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By Mark Dehority
In a recent conference call with some men's ministry leaders, we discussed the overwhelming nature of God's assignments. Some of the tasks seemed so large. Often we feel so overwhelmed. We don't feel equipped or ready. When a man feels challenged to help the men's structure in an entire state and feels alone, it can be pretty overwhelming. How can I get this all accomplished? Who is going to help me? When will I find the time and energy? Is this really my calling? Will I really make a difference? Does anyone else really even care? Sometimes I identify with Mosesnot his greatness, but his weakness. God called Moses when he was eighty, an age when he probably felt the rest of his life was outlined for him. He could take care of the sheep, play with the grandkids, meet the other seniors for coffee every morning and stuff like that. Then God comes up with this plan and gives Moses this little task, "Go To Egypt, and bring my people home."
Moses answers, "But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh, and lead the children of Israel, out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11) God's responds, "I'll be with you." (Exodus 3:12)
Then Moses gives his next four objections: "Suppose I go to the people of Israel and I tell them, 'the God of your fathers sent me to you'; and they ask me, 'what is his name?' What do I tell them?" (Exodus 3:13) "They won't trust me. They won't listen to a word I say. They're going to say, 'God appeared to him? Hardly.'" (Exodus 4:1)
"Master, please, I don't talk well. I've never been good with words, neither before or after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer." (Exodus 4:10 "O, Master, please send somebody else." (Exodus 4:13) God explained things to Moses after each objection and finally gets angry with Moses (Exodus 4:14-17). Talk about irritating the boss. Most of us are not brave enough to give five straight excuses to our spouses. So God basically put the staff in Moses hand and says, "Let's go." (Exodus 4:17)
I can't find any examples in the Bible when God is refused and says, "OK, I'll get someone else."
When I have questions about the Bible, my pastor advises me to check what Jesus says or does. In one of his most human moments, Christ is in the garden preparing for his death and he ask God, "My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please,
not what I want. You, what do you want" (Mathew 26:39). Jesus questions God and in the same sentence knows and submits to His will. This is the example I recommend we follow. It is not by accident that this passage is in the Bible. We have a big God. We live in a big world, with big challenges. Our big God has some really big ideas, like; disciple the world, feed the poor and change your own heart. Throughout the Bible unlikely people receive big challenges. These challenges can only be accomplished by Him working through us. If we trust in ourselves the moral of this story would be "suck it up." If we rely on God, the moral is trust the Lord, as He says, "I'll be with you" (Exodus 3:12).
Mark Dehority, deployed staff
General Commission on United Methodist Men
MDehority@gcumm.org
A New Year
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
2012 is here. God has truly blessed us this past year in
so many ways. Now, we face the New Year with many
of the same old problems still ahead of us, as
individuals, as a Church and as a Nation; the economy is
terrible, people are out of work and we have to decide
who will be our next President. But, as we face the new
year, let us always keep in mind two things;
1) God will never put more on us than we can bear, and
2) God will never desert us.
However, we do have a responsibility, called
“STEWARDSHIP”.
Stewardship is using our TIME,
TALENTS AND TREASURES for the
“Glory of God”.
How do we do it???? First and foremost by PRAYER.
Pray that God will guide us in all things; individual
decisions, church decisions and national decisions.
Prayer is a powerful thing. Next we must get involved
in the church’s activities. A good place to start is the
Church Council. The Nurture, Outreach and Witness
committee’s need your help.
Look around, see a need
and go to the Nominating Committee and offer your
time and your talents. USE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS
THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.
Don’t just be a “Sunday Only Christian”.We need to be a re-united
nation and a re-united congregation. We need to let the community
around youand the world know that,
“ALL WE CAN TRULY
OFFER IS JESUS CHRIST”.
If we make this our motto
for the upcoming year, God will surely smile upon us.
Christmas Carol for the New Year.
On the internet I found the words for an odd Christmas carol. It was stated that it is sometimes sung on the Sunday after Christmas. It begins with these words:There's snow on the mountain and ice on the pond, The Wise Men are home now in the back of beyond. The Shepherd's have left us; the heavens are dumb; There's no one to tell us why Jesus has come.
But God's in His heaven, and Jesus has come to show every sinner he's welcome back home, To be this world's Saviour from hunger and fear, And give us new courage to face the New Year.
I hope that this Christmas season has helped you to have courage to face the New Year. One of the names given to Jesus was Immanuel which means God with us. He was with us during our Christmas celebrations and will be with us in 2012.
Yours in Christ,
David
Rev. David Smith
The Sistine Chapel
I was sent this link from the Nuture Committee. I hope you enjoy this upclose view of the Sistine Chapel as much as I did. I believe you could study it for months and not discover all the details. Click the link below and God Bless
Can I borrow Five Dollars
Every now and then we need a reminder......
A woman came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find her 5-year
old son waiting for her at the door.
SON: 'Mummy, may I ask you a question?'
MUM: 'Yeah sure, what it is?'
SON: 'Mummy, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the woman
said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'If you must know, I make $20 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: "Mummy, may I please borrow $5?"
The mother was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can
borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march
yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being
so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The woman sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's
questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the woman had calmed down, and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $5 and he really
didn't ask for money very often. The woman went to the door of the little
boy's room and opened the door.
'Are you asleep, son?' she asked.
'No Mummy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.
'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the woman.
It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $5 you
asked for.'
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you Mummy!' he yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The woman saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his
mother.
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the mother grumbled.
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Mummy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home
early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'
The mother was crushed. She put her arms around her little son, and she
begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should
not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with
those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to
share that $20 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace
us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel
the loss for the rest of their lives.
A woman came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find her 5-year
old son waiting for her at the door.
SON: 'Mummy, may I ask you a question?'
MUM: 'Yeah sure, what it is?'
SON: 'Mummy, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the woman
said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
MUM: 'If you must know, I make $20 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: "Mummy, may I please borrow $5?"
The mother was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can
borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march
yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being
so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The woman sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's
questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the woman had calmed down, and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $5 and he really
didn't ask for money very often. The woman went to the door of the little
boy's room and opened the door.
'Are you asleep, son?' she asked.
'No Mummy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.
'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the woman.
It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $5 you
asked for.'
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you Mummy!' he yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The woman saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his
mother.
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the mother grumbled.
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Mummy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home
early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'
The mother was crushed. She put her arms around her little son, and she
begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should
not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with
those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to
share that $20 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace
us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel
the loss for the rest of their lives.
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