Sunday night reflections

Ahhh, another long Sunday is over….here’s what I’ll remember about this day:

• SIX baby dedications at the Tinley campus – is that a record for one day here?
• My first preaching visit to South Bend in several months was fun – really, really sweet Presence beforehand, and the message was well-received.  I was especially excited to meet several brand-new families who’ve joined us in the last couple of months!
• Pastor Dan Johnson reports 10 were baptized in water at the Shorewood campus, with another strong attendance day and several praying to receive Christ…..I never, ever get tired of people coming to the Lord in our services!
• I’m really pleased that all 3 campuses are getting in the game with the Advent Conspiracy (more about that later)
• Speaking of the game…..what can I say about da Bears?  For starters, if Devin Hester is ‘ridiculous’ (and I still think he is), then what do you call the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson?  (I’ve watched a fair amount of football over the years, and I’ve never seen anyone break tackles like him!)
• Didja ever see a momentum shift like the first half when it looked like 14-3 Bears only to be 17-7 Vikings instead?
• It’s my bedtime and Vikings lead for 17, so you can stay up & watch the rest & tell me about it tomorrow…..this day is history!

Ask the Pastor

The only question submitted this week was: “Is Allah another name for the One True God that we as Christians also refer to as Jehovah, or is Allah different altogether?”

Great question….although, as you mentioned, it is a sensitive one, because of many sincere Muslims in our area.  I probably cannot definitively answer this one, because there are at least 2 schools of thought among Christians:

• A couple of years ago CLC helped to sponsor a wonderful evangelistic outreach in Dakar, Senegal featuring the ministry of the late Norwegian evangelist Aril Edvardsen, in which we saw thousands of Senegalese respond to the Gospel.  Aril was controversial even among Christians, because he would use the Koran to help preach the Gospel to Muslims, and because he insisted that ‘Allah’ was simply the Arab word for ‘God’, so he had no problem using that term whatsoever.
• I suspect the far more common view among Christians (and probably the easiest to defend from Scripture) is that found in 1Cor. 8:4-6, namely, that there is only one God.  Thus, ‘Allah’ is NOT another name for the God of the Bible, and those who follow him are actually worshipping an idol.

As with any error, whether in practice or in belief, it’s important for us as Christians to distinguish the person from the error.  By that I mean that we sincerely love Muslims, and seek to help them come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  As the Apostle Paul made clear in Ephesians 6:12 our struggle is not against people, but against the spirits operating behind these religious systems.

Hope that helps a bit.  Now, what would YOU like to ask the Pastor?

More about ThanksLiving…

On this ‘Black Friday’, when many will be shopping all day in spite of the economy & others will be stressed about the present conditions, here’s a couple of posts that I just have to pass on to you. The first one was written by a Methodist minister some time ago, but it speaks loud & clear today:

— From a Methodist minister — What a Great Day This Is! This morning, as I was driving to work, I heard that the market had gone down another 500 points. It has now dropped from a high of over 14,000 to 9,000. This is not good news. It has messed with my retirement plan and made my net worth go from pride to hide. It has turned easy street into a mean street. The bottom line is that I do not have nearly as much money or assets as I had just a short while ago. Let me share with you what I also discovered this morning: I was breathing and, in general, feeling pretty healthy. My wife gave me a kiss and told me she loved me. I was driving to WORK! I have a job. All of my children have jobs and are safe and well. My two grandchildren still light up my life and give wonderful hugs and sugars. I am a citizen of the greatest nation on the face of the earth and I will get to vote soon on how to make it better. A good friend called and wants to go out to dinner and a show. (I have a friend.) I am still a United Methodist minister. My home is safe, warm, secure and nearly paid for. I got an e-mail that told me my new book was changing their church for the better (someone is reading it). I ate breakfast and lunch and will have dinner later. (Many won’t get three meals today.) I am actually sitting down in a building I own, at a desk I bought, typing on a $2,000 machine I can barely use. I have a big huge bottle of wonderful fresh clean water right down the hall or I could choose to drink right from the tap all I can hold. I am wearing clean clothes today, and tomorrow I will wear something different. In fact, I could wear something different every day this month if I wanted to. I HAVE A SAVIOR WHO WILL NEVER LEAVE ME. It is a shame that it took losing so much money for me to realize how rich I really am! This week may be one of the best weeks of my life.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations”       (Psalm 100:4,5).

