God, faith and prayer

The promise of eternal life is nice, but honestly doesn't have much relevance or importance for me. What really does it for me is the supernatural help I get in my every day life.

By all that's logical, today should have been a horrendously horrible day. We power cleaned for HOURS because of the realtor coming Monday and tomorrow we'll be gone all day. The kids struggle with days like this because it's no fun to clean and they get tired of helping pretty quick into the endeavor. Understandable, but the whining that ensues grates on me, contributing negatively to the day. I started the day not feeling well. My heart rate was at 120 beats per minute which is great if you're working out, but I was just sitting. On both our resident RN's orders, I took my morning meds and sat down. So that stuff evens out and I start cleaning. Then the stomach cramps started and my body proceeded to cleanse its system. That lasted for hours as well. All in all, I should have been screaming at people, impatient beyond words, generally cranky all day long, and banished to my room by noon.

But my life is not ruled by what is logical, by what can be seen and measured and quantified. My life is ruled by the supernatural power of God. I started praying yesterday about today. I woke this morning and began praying; it was rather random being first thing in the morning, but I did start with prayer. Next I looked at Klove's Word of the Day [God arms me with strength; and he makes my way perfect. Psalm 18:32]. I picked up my Joyce Meyer daily devotional which takes about 30 seconds to read. I listened to my favorite 38 Christian songs on repeat. During my enforced sitting period, I prayed some more. When I showered I talked to God about how weak I was today and how I needed his strength today and how I knew I could do all things with His help even get through this day. Defying all logic, I did not scream at a single child. Defying all logic, I got so much done even while in tremendous pain. Defying all logic, I am feeling relaxed and calm this evening. That simply doesn't happen without God's intervention. I know because I lived through days like this when I didn't pray and didn't try to read His Word. Those days turned out as rotten as one would expect.

This is why I believe: God causes me to be the calm, loving, supportive mother and wife that I long to be. I tried to do it without His help for years. After every blow up at Kyle, I would vow to never do it again citing to myself all the reasons I absolutely could not lose my temper at him again. Within 24 hours, I would lose it at him once more. Nothing I did in my own strength ever helped even a little bit. Then we moved to Woodburn and I started attending a young moms Bible study mentored by an amazing woman, Diane Burton. Through her I learned about prayer and how easy it is. So I tried it and it worked. That is why I believe. God has kept every promise to me that I have found in the Bible. If you seek Him, you will find Him. ~Becca

Christ in You!

What a wonderful reminder for us today. If you have 9 minutes to sit back and listen, I know you will be encouraged and spurred on today in your faith!

IHS,
Cammie

Officially Done!

Thank you Hillside for lifting us up in prayer these last 4 months. Nathan is officially done with the Police Academy and is back home. He graduated last Friday and we headed to the beach to celebrate for a couple of days. If it wasn't for you guys, we wouldn't have survived these last few months. The meals you made for us, we're such a blessing~thank you! And you're prayers and encouragement of many kinds we're Godsends at just the right moments. Here's a huge {{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}} for you all! We love you!!!

The Wallbaums

Pub Talk!

As many of you know I enjoy a pint of beer from time to time. Some may argue to be a “good Christian” I should not enjoy it as much as I do or at all. However, that is not why I write tonight and if you want we can talk about that another time. The reason I write tonight is my experiences at a pub. Since the Truth Project has started I have on many nights gone and grabbed a bite to eat and a couple of pints of beer at the Colony Pub just down the street from the Legion Hall. For me I have always enjoyed visiting pubs and this one in particular I have found to be very fascinating. Most of the time I go by myself and usually read my Bible while enjoying my meal.

