Dear Dayspring Family,

This is a good time to remember our extended family, Eddy and Sarah Trussell, in Bogota, Colombia, South America. We wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and let them know they may be out of sight, but not out of mind! I’m sure they wouldn’t turn down a little Christmas Cheer, of the green kind, if you have any left!!!! Ho Ho Ho, let the sleigh bells ring and the Spirit be all over you, as Jesus visits us this special time of year!

Blessings to you all,
Pastor Skip

This is from an Australian guy who did his own documentary, and it is terrific!!!

1. Is being overwhelmed being out of order?
2. Have you gotten over it?
3. Can you say “no”?
4. Can you be cared for?

There’s an old joke about the minister delivering his Sunday sermon, and at the height of a particularly bold point one of the congregants mutters “Now you’ve gone from preachin’ to meddlin’.”

Permit me to meddle.

Each of the above questions is meant to provoke not only your thoughts, but some specific action. Each one has come about from the Biblical office of “pastor,” one who cares for and leads the flock of God, during this time on earth before Jesus comes again. I think the answers you give will be not only revealing, but potentially helpful if you’re interested in the transformation Jesus offers.

But, you may ask, why these questions, and why at this time? After all, it’s almost Thanksgiving!

Yes, when we’re overwhelmed, we’re out of order. Meaning, we don’t function as we should. I don’t believe God wants us overwhelmed. I believe He wants us walking in His Spirit, with joy, peace, and happiness. Not realistic, is it? Or is it? If you’re overwhelmed, consider why, and then consider what it would take to get back to joy, peace, and happiness?

It seems to me that in this American life of absolute wonder and abundance, there is way too much bitterness. We who have so much seem too angry, at too many, especially within the Church! Has someone offended you? Get over it. Your bitter attitude isn’t making it better, is it? Your anger isn’t resolving the issue in a favorable way, is it? We need to do a lot more than read about forgiveness, we need to practice it.

Point 3 may be the answer to point 1. Well, can you? It’s a wonderful word, and it yields a lot of peace. Saying “no” creates time, out of nothing, and prevents so many misunderstandings, judgments, hostilities, etc. Try it.

We’re supposed to care for one another; we want to care for one another; we are gifted to care for one another. Yet there seems to be something in the way. I don’t think the Church of Jesus Christ lacks care GIVERS as much as care RECEIVERS. It requires humility to receive, which may be the greatest obstacle we face, and it also requires submission, a bad word in our “modern” vocabulary. Perhaps the biggest obstacle, however, is that we want to be cared for “our way,” rather than how Jesus offers.

James- about pride (oh oh)
1 Peter- about suffering (can this be good?)
2 Peter- expectant living (not apathetic)
Philemon- about forgiveness (oh oh)
1 Timothy- a basis for living today
Titus- about sound doctrine
2 Timothy- fan into flames your spiritual gift
Hebrews- the priesthood (identity crisis?)
1 John- fellowship (community)
2 John- family (roots)
3 John- hospitality (get to’s)
Jude- warning (if the light is on, stop the car)

Warning! This may challenge your thinking, your preconceived notions, your bias or even your wishes.

But don’t worry, because I’m not saying you’re wrong. Only that by being challenged we grow, and that growth in this area will be good for us, and perhaps others.

Are we in the “last days,” or the “end times”? Can we even know the answer? If we know the answer, or think we know, what should we do about it? What CAN we do about it? Or should we just go on living like the little kid with his hands over his eyes declaring “you can’t see me” to an adult staring him in the face?!

This is the stuff of academics in almost every part of academia, spiritual or not, because the modern physicist and astronomer, poet and philosopher, etc. all go here at times. We should too.

Only God is omniscient, so I suppose we can say that only God knows ALL the answers to these questions, but let’s not cop out that way. We DO have some “knowings” of our own, and we CAN weigh in on the subject with some supportive data, not just feelings.

We could say we are in the “last days”, because these days are after the days we’ve already lived, but that wouldn’t be fair to the point of the question, which is Biblical at its core. Therefore, we must go to the Bible to see if it tells us anything. I think it does, and I think we are in the last days because I understand the term to mean those days AFTER the resurrection and ascension of Christ. What becomes clear, to me at least, is that the term “last days” is not the same as the term “end times.”

Last days of what? End of what times?

I think we are in the last days of time BEFORE the return of Christ. All of the days up to and including the “end times” are included in the “last days.” We can know more about what these days look like by reading the Bible, as there is a lot there to inform us. What happens next is of critical importance, don’t you think?

The “end times,” I think, refer to those specific last days leading up to and INCLUDING the return of Christ, about which there is also much written. Yada yada yada

But wait! There’s more! This is the point, dear ones! God is telling us that He is up to something! Life as we know it may change, but eternity awaits us! Our future is just around the corner, and it is going to be almost indescribable, even though He is trying to describe it to us in His Word. Jesus Christ loves you and is available to you, right now, to lead, guide, and direct your path, if you will only follow! Life WITH Christ, in HIS Kingdom, was, is, and will be much better than we have experienced or can experience on our own.

The skeptic may say “oh yeah, prove it,” and the broken one may say “I don’t get it,” and the weak may say “I don’t have the fight in me any more,” but for all the answer is the same: read the Bible. Let God tell you, and I promise that He will.