Thoughts

I lay me down after a long day. Today was the Lord's day. Every day is but today was as much as any because it was Sunday and the day of the week upon which we celebrate his resurrection. We worshipped in the name of Christ. we served in the name of Christ and we celebrated in the name of Christ. we know that we are a people with the power to do his work upon the earth and that even our enemies the world, Satan, and our selfish nature can not hold us back.
The house was not empty. There were a number of servants gathered there. We could always hope for more and there were even a few who are on the fringe and reluctant to be sold out for Him.
It's always an encouragement for me when there are some of those present as it sort of marks the footsteps of the Lord as he is at work changing mankind from the inside out. Perhaps someone was profoundly affected though none said so.
Technology struggled. We had a hard time doing some of the simple things that we have done well before. This partly because we are meeting in a sister church building and not a building that is prepared for our use and our methods.
We managed to record the service though I have not inspected the quality of the video recording yet. We use to do this every week. Once upon a time the recordings were on vhs. I remember a runty, pimply Josh Mitchell setting up every week and making sure the camera ran and recorded onto a vcr the entire service and he almost never missed. He grew up, the air force was hard on him. He's back with u now but he is changed. He is a servant of the Lord but now works full time and has trouble finding the disposable time to do all the things he might for God. That seems to be the state of affairs for a lot of God's servants. In some cases it is worse than others and a few cases the conflict is manufactured to be an excuse from service.

Roans 15 reminded us that God's people must find and utilize a surplus of grace. With a few other points of I think of value it took us an hour plus to hear these truths clearly. i'm resting wondering whether some heard or not. It is not my place to say or to worry. It's in the Lord's hands but I am passionate to see others grow.
The annual meeting is this week and so waiting on the contractors and on those who might donate on the heat estimate is going to be particularly hard and in at least one sense easier. I'll be distracted. That will make it easier. However, I wonder whether there will be any movement if i don't push for it which makes the situation seem hopeless as I am going to be busy and I think maybe Friday will come and little will be accomplished.. Lord, please pull this together.
I am concerned for a few of my flock that seem to miss the fact that all of what we are trying to do is rooted in the Love of Christ his blood shed for us. They have a great discipline and seek to serve him sometimes more faithfully than anyone else but somehow they just miss the love part. The actions speak love until something gets in a strike and the next things you know the reaction seems to be more anger than anything else. That's not love and the end of that road is not grace.
Help me God. Help us all. Help us stand firm to make our community and the kingdom better than ever. We can work for something so much bigger than ourselves and accomplish something that others will never even think to try. I know God is hard at work and I just don't want anyone to miss it.

Pastor Dan Stevenson
newheightsfellowshipchuch.org
faacebook.com/newheightstoledo

wondering where the next miracle will come from

Faith
When you are walking in faith and fairly regularly seeing God do things that are almost to awesome to be believed except that they are just true, you stop wondering whether God will continue to remove barriers and do amazing things but. You wonder instead where the incredible thing will come from this time. You think, Well it has to be somewhere that will bring God the necessary Glory. It will be someone or something that there can be no other explanation except that God did it.

Needs

You may know what you think the need is but you begin to wonder after only a slight delay whether even that is correct.

Keys

I lost my keys last week, As I searched and searched for them I began to second guess myself as to where I had seen them last and how I could possibly have remembered things so inaccurately that I really had no idea at all where they might be.

Then I was searching even the most ridiculous places for the lost keys when there was such a small likelihood that they would turn up that way that I should really have restricted my search to those areas that made sense and I could not because I had lost the trust in myself.

Found

Ultimately the keys were found in a place where I might have suspected but they had been covered by something that I had not move in the original losing of the keys or in the finding and searching.

The bottom line is you van look and look and the more you look the more you are likely to begin to doubt. Soon you are thinking the thing may not come at all. Rather, I think we should focus ourselves on the things that God has done and His blessings and spend time recalling past victories in his strength. This seems like the best course and seems that we will less likely begin to doubt and we know what the bible says about that....

Thoughts on purpose

So why were we born? I know the text book answer for believers is to have a right relationship with God and while that is definitely a desired outcome I think it's just to simple an answer.

Then again it occurs to me that the actual answer may be just as simple and even more easily overlooked. Adam and eve were given the "purpose" and don't we often equate our task with our purpose? Anyway they were given the "purpose" of maintaining the garden.
They were to multiply and fill the earth. It is three purpose of the earth to be or place of residence at least for the length of our lives. Therefore it is our purpose to be good stewards of what's been placed under our care. Find a way to keep it and improvise it. Little differences become huge when you realize that this is what you were made for.

Don't like what has become of God's creation or your little piece of it? Work to change it. You are empowered by his to make a difference. If you have accepted Christ you have become an ambassador for him and not only have you been given the task of keeping your little part of the world under His care but you can and are called to recruit others to do the same.

When the world becomes filled with people doing this we will see the true purpose of crayon fulfilled just as we begin to discover our own true purpose.

It can be done in a myriad of ways. Some even seem insignificant. They are not. Do all things as if you do them into the lord means you can do anything that's not sun as if you are doing it for God. So do whatever you do to place the resources God has given you stewardship of under his control.

Make things go his way and you have achieved that which you were created for. It isn't always easy because thanks to Adam our wires got crossed. For have is the opportunity for a fresh start and having taking it we now are free from soon and able to figure as way to spend our lives glorifying him.

So let's do it. Let's submit our self,, or stuff, and our hopes and dreams to God. In Christ you can do it. You are not broken. In Christ you are new and able.

Thank God.

