The Land Between is fertile soil for meltdown. It can occur like this:

I am not cut out to be a teacher!

The situation at work is getting worse.

Furlough-but for how long?

The marriage had been unstable and now the pressure keeps building. 

I am so lonely.I cannot sleep.I don’t understand why this is happening.

Welcome to the Land Between.

The Land Between can be a place where we discover a level of vulnerability or instability we didn’t know we had. The Land Between is profoundly disorienting and often is where God can do transformational work. But, transformation is not an easy process. It is often confusing, complicated and can be deeply disturbing. Separated from what we always knew but unsure of what we are to become, we can wander aimlessly without direction or hope. Meltdowns can actually be a symptom of growth. It is God's intention for us to emerge from the 'Land Between' radically reshaped. But, remember, the Land Between is also the place where faith goes to die. How we choose to honor this Land Between will determine whether the journey will be a place of spiritual death or spiritual vitality.

In a season where social distancing is the norm, a meltdown can feel claustrophobic and like the whole world is crashing down around you and you cannot get away from it because you have no alternatives. Some people say they feel stuck--can’t move forward and can’t move backward. Others describe a foreboding, unrelenting feeling that something unexpected is about to happen and they’re unprepared. Inescapable pressure, anxiety or depression can occur. It can feel overwhelming or underwhelming. There is no map. There are no anecdotes. There may be awkward heaviness and spiritual burden. Still for others, a meltdown spiritually, emotionally, mentally can have a physical manifestation.

The build-up can have devastating effects.

1. Outbursts. Emotional or mental storms can happen when children (or adults) are overwhelmed by feelings that come out in inappropriate ways. They are sometimes referred to as tantrums or blowups and can be very stressful for everyone involved.

2. Pain. Any kind of physical pain: joint pain, headaches, digestion issues, back pain and mysterious body aches can be a sign that meltdown is inevitable.

3. Loss of interest. This is a sneaky but deadly attack that leads many people to turn inward, disconnect from others and search for something else or something ‘more.’ 

4. Distraction. Tricky but productive this is a powerful force. Cleaning incessantly, exercising too much, binge eating, spending time with inappropriate people or working on projects that have little or nothing to do with what’s really happening.

Get ready. It’s about to blow.

The Israelite complaint developed into exasperated rage in Numbers 11. How would Moses respond? Consider Moses' prayer 11:11-15. He is caught between the people and God. Moses is so discouraged and weary he asks to die rather than to continue on like this. Moses asks six questions:

Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.  He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? Where can I get meat for all these people? (Numbers 11:10-13)

The difference between the complaints of the Israelites and Moses' meltdown is the condition of their hearts. Moses has a completely different attitude. The Israelites are complaining about God--Moses was praying to God. Instead of stirring up the community, Moses turned to God as a trusted confidant and poured his heart out to Him. Exasperated, overwhelmed, and at a complete loss, Moses is broken and at his limit. This is often where the other negative voices come to the forefront. We might wonder if it is all right to question God and be honest with Him. Centuries after the time of Moses, we experience something similar with the prophet Elijah. 1 Kings 18 and 19 include the passionate story line of Elijah. He too finds himself in the 'meltdown' position in 1 Kings 19:3-5. 

But for GOD, this is a sign of trust and intimacy with Him.

1. Consider the desperate prayers of these two heavy weights as a sign of maturity, spiritual health and a reflection of their relationship with God--instead of thinking of them as spiritually immature. 

2. These prayers are included as holy scripture and reveal the breaking point of two great leaders and God's care and concern for them. Jesus invites all who are 'weary and heavy laden' and He will give us rest. (Matthew 11:28) Peter knows a thing or two about weariness of life and responds by saying, 'cast all your anxiety on him because he cares about you.' (1 Peter 5:7)

3. Crying out to God is a reflection of our need for Him and defies the statement, 'God won't give you more than you can handle.' Honest prayer and lament are crucial to developing a relationship of trust. They come from the heart and develop intimacy.

Consider whether or not you’ve experienced a meltdown. Were there people involved or did they witness you having a meltdown and were unable to process or help you? Think about your spouse, children, co-workers, friends or even a stranger. Be sure to make amends. Take responsibility for your part and be okay with the fact you were ‘not okay.’ AND include an explanation how God restored you. Just because you may have experienced a meltdown doesn’t mean you’re over it or have some reconciliation. But you did release some pent up energy! And now, be ready for God to speak and respond to what God tells you to do. Meltdown is a sure indicator of our human frailty and vulnerability. Confession, pardon and assurance are important for BOTH the reconciliation and restoration processes. I’ve included some questions here for you to consider as we navigate the Land Between and learn about meltdown together.

Part Two: Meltdown

1. Describe a time when you were on the verge of emotional collapse. How did you respond to the pressure of discouragement?

2. What brought Moses to his breaking point? How did he respond? Did he respond differently than the Israelites? If so, how? Describe the prayer of Moses.

3. Describe the meltdowns of Moses and Elijah.

4. How does prayer change things? How does prayer help or hinder us to handle extreme pain and difficulty?

5. How does God respond to Elijah?

6. Have you ever received God’s gentle care during a difficult time? Explain.

7. Name some of the images David uses in his writing Psalm 13, 40, 55 and 69.

8. Write your own poem, song, psalm or lament.

Pastor Jen

Welcome to The Land Between: The Land Between can be profoundly disorienting. It also provides the time and space for God to do the deep work He could not do otherwise. Separated from what we always knew but unsure of what we are to become, we can wander aimlessly without direction or hope. This space is where transformation and growth occur. It is God's intention for us to emerge from the 'Land Between' radically reshaped. The Land Between is also the place where faith goes to die. Our response will determine whether the journey will be a place of barrenness or spiritual renewal. I encourage you to read the book written by Jeff Manion titled The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions and to participate with an online or zoom discussion group. Please contact Kim_neace@wheatlandsalem.org for more details.

Week One

God revealed his plan to Moses and recruited him to deliver the Israelites from slavery.  All this is captured in Exodus 3. Out of slavery and into the Promised Land sounds like it would be a short trip. But, remember, slavery was all they knew. The Israelites lived in Egypt where life was ordered, food and water was plentiful and available, schedules or expectations were known and communities were easily identified. Nothing is mentioned about how long the journey will take or what they would need to bring for their new life. The Promised Land is on the other side of the desert. The desert is a place of erosion, depletion and separation. It is also where God revealed his plan. The experience in the wasteland was not meant to be a waste. 

We get to witness the Israelite experience from the inside in the book of Numbers. Within a month of leaving Egypt, the Israelites complain. Numbers 11 includes the unfolding of this dramatic episode. After being part of the Exodus and witnessing God's miraculous acts, the people start to think about the way things used to be and they complain. It is important for us to put ourselves within the Israelite community because all of us have complained at some point of our lives. It’s too easy to point out the failure of the Israelites to be grateful to God and ‘should’ on them. We condescendingly say, “Oh, those ungrateful people! They should have done better or they should have had faith.” Ask one of those Israelites to move over and allow you the walk alongside them on this journey. We are in this too.  

The ground in the Land Between is fertile for complaint. Patient endurance is what is desperately needed through this season. Godly endurance is born from the bedrock of trust and a reminder of the love God has for us. Complaint is anchored in the suspicion that God is not good which is why the Israelite complaint was not limited to the food but to the God who saved them and brought them out of the situation they were in. Israelite's complaint was 'they were better off without God.' Hardness of head and bitterness of heart leads the Israelites to abandon their faith and reject God. This is a dangerous position and leads to serious repercussions that include a response that seems harsh and out of character for God, a serious plague and death for some of the Israelites.

Consider when you’ve complained. It may be recently. Perhaps you thought to yourself, My life would be better without….a person, a situation, a relationship or something that you once relied on to the depths of your soul. What happened and what is your role in the situation? Have you taken responsibility for how you contributed, your role or your attitude? It is most important for us to learn from the Israelites what not to do when living in the Land Between. The ultimate question that will accompany us as we navigate through the Land Between is this: what does God desire for me while I navigate through this challenging season?

He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.” Exodus 3:11

Pastor Jen

The Lord’s Prayer has taken on a whole new meaning for me these days.

The Lord’s Prayer has become incredibly meaningful for me as I tackle each new hurdle and try to manage complexities that I cannot plan for each day. Never, in a million years, did I think about ‘give us our daily bread’ in the context I currently live. “Give me my daily bread" now means developing daily online content and social media presence while managing the administrative and ministry needs of the church with countless daily Zoom meetings, phone calls, texts and emails, staff meetings, outreach and searching for new ways to make ministry relevant to a multigenerational, multilingual, multifaceted church and non-church audience.

This opens me to the next phrase of the Lord’s Prayer: lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)

Tim Keller defines entering into temptation as “entertaining and considering giving into sin.” Temptation often occurs during times of worry, stress or anxiety. We might be tempted to despair or rage or respond inappropriately. There is always a deeper desire—think of it as an undercurrent—beneath the surface. If we discover the deeper desire—perhaps something like our need for validation, control, love, excitement or rest—we can treat the source not the symptoms and not yield to the temptation. Sounds easy…but oh, so hard to do.

