Weekly Blog

Have you ever wondered who this Timothy chap really was (to whom 1st and 2nd Timothy were written)? 

Last Sunday we started our walk through the books of 1^st and 2^nd Timothy, if you missed the message you can listen to audio or podcast here.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance is strong and growing in Napa, California. 

Osvaldo Mata is my friend who pastors Hope Christian Center in the Napa Valley.  He is a passionate young pastor with a heart to reach his city with the Gospel of hope that Jesus came to give us.  Os, as his friends call him, is not afraid to be himself as he reaches out to his community.  Some Hispanic pastors have misunderstood his casual dress for taking his calling lightly, but if you have spent 30 seconds with this brother, you can see that he is willing to give everything to see Jesus lifted up. 

Hope Christian Center has done an event called “Hopefest” for the past four years. 

I have to admit that am a pioneer. 

pi·o·neer  /ˌpīəˈnir/

A pioneer is a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area.  They could also be one who is the first to use or apply a new method, area of knowledge or activity. 

John Bidwell, pictured above, is the first one who comes to mind who embodies the true spirit of being a pioneer.  As the founder of our city and the man who led the first immigrant wagon train over the Sierra Nevada mountains, he was a man who was willing to take a risk to go places that were uncharted. 

Bidwell was far from perfect, but along the way he decided to give his life to Jesus Christ and some of his rough “burly pioneer man” edges began being smoothed over as the Holy Spirit began shaping him to be a husband, a business man and a protector of the Native American people of this region. 

I love it when clothing, art or jewelry tells a story of what’s happening in your heart.

I’ve never been one who wears jewelry, but when the signet ring I wear on my right hand was made for me that all changed. 

This gold ring has a trinity knot on it that symbolizes the eternal nature of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who shape my life.  Since receiving it some years ago, It has not left my hand.  It is a reminder that I belong to this God who exists in three persons. 

I’ve seen too much hate to want to hate.

I've seen too much hate out of the Klansmen of the South to want to hate. Every time I see it, I say to myself, hate is too great a burden to bear. Somehow we must be able to stand up before our most bitter opponents and say:

As I finished delivering the message from Matthew 6:19-24 last Sunday about money, I felt a number of things.

First, a bit warm, so thank you to everyone who hung in with me! You are rock stars amidst the blazing summer heat of Chico and our very large building’s challenges with cooling down.

More importantly though, there was a huge sense of what I would call gravitas, a Latin word that means serious or solemn. The gravitas I felt is my belief that when it comes to our relationship with our finances, it is critical for us to really go after Jesus - and now is the time. Whether you have a lot or are struggling to make ends meet, being enslaved to the “master” of money is a really hard way to live. Money is a fickle master. A tyrant. And a distraction to the life we are called to live as followers of Jesus.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could live your life in complete peace and trust in the area of finances?

Not worried about your future, Not enslaved to the balance in your bank account. Not panicking every time the unexpected bill comes because you know you are in His hands.

A.B. Simpson is the founder of our movement called the Christian and Missionary Alliance.  As an immigrant from Canada, Simpson served as a Presbyterian pastor in Louisville, Kentucky.

His wife Maggie was a key part of Albert’s ministry throughout their lives together, but as you read this briefing you will see they didn’t always see eye to eye.
 

Simpson had a dream that He discerned as a divine message that seemed to be a call to the Chinese people. 

The year was 1878, and Simpson’s heart was drawn to be a missionary to China, as his wife gave birth to their fourth child.  He applied, though his wife told him that he was free to go to China alone but that she and their children would not be going.  The mission board turned down Simpson, saying he was too old at the age of 35, too unhealthy and had too many kids. 

This week’s briefing jumps off from the message this past Sunday. If you missed it, you can watch the video or listen to the audio here. 

I want to share more about the beauty of the Torah. This was a topic I had to cut due to time constraints, but which I think can help our church better appreciate the wisdom, justice, and beauty of the Torah.

What does a man of mercy really look like? 

I have been pondering this question for the last few weeks. This question first came to mind when my son, Michael, played the part of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables.   

Valjean is a thief who runs from the law and breaks his parole.  He takes on a different name and starts a brand new life.  Through the kindness and mercy of a priest, he vows to live differently. He is tested several times to see if he will show mercy to others.

Revenge has become something attractive these days.

It seems like every time I turn on the TV or go to a movie, revenge is one of the main plot lines.  There have been 39 major motion pictures in theaters with revenge as the major plot line in the last three years.  There was even a show on TV called “Revenge” for four seasons that was the most popular show in it’s time slot for years, and now the re-runs keep it alive on Netflix and cable channels. 

Is this 'infatuation' society has with revenge a reflection of the status of our hearts?