MosaicRC

On our journey towards mature faith in God, there are certain areas that require action — tithing and serving others.  Both can be a little scary, but the benefits are amazing!  It is not so coincidence that the two things that we seem to have the least of (money and time) are the very things God wants us to give in His name.  Money is such a loaded issue for people (more couples divorce over money issues than any other), and it has gotten pretty abused within the Christian church.

God says that if we are not giving 10% (1 dime out of every dollar) of our increase (Income) then we are robbing from Him (Malachi 3:8).   That puts a pretty heavy spin on the subject doesn’t it? I think we all forget that it is not we who provide; but God provides to us through talents, abilities, skills, and jobs.  He goes on and says that if we will trust Him and are faithful in our tithing, then He will bless us by opening up the flood gates of heaven.  In fact, He says, “There will be so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

I know this is true, I have many stories on how our faith (trust) and faithfulness in tithing has resulted in abundance, money mysteriously stretching out beyond belief, and mysterious checks coming in at the perfect time.  God challenges us by telling us to test Him in this, telling us what the result will be.  It is like a teacher telling her students that if they take a test they will get an A+.  Really good odds that it will work out for us.  So, are you ready?

The other area we seem to want to neglect is looking beyond our own needs and desires.  Our culture has become so narcissistic that the needs or wants of others have become invisible to us.  If we are truely on a road to faith and Jesus is our example, then we should become students of His ways.  In Mark 10:45, Jesus tells His disciples (students), “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

If that is what He was teaching them, it still stands for us today.  I am excited about the opportunity to serve my neighbors next Sunday and share time and food with them.  Getting out of the building this coming Sunday and actually doing what we so often talk about will be challenging and fun.

I hope the challenges and opportunities that have been put before you the past two weeks will strech you as well as bless you.  Time and money are precious commodities these days, so we need to be wise and get the most out of them.  By trusting God and asking Him to guide us with our time and money we are sure to win.

So, get out there and be the hands and feet of the King,

Rod

P.S.  What are some of the serving ideas?  Do you have room for others to come and partner with you? It is fun and more comfortable to have someone else to serve with.  Leave a comment and let others see your ideas and let us know if we can help you.

Meet the next generation of Mosaic RC: Ezra Jack Daniel, Sophia DamarisJooYoung Kim, Noah Zion Randolph, and Barrett Scot Jamison. What a pleasure it was to dedicate parents and babies back to God. It is no small thing to present the greatest gift of life back to the one who gave it in the first place. Children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3) but also a huge responsibility. I am continually blown away by how they follow our lead wherever we go and in whatever we do, say, or react. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 is a huge hint into godly parenting. It says:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Basically we are called as Christians to model our lives after God in order that our children will learn from us a love and devotion that they will naturally follow. Jesus won’t be some enigma to chase after and wonder whether He is real or not; rather, the children will know who He is and how to have a relationship with the living God. It is easy to see the hypocritical habits and words I struggle with when I begin to examine these lessons on godly parenting. Prasie God for His grace and mercy to those who earnestly try to follow His ways. Like faith, parenting is a long journey. Parents, press in during the tough times and enjoy the blessing of your children while you have them; time is short.

Abram had seen God’s faithfulness on more than one occasion, especially in Egypt.   Heading back to Canaan he is promised the land everywhere his eye can see.  Lot, Abram’s nephew, has followed him since Haran and has been blessed along side his Uncle because of God’s faithfulness to Abram (I will bless those who bless you).  With so much blessing from God, the two men have more livestock than the land can accommodate.  Gracious Uncle Abram offers Lot the choice of the land.  By what Lot sees (the green and fertile Valley of the Jordan), Lot chooses what seems like the choicest of land next to the cities of wicked men.  Abram humbly moves to Hebron, under the oaks of Mamre, a place in the opposite direction, understanding that God will provide for him and all of those with him.  This is the place that Abram settles and calls home for a time.

