"Imagination as Used by the Lord" by Laura Rice

Sunday evening Mike, in his talk about anger, challenged us to go to God and let Him show us any hidden and /or closed room in our hearts. Explaining, he walked us into a room of cobwebs and dust, long-neglected. Then we were to let God show us what this room represented in us. Perhaps a place of anger or unforgiveness that needed cleansing, healing or repentance. Maybe He will open our eyes to something in the room. We may know immediately what it symbolizes or we may have to wait and ask God to show us.

In this process of imagining, God reveals our heart-wounds and lead us to healing or confession. Places in us that are shut, blocked off or fearfully locked, can be accessed by His Spirit as He uses our own imaginations to explore and reveal. Engaging the imagination and inviting the Holy Spirit to guide us is a gift given by God. Often our imaginations will bring symbols to mind. Sunshine to bring light, a garden to show deadness or growth and beauty. Many people think in pictures. It’s an everyday experience for children, but many adults lose their ability by doubt or over-intellectualizing.

Many adults need their imaginations cleansed of all the unhealthy images. These images can block the true and good imagination, polluting it. Prayer and healing may be needed to set a person free to use their God-given imaginations for good. God gave us our imaginations to be a healthy faculty to be used by the Holy Spirit. One concern that sometimes arises is whether these imaginings are like New Age guided imagery. God showing us something using our own imaginations is so different.

A Christian is covered by the Holy Spirit and protected. We are not “wide-open” to just anyone or anything. I’ve had many opportunities to practice this exercise of asking God to use my imagination by His Holy Spirit. Often, not surprisingly, because of who I am the picture or image can be funny. During one such time I saw a red telephone booth. At first I wondered what this could mean. Then the Lord spoke to me; “You don’t have to go to any particular place to talk to me. I am available to to you anywhere and any time.” It’s like having a cell phone. Another time the question was,, “Ask God to show you the condition of your heart.” So I did and I immediately saw a popsicle stick fence, apparently to guard my heart. I felt God was showing me that I did not trust Him At the same time I had devised a ridiculous fence to keep my heart safe. From these and many more such experiences, I sat down today and asked God to show me if there was any locked door in my heart. And He faithfully walked me thru another look into my inner being.

Thanks Mike for the suggestion.

Ez 13:12

Eph 3:20

Heb. 4:12-13 attitudes translated imaginations.

"Hide and Seek" by John Rice

Psalm 19:1-4 NIV

[1] The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. [2] Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. [3] They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. [4] Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Romans 1:20 NIV

[20] For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities---his eternal power and divine nature---have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

These two Scriptures seem to state clearly that God’s existence, and even His glory, is proclaimed every day and night by His creation for all to see. The heavens declare His glory; the skies proclaim the work of His hands; the creation speaks of His eternal power and divine nature. I can certainly personally attest to the truth of these Scriptures as I settle in to watch the sunrise, something I try to do most mornings of the year. Being a nature lover, the ocean, the mountains, the deserts, rivers, trees and plants and animals of all kinds speak to me of the amazing creativity and awesome wisdom and power of God. And I know this revelation is meant for all mankind.

But I also notice in Scripture that there are many references to the mystery of God and to things of God that are hidden.

Colossians 2:2-3 NIV

[2] My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, [3] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Matthew 13:44-46 NIV

[44] The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.  

Apparently, some things of God are out in the open for everyone to see, while other things are hidden away, enticing us to look for them like buried treasure. Is there a difference between the two types of things? If so, what is the difference?

Maybe God likes to play hide and seek! What I mean is, there are ways in which He seems to shout out, “Here I am!” and there are other ways He seems to go quiet. Could it be that He is looking for people who will look for Him? He seems to like it that people are willing to drop what they’re doing and focus on Him. I think this is why He made the Sabbath day so special and called it holy.  This is a time to drop all the normal, everyday activities and pursuits to give time and space to seek Him out. He asks us to go into our “prayer closets” and talk with Him.

Maybe God’s overt expression is for humanity as a whole, but the secret hidden mysteries are to be revealed to each individual as he or she meets alone with their Father.

I don’t think I will ever tire of watching the sunrise. But I want more. I believe God wants more too. The question and the challenge is this: am I willing to sell what I have to buy the field with the treasure in it? Am I willing to let go of my agenda for a time to seek out His? Sometimes I find this easy to do, more often I find it difficult, but I do know that either way, God is already right there with me.

"Frankl Insights" by John Rice

“Don’t aim at success – the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as a by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.” -Viktor E. Frankl

I came across the quote while rereading one of my favorite books, one of those books you reread every couple of years until it falls apart at the seam. This book, Man’s Search for Meaning, was written by an Austrian psychiatrist who survived both Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps, whose only crime was being Jewish in a Nazi world.

Half of the book talks about what it was like living under the most horrendous, inhumane conditions imaginable, living in a place where just showing a hint of weakness could brand you as “useless” and could mean you were sent to your death in a “shower” of poisonous gases and then burned to ashes. Dr. Frankl determined that as long as he lived in this hellish place, he would make a study of the way people, including himself, reacted to these extremely abnormal circumstances. He hoped that his insights would be of use to people even long after his death. And they most certainly have been.

It seems to me that one of the greatest insights Frankl discovered during that time, and that is relevant to every human being living everywhere, no matter what the circumstances, is this:

Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, the freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you feel and do about what happens to you.

