God's Grace | Sunday to Monday

Sunday to Monday | Traditions and Widows

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:56:08 GMT

Do you know someone who gives excessively and extravagantly of their time, talents and treasures? In Pastor Dave’s message on Sunday, we were reminded of the widow’s mite. Mark 12:38-44. The few coins that she put in the offering plate was everything she had. Our call is to be extreme for Jesus.

God told us to share. Check out our outreach opportunities and how you might go out and be extreme.

Here are some questions to guide you through the week:

Are you more the high and mighty or poor and vulnerable that Mark’s gospel speaks to? (Mark 12:38-44)
How might you move from the Greek mindset of moderation toward the Hebrew teaching of excess and extravagance concerning Jesus’ love? (Mark 12:41-44)
Do you know anyone like the widow who invests all they have in the mission of Jesus?
Did any of the Christian missions raise interest in you to the point that you are praying about the potential of your involvement?

A Higher Level of Peace

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:43:40 GMT

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Our hearts are heavy. We have heard of the events of Fort Hood and the 13 dead and 30 wounded. We are a nation at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the loss of life overseas continues to mount.

The mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall was in the Denver metro this week. Perhaps you had the chance to spend some time with it. One of the sacred moments in my life was when I had the chance to spend some time at the Vietnam wall in Washington DC. To watch as individuals trace over paper and pull a name off the black granite, reminds you of the life each groove in that stone represents. In Matthew 5:4 Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” I did not know anyone who died in Vietnam, but I did grow up with Walter Cronkite giving me the scorecard of the dead each night. As I reflect upon that wall and as I pray for those who mourn I ask that the mysterious promise of Matthew 5:4 might be theirs.

That text also says that, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9)”. I do not claim to know when war is right and when it is wrong, such knowledge supersedes my own. What I do know from friends who have served in the military is that few desire to be in combat or to kill. Those who serve are those who are willing to lay it all on the line to be “peacemakers” through military service.

In this week of Veterans Day, let us pause to lift up military and world leaders. May our prayers be with them. May God guide and protect them.

A good friend sent me a YouTube this week of Trace Adkins’ song “All I Ask for “.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-iFYrgxjUc

This video tugged at my heart and I think it may do the same to yours. In this video, Trace sings, “When I bow my head tonight, there will be no me, myself, and I…” How might the world change toward a higher level of peace if we all tried to follow such a line of prayer more often?

God Bless you this Veterans day.

Still in one peace,

David J Jensen

Who's Wearing the Mask?

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:01:19 GMT

Halloween was just last week, signaling the end of October. Masks are everywhere on Halloween night - from the innocent ones that little children wear to the more elaborate ones that adults have for their parties. But there are "masks" you don't see - not on Halloween, or on any other day. These are the masks that people wear 'under the exterior' of their outer beings.

Sure, there are goblins, ghosts, "witches", jack-o-lanterns out on Halloween. But these are mild in comparison with the ones wearing "masks" that linger long after Halloween, all through the year, without detection from the average person.

What about that person you've wondered about - just down the street that won't dart in the door of a church. Yet, let the holidays roll around, especially Halloween, and they 'decorate to the hilt'! Wonderful, good people, everyone says - but yet, they will not surrender their lives to God.

That lady at the grocery store - what's her name? She has a smile as big as a basketball every time you meet her, but do you REALLY know what she's going through? Has she taken off HER MASK, so that you see the inner being?

Then there is the man dressed in his Sunday best, sits in the pew every Sunday morning. After all, this was how he was brought up - yet, you never hear him utter a kind word, or do a kind deed. Have you ever wondered why he's like he is - why he doesn't "put on a happy face" - as we always hear?

There are 'silent sufferers' - the people that never let out their feelings. They hurt inside like those of us who are happy could never imagine. They are depressed, oppressed, and some are obsessed to the point that life is a BURDEN to them. These are the ones with those MASKS you don't see. You see some of the problems - but not the MASK - the WAY they deal with the problems.

