“…So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.”…Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control – for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies – then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him… Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if You will, forgive their sin – and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You has written!”…Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend” Exodus 32:14;25,26,31,32; 33:11a
Moses, human though he was – showed great responsibility in leadership. He pleaded the case of his people to the LORD, being so persuasive that the LORD changed His mind. Minister Matthew Henry (1662-1714) penned in his commentary, “The power of prayer; God suffers himself to be prevailed with by the humble believing importunity of intercessors. The compassion of God toward sinners, and how he is ready to forgive.”
Moses begged God not to act out of His anger that He felt . Yet, when God gave Moses the request of his heart, Moses turned around and got angry himself with the people, moving swiftly to see that justice was carried out. He did on his own, in part, what he begged God not to do.
Then acknowledging the people’s sin before the LORD, Moses adds that if the LORD is going to blot people out of His book – to blot out himself as well. Moses, in a sense took on the responsibility for the sin of the people even through he was not a participant in the blatantly rebellious acts they performed. Moses identified with the people he led, being willing to take punishment along with them. Perhaps Moses understood, given different circumstances, he could have succumbed as well. If we understand the nature of temptation and the truth of our humanness, we know that none of us are immune to falling. “There but by the grace of God, go I.” Maybe Moses could identify with the people because of the humbleness of his spirit. Even though what they did was awful, and justice needed to be carried out, Moses was able to appeal to the mercy of God’s character because he understood he also needed God’s mercy for himself.
Moses was a peacemaker and reconciler between God and the Israelites. Moses was a friend of God and a leader of the people.
In leadership, sometimes people will disappoint us. We may grieve when they sin, and part of our grief is in realizing that we could be in that other person’s shoes. As a leader our job is to pray to the LORD on behalf of the people we lead, and then be responsible to do the right thing in the eyes of the LORD. We may have to lovingly discipline people. We may have to turn away (Romans 16:17) those who cause division. But for those whom we are called to lead – we identify with them and bring their needs before the LORD. We shepherd, we nurture, we admonish, we love. We exhort people to stay true to the LORD. We lead responsibly.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Too Much Fun
Can you have too much fun? The R.I.S.E. Annual Autumn Women's Retreat was a time for great Bible teaching, heartfelt worship, yummy food, and good friends. But we had "over the top" fun. I think my stomach hurt from laughing while "Buela" and "Minnie May" fussed at the Famous French Fashion Diva of Hydesville Church. Too much fun...
Friday, September 14, 2007
Time to Worship
What a great time of worship at the TLC family camp. Times of worship with God alone are great, but one of the privileges of the Christian faith is the amazing experience of corporate worship. I hope you will join us this Sunday at Hydesville Community Church. Worship service times are 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM & Solid Grounds at 6:30 PM. Worship is one of our God-given purposes. Although our worship is a gift to God, the worship experience is one of the most powerful and soul liberating things one can experience on this earth. And, just wait until we all get to heaven...
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
God Believes in Me?
“Now no shrub of the field as yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth; and there was no man to cultivate the ground.”…The Lord God planted a garden toward the east toward Eden...” Genesis 2:5,8
God designed and planted a garden in Eden. I can’t imagine how incredibly breath taking that garden must have been. When I think of gardens of beauty, I think of the gardens that artist Claude Monet cultivated with it’s many monochromatic plantings of flowers (photo). Many of Monet’s masterpieces emanated from that garden. The gardens at Giverny, France would pale in comparison to a garden that God designed, planted, and then, walked. (Genesis 3:8)
In one sense it seems unbelievable that the plants hadn’t sprouted in part because there were no human hands present to do their part which was cultivating the ground so the plants might flourish. Could God have cultivated the ground with a spoken word? Of course. He spoke the entire world into being – digging up some dirt wouldn’t be much of a feat for the Almighty one. But it was God’s desire that we have a significant role in carrying out His plans. He doesn’t need us, but He most certainly wants us in a big way. God shows us incredible value by not just loving us in the sense of adoring us and having great affection for us. He includes us in His work and in doing so communicates: you are significant…you are important, and I have a job I need you to do. Amazingly, God chose and designed ways that we would work in partnership with Him to accomplish His will. God believes in me…what a wonder. Now, that makes me feel loved!
