At Mongul Church, we are going to take the entire month of August to dive into praise and worship.  We want to see you there. Here is a sneak peak at what’s coming up:

Week 1 – Why Worship?

Week 2 – Encounter

Week 3 – Express

Week 4 – Enlarge

Week 5 – Expand

You won’t want to miss one Sunday!

It got me to thinking about being radical.  What would that look like?  How would my life be rearranged if I was living radically for God?  Then this thought hit me:  The things I might think are radical, God calls normal. 

For example:  God says tithe.  “Give me 10% of your income.”  We say, “But God, that’s radical!  How will I pay my bills, pay for my boat, my motorcycle, my vacation, etc?”  God replies, “That’s not radical.  That’s normal for My kids.”  God says, “Love your enemies.”  “But that’s radical, God.  You don’t know what she did to me!  Forgive?  That’s over-the-top!”  God – “Not for My kids.  That’s normal behavior.”  “Deny yourself; give thanks for all things; love your wife as Christ loved the church; submit to your husband”, and on and on. 

“That’s radical!” we say.  God smiles and says, “Not for My kids.  That’s the normal way I want them to live.

Here’s a question:  What difference would the church make in its community if its members were “normal”?  “Normal” being doing life God’s way…totally.

The world might say, “That’s radical”.  We smile and say, “No.  That’s just normal.”

Think about it!

Recently, we have needed rain.  Friday evening, as a brief rain shower came through our area, I stood out in the rain with my daughter and wife.  The rain was wonderful.  In fact, it was so wonderful that I thanked God for every single drop!  Each drop brings a much-needed drink to flowers, grass and trees.  Every drop is important!

We might be tempted to think that one little drop is pretty insignificant.  However, when you put one drop with another drop and another drop, you have rain.  And the rain brings much needed relief:  water for the thirsty, a refill for water supplies, nourishment for nature.   All of a sudden, that one little drop has significance as it combines with millions of others. 

Thank God for raindrops!  They make a difference.  Just like a raindrop, you can also make a difference.  Thank God for raindrops!

How simple, yet so very profound!  Whoever said that, nailed it, didn’t they?  Which person are you?  Are you a sitter or a server?

God has not called us to be people who sit.  We are called to serve.  Here is the reality concerning Mongul Church.  Mongul will not be effective with sitters.  We need volunteers (those who serve).  Are you serving God with the talents and abilities He’s given you?  Or are you enjoying sitting in your pew, watching others serve – some who may not be as gifted as you are in that particular area – and then being critical of the way they are serving?

Followers of Jesus Christ are servers.  Jesus said that He did not come to be served, but to serve.  He’s our example.  He’s our model.

Where do you fit in the volunteer necessity of your church?  Step up!  You are needed.  And when you do serve, when you volunteer your time, talents and energy, there will be a joy and fulfillment like you may not have experienced up to this time.  In addition, the church will be more effective as each of us “know our roles” and are fulfilling those roles.

Try this:  The next time you are asked if you will volunteer for __________(fill in the blank), say this, “Volunteer?  YES!”

To be unleashed means we will have a true transformation.  Have you allowed the Holy Spirit to transform your life? Is it obvious to others around you that you are changed?  Transformation results in a shift in our priorities and passions.  Our priorities cease being about what “I” want to what “He” wants.  We move away fro self-centeredness to Christ-centered living.  Things that used to be so very important now take a back seat.  My thinking changes to become more biblical.

I believe true transformation will demonstrate itself in our lives by us becoming passionate about the things God is passionate about…Those who are lost.

That’s enough!  Come Sunday to hear the full message.  Then make plans to be at Mongul through July as we explore a series entitled “Exodus…Breaking Free”.

At 3:30, I enjoyed a renewal of vows ceremony for three couples who were Shippensburg Alumni.  Together, the three couples represented 125 years of marriage (50, 40, and 35).  In today’s culture of short term marriages, it is refreshing to see husbands and wives who are willing to stick with it, through many difficult moments.  We need more role models like this.

In just a few months, my bride and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage.  IT’S BEEN AWESOME!!!  I would do it all over again with the same beautiful lady.  Did we anticipate all the events that the past 25 years have brought into our lives?  Not at all.  We didn’t know how many children God would bless us with, how we would deal with one of our children who contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, what we would do when God called me into ministry, meaning we would leave a comfortable existence in Tulsa, and over the next 12 years living in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and now Pennsylvania, and the other crazy and unexpected events of life. 

But it has been worth everything.  So, to my young married friends, I challenge you to work hard and keep your vows till death parts you.  To the three couples who have stuck with it for years, I say, “Keep up the good work!”

Wickedness and sin have always been present in every culture and era.  It has not always been celebrated and promoted and so publicly demonstrated.  I don’t believe that it is necessarily worse today or more publicly displayed than it was at different times in the past, but probably it is as bad as it has ever been.

Vile behavior is lifted up today as the norm.  Minority groups who practice and push for their favorite sin seem to have the ear of media, the courts, and entertainment.  Homosexuality is “honored among men”.  “There is nothing wrong with it”, they say.  “We live in a free country and we have the right to do whatever we want.”  Immoral behavior is applauded as a normal activity.  “Everyone does it.” 

Man after man is being caught in adulterous relationships.  They are chided and shamed, but the ladies they sin with are lifted up, honored, almost.  The media wants to talk with them, wants their pictures, especially if they are sexually charged.  Some of these women run for public office, or do whatever they can to get in the spotlight and get some cash…seemingly with no shame. 

Politicians are extremely corrupt, taking bribes, evading taxes, doing who knows what all, yet when some scandal comes to light, they seem to get a pass.  They stand up before the microphones and either brazenly deny their actions or they have a couple crocodile tears and give some sorry apology, then think everything should be okay. 

Lying, cheating, stealing just isn’t that bad any more.  “The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”

• Complaining about hardships (Numbers 11)  God’s anger was aroused. 
• Complaining about the food (Numbers 11:4-10).  God became exceedingly angry. 
• Complaining about giants.   (Numbers 13-14)  God’s response?  Numbers 14:12 – “I will strike them down and destroy them”. 
• Complaining about their leaders.  (Numbers 16)   God’s response?  Numbers 16:31-35.  God took out those who complained. 
• Complaining about God’s judgment.  (Numbers 16:41)  God’s response?  14,700 people died.
• Complaining about the desert.  (Numbers 20:2-5)  God’s response?  Water provided.  Numbers 20:11
• Complaining about everything again.  (Numbers 21:5)  God’s response?  Poisonous snakes killed many of those who complained.  Numbers 21:6

The conclusion we arrived at was this:  God does not look favorably upon complaints.  In Philippians 2:14, we read that we are to do everything without complaining and arguing. 

My challenge for me and for you:  Are you a complainer?  Take a careful listen to daily conversation and work on cutting out the complaints.  God does not want His kids complaining.   Think twice before voicing your complaint.

So, instead of feeling frustrated, keep on lifting your Father up with your words…it is meaningful to Him.  Psalm 34:1 says, I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise will continually be in my mouth.  Inadequate?  Yes!  Will that stop me?  Never!  He is worthy.

There is no reason to be down.  God gives the rain to quench the earth’s thirst.  He gifts us with each new day…even Mondays.  Our hearts should leap with the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 34, “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise will continually be in my mouth.”  That means Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… every day!

Don’t let the rainy days, nor Monday get you down.  Instead, look to God, our Heavenly Father, and praise Him for who He is.  He is the truly awesome God.  So, look up and cheer up!  God is in control of rainy Mondays.