This weeks lesson seems to offer the same solution as last week’s issue on anxiety. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Whether you spend 60 minutes crying in your pillow, or 60 dollars on a 30 minute massage therapy session, nothing can conquer your stress and give you inner relief like Jesus.

It seems easy for the stressed out people to get upset with their easygoing calm counterparts.  Perhaps it would be nice to relieve some of their own stress by dumping just a little on others. But Jesus beckons for your stress in exchange for true rest.  This Sabbath, won’t you just let it go – let that tension seep back down your sleeve and out your fingertips when you take a seat at His feet?

It is amazing what faith can do and what happens when we take that leap of faith. How many people in the Bible do we know of that took a leap of faith and God’s wonders was manifested in them?

This weeks lesson gives us the life of the widow of Zeraphath-the troubles she had, death of her husband, lack of food and that faith that she had left in her being taken away from her slowly. She could not provide for her son and seeing that everything was not working out for her, she decides to leave the small town of Zarephath in search of firewood to cook their final meal.

What is it about this woman and the small town of Zeraphath that we can apply to our lives today? We live in a society where people lack faith. So many things are going on around us that even we christians, the faith we have seem to desert us-lack of jobs, adultery, divorces, deaths just to mention but a few. Does Zeraphath seem like the society we are living in today?
When God saw all that was going on in the small town, he sent Elijah to come help his people (1^st Kings 17:1). Who do we have today that has been sent to come clean the Zeraphath that we live in today? Is it not our pastors or us as youths? What are we doing to show the widow and others in the society that Faith can move mountains?

Over the weekend, I had a chance to go watch “Tyler Perry For Colored Girls”. I could not help but wonder, it is ok for him to show our dirty laundry like that? Why did he portray the African American society in that way? After the movie, the girls and I decided to go out for dinner and we started talking about it- true enough, every woman or man no matter your color would still say at one point in their life, they could relate to it. Was portrayed in the movie is what we have going on today in our own Zeraphath-abortion, adultery, death, rape, unkindness and our inability to take that leap of faith and believe in ourselves that we are more than what we think. We just need to master that courage and stand up for ourselves and forget about all these things going on around us, take them to God in prayer, believe and have faith that all will be well.

I remember this song that I always listen to in the morning when I drive to work ‘that’s what faith can do’ sung by Kutless. Every time I listen to it, I am reminded that Faith does wonders in our lives. How many things has God done for you or me if we have the faith? I always see every achievement that I have as the work of God and the faith I have in him. Just like the woman of Zeraphath who showed a little faith in God, so should we as christians learn to trust in the faith. Her story has been told from generations to generations about the wonders of God and the miracles of faith.

Times are tough, people have no jobs and every time you talk to a friend, a brother, sister or neighbor, you will hear one of them talking about how hard it is right now. I have a couple of friends who were laid off; you can see the frustration in their lives as they try to look for jobs to no avail. Sometimes I ask them, do you think you are doing the right thing? We just need that leap of faith to get things going. It is ok to get out of your comfort zone, apply for a job in another state, you never know, God might just do wonders for you. if one place is not working out, try somewhere else.

As christians, how many times have we been tempted to test the faith we have (Mathew 11:1-3). Elijah who even while praying, still lacked the faith in God and always end up blaming God for his problem (the sickness of his son). When things don’t work out in my life as I want them to, I blame God for it. We blame God when we don’t have jobs, our finances are weak, we can’t seem to keep our relationships, we even blame god for the death of our loved ones. We need to continue in prayer and hope for a miracle. Just like Elijah finally did and the widow of Zeraphath, we need to know that God is the only one who can sustain and give life and he will give you a breakthrough at his own best time.(1^st Kings 17:17)

I care but this is really out of my hands.

It’s not my fault; you have to understand the household I grew up in.

I’m listening, but you need to understand that these things take time.

Sound familiar?

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to ignore the excuses that naturally spring to your lips and act.

Case in point.