Praying—practicing the presence of God—and asking God to ‘deliver me from the evil one’ includes being delivered from the evil one inside and outside me. The Accuser’s voice can be super loud inside my mind. The Accuser’s voice will tear me up and rip me apart in an instant. I need to be reminded…minute by minute…that the Accuser’s voice is NOT the Lord’s voice. And when I realize that my own sinful precondition to please people and try to find validation gets in the way of Jesus’ presence and voice—I get into trouble. I don’t sleep, I don’t eat well and I am stirred up worrying about scenarios that may never happen and I’ve wasted precious time that Jesus can use for building me up so I can reach out to his people.

'Deliver us from evil and the evil one' is also a request for spiritual and physical protection. Praise God for how he has protected you in the past—even up to this moment—even for the ways in which you cannot see and are unaware. Receive his promise fully that He has promised to protect you eternally. Ask for help—call someone you trust and share your situation. Use scripture when necessary to root out old sinful habits. Be specific. Be faithful. Be patient. Deliverance may not come at once—but believe that it will come in God’s time.

Personal Prayer Time

1. Consider the sins you struggle with—ask the Lord for the grace and strength to keep your mind focused on him.

2. What might be fueling the undercurrent of your temptation?

3. Pray—practice the presence of God. Offer your temptation to the LORD as an offering. You could say, “Lord, today I am tempted to sin. (Name the specific thing: I am tempted to satiate my anxiety with food, alcohol, binge watching inappropriate content or doing harm to myself or others.) I confess my sin and my propensity to sin. Deliver me from evil and the evil one. Restore my soul with your Holy Spirit and give me the power to overcome this temptation. I claim the victory in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

You can overcome…through the blood of Jesus Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit! Amen!

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Pastor Jen

Oddly enough, I found myself praying the Prayer of Jabez:

"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. " 1 Chronicles 4:10  

I remember when this prayer broke into the Christian world in 2000 like a Spring storm renewing the parched souls of the faithful. Bruce Wilkinson wrote a little book with a huge literary impact and every church I knew was doing 'round the clock' prayer vigils and pastors were preaching powerful sermon series dedicated to this prayer. I remembered how dedicated I was then to prayer and fasting while I was reading the book. I woke up every morning back then to pray and seek the Lord. It was one of the most powerful times of practicing God's presence in my life. And just like all other Spring storms, it dissipated and moved on. I honestly had not thought about it...until now.  He must have known that I needed this fresh infusion again, especially now as we face unprecedented times as we face our uncertain future together. I have been fasting and praying during this Lenten season. I have been waking up very early in the morning to pray. All the signs are there.

"Enlarge our territory..."

It was a faint whisper, "Pray it and mean it; and I will give it to you." 

It sounded absolutely ludicrous and I backed away from it. I poo pooed it as if I was asking for something I wasn't supposed to ask for during the most difficult of days of our country. Who am I to ask God for such a miracle? Wheatland has been going through difficult days. But, so has everyone else! Could we pray something as bold as this prayer and mean it? That God would enlarge our territory and make His impact on the world through us? 

Oh, LORD! That you WOULD bless us and enlarge our territory! That men, women, students and children would discover who you really are and dedicate their whole lives to serving you with their whole hearts! AND LORD, that you would bless us to be a blessing--meeting the needs of so many in this time of turmoil.  That God's will would be poured out to this generation and for the next generations combined. This is now my prayer.

Wheatland Online

Tuesday was a monumental day for us. The Leadership Team and church staff has wrestled with what God is calling Wheatland to become for the past months. Church as we have known it was not going to be the church of the future. Long standing traditions and very powerful opinions had us trapped--literally in gridlock. But, God spoke clearly to us in the middle of the Coronavirus chaos--"Get your digital approach together and reach people for Christ. Just do it." So, we did! We enlarged our territory!!!

We host a LIVE Wheatland Facebook Prayer Time every morning at 7:30 AM CST that reaches hundreds of people world wide. Please join us! As I write to you now at 3:45 PM, the prayer I posted this morning has been viewed 405 times and reached 875 people. Pastor Corey has been diligently working at our Oswego Campus to deliver the most intimate and impactful video experience he can bring. Michele Jenks and a great worship team will be able to connect with you in new and creative ways.

As staff, we learned how to post YouTube videos today during our Staff Meeting and we posted a great 'first try' so that you can stay connected. Kim Neace will be posting videos for Adult discipleship, online learning and Congregational Care messages--she's currently Queen of the Zoom! John Dudich along with Vicay Lauderdale and Scott Blanchard will produce our first attempts at worship videos tomorrow. We've turned our sanctuary into a legitimate recording studio. Our Congregational Care teams are reaching out to the entire congregation to meet the spiritual and physical needs of our congregation and Christian care is being shared boldly outside our community. Our Students and Children are already light years ahead of us--so what we think of as significant advancements are really normal to them! We are so excited.

We are learning. We are breaking new ground...dare we say...enlarging our territory? We need your financial support and believe God has still greater things in store for us. Give a little bit. Give a lot. Give because God has inspired you to do so! Give because you know it is the God-honoring thing to do and watch Him enlarge your territory too! 

Stay tuned. We have so much to be grateful for!!

Much love--

Pastor Jen

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Jesus says a lot about this.

So, maybe we’d better pay attention to it, too. The word ‘kingdom’ is used 126 times in the gospels. But, then it is only used 34 times in the rest of the New Testament. Jesus had a lot to say about the Kingdom and he used all kinds of metaphors and similes to describe it to us. I’ve listened to a lot of ideas and definitions about what other people think about the Kingdom. It can sometimes sound like a fantasy novel description or a Star Trek episode. Major religions try to describe what living the ‘ultimate reality’ will be and religions attempt to place their definition as the final word about the things to come and why we live in a certain way. I’ve also noticed the anxiety Kingdom talk can produce. 

When I do research, I look at a variety of sources. I can usually tell what political point of view someone has by the way they define the Kingdom. Some believe the Kingdom is all about peace, sharing resources and no war. Other people focus on God’s absolute control over all things, the power of the Kingdom and the reign of Jesus. I wonder sometimes if we just project our definitions and hopeful ascent to the leadership positions of the Kingdom. Perhaps you can identify with the mother of Zebedee’s sons as she approached Jesus to ask that He grant that one of her two sons sit at the right hand and the other at His left hand. (Matthew 20:20-27) “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. I agree. We don’t know.

We casually use the Kingdom language in our Lord’s Prayer like we know what we are talking about. Think about how many times you’ve said the words, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.” I’m grateful for the grace of God because I’ve said that prayer since I was a little kid not knowing what it meant. In many ways, I am still that little kid. I want to please my teacher, so I recite the Lord’s Prayer perfectly word for word. I get the gold star next to my name. But, then I go on to the next assignment. 

Here’s what I think. God’s character is to be trusted. He never uses the ‘bate and switch’ method. He clearly communicates who He is and what He is about. So, think for a moment about the Incarnation and how important it was to God to reveal the Messiah. Salvation and the Messianic promise was made possible through a single people group—the People of Israel. God spoke not once, not through a single special messenger and not to those who had special intellect to understand. God spoke clearly as He revealed His plan through an epic story that included millions of people over time. Even though we had never seen the God-Man, totally divine and totally human, we could’ve known what to expect because God told us over and over again. We need “ears that hear and eyes that see.” (Proverbs 20:12)

God didn’t invent some new way to undermine us in order to make us look foolish. He doesn’t need to control us or demonstrate how powerful He is—that’s real power in my book. God is truly omnipotent. Like our God, truly confident and powerful people don’t need to ’show and tell’ how powerful, intelligent or strong they are. Their character reveals who they truly are and what they are about publicly and openly. Not in secret. God is mysterious. He is amazing. He is revealing. God defines the terms and He employs grace. God’s grace is sufficient for us because His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9). Truly powerful people never mishandle the gifts they’ve been given. Again, God defines the terms. We develop the God-honoring vocabulary and vision when we allow Him to saturate our mind, heart, soul and strength. (Mark 12:30)

So, with the Messiah, we see clearly how God revealed Himself. This is God’s character. Why would the revelation about the Kingdom of God be any different? For the Messiah, He used the original model—human—and brought forth Jesus. For the Kingdom, He uses the original model—the material world and brought forth the Kingdom of God interspersed and spread out to include every tribe and tongue developing the holy multitude. (Revelation 7:9) Kingdom people are not to be separated but interspersed throughout this material world. The work of the Kingdom people is to show others what’s already been revealed and live in the tension of the ‘not yet.’ Kingdom people allow the hope of what is to come spring up within them. No secrets. Not confusing. Mysterious? yes. Other worldly, of course! Magnificent and ever-developing…always. And now, He includes you.

