Connect @ Grace

Where did fire come from?  Or more specifically, who was the very first person to actually make fire?   I asked my husband that one night as we sat outside watching our outdoor fireplace work its magic.   He guessed that lighting hit a tree at some point and set it on fire.  That’s how someone got the idea for fire at least.  But that was not what I was really wondering about.  Who figured out how to make it themselves?  Maybe using flint stone or rubbing dried sticks together? 

I got lost wondering what that moment might have been like for them.   Did they get an overwhelming sense that this one thing, the ability to make a fire, would overwhelmingly, literally, profoundly change everything?  Because surely it did. 

Nothing was ever the same after that.  Darkness could now be invaded by light.  Bone-chilling weather could be robbed of its foul affects.  Those had to be two HUGE things right there.  But what about the new food possibilities?!  Cooked food!  No more cold fish, raw potatoes, or “room” temperature only liquids.  Plus fire would help forge new and better tools.  Fire would make so many things that were impossible and unimaginable quite possible for everyone.  It is no exaggeration – EVERYTHING had changed.

What was the last thing that happened in your life that quite literally changed everything in your world?  For my husband and I it was the adoption of 3 Russian orphans two and a half years ago.  But what was it for you? 

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever.”  (Hebrews 13:8)   In my wonderings about events that change everything, this verse came to mind.   And those two things together felt really good.  I mean really good.  True, Jesus came and that changed everything.  He is a life-changer for sure.  But He’s also “the solid rock on which I stand.”  Very cool.  Everything can change AND we have the unchangeable, everlasting arms of God to hold us up.    Yeah, God!

Holly

We are in the middle of a study as a church called “Life’s Healing Choices.” Being in charge of small groups, I feel a weight of responsibility in helping to choose what to study next. This particular study has been a long time in the planning stages because it’s part of our launch of a Celebrate Recovery ministry in our church. To be perfectly honest I was somewhat nervous about how this study would be received because who of us wants to deal with our hurts, hang-ups and habits. Fortunately this time when I got nervous, I got serious about praying about my concerns. For the last year a group of us have met to pray over this ministry and study. As the study approached, I found myself taking every opportunity to pray and remind others to pray.
God is doing some amazing things in small groups in answer to our prayers. I have seen people decide to join a small group that I never thought would. I have seen small groups birthed out of people and places that I never would have imagined. I have experienced people sharing from the depths of their pain like I’ve never seen before. And I have seen the lights going on in the minds of individuals as to the source of their problems.
So did I suddenly become a better small group director or is this just such an amazing study that all these wonderful things are happening? Well I for one know that it has nothing to do with me being a better small group director. Many times in the course of this summer I’ve felt overwhelmed with trying to inspire groups and even get the right study materials together. I finally threw up my hands and said, “God, help.” And although this is a great study, I’ve seen other studies that I thought were amazing just not inspire groups.
So to give credit where credit is due, I’m chalking up the success of this study to our feeble, but persistent prayers to an ALMIGHTY GOD. Hopefully the greatest lesson I will take away from this study is that the most important thing I can do as a director of small groups is to meet together on a regular basis with a group of believers to ask for God to intervene on our behalf. Yeah God!
Jan

We’re in the middle of a building project. It’s exciting and motivating but I often hear from members and outside observers alike that “maybe we’re building too small.” This is quite common. There are few church building projects that I’ve experienced that didn’t end up building too small. But, what can you do given the limited resources that most churches have to work with.
In my bible reading I ran across Solomon’s prayer dedicating the temple. He acknowledges that all the work and money invested in an elaborate facility ends up not sufficient to house the Lord’s presence (2 Chronicles 6:18). But not to worry. God doesn’t want to live there anyway. Heaven is his throne and the earth his footstool so no human structure regardless of size would ever be adequate. And besides, what he really desires is to dwell in the hearts of the contrite and lowly in spirit (Isaiah 57:15).
So, I know we need to build and expand. I just don’t want to look for God in the wrong place.
Tim