Thank you, GOD, for…

• JESUS!
• The HOLY SPIRIT, who lives within us and moves among us, who convicts, leads, transforms, empowers, heals, encourages, comforts, intercedes, helps, gifts, teaches, bears witness, indwells, bears fruit, fills, influences, invites, renews, …
• Bringing Patti and Jessica and I to Rochester, MN to live and worship three years ago, August 17, 2013.
• Rising up seven godly men who have accepted becoming deacons this day, August 28, 2016, in our church family.  As You know, God, we "have not passed this way before" -- appointing deacons in this church family.  Thank you also for our 3 shepherds who were appointed just 4 months ago, April 24, 2016.
• Bringing so many God-seekers among us in the last 3 years from China, India, Africa, Mexico, Malaysia, the Philippines, America (even Texas!) smile…
• The 55 adults and children who have come our way since August 2013
• All the babies and young children in our congregation; the four mothers among us who are now pregnant; all parents passing on a sticky faith to their children
• The loved ones we’ve lost, who suffered well, and now dwell with You forever.
• Those whom we love who moved away and left a big hole in our hearts & family
• Our new babes in Christ (one who shared the gospel with a co-worker, baptizing him before the co-worker went back home to China.)
• Our older saints and widows in Christ Jesus
• Weekly guests from our two houses of Compassion and those who serve them
• Workers from Mexico who come 6 months out of the year and encourage us
• Mayo residents, nurses, employees and their families 
• Our unity along with our diversity of race, ethnicity, religious backgrounds
• Those who have been members here for over 10, 20, 30 or more years
• All our marriages, ranging from 1 to over 50, 60, and recently 71+ years.
• Having our own Mayo chaplain who is loving, caring and so qualified to minister
• Those who volunteer to clean the bathrooms, vacuum the building, provide rides for our shut-ins, fix our frozen pipes in winter, take care of the premises…
• The different ministries of crocheting afghans, quilting, HOC, providing school supplies in Mexico, housing for the needy, serving those with special needs, …
• All our grace-gifted servants, givers, mercy showers, encouragers, teachers, song leaders, speakers, exhorters, shepherds, evangelists, administrators, helpers, and those given to hospitality. 
• Our middle school and high schoolers who are maturing in their desire to seek GOD and serve HIM in a multitude of ways. We're witnessing THE WORD being shared, along with many acts of service, including cutting grass, landscaping, babysitting, cleaning, making cards, etc.
• Those outside of Rochester who have supplemented Steve's salary and professional expenses budget over the last 3 years.

      THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  GOD, YOU ARE SO GOOD!  Mr. Steve

LETTER TO GOD

Below is a letter (I just ran across) that I wrote to God on February 27, 2012.  It’s raw and humbling, but it’s also exactly what I was feeling at the time.

Dear God,

     It’s been a long time, too long.  I repent.  The spray of the waves, the roar of the wind, the turbulence of the waters wrapping around my legs captured my focus and attention.  Interestingly enough, even though drowning, being overwhelmed, and finding myself powerless to save –     I failed crying out to You!  For so long, I have kept trying with all my human resources and inner strength to keep my face above water.

     What kept me from crying to You for help?  My anger.  My frustration and hurt for the pain in my life and family.  The pain in so many families!  So, I judged You for the storm!  Oh my!  Who am I but a worm and not a man?  Forgive me.

     I’m back to square one in need of being poor in spirit and mourning over my own sin!  I know this is to be a continual state of the heart within me but I’ve gone into my “nothing” box so many times instead of before Your throne and into Your arms. 

     I am so prideful and stupid!  I have given up and given in.  I have been greatly tempted to give over to my own wants and desires.  Escape!  Leave the ministry!  Find a solitary place that is best for Jessica and with Patti -- live quietly, peacefully and in solitude!  Oh, it sounds so pleasing to my flesh.  To be completely honest, if I was financially able to do this I daresay it would have already happened!

     However, You just led me to read 2 Timothy.  I needed to hear Your wisdom through Paul to Timothy.  Thank You.

     Paul was abandoned, talked evil of, imprisoned, beaten – yet, he remained faithful to the end.  Not only that – he didn’t lose sight of those You had put in his path to disciple, equip, train, and mentor.

     Who have You put before me?  

Mike; Charlie; Shawn; John; Derrick; Jonathan; Brian; Troy; Tim; Dimitri; Tim; Steve; Bill; Bob; Brian....

