Saturday March 26, 2005
“He’s not there….” The cries echo out through the empty tomb where Christ’s body was laid. The women were looking for Jesus’ body, and of course it wasn’t there. Shortly after Jesus was raised from the dead, he appeared to the women and to the disciples. Here in the United States , recent polls show that nearly 80-percent of Americans claim to be Christians. But. for far too many people, when asked when asked if they have a personal relationship with Christ and if He lives in them, the answer is “He’s not there.”
This Easter season, remember that Jesus left the tomb and gave us the promise that when we trust in Him, He will live in us! As a follower of Christ, when someone asks you where He is, you can tell them “He’s right here.”
– Garrett Novak
-Luke 24:1-7
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee : ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”
Friday, March 25, 2005
We live by faith in what we have not seen. As Jesus was crucified on Calvary , I was nowhere to be found. But even though I did not witness it in person, I know it happened. You see, I have witnessed the result personally!
-Lyn Sahr
-2 Cor 4:16-18 NIV
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Terri Schiavo will no doubt soon die a particularly unpleasant and repulsive death due to starvation and dehydration. Perhaps her wishes were to do so, as her husband says. Perhaps the question should be asked why the husband just doesn’t divorce her and grant the wishes to the parents and walk away, which he most certainly will do upon her death. News reports indicate this is a $1,000,000 question!
But the greater concern is what does this mean to an already euthanasia mentality that is barnstorming our country and the world, if you have no value you have no right to live. And who is going to make that decision in your life? Modern medicine is making this decision commonplace by the life support technologies of today. But until you have sat in a room and had to meet with a team of specialist in regard to disconnecting life support and what the gruesome options are, if may be unfair to judge those who make the decision either way for a loved one. I have been in that position with loved ones including my own mother who died prematurely from terminal lung disease from smoking.
I still agonize over the decision to remove the life support system and allow her to die. Yes, it was her final wishes but certainly not mine as I had begged her for years to quit smoking. She just couldn’t do it and now those who loved her have been cheated out of at least ten years of life we should have had together. She never saw her great grandchildren and they never knew her. Yes, death is a cheater and that is why Terry Schiavo’s parents want to keep her alive. They love her and do not want to be without her. Who could blame them? I have missed my mother everyday since I sat in a room for four days and watched her die. A part of me died that day and I felt cheated.
-Lyn Sahr
-Job 33:4 NIV
The Spirit of God has made me;
the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
In a few moments my grandchildren will be arriving to spend part of the day. At 3 ½, 16 months and 13 months they are something! When I look at them my heart melts with love but it also winces with thoughts of the inevitable loss of innocence that penetrates all of our lives as we grow from infancy to early childhood to childhood to those teenage years and then adulthood. What can we do to help preserve the innocence? Teach children about Jesus and their Bibles. That is where innocence is discovered, recovered and lived.
-Lyn Sahr
-1 John 2:12-14 NIV
I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
We focus on the death of Jesus on the cross during these days of remembrance but I tend to think about the broken heart of God the Father. No movie will ever be made about His grief and sorrow of the suffering and death of His Son Jesus because it is incomprehensible. I am sure that every blow that Jesus received, God the Father felt the pain.
-Lyn Sahr
-John 10:30 NIV
I and the Father are one.”
Monday, March 21, 2005
God’s love is not a shallow, conditional love but rather a deep, unconditional love. And there is a huge difference. Unconditional love for man gave God the only reason He needed to send His
Son to die on Calvary . God loves us!
The Easter bunny never loved anyone or died for anyone!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 145:8-9 NIV
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 9 The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Jesus told His followers to take up their cross daily and follow Him. Somehow, I think we have lost the significance of that statement. The cross meant death to the one who carried it—he was on his way to his physical death. He wasn’t concerned about money or how many material things he had—he was facing death.
Christians are called to die to self each and every day. We are called to lives of sacrifice. But many have forgotten that. We want God to bless us with comfort and ease.
I do a lot of translating and understand the importance of getting the right message translated. But we have many who have misinterpreted Jesus’ statement. Instead of “take up your cross”, they read “sit in your easy chair”.
We need to get out of the easy chair and take seriously Jesus’ words to His followers. There is a world that is dying, and we who have the message of hope for the dying must be willing to sacrifice so the lost will hear the Good News of salvation.
