Push On…

Friday, 18 May 2012 08:17

Guest Blogger - Brad Ratliff

Brad's Thoughts on Chapter 19

Sunday, May 13, 2012

My daughter got this awesome playhouse for her birthday a while back. She was so excited and couldn't wait to play with this spectacle of a toy. The only catch was it was still in the box and her dad (being me) had to assemble this monstrosity.

When I say monstrosity I truly mean that word and more. We are talking 100’s of pieces and a dictionary size book for instructions. As my daughter stared longingly at the picture, I stared mostly defeated at the pile of wood and plastic bags full of parts. So I dove head first most certainly expecting to die in the process.

I was lucky enough to have my father and brother for the first half of the build, but as time passed, and the build became harder and harder, my help drifted
away. I found myself alone pondering if the people who wrote the directions were video taping me for a hidden camera show. Still challenged by my daughter who so patiently waited, I pushed forward. After a few break downs of yelling and throwing wood, a few Band-aids, and several left over pieces I finished that stinking spectacle of a play house—with front door, bay windows, awning, built in picnic table, and doorbell. With pride and joy I called my daughter and she dove headlong into her personal home away from home.

If you are anything like me, sometimes my life with God can feel the same
way—with lots of steps that don’t make sense, endless piles of things to fix in my life, and an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy as I stare longing for clearer directions or maybe just simpler ones. As always our good old pal the devil is constantly whispering in our ear, “ It's too much. Give up!” Sometimes we are surrounded by people pushing us toward God, and still other times we are all alone.

So, dear co-labors of the spiritual playhouse I say, "Push on!" Let’s push on not only for the joy it brings our God or even the satisfaction we enjoy from the small battles we win, but for the joy our spiritual life can bring others. The benefit our family and friends get as we draw closer and closer to God is absolutely worth every minute of labor we put into our faith. Open up the instruction book (Bible), pull out those tools and get back to work, and finish this race strong.

By the way, as I was putting away the box I noticed this on the very last
page of the instructions, "If this project becomes too much, call this number to speak to a professional about building this house for you." I laughed so hysterically my wife got worried. I smiled, read her the paper, and said, "Where was that instruction step two days ago?"

Fitting right? The best part for you and me is we don’t have to build our life alone—we have a professional on speed dial. Don’t forget to pray! See you Sunday!

(Brad Ratliff is the Discipleship Minister at New Hope Christian Church.)

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Here are the resources to help you prepare for Chapter 20 on Sunday, May 20

Chapter 20 Adult Study Guide

Chapter 20 Elementary Parents' Page

Chapter 20 Little Ones Parents' Page

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Wrong Place, Right Time!

Wednesday, 09 May 2012 14:28

Guest Blogger - Brad Ratliff

Brad's Thoughts on Chapter 18

Sunday, May 6, 2012

I am sure that you have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and everything seems to go against what you had in store for that day. The day when you have great things planned and the car breaks down… you're late for work… you forgot to do something… double booked appointments… and your dog and your wife and all 7 of your kids are sick.

Ok, maybe the kids is an exaggeration, but so many times in our lives we fill like "nothing is going our way." We feel like some country songwriter is following us around, and we get to the end of the day mad at everyone around us, not to mention what did we do to make God mad.

I have found myself in those places more often then I care for and typically at a loss for both words and explanation for my landing there. But I have learned over the last few years that perhaps my attitude toward these situations needs to be adjusted and it has made such a difference.

What if? Stay with me for a second. What if all these wrong places we find ourselves in are exactly where we are supposed to be. What if every flat tire, every broken or changed appointment, every inconvenient hiccup put us exactly where we need to be. Perhaps it's the wrong place at the exact right time.

That ridiculous right! Look, I'm not saying that God made you spill your coffee so you would be 10 minutes later to work then normal so that you would walk in from the parking lot with a co-worker who just happened to need to talk… well actually I am.

This is what I have decided. Just like these Israelite people who were sent to exile and found themselves far from home and way off course from what they thought life would look like. God uses us whereever we are. Sometimes he even takes creative ways to get us to the wrong place at the right time. Let's stop praying that God would change our circumstances and pray more that God would change how we respond to the circumstances that we are currently in.

(Brad Ratliff the Discipleship Minister at New Hope Christian Church

Here are the resources to help you prepare for Chapter 19 on Sunday, May 13

Chapter 19 Adult Study Guide

Chapter 19 Elementary Parents' Page

Chapter 19 Little Ones Parents' Page

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Experience The Story

Friday, 06 January 2012 15:28

Does reading the Bible seem intimidating? Is it hard to understand? Do you get distracted?

Throughout the next months we'll be using the book The Story by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee to help make the Bible easier to read and follow. This abridged chronological view of the Bible has no verse references in the text so it reads like a novel. It takes selections from the NIV Bible and ties them together with with short transitions to connect the reader with the continuing story. You certainly don't have to have a copy of this book, just follow along in your Bible using the scripture text listed on the weekly study guides found at the bottom of each post.

Like any good story, the Bible is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption! Let's start reading and see God's Word come alive!

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