Well I would guess everyone is enjoying the warm temperatures we’re experiencing this spring.  I love the season of spring simply because it’s a reminder of our new life in Christ—the old life is gone the new has come.  Everyone get’s busy cleaning out the dead foliage from their flower beds and dethatching their lawns in order that the flowers and lawns might have the best opportunity to grow.  It’s such a beautiful season of the year.
Speaking of dethatching, did you know that Jesus also did some dethatching?  Yes, the story is told in Mark 11.  First Jesus approached a fig tree that was full of leaves, but because it was bearing no fruit, he cursed the tree.  Then next, after arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple area and saw all kinds of dead religious activity taking place, so he “dethatched” it by driving out those who were buying and selling there.  God’s intent for Temple worship according to Isaiah 56:7 was that the people from all nations would be able to enjoy being in his presence.
At first we might be surprised by Jesus’ aggressive response in both situations, yet his actions make it very clear that he has no time for anything that hinders a person’s spiritual growth.  And because prayer is one of the clearest indicators of the healthiness of our relationship with God, we too must be aggressive in removing anything that keeps us from prayer.
The Bible makes it very clear that God places high value on our ability to communicate with him, and so should we.  And so in order to keep prayer at the forefront of all ministry that takes place in and through American Reformed Church, the Consistory has recently affirmed their support for the ongoing development of a “House of Prayer Action Team.”
The House of Prayer Team will be led by Ken and Sue Hup.  While Ken and Sue will officially be commissioned as the House of Prayer Action Team Coordinators this Sunday, they have already been praying about, and recruiting the team that will work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit in helping us grow in prayer.  Please pray for them as they seek direction from God.
In the mean time, let me remind you that you are now the temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells.  God’s desire for you and me is that each one of our temples would become a house of prayer.  Which then means, you and I are now responsible for dethatching all the dead stuff from our lives that keeps us from experiencing true intimacy with God.
May you and I be fully yielded to the tender dethatching work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we prepare to celebrate our new life in Christ during this Holy Week.  And may the joy of your salvation become your heart’s desire to spend time in the Father’s presence.
Happy dethatching,
Mike

I would like to begin by offering a blessing to all of you who helped support the Haiti Mission Team by coming out to our Tip Night at the Pizza Ranch last Monday night.  May your generosity be multiplied greatly in God’s kingdom and your “Pizza Ranch Revenge” be a small sacrifice to pay. 🙂  Our team is truly thankful for every one of you.  I was also blessed by the effort of the entire team; everyone seemed to fulfill their responsibility with such a Christ-like attitude.
I especially want to thank the dishwashers.  In my estimation it was Dalton Jacobsma (who by the way, had to work both shifts), Harold VerSteeg, Kevin Barnhart, Kayla Cox, Ryan Wynia and Josh Haugom that ended up doing the most “dirty job.”  It reminded me of Mike Rowe’s Dirty Job’s television program.  The dishwashers had to scrape off everyone’s dirty plates, soak them, scrub them, wash them and stack them, all the while standing on a wet floor, half bent over the sinks, in about 95 degree heat.  Then, after the dishwater became dirtier than the plates themselves, Josh would have to dig away the germ soaked food from the drain trap in order for the water to flow out.  It had to be like ten times worse than people who had to clean the bathrooms.
As I thought about the dirty jobs that had to be done during our Tip Night Fundraiser, I thought about Jesus who was willing to do the dirtiest job ever.  Having spent eternity in the glory of heaven, the Bible says Jesus abandoned his divinity “…made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on the cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)
Jesus did the dirty job by becoming sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God—and the result—for those who have placed their faith in Christ, you and I will never be the same.  And how do we show our gratitude?  Well, by doing the same thing, taking on the very nature of a servant in order to be a blessing to those around us.
While no one will ever be required to do a dirtier job than Jesus, I am grateful for our dads who worked hard and long hours to help support their family.  I give special love to our moms for the countless ways they sacrifice themselves for the good of their family; from sleepless nights, to changing dirty diapers, to cleaning up puke, getting the kids ready for daycare and school all before going off to work themselves.  I also want to thank those who care for those who aren’t able to care for themselves.
I am also grateful for the myriad of ways American Reformed Church serves each other and our community.  Special thanks to Brian, Dee, Nick, and Rachel Den Herder for keeping our ministry facility so clean.  Thank you everyone for your willingness to do the dirty jobs.  May each one of us truly count it a joy and privilege to offer ourselves as servants in God’s kingdom.  It is such a small way to say thanks to the One who paid such a high price for you and me.
Overwhelmingly grateful for the “dirty job” of serving with you,
Mike