     Not my will but Your will be done.  God, have mercy.  You are good.

                                                                                                                               Mr. Steve  

IN MY BOOK, SHE IS AMAZING!

When someone has gone through as much difficulty as she has and continues to pursue God --  amazing is the word that comes to mind.

Over the years, she and her husband have lost three children due to medical complications.  I said, “THREE CHILDREN!”  I’m not doing very good after the loss of one child.  I can’t begin to imagine losing three!

She’s had multiple surgeries, suffered a stroke, had many tumors removed -- even one that was located on her larynx or “voice box.”  And even now, with a “whisper” of a voice and great difficulty in swallowing,  she continues to praise God and not give up on life.

She and her husband are neighbors with another family who worship with us.  Her sister was here this past week from TN and even brought her granddaughter to witness Thursday night’s incredible event: her sister’s baptism into Christ.

Yes!  Brenda was baptized into Christ last Thursday.  Her spiritual birthday will be easy to remember.  It is the same day as 3 other of our family members physical birthdays! 

Brenda was born in MN.  She married her husband as soon as he came out of basic training almost 43 years ago, September 4, 1972.  Her husband is retired military after being in the Army for over 20 years. 

But again, the most amazing truth about Brenda’s story is her continual pursuance of God, no matter the difficulty.  Brenda has a strong, determined spirit of wanting to do what is right. She certainly did that last Thursday night!

Welcome to the Rochester church of Christ family, Brenda.  God has already taken away your sins (Acts 2:38), given you His Spirit (Acts 2:38; 5:32), and added you to the saved (Acts 2:47).  NOW THAT’S AMAZING... GRACE!

    

God is good.  Mr. Steve

“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”  Acts 5:32

WHAT STIRS YOU UP SPIRITUALLY? 

Peter made it a point to stir up his readers by reminding them: 

• They had the true knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord
• The deeper their relationship with the Lord, the more grace & peace
• They had everything they needed for life and godliness 
• They had been granted God’s precious and magnificent promises
• They were partakers of the divine nature
• They had escaped the corruption that was in the world by lust
• If they continued to grow and increase in their faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love -- they would be fruitful and make an eternal difference
• They would never stumble if they continued to grow in these graces
• Their entrance into the kingdom of God would be abundantly supplied
• They should never forget they had been purified from their former sins

2 Peter 1:12-13 “Therefore, I will always be ready to REMIND you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to STIR YOU UP by way of REMINDER...”

 “Remind Me Dear Lord” by Dottie Rambo

The things that I love and hold dear to my heart

Are just borrowed they're not mine at all

Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life

So remind me, remind me dear Lord

Roll back the curtain of memory now and then

Show me where you brought me from

And where I could have been

Remember I'm human, and humans forget

So remind me, remind me dear Lord

Nothing good have I done to deserve God's own Son

I'm not worthy of the scars in his hands

Yet he chose the road to Calvary to die in my stead

Why he loved me I can't understand

Roll back the curtain of memory now and then

Show me where you brought me from 

And where I could have been

Remember I'm human, and humans forget

So remind me, remind me dear Lord; So remind me, remind me dear Lord

                                              God is good.  Mr. Steve

THE GOOD LIFE

The Good Life: What is it?  Let me guess... It’s having all the money you need, with a nice house, financial security, travel, and friends (you will surely have people around you with all that money!)  It’s health and little to no worries.  It’s having a voice where people stop and listen.  It’s sounding good, looking good, feeling good, but.... is this really the good life?  How much would you give for this kind of life?  Most people I believe would say “Everything!”

Jesus had no place to even lay His head. He was financially dependent on others -- supported by several wealthy women and friends. He didn’t look good and probably didn’t smell very good either.  He spent most of His growing up with at least six siblings in a disrespected poverty-laden village learning how to work with wood.  He had a voice at first but later was disrespected, left alone, betrayed, persecuted, and murdered. How many want a life like this?

Questions:

Who taught you about living?  Where did you learn how to live? When did you buy into how you are living now as the way to live out the rest of your life?  What have you discovered about life and it’s meaning and purpose?  What is (to you) true living?

