Blog Archives - River of Life Church

365.242199

2/29/2012

It takes 365.242199 or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds for the earth to circle once around the sun.Our Gregorian calendars have 365 days in a year, so roughly every four years one day is added, making it a Leap Year.
From timeanddate.com
How do we calculate Leap Years? In the Gregorian calendar 3 criteria must be met to be a leap year:

The year is evenly divisible by 4;
If the year can be evenly divided by 100, it is NOT a leap year, unless;
The year is also evenly divisible by 400. Then it is a leap year.

This means that 2000 and 2400 are leap years, while 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300 and 2500 are NOT leap years.

The year 2000 was somewhat special as it was the first instance when the third criterion was used in most parts of the world since the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian Calendar.

Who invented Leap Years?
Julius Caesar introduced Leap Years in the Roman empire over 2000 years ago, but the Julian calendar had only one rule: any year evenly divisible by 4 would be a leap year. This lead to way too many leap years, but didn't get corrected until the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar more than 1500 years later."

Perhaps you would like to celebrate Leap Year 2012, as the 11-person elite aerial sports team known as the Red Bull Air Force (www.redbullairforce.com) who will attempt base jumps in four different cities today. Members will jump from the Conrad Miami Hotel at Espirito Santo Plaza – Miami, FL (460 feet), General Motors Headquarters at the Renaissance Center – Detroit, MI (571 feet), The Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV (480 feet), and the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa – Atlantic City, NJ (400 feet).

The Bible talks about an exhilarating rush for all those who love Jesus more than anything else.
Malachi 4:2 But for you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

While dairy farming, each spring after the snow is off the ground and the grass is beginning to green, we let the calves out from the pens in the barn. The warm, fresh air and expanded freedom caused them to run and leap with reckless abandon.

The best way to celebrate Leap Year is to enjoy the expanded freedom and fresh life in Christ Jesus!
John 8: 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Happy Leaping!

Prophecy and Predictions

2/28/2012

The biggest snowstorm of this winter will hit our area today, tonight and tomorrow. Weather personnel from each news channel is utilizing their best technology to determine storm track, snow accumulation and timing of the storm. There are multiple variables that can change their best prognostications. Upper air disturbances that alter the track, air temperatures that turns the moisture into rain, sleet or snow and ground temperatures that affect how much will melt on contact. Some areas in Minnesota may only get rain and no sleet or snow, while other areas may get over a foot of snow. The whole state and the upper midwest are watching this storm because it will affect their lives on their work commute, high school sports, walking the dog, working outside or any of the many reasons we are out and about.

There is a bigger storm that continues to loom on history's horizon. The prophets before Jesus called it the "day of the Lord". The disciples of Jesus called it the "end of the age". This day will affect everyone living on the earth and all those who have passed away.

God spoke to men and women of things that were going to happen. They told others what God told them and this is what prophecy is all about. It was not a prediction, but a certainty not changed by temperature, upper air currents or ground temps. The only change of this certainty was when God made provision for an opportunity.
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Regarding the day of the Lord and the end of the ages when all humankind are judged, only one person knows when this upcoming event will occur.
Matthew 24: 36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

The entire chapter of Matthew 24 tells of signs and ways to prepare for this great or dreadful day, depending upon each persons decision made before that day arrives.

Best preparation for today's snowstorm: good tires, full tank of gas, emergency supplies in the car, and good sense whether to travel or not.

Best preparation for the storm on history's horizon: good hearts saved by Jesus Christ, full tank of the Holy Spirit, emergency supplies of fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the mind of Jesus Christ to understand how best to live in a world that is not always safe.

JGE

2/27/2012

High School sport's tournaments have begun in Minnesota. This past week the girls state hockey champions were decided. Congratulations to Breck for their first ever Class A championship and Minnetonka for winning Class AA champs for winning championship the second year in a row.

Whether the sport is hockey, wrestling, swimming or gymnastics, winning coaches do not tell their team to aim for "just good enough". They tell their team to overcome obstacles and play their very best.

Couples preparing for their upcoming wedding do not dream about a marriage that is "just good enough'. They are dreaming of a marriage that starts fantastic and improves from there.

JGE does not inspire people to passionately reach a goal, beat the odds, aspire to greatness, or fully live out their destiny.

Jesus Christ poured His best into twelve men. His instructions to them was not for them to keep a low profile and stay out of trouble. Jesus did not tell them to be "JGE" but to radically live out His love and change their world.

The key to becoming a radical world-changer is to be profoundly linked by love to Jesus Christ. Love propels us from JGE living into overcoming all the dis' in the world: disappointments, discouragements, and disillusionment.