I was recently leaving a basketball game at the same time a couple of other young men were and before they were even out of the doors one said to the other, “Hey, it’s time to light up.”  They just couldn’t wait for a fresh dose of nicotine, acetone, arsenic, cadmium, formaldehyde, lead, methanol, tar and 592 other toxic cancer causing ingredients.
Sad to say, I remember those days when I was deceived by the false hopes and expectations of “lighting up.”  I was deceived into thinking that smoking gave me a physical high while at the same time keeping me calmer.  I still tease Vicki sometimes when I get stressed out that I’m going to start smoking again because I was a lot calmer when I smoked.  I say “tease her” because I know smoking is a big lie; actually smoking made me much more agitated.  Smoking is just one of the ways the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy.
After praying diligently for a year, I praise God that he delivered me from smoking.  And for those of you who would like to quit, my prayer is that God will deliver you as well.  As I was reflecting on my observation of the two young men who wanted to light up, I was also reminded of how God had given me a new reason to “light up” at about the same time I quit smoking.
Shortly before I quit smoking, God gave me a passion for reading and studying the Bible.  The more I discovered God’s great love for his people and his desire for us to be free from the grip of sin, the more I wanted to tell others how to find freedom.  For me “lighting up” now means letting the light of Christ shine through my life.
Most recently I had an opportunity to shine some light into the darkness of a person who was trapped in bitterness and unforgiveness.  He was bitter and bent on revenge.  As I shared about God’s love for him and how he had been forgiven, he quickly began to see that forgiving the person who offended him was going to be what released him from darkness.
Actually, as a follower of Jesus, we are all called to “light up”.  Jesus said in Mathew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
So how about it, have you been “lighting up”?  If not, let me encourage you to “light up” your circle of influence with the love and the truth of Jesus.  So many of your friends and family are walking in the darkness and can’t find the light; surely there is someone who needs your light.
May you and I grow in letting our lights shine for God’s glory.
Go light your world,
Mike

I have discovered that some of you are still uncertain about the purpose of those listed in that bulletin as “ARC Missionary Families of the Week.” Hope this reprinted article from January 15 helps.

Missionary:  noun \ˈmi-shə-ˌner-ē\ : a person sent on a mission, esp. on a religious mission.  I praise God for the missionaries that are supported by American Reformed Church and I look forward to learning more about the different fields to where they are called. I appreciate their deep love for God and their willingness to leave the comfort of what would be considered “familiar” in order to acclimate themselves to a different culture.
I believe many Christians appreciate and financially support missionaries because they believe somebody has to do it and they’re just thankful it’s not them. (OK, at least that’s what I thought growing up).  As a young kid, the last thing I ever wanted to be was a missionary. In fact I would guess the fear of being called to become a missionary is the number one reason most Christians refuse to fully surrender their lives to God. Come on, you have to admit there is a little part of you that’s holding back from becoming a radical follower of Jesus because your fear of ending up in Africa, right? J
I can remember back to February 23, 1997 when for the first time I fully surrendered my life to God. In my prayer I told God that my life was his; whatever he wanted me to do, wherever he wanted me to go, I was willing—even if it was to Africa. Well, what I’ve discovered since is that when God sends a person on mission, the first thing he does is to give that person a passion and desire to go to the place he is sending them.
As I grew in my love for God I kept telling him that I was ready to go, and yet all I could sense in my spirit was that God wanted me to stay right at the feedlot I was working and become a missionary to the truck drivers that would deliver the hay, the feed ingredients, and the livestock. And so that’s what I did; for four years I saw myself as “a person who was sent on a mission” by God to anyone who drove on the yard at Deluxe Feeds Feedlot.
Being a missionary isn’t something that should seem foreign to us as a follower of Jesus. I would guess most of us know the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus said to his disciples—he says to you and me—“Therefore go and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
The good news for you might be that God is not calling you to go to Africa; however, he is calling you to bring the gospel to those in your circle of influence. You have connections to unsaved people that I will never get to talk to. You have the peace and hope so many people are looking for.
My prayer for you is that if you don’t already, that you would begin to see yourself as a missionary. In fact, over the next year, I’ve asked Erin to list you and your family as the “Missionary of the Week.” Eventually you will see your name printed in the prayer section of the bulletin. Be assured of my prayer for you as you bring God’s love to your mission field.
Laboring for the harvest,