Dallas Willard in his book “The Divine Conspiracy” believes that the Sermon on the Mount can be divided into two parts, answering the following 2 questions: 

• 1)What is the Good life?  (Matt 5:1-21)
• 2)Who has it? (Matt 5:22-7:24)

Christians, he says, for the most part consider the primary function of Christianity to be admittance to heaven.  Willard refutes this "fire escape" mentality by exploring the true nature of the teachings of Jesus, who intended that His followers become His disciples.  He taught that we have access now to the life we are only too eager to relegate to the hereafter.

Consider what is missing in this Good Life:

Pride; wrath; lying; lust for more and more and....; life of misery; animosities; bad will for others; jealousies; grudges; evil desires; uncleanness; covetousness; shame; guilt; hypocrisy; filthy language; fornications; inward frustrations; controlling spirits; fear of being different; fear of being persecuted; fear of death.

Consider what is included in this Good Life:

Joy; humility; love; hunger for good; freedom from the rat race, self, & other’s expectations; purity; desire for your fellowman’s highest good; rejoicing and serving even in the midst of suffering; and experiencing THE FLAVOR OF GOD AND THE LIGHT OF GOD ON THE EARTH!

Consider these Good Life promises:

Partaking of the kingdom of heaven (now); comfort; inheritance (now); satisfaction; mercy; having a personal, indwelling, transforming, and empowering relationship with God (now)!                                                   

Do you have the Good Life?  Are you pursuing Jesus and HIS lifestyle?  

God is good.  Mr. Steve

WHAT IS YOUR RALLYING CRY?  

I began this Mr. Steve article on Friday, July 15, 2016, at 2:10 a.m. out of concern for men and women, brothers and sisters, families of all nationalities, and anyone in authority, who were said to be in harms way on the so-named, “Nationwide Day of Rage.”  I’m thankful to God that almost all of what was predicted (37 nationwide protests in 37 major cities across America) was, for the most part, a hoax -- albeit, a reminder of the power of a "single" voice.

Over 2,000 years ago, one silversmith had such a voice!  Workers in Ephesus and the surrounding area were losing their businesses, and their way of life was being severely threatened. The leader of the protest, Demetrius, made a very emotionally stirring speech and the following events transacted:

“When they (the crowd) heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. Also some of the Asiarchs (political or religious officials) who were friends of his sent  to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together.... (later) a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Acts 19:28-32, 34 

Interestingly enough, years later, Paul wrote to Timothy, who was living in this same city of Ephesus, and reminded him of the great truth we need all rally around!

“These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: 

God was manifested in the flesh

Justified in the Spirit

Seen by angels

Preached among the Gentiles

Believed on in the world

Received up in glory.”    1 Timothy 3:14-16

What is Paul saying to Timothy?  Others can rally around themselves, their rights, their injustices (great as they are), and/or their gods of fame & fortune, pleasure, health, degrees, etc.  But the Christian's conduct and lifestyle must be centered on JESUS AND HIS HOLINESS ... Our Banner is The Incarnate One; The One shown to be true -- Justified in the Spirit; The One Seen by angels; Preached, Believed and Received up in glory!  Without question -- Without controversy -- GREAT IS JESUS -- CHRIST IN YOU, OUR HOPE OF GLORY (Colossians 1:24-27).  
Be encouraged.

      

God is good all the time.  Mr. Steve

“A DIFFERENT SPIRIT”

D -- DIFFERENT SPIRIT

“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.”  Numbers 14:24

I  -- IDENTITY IS IN ____________

 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me...” Galatians 2:20

F -- FULL OF THE ___________  ______________

“Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.”  Acts 6:3 

F -- FORGETFUL OF ____________

 “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”  Mark 9:35

E -- EXCLUSIVE _____________________

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”  Matthew 6:24

R -- RESPECT FOR __________ AND OTHERS 

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond servant...”  Philippians 2:5-6

E -- __________________ WHEN SERVING

“...when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”  Luke 17:10

N -- NOT A COMPARER OR _____________________ 

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged...” 2 Timothy 2:24

T -- TRUSTS IN GOD AND _________ ___ SERVING

“... whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:26-28   

D – DIFFERENT SPIRIT

I  – IDENTITY IS IN CHRIST

F – FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

F – FORGETFUL OF SELF

E – EXCLUSIVE ALLEGIANCE

R – RESPECT FOR GOD AND OTHERS

E – ENERGIZED WHEN SERVING

N – NOT A COMPARER OR COMPLAINER

T – TRUSTS IN GOD AND KEEPS ON SERVING

                                                               

God is good.  Mr. Steve