God gave Abram a place to call home – a place to dwell, raise livestock, and be a family of people.  I am aware of the leading of God, for us, to venture out and begin to look about the land of Rancho Cucamonga.  “This is the land I (God) have given you.”  Four years we have lived as nomads moving in and out of a school and a community center every week.  We have been a family of people living in the guest rooms of our city.  I believe God is going to give us a home of our own in our community.  In the months to come, I am asking Mosaic RC to begin praying that God woud lead us to that place He has set aside for us.  Like Abram at the “Oaks of Mamre,” it is time we began to set roots in Rancho Cucamonga.

Genesis 12:10-20. God has lead Abram and all of his household (wife, nephew, servants, and livestock) on a 600 mile trek from Haran (Assyria) to Canaan (the land promised). Abram has now had three personal encounters with the Almighty God (Yahweh) and finds himself and family living peacefully in Canaan as foreigners. He is building altars in worship to God in plain sight as a form of evangelism and testimony to God. For a time, Abram has set up his tent between Ai and Bethel and is grazing his livestock in the pastures of the land. God has taken care of all of his needs to this time. God has shown Himself faithful to Abram.

A time of famine begins, and Abram witnesses his neighbors leaving for the fertile land of abundance in Egypt. Like I so often do, Abram seems to forget about God’s faithfulness and settles his thoughts on the circumstances around him. What should I do to keep food on the table? Where should I go for help? And how do I keep it all together?  So, like all of the neighbors, off to Egypt they go.

Nearing the border, Abram remembers all that he has heard about the Egyptians. They are hard and take whatever they want, including beautiful women for Pharaoh. He instructs his beautiful wife, Sarai, to tell the border patrol that she is his sister, so it all goes well for him and they won’t kill him. So she does; and as a result, Sarai is taken for a wife to Pharaoh while Abram is given many valuable possessions (gold, silver, servants, livestock). Abram wins materially but loses his prized possession, his wife. God’s grace and trustworthiness are evident by the way He protects Sarai from being taken (sexually) by Pharaoh. She is returned to Abram, and they are escorted by soldiers with all that was given to him and all that was originally his. Abram is more wealthy now then when when he first arrived in Egypt. God grants three promises to Abram in spite of his faithlessness:

1. He blessed him with fortune from Pharaoh
2. He made his name great in the sight of the people in Egypt through the escort out of Egypt
3. Through God’s evident presence with Abram, he was revered as a powerful man

Abram is an example of the way an ordinary person thinks and behaves. We all seem to see our situation and circumstance clearer than we see God’s faithfulness in our lives. Abram is the picture of a man who is trying to know and understand God’s ways but is living in a temporal world. In him God is showing us how to build faith through obedience. God never told Abram to leave Canaan; but even though he did, God was with him and protected him. So it is with us.

When we read the account of Abram in Genesis 12 how he was called and obediently/faithfully went, we could say to ourselves, “I wish I could have faith like that.” But when we search deeper into the bible and find out more of the life of the man Abram, we find him to be more like us than first meets the eye. In Acts 7 we hear Stephen, while being questioned, retell the history of Abram saying, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.”

What’s more is that while he was living in Ur (lower Mesopotamia) and Haran (Assyria), Joshua 24:2 tells us that they (Abram’s family) were worshippers of idols/false gods. Abram/Abraham is a true life story that shows you and me that Abram, like us, was only flesh and blood. It was through God’s revelation and Abram’s quest for God that Abram turned into a man of great faith. As we walk with Abram, we will learn what it looks and feels like as God molds us into people like Abram, people of faith.  Walking with God is a long journey, but the destination is faith.

Baptism Mosaic RC August 10th, 2008

There is really no better way to celebrate a Sunday service than with Baptism – to see one who has made a commitment to Jesus to serve Him all of his/her life and make the public declaration by being immersed in water.  Wow, it is awesome!  Arlene Quintero said, “I was sprinkled as a baby by my parents’ decision, but I wanted to be baptized today because it is my faith and my decision.”   Baptism is an important part of the Christian faith.  It is by baptism that we profess to the world that we are followers of Jesus Christ.  It is much like the wearing of a wedding ring.  It is the outward symbol to the commitment we made to our spouse.  All of that said, it was a great day; and I was honored to be a part of it.  Congratulations Arlene!

Next Sunday we resume our walk with Abram in Genesis 12.  Read the chapter before Sunday, and see what insights you get as we follow his footsteps to mature faith.