Most nights I recognize many of the same people from the week before. Many arrive around the same time each night and receive a nice warm greeting from the people already there. It is always very interesting to overhear the conversations of the people while I am there. The best part of this is there is no fluff; it is always straight up in how things are going. The group of people that meet at the pub on Wednesday nights is maybe half the size of the congregation at Hillside. In the time that I have spent in the pub I have heard of more people struggling with one thing or another than I have ever heard at Hillside over the last year and a half. Why is this? Is it because society wants us to believe that we are to go to the pub to drink are problems away and that when we go to church “everyday with Jesus is a great one”? I will admit that my life has changed dramatically since I have come to know Jesus. It has been the best years of my life. However, I have had faced some of the greatest battles of my life. Life is great since I know Jesus and know the promises that he has for my family and me. To be honest with you though there are days and weeks were it is not much fun walking with Him and seems that it could be easier to go back to were I came from. Am I the only one that struggles in our congregation? Do you ever feel that you are the only one at Hillside that struggles? There has been times were I have done this and have wondered is there something wrong with my Christian experience since it does not seem to stack up to the others I see on Sunday. I am not always the best about admitting to battles that I face from time to time. I urge all of you to start talking about the struggles you may face as I work on being open with you as well.

The part that I love about all of this is that God is able to teach in an environment that to many would not seem to be a Christian environment and would be avoided by many. At the pub there is a sense of community that I have not found in very many other places. Tonight as I drift of to sleep I pray that we can continue to come together as a community that is there for one another through the good times and the bad and that we will be honest with one another when times are rough. One more thing, I would enjoy to have a pint with any one of you the next time you are around and have the time.

Lessons From Maxson

I am sure most have you have either heard a story like this or have experienced it for yourself but I thought I would say it again, even if it is just a reminder. Maxson has started walking, which is so much fun to watch. His eyes sparkle with joy and with determination as he takes his steps toward his destination. His arms are wide open being carefree and he is taking all the newness with such enthusiasm. He can’t get enough. I love the smile on his face when he makes it to where he wanted to go. Now he does fall down a lot and there is some crying involved on some of those falls, but he gets back up and keeps on trying. One thing I have noticed when watching him, is that in those sparkling, joyful eyes there is no fear. He keeps trying to accomplish the goal or path before him and is not deterred. Fear never enters his mind. Fear doesn’t take over and hold him back from taking those steps even if there is a huge chance that he will fall.

Do we as the church have no fear when it comes to taking those steps with God? Do we have the sparkle and joy in our eyes when we step out onto the path He has for us? Do we have the determination and carefree attitude to keep getting back up when we fall and continue on to that destination? I know that it isn’t always easy and it is scary sometimes but…“Fear not for I am with you.” Isaiah 41:10

Love, Steph

Isaiah 55

“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Isreal,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed.

Psalm 42 NLT

5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!

Kyle Nelson's Sermon Notes for 5/11/08

Hi, I'm Kyle Nelson. I'm the son of Becca and David Nelson. I'm 12 years old and I am a homeschooler. Zack liked my notes for his sermon today (5/11/08) and wanted me to put them up on here. Here are my notes:

God wants us to DEAFH (Drop Everything And Follow Him) and take time to worship Him. Also He wants us to ask Him for guidance and not forget He's there. He wants us to give ourselves up enough to where He can give us a totally new identity, like He did to Simon/Peter.

Don’t Do What You’re Tempted To Do, When Someone Gets Ugly With You

This is such a great reminder to be Jesus to the unlovable.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but
be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.
— 2 Timothy 2:24


Have you ever found yourself in a predicament where you were trying to help someone who resisted you, spoke disrespectfully to you, and just flat out acted ugly? In that instant, did you find your blood boiling, your temperature rising, and your emotions agitated? Were you so angry that you felt like you would detonate? Be honest! Did you feel tempted to fly into a rage, lecture the ingrate derogatorily for his attitude, or even slap him right across the face?

It’s natural to feel exasperated when someone you are trying to help doesn’t respond appropriately to the assistance you are offering. But yielding to your own emotions and getting in the flesh won’t make the situation any better. In fact, it will only make the situation worse! So hold your tongue, stay seated in your chair, and keep your head on straight when you find yourself in a situation like this!

Many years ago, Denise and I had one particular employee who was extremely gifted — but he was one of the most difficult people to work with I’ve ever met in my life. This man was rude, insubordinate, critical of others, and regularly late to work. On the other hand, he was very talented and produced great results in his job. One day I wanted to fire him; the next day, I wanted to reward him. It was such an emotional mixture! How I wished this employee would just calm down, talk nicely to people, and learn how to get along with others!


