firstIMPRESSIONS
from Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan

Living through the pressures of life can be compared to walking through fire. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah believed that if you have faith in God, you can walk through fire and not be burned. He didn’t promise that you won’t feel the heat, just that you won’t be burned.

Keep On Walking.
A surefire way to get burned is to stop walking. When you are afraid, or under extreme stress, or hurting — keep going. You will get through if you keep dealing with the everyday tasks at hand to the best of your ability. PERSEVERE

Remember That This Difficult Time Will Pass.
It may feel that you are in a repeating time warp, but realize that pain is time-limited. All problems have a beginning and an end. BE PATIENT

Make Rough Times Work For You.
Not everything is good, but the Bible reminds us that everything can be used for good if you submit your will to God. Look for ways to learn, grow, or cope in your pain or stress. HAVE COURAGE

Take “What Is” And Make The Most Of It.
Make lemonade from your lemons. You are not called upon to create perfection from every situation, only to make the most of it. Don’t waste your time on ceaseless complaining, but look for meaning and joy in all situations. BE CONTENT

Clean Up Your Own Trash.
Stand on your own feet and don’t try to blame others for your problems. You are not a victim. Choose to live the rest of your life with a controlled response to what is happening. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Be True To Your Self.
You will have more strength for dealing with ordeals in life if you have the courage to be true to your own values. Hypocrisy destroys internal energy. MODEL INTEGRITY

Be Gladder Than Madder.
Expressions of gratitude calm the soul and clear the mind. SHOW GRATITUDE

Have As Much Fun As You Can.
Anticipation of fun raises the level of your energy. Learn to laugh through your trials. DISPLAY HUMOR

Determine What Is Within Your Control.
You cannot control what happens to you, but you can choose the frame you put around your experiences. You can choose how you will deal with all situations. EXHIBIT INTERNAL CONTROL

Be Enthusiastic.
Enthusiasm literally means, “God in us.” If He is in you, let your life so shine. Learn to love life. Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire. SHOW YOUR PASSION

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 7.23. Live for God, on purpose, committing each day to Him in all you say and do!

I have to tell you, I am thoroughly enjoying my new computer! After going through all of the difficulties of my last one crashing and dying, and trying to recover all of my files and documents, I am now “settled in” enough to where I can enjoy and appreciate all of the capabilities that this new machine has over my old one. I will spare you in this article from my describing all of the features! However, if you meet me face to face and ask me about it, I will be more than happy to tell you all about it!

My wife wasn’t so fortunate. I have tried – unsuccessfully – to tell her all about the new computer. She just smiles at me, nods her head, says “that’s nice,” and continues on with whatever she was doing before I interrupted her! You see, although my wife does use a computer for checking her email and looking at the occasional web page, all she really cares about the computer is that it can do those basic functions. Beyond that – it just doesn’t really matter to her.

Don’t you find that it’s like that in so many areas of life? The more you are “into” something, the more you become familiar with all the details and specifics of that same thing. Perhaps you once had just a passing interest in a certain hobby, but as you became deeply involved with it, you began to learn all of the intricate details of its workings. Need an illustration? You decide to take up golfing, so you just go buy any old set of clubs and a few balls, and have at it! A year or so later, you are “needing” this new putter, and studying your swing and stance and... well, you know what I mean!

I think it’s like that in every area of our life. And, for better or worse, it’s like that in our understanding and living the Christian life. The longer we serve the Lord, the more of a tendency there is to “over analyze” everything. And, perhaps the worst thing is that we also tend to lose the thrill, excitement, and joy that we had when we first came to know Jesus as our Savior.

If you – like me – find you keep getting distracted with the complexities of the Christian walk, and you want to “get back down to basics” then you won’t want to miss this Sunday morning’s message – “What It’s Really All About.” We will be looking at Hebrews 10:19-25, and getting back to the basics of what we really should be doing as a believer in Christ!

(top)

Test me, O Lord... examine my heart and my mind. – Psalm 26:2 NIV

Let’s look at some of the tests God uses to develop us

The Test of Small Things.
This test comes when we’re asked to do something beneath our ability and potential. It proves how faithful we are to our commitments. It also reveals whether or not we’re ready for greater responsibilities. Jesus said, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10 NIV).

The Motive Test.
This test comes to us when we are doing all the right things – but not necessarily for all the right reasons. It’s right to pray. Yet Jesus warned: “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love... to be seen by men” (Mt 6:5 NIV). Sometimes we don’t even know our own hearts. That’s why we need the mirror of God’s Word: “For the word of God is... able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12 NAS). When you stand before Christ to be evaluated and rewarded, the question will not just be what did you do, but why did you do it?

