Fix Me!

Reverend Carter and I have the joy of meeting with people who are hurting. We see a lot of pain and brokenness, and we see the God of the universe do mighty things through it. It is not always easy. Sometimes, when people come to see us they say, in so many words, “Fix my spouse!” or “Fix my life!” Well, you know what happens. We can’t fix them. We are not Mr. Fix It, so expectations have to be re-set.

We are in the fix it business though.

What do we do? We say, in so many words, “Fix your eyes!” We encourage people to fix their eyes on Jesus. Now that sounds too simplistic doesn’t it? It sounds very churchy. It almost sounds goofy: “You mean fixing my eyes on Jesus is the answer?”

Yes, we do mean that.  We mean it in a very large part, and it is a lot easier to say than do. Our eyes want to gaze everywhere but to Jesus. We want to look to our partner’s sin; we want to stare at our own problems, and we want to cast a dark glance at the world, politicians and businessmen. We want to look everywhere but to Him. We are called to fix our eyes on Him because He is the author and perfecter of our faith. That is what we need: faith that is being made more perfect through which we can live.

Behavior modification, communication techniques, tinkering with schedules, toying with counseling and attempting to white knuckle it will get you nowhere but hurt when it comes to fixing life’s problems. Only the Holy Spirit can do the real work of change in a person’s heart, and He shines a spotlight on Jesus. So Jesus is the God Man on whom we should fix our gaze.

Can we encourage you to ask yourself a question? Are you trying to fix it? If you are, we implore you to look to the One who can do immeasurably more than you can ask. By the way, we are His helpers, and you are welcome to contact us. We are learning to fix our eyes too.

Worship Well.

Let Me In

I am sure it has happened to you. You are on the highway. You need to move over a lane, but traffic is heavy. If it is moving fast, it is scary to try and scoot over. If it is backed up, you need to somehow signal to the driver in the other lane that you want come into his lane because if you change before he lets you, it will cause an accident.

Now, I don’t know how it works for you, but sometimes the driver in the other lane is “less than friendly”; he does not let me in. It makes me a bit mad, but I have to admit and repent. From time to time, I have not let a driver in front of me. Especially, if it is one of those situations where we have all been waiting in line, and he has “cut to the front.” I know I should have more grace, but that is not the point of this story.

Last month I was driving in a caravan that included my wife and my daughter. Whenever we would get in a situation that required changing lanes, I could always count on them to know that I needed to change and to let me in - every time. There was no blinker necessary. They did not begrudge it, and often they slowed down so I could scoot in front of them. It was beautiful. I don’t know if you have experienced that, but it makes driving wonderful, especially on Georgia highways.

So here is the deal. We are in a caravan. All of us who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in a triumphal procession. Look to your left and right. Now look behind you. Is there anyone around you who needs to be let into the caravan? They may not have their turn signal on, but you know the road is narrowing ahead. Perhaps you will have to slow down for a bit, glance over and “wave them in”, so they can get ahead of you and feel the pleasure of riding with the team.

Do you see someone with a flat tire? What can you do? Stop, help, and give a little encouragement. It will take some time, but remember that Good Samaritan story. Jesus stopped for you, and He continues to pull you out of the ditch and set you on the high road. He calls us to do unto others as He has unto us.

I don’t know where you are today. Maybe you need someone to let you into the caravan. We would love to do that. Contact us. There is no blinker necessary. Worship Well.

On Shepherding

"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen." Hebrew 13:20-21

The writer of Hebrew begins to conclude his great letter with this benediction. We often us it here at Perimeter at the end of a service as a way to give you a blessing and sent you out in the world.

Let's take a look at it, as it is full of His love.

God is a god of peace. He is the one who reconciled us to Him while we were at war. He did it before time, in the eternal covenant. You see, before time and space began, He had it all worked out. The Father said "I will create my people will sin against me!" The Son said, " I will pay the price for their sin!" The Spirit covenanted to apply the work of Jesus to elect throughout all time. The blessed triune God made an eternal covenant that will never be broken. That is bigger than big for you to know. You do not need to keep that covenant. In fact you cannot keep the covenant. He keeps it for you. How does He do that?

