Itchin’ To Work - It’s Time

The sun’s been shining this week. Have you noticed? The crocus has been pushing through the wet, cold winter soil, bravely pushing yellow and purple faces toward the winter sun. If you look close you can see buds beginning to swell on the trees.

A new season is upon us. Signs are all around. If you don’t pay attention or don’t know what to look for you might miss it, but miss it or not, a new season is starting.

It’s time to get into my garden. It’s time to pull out the pruning shears and prune some fruit trees. It’s time to think about summer crops. What do I want to grow this year? It’s time to think about pruning old blackberry canes from my Waldo Blackberries, and begin to make sure that the new fruiting canes are properly spaced and trained.

It’s time to plan for repairing irrigation systems that haven’t been used for a couple of years. It’s time to replace sections that were broken in frosts, and to replace batteries that are worn out. It’s time to look for good seed deals and to decide if I want any new varieties of dahlias or if I’ll just go with what’s already been in the ground. It’s time to plant some very hardy lilies that have sat in containers for 3 years. It is time.

The changing of the seasons always brings work. That is the way of things. Each season has it’s own work, even seasons of rest that aren’t as active as others. But with new life comes new motivation and strength to not only put your hand to the plow, but to begin to push the blade through soil that has lain fallow.

It is time.

For those of you who may have missed the announcement, we are overjoyed at receiving again the Schroeder family into our fellowship as John returns as our Associate Pastor. It’s quite a story, if you haven’t heard it, ask, and we’ll tell!

Pastor John will be speaking the next couple of Wednesdays, and will be the primary speaker at our Men’s Retreat in a couple of weeks. Hope to have you come out!

Sue Searles will be bringing the Word this morning. Sue is an anointed woman of God with a strong word, and I know you will be encouraged and challenged.

Her and Natalie will be part of a small Woman’s team that will be spending a week in Romania. They leave very soon.

New life is happening… there’s encouragement to work again.

Embracing the Tasks of a New Season,

Pastor Tom

A New Season

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so…” -Psalm 1:1-4a

“...of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…” -I Chron. 12:31

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” -Ecc 3:1

“I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.” -Psalm 16:7

“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” -Psalm 30:5

It is with a sense of joy and thanksgiving that I announce that Pastor John & Jill Schroeder are beginning a new season of ministry here at Living Way Church. Pastor John and I will be telling a large part of the story today, so I won’t go into the details here.

God has been graciously working in our Church family in marked ways during these last months. Life is happening, and things are growing and getting healthy (notice I didn’t say perfect or problem free, I said healthy!) Youth ministry is stronger and healthier than it’s been in years, and is headed in a great direction. The men are meeting in a couple of weeks at Pacific Beach, and we’re trusting God for His heart and hand in our lives. We’ll soon be announcing details of a Living Way Ladies Retreat that will happen in May. There is fresh vision and strength beginning to pour into our kids ministries. Prayer is being pursued with a freshness and passion.

Running sap, buds and blossoms, and little green apples are signs of life. It’s not complete yet, but fruit is growing. Life is stirring and budding, and a rain is beginning to fall.

May you be encouraged in this budding of a new season. May you know for certain that God’s plans are for a future and a hope, and that those plans include you. May you find strength and vision to believe and hope again. May dreams that seemed unfulfilled and almost lost be awakened again as you follow the Dream-giver.

Believing again, Pastor Tom

Asking For Rain in it's Time

“Then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in our fields for your livestock that you may eat and be filled. Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them.” -Deuteronomy 11:14,15 (NKJV)

"Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.” -Zechariah 10:1 (NKJV)

It’s supposed to rain in Spring.

The land of Israel has a dry season and a rainy season. At the end of a long, hot summer the late Fall (sometime around October) rains begin to fall to water the land after a long dry spell. These rains are called the “early rains”. They signal the end of the dry season and are welcomed as a time of restoration and refreshing. Sometime in late Spring there is a good, long, hard rain called the “latter rain”. It comes to soak the land well as the last rains before the heat of Summer. It is these rains that give the crops a jump on their growing season. It is these rains that bring the promise of abundant harvest.

It’s supposed to rain in Spring. Yet God says to ask for it. It was the time of rain. Yet God says to ask for it.

We are never to take for granted the blessings of God. We are never to take for granted the Life that comes from Him. He is a generous God, and “there will be showers of blessing”! But we are never to take that for granted. God warns in Deuteronomy that in the process of blessing we are to “take heed to yourselves” and not attribute that blessing to “other gods”. I wonder if when we take the blessing of God for granted we aren’t moving in that direction?

