Ministry in motion

Today’s Reading: Acts 4:5-7 (NKJV)

5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?"

Good morning!

I looked around the room yesterday and listened to the table discussions happening during the afternoon workshop at the Missouri Area School of Lay Ministries. There were holy sparks flying everywhere! I wish you could have heard some of the discussions being birthed around these tables. So many wonderful ministry ideas emerged as the laity brainstormed together on how to reach people who have not yet met the risen Lord.

Folks were up really early this morning, continuing the discussions around the coffeepot. Right now, as I'm writing, I can hear one discussion about servant evangelism, another about lighting a holy fire under the congregational pews. Someone is telling a story about a recent mission trip they took with their church, and the spiritual impact that experience had on them.

I love hearing their stories. That is one of the reasons I enjoy the School of Lay Ministries. I get to experience ministry in motion through the words and hearts of fellow laity around the state. It draws us deeper into connection, as we serve Christ in our local churches. How beautiful are the feet of those who serve Him!

Nothing happens by coincidence. I was sitting at the table with a woman who attends Liberty United Methodist Church near Kansas City. I did not know her personally, but I knew of her congregation. For the last two years, their cancer prayer team has been sending cards filled with personal, handwritten prayers and words of encouragement for my children. They have been faithful in remembering them daily in prayer. I had the opportunity to thank her for their faithfulness and perservering prayer. When I looked into this woman's face, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for her ongoing intercessory prayer ministry.

There are so many integral ways we can serve the Lord together and reach out to people in Jesus' name. There were no strangers in this room. We are all family, wrapped together in the blanket warmth of His sweet Holy Spirit.

Peter and John knew from whence their power came. Their accusers could not understand it. They were bound, but not held by the physical shackles they wore on their hands and feet. They were yoked in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, who equips all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, to accomplish His great work in the world. Sometimes, we feel shackled by the circumstances or demographics of our local churches; we get stuck in a rut of status-quo, wondering how to break out and reach out beyond our walls. We want to share the Gospel with the people God has placed in our path. Yet, the body of Christ, our community of faith, becomes an unbroken cord, stretching hands and hearts toward heaven. We find that our reach is truly limitless, every obstacle can be conquered, when we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The family of God is amazing thing. The School of Lay Ministry is quite an experience. You should come with me next time! There is a place at the table for you.

Just like Peter and John, we are better together, bound in Christ's love and filled with His Spirit of hope! May you sense the urgency we feel in our hearts today. There are people in our communities who have not yet met our risen Lord. They are searching for something more in life. We have Christ's love and salvation message to offer them. What are we waiting for?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Holy heartburn

Today’s Reading: Acts 4:4 (NKJV)

4 However, many of those who heard the Word believed; and the number of men came to be about five thousand.

Good morning!

Would you be willing to risk your own life to see 5,000 people in your community come to a saving faith and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? This was the hot topic of conversation last night during the opening session of the 2009 School of Lay Ministry. I am here with 120 of my United Methodist friends from around the State of Missouri, who are working through their local churches to reach people in their communities with the Gospel. There is a new great awakening being birthed around the world and we can see it growing right here in the Show Me State. Can you sense a new move of the Holy Spirit in the places where you live?

Peter and John knew before they entered the temple gates they would be risking their lives to share the Good News here. This crowd would be a difficult group to convince. Many of the men gathered were the same people that condemned Christ to death in the temple courtyard just weeks before. They did not know who Jesus really was. Peter and John’s determination to reach these folks far outweighed their fear for personal safety. They boldly proclaimed Christ’s message, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and that same Spirit gave them comfort as they waited their fate all night long in a dark Jerusalem prison cell.

While Peter and John sat in seclusion, conversions were occurring minute by minute. Folks who heard their life-saving message ran to tell others, while the Holy Spirit was moving people to give their hearts completely to Christ! Lives were being changed, almost instantaneously – a new great awakening was occurring all over the city!

Sitting in the upper room last night during the keynote presentation, I was having an attack of holy heartburn. I didn’t need an antacid to quench this fire; in fact, I wanted more of it! I looked around the room and saw Holy Spirit sparks erupting everywhere. There was a clear sense of hunger and direction being birthed. Folks were getting charged up with new ideas, new ways to reach their communities with the Gospel. The question is this: how much of ourselves are we willing to give to see this happen in our cities, states, and countries around the world?

