Mike Fisk & Built with Grace

This One is Hard

December 15, 2012 in Uncategorized | Tags: comfort, Connecticut shooting, faith, Hope, love, school violence, Teachers, trust | 1 comment

Unfortunately, there have been several mass shootings of late. In 1999 the Columbine shootings awakened us to the horrific possibility that schools weren’t as safe as we once thought. Since then we’ve realized no place, not even houses of worship, are safe anymore.

But this one hit hard. Maybe it’s because of the age of the victims. Perhaps it’s because to have this happen so close to Christmas dashes our hopes, and taints the holiday most looked forward to by our babies. Maybe it’s because it is one more reminder of the frailty and uncertainty of life.

Hopefully it drives each of us to appreciate the ones we love and tell them and show them so…often. Every time we part company with them, we need to be reminded in some small way that this could be the last time we see them. No drama there, no attempt to preach doomsday logic. Just a quiet reminder to show those we love that we love them.

My prayers, of course go out to the parents and families of the victims. The brothers and sisters that won’t see their brother or sister this side of heaven. The grandparents that won’t get to see that Christmas Concert this year (and it’s the first one they’d have). The Aunts and Uncles who just lost their pride and joy. Simply can’t imagine the pain.

My prayer is for the teachers and staff of Sandy Brook. Those of in education know that it doesn’t matter if you are the class instructor, the janitor or the cook, you play a vital role in the life of the Kids. At any given moment you are a parent, a coach, and encourager, a disciplinarian, a doctor, a counselor, a pastor, a playmate, and perhaps most importantly, a friend…a best friend at times.

People choose to go into education to make a difference in lives of children. We don’t go into it for the pay (which isn’t that great) or so we can ‘have summers off (which rarely happens) or for status. We work long hours, struggle with increasing government regulations and paper work; with increasing scrutiny by parents, politicians and the community at large; when the kids fail it’s our fault, when they succeed it’s their determination that does it.

We don’t just deal with sick kids, scared kids, abused kids, violent kids, smart kids, and kids with special needs. We become a part of their family system. Maybe that’s why this one hit so hard for me.

I still believe in God’s love although sometimes I question why He allows these things to happen. My prayers are for comfort and strength for the victims’ families. But most of all right now, I pray for the teachers, and for all the 1000’s of teachers across this country that are hurting over this. God Bless you. You do a service everyday that many can’t do. Thank you for your dedication. Thank you for your love.

Angel Song: A Song of Hope

December 14, 2012 in Uncategorized | Tags: angel songs, birth of Jesus, forgiveness, hark the herald angels sing, Hope, Jesus birth, Luke 2:11, shepherds | 1 comment

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

The Angels did much more than take away the fear of the Shepherds. They went a step further and offered hope. That’s important because too many times the answers society offers promise to take away our fear, but offer nothing in return.

It’s easy to sit around the coffee cup and redefine the problems and discuss possible solutions, or ‘if only’s’ but once the coffee is gone and we walk back out into the world, nothing has changed. In fact, they can sometimes be worse.

While the answers the world gives offer no lasting solutions, God not only takes away our fear, he replaces it with hope! The Angels announced two things to the shepherds that night on the hillside. One was consolation (Fear not) the other hope (a Savior is born). Their song created consolation in the midst of fear and hope in the midst of darkness.

Look up the meaning of Savior to see the hope that was offered through the babe in the manger. The Savior, Jesus Christ offers us:

Safety: not safety from trails because he promised us there would be trials, but safety in the midst of trials!
Deliverance: We are delivered from the power of sin in our lives, the guilt of our past; the enemy of our soul.
Preservation: Closely tied to safety, we are preserved in the trials of life. Jesus refers to us as the ‘salt of the earth.’ Salt not only adds flavor, it preserves against the elements.
New Life: The old is gone, the new has come. Jesus didn’t come to remodel us; he came to change us completely, to make us new creations.
Escape: The enemy of our soul doesn’t mind if we are spiritual as long as he can keep us bound to our past and failures. Jesus broke the bonds. Just as Peter walked out of prison a free man, we can repent and walk away from the bondage of our past through the Savior.
Someone to confide in: Each of us has skeletons in the closet. Those fears, worries, doubts, hateful feelings that hide in the inner corners of our hearts, waiting to attack us in our weakness. When there is no one else to talk to we can come to Jesus. He listens without judgment and accepts us without condition.

