The raven, an unlikely food delivery choice

We see God's provision in Elijah's life when he sends the Ravens to feed him. In fact, this Old Testament story was one of my favorites growing up and still continues to be! Though today, while studying the passage, I came across something I have never thought of. The story of the ravens...

The raven a black bird that is good size bird and is actually kind of creepy. They are carnivores and are known to do damage. In fact, I was reading in the news about a raven that was wanted for vandalizing cars! He was pecking at windshield wipers and rubber parts on cars. One of the cars, he did about $500 worth of damage. To say the least, they can be intimating and problem making birds. 

So here we are in Elijah's story, him being fed by these birds. My first thought was they are scavengers! They eat road kill! They are carnivores eating small animals, dead things, and garbage. I mean it makes sense, think about the first time the raven is introduced in the Bible. Noah is afloat on the ark and he lets the raven out to fly. The Bible says the raven flew back and forth until the waters had dried up (Genesis 8). I'm guessing there were dead things floating on top of the water, it could eat and survive. The dove on the other hand is not a carnivorous bird and couldn't survive, so it flew back to Noah. The raven is a scavenger and a fierce bird! I'm not really sure if that would be the type of bird that I would want food being delivered to me...just saying. 

Another observation is that God used ravens, plural. Ravens are know to be solo bird, they stick to themselves. Here we see that ravens come together to fulfill God's purpose in feeding Elijah! Lastly, the raven was considered an unclean bird (Levitcus 11:15). I love the way God uses things for His purpose! A group of ravens that seemed like an unlikely choice to bring food to Elijah, but yet, they kept Elijah alive. The more we read the Bible, the more observations we can make and see the unique ways that God works in the lives of His people. 

Did God really say...

The enemy is good! In fact, I believe that he doesn’t need to come up with new schemes because the old ones seem to work great. Let’s just focus in on his first one...

“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” Genesis 3:1

The enemy, the serpent, opens up with one key phrase “Did God really say.” It is the first time that we see the enemy in the Scripture and the first time he interacts with mankind. If we were to continue reading Genesis 3; we would see that this phrase not only leads to Eve making a costly mistake, but mankind would never be the same!

Let’s continue to work this phrase out in current times.

Maybe you’re a man or woman. You are in your thirties and still find yourself single. You’re beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with you. Everyone else is married and having like their fifth kid! Why can’t I seem to find a spouse that will love me? Then the phrase comes into play “Did God really say” “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) Then why does no one else see that? Am I really wonderfully made?

Or maybe you are going along with your walk with God and everything starts falling apart around you! You look around and it seems that every other Christian seems to be blessed and what might even be worse, is that all the unchurched people seemed to be blessed as well. You might start feeling like you’re cursed rather than being blessed. Why is this happening to me? Then the phrase comes into play “Did God really say” “I know the plans I have for you...plans for good and not for disaster” (Jeremiah 29:11) Did God really have plans for you? Plans that would be good for you? Where are these plans?

Or possibly you are walking around life and realize that you seem to be the only one walking. You look around and the friends that once took interest, no longer do. You seem to spend all of your weekends alone at your apartment watching movies of other people living life. Who even cares about you? Then the phrase comes into play “Did God really say” “I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20) Then why do you feel so alone? Is God even present in your life?

Wow, that is so powerful! Why do I say that? Because that has been me personally; in one form or another. It starts out with that phrase “Did God really say.” Then the enemy uses some sort of truth, most likely straight out of the Bible! Lastly, he bombards you with questions! Questions you might not have an answer for, questions that will haunt you, questions that can lead you down a very dark path!

How powerful do you think this enemy’s specific scheme is? A scheme that he used at the beginning and a scheme that he continues to use on people thousands of years later! I believe that if we can recognize this scheme; then we can defend against it. Ask God today, to show you areas of your life that might be in danger of falling into this specific scheme! Ask God to reveal Himself to you and to also reveal truth in a relevant way to you! Ask God to help you deal with hard questions; to send people in your life that can assist you, to bring Scripture to mind, to feel His presence working in your life. Ask God for the wisdom and strength to overcome the times when the enemy comes to us and says “Did God really say...”

(credit to some of my thoughts goes to Pastor Rick’s Sunday night sermon on Spiritual Warfare and Stephen Furtick’s book Crash the Chatterbox)

New Music is Good: Isaac Watts, Hymns, and Church Tradition...

Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748) is recognized as the "Father of English Hymnody". His two famous hymns are Joy to the World and When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. He was also known in his day, that he went against the tradition of the church! Let me expand on this:

One day; Isaac was walking home with his father, who was a pastor, and he started complaining about the music he had sung that morning in church. He was bored with the music! The type of music they sang in church was psalmodic, which refers to singing of psalms. These psalms were sung for centuries in one way or another. In fact, John Calvin insisted that these psalms be the main type of worship. Psalms were sung in a monotone form with no instruments, because instruments in a church was considered worldly. Basically, one person would sing a note and then everyone would jump in. 

So here we are; Isaac is bored and having an issue with church music, does this sound familiar? As Isaac was walking with his father, Isaac's father chose to listen to his son instead of arguing! After listening, he told his son; "Son, why don't you mend the matter?" (Why don't you write your own music) and that is was Isaac did! Today, it is estimated that he wrote around 750 hymns! Hymns that have lasted over 300 years! 

Now imagine for a moment if that conversation took a different direction and the father argued about Isaac's conviction for change? What if the father hushed his son and said we have been doing psalms for hundred of years, if it was good enough for my father and my grandfather it is good enough for us? We don't need change! Today, could look a lot different. Who knows we might still have no hymnal books, no instruments in the church and still be singing A Cappella psalms! Isaac Watts challenged the tradition of the church! Many churches of his day rejected his music and one of the biggest music wars happened within the church...

So when it comes to music in the church, there has always been music wars! For many that grew up with hymns, they are important to them. Granted, new generations are going to have songs in their generation that they will grow up with and will be important to them! Generations change, music changes, methods on reaching people change, change is good. So in wrapping up, two things. First, older generations need to recognize that change is needed and that music will be a "method" in reaching youth for Jesus! Second, younger generations need to recognize that the older generation has a lifetime of influence with hymns of their generation and this is extremely important to them! I truly believe that music will continue to be an issue in the church, because it is one of the most valuable ways to worship God and the enemy knows that...

Happy Birthday, Sam

Today is a very special day for me because it is my two year anniversary; it is also a very special day for a specific teenager in my youth group. Sam Ciszek turned 16 years of age! I don't normally give a lot of recognition to teenagers on birthdays, but today is different. I spent some time reflecting on Graceway Student Ministry and how much of an impact Sam has been on where it is today! 

Let me start from the beginning. I moved to Green Bay a little over three and a half years ago. The youth group I inherited had 5 seniors, 1 junior and a 7th grader. I spent the first school year investing in these teens as much as I could, then they graduated and the juniors family went to another church. I was down to 1 teenager, the seventh grader. If you guessed Sam, you got it right! For me to say I was discouraged would have been an understatement. But if there was one thing I was good at, I was good at investing in one student at a time. My second year in Green Bay; I was pretty much starting over from square one with one teenager, myself, and few adult leaders. 

A few months into the next school year, Sam's cousin Jacob joined us and we had two! We continued to meet and we continued to be a youth group. Sam was awesome at bringing her friends to events and church. We were meeting, listening to God, and continuing to hope to grow as a youth ministry. 

Three and half years later, we have between 10-12 teenagers that are within the church. Wednesday nights have been at 8 teenagers and some of our events have been 10-15! We have 8 teenagers going to camp this year! We are looking at our second mission trip this summer! The teenagers are plugged in and serving in the church; from ushering, to nursery, to Graceway Kids, to sound booth, to special Christmas choir, to so many other things that I could go on and mention! 

If I were to give any type of recognition to where Graceway Student Ministry is today, I would give a huge part to Sam! She is at the core of our youth group and continues to play a huge part. I am proud of her and wish her an awesome 16th birthday! 

Not my church...God's church!

Sometimes, we can act like the church is ours and that it owes us something. I mean after all we give our time, our money, our focus, etc. We are there every time the doors are open, and we start acting like it is our church rather than God's church!

Check this verse out:

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. (Acts 20:28 NIV)

A couple of observations: 

1. Leaders should take care of themselves and the people of the church

2. In the verse, who are the leaders? The shepherds

3. We, the leaders of the church, are to be like shepherds, being protective and watching over the health of the sheep

4. In the verse, who are the sheep? The church in Ephesus to be politically correct! But the church! 

5. Whose church is it? Gods! 

6. Why is it God's church? Because He bought it!

7. How did He buy it? And for how much? With blood, Jesus' blood!

So, we should be careful to make sure that we don't get to comfortable thinking it's our church when it's Gods church. We should be careful when talking about the church, because God has given a lot for His church. God cherishes His church and has a plan for it! Let's make sure we are in line with Him and His specific will for the church we are plugged into! Remember it's not my church it's God's church!