Just One Small Change Can Make A Huge Difference!

Right now I am typing on my home PC, which is odd because lately I have nearly exclusively used my laptop. So what, right? Well let me explain why.

Yesterday, my fiancee Christina and I worked at cleaning my dinning room. Years ago my parents got rid out the dinning room table and the room turned into the computer room. It has been continually filthy, thanks mostly to me. So yesterday we cleaned it. Some couples watch movies. Some go one nice country drives. Christina and I clean. She motivates me to get off my hindquarters and actually accomplish things!

Anyway, after we cleaned most of it, I had an idea. We have cleaned this room before but it always go back to looking like a disaster zone withing days. I thought maybe we could re-arrange the room to make it more functional and actually create more space. She thought it was a great idea, provided I didn't fill up that extra space with more junk. So we spent about 4 hours total cleaning and rearranging the heavy computer desk, and moving chairs and etc. Now there is a functional space that includes the computer a little sitting area in one corner, with more floor space than we've had here for a long time. Again, what's the point?

Just a small change can make a HUGE difference. Instead of sitting in my room working on my laptop, I am downstairs working in a clean workspace and feeling very good about it. Just a small change in the layout of this room (as well as a lot of pick-up and throw-away) has changed my work habits and mood.

This principle can be applied to areas of my life besides clutter. Last night I took Christina home to her house and got back around midnight. This morning when I called her, we decided to read our Bibles via phone. We've made a commitment to read the Bible together everyday, when possible. Already today I feel much closer to her and excited about what God is doing and going to do in my life. Already I feel really motivated to get stuff done. Just a small change... But a HUGE impact.

I've heard the following about pilots & airplanes: Even on auto pilot, the plane is constantly being turned and adjusted to correct it's course. Just a one degree difference can be huge. I heard it said that if a plan flying from New York to Hawaii is off just one degree it could end up in Australia (it could be New York to Tokyo and ending up in Australia). All it takes to stay on course is a small change.

So I want to encourage everyone to make just a small baby step today. Read your Bible for 10 minutes today. Pray for 5. Go to church tomorrow even if Sunday is your day to sleep in. Spend 5 minutes telling your spouse how wonderful they are. Play with you kids for a few more minutes. Offer to help an elderly person with their bags at the store. Just baby steps... It can and WILL make a huge difference!

By the way, at Eden tomorrow we're talking about how faith is absolute confidence and how we can have complete confidence in Jesus Christ. Hope to see you there at 11 AM!

Notes from Sunday (2/22/2009)

Wow. I can't believe that this weekend came and went so quickly! Even though the week went by quickley, it was definately a good week. Wait, let me clarify that. What started out as an okay was transformed into a great week because of yesterday. The message I gave on yesterday morning was called A Strong Faith and it is a continuation of the series of talks called Exploring Faith. The Bible portion we read was Hebrews 10: 23-25: 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

By the way, I don't preach from a written manuscript, so some of these are points I hit yesterday and some are points God has shown me since I preached yesterday. Here are some of the key things to take away from this passage:

• Times right now are really rough. It doesn't matter if we're talking about the economy or if we're talking about your personal life. We all have valleys that really stink and mountain top experiences where we're high on life. But all of those experiences come and go. We will all go trhough roiugh patches at some time or another. What has you grounded? What is your support system?


• We need to have a firm grasp of our faith in Jesus. The New King James Version says to "hold fast." We don't use that term often today, but it means to grip ahold of something and to not let go. Have you ever seen someone drive who had white knuckles because the grasped the steering wheel to tightly? We need to have that kind of hold on Jesus Christ. There is an old hymn that I always liked that said "We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast secure, while the billows roll..." An anchor has no value if it is not grasping at something to steady the boat. Our faith in Jesus is totally useless if we do not grap a hold of it firmly.


