If you have been checking the blog the last few weeks you’ve notice I’ve taken a hiatus. I’ve been busy, but I’m back. I’d love to hear any comments you have from the last three weeks. We’ve dealt with discouragement, grief, and lack. You might also want to post a comment about the Good Friday Walk Through or the Word of Hope series in general.

This past Sunday we talked about Jesus’ ability to turn our meagerness into much. The key in the story was what Jesus told His diciples to do with the loaves and fishes… “Bring them here to Me.” Everything changed when the disciples made sure all that they had belonged to Jesus. When you take the same steps everything will change for you too!

Blessings,
Pastor Sandy

Matthew 11:28-30 is the most beautiful invitation in the Bible. It’s full of grace. The Pharisees had complicated the way to God. They had constructed a ladder with a million steps. But Jesus ignores their ladder. He jumps over the ladder and says, “Come to Me.”

Life can beat you down. Over time it can strip you of your enthusiasm and motivation. It’s been said, “Life is like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t rest when you get tired. You rest when the gorilla gets tired.” The stress and strain of life can take their toll.

If you’re tired out, worn out, burned out, stressed out… If you want to live a restful, not stressful life, Jesus has a simple approach. It’s just three steps… “Come to Me” – consciously and deliberately and regularly bring your aching soul to Jesus. “Yoke with Me” – let Him take the lead in your life. And “learn from Me” – pay attention to the rhythm of His ways. “And you will have rest for your souls.” Here are words of hope – Jesus says come, yoke, learn…

When it comes to our healing only Jesus sees the big picture, and this is why He doesn’t share our urgency. Jesus doesn’t panic. In His mind healing isn’t now or never – no matter the immediate circumstances. Jesus sees our healing from eternity. He understands ultimate healing comes only after I die. And Jesus expects us to trust Him. All healing is from God, and the how and when of our healing is up to Jesus.

Healing is not just a real-time event… It’s a process embedded in nature – and aided by the wisdom God gives to men. When God wills and when doctors fail – healing can occur spontaneously and supernaturally to show His love and bring Him glory. Most importantly, if you’re a Christian, healing is your destiny. Jesus can heal me spontaneously and supernaturally a thousand times of a thousand diseases – but my ultimate, and permanent, and total healing occurs only in eternity. Resurrection is our final healing.

After Jesus healed Jairus’ daughter He ordered up some soup and crackers. This is so appropriate. For in the mind of Jesus chicken noodle soup – desperate, miracle-receiving touches – and the final resurrection are all one in the same. All healing comes from God… Reach out today and trust Jesus, and you will be healed!

From the shore the uncertainties of life and the sovereignty of God are clear. But faith is never learned from the shore. Faith is only learned from deep within the hull of a boat in the midst of a storm.

George Mueller once said, “The only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials.” Hudson Taylor put it another way. He noticed, “At the timberline, where the storms strike with the most fury, the sturdiest trees are found.” Here’s the point – only in the boat do you feel fear – yet only in the boat do you learn faith. On terra-firma there is no fear – but neither is there a need for faith.

I love the words of George MacDonald, “Any faith in God, however small, is better than any belief about Him, however great.” In a sense, faith is more than a set of beliefs. Faith is a belief with muscle. It is truth I can see from the shore that I’m willing to live out in the belly of a boat being tossed by gales and squalls. In short, faith is knowledge that’s grown courage.

In Matthew 6:33 Jesus gives us an antidote for worry. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” In the previous verse Jesus tells us unbelievers seek after “all these things”, whereas in verse 33 believers seek after one thing – God’s kingdom. Unbelievers – people without God – busy themselves worrying about a bunch of stuff – while Christians focus on one priority, God’s kingdom and righteousness.

Lloyd Ogilvie offers this interpretation of verse 33, “Jesus says the cure for anxiety is anxiety. Care about many things is cured by the care of one thing.” The way to be free from worry is to worry about God’s kingdom and His righteousness. If you’re strangled by worry here’s a word of hope – the cure for worry is right worry. Worry aligning your life to God’s will – worry about what’s righteous, and eternal, and spiritual… and you won’t have to time to be preoccupied with other issues.

It is time to take a warrant out on worry. Lock up the night stalker. In light of God’s promises to us and love for us – worry is irresponsible, irrelevant, and irreverent. Trust God with your stuff and set your heart on His stuff!

In April, 2003 Aron Ralston was climbing in the Blue John Canyon of southern Utah. He was out for a one-day hike. Ralston was navigating a narrow canyon when suddenly an 800 pound boulder shifted and pinned his arm into a crack. He tried to use his pocketknife to chip away the boulder, but it was no use. He rigged a pulley with robes he had, hoping to move the boulder – no good.

