Why Worry!

Philippians 4:4-7

"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life"

Holiday Depression and Stress

The holiday season is a time full of joy, cheer, parties, and family gatherings. However, for many people, it is a time of self-evaluation, loneliness, reflection on past failures, and anxiety about an uncertain future.

What Causes Holiday Blues? Many factors can cause the “holiday blues”: stress, fatigue, unrealistic expectations, over-commercialization, financial constraints, and the inability to be with one’s family and friends. The demands of shopping, parties, family reunions, and house guests also contribute to feelings of tension. People who do not become depressed may develop other stress responses, such as: headaches, over-eating, and difficulty sleeping. Even more people experience post-holiday let down after January 1. This can result from disappointments during the preceding months compounded with the excess fatigue and stress.

Keep expectations for the holiday season manageable. Try to set realistic goals for yourself. Pace yourself. Organize your time. Make a list and prioritize the important activities. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. Do not put entire focus on just one day (i.e., Thanksgiving Day) remember it is a season of holiday sentiment and activities can be spread out (time-wise) to lessen stress and increase enjoyment.

Remember the holiday season does not banish reasons for feeling sad or lonely; there is room for these feelings to be present, even if the person chooses not to express them.
Leave “yesteryear” in the past and look toward the future. Life brings changes. Each season is different and can be enjoyed in it’s own way. Don’t set yourself up in comparing today with the “good ol’ days.”

Do something for someone else. Try volunteering some time to help others.
Enjoy activities that are free, such as driving around to look at holiday decorations; going window shopping without buying; making a snowperson with children. .
Try something new. Celebrate the holidays in a new way.

Spend time with supportive and caring people. Reach out and make new friends or contact someone you have not heard from for awhile.

Save time for yourself! Recharge your batteries! Let others share responsibility of activities.

God can help you during this busy time. Place emphasis on God, Church and activities with your Christian friends. This can be a very satisfying and fulfilling time as you reach out to those that might need encouragement and a kind word.

Do I Really Have to Do It?

Ever dislike doing something that you know you have to do? Things like:

*taking out the trash
*driving the roads at 4:00 a.m. on a bad winter day to determine if we are going to have school
*cleaning the house
*washing dishes
*changing diapers
*disciplining your kids
*confronting a friend about a tough issue

I could go on and on.

There are many things we as Christians must do that we might not enjoy doing but God needs His children to do as His ambassadors on earth:

*visiting someone who has just lost a loved one. What do I say?
*visiting someone very ill in the hospital
*a late night phone call from someone that needs help
*confronting someone that is involved in sin

the list could go on and on…..

Many times I think that someone else will do it. I don’t have to. But then I picture Jesus. He had to do it. No one else could. He was the only one that could bear that cross for me. The sacrifice that Jesus gave was so great and what He asks of me is so small.


“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”Philippians 2:8

Thank You, God, For a 100 Things

Thank you, God, for a hundred things-
For the flowers that bloom, for the birds that sing,
For the sun that shines,
And the rain that drops,
For ice cream and raisons and lollipops.

Thank you, God, for the gift of time-
For the clocks that tick, and the bells that chime,
For the days gone by,
And future cheers,
For seasons, and moments, for hours and years.

Thanks for the people who give life pizzazz-
For folks who play sports, those who act and play jazz,
For friends and for families,
For folks of all races,
For hands that give help and for bright smiling faces.

Thanks for the planet you give as our home-
For the sky with its clouds, for the oceans’ white foam,
For the creatures and critters,
The lakes, falls and fountains,
For hills and for valleys, for canyons and mountains.

Thank you, God, for the gift of your son-
For the love Jesus shared, for the battle He won,
Over death, for the promise
That He would be near
To lead and to guide and to hold us so dear.

Thank you, God, for a hundred things-
For autumn and pumpkins, for dragonfly wings,
For Thanksgiving dinners,
For seaside and shore,
For a hundred things, and a thousand things more.

A Thanksgiving Story

I grew up in a Navy family moving all over the United States. A usual stay was about a year or two years as we traveled coast to coast during the 60’s and 70’s. It was a great experience growing up. We lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Louisville, and Baltimore. We visited about every state and major city seeing the history of our great country.