Why not try to get to know the people you are around, especially those that you perceive to have a problem. Maybe one of those people you get to know better is one with a hidden MASK. Perhaps you can bring a little peace and happiness their way, by showing them the love and kindness that JESUS wants us to share with others. Who knows - YOU may be the KEY to that person's salvation. SHARE the WORD with anyone you come in contact with - they may need what GOD has given you to share on that given day!! Be a LIGHT HOUSE for someone today!

Heavenly Father, help us to SHINE so that others may see YOU in us. Help us to reach those with the hidden masks - the ones that seem unreachable, the hurting, the desperate, the needy souls that may never know you, less we cross their paths. Help us walk in a way that every step draws us closer to you, that we may serve you through leading others to you. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Mike Heflebower

Grace

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:35:21 GMT

“We live by grace….”

How many times have you heard those words? Yet in our day to day life, how often do these words really apply?
-With Excel energy, if you forget to pay your bill, or are a few days late, what happens? Your power is cut off, you pay a reconnect fee or you get nasty phone calls? Any grace for an error, or an oversight? NO
-If you are late with your water bill, what happens ? No water…..and an activation fee to start it up again. Any grace for this error, or oversight? NO
-Your parents tell you to do your best on the BIG test. You do your best and you get a “C”. What happens? A lecture? Grounding? Could you have tried harder? What went wrong? Any grace here? NO- not so much.
-The policeman pulls you over and gives you a ticket. What the heck? You were only going 5 miles over the speed limit- everyone does it-you were just keeping up with traffic. Any grace here? NO
-Being late to work, your boss gets mad. Where is the grace? Not here.
-Funds run a little tight at the bank. You get hit with late charges on your bills….an overdraft from the bank. Where is the grace? Not here.
-A “grace” period on the mortgage payment… An irony indeed- what happens if you go over that period of time ? No grace.

You get my drift. We do not live by grace in the day to day world. There is not a lot of grace when dealing with many issues in life.

We DO however live by God’s grace and it is always there. Every time we bow our heads in prayer, every time we lift our face to the Heavens and pray we are granted grace.
Every time we ask forgiveness, every time we offer ourselves to God we are showered with His grace.

We are a broken lot, with a lot of fears and failures. God is with us everyday, to lift us up, shake us off and put us back on track. Until…the next time we stumble, the next time we fall…..He is there the next time we bow our heads and ask for His forgiveness and His grace.
We do indeed live by grace…God’s grace each and every day.

Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Maureen Herzog

Lavish Love

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:42:56 GMT

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Have you ever heard the motto,”moderation in all things”? Jesus did not endorse that saying, nor did he point others toward examples of it. In Mark 12:41-44 Jesus noted the extravagant nature of a widow.

Widows were seen as those who were lowest on the social ladder. They had little economic power or political clout. Jesus pulled up a chair in the temple and was watching the people give their tithes and offerings. As he watched he saw a widow give all that she had. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury (Mark 12:43)”.

Jesus is not asking or desiring that we live a balanced life. Jesus gave us his life.There was little about Jesus that taught us how to be balanced. He gave humanity all that he had so that we might have the promise of salvation. God calls each of us to a life that is filled with a lavish God given love, that we are to share with others every opportunity we have.

On Sunday at GGCC we will have a special guest, Jude Del Hierro. Jude is one of the most amazing followers of Jesus I have ever met. He is the Director of Confluence Ministry near Quitman and Colfax, south of INVESCO Field. The amazing witness to Jesus that Jude leaves a trail of everywhere he goes is a lavish love that is out of balance and extravagant. A love that could only be inspired by the risen Jesus.

Come this Sunday to hear Jude play music and share his testimony on the context of a sermon that I will preach.

