Praying for the Persecuted Church

Tomorrow (Sunday, November 13) is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We will be having a special season of prayer during our Sunday services that is specifically designated for remembering our brothers and sisters in Christ who share our faith in Jesus but do not have the privilege of freely expressing that faith.

For more information about this Day of Prayer and for resources that will help inform and guide you as you pray for the Persecuted Church, consult www.persecution.com/idop and www.onewiththem.com.

Aids for Scripture Memorization

Jessica Smith shared with us in the Wednesday Prayer & Praise Service on June 22. She emphasized the importance of Scripture Memorization and put together the following links to encourage and aid us in this foundational Christian discipline.

John Piper, If My Words Abide in You

His wonderful sermon, completely quoting Scripture he has memorized followed by his testimony on the benefit of Scripture memory. Very inspiring and moving!

Returning to Your First Love: Memorizing Scripture

A wonderful author/ blogger, after she has found her mother-in-law’s Scripture commitment books, recalling the hundreds of verses she knew and the beautiful life she lived!

Memorizing Colossians in a Year

Several good insights into how to commit large amounts of Scripture to memory—including “Learning the ART of Memorization” and “Seven Ways of Highly Effective Bible Memorization.”

Revive our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Several helps, including a monthly plan for memorizing scripture, including a computer background to help you memorize the verse or verses for that month.

Charlotte Mason Memory System> Includes printables for the tabbed dividers.

www.mcscott.org > A verse card maker. This site will create customized business card sized verse cards using the ESV version of the Bible. Easily slip into pockets, purse, or hang on the mirror … anywhere.
www.biblegateway.com > search for verses in your preferred translation, print out what you need, or paste into a Word document to customize fonts, size, and colors. I use this to create our family Bible verses, so I can go back in and add clipart.
www.downes.ca/memorization.htm>  First letter of the words memorization. A very fun program! Type in the verse you are trying to memorize, click “convert,” and you will receive the first letter of each word. Copy and print it out and then your brain will start to fill in the blanks.
http://www.scriptureadventures.com/memory.html > A free download from Scripture Adventures, to work as a family to memorize Scripture: 21 Day Bible Verse Challenge

Our Fall 2010 Revival

Our Fall Revival will be Wednesday, November 10 through Sunday, November 14 with Rev. Richard Williams from Peebles, OH. The Johnny Blair, Sr. family will provide the special singing. The Sunday services will be at their regular times (Sunday School, 9:45 AM; Morning Worship, 10:45 AM; Evening Worship, 6:00 PM). Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (November 10-13) the evening Revival services will be at 7:30 PM. Audio from the services will be available on our church website, www.chicagowmc.com, under the “Resources” link on the left side or bottom of the homepage. We’re looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible in the Revival services and are excited about this opportunity to draw closer to God! Please invite your friends and family members to join us for these days set aside for spiritual renewal.

Tragedy in Haiti

After the earthquake in Haiti last Tuesday, it is now being reported that at least 100,000 people are believed to be dead and many more are injured and hurting. Continue to pray for the people of Haiti, as well as the many relief organizations who are attempting to bring aid to this devastated country. If you are interested in making a financial contribution to the relief efforts, a list of relief organizations is provided at this link. You may also contribute through the Red Cross or through FEA Ministries (also called Hope International Missions) in Hobe Sound, Florida.

The main thing to remember is to make sure that if you donate funds you are donating to an organization that you know about and trust. Unfortunately some people have taken advantage of this tragedy and may try to set up fake internet sites that seem to offer a chance to donate funds to Haiti but are not legitimate.

Epiphany 2010

Today is the day known as Epiphany in the Church Year. This comes from a Greek word meaning “manifestation,” and it is the celebration of the the Wisemen coming to see the child Jesus. The saving revelation of God was manifested to these Gentiles who followed the light that they had, even though they did not have the privileges of knowing God’s Word and possessing a godly heritage. It is sadly ironic that the religious leaders in Jerusalem who did have these privileges (they knew from Scripture exactly where the promised King would be born) for the most part chose to reject Jesus.

As was suggested in the message last Sunday morning, these mysterious Magi teach us several important points about what it means to seek and find Jesus.

1. Truly worshiping this King means we must humble ourselves and recognize his rightful reign over our lives. This is exactly what King Herod did not do. Instead he murdered innocent children in Bethlehem in an attempt to hold on to his own autonomy. The message of Epiphany is that those who seek to know and serve King Jesus today must joyfully bow the knee before him as those Wisemen did.

