Growing Together!

I love this year's theme at Eastside.

The unity that we have in Christ is so amazing! I'm reminded of a pivotal time in my life, right at the end of high school. Laura and I sensed God's clear direction in our lives. However, He seemed to be leading us to two different Christian colleges. I remember being very confused. I thought that God would some day allow me to marry Laura, yet the next step in our lives seemed to be steps apart rather than together.

I'm glad that God, in His providence, had a plan even when I was clueless. I believe that we are happily married today "because of" not "in spite of" our decision to obey God and attend separate colleges.

During our time in college, we discovered that if two people are growing in their relationship with Jesus, then they are growing toward one another too. Just like two people in two different locations grow nearer geographically as they progress toward the same destination, so two people grow toward one another spiritually as they are conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. This process takes place progressively in each of our lives as we yield to the Father and His conforming work.

As a church family, we are growing together in our service to the Lord as well as in our relationships with one another. This is taking place because we are choosing to pursue a real, daily relationship with God. If you are new to Eastside or perhaps just thinking about stopping by, I encourage you to come grow with us! It's really very simple: just join a Bible Study group and get involved.

Who is your God?

Today, I’ve chosen to ask a very simple question: who is your God? 

I’m not asking you to take a look at who or what you may have substituted for God in your life. Although those are valid issues, we will have to leave them for another day.  I’m asking you to take a moment and consider your definition of who God is. I’m not looking for your “factual” answer, I’m looking for your practical, functional, relational answer.

Why is knowing God so important?

Jeff Hedgepeth said it well when he stated:

“What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

“Theology determines methodology!”

A.W. Tozer said that "The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God." 

Later Jeff Hedgepeth and Frank Hamrick say that “What one thinks about God will determine:

 1) How he acts

 2) What methods he will use to serve God, and 

3) What attitude he will have. 

It is absolutely imperative, then, that we have a proper conception of God as He really is.” 

So today I ask you to answer one question: "Who is your God?" 

I don't re-post often but I thought this devotion bore special significance.

Friday, January 8, 2010
by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

1 Peter 5:7

Worry is the act of distrusting God and trusting self.

How much time a day do you spend worrying? Have you ever stopped to think about how much you worry? Consider these statistics from a recent study on the focus of people's worries:

40%-things that will never happen
30%-things about the past that can't be changed
12%-things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
10%-about health, which gets worse with stress
8%-about real problems that will be faced

Most of the time spent worrying is spent on things that will never happen. Have you ever worried about a potential problem at work, a possible catastrophic event, or a supposed circumstance only to have it not come true?

I'm sure we'd all admit that we're good worriers. We naturally seem to fret over events that could possibly happen and how we would react to them. While planning ahead is beneficial, worrying about a possible event is against God's command to trust Him.

First Peter shows us a promise that helps in times of worry, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." Our job isn't to worry about what will happen to us, but to trust that God has everything under control.

God loves us and doesn't want anything to harm us, yet many of us believe we need to look out for ourselves. As is the mindset in our world, looking out for yourself and preparing for the worst is the only way to assure you're taken care of. Yet God teaches that because He knows the future, we should trust Him to care for us.

Hudson Taylor, a well-known missionary to China, once said about worry, "Let us give up our work, our plans, ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, right into [God's] hand; and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to be troubled about."

Worry is the act of distrusting God and trusting self. It is a statement to God that you know more than He does, and you can better care for yourself than He can. How foolish a statement! No one could ever care for you like your Heavenly Father. He loves you so much He offered His own Son as a payment for your sins. Even so, He daily watches over you and cares for you.

How much time do you spend worrying about the future? God desires that you would cast your cares on Him and forget about them. Let Him take care of you. The next time you're tempted to worry about something, ask yourself these questions:

Is God still on His throne in Heaven? (Psalm 93:2)
Does God love me? (Romans 8:35-39)
Will my worrying about this situation help anything? (Matthew 6:25-34) Am I trusting myself more than I am trusting God? (Proverbs 3:5)
Have I surrendered this situation to God? (Psalm 9:10)

Take time now to hand over your worries and cares to God. Trust Him with your immediate future just as you trust Him with your eternal future.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Pastor Paul Chappell has been through some very trying circumstances recently. His Son Larry was just released from the hospital after having surgery to remove cancer. Read more here. (Please pray for Larry's full recovery.) I think this post, in the midst of difficult circumstances, rightly pictures God's grace for us today.