A Thanksgiving memory that I will always cherish was one that started off very sad. My dad was overseas on several ships during the Vietnam War. Growing up, my mom and brothers and I had to lean and depend upon the local church family for the encouragement that we needed for the many lonely months that he would be gone. One Thanksgiving in San Diego was a very sad, but special, Thanksgiving that I will never forget. My dad had been stationed on the U.S. Long Beach and was deployed for about a 12-month period. My dad, along with several military men of the congregation, was going to be gone for Thanksgiving. We were all very sad and depressed that our fathers would not be home to celebrate Thanksgiving. Since several of us were in the same situation, we decided to have one big congregational Thanksgiving Dinner where we would come and support each other. What a special time that was. There were over 100 people sitting down and feasting at a table and thanking God for the blessings of the past year. Thanking God for a Christian Family that can support each other in times of trial, heart aches, and sad occasions, but also a time for praise to a God that blessed a group of His people on a special Thanksgiving Day in 1973.

The “L” Street Church in San Diego was a very special Church. It still holds great memories of that special Thanksgiving during my childhood. But with all those great memories of “L” Street, the Central Church, I believe, still has the most loving, caring and encouraging individuals that God could ever place in one Body.

This Thanksgiving, as you sit around your table thanking God for the blessings of the past year, thank God specifically for the members of the Central Church. I am thankful for each one of you and the significant part you play in making the Central Church a Church that practices their ABC’s Daily!

May God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving Season!

A Paradox of Our Time

“A Paradox of Our Time”

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more, but have less;
we buy more; but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
we have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgment;
more experts, but less solutions;
more medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values;
we talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often;
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We’ve added years to life, not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor;
We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men, and short character;
steep profits, and shallow relationships.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
more leisure, but less fun;
more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce;
of fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom.


This Thanksgiving I encourage you to relect on the positive things in your life as you celebrate with family and friends. I am very thankful for Debbie, Brian and Craig. May God be praised this Thanksgiving!

You Were There

"You Were There"-- a new worship song that Avalon recorded (http://www.avalonlive.com/)-- is now on the new Zoe Worship CD that was released this October. The lyrics to this song are very powerful and meaningful. Remember He is always there!

"You Were There"

I wonder how it must have felt
When David stood to face Goliath on a hill
I imagine that he shook with all his might
Until You took his hand, and held on tight
'Cause You were there,
You were there
In the midst of danger's snare
You were there,
You were there always
You were there when the hardest fight
Seemed so out of reach
Oh, You were there,
You were always there
You were always there

So there he stood upon that hill
Abraham with knife in hand was poised to kill
But God in all his sovereignty had bigger plans
And just in time,
You brought a lamb
'Cause You were there,
You were there
In the midst of the unclear
You were there, you were there always
You were there when obedience
Seemed to not make sense
You were there,
You were always there
You were always there

So haven't I learned that my ways
Aren't as high as Yours are
And You alone keep the universe
From crumbling into dust
You are God and though we would
Not have understood
YouThere You were
Hanging blameless on a cross
You would rather die than leave us in the dark
Every moment, every planned coincidence
Just all makes sense
With Your last breath
You were there,
You were there
During darkest hour
You were there,
You were there always

You were the Victor and the King
You were the power in David's swing
You were the calm in Abraham
You are the God who understands
You are the strength when we have none
You are the living, Holy one

You were,
You are and You will always be the
Risen Lamb of God
You were,
You are and
You will always be the Risen Lamb of God

American Education Week

“The great melting-pot of America, the place where we are all made Americans of, is the public school, where men of every race, and of every origin, and of every station of life send their children, or ought to send their children, and where, being mixed together, they are all infused with the American spirit and developed into the American man and the American woman”

President Woodrow Wilson
1913

This past week we celebrated American Education Week. A week where we say thank you to those who work with our children on a daily basis and a week to reflect on those who have encouraged us along life's journey.

With the events that are taking place in our country, the education system is so much more vital than ever before, as we train our young people to explore deeper educational areas, to develop higher learning skills and to enhance their ability to process and analyze information in a variety of new ways. Our young people will be asked to move far past the knowledge base and really problem solve in a variety of technological means, more than we can fathom today.

An educator is so important as they teach, instruct, encourage and motivate kids on a daily basis. Our young people will be the leaders of tomorrow.

Ever Been Diappointed?

