Pastor Tim shares some thoughts on praise & worship:

“Tehillah” – Sunday, October 25, 2009
“Open the Eyes of My Heart/spontaneous song”- Sunday, October 25, 2009

Be part of a fun night of fellowship! We’ll go to Sioux Falls to watch the Sioux Falls Canaries play a baseball game, the Morningside bus will be leaving the church parking lot at 5:30pm sharp. We’ll go to the game and return after the game is wrapped up.

We will be sitting as a group lower level on the 1st base line. You may want to come hungry, it’s $1 hot dog night!

Cost includes your ticket to the game and bus ride.

$15/individual

$25/couple

$40/family

The cost is $10/each if you will not be riding the bus.

Deadline to sign up is Sunday, June 7th. Sign-up at the info booth in the church lobby or contact Pastor T.J. 605.651.3592

        As a child, I dreamed of having superpowers (especially flying and invisibility…I was very shy).
        As a teenager, I dreamed of one day  having the boldness and courage to write and sing songs that would bless  other people (remember, I was very shy).
        As a high school graduate, I dreamed about my wife (who would she be? where is she now? when will we meet? how will I know?)
        As a Customer Sales Associate, I dreamed about ministry (I was bored and felt like my passions, gifts and “dreams” were being wasted).
        As a volunteer worship leader, I dreamed about being in full-time ministry (I didn’t want my own fears and “shyness” to prevent me from fully obeying the Lord’s call!)
        As a “new” Worship Pastor, I dreamed of being at a big church, in a big city, with a big budget (Pastors  in big cities don’t have  financial strains on their ministry, right?)

        As a full-time Worship Pastor, I dream of simpler times (leading worship twice  on Sunday, once on Monday, once on Wednesday, with a  practice on Thursday and many other events and activities throughout the week can get pretty exhausting!)

        Have you ever noticed that dreams are mainly made up of “better” times and/or bigger things than you are currently experiencing?   Yes, dreams are fascinating.   They lift us above our current experience into a realm that is full of hope and what-ifs.
        Have you ever noticed that during the hard times, often the dreams are what get you through?   In fact, I think that in the hard and dark times, the dreams become bigger, more vibrant and more tangible.   There is hope in the dream.   There is life in the dream.
        Think about this:   Could it be that God did not create the dreams for the hard times, as much as He created the hard times for the dreams?   Did you get that?   Let me say that again…just in case, “Maybe God didn’t create the dreams for  the  hard times, but instead He created the hard times, so that we would dream!”

        “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.   And hope does not dissapoint us…” (Romans 5:3-5 NIV)

        In the hard times, we are able to see a perspective (a.k.a. “a  dream”) that we would have never known existed had we not gone through the hard time.   If we allow the Lord to use the hard time to our advantage, we don’t become hopeless and bitter.   We pray.   We forgive.   We hope.   We dream.
        And then once the night is over, we can wake up and put those dreams into action.   But, it takes the night for the  dream.

        Does God ever dream?   Yes.   Here was one of His dreams that He put into action:

        “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” (Ephesians 1:4)

        We are now in our 4th week,  in a 5-week series, here at Morningside Community Church called, “Live Like You Were Dying” based off of the Tim McGraw song by the same name.   And  so I have this question that is burning in me to ask you…

        “What are the dreams that you have…and have you taken any steps towards seeing those dreams put to action?”   Because, you don’t know how  much time you have left to fulfill those dreams.   What if this is the time?   Are you ready?

        But, honestly, there’s an even more important question that should be asked…a much bigger question than, “What are your dreams?”   And that is simply this…

        “What is GOD’s dream for your life…and are you actively seeking to fulfill His dreams every day?”

        God does have a dream.   If you look around you, you can see that the night is so prevelant in the world.   He obviously has some pretty big dreams.   Could God have a specific dream for you today?   You bet!   I believe that it has something to do with bringing light into the darkness, hope to the dejected, healing to the wounded, justice to the downtrodden, salvation to the lost, love to the unlovely, hope to the dying…and a ton of other stuff!

