Dr. Mark Platt Transitional Senior Pastor

Transcription

1 July 2, 2014 Dr. Mark Platt Transitional Senior Pastor Dear River Oak Grace friend, A pastor was leaving for a much-needed vacation. Just as he pulled out of the church parking lot, he was met by one of his more difficult church members. How can you leave us and go on vacation? he scolded him. The devil never takes a vacation! he told the pastor. Smiling, the pastor replied, And that s why he s the devil. I d be just like him if I never took a break! Godly people know when to work and when to rest. It is important to work with productivity (Proverbs 12:14; 14:23; 22:29; 24:27). It is important to take time off weekly to rest, play, and worship (Exodus 20:8-11). We need periods of work, as well as times of leisure. Certainly we need to be managers of our time, but we also need to be managers of our energy. We need to live balanced lives. Right now, in the San Joaquin Valley, we are moving into vacation season. Some River Oak Grace folks will be heading for Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz and Monterey, and the coast. Other ROGers will be camping in Yosemite and Sequoia, or one of the campgrounds on Sonora Pass. Some more of our people will be seeing the USA, while others may go overseas someplace; but regardless, where you go is not as important as that you go!! Our Lord took vacations, so don t feel guilty about taking one either. In Mark 6:31, Jesus told his disciples: Come apart by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while. Although Jesus had just three and one-half years to accomplish His mission, He did not consider taking a break as a waste of time. We need to get away from the pulsating pace of our lives, jobs, and responsibilities. We need to put some distance from our everyday activities so that we can reflect and evaluate our life, our goals, and what we are accomplishing. Rest makes us easier to live with. Rest makes us grateful. Rest makes us more productive. So, in this week s mid-week chat, I want to talk to you about how to take a God-honoring vacation. Here are ten items you need to take on a vacation: 1. Be sure to set aside some time. There is a Plattitude that says: If you don t come apart, you will come apart! I have always been amused at the ridiculous argument between the Type A and Type B personalities. They argue about whether it is better to burn out or rust out. I think that either way, you re out! Everybody has a different style, workplace benefits, and needs; but generally, we need a week off every three months. So, plan your itinerary for maximum use. Set a reasonable pace so you won t need a vacation to recover from the vacation. If you are single, find some friends from church with whom you can share the vacation. You might go to a Christian camp like Mount Hermon, Hume Lake, or Cannon Beach in Oregon. Christian camps are fairly

2 inexpensive, and good ways to vacation. There are family camps, singles camps, Bible conferences, kid s camps, and other varieties. You ll have a great time, grow in the Lord, meet some Christians, and recreate. Think about a trip to Israel, too. Walking in the Garden of Gethsemane, taking a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, being on Mount Carmel, and dozens of other places, are some of the highlights of all my travels. Walk where Jesus walked! 2. Be sure to see God s creation. In Genesis, God placed man and woman in the Garden. God s intention was that we connect with Him and His natural world. He never intended us to live in concrete jungles looking at computer screens for our entire life. Psalm 19:1 says, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Walk the Hetch-Hetchy Trail, mountain bike along Knights Ferry Canal, hike up Mount Whitney, body surf in Santa Cruz, go fishing at Don Pedro, take the Roaring Camp Railway through the redwoods out of Felton, or walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. There is so much beauty where we live. Repeat Psalms 92:5 with joy: How great are your works, O LORD 3. Be sure to bring good music along. How many gigabytes can you bring along? My IPod has 30 gigs of music that minister to my soul. Psalms 59:16 says, But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love There is so much good Christian music available, regardless of what style you like. Get your heart moved and encouraged by music while you travel! 4. Be sure to bring some Bible teaching. Download some sermons to your IPod or whatever you use. Listen to messages from churches and pastors you like. Whether you are flying or driving a long distance, listening makes the time go faster and you learn along the way. 5. Be sure to bring some good books. On vacation, read shorter books so you can finish a couple of books and feel like you accomplished something. Read a biography, suspense, theology, inspiration, or devotional book. Read new stuff from David Platt, Philip Yancey, Francis Chan, Randy Alcorn, Max Lucado, and so many others. Read some of the classics by C.S. Lewis, A.W. Tozer, J. C. Ryle, or Andrew Murray. Of course, bring a Bible and continue your daily devotional regimen. 6. Be sure to stay within your budget. Many of us are committed to run our finances God s way and on a cash-basis. Set your budget for what you can afford, and don t spend any more than that. No borrowing or on credit Upcoming Events Fireworks Booth Cost Less Shopping Center If you would like to help our ROG ministries, purchase your fireworks at our Fireworks Booth, located in the Cost Less Shopping Center. D aily B ible R eading June 29-Jul 5 Job 22-42; Acts July 6-12 Psalms 1-36; Acts Psalms 37-66; Acts Psalms 67-95; Acts Aug 2 Psalms ; Acts Vacation Bible School July 7-11, am - 11:30 am ~ Games, Crafts, Learning, Fun! ~ REGISTER YOUR CHILD TODAY! No cost For children 4 years old 6th grade You may register at the information center this Sunday, or online at our website: Click on Events Vacation Bible School to launch the form. For further information, contact Marielle at the office