Blessings to all,

Rod

Isn’t this road called faith we are on kind of confusing?  I mean it seems easy enough, just trust in God and go.  Right?  But I find it isn’t as simple as it looks.  We are constantly having to choose which way to go, passing opportunities and having to turn around to retrieve them or learn from them.  It is a road filled with mystery and adventure at every turn, but when do we arrive?  Isn’t that a good question, and exactly how do we get to our destination?  Most people chart out on maps or Google the directions when taking a long road trip. How can we chart our course when it comes to faith?  I am glad you asked.  We go to the people who have already forged the trail and arrived to the destination.  For this trip we go to a man named Abram from Ur, i.e, lower Mesopotamia.  His address is found in the book of Genesis of the Bible.  He was the first everyday guy who took the trip and successfully arrived.  His story is great; he did it like someone like me.  He made mistakes, blunders, and had mishaps; but he went all the way.  Not only did he go all the way, but he was blessed beyond measure.  So come along with us as we retrace his story on Sundays.  It is sure to be encouraging, insightful, and comforting to see how God is patient with people just like you and me.

Hope to see you on Sunday,

Rod

Mirrors have been around for thousands of years.  The first ones were from around 6000 BC, polished stone used for probably the same things we use them for today.  During the times of Jesus they used bronze and copper, highly polished, but the reflection was blurred or dull.  Paul’s word to the Corinthians gives us a little insight, saying, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1Cor. 13:12).   At any rate, reflecting is found in the Bible as a metaphor for following the example of Jesus.

As we, Mosaic RC, strive to reflect Jesus to our community in the essence of an ER, Rehab Center, a Gym and a church to call Home we invite you to come and be a part.  There is a place that only you can fill.  You see, people are the church and together we function as these ways reflecting the glory of God.  Each one of us is made in the very image of Him, but how much better with each other?  Whether we are at church on Sunday or any place else on the other 6 days let’s reflect, mirror, or be the example of Christ.  With that said, go out and let the community look at you and see Jesus!

Blessings,

Rod

What is it about feeling at home that beats most all others?  After a hard day at work or being away from home for an extended period of time, the anticipation of finally getting there is almost too much to bear.  Then when you actually walk through the door and are able to catch your breath, you can let down and relax.  It is the best!  At home you are who you are, no pretense, no expectations, just you, God and maybe your family.  Home is where your heart is.

Mosaic RC is…  a home.  It is a sanctuary where we gather, let down, and catch our breath.  A place to be around people who you know and who know you.  Somewhere to be lifted up and encouraged by people on the same journey as you.  A sanctuary to draw close to God and to your church family.  I know when I walk through the doors of Mosaic RC I have  the same feeling as when I walk into my house.  God is calling Mosaic RC to be a place where home is a happy word, a church where there is acceptance, love, and a place to know others and be known.  See you on Sunday where Mosaic RC is Home Sweet Home.

Rod

Greetings Mosaic RC,

Have you heard the old saying, “No pain no gain”?  Well, at one time in my late teens I, Rod Hayes, was pretty consistent in a weight lifting regiment.  I know … you can’t tell anymore, but that was 25 plus years ago.  I remember the first day I worked out – muscles pumped, heart rate up, and feeling so good about myself.  Then the next day – rolling out of bed and almost unable to move, the day dragging on, and every muscle in my body hurting so bad.  I wanted to just crawl back into bed and sleep it off.  Instead, I continued on, working out and increasing my strength.  I found that after the third day, the pain was gone; and I started to feel a lot better.  It was a matter of discipline for me.  After a while, I saw progress in the building of strength and the tone and size of my muscles.

Our Christian walk is similar, It is a progression of exercise that makes us spiritually strong and spiritually fit.  The most important exercise is that of time with God through prayer and reading the Bible.  In our days, it seems like our most valuable commodity is time.  I promise there is no better way to spend it than with our creator.  As you do your daily exercises this way, you will begin to see a strong relationship being built, one that will impart strong faith and godly wisdom.  The truth of God will be in you, and it will set you free!  So go ahead, pick up that Bible, and spend some time with the greatest personal trainer ever known.

Rod