Here is a description that I found incredibly helpful from Tim Keller: 

In the future you have all these cultural activities going on.  Why?  Because our future is a material future.  The book of Revelation makes it very clear.  At the end of time, the end of history, we do not see us as individuals leaving the material world and going off into some ethereal realm, a disembodied spiritual realm.  Instead we see the power of God coming down to cleanse and perfect this material world.  So if you want to see the future of the human race, you look at Jesus after the resurrection when he had his absolutely perfect glorified body, but he could eat a fish.  You could put your hand through the nail prints and you could feel him.  Now contrary to everything you’ve ever heard through Star Trek, the evolutionary future of the human race will not be balls of light or points of consciousness.  We are going to hug and be hugged.  We are literally going to eat, drink, and dance in the kingdom of God.*

Prepare, pray and ponder this Kingdom focused scripture. Join us Sunday as we worship and build our Kingdom community. “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” (Matthew 13:24-30)Pastor Jen

Why prayer matters.

Think for a moment about the last crucial conversation you had. What was the topic? What made it crucial—the subject, the decision or possibly the deepening of your relationship?

I communicate with people every day in multiple ways at very different levels of intensity and content. For example, an intense conversation can be with someone who’s dealing with a personal issue or even wrestling with a spiritual matter. Light conversations can bring a ‘breath of fresh air’ to an otherwise boring and inconsequential morning or provide me content for a provocative Facebook post!

Our crucial conversations are intense and sometimes take a lot of time and energy—they can also last for weeks depending on how long it takes for one of us to stop avoiding the CRUCIAL issues. Crucial conversations are interrupted of course, but that interruption gives us time to cool off, get more information and become less emotionally intertwined with stuff that isn’t healthy or wise.

Prayer is a lot like these crucial conversations.

On the other hand, we can mindlessly trod through the ACTS prayer—(adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication). We can tell God we love Him. We can even confess our sins. But we receive no blessing and feel worse than before. We can even wonder if prayer really works at all. So this type of prayer can often sound like this:

     “Dear Lord, you’re holy and awesome! Please forgive me of my sins. Thank you for all you do for me and I will praise you forever, amen.”

Hmmm...not very crucial. Not very defined nor is it specific. No room for intervention from God and no room to actually work on maturing as a Christ follower. Is this the way your relationship with Christ is trodding along—not crucial, not defined and not specific?

Why does prayer matter? Prayer will change your life! But we need to be willing to have the crucial conversations with God and one another. We also must choose to surrender to His leading, apply what we hear and learn to improve our own lives. Specificity is key. We also need to trust God and allow God to convict us. He needs to identify what we need to change and guide us in how to correct our thoughts, actions and behaviors. Too often we insist on our own way and tell Him what needs to be done. See the difference?

We begin the Lenten Sermon series Sunday—Amen! We will actually focus on the Lord’s Prayer for the entire month of March. Yes, we know Jesus prayed. His disciples noticed there was something different about Jesus’ prayers. So, they asked Him to teach them to pray. Imagine the crucial conversations Jesus had with the Father and Holy Spirit! (Wow.) I’m also encouraging all of us to fast Mondays and Tuesdays through March. Justin Sommer delivered a great message Ash Wednesday by talking about his experiment with fasting. Yes, we give up something. But we need to also choose what we will fill that emptiness with and devote our time to Jesus. We have big decisions to make about our Wheatland identity and discerning our next steps as a congregation is one of those crucial conversations. Join me. Let’s do this well and give God the glory!

Join me Sunday. Let’s make this time a holy time.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 NIV

Pastor Jen

Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. (Exodus 1:8 NLT)

Contemplate this statement for a moment. After all Joseph went through and all he accomplished, a new ruler came into power that knew nothing about Joseph. This struck me to my core.  It is the deep truth all of us have to face. No matter what we do, how much time and energy we sacrifice or what we think is the most important thing we must accomplish...there will be a day no one will remember or worse...care.

What is important?

A pastor friend of mine said, "Our character determines our destiny." Let that soak in for a moment. All those Gladiator moments and intersections of holy things with mundane things make sense in the spiritual realm. They all count for something. Our character development matters as we develop to become more like Jesus and less like the person we used to be. If we are truly working on becoming more like Jesus, humility becomes the spiritual capital we invest in ourselves and others. Prayer becomes the essential nature of our being. We wouldn't do anything without checking in with the Father or first inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives to lead, guide and direct everything we do, say or think.

I think it took Joseph a very long time to develop the humility to allow God to work through him. I believe Joseph eventually embraced his humility through his experiences. I would even argue that Joseph was kept safely tucked away in prison until the time for his role in the fulfillment of God's plan arrived.  His entire journey is captured in Genesis 37-Exodus 1. The experiences Joseph endured and even flourished in had deep significance in the unfolding drama of the vision God gave to Abram. "The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

Legacy: what do we want to be known for?

Joseph was the second most powerful man in the world for a time. His name was splashed in every newspaper for decades.  Joseph was a guest on every talk show for years. Imagine his Instagram or Twitter account.  His story is one of influence and salvation. But, all of his epic accomplishments and story would not have any impact on the future generations of the Egyptians. However, Joseph would have an enormous impact in the lives of the future Israel and Joseph played a significant role in fulfilling God's vision. Isn't that the most important part--most influential in the Kingdom of God?

Let's make this personal. Imagine one hundred years from now, would the people who will worship at Wheatland Salem Church be grateful we thought about them in 2020? How would the members of WSC 3020 be influenced if they knew we prayed for God to ignite our passion now for what they would be like and how our church could not only supply our needs in 2020, but also be vital in the lives of those yet to come?

How does this impact me?

We have significant decisions that we have to make as a church. We need a God-sized vision for Wheatland Salem Church. I would like to challenge us to take the 2020 Lenten season extremely personal. Prayer and fasting is a primary conduit of spiritual development with our relationship with God. Prayer and fasting allows us to clear a pathway for God to speak to us and in an uncluttered, unpolluted environment. We will focus on the Lord's Prayer for our Sunday morning messages throughout the Lenten season. Lent begins Ash Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Both campuses will host services at 7pm.

Prayer and Fasting.

Practice prayer and fasting through Lent on Monday and Tuesday each week, beginning March 2 and ending March 31. Put this into your phone calendar, write in on your home calendar and tell someone about what you are doing and why. Pray and ask God what He wants you to 'fast from.' It could be social media, television, food, alcoholic beverages, sugar, chocolate, meat or whatever He says. Fast on Monday and Tuesday, sunrise to sunset. Begin your fast Monday morning and end it Tuesday at sunset. During that time, focus on prayer, scripture and you may want to write in a journal what comes to mind. Notice what God is working on in your personal life. I will too. Pray specifically for God's greater vision for Wheatland and our role to play. Don't judge what comes to mind. Give yourself permission to feel pain, hunger and even agony. Boldly ask God to allow you to go through whatever experiences are necessary so that you will hear Him and allow Him to develop His character within you.

Make your commitment public. Tell your spouse, family, friends and co-workers. Invite someone to keep you accountable. Let's see what God will do in us and through us. I want to be remembered, not for the accomplishments I was able to achieve but for the efforts I championed here and now that will affect those yet to come. Remember Genesis 12--God will bless you, you will be a blessing.

Pastor Jen

You wouldn’t believe it, even if I told you.

This is one of my favorite verses in the bible. It occurs in Habakkuk 1:5 when God was going to do something and the people had a hard time wrapping their mind around it. “I don’t believe it,” has been my response for most of my ministry. It was one thing to believe in Jesus and make him my Lord at age thirteen. It’s quite another to be led by him into relationships and experiences I never dreamed I’d ever experience.

I’ve told people that ministry is like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. The “up” side is we get to jump together—we do hard things together. John Dudich recently said, “Jen, I know, I just wish we didn’t have to do such hard things together.”  

I don’t know about you, but I feel like things have been really difficult this past year. The death of Grace Dudich a year ago, my own mother’s unexpected death a few weeks later, Wheatland challenges and the whole denomination situation has me praying diligently and throwing myself into the grace of God every day. I know that it’s during these difficulties that God is working and I can see how my faith has been strengthened. But, the pace of change and the intensity of the challenges has been relentless. So, I find myself wondering what God is up to in my personal life. If it is an erosion of my strength that He is after, I willingly surrender. So be it, Lord! I’m a pretty tough cookie but recently it’s been harder and harder to keep up the resilience campaign.

As I read Genesis, I discovered the Joseph story becomes more intense from chapter 42 onward. Just when I thought all of Joseph’s challenges and trials leading up to this point were perplexing and complicated, Joseph is confronted with his own demons as he comes face to face with his brothers. I can imagine Joseph running a multitude of scenarios through his mind about how he would confront his brothers. Joseph had some time to think while walking the dirt roads in route to Egypt, on quiet evenings alone after serving Potiphar’s family or while he was isolated from everything in prison. I can imagine him stretched to the extremes—loss, pain, anger, disappointment, depression, sadness, longing and possibly revenge. Joseph has become a friend to me. More than that, someone I can trust because he’s been to the arena.

The arena—what to look for.

I look for marks, scars, evidence of broken limbs, eyes gouged out or fingers missing when it comes to practicing Christianity. I sometimes wonder, what standards we hold ourselves to as Christ followers. We are commanded to first take responsibility for our own short-comings, failures and sins or what Jesus may call the ‘log in our eye.’ (Matthew 6:42) Confession is good for my soul. Self-mastery and self-discipline aren’t hot qualities by today’s cultural standards. However, they are essential for making any progress in our life with Christ.

