I do desire to come into harmony with you more fully and more often.  I do desire a fellowship that is constant and sustaining.  Please nurture this desire of mine, which seems so small and tentative right now.  May I someday become like the trees, which are “planted by streams of water, which yeild their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.  In all that they do, they prosper.”  For Jesus’ sake. -Amen

-Richard J. Foster, from “Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home”

O God, the Light of the heart that sees You,
The Life of the soul that loves You,
The Strength of the mind that seeks You:
May I ever continue to be steadfast in Your love.
Be the joy of my heart;
Take all of me to Yourself, and abide therein.
The house of my soul is, I confess, too narrow for You.
Enlarge it that You may enter.
It is ruinous, but do repair it.
It has within it what must offend Your eyes;
I confess and know it,
But whose help shall I seek in cleansing it but Yours alone?
To You, O God, I cry urgently.
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep me from false pride and sensuality
That they not get dominion over me.

A PERSONAL INVOCATION

O Love of God, descend into my heart;
Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling,
And scatter there Your cheerful beams.
Dwell in the soul that longs to be Your temple;
Water that barren soil overrun with weeds and briars
And lost for lack of cultivating.
Make it fruitful with Your dew.
Come, dear Refreshment of those who languish;
Come, Star and Guide of those who sail amidst tempests.
You are the Haven of the tossed and shipwrecked.
Come now, Glory and Crown of the living,
As well as the Safeguard of the dying.
Come, Sacred Spirit;
Come, and fit me to receive You.

-St. Augustine

If you are not familiar, it is a youth retreat that brings over 15 churches in the area together for four days of praise, prayer and teachings.

It started when I came in 2006 with a group of Wesley seminarians wanting to work together to build a movement for the youth.

At that time about five churches participated with just over 100 students.

This year, we had over 15 churches and with 500 students, counselors, staff and pastors joining in.

The leadership rotates every year and this year under the guidance of David Chang of First KUMC of Herndon, it went off well organized and full of blessings.

The special thing about this retreat was that there were students who were in first grade or kindergarten when I was ministering in the children department over five years ago.

They were just children barely able to talk or even listen to my sermons but now are actively engaged with the speaker, in praise and in prayer hungry for the Kingdom.

What a blessing to be in worship with them for three nights!

Also I remember the fourth and fifth grader boys who thought they were too cool for elementary praise songs and stood sometime aloof during worship then, were now singing their hearts out during the retreat.

Double the hallelujahs!

Pray, seek and praise God in the coming year as He is truly doing a new and wonderful work in our church!

Blessings,

Pastor Keith

The floods have lifted up, O LORD,
The floods have lifted up their voice;
The floods lift up their waves.
The LORD on high is mightier
Than the noise of many waters,
Than the mighty waves of the sea.

Your testimonies are very sure;
Holiness adorns Your house,
O LORD, forever. (NKJV)

tale of two tables

When reading the birth account in Matthew I’m somewhat puzzled in the ways the author presents the narrative.

The genealogy in the beginning appears to give legitimacy to Jesus’ lineage until we find the four women; Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and wife of Uriah.  Tamar had a child with her father-in-law, Judah, Rahab was a mistress of brothel, Ruth was a Moabite (descendant of union between Lot and his daughter) and Bethsheba had an initial illicit relationship with King David.  Why not include Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah?

Right after this unsettling genealogy, the account describes Joseph’s suspicion of his betrothed in infidelity.  What a way to start a marriage!

Then we read that a descendant of an Edomite convert is the king in Jerusalem, King Herod.  This followed by magis coming from the east to inquire about the birth of Jewish king; we get the word magician from this word.  They were star gazers foretelling events by tracking the celestial movements.  Strange…

Many scholars put forth different explanations for the inclusion of these scandalous details in the birth account of Jesus.

For me, these details highlight the fact that God was determined to redeem His people and the world, in a topsy-turvy world where circumstances and problems stand in direct opposition to His will.

God is determined to save us and let us know that He loves us, no matter what stands against Him, praise the Lord!

Let’s enter the season with joy and renewed hope that God will come in to our messed up genealogies, scandalous suspicions, antagonistic authorities, and embarrassing acquaintances and be with us.

Emmanuel!

When my fears evaporate like the morning mist, then vainly I imagine that I am sufficient unto myself, that material resources and human resources are enough.

I need Thee when the sun shines, lest I forget the storm and the dark. I need Thee when I am popular, when my friends and those who work beside me approve and compliment me. I need Thee more then, lest my head begin to swell.

O God, forgive me for my stupidity, my blindness in success, my lack of trust in Thee. Be Thou now my Savior in success.

Save me from conceit. Save me from pettiness. Save me from myself! And take this success, I pray, and use it for Thy glory. In Thy strength, I pray.

Amen.

Peter Marshall (1902–1949)