Why do you go to church?

I’ve been observing and pondering this for several months now.  So now I’m going to pose the question to all of my readers?

Why do you go to church?

Do you go because the sermon/message is short?
Do you go because the minister gives a great message that you can relate to?
Is it because the church is air conditioned?
Maybe you like the hymn selection and the singing?
Or even quite possibly, the food! Donuts and coffee before service or maybe the pot luck lunch afterward!

Well, I’m going to challenge you now.  Isn’t the REAL reason for going to church to spend time with the Lord, in worship (songs and prayers) and in the Word?  Aren’t we called to church, not for our physical needs or comforts or likes, but to further develop our relationship with the Lord?

I’ve observed people coming to church or more like not coming to church depending upon who was giving the message?  I’ve seen families consistently not come to church if someone other than the minister was holding service or even if there were a guest minister or a special program.

I’ve also seen families totally stay away from church because they either don’t like the minister or feel his or her service is too long, the message too controversial or challenges their comfort too much, or they don’t like something another family has done; only to return to church once that person is no longer there!

These actions I’m really wrestling with!  I know it is not my place to make judgement, and I also know that we all will have to answer to the Lord for our actions or our in-actions during the time we are given here on this earth, but I am also human and I do notice these things and wonder.

Again, I ask you – Why do you come to church?

Is it for self gratification?  Is it out of a sense of obligation?  Is it to socialize?  Is it to put on the appearance of an “upstanding church goer”?

OR

Do you truly love the Lord and cherish the time you can spend with Him?  Do you get so excited and pumped up to be in the house of the Lord that you really, really want to shout and sing His praises? Do you want to be there to ask forgiveness for something that is troubling you or to put you burdens upon Him as He instructs us to?  These I feel are true reasons to be in His house.  Any other reason, is purely our selfishness!

In my humanness, I find I really do get upset when I see what appears to be personal agendas in how people worship.  It does bother me when there is the appearance that factors outside of a personal relationship the God Almighty dictate whether a person or family comes to church or not.  I am constantly praying for his guidance on this.

As, I return to writing the blogs, I ask you to pray over this issue.  We are at a time in history where we truly need to refocus our attention to God.  We all need to develop a very personal relationship with Him, through His son Jesus Christ, and allow Him to guide our lives.

So I’ll ask you for a third and final time…Why do you come to church?

Just remember, you may get asked that question once you leave this earth, and the consequences of how you can answer may determine eternity!

God bless you all, thank you for your patience, sorry for the delay between blogs and there will be a new post next week!

The seasons of our lives……….

It amazes me sometimes how God gives us the many seasons of our lives. Most times when we suspect it the least is when he blows in the season of change.

We have seasons with our kids; baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult. And with ourselves, just add middle age, elderly, old age. We have seasons in our jobs; new and exciting, moving up the ladder, plateau, looking forward to retirement, retirement. And we also have seasons in our walk with the Lord and in our church lives.

The bible talks about seasons in several places, the most familiar to all of us is in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Daniel 2:21 – And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

Genesis 8:22 – While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Psalm 1:3 – Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

2 Timothy 4:2 – Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Seasons can mean such different things, to the farmer it’s time to grow or harvest. It can be a physical time in our lives, but more importantly it is a time in our spiritual lives. But it always comes with times of change.

As man, we tend not to do well with change, we generally resist it, we fight it, we don’t like it. But many times, God give us change to make us better. He does it according to His plan which is always good, even though it is so hard for us to see or understand. At times He will give us change that is very difficult, it will hurt for now, it will not be easy for now, but He knows that it will be good for us. It could be the loss of a loved one, but He will always guide us to new hope and life. It could be the loss of a job that we really liked, or we felt we were actually pretty good at; but in His grand plan, it was not the job He wanted us to do. It could be a financial loss which He may want to show us what it is like to live without or to live within our means, and to use the gifts from Him to further His works not ours. It could even be a physical move from our comfortable home and surroundings to a complete and strange new place, because in His season it’s time for us to do differently.

Friends, you see, seasons come in many shapes and forms. We may have a difficult time understanding or coping with them, but if we continue in the faith, if we continue to focus on the fact that it’s God’s plan, that he will never leave or forsake those who follow Him, those who believe in Jesus Christ, these new seasons will bring on new, exciting, and prosperous times for us. We need to continue to give the Father all the praise and glory for our changing seasons!

Father, I know you are all knowing, all powerful and that Your plan for us is always good and always on time. Please help me to understand these seasons of change, please help me be at peace with these seasons and give me the courage and strength to continue to follow You wherever you lead me with this new season. I will continue to praise You, I will continue to love You and I will go wherever You lead me! I pray all of this in the name of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

This week, I ask you to go forward in any of the new seasons in your life, knowing that the Father always love you and will always be with you to guide you through the next season of your life.

God’s peace be with you all!

R.I.P. Carl…

This is going to be hard, but the Lord and the Holy Spirit put it on my heart to say a few words about my big brother Carl.

Most of you know that I’m the baby in the family. There were 12 years between Ted and I and almost 2 more to Carl and 2 more to Ester Jean. Ester Jean often jokes that a lot of people don’t even know her or I because we are the 1st and last, but most people knew Carl and Ted!

