The family of worshippers at West Adrian Community Church are going to be looking closely at people who have begun, A Holy Pursuit. Our worship time is going to be concentrated on people in the Bible who pursued and engaged Jesus Christ. Our desire is to be people who will be pursuing Christ in the everyday of life. There is no better way than to examine some of the people in the gospels who really put out the effort to engage Jesus Christ.
The first example could be looked at as rather simplistic, Sunday School simple. The local IRS agent in Jericho, a very unpopular fellow by the name of Zacchaeus. The crowd was following Jesus and the IRS man being a rather short fellow, couldn't get a good view of the renowned teacher, healer and prophet. Being a man who was fast on his feet, he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into a tree.
Jesus recognized the notorious fellow and told him to come down from the tree because he was going to spend the day with him. Well, you can just imagine how the crowd took the announcement. Jesus spending the day with the tax man, what kind of man would associate with a tax collector?
Some points for us to consider, yes, rather simple as well. Zacchaeus didn't depend on the voices from the crowd to tell him about Jesus. He didn't ask the crowd a single question about Jesus. He was not going to depend on word of mouth for his information. Neither should we. The truth of Christ must be sought out on the individual basis. I must desire to know him, to understand him, to love him. His words must be spoken to my heart, his death must become my death as his resurrection must become mine as well.
Zacchaeus got ahead of the crowd and gained a vantage point in the tree. He put himself into the position to see Jesus for himself. He understood his limitations, his height, and climbed the tree. Just as the tax man, we must put ourselves into the position to see and encounter Jesus. I don't think any of us will be climbing a tree to encounter Jesus but, we should find a place that is conducive to meeting him. That might be a quiet place in your house, in the outdoors, anywhere that allows our mind and heart to be receptive.
Jesus recognized Zacchaeus by name. I wonder if it came as surprise to the tax man. Jesus recognized that Zacchaeus had put himself into the position to see him pass by. Jesus will never ignore our efforts to encounter him. He loves it when people desire to meet and listen to him. Jesus then announced, loud enough for the crowd to hear, that he was going to spend some quality time with him.
The IRS agent was forever changed by his encounter with Jesus on the road. He pledged to make things right with every person he gouged for more money. Jesus gave evidence and voice to the change in Zacchaeus by telling us that salvation had come to his house.
Tedd Galloway is a former missionary and is currently the pastor at West Adrian Community Church. His book, A Mother's Heart Moved the Hand of God, is soon to be released through, Morgan James Publishing. You can follow Tedd on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. His website is, www.teddgalloway.com
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Changing Times
It was eighteen below zero this morning when I got in the car and headed to the office. It seemed like the car would never warm up. The power steering fluid was thick and the steering wheel resisted the turns. The crunch under the tires seemed exceptionally loud and ice on the grill caused the wind to make a rather unsettling noise. Now, add to the cold and ice, fog, yes fog. How could it be so cold and have a heavy blanket of fog over most of the road?
It wasn't that many years ago and I absolutely loved this kind of weather. The cold temperatures made me feel alive and invigorated. The more snow that came down the happier I was. I spent time on my big Ford tractor cleaning the drive and piling the snow ten feet high. I didn't feel the cold or the wind as I worked on the tractor or pruned more than a thousand apple trees.
Time changes things. My love of the winter began to change when the first snows of 2007 began to blow. My spinal cord injury put some pretty severe limitations on me. I could still get on the tractor, a bit more dangerous, and move snow. I could still move around outside, but not the way I used to. Now when I went into the pole barn I had to be extra cautious. I could trip over most anything and believe me, there was a lot of stuff to trip over.
Now, I'm thinking seriously about moving south. That is, as soon as the bank account and future pursuits will let me. I still want to live where there are seasons. Where I can enjoy the fall colors and spring flowers, just not so much snow and cold.
Life is filled with change. It is inevitable and unstoppable. Some of us resist change with every ounce of mental and emotional strength we have. It doesn't stop the change from coming. In fact resisting change may be more damaging to our health than being adaptable and at peace with it. Learning to be content in life is a big challenge to some people.
I will need to change my thinking and doing until the day I change address, on a permanent basis. I am so glad that God is the One who helps me change. The One who is Unchangeable helps us to adapt. The One who is Unsearchable helps me in my search for meaning and purpose. The One who is Perfect Love, loves me even when I am stubborn and resisting change.
Tedd Galloway is a former missionary and is currently the pastor at West Adrian Community Church. His book, A Mother's Heart Moved the Hand of God, is soon to be released through, Morgan James Publishing. You can follow Tedd on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. His website is, www.teddgalloway.com
It wasn't that many years ago and I absolutely loved this kind of weather. The cold temperatures made me feel alive and invigorated. The more snow that came down the happier I was. I spent time on my big Ford tractor cleaning the drive and piling the snow ten feet high. I didn't feel the cold or the wind as I worked on the tractor or pruned more than a thousand apple trees.