Peter and John didn’t have internet access in the prison cell that night. They had no Blackberries® or I-Phones® to text message their friends on the outside. All they had to go on was the power of Christ’s Holy Spirit encouraging and supporting them while they waited. It was more than enough. Somehow, they knew they were doing exactly what Christ had commissioned them to do. There was no turning back.

Are you willing to trust the Holy Spirit power to lead you out into the community where you live? Wherever there are people breathing, there is a message to be proclaimed. We have a job to do right here, right now. Is Jesus calling you to be like Peter and John today?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

The hand on your shoulder

Today’s Reading: Acts 4:3 (NIV)

3 They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.

Good morning!

It was torture for our young son Benjamin to sit still and be quiet in church. He was a very busy boy, always on the go in perpetual motion. As his father would begin to preach the Sunday morning sermon, Ben would lean forward and ask me for a back rub. He seemed to calm considerably as long as my hand rested upon his shoulder.

We had just celebrated Benjamin and Jett’s birthdays at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. After dinner, we returned to the parsonage to watch one of Madison’s favorite movies and relax. I was giving Benjamin a shoulder rub, when two-year-old Maddie decided to help. I smiled at her and said, “Madison, this is my boy,” pointing at Benjamin sprawled out on the family room floor. She placed her tiny hands on Ben’s shoulder, shook her head and said, “No Grandma, this is my boy – this is my Daddy boy!” I realized that this time-honored tradition had been successfully passed from mother to son to granddaughter. It is a true generational blessing to know that the hands of your loved ones are always resting upon your shoulder.

Peter and John must have been afraid that night, when they were seized by the Roman guards and thrown into prison. It is hard to sit still under the power of the Holy Spirit as it fills you up with God’s Holy Word. Even in times of supernatural courage and faith, these men knew the physical harm they would suffer for Jesus. Not knowing whether they would live to see another day or die that night, would have been a frightening experience for any one of us. Yet, both of these men experienced God’s holy hand on their shoulder. Jesus was right there with them in the dark night. Because they could feel His nail-scarred hands on their back, their faith remained firm, as courage overshadowed fear.

I don’t know what your day may bring, but I do know that you do not have to face the day alone. Jesus Christ reaches out through the generations, holding us firm with nail-scarred hands. He bled, died and rose again just to free you and me from the things that keep our lives in perpetual commotion. His reassuring hand upon your shoulder is the only strength you need to meet whatever you are facing right now. You can relax, for the hand of the living God is resting upon you.

Father, may we feel your Holy hand upon our shoulders today. Help us know beyond a shadow of a doubt that You are with us always. Never let us go, in Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.

Life song

Today’s Reading: Acts 4:1-2 (NIV)

1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

Good morning!

I first learned about politics and religion at home. Our father put his foot down about discussing either topic, unless of course, he had something in particular that he wanted to share. Daddy was the only one allowed to express his point of view and it was expected that we would all completely agree with him. Our mother made it clear that we were to show respect for our father’s opinions by not challenging him. This basically meant we were not allowed to ask questions or comment, or even hint that we may feel differently. She felt it was better to keep the peace within our family inasmuch as possible. Are you the peacemaker or the pot stirrer in your house? I find it intriguing that even after two thousand years, not much has changed culturally when it comes to working through our religious and political differences of opinion. We do not have to look far to see the distinct correlations between the early church and our cultural worldview today. Flip on any news television channel or open a breaking news website online, and watch the religious and political wars raging on and on in high definition.

The Sadducees and Chief Priests were furious with Peter and John, stirring up the crowds with what they believed to be pure blasphemy. They thought the problem with Jesus had been resolved when he was put to death by the Roman soldiers just outside the city gates. Rumors that Jesus resurrected from the grave continued to spread around town. His body had, after all, disappeared from the tomb on the third day after his execution. The Roman government wanted nothing more than to see this new spiritual fire quenched immediately. The body of new Christian believers continued to grow in exponential numbers. They insisted that Jesus Christ is God’s only Son, and He proved it when He physically rose from the dead. The Sadducees knew if they could not stop this religious frenzy, they stood to lose their religious traditions and beliefs, along with all the financial support received from a corrupt Roman government. It is no wonder they pursued Christ’s new disciples with a vengeance.