After three days Aron was out of food and water. He realized he would die before anyone found him. So the 27 year old mechanical engineer did what he had to do. To save his life he cut off his own arm just below the elbow. His drastic action freed him from the entrapment and he was able to hike to safety. Ralston said later, “I felt pain, and I coped with it. I moved on.” Living was worth the pain.

And the same is true for you. Life in heaven – life with God – life with your spouse and kids – is worth the pain an amputation from sin might cause. Following Jesus often requires actions that are painful. It hurts to pluck out a sin that use to fill a hole in your heart – or cut off a harmful relationship that was a source of security – or cast away a pleasure that helped me cope with the stress in my life. When you get serious about sin it will initially cost you – you’re going to have to change – and change is painful at first.

Thanks for stopping by our blog. I hope you will take a minute and share your experience, or a thought or two about yesterday’s sermon.

Blessings,
Pastor Sandy

Yesterday was the second installment in our “word of hope” series. We dealt with the subject of tempation… can you think of anything more common to us all? In Matthew 4 Jesus provided us a template for dealing with temptation. Follow Jesus’ example and you’ll experience His victory!

Here were the three take-aways I mentioned at the end of the study… First, it is not a sin to be tempted. God uses it to make us stronger. Second, never let Satan question you’re identity in Christ. Refuse to allow appetites, or performance, or promotion to define you. Build your life on the words of God. And third, watch out for shortcuts. What looks so appealing may just bite…

Thanks for logging on. Don’t be bashful about sharing your thoughts. My kids are never timid about telling me what they think about a sermon. As soon as I walked in the door yesterday I heard someone criticize my introduction – “the diary of a fish that got hooked.” They actually called it “cheesey”! Can you believe it? What a 40-something guy thinks is “creative,” a 19 year old calls “cheesey.” At least he was listening…

Why not wade in and share your reflections on Sunday’s study. Your thoughts may encourage another believer. Your comments might just be words of hope!

Blessings,
Pastor Sandy

Welcome, thanks for logging on. If you believed the weather forecasters, and were scared off by the ice, make sure you go to www.sandyadams.org to listen to yesterday’s message – our first in a new series entitled, “A Word of Hope.” The title was “A Word of Hope for People who are Lonely.”Below I’ve listed a few excerpts from the message. Wade in and post your comments. We would love to hear how God is using yesterday’s “word of hope” to encourage you…

Loneliness doesn’t just stalk the ugly duckling and social misfit. It haunts even the rich and famous. Loneliness is the great equalizer. It’s an equal opportunity tormenter.

“God with us” always puts victory in reach. With-ness is the suit that trumps loneliness. “God with us” makes all the difference. “With” is a wonderful word.

Only “God with us” will cure our loneliness.

Wherever you find loneliness it can be traced back to some sinfulness.

All human relationships are destined for brokenness unless we keep the cross at the heart of our interactions.

Jesus is not “God before us,” or “God above us.” Jesus is “God with us.” He is with us in the midst of any struggle we might face.

The disciples went on to do daring deeds – but the primary reason Jesus chose them was to be with them. Jesus wanted His with-ness to fill their lives.

His with-ness assures me that all my other needs, desires, and concerns will eventually be met. Right now “God with me” is enough.

Next Sunday morning our study will be entitled, “A Word of Hope for People who are Tempted.” It will be a great opportunity to bring a friend with you to church.

With hope,
Pastor Sandy

Beginning at Calvary on Sunday morning, January 20th, we’ll start a series of messages designed to bring hope to needy people. Have you ever been lonely, or tempted, or worried, or fearful, or tired, or bored, or betrayed? Have you ever felt hopeless? Without hope the human experience can be unbearable. We all need hope to carry on.

Each week we’ll move through the book of Matthew and listen to the life of Jesus. The Bible reveals that Jesus had a habit of invading hopeless situations. His specialty was breathing fresh wind back into the deflated sails of hope-lost people. It’s my hope this new series of messages will provide us with much hope.

In addition, this blog will be another opportunity to bring hope. Each week we’ll springboard from Sunday’s message, and launch a discussion among the Calvary family. You’ll have the opportunity to wade in with comments, feedback, testimonies, and questions. Online fellowship is another source through which Jesus can bring hope to our lives. Make sure you’re at Calvary on Sunday morning, and join the discussion throughout the week.

With hope,
Pastor Sandy