But grow in grace and knowledge of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 3:18

Today is December 11^th, there’s only 21 days left in 2022.  It’s time to think about your New Year’s Resolutions; made any yet?  Daryl and I have set the theme for 2023 as  “Growing In Jesus.”  How can we do this? Let me give you three of my suggestions.

1) To be rich in good works!  Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18   Let us commit to be rich in good works for the new year.  Let us continue to invite our friends and neighbors to worship with us.  Let us be hospitable, invite a Brother or Sister to lunch with you after worship on Sunday morning. Bring plenty of food on our fellowship meals, so we can invite our guests to eat with us.                                                  

2) Be joyful always.  Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   Be an encourager, not someone who sees the bad in everything. Be the optimist, seeing the glass half full not half empty. Pray without ceasing! Give God all the glory!

3) Shine like stars!  Do everything without complaining or arguing. So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you “Shine like stars.” Philippians 2:14-15.   Be at Church, bring your children to Bible School, make sure they go to the youth activities planned for them! Be in God’s word. 

We have  Coffee and Devo Time every weekday morning at 9am.  The book for the new year will be My Family.  This is a 15-minute time of prayer and meditation on God’s word; put it on your calendar and start your day with encouragement and prayer. We have members joining us from Florida, the office, kitchens, rehab, and road trips.

Brothers and Sisters, 2022 has been a good year at Summit. The Lord has blessed us with baptisms. We have continued to make upgrades on our lighting and physical needs of the building. Let us be in prayer that the Lord will continue to open doors and bless us at Summit in the new year.  Is there something on your heart that you would love to see us do next year?  Write it down to share with us.  Daryl and I have scheduled a 2023 planning meeting on a Saturday morning in January over coffee and doughnuts (or fruit for us on diets) to brainstorm ideas! Every suggestion will be recorded and considered! Let’s make 2023 the best year for the Lord’s church at Summit so that we can be the hands and feet of the Lord! God Bless!!

How many Christians really follow Jesus? Let us interview Peter, the Apostle, and see what he would say.

Peter, could you please tell us what it means to follow Jesus Christ? For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21 ESV).

Oh, wow! So, you are saying if I am following in His steps, I would be suffering for Jesus Christ. Isn’t that a bit harsh? Can you tell us more specifically what Jesus would say this “suffering” entails? “…sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me (Mt.19:21 ESV).”

Are you serious? Tell me Peter, how did you react when you heard those words?

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have” (Mt.19:25-27ESV)?

Friend, are you following Jesus? Please consider making 2023 the year that you start becoming like the radical Suffering Servant, Jesus Christ.

Rachel and I have recently started watching the show Alone. It is a show where 10 people are to survive as long as possible in the wilderness with only 10 items. They are their own camera crew and have no human contact during the duration of their time in the wilderness. Away from civilization and human contact, the contestants are constantly under the threat of being eaten by bears, starving to death, and they must endure the discomfort of the harsh weather. Alone will make you thankful for all the modern conveniences you take for granted and show you how blessed you are to live in a community, to have a house with AC and an abundant food supply.

The author of Hebrews, as he nears the end of his book, exhorts Christians to emulate Jesus, “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” (13:12–13; LSB). Jesus’ departure outside the gates in 13:12 is a reference to his death on the cross outside of Jerusalem. The author then takes Jesus’ departure in a symbolic sense: to go outside the city is to leave the “camp” of this world. Thus, Christians emulate Christ by dissociating themselves from society and bearing his reproach by leaving the camp, which represents this world’s values.

Yet, just like in the show Alone, going out into the wilderness is extremely unpleasant. We do not get to enjoy all the pleasures of dwelling in civilization. We will have to renounce many “privileges” that others get to enjoy, like amassing wealth, living any way they want, and having no responsibility to God. Yet, if Jesus was willing to leave heaven to enter the chaotic wilderness of this world; if Jesus was willing to descend the Mount of Transfiguration to journey to Jerusalem where he would be mocked and ridiculed; if Jesus was willing to depart from the city to suffer and die for us, so also, we must be willing to leave the comforts of this world to endure the hardships of the wilderness. For it is in the wilderness where we find our salvation and sin offering (Heb 13:11–12). We must have faith that God will turn this wilderness into an abundant garden, that he can make water flow from stones and nourishment to fall from the sky.