3 vacations! Down-size your vacation ideas so you can stay within your priorities and budget. Once you have a place and plan, look for cheaper ways and vendors. Regardless of whether you use the cash in the envelope system, or credit card system with strict accounting, stick to your budget! 7. Be sure to worship God on Sundays. I have worshipped with a new church not far from Plymouth Rock, on the beach in Maui, at St. Paul s Cathedral in London, at a store-front church near Tokyo, and dozens of other places on my vacations. I have met God s people, learned about God s church, and been encouraged in my faith during my travels. Bring the whole family and enjoy a movie under the stars! We will be having a FREE showing of the Disney movie Frozen. Please bring your own lawn chairs or blankets. Some Biblical explanation and context will be provided. Find a good Bible-preaching church nearby, and worship on your vacation Sundays. It is a good example to your children that God is important in your life, and that you keep the Lord s Day holy, just as you do at home. You ll experience a completely different worship service than the one you re used to back home. The singing, praying, giving offerings, Scripture reading, and the message will be different, but change is good for your souls! Oh, one other thought: You can have your own worship service, too. One time my son and I were camping near the Continental Divide on Independence Pass in Colorado. We read Psalm 19 for our invocation. We took favorites from the audience (us two) for our songs and we sang acapella. The Lord Jesus was our preacher as we read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Steve and I spent time talking to God in prayer too. It is one of the most precious memories of my life. You might try that if you aren t near a church. Folks, give priority to Sunday worship on your vacation. God will bless your vacation far more if you do, and bring me back a worship program from the church where you ve been. NEXT Baptism Class Sunday, August 17 12:30 pm in room 401 If you would like to make a public profession of your faith in Christ through the obedience of baptism, please plan to attend this required class. River Baptisms will be held on Sunday, Sept. 7th. RSVP to Pastor Paul or pweissenborn@riveroakgrace.org. Youth Calendar July camp and holiday break SUNDAY, July 27-5:30 pm youth at ROG (New time: 5:30-7:30 pm) 8. Be sure to do some new things. Margaret and I have snorkeled off Maui, watched baseball at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, rode the light rail in Dublin, took a boat ride on the Thames, walked the Champs-Elysees in Paris, and sipped espresso at a sidewalk café in Rome. One time, Margaret and I went to a restaurant that Teddy Roosevelt liked in Denver. We had deep-fried alligator tails for appetizers, and a sampler plate of venison, buffalo, ostrich, yak, quail, and a few other exotic things. Delicious! Honest! Expand your mind by visiting a museum, a science center, a famous library, or some historical places too. Mix it up! Enjoy the blessings of God! Ecclesiastes 8:15 says, So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun. 9. Be sure to build your important relationships. One year my daughter and I took 10 days to camp up the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington. I did the same with my son the next year. There is nothing that bonds a family together like cooking on a camp stove, pitching a tent, sleeping under God s twinkling universe, and trying to find your flashlight in the dark. I still remember helping my son reel in his first fish on the Sacramento River delta, and teaching my daughter to tie her shoes in a campground near Niagara Falls. Vacations are time to catch up on each other s lives. Long times in the car encourage conversations about life, God, growing up, worries, hopes, dreams, and so many more things you would never cover at home. Talk about some