In the camps, on the very first day, one was stripped of everything they had ever had: their families, their friends, their money, their importance, their careers, their responsibilities, their control, their clothes, their shoes, their jewelry, their hair (they were shaved head to toe)….and even their names. They were tattooed with numbers which became their only identity within the camp from then on. Literally stripped naked of everything that had previously formed their identity, they were left with only one thing still under their control: how they would respond. No one can take this freedom away from us, ever. While many people in such circumstances succumb to the temptation to crawl their way over everyone else to save their own life (and certainly this is understandable), there were those who kept forever focused on a higher purpose, a cause for hope, a refusal to become just like the animals who were torturing them. As Frankl believed, having a WHY to live enables people to bear the HOW to live, even in the worst of circumstances.

All of this makes me so very aware of how fortunate we are as children of the living God. The answer to WHY we live starts with being created in His image. We have a purpose in seeing His Kingdom established on earth as it is in heaven. We are called to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength. And we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. Knowing these things as the WHY of life, we are enabled to deal with the HOW of life. When Frankl says, as in the quote at the beginning of this devotional, that success and happiness are the unintended side-effects of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as a by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself, we can see that we, as Believers, are poised for the greatest success and joy just by giving our lives to God, letting Him live within us,  and by following His ways, no matter what our surroundings.

Most of us, hopefully, will never experience anything like a concentration camp. We do, however, face trials and hardships, sickness and limitations, injustices and offenses, losses and grief in many different ways throughout our lives. How will we respond to those? It may be easy and understandable to become bitter, negative, vengeful or even despairing in the face of the trials, but if we can just step back a bit and remember the bigger picture, remember Who has given us life and purpose and hope, we might walk through life in a better way, with head lifted high.

Frankl says, “We have come to know man as he really is. After all, man is that being who invented the gas chambers of Auschwitz; however he is also that being that entered those gas chambers upright, with the Lord’s Prayer or the Shema Yisrael on his lips.”

Scriptures

For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.   Phil 1:21

The life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.    Gal 2:20

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for My sake will find it.   Mt 16:25

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Mt 16:26

"Faith & Reason" by Joseph Scheyer

When my career as a science teacher took me to a Christian High School, I faced a crossroads when I found that our Biology text stated that, (pardon my paraphrase) “…based upon genealogical evidence tracing the lineage of mankind back to everyone’s ultimate ancestors: Adam and Eve, the earth was created approximately 11,000 years ago.  My reason (backed by tons of geological data) tells me that the earth is billions of years old.  I mean… I have rocks in my house that are much older than that.  Why would God create the earth only appear to be billions of years old? I simply could not teach this to the students and so must confess that we found a way to skip over that chapter (at the risk of leaving a gap in their High School Biology education). Does this mean I lack faith? Did I let my sense of reason blind me to the truth of the creation?  When the students asked, I explained that this was one view of creation and that as their science teacher, it is best to examine all of the viewpoints before advancing any conclusions.  I also let them know I did not share this interpretation and invited discussion with the understanding that having faith does not mean that you abandon reason. 

In the science department of the university, I found the disdain for Christian faith almost palpable at times …  and then I’ve run across a few in my Christian journey who think that science and reason somehow threaten our faith. Each side sees science and God as oppositional. In my experience, faith is not the absence of reason but enhances reason just as reason can edify faith.
With reason, we can think about the marvels of God’s creation and we can begin to sense the depth of His infinite presence. Reason also helps us understand that our human knowledge is limited and see how much is beyond our abilities.  Knowing that you cannot know God --- while in His presence --- provides opportunity for the inner statement of trust and humility that is faith. Faith then becomes the instrument we can use to tap into the truth beyond what we know.  Reason edifies Faith.

Faith in God compels us to use our intellect and logic to appreciate and integrate our faith... there is no doubt that God wants us to Know Him. God wants us to use our finite tools of logic to seek to perceive Him with our mind so that we can expand our scope of, and our ability to, use reason to understand God. Faith enhances reason. 

It is through Faith that we experience the essence of God and it is through Reason that we experience the expression of God. 
~Simon Jacobsen

Faith and reason together can be powerful but We must take care to not allow our reason to quiet the inner voice that tells us what we know, in our hearts, to be true. On the other hand, a healthy mind recognizes its innate limitations, acknowledging the many experiences and understandings beyond the scope of our own logic. When I hold a baby in my arms… or a bird or a leaf -- and see the miracle and wonder of their creation-- it is clear that their existence is an extension of Gods remarkable love, just as I am, and you are.  

Because we weren’t there at the time of creation, I guess we will never know if the earth was created at the time our textbook stated or if Gods creation plan was to form the earth over four billion years ago. In any case, I’m grateful that God gave us the ability to use our sense of reason to fortify our faith as well as to use our faith to bring power to our reasoning. 

"Jesus Asleep in the Boat" by John Rice

During last Sunday’s New Year’s service I took some time to sit in front of Rembrandt’s painting, “Christ Asleep in the Boat”. Though I had looked at this painting many times prior to that evening, it was different this time.  I think what made it different was the amount of time and focus I gave to the viewing, accompanied by the prayer that God would connect with me somehow during this time, that He would show me something or speak to me about something as I observed the painting.

