I Can't Get No...

The Rolling Stones sang that they couldn't get it but in the Be Attitudes Jesus says that it is available to you - satisfaction. In fact, Jesus says when you are hungry and thirsty for the right relationship with God that is exactly what God will give to you.

Americans often look in the wrong places for satisfaction. We won't find in the pursuit of personal pleasures, we wont find it in our performance, and we definitely wont find it in more possessions. So then how will we find deep down life long satisfaction and happiness?

First, we have to recognize our real hunger. It's a hunger for God and our relationship with Him. Second, we need to stop the spiritual junk food binge and artificial amusements of western culture. We need to spend more time helping people who really are hungry, thirsty, and homeless - that is where Jesus wants us to begin to find depth of meaning. Third, we've got to look to Christ for meaning and purpose. We will never find it solely in ourselves and our own ambitions.

We are ending a year of focus on the Christmas message - the "good news of great joy which is for ALL people." Yet, that message is timeless. I believe Jesus is raising up disciples through this year long experience. Not because of what I, or any other person is doing. It is because of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is guiding people like you to take up the cause and share the good news. It doesn't matter what decisions the ELCA made, it doesn't matter what shape the economy is in, and it doesn't matter whether we have new windows and updated heating system. What does matter is people and the Word. This is what makes disciples. The Spirit is saving lives to live more fully today and to live for eternity.

When you make your Christmas list ask - what does God want me to have on that list? Am I going to buy trinkets and baubles that will break and be shelved or am I going to give things that are lasting and meaningful. Give for the right reasons. Not so you will get back but because God wants you to learn generosity. Include your church on the gift list. Include a gift to social ministry or world hunger. Give to someone who cannot give back or who doesn't know who gave the gift and just say, "It's a blessing from God." Live Christmas 365.

Surrender is not for Whimps

This week we are going to journey into Part 2 of our study of the Lord's Prayer: "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Jesus, Matthew 6) Surrender is a word associated with weakness for the most part. Yet, in relationship with God surrender can release power, energy, focus, ability, and grace. We become a conduit for God to accomplish far more than we might ever dream. When we open our lives and allow God to plant a dream in our heart we unleash a supernatural power to accomplish things we never thought possible. In order to understand the possibilities of this power we need to open ourselves up to the Lord.

What does surrender mean for us? It means releasing control. It is a shift of our attention to what I want, my own selfish ambition, and overemphasis on my will to God's control of my life, time, and resources. It is a handing over to a supernatural ability that God wants to unleash.

Second, it is about leaning to be content. Philippians 4:11-13 says, I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens. I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens...I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength... Happiness and success is so tied to personal contentment and trusting that each moment of your day is under the care of "Our Father" - a loving caring, competent, parent who knows us and loves us.

Third, surrender means to set aside my own selfish plans in exchange for God's more successful design. We get caught up with our own little world and we forget that God has a bigger design. God reveals that in prayer we align ourselves to listen to that plan. Prayer is not like a vending machine where we drop a coin and get what we want - it is more like getting aligned with God's plan.

Fourth, surrender involves trusting our future to God. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge God, and God will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 So most of the time we want to know, predict, be told what our future is going to turn out to be like. Yet, have that does not allow us to fully live in the present. When we trust God with our future we can really live today. We will be studying this more in this weeks podcast at www.bethanylaporte.org

Live Fully Today,

Pastor Dennis

"You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do." Henry Ford

It is time to take action. Discipleship has often been compared to taking a walk with the Lord. How are those walking skills working these days? Do you feel spiritually fit? This fall I am launching a discipleship program for six to ten individuals who want to become more spiritually fit. It will be convenient, in depth, and challenging. It will also be something they can do themselves and with others. It is as old as having a spiritual director. Thomas Merton once wrote: Spiritual direction is, in reality, nothing more than a way of leading us to see and obey the real Director — the Holy Spirit hidden in the depths of our soul. (Thomas Merton, Trappist monk, USA) It is as new as Spiritual Coaching a new form of disciple making.

You can be one of the first to sign up for an eight to twelve week session where you will do independent reading, phone direction and encouragement, and participate in "call-in" classes with others who are taking this walk. Jesus said, Follow me and I will teach you to fish for people. We will learn the importance of community and of personal satisfaction - they are not mutually exclusive. Take advantage of this new program and you will also receive a free gift for starting out. I will share with you how we will approach this process of energizing growth and spiritual development. You will discover new insights and be a part of a Biblically grounded God directed experience. Sign up begins today! Contact me by calling BLC 219-362-3312 or visiting the web site: www.bethanylaporte.org

I will share more insights on this as the weeks progress. Hope your spiritual walks go well this week.