• Jesus IS a Crutch. So many people bash followers of Jesus becasue they say Jesus is a crutch for weak people. They are partially right. We are all weak, but some are too weak to admit their need. Jesus is much more than a crutch, He is our mighty King and should be the whole desire of our very being, not only a support system. When everything crashes down around you, you need a firm foundation to build your life on if you want to make it through the storm. There is no firmer foundation than Jesus Christ.
• We need to have strong FAITH! One of the things that really disturbs me is how churches and ministers tell people what to do but give no helps in doing it. They'll say things like, "You need to surrender to Jesus." but they don't tell you how that is done. Well, we need to have strong faith. Here's how than can happen:
  --Remember that God is faithful, even when we are not. God doesn't quit loving us and helping us just because we slip up. His faithfulness should encourage us grab hold of Him and never EVER let go.
  --Get to know Jesus better! The first time I drive a different vehicle, I am really slow and not very confident because I don't know how the car will drive and re-act. It takes a few minutes to adjust and gain confidence in this new vehicle. Same with our walk with Jesus. It's hard to stick with Him if we don't know Him! We need to spend time with God every single day. It's hard to be grounded in God when you're not sure about Him.
• Here's something else--- GET INVOLVED IN A LOCAL CHURCH OR AT LEAST WITH OTHER BELIEVERS! This is a biggy! Disclaimer: Going to "church" does not make you a Christ follower any more than going to a funeral home makes you a corpse. You don't become committed to Jesus simply because you walk through a set of doors and take a seat in a certain building at a certain time on a certain day. Jesus never said that God so loved that world that He told us to go to church.
  Notice that I didn't capitalize "church". Here's why. In SE Ohio... well, in America in general, we think of the building as "church". Not it at all! The "Church" is the universal, invisable, indestrucable body of Jesus Christ. We who are followers of Jesus are the Church! Sometimes I think that it would be better if all the 'church" meeting houses were destroyed so people who quit idolizing buildings and start living for Jesus rather than a steeple. Okay, sorry for that rant but I had to get it out of the way!
• But here is why we need to be involved in a congregation of followers of Jesus. It helps us be stronger followers of Jesus! You can be a Christian and not go to church, but a very strong one, and trust me, your faith will falter if you refuse to be with who Jesus commands us to be. But why? The word in the original Greek NT for stir up means to convulse. Ever had a full body shiver? If so, you know that it is so powerful, your body can't control it. It is an involuntary spasm. So is the Church of Jesus... Huh? When we challenge and encoruage fellow believers, love and good works automatically occur. We automatically become stronger in our walk with Jesus when we are around His people.
• We Christians need to stop judging people who don't come in the doors on Sunday. They need Jesus and they don't need bad looks or hypocrites praying for them to get "religion". They NEED JESUS! Jesus is the hope of the world! But we have been entrusted with that message. The Church of Jesus is unlike any other institution. God only created two institutions: 1. Marriage, and 2. The Church. People have to have a desire to be married and they have to have a desire to be in the Church. That takes God to work in their lives. We need to stop praying for people to feel guilty enough to come to a church meeting and start praying that God gives them a passion for following Him, which will include the Church.

Here are some other things of note:

• People accuse churches today of being centers of entertainment. SO? Some churches work really hard to make God seem boring. If you make God boring, you're sinning. If you are a minister and you bore people with the Word of God, you're sinning. God is AWESOME and NEVER boring. I'd rather my church keep people's attention than to put them asleep.
• It is awesome to see God working in the lives of people. Again, going to meetings doesn't mean your really committed to Jesus, but it can be a good indicator. We've had a young woman come to every ministry we've had this week. Awesome, considering bad weather.
• We had twenty at Eden yesterday morning. That's low, but considering we probably should have canceled due to bad rouads, twenty is great!
• I am really excited for this Sunday! I mean it! It's so cool to gather together and remeber how God has worked and how He will continue. By the way, We're going to have to schedule a baptism service soon! Praise God! That's amazing!
• God is really calling me to have great faith for what He wants to do in my life. What about you?
• I hope you guys can make it to Eden this Sunday. Worship starts at 11 AM and we have some great nursery workers for those of you who have kids.

Notes From Sunday- 2/15/2009

Sunday we continued in the series Exploring Faith. The message was called Our Faith & God's Word. We read Hebrews 4:11-13: 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.



Here are some of the things to take out of it:

• Spiritual Growth is NOT Automatic & it DOES NOT Stop! There is not a place in your walk with God where you can say, "Okay, I've made it!" We don't become Super Christian over night. It takes time to mature in Jesus. Sorry, but no one was ever born and immediately began to walk, talk, and was potty trained. It takes time! That's why the writer of Hebrews tells us to be diligent! We need to strive and be passionate about our Passionate God!


• We Cannot Mature as Followers of Jesus on our own. I know this seems to contradict my last point but it doesn't. The fact is that God is cooperating with us, or vice-verse. Jesus is the one who changes us, but He won't change us if we don't want Him to. Jesus will not force you to come to Him, but if we have hard hearts and refuse Him, we're being very foolish.


• God's Word is Living and Powerful & It is Not a Fairytale! I know I'll get push back on this from non-believers, but I don't care. The honest to God truth is this: The Bible has never ever EVER been proven wrong! The only people who doubt it's truth are those who refuse to accept its message. You don't have to be a follower of Jesus to know that the Bible is true. The Word of God is self-proving! God's Word is very powerful.