Here’s the second post, and it works every day of the year!

Who I’m thankful for…

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!  Before we sit down to devour the turkey & assorted delicacies at the McQuay household today, I want to express my gratitude to:

• my wife, who has been by my side come rain or shine, for almost 36 years….there’s no one on earth like her, and no one I’d rather share my life with (by the way, her third book will be released before Christmas, and I can’t wait!)
• my children: Chad, Jen, and Brent…..each of you has brought me more joy than I’m able to express, and now you’ve added Dorothy & Churchill & Sol….I can only imagine how much fun our “UN grandkids” are going to be someday!
• our CLC staff: some of the finest people on the planet, and I get to work with you every day – what a privilege to serve the Lord and His Church with you!
• my pastor, Bishop Joseph Garlington, who never ceases to amaze me.  Last week I heard 2 great stories of how people came to CLC all because of Bishop!
• this wonderful CLC family: all of you – black, white, red, yellow….you are an amazing collection of people, and I can’t believe that I get to be your pastor!

On our recent trip to India, our host, James Chacko mentioned how difficult it’s been for Indians to show affection, until it’s too late – at the funeral of a loved one – and it made me all the more determined to pass out the roses while others can still enjoy them.  How ’bout you: would you take time today to express your love to someone that you’re thankful for?  I promise: both of you will enjoy it!

Thanksgiving is about WHO, not WHAT

Sometimes we learn from negative examples instead of positive role models – at least that was the impact of my devotions this morning when I read 2 Chronicles 21.  The conclusion of the chapter was no surprise, considering Jehoram’s life, but it’s still pretty sad to read that he died to no one’s regret.  Think about it: to live your whole life and come to the end and have no one care – that’s the sad result of someone who didn’t value relationships above success.

Sadder still, it seems his family didn’t learn from his negative example, as we read in the next chapter.  Again, it’s relationships, not position, that matters.  That passage made me think of a comment I recently heard from Pastor Joel Brooks who observed, “If you want to get into trouble, you don’t have to play a fool; you can just have a fool in your life!”

So this Thanksgiving, I’m not focused so much on the things I’ve been blessed with; I’m thanking God for the people in my life – the relationships that enrich and influence me every day.  How ’bout you?

this Sunday

Just a quick shout out to CLC: this Sunday is going to be an awesome Family Sunday!  Not only will we celebrate communion as a family, and enjoy some special participation from our youth & children, but we’re kicking off what I believe will be our BEST Christmas series ever: “Christmas is For-Giving”!

What makes it the best?  Simply that it’s going to be the most practical series ever, with a real focus on how to make your holidays truly the best you’ve ever had – relationally.  Spread the word – invite a friend – these next 4 Sundays are going to be so helpful to us all!

Day 22: After your fast

O happy day…now it’s time to feast & enjoy all the stuff you gave up for the last 3 weeks, right?

Not so fast (pardon the pun intended) – I just want to give you a couple of things to consider going forward:

1.  At least in my personal experience, it seems quite often that I don’t always hear clearly from the Lord during the fast, but in the days following it seems my mind and heart are inclined to new insights and creative ideas from the Lord – that I think is a result of the fasting.  (Perhaps the fasting broke a spiritual ‘logjam’ so that we can hear and see clearly)  At any rate, I encourage you to be sensitive and to expect to hear from the Lord in the days ahead – perhaps on some of the very issues you grappled with during your time of fasting.

2.  Go back to your journal and review the things God brought to your heart in the past 3 weeks – it’s important to rehearse them again, after you’ve written them down.  You did write them down, didn’t you? (read my post here about that)

One last time I’m asking you to share with us about your experience during this adventure – please leave your comments below.

Sunday night reflections

Can you say “wiped-out”?

