Feeling tired?

Monday afternoon thoughts...

"Remember me, O my God, for good." Nehemiah 5:19; 13:31

On two different occasions we see this statement come from Nehemiah. Wrapped up in these seven words is the motivation behind one man's life. He wanted to please his God. He wanted his God to see him as a man who did what was right in His sight. It is clear that Nehemiah knew Israel's history, along with the promises that God had made to them (1:5-11). It is also clear that Nehemiah was aware of the downfall of Israel's previous kings (13:26). I can only imagine that he was aware of what Jeremiah had written 100 years earlier about the other kings of Israel; each of them having their lives summed up by one of two statements, "He did what was right in the sight of the Lord," or, "He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." Nehemiah was a man who wanted to do what was right in the sight of the Lord.

This showed in everything that he was about. His brokenness over Israel's sin. His consistency in going before the Lord in prayer. His perseverance through difficulty and opposition. His selflessness before God's people. His cultivation of an environment in which the Word of God was respected and lifted up. His demand for holiness. There wasn't an area of Nehemiah's life that wasn't impacted by his desire to please the Lord in all things. How refreshing is it to find someone who has that same desire. But, isn't even more refreshing to find someone who not only has that same desire, but also backs it up with a lifestyle that matches those words?

This world...actually, more specifically, the church doesn't need any more lukewarm, watered down, inactive, prayerless believers. It needs more who are willing to follow the example of Nehemiah and set an example for others to follow. How are you like Nehemiah? What impact could you have for eternity if you lived out the same desire as Nehemiah? "Remember me, O my God, for good."

Until next time...

Monday morning thoughts...

"For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel." Ezra 7:9-10

Yesterday we looked at the book of Ezra in our time together. It is the first of a two-part story of how the nation of Israel was released from captivity and allowed to go back to their home land. Ezra played a key role in the spritual life of Israel during this time. Six different times we read about the hand of the Lord being upon him or the people he was leading (7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31). As we see above, the reason for the Lord's hand being upon his life in a favorable way is because of Ezra's response to God's Word. He studied the Word. He lived the Word. He helped others understand the Word. I don't know of a better example for how we should approach the things that God has revealed to us in His Word.

What are you doing, as a parent, to help your student set their heart toward these things? As I gave the students the challenge to be like Ezra, I will give the same challenge to you. Are you setting your heart towards God's Word the way that Ezra did? When was the last time you sat down with your student and shared with them how God's Word has been impacting your life? Do they see how God's Word is impacting your life?

As we read on through the book Ezra we come across a situation where Ezra is broken over Israel's sin (9:1ff.) As he is crying out to the Lord a crowd gathered around and heard his prayer. They too broke over their sin and Ezra challenged them to confess and repent from their sin. The people responded in a right way. How powerful it is to see what God can do through one person who is faithful to His Word!

What is my student learning in the Cause?

Biblical teaching has always been a foundational activity at Salem Heights Church. God’s Word provides everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3) and that goes for students just as much as it does for adults. As a result of this we place a high priority on teaching the Scriptures to our junior high and high school students. This takes place in various settings from Sunday morning messages given to the entire group to small group discussions in the home groups and D-teams. As we desire to complement and confirm the ministry that is taking place within the home we would like to provide a way for parents to connect what the students are learning in the Cause to what is, and what can be, discussed at home. Therefore we have put together some resources that are available for you to know what is being taught and how you can discuss those things with your student at home. I have heard in a number of instances that it is often times difficult for parents to pry information from their student in regards to what they learned that morning or that evening. What if you as the parent were able to know what your student is learning and can start the discussion that way? All of the Cause Sunday morning messages are now posted on the church website for download (below are instructions on where to find them). There is even a podcast that is available so that you can receive these messages weekly on your podcast player. As well, on Monday mornings I will do my best to post a few discussion starting questions based on Sunday's message. These discussions will be invaluable as you and your student walk through these years.

We are currently working through the Old Testament book-by-book and are now through 2 Kings. This past Sunday's message was unable to be recorded due to technical difficulties.

Until next time...


How to access the messages:

Go to www.salemheightschurch.org and look for the "Doctrine and Sermons" tab. Run the mouse over the tab and a menu will drop down. Click on "Sermons".

You now have one of two options for downloading the messages:

1. Click on "view podcast" to see a page where all of the available messages can be downloaded. Right click on the desired message and then click "save target as". You may want to save the file with a title that will help you remember what message it is. Save the MP3 where you desire and it will be available to play on your media player or burn to a CD.

2. Open your podcast player (iTunes works very well and can be downloaded for free at www.apple.com). Click on "subscribe to podcast" and after a few moments you will be able to access all of the messages through that program.

If a new message has been recorded it will be available by Sunday afternoon.

What's happening with the Cause?

Well, if anyone is actually reading this...thank you! With a desire to help those who have any sort of connection to the Cause student ministry at Salem Heights (whether as a student who attends, a parent who has a student who attends, or as anyone else who has any sort of interest in what happens with the Cause) I will be providing updates on past events, current events, and perhaps even future events. An occasional thought from Scripture might pop up from time to time. Check back from time to time as I hope to update this on a more than semi-annual basis. Until next time...