At home, in school and at work, we are taught to respect diversity, treading lightly on each others’ points of view; often, we keep silent in an effort to maintain some semblance of peace. Peter and John saw something far greater than maintaining the status quo inside the temple gates. Because they knew that Jesus had been given all authority in heaven and on earth by the Father, they were compelled to follow His great commission and go, make disciples of all the nations. For them, this started at home. They longed for all people, and most importantly, their Jewish brothers living in Jerusalem, to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. They were completely convinced by Jesus’ teaching and in the power of the Holy Spirit, that Jesus is the only way to the Father, and because of this Truth, Peter and John refused to remain silent.

If you had the key to heaven in your hand, would you choose to hide it away in your back pocket just to keep peace with others who may believe differently? Would you withhold the love of Christ from your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers? We must learn how to share our faith without attacking one another, by simply by sharing what Jesus Christ has done in our own lives, allowing the Holy Spirit power to do the rest.

Because of the way in which I was raised, it has been an ongoing and personal struggle for me to learn how to effectively share Christ with the ones who do not yet know Him. I have found that the best way for me to express my personal faith is to simply share what Jesus Christ has done for me. I know that without His grace and forgiveness, I would be forever separated from the Father. I cannot imagine living this life without His love to guide and direct me. I would not want anyone else to miss out on the One relationship that has truly become my life song.

If you are seeking Truth today in the midst of a political and religious tug of war, pray for Jesus to reveal Himself to you. Read His words; learn about His life song. I believe that you will find everything you have been looking for in Christ alone.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.

Holy reprimand

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:26 (NIV)

26 “When God raised up his servant, He sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

Good morning!

There are times when I find it hard to accept a holy reprimand. When I was a little girl, my parents would correct me if I said something I shouldn’t, or behaved badly with my sibling. There was always an excuse, some reason why I acted the way I did. I would jump right in with my loose lips and floppy tongue and try to defend my wrong actions, refusing to listen to the important points being made. At the time, I didn’t really feel very blessed by my parents’ persistent instruction. It took three children of my own and many years for me to begin to fully understand and appreciate my parents’ point of view.

Many companies train their supervisors in mentoring skills, to help their teams grow, learning to work together to achieve a common goal. You don’t have to look far on library shelves or in the bookstores to find training manuals that help teach people “how to” be more disciplined in their personal lives, get more out of each day, and find blueprints designed to teach goal setting and achievement skills. Some supervisors are born visionary leaders; they lead by serving and setting life examples that others will be drawn to and follow. Especially when servant leadership doesn’t seem to come naturally, there are certain principles and skill sets that can be acquired if one sincerely desires to serve the Lord and be used for kingdom work.

Peter was probably the least likely to be voted “Servant Leader of the Year” by his co-disciples. They knew him far too well. Now here was a man who had a temper! He was loose lipped, not hesitating to say whatever he was thinking without hesitation. Peter had very little patience with others. When he would get really angry, I imagine his physical features would change as his skin became fire engine red, especially along the neckline and his ears. He had a hard time being corrected by someone else, and struggled through many of his own life’s blunders in a stew. When Jesus changed Peter’s heart from the inside out, many of his nasty habits began to disappear. He wasn’t quite as quick to spout off, being much more attentive and willing to listen to the instructions being given. His patience level with others grew as he learned how to convey Christ-like love in action. When Peter fully surrendered his life under the authority of Jesus Christ and became a student of His love, the Father was able to use Peter to bless others by helping them see the errors of their way.

I look at Peter’s spiritual transformation and realize that if God can change his life, there is surely hope for me! Father, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ; melt my hardened heart today. Help me see the error of my ways. Redirect my thoughts to conform to your plan for my life. Teach me how to surrender my stubborn will and self-righteous attitude, and mold me into the kind of person you would have me be. Help me learn from the servant leaders you have placed in my life. Teach me to fully obey Your Word, Lord, not just with lip service but in action. I willingly choose to turn today from the things that are offensive and grieve your heart. Father, forgive me. Help me experience the blessing in your holy reprimand. Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.

The blessing of the generations

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:25 (NIV)

25 “And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’”

Good morning!

