Monday, August 27, 2007

On Vacation

I won't be publishing a blog this week. On vacation. See you next week!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Does Your Life Resonate with the Word of God?

I recently received an email from one of our member's, Jennifer Whitmer, and she wrote something that I think would be an encouragement for you to get "in tune" with the Bible. Here's what she wrote:

When I teach music, I wear a tuning fork around my neck. This tuning fork always sounds A440 (the musical note A above middle C). It never changes the note it sounds. Before I start a song, I sound the tuning fork to get my note.

Another great thing about the tuning fork is that is will make other objects sound A440 if they touch. If you place the tuning fork on a chalkboard or desk or guitar, the object will vibrate with the tuning fork and produce an A. This is called resonating. Each object has a different timbre (own unique sound quality), but it is still resonating the note A. Every instrument has a uniquely designed resonating cavity to sound all the same notes, but with its own timbre. A violin will resonate the A in different way than a trumpet, but they play in tune together.

God’s word is like the tuning fork. It is the “pure milk”, the unchanging way to life with God. We should live life with a passion to be in tune with God’s word, constantly going back the word and allowing the spirit to show us how to be in tune with the Word in every situation. Like finding the different keys and starting notes, our life is based on the one true note of God’s word and His character displayed through His word. Checking our pitch against His truth is “looking intently at the perfect law.”

When the true word is touching our lives, we resonate His truth in the unique way he designed for us to display His glory. Our lives are uniquely designed “resonating cavities” that vibrate with the word of God in the timbre He designed for us. The church is composed of all different timbres, but all in tune with God and His word.

We should long to be in tune with Him. Walking closely with him, vibrating what He vibrates, resonating His truth and grace and love.

James 1:22-25
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.

Monday, August 20, 2007

It's 10 PM...Do you know where your money is?

Financial stewardship couldn't be more Biblical. As Americans (probably the wealthiest nation of ALL TIME), we can get lazy in watching our spending. Disposable income has never been higher, but neither has personal debt. Household debt is 126% of disposable income and our savings rate is -0.7%! (that means we actually don't save) One of these days, we'll all give an account of what God has put in our possession including our money. Do you know where your money is?

Here's a link where you can learn ways to keep a better eye on your spending.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Relationship Incubator

If you are interested in deepening your friendships at Jubilee, getting involved with Family Night-Inn is a great way to do it. Greater depth of friendship can be experienced in one night than 52 weeks of "HI's and BYE's" on Sunday. Listen to what of our members Heidi Sever has to say.

Ben and I participated in Family Night-Inn by
hosting a married couple. At first, we were a bit
uncertain how it would go, but 5 minutes after our
guests arrived, all fears were forgotten and we were
having a great time. We hosted John & Kara Russo, who
we knew very little. We had a fun evening visiting,
getting to know each other and playing games. They
taught us Canasta. And they creamed us playing
Sequence. The following morning, we fixed a big
breakfast together and I taught John how to cut up a
mango, which he had never tasted before and kept
calling a papaya. It was a great experience and
created wonderful memories. We are looking forward to
Family Night-Inn again this year. It is such a
great opportunity to create and enjoy deeper
relationships within your church family.


So it doesn't matter if you have been at Jubilee for 10 days or 10 years, married or single, young or old, you can participate in Family Night-Inn on Sept 7th. Sign up on Sunday via your communication card!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

What Your Kids Must Have Before Going Back to School

You may have bought pens, papers, folders and so forth, but you may be missing the most important preparation of them all. You see, learning, completing homework, and graduating to the next level is one thing, but there is a greater test they will face (which we all face) that is a spiritual one. Will they make the right friends? Will they get swayed by the wrong crowd? Will they experiment with drugs, alcohol or sex? Yes, you can in part help to avoid these things through loving instruction, but you won't be there every moment of their life and our adversary is waiting for them around every corner seeking to kill, steal and destroy. But there are weapons we possess that are mightier than our enemy!

Consider Job and his early morning routine found in Job 1:5, "...Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them (referring to his children), thinking, 'Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' This was Job's regular custom."

Here's the picture. Job has some kids that are not always in his presence. Knowing the threat that is the prince of this world, EVERYDAY he makes sacrifices on their behalf just in case they might be swayed in the wrong direction. This was his REGULAR custom. The result: Satan couldn't touch them. Check out what Satan says to God in Job 1:10, "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?"

As parents we can learn a lot from Job. We have been given the role of priests for our children - making sacrifices of prayer and praise on their behalf. We would never send them to school without pens, pencils and lunch money - let's not send without prayer either!

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Free Table


If anyone is in need of a table - my neighbor is donating one. It's oak, round, and expands. No chairs, however. Call the office if you're interested. 314.832.9033

15 Minutes That You Don't Want To Miss

Some of the most exciting minutes of the week for me happen between 9:45 am and 10:00 am on Sunday morning. These are precious minutes for me because I get to meet people I have never met before - some of whom have never been to Jubilee and maybe church period.

What happens in these 15 minutes is such a big part of what it means to be the church. Showing hospitality. Showing philoxienia or "love of strangers". This can't happen once the meeting gets started and it rarely happens after the meeting because we are picking up our children and a lot of times newer people are ready to get home so we miss our opportunity.

Between 9:45 am and 10:00 am on Sunday morning are 15 minutes that you don't want to miss.

Friday, August 3, 2007

Be In the Know

If you are in a Jubilee Church life group, looking to join one or think you might be interested in one at some point in the future, you'll want to be at our next First Tuesday on August 7th. I will be unveiling exciting new plans for group life.

Be in the know!