Disappointments in life are normal. The issue is how we dealproperly with disappointments and avoid growing disappointedwith life itself. When disappointments come, we should allow them to draw us closer to the God of all comfort. We should allow them to remind us that this world is not our home, and that one day, we will be with the Lord. That is true for all who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. But when disappointments in this life are not handled properly, were in danger of growing bitter towards God. We begin blaming God for what happens in our lives. God calls on us to take responsibility for our behavior. He calls upon us to repent and turn to Him in faith. When we fail to take personal responsibility for our actions, we must find someone else to blame. Once we begin blaming others, it is just a short step to blaming God.

Some of us have seen or experienced things in our lives that have produced a level of disappointment with God. He hasn't come through in the way we thought He should. Perhaps you came to Christ and found that circumstances didn't magically change. Life is still a struggle - maybe even more so. Maybe you have refused to become a Christian because you see in the world problems and disappointment that ought to be rectified if there really was a God. There are many who think they are atheists or agnostics, but in reality they are just disappointed with God.

Remember: People will disappoint you in life. You will disappoint others. You will even disappoint God at times!

(Proverb 3:5) "Trust in the LORD with all thy heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

How Do You Start Your Day?

When I wake up in the morning (before I hit the roads of Osage City with my running shoes), the first thing I do is pray for my bus drivers as they start the day. The precious cargo they carry each day is always on my mind as the day begins. Then I pray for the kids of my district. Father, help them get to school safely, and have a day where they are challenged academically to do their very best. Then I pray for my teachers and staff members. Give them the patience and understanding as they meet the challenges of the day. Then I pray for my building principals as they work in their respective buildings with so many challenges and responsibilities. Then I pray for the parents of my district. Help our parents be the role models that our children need to be successful in their studies and in their extra-curricular activities. Then I pray for my board members. I pray that they make the very best decisions in the best interest of the students. Then I pray for my patrons (the community). Support our schools and help us be the very best that we can be. Then, God help me as a leader. I can’t make it without You. You are the One that gives me the strength and wisdom to be what You want me to be. Help me and guide me in the decisions that I have to make today. Help me be a role model to all that I come in contact with. Help me with my frustrations and challenges. I need You each day!

How do you start your day?

A Strong Tower

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Philippians 2:9-11 ...God ... gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus' name is to us a source of strength, of safety. It is a strong tower. We should "run to it."

A Church that Prays, Fasts and Seeks the Lord

Jerry gave a powerful message yesterday morning encouraging the 295 souls present at the Central Church to pray, fast and come together as a body as we look forward to the future. God will provide just the right family to help us further His mission here in Topeka.

Continue to pray each day and fast at noon on Monday's as we seek the Lord's guidance and direction.

2 Chronicles 20 (New Living Translation)

After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar." (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was alarmed by this news and sought the LORD for guidance. He also gave orders that everyone throughout Judah should observe a fast. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD.

Jehoshaphat stood before the people of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD. He prayed, "O LORD, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8Your people settled here and built this Temple for you. They said, `Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, disease, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.'

"And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, won't you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help."

As all the men of Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones, wives, and children, 14the Spirit of the LORD came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph. He said, "Listen, King Jehoshaphat! Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD's victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out there tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!"

Then King Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD. Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.

Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed." After consulting the leaders of the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
"Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!"

At the moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had finished off the army of Seir, they turned on each other. So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, there were dead bodies lying on the ground for as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped. King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables--more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all! On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the LORD there.

It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.

A Church that Reaches Out

God plays a very active part in the lives of his children today. My family attended worship a couple of months ago in Oklahoma City and heard a modern day story of how God was working in a Christian community. When a family was at their lowest level, God worked through a church to be a blessing at the right moment in time.As I was listening to the story, I was thinking about Central and how God has worked through the Central Church to bless the lives of so many over the years.

The Family of God at Central has been a great blessing and continues to help and minister within the Central Family, as well as the Topeka Community and around the world in mission efforts in India, France, South Africa and other places.

What can I do this week to minister and allow God to work in the lives of people? God’s love and grace can help in so many difficult situations that we feel we can’t deal with and allow us to hand them over to the One that can. He can provide that calm and inner peace that we so desperately need.

During this time of transition, be in prayer for our congregation, members, leadership and those we are trying to reach out to and show them the grace that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

This is an exciting time in the life of the Central church. As we look forward and anticipate what God has in store for this family, continue to reach out and ask God to bless our efforts in advancing His kingdom here in Topeka!

Spiritual Gifts

Is there a difference between a spiritual gift and a talent? Is it important to recognize the difference? Will it help me discover my own spiritual gifts if I can distinguish between the two?