2. Worshiping this King means giving him our best–our very selves. The Wisemen brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh, gifts fit for royalty. We today may not feel like we have a lot of money to give or be blessed with multiple talents to use, but in the end Jesus really wants us to just give him our all. He will use and bless whatever resources we can offer, but the primary gift must be a full surrender of everything we are.

3. Finally, the story of the Magi teaches us that it doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from, it only matters that you follow God wholeheartedly and obey everything he reveals to you. Thus, the Wisemen were willing to travel a long, hard route, find, and worship the Child while the religious leaders five miles north in Jerusalem never made the trip to discover what was literally at their doorstep. Many of us are blessed  with a godly heritage and multiple opportunities to learn about God, but the message of Epiphany is that no matter where you come from or what background you have, you can find and worship Jesus if you follow the light he gives you and make seeking him a number one priority.

Let’s make that our priority as a church during this coming year and always. For more information about the celebration of Epiphany within the Church Year, click here.

Counted Worthy to Suffer

I was recently moved by a video of Matt Chandler,  pastor of a large church in Dallas, who found out not long ago that he has a brain tumor. Chandler’s ministry has been very successful and he recently preached through Hebrews 11, the famous Faith Hall of Fame. In verses 32-38 (NIV), we read the following:

“32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.”

Chandler pointed out how up to this point in his ministry he has experienced the victory of “shutting the mouths of lions” and overcoming in mighty ways. However, now he has a chance to face the prospects of the latter half of verse 35 and those that follow. God has counted him worthy to face suffering. Chandler was operated on, but is still waiting to hear whether or not the tumor is cancerous. He currently faces the possibility that his ministry will be dramatically curtailed.

What struck me was the way Chandler accepted this chance to be faithful to God, despite difficult circumstances. It reminds me of the way my own mother went through an operation to remove part of her leg due to cancer several years ago. I don’t know what God will allow to come my way during the coming year or what may happen to those within our local church, but I trust that the Holy Spirit will give each of us the grace and strength to respond in a way that brings glory to Him.

While I have several differences with Matt Chandler regarding issues of theology, I want to commend the way he has approached this scary time in his life, and I pray that God will give me the grace to live in such a way that I never forget what really matters…

For an article discussing pastors who have personally faced the prospect of cancer, click here. To view Chandler’s testimony after the tumor was discovered, click here.

Advent Season 2009

Yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent and the beginning of the Church Year. Last year on this blog I explained, “Advent is from a Latin word (adventus) which means ‘coming’ or ‘arrival.’ The Season of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and is a time that looks backward and celebrates the first Coming of Jesus as a baby in a manger; however, it also looks forward and joyfully anticipates the second Coming of Jesus as a victorious conqueror.” The Sunday morning message yesterday (available on our church website at http://chicagowmc.com/resources/resources.htm) explored this idea of how Jesus came in the past and is coming again in the future. Our job is to welcome Jesus into our hearts now and to be ready to meet him whenever he comes again.

For more resources concerning the Advent Season, see last year’s blog post at http://cwmcpastor.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/first-sunday-of-advent/. We at the Chicago Wesleyan Missionary Church trust that each of you will enjoy this wonderful time of the year as you celebrate the coming of Christ and share the Good News with everyone you can.

National Bible Week 2009

While there are many things related to our United States Congress which may cause us concern, we can rejoice in the recent statement issued by North Carolina Representative Heath Shuler. In his statement he calls our nation to remember the important place which the Bible has held in our national history and urges everyone to read it. This statement coincides with National Bible Week 2009, which began on November 22 and ends on November 29. For more information about National Bible Week and a link to read Mr. Shuler’s statement, go to http://www.nationalbible.org/national-bible-week. It is our desire at the Chicago Wesleyan Missionary Church that our people will be readers and lovers of God’s Word, not just for one week, but 365 days a year. Let us be hearers and heeders (James 1:25)!

Our Fall Revival

Our Fall Revival begins Sunday, November 15 with Rev. Joseph Smith from Shelbyville, IN. The Sunday services will be at their regular times (Sunday School, 9:45 AM; Morning Worship, 10:45 AM; Evening Worship, 6:00 PM). Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (November 16-18) the evening Revival services will be at 7:30 PM. Audio from the services will be available on our church website, www.chicagowmc.com, under the “Resources” link on the left side or bottom of the homepage. Pastor Stephen will be passing out invitations to the homes in the neighborhood around the church, inviting people to our Revival. If you’re interested in helping him, send an email to pastor@chicagowmc.com and he would be glad to set up a time and date that is convenient for you. We’re looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible in the Revival services and are excited about this opportunity to draw closer to God!

Reformation Day

This past Saturday was Reformation Day. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to a castle door in Germany. This act is often referred to as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. For more information, see this link.