Planting Seeds 2

Planting seeds always produces the goods. Planting seeds is a double-fold blessing. Joy when we plant; giving what we have, and joy when we reap the harvest.

Grandpa Amundson loved planting, then looking over the whole field with the satisfied look of a man who knew it was a job well done. He didn't say much, the look and nod of the head was enough. Planting was in his DNA too, his father before him, his father before him. So far, the news of family history has gone back to the 1700's in Norway.

The wisdom of Jesus uses planting and scattering seeds as a parable to teach us about the kingdom. God provides the seed, we plant and God gives the increase. We are workers together with God, it's a winning combination. Here are two of my favorite scriptures on scattered seed and harvest. Luke 8:12-15, 2Cor. 9:6-11. Scatter some seeds this week and the following week, and the week after...yielding an abundant harvest.

1. Surprise someone, ask them out to lunch because you know how valued they are to God. Their response might be, "You want to have lunch with us?"
2. 5.00 left in your pocket, purse or wallet? Go ahead, I dare you. Give it to someone.
3. Stop and talk to the next worried person you see, they're all over the place. Encourage them, tell them Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith.
4. Buy a coffee bar drink for that teenager who is sitting alone.
5. Volunteer once a month in the nursery. Feed, rock to sleep, change a poopy diaper and love on those special babies. Toni Knight is the lady to see.
6. Tell Mary you will help her clean the kitchen after lunch. If you need encouragement in your life, Mary and Sue are ready to give it out.
7. Buy a Bible for a brand new Christian.
8. Send a note of love and appreciation to pastors.
9. Be a voice of faith when things are shaking.
10. Be a good listener.

Pick one this week, without expecting thanks for what you do, then do something else the week after, the week after, the week after. Before you know it, a new habit has been established, the habit of good deeds. Good deeds are kingdom work and our eternal reward is coming. Imagine the look on the face of Jesus when He says, well done, you're a good servant.

"The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life..." Proverbs 11:30

Planting Seeds in Minnesota

I've got planting in my DNA. My brothers and I spent our summers on Grandpa and Grandma Amundson's farm in Rothsay, Minnesota. We had certain jobs to help Grandpa, all our uncles and farm hands as they did the work of farming. Amazing how scattered seed grows up to be straight, long rows of corn. It's a beautiful thing!

One of our jobs was to carry lunches and water and huge containers of fresh milk to the workers. No easy thing for barefoot kids who wanted to play. We had to cross several fields to find just where they were. Some fields had been plowed, some had not.

The unplowed fields were hard, baked-in-the-sun dirt. Still had razor sharp grain stems from the year before sticking up out of the dirt. It was slow moving in this field. It's like the heart that has been unplowed by the Holy Spirit. Hard, impossible to plant seeds in. Just not ready! We loved the freshly plowed field. Soft, warm straight rows of dirt. So soft our feet would sink deep down. That field is like the heart that is plowed by the Holy Spirit. Ready to receive, soft and ready, already warmed by the sun. We are changed by the work of the Holy Spirit!

Ahhh yes, the lunch. The Minnesota "little lunch." Remember, these workers are hungry because they have been working since sunup, so lunch for them is at 10 AM. Must have potatoes, meat (preferably beef, occasionally Grandma would kill one of her chickens for a delicious fried chicken lunch) and either homemade white bread or lefse. Lefse is a Norwegian delight! Made out of mashed potatoes, butter, small amount of cream and flour. Baseball sized globs are then rolled out flat and placed on a very hot greaseless griddle till bubbly and browned. Turns out the lefse looks a lot like a flour tortilla! After all this, is there room for dessert and coffee from the thermos? You betcha! Usually pie. Custard pie of some kind or homemade cookies. My brothers and I would eat the lefse and watch these heros of our childhood consume the lunch we had brought. We would then clean up everything, grab the metal containers that held the lunch, wash them all up and be ready to go again with a snack and coffee at 4pm.

By sundown everyone was finished for the day and all gathered around the big table in the kitchen-dining room. We had walked in to the smell of either freshly baked white bread or lefse. Yum! While it was still dark the next day, Grandma and Grandpa would be stirring around, ready to begin the next day of spring planting. Love for the farm motivated them every day. Nothing stopped them from doing the work of planting and harvesting. Not hail, tornadoes, too much spring rain, or pesky bugs that threatened the crops. They always came back to finish the
job.

All of us are farmers. Or fishermen and women. More on scattering seed tomorrow, going to celebrate Olivia's 7th birthday.