1 John 5:1-4 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His Child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Take the challenge and rise up as a champion of love today and change your world!

McFish Sandwiches and Fish Fridays

2/24/2012

Growing up, my school served fish patties every Friday throughout the year. At some point it changed to fish on Fridays during Lent. I really never made any connection with when and why they served fish on Fridays. McDonald's and other fast food chains have special sales on their McFish, BK Fish, TacoFish or whatever fish sandwich is on their menu.

I understand a little more about meatless Fridays and the Lenten season. While some scholars point to biblical passages where Jesus ate fish and fed the multitudes with the miracle of fishes and loaves, author Charles Panati says the tradition of eating fish on meatless Fridays only dates to the 16th Century.

"There is nothing sacred or profound about the tradition of meatless Friday," Panati writes in his book, "Sacred Origins of Profound Things." "Its origins were purely economic. ... With a meat shortage in England and a struggling fish industry, Parliament, with backing from the Church of England, ordered people to replace meat meals on Fridays with a fish dish. Roman Catholics adopted the personal sacrifice and made it mandatory."

Vatican II Council upheld meatless Fridays, but only during Lent. I am not certain what to classify fish as if it is not a meat: a vegetable? fruit? grain? Fish the "other" non-meat I guess.

The purpose of meatless Fridays during Lent is an act of penance; a discipline or devotion of giving up something as an act of showing sorrow for sins.

River of Life Church is an evangelical, charismatic, protestant, non-denominational church. That is a long way of saying that we are not Catholic. We do not observe Lent, but recognize the significance of this season leading up to Easter and fifty days later, Pentecost Sunday.

Jesus Christ, is our high priest and it is to Him that we confess our sins.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
However, we are not as consistent to obey confessing our sins to one another so that we may be healed.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

How does this work? If I scrape your car in the parking lot, tell God about it, place a note on your windshield which says, "Sorry about your car. I confessed it to God and got it all worked out." the problem is not resolved. I need to confess it to you and pay the repairs!

In the same way, I bring my sin before Jesus and to the person it has affected. I say what I did, apologize, and pledge to make it right. Doing this as a regular part of our lives will bring a spiritual, physical, and emotional healing in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Enjoy a meatless, fish sandwich today and make fresh confession whenever and wherever necessary.

Courageous

2/23/2012

Last night, the movie "Courageous" was shown in the Life Group I attend each week. Everything good that I had heard about the movie was true. Sometimes movies have situations that work out unrealistically so there can be a happy ending. "Courageous", had a happy ending, but the characters experienced painful events. Some left scars that will diminish over time, but will always be a mark on their lives.

The main theme is a father realizing that he was not leading his family well, especially his children. He is a Christian man who employs the help of his pastor, co-workers, friend, and his family to know how to do more than just get by parent. The men making up the core of his friendships make a commitment to courageously be the father and husband God has called them to be.

Main take-aways from the movie:
*Trust God for everything.
*Do the right thing every time.
*Enlist the support of friends.
*Know that God loves those who love Him.

If you have not seen the movie, "Courageous", I highly recommend watching it with family or friends. If you have watched the movie, ask yourself how you are living intentionally as a follower of Jesus.

Online Messages

2/22/2012

We are making our first attempt to include the messages from Sunday on a page at our website. For those reading this blog via RSS Feed, the website is www.riveroflifehome.com.

Initially, this step was significant to those who were serving in the nursery, children's ministry or some other service and missed hearing the message. Back in the day, we recorded on a cassette tape and made copies available. When the cassette recorder wore out, we skipped right over CD's/DVD's and recorded on a digital recorder. This allowed us to save messages on the computer, but often the file was too big to email to people. A copy would then be burned on a CD and given out. Posting the messages from Sunday online makes them available, accessible, and affordable (free).

I admit a concern that successfully posting messages online could give opportunity for people to remain home if the weather is too bad for traveling or too good to give up a morning at church. Reality is that Sunday morning is much more than the message. Studying God's word and seeing how it can guide our everyday lives is a very important part of our Sunday celebration service. But coming together to worship the Lord through singing, giving, children learning about Jesus, and encouraging one another is important and would be missed if we stayed in bed or went out on the boat.

Often people would like to listen to a particular message again while preparing a meal, changing oil in the car or sitting down with a cup of coffee. Check the online messages out, let me know how it is working and any improvements we can do to make it even better.

White as Snow

2/21/2012

It is proper to sing about Jesus loving everyone; Red and yellow black and white, they are precious His sight. It is not proper to sing about any other color snow except white.