Daniel had the word of the Lord through Jeremiah that Israel’s captivity of 70 years was drawing to a close. He had God’s promise. Yet instead of taking that promise for granted he humbled himself with prayer and fasting, crying out to God to bring to pass what had been promised. (Daniel 9)

In Zechariah, God says to ASK. It is as though we are being reminded to not take His Rain for granted. It is as though He delights to have us cooperate with Him in the promised “showers of blessing”. (Ezekiel 34:26)

We have the promise of God’s Word of a time of latter rain. (Joel 2:23-25) We have the current sense that God is moving in our midst. It’s the time of rain. It is a new season. Rain is falling. Life is springing up. Yet it’s time to ask. You. You ask! Don’t be caught dry in a time of rain. Ask. He is pouring. Are you asking? Are you expecting? Are you ready?
Asking For Rain. It is time.

Pastor Tom

Let's Grow and Go!

A team of 21 people returned this Wednesday from IMAGINE - Foursquare Next Gen Summit. It was our first national gathering of Foursquare Youth and Young Adults in 10 years. We’ll try and tell a few stories today, but the best way to capture what this last weekend was about will be to watch it worked out in our lives in the coming years!

It was AWESOME! God met us, the music was fantastic, the speakers were great, and we came home with a growing fire in our belly and practical tools to live for and serve Jesus.

Our young people are AMAZING! They were hungry,
focused, and pressing into what God had and has for them. Watch them grow and go! Better yet, grow and go with us!

This trip would not have been possible without your love and support. This trip would not have been possible without a team of dedicated servants… your Youth Servant Team. Joshua is shepherding them well, and Kim, Nichole, Jasmyn, and Jonathan are diligently working hard at loving and providing direction and impetus to our youth ministry. It has been a joy to meet regularly with them and to watch the growing excitement as they plan 6 months, a year, and more into the future, dreaming big dreams with God as they catch a vision for what He is doing in this generation. It’s been fun to watch the synergy on the team grow as each one contributes their unique gifts and passions to overall goal of seeing young people discipled to Jesus. They are giving sacrificially of their time and of their hearts as they lead out of the passion that Jesus has worked into their hearts. Well done team!

As you read this I will also have returned from 3 days away praying, seeking God, planning and dreaming for this next season. Joining me were several brothers that responded to me invitation.

As I write this, I don’t know what happened during that time. But I am convinced of this: Seeking Him diligently changes
everything. Hearing His Voice with purpose to respond with “Hineni” obedience changes everything.

God is already doing great things, and I KNOW that will
continue as we follow Him!

So… Watch us Grow and Go… Better yet, come Grow and Go together with us! This generation will feel the weight of our lives surrendered to Him, passionately pursuing His purposes.
Facing Firmly Forward, Pastor Tom

For Your Consideration

Have you ever had a verse “jump out at you”? Have you ever been reading and praying and it seems like a passage or a verse or even a phrase is highlighted in neon for you by the Holy Spirit? Now I admit, this certainly does not happen every time I read the Bible, and actually I don’t think it’s supposed to happen every time. But when it does I’ve learned to pay attention. More often than not those times are marked in my journal with the accompanying thoughts and stirrings in my soul that happen as God breathes freshly on His Word. Sometimes the Spirit is bringing gentle correction. Sometimes He brings fresh understanding of a circumstance. Sometimes He pours comforting oil of healing on a raw place in my emotions. Sometimes He brings new promises for my tomorrows as he ministers healing to my yesterdays.

There is much stirring me in this new season. Some things I can shout from the mountaintops. Some things are guiding prayerful planning for an approaching New Year and beyond. Some things I am guarding close to my heart. But above all, I am paying attention. I am attending to the Word of the Lord and His stirrings in my heart. Good thing, don’t you think?

In that spirit, let me share a couple of verses and some understanding that were impressed on me as I was reading last week.

“….the snare has been broken and we have escaped.”
-Psalm 124:7b (NIV)

If you are even casually aware of our circumstances you are aware that this has been a hard few years on many levels for me and my family and for our Church. Certainly in those difficult times, allowed by Jesus for our benefit and His glory, there have been snares laid by the adversary in an attempt to destroy us. Jesus is saying “the snare has been broken and we have escaped!” I rejoice!

“The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous…”
-Psalm 125:3a (NIV)

Just as surely as the tribes of Benjamin and Judah had specific marked territory that “belonged” to them, so you and I and your ministry and this Church have “territory” that is ours by God’s gift. And just as surely as Israel had to evict “giants”, so we have battles to possess inheritance that is ours by gift. Now as then, the promise rings, “wherever the sole of your foot treads I have given you”. A scepter speaks of kingdom, and the kingdom of darkness always wars against that which has been given to us. Here is the Lord’s promise, that though he has made the attempt, the scepter of the wicked will not remain over our given territory!

Rejoice with me as you move with confidence into this new season that is upon us.