What I noticed first was that though the whole ship was being tossed around by the crashing waves and wind, the left half of the ship was most stirred up in the turbulence. On the left side men were struggling hard, pulling ropes, trying to right the sails. This part of the ship was lit up, clearly visible to the observer. The right side of the ship was lower in the water and in the dark. Jesus was sleeping in this part of the boat and the only action here was that of men trying to wake Jesus up to help them.

This light and dark contrast seems to me to be symbolic of the way our lives often work. When troubles or stressful things arise, it is natural for us to focus on them and struggle with them. Our problems are what are clearly visible and tumultuous. These things can easily become the only things we see and we focus all our attention there, trying to overcome the problems we face by our own efforts.

But at the very same time, on the very same boat, Jesus is there, in all His wisdom and power, unrattled. There is nothing too big or troublesome that He can’t take care of. The issue is where we will look for our help and our salvation. Where will be put our focus and our trust: on our problems and our own abilities to solve them…  or on the abilities of God?

We know the ending of this story of the wind and the waves from Scripture. Jesus wakes up and calms the winds and the waves and all is well, all the disciples are saved. What would our lives be like if we were quick to recognize that Jesus is with us when we experience troubles, and with that knowledge if we were to look to Him for help, healing, wisdom, provision, direction or whatever it is that we need? Would the actual troubles seem to diminish in comparison? I know troubles don’t usually magically and instantaneously go away when we pray, but rather sometimes take a long time to be dealt with. But I also know that when Jesus promises us a peace beyond all understanding when we pray to Him, we can count on Him to do something profound in us. It is both mysterious and wonderful. He has promised to walk with us through all of life, good and bad. He will give us what we need. It is not hard for Him.

Lord, help us be quick to see how close you are when the wind and waves are crashing against our boats!

Mk 4:35-41
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mt 7:7-12
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Mt 6:5-13
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

"Creation Contrasts" by Terry Sheldon

On my long backpacking trip in the Wallowa Wilderness last summer, I was struck by the contrasting extremes of the natural world surrounding me. The terrain was either harsh or beautiful, life-sustaining useful or life-threatening - and frequently both, side by side. The extremes were not just noticeable, they seemed at times contradictory. Really Lord, mosquitoes in this drop-dead gorgeous lake valley?

Abrasive and unyielding granite rocks next to delicate and colorful wildflowers. Freezing cold ice and snow draining into refreshing, gurgling streams, which of course sustain wildflowers, animals and humans. High and steep mountain barriers that make passage extremely hard, dotted with delicate fir trees to enrich our oxygen, provide shade and campfire fuel.

Then the absolute delicious feeling of living life in its euphoric fullness, walking in lock-step with a realization of possible physical peril. Would my next step be misplaced, casting me down a rocky cliff? Would my stomach violently reject all the lightweight but inhumane freeze-dried food I was consuming? Would I encounter a bear at the worst time by surprising her with cubs nearby?

Yes the wilderness was extreme, but also for me, a photo-collage metaphor of everyday life back in Comfortville. There are plenty of emotional contrasts in our 9 to 5 as well. We say we take the good with the bad, but do we handle both well? We crave security, love and comfort, but we also get insecurity, heartache, and anxiety.

Success and failure, to borrow that word pair, are complete opposites, right? But are they really? Does failure amount to a terrible and permanent ending? And does success equal happiness and contentment, as some sort of moral achievement? Or are there hidden components of each for us to get to know, aspects more useful or dangerous than we might assume?

Success can satisfy and reward us for our efforts, but it can also produce arrogance and buffer us from Godly compassion. Failure can plunge us deep into self-absorbed despair, or it can make us rich, deep-pool people who find a way to "win" in a more subtle and rewarding way. Am I suggesting failure is the better result? Not necessarily, but perhaps with both contrasts, it's important to experience each in its mature fullness, and that we treat both with much care.

"Responses" by Laura Rice

Our response when confronted about our sin is a significant clue to the condition of our hearts
before others and God.  When John spoke Sunday evening, he sought to illustrate the different
ways we may react.  He succinctly told of 6 scriptural scenarios.

Adam and Eve were disobedient. Their responses were classic: Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. They were grieved by the consequences God pronounced but failed to truly repent. The story of Cain and Abel clearly shows, again, a man warned and bent toward sin, who when confronted arrogantly deflects his actions and even moans and complains about God’s meting out of consequence.

King Saul was the most clueless about his sin.  He is proud of his accomplishments as a warrior
and seems to easily ignore God’s instructions about offerings.  His arrogance and bitterness follow him forward throughout his life.

These 3 recountings have the same theme. No one wants to take responsibility for their sin.  Each has a wrong view of God and of the severity of disobedience.The next 3 stories demonstrate God’s desire for us when we sin. Judah, the fourth son of Israel and Leah go through some trials in order to own his sin.  He had previously attempted to save his brother Joseph when the other brothers were intent on killing him.  He had compassion.

This is many years before he sins against Tamar.  When she does confront him he takes responsibility and even makes full retribution to her for the denial of a husband.  I see again
his heart of compassion and his taking responsibility for his actions. David was already set up for sin when he doesn’t join his men at war and steps out of his palace and sees Bathsheba. Then when he is tempted by Bathsheba’s beauty he takes what he wants and even has her
husband killed when her pregnancy is realized. 