It has been a brown winter for our state. Snow that typically blankets the ground is absent. We just got a beautiful covering of snow amounting to 3-5". The memory of a hymn song declaring that God washes my evil away until I am whiter than snow came to my mind.
Psalm 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
Clothes only get clean when they are put in the washer - whether it is a modern washing machine or a large bucket of water and a stone. Our sins are not removed until we put them in the Lord's washer by telling Him we are sorry and want His help to keep from doing wrong.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Enjoy the beauty of the new fallen snow and enjoy the beauty of a clean, pure life.

Presidents' Day

2/20/2012

Today, is Presidents’ Day, which celebrates Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12) and George Washington’s birthday (February 22). It falls on the third Monday of February and is both a federal and state holiday. No schools, no mail and typically no banking. Other than a day off for a portion of the population and stores holding special Presidents’ Day sales, there is very little observances or traditions surrounding this holiday.

Abraham Lincoln displayed his raw wisdom in speeches he gave and through quotes that remain. Here are a collection from quotegarden.com:

A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the unsolved ones. ~Abraham Lincoln

Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser - in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough. ~Abraham Lincoln

I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find one who cannot. ~Abraham Lincoln

I believe it is an established maxim in morals that he who makes an assertion without knowing whether it is true or false, is guilty of falsehood; and the accidental truth of the assertion, does not justify or excuse him. ~Abraham Lincoln

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day. ~Abraham Lincoln

I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal. ~Abraham Lincoln

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. ~Abraham Lincoln

Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it. ~Abraham Lincoln

There are no accidents in my philosophy. Every effect must have its cause. The past is the cause of the present, and the present will be the cause of the future. All these are links in the endless chain stretching from the finite to the infinite. ~Abraham Lincoln

Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it. ~Abraham Lincoln

We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. ~Abraham Lincoln

What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried? ~Abraham Lincoln

Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally. ~Abraham Lincoln

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations. ~Abraham Lincoln

Happy Presidents’ Day

Peeps and Lent

2/17/2012

The excess Valentine's merchandise and candy have been moved to the clearance aisles to make room for the Easter goods. One of those products are Peeps.

Peeps are a candy made from marshmallow, corn syrup, gelatin, and carauba wax. They are formed into chicks, bunnies and other animals and used primarily to fill Easter baskets.

Sam Born, a Russian-born American businessman, candy maker and inventor created Peeps in 1953. Also noteworthy, he invented a machine that mechanically inserted a stick into lollipops in 1916.

The Saturday following Easter (when Peeps are greatly discounted) is an annual "Peep Off" held in Maryland, to see who can eat the most Peeps in 30 seconds. The current record is 102.

The Lenten season leading up to Easter begins next week on Ash Wednesday. Many people are considering what to give up or fast for Lent and not thinking about how many Peeps they can consume in 30 seconds. The traditional purpose of Lent is to prepare the heart of the believer through prayer, fasting, repentance, and giving to others.

Our church recognizes that Jesus work on the cross is done and there is nothing followers must to do to earn salvation except to receive His free gift. Yet, it is a good time for renewal of any lost passion in this relationship with Jesus Christ. It may be right to commit to prayer and fasting. Perhaps it would be equally right to consider what to add or include during this period rather than what to give up.

Adding twenty minutes each day of unrushed time spent reading the Bible, talking to the Lord, and meditating on His promises can fill one's life more satisfying than 102 Peeps.
Adding a weekly visit to a lonely friend or relative.
Adding a daily letter or email of encouragement to those who have touched your life in positive ways.

What is the Lord calling you add or include this coming Ash Wednesday?

How Should We Worship God?

2/16/2012

Every church has a culture. Some churches have a more formal, liturgical worship service and others have a more casual, contemporary worship service. The Bible records God's instructions concerning the construction and form of worship in the children of Israel's first building. It was a portable structure; able to be set up and taken down. There were specific practices of worship, specific clothing worn by the spiritual leaders and severe consequences if not followed.

River of Life Church is in a leased building with the goal of constructing a permanent place of worship and ministry. There is no dress code, so casual dress is common. Communion and baptism are practices that are observed, but not at regular intervals. Our worship must look very different from the worship performed in the tabernacle. Is that okay? Are there right and wrong ways to worship God?

Jesus said these words to a woman who knew she worshiped differently than the Jews:
John 4:23-24 "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Psalms describes how to worship in spirit and truth:
Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.
Psalm 86:9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before You, O Lord; they will bring glory to Your name.
Psalm 95:6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
Psalm 96:9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.
Psalm 99:5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy.
Psalm 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.
Psalm 100:2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

Right or wrong worship is not based on whether one wears blue jeans or a blue leisure suit. It is based on love, honor and adoration given to God.