President Theodore Roosevelt spoke at the Sorbonne in the Grand Amphitheater at the University of Paris, April 23, 1910. He went to Paris with his son Kermit, just days before—by way of the Orient Express. The speech emphasized his belief that the success of a republic rested not on the brilliance of its citizens but on disciplined work and character. Ultimately, the President believed the republic's success rested in the quality and integrity of its people. He told the audience: “Self-restraint, self-mastery, common sense, the power of accepting individual responsibility and yet of acting in conjunction with others, courage and resolution—these are the qualities which mark a masterful people.” And importantly, a democracy certainly needed leaders of the highest caliber in order to hold the average citizen to a high standard. 

Roosevelt firmly believed that one learned by doing. 

It is the best way to learn—by doing. It is better to stumble than to do nothing or to sit by and criticize those that are “in the arena” the President explained. “The poorest way to face life is with a sneer.” It is a sign of weakness. “To judge a man merely by success,” he said, “is an abhorrent wrong.” I included the famous paragraph from that famous speech below in which President Roosevelt expressed the standard by which he judged himself and others. It is also one of my favorite speech quotes of all time:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

The arena moment for Joseph

There are sacred moments within the Genesis text that give us an inside purview of our hero, Joseph. Let’s call them ‘arena moments.’ After an interaction with his brothers who came searching for food, Joseph overhears their confession of guilt and how they mistreated their brother. “They didn’t know Joseph was listening to them because they were using an interpreter. He (Joseph) stepped away from them and wept.” (Genesis 42:23) Joseph—my hero—needed to walk away and separate himself from his brothers. In my mind, I can imagine him walking out into the arena as a little boy all dressed up in metal armor that is way to big for him, carrying a sword that’s way too heavy for him…heartbroken.

Your arena moment for Joseph

You and I will have our arena moments too. I’m not one to sit in the audience. So, if someone is willing to go to that dirt floor, I will go too.  I will gallantly show Jesus my marks, scars, broken limbs, sightlessness and inability to hold a sword as tightly as I could before with a sense of holy pride. I’m not special. I am not better than the next fighter. But, I am willing to fight alongside you and go down together, if that’s what it means. None of it matters without Jesus leading us. I want to be where He is and I want to stand there right next to Him. Friends, I wouldn’t exchange one moment of being in the arena. My prayer is that neither will you. We share the blood, sweat and tears of all those who’ve truly worn the armor a disciple of Jesus Christ and fought battles of faith. When you look around you, you will notice like I have that we are shoulder to shoulder with a crowd—no! A multitude who are also willing to be there with you. And maybe with a laugh, we will all cross over to that next life with a story to tell. 

That story begins something like this…"you wouldn’t believe it, even if I told you."

Pastor Jen

“The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them.” Albert Einstein

How adverse are you to complexity? 

Life is not ever going to have a linear development line. No matter how hard you wish for it or want it—life is organic. It grows at its own pace and in ways we cannot predict. So, don’t waste your energy and expertise. The wishing and wanting is wasting your best mental energy and will be lost in the smoke of it all and ultimately disappear. There will be seasons with clarity and seasons of confusion. You’re going to be incredibly competent on one day and the next day lying through your teeth trying not to lose face.  One day you’re going to wake up and wonder, how did I get here?

Where is here, for you? Maybe you’re wondering about your personal relationships like your marriage, with your children or with your parents. You may be in the middle and the complexity of adapting to the needs of spouses, elderly parents or college aged young adults has your bank account wiped out and your emotional state is resentful, hurt and you’re feeling disrespected. Vocationally you could be all over the map. So, let’s say you’re really good at your job—and the others in your office notice. But, you’re the odd one! They all do just enough to get by, call off from work at the last minute and take ’self-care’ breaks which makes you absolutely want to vomit hot lava. Spiritually, the idea of solitude or listening for God is alien to you and you discover yourself thinking, if not saying it out loud, “I am just not into God at this point.” Maybe you wonder secretly, if you ever really believed any of that nonsense anyway.

I talk with a lot of people every day. What they tell me is that they’re frustrated. Frustrated with the church, family, kids, the country, politics, the education system, the current social issues that don’t seem to find any resolution and any number of things that are incredibly personal and important. So, I wonder: could this frustration be good for us? Remember... how you respond to situations makes all the difference in the world. Because what you may be wrestling with isn’t outside forces at work against you, other people competing for your piece of the pie or the so-called social demands of this world. You might be wrestling with your own internal definition of success. And the life you’re living isn’t the successful life you dreamed about or deserve. 

“Being rich is not about having a lot of money. Being rich is about having lots of options.” Chris Rock

Maybe your self-worth isn’t wrapped up in your address, bank account or retirement savings. Check in with yourself—be honest. Do you think of rich people with contempt or have certain attitudes about people in powerful positions who achieved financial success? When was the last time you thought about downsizing your spending habits to live on less or upscaling your efforts to achieve greater financial success in order to provide better security?  Did you search for another job which could put you into a new environment, but would ultimately be a lateral move…at best? Were you taught that making money was self-indulgent and evil? There is no nobility in poverty, friends. None. For those of you who want more, you know the demands that are required and deep down it can feel unsustainable and unacceptable to you. So, what does success mean to you? Where are you most alive? Do you even know?

I want you to consider something super important to your future and who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ. You are not here on your own terms. You are here for a very specific purpose. A purpose that you did not choose and you cannot define. The harder you work against it, the more tension is created. You’ll be frustrated and unhappy. Mental dexterity is a key for your success whether you’re working at Dairy Queen or Google. Options create mental space where you can think more clearly. God can impact your mental space with His thoughts and plans. All of the sudden you’re bombarded by the possibilities that await you and you’ve rediscovered the art of being curious. Curiosity is the springboard for creativity. Creativity is God’s very best attribute in my book. It’s what The Triune community does best—create. Look around you at Creation, do you see anything magnificent? 

What can we learn from Joseph?

I heard someone say that Joseph is the type of guy that could fall into a pile of (you know what) and come out smelling like a rose. Maybe. Mental dexterity and his ability to pivot were certainly crucial to his success. Joseph remained humble before God and open to options that were set before him. Joseph tapped into God’s creative power, gave glory to God and was successful at every level of his development—whether in his father’s eyes, with his brothers, as a slave or in a leadership position. The key to Joseph’s success had more to do with living into God’s dream and fulfilling his role in advancing the Promise made in Genesis 12. When faced with the opportunity to achieve greater levels of challenge, Joseph had a clear definition of success. Do you?

1. Take fifteen minutes to write down your definition of success. Consider what you are not willing to sacrifice in order to have money, status and power or to otherwise succeed?

2. Examine your relationship with money. Are you stingy? Do you stifle money-making abilities? Do you disrespect money?

3. Explore your reasons why you might be ambivalent or anxious about moving ahead; such as you’re in the wrong place or career or fearful of what the next step requires.

4. Your natural skills are bound to be less leveraged if you’re in a position that does not involve what you love to do. What do you love to do? What makes you come alive?

5. What is God’s dream for you? Have you asked? 

You are here for a greater purpose. Discover it.

“Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” Genesis 50: 19-20 NLT

Pastor Jen

“How can you be a ‘traditionalist’ and be a woman preacher?”

I’ve heard that question since I was eighteen. My interpretation has changed over the years. The first time I heard the question, I interpreted it as a personal attack. Dukes went up and I was coming out swinging. I really didn’t understand why or have a good answer. Back then I wanted to defend myself. I must’ve looked like Lucy from the Peanuts.

Many have asked. Doesn’t the bible say something about this?

I remember standing next to the casket of a lady I loved. She became a surrogate grandmother to me during the early years of my ministry. Her sons and daughters were fundamentalists who worshipped in a small little country church just outside of town. A long line of people came by to pay their respects before the service was about to begin. I was wearing a black clergy robe and we were about to walk into the sanctuary with the funeral procession. One of her daughters was clearly distraught seeing her mother for the last time. 

As she approached the casket she looked at me, straightened up, snapped out of her emotional state and said, “I don’t believe in you.” 

To which I responded, “I don’t always believe in me either.” Her shoulder nearly missed my chin as she wheeled around and huffed into the sanctuary. Afterwards, that same daughter approached me and said, “I don’t believe in you but that was the most Godly service I’ve ever been in. Please forgive me.” We cried together. She was missing her mother. I was wondering what in the world I was doing. Unsure. Confused. Anointed.

Catholic friends discover a mystery.

Great friends of mine were getting married at the Catholic church in town and wanted me to ‘participate’ in their wedding. The bride shared with the priest that her pastor friend would be doing part of the service and the priest agreed. It wasn’t until the wedding rehearsal that I was introduced to the priest as the bride’s ‘pastor friend.’

“Oh no, no, no, no, no, NO!” said the priest with his eyes wide open and a very serious edge to his voice. The father of the bride approached the priest and they spoke privately as they walked away from us and stood near the entrance of the church. The wedding party was murmuring. The bride was furious and the groom was sweating. I secretly enjoyed the whole thing as a Grinch-like grin spread across my face. The priest’s body language told the story. So, he and the father of the bride rejoined us at the front of the church. That aisle must’ve been a long mile for that priest.