Pastor Dan
Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org

Needs Versus Wants

Thinking about needs met On the 17th of October I sat on the swing in my back yard and thought about how my every need is essentially met. I have lived on this side of the line, the line of having no unmet needs for a long time. In fact, it has been since I accepted Christ. There are just a few real needs in the world. They are the things you would strive for, ache for, if you were stuck in the mountains after a plain crash. They are food, shelter, warmth, clothing, salvation, and loosely, companionship. When you get saved you get the last two permanently. Overcoming evil My team runs a compassion ministry that inserts food and clothing into the lives of the needy. We teach them life skills and give them a place to reach out to when they are in trouble. We call it overcoming evil. See facebook.com/lifestationtoledo. If we are overcoming evil then these evils have been overcome in my life for some time. Still, at times I perceive that I am in need, though I now see that more often than not this is perception not reality. Desires So, then the evil that disqualifies me from absolute contentment is my own desire to have something more than what the Lord has given me. Do I trust Him or not? Now, I am not proposing we stop working for things, to change things, to make our situation and the situation of others better. I absolutely do not believe in a lazy gospel. What I am saying is that we work with another goal in mind. In God's kingdom things go backwardsly-yes I know that's not a word. Here it is. We are saved. We have a destination. Now, we should live accordingly to make our lives line up with our destination. If we shall be that way then, what manner of people should we be now? Born Again In being changed we find ourselves and our methods changed. Make's perfect sense. The more we discover this, being changed as we are changed, the more we are able to ferret out the perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 Man! God is so good. Even when I think I have an unmet need He is busy meeting my real need which is more of Him in me. Contemplate needs versus wants Stop and think. Which of the needs listed above are you lacking in? If you are homeless then do something about it. Let God help you do something about it. Let the people of God help you do something about it. Let's say you have food, clothing, shelter, warmth, clothing, and being saved you have salvation and companionship. Cry out to Jesus! Then when you throw back your head and cry out to God as in Psalm 56:9, do so not for the things you want that are not actually needs but for the needs of others who desperately need these needs met. It's time we got satisfied about the things that we should be satisfied about and got busy fixing the problems of this world. That would be His will done, His kingdom come. Pastor Daniel Stevenson newheightsfellowwshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Fogandmoon.com Think Again: Finding Happiness... https://www.createspace.com/4057159 How To Be a Great GM: Role Playing... https://www.createspace.com/3713325 Aubrey’s Run: Adventures... https://www.createspace.com/4009703

Is America losing the war on Terror?

Terrified There was a time when you could walk in your kids school, when signing in was requested. There was a time when you could volunteer simply by putting your name in a little book. If there is a war on terror then terror is the enemy. Here's the funny thing about being afraid. We say we are taking precautions so we don't have to be afraid when in actuality we are being driven by our fear to do the very things that will perpetuate that fear. Reacting to fear We hide. We run. We plan for ANY eventuality. We limit our liability and reduce our risk. We say we are doing all these things because it is the 'wise' thing to do but in reality we are doing them because we are afraid. We are afraid someone will find us or find us out. We are afraid someone will catch us or stop us from doing something we desire to do or find convenient. We sit and think what might happen and try to devise plans against the feared possibility rather than going out and doing something that will make a difference. Could it be that it is better for a person to die trying than it is for them to try dying? Sure it is. So, why do people insist on sitting around dwelling on, or to proactive enact such precautions that they lose some of who they are rather than to live taking the risk? Answer, Evil has proven itself as just what it claims to be. It has a sort of integrity about itself and a persistence. People will do that which will unsettle us and there are very real proponents of fear in the world. Buying stuff won't make you feel better. Fear sells. It sells anything that resembles safety. People pursue that ever-elusive feeling that you are perfectly okay and there is no one in the world that could change that. Oh, but it's a lie. One way There is only way to have that kind of safety. It is to invest in something untouchable. Jesus called it storing up treasure for ourselves in heaven. I have seen those who know that they are doing just that live as if they are not afraid. I now find myself wondering whether those enemies who hate Christianity, in their blatant attempt to generate fear in the world might not drive people into the hands of God. I suppose it would be more likely if the people of God were less about preparing for every potential bad outcome and more about sticking their neck out for Jesus. Sorry, bad guy. You can't touch anything that will affect me lasting. If you hurt my people I will mourn but not as the world mourns. If you kill me you will inadvertently give me everything I have worked for. In the mean time, I will live unafraid, out on a limb, taking only those precautions afforded me by scripture and safe and free. Are we losing? Are we losing? Have we already lost? Well, when people can no longer be who they are because they are forced to change. The person they were has become a casualty of war. The United States of America that existed before 9/11, came looking for answers after 9/11, and found living for Christ too much work or too confusing, has continued on its merry way, changing almost everything at whatever level the war on terror can penetrate the thoughts and plans of men. Free and brave C'mon, let's show them this is still America the land of the free and the brave. Stop enacting policies that overdo a pursuit of reduced liability. Stop being so careful that you hardly have an opportunity to talk to a stranger any more. Slow down a little and pay attention to what's going on around you- truth is you'll be safer that way. But, don't do it out of fear. Do it out of a concern for your fellow mankind. Then, do the most important thing of all. Let God decide the outcome of tomorrow. Trust Him. He's earned it. Pastor Daniel Stevenson newheightsfellowwshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Fogandmoon.com Think Again: Finding Happiness... https://www.createspace.com/4057159 How To Be a Great GM: Role Playing... https://www.createspace.com/3713325 Aubrey’s Run: Adventures... https://www.createspace.com/4009703

New Friends

Resting Alone I rest with mixed emotions tonight. It's been an incredible two weeks. We spent the last two weeks serving with mission teams from Mississippi. We were literally all over the city serving and spreading God's influence. We saw over fifty people make first time professions of faith between the two weeks, baptized ten this week and thirteen last week. We gave away thousands of expressions of God's love, looked evil in the eye and triumphed in many ways. We packed up our church's belongings and prepared to move out of our Main Street location, we built walls at the Heffner building and did a dozen other construction projects there including an awesome sign out front. New Friends But here's what's hard. I met people I really like. When you meet new people you really like and then they leave you, it's really sad. I met people with a heart that beats with the same beat mine does. 

This seemed to be one of the constants the last two weeks. New Friends leaving Now it's over and we are praising God for all He did. Still, some of these people I will not see again until we are worshipping God together at the tree in heaven. We may cast our crowns down together. We will give Him praise and in some amazing way that begins now, fifteen hours apart, our praises are united because of the character of the one we praise. Just the same as I sometimes feel inadequate to praise Him and He helps me, I now feel inadequate to let them go, go back home to their families, to their sports teams, to their jobs, to their friends back in Mississippi, back home. New Friends lost to time... This hurt runs deep. In a way that I can not explain it makes me feel lonely. However, in my loneliness I always find comfort.

 I am comforted by my family that stands by/with me. I am comforted by my church which is small in number but powerful in God's power. I am comforted by the ache in my butt muscle that came back while I was running my home run in my last regular season at-bat in our last regular season game, which we lost, by the way. I am comforted by the thought of the rainbow that stretched across East Toledo seemingly from the Heffner area to the Northwood Baptist Church Building area where we will be meeting for a couple of months. It appeared in the sky just as we were finishing cleaning up the block party that was our last official event on Main Street. I am comforted by the thought of a future slightly more populated with professing Christians and Christians actually living for Christ as they should. 

Comforted Most of all, I am comforted that I am not alone at all. I know in whom I have believed and I know that He is able to keep until that day, that which I have entrusted to Him. Jesus is with me although it does not appear that He will do the miracle of freeing me from using the spell checker and who cares anyway. 

The spellchecker works fine. To the mission teams: To the mission teams that are leaving to go back to normal, if, I hope, changed lives, we will miss you more than you can imagine. God be with you every step of the way and reach for New Heights in Christ every day! Don't worry about me I'll be alright. See ya at the tree! Dan Stevenson newheightsfellowshipchurch.org Think Again (A book to buy...)