-Ardis Rivera
-Luke 9:23-24
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Saturday March 19, 2005
Our cat likes to sit on the edge of the bathtub while our children are splashing around taking a bath. My wife and I knew that one day he would lean over too far and take a “kitty bath.” That day happened just last week, when our 10-year old was in the tub. All of a sudden we heard splashing and meowing and screaming from our daughter. We ran in just in time to see the cat jump out of the tub (all soaking wet) and run down the hall. Did I mention that our cat’s name is “Simon,“ as in Simon Peter?
Many times in life we are like my cat. We get too close to doing something, that we know we should not be doing, and before long, splash; we’re someplace we didn’t want to be. The Bible has another word for doing something we shouldn’t be, sin!
The next time you are too close to tempted to sin remember my cat. It’s better to turn away from sin and stay “dry,” than end up “all wet.”
– Garrett Novak
-Gen 4:7 NIV
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
Friday, March 18, 2005
People make light of the value of doing the right thing. The right decision may not meet everyone’s expectation or satisfaction but it will be the right decision. But it will please God!
-Lyn Sahr
-Deut 5:32-33 NIV
So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
We are remodeling our church facility. It used to be a hardware store in the strip mall we are in. We had to cut and smash the cement floor out in trenched areas to lay new sewer pipes for the kitchen and new bathrooms. It made me feel bad to see how hard the two men worked to break the tile and cement. What appeared to be an impossible job was done; they did get the trenches dug!
As I watched I couldn’t help but think about how hard work and time is a forgotten ingredient of successful churches and spiritual growth. Just as the trench didn’t just happen neither do growing churches or spiritually mature people.
-Lyn Sahr
-Phil 2:12-13 NIV
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Don’t be surprised it there are trials in this world. In fact, it should be expected. And I have noticed that many trials today revolve around love and money. What a dangerous combination because people seem to be willing to do almost anything for love or money. Neither are bad but of little value without Christ because it is impossible to satisfy the spiritual need we have for God with human love or money.
-Lyn Sahr
-James 1:2-5 NIV
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
If you want to make a difference in this world, you have to be different. Being different has a price tag that few are willing to pay, self denial.
-Lyn Sahr
-Matt 16:24-27 NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Monday, March 14, 2005
Children have little problem understanding the death and resurrection of Jesus we celebrate as Easter. After all, it is a whole lot easier to believe than rabbits having chicken eggs!
-Lyn Sahr
-Rom 14:7-10 NIV
For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Friday, March 11, 2005
When we consider Calvary , we are confronted with the reality of forgiveness. This is not an easy thing to experience. The simple truth of how much God loves us, that He would send his own Son to die for us, brings a sobering reality. All who seek Him find forgiveness, including us. We have a great God!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 95:3 NIV
For the LORD is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
I am looking forward to spring. This summer I am going to spend a lot of time on water and spend more time enjoying the beauty of the sunrises on Seekers Bay . When I meet God in the morning He gives me gives me strength for the day. When I meet Him before I go to bed He gives me peace in the night. When I fail to meet with Him, I fail!
-Lyn Sahr
-Lam 3:22-23 NIV
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
The power of the resurrection is what drives the church today.
-Lyn Sahr
-Phil 3:10-11 NIV
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Jesus came as a humble servant who recently seems to have a lot of proud followers!
-Lyn Sahr
-Ps 149:4 NIV
For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.
Monday, March 7, 2005
As I walked into the church this morning it was quiet and seemed to be beckoning for the remodeling to be completed so it could rest in its beauty. The Christian life is not so much different. When God begins to remodel our lives there are a lot of steps to the project and it takes time. There is also a lot of mess along the way before things get into order. Be patient, Jesus was a carpenter and He is especially good at remodeling lives!
-Lyn Sahr
-2 Peter 3:15 NIV
Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation
Friday, March 4, 2005
The Passion of the Christ is a movie that shows how much we meant to Jesus, that He would suffer and die for us. His passion was obvious. The thought occurred to me that if a movie was made about our passion for the Christ, what would the viewers see?
-Mark 14:61-65 NIV
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Thursday, March 3, 2005
Today I would like to share with you a Letter to the Editor that I wrote to the editor ofour local newspaper that appeared this week following our church being graffitied a couple of weeks ago.