I remember the hot summer nights, sitting in the dark nursery at 2am, rocking and feeding my newborn daughter Rachel, and praying she would fall asleep soon. Most often when I would go to the crib to feed her, she would be drenched in a pool of sweat, her long hair sticking to the nape of her neck. I didn’t want her to catch a summer cold; and yet, I had such a hard time keeping her room cool enough for Rachel to sleep comfortably and soundly straight through the night. Quite often, I would feed and diaper her, and lay her in the crib uncovered. Because we lived in the country, many of the varmints outside our walls looked for cool places to hibernate in the heat of day. We had a bumper crop of scorpions that summer. We kept a prescription in our medicine chest, just in case one of us got stung. For babies, a scorpion sting can be lethal, and we knew how important it was to protect Rachel. We found that the scorpions would most often enter our home through open doors, electrical outlets and through our wood burning fireplace. Once we covered the fireplace opening and plugged all of the unused outlets, it cut the number of scorpion sightings inside the walls by about half. Sometimes at night, I would find a scorpion climbing up the side of the crib, headed straight for the mattress where Rachel lay. I kept a hard sole shoe next to Rachel’s bed where I quickly eliminated the unwanted visitors with one sound swat.

When I would finish nursing and rocking the baby, I would lay my Rachel down on the mattress and sing quietly to her, as she drifted back to sleep. While my hand was on her back, I would pray for my offspring, asking the Father to watch over and protect her as she slept. I prayed for her life, her future, the man she would one day wed, and the children she would bear. I prayed over her children and their children, knowing in my heart that through her offspring, our lives would be blessed, just as the Father promised. Rachel never got stung by the scorpions hanging around our Texas parsonage. I believe this was the miraculous intervention of the Holy Spirit, birthed through intercessory prayer.

Sometimes it is hard to see the blessing God promises in our offspring. For many years, Abraham and Sarah had no children. They were assured of a great blessing; that the number of their offspring would be as many as the stars of the night sky, and yet, it took generations before that promise was fully revealed. We look at our temporary circumstances and worry about the things our children and grandchildren struggle with daily, wondering where God’s blessing is hiding. We keep swatting at the sins sneaking up on our children from behind while they are trying to sleep, and we cry out prayers of holy intercession, looking for His miracle in the making.

The blessing of God’s love is revealed in the generations. It has been passed from one to the other, through the Word of God, manifested in the love of Jesus Christ. We can see His blessing at work when we look back at the faith of our grandparents and parents, and then fast forward to the hopes and dreams of our children and grandchildren and their children who will carry Christ’s love into the future. The power of intercessory prayer is magnified one hundred fold as we continually pray the prayers of faith God has given us to pray over the generations. We see His blessing in the coming of our Lord, when we will look beyond the slats of our present day crib and the sneaky scorpions in their futile attacks. One day, Christ will return to redeem the generations for all time. Can you see His blessing now?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.

A promise fulfilled

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:24 (NIV)

24 “Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.”

Good morning!

Samuel was quite the boy! Strong and inquisitive, he lived and served Eli the priest, in the temple of the Lord. His very life had been prayed into existence by an obedient and faithful mother, whose name was Hannah. For years, she could not conceive and give her husband a child; yet longed for this special blessing of God. Hannah would go to the temple year after year to weep and pray, vowing that if the Lord would fill her womb, she would give back her son to serve the Lord all of his days. Eli saw Hannah praying with great passion; he heard her petition, and offered up a special blessing asking God to grant her prayer. When her baby boy was born, Hannah and her husband returned to the temple for the child’s dedication, keeping her promise and leaving Samuel at the temple to Eli’s mentoring and care.

What would our world be like today if we learned to pray and trust God like Hannah did? Would we realize just how precious the gift of new life truly is? Our children are gifts from God. He loans them to us for a time, and as they begin to grow, we learn how to trust God all the more, opening our hands and hearts to His plan and purpose for their lives.

I sat in the sanctuary yesterday, a witness to His amazing promise fulfilled, as my friends James and Jen exchanged their marriage vows. I’ve known James now for nine years. When I first met him, he was a teenage boy, fighting to overcome the cancer attacking his young body. He had faced such adversity at such an early age; yet, his faith in Christ helped James overcome his physical infirmities. Yesterday was a miracle, a gift of God’s amazing grace, and I was a witness to the promise fulfilled. His bride was simply radiant as she walked down the aisle toward her love and the future they would share together in Jesus. I saw the fervent prayers of two mothers rise up toward heaven as the smoke rose from their family candles toward heaven. I praised God for His gift of new life.