God designed and planted a garden in Eden. I can’t imagine how incredibly breath taking that garden must have been. When I think of gardens of beauty, I think of the gardens that artist Claude Monet cultivated with it’s many monochromatic plantings of flowers (photo). Many of Monet’s masterpieces emanated from that garden. The gardens at Giverny, France would pale in comparison to a garden that God designed, planted, and then, walked. (Genesis 3:8)
In one sense it seems unbelievable that the plants hadn’t sprouted in part because there were no human hands present to do their part which was cultivating the ground so the plants might flourish. Could God have cultivated the ground with a spoken word? Of course. He spoke the entire world into being – digging up some dirt wouldn’t be much of a feat for the Almighty one. But it was God’s desire that we have a significant role in carrying out His plans. He doesn’t need us, but He most certainly wants us in a big way. God shows us incredible value by not just loving us in the sense of adoring us and having great affection for us. He includes us in His work and in doing so communicates: you are significant…you are important, and I have a job I need you to do. Amazingly, God chose and designed ways that we would work in partnership with Him to accomplish His will. God believes in me…what a wonder. Now, that makes me feel loved!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Porch Light
I'll Leave the Light on for you...
For parents who are going through a difficult season with their teenager or young adult - this is a support group for you.
If you feel alone is your struggles and would value from the support and prayer of other parents, then we welcome you to Porch Light. We'll leave the light on for you. Porch Light meets the fourth Sunday evening of the month at 6:30 PM at Hydesville Community Church (in the Living Room of the Hut). For more information call Penny Fregeau, the Director of R.I.S.E. Ministry & Counseling at Hydesville Community Church - (707) 768-3767.
Monday, August 13, 2007
The Hyphenated"S" Word
By design, in Women’s Ministries, we take a seasonal rest in the summer from the weekly Bible studies and regularly scheduled programs and events. Healthy rest is a gift from a gracious and compassionate God. The Psalmist reminds us, “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you (Psalm 116:7). And although rest is an important component of a balanced life, we are never told to be without the hyphenated “s” word… “self-discipline”.
Two summers ago I came face to face with my lack of self-discipline. Up until that time I had considered myself a fairly disciplined individual. There was a sweetness in my daily devotional times. I enjoyed good times of prayer and worship at church. I had a sincere thirst for God’s Word. But it hadn’t occurred to me that my lack of control in the area of eating was a spiritual problem for me. I glossed over verses like Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
The truth is that I have struggled with my weight for my entire life. I can remember my second grade Sunday school teacher asking me what my “New Year’s resolution” was and I replied sheepishly that I would like to lose some weight.
Being overweight caused a lack of self-confidence for me. Clothes shopping was always a reminder of how defeated I felt, as very little fit ‘quite right.’ My clothes became darker in color in attempt to hide the pounds. Then one day my husband pointed to the closet and expressed how somber my wardrobe had become. He was right. There was no joy there. I shunned photographs and stayed away from the scales and full length mirrors. But I still didn’t see the spiritual connection.
Then the Holy Spirit started gently pointing out to me that I sometimes missed ministry opportunities because of my lack of self control in eating. How could I dream to address a group on the subject of self-control when I was visibly out of control? The gentle prodding of the Holy Spirit didn’t go away even though I was very good at excuses. Like, genetics, a low metabolism, a sedentary life style and besides all that, I was a good baker, and my family really appreciated all the good desserts I made. The truth is that I really appreciated the desserts I made…and ate. The good intentions of “starting a diet” kept being pushed off to the next day...next week…next month.
And then came that appointed week in late May 2005 when I was preparing a power point presentation for Pastor Mike’s sermon on I Corinthians 9:24-27. I felt a definite UGH! as I read the words, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things…”
Ahhhhh! Self control in all things? The Scriptures pierced my bubble of selective discipline. The truth was that I was disciplined at what I wanted to be disciplined in...
