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Artichokes Excepted
Monday, is our 2nd Annual Golf Tournament at Boundary Oak in Walnut Creek. It’s not too late to play, call us!! Monday, is our daughter’s birthday, and this year she is celebrating it in New York City. Monday, is also the first day of Summer.
I know, it’s about time. We’ve had a cool damp spring. Spring sprung for a long time this year, which was good for our artichoke plant, we got like seven artichokes off it and there are still two more growing, because it grows better in the cool and damp. But, artichokes excepted, we’re ready for some warm weather. So with Summer large on the horizon we are cautiously optimistic that the weather will at last warm up. But that’s Monday.
Before Monday comes Sunday, say “hallelujah”! Say it louder! Sunday is Father’s Day. How cool is that?! And I got a really special Father’s Day gift this year, Jason came home. There’s a bit more surprise there, but he’ll need to share that, so come Sunday and ask him, “Tex (that’s what his friends call him) what’s up?”
We will honor our fathers on Sunday. Come early, because as the band plays the prelude we’re going to show off some of our fathers and their families in a little slide show. Ahhhh.
And we’re going to talk about a father in the Bible. Not Abraham, that’s too obvious. Not Jairus, though he swallowed his religious pride and asked Jesus to save his daughter - that would have been a good choice. Adam and/or Noah, the fathers of the Human Race. I know God - the Father. All good ideas, but I found an obscure father, barely mentioned in the Bible, but in that mention he reveals the heart of every father, including our Heavenly Abba Father. Come see what I mean...
See you Sunday, Major Clay
Before Monday comes Sunday, say “hallelujah”! Say it louder! Sunday is Father’s Day. How cool is that?! And I got a really special Father’s Day gift this year, Jason came home. There’s a bit more surprise there, but he’ll need to share that, so come Sunday and ask him, “Tex (that’s what his friends call him) what’s up?”
We will honor our fathers on Sunday. Come early, because as the band plays the prelude we’re going to show off some of our fathers and their families in a little slide show. Ahhhh.
And we’re going to talk about a father in the Bible. Not Abraham, that’s too obvious. Not Jairus, though he swallowed his religious pride and asked Jesus to save his daughter - that would have been a good choice. Adam and/or Noah, the fathers of the Human Race. I know God - the Father. All good ideas, but I found an obscure father, barely mentioned in the Bible, but in that mention he reveals the heart of every father, including our Heavenly Abba Father. Come see what I mean...
See you Sunday, Major Clay
Are you listening?
3,808 - The number of times the Bible tells us that the next few words are from God Himself. If you were in church last Sunday, then you may remember that I explained the significance of this is that ours is a God who speaks! He not only speaks, but what He says is remarkable. "Be Holy." "I have loved you with an everlasting love." "I know the plans I have for you…" "Be strong and courageous" "Come to Me all who are weary" "I have set before you life and death, choose life"
In our Sunday afternoon Bible studies one of the things that we are learning is that God, at times, spoke in powerful ways that changed the course of history. But, every week in our morning Bible Studies and in our worship we talk about and worship a God who speaks all the time. Maltby Babcock, a Presbyterian minister and an athlete who loved the outdoors, used to say as he headed outside, "I’m going out to see my Father’s world." One day, inspired by this expression, he sat down and penned the song, "This is My Father’s World".
Can I point your attention to a couple of lines? The 2nd line says, "to my list'ning ears all nature sings." and the 2nd verse says, "He speaks to me everywhere."
I love that line. God speaks to us. Hope, help, direction, encouragement… have you heard Him recently? Maybe you need to "go out into His world" to listen. Or maybe some time spent on your knees, or just in quiet. "Be still and know that I am God."
CAUTION: if you’re listening, God has also been known to say "Follow Me!" and "Go into all the world!" and "love your neighbor!" I wonder what He has to say to us this Sunday? Why not come and find out for yourself?
Major Clay
Summer Fun!
This is a guest article by Capt. Wendy Parkhill who is the Corps Officer (Pastor) at the Ayr Citadel Corps in Scotland. [Webmaster]
Summer Fun – Jesus
A few years ago now we bought a tent on impulse. It was a bargain and we decided that we would give camping a go. Some folk thought we were mad to try camping with a young family but nothing could curb our enthusiasm!!! We went away that first summer and it rained the whole week! Everything was damp, but we loved it! The kids enjoyed the novelty of the tent, and it was just a great experience.
These days we still try to get away in the tent, and even if we’re not going away somewhere we will still put the tent up in the back garden and sleep out a few nights.
