Advent Reading

As the day we celebrate Christ’s birth approaches, may I encourage you to read and pray through (on the designated days) the following Advent Bible passages? These readings can keep us focused on Jesus during the busy month of December.

1- Isaiah 40:1-8

2- Luke 1:26-38

3- Luke 1:39-56

4- Colossians 1:15-20

5- Philippians 2:5-11

6- John 3:16-18

7- Matthew 1:18-25

8- Mark 10:42-45

9- Matthew 2:1-12

10- John 1:1-9

11- John 1:10-18

12- Hebrews 10:10-18

13- Revelation 1:12-18

14- Psalm 23

15- Isaiah 52:13-53:6

16- Exodus 12:3-14

17- Romans 3:23-26

18- Hebrews 1:1-8

19- Revelation 5:8-14

20- Daniel 7:13-14

21- Galatians 4:4-7

22- John 10:7-18

23- 2 Cor. 8:9; 9:15

24- Luke 2:1-20

25- Revelation 11:15-19

He Is Good!

I was recently reminded by a friend of the greatness and the goodness of God as revealed in the book of Exodus.

With the burning bush, the awesome Name of “Yahweh,” the ten plagues that revealed God’s greatness to Egypt, Israel, and every so-called Egyptian god, and then the phenomenal parting of the Red Sea – not to mention manna from heaven and water from rocks – Exodus certainly showcases God’s greatness.

But when Moses asks God to “show me Your glory,” God responds in Exodus 33:19, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you…”

Certainly God’s glory is in His greatness but he chose to emphasize His goodness as He revealed Himself to Moses.

Do you view God as good?

His goodness certainly speaks of His moral goodness, His absolute holiness. “Goodness” also speaks of God’s skill; He does what He does very well. But goodness also speaks of His benevolence; His grace; His mercy; His kindness; His immeasurable love. WOW! He actually delights in giving good things – because He is good.

He is worthy to be trusted, prayed to, served and thanked . . . for He indeed is GOOD.

Hope

The temporary nature of life has a way of forcing us to recognize life’s highest priorities. Death can jar us into the realization that relationships are more important than recreation; marriages are more important than money; integrity is more important than image; eternity is more important than entertainment.

Americans can callous ourselves to these truths, burying them in “Yeah but”s and “I’m too busy to worry about that right now”s. Even Christians can lose appreciation of the Gospel Itself, which gives us a completely different worldview than the culture’s and the only legitimate, tangible, vetted hope beyond the grave. May we have a renewed gratitude for the Gospel!

Let us not forget we have hope, confidence for life here and hereafter, that is based on “the Word of Truth, the Gospel” (Col. 1:5). This Gospel is the only basis for hope that bears credible evidence. Christ’s irrefutable Resurrection and the life-changes He makes in people who trust Him form a solid apologetic that takes the Gospel from being mere speculation, like every other belief system with proposals about the hereafter, to certain, substantiated Truth!

We do know the Truth about life, death, and priorities. This uniquely gives us joyous, triumphant, confident hope. And it’s all because of the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Commitments

Fall seems to be a season when many regular commitments are resumed and new commitments are assumed. With Summer days all but coming to a screeching halt, September 1 can be more of a transition date than January 1.

One commitment I’d encourage you to make with me this Fall is to join a Small Group at Eastmont that will be studying a series entitled “When God’s People Pray.” The commitment is to meet with your group once per week, for 6 weeks, and to make a $10 purchase of the accompanying workbook/journal for prayer. My wife and I reviewed this study in late Spring and we believe this could enhance our growth in Christ as a church and our effectiveness in serving Him in Bend. Plus, I can think of no more crucial activity for people to be learning about and engaged in during a busy season than prayer. The study will cover six topics Biblically, including “God’s Heart for Us,” “The Amazing Power of Prayer,” “The Word of God and Prayer,” and “Why Prayer Matters.” The time frame is September 19 – October 25.

Be sure to sign up for a Small Group in our foyer on the weekend if you’re not currently in a group or call Craig Soderquist at 382-5822 x 31. If you are in a group, be especially committed to meet, study, and . . . pray with your group during this special Fall emphasis.

This commitment will be worth it.

Small Groups in September

Small Groups in churches didn’t originate in a megachurch in the Midwest or in Southern California. Neither did a professor in a seminary come up with the concept nor did a Christian publishing company start Small Groups to stimulate business.

Small Groups in churches began with Jesus, Who, from the larger group, gathered 12 “to be with Him and that He could send out.” (Mark 3:13-14) Small Groups formed soon after the church was founded in first century Jerusalem, implementing “house to house” groups from the 3000+ people comprising the church, an “instant megachurch.” (Acts 2:46)

Jesus and the early church recognized that significant growth towards maturity comes through the spiritual relationships forged in a Small Group.