• It Doesn't Bother Me Too Much When People Who Don't Follow Jesus Doubt the Bible... as much as...:


• Christians who supposedly make the Bible their rule of faith and supposedly live it out, but really neglect it's message. The Bible makes it clear that those who the Word of God but refuse to live it out will be subject to harsher judgement. It REALLY bothers me when "Christians" can sit in their seats all smug and think that they have it all together, when in reality, there is so little difference between them and the world. The greatest danger preventing people from coming into the Kingdom of God is, I believe, not Satan, but the Church of Jesus being stagnant and lazy.
• If God's Word is True, Then it MUST Affect Us! Here are some areas:
  - Attitudes towards ourselves and others.
  - Our Finances-- Put your money where your mouth is. People think the Church is all about money... We're not, at least not at Eden. God does not need your money. The Bible says He has the cattle on a thousand hills. Giving and prioritizing your finances is not about supporting the Church as much as it is about putting God first in your life. D.L. Moody said, "The wallet is the last thing to get saved and the first thing to go carnal."
  -Our Relationships-- Marriage, Family, Dating, Friends, etc. They need to be grounded in Christ. You need to be showing Jesus to these people in your everyday lives.
  -Our Passions & Purpose-- What do you get excited about? Football? Fishing? Movies? Spending time with Friends? How about Jesus? Is He our Foundation, or just a figurine on a shelf? Are you excited the the Son of God came and died and rose again for you to have a new life and eternity in Heaven? SERIOUSLY! THIS SHOULD PUMP YOU UP IF YOU'RE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS!
• God's Word Brings It All Out Into The Open! You can't hide from God. You can try, but it is pointless. People spend their entire lives running from God and it gets them nowhere fast. Don't be silly and waste your life. We need to admit who we are without Jesus: Lost in sin. God's Word is piercing... It is Convicting... It will cut you to the quick and you need that because we all need Jesus.
• By The Way: If You Realize You're Not Following God's Word or that You're not a Disciple of Jesus, The Bible Tells Us the Answer. In the next verses in Chapter 4 of Hebrews, we find that Jesus is our compassionate High Priest. That means that He is the middle man between us and God. But not only that, Jesus has total compassion-- meaning He knows we need Him and He loves us greatly.

Some other thoughts are running through my mind as I look back at Sunday:

• God is really AWESOME! He is working in the lives of people and that never EVER gets old.
• God is also working in me and that is also AWESOME because I need Him more and more.
• I am excited for the Worship Celebration this Sunday! SERIOUSLY, you need to be there!
• I'm looking forward to Easter and Spring! It's coming quick! This Spring you need to come and bring some people with you to Eden Church. Talk about a season of re-birth!!
• I realize that I probably won't be at Eden forever, but I want to give God my best while He has me here. Lately, God has really been impressing me with the issue of excellence in everything we do for Him.

Notes From Sunday- 2/8/09

Last Sunday was the second message in current series "Exploring Faith" where we are looking at the book of Hebrews. The message was called Our Faith is in Jesus. Here are some of the highlights:
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “ Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘ They shall not enter My rest.’” 12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said: “ Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” --Hebrews 3:7-15

• Ever since the Garden of Eden, God has been calling out to humanity. But just like in Eden, we have run from Him.
• It is SO INCREDIBLY FOOLISH to try to hide from God! But we do it all the time! Yes, even Christians!
• What do you mean even Christians? Read the above Scripture again... The nation of Israel followed God, or at least they claimed to. But they still ignored God. They were all about doing their own thing and only depending on God when they had their backs to the Red Sea or some other potential disaster.
• So many "Christians" claim to follow Jesus, but they are really ignoring Him and trying to be like Adam & Eve and hide behind the "trees" in their lives.
• People who pretend to follow Jesus are such a danger to themselves and to the Church of Jesus. They have deceived themselves and they so often lead others astray.
• It TICKS ME OFF when "Christians" thumb their noses at God. And if God is going to change the world, then WE NEED TO KNOCK IT OFF!
• But here's the kicker! Even when we reject God's call, He is still trying to connect! He's like the guy from the Verizon commercials asking, "Can you hear me now?"
• God is speaking to us that we need to listen to Him today
• To have a relationship with God we need to repent of our sins, and place our faith in Jesus. NOT JUST BELIEVE IN JESUS, but we need to place our faith and trust in Jesus like a skydiver places their trust in the parachute. We need to not just think about Jesus, but we need to put on the Lord Jesus and become new in Him.

On a few other notes:

• I am so proud of the folks at Eden UB Church for how they parked on Sunday. We have very limited parking right now. I asked Eden to make space for expected guests and they did! Awesome! If we're going to reach 200 people in the next 5 years, we need the parking.! Again, Awesome job Eden!
• We had people respond to an invitation. We had some acknowledge they needed Jesus as their Forgiver and Leader, and we also had many people who acknowledged they needed to start listening to God's will for their life.
• God is really working at Eden UB and I CAN'T wait until this Sunday! God is Awesome and He is going to show up BIG!
• If you haven't been to Eden for a while, you REALLY ought to come and be our guest!

God Bless,

Pastor Adam