Thanks!

I am thankful for my beautiful wife and how she loves me!  I am thankful for my family that supports me and raised me to have a good work ethic, responsibility, integrity, and love of Christ.  I am thankful for my friends who encourage me, minister alongside me, and celebrate good times with me.  I am thankful for the Therriens who are allowing Joanna and I to live with them.  I am thankful for Londonderry Christian Church who allows me to preach and teach God's word!  I am thankful for committed Christians in New England who desire to see revival sweep across the globe.  I am thankful for my Savior who has forgiven my sin and shown me a new way to live in the kingdom of Christ.  I am thankful for the life my Blessed Creator has chosen me to lead!

I am thankful to each of you who has read my posts in the past and who will read my posts in the future.  I hope you have been blessed by them!

Blessings!

Thankful?

Give Thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever!

Give Thanks to the God of gods; his love endures forever!

Give Thanks to the Lord of lords; his love endures forever!

Give Thanks to the God of heave; his love endures forever!

Psalm 136:1-3, 26

Give Thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

It is cliché, but I appreciate the reminder that Thanksgiving serves.  Each year, we have designated a day to remind us to give thanks.  At times the giving thanks portion gets overlooked as we gorge ourselves on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie all in preparation for the shopping frenzy that is Black Friday. 

But, I want to remind us to pause and give thanks.  Whether you did this on Thanksgiving or not, take time now to pause and give thanks for all God has given you.  I am thankful for my wife and my family.  I am thankful for my friends.  I am thankful for this church.  I am thankful for the privilege to serve God in ministry.  I am thankful for the ability to get out of bed each morning.  Those are easy things to give thanks for. 

1 Thessalonians says that God’s will for us is to give thanks in all circumstances.  Many of us may be in tough life situations right now.  We may be jobless, without a loved one, in broken relationships, or battling health problems, but we are to give thanks despite these things.  The Bible teaches that in this world we will have trouble.  We are not to expect an easy life.  We live in a world that is in rebellion to God.  Our bodies fail.  Our relationships suffer.  God said that people will mistreat us, insult us, and mock us because we have chosen to follow Christ.  But, Jesus said, “take heart for I have overcome the world.”  Even in difficult circumstances, we can give thanks because of Christ.  I thank God that though I live in a rebellious world I follow a Savior who has overcome the world.  I thank God that I have a Savior who went to the cross on my behalf.  I thank God for Jesus who loves me and gave himself up for me.  Are you thankful?  Can you give thanks in all circumstances?  

May we each seek to give thanks to God for what he has done through Christ!

Citizenship

"But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

Philippians 3:20-21

I struggle with citizenship.  I was born at a hospital in Williamson County in the United States of America that makes me a citizen of the USA.  I have voting privileges.  I pay taxes, albeit grudgingly.  I am protected by the police, emergency services, and the military.  I obey the laws of the land, at least the major ones.  I have a problem with the one about a speed limit.  I live in the USA, but the Bible teaches me that I am not truly a citizen of the USA.  I have dual citizenship.  I am a citizen of the USA and a citizen of the kingdom of God.  However, these citizenships are not equal.  They are not on a level field, one is more important than the other.  My citizenship in God's kingdom is my true citizenship.  The kingdom is my true home.  It is the home that I was made for, but many days I don't live that way.  I live as if my only home is the USA.  Jesus tells me that my loyalty is not to my homeland, my parents, my wife, my friends, my job.  He says that my loyalty is to him alone.

So, what does it mean to live in America as a citizen of the kingdom of Christ?  Does it mean I go to church on Sunday and do good things?  Does it mean that I rebel against America and become an ascetic?  Does it mean I protest the military and war?  Does it mean that I become so heavenly minded that I am of no earthly good?  Does it mean that I obey the earthly authorities over me as long as their laws don't break the laws of Christ?

My current thought is that I am to be so heavenly minded that I am forced to be of earthly good.  As I am transfixed by the Savior, I must follow his example to touch, teach, feed, clothe, rebuke, love, and honor those I meet.

Take Two

It has been awhile since I last posted.  Life has been very busy, and I have been unsure of what to post.  Here are the basics:  December 31, 2008 I married Joanna Ragan.  We had an amazing wedding and great reception.  We learned how extremely blessed we are during the weeks leading up to and the day of our wedding.  Our family and friends came together to pull off a great party for everyone involved.  May 2009 I resigned from my role as Associate/Youth Pastor at Mason City Christian Church.  July 12, 2009 was our last day at Mason City.  It was a tear filled day.  Again, God revealed to us how blessed we are.  The students and people at Mason City are dearly missed by us.  July 19, 2009 was our first day at Londonderry Christian Church.  We moved from central IL to New England.  Amazingly, it has not been as difficult a transition as anticipated.  It has been fulfilling to preach from God's Word each Sunday here in Londonderry.  That are the big points of what has been going on, if you would like more details please let me know.

Now that life has settled somewhat I plan to resume regular posting.  My goal is to have a weekly post covering a range of topics.  I hope some of you will decide to read and respond.

Dave