In life, we learn how to pray the prayers that God gives us to pray. The Father has blessed us with a blueprint of what will one day become His new heaven and earth. The prophets, like the young boy Samuel, provide guidance and hope for all who are willing to trust and obey. The Father’s gift of His Only Son to save a lost and fallen world is by far, the very best present we will ever receive. His child is our Savior and Lord. The only hope for the salvation of the world is in Jesus Christ alone.

A new family emerged from the sanctuary. Two hearts are joined as one. We see the fruition of a lifetime of prayer and rejoice in the hope that comes from trusting in the One who holds our future. Can you see God’s grace written across the pages of your life? Will you trust Him enough to let go and pray the prayers He would have you pray? Are you willing to return the gifts you’ve been given?

Father, we come to you in the name your Son, Jesus Christ, and ask that your will be done in the lives of our children today. We thank you for your gift of new life and the hope that comes through loving and obeying you. Help us understand that before we held our babies in our arms, you held them in yours. Our children belong to you, Lord. We give them back to you today. When difficulties arise and we cannot see the future clearly, help us trust in your promises. Be our everlasting future and our hope, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.

Coming home today

Today’s Reading: Acts 3:22-23 (NIV)

22 “For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything He tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among His people.’”

Good morning!

I don’t know of anyone who likes being cut off. Technology is great, until it does not work, and then it can be extremely frustrating. My husband has been having some ongoing cell phone issues. If I need to reach him urgently and his phone is not working properly, he may not be able to pick up my voice mail message or page. While we were on vacation last week, I had difficulty transmitting documents online. After we returned home, I discovered I had a far greater issue than mere internet connectivity. My laptop is simply malfunctioning and this has caused a great deal of anxiety with course work coming due. If you’ve ever tried to start your automobile in a parking garage downtown on a cold winter’s day, only to find that your battery is dead and the towing company cannot get to you for at least three hours, then you may understand what it feels like to be totally cut off and standing out in the cold.

We get cut off by our family, especially when disagreements arise. Spouses forget how to communicate their differences of opinion in a loving way, attacking each other with sharp and hateful words. Harsh criticism and hurtful actions will often lead to someone shutting down after a time. I’m sorry to say that I have instigated more hateful conversations than I can count. Fortunately, I’m married to a man who practices daily forgiveness and he continually extends his unconditional love to me, especially when I least deserve it. A short fuse and uncontrolled tongue often gets me in over my head before I realize it. I spend more time repenting for this very thing. That is why I can relate so well to the Apostle Peter. He had a short fuse too, and I am convinced we are definitely related by blood.

Children often clash with their parents, disrespecting their authority over their lives. Sometimes children try to cut their families off, simply out of spite, hurt and resentment, but mostly out of shame. When we choose to cut ourselves off from our family, we hurt ourselves most of all. I often think of how the Prodigal Son ran as far away and as fast as he could, with the gift of his inheritance burning a hole in his back pocket, thinking of no one but himself and his own personal pleasures. When every dime was spent and all seemed totally lost, the son recognized the error of his way and made a conscious decision to seek forgiveness and reconciliation with his dad. What is most touching about this story is not the son’s return, but how the Father reacted when he saw his son coming back. He ran to him, with arms outstretched, welcoming him home with absolutely no hesitation, no harboring of resentment. He held only great love and joy that his son, the one who was so lost, chose to turn around and come home.

If you are feeling cut off from your people today, God has provided a way for you to come home. Through faith in Christ alone, we have the opportunity to repent, turn around, and receive forgiveness for the attitudes and issues that have caused us to be cut off. Harsh words can be forgiven; broken hearts are healed at the foot of Christ’s cross every day. We need to pay close attention and learn to obey the sound instruction of those who have been placed in positions of authority over us, whether it is our parents, spouses, pastors and teachers, and even our employers. As we willingly serve others through Jesus Christ, we can learn how to forgive what seems to be unforgivable in the human realm.

Have you walked away from the God’s authority over your life? Are you ready to come back home? When you take that step of faith and ask Jesus to help you, the Father will run to you with arms outstretched, eager to welcome you back. Just tell Him how sorry you are for the mistakes you’ve made, and ask Jesus to help you daily obey His instruction, trusting Him with your life. You’ll no longer be cut off from the one relationship your heart longs for. Come home to Jesus Christ today.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.