This is the Smart’s brief story of how God stepped in and gave them a new direction. The Smarts are a part of Cedar Creek On the Ridge Campus. Phillip used this video during his message to help illustrate how Easter means that we have a new purpose in life. If you didn’t get a chance to see the other two stories, you can find them here and here.
This is Michelle’s story. If you missed the first story, then you can view it here. We used this at the end of the Phillip’s message right before he presented the gospel.
This Easter at Cedar Creek we decided that one of the most effective ways to tell the story of Easter is to let people who have had their lives radically changed by Jesus tell their story. So we asked some Cedar Creek people to share their stories. You can watch the message in its entirety with the videos here. One of the things I thought was great was that all 3 campuses were represented. I’m going to post the stories over the next few days.
This is James’ story. Phillip was talking about how Easter means that our past can be forgiven and used this video to help illustrate that.
How cool would an office like this be. I’m thinking of relocating my Cedar Creek office to Clarks Hill. Could go fishing and swimming during my lunch break. Check out the rest of the photos here.
“Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies… those who torment us for own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” – C.S. Lewis
This morning I was reading in my time with God about Horatio G. Spafford, the writer of the famous hymn It Is Well. You’re probably familiar with his story, how he lost all four of his daughters in a wreck at sea, and how, when passing over the same spot where his daughters perished, he wrote that hymn. By the way, this is a guy who was ruined financially and not only lost his four daughters, but also lost his only son.
This is a hymn we would sing growing up in my home church. We would sing the song, most of it memorized and go on with the worship service. Now, I don’t want to get into a debate of traditional vs contemporary, or hymns vs praise/worship songs. That is not relevant here and I think the wrong questions anyway. What struck me as I read the song lyrics today were two thoughts: 1. context 2. story.
Spafford wasn’t setting out when he wrote these lyrics to become debated by others on whether or not we should sing hymns vs songs. In my opinion, he didn’t give a flip what you or I thought about his lyrics. He was a man that was ruined, and in the darkness of his life, he was clinging to the only One worth clinging to. He was telling his story…real, honest and raw. He was telling it in the context, in the language of his day to where people connected with it. He not only shared his story, he pointed them to Jesus and then to what awaits for those who believe and follow Jesus. He shared the gospel in his story. Imagine as the people in his day, knowing the story, knowing Spafford himself perhaps, would sing or read the lyrics in this song. I’ll be honest, every time I hear or read the 3 and 4 stanza’s of this song, I get a lump in my throat and have to choke back tears of thankfulness, awe of God and hope. It makes me want to do fist pumps and shout, “YES JESUS!!!”
So, where you live, in the context that God has placed you to breathe, work and relate, tell your story in your way. Think about the people that may hear or see it. Think about where they are at in their life. Point them to Jesus. Point them to the hope beyond that “this is not it”.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
it is well, it is well with my soul.2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and hath shed his own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)3. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)4. And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)
Was reading this morning in Numbers 9 about the Israelites when they were moving along in the desert wilderness, post-Egypt. Was reading verses 19-23. Just some thoughts about following God in this verses that really stuck out to me. I’ll try to keep this brief, but I’m thinking out loud so it probably won’t be. May become a sermon at some point 
19 If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord. 20 Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. 22 Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. 23 So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses. – Numbers 9:19-23
Basic premise is that there was a cloud that was the Lord’s presence and would lead them through the wilderness on the way to the promise land (which included a 40 year sight seeing tour because of their disobedience, whining, complaining and wishing that they could go back to Egypt – but that’s another post for another time). When the cloud came down and settled on the tabernacle, they were to camp there until the cloud lifted back up and moved on. Here are my thoughts:
I remember it clearly. We would be going somewhere, anywhere. Driving around in our 76 Cutlass and later an Oldsmobile 88, my brother Ken and I in the back seat…sometimes just me. My mom would start whispering, talking to herself it seemed. I was a young kid and always thought it was funny…and different. “Mom, who are you talking to?” Her reply: “Oh…just talking to myself”. I know now what she was doing. Today, I found myself doing the same thing and instantly having a flashback to those times.
While I’m sure at times she could have been saying under her breath, “Just wait till I get these boys home…” or something like that, I’m fairly certain she was praying. See, my mom loves Jesus today and she did back then as well. She was murmuring prayers, whispering them as she was driving. I’m at the point where I’m understanding that more. It’s those prayers when things on the inside of your mind are desperate, feeling helpless. Maybe it’s for your child that is struggling at school, a financial crunch, a dealine that you fear you’re not going to make, a relationship that is struggling, or a job where you feel like you’re losing your mind. It’s the kind of prayer where you’re basically saying, “God, if you don’t come through, I’m dead meat.”
One of the things I said in an earlier post was that I wanted to increase the amount of prayers I mumble through the day…trying to be not only consistent, but more deliberately constant. I never put that together with my mom’s own “prayer mumbling” until today. I’m hoping to join a long line of mumblers and pass it down, too.
Pray without ceasing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Friend of mine mentioned this program to me, and I’m curious if some have used it yet. As I’m watching the vid below I’m thinking of tons of different uses for it. There’s a free version and a pro version. You can check it out here: http://bumptop.com/mac/
We rarely get any snow it has been so much fun watching the kids play in it and just seeing it out my window. Here’s a quick vid from around 4:30 today. I’ll be uploading a few more today and tomorrow.
Updated Video
Updated 02.13.10
 Alan Jones is the media pastor at Cedar Creek Church in Aiken, SC. He is a husband, father, pastor, designer and entrepreneur. Click Here to learn more. |
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