        It is our call to do our part to wake up the world and put His dream into action.   Will you join me?

 

O… don’t be a baby!   We are all familiar with this phrase aren’t we?   It is that insulting phrase that is some how meant to encourage you to get it together and be strong (“Be a man”, “Cowboy Up”, “Tough’n Up”).   Well… this last weekend and into Monday my family was sick.   Madeline got sick first with all the junk coming out of both ends.   She would throw up and then go back to playing!   It was amazing.   I was hoping that if I caught it that would be my attitude and physical feeling.   That wouldn’t be the case for me; Instead of being like my baby… I was being a man… a very sick man.   I woke up on Monday not feeling so good, but I was optimistic that it would pass quickly, but instead I felt worse and worse and I ended up feeling horrible the whole day through until at least 7PM.   As I started to come out of it a bit, it became Mindy’s turn (As I write this > noon 1-8-08 > she is just now coming out of it)…

All this reminds me of the miracle of being a child.   Madeline somehow had the outlook, physical strength and the God given ability to deal and to heal quickly.   It took a lot to stop her drive to live and enjoy the day.     Maybe it is just the fact that her body and immune system took this virus on differently… I don’t really know.   All I know is… I want to be a big baby!

Now… spiritually speaking I don’t want to be a baby that refuses to grow into maturity, but I do want to always remember that I am a child of God and that is my primary source of identification.   We all live in this world and we all deal with pressures that tell us to toughen up and deal with every situation with our inherent strength as confident adults, but if our source of identity comes from our physical strength, our physical abilities, our occupation and so on and not from just being a child of God then we most likely will not be enjoying the full life Jesus Christ purchased for us.

1 John 3:1-3~ How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

When the different sicknesses of this world > personal sin and temptations, failures, discouragement; maybe other people have spread lies, committed abuses, etc. hit us… whatever they may be for you today… they bring us down.   They have the potential of ruining our day or much more.   One of the worst things that can happen to us is forgetting who we still are in Christ > a child of God.   Not your physical strength and beauty or lack there of; not your present situation or feelings of hurt are anything else of this world truly determines who you are.

“I believe wholeheartedly that your hope for growth, meaning and fulfillment as a Christian is based on understanding who you are–specifically your identity in Christ as a child of God. Your understanding of who you are in Christ will greatly determine how you live your life.” ~ Neil T Anderson

Being a child of God is a gift that came through Jesus Christ’s work on the cross for you and your faith to walk in that truth.   Being a child of God is what you are from that point on no matter what you feel.   We all go through days where we don’t feel it… obviously the apostle John knew this as well when he wrote, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known…”   We don’t always see clearly and even when we do it is not the complete picture of who we are (until we see Christ face to face).   What ever sickness besets you today > If its sin… admit it to God, receive His forgiveness and don’t listen to any lie from Satan that would lead you to believe your not still a Child of God. > If it is some other form of oppression… please be encouraged that your Father loves you and your circumstance that might be bringing you down doesn’t change His love and your true identity.

Be a big baby > His child.

Seth Sandau, youth and family pastor

by Max Lucado

I drove the family to Grandma’s last night for Thanksgiving. Three hours into the six-hour trip, I realized that I was in a theology lab.

A day with a car full of kids will teach you a lot about God. Transporting a family from one city to another is closely akin to God transporting us from our home to his.

A journey is a journey, whether the destination be the Thanksgiving table or the heavenly one. Both demand patience, a good sense of direction, and a driver who knows that the feast at the end of the trip is worth the hassles in the midst of the trip…

For me, six hours on the road is a small price to pay for my mom’s strawberry cake. I don’t mind the drive because I know the reward. I have three decades of Thanksgivings under my belt, literally. As I drive, I can taste the turkey. Hear the dinner-table laughter. Smell the smoke from the fireplace.