Life Station Newsletter second quarter overcoming evil

“NWOBA Overcoming Evil in Toledo” “As an act of Love, the Life Station will meet actual needs in the area of food, clothing, Bible Training, Financial lay counseling, employment research/training, evangelism, and Prayer support. The Life Station will assess the needs of persons requesting help from the Life Station and will network partners and volunteers to meet these actual needs. The life Station will seek to overcome evil in the areas of poverty, hunger, ignorance, isolation, and Spiritual Warfare.” -From the Life Station Strategy Document In God’s sovereignty He has chosen to impact Toledo and pursue kingdom advance through the Life Station. Churches, individuals, families, and mission teams from across the U.S. use this powerful work of God to reach people for the cause of Christ. Pray: Beg God that He will continue to provide the resources necessary and the opportunity of fertile soil for the gospel to reach Toledo through the Life Station. We run dangerously low on supplies and are struggling daily to help those who come to us for help. Consider: volunteering, donating, or supporting the Life Station with regular financial gifts. What we can do together in Inner City Toledo exceeds what any one individual could accomplish alone. Dozens of people have accepted Christ this quarter. We desperately need someone to consistently make calls to churches and businesses to ask if they will receive a packet of information and consider partnering with us. A systematic strategy with developing action plans is in place. You can see the strategy on line at thinkingcrazy4christ.blogspot.com In other news: Ariana Rae Stevenson was born May 25th, 2014- a healthy baby girl. Pastor Dan has published a book entitled Think Again: Finding Happiness and Wholeness in a world of brokenness. It is available through Amazon and on Kindle, or by request through your local book retailer- Persons can donate by Credit card at Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org/store. Persons can like the Life Station at Facebook.com/LifestationToledo. Overcoming Evil: Specifically, the Life Station currently provides an emergency food supply for persons demonstrating need, Operates a clothing pantry, and provides emergency toiletries and job search help. All persons involved are offered salvation through Christ and encouraged to grow through training and finding a local church. We help hundreds monthly! When a man has nothing to eat, he becomes desperate. When a man has no clothing, he becomes desperate. When a man has no knowledge of the Lord he becomes desperate. When a man has no hope of employment he becomes desperate. When a man can not provide for his family and his children begin to cry, he becomes desperate. Overcoming evil is about doing the good to triumph over the enemy’s attempt to make men desperate. True hope is found in Jesus and about that I pray we will never sit down and shut up. Wherever you are, whenever you are, whoever, you are, get in the fight. …….Romans 12:21 Facebook.com/lifestationtoledo newheightsfellowshipchurch.org Buy Think Again

Strategy continued for Overcoming Evil (Life Station)

Food The life Station will provide an emergency food supply to those requesting it. We will serve 43609 at a worship service. We will maintain scheduled hours in which referrals may come to receive help. These referral s will be accepted in written form from any government agency or faith-based organization. We will maintain policies to control the flow of resources and to ensure consistent service across demographics. • Food Service, • Emergency food bags • Food Bank Partnership • Referral letters • “Empuzzlement” Partnership • Records • Transportation of supplies • Lead Staff member • Donations Clothing Distribution Life Station will operate a clothing pantry. The clothing pantry will be available to persons coming by referral and to the neighborhood at a designated time. Policies will be put in place to ensure that persons coming to utilize the clothing pantry are not abusing it and that persons have equal opportunity to receive aid from the pantry across demographics. A devotion or short lesson will be presented at the beginning of open time for the pantry. • Clothing Donations • Lead Volunteer • Opening Devotions • Volunteers • Referrals • Sign-in sheet • Questionnaire Toiletries Distribution Life Station will distribute toiletries when they are available. Persons receiving referrals, persons expressing a need, and persons receiving a food supply will be eligible to receive toiletries. The toiletries will be limited in the case of recurring customers to every other month and will be limited by supplies on hand. • Toiletries bags • Records • Donations • Toothpaste, Shampoo, Soap, Toilet paper, deodorant, toothbrushes • Partnerships   Bible Teaching The Life Station will endeavor to make available, teach the meaning of, and live out the principles of God’s word. Volunteers and staff will demonstrate and when possible instill these principles in others. We will treat the truths of scripture as a reality that is not always accepted or understood but is always real regardless of ignorance or distrust. • Mail-in Bible Study (ARM) • Occasional Seminars • Facilities usage • Distribution of Bibles • Baptismal services • Local preachers for sermons • Lay Counseling • Bible memorization (monthly) • Testimonials • Tracks • Printed circulation • What’s your question? Worship The Life Station will host a worship service weekly. When possible, this worship will utilize live vocals and instruments. Volunteers and staff worship leaders will lead those attending the service to worship. Persons will be required to participate in a non-obtrusive way say that others may worship. When possible resources will be devoted to enhance this worship experience. • Vocalists • Instruments • Chairs • Clean sanctuary • Sound System • Bibles • Overhead/power point • Schedule of Speakers • Desk person/sign-in • Records • Reading Psalms Cleaning Life Station will maintain a clean work environment. The sanctuary will be maintained clean at all times in preparation for class, worship, or any meeting. Cleaning checklists and daily walk-thrus will be conducted by volunteers and staff to ensure that the building remains in a welcoming state. • Volunteers • Checklists • Walk-thrus • Organization • Labeling • Clear floors • Wet Floor signs Curb Appeal Life Station will maintain an attractive, outside the building presence in the community. The color scheme, signage, weeds, sidewalks, lawn, and overall condition of the building will be included in this initiative. • Maintenance checklist • Yard work Check list • Lawn Care equipment • Shed Maintained • Arrange for Lawn mowing Services • Professional Looking Signage • Regular walk around Building Maintenance Life Station will maintain and improve the facility located at 402 South as well as the houses owned by Life Station. Maintaining the Building will be seen as necessary to the ongoing function and the continuing existence of the Life Station. Maintaining improving the building will also serve to make persons using the Life Station have a successful experience, removing barriers to their willingness and ability to listen. • Maintenance Check list • Lead Staff Member • Walk-Thrus Scheduled • Repairs needed list • Improvements possible checklist • Tools • Supplies • Workbench • Volunteer profile Network Volunteers Life Station will research, enlist, and organize volunteers from all walks of life. Life station will maintain an active volunteer list which will include those who have offered to volunteer, who have volunteered successfully in the last sixty days, and inactive volunteers being those who volunteered previously and have not recently. The list will contain enough information about the volunteer to further their ability to volunteer and the staff’s ability to relate to them while doing so. • Recent Volunteer list • Master Volunteer list • Activities available list • Records • Lead Staff member • Possible sources of Volunteers list • Volunteer information packet • Volunteer sign-in sheet • Volunteer Registration packet • Volunteer Profile maintained • Volunteer appreciation plan/log Network Financial Partners Life Station will draw together and make best use of Financial partners. Life station will handle banking practices with integrity and honesty. Life Station will inform partners (see communication,) will continually solicit new partnerships (see research,) will flow finances to the ministry as efficiently as possible (see budgeting.) • Partnership Packet • Association reporting • Newsletter article • Secretary • Budget • Email Blasts • Mailings • On-line research • Telephone scripts • Monthly/Quarterly/Yearly Financial Review Budgeting Life Station will engage in Strategic planning of Finances. The budget will attempt to plan for Finances donated, take into account community needs, and redistribute resources as necessary to avoid any financial hurdles. • Budget • Monthly Statement • Food Funds account assessment • Secretary • Director Communications Life Station will accurately communicate details of the ministry. The communications will be scheduled, formatted, and maintained in order to inform partners, potential partners, clients, community members, staff, and volunteers of needs, current affairs, opportunities for involvement, and shifts in available resources, training opportunities, and more. • Monthly reports to SCBO/NAMB • Monthly reports to director • Monthly reports to Leadership Council • Monthly newsletter internal • Quarterly newsletter external • Quarterly newsletter association • Partnership packet-possible new • Partnership Packet-ongoing • Needs list-ongoing • Research-Who has interest • Recorded testimonies • Written testimonies • Updates to agencies • Appreciation efforts • Master partner list • Business Cards • Flyers-partnership • Appeal letter • Website Research community resources Life Station will maintain a database of available community resources. These will include resources that clients may have need of and resources that Life Station may have need of. This master list of resources will be updated frequently and made available to clients who have needs. The portion of the list addressing needs that may be used by Life Station will be accessed to gather resources to further this strategy. • Community Resource List- Separated by criteria of use • Research • Phone Calls • Contacts • Follow-up • Check back on every list on the resource bi-annually Research possible partnerships Life Station will be continually researching additional partnerships. Partners may include anyone who wishes to add resources to support the strategy. The Life Station will not forego any portion of this strategy (especially not preaching/teaching the gospel) in order to enlist a partner. The Life Station will promote its tax exempt status as a benefit to those considering donating. Life Station will break partner research down into several subcategories: Past Financial partner, Current Financial partner, Potential financial partner, Past Resource partner, Current resource partner, Potential Resource partner, Past Manpower partner, Current manpower partner, Potential manpower partner, Past Prayer partner, Current prayer partner, Potential prayer partner. A profile will be maintained on every partner to aid staff in relating to the partner and promoting life station to the partner. • Partnership agreement • Phone calls • Email blast • Website • Internet Research • Personal visits • Ask: Who do you know who? • Communications (as above) • Partnership Profile • Records • Master partnership list • Segmented Partnership list Future Direction and Possibilities We own a house that needs torn down. We own the land sufficient to build a community center. We would like to start a second food service. We would like to hire more staff, equip more volunteers, plant another church out of the Life Station (Meetings begun 11/2013), and win more souls to Jesus! We would like to expand our regular teaching opportunities to include more times, material, and people. Facebook.com/Lifestationtoledo Buy Think Again: Finding Wholeness and Happiness in a World of Brokenness Daniel Stevenson