God the Father brought Jesus back from the dead after He had suffered the agony of hell. Jesus is the covenant maker and keeper. Further, Jesus is the great shepherd of the sheep. He loves His lambs, and He tenderly cares for them. He is the great shepherd. He is the one who can equip you with every good thing for doing His will and not yours. He wants you to what is best, and that is His will. He knows it is the healthiest thing you can do.

Finally the writer says this in so many words, " Let's give Him complete liberty!" He asks that His will works in us to what is pleasing to Him. Amen.

So there you have it. It is just a slice of Hebrews. Can we encourage you to read the rest today?

Blessings!

Back to School Stress

It's back. So who is stressed? Everyone is. Why is that? Anticipation. Of course, I am talking about school, and there is plenty of stress to go around. For students stressors include: "Who will my friends be? Why do I have to take Math? I can't believe I got the hardest Physics teacher! Will I measure up, and will they approve of the way I look, act and talk?"

For mom you can include a lot of the above and add, " Will my kid to his homework without a nightly war? Will I have to pack lunch every morning? How will we manage the carpool?"

What about Dads? Oh yes, you do stress underneath that cool exterior. "Will my kid have good enough grades to get the HOPE? Do we have to pay for all those extracurricular activities? Can the homework get done before I get home from work because I want to relax, and why can't we just have a schedule and stick to it?"

Of course dads, like me, have to add the obligatory "When I was a boy, I walked to school both ways with cardboard shoes; why can't we have a little focus here at the beginning of the school year?"

Stress - it is here. Now we don't want to give you any simple "Christian" stress buster answers like, "Have a family devotion each day," "The family that prays together does better on the SAT" or "This too shall pass."

However, we do want to offer you some hope. Stress is part of the human condition. Fear of negative things happening is not unusual. You are real and human if you have stress. Do you know part of the reason that you do have anticipatory stress?

Those bad things sometimes do happen!

Students, you probably won't be liked by some. The carpool will get messed up. The homework won't be done. It will be hectic. That is life.

Does it help to know that bad things will happen? Maybe not.

By the way, some unexpected good things might happen too. You will get the right locker; someone else will offer to carpool, and homework might get done occasionally before dad gets home.

So how do you move forward knowing your "anticipatory stress" will be proved right?

Move forward knowing He wants to be prepared to look to Him when those "bad" things happen and praise Him in the middle of the storm. In order to do that, you need to prepare. Prepare to look for comfort that can only come from Him and prepare to be a comforter to others for His namesake. In order that you will need to call on him. He is the One who prepares the way.

So what about the stress!!?! It came to nudge your soul to worship the God of peace.

Blessings.

How to win a war

How do you win a war? You throw more bombs their way then they throw your way. Shock and awe. Don’t stop until they surrender. War is hard, and you better be aggressive. It helps to know their soft spot too. If you can hit that, you can obliterate them with out much damage to your own people.

Technology is helpful. Smart bombs, drones and night vision are a tremendous aid to us. We keep on innovating, so we can make sure the enemy cannot overwhelm us. That is the way we like to work, and it works.

During the Cold War, we aimed our nukes at them, and they aimed theirs at us. We always had our fingers on the button. All it would have taken was a phone call to get the missiles flying in both directions. Each year, our missiles got better, and so did theirs. But our “better” was better than their “better.” That is how you win a war.

So how do you win a war? What if it is a war between two people? Some would tell you to use the same strategy: lob missiles, verbal assaults, crush egos and decimate the relationship. Then you get the lawyers and drain the bank accounts. You find the soft spot and pound it mercilessly.

That is not the way we like to work it as it does not work in Christianity. There is a counterintuitive way to win a war between two people. It is called putting to death the deeds of your own flesh. As opposed to lobbing missiles at the other person, Jesus calls us to do things like get the log out of our own eye and put to death our own sin. He calls us to wage war on ourselves when we are in conflict with another. It seems like a losing strategy, but it is a winner.