The tent has been up in the garden for about a week now and we’ve had two nights out in the tent. BBQ, campfire, the lot! I just love sitting round the campfire, for one when you’re near the fire the midges [gnats] don’t come near you, and secondly it’s nice and warm. We never got as far as singing round the camp fire, but we did toast a bag or two of marshmallows.
It was wonderful…11 o’clock at night, darkness had fallen, but we sat there, toasting marshmallows, still able to see because of the light from the fire, enjoying the warmth that it was giving. I could see everyone round the fire was smiling, as the light reflected of their faces.
As I sat, I was reminded that Jesus is the light of the world, but also that we should be the light of the world too, reflecting His light into this dark world. Jesus said: ‘my light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so that the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.’ (John 12:35-36)
I remember listening to a sermon some time ago where the preacher was talking about a bonfire and all the people gathered round. He said that he imagined that it was Jesus in the centre of the circle of people. He observed that those who were closest to the fire, had a light shining from their face, the faces that were a bit further from the fire were not illuminated so brightly. He concluded that if we want to be reflectors of the light of Christ then we need to be close to him.
Stay close to the light of Christ and feel the warmth of his love, repel the midges or the attacks of the devil, and reflect his light to this world. Live as children of light!
Shine, Jesus shine. Fill this land with the Fathers Glory
Blaze, Spirit blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth Your word, Lord and let there be light!
Summer Fun!
Summer Fun – Jesus
A few years ago now we bought a tent on impulse. It was a bargain and we decided that we would give camping a go. Some folk thought we were mad to try camping with a young family but nothing could curb our enthusiasm!!! We went away that first summer and it rained the whole week! Everything was damp, but we loved it! The kids enjoyed the novelty of the tent, and it was just a great experience.
These days we still try to get away in the tent, and even if we’re not going away somewhere we will still put the tent up in the back garden and sleep out a few nights.
The tent has been up in the garden for about a week now and we’ve had two nights out in the tent. BBQ, campfire, the lot! I just love sitting round the campfire, for one when you’re near the fire the midges [gnats] don’t come near you, and secondly it’s nice and warm. We never got as far as singing round the camp fire, but we did toast a bag or two of marshmallows.
It was wonderful…11 o’clock at night, darkness had fallen, but we sat there, toasting marshmallows, still able to see because of the light from the fire, enjoying the warmth that it was giving. I could see everyone round the fire was smiling, as the light reflected of their faces.
As I sat, I was reminded that Jesus is the light of the world, but also that we should be the light of the world too, reflecting His light into this dark world. Jesus said: ‘my light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so that the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.’ (John 12:35-36)
I remember listening to a sermon some time ago where the preacher was talking about a bonfire and all the people gathered round. He said that he imagined that it was Jesus in the centre of the circle of people. He observed that those who were closest to the fire, had a light shining from their face, the faces that were a bit further from the fire were not illuminated so brightly. He concluded that if we want to be reflectors of the light of Christ then we need to be close to him.
Stay close to the light of Christ and feel the warmth of his love, repel the midges or the attacks of the devil, and reflect his light to this world. Live as children of light!
Shine, Jesus shine. Fill this land with the Fathers Glory
Blaze, Spirit blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth Your word, Lord and let there be light!
The Real Deal
This article comes from our sister Corp's Web Site at Ayr Citadel in Scotland. - Webmaster
To be, or to do, that is the question….
(with apologies to Shakespeare!)
In my previous contribution to this column, with reference to the personal motto of William Carey, I urged the reader to ‘expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.”
However, central to any fulfillment in life and lasting use for God in the building of His Kingdom is the need to be the person that He wants more than doing what He wants.
As I write this, a quirky statement has come to the forefront of my thoughts. “What’s the best vitamin for a Christian? B1, of course!”
There are many reasons that we should be the real article.
From a practical point of view its clear that who we are matters more than what we do. This can easily be illustrated by the example of the person for whom we are always saying, “They do so much good and then waste it all by letting their true self show through.” Do you know someone like that? Their good work is lost because underneath bitterness and frustration exists and, from time to time, surfaces. People are, understandably, wary of these folk.
More importantly, from a Heavenly point of view it matters because, as we are reminded in 1 Samuel 16:7, “man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart”. God is never pleased when we try to impress others by our good actions. It’s a cheap imitation of how God intended our life to be – a life of fullness, rather than deceit.
The Scriptures urge us to “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” (Heb 13:14). It is in this way that we can be as well as do. Perhaps you may wish to give some thought over this next week about the ‘clothes’ in your life that you may need to take off in order that you can be clothed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Perhaps Shakespeare was right after all; perhaps it is just a question of, “To be or not to be”. Perhaps pretending is never an option.
Graeme Parkhill