For someone else God’s Spirit may point out another area of life that needs attention – but for me, it was eating. I had to face the truth that eating for me wasn’t just because of hunger. Crunching snack foods at night was comforting when I was nervous or entertainment when I was bored! Ouch! That was hard to admit.
Each day that week when I went back to illustrating that power point presentation I read God’s Word and it kept piercing my heart. Finally, by Friday I said, “that’s it!” I’m going to be disciplined in my eating starting right now because I can’t bear to sit in that pew and hear this message this Sunday without having taken action. By then, I must be committed to this.
That was it. For me, it wasn’t about “dieting” – it was about becoming self-disciplined. And having committed myself before the service allowed me to really accept the words into my heart. When Pastor Mike said, “if your stomach growls, you can tell it “no.” I was floored. That concept had never occurred to me – to tell my stomach , “NO!” A growling stomach to me had always meant permission to eat something! So I did indeed tell my stomach, “no” and one growl at a time and day by day I became more disciplined in what I ate. Several months later I was 40 pounds lighter – but that was only a side benefit. The real lesson was in obedience and taking one step up in self-discipline.
Even though I’ve lost my taste for hamburgers the journey of self-discipline continues and I have to decide every single day how I am going to respond. Have I arrived? Oh, gracious, no. I’m just hoping the next sermon doesn’t have any illustrations about exercise….
Two summers ago I came face to face with my lack of self-discipline. Up until that time I had considered myself a fairly disciplined individual. There was a sweetness in my daily devotional times. I enjoyed good times of prayer and worship at church. I had a sincere thirst for God’s Word. But it hadn’t occurred to me that my lack of control in the area of eating was a spiritual problem for me. I glossed over verses like Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
The truth is that I have struggled with my weight for my entire life. I can remember my second grade Sunday school teacher asking me what my “New Year’s resolution” was and I replied sheepishly that I would like to lose some weight.
Being overweight caused a lack of self-confidence for me. Clothes shopping was always a reminder of how defeated I felt, as very little fit ‘quite right.’ My clothes became darker in color in attempt to hide the pounds. Then one day my husband pointed to the closet and expressed how somber my wardrobe had become. He was right. There was no joy there. I shunned photographs and stayed away from the scales and full length mirrors. But I still didn’t see the spiritual connection.
Then the Holy Spirit started gently pointing out to me that I sometimes missed ministry opportunities because of my lack of self control in eating. How could I dream to address a group on the subject of self-control when I was visibly out of control? The gentle prodding of the Holy Spirit didn’t go away even though I was very good at excuses. Like, genetics, a low metabolism, a sedentary life style and besides all that, I was a good baker, and my family really appreciated all the good desserts I made. The truth is that I really appreciated the desserts I made…and ate. The good intentions of “starting a diet” kept being pushed off to the next day...next week…next month.
And then came that appointed week in late May 2005 when I was preparing a power point presentation for Pastor Mike’s sermon on I Corinthians 9:24-27. I felt a definite UGH! as I read the words, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things…”
Ahhhhh! Self control in all things? The Scriptures pierced my bubble of selective discipline. The truth was that I was disciplined at what I wanted to be disciplined in...
For someone else God’s Spirit may point out another area of life that needs attention – but for me, it was eating. I had to face the truth that eating for me wasn’t just because of hunger. Crunching snack foods at night was comforting when I was nervous or entertainment when I was bored! Ouch! That was hard to admit.
Each day that week when I went back to illustrating that power point presentation I read God’s Word and it kept piercing my heart. Finally, by Friday I said, “that’s it!” I’m going to be disciplined in my eating starting right now because I can’t bear to sit in that pew and hear this message this Sunday without having taken action. By then, I must be committed to this.