The priest approached me and asked, “Which parts of the service do you want to do?” 

To which I responded, “Can I simply assist you, father?” He seemed to relax. “Sure, let’s look at the liturgy.” We worked together so brilliantly. It was absolutely one of the most holy sacred moments of ministry I ever enjoyed. Afterwards, we were all talking while the photographer captured stunning photos of the bride and her wedding party. The groom and the groomsmen were waiting their turn. The priest nudged me and whispered quietly, “It’s all a holy mystery isn’t it?” I smiled and said, “Yes, father, it sure is.” 

Jospeh gives some insight.

I learned a very important truth during thirty years of ministry. My situation is not as important as my interpretation of situation. A lot times we misinterpret experiences through our own emotions and want an intervention from God. Instead of bursting in to rescue us or to save the day, God will often give us a holy insight and a totally different interpretation of the situation. And he won't necessarily change the circumstances—God certainly did not change them for Joseph. But, he will change us in the way we interpret our situation. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) Sometimes God will test us by putting us into a position to see how we will deal with somebody who hurt us. How we interpret that moment has everything to do with what happens next and how much God can trust us. Often we think we are ready for the next thing or we believe we are healed up from a nasty breakup. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows when we’ve matured and are ready. The test isn’t for him…it is for us. God won’t ask us if we understood everything He told us to do. God will ask about our obedience. I don’t have to know it all or understand it all to be obedient.

Genesis 40 is our focus for Sunday. Read through it. Chapter 40 includes a game-changer episode for Joseph and God did something new in and with him. I believe we have a lot we can learn from Joseph about serving God, leading where God has placed us and becoming the man or woman God needs us to become for his glory and for his kingdom to reign on earth as it does in heaven.  See you Sunday.

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” Genesis 40:8 

Pastor Jen

“Your mom kicked me out of the house, Jenny.”

I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad came to the house where I was babysitting. He stood at the front entrance sobbing. I honestly didn’t know what to do. I just stood there frozen.  This was not a surprise. My parents fought and were abusive toward each other for as long as I could remember. My brother and I listened to their fights from our bedrooms every night. I remember one fight that was particularly nasty. I don’t recall all the details, but I do remember getting in-between them and pushing them apart. It was hell. I hated it. But, it was the only life I knew, so when they decided to divorce…I was devastated.

The lawyers got involved. My brother and I were asked who we wanted to live with. Think about that question for a moment. “Who do you want to live with?” The proposal was preposterous. I was probably 15 and my brother 12. I had been responsible for my brother his entire life. Or so I thought. If you ask him, he may tell you a different interpretation. But, when someone who I worshipped and loved asked me to make a choice like that…I didn’t know what the right answer could possibly be. I was a teenager who was thrust into a parent role I didn’t want or ask for. I didn’t know there was a lot of money and child support on the line. I didn’t know there was property involved. Inheritances that were part of our longstanding family story were suddenly missing. Insurance became a big deal. Visitation rights blew up. Residences were sold. My GOD! It was a stinking hot mess.

And then, we had to learn to live in that stinking hot mess. Holiday schedules, vacation schedules, after school care schedules and every decision had to be discussed with a mediator. My dad never paid one dime of child support. He learned how to provide the IRS with the proper documentation to prove to them how much he didn’t make. Savvy. Smart. Manipulative. Shady. They both were.

And…we survived.

There is life after divorce. That stinking hot mess of my early childhood and adolescent development led to a wild time of freedom-seeking and disrespecting authority in my own life. Living on my own, I was stupid and made a lot of stupid mistakes.

And….I survived.

I know now that Jesus was with me the whole time. Back then, it was sketchy. I believe He hates divorce. It wasn’t supposed to be like this—divorce wasn’t the vision from the beginning. Jesus replied to some Pharisees when they asked him whether or not it was lawful to divorce a wife for any reason. Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.” (Matthew 19:8) I could argue that God hated divorce as an answer—but when two people or entities are killing each other—they need a way to extricate themselves or they both die and their lineage right along with it. So, God invented a legal document. But, He never erased the heart break, disappointment and pain left behind. Healing requires a lifetime commitment. Maybe even eternal.

And…we survived.

I share my life story with you because I’ve been doing some soul searching. I am also dealing my own hurts as we try to navigate the waters of the next few months to General Conference 2020. I find myself sick to my stomach and at the gym a lot. I love my church—the Big C—UMC. I’ve been part of this since 1992. I have stories. I was part of the mythology and development of some of the greatest preachers' and pastors’ stories. How could something I believed in with my whole heart and soul ask me to make a decision—which one do you want to live with? Here we go again. I wish I could tell you that I am a wounded healer. (Henri Nouwen wrote a classic text by that name.) I’m mostly wounded. Healer…meh.

We will survive.

There is life after divorce. There is life after death. More than keepers of a story we are defenders of the resurrection faith. I know I put Church on a pedestal that it didn’t belong. Only Jesus belongs there. But, I believe in the Church and will defend her to the day I die. I took a vow--my word is my honor. I believe she can be radiant and beautiful. I love the Church. I made a commitment when I took my vow. No matter what—when I got married I would never make the mistakes my parents made and I would never get a divorce. Well, you and I can see that my personal story has deeply effected my vocational story. So, I am careful, thoughtful and prayerful as we take the next steps together.

I am a resurrection kind of gal…but if you see me standing over in the area where Mary Magdalene is weeping…it’s okay. Just let me be. Sunday is coming and we will all thrive.

“Now…Mary stood outside the tomb crying…” (John 20:11)

Pastor Jen

"It was the worst thing that could happen.”

That’s how many conversations begin within pastoral offices. Something happened and now someone is trying to make sense of it. Storytelling is part of the human experience. I discovered that everyone is a gifted story teller. Some people make a career of story telling. But, when the story is intimate and includes the details of their personal journey, it becomes a significant pathway toward transformation. Learn to listen. Be present and truly listen to someone as they tell you their story. Don’t judge it. Be honorable and accept your role as an audience member not a participant in the story, a coach or a corrector. Let it be a good story. “OOOO” and “AH” when necessary. You will validate the other in a way that Jesus Christ modeled and we are to emulate.

Storytelling 

Telling stories is one of the most powerful means that we have to influence, teach and inspire. What makes storytelling so effective for learning? For starters, storytelling forges connections among people and between people and ideas. Stories convey the culture, history and values that unite people. When it comes to our ethnicities, communities and families, we understand intuitively that the stories we hold in common can be the most important part of the ties that bind.

Good stories do more than create a sense of connection. They build familiarity and trust. Stories allow the listener to enter the narrative and become part of the plot where they are, making them more open to learning. Good stories can contain multiple meanings so they’re a surprisingly economical to convey complex concepts in tangible ways. Storytelling also helps with learning because stories are easy to remember. Organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that learning which stems from a well-told story is remembered more accurately, and for far longer, than learning derived from facts and figures alone. Similarly, psychologist Jerome Bruner’s research suggests that facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered if they’re part of a story.

Kendall Haven, author of Story Proof and Story Smart, considers storytelling serious business. Kendall states, "Your goal in every communication is to influence your target audience. The challenge is to change their current attitudes, belief, knowledge and behavior. Information alone rarely changes any of these. Research confirms that well-designed stories are the most effective vehicle for exerting influence.”*

Stories about mistakes and what people learned from them are a great tool for learning. People identify closely with stories. Ask someone what their favorite film or novel is and you will begin a fantastic conversation of discovery. You can learn so much from what another person values by discovering their favorite story. So, imagining how they would have acted in similar circumstances, they’re able to work through situations in a way that’s risk free. The extra benefit for great communicators who are leaders: with a simple personal story they’ve conveyed underlying values, offered insight into the evolution of their own experience and knowledge and ultimately presented themselves as more approachable. Here’s the best benefit—others who are inspired will want to know more.

Storytelling in Genesis

We are introduced to effective and magnificent story telling in Genesis. Joseph’s story (Genesis 37-50) moves from the ancestral history into the new generation. God made a promise to Abram, that a new nation, (ethnicity) would be a blessing to all others. (Genesis 12:2) Genesis captivates us with how the vision unfolds. Family tensions, natural disasters and personal challenges trigger a fast-paced and triumphant story of struggle, pain and resilience. We can all identify with the story in deep and meaningful ways. All of us have been betrayed at some time and we’ve all been disappointed by family, friends or colleagues. Joseph’s story has many plot twists and turns that lead us to consider what we would do when faced with such challenges.

Connection. Engagement. Stories appeal to all sorts of learners. Consider it the most cost-effective and risk-free way to learn. Inspiring motivation transfers learning that sticks in our memory and stays with us. It’s no wonder that God embraced storytelling as His effective way for His people to lead, influence, inspire, and teach. Read Joseph’s story for yourself. Plan to discover something about yourself and allow it to be transforming to the person you are to become. What stands out to you? Which character do you identify with and why? It may be your role to become the family redeemer. After all, isn’t that what Jesus did for you? Now, maybe it is your calling to go and do likewise.

“Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance"—Proverbs 1:5 NIV

*Harvard Business Review https://www.harvardbusiness.org/what-makes-storytelling-so-effective-for-learning/

Pastor Jen

How long does it take for a dream to become reality?

A great rabbi would shrug his or her shoulders and quizzically answer…"it depends.”  Dreams. Family. Challenges. Is God at work? We begin a new series Sunday that will focus on the Old Testament story of Joseph, son of Jacob. (Genesis 37-50) When someone other than God is the main character for thirteen full chapters of the bible, I believe it is important that we pay attention and discover things we may not have known were even included in the bible! We have so much to learn from these vibrant, rich characters involved in this story. Here are several things that I believe are important as we migrate through this text:

1. The purposes of God are at work in hidden and unnoticed ways.

2. As God works, we can discover how individuals and families can influence nations and empires toward God’s greater purpose.

3. God is at work in concrete ways of daily life regardless of our attitude or actions.

4. There is always a bigger story unfolding—it sometimes takes a while to recognize and comprehend it.

5. Joseph has no claim to the Messianic promise or line but he acts in a way that reveals Messianic qualities and gives us a concrete example to follow.

6. Joseph collaborates with God, the People of God and outsiders to live into the Vision of Genesis 12:2-3, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

The Promise.

God promised Abram that he would become a great nation. Interestingly, God did not say,”I will make you a great empire.” What we may discover in characters like Joseph or even Nehemiah, Daniel or Esther is their influence and how their influence changes entire empires for the good. We could even discover something revelatory about the character of God and the individuals chosen to lead during especially challenging times. Being 'second in command' of vast empires takes amazing savvy and wisdom. It also requires the greater work of God—often in hidden and unnoticed ways. God works in public, miraculous and inclusive ways to proclaim His salvation purpose, revealing His heart and character. God is good—all the time. God saves everybody and He does it through the actions of His people. Ultimate procurement of salvation and guarantee of eternity is fulfilled in Christ. But, there are many salvation stories included along the way to Calvary that include “Regular Joes."

I stumbled over the idea of Jospeh’s specialty in the midst of his family—the dreams, the coat of many colors and his rise to fame. I discovered my interpretation was probably more of a projection of myself onto Joseph than the actual truth about him. I like to be special—or at least thought of as special. Joseph is special, but in a way that helps us discover God’s greater purpose. Mainly, God wants all of us with Him forever and salvation is no joke—whether spiritually saving my soul through the work and action of Jesus Christ or saving an entire empire. In this case, from a great famine in the land. Joseph’s story is about feeding people. And so much more. I can honestly imagine Jesus standing on both sides of the Galilee feeding thousands of Jews and Gentiles alike. Everything we see Jesus do in the New Testament has already been done in the Old Testament. He confirms and affirms God and His character every time. Jesus states this clearly, "I and the Father are one."(John 10:30)

What can we learn from Joseph?

Joseph is part of a real family. He’s an example we can learn from and we can apply the wisdom to our own lives. He’s one of many included within a blended family. He’s got a blood brother and he also has step-brothers. Their father Jacob favored his two sons of his beloved wife Rachael, Joseph and Benjamin. We will discover that paternal ‘favor’ worked against the grain for the rest of the family and created more trouble than they ever bargained for. Interestingly, we will also discover that paternal favor worked to the good later on. I hope you discover, as I did, that God does eventually work all things together for good. (Romans 8:28) Timing is everything. Joseph’s story may help reveal to you how the same God who worked with Joseph is at work in your life—in the mundane, the daily routine and even within the tragic and horrific experiences, too. I look forward to learning with you this new season.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

Pastor Jen

This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel 2:12

The account of the wisemen who arrived to confirm the birth of the new king of Israel in Matthew 2 has long been a curious source of mystery. They certainly add a casual source of elegance to the Nativity story. After all, who doesn’t like a well-dressed man riding a camel to grace their table top Nativity? Most Nativity displays include three characters from ’The East.’ Scripture doesn’t mention three. It doesn’t mention how they travelled or from what region in the East they were actually from—Far East, Near East, beyond the Jordan? Most often, one of the wisemen is ethnically different than the others. I think the inclusion of an ethnically diverse man of color may be the evolution of social inclusion into the birth story—but don’t quote me on that. This isn’t the first time we hear of wisemen. As a matter of fact, there is a salvation story that includes saving the very lives of these learned scholars that I would like to share with you.

Wisemen have been part of the biblical narrative for a long time. They are part of the epic story of God and the people of Israel. Wisemen are not Israelites. They are Gentiles. It was normal for great leaders of the ancient world to have their advisors. Their inner circles included people of power, wealth and influence. Very often a wide selection of wisemen was included within that inner circle. Pharaoh in Egypt had his wisemen (Exodus 7:11), Ahasuerus had his important men, (Esther 1:13-14) and King Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, (Daniel 1) had his wisemen to name a few. 

Here’s what I believe is relevant to the story of Jesus. 

The Israelites lost of their love of God and grew ambivalent about being His people. The relationship was fractured. Their actions sent them into Exile. It’s almost like God sent them away for safe-keeping. The Jewish religious items from their temple were stored in the holy place in Babylon. The royal family and religious leaders were sent to live in the land of deep darkness when the Babylonian Exile occurred (586-538 BC). The Jerusalem temple was destroyed. Jewish identity went through a serious crisis. You can read this in Daniel 1.

While in Exile, King Nebuchadnezzar, asked for some advisors from the Jewish royal family to be part of his advisory team—there would be three year on-boarding and training program. Daniel and three others were selected. Daniel and his trust in God would be tested. He would prove to be a trustworthy believer in God and he would also influence the three others we’ve come to know as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. (Daniel 1:6-21) 

Kings are funny ducks. They do strange things. King Nebuchadnezzar set out an impossible challenge to his wisemen. If they could not deliver what the king was looking for…they would be ‘torn from limb to limb, and their houses will be turned into trash dumps.' (Daniel 2:5) The Chaldean wisemen instantly responded under the pressure of the challenge! None of the Chaldean wisemen could deliver what the king was asking. They prepared for the worst. The king exploded with rage and he ordered the Babylonian sages (wisemen) to be wiped out. Daniel and his friends were also hunted down and faced the same fate. (Daniel 2:12-13)

God works in wonderful and mysterious ways. 

King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams were actually from God. It would take a Godly man to interpret their meaning for the king. The dream included a prophecy about an everlasting kingdom that would be indestructible. It’s rule would never pass to another people. It will stand forever.” (Daniel 2:44) God gave Daniel the supernatural ability to identify the dream and interpret it for this king. Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed low and honored Daniel. The king offered him grain and incense. The king exalted Daniel and lavished gifts to him, making Daniel ruler over all the province of Babylon and chief minister over the Babylonian sages. (Daniel 2:48)

The wisemen from the East, from Babylon, came to confirm more than the fact that the new king was born. Herod was rightfully upset—and all of Jerusalem with him. The wisemen also confirmed the prophecy from God through Daniel as he interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The wisemen would all remember and tell their story of salvation—how Daniel saved their lives and how the prophecy would one day come to pass. Salvation would be for all who believe no matter how far away they may seem and the Kingdom without end would one day be established. Jesus is the true king. He would usher in His everlasting kingdom.

We all need to remember that sometimes God is at work behind the scenes. He includes the most unlikely characters into His salvation message. Who in your life needs to be included in God’s great salvation message? Pray for God to give you supernatural influence with those yet to hear. May you be amazed at the confirmation you receive.

They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him. Matthew 2:2

Pastor Jen

Shepherds. Priests. Two people who had the most to lose with regards to the unblemished lambs.

Shepherds watched their flocks day and night. It was during the night these particular unblemished lambs were most vulnerable because the risk of them being stolen was very real. I find it ironic that someone who felt they could steal an unblemished lamb would turn around and give it to the priest for a sacrifice for his family. But, that’s exactly what happened. So, a shepherd watching the lambs near to Jerusalem would’ve been more of a body guard instead of the gentle, poor, uneducated people we see in most artwork, Christmas cards or Sunday school materials. Shepherds were certainly rugged, in general. But, the closer you get to the Jerusalem Temple, the more sophisticated and complex things seem to become.

The priests had their important role to play with regards to the unblemished lamb. These guys were the last person to handle them alive. An unblemished lamb would be an expensive commodity few Jews could expect to purchase in their lifetime. Sheep herdsmen know that this particular type of lamb is bred and raised for a single purpose—to die as a sacrifice for the people. Many families saved money for their entire lives in order to make their single trek to the Jerusalem Temple to purchase and offer the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb.