Still in one peace,

David J Jensen

We Will Be Their Saints

God's Grace Community Church — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:52:05 GMT

Psalm 52:9 (New International Version)

I will praise you forever for what you have done;
in your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

It is always stunning to read the names of the saints we are remembering on All Saints Day. My heart tugged a bit when my Aunt’s name came on the screen. I love that we stop and take a moment in worship to recognize the people who have brought us here. But, what about the saints we don’t know?

Years ago Randy and I had the privilege of leading a mortgage burning ceremony. Have you ever had the pleasure of attending such an event? It was truly humbling. The history of our church home began to unfold as we prepared for this rare event. Broomfield United Methodist church was founded in 1888 by 12 meeting at a school until 1900 when they began meeting in someone’s home. In 1908 they built a small one room church house. They eventually built a bigger facility. Years later a sanctuary was added on, it was the sanctuary we had gathered in for this special day. It was time to burn the mortgage for the old sanctuary to make way for building on a new larger sanctuary, a fellowship hall /gym, and a wing of classrooms for a preschool. Our church had grown from a few faithful “Saints” to over 1000 families worshipping in 4 services every Sunday.

We received 11 years of worshipping and growing spiritually under the umbrella of love and sacrifice that those original 12 founded so many years ago. At God’s Grace Community Church we have a chance to be those saints for future generations. We owe it to the original 12 of the Church, Peter, Andrew, James the greater, James the lesser, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Thaddeus, Simon, & Matthias. (Judas had betrayed Christ so Matthias took his place.) They sacrificed everything for us! We hold the gospel in our hands because these brave souls died so that we might believe! Now that is truly humbling.

We are stretched to the limits with finances like everyone else. This holiday season we are starting a small fund to give to the church. We will place the money we might have spent on a Starbucks, or a Chipotle or some other treat. It isn’t much, but somewhere down the road, a young family will walk in the doors of our future church home and find the umbrella of our love and sacrifice. We will be their saints on All Saints day and they won’t even know our names!

Abba Father, help us to find the faith and perseverance to build your church. Help us to first build ourselves up in the body of Christ, acting as your servants in the world. Guide us as we move into the future and seek to build a church home, a foundation for building up others in the body of believers.

Julie Weldon

Sunday to Monday | Remember

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:51:45 GMT

Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord! Psalm 130.

Tears catch our attention. Tears were of such significance that dating as far back as 3,000 years ago, mourners were known to collect their tears in a tear bottle—vessels used to catch the tears of those who mourned. Have you wept for the loss of someone?

On Sunday we gave thanks to those saints in our lives who helped to shape us through the witness of faith in Christ they shared. We wept for them as they became separated from us here on this earth just as Jesus wept for his friend Lazarus when he heard of his death (John 11:35). God joins us in our grief and His eternal truth prevents separation from God.

The fall of the Berlin wall was 20 years ago. During that time government officials were prepared for everything except for candles and prayers. They prepared for the worst but not for the candles and prayers that illuminated the darkness. Saints are forgiven sinners. Saints are those whose light made a difference in our lives and inspired us to be more like Jesus.

Who are the saints who have shaped you as a follower of Jesus? Take time to offer prayer(s) of thanks. Here are some questions to guide you through the week:

Can you recall a time you were in the “depths” of despair and your “hope” came from God? (Psalm 130)
“Jesus then began to weep.” (John 11:35) When has the knowledge that Jesus joins us in our grief been a source of faith for you?
“Saints are forgiven sinners.” Martin Luther. It has been said there is no sin Jesus cannot forgive. Where do you need to practice greater forgiveness for another? Where might you allow Christ’s forgiveness to illuminate your own darkness?

Act, Love, Walk ...

God's Grace Community Church — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:22:27 GMT

Micah 6:1-16

Micah 6:1 “Listen to what the LORD says:”

Sometimes I wish it was that easy. But for me I struggle. I struggle with what the world shows me, what the world has for me and what I believe GOD says to me.

Micah says in verse 6:8 the LORD requires us to “…act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your GOD.”