That was it. For me, it wasn’t about “dieting” – it was about becoming self-disciplined. And having committed myself before the service allowed me to really accept the words into my heart. When Pastor Mike said, “if your stomach growls, you can tell it “no.” I was floored. That concept had never occurred to me – to tell my stomach , “NO!” A growling stomach to me had always meant permission to eat something! So I did indeed tell my stomach, “no” and one growl at a time and day by day I became more disciplined in what I ate. Several months later I was 40 pounds lighter – but that was only a side benefit. The real lesson was in obedience and taking one step up in self-discipline.
Even though I’ve lost my taste for hamburgers the journey of self-discipline continues and I have to decide every single day how I am going to respond. Have I arrived? Oh, gracious, no. I’m just hoping the next sermon doesn’t have any illustrations about exercise….
Thursday, August 2, 2007
The Hydesville Institute of the Bible
Are You Thirsty?
Do you thirst for a deeper understanding of God’s Word? Do you desire to strengthen your training for ministry?
The Hydesville Institute of the Bible is designed to provide Bible instruction, practical ministry training and spiritual mentoring for the purpose of reaching the Eel River Valley and beyond with the Love and Message of Jesus Christ.
Upper level 300 courses begin September 10th with *A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place (a Beth Moore DVD study) led by Director of Women’s Ministry & Counseling Penny Fregeau and the Master Plan of Evangelism taught by Pastor Jeff Beltz. There may be another class offering as well at this level.
100 and 200 level courses begin September 16th on Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM. These classes will include: Discovering Church Membership (September 16th & 23rd), Discovering Spiritual Maturity (December 2nd & 9th), Network Spiritual Gifts Class (October 14th, 21st & 28th), a two-part Evangelism Class (February 24th & March 2nd) and a two-part Lay Counseling Seminar (November 4th & 11th).
Hydesville Institute of the Bible: Who Are We?
Hydesville Institute of the Bible was established in response to the growing need to disciple and train ministry workers in the North Coast region of California. Hydesville Community Church, was founded in 1898 and has had an affiliation with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) since 1963. The Senior Pastor of Hydesville Community Church, Michael Delamarian III, has served the church since 1983. At that time the congregation numbered about 50. Today, over 500 people attend, participate and serve in Hydesville Community Church. An active and growing band of believers, Hydesville Community Church is united in the desire to reach the Eel River Valley and disciple believers to change their world for the cause of Christ.
*Beth Moore study also presented Wednesday mornings at 10 AM beginning September 12th .
Do you thirst for a deeper understanding of God’s Word? Do you desire to strengthen your training for ministry?
The Hydesville Institute of the Bible is designed to provide Bible instruction, practical ministry training and spiritual mentoring for the purpose of reaching the Eel River Valley and beyond with the Love and Message of Jesus Christ.
Upper level 300 courses begin September 10th with *A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place (a Beth Moore DVD study) led by Director of Women’s Ministry & Counseling Penny Fregeau and the Master Plan of Evangelism taught by Pastor Jeff Beltz. There may be another class offering as well at this level.
100 and 200 level courses begin September 16th on Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM. These classes will include: Discovering Church Membership (September 16th & 23rd), Discovering Spiritual Maturity (December 2nd & 9th), Network Spiritual Gifts Class (October 14th, 21st & 28th), a two-part Evangelism Class (February 24th & March 2nd) and a two-part Lay Counseling Seminar (November 4th & 11th).
Hydesville Institute of the Bible: Who Are We?
Hydesville Institute of the Bible was established in response to the growing need to disciple and train ministry workers in the North Coast region of California. Hydesville Community Church, was founded in 1898 and has had an affiliation with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) since 1963. The Senior Pastor of Hydesville Community Church, Michael Delamarian III, has served the church since 1983. At that time the congregation numbered about 50. Today, over 500 people attend, participate and serve in Hydesville Community Church. An active and growing band of believers, Hydesville Community Church is united in the desire to reach the Eel River Valley and disciple believers to change their world for the cause of Christ.
*Beth Moore study also presented Wednesday mornings at 10 AM beginning September 12th .
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