I welcome your thoughts on this one.  Panhandling has come a long way since I worked with the homeless:)

A large part of our American mentality is wrapped around a simple word. ME!  What’s in it for me?  What about me?  What can the church do for me?  We have been conditioned, in our culture, to look out for number 1.  After all, my happiness and comfort are the most important thing, right?

Wrong, this is not God’s mentality.  It is not all about us!  I know that is hard to swallow, so let me say it again.  IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT US!  It is about God’s Kingdom.  It is about what is best for Him and others.  Doesn’t the Bible say, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”?  What that means is that we are to be as concerned for others as we are for ourselves.

This thought resonated with me, when I was reading in the book of Isaiah.  King Hezekiah gladly welcomed envoys from Babylon (what we would normally call the enemy) and shows them his palace and all of the things that God has blessed him with.  In fact, the Bible records that Hezekiah showed them the silver, gold, precious oils, the armory and everything that was found in the storehouses.  Hezekiah’s intentions were noble I am sure;)  After all, if you were a good king you were prosperous.  So he wanted Babylon to know that he was prosperous and good. 

Isaiah then shows up at Hezekiah’s palace with a word from God. “Behold all that is in your house and everything that your father built up will be carried away to Babylon.  Some of your sons will be taken away and made eunuchs in the land of Babylon.”

Isaiah was pronouncing judgment that would take place in His son’s generation and  they would be greatly affected.  Hezekiah’s response was repentance and pleading God for mercy, think again.  His reply, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”

What kind of father is this?  Who cares what happens to my kids as long as I have peace and security?

This is often our attitude when it comes to taking care of the next generation.  We so often want to make sure our life is just right without considering what we are doing for the generation after us.  We think, “In the church, as long as my tastes are fed, as long as we can keep it the way I like it, then why worry about the next generation?”

Friends, if the generations before us would have had Hezekiah’s attitude, there would be no church.  The generations before us left us a church.  When we are more focused on our needs than the needs of others, we become self-centered. 

My passion is to build a church for all generations.  Not just for the young but for old as well.  Not just for middle-aged, but for children as well.  Not just for married couples, but for singles as well.  Not just for white folk, but for all races as well.  This is the heart of God.

Every generation must make sacrifices to make this a reality.  The most critical thing for the church today is to realize that everyone is valuable and that we must be willing to embrace each generation.  Titus 2 tells us that the old should teach the young.  I believe our older generation should be mentoring the young generation and passing the baton to them.  In turn, the young generation might teach the older generation a few things.  If nothing else, they might make you feel younger.

Let’s not have the attitude of Hezekiah.  We must be concerned about others not just ourselves.

I was pondering today on the goodness of God.  I am blessed beyond measure.  Even when tough days come, I am amazed at the grace of God and His hand on my life.  He has blessed me with a great wife whom I am madly in love with (Sorry if that got too mushy).  I have two awesome kids who bring joy to my life.  There is never a dull moment at the Cheney house.

God has allowed me to pastor full-time and do what I love to do.  Preach the Word of God and shepherd His people.  He has given me a wonderful church family who are faithful in so many ways.  Not to mention God has allowed me to live in the Ozarks, in what I believe is one of the most beautiful places there is to live.  (I sometimes feel guilty that while missionaries are in remote places, I am in NWA) 

What an awesome God!  In the words of the Apostle Paul when he wrote to Timothy, “Because He has counted me faithful, calling me into the ministry.”  I am glad to be doing what God has called me to do.  A husband and father first, and a pastor to the greatest people in the world.

Hannah went to Sunday School yesterday morning and learned the Easter Message.  She has a fantastic teacher who works with a wide range of kids and communicates where they can understand it.  There is, however, Hannah, who interprets things in her own way.

Yesterday evening, she is recounting the story of Easter to us.  She intermingles (confuses or embellishes) the facts with her tall tales.  Hannah begins by saying, “Yesterday I hung on a Cross and had my skin come off.”  I asked, “who was on the Cross?”  She replies, “Me and Jesus and his skin was ripped off.”  She goes on, “He hung on a tree and while He was up there they put a muffin on a stick and gave it to him to eat.”  Hannah continues, “He looked down to HIs mother and said, “Help me get down from here.”  “Then He died and they put him in the tomb and He lived again.”

There were some facts that were a little misrepresented there but she had much of the story down.  In fact, she knew more facts about Easter than many adults.  But before you think that Sonya and I teach her crazy stuff, let me see if I can clarify these things for you.