“To act justly” doesn’t mean everything is in my favor, it means I have to realize I make mistakes and mistakes have consequences. To act justly, to me, means to then accept the consequences for my mistakes.

“To love mercy” is to accept compassionate treatment, but also to show, to give compassionate treatment to those I know and to those I don’t know. There is no stipulation for me to judge who gets mercy.

“and to walk humbly with your GOD.” To walk is action, it is movement. It is not sit on the couch, stay in bed, or get someone else to do it. Micah says to “walk humbly with your GOD.”

It is a journey each of us are on. A journey that starts at birth with GOD. As we gain knowledge it is up to each of us to “Listen to what the LORD says.”

If I struggle with not hearing GOD, I find comfort in knowing GOD walks with me in every step of the journey, knowing the Spirit itself (Romans 8:26) intercedes for us with sighs too deep that words cannot express. AMEN!

Precious Father, Loving God, Holy Spirit help us to hear you in everything we do, help us to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our GOD. AMEN!

Jim Dietvorst

God's Blessing in the Snow

God's Grace Community Church — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:07:38 GMT

Peace to you this snowy December day, oh wait, I mean this snowy October day. I hope you are enjoying the magic of God’s wonderful blessing bestowed upon us. Looks like Mother Nature and God have gotten together and really cooked one up this time. I love these huge snow falls not only for their beauty and the wonderful moisture they bring, but also for all the Christian opportunities that arise. It’s a great time for families to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company; not only one meal together here and there, but several. It’s also a time to reach out and help neighbors and friends. Our next door neighbor has throat cancer so we make sure we regularly clean their walks and drive. We also have the grouchy old neighbor down the street that can only communicate to their other neighbors via complaint. We make sure their area is cleaned as well. Plus, we see and visit with the rest of our neighbors, we might not have seen for some time, while we all dig out.

Now that we’re in day two of the storm, people will start to become a little stir-crazy because after all, when was the last day you stayed home for two days? We are busy people and usually always have a planned agenda. I would suggest you stay home, stay warm, play, and reach out to others while you have some available time. Here’s some suggestions: make some delicious baked goods and share with a neighbor, perhaps that old grouchy neighbor in your area. Call or write your friends and relatives from out of the area. Can you remember the last time you actually wrote a real letter and not an email? Play a board game with your kids, or perhaps read their favorite books with them. Work on that photo album you never seem to find time to complete. Edit digital pictures and log online to a photo processing center to actually process those digital pictures that are so easy to take and for some reason so hard to process. We need to take time.

Spend some time praying, go for a walk, and enjoy the beauty around you.

God calls us to reach out to others, share his Good Word, make your light shine!

Psalms 51:7b-12 (RSV) “…I all be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones with thou hast broken rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put in a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me, Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

Wendy Saathoff

Weeping

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:40:37 GMT

Dear Saints and Sinners,

Tears are our first words. Is there anything that gets a baby more attention than tears? Is there anything that can command complete immediate devotion more than a torrent of tears? Is there anything that can make adults feel more dismal, daunted or desperate than the weeping of another human being?

When we weep we normally prepare for separation. We are mourning the loss of what we had hoped for, and coming to grips with a new normal. In John 11:35 it says that “Jesus wept” when he heard of the death of his good friend Lazarus. Jesus’ tears mean we are joined by God in our grief. We still say our earthly good- byes, but those farewells are now overshadowed by an eternal truth. There is now a love that prevents separation from God. This is a new normal worth giving praise to God!

Who have you wept for in their earthly death? Whose death brought tears to your eyes? Who in their dying did you offer thanks to God for the faith they held. And even more, you gave thanks that the faith within you was forever shaped by Christ through the witness they shared with you. Such tears are for the saints upon whom the kingdom of God is built.

Take time to contemplate and give thanks this day for the saints in your life.

Still in one peace,

David J. Jensen