Time changes things. My love of the winter began to change when the first snows of 2007 began to blow. My spinal cord injury put some pretty severe limitations on me. I could still get on the tractor, a bit more dangerous, and move snow. I could still move around outside, but not the way I used to. Now when I went into the pole barn I had to be extra cautious. I could trip over most anything and believe me, there was a lot of stuff to trip over.
Now, I'm thinking seriously about moving south. That is, as soon as the bank account and future pursuits will let me. I still want to live where there are seasons. Where I can enjoy the fall colors and spring flowers, just not so much snow and cold.
Life is filled with change. It is inevitable and unstoppable. Some of us resist change with every ounce of mental and emotional strength we have. It doesn't stop the change from coming. In fact resisting change may be more damaging to our health than being adaptable and at peace with it. Learning to be content in life is a big challenge to some people.
I will need to change my thinking and doing until the day I change address, on a permanent basis. I am so glad that God is the One who helps me change. The One who is Unchangeable helps us to adapt. The One who is Unsearchable helps me in my search for meaning and purpose. The One who is Perfect Love, loves me even when I am stubborn and resisting change.
Tedd Galloway is a former missionary and is currently the pastor at West Adrian Community Church. His book, A Mother's Heart Moved the Hand of God, is soon to be released through, Morgan James Publishing. You can follow Tedd on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. His website is, www.teddgalloway.com
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
God's Timing
Hindsight is 20/20 and if I knew then what I know now things would be different. I've heard both for as long as I can remember. And, like a lot of truisms, I had to experience life in order to agree with both. All of us can look back on times and events and now understand what happened. For ten years Donna and I questioned why it was taking so long for the doors to open for missionary service. We knew in a way that really cannot be explained, that we were ordained to serve God outside our native country.
We arrived in Zambia near the end of September. After a week of orientation and adjusting, which never ended, we faced our tasks. I got busy and worked hard learning all of the responsibilities that were mine and there were many. I had to learn how to operate our electrical grid, supplemented by two massive generators. I needed to understand and operate our fresh water system which provided water to more than a thousand people.
Donna had to find her place in the medical complex. The hospital didn't know what to do with an EMT. So, Donna began working with the primary health program and infant nursery. She told me more than once that she didn't really want to spend time with the babies. I knew why, her heart is pure gold and filled with compassion. So, she did what she was asked to do, work with babies.
Ten days after we were settled in, about 50 miles to the south a baby was born in the area known as Chavuna-Chinjawa. The malnourished mother died in the delivery. Her newborn was placed on her stomach as the family dug the grave, for both. The burial of both mother and child was halted by an uncle who came to the village as he heard the moaning and wailing.
For two days he carried the near death infant to the bush hospital. Along the way the only nourishment he could give the infant was stagnant water from puddles. He entered the bush station compound and found his way to the reception area of the hospital. A white nurse in a white uniform was standing by as the man placed the infant in her arms and announced the mother was dead and the last name of the family. He turned and walked out of sight, returning to his land of drought and death.
The ten year wait was perfectly timed by God. He knew what was to take place and today we rejoice over His grace. At times the plan of God is obscured and we are apt to wonder if we are in the right place.
If you are His child and your desire is to be found faithful, you are in the right place.
Tedd Galloway is a former missionary and is currently the pastor at West Adrian Community Church. His book, A Mother's Heart Moved the Hand of God, is soon to be released through, Morgan James Publishing. You can follow Tedd on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. His website is, www.teddgalloway.com
We arrived in Zambia near the end of September. After a week of orientation and adjusting, which never ended, we faced our tasks. I got busy and worked hard learning all of the responsibilities that were mine and there were many. I had to learn how to operate our electrical grid, supplemented by two massive generators. I needed to understand and operate our fresh water system which provided water to more than a thousand people.
Donna had to find her place in the medical complex. The hospital didn't know what to do with an EMT. So, Donna began working with the primary health program and infant nursery. She told me more than once that she didn't really want to spend time with the babies. I knew why, her heart is pure gold and filled with compassion. So, she did what she was asked to do, work with babies.
Ten days after we were settled in, about 50 miles to the south a baby was born in the area known as Chavuna-Chinjawa. The malnourished mother died in the delivery. Her newborn was placed on her stomach as the family dug the grave, for both. The burial of both mother and child was halted by an uncle who came to the village as he heard the moaning and wailing.
For two days he carried the near death infant to the bush hospital. Along the way the only nourishment he could give the infant was stagnant water from puddles. He entered the bush station compound and found his way to the reception area of the hospital. A white nurse in a white uniform was standing by as the man placed the infant in her arms and announced the mother was dead and the last name of the family. He turned and walked out of sight, returning to his land of drought and death.
The ten year wait was perfectly timed by God. He knew what was to take place and today we rejoice over His grace. At times the plan of God is obscured and we are apt to wonder if we are in the right place.
If you are His child and your desire is to be found faithful, you are in the right place.
Tedd Galloway is a former missionary and is currently the pastor at West Adrian Community Church. His book, A Mother's Heart Moved the Hand of God, is soon to be released through, Morgan James Publishing. You can follow Tedd on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. His website is, www.teddgalloway.com
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