Jesus was beaten very cruelly and His flesh was ripped open by the whip.  They hung Him on a Cross and He cried out, “I thirst.”  And they gave him gall mixed with wine and lifted it to His mouth on a stick.  Looking down from the Cross, He spoke to His mother concerning John the Apostle, “Woman, behold your Son.”  Then to John He said, “Behold your mother.”  He breathed His last and they laid Him in a tomb.  Then He arose.  He is alive!

Though Hannah got some facts mixed up, the story was in tact.  Jesus Died and Now He Lives.  This is what we celebrate on Easter.  Hannah made it fun for us yesterday, and I can almost think that God was smiling when she got the facts out of whack.

Happy Resurrection Day! We had an awesome easter service this morning. Our worship team did a fantastic job leading today. The special songs were great as well. We had a good crowd in service, but most importantly one soul was saved this morning. Glory to God! Our children’s team had an Easter Egg hunt during the …service and then taught the meaning of Easter. Overall it was an incredible day!

By the way, we received $13,380 in our Project Rebuild offering today.  That brings our total giving, so far, to nearly$24,000.  RFA, we appreciate your sacrificial giving.  May God bless your giving!

A couple of months ago, we designated Easter Sunday for our Project Rebuild offering.  Our goal is to raise enough money to work on phase 1 of our remodel project debt free.  We have set a goal of $50,000 for phase 1.  Click on the pdf file below to get a detailed list of the work we would like to do.

Currently, we have received pledges of just over $20,000 and have received half of that so far.  We are excited about this Sunday to see how God makes provision for us.  I am thankful for everyone who has given, knowing that it is your sacrifice that will help renovate God’s House. 

If you would like to help Rogers First Assembly with Project Rebuild, we would greatly appreciate your generosity.  Our address is 1710 W. Sycamore St, Rogers, AR 72758.

What Is Your Heritage?

I am not talking about what you have received but what you will leave.  Webster’s dictionary defines heritage as something handed down from one’s ancestors or the past as a characteristic, a culture or a tradition.  What kind of heritage are you leaving?  Ecclesiastes 3:22 says, “So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage [portion].  For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?”  This was written by the richest man who ever lived, Solomon.  He had obtained what many today are searching for.  He had great wisdom, immense wealth and was famous around the world, yet he was not satisfied in life. 

When we read through Ecclesiastes we see his attitude; all is vanity.  Riches and fame are nothing.  It all passes away.  You can collect money and possessions for all of your life but they will not be your inheritance. Solomon did not find happiness in his possessions or in his popularity.  He said a man should rejoice in his works for this is heritage.  You will never enjoy your heritage beyond this life.  All that we do must be for an eternal impact. 

So what are you doing?  Is there something that you are doing that makes an eternal impact?  A believer should be able to rejoice in their works if they have them.  Nothing excites me more than seeing that I have made a difference in someone’s life.  Truly, I rejoice when I have done something significant for the Kingdom of God.  It is not prideful to rejoice in your works for God.  It is prideful, however, to take credit for what God does though you. 

In many Christians, I see those living mundane lives that have little eternal significance.  They come to church, profess themselves as Christian but do little for the Kingdom of God.  Their lives are wrapped in the rituals of life.  They make more to spend more and busy themselves with trivial things that make no eternal impact.  My friend, the believer is called to live a life that is more than the temporal things of this life.  God has created every one of us to be all that we can be in Him.  He has destined each one of us to find our place in building His Kingdom.

Recently, I had a former co-worker who lived his life in anticipation of retirement.  I had many conversations with him about life after his work in the plant.  He would share his goals and dreams of how he planned to retire in a few years and live happily ever after.  He was buried last year, only a short time before he planned to retire.  All those dreams went down the tube, but where did that “kingdom” that he built go.  Solomon said, “Then I hated all my labor in which I toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.”

I have ministered in many funerals and as I walk through the cemetery I look at the dates of people’s births and their deaths (ex. 1926-2003).  This is a memorial to them.  In many years, however, they may be forgotten.  The most important part is not their birthday or their departure, but rather the dash that is in the middle.  What they did in the in between years?  Right now you are living the dash.  What type of legacy will you leave?  Can you rejoice in your works now or is their nothing to rejoice about? 

One day we will stand before the glorified Christ and be judged according to our works or the lack thereof.  My ultimate goal is not to build a big church or an international ministry.  My ultimate goal is to build God’s kingdom and hear Him say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”  I challenge you make an impact in this life and forget the trivial mundane things of life.  Pursue the things that will last for eternity.