It takes the prophet, Nathan, to voice the truth of what he’s done, but David quickly repents before God. Then there is the short story of the tax collector who knows who he is and what he has done, and then repents. This is contrasted to the Pharisee who thinks highly of himself.
The moral of these stories is:  Keep our hearts open to hear from God; read the word to stay in touch with what God desires from us both in word and actions;  allow God to examine our hearts; and allow others to expose attitudes and deep ungodly leanings in us; remain humble.   

I have done all of what the first 3 stories have showed.  I definitely have hidden my sin from God and others.  I have learned that is a miserable way to live.  Blaming my sin on someone else or on circumstances left me feeling nervously deceitful.  Coming clean may be hard but there is a great relief in agreeing with God.  I have also been warned by God before I chose to sin.  Though that seems like a no-brainer (to listen to Him), temptation and bondage are powerful.  Our hearts can be incredibly deceitful. I have learned to repent and forgive quickly.  We know God will help us through because this is His will, to be in right standing with Himself and others.
 

"What Is Your Christmas Attitude?" by Kim Phelps

Christmas…..for many people, it is a season they adore and really look forward to.  For me, not so much.  It carries a lot of baggage and the commercial aspect does not help. So, my attitude can really hit a downward skid easily! 

My family is out of state and I am a single, retired woman; waaaaah, I can feel so sorry for myself! In times like this, I kind of have a history with the Lord: I ask Him to give me a Scripture that is from Him to me that will help me see the “bigger picture". Last week I did just that.  And He gave me a Scripture:

Psalm 23

How gracious of Him! The 23rd psalm;  “He leads me to green pastures” where I can laze around “beside still waters”, He “prepares a table for me in front of my enemies” so I (and they) know that I win in the end! He “anoints me” so I am blessed, “goodness and mercy” stalk me all my life, His “staff guides me” so I can’t get lost. 

Whew, I am so fortunate to be a child of God my Father, He is so good to me! But, wait, I forgot about the “ROD”.  The rod tells me that this is not just about ME (spoiler alert!). There is correction here, maybe God is telling me that I need balance, an adjustment in attitude, as in there is more to this than me being blessed by God.  What the message that I believe God was saying was that He is loving, healing, and blessing me so that I can overcome the “baggage” (see paragraph #1) of my past and walk with Him by doing what He is telling me to do, being that pipeline from Him to those I come across. It is about giving after all, God giving so that I can give….untangled by ulterior motives, so I can hear Him with untainted motives and respond accordingly. Awfully lofty ideals, but that is God; He is Holy and He calls us (me) to be Holy as He is.

So I guess I can enjoy and maybe even look forward to Christmas! I think I will be taking some friends on a tour of Christmas lights.  We will have some hot chocolate too.
 

"Like a Weaned Child" by Randi Nelson

Whether it is the depths of despair, pain of betrayal or the ecstasy of joy and wonder, the book of Psalms is candidly honest about the turmoil of human life. Yet it also declares that God, in his creative majesty and supreme righteousness, is ever present; his “lovingkindness endures forever”. His love overcomes, overarches, intercepts and permeates every human activity. God is not put off by our difficulties. He is ever-present to help and to comfort.

Delicately poised, after 130 expressions of life’s big emotions and just before a grand finale of 5 joyous praise-filled declarations, is Psalm 131 – three little verses so easily skimmed over that they hardly make an impression yet, if given attention, become stunning and timely.

Psalm 131 (NAS)

O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or
in things too difficult for me.

Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.

Swirling motion marching towards a final great Hallelujah suddenly stops. There’s revelation; a summation of our relationship with God in the picture of a child, a “weaned” child, calmly resting against its mother.

Take a few moments to think about each of these questions:

• What are the qualities of a “weaned” child?
• Regarding a weaned child, what does neither having a proud heart nor haughty eyes mean to you? Apply it to your eyes and heart.
• What does it mean to not involve yourself in “great matters” or “things too difficult”? Is there a personal application?
• Who is doing the composing and quieting?
• What are the conditions that make this sort of composure and quietness of soul possible?

I offer three words in answer to the last question.

Humility (verse 1):  I can get pretty worked up about my understanding of right and wrong in the world. But Jesus said that if we learn from him who is “gentle and humble” we will find “rest for [our] souls” (Matthew 11:29). He also asks, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27). To find rest I absolutely must acknowledge that I am just a weaned child, old enough to walk but not old enough, strong enough or wise enough to know how to get there without help.

Choice (verse 2):  Whether the child rests or squirms in its mother’s arms is up to the child. Mom can’t force the child to stillness. Isaiah 30:15 says, “In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Israel chose not to sit still and lost her blessing of peace. To compose and calm my soul is to forsake all agendas, even my prayer agendas, and to soak in God’s enfolding presence.

Trust (verse 3):  The child knows that in the crowd of big people, mother is safe. So also, we can trust that, “though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly” (Psalm 138:6). Some of us have experienced unsafe parents, but God is the ultimate strong, safe, gentle parent who loves and gives generously. He says, “Let the little children come to me … for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Mark 10:14).”

The weaned child has learned to wait for its food, to trust that it will be provided at the right time. The weaned child is not frantic about things that are overwhelming. The weaned child is autonomous yet dependent. The weaned child can rest and be comforted.