From time to time, I had to sit down and talk to this man about his attitude. But dealing with him was so excruciatingly laborious. I dreaded those moments when I knew I had to sit down to talk to him. Here I was, trying to help this employee — but rather than receive correction graciously and thank me for trying to take him to a higher level, he would argue, debate, or try to turn the conversation around and point his finger at other people. It simply exasperated me, yet I knew that God wanted me to work with and teach this man; therefore, I had to remain self-controlled and not allow myself to get caught up in the flesh and knock him flat!

Have you ever felt this way before? Can you remember a time when you tried to help your child, but your child’s response was belligerent and unreceptive to you? Or can you recall a time when you worked with a fellow employee whose attitude toward the boss was so bad that he or she deserved to be fired for it? Or perhaps you can remember someone at church who had a critical attitude toward the pastor and got involved in ugly backbiting and gossip. I hope it wasn’t you!

When Timothy was serving as pastor of the Ephesian church, he had some insubordinate people in church leadership positions. Apparently he had written to Paul about this problem, because when Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, he addressed the problem, telling Timothy what kind of attitude he needed to maintain when dealing with people who had bad attitudes. Paul said, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient” (2 Timothy 2:24).


The word “strive” is the Greek word machomai, and it means to quarrel, dispute, argue, or to get into strife or contention with someone else. At first, this Greek word was used to picture armed combatants who exchanged blows with deadly weapons. Later, it came to denote men who fought hand to hand — striking, punching, wrangling, and rolling on the ground as they slugged it out with each other. But by the time of the New Testament when Paul used the word machomai in this verse, it depicted people who were at odds with each other bickering, squabbling, and slugging it out — not with swords or fists, but with their words. So Paul urges Timothy (and all of us) not to allow ourselves to get dragged into a war of words when we are trying to correct people who have bad attitudes.

Next, Paul tells us that we must be “gentle.” This is the Greek word epios, which means to be mildmannered, kind, temperate, calm, or gentle. We find this word used by Paul in First Thessalonians 2:7, where he reminds the Thessalonians of how he had behaved among them. He writes, “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children.”


It is important that we see how Paul uses the word epios in the context of caring for little children. This suggests that now Paul is telling Timothy to realize that he is dealing with immature people whom he must treat like children. Parents are to teach and discipline their children without “flying off the handle” every time their children are rude or disrespectful. Now Timothy must assume this kind of parental, correcting, teaching role in the way he deals with these who are acting inappropriately in his church.

When people behave disrespectfully toward their boss, their department director, their pastor, or their parents, they are demonstrating that they are not smart and certainly not mature. When you see this, it should send up a red flag before you to let you know the maturity level you are dealing with in the lives of these individuals. Even if they are called to the ministry; even if they have been to Bible school; even if they have been members of your church for a long time — the fact that they would act disrespectfully toward authority reveals that these people are still young in terms of maturity.


You should thank God that this came to light. Had you moved these individuals upward into a higher place of visibility while they were still at this deficient level of maturity, it would have been a big problem for you later. But now you can see that they’re not ready for a higher place of responsibility. You can also visibly discern the areas in which you need to help them so they can maximize their potential in the Lord.


Second Timothy 2:24 could be translated to read:

“And the servant of the Lord must not get caught up in
a war of words — wrangling, wrestling, bickering, squabbling,
arguing, and verbally slugging it out with his contenders.
Instead, he must be calm, steady, temperate, kind, and
gentle in the way he responds.”


So when you try to bring correction into someone’s life who is under your authority and that person doesn’t initially respond the way he should, don’t let it ruffle your feathers or throw you into a state of exasperation. Certainly you shouldn’t allow yourself to get so caught up in emotions that you descend to their level and start acting just like them!


This is a time for you to “put on your parent-teacher hat.” Lovingly deal with that person like a child or a young person who needs to be taught how to respond to authority and who needs guidance and correction from someone who loves him.

And what should you do if you get stirred up and enter into the fray of flesh, allowing yourself to get entrenched in a war of words? Thank God that your own level of maturity has been exposed! Not only does that other person need to grow, but this situation has revealed a flaw in your own character, drawing attention to an obvious area in your own life that needs attention, correction, and a higher level of maturity. So as you pray for that other person to grow, don’t forget to include yourself on your prayer list