Life is a Journey

It is exciting to hear stories that people are telling me of how they are sharing their faith. The wristbands, the Harley Raffle tickets, the Christmas 365 theme are just vehicles to share the story. This year began as a journey of the heart. I wanted to have others join me in really trying to live out the words of the angels at Christmas. Words spoken to the shepherds. They were ordinary men who received an extraordinary message. "We have good news of great joy which shall be for all people." That was the message. Live out the message of Christmas all year was my dream to inspire others to join me on the journey. Now Easter is just past and people are still wishing me "Merry Christmas." Thank you!

The famous picture here of the Road to Emmaus and the walk where Jesus appeared to some disciples who were depressed from the loss of their master is a good reminder to all of us on the journey. After Jesus left them they said to one another, "Didn't our hearts burn when he opened the words of scripture to us?" People feel the warmth of love, generosity, acts of kindess, and caring when you share - when you love - when you live the good news. Believe me, there are plenty of people who will just go to work, or go to school, or go to the gym, or go to some civic group, and live their life trying to be good or do good. That is not what Jesus was teaching. Jesus was teaching a revolutionary way of living. He was teaching his followers to learn to love as God loves. To be the message - to be the good news - to be Him in the way we approached people.

I spoke with a traffic cop the other day in Chicago and said, "Thank you for doing what you are doing. Some of us are really appreciative of the risks you take and the courage you demonstrate to keep us safe." She said to me, "You know, no one ever says that to us. Thank you for saying something." How easy was that?

When Jesus begins to disciple us, we become the change the world needs. Let Jesus meet you on your Emmaus road and talk with you about His love and power to change human life for the better. He wants you to be a part of it.

Also tell your friends to call us at church, stop by B&J Cafe, ReMax, see Norma Sabie at WLOI office, or stop at I Steet Tavern to pick up tickets for the Welcome Home Soldier Raffle and Habitat project. Live the good news, my friends. Be the Good News. Happy Easter Season and, yes, Merry Christmas too.

Light in Darkness

I led the funeral for a woman today that few attended and where no one quite knew what to say. It was sad to see so few. Even greater sadness that so few could express anything good to say. She left her wealth to charities and those will benefit but the legacy she left was that of a cantankerous woman who few really knew. Relationships - people become our legacy. People that God loves and we can love. My message to the people there was to live with love. Love through the barriers of crusty hard souls and soft pliable souls open to love. Love those around you, love those you do not even know, love the beautiful and the less than lovely, love those you are close to and those you have a hard time relating to - just love.

Your light brightens a dark world. Today was beautiful and sunny and as the wind wiped through the small group that stood around the casket near the mausoleum next to Pine Lake I shed a tear for the loss of love when a person has only a marble tomb to speak for them. Let your love do the talking. Wendell Berry wrote, "There is a day when the road neither comes nor goes, and the way is not a way but a place." This place speaks out for love as though there is no tomorrow. Let that light break through and shine. Be the love - don't just do loving things.

40 Days of Love 303 Days till Christmas

Yesterday was a great chance for the people of God to get together and feel the love, share the love, and get serving with love. I got a call this morning from a friend who is experiencing a loss in her life and she said that the love she has received from folks around here has been powerful and moving. In other words - people are listening and taking action.

Love endures, just like faith and hope...but as 1 Corinthians 13 says "the greatest is love." How about a focus each day this week where you give a little love away? Don't just consider random acts of kindness that are being polite but acts of love and generosity (especially to folks you may not know or may not expect it). Keep your eyes open. I believe that God wants to direct you to these acts of love, I believe that God will actually provide them for you, and I believe that they are prepared for you already. If you hear of an act of generosity or love that you want to share with me - do it and I will include it in my blog.

We are here for a reason - and that reason is to love.

Christmas 365

Dear Friends of the Bethany Blogosphere,

Winter is not quite over and I fear that even with cross country skis the attempt to keep Christmas alive may fade as spring looms on the horizon. Don't let it happen. The "Spirit of Christmas" is the "Good News of great joy which will be for all people." We need good news desperately and what a great opportunity is just within sight. Forty Days of Love is coming!

Forty Days of encouraging one another to love God and each other. Forty days to focus on loving those around us for the sake of Christ. I'm looking for some folks who will step up and help shape what Christmas 365 will look like and what ideas can inspire us. Do you want to be a part of that?

It all starts February 25th with Ash Wednesday services at 4:30PM and 7:00PM. We are going to talk about what love can do. We are also working on an amazing idea that could raise $30,000 to $40,000 for Habitat for Humanity and be a phenomenal Christmas present to the community. Watch for the information on this and how you can be a part of it. I was recently a part of a national conference call discussing 365 Club. There are over 11,000 members of that group now on Facebook. We are looking for ways to inspire people towards acts of generosity and kindness all year long. Check it out and watch for information coming out on this.

Don't forget to sign up NOW for Forty Days of Love. You can sign up online right now by email at contact@bethanylaporte.org or use our contact page on the web site and indicate you want to be a part of a group. Leave your email or phone and someone will contact you.

Stay Well - Seize the Day,

Pastor Denny