This week as we are positioned between an incredibly emotional and tumultuous election season and the build up to exuberant holiday celebrations, I encourage you to stop! Stop to absorb God’s tender grace and presence; stop to rest your head quietly upon God’s great shoulders; to climb into the lap of the “God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Let him kiss and caress you. Let him sing songs over you.

O _________ [insert your name], hope in the Lord! For with [him] is steadfast love and plentiful redemption for you! (Psalm 130:7).

CitySalt | Five De-Escalation Tips

CitySalt | Five De-Escalation Tips

There are times when we are confronted with situations in public where people are emotionally charged due to a personal crisis, mental health issue, or chemical impairment. The following tips can help you be more successful de-escalating a potentially dangerous situation rather than unintentionally becoming part of the problem. As Christ-Followers, we want to be people who have a heart for God and are equipped to serve other people well in difficult situations. Thank you for being a lifelong learner. 

Romans 12:18
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.

1.    RESPECT & EMPATHY: People pick up on attitude. An attitude of respect goes a long way, particularly when it is coupled with empathy toward another person’s distress or agitation. 

2.    DON’T ARGUE WITH EXPERIENCE: Facts are important, but how a person feels is the heart of the matter. Avoid telling a person how they’re feeling. “How can I help you?”  or “I can appreciate why you’d feel that way” Are good phrases when someone is upset. Avoid phrases like, “I understand.” This is likely to get a sharp response like, “NO YOU DON’T!” and can further escalate the person.When people are experiencing breaks with reality, the temptation is to “talk sense into them”. It’s impossible to talk someone out of a delusion or hallucination.

3.    PERSONAL SPACE AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: An arm’s length is the distance of most people’s personal comfort zone. When emotionally escalated, people require even more. The more a person loses control, the less they hear your words.. Be mindful of your gestures, facial expressions, movements (especially hands), and tone of voice. Keep your hands out of pockets and loose, with your feet in a relaxed but solid position. Give plenty of space for the other person to “get away”.

4.    GIVE CHOICES: If a person's behavior is belligerent, defensive, or disruptive, give them
clear, simple, and enforceable limits. Offer concise and respectful choices and consequences. Something like, “I need you to move along or I will have to call the police” is a clear and simple choice. It's important to be thoughtful in deciding what is  negotiable and what is not. If you can offer a person options and flexibility, you may be able to avoid unnecessary altercations. “You can’t stay in front of the building to fix your bike, but over in the side parking lot is fine.”

5.    MIND YOUR OWN STATE OF BEING: Remaining calm and rational will have a direct effect on defusing tense situations. Your demeanor and internal state, physically impacts the other person, so watch your own state of being. Ignore challenges, but not the person. Keep focus on solving the problem. Silence and time often bring calm to a tense situation. Ground ~ Center ~ Orient

CALL 911 for Criminal Activity or Violence

Call CAHOOTS for Mental Health Crisis - 541-682-5111
(Eugene Police Non-Emergency Line)

"Living with Body and Soul" by Joseph Scheyer

Have you ever experienced a moment when it seems as if you can feel God’s presence … when you have that profound sense of awe and wonder that God is indeed by your side? Alternatively, do you ever remember feeling abandoned by God… wondering if a connection to the divine is even possible?

Being human is a challenge on many levels. On the one hand our divine soul cries out to God, seeking the spiritual connection like the flame of a candle, as it ever reaches ever upward toward heaven. On the other hand, our body - our animal soul - seeks to satisfy itself, like the wick of the candle holding the spiritual flame down to the material world in which we live.  Personally, I have had a very difficult time in my life keeping the animal soul in check so I can keep my internal focus on the divine.  Some of it has to do with the way the combination of nature and nurture in my early years helped to shape the way I respond to situations. Some of it has to do with choices I make to feed that animal soul because it simply feels good… and my body does like the feeling of feeling good.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 
~Galatians 5:16-17

The dichotomy of the body and soul is all around us: Materialism vs. Spirituality.  When the needs of the body are being met, the animal soul has no motivation to transcend beyond this earthly plane. Fortunately, God provides us with a divine soul as a means to rise above those base instincts. The body is dependent on the material tools that interact with the world through our senses of sight, smell, sound, touch and taste and is driven to meet its physical needs. Conversely, the soul strives only to connect with God and is, therefore, the very reason for our existence. This does not mean that the body is bad… after all, our bodies were created by God with those incessant physical needs. These bodies of ours have an awesome potential for good and it is the spiritual soul that can energize and direct the body to unite with the divine.

Dusty often talks about the concept of “Soul Care”.  So… how do we care for souls?  How do we nurture that part of us which yearns to connect with the divine presence of God? How do we unite our body and soul? First, I believe, we must recognize that we are indeed divine beings; created in the image of God. We must also realize that the need to put daily effort into nurturing our divine souls. Worship, meditation, prayer, study, fellowship and virtuous acts are some of the tools we can use to strengthen our soul connection with the God of the universe. Finally, we need to understand that while the body tries to keep us bound to this earth, the divine soul has the power to lift us above and beyond the material toward that divine spiritual connection. 

Eva Oriakahi

This past Big Table Sunday we enjoyed hearing from Eva Oriakahi talk about her life and journey with Jesus in this season. You can read a recent blog called, "It's Okay To Not Be Okay" referenced in her interview with Pastor Dusty on October 30th at CitySalt by clicking HERE.