In 1970, I stood in the memorial that was built over the U.S.S. Arizona and watched small oil droplets float to the surface.  Six weeks ago, I stood in the same spot and gazing at the number 2 turret structure below the surface, I watched the oil droplets slowly drift to the surface, spread and then dissipate.  The typical colors of oil and water were visible: blue, purple, black and gray.  To my left, a very young child broke the solemn silence by crying.  As I looked at the mother and child, I smiled because I realized that I was looking at the future.  Hopefully, the same small child may someday return to the memorial and see the oil droplets float to the surface and in quite solitude, pay honor to those who are buried in the metal coffin below.

Memorials cause us to remember the past.  In some cases, we are able to relive or imagine the event and the effect it has on us and/or mankind.  In 2013, I walked the streets of Jerusalem; stood where the trial of Jesus took place; saw the place where the cross of Christ was supposedly raised and gazed into the empty tomb.  Instead of watching oil rise to the surface and then dissipating, I realized anew that Jesus’s blood did not dissipate but is still flowing downward.  It flows on me and gives me the understanding of the three things that now last forever and will never disappear: FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.  I am living the future that Jesus the Christ made possible.

Mark described the memorial that we participate in every first day of the week.

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”  And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.”  (Mark 14: 22-26)

The New Covenant:  Our Future:  Salvation:  Acquittal of all wrongs:  Now we can and do – “SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES”

With tears streaming down her cheeks, she asked: “But why me?” I hesitantly shared the words of a song by Justin Ryan (For Those Tears I Died): But Jesus why me? And Jesus said come to the water Stand by my side I know you are thirsty You won’t be denied I felt every teardrop When in darkness you cried, And I strove to remind you That for those tears I died.

In your darkest moment have you ever considered counting your blessings? Being thankful is more than eating an annual turkey. It can bring healing to your soul. Friend, consider all your benefits as you read Psalm 23 (ESV). [The ALL CAPS are your benefits].

• SUSTENANCE: ¹ The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

• SERENITY: ² He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

• STOCK-UP: ³ He restores my soul.

• STEER: He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

• SELF-CONFIDENCE: ⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

• SECURITY: ^5a You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

• SUFFICIENT: ^5b you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

• SURELY: ^6a Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

• STAYING SAFE: 6b and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

The first letter of the apostle John describes Jesus in several different ways. He begins the letter by saying, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life — and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us” (1:2; LSB). Jesus is the word (Greek: logos), who appeared to humankind in human form. John develops this same theme of Jesus as the logos in the prologue to his Gospel (John 1:1–18), where the logos existed with God from the beginning of time itself and became flesh. The logos was and is eternal life and this eternal life is something that he shared with humanity. We experience this eternal life even now when we abide in God and keep his commandments.

Shortly thereafter, John moves to another image to describe God/Christ, “And this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1:5). This idea is not something that John came up with, for the idea is found throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Ps 27:1). In a dark world full of evil and chaos and death, God is the light that shines in the darkness. We are either lovers of the light who always want to continue to walk in the light of God (John 3:21; 1 John 1:7) or we are lovers of darkness who would rather stay there to continue performing shameless deeds (John 3:19–20).

Finally, John boldly declares that God is love, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7–8). It is impossible to be one with God and hate one’s brother, who is in God. It is an inherent contradiction to logic and, even worse, contrary to God’s character.

Theology is inherent to ethics or, to put it simply, knowing who God is directly relates to what he expects of us. We should always conduct our lives in accordance with God’s character. If we know who God is and understand his character from what he has revealed to us, this is far better than a list of specific commandments. I hope that we can continue to abide in life, light, and love, for to do these things is to abide in God himself.

If you were asked what your favorite meal was, many would answer – Thanksgiving Turkey. Now, we all know, it cannot be the “Turkey”. So, what is it about the Thanksgiving Meal that is so special? I believe the two ingredients that make every Thanksgiving Meal special are food and faith. What can we learn, about food and faith, from Jesus eating in Luke?