That’s how I’m feeling tonight….not sure if it’s jetlag kicking my butt, or just the Sunday schedule of preaching 3 times, plus a special meeting w/Charles Bavelloni…..but regardless, I’m whipped!  But I sure enjoyed being back ‘home’ – I mean it, CLC, there’s no place on earth I’d rather be than with you folks!  I think one of the things I’m most thankful for at this Thanksgiving season is the privilege of serving you – I seriously love this church!  Here’s what I loved about today:

• The energy in the lobby between services – my goodness it sounded like a family reunion here today! (come to think of it, I guess that’s what it is!)
• Preaching at the 10 o’clock service – those folks just pulled it out of me! (No offense, 8:15 & noon people – but the middle service was responsive today!)
• The anticipation for Christmas Presence is growing!  (You probably should order tickets here now, so you don’t miss out!)
• The way you received my friend and our partner in missions, Charles Bavelloni, at all 3 services today! (didn’t you love his story about the Israeli Ambassador’s visits to the Dakar church?)
• Meeting different folks the Lord keeps sending our way – my favorite thing is hanging out in the lobby & meeting our guests – today’s included 3 college students from Mississippi who were passing through on their Thanksgiving break enroute to Green Bay, WI….and a sweet young lady from Covenant Church of Pittsburgh (my pastor!), who referred her to us when she moved to Chicago this month….and a whole bunch of others that you invited!
• Finally, tonight a small but enthusiastic group of CLCers came together in commitment to helping Charles in his mission to France, where he will lead a joint partnership outreach in cooperation with CAPRO and Arab World Ministries to the millions of North African Muslims who have immigrated to that country.  My heart is full to see CLCers with a heart for the world, at the exact time so many are hunkering down, concerned only about our own finances during this economic downturn – I say it again, I love this church!

I can’t wait until next Sunday – we’re kicking off our BEST Christmas series ever!

And now, I’m ready for some sleep – g’night!

Day 21: final thoughts on our fasting

The last day of our prayer & fasting adventure has finally come…and I want to leave you with 2 final thoughts from my Bible devotions:

1.  What God promises with His mouth, He always fulfills with his hands – I got that from Solomon’s prayer here and here.  Encourage yourself as you close this time of fasting & seeking Him – that the promises He has made to you in the past will be fulfilled/manifest through His power in action!

2.  During this season of economic downturn, we can be a blessing to others and enjoy the benefits of a generous heart, if we follow God’s word:

• Proverbs 28:19-20 (working faithfully brings rewards)
• Proverbs 28:22 (I don’t ever want to be stingy!)
• Proverbs 28:25 (I don’t ever want to be greedy, either!)
• Proverbs 28:25b-26 (I’d rather trust in the Lord during this time, than in myself!)
• Proverbs 28:27 (I want to be a generous man!)
• Proverbs 29:7 (Generosity involves more than just my money!)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on what this time of fasting has meant to you-

Day 20: Bringing healing

I think this post from our Tinley Park Campus Pastor, Doug Neal, is particularly appropriate, seeing that Isaiah 58:6-12 describes in detail the kind of fasting that pleases the Lord.  Enjoy part 2 of Doug‘s writing concerning a “Season of Giving”:

In this season of giving it is important to note that giving goes beyond our finances. While financial giving is certainly appropriate in many cases, we can also give of our time to serve others. This is especially beneficial in cases where people are disabled or elderly and are incapable of handling simple tasks most of us take for granted. But one particular area of need that people often tend to neglect is the need for inner healing.

In Acts 3, Peter and John meet a lame man begging for alms at the temple gate. Instead of fulfilling his request for money, Peter and John fix their eyes upon the beggar and demand his full attention. Peter then spoke saying, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk”. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.-Acts 3:6-7 NKJV.

In today’s world, the church must do as Peter and John did in Acts 3. Instead of turning away and ignoring the world’s problems, we must fix our eyes on the world and demand its full attention. We must then look with the eyes of God’s Spirit to see the real need. Once we have done so, we can apply God’s healing power to change a person’s situation.

People we encounter may not have physical ailments but so many today are lost, confused, lonely, afraid, discouraged, depressed, and oppressed. They’ve been abused, deceived, rejected, manipulated, taken advantage of and hurt in various other ways that require the healing touch of God. As we look for opportunities to give, let’s not neglect the need for inner healing. Look with the eyes of the Spirit to see the real problem and bring inner healing to those who need it.

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