Trusting God

by Jennie Smith
Assistant Secondary Principal

It exploded!  At 10:00 pm, last Tuesday, my Facebook news feed exploded!  I have never seen anything like it!  It was rapid fire.  I watched as second by second a new post popped up.  My friends were reacting to the results of the election.  Some were rejoicing.  Some were angry.  Some were peaceful.  But my favorite post was this Scripture from Isaiah 14:24-27:

 "The Lord Almighty has sworn 'Surely as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand...'  This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations.  For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him?  His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?"

It reminded me that in any uncertain time - financial challenges, family hardships, illnesses, marriage unrest, hurricanes, political strife - God is still on the throne.  He is sovereign.  He is aware.  He is the author, creator, and He is at work.

While I was in college, my grandma and I together studied the book Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges.  It has long impacted my life and my walk with God.  It helped me to see the real character of God, taught me why He is worthy of my trust, and encouraged me to live a life fully confident in the Sovereign God.  Let me share my three favorite ideas from the book with you...

First, trusting God becomes easy when you know how much He loves you.  "Psalm 145 speaks of His 'abundant goodness,' of His being 'rich in love' and 'good to all,' of having 'compassion on all he has made,' and of being 'loving toward all he has made' (verses 7-9, 17)" (Bridges, 136).  When you know that someone loves you and has nothing but the best in mind for you, it is easy to trust them.

My grandma's favorite visual image of Isaiah 40

My grandma 's favorite image of God's love for us comes from Isaiah 40:10-11.  "See the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and his arm rules for him...He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."  What a tender image of how much the Lord truly loves us!

Secondly, I will never forget that both the good and the difficult circumstances in my life occur for two reasons:  for my good and His glory.  Jerry Bridges writes "These two objectives are never antithetical; they are always in harmony with each other.  God never pursues His glory at the expense of the good of His people, nor does He ever seek our good at the expense of His glory" (p. 25-26).  What confidence I can have!  No matter the situation "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"  (Romans 8:28).

The third idea that has stuck with me for years is that worship is the most appropriate response to both joyful occasions and adversity.  Bridges points out that as soon as Job received the news of his tremendous losses "He fell to the ground in worship..." (Job 1:20).   This act of worship and thankfulness is an outward demonstration of our inward trust in God.  Later, the song "I Will Praise You in the Storm" by Casting Crowns dramatically emphasized this idea in my heart.  "I will lift my hands/for you are who you are/no matter where I am."

This book is not only an excellent read, it makes a wonderful study book.  There is also a discussion guide that can be purchased that encourages a group or an individual to wrestle with the Scriptures in the book, and also asks the hard questions and challenges one to really lean on the Author and Perfecter of our faith.(As a P.S., there is a fantastic chapter that is titled "God's Rule Over the Nations."  A great encouragement if there is uncertainty about our great nation).

We can have complete, total dependence and trust in the One who loves us unconditionally, knows what is best for us, and in his sovereignty has the power to bring it about  (Bridges, p. 18 ).  Let's explode the news feed on Facebook with that joyous confidence!

Bridges, Jerry.  Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts.  Colorado Spring, Colorado:  Navpress, 1988.

A Judgment Call

by Dick Buckingham

Administrator

In our society, we are called upon to make value judgments all the time.  Which laundry soap produces the best smelling clothes, which  fast food restaurant has the best fries, which auto insurance is the best and most reliable, and on and on.  It is a part of life and we all do it based upon a broad variety of factors, some of them having to do with personal tastes and opinions.  Many times, we do it simply because we have accepted the hype provided in the commercial or advertisement.  Most of these kinds of judgments come with little consequence other than we have to live with our decision and may actually miss out on the best item because we never tried it.  No biggie.

However, there are judgments that we make at times, quickly, without any real fact checking or understanding of circumstances that have grave consequences.  These judgments involve other people.  We have been reading through Job in our faculty devotions and I am reminded once again of the judgment passed on Job by his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and Elihu.  Each in their turn attempts to convince Job of the serious sin that must have been committed to result in his incredible measure of suffering and loss.  Much of what these four expound on is good Biblical truth about the calamity that is in store for the wicked.  The problem was, they made the assumption that because Job had experienced calamity, it was certainly the result of his wicked behavior, in spite of there being no evidence.  In other words, they were quick to pass judgment on another using scripture and truth without fully investigating the circumstances surrounding Job’s situation.