Our elders, staff, and Small Group Ministry are encouraging every person at Eastmont, high school and older, to be involved in some kind of Small Group from September 19 through October 25. During those 6 weeks, we will offer to our congregation the opportunity to be in a Small Group that meets weekly. We will study together via DVD and workbook what the Bible says happens “When God’s People Pray.” This is an encouraging series taught by Jim Cymbala, pastor at Brooklyn Tabernacle. We encourage existing groups to do this study, meeting weekly during this time, then returning to their desired format after the series is completed. We will be forming new groups, with new, trained facilitators, for those weeks as well.

Our prayer is that our collective commitment to Small Groups during these weeks will help us mature in Christ, as well as strengthen Eastmont as a praying church – to God’s glory.

Watch for details for involvement towards the end of this month and the first part of September.

Perfect Example

Jesus provides the Perfect Example in everything.

His ministry (which was His life) provides the best example of emphasis as well. Jesus exemplified the balance of doctrine and duty --- of declaring the Gospel and doing good deeds --- of teaching people and serving people.

Matthew 9:35 summarizes a season of Christ’s ministry in this way: “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”

“Teaching” and “healing” --- communicating Biblical foundations for life and meeting immediate challenges in life --- addressing spiritual needs and physical needs.

The Church, the body of Christ, follows our Head if we have the same balance --- strong teaching and sensitive service.

The follower of Christ lives like our Savior if we strike the same balance --- sharing Truth and serving people. Christ-likeness contains both.

Becoming Complete in Christ

When Jesus told His disciples in John 4:32 “I have food to eat that you do not know about,” all they could think of was “who brought Him lunch?” (v. 33) But Jesus taught them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” (v. 34)

Not that Jesus didn’t enjoy good meals -- He did (Matthew 11:19)! – but in John 4, He shared the message of eternal life with a needy woman and nurtured her in her new faith. This was the Father’s “will” and “work” for Him in this context. It energized Christ; it invigorated Him.

The disciples later experienced what Jesus was talking about, as they also shared the Gospel and nurtured people in their faith. (Acts 2, 3, 4:8-20; III John 1:4, Luke 10:17-21)

The same is true for believers at Eastmont! As we simply share the Salvation Message of Christ with others as we have opportunity, people will believe. Then, the “Becoming Complete in Christ” booklet is an effective tool to help us disciple them, to nurture them in their faith. We can personally go through this discipleship tool with another, one on one, much like I have done on these past 8 weekends with the congregation. Then, we too will taste some of the good food Jesus spoke of in John 4. We will be doing the will of the Father in becoming fruit (John 15: 8, 16) and will be accomplishing His work of making disciples (Matt 28:19-20).

Food’s ready! Let’s dig in!

Sacrifice

Numbers 7 would normally have “For God’s Eyes Only” stamped in red across it, for it records the offerings of 12 men. Yet God reveals to the world what these “leaders,” “heads of fathers’ households,” gave to the furnishing of the tabernacle.

68 times in this chapter, we read in our English Bibles “offering,” the translation of five different Hebrew words for the kinds of offerings made. 89 verses to record the specific offerings of 12 guys . . . and they all offered the same things! The Text could have saved time and space by noting that each man gave “one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, etc. . . .” all the way down to “five male lambs, one year old.” But each man’s sacrifices were recorded to show God’s delight in what they had done and His desire to use the generosity of those leaders as an example for others.

God sees every sacrifice His children make for Him. Whether the offering is in the form of a check in the offering plate or time in the church nursery; whether it’s mission service in New Orleans or Nogales or maintenance work at a Christian camp; whether it’s not compromising morals in business or sacrificially loving your wife, God sees it; He knows it; He delights in it. He may even record it somewhere for future reference! (say, when He rewards faithfulness – II Corinthians 5:10).

“Accept these things” God told Moses in v.5, “that they may be used in the service of the tent of meeting . . .”

Our sacrifices for Him, done with a desire to please Him, will be similarly accepted and noted by Him.

The Word of God

Knowing, living, and teaching the Bible, God’s Word (as Ezra did in Ezra 7:10) is absolutely imperative and non-negotiable at Eastmont!

The most recent Barna polls reveal that in 2009, only 9% of American adults have a “Biblical worldview” (as simply defined by Barna), down slightly from 11% in 2005. Only 46% of born again Christians believe in absolute moral Truth! In other words, more than half of the born-again Christians in this country would not identify Biblical morals as right for everyone, all the time. Less than ½ of 1% of Americans ages 18-23, Barna notes, have a Biblical worldview! Barna points out that one’s worldview dramatically influences their daily choices and traces this “to matters of media use, profanity, gambling, alcohol use, honesty, civility, and sexual choices.” Ronald Gleason notes in his recent book Reforming or Conforming that the emergent church movement, which denies Biblical inerrancy, grew out of megachurches that had “hoopla and (an) impersonal nature” but not solid, Biblical practice.