Hope: That’s really all the above in a nutshell. The tantalizing things of this world (relationships, money, status and power) can’t offer us the one thing we all long for. Hope for tomorrow.

To the shepherds the song of hope came through the angels. To us it comes through forgiveness, the cross, the Word and the family of God.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for the Angel Song of Hope in the midst of our darkness. Thank you for Jesus who goes beyond all our fears to offer us unending hope. In the name of our Savior, Amen.

Angel Song: A Song of Courage

December 13, 2012 in Uncategorized | Tags: angels message to shepherds, Christmas story, doubt, fear, God among us, Hope, Luke 2:10, worry | Leave a comment

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:10

You can’t really blame the shepherds for trembling in fear that night. Never before had there been a scene like the one played out in the hills of Bethlehem. An angel, a messenger from the most high God appears and the entire sky lights up. Not a flash, like lightning, but a light no doubt bright as the sun.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Words of assurance. Words of hope. Words of comfort. Words that remind us, when we are faced with things we don’t understand, or things that keep us up at night, that there is a power greater than our need that can conquer whatever obstacle lies before us.

God isn’t in the business of doing the spectacular to show his power, but he’ll show his power to calm our fears. That was the message of the Angle song. Don’t be afraid.

Don’t be afraid when business is down and the bills go up.

Don’t be afraid when the tension of the relationship flares up.

Don’t be afraid when you don’t have any place else to turn to; you feel abandoned; you feel alone.

Don’t be afraid when all the things you counted on as being secure begin to crumble.

Don’t be afraid when things happen you don’t understand and are beyond your control.

Why? Because there is one who understands. There is one who guides the seen and the unseen. One who knows the answer to your situation and is able and willing to comfort your fears and restore hope in your darkness.

What fear are you dealing with today? The song of the Angels is for you. God wants to reassure you of his love, of his message of hope, forgiveness, grace and mercy.

Who do you know that is in bondage to fear, doubt and worry? Perhaps the Father is nudging you to be a message of hope and consolation to them.

To the shepherds the reassurance came through the angels’ song. Where are you getting your reassurance today? From the packages under the tree? From the songs of hope and cheer? From the parties and hustle and bustle of the holidays. We all know those things will be gone in a moments time.

The Father’s message is the same to us today as it was when he appeared to the shepherds. His message is one of reassurance and hope for all people regardless of what troubles them.

For those who fear the Angel song brings hope. For those who know Christ, the Angel song reminds us to share that hope with those who are in bondage to the cares of this world.

PRAYER: Father God. Thank you for the Angel’s reminder to each of us that we have nothing to fear. Empower me to live in your confidence and to share that hope with those in need of comfort. Amen.

Now Hear This!

December 12, 2012 in Uncategorized | Tags: feeling forgotten, God reached down, God's love, Jesus Christ, Luke 2:8, Making the Christmas story known, no joy for Christmas, pain, the coming of Messiah | 1 comment

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Luke 2:8

When you have a really big announcement to make, you want to make it known to the largest, most influential audience. That’s one of the keys to marketing. Market to the most influential people, the largest number or people and in the best location.

But God never has followed the rules of the world. When he decided it was time to send us a Savior he broke every rule in the book.

He made the announcement to the lowest class citizens in the then-known world. No body paid any attention to Shepherds. They spent most of their time away from the mainstream of society, watching sheep and looking at stars. Yet that’s who God chose to make the first announcement to.
He made the announcement to a small group of people, in an obscure place, at a time of day when most people were asleep. The angels brought their message of joy to a small group of shepherds, of all people. Not only that, but often, when shepherds joined together for the night they took shifts. One or two watched while the others slept. So when the heavens exploded in light that night it startled the few who were awake and awakened those who slept!
He made the announcement in a place where most people never went due to safety, distance and remoteness. The hills of Judea were beautiful, but rugged. Few people chose to visit them just for the joy of it.
He made the announcement to a group of people who had little chance of being, or becoming influential in society.