Mike

I hope this article finds you free from bumps, bruises, or broken bones.  I just visited with someone who slipped on the ice and fell face forward bumping her head on the sidewalk.  The winter season certainly makes walking a potentially dangerous experience.  Now you might say, hey Mike, you’re kind of becoming a sissy aren’t you; what’s the big deal about walking on ice.
Well, I used to think that too until a few years ago when I stepped outside of a friend’s house on to a patch of ice which was hidden under some freshly fallen snow.  Before I even knew what happened, I was laying on my back with severe pain in my shoulder.  I wasn’t sure what happened, but I knew it wasn’t good.  I couldn’t lift, or even move my arm, other than a few inches.  A few days later I discovered I had cracked my shoulder blade.
Like walking on ice, my spiritual journey is also a potentially dangerous experience.  For one thing, I have this fleshly desire to want to see what some slippery surfaces are like—it’s called temptation. And then in addition to my own foolishness and carelessness, the devil is always looking for ways to trip me up as well.  He loves to lure me out on to that which is potentially hazardous, and then when I fall to temptation, he just laughs while I suffer the painful consequences.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve suffered enough painful consequences of thinking I can handle playing around on slippery surfaces.
There are so many “icy traps” to look out for, but the good news for us is that there is “spiritual sidewalk salt” available.  First of all, life is full of people who would like to knock us off our feet and yet God is always ready in our time of need to keep us from slipping, Psalm 94:18 says, “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord, supported me.”
Or when the enemy of envy begins tempting you to think that God blesses others more than you, and you begin slipping into the ruin of self pity, God reaches his hand out to hold you steady and to guide you through such foolish thinking (Psalm 73).
Psalm 66 is also a great reminder that God “has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.”  Oh yes, there may have been those times when he lets us fall, but by his great mercy, he is always protecting us from ourselves and from the devil.
One thing you and I can be sure of on our life’s journey; we will regularly face situations that are very slippery and potentially hazardous to our spiritual wellbeing, but thank God for those cleated shoes that we can put on.  Proverbs 3:21 says that you and I must preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you… Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
And “Now to him who is able to keep you and me from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever more!  Amen  (Jude 24-25).
On Christ the solid rock I stand,   Mike

I was listening to the news last week when I heard an interesting story about a group of police officers who stormed a woman’s apartment and beat down her front door even though she kept yelling that they had the wrong apartment.  Turns out she was right and the police were wrong; the apartment where the drugs were being made and sold was the apartment next door.
It reminded me of the story that Richard Blackaby tells in his book, The God Centered Church.  Richard’s first charge after graduating from seminary was with a church in a small west Texas town and the town was so small he was asked to serve on the fire department.
He goes on to tell about the fire department of a neighboring community that took great pride in their ability to fight fire.  One Saturday morning, that particular fire department held a training exercise in which they were going to practice fighting a fire in an old home.  They set the fire and waited until it was fully ablaze, then with great skill they moved in and extinguished the fire.  The training exercise went perfectly; everyone on the department did their job efficiently and effectively.  Everything went great!  Except for one minor (OK major) detail.  They burned the wrong house.
Somehow they misunderstood the details of the assignment.  They had been given the wrong directions.  Those who were in charge of the exercise failed in communicating the correct directions and the consequences were great.
The point of course, could it be that I’m doing something really well in my life, but it just happens to be the wrong thing.  As I reflected on my past, I would have to admit that there were many times in my life I was doing something very well, but it was the wrong thing, or for the wrong reason, and the consequences were great.
For example, I worked really hard to support my family, but ultimately I was trying to buy happiness.  And yes, I wanted to support Mitchell and Jonathon in their sporting events, but only in hopes of helping them make a name for themselves.  Yes, I wanted to tithe, but only in hopes that God would help me make more money.  And yes, I could do my best to write articles that would help a person discover truth, but if no one reads them, what is the point.  (Which by the way, if you feel I’m “burning the wrong house,” please let me know).
The same could be said of our ministry, we could be doing many things well, but still be doing the wrong thing.  One thing is for sure, in order to do the right thing, we must be certain about our mission.  I have really been blessed to learn of so many who are actively engaged in ministry.  My challenge for you and your committee or team is to continually be discerning in regards to our mission.  May it never be said of American Reformed Church that we do things with excellence, but that we are doing the wrong thing or for the wrong reasons—for the consequences will be great
“This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message.  It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details.  When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians.  God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.
“And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ.  My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along.  Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!” (Ephesians 3:7-10 – The Message)
Following the Way,  Mike