Inspirational Videos by Spoken Word Artists

We thought you might enjoy some of the inspirational videos that we have been sharing at the beginning of our services. These two feature different spoken word artists who share a timely word for the benefit of the body. Please view these videos from artists Clayton Jennings and Jefferson Bethke. Enjoy!

"God Our Dad" by Terry Sheldon

I recently had a conversation with my Dad. No, my Heavenly Dad. Does that wording sound strange? Did it take you by surprise? Interesting, isn't it?

Ok maybe you are perfectly comfortable thinking and talking about our God in that way, with that language, but I have to admit I'm not so much. With me, "Heavenly Father" is as close as I get. Maybe it's simply about respect. But I suspect for me, it's more than that.

This all started on my Wallowa Mountains backpacking trip in July. On this particular day I was by myself exploring the other side of a lake. I set my tired body down, and my stuff. I removed my glasses to relax my eyes. I noticed an amazing creek across the way with abundant wildflowers and went to investigate. It was so beautiful and I was quickly lost in my typical wilderness rapture. And you know, when the emotions are in hyper drive, the brain sometimes shuts off. I went back to retrieve my belongings, but left my glasses behind.

Later I returned to get them but they were not where I thought I left them! These were not only my close-up reading glasses, but my sunglasses as well. It was TWO big problems I didn't need with 20 more miles to go on our bright and sunny trip, not to mention an expense upon my return home.

So I reacted in typical fashion - I yelled for God. I perceived Him near because I was in crisis and went LOOKING for Him (just like teenagers, huh?). "God can you PLEASE help me find my glasses?!" No response. Then comes "the pact", right? (I won't tell you what was promised). Still nothing. Then I distinctly heard Him answer "I'm your Dad. I care about you." Soon I found my glasses, but I have not forgotten about the interaction.

As I have since processed this, I've noticed that in all our worship, the emphasis is all towards God (as it should be). But how often do we really feel Him "worship" us back? Ok, likely too strong a word, but can't it sometimes be a bit too easy to avoid intimacy with someone we look up to, by focusing all on them? Or we too easily put ourselves down and diminish our good points? Is it possible that there could be some "false humility" here, by staying on a "formal name basis" with our Heavenly Dad? I'm just poking here, but it has me thinking.

Certainly we have all heard that God is relational, and relational is always a two-way street. I remember the father of the prodigal son running out to not only greet, but hug and kiss his son. Then came the big bash. This is the same son who squandered his father's money, took him for granted, even distain, and attempted to ruin his life and the family name. Money, ego, and social status could have easily come between them both, but the father made sure that didn't happen. He was still Dad, and his son was still his son.

What a powerful picture, and the scriptures are full of so many more.

"Love is Spelled TIME" by John Rice

When God calls us away from our daily activities, plans, ambitions and anxious thoughts, and asks us to spend some time with Him, He is really saying, “I want to be with you. What's on your mind? What's on your heart? How are things? I love you.” And He always has something for us…a word of encouragement, a word of direction or instruction, a word of affirmation, a word of correction, or maybe He simply gives us a bit more peace or a time and place to rest.

All other religions have sacred places to go to: a certain mountain, a special river, a particular temple. Only the God of the Bible takes a period of time and makes it holy. The first thing God called “holy” (which really means He set it apart as something special and sacred) is the Sabbath day, a day of rest within which we are to let go of the daily grind and refocus on Him and His goodness to us. On our Sabbaths we are to celebrate the goodness of life and the goodness of our God. As the author Abraham Herschel puts it, “The Sabbath is not just an interlude, it is the climax of living.”

Last Saturday morning 10 of us had a kind of special Sabbath together and with God. After meeting and talking about the day at the Space for God Retreat, we separated into different places to spend some solo time with God. We had expectations for meeting God in a special way but we had no idea what form that might take. In sharing at the end, we discovered that everyone truly had had a special (and very individual) connection with God.

-One person was promised that God would help him find his identity which has been difficult for him to find and accept through his life.

-Another was able to take a self-inventory with God and discern what things were toxic and what things were life-gifts to be grateful for and to encourage.

-Another recognized his need to be more intentional in his choices and to not just go with the flow.

-Another understood Psalm 23 in a new and personal way: that God’s presence always goes before her and she is never alone.

-Another recognized that God was closer to her than her breath. And He focused her eyes on a brief prism of colors in the sky, a kind of spherical rainbow, speaking of love and hope for her.

-Another experienced the cleansing of his imagination and some indescribable emotion which the Lord, he believed, would continue to make understood as he goes on.

-Another person, who normally spends time with God by talking and talking, was encouraged by Him to say nothing and just sit with Him, kind of like an old couple who know each other so well they don't even need to talk to experience closeness.

-Another realized from the verse in Isaiah that “those walking in darkness have seen a great light” inferred that God’s light is always shining brightly around us, but that circumstances or our own lack of awareness cause the darkness that we are walking in. In God’s bright light all other things, all our problems, seem very small in comparison.

-Another saw herself paddling a small rowboat on a very rough and windy ocean, struggling hard but barely able to move. God changed her picture to see herself in a sleek racing craft zipping along in the wind and waves as the Lord himself blew the wind of the Spirit into her sails.