We have nothing if we don’t have the Word of God. The foundation for churches, for lives, can’t be the shifting sand of people’s ideas. We, at Eastmont, must be, as Jesus says in Matthew 7:24, like “those who hear these Words of Mine and act on them, (being) compared to a wise man who builds his house on the Rock.”

The Bible IS God’s Word. God has provided many proofs for It. Let us unwaveringly stand by It, on It, and in It.

What makes churches strong?

The strength of the United States of America never originated from our military might, economic structure, educational institutions, entertainment industry, or even our “American ingenuity.”

Our country has enjoyed strength as a nation because of our ideals, our values that have been traditionally and carefully taught in our churches over the 3+ centuries of our occupancy of this land.
The key to a strong America today is strong churches. We must never let go of the arsenal that makes churches strong! What makes churches strong?

1. The Truth as revealed in the Bible, God’s inerrant Word. God’s Word strengthens people (Joshua 1:7-9; Psalm 119:28; Ephesians 6:17). We must never compromise our commitment to know and apply God’s Holy Word.

2. The Lord Himself. We can do nothing without Him (John 15:5). The Lord, the living, true God, gives us strength (Psalm 18:1, 28:7-8; Isaiah 41:10; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 4:13; I Thessalonians 2:16-17).

3. Our love for God and each other. The blessings to people who fear God are listed in Psalm 112. These bless nations. Jesus says in John 13:35 that our influence for Him can be staggering – “all men will know that we are His” – if we love one another. Chords of love are not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Love makes churches strong.

4. The Gospel. We must never dilute, deemphasize or disavow the eternal Gospel message! (Galatians 1:6-11) The Gospel transforms people while every other message is therapy. The Gospel is “the power of God.” (Romans 1:16)

5. Prayer. What a resource the Lord has given us in prayer?! James 5:16 tells us that the prayers of “the righteous can accomplish much.” The book of Acts reveals strong churches being devoted to prayer (Acts 2:42, 13:1-3, 20:36).

These are strength-essentials for churches. These are essential for Eastmont’s strength. Not only for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom but for the sake of our nation, we must be strong by holding fast to these essentials.

Soak in God's Word

I recently saw in our copy room one of our teachers for the children that come with their moms to our Women’s Bible Study on Tuesday mornings. I asked her how her ministry to the kids was going and she said “Oh, great! I love watching the children soak in God’s Word. It makes me want to be like that.”

Her comment made me want to be like that as well. Jesus says in Matthew 18:4 “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Our Lord encourages us to be eager to learn, ready to act, open, trusting, unashamedly acknowledging our dependence on Him – like children.

Let us be like the Tuesday morning kids who soak in the Word and like the everyday mature believers who live It out, being not just hearers but doers. (James 1:22)

got worry? get worship! Facing Life by Facing God

God puts high priority on our worship of Him. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13 in Luke 4:8 when He resisted satan: "You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only." The first four of the Ten Commandments mandate worshipful reverence for God. Psalm 95:6 invites us, "Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the lord, our Maker." The capstone of depravity, Romans 1:21 says is "to not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him"; Herod suffered quick judgement "because he did not give God the glory." (Acts 12:23) From the first pages of Genesis (2:15 - "cultivate" is the same Hebrew word for rendering worshipful service to God, 4:3-4 - Cain and Abel) to the last prayer of Revelation (22:9), people are commanded to "Worship God". Jesus says in John 4:23 that God "seeks worshippers," people "who worship in Spirirt and Truth." At Eastmont, worship is a top priority. God deserves our regular worship. Our weekly worship services are designed to facilitate worship, to help people honor God, connect with God, and know God better.We want you to make attendance at worship services a high priority in 2009. Our goal is to average 2/3 of our body in attendance in worship services. Currently, about 930 people consider Eastmont their church. This means our goal is to have in attendance on weekends an average of 620 people. That's about 120 more than we're averaging right now. However, we can reach this goal over the next three months if each of us make worshipping God, with God's people, with "our church" a priority. Of course, attendance doesn't guarantee worship. God wants us to come with sincere hearts and an intention to focus on Him. Hopefully, our worship services will help us be sincere, to focus, to worship according to His Spirit and in harmony with His Word, the Truth. Won't you, with me, make worshipping God "in the great congregation" (Psalm 35:18) a 2009 priority? What a difference it might make for you, your loved ones, and God's kingdom?