Strategy for Overcoming Evil Summary (Life Station)

Life Station Strategy Outline Overcoming Evil by Meeting Actual needs Meeting Perceived Needs Evangelism in Toledo Overcoming Evil by Meeting Actual Needs As an act of Love, the Life Station will meet actual needs in the area of food, clothing, Bible Training, Financial lay counseling, employment research/training, evangelism, Life Coaching, and Prayer support. The Life Station will assess the needs of persons requesting help from the Life Station and will network partners and volunteers to meet these actual needs. The life Station will seek to overcome evil in the areas of poverty, hunger, ignorance, isolation, and Spiritual Warfare. Overcoming Evil by Meeting Perceived Needs We recognize that needs may be presented that are not actual needs and may not be able to be confirmed. It is our intention to meet these “perceived needs” whenever confirmation is not possible and resources persist. In this fashion we hope to gain an audience for the gospel as might be the case with the meeting of actual needs. We know that persons presenting needs that may not be confirmed are doing so because they have actual needs even if these actual needs may not be confirmed and so we will be overcoming evil in meeting their perceived needs even if we are not able in the time we have with them to assess and meet their actual needs. Overcoming Evil with evangelism: Spreading the good news of Jesus Christ is the primary way in which God’s people may overcome evil. Ignorance of the truths of the gospel makes it difficult for persons to respond to these truths. How will they believe if they do not hear? The Life Station will make every effort to distribute, preach, teach, and emphasize the word of God especially the unifying theme of salvation through Jesus Christ. Life Station ministry must be thought of as a diverse set of ministries originating in love. These love-based ministries will be the ongoing, everyday efforts of God’s people to overcome Evil in Toledo. They are listed and detailed on the pages that follow. They may change from time to time or the methods used will change from time to time but the focus will remain the same.   facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Buy ThinkAgain

1 COR 13 paraphrase as quoted by Ernest C. Reisinger

Though I speak with the tongues of scholarship, and though I use approved methods of education, and fail to win other to Christ, or build them up in Christian character, I am become as the moan of the wind in the Syrian desert. And though I have the best of methods and understand all mysteries of religious psychology, and though I have all biblical knowledge, and lose not myself in the task of winning others to Christ, I become as a cloud of mist in an open sea. And though I read all Sunday school literature, and attend Sunday school conventions, institutes, and summer school, and yet am satisfied with less than winning souls to Christ and establishing others in Christian character and service, it profiteth nothing. The soul-winning servant the character-building servant, suffereth long and is kind; He envieth not others who are free from the servant’s task; he vaunteth not himself, is not puffed up with intellectual pride. Such a servant doth not behave himself unseemly between Sundays, seeketh not his own comfort, is not easily provoked. Beareth all things, beleiveth all things, hopeth all things. And now abide knowledge, methods, the Message, these three: But the greatest of all these is the Message. Pastor Daniel Stevenson New Heights Fellowship Life Station Toledo newheightsfellowshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo

No Pain No Gain

No Pain, No Gain Hurts When you lose something it feels like death. When you lose something with no obvious way of getting it back it feels like death. When things get out of control it feels like death. When your dreams begin to shiver and shake and drift into the realm of definitely unachievable it feels like death. When the one you love says they do not love you in that way it feels like death. When your pain just won't go away it feels like death. When your pain returns again and again and the doctor can't even fix it feels like death. When your "friend" assassinates your character behind your back or breaks yet another commitment it feels like death. It feels like death It feels like death but it isn't. It's life. Jesus said in this life you will have troubles but to the one who overcomes I will give the right to sit on my throne with me as my father gave me the right to sit on His throne with Him... Pain feels like death and to some extent one might say it is the death of an old you. But it is not death. Life Goes on. Life with Christ goes on for an eternity. Life without Christ becomes seperation from God and lasts for an eternity as well. Hell I know it's not the most politically correct of topics but what if these things that feel like death, they are just a little hint of what it will be like in eternity without God. Maybe the reason these things feel like death now for those who don't have a right relationship with God, is because they highlight or make us realize our state of seperation. Christian endurance It is certainly true that some have endured amazingly based simply on their profession of faith and their intention to live for Christ despite horiffic circumstance. In acts four when Peter and John are beaten and released after being told not to talk about Jesus anymore, they do not show signs of mourning their beating as if it felt like death. Rather, they praised God that they were considered worthy of suffering like and with Jesus. Indeed, later when Paul is accosted by resurrected Jesus on road to Damascus, Jesus says, "Paul why do you persecute me?" In this way, He equated His suffering with the suffering of His followers. James says, "Consider it pure joy mmy brothers when you face all manner of trials..." as if to say that we should actually be grateful for the persecutions and the tempations of this life. Dispelling the Lie So, these things feel like death but they are not. so, why do we mourn them almost as much as death. I love a line from Robin Hood with Kevin Costner when Robin's Arab friend says, "You are alive. Quit your whining." I get it. I mean, it hurts. Jesus gets it. Man does He ever know what "hurts" means. The question is what are we going to do about it? I'd say, based on Scriptural precedent, when you're hit in such a way that it really hurts, get up, dust yourself off, and do what Christ would have you do. Pray for their forgiveness, tell them and everyone who will listen about Christ, serve, love, deny yourself, take up your cross again, and Follow Him. Overcoming the enemy The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy but Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Consider being affected in a negative way, in a pulling away from God or getting ticked off way a victory for the enemy. Consider remaining faithful, praising the Lord, continuing in His service despite the attacks, a victory for the Lord. So, the pain is real but the feelings that accompany it, the feeling of death, is not. Where death is not, at least as far as people are concerned, life is! And, life overcomes. That's what life does. So, overcome and work another day toward sitting with Jesus. If you trust Him and call upon His name you will never be put to shame. No pain, no gain. Daniel Stevenson, Pastor New Heights Fellowship Director Life station newheightsfellowshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Continue the discussion. Buy Think Again in paperback here or on your Kindle.

Excusing Bad Behavior

This morning my mind turns to considering the natural defenses a man has for putting forth his own way as the correct way. We do what we should not or fail to do what we should and then by way of seeking comfort devise a variety of schemes to cover the elephant in the room which is that we have sin from which we should repent. Defenses Excuses We excuse ourself by saying that there is some reasonable excuse for our behavior. This may well be the most common defense. We say that we would not have done it if not for a certain circumstance. The defense is plentifully available because in fact, it is true that we can not control our circumstances with any degree of accuracy. We can remove certain elements and make changes in an attempt to control our circumstances but many things still happen that are completely outside our control. Blame So, it makes sense then to hang the blame for an action which we are the author of on our circumstances. We say, I can not do what I am supposed to do because I am sick or I only did that because I was tired. I do those things because that was the way I was raised. Revenge This defense becomes even more potent when we use it to justify a specific action toward a person that has visibly wronged us or someone we know in some way. This can be essentially revenge or just a little bit of "justice." We say, " I wouldn't have done that if he hadn't done that other thing..." Ignorance is no excuse. We say, I didn't know. Ignorance is no excuse for ignorant behavior but it's a defense we use. We expect that our transgression will be overlooked because we were not properly informed. In fact, this is little more than placing blame somewhere else because we are saying that it is someone else's job to make sure we knew. Deflecting Sometimes we deflect onto someone elses faults. That is, not as an excuse but just as a focal point. Like a skilled magician we misdirect our own attention or, we think, the attention of those we care about by pointing to someone else's character flaws or weaknesses, their "bad actions" that are supposedly far worse or at least more urgent than our own. Seeing Flaws The list goes on. We defend our actions in our minds eye in an attempt to feel something less than flawed. Herein lies the problem. We are flawed. We are created in the image of God and still able to some extent to create and as opportunity presents to destroy. When we sin or do wrong of any kind it is an easy out to point at the cracks in someone else's image. It's true. Everyone has them. Their presence in every image of God, put forward by every person is hte reason God says not to judge. If you are busy seeing the flaws in the image you will not be able to enjoy the image. Worse, you will be very ready to defend your own flaws instead of dealing with them. Paid Christ died to pay for those flaws. No furhter excuse is needed or viable. That being said, when we placed our trust in Him we gave up the right to use these defenses. We agreed to address those flaws or rather to leave them behind to the best of our ability and when they reer up again we should not defend ourself in our mind's eye but apply our mind to overcome our character weakness. Repentance We should repent and turn back to God but instead most people, wanting to feel like they are ok, defend themselves and by so doing trap themselves in their own web of flaws. This is bondage and as long as we are willing to accept our flaws and not join Christ in working against them we are not free. Then you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free and whom the son sets free, he is free indeed. Free to be okay while recognizing our own failures and still pressing forward to the calling of God. If one died for all then all died and you are not that person any more and it's perfectly okay to see when that person is surfacing again and deny those desires, not defending that person but recognizing the enemy's attempt to resurrect that person. It's too easy. Don't you see? It's too easy to justify our wrong choices because it's so easy to see other people's flaws. Believe that you are better than that. In Christ, believe that you are made knew, believe that when you do those things now, which will grow fewer and farther between if you are engaged with Christ growing to be a better follower, believe that when you do those things now it is sin in you, not you that does them and that you need to once and for all put them away. No excuses, no defenses for why it was okay. It wasn't. If it's wrong it's wrong regardless. With God it is possible to once and for all put away that behavior that have been defending but you have to stop helping the enemy and start following the savior. Daniel Stevenson, Pastor New Heights Fellowship Director Life station newheightsfellowshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Continue the discussion. Buy Think Again in paperback here or on your Kindle.