The Stewardship Test.
Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38 NIV). Only when your hand is open, can you receive more from God. The practice of giving on a regular basis prevents you from being owned by what you own. Money is called currency because it’s supposed to flow through you. When you withhold out of fear or greed, you limit what God wants to give you. Want to keep the flow of blessing going in your life? Become a river, not a reservoir.

The Wilderness Test
This test comes when we feel spiritually dry and our joy level is low. It reveals our ability to adapt to adversity and change, and as a result enter a new level of growth. It proves we’re able to perform even when life isn’t fun. “He led you through the vast and dreadful desert...to... test you so that in the end it might go well with you” (Deuteronomy 8:15-16 NIV). The wilderness test is where we submit to short-term pain, confident that in the end it’ll produce long-term gain.

The Credibility Test
Nothing matters more than your confidence before God – and your credibility before people. When Lot tried to rescue his sons-in-law from the destruction of Sodom: “He seemed as one that mocked” (Genesis 19:14). They’d probably seen his selfish treatment of his Uncle Abraham, and heard about his shady business dealings. As a result he lost his credibility when it mattered most. Is that happening to you?

The Authority Test
Before Paul took the Gospel to the Gentiles he first went to Jerusalem and submitted his plan to the apostles, asking for their blessing. He had no: “Nobody is going to tell me what to do” attitude. God placed David under a flawed leader called Saul. It’s pretty bad when your boss wants to kill you. But you can learn as much from the mistakes of a failure as you can from the achievements of a success. Because David submitted, he qualified to sit on Saul’s throne. Want to be a leader? Learn to be a follower. Submit!

The Offence Test.
Jesus said, “Offences will come” (Luke 17:1). So be ready! Those who lead always take the worst of the flack. The front line is no place for the weak-willed or the weak-kneed. So, what are you going to do when offences come? Get mad and get nowhere? Get even and get into trouble? Or get over it by practicing forgiveness. “If you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mk 11:25 NIV).

The Warfare Test.
This test is for those who claim to be strong in faith, but prove to be weak in fight. “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt’” (Ex 13:17 NIV). Now, you haven’t been called to be insensitive and abrasive, but if your destiny is worth pursuing – it’s worth fighting for! So, toughen up! It’s a battlefield, not a bed of roses. You must engage the enemy each day using each Spiritual weapon at your disposal. If you don’t he’ll steal every God-given blessing you’ve got, including your identity, your testimony, your integrity, your family, your calling, and your future. This test demonstrates your ability to continue in your vision even while you’re experiencing disappointment and opposition. So remember, the level of attack is the best indicator as to the level of blessing that waits for you beyond the attack!

The Test of Time.
This test has two dimensions. One reveals the strength of your life’s impact, the other reveals the length of it. Each calls for signing your signature with excellence on all you put your hand to. The electric light still burns even though Edison has left the building. The needy are still being cared for even though General Booth is in Heaven. Now, your legacy may not reach those heights, but your influence can outlive you. And the test of time has a second dimension – an eternal one. How you live your life today determines your rewards and status in Heaven. “Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out” (1 Co 3:12-13 TM).

The Lordship Test.
Simon Peter passed this test by obeying a command that seemed to make no sense at all: Jesus said to him, “‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ’master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break” (Luke 5:4-6 NIV). First Peter tried fishing alone and failed. Next he tried it with Jesus and succeeded. Same fisherman. Same boat. Same nets. What changed? He was willing to do it God’s way! If you want to succeed, talk to God, listen to what He has to say – and do it!

as seen in The Word for Today at http://www.thewordfortoday.com.au/

(top)

by Joseph J. Mazzella

I never liked mushrooms when I was a boy. There seemed something strange about them. They grew in clumps of dead leaves, on rotting tree trunks, and in moldy basements. Their white, fleshy texture seemed almost ghostly as well. In addition, I had been warned a hundred times not to eat any wild ones because they might be poisonous. This didn’t put me in a mood to taste them then when I saw my Grandma getting ready to put them on a pizza one day. I did, however, work up my courage and ate a raw one while she was spreading the sauce. It tasted just like it looked: musky, bland, and unwholesome. I spit it back out right away and from then on I picked the mushrooms out of anything I ate without tasting them.

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I was pressured into trying mushrooms again. This time, though, I found out something I hadn’t known before. When you cook mushrooms in something they not only take on the flavor of that food, but they enhance it as well. Soon I was enjoying mushrooms in soups, on steaks, in sauces, and even on pizzas. I became a true mushroom lover and have enjoyed this wonderful creation of God ever since.