Marching forward,

Pastor Tom

“Greedy” for More of God

“Greedy” for More Of God"

Cindy’s been listening to a recording of The Message Bible on CDs. I come home and the house has been filled with the sound of the Word. It’s been fun! The Message was always one of my favorite reading Bibles, and listening to Cindy talk about how much she has enjoyed and how much she has gotten out of listening to the reading of the Word has been encouraging, and honestly, just a bit convicting in a good way!

Have you ever had a time when you just felt like you needed clarity? Have you ever been in a season where you had to have perspective? …Where you had to know what God thought about things and how he felt about things? Remember that the evil one lies most about the character of God, and if he can distort our views of God and a Kingdom perspective then he has gone a long ways toward discouraging us, hindering us, and even ultimately derailing us from the tracks of God’s best and God’s purposes for our lives.

Being saturated with the Word is the best way to have clarity and perspective.

Did you ever think you knew something, then revisited it and realized you didn’t know it as well as you thought you did? I have found that as I’ve been re-reading John Maxwell’s excellent book on leadership, Developing the Leader Within You. As I am preparing myself to lead into a new season, and seeking God for strategy, heart, and focus I decided I better start pouring into myself in the area of need, asking God for more fruit! As I’m reading, it’s almost like reading the book for the first time. Hmmm…. Maybe I haven’t been paying as close attention as I thought I was?!?

Jesus said, “Consider carefully what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you – and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” -Mark 4:24,25

I hear Jesus say that I am to be “greedy” for the right things! I am to pay attention to what I hear, and make sure I’m “hearing” good stuff, and make sure I’m “hearing” more and more of it! Truth builds on truth. Line is upon line, and with one precept comes another. I don’t need to get the whole thing at one time, but I do need to regularly be hearing and feeding on His Word, and His Kingdom life!

When I fail to do so, then even the things I “thought I had” (Luke 8:18) begins to slip away and is taken from me. So, how big is the “spoon” that you’re feeding on God and His Word with? How big is the shovel? Are you going for it? Don’t be condemned, but realize that it is time! It’s time to go for it, time to pick up the book, time to hear the Word, time to be in fellowship, time to love and serve and give and walk in faith and run the race and live for God with Passion! Abundant fruitfulness awaits…
Pastor Tom

Your Kingdom Come

Your Kingdom Come

“This, then, is how you should pray:
…Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” -Matthew 6:9a, 10

Most of us are familiar with this part of what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. (Actually, we might call this the disciple’s prayer, since it was for His followers to pray. Do you want to read the “real” “Lord’s Prayer”? Read John 17!!)

It is clear that Jesus intended this prayer as a pattern for the praying disciple. God’s priorities and heart are outlined in this prayer, giving us a model that we do well to not stray from as we cry out to Him.

Some segments of His Church over the centuries have taken to repeating this prayer word for word, and while that certainly can’t hurt, my gut is that
repeating this prayer verbatim is not what Jesus intended when He originally gave it. I base that opinion on verse 7 of the chapter where He tells us to not be involved in “empty repetition” or “vain babbling”. Now certainly this is not a prohibition against written or memorized prayers as such, however it IS a strong warning against just repeating things to be repeating them, regardless of how “holy” they sound. There is to be meaning and growing understanding in all our praying, and the praying disciple has the delightful opportunity to grow in understanding and passion as we learn from other disciples and from Jesus Himself by His Spirit!

Have you thought about the prayer “Your Kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? Has that ever seemed just a bit strange to you? What does it mean? How do I pray with this as a pattern without just repeating religious words?

I guess it starts with a growing understanding of just what the Kingdom is that we’re praying would come. Is the Kingdom heaven? I don’t think so… wouldn’t it be kind of silly to pray for heaven to come? Of course in His presence His will is done, so in a sense we do pray that way… “Let the complete submission to your will that exists in heaven be here on earth!” I like that!

Heaven is heaven not because of streets of gold or whatever you associate with “paradise”! (Sandy beaches anyone?!?) Heaven is heaven because the King is present and His will reigns supreme! When I pray for His Kingdom to come, I am asking Jesus to work in me and those around me and my circumstances and situation and my influence so that He will reign supreme where I am! This presumes that I am submitting to the King! Right? It’s a great place to start… “Lord, let your Kingdom come in me!” Then, as an ambassador of the King I begin to spread the “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” that characterizes the Kingdom. (Romans 14:17)

Where and how can His Kingdom come in your life and in the situation where you find yourself and where you have influence? Think about it! Dream! Let faith rise in your heart! Let boldness rise in your heart! God wants His Kingdom represented, released, and established in and through you… and all of His disciples.

What an adventure awaits the ones who will pray in faith…

Pastor Tom