-And yet another heard the repeated statement from God, loud and clear, five times,
"You are my son! You are my son! You are my son! You are my son! You are my son!"

Was there anything extraordinary about these people? Well yes and no: they are extraordinary in the sense that every one of God’s people is extraordinary. But no in that we are all just regular, ordinary, everyday people trying to walk out our faith in God the best ways we know how. What enables us to hear these things is giving God the TIME and SPACE to speak to us. And the good news is…  He does!! I've heard it said that LOVE is really spelled T-I-M-E. Giving time and attention to our friends, our spouses, our children and yes, even to God, is like saying, “I want to make time for you. I want to hear what you have to say. I want to know you better. I love you. “

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done. Genesis 2:3

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 146:10

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says:  In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. Isaiah 30:15

"Perfection or Nothing" by John Rice

Many years ago someone said to me, “If you expect either perfection or nothing, you’ll get nothing.” I think I understood the meaning of this in a vague sort of way, thought it sounded wise, and then banked it somewhere in my subconscious.

This idea has been brought back to me recently with different words that have really caught my attention. Someone said, “If you’re always looking for the ideal in life, you can’t be really living in the moment. You will always be dissatisfied.”

Although I don’t think of myself as a perfectionist, I do know myself to be always looking for the ideal, the best, the greatest, the number one, the most beautiful, the first-class, the most famous, the smartest, the way things SHOULD be. I think this comes from somehow being taught never to settle, never to give up, to set my sights high, to strive, strive, strive. And I have expected this from others too.

There are certainly some good points to trying our best and setting good standards, but for myself I’ve realized that if I am extreme in this way, I am always unhappy with real life. I can’t fully enjoy life, I can’t experience the real moment I’m living in and I can’t fully appreciate the people around me. I even have a hard time with my relationship with God. This is because I’m wanting every connection with Him to be the best, better than the last, electric, dynamic, life-changing. So, in reality, how often does a human experience those moments with God? Probably only once in a great while. And that’s probably a good thing, because otherwise we’d find it extremely hard to live in this often mundane, everyday kind of world, with all its imperfections.

If I think about it, my way of thinking has been very covetous, to use a Biblical word. I always want something I don’t have, or want to be someone I’m not, or want others to be someone they’re not….and then I live with either a low-grade or high-grade sense of dissatisfaction and fail to see the goodness and grace of what IS.

So with God’s help, I’m trying to find the right balance in my life: not expecting too much and not expecting too little. No perfection, and no nothing. I’m open to starting to see the beauty of God’s goodness and grace in all the regular, day-to-day little happenings. This even reminds me of the many places in Scripture where God’s people were often drawn to their captors (Egyptians, Assyrians and Babylonians) because of the rich, beautiful and exciting things those cultures offered, but at the same time ignoring the quiet waters of the Promised Land which God had given them for their sustenance and pleasure. Like me, the Israelites wanted the exciting wealthy, cool and hip - the happening place and culture of the powerful. They got bored with the gentle, quiet waters of everyday Israel, though that’s where the Lord’s goodness and presence were strongest.

God’s goodness is everywhere. His glory is all over creation; His image is somewhere to be found in all humans, however buried it may be. How much better to allow ourselves to be amazed at His presence day-to-day in the mundane, rather than to be craning our necks for something more, always something more.

Is 8:6,  Ps 16:11,  Mt 7:9-1

"Smooring the Fire" by John Rice

I’ve just read of a very interesting practice in old Ireland and Scotland that I wanted to share. As
you probably know, Ireland and Scotland are very damp and often cold countries. The terrain is
mostly rocky and the weather is harsh much of the year, especially on the islands of the Atlantic
Ocean where storms often drench the land. Before electricity was available to light and heat the
houses there, the Celtic people had a special practice to keep their houses as warm and dry as
possible. It was called “smooring the fire”. Wood was very scarce on these islands and peat
very precious, so if you wanted to stay warm, smooring the fire well was a very essential skill to
develop.

To smoor the fire, the woman of the family would prepare the coals in the hearth for the night by
spreading them out in a circle in three parts and then sprinkling some ashes on top of them to
slow their burning. A little peat was put in the spaces between the three sections. and then a
prayer was said. This was the smooring prayer:

The sacred Three,
to save,
to shield,
to surround
the hearth,
the house,
the household,
this eve,
this night,
Oh! this eve,
this night,
and every night,
each single night.
Amen.

The next morning the woman would add fresh peat and get the fire going full bore for the meals
and for heating the house. Performing this night after night, day after day, week after week,
month after month and even year after year, there were some family fires that were kept
continuously alive for generations. And not only that, but a common practice was that when the
girl of the family got married, her mother would give her as a wedding gift some of the coals
from her fire so that the girl’s family would start their family fire with the same fire that had
burned in her family for generations.

This smooring of the fire in some way reminds me of our faith. The fire that burns in our hearts
as the Spirit of God dwells within us must be tended carefully if we want it to continue burning
brightly. Through difficult circumstances or neglect or distraction our fires can go dim, barely
burning, which dims our light and can’t keep us very warm. The gifts God has given us can also
burn brightly or dimly according to our awareness and attention to them. Paul encourages
Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6 to “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on
of my hands.”