Abigail is a pragmatic woman who wasn’t active in the nonexistent dating scene in her village. Her parents like many others arranged her marriage and she complied as the dutiful daughter. Unfortunately, she finds herself married to a fool (her words not mine) who’s selfishness stirs up the anger of God’s anointed one (David). This is the starting point, the crossroads; the fate of her household could have been a totally different one if she had refused to listen, refuse to act and refuse to speak wisely and intercede

Listening: this is easier said than done. Jesus’ brother James implores the church to Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. (James 1:19 MSG)

Acting: so David isn’t happy, Abigail finds out and IMMEDIATELY takes action. In haste, hurried, flew into action, wasted no time, choose your version of the Bible, verse 18 of 1^st Samuel 25 makes it plain that she didn’t call a committee together or draft a proposal, she saw a grievance and immediately tried to rectify the situation.

I like to talk but the words I say don’t define me, my actions do. James in the 2^nd chapter of his book (verse 14 and 15) begs you to answer these two questions.

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it?

Speak Wisely and Intercede: there is a time for everything. A time to act and a time to speak wisely, what effect do your words have? Do they come at the right time? I remember my mother trying to drill it into my long term memory that a word fitly spoken is like gold.

Solomon says [Proverbs 16:24] Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,  Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Speaking wisely requires us to acknowledge the truth, Abigail entreated David by first acknowledging the fact that her husband was a fool.

Speaking wisely to resolve conflict requires us to intercede on behalf of another. Abigail tied her fate to that of Nabal and served as an intermediary.

So what next.

I have to admit that I don’t always speak wisely, I seldom intercede when an altercation occurs and when it comes to listening, let’s just say that I spend the time my mouth is closed working on a reply.

That’s the truth.

Now I gotta go ACT and start making some changes.

Have a blessed weekend

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?… So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

– Matthew 6:26-27, 31-32

As we go through life’s troubles, you can’t but wonder what tomorrow will bring. It’s hard to be at peace. Some question whether they will ever find the one. Others question whether they will make it into a certain school. Wile still other question whether they will ever find a job. Definitely, all valid concerns, right?

Remember, as we go through this study, I am not saying we should not plan for the future. We are to be responsible. We are to work diligently in school and at work. It costs money to put our children in Adventist schools. You have to plan on how you will pay for it. That’s all a given. The problem is we become so consumed with the future that we forget our God is in control. So please do not take what is said out of context. I am in NO way saying we should not work hard. As a Christian, we must always give our best in any task we have.

I know I’ve been there when I discounted the fact that God could take care of me even though I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. When looking for a job this past year, it was difficult. Coming out of a good business school with a great GPA, I thought, “Who wouldn’t want me?!” I am a shoe in for a job, right? My future was somewhat set 6 months before graduating. Government job, good salary, awesome benefits, and an FBI badge! My path was set or so I thought. Two weeks before graduation, I got a letter rescinding my offer.

The one thing I set the rest of my future on was taken from me. With the job, I could get a car, a house, pay for graduate school, maybe even support a family. Now that future was not mine. I was not at peace.

Things eventually worked out after more than 6 months, but we need to begin thinking upside down. What I mean by that is this. I thought a job would give me security and happiness. I quickly learned that only God can. Rather than placing my hope, my future on a job, or any thing, I should have my hope and future in God’s hands. In the end, the all important question is, “Am I going to be with Jesus in heaven?” It has nothing to do with position, power, prestige, degree, or career.

We mustn’t think like the rest of the world. They continually worry about this job or that. They worry about getting into that one school or attaining that one job. I am not saying we shouldn’t have ambition. I am saying to always remember that if you’re doing God’s will, you are right where you need to be! Young people around the world commit suicide if they fail an exam because they think that by failing that exam they have failed in life. Their future was based on a test. Thank God we know this life is about more than just one exam. Why do we worry ourselves with the things the world stresses about? That’s the question Jesus asked the Jews. He’s asking the same question to us. Don’t you remember the God of the fiery furnace, of the manna of the wilderness, of the divided Red Sea, of the calmed storm? Friend, that same God who holds the world in His arms is holding you! Place your trust in God. Exchange your worry for His peace, His rest. Always seek His Kingdom first because that’s what matters and He will take care of you. And remember, this world is not your home. You are just passing through.

