Down the Toilet

I was at a meeting this week and it was suggested we start the meeting in prayer. As we were praying suddenly down the hall we could hear quite loudly... a toilet flush. Sometimes I have a hard enough time focusing during group prayer but come on! After hearing a toilet flush during a time of prayer - don't know about you but I lost all focus.

What was God saying? Does He not want us to pray? No, He wants to hear from us all day, every day. So what then? Well it probably doesn't apply to this particular meeting and prayer but God wants to really hear from us. Sometimes our prayers are really formal and dry, and sometimes in a group we feel like preaching instead of praying, you know... trying to tell others how to act or behave, "do this, do that." God says flush it all down the toilet. I think He says forget all the formal stuff, I want to hear your heart. Your heart, not what you want others to do. What is in your heart? What is in your heart today? Bring it to God in prayer - throughout the day!

Feeling Picked On?

Are you being picked on by someone? A friend, an enemy, a parent, a spouse, a teacher, a coach, a classmate? Growing up I was very short, in 8th grade I stood a tall 4'9" I was often picked on by taller classmates. Why? Maybe because I was an easy target. Maybe because they could always get me to react. Maybe because they were just cruel. After Jesus was arrested there is a moment when He was picked-on by the guards. They blindfolded Jesus, hit Him, and then asked Him to guess which guard had struck Him (because He was God, He should be able to tell). What did Jesus do? Did He strike them down? Did He hurl insults back? Did He get upset? If you look at Luke 22:63-65 there is something absent. He did nothing. Jesus did nothing. How often can we say we do the same thing when we are picked on. Now it doesn't hurt to tell someone in authority if you are being hurt or abused. In fact you should. Jesus was the authority - He is God. He had the power to hurt them back and didn't. How does this help us. First, God as Jesus was picked on to the point of death. He knows what it's like to be hurt by others. He knows what it feels like. Because of this, He can help. Pray and tell Him your problems. Let Him help you find others who can help stop you from being picked on, laughed at, and hurt. Jesus didn't deserve what He got and neither do you. Notice again I said Jesus did nothing - no violence or insults back. Trust me - trying to hurt the people hurting you gets you nowhere. In fact it usually only makes people angrier and the situation worse. Let God help, let others help. You are not alone.

Happy Valentine's Day

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
- Levititus 19:18

You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you... -Matthew 5:43-44

Jesus replied: " `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
- Matthew 22:37-40

Test me, O LORD, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in your truth.
- Psalm 26:2-3

Know that this Valentine's Day you are loved! No matter who you are, how you are treated, how you treat others, what you wear, what you own, what you say or do... know that God loves you more than anything. I pray that you experience His love for you today and make an attempt to share that love, joy and peace with others!

-Rob

Our Newest Staff

This info is probably more exciting to those in 9-12th grades but 8th graders and parents will be pleased to know that St. John's has hired Steve Terry as our new Senior High/Young Adult person to direct these ministries.

I'm afraid I don't have much of a bio on hand for this posting but you should see Steve around and about more and more as his start date of March 1 approaches. Steve has had experience in working with senior high in churches and will be a needed asset for St. John's.

Sunny Days Are Here Again!

I just got back from a youth workers conference in sunny Phoenix. While it was 30-40 degrees in Bloomington-Normal it was 70-80 degrees in Arizona. For almost 4 days I enjoyed the sun and heat, the conference, talking with my travel companion and co-worker Mrs. Park, and spending time with some friends who had moved to Phoenix last year.

Then... I had to come back.

It was 30 degrees outside when we landed in Bloomington. It was cold and dark. It didn't seem like a great way to end a trip but the end it was, sadly. They say all good things come to an end which isn't quite true. I think the good times are only interrupted. God never said times would always be easy, sunny, warm and great. Jesus says in John 16, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." If I had my choice I'd live in a climate that was 80 degrees year round but that's not where God wants me. What about you? What's your trouble right now? Take heart that our problems are temporary and God can overcome any problem in our path. What about peace? Not one of us has a perfect life: money, school, grades, friends, family, teachers, coaches, instructors, youth directors, siblings, sex, drugs and on and on. No, not one of us is alone in experiencing trouble but when you let God handle it you find true peace. Peace and trouble, but God has overcome your daily trouble and your next day's trouble. Rely on God today and you'll find that sunny spot even though the cold and dark may be lurking around you.

Of course let's not forget we too often focus on what we don't have instead of what we do have. Despite the cold in Illinois, I have a warm house, food, a jacket, friends, a job, a car and on and on and on and on. In ways that God has blessed us, maybe we can be warmth and light for others today or the next.

Peace,
-Rob