Geourge Muller Quote

Before this time my practice had been, at least for ten years previously, and an habitual thing, to give myself to prayer after having dressed in the morning. Now, I saw that the most important thing was to give myself to the reading of God’s word, and to meditation on it, that through it, my heart might be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, instructed; and that thus, by means of the word of God, whilst meditating on it, my heart might be brought to experimental communion with the Lord. I began therefore to meditate on the New Testament from the beginning, early in the morning , The first thing I did, after having asked in a few words of the Lord’s blessing upon His precious word, was to begin to meditate on the word of God, searching as it, were into every verse to get blessing out of it; not for the sake of the public ministry of the word, not for the sake of preaching on what I had meditated upon, but for the sake of obtaining food for my own soul. The result I have found to be almost invariably this, that after a few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication; so that, though I did not, as it were, give myself to prayer, but to meditation, yet it turned almost immediately more or less to prayer. When thus I have been for a while making confession or intercession or supplication, or have given thanks, I go on to the next word or verse, turning all, as I go on, into prayer for myself or others as the word may lead to it, but still continually keeping before me, that food for my own soul is the object of my meditation. The result of this is that there is always a good deal of confession, thanksgiving, supplication, or intercession mingled with my meditation, and that my inner man almost invariably is even sensibly nourished and strengthened , and that by breakfast time, with rare exceptions, I am in a peaceful if not happy state of heart. The difference, then, between my former practice and my present one is this: Formerly, when I rose, I began to pray as soon as possible, and generally spent all my time till breakfast in prayer, or almost all the time. At all events, I almost invariably began with prayer…But what was the result? I often spend a quarter of an hour, or half an hour, or even an hour on my knees before conscious to myself of having derived comfort, encouragement, humbling of soul etc.; and often after having suffered much from wandering of mind for the first ten minutes, or quarter of an hour or even half an hour, I only then really began to pray. I scarcely ever suffer now in this way. For my heart being nourished by the truth, being brought into experimental fellowship with God, I speak to my father and to my friend (vile though I am, and unworthy of it,) about the things that He has brought before me in His precious Word. It often now astonished me that I did not sooner see this point, it is as plain to me as anything that the first thing that the child of God has to do morning by morning is to obtain food for his inner man. Now what is food for the inner man? Not prayer, but the word of God; and here again, not the simple reading of the word of God so that it only passes through our minds as water passes through a pipe, but considering what we read, pondering over it and applying it to our hearts. When we pray we speak to God. Now prayer, in order to be continued for any length of time in any other than a formal manner, requires generally speaking, a measure of strength or Godly desire and the season therefore when this exercise of the soul can be most effectually performed is after the inner man has been nourished by meditation on the word of God, where we found our Father speaking to us, to encourage us, to comfort us, to instruct us, to humble us, to reprove us. We may therefore, profitably meditate with God’s blessing though we are ever so weak spiritually; nay, the weaker we are the more we need meditation for the strengthening of our inner man. Thus there is far less to be feared from the wandering of the mind than if we give ourselves to prayer without having had time previously for meditation. \ I dwell so particularly on this point because of the immense spiritual profit and refreshment I am conscious of having derived from it myself, and I affectionately and solemnly beseech all my fellow believers to ponder this matter. By the blessing of God, I ascribe to this mode the help and strength which I have had from God to pass in peace through deeper trials, in various ways, than I have ever had before; and having now above fourteen years tried this way, I can most fully, in fear of God commend it. Spiritual Secrets of George Muller by Roger Steer, Harold Shaw publishers Wheaton Il. 60-62.

Alignment and Making a Difference

Clarity Consider that sometimes, indeed often, it is hard to move forward with clarity. We move forward whether we like it or not. We do what we have to to get through another day. We eat and bathe and whatever is called for. That's cool. It's necessary and there's really not much of an alternative. However, we do what we do simply because we do. Alignment God wants to align our do with our be. We are, as they say, Human beings, not human doings. The basic thought is this. If we are driven by the events that compose a given day we become reactionary. God promises something considerably more potent and real. He asks us to become worshippers in Spirit and Truth. When we do we become something more than driven by time and passage of events. Eternal and an heir to all the universe, the Lord makes us able to proactively walk. To change the world toward God's will. To MAKE a difference rather than to be made by a difference. Making A Difference You were made to be something more. Jesus new this. He new it and wanted us to know it. It's part of the mystery that men needed to know and were restrained from seeing clearly until Jesus paid the ultimate price with His life. Now it's done and we are enabled to see and act accordingly. Now, those who ignore this are without excuse. Accept Christ, begin to live for the Lord and never look back because the Kingdom of God has come on earth for those who believe and receive. Salvation is This. www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org www.facebook.com/NewHeightsToledo www.facebook.com/LifestationToledo

Daily sermon prep

Preaching I think one of the reasons a preacher might be forced to spend long hours in preperation to preach is their lack of a daily devotional time. I know that in most daily devotional times we don't memorize a lot of scripture. However, if you go over the same trails in the word enough times you become familiar with them. Devotions I think that almost any devotional can lead to a sermon. The problem is that when people are spending a lot of time writing sermons they mix their own devotional times with their sermon preparation and then before long their is no devotional. The question has been posed how do you know when what you are getting out of the word is for you and when it is for sharing with others. Sermons Well, it depends on the question asked I supose. I think if it is good sound Biblical teaching then it is for all of us. If you are a pastor then when you pastor the people God has given you to pastor then you should be drawing out of the sum total of the knowledge and wisdom that God has given you. Knowledge and Wisdom What's the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Well, knowledge is what you know and wisdom is sort of how you use what you know. That's a good enough understanding to realize that when you study the word for knowledge or you get only knowledge out of a session it's like charging the battery. Then when you need to preach the battery is charged and the draw is hopefully not more than the battery. This is why the battery must be constantly charged. So that the charge will be there. Its part our task to be ready to preach in season and out of season. Preparing It's also commanded not to worry too much about what we will say when we are called to answer before our persecutors. Basically, you shouldn't have to prepare an answer for them. Still, it pays to prepare for your next sermon. I guess what I'm saying is that you are always preparing for you next sermon and isn't it true that your life itself should be semron of a sort? I think so and accordingly I think that spending time in the word every day simply studying and "becoming an expert" is absolutely necessary. There was a time when I didn't feel that way. I learned better. Be in the word so often that when you think to speak, the first thing that comes to mind to answer with is, yep you guessed it, Biblical. Thinking like God This writing, the Bible reveals much about the way that God thinks and we should train ourselves to match that course to the best of our ability and with His help get the job done. Don't spend so much time studying that you can't do the work, but study so that when you do the work you do it out of the abundance of the Biblical wisdom you have gained by being in His word.