I realized something special too. God often gives us a lot of different “mushrooms” in our lives. Often we have to go through things and experiences that we don’t like and even are afraid of. After they are stirred in with the rest of our lives, though, we find that they have helped us rather than harmed us. I know that more than once I have been mad at God for having to go through pain, disappointment, and hardship only to later find that these things have brought me to a place of deeper love, joy, caring, and oneness with Him. Don’t be afraid of the mushrooms that come your way then. Stir them in, cook them up, and enjoy the feast of life that God has given you. And don’t forget to set a place at the table for everyone you love.

as seen in “Time With God.” You can get your own free subscription by sending a blank email to TimeWithGod-subscribe@topica.com

(top)

An Angel says, “Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn’t happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.”

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won’t fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more.. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don’t lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don’t use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the “kid” in you every day.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don’t wait until it’s time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good “Thank you Jesus.”

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you’re grateful for that you’ve never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

(top)

by Alan Smith

Fred Craddock tells the story of a missionary family in China who was forced to leave the country sometime after the communists took over.

One day a band of soldiers knocked on the door and told this missionary, his wife, and children that they had two hours to pack up before these troops would escort them to the train station. They would be permitted to take with them only two hundred pounds of stuff.

Thus began two hours of family wrangling and bickering — what should they take? What about this vase? It’s a family heirloom, so we’ve got to take the vase. Well, maybe so, but this typewriter is brand new and we’re not about to leave that behind. What about some books? Got to take a few of them along. On and on it went, putting stuff on the bathroom scale and taking it off until finally they had a pile of possessions that totaled two hundred pounds on the dot.

At the appointed hour, the soldiers returned. “Are you ready?” they asked. “Yes.” “Did you weigh your stuff?” “Yes, we did.” “Two hundred pounds?” “Yes, two hundred pounds on the dot.” “Did you weigh the kids?” “Um... no.” “Weigh the kids!”

And in an instant the vase, the typewriter, and the books all became trash. Trash! None of it meant anything compared to the surpassing value of the children.

If only it were that easy for us. If we had to make a physical choice, the choice would be easy. What’s worth more — your child or a computer? If you could only take one with you, which would it be? That’s easy; it’s a no-brainer. But seldom does the choice come wrapped in such easy-to-open paper.

Too often, it sounds more like this: What’s more important — spending time with your family or staying at work a couple of extra hours to get caught up? “Don’t ask me to make that choice! My family is important to me. It’s just that I really need to get this done! After all, I’m only doing it for provide for them.” Still, there are times when the question won’t go away: Which is more important?

And there are times when we are forced to admit that we’ve been gathering hundreds of pounds of “trash” while neglecting that which is of greatest importance.

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

But God bless each one of you with the wisdom to choose that which is of greatest value.

This article by Alan Smith, Senior Pastor of the Helen Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville, North Carolina. You can visit his site at http://www.TFTD-online.com

(top)

The U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005, passed by Congress in July 2005, extended Daylight Saving Time (the second word is properly singular) in the U.S. by approximately four weeks. As a result, DST will begin this year three weeks earlier (on March 11, 2007) and will end one week later (on November 4, 2007). This arrangement cuts electricity usage in the evening and helps reduce traffic accidents.

However, unless certain updates are applied to numerous computer software systems (e.g., operating systems such as Windows, application software such as Outlook and other e-mail systems), mobile devices (e.g., iPods, PDAs and pocket PCs), network servers, VCRs and DVD players with clocks, cell phones, watches, etc., any number of problems could occur. Even congregation members could arrive at church events one hour early for several weeks.

The concept behind Daylight Saving Time was first suggested by Benjamin Franklin in a 1784 essay titled, “An Economical Project.” After several European countries put DST into practice during World War I, the U.S. formally adopted it in 1918, but it proved unpopular and was discontinued in 1919. It returned in a different form during World War II as “War Time” and was observed year-round until 1945. It then became a state by state observance.

By 1966, the different daylight time practices throughout the country had become a source of difficulty, so Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which specified DST to be the time between the last Sunday of April and the last Sunday of October. In 1986, the law was revised to start DST at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of April and end at 2:00 AM on the last Sunday of October. Several states and territories in the U.S. still do not observe DST (Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Arizona). The 2005 legislation changes DST, starting in 2007, to begin at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and end at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November.

For more information on Daylight Saving Time, visit www.snopes.com/info/notes/daylight.asp. For more information in preparing for the new DST dates, visit support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst.

(top)

An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening of church services when she was startled by an intruder.

She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled, “Stop! Acts 2:38!” “Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven.”

The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he was curious and asked the burglar, “Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you.”

“Scripture?” replied the burglar. “She said she had an ax and two 38s!”

We don’t have an ax, or any weapons for that matter. But, we will be having a water baptismal service soon on Sunday, March 11th! If you would like to obey the command of the Lord and be baptized, then be sure to let us know, and we will be glad to include you in this special time!

Looking forward to worshiping with you this Lord’s Day here at WFA!