focus. While one can be the President with a bad marriage, marital discord disqualifies one from ministry. Wonderfully, Jane and I have been married 36 years. We began well and want to end well. Please pray that this will be a time of drawing closer to the Lord and each other. We want to use this time wisely. Pray that I will utilize the right resources and the Lord will give me wisdom as I seek to lead our church for the future. Pray, too, that we will be able to get deep soul rest. After our building project, I’ve been aware that my internal resources are low.

  Please pray for our leaders and their families as they will be carrying the ministry load during this time. Pray for our church. Pray for protection, unity and growth. None of us are essential or irreplaceable. What a blessing it would be if this time of my Sabbatical and absence was a time of great spiritual victory and growth for His glory in our church!

  God has blessed our family with a great church family! We love you all and will be praying for you while we are away!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.