This past Wednesday I had a Classis meeting in Mankato and on the way home I missed the place where I was supposed to turn and so when I reached the edge of Minneapolis I realized I was going the wrong way.  Just kidding J, actually I had only traveled about a mile before I realized I needed to turn around.  I’ll be honest with you, this wasn’t the only time I’ve missed a turn or got lost while traveling.  In fact I’ve come to accept that every time I go somewhere unfamiliar I’m going to get lost and will have to turn around.
But you say, Mike, you should get a Garmin.  Well, the reason I don’t use our Garmin is that sometimes even Rita leads me astray; I don’t trust her.  (Rita’s the name of the lady on our Garmin).  So, why am I telling you all this?  Because it got me to thinking about my walk with Jesus? Am I on the right track? Are there areas where I need to recalculate and turn around?
And how about you, when it comes to your walk with Jesus, would you say you are going in the right direction?  The Greek word for repent, ‘metanoeo,’ means to change one’s life, based on complete change of attitude and thought concerning sin and righteousness.  To repent means to view life from God’s perspective rather from our worldly point of view.
Satan is always at work to deceive us into thinking our way is always better than God’s way when all of sudden we find out he’s led us into the middle of nowhere.  For example, he deceives us into thinking we have a right to harbor bitterness and resentment when God clearly calls us to forgive.  Or, it’s okay to watch inappropriate TV shows and movies, or to listen to ungodly music when God makes it clear that we are to be holy as God is holy.
Again, would you say you’re fulfilling God’s plan for your life?  Are you following closely on the heels of our Master, or have you wandered from the Truth?  While I would suggest that we always keep a close eye on our attitudes and behavior, I would invite you during this season of Lent to allow the Spirit to show you where you must turn in order to experience more of the abundant life.
A couple of great opportunities where you might consider exposing your heart would be the “Journey of Prayer” that Marcia will have set up in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesday from 6:00 AM—9:00 PM.  Or joining us for a special prayer meeting Saturday evening, February 25 at 6:30 will also be a time where we are going to give Jesus permission to call us to repentance.  Whatever method or opportunities you choose isn’t the point, the main thing is to be aware of where you might be off track.  Nothing feels worse to me than when I realize that I have strayed from God’s will.
May you and I always be following Jesus so closely that we would always be “covered in the dust of the Rabbi.”  He is trustworthy and will never lead you astray!
Repent and believe,
Mike

I was visiting with one of our third graders last night and she was so excited about the Valentine’s Day party in her class at school.  She told that she had already made Valentine’s for all her classmates and that she already brought them to school.  Reminded me of this story I once heard from Chuck Swindoll about a little boy who moved into a new neighborhood.  His name was Chad.
One day, Chad came home from school and said to his mom, “Valentine’s Day is coming up and I would like to make Valentines for everyone in my class.  I want all of them to know that I love them.”  His mother’s heart sank as she thought, I wish he wouldn’t do that.  Because every afternoon she would watch the kids coming home from school, they’d be laughing and hanging on to each other, books under their arms.  All, except Chad, he was always following behind them; no one seemed to pay any attention to him.
However, she decided to go along with Chad.  So glue and paper and crayons were purchased and for three weeks, Chad painstakingly made 35 Valentines.  When the day came to deliver the Valentines, he was so excited, this was his day.  He stacked those Valentines under his arm and ran out the door.
His mother thought this was going to be a disappointing day for Chad, “I think I will make some cookies and have some milk ready for him when he gets home, maybe that will ease the pain, because he won’t be getting any Valentines.”  That afternoon she put out the warm cookies and milk on the table.  She scraped the frost off the living room widow and looked out, sure enough; here came the big gang of kids walking home from school.  Valentines under their arms, they were laughing, they had really done well.  And then there was her Chad; head down and walking faster than usual.  She thought, bless his heart, he’s ready to burst into tears, his arms are empty, and he doesn’t have one Valentine.
Chad came into the house and she said, “Darling, Mom has some warm cookies and milk for you. Let’s sit down and talk about it.”  But his face was all a glow.  Chad marched right by her and said, “Not a one, not a single one, I didn’t forget anyone.  They all know I love them.”
And so it was with Jesus on the cross, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son in to the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (I John 4:9-10).  Like Chad, only with much greater sacrifice, by taking my place on the cross and paying for my sin debt, it was if Jesus was saying to you and me, “Not a single one, not a single one, I didn’t forget anyone. They all know I love them.”
A song is not a song, until it’s sung.
A bell is not a bell, until it’s rung.
Love is not love, until it is given away.

“Dear friends, since God soooooo… loved us, we also ought to love one another” (I John 4:11).

