What Adoption Has Taught Me About God

Well... maybe not taught me new things, but helped me see again some wonderful truths about our heavenly Father. While visiting my newest grandson in the hospital, I realized that the emotions I was feeling and the thoughts I was having are what God sees when he looks at us. We are his adopted sons and daughters when we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Here are just some random thoughts about adoption from an earthly grandfather thinking about his new adopted grandson. Notice what they tell you about God and His adoption of us.

• I totally love my adopted grandchildren as much as my non-adopted grandchildren.
• I love this tiny baby boy and he doesn't even know who I am.
• His heart is all messed up but I love him anyway.
• I love him because he was chosen and loved by my daughter, not because he can do something for me.
• I'm all worried about him and want the best for him even though he doesn't even know what he may need.
• I talk to him when I am with him so he will know my voice when he's able to see me. (He's in a drug induced sleep right now while his heart mends.)
• I took up an offense for him and my other adopted grandchildren when I heard that a stupid preacher said you shouldn't adopt children because you don't know what problems they may have (Pat Robertson - earlier this month Read about it here) 

I suppose the list could go on and on. (Add to it your own thoughts. Or better yet, post them here as a comment.) I think you see what I am saying here. All the things I give to my children and grandchildren are for ALL of them - adopted or not.

I love it when at the adoption proceedings the judge says something like "all the rights and responsibilities of the family, including inheritance are granted as if the child was a natural-born child." And they say something like "and these can't be taken away".... I guess I should have called Christy to double check how this is all worded. Oh, and this makes a great case for the "Baptist" doctrine of "once saved always saved." But that's another post.

I'll close this post with this beautiful verse from Ephesians. (notice the phrase "kind intention" - wow!)

Ephesians 1:5 NAS

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

Corporate Worship

Here's a sneak preview of what I wrote for the front of the bulletin tomorrow. It actually would be better for you to read it tonight rather than during Bro. Pauls' sermon. (I know you won't be reading your bulletin while we're singing. hahaha)

Corporate Worship – you may not have heard that term before, but if you are here in a worship service you are a part of Corporate Worship. Simply put, Corporate Worship is all of us coming together to sing, pray, give, hear God’s word and respond – together. “I can worship just fine at the golf course.” Yes, you can, but you will miss the blessing of sharing together what God has done in our lives. When we are in a worship service we celebrate together the mighty acts of God, we share each other’s sorrows, we pray for each other and encourage each other, we lift our voices together in testimony and praise; we demonstrate to the world and each other the love of Christ – together!

Singing and worshipping together gives us an opportunity to live out Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” In Corporate Worship Grandma sings a new song she doesn’t know (and maybe doesn’t like) because she knows it speaks to her grandson. Grandson sings an old hymn that he may not know (and may not really like) because he loves grandma and knows that she likes it. Both are living out Philippians 2:3.

This is an exciting month in our music/worship ministry:
We began a High School Handbell Choir that will travel on mission next June to Portugal,

Our Adult Choir and Praise Band will record a CD in August and September, and today, August 19, our Adult Choir is having our annual Christmas Preview Party for this year’s Living Christmas Tree. (5:00, Youth Building A) It’s not too late for you to plug into our music/worship ministry as part of our choir, working a camera, running sound, etc. And EVERY week is the perfect time for you to live out Philippians 2:3 as we worship together.

No matter which service or which campus you worship in, “consider others as more important than yourself” and let Hebrews 10:24-25 be your guide: “24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

It’s a joy being your Worship Pastor.

Missed a Whole Month? Here's an Update

Wow! I knew I hadn't blogged in a while, but I had no idea that my last post was in June!

Rather than explaining why that may have happened, let me tell you the exciting things coming up in our music/worship ministry.

1. We started a new Youth Handbell Choir made up of older teens that are in band or play the piano or for some other reason can read music. We will be going on mission to Portugal next June!

2. Our choir is recording a CD in September. I have spent a LOT of time over the last few weeks getting music ready for that.

3. THIS Sunday night, August 19, at 5:00 in Youth Building A our Choir is having our annual Christmas Party Preview of the music for this year's "the Tree."

Now is the perfect time for you to get involved in our music/worship ministry.