How quick we are to pass judgment on others.  I find myself squirming as I even say that because I know this is one of my own besetting sins.  But I know I am not alone in this practice.  It is easy to pass judgment on those outside of Christ.  We know that there is no good in them without the redemption and sanctification that can only come from Christ.  Yet we use the same casual approach upon those in the family of God to criticize and critique anything and everything they do.  Some of you are probably saying right now, “Yeah, I have been treated like that by others in the church!  Finally someone sees it as I see it!”  We probably have all been victims of this kind of judgment at one time or another or on many occasions.  But I also feel that we need to acknowledge that we are the perpetrators of this spiritual crime.

Job’s friends were not commended by God for their judgment of him.  Though the words they spoke were in general true words, God was not pleased with how they had applied them in judgment of another.  Job 42:7-9

Can you think of someone right now that you are judging in this fashion?  Have you really taken the time to examine all of their circumstances?  Do you fully know their heart and their motive?  Are you rushing to judgment because it is easier to do and makes you feel somewhat justified because you see what you perceive to be the error of another?

Remember what Jesus said,

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your won eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:3-5

We all need (especially me) to be clothed with humility toward one another.  “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…”  I Peter 5:5

Am I a Watch?

by Meridith Borta
Elementary Principal

Our elementary students took a field trip to a farm a few weeks ago and had a great time! They got to learn about life on a dairy farm, see a newborn calf, hold a chicken, feed the farm animals, take a hayride, pick their own flavor of milk, and various other activities that made the trip a wonderful learning experience for all. However, as the farmer was giving his presentation about the cows and how they are fed, cared for, etc., he stated on several occasions that the “humans are animals just like the cows”. I was immediately disturbed, but thought at first that he was trying to be funny and help the kids connect with how cows have to be cared for too. But he made the same point several times. “Did you know that you are an animal? You have 2 eyes just like the cow.”

Really? If that is logical thinking, then am I a watch because I have two hands?
This got me thinking about the distortion of God’s truth that we frequently see and hear about in today’s society. We live in a day and age where the distinction between humans and animals is many times minimized, and the roles that they play in our world, are being blurred.

Celebrities carry their pets around in designer bags that cost thousands of dollars. There are full aisles in the grocery stores devoted to stocking every kind of gourmet pet food imaginable. (They eat better than WE do at times). And what about those sappy commercials that show the cutest and most pathetic abandoned animals you’ve ever seen. You know the ones. The sad song playing in the background. Those sad eyes and depressing little whimpers that pull on every heart string we have to donate money to the rescue foundations. Don’t get me wrong. I love animals! I have 2 cats who act like royalty and a dog that does little to pull his weight (okay, overweight) around our home. I have also been known on occasion to get a little teary-eyed at those commercials with those sad eyes begging for my financial help.  Let’s set aside the fact that many hearts soften more at times toward the plights of our 4-legged friends than to the plight of human beings, and focus on the fact that God’s Word makes a clear distinction about humans and animals.

Genesis 1:26-28 (ESV) states,     
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and ever every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Wow! Human beings are SPECIAL!
Biblical support can be found for a lengthy list of differences between animals and man.  Here are just a few of the differences:

• God communicates to human beings through the Bible because He has given us the intelligence to understand and learn from it. Animals have no ability to do this.  

2 Tim. 3:16,17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

• God’s Word calls mankind to study His Word and holds them responsible to study and obey it. Animals are not held responsible for this.  

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”      

•  Jesus died to save mankind—not animals! Isn’t this the most important distinction of all?!

 Titus 2:11,12-For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.

Is the following letter long overdue?

Dear Fluffy and Fido, 

It’s time we got a few things straight. Thanks for the companionship, loyalty, and devotion you have shown me over the years. I love you dearly (and God cares for you too). However, I know that He made me special. I’m sorry to break it to you, but we are not equals. Some things may be changing around here . . . .
              Sincerely,
                God’s prized creation

Cause God Said So

by Jennie Smith, Secondary Assistant Principal

One of the more common questions I'm asked as a teacher is: (can I get  a drum roll please?)
Why do I have to learn this?