Happy Valentine’s Day
Love, Mike and Vicki

I’m guessing that if you’ve driven a motorized vehicle for any amount of time that you’ve experienced someone who crossed over the line and was coming directly at you.  And it’s also possible, that you have been the person who drifted into the lane of oncoming traffic.  Well, a few days ago I was travelling and all of a sudden I noticed that the oncoming car had drifted into my lane and was coming right at me.  At first, my response was one of joy.  I was so happy that the person in the oncoming car was enjoying the freedom of using the whole road.  But then my joy began to fade as the car came closer for fear of what might happen if the person hit me head on.  Thankfully, as I began to think about what I was going to do, the approaching driver moved back into his lane.
As I reflected on this potentially deadly situation, I thought about our experience in Haiti where there are no yellow or white road markings.  Every trip to and from the mission was an adventure; not only were there no markings on the road, there were no speed limit signs, there were no “no passing” zones, there were no yield signs, every driver did as they pleased.  Often times cars following our bus would begin to pass when there was oncoming traffic and the oncoming car would just move over and we would meet three wide.  I was amazed at the number of times we almost collided with other cars, but the more I thought about it, the more I wished we didn’t have road markings and signs in America.  I mean just imagine how much fun you would have driving if you could do whatever you pleased whenever you pleased.  Imagine the new level of freedom you felt as you were driving.  Imagine the fun of driving in the left lane when you got bored with driving in the right lane.  Imagine the freedom of choosing your own speed limits.  So what do you think, do we really need those traffic boundaries?
Well, you say, of course we need those road markers, the result of not having boundaries would only create chaos and fear, not freedom.  And so it is with our lives; although many people in America would say that freedom is found in doing whatever makes them feel good, the truth is that our Creator has established certain boundaries that enable our freedom.  Freedom is not found in living a deceptive life.  Freedom is not found in creating your own business ethics.  Freedom is not found in sleeping with whoever you want.  Freedom is not found in choosing how much of your taxes you’re going to pay.  No, freedom is only found when we live within the boundary of God’s commands.
In fact one of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Psalm 119:29-32, “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.  I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.  I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame.  I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”
So, could it be that there might be an area in your life where you think you’re enjoying freedom, and yet if the truth were known, it’s only full of anxiety, fear and confusion?  If so, what better day than today to repent and get back in the center of God’s will.  May you and I always be a “Jesus sorts of follower” who experiences the freedom of running within the paths of God’s commands.
Thankful to be alive,          Mike

If you follow the world of sports then you are quite likely aware of the death of the legendary Joe Paterno.  Joe died this past Sunday at the age of 85 after a two month bout with lung cancer.  If you don’t follow sports then let me give you a little insight into his life.  Joe was the football coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 seasons.  When he left Beaver Stadium for the final time in October, Paterno had amassed 409 victories—more than any major college football coach in the history of the game.  In fact the next closet active coach has 244 wins.
With more than 250 of his players making it to the NFL, Paterno was not only a great football coach, he was also known for being a great life coach.  Almost every one of his players would testify that “Joe-pa” made a huge difference in their lives as he impressed on them the importance of integrity.  Joe also believed in going above and beyond what was expected of him, in fact, one of his favorite quotes was, “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp.”
While Joe will be remembered as one of the greatest college football coaches of all time and a lifetime full of great accomplishments, Joe’s legacy will also be marked by one failure.  Again, if you don’t follow college football, let me fill you in.  This past fall one of Joe’s assistant coaches was charged with sexually molesting many young boys over a number of years.  Apparently, back in 2002, it had been reported to Paterno that a young boy had been raped in a school locker room, and rather than reporting it to the police, he only reported it to his superiors.  Yes he should’ve gone beyond.
As additional charges against his assistant coach became public and more and more people began to question why Paterno didn’t report the offenses to the police, the Penn State board of directors felt they had to fire Paterno.  When asked by one reporter about the tragic situation, Joe responded, “With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I would’ve done more.”
What a sad legacy to leave, however; I would guess we all have some regrets.  Good or bad, we’ve all experienced some situations in our lives where we wish we would’ve done more.  Well, the good news is that God’s mercies are new every day.  And as Paul writes in Colossians 4, it’s never too late to start making the most of every opportunity.
As you reflect on your life, is there an area where you could be doing more?  Maybe like Paterno, it’s time for you to shine the light into the darkness—it’s time to expose something ugly.  Maybe you could invest a little more effort into your marriage.  Maybe you could spend a little more time with the kids, or maybe you could invest a little more of your money into God’s kingdom—at least the return will be greater.
When our time on earth is up, may it never be said of us that looking back we wish we would’ve done more, but like the Apostle Paul, may we declare, “For I am already poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:6-8)
Only by grace,
Mike