Tough Yards

Tough Yards Life was never going to be easy. Something in us longs for that easy sort of life. The American Dream There was a time in America where the concept of the American dream had become very real. People who worked hard and found a niche were getting filthy rich and changing their social status tremendously. Rags to riches and then of course riches seems to equal ease. Ease and the American Dream Today, it seems the American dream is alive and well but people have forgotten that the dream is not a life of ease or a day when your ship has finally come in but rather a successful strategy for changing your situation. Freedom is not found in someone, some mysterious stranger who will bestow success upon you. It's found in getting the job done because you are working hard and living for God. Working Hard When you put in your extreem effort and trust the outcome to God you will go to bed tired and yet comfortable. Too much ease is not good for a soul. Too meteroic of a rise is not good either. God made us to work and because of Adam's sin we have to overcome many challenges in order to be able to do so. Think of them as thorns and thistles. You have to either navigate around or overcome them in order to plant a successful crop. Getting Sick So, you'll be sick-take cold medicine, take a hot shower, get as much rest as you can, but do not feint. Do what must be done. Successful servants of God almost never take the day off for illness. There are exceptions of course. However, your job isn't better without you. God gave it to you and being sick and missing it is still a sin even if you think you are justified. Is getting Sick a sin? Hold on! Did he just say being sick is a sin? No, but think for a moment how many factors you can control in Christ that go into whether you get sick or not. Bottom line is, if you are so sick that being there legitimately endangers others- Let's simplify, Fever and vomiting in industries where you are in close proximity to people or food, for example-then miss. Being Proactive But, where it is in your control, be aggressively proactive so that you do not get that kind of sick and if you are not that sick, but uncomfortable, get over it and do what you are supposed to do. People push themselves for what they really want and you need to really want this. be faithful and 1) Tend you body (Sabbath, vitamins, exercise, nutirition, sleep) 2) Make your "work" whatever it is, a REALLY high priority. 3) Don't give up without a fight-calling off should be a last resort-which basically means, it should never happen (almost never.) Take it from a guy who used to be a hiring manager. That's what employers are looking for. Take it from a pastor, but more importantly, take it from God's word-James 4:17 he that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin (Where's the excuse of illness?) Get up and go to work for God. Pastor Dan newheightsfellowshipchurch.org

Living a Plan (or else!)

Living a plan, having a plan, should we plan? Why should we plan? Adjusting the plan... I somewhat lost yesterday. I was very tired. Sometimes when I get really tired I have a hard time remembering what I did that day. If you are a Doctor and that is not normal please don't tell me what is going on with that. Unless, it's something that sleep, exercise, and vitamins won't deal with. Anyway, when I get really tired I tend to lose day segments. I think I remember everything that's really important like what my wife says to me. However, I can forget time spent on the couch and so on. Forgetting can't be taken lightly. Too much fatigue can't be taken lightly. So, I should have taken certain precautionary steps to recover and.....I did not. So, this morning fatigue declined into illness. Now, I'm sick and repentant. Repentance So, then I repent but repentance is not simply turning from sin as has been often taught. It is turning to God. It technically means to think again or to think differently. So, I'm thinking differently... Too tired to plan? Not adjusting to the new normal of your life as your life changes is tantamount to refusing to go on, so I'm thinking what the new normal is. Plans for me So, I'm thinking that my new normal includes routine and schedule and the like. Should we plan? I know my purpose with relative certainty. We know our purpose with relative certainty. So, I'm thinking what we need to do (barring specific intervention by God) is align our schedules and routines with our purpose. Since it seems that we should have control of our schedules and routines (under God) we should be able to do that. And if we do not it seems as if it would be sin. For him who knows to do good and does not do it-It is sin. James 4:17 So, Sherri and I (I always appreciate her bringing me along) are making some plans and scheduling some things so that we can make our scheduling and routines meet our purpose as much as is possible. Ex. Excercise together before the day begins. Scheduling things is good. Scheduling them at specific regular intervals seems more possible for persons who are at a more mature stage of their life (I'm really hoping this is us.) Just remember to say, If the Lord wills we shall do this or that. Planning I learned this from fasting: When you believe you should set a schedule you should set it before you begin it. Don't start and then debate the length. The enemy prefers you to debate with yourself how long your current assignment is that way at any juncture he can convince you to quit. If you prayerfully set the length before you begin you can stick to it no matter what and then afterwards determine your assignment and length for what's next. If something happens to make the continuation of the original plan impossible then it is impossible. If not, then finish or die trying. Changin the plan If in the middle, you would really rather quit or change course then I think you have to be released from your commitment by God. Pray. If He will not release you then stay the course no matter the cost. Think about the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed for the father to remove the cup but He also prayed not my will but yours be done. That's what we should do as well. IF God says so, stay the course no matter waht. That makes knowing some details about the course up front that much more important. Seems radical? I don't really think so. Pastor Dan Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org

Conscripts and Walking Dead in Spiritual Warfare

Conscripts Today, my thoughts drift to conscripts. I guess by saying that I am bringing you in at the end of the thought process. As a friend of mine is keen on saying-Let's back that truck up a minute... Bondage Breaker There is a group of young people in our church which has undertaken to complete Neil T. Anderson's Bondage Breaker study. From the very moment the decision was made I can see Satan working (or at least his buddies) to stop the potential outcome from being one of total victory. Of course, He and his allies are our sworn enemies and so this comes as no surprise really. What amazes me is the diversity of his tactics. It appears as if he has been hard at work preparing for this opportunity for a long time. Leaders and students Anyway, it was the allies, in this case the young people and the leaders that I was actually thinking of when I followed the mental rabbit trail to come up with 'conscripts.' It occurs to me that bringing unskilled warriors into conflict with the enemy is exactly like this. Conscripts So, conscripts were local, non-combatants that were rounded up before the impending battle and armed with whatever was at hand, usually farm implements or house tools but occasionally more sophisticated weaponry. They would be lumped into a unit and stood out on the battlefield to impress the enemy or to enhance the courage of the allied troops. Didn't usually work although occasionally, if there were enough of them or if tactical advantage could be gained they could make a huge impact. Surviving spiritual warfare Typically, the conscripts that survived would be a little better skilled for next time and if next time was soon they would likely be armed with weapons from fallen foes. In a way it was trial by fire and the death toll was always high. Spiritual warfare So, I was thinking how every single thing in life plays a role in spiritual warfare and how most people do not understand or believe that. What's more, those who do believe it often do not have a deep seated conviction and so will fail to stand their ground. Preparing for spiritual warfare I'm saying that those who are now being asked to prepare themselves for real spiritual warfare and to equip themselves by adamantly approaching a good Biblical study are more like conscripts than trained warriors and are possibly headed for a fairly high 'mortality' rate. That is to say, if something is not done then more will 'fall' in spiritual warfare than will be victorious long enough to have a major impact. walking dead However, now I am thinking about walking dead movies...Funny thing about someone who’s already dead and still coming, you have to hit them hard and often to even slow them down. For if one died for all then all have died... So, if these young Christians are sold out for Christ then they will survive-surely not without hits but they will not quit, surrender, or fall. That being said, there should be some fruit that would be measurable. For example, if a young Christian really is the walking dead (speaking metaphorically) then they should be relentless, diving back into the fray (reading , studying, encouraging one another, acting out what they are learning to the best of the ability, and so on.) I am pressed but not crushed, persecuted, not abandoned... conscripts and walking dead in spiritual warfare I guess it all boils down to this. We are not conscripts even if we are not as trained as we should be. We need to embrace the things of God and realize that if He drives us no power less (and all are less) can stop us. Praise God for the valley of dry bones has been brought to life again. Pastor Dan Stevenson NewHeightsFellowshipchurch.org afamilyofgod@bex.net