I can endure the journey because I know the destiny.

For some of you, the journey has been long. Very long and stormy. In no way do I wish to minimize the difficulties that you have had to face along the way. Some of you have shouldered burdens that few of us could ever carry. You have bid farewell to life-long partners. You have been robbed of life-long dreams. You have been given bodies that can’t sustain your spirit. You have spouses who can’t tolerate your faith. You have bills that outnumber the paychecks and challenges that outweigh the strength.

And you are tired.

Let me encourage you with a parallel between your life’s journey and the one our family took last night.

It’s worth it.

As I write, the Thanksgiving meal is over. My legs are propped up on the hearth. My tablet is on my lap.

I have every intention of dozing off as soon as I finish this chapter.

The turkey has been attacked. The giblet gravy has been gobbled. The table is clear. The kids are napping. And the family is content.

As we sat around the table today, no one spoke of the long trip to get here. No one mentioned the requests I didn’t honor. No one grumbled about my foot being on the accelerator when their hearts were focused on the banana splits. No one complained about the late hour of arrival.

Yesterday’s challenges were lost in today’s joy.

God never said that the journey would be easy, but he did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.

Remember this: God may not do what you want, but he will do what is right … and best. He’s the Father of forward motion. Trust him. He will get you home. And the trials of the trip will be lost in the joys of the feast.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll close my eyes. I’m a bit tired from the journey, and it feels good to rest.

From In the Eye of the Storm
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 1999) Max Lucado

Brenner stopped signing and looked at him. The man said “My father died. He was my best friend. I loved him and couldn’t stop crying for weeks. I decided to take my own life. The night I was going to do it, I happened to have the TV on. You were hosting The Tonight Show, doing your monologue. Next thing I knew I was watching you and laughing. Then I started laughing hysterically. I realized then that if I was able to laugh, I was able to live. So I want to thank you for saving my life.” Humbled and grateful, Brenner shook his and and said, “No, I thank you.”

Laughter does more than help us escape our problems. It sometimes gives us the courage to face them. As humorous author Barbara Johnson has said: “Laughter is like changing a baby’s diaper. It doesn’t permanently solve any problems, but it makes things more acceptable for awhile.”

“A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength.” -Proverbs 17:22

In an article by Mark Gregston, Director of Heartlight Ministries, he identifies two questions that should be asked when establishing rules that govern you home: “How much will this rule matter after I am gone?” and “Will this help build my child’s character, and cause him to become more mature or responsible?”   If the answers are no, the rule and motivation should be revisited.

Gregston begins with establishing that the purpose of rules is to foster honesty, obedience, and respect.   I think it’s so important to keep the purpose in mind to help establish boundaries for our rules, so that we don’t get lead astray by emotions.   He also identified the parameters for what rules should and should not be…they should be relevant, attainable and beneficial, not a source of shame, frustration, or failure.   Often we base our rules solely on the rules of our childhood.   Some may be appropriate, but   those that cause shame, frustration or failure should be removed from the set of rules that govern our home.   Also, all rules are not constant.   As your teen matures, some rules can and often must be modified to reflect their maturity level.   So don’t be afraid to take time to discuss the evolution of these rules with your teens.

Regarding enforcement of rules, Gregston stated that loss of privilege is a powerful consequence.   I can think of the many privileges that I see teens have today….cell phones, cars, computers, and video games.   Since these privileges are such an intrinsic part of most teens’ lives, it can have a significant impact when they are lost.   Children should be made aware not only of the rules, but also the consequences of not abiding by the rules.   Then the hard part comes when the rules are violated….parents have to enforce the consequences.    

I really liked the way Gregston summed up the article in stating that no rule is more important than the relationship with your child.   So make it clear to your teens that rule keeping or rule breaking has nothing to do with your love and acceptance of them. For more information regarding parenting teens go to:

http://www.heartlightministries.org/