1. 5:27-32 He is eating with the “enemy”

2. 7:36-50 He is eating with an unexpected guest, the long-haired-crying street “lady”

3. 9:10-17 He is eating with those who are hungry

4. 10:38-42 He is eating with a too busy lady and a devotee

5. 11:37-53 He is eating with outwardly clean hearts

6. 14:1-24 He is eating with discouraging and unbiblical judges

7. 19:1-10 He is eating with a wee little man who needed to be reached

8. 22:14-38 He is eating a new covenant meal

9. 24:36-43 He is eating comfort food as He shares Emmaus travelers’ encouragement

Friend, as you prepare your Thanksgiving Guest List consider who Jesus ate with and why.

Are you sick and tired of things not going the way you know they should in church? Whether you are a traditionalist who is upset that the church has altered some of your most dearly held traditions, or if you are innovative and are tired of the leadership never deviating from the same boring liturgy, this is the article for you. One method to getting your way is to split the church or at least threaten to split it so that the leadership will finally see how important your wants needs are.

The first step to splitting a church is to complain about the leadership behind their backs. Always start off by criticizing their decisions and showing how you could do better. You should be careful, though, about to whom you complain. Always try to start with like-minded people and get them to ‘your side’ of the issue. Later, you can try to convince those who are indifferent by showing how many people are on ‘your side.’ Once you see that someone is on your side, feel free to throw in ad hominem criticisms of the leadership to grow their resentment and diminish their respect. However, never directly criticize the leadership to their face. This way, they will never suspect what is happening and they will be frightened about their position once they see how many people oppose them and are embittered toward them.

Do not participate in any church events that do not serve your needs. First, most of the people there are probably not on ‘your side,’ anyway. So why bother? Second, if you really want to get your way, you must use your time wisely. So don’t waste your time serving others who think differently than you.

Once you start gaining influence and multiple people share your opinions, have meetings with these people exclusively. This way you will have ample opportunity to continue reinforcing one another’s animosity toward the church’s leadership. Plus, if it comes down to splitting the church, you will already know who will join you and have them in the practice of meeting with one another.

Most of all, always invoke your rights. If you want communion trays back, you have the right to have an opinion and to fight for it. You have the right to use your time, money, and words however you want (you live in the USA, not communist China). Did those at Corinth and Rome not have the right to eat meat? How much the more do we as Americans have the freedom to live our lives how we want? For if you do not stand up for your rights and yourself, everyone else will just walk all over you.

(just in case you didn’t catch it, this is satire)

This time of the year is one of my favorites. The leaves have started to change to fall colors. The air is becoming cool and crisp, and the days have become shorter. For any sports fans out there, it is also a great time of the year. I’m always amazed to look at God’s creation during the fall. There are numerous things in life that we are thankful for.

These materials and possessions that we have are needed in order to live. At times, in our society, these are given a higher priority than more important things. Everyone has experienced materialism. I’m guilty of this, we all are. Later this month we will celebrate Thanksgiving. During this time, often the true meaning of the holiday is forgotten. The desire to acquire more and more earthly possessions should never interfere with what matters most. As Christians, we should not lay up our treasures on this earth. In Matthew we can see what the Lord says about our possessions.

Matthew 6:19-21– ¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Society today can be described in many ways. One of the more common themes of society is people becoming materialistic. Everyone has to have the latest and greatest technology or the latest car. There is nothing wrong with wanting possessions. But, when we start valuing our material possessions over more important things such as faith and family, that’s when it becomes an issue. During this time of the year our focus shouldn’t be on our possessions. Instead, the focus should be centered on giving thanks to the Lord and being thankful for family and friends. When thinking about being thankful my mind goes to 1 Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians- ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

We are only a few weeks from the holiday. Everyone should focus on the true meaning of Thanksgiving. I’m challenging everyone to focus on what matters most this holiday season. Our faith and family are more important than any treasures we have on this earth. Let us give thanks to the Lord for all he provides to us and how important families are to us. In the end, our possessions won’t matter, they won’t follow us to heaven.