Lonely.

Forgotten.

Scorned.

Fearful.

Little or no hope of advancing on the social ladder.

Those were the people God chose to give the news of the arrival of Messiah.

Why is that important? Because God is still in the business of reaching out to those who feel forgotten. From the very beginning God chose the weak to conquer the strong; the insignificant to be significant; the forgotten to be valued; the scorned to be restored.

In our world, even in the church, we often measure a person by his or her giftedness, talents, financial stature or ‘spirituality’. Our Heavenly Father does just the opposite. He looks for those who are least to make strong. He gives his greatest messages to those least likely to receive anything from him at all.

Feeling small this Christmas? Feeling like everyone else is moving forward while you are falling back? Just can’t get into the ‘Christmas Spirit?’

Maybe you lost a loved one this year and there will one less gift under the tree.

Perhaps you lost your job this year and for the first time in your entire life, you are being forced to rely on others’ help to make it financially.

Maybe you are going through, or have recently gone through divorce and feel your entire world crashing in around you.

Perhaps the doctor gave you a bad report on your check up.

I have news for you, and so does the Creator, Sustainer of the Universe. He came to give joy. Joy that pierces through everything that wants to pull you down. His message is just for you, just for this time, just because he loves you.

You can come to him-He’s waiting for you.

PRAYER: Father I thank you for revealing yourself to us in times, places and ways that go against the world’s wisdom. I pray for those who are going through tough times this season. Give them the message of your joy. Reveal to them the message of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dead Faith is Worthless Faith

December 7, 2012 in Uncategorized | Tags: active faith, Dead faith, Hope, ignoring the signs of his coming, Matthew 2:5, Messiah is here, the Magi, The star of the east, trust | 2 comments

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: Matthew 2:5 (NLT)

When the Magi came to Jerusalem looking for the new King, we are told that all Jerusalem was in an uproar over their question. By now Jesus was perhaps two years old. The rumors about the baby in the manger had most likely died away. After all, even back in Biblical days the idea of a Messiah being born in a manger, of angels singing to a bunch of neighbors, and the young mother being an unmarried teenager from the small, obscure hamlet of Nazareth seemed pretty preposterous.

When Herod came to the priests to seek an answer to the Magi’s question they were quick to quote scripture to him. They knew full well that location of the birth a new King. It was spelled out clearly by the prophecy in Micah as well as by other prophets. The signs were there.

Jesus would say later in his ministry, when asked about his return, to watch for the signs. Dates and times weren’t for us to know. When buds form on trees and flowers push through the hard ground of winter you know spring is coming. When you see wars, rumors of war, political and relational turmoil, an increase in sin and other abominations, you know I’m coming back.

In the same way, there were many signs that the coming of the Messiah was close. Who knows but that there were many babies born around Jesus time in which people asked: “Is this him? Could this be Messiah? It had been 400 years since there were any prophecies spoken. Four hundred years of silence by God, four hundred years of waiting by the people. Four hundred years to grow complacent and skeptical.

Did they see the star as well and choose to ignore it? Did they hear the rumors and spend their time determining why this could not be the way God would do things? Did their skepticism keep them from seeing the ‘handwriting on the wall’?

Dead faith is faith in which we refuse to look at the answers. We see the truth and decide to follow only those that don’t interfere with our own plans, our own ambitions, our own interpretation and determination of how God works. Dead faith is unable to see God’s handiwork because we are blinded by our own ideas, our own traditions, our own determination of God’s ability to fulfill his promises.

Dead faith is religion. We aren’t called to follow religious dogmas. We are called to relationship with a living Savior. Dead faith follows an unapproachable God. Relationship can only happen with a living being. Our God is not dead or unapproachable.

Not a single priest offered to go check out the story the Magi told them. Not a single religious leader took enough interest in their story to see if maybe, just maybe it really was the Messiah. It simply wasn’t important enough to them. It wasn’t worth their time.

PRAYER: Father, you show us on a daily basis, through your Word and your Spirit, how we should live. May we never be guilty of ignoring the ‘stars’ the signs in our lives. Help us to see you clearly and act on what we know. Amen.