Letter to the Editor
I moved to Pine City in 1959. I had just finished the 5th grade. I found Pine City to be an easy place to make friends as it seemed like the town was like a big family, people knew each other and seemed to legitimately care for and respect one another. That first summer I played little league baseball and enjoyed the waterways of Cross Lake , Pokegama Lake and the Snake River . When we moved to Pine City the neighbors helped us move in and had us over for dinner. I remember thinking, “This is the greatest place on earth to live!” The funny thing is I still believe it!
I spent the next seven years attending Pine City Schools enjoying all the benefits of being a “Pine City Kid.” We took great pride in our athletic teams and as a Jr. High boy the likes of upper-class athletes like Dick Kuzel, Butch Felton and Jim Foster were our heroes. I delivered newspapers before school and enjoyed my daily “Fried Roll” from the Pine City Bakery at 7:00 A.M. Monday through Saturday. Of course, they were only about 20% of today’s prices. Never did I ever feel unsafe in “Camelot.”
As a teenager I had one of the greatest jobs in town for a kid when I worked at the Fair Store for Walt Silesky and later at Coca Cola for Art and Vern Nelson. I played high school football, basketball and baseball and experienced what it meant to wear “Dragon Green.” I learned about how much teachers cared when the toughest teacher in school, Ken Stroshane, tutored me at his home evenings demonstrating what great teachers are made of. I had a wonderful opportunity for an education although I didn’t know it or take advantage of it. Thankfully, my classmate Candy Anderson (Dr. Candice Ames) tutored me enough to graduate. Although I loved my athletic experience it didn’t take long into adulthood that I would have traded it all for the Dean’s List. Little did I know I could have had both.
What I really loved about Pine City was the “Pine City Girls” and I picked the most beautiful one to me and she became my wife. I graduated in the first class at Pine City Vocational School with a degree in Mechanical Drafting. Four daughters, three grandchildren and thirty-nine years later we still can’t help ourselves; we love this place! That’s why something that has happened recently is so disturbing.
In 1997 we moved back to Pine City as I was intent to give something back to a community that had given me such a wonderful life growing up. Having been a pastor and basketball coach for many years I had a special interest in coaching in Pine City and perhaps starting a new church that especially reached out into the community to those people who were not regularly attending church. In August, 2002 we held the first services of Pine City Community Church .
Our congregation started with just Lonna and myself and soon others began to get involved and today our Sunday morning worship attendance averages around 60 people. The first sixteen months we held services in the Pine City Community Room and it was an enormous amount of work to set up and tear down every week. Our small congregation worked very, very hard. We were blessed with the opportunity to purchase the 8,000 square foot “Ace Hardware” section of the Pine Plaza . It was a huge step for such a small congregation but again the people accepted the challenge, rolled up their sleeves and worked long hours together to make a hardware store into a place to worship God. We have a great congregation that I am proud to be their pastor.
A few months ago our church embarked on another risk project and began the monthly FoodShare through Ruby’s Pantry. With financial risk and more hard work this small church with many inexperienced “church go’ers” did the impossible. About 200 families go through the lines in a three hour period the third Saturday each month to receive over $100 worth of groceries for the $11 FoodShare cost. As the program has grown, volunteers from nearly every church in the Pine City area help to make this possible for so many families. Again, the purpose is to share the love of Christ in the spirit of Pine City . There was a time that perhaps the two were synonymous.
A few days ago a person or persons depredated with graffiti the recently painted north outside wall of the Pine City Community Church with immoral innuendos, apparent racial prejudices and spiritual irreverence. Our congregation did not deserve this. This is the kind of behavior that we may expect in Compton , CA , Harlem , NY or even North Minneapolis but Pine City ? Not only has the congregation of Pine City Community Church been violated but so has our community. If we tolerate this kind of thing it becomes the “norm” and what business, government building or even other churches will be next? Therefore I ask the community to do the right thing and turn in to the Pine County Sheriff those who are responsible for this obnoxious act against our church, our community and against God. Then those responsible will get a constructive lesson that hopefully will deter them and others from future criminal behavior. Perhaps having to attend church every Sunday for the next year would be a fitting punishment! Unfortunately, some may prefer jail.
Perhaps the saddest thing of all is that the person or persons who did this misspelled Jesus name. Of course, I suppose that if you are misliving, misspelling is not big deal!
Pastor Lyn Sahr
Pine City Community Church