The answer to all three questions is yes. And recognizing the differences between talents and spiritual gifts can be one of the keys to finding those spiritual gifts God has given to you.

The Young Professional Class will begin a six-week study beginning Sunday on Spiritual Gifts. We will take a look at the gifts God has blessed us with and how to use these gifts to minister to the Central Church and to reach out to those outside of Christ.

Happy Anniversay Mom-Dad

On Sunday, November 6, my mom and dad celebrated their 45thwedding anniversary. I appreciate the love and support that they have displayed for each other over the past 45 years.

Speaking on behalf of my brothers, it has been a blessing to know that mom and dad were husband and wife for life. We never had to worry when we were growing up about divorce or separation. We knew that mom and dad were life-long partners because of the commitment that they made back in 1960.

What a great example they have been to Debbie and I, Mike and Doreen and Steve and Jan. My brothers and I appreciate your commitment to each other, as well as being granny and granddad to your 6 grandkids. You are great examples.

We appreciate and love you very much!

A Father Answers His Children's Cries

Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer." Psalm 61:1

The Father desires to meet the needs of His children. Because He is God and because He is our creator, we must trust Him and believe that He really does know what's best for us. This means that He is able to see and hear and know every intimate detail of our lives. This also means that when we think He is not with us, we are wrong. The problem is not with God but with us. His word tells us to draw near to Him in humility and He will draw near to us. He delights more in our presence than we could ever delight in His. We must allow the Holy Spirit to remind us of every time in our past when we believed God was not with us and then show us how He was really there all the time. He just wasn't doing things the way we thought He should! We need to find out what God desires for us (which is our best) and then cry out to Him! "...You do not have because you do not ask." (James 4:2)

Will Our Children Have Faith?

Back among the living after a week with the flu. Appreciated the prayers. My advice to everyone this winter, GET A FLU SHOT!

John Westerhof (Will Our Children Have Faith) has written a great deal about stages of faith development in children. Using very broad strokes, he has discerned four distinct stages.

The first, he calls experiential faith. That is faith gained from experience; interaction with other people of faith. Paul writes about his young companion Timothy, that his faith was nurtured by his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois. Infants being raised in Christian homes, have something of a relationship with God, in many ways, because it’s all they’ve ever known.A lifestyle of faith is all they have ever experienced, and the only people they have ever known as people of faith. The primary reason people in this stage believe what they believe is because it’s all they’ve ever believed.

The second stage is affiliative faith – growing through involvement in a faith community. It is sharing in the worship, ministry, decision-making, caring life of the faith community. Paul first encountered Timothy when he visited Lystra, where Timothy was highly regarded as a member of the community. Children whose parents include them in church-related activities have something of a relationship with God, in many ways, because all the people around them, all the people to whom they are connected have a relationship with God. The primary reason people in this stage believe what they believe is because they belong to a group of people who believe the same things.

The third stage of faith is inquisitive – a questioning phase usually occurs sometime early in adolescence for children raised in Christian homes. Paul took Timothy on one of his missionary journeys. Participating in Paul’s mission, asking questions and testing his gifts, Timothy’s faith was challenged and strengthened. This is the stage most Christian parents fear. In fact, some churches and families discourage this stage altogether. However, if this stage is not fully experienced by a young person, his or her faith will become stunted, or worse, aborted.

The fourth stage is owned faith – a developed faith that has been tested. At this stage a person’s faith is marked by a commitment to certain beliefs, attitudes and practices. In the Bible we see Timothy sent out to resolve problems in Corinth and then to Ephesus where he is a leader in the church. Until a faith is allowed to proceed through the inquisitive stage, until a faith is questioned, it will not be mature enough to be truly owned by an individual. At this stage, a person believes what they believe because their faith has withstood the crucible moments of life.As parents, the one thing we want more than anything is for our children to possess an “owned” faith. We want our kids to love God, serve God, enjoy God, trust God, partner with God – not because of who their mom and dad are or because they’re in a church where that’s expected. We want them to do these things because they’ve made the choice to do so from the core of their own soul.

If it is important to us that our children have a fully developing faith, we should understand the four stages of faith development and that they must pass through each of the first three in order to get to the fourth.These stages are not always neatly divided, and the boundaries are often fuzzy. But it will be helpful for those of us with children to be aware of which stage our child may be in so that we can keep an eye out for what may lie ahead.