Out of all the sacrificial services in the Torah, none is so well known and so often remembered as the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb. (Exodus 12:5)

The Passover Lamb was the first sacrifice that Israel, as a nation, was commanded to make. (Exodus 12) Juxtaposed against the salvation drama unfolding in the Exodus narrative, the Passover sacrifice struck an indelible impression on the hearts of the people. In this story, the stakes were sky high. Death was coming to the land of Egypt. Even the Israelites will not be spared as the LORD arrived to strike the firstborn of human and animal. It is a judgment from heaven, a terror in the night. Merits of innocence and guilt were not considered. Faith and creed became irrelevant. The righteous perished with the wicked. Previous plagues had shown particularity, sparing the Jews in the midst of Egypt. But, the tenth plague, however, was completely impartial. Just as in life itself, death knows no boundaries, the tenth plague would strike Egyptian and Jew alike.

Only those who are within homes marked by the blood of a lamb will be spared. (Exodus 12:7-14)

I thought about how a shepherd would rise to the important position of night watch. It would’ve been a prestigious position with great pay. These lambs were within a short walk of the temple and cared for specifically. The comparison can be made to how baby calves are cared for in our modern day to provide veal for dinner tables. These lambs were set apart from birth, cared for by the very best and most competent shepherds and then lead to slaughter to fulfill their precise calling—to take away the sins of the people.

A second annunciation took place.

The first annunciation from God occurred when an angel appeared to Mary. (Luke 1:26-38) A second annunciation occurred when an angel appeared to the shepherds and the glory of the Lord shone around them—and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9) It is my calculation that the Shekinah Glory which arrived at the Jerusalem Temple during Solomon’s time, left shortly after Solomon’s death. (see 1 Kings 11-15) For one thousand years God’s glory was absent. His presence was intermittent and purposefully secluded because of the deep pain of God and the sins of the people. A crisis arrived when the Shekinah arrived—not because God is mad but the great awareness occurred that in the presence of God….we are unholy. When God's holiness arrived, humanity’s unholiness was revealed to the shepherd body guards and why the darkness hides us. Imagine how you may receive the message the angel delivered to those shepherd body guards. Consider their investment and how they had most likely worked their way up the ladder of success to a position of power and authority. If they left their post and their supervisors discovered this news, they would certainly have been fired from their position and shamefully remembered as those who left their position. Their families would’ve been ruined.

What could inspire or persuade anyone to leave their position of power and authority to search and seek for God’s truth and presence?

Come Sunday, we will talk more about the shepherds and priests. Maybe even you could be persuaded to leave all you have and follow Him.

“They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. Luke 2:15-18 MSG

Pastor Jen

You and I have been trained by our culture to question the intervention of the supernatural. Mary had been trained by her culture not to believe that God could ever become a human being. Although these barriers are separated by time and space, the barriers she faced against belief in the Christmas message are every bit as complex as the barriers we currently face. And yet Mary decided to believe. She settled the matter within her heart. We read this story with a combination of tradition, reason, evidence, and experience. Mary deconstructed her barriers and she came to faith. We believe the narrative we personally believe until we choose to believe something else. That is exactly the way it works now. Mary doubted, she pondered, she used her reason, and she asked questions—just as we must today if we are going to have faith. It's not a sin to ask questions. It's not a sin to use your God-given brain to figure it out. For the Spirit of God gave us does not make us timid--but gives us power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

Believers--it is our role to tell the Christmas story and we must carry this mantle with honor. It is not up to the secular world to tell our story. It is our story to tell. Christmas is more than a holiday. Christmas is the celebration of the Savior of the world. The birth of Jesus Christ included a supernatural intervention and a series of events that have cataclysmic results. It took the Creator of the World to establish not only the means but also the end to the question of salvation, our meaning, our purpose or our eternal destiny. When you believe this story, you will discover there will be no room for you in a lot of 'inns.'

We embrace the mandate of telling this story seriously.

December 8, we will host special worship services at Naperville at 9 & 10:30 AM and at 9:30 AM in Oswego. We will tell the story of Jesus through song and scripture. Wheatland's finest staff, volunteers, musicians, and vocalists have been working behind the scenes crafting a service that tells our Christmas story in a creative way. Invite your family and friends to join you at one of these services. Plan to talk with them afterward about what you believe about Christmas. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But, do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 NIV

Have an answer.

We don't have to understand something to believe it. For example, love is essential to every human being. I don't understand it, but I still believe in it. Likewise, I don't have to understand God's supernatural intervention that permeated our world--and more importantly my personal life--to believe in it. I find Mary's query and response refreshing and revitalizing to my faith. I pray that you do, too. Have your answer. It may sound like this, "I don't know or understand it all but I choose to believe it because......"

It is essential to do life together before telling others what to believe. So, invite those whom you do life with to come along with you this Christmas. Be authentic. Be real. Be available and see what Jesus does through you to reach others. Advent begins Sunday. We have Advent devotional booklets for you to use with your family, friends and even your colleagues. Imagine what may happen if the believers in Christ were invigorated with the greatest gift this Christmas--the robust faith that the Savior of the world still wants to supernaturally intervene in our world. And this year, He's coming into your life.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. Luke 1:49-50 NIV

Pastor Jen

I thank my God, every time I think of you.

Maybe you have someone like this in your life. You’re thankful they are in your life. You smile when you think of them: grandchildren, a committed friend, the silly sales guy, the lady at the department store who goes above and beyond every time you see her. There are people who carry a reminder of God’s ultimate and inexhaustible joy where ever they go. Laughter and lightness of spirit sometimes accompany joy. Tears can also accompany joy in the midst of tragedy. Joy comes in the morning, the psalmist says. (Psalm 30:5)

The Apostle Paul thanked God when he thought about the faithful people who worshipped Christ in a little church in Philippi.

It’s a beautiful thing when remembrance and gratitude are bonded together. It is a good and beautiful thing to have nothing but happy memories. I think that's how Paul remembered the Christians at Philippi. To remember them and their time together brought no regrets, only happiness. This perspective is an outcome of our Christ-like disposition. It is human to focus on the pain, it is divine to focus on the God who redeems our pain and heals our brokenness. Christians are a people with hope. God is at work writing another narrative that includes all our experiences and somehow honors each of them and their impact with joy.

Gratitude and joy are delightful companions of our life with Christ. Our joy is Christian joy, not a counterfeit joy dependent upon our level of fulfillment or happiness. It is with joy that Paul prays for his friends. The Letter to the Philippians has been called The Epistle of Joy. The whole point of the letter to the Philippians is to rejoice—to gladden and feel delight.

Thankfulness and gratitude can become a good habit just like gloominess and despondency can become a bad habit. I have family members who are habitual 'Gloomy Gusses.' I learned that if I could love them like Jesus loved them, I could find something to make them laugh. Astonishingly, their whole mood lightened by simply redirecting their focus. I often witness how Jesus redeems someone’s whole narrative by honoring their gloominess and offering ‘option b.’ So often we fall into the trap of despair. The glass is half-empty. No one understands me. Loneliness creeps in and hijacks a heart still tender and vulnerable in need of healing. Jesus works his miracles so brilliantly, I wish we could do the same.

Thanksgiving approaches. Take time to give thanks. Dare I challenge you to also rejoice? I thank God every time I think of you. I’m smiling right now—I hope you can imagine it. My love for you grows each day and becomes stronger with each opportunity we have to worship, study, learn or serve together. But, my love pales in comparison to the love of our Savior has for you. His love is completely pure. His love is all-encompassing. His love is redeeming and fulness of life is experienced with absolute delight not because we are so good or deserving but because He is…good and deserving and delights in you.

Light a memory candle.

It may have been a tough year. There may be empty places at your table this year for the holidays. Be honest, feel every emotion in it’s entirety. Go ahead and miss people and honor them. Light a memory candle this holiday season to help you remember and place it on the table when your family is gathered together. Talk about them and remember. Mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15) That same scripture also says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice.” (Romans 12:15) Rejoice that our place is with Christ forever. Rejoice that God took special care to come close to you and that His love is unfailing, unwavering and faithful to the end. Rejoice, my friends, rejoice! It will change you.

Happy and blessed Thanksgiving greetings to you from Bill and I.

“I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3 NIV

“Jesus is on the side of the poor.”

Lowell’s words struck an unfamiliar chord within me.

I immediately thought to myself, “Jesus is on everybody’s side.”

Lowell continued, “I’ve prayed and sought God’s council on this ever since you asked me what your focus needs to be when you come for the mission trip next Summer. I think Africa needs to give you a gift. Instead of thinking about what you can bring, Africa can give you something.”

I listened. No one ever said these words to me in all my years of following Jesus. Africa wants to give me something? What’s the catch? We always bring something. We plan. We engage the congregation to donate items. We pack multiple 50 lb boxes filled with those donated items. We know the process and who exactly to talk to when we declare these boxes at customs when we arrive. We get the boxes to Kigoma from Dar Salaam via delivery truck. I know how this works. What on earth could Africa give to me?

A relationship.

Lowell described the people who live at the Destitute Camp and shared what the Lord placed on his heart, “I would like your team to develop relationships with these people. Jesus is on the side of the poor. Maybe ‘Jesus is on the Side of the Poor' can be the title of your leadership development talks. You will need to do research. You can teach our African pastors how to care for the poor. This is what makes Jesus happy."