They weren’t just brothers, they were best friends. I don’t know all the stories of when they were kids, I’ve heard a lot of them but I’m sure there are many that none of us actually know about!

One that I do remember and have heard often is one of the many Sundays spent at the Hafer farm. It seems like Carl, Ted, Paul, Russell and a few others liked to have home made rodeos with the cattle and horses. Many times riding the farm horses bareback. Now, of course this wasn’t with Pap Pap’s blessing, so sometimes Pap Pap knew, sometimes he didn’t. Now I want you to hold on to that memory while I try and make it through the rest of this.

Ester Jean, oh how he loved to tease you! And then again, Ted and I helped egg him on, since you were the only girl in the family! We always had to tell you to stand up in pictures so we could see you, even though we all knew you were doing the best you could! I remember hearing about all the summer vacations with Dad and Mom and the three of you. The fights in the backseat, the toys and shoes out the window, the fights over who had to sit in the middle and Ted’s hand stuck under the backrest of Dad’s seat! The adventures you had and the memories they made! But all kidding aside, he truly loved you and always enjoyed time with you and Stan.

Carl had many loves in his life, he loved his sports and excelled at them, leading to his induction next month into the Williamson Athletic Hall of Fame. He loved his vocation, police work, going to Washington, D.C. to join the force there until he was old enough to enter the Pennsylvania State Police where he and Ted served together, until he retired as a Corporal. He loved the outdoors, fishing, hunting, camping, trips to the cabin and trips to mountains in Colorado. I will always cherish the memories of my three trips to Colorado and our getaways to North Michigan Reservoir at a time in my life when I needed it most. Those trips allowed me to reconnect and build a bond with my brother that bridged our age difference.

Most importantly he loved and cherished his wife and family. Joann, you and Carl have been an example to us all. You’ve shown us and taught us how to truly love and take care of each other. You’ve shown us the importance of a strong family bond and a strong faith. You were truly the love of his life, you could see it whenever the two of you were together. I’ll never forget what the two of you told me when JoAnn and I got married, you said move away, that way you learn to live together, you have to depend on each other and work things out together because it’s too far away for anyone to run home. It is great advice and I’ve shared that with others as they started their life together.
Joe and Lance, your dad always was so proud of the two of you. He was always there and he made sure you grew to be great men. Joe, you’ve always had your dad’s mischievous and adventurous streak, the times sneaking into spots to fish, the adventures of you and Dean. Lance you have your dad’s love of nature and the beauty found there; so much so that it became your profession. His example and legacy will live on in the two of you and your families.

Scot and Alexandra; you two were his pride. He beamed talking about the two of you. Scot, we always heard stories of the fishing trips, your sports endeavors and anything else you got into! You definitely carried thru your Pap Pap with the adventures and antics! Alexandra, you were his sunshine, he love you so much and always talked about his beautiful granddaughter. Just remember he is and always will be with you.

Mom and Dad, he, like the rest of us, always was there, even when he was away, he would always check to see how you were doing and if there was anything he could do. He made the trip home so that we all could be together again, he made sure he was here to help, and he made sure that they were at all of our family get togethers, from dinners at Ted’s, picnics at his house, trips to Ester Jean’s and Christmas at our house, the Hafer Christmas party and the Hafer Reunion. Family was together again and as important as ever. Even though you all were stubborn and ornery with each other love was always there.

The stories he could tell………..Big Stan, Bob, Stan, Dean…I’m sure there a many stories of events at the cabin! And we all know how Carl could weave a story, the fish and the deer would grow from one telling to the next! And the stories we heard about you guys, he’d have us all rolling!

In Ecclesiastes 3: verse 1 we are told: There is a time for everything, and in verse 4 we are told; a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Now is our time to weep and mourn, but we must not forget to take the time to laugh and to dance, Carl would have wanted this and this is what the Lord wants for us also.

Listen to these words – they are from a song titled – Praise You In This Storm – by Casting Crowns and they are so fitting for us right now:

I was sure by now, God, You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it’s still raining.
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
“I’m with you”
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm.

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

We really need to remember this, that the Lord IS with us,
In Romans 8:28 – we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

In Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

To complete the story, in the beginning I spoke about the rodeo’s at the farm, well, once Carl and Joann moved back and got settled, Carl began to look around and check out places that needed help with farm work but more exactly horses. I may not be totally accurate on all the details, but I believe Uncle Paul told him that the lady that owned Pap Pap’s old farm needed help with the horses. Wouldn’t you know that Carl got to complete the circle. He was back on the farm, doing what he loved to do, ride and take care of the horses.

Carl was a very good man, a great husband, son, father, uncle, brother, friend. He is one of the few people I have ever know that truly got to live their life the way they wanted, the way they were destined to and to be able to say to us, I am satisfied, I got to live my life with no regrets and I am happy. What a message to all of us.

A few months ago, I changed the ringtone on my phone so that I had one exactly for Carl. I downloaded Toby Keith’s – Should Have Been a Cowboy. Every time Carl called me I knew immediately it was him. When the Lord comes back with that triumphant entry to round us up in those final days, HE has one more great cowboy to help with the roundup! That song’s just never going to be the same for me. I’m so going to miss you big brother.