4 of the hard things that you keep on avoiding when you are at home. Marriage and families can be strengthened on vacation! 10. Be sure to connect with God every day and several times a day. One of my most special things in life is reading Psalms and Proverbs with my wife. One morning, we were in Kailua-Kona. We sat outside on the lanai of our room overlooking the blue Pacific as we read Psalms 97:1. The LORD reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad! Here we were on one of God s islands and seeing His reign. Even today when I read that verse, I think of God s rule upon our marriage! You have more time on vacation, so read the Bible and pray for longer times than usual. Have devotions together as a couple, or as a family, or by yourself while on vacation. Stop to pray each time you start the car, or the plane takes off. Pack your vacation memories into your study of the Bible to enrich your walk with God! But, don t be gone the whole summer, OK? Summer is the time when new people look for a church home. We need you to help us meet, greet, and encourage them to make this great church their church home. We are trusting God for a burst of growth in the fall! When you go, don t forget to mail in your tithe to River Oak Grace Church! Our bills and needs still continue here at church, and our missionaries here, there, and overseas need our support. You can even give on-line on our website. God bless you for your support of God s work!! Oh, by the way, weekly worship at River Oak Grace is a mental vacation from life s pressures and commotion, as we come into the presence of Almighty God. Meditation on God s Word, music, and the message are key ingredients in our worship. Our services are designed to instruct, uplift, encourage, and point you to our great God. For anyone who has hurts, habits or hang-ups. CR Meets every Wednesday 6 pm - dinner / 7 pm - meeting Us On Have you liked River Oak Grace on our Facebook yet? Receive automatic notifications of our latest events by going online to RiverOakGrace. Click on Like. Well, that is my epistle for this week. I hope you will take it to heart. Remember Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus This coming Lord s Day, we will continue in our sermon series called Psalms for Your Summer. Each summer Sunday, we are studying a different psalm from God s songbook to learn lessons for our lives. This week we will be looking at Psalm 15 and talking about Integrity: Be the Person God Wants You to Be! As I have studied this psalm, I have seen how God wants our values and our behavior to change. If you and I want the Lord to live in our lives, our integrity has to grow. We will sit at the feet of David, the man after God s own heart, as the Holy Spirit inspired him to write. Whether you worship outside under God s creation, or inside in airconditioned comfort, it will be a great day. As always, our Heavenly Brew Café will have lattes, espresso, and great coffee. There are pastries and other goodies too. The main thing, however, is fellowship, our ministries to children and youth, and our excellent Growth Groups for adults. So, see you this Sunday for worship! Bring a Bible, a smile, and an open mind to let God talk to you. Remember, we have: 9 AM Worship Service in the Amphitheater up-beat praise and worship EARN CASH FOR OUR SCHOOLS! Help raise money for our local schools by saving the Box Tops for Education coupons, located on various items you normally buy. Please deposit your coupons in the receptacle box at the information center. Thank you for helping our community and our children!

5 9 AM Classes/Groups learning opportunities for every age and stage 11 AM Worship in the Family Life Center up-beat praise and worship 11 AM Classes/Groups learning opportunities for every age and stage 1:30 PM Hispanic Service Ministerio en espanol Sunday Morning Message Sunday, July 6 - Integrity: Being the Person God Wants You To Be Psalm 15 I love being your pastor! Pastor Mark Platt mplatt@riveroakgrace.org To view this or previous newsletters, go to our website: They are located under the Information column.