Joy in the Harvest supports the Destitute Camp financially and provides two paid staff people. There are forty-four people who live there. The residents have significant challenges such as debilitating medical issues, no way of making any income and many of them are elderly. They live in government buildings that had previously been abandoned. There is no where else for them to live. Lowell shared a story about the first time he and Claudia took their furlough after taking responsibility for the people living at the Destitute Camp. 50% of those living at the Destitute Camp died while Lowell and Claudia were away. There were not sufficient funds to care for them. He also noticed the blankets that were given to the residents were missing.

“What happened to the blankets we gave you?” Lowell asked incredulously!

“We sold them,” one resident told him. "We had to make a choice—be hungry or be cold. We chose to eat.”

Another church community worked closely with the residents during their mission trip to Kigoma. One woman noticed the residents had no cooking pots. So, she went back to her church, raised funds and purchased a set of stainless steel cooking pots—like the ones you buy for camping—for every resident. I think you can imagine what happened to those beautiful stainless steel cooking pots.

I learned that it costs about $125.00 to support one Destitute Camp resident for one full year.

Learn more about our Faith Promise Partners.

Wheatland has financially supported Joy in the Harvest for almost twenty-five years. Wheatland donated $150,000 toward building a community center there. Wheatland has also sent short-term mission teams there since Pam Moga and Donna Trinko visited in the late 1990’s. Steve Moga is the Chairman of their mission board. A short-term mission team and I visited Kigoma in 2017 where we learned first hand about the vast and diverse ministry Joy in the Harvest sustains. We will return to Kigoma next July 10-August 1.

Wheatland provides financial support to advance the ministry of Jesus Christ for eighteen partners throughout the Middle East and Muslim world, India, Poland, the Caribbean, Europe and within the United States. Every penny you donate goes directly to the missions we support. Evangelism, leadership development and church planting are Wheatland’s three areas of focus. We believe in ministry sustainability and equipping the indigenous people with what they need to flourish. We employ the philosophy of learning how to use a 'hand up' rather than a 'hand out.’

Faith Promise commitment cards will be received this Sunday during worship. It’s your turn to respond to our Father. He wants to do great things through you. It is still quite amazing to me that He chooses to work within us to soften our hearts toward what breaks His. It’s always about relationships with Him. Jesus is on the side of the poor. Discover why and may what is revealed to you change you forever.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9 NIV

Pastor Jen

Here’s my opinion. You’re free to disagree.

It’s a recipe for disaster when any organization turns in to focus on itself. The inward focus is detrimental at every level whether a marriage, family, church, community, nation or world. We’ve all watched the great ones decline whether it was General Motors or the Roman Empire. The degradation of thought and selfishness is often followed by dehumanizing treatment of others in order to create an enemy—a boogey man or woman. Isolation takes precedence over asking for help. Leaders refuse to accept the truth and only listen to what they want to hear. Resources and energy are spent maintaining the system even though it is antiquated and without innovation. It lacks creativity and divine inspiration. A pool of water becomes stagnant without proper intake and outward flow.

Outward focus allows for growth. Outward focus invites the contribution of others and is open to discover vital new outcomes without placing guilt or shame on the participants. A truly confident individual or system does not rely on its own success, instincts or passion as each of these betray in the end. Think of a closed loop computer program, Judas Iscariot or any entrepreneur who’s experienced the 'fly and die’ syndrome of venture capitalism. Outward focus requires humility and often bone-breaking silence when everyone else is shouting at the top of their lungs unwilling to listen. Wisdom is not for the weak. Wisdom arrives like a welcomed friend when we are accessible, quiet body and soul.

Wheatland stands in a unique position to do great things for the Kingdom of God. We can wisely weigh out decisions with careful thought and wise, experienced counsel from others. We listen before we make judgments. Relationships matter. The truth is spoken with honesty and we love one another deeply. It’s all right to have opposing, even conflicting view points and not be swayed into thinking we need to be like any other church. Failure is always an option and the opportunity to learn. We need one another. We won’t say your ‘no’ for you, so we ask. We will keep on asking. We ask you to consider a lot:

1. Consider your faith. Is your faith white hot? Are you totally committed to Jesus Christ or is there competition for your heart?

2. Consider how you live as a follower of Christ. How has your commitment to Jesus Christ influenced your daily living?

3. Consider how you use God’s resources. God gives gifts to build up the Kingdom, how have you employed yours?

4. Consider how you share with others about your faith. Who has come to know Jesus through you and your efforts?

5. Consider how the culture and secular society has changed. How has Jesus equipped you to deal with the changes?

6. Consider how you are part of the local and global impact for Jesus Christ. How connected are you with our Faith Promise partners and our church?

7. Consider your spiritual heart condition. Have you discovered that God isn’t satisfied with a measly portion of your heart—He wants your whole heart and is patient enough to wait for it.

We welcome Lowell and Claudia Wertz to our Wheatland pulpits this Sunday. You won’t want to miss hearing from them. Lowell and Claudia are our mission partners in Kigoma, Tanzania which is in the heart of Africa. Wheatland has answered God’s call by equipping our mission partners financially through Faith Promise.

Faith Promise is a promise we make to God by faith to return his resources for his mission purpose. We don’t want to be self-absorbed or use God’s resources for our own reward or gain. Whatever God entrusts, he expects us to give. We commit. We write a number on a commitment card and wait for God to bless us. The faith commitment ignites us into action when God’s resource arrive. We give it to God’s holy mission endeavor.

Yes! There is a lot going on. There are multiple financial opportunities. Give a lot. Give a little. All our resources belong to God. We are not our own. We belong to Christ—he paid the price of purchase. We are stewards of God’s resources whether those resources include our ideas, friends, spouse, family, colleagues, neighbors, gifts, talents or finances. It is good to be reminded of the truth. We can get internally focused, stop the flow and become stagnant. Inward focus is dangerous. Inward focus determines the right and wrong of faith and of the world. I pray your heart is captured once again by the Holy Spirit. I pray your heart ignites with his love as he anoints you with his power. I’ve never been sorry to embrace what God has for me…ever. Challenging yes. Over whelming, some days. Supernatural, always.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 NLT

Pastor Jen

“Can you talk more about judgment?”

Not a question I get every day, but it was in response to something I said during a Sunday morning message.

Here is my recap of what I said: "I am a very judgmental Christ follower." I had completely misunderstood the judgment passage from The Sermon on the Mount. “Do not judge” is a popular mantra I've heard for most of my life. I think it’s misused. I can use this passage as a self-righteous defense mechanism against something I don’t want to hear or because I want to avoid conflict. I make decisions all the time. So, I have to make judgments. It wasn’t until I read the whole scripture did it begin to make sense to me. Jesus said, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)

So, what measure are we using?

It’s the way we judge where we need to have Christ-honoring intentions. This is tricky because we are to judge from a transformed heart. So, what is a Christ-like transformed heart? Rather than focus on external practices, the Apostle Paul focused on the condition of the heart. Using circumcision as a metaphor, he says that only the Holy Spirit can purify a heart and set us apart to God. Ultimately, circumcision (behavior) cannot make a person right with God. The Law or even practicing the means of grace is not enough. A person’s heart must change. Paul calls this change “circumcision of the heart.” The idea of “circumcision of the heart” is found in Romans 2:29. It refers to having a pure heart—vulnerable, laid open and bare, with the external protection cut away, being holy and separated unto God.

So, what’s your heart condition? How do you know if you have a circumcised heart? Identify the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life. Consider your fruit. The Apostle Paul gives a list. 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Let’s not make this more difficult than it has to be. Do some assessment.

1. What is the current environment in my life?

2. Do I strive to live a Holy Spirit inspired life?

3. Do I witness the evidence of the Holy Spirit active in my life and in my relationships? Would others agree?

4. With what kind of motives do I make judgments?

If you want to go to the depths of our own human depravity, consider what Paul presents as evidence of the way people are really living: "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” (Romans 2:1)

I cannot identify something I don’t already know. I learned a phrase in Kindergarten: ‘it takes one to know one.” I judge from the fulness of my heart, whether it is circumcised or not. Paul identifies the nitty gritty in the previous chapter, Romans 1. God has always been clear and open with us. When we went our own way, he gave us over to our ways. We exchanged the truth for a lie. I don’t want to live that kind of life. I don’t want to surround myself with people who purposely live that way either. Either I remove myself or the Lord removes them from my life.

I always begin with me.

I have to do my own soul searching first. So, when someone accuses me of being toxic or creating a toxic environment, I ask the Holy Spirit to confirm or affirm what that person is saying. Am I toxic? If yes, how am I creating toxicity? Is there something I can do to stop or reduce this toxicity? Am I hurting, depressed, angry or grieving? I start with identifying my own sin and deal with it. I fight the temptation to place blame and shame on someone else. The Holy Spirit will convict someone in his own way. I don’t need to identify sin and junk in the lives of others. I distance myself from the situation and in some circumstances cut ties with people so I can get a better view. I wait on God. I fight making unholy judgments that sound a lot like what Paul identifies in Romans 1.

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:29-32)

I promised to do “Round Two” on Sunday. We will dive deeper into the transformed heart. I pray you will join me and let us commit to learning together.

Pastor Jen