Excel at life

ON fire Living your life without absolute on-fire commitment is like reading a book to yourself without saying the words out loud. There's something missing. Oh, I know, it's the way people usually do it. It's quiet and they read. They like the quiet, even grow used to it. But the characters grow pail and the sound of someone’s emotions leaves the story. The words flow by. Especially the ones that you don't know all that well and mistakes become tolerable. In a way, I think it's because the desired outcome has changed. Were reading to see what it says and to determine where the story goes rather for the experience of the journey. Public speakers are warned to try speaking the written speech out loud and or practicing before they actually do it in front of people because when you simply read it in your head you overlook the mistakes and don't really improve your potential delivery. Read out loud That's what life without being on-fire for Christ is like. It just sort of slides by... It is somehow less vivid, even less real and some become very comfortable with that lack of depth-I remember an old song with the lyric-Drown me in the shallow water before I get too deep..." Self examination Ask yourself- Is that me? Have I begun to grow comfortable with a shallow life? That's not what God wants for you. He came so that you might have life and have it more abundantly. I'm telling you that God knows that we have a tendency to accept something less than the powerful life that He intends for us. People have been doing it since the garden... I will excel Don't. Say to God today, I will excel for you. I know that through Christ I could settle for something less than the life you intend for me just the same as I could shoot for excellence but I will not settle for less. I will apply the gifts you have made me steward of and I will follow you wherever you lead. Excel prayer for you May your story be out loud and in your face. May you experience life to the fullest. With powerful sorrow and even more powerful joy. God has made you more incredible than you will ever know but He knows and He has a plan...

Breaking mirrors, Swinging bats, and Spilling syrup

Preaching with Object lessons: So, I like to preach and teach the word of God using whatever object lessons I can dream up.. I like to get people up out of their seats to participate when possible and I know I have a few members who really like it to. I don't think there are any who don't like it. If you are one and you don't like it-There's really no need to burst my bubble... Caged enemy object lesson Bondage and Bars Anyway, this last Sunday one of the sermon points was "The same cage the enemy is trying to trap us with-he is trapped with...And we can use the bars against him. We got five or six people up to represent the bars of the cage and the enemy was inside the cage while the subject (Anna was representing all of us) was outside the cage. I gave the enemy (payed by Kary) the key which represented the keys to the kingdom (the treasure if you will.) As much as Anna wanted the keys she could not get close to the cage because I had given the bars permission to grab her and pull her into the cage. Even when Kary dangled the keys outside Anna could not get close enough to get them without being snatched up by the bars. Then, I took the keys and gave them to Sherri who was still seated by Anna. I told Anna that she could go for the keys and she went and got them easily. From her position inside the bars Kary could do nothing to stop Anna and the bars could not reach Anna. Anna had the keys and I then asked, "So who's in the cage now?" Object lessons and reality That's the way it is. The enemy-let's call him Satan is trapped inside the cage and wants to convince us that he has something we want. He doesn't. Bondage If we get close we just might get snatched up like he did. I talked about how some of the bars are laziness, appearances, pride, self-loathing, settling for less, and anger toward others. I say, not me. How about you? Chosen Last week, I started with a whole mirror tile that said invited on the back and I pointed out that evangelism is about getting people to understand that they are invited. When I flipped the mirror over, I asked can you seee yourself as invited. Can you see yourself here... Being prepared for your object lessons... Then, I had prescored the mirror and I turned and snapped it on the edge of the pulpit down to roughly two-thirds its prevous size. I am not superstitious. Anyway, I explained that some people reject the invitation. Thus the group was smaller. Still others, I snapped the mirror down one more size, are rejected by God because they "say yes" but do not live by what they "say." The remaining group is what the Bible calls "Chosen." I then quickly swapped out the remaining mirror piece with a piece that I had prepared in advance with the word chosen written across in red permanent marker. Then I asked, Can you see yourself here. I went on a few moments talking about what it means to be chosen of God and what that should look like in our lives. Teh Problems with Object lessons This hasn't always gone so well. Once, I attached fishing string to the ceiling tiles which was suposed to break when I pulled on it and when I pulled it resisted breaking. It took me several pulls. Just recently I used little squares of material and placed them in the back of the chairs before service. When the time came I asked people to "throw in the towel" as an indicator of surrender to God's course for their life. The problem was, the material edges were shedding and we are still finding little bits of material all over the church-little gold strings from the freyed edges. I shrug. The answer from God Once a long time ago when I was a youth director at ETBC, I got a game out of a book. The game was a relay where teens would carry bowls on the bare feet by stepping in a light layer of syrup in the bowls. They would walk, run, stumble there way to the other line where they would procede to clean their feet while the next person took the bowls on their feet. Right before the game I was looking for bowls and I got the bright idea to use stainless steel mixing bowls so that they would be easier to clean after. However, Syrup does not stick to stainless steel very well and the resulting catastrophe spread syrup all over the carpet in small droplets and I do mean all over. I got down on my knees and scrubbed every last spot with a wet rag. I did this without help primarily because I felt stupid. I decide to pray while I was down there and you know what God said back to me during my prayer time scrubbing syrup out of the carpet. He said, "It needed to be done." No, not the syrup, not the scrubbing, but the ministry. I may be a screw up sometimes, but the reality is that a chosen person's screw up is better than a rejecting person's excellence. Once, when I used a bat and large paper banners to represent breaking free from sin. I swung the bat just one time while I let others do it all but that once. Meanwhile someone was holding each side of the paper banner and the bat was supposed to demolish the banner which had the name of something that has the tendancy to lead people into bondage. It worked every time except, except for the one time I swung. I hit one of the guys holding the banner in the knee with the bat. The paper tore but the swing was off course and I clocked him in the knee. Well, he's still in the church today and he can almost walk normal now. No, actually it wasn't near that bad, but I'll bet it hurt and everyone saw it. I will not quit Here's my commitment to everyone who cares. I will keep screwing up for God as long as He wants me to. I will try anything and everything that is not sin to get the gospel out and to make it clear and understandable. So, watch your knees, I'm bringing the gospel. Is that Maple Syrup I smell? Psator Daniel Stevenson Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org New Heights Church, Church Planting,and Life Station afamilyofgod@bex.net