Influence 3

Here is a question for you when you think about being an influence for good in the body of Christ. "Where can I influence in a greater way? Don't let Satan negate our influence with people. Forget what you aren't doing, just do. Take another step up the mountain." P. Jeff.

Here are some descriptive words and phrases P. Jeff ended with: healing, selfless, focus, willing, serve, compassion, generosity ("This is our culture. There is no other way." P. Jeff), faithfulness,, love, forgive, thanks, values, pray, helpers, influencers, go, grace. Phrases: the whole Church, ministers of healing, speak truth, exist for others, don't assume, at one, to be shared, dream big with P. Jeff and P. Melinda, kingdom work, salt of the earth (Mt. 5: 13) influence the kingdom, be about your Father's business, people of damaged faith will find their way back, anchor to you Jesus, called to promote Jesus and his kingdom.

"Our influence matters."

Influence 2

At some point in our lives we have all had people who have influenced us. I clearly remember the people that had influence in my life before and after I became a follower of Jesus.

All of the following sentences in quotes are from P. Jeff. One of the most powerful statements P. Jeff made was this. "Our influence matters." Influence can lead us to do positive things or negative things. Not one person in this world can say they are without influence. Did you know that being an influencer is a skill that we can learn?

"We MODEL influence. What we say and do will be repeated!" How many of you have had the experience of having a child repeat what they have heard at home? Oh-oh! It's happened to us, that's modeling. One day I saw the three children of a couple from church doing what they know mommy and daddy do. They had Bibles in their hands, Sunday best t-shirts and shorts on, walking with a very determined walk into the lobby. Doing what has been modeled for them consistently.

"We MOTIVATE when we communicate on an emotional level." Sometimes influencing requires us to be cheerleaders to others and that's a good thing!

"We are MENTORS when we have direct focus on a person, we build confidence and trust." One of the greatest blessings in our lives as Christ followers, AND one of the greatest responsibilities is to mentor other people.

"We are MULTIPLIERS. This is the highest level of influence." The book of Acts is the story of many of the Churches greatest influencers, their love for Christ had highly motivated them to go out and multiply the Church. And here we are today, in the 21st century. Here is a challenge for you. Read and reread the book of Acts and learn from some of the best! What an adventure story of these influencers!

Influence 1

A week ago Tuesday evening, P. Jeff talked to the Support Team and elders about being influencers in our church, communities, nation and world-wide. It wasn't a brand new message. He has taught on being an influence when he began his pastoral ministry. In fact, Jesus taught His disciples on having influence.

All of us who have the Spirit of God residing in us, have influence in people's lives. Whether we realize it or not, God's Spirit has given us gifts. All of us have gifts and those gifts are to influence the people that God sends into our lives. We may be in a place where we think we either don't have the motivation to influence...because we are too shy? Afraid to speak? Positive we will be rejected? Any number of reasons we can come up with. The truth remains, God has given us gifts. We are fully equipped to influence people to be saved and to become dedicated followers of Christ. (Hebr. 13:20-21, Eph. 4:11-13, 2Tim. 3:16-17).

Our influence is one of the most important gifts we have been given, and P. Jeff inspired us to be influencers in His great kingdom. If you wern't there, I'm going to blog some of the things P. Jeff said so you can be blessed too.

I- influence in the same direction, unity. Thoughts, actions, deeds align.
N- nurture, TRC leaders will never intentionally hurt people, give the benefit of the doubt.
F- faith, show our faith, what we stand for.
L- listen, focus on people you are talking to, have empathy. Having empathy is not always
having answers.
U- understand, having sympathy for people.
E- enlarge our sphere of influence, enlarge our thinking, make a committment to enlarge our
visibility and come to both services.
N-navigate change.
C- connect people to people when your plate is full.
E- empower others.
R- reproduce great influencers

Breakfast at the Village Square Cafe

Jim and I have been going to this "forties" decor diner for ten years. Today I decided to write a blog about it, and grabbed the napkin I was supposed to wipe my mouth with and started blog notes.

Village Cafe is in Redmond, across from the Redmond Fire Dep't, station 12, hello guys, we appreciate what you do for us! TVC is booths, tables and a counter with red vinyl swinging stools. Collectables all over on shelves. Saturday morning at the cafe always means long lines. We thought with the heavy rain, people would be making breakfast at home. Not so. Jim and I got the last two stools at the counter, shook the rain off and sat down.