The Spirit enables you to do battle with your sin nature. As you do that, He gives you the ability to love your enemy. That is not to say that you cannot enter into conflict. It is to say that Christians have a unique way to win the battle because the peace of Christ reigns.

If you are in Christ, you have a new nature and a sin nature. When you are in relationship with other Christians, your new nature is what is in fellowship with their new nature. Your sin nature is not in relationship with anybody. It is at war. That is what causes wicked conflicts. In your new nature, you are able to love and confront gently while admitting your own sin.

The sin nature wants to pick a fight. So give it what it wants: a fight with the Spirit. That is a war it cannot win.

Do you have a conflict with someone? Can we encourage you to pray today and seek to deal with your own issues and then approach them in love?

If that is too scary, we can help. Peace.

Powerless?

Standing in front of the majesty of the ocean, I can't help but feel totally powerless. Just an endless horizon of water mirroring the endless expanse of sky seems to make my little life more than insignificant. I'm sure you've felt what I'm talking about while looking at the same view. It's a humbling sensation that God asks us to feel daily in His presence. But simultaneously we must be empowered by His mighty Spirit, to allow Him to do in us those acts that otherwise we would be powerless to perform. 

The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do."
Exodus 4:20-21

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
Exodus 9:15-17

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:12-14 

Posted by Erinn Waldo

Lyrics May 31 2009

Praise To The Lord, The Almighty
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast Thou not seen how thy desires all have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Chorus:
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with his love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the "amen" sound from His people again;
Gladly forever adore Him.

Let the "amen" sound from His people again;
Gladly forever adore Him.

Words By Joachim Neander; Additional Chorus By Nathan and Christy Nockels Arrangement By Eric Gilbert © 2004 Word Music/ASCAP CCLI License No. 413744

Because of Your Love
As we come into Your presence we remember every blessing
That You've poured out so freely from above
Lifting gratitude and praises for compassion so amazing Lord,
We've come to give You thanks for all You've done.

Chorus:
Because of Your love, we're forgiven
Because of Your love, our hearts are clean
We lift You up with songs of freedom
Forever we're changed because of Your love

2006 Integrity's Hosanna! Music.
Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI# 413744

Revelation Song
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain,
Holy holy is He.
Sing a new song, to Him who sits on
Heaven's mercy seat.

Chorus
Holy holy holy Is the Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is And is to come.
With all creation I sing Praise to the King of kings.
You are my ev'rything, And I will adore You.

Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor strength and
Glory And power be
To You the only wise King

Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder,
At the mention of Your name.
Jesus Your name is power, Breath and living water,
Such a marv'lous mystery.

Words and Music by Jennie Lee Riddle
Copyright: 2004 Gateway Create Publishing (Admin by Integrity’s Praise! Music) CCLI#413744

Satisfied
All my lifelong I had panted
For a drink from some cool spring.
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.

Chorus:
Hallelujah He has found me.
The One my soul so long has craved
Jesus satisfies my longings.
Thro' His blood I now am saved.

Feeding on the filth around me
Till my strength was almost gone.
Longed my soul for something better
Only still to hunger on.

Poor I was and sought for riches
Something that would satisfy.
But the dust I gathered 'round me
Only mocked my soul's sad cry.

Well of water ever springing
Bread of life so rich and free.
Untold wealth that never faileth
My Redeemer is to me.

Clara Teare Williams / Ralph E. Hudson
www.songtouch.com © Public Domain CCLI License No. 413744


Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Words and Music By Thomas Ken and Louis Bourgeois © Public Domain
Arrangement by: Matt Redman Passion Hymns CCLI License No. 413744


My Lips Will Praise You
My lips will praise You For You are holy
My voice will ever rise Before Your throne
My heart will love You For You are lovely
And You have called me To become Your own

Chorus:
I am Your own And I will worship You alone
I am Your own I am Your child
I am Your own And I will worship at Your throne
I am Your ownAnd I will love You

Words & Music by: Twila Paris
1998 Ariose Music & Mountain Spring Music (Admin EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI#413744