This question can take many forms.
     When will I ever use this in my real life?
     What is the point of learning this?
     Why, Mrs. Smith, why, why, why?! 

Have you ever been faced with that question from your kids?  In the midst of a challenging project or homework assignment, you may find that your children wonder what the purpose is of learning and school.  I'll tell you the top two Biblical reasons I give to my students and children - feel free to use them as needed with your own kids.

The first reason comes from Genesis 1:28.  The New International Version reads like this:  "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.' ”

God commands Adam and Eve, among other things, to subdue the earth.  The King James Version uses the word "dominion" - Adam and Eve are to have dominion over the earth.  The idea of dominion is to have control or rule.  My question to my students is: how can you have dominion over something you know nothing about?  Imagine someone becoming a CEO of a company, but he has no knowledge of what the company does or how to run a business.  How successful  can that boss be?  God has called us to subdue the earth and the first step of doing so is learning about it. 

So, reason #1 to the question "Why do I need to learn this?" is "God says so."
Reason #2 to the question is "Jesus did so."

We don't know too much about the childhood of Jesus.  But from the small portions we do know, we see that Jesus had a desire to learn.  When his parents couldn't locate him when he was 12 years old, they found him in the temple learning from the rabbis.  Luke 2:46 says "After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions" (NIV). It follows to say that Jesus "grew in wisdom and stature." (Luke 2:52, NIV).  So, if Jesus grew in wisdom, and sat and learned and asked questions from the teachers of his day, so should the rest of us.


God said so and Jesus did so -  two good reasons to do just about anything, including learning the tough stuff. 

You Can't Take It With You

That is what they say.  And I, for one, am glad for it.  After spending the last couple of weeks moving to a different home, I find myself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of “stuff” we accumulate.  My wife and I would not by any stretch be considered hoarders, but we are frugal people who have known times when we had little and had to scratch hard for everything we did have.  Saving that screw or bolt or plastic fork meant we didn’t have to go buy one the next time we needed one.  This little piece of scrap 2 x 4 may come in handy in my next project.  And on and on it goes until there is a house full of leftover, nearly useless items that require a great deal of effort to remove.

So I am thankful today that there will come a day when we can’t take it all with us.  Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)  Isn’t it a comfort to know these things?  First of all, there is a place for us.  In looking for a home, my wife and I spent the best part of a couple of weeks searching Craigslist and any site we could find for available properties.  Our criteria included location, size, pet-friendly, how big is the pantry, how close is it to the nearest Fry’s Food store, Walgreens and Dairy Queen.  Then we tried to arrange meetings to look at a few possibilities every evening.  We saw from “not likely” to “great!”  Some we liked were not available when we needed.  Others found us in competition to multiple suitors who liked it as much as we.  It was a challenge and exhausting.  When I think about my eternal home, the one I shall never have to move from again, how thankful I am that my Father already has a place readied for me.

Secondly, we are told that Jesus has gone before us to prepare that place.  Because we don’t like the thought of wallowing around in other people’s dirt, we decided to clean our new home from top to bottom while it was still empty.  It seemed to me the best way to do that was to hire a company to come in and do a deep cleaning.  So, once again I scoured the pages of Craigslist, searching for just the right company to entrust with this important task.  Finally found one with all the “right” credentials and arranged for them to send out their best team.  On the appointed day, my wife meets the expected cleaning crew at the new house and texts me, “it’s a he.”  Just one.  And it’s a “he.”  Now, please understand, I am a man, and I know that some men are exceptional cleaners.  But many are not.  The one I hired wasn’t.  So afterwards, we spent the next couple of days doing what he should have done for the deep cleaning price we paid.  Jesus is preparing a place for us.   We won’t have to lift a finger to set up our eternal home.  Jesus has done it for us.