Ahhhh! Seated. My steamy hot venti coffee is staring me in the face, order up! We are at the center of the cafe counter, right in front of a huge mirror that covers the wall in front of us. I notice people are lining up behind us, they look cold and wet. They all have that 'I'm waiting' look. They want our seats. Sorry, we just got here. These people are hungry and ready to leap in if we give so much as a hint we are ready to go. (If they had noticed the venti coffee, they would have known it would be a long time before we left.)

My first bite. I look in the mirror. Yep. They're watching! Not only have people filled the cafe behind us, a long line of really wet people are looking at all of us through the window. Now, I'm faced with a choice. Do I shovel it all in quickly and give counter seats up, or do I take the proper time to eat a waffle, one piece of bacon and one scrambled egg? Being proper won out.

I take another bite. This time it's the crispy, browned waffle that smells so delicious. They are still staring. I'm about to find out why these seats were open! The waitress is bringing plates of uneaten food toward us. The garbage dump is right in front of us, under the counter! The pan for dirty dishes is next to the garbage. Took a look at my plate, more than half the breakfast is left. I've got at least 15 more minutes to eat the last of the meal. The line of people outside have gotten so cold and wet, they are huddled together in a bunch. Still looking in the window. I think, "It's nice strangers could get together and help each other out." I take another guilt-free bite.

Twenty minutes are up. We start stirring around and the hungry, patient people behind us have noticed. Newspapers are being folded and put under arms and their eyes are on the menus. I grab my note filled napkin and we're off to other errands.

I know we'll be back to the Village Square Cafe. Well, maybe not on a Saturday.

Suddenly

I listened to Neal Cuvuto give some details of a talk he had with a friend who was celebrating His 50th birthday recently. They were enjoying the fact that the market was looking pretty good after hitting the 10,000 mark. They got down to the real important stuff; what it's been like turning 50 in this uncertain world, how several of this man's family had died early deaths, (in their 40's and 50's). What made this conversation so striking to me is people are thinking about something outside of pouring their lives out every day at work and neglecting the most important issue...life itself, and what makes it so important.

The friend talking to Neal had experience with the suddenness of life. Unexpected deaths from disease passed down through genes, the market is very fickle and could suddenly change with a major drop, their ability to make a good living in our competitive society is shaking. The unasked questions in both of them was, exactly how did everything begin to change, when did it all start to slip through my control and why?

The truth is, "it" never was in our control, none of it. God has placed powers and authorities in position, He has the king's hearts in His hands. He blesses whomever He wants to bless and He can withhold from whomever He wants. God said, "Jacob I loved, Esau I hated [rejected]." Rom. 9:13. Job had it all crash away in one day. Nothing as easy as slipping out of his control, a little at a time. "Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides..." Job 1:19. Just part of the verse tells the complete story. The Lord will suddenly bless too. "Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them." Acts2: 2-3.

These two men in their fifities having a man to man about life are thinking of how suddenly it could all be taken away. Imagine the ministry the Church is having in times like these? This is what He has equipped us for...influence in this world. We have everything we need in Christ. A powerful word on influence came from P. Jeff this week at the All-Team meeting on Tuesday. I'm going to write another blog soon on the important words we heard at this meeting. Not just words in a notepad, but words that turn into demonstration of the Gospel of the kingdom in our world. Yes, for those fifty something guys who look like they have it all together too. Whosoever will may come!

Random Thoughts on Grace

These may be random thoughts, but the blessing of grace is anything but random. God is very intentional about all His gifts and because we are His people, we are enriched by these gifts.

This week I've been reading part of the story of King Josiah in 2Chronicles 34-35. Here's where grace comes in for we who are under the new covenant, 35:2-4.

"Josiah also assigned the priests to their duties and encouraged them in their work at the Temple of the Lord. He issued this order to the Levites, who were to teach all Israel and who had been set apart to serve the Lord. Put the holy Ark in the Temple that was built by Solomon son of David, the king of Israel. You no longer ned to carry it back and forth on your shoulders. Now spend your time serving the Lord your God and his people Israel. Report for duty..."

The king assigns and the king encourages those he assigns to work in his kingdom.

The Levites or priests; we are all priests to our God, are to teach all of Israel because we have been set apart for this purpose.

The holy Ark, God's presence, belongs in the Temple. That's us! The forgiven heart is the holy of holies for the presence of God.

"You no longer have to carry [the ark] back and forth on your shoulders."

NO LONGER DO WE CARRY THE LAW ON OUR BACKS!

That's what the law was, a burden on our backs that kept reminding us of our sins.