Still worried? Don’t be. He’s holding you. He always has been. Friend, don’t just rest on Sabbath. Rest in Jesus’ arms everyday. His arms are wide open!

No really, this time the theme for the night was “The Hot Seat.”  We had 6 couples lined up and 2 showed up – that’s how intimidating our list of potential interrogating questions was.  We were going to get up close & personal with people just starting out, people hitched for what seemed like an eternity, and we’d hoped to hear from heart-broken divorcee.  But God had other plans – simple, sweet, personal w/ two awesome couples.

Here’s the line up:

Married 2 years ago Warren & Tieasha are now expecting their first child.

Warren & Tieasha were supposed to be “study buddies” in a Business Math class when 6 months later he popped the question.  Only she said yes, but turned him down the next day when she realized her traditional values would require him to discuss the proposition with her parents first.  When asked to describe themselves in 5 words or less, they found these 6 to be more sufficient: “Striving to be one with God.”  If God is missing, then we know that we are only two lines that have no connections.

Then there was Ken & Karen our “married with children” couple.  Married for 16 years with 3 boys, they shed some invaluable light on the importance of “safety in numbers” and the changing trends in dating.  Ken & Karen both married a little later in life, but were church friends for quite some time before entering an exclusive relationship.  They described a guiding principle in their marriage as “speak plainly & hold no grudges.”

Then there was this awesome couple who met via email.  They were invited to the event just as guests, but they ended up sharing with us some really interesting perspectives on knowing/finding “the one.”  Jason & Debbie attend the Gulfhaven SDA Church here in Houston and shared about the critical role of communication in marriage amongst other things.

Some questions we covered:

- is it ok for a girl to ask a guy out?

- is the soul mate theory really true?

– who wears the pants? proper roles for hus/wife?

- unequally yoked – what does it mean? (we got really hung up on this one)

– how do you respond to statement: no good men/women in the church today?

- is divorce ever an option?

So between bites of hummus & pita chips, homemade lasagna, and baklava 20-somethings congregated in an intimate setting with friends from varying beliefs, experiences, faiths, & social backgrounds to just explore this very relevant topic.

We got Raul (new guy from Cuba) on the guitar, Kemi who is our very own SDA-lauryn hill, and the cutest couples ever in one room just to talk.  Of course the atmosphere plays a huge role too.  One guest shared, “You just walk in and grasp the tone.”  Someone else asked if I’d do their wedding.  Our very own wonderful Ms. Lorene stepped in and helped us set the serving & hot drinks table.  Niko Niko’s helped us out with some great appetizers, salad, dessert, & a $35 gift certificate for our door prize.  It was an evening to remember, and definitely and event to repeat.

If you’re wondering how to get people to connect, how to get your friends who would never find themselves in a church pew, how to combine spiritual, social, & physical nourishment all in one room at one time – try the cafe concept.

Pull out some chairs & put someone in the hot seat.

]]> http://adventistya.com/2009/04/28/the-hot-seat-unveiled/feed/ 0 http://adventistya.com/2009/04/28/jaime-jorge/ http://adventistya.com/2009/04/28/jaime-jorge/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:24:40 +0000 Janice A. Becca http://adventistya.com/?p=595 …was here in Houston a couple weeks back.

Report posted here.

As they come in, you’ll be able to learn a little more about each writer on our Contact page. For now, welcome: Kijana Knight, Sylvester Paulasir, Divya Mathew, Philip Mathew, Praveen Jones Singalla, Bernhard Samuel, Regie Samuel, Gobari Nleko, Mithun Mansinghani, & Jared Kannanaikkel.

If you are interested in contributing to this blog, please Contact us.

acf_poster.pdf

This Friday at 7:30PM at the Houston International SDA Church. Don’t miss it!