 

Then came the move day.  Or should I say days.  One load, two, four, seven, ten.  At writing we are still making daily trips between the two houses for one more load.  I am certain there is some sort of evil multiplying taking place over there in our absence.  Maybe our neighbors are secretly throwing their excess over the fence knowing we will have to cart it away.  Little by little we are getting it done.  What a merciful Father we have who says, “Leave it.  You don’t need any of that stuff here.  Come on, and enjoy what I have prepared for you.”  Oh how I long for that final move.  It is going to be the best ever!

In the meantime, if I hear one more time, “It’s in a box…..somewhere…..”

Is Jesus Really My BFF?

by Meridith Borta

Elementary Principal

My sisters and I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, and as embarrassing as it may be to admit now, we were stereotypical “valley girls”. If you are not familiar with some of the basic valley girl characteristics, we’ll start first by mentioning that we said “like” every other word. We also went through a period of time where we called everyone “dude”.  (Dare I even mention that we were also all blonde cheerleaders?)

I can still remember the day that my sister Laurie answered my mom by saying, “Okay, Dude.” My Mom’s response is one that my sisters and I have recounted on many occasions as we’ve reminisced about our childhoods. My mom looked at my sister and said, “I am not Dude, I am your Mother!”

I mention this story because I fear we are living in a society that has forgotten that we serve the God of the universe and has started calling God “Dude” 

We see t-shirts that read “Jesus is my BFF”. Some have taken the idea so far as to write songs like, “Beer with Jesus” which paints Jesus as your best buddy—just a regular Joe who is “cool” enough to sit down and have a drink with you at the local bar. Another singer excuses the bad behavior in her song by saying that Jesus would understand and they’d get along just fine.

Yes, those are country songs, but even the church is not exempt from this attitude. I’m sure we’ve all sung the popular chorus “I am a Friend of God” on more than one occasion.

So, aside from the absurd “anything goes” mentality of the country songs I mentioned above, is there any truth to this idea that Jesus in our friend? The answer is YES! John 15-12-17 says:

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

How truly unbelievable it is that our heavenly Father calls us friends and wants to have a personal relationship with us! Perhaps it is knowledge of this amazing truth that sometimes results in a warped perspective of who God is. Are we calling our Savior “dude” or are we giving him the respect, admiration, and authority in our lives that he deserves?

Jesus calls us to recognize him as so much more than our BFF. The following is an excerpt from a famous sermon by Reverend SM Lockridge. I pray this helps you remember and stand in awe of the indescribable KING that we serve.

Video Link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE

Link to the Sermon Text

http://thatsmyking.wordpress.com/words/

Studying for Spelling Tests

by Jennie Smith
Secondary Assistant Principal

The dreaded weekly spelling test - in my household studying for the spelling test can become a knock-down drag-out-free-for-all.  So when one of my sons began struggling with spelling in the first grade, this mama/teacher had to reach deep and get creative.  Our resource teacher was super helpful and gave me some great hints for creative studying practices and now I share her ideas and some of my own with you.

Play hangman - your child chooses a word from his or her spelling list and you try to guess before the man hangs.  This helps them to focus on letter placement and they are looking at the word every time you guess a letter.

White board - I don't know why, but my son loves to write his spelling words on the white board.  If you ask him to write it on a white paper, there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Change the paper to board and life is exquisite.

Alphabet blocks - Use the old fashioned alphabet blocks and have your child build the word.  This can also take the form with the magnetic letters you put on the fridge.  Don't have either of those?  Make your own letters with scrap-booking stickers or markers.

Storytelling - Have your child write a story, but they have to include 10 of their spelling words.

Puzzles - write the words on index cards and cut them into puzzle pieces.  Have your child put their spelling word puzzles together for extra practice.

Paint - My son loves using the computer.  So I open up the "Paint" program and he creates the words with special colors.  Print them out and hang the masterpieces around the house - every time he looks at them, he's studying.


Love Notes - One week, try sending a new note in the lunchbox.  Try to use as many spelling words as possible.  Or leave a message in the bathroom for her to find.  Some students who are very visual will benefit from seeing the word over and over.

The Test - Have your child test YOU.  They are hearing and seeing the word at the same time. Be sure to make some intentional errors  to make sure they are paying attention. 

Do you have any ideas for creative studying?  Leave them in the comments below.  I always need new ones!