So how do we keep our fires burning? Well, it seems to me that God gives us the fire freely as a
gift of grace and then our job is to recognize it as a precious gift, a treasure, an inheritance, and
to keep it burning by practicing the presence of God every day. This is our “smooring”: turning to
God, talking with God, listening for God’s voice, worshipping Him, thanking Him, opening up to
Him, obeying Him, loving Him. And if we pass these practices on to our children, the spiritual
fires God has given us may not go out for generations.

2 Timothy 1:6
Acts 11:23
2 Corinthians 4:6

This information in this devo came from the writings of Deborah Cronin in her book Holy
Ground, 1999, Upper Room Books.

"Out of this World" by Shelby Tucker

John 15:19 (KJV) reads: "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

I have often in life felt hated by the world. Like the rules and the systems were only in place for my dismay. Like it was wrong to love and live freely and as though I truly could not belong. Before finding the love of Christ, this was a very scary thought to me. For when the world is all we know, and it seems to hate us with a vigorous agenda that we can't understand, what else do we have? Where is our hope???

My hope was found in Jesus! Jesus tells me that when the world is especially nasty to me, it means I have been chosen. That my name has been written in the book of life. That my place is in the Kingdom, not in the world. THAT LOVE AND TRUTH ARE WINNING! I remind myself that it's not me alone that the world is out to get, it's Jesus. For Jesus is the truest truth, and upon His return He will shed light on the world's lies, on its indecency.

The world isn't mad at me, it's mad that Christ has one more follower. It's upset because it knows it will be caught in its web of lies, that it's reign will not last forever. It's simply lashing out like a child not getting his way. So when I feel especially outcast from societal points of view, especially angry at the corruption of the system, and especially unable to exist within either of these, I keep my faith in Christ. Knowing full well that it is, in fact, in my favor to be "out of this world".
 

"Early Sunday" by Betty Fletcher

I went kayaking at Leaburg before church last Sunday. The early morning beauty took my breath away—

sunbeams dancing across kaleidoscope water…

reflections of trees in glossy green…

wispy white clouds flirting with the bright blue sky…

vees of geese coming down river like the Blue Angels…

fat fish slapping into the water after catching their bug breakfast...

birds with their pre-coffee chatter, making plans for the brand-new day…

All for me! All for me! That’s what I was thinking. And I know God made it all for you too, but in the moment, all I could think was that he made it especially for me. And I just wanted to thank him with all of my heart.

It reminded me of an old hymn:

            For the beauty of the earth
            For the glory of the skies
            For the love which from our birth
            Over and around us lies
            Lord of all to Thee we raise
            This our hymn of grateful praise.

So I made the transition from experiencing the beauty of the earth to sitting (floating, actually, but that sounds pretty weird) in the love of God that has surrounded me since before I even knew what it was. I, you, all of us—God loves us. It’s as simple as that. With all of the evil stuff going on in the world, it’s good to just STOP and remember the most important thing. We are loved by God.

I’m going through the book of Luke these days, meditating on what it would have been like to have been present when Jesus was beginning his ministry. The first time we see Jesus interacting with people after his time in the desert is when he goes to the synagogue in his hometown. In this scene, he gives us the mission statement for his entire life. So listen up—this is what Jesus was about (and spoiler alert—it’s all good):

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me…

to preach the good news to the poor
to heal the brokenhearted
to preach deliverance to the captives
recovering of sight to the blind
to set at liberty them that are bruised
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

People, it’s such good news. I hope you can find a minute this week to savor that and enjoy a few minutes in the presence of Love.

***

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17

I have made you[e] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. John 17:26

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us. 1 John 4:1

"Eternal Thanksgiving" by Joseph Scheyer

This human being (or is that being human) gig is not an easy one. We live in a crazy, complicated and contentious culture where terrorism, mass shootings and random violence are becoming so commonplace that the shock of these events threatens to give way to resignation. This year we have the added craziness of a political system gone haywire to make sense of. Too often I still find myself frustrated by people, events or circumstances that plague this fallen world. It would be easy to allow these feelings to take me down the all too familiar roads of anger and resentment or worry and depression.

Sometimes I wonder where God is amidst all of this turmoil? I must admit that there have been times when it feels as if God has abandoned us and left us here to get through this world on our own…  but then I realize that God is right where God has always been: Within. Within me, within you, within the sunset and the rainbow, whether we recognize it or not we are interconnected by His internal eternal presence. God will always live within our hearts and souls and no terrorist or politician can change that.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
~James 1:17

Some years ago, I entered a treatment program to overcome an addictive behavior.  One of the most important parts of my rehab was to write a page or two in a journal at the end of each day. The idea was to reflect on what went well and what did not go so well and to learn from the experience. I always ended my journal entries by listing three things for which I am grateful. The gratitude entries didn’t have to be anything major because remembering to be grateful for the little things can help keep us grounded. I remember one night being grateful for rose petals, bottle-caps, and opposable thumbs.

One of my best defenses still, against the world, is to keep adding to that gratitude list. The simple act of writing down those people, events, and circumstances that are blessings, helps me better appreciate the experience of the present moment.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present. 
― Bil Keane

After all… How can I continue to operate in frustration when I am thinking about how others have contributed good to my life? How can I fail to understand the gift of each day as I experience life’s small pleasures? How can we not feel a sense of abundance when we take a few moments to think about the beauty and wonder that surrounds us?  Thank you Lord for the gift of this day, help me learn better how to walk with you in it.