Now we are free because of the New Covenant, our sins are forgiven, we are justified (free from the penalty of our sins) and made holy by the blood of the Lamb.

Now our time is spent in serving the Lord and His people.

"Report for duty..."

What love! What infinite love!

Even if we can't fully understand it and explain it, we can demonstrate this love that sets us free eternally.We are shown opportunities every day how to demonstrate this love that forgives.

Love your enemies.

Pray for those who spitefully use you.

Forgive the debt.

Cover it with love.

Hope all things for those who look hopeless.

How rich we are to be given these blessings. Opportunities for the world, family, and church to SEE the work of the Holy Spirit.

To Infinity

The title of this blog is an expression our kids used to say to cover every emotion they couldn't explain, especially the really big ones! Here's one: "I love you to infinity!" See, an expression like that always needs an exclaimation point after it. The seed for this blog began early this morning at 6:40 in a tweet from Jim. He sent out Psalms 147:3. When the seed of the Gospel falls on good ground, it produces fruit!

Fast forward to afternoon prayer. "What love, what grace You give us Lord! You can't love us any more than You do because we have been given all of it. It's just that in these human bodies we aren't able to contain it all."

When we are able to see ourselves in God's word like Psalms 147:3, He works His miracles. He tenderly heals our broken hearts when we run to His cross and ask! Remember, "...it is finished."

When we are able to accept more and more of God's love, our containers get bigger and bigger to receive more of this infinite love. If we could contain a tiny fraction of God's love, our world, our churches, our lives, our families would be changed dramatically.

The love that we understand here on earth is the kind that has attachments to it and the Lord wants to change that. It begins and ends with love. That's how we are able to forgive. This love being infinite is like something we can swim in and be changed from the inside out. Changed, cleansed and being made whole.

Serving with God's love is our motivation. Serving as law cannot possibly satisfy the heart and its needs. When we pray we can't possibly tell Jesus that we served because of the law. It doesn't work, God's infinite love is what makes everything work.

I'm so thankful the Lord gave me the memory of our kids using this phrase. The older child taught the younger child and it got passed down for years. There is nothing like a little child loudly proclaiming, "I wuv you to infinity."

Skip down to verse 15 of Psalms 147 and read out loud. His word flies swiftly!! That makes me think of modern technology, I love it. God's "swiftly" is faster than we can imagine. A friend twittered Matt. 10:8. God has freely given us His love, another friend twittered, "God is moving today." Yes, He is and He wants to continue to move in great ways in our church.

C'mon! God is ready to pour out His infinite love every day, as much as we can contain. Until we see Him we will know ALL His love! Pray about this love, show this love to someone. Speak His word and watch it swiftly go to the heart of a needy person. Twitter, text, e-mail His word, send His love in a letter. Most of all, demonstrate His infinite love today.

Cover It With Love

The Lord is faithful. Especially when it's time to relearn a lesson. A difficult one for the human mind is covering all things with love. That doesn't mean we stop dealing with difficulties, it just means we don't take offense first or second or third when any of life's hard times come. It means deal with it, then cover it with love.

We have the power to do that because the Lord has shown us in our own lives how to do it. When we were saved, Jesus covered all our sins with His love. He loved us so much that He forgave all our sins and and has paid our penalty for all those sins. Every one of them. This is His kind of love, agape. This kind of love is a feast of love, dear love, charity. The kind of love given when love isn't given to us. It's the kind of love that covers all kinds of loss. If we are to be imitators of Christ, here is a great one to imitate. What do you suppose God can do with a life and in a life that is committed to this kind of love? Especially in the body of Christ?

An opportunity was thrust into our lives a few years ago to show this kind of love and forgiveness and for two days I couldn't reach that point. One of our adult children was very badly hurt by someone that we had known for 30 years. In two days anger and hurt caught up with me, I realized God was trying to speak to me through this betrayal. I asked Jesus for help after I repented for not taking that step at the very first. Would have saved a lot of grief and pain from a big headache! Such peace in covering sins committed against us!

"You forgave the guilt of your people-yes, you covered all their sins." Psalms 85:2
"...Be strong. And do everything with love." 1Cor.16-13b

That's it right there, the reason we have this kind of love, our own sins have been covered. We can do it, but not on our own. Paul said it, he would rather take a loss or cover it, than to hold on and allow the loss to captivate him.

When love motivates us, (remember what P. Jeff said? "Love made me do it." It's that kind of love) we can expect to see the Holy Spirit do some mighty work in our midst. I'm looking for it.