Bridges 2012 - This Week!

Join us this week for the annual BTS Bridges Leaders Conference -- Nov. 3-4! We are so excited about all our friends traveling from around the world including, Bishop Tony Miller, Stuart Bell and Jack Groblewski. I can't wait for The Bridge to hear our friend and amazing speaker--Jeff Lucas.

Jeff Lucas www.jefflucas.org (Don't miss Jeff Thursday & Friday!)
Duane and I had the honor of meeting Jeff when we lived in Lincoln, England. He is a very busy and sought after speaker, but we were amazed at how he took the time to get to know us. Jeff is the real deal and what you see is what you get. He'll have you laughing so hard you're about to pee your pants and crying the next. When we moved to England I was in a great need for a change of pace. I was drowning under the stress of trying to figure out the demands of being a minister's wife, raising three kids while my husband was traveling full time, and managing a full time job. I felt like I was on the brink of burn out with everyone's opinions of what I should "live up" to be and God sent Jeff's book, Lucas on Life, like a special delivery to my heart. (My favorite chapter is Surviving Cynicism.) I cried through most of the pages, as God peeled religious expectations and burdens off my heart and energized me with a fresh revelation of GRACE. Here's some quotes from this book to encourage you and don't miss him this week!

"Perhaps it's as well to know that God is not waiting for me to be complete before loving me. He considers me his workmanship: scaffolding, broken tiles, wonky bricks and all." - "Under Construction" pg. 43

Register Today & Don't Miss Out! 

"We rightly fear cynicism: the cancer that so readily strikes the hopeful. The cynical heart is freezer-cold, unable to be warmed by the God who really does come and work among people. Cynicism takes the tenderhearted worshipper and turns him into an arms-folded spectator, a scowling analyst with a stopwatch and clipboard under his arm, and a bless-me-if-you-dare expression on his face...There is only one cure for cynicism-we must repent of it. It is unbelief by another name." "Surviving Cynicism" pg. 57

"But isn't the gospel call far more than 'four spiritual laws'? Isn't it a warm invitation to a life-long friendship with Jesus, a Companion and Leader for the here and now? How did we reduce a banquet invitation to being a summons to a courtroom, a legal deal struck with a judge, rather than a homecoming to a Dad who always has the barbecue waiting?" "Angry From Chichester" pg. 82

Join us this week...Nov. 3 & 4 at the BTS Bridges Conference.
For more information click the DEEPER logo.

Knee Jerk Reactions

I'm sure you've seen or had the doctor check your reflexes and hit you in the knee to see how you'd respond. This practice birthed the phrase we use today of a "knee jerk" reaction or response. The Farlex dictionary defines this as...

" immediate unthinking emotional reaction produced by an event or statement to which the reacting person is highly sensitive..." These "knee jerk" reactions cause us to be a real JERK to others! This parallels the wisdom from Proverbs 12:18...

Proverbs 12:18 Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(NRS) 


Today I faced a challenging situation, and I heard the Lord say to my heart, "Don't have a knee jerk reaction." I knew what He meant. Don't respond from my IMMEDIATE emotion, but seek God for the truth. Many times there's more mess to clean up from HOW we react to a situation than the situation itself. If we restrain our first impulse, and pray--His peace will come and instruct us how to wisely walk out His will for the circumstance. We can start to see how He works all things for good if we aren't too occupied with expressing the bad! 


I'm praying today to have the mind of Christ when the enemy hits us "below the belt." May we respond with God's answer and not our first RASH emotional eruption. Let our words sow seeds of healing, not the turmoil of a rash and fleeting emotion. There will be much less carnage to remove if we will. 

Beyond Feast to Famine Living

MONEY! Yes, experts say money arguments are a leading cause of divorce in our nation. The economy and America's financial well-being is a determining factor for many in choosing who will lead our nation. As they say, "Money makes the world go round," but does it make it go in the right direction?

Do we worship money by giving
it power only God should have
in our lives? 

This Sunday Pastor Duane preached about wisdom from Proverbs concerning money. I (Kris) have to admit money issues have been a source of many disagreements in our marriage. (I'm sure you are so surprised right now!) It seems in most partnerships there is the SAVER and the SPENDER. (Are you guessing who is which one?) I do consider myself to have a shopping gift that is not always understood and appreciated by my husband. (Smiling) Duane mentioned how we have a "Spending Plan" instead of a "Budget" because the later word makes me break out in hives! But, yes I have come around to see the wisdom of staying in agreement and unity in our spending, giving and saving, because God commands a blessing on UNITY.

When you have a SPENDER mentality (or consumer mentality) the thought is--it's in my hand--let's have a party! Carpe diem--let's have a feast and some fun!  Then the next morning you awaken to overdue bills and famine spreads across your bank account! But, of course the SAVER can be out of balance too--hoarding out of fear for the future instead of sowing. Early in our marriage, we began living on the "envelope system" where we put cash in envelopes for upcoming bills and for fun stuff (that was my favorite one--although, I do like having electricity too). There is a wonderful online program, called MVELOPES, that makes the envelope system relevant for our technology age. We use it for our "spending plan" and highly recommend it!

God has WISDOM to keep us in balance and help us properly steward what He's given us.

Proverbs 3: 9 Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. 10 Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. 

I believe as we seek God and honor His word--we will see those BARNS BURSTING to bless this city and the nations!

To hear this week's message, Sink or Swim pt. 4, go to www.findthebridge.com. 

From Duane's notes...

Let's look at 5 areas we can gain wisdom in our finances, primarily from Proverbs:

1. How we SEE money.

• As A Tool - to be used for God's Kingdom purposes. It is not something to be grasped at or longed for, but simply received and used for good.That's why He speaks about so much about GREED. (1:19, 28:25, 15:27, 23:6-8) 
• Money is not evil - the love of money is evil. Money is an inanimate object, it takes on the character of the person using it. (1 Tim. 6:10) 
• Money is one of the BIGGEST competitors for our hearts. (Matthew 6:24) 

2. How we SECURE money. 

• Honestly not dishonestly. (21:6, 11:1) 
• Faithfully not looking for a quick fix. (13:11, 28:20)

3. How we SPEND money. 

• Paying our bills (3:27, 3:28) 
• Not wanting what we don't have or can't pay for. (27:20, 21:25-26, Ecc. 1:8) 
• Not borrowing what we can't pay back. (Proverbs 22:7, 37:21)

4. How we SAVE money.

• Proverbs 6: 6-7 

5. How we SOW money.

• General generosity (11:24-25)
• Poor (14:21b, 28:27, 22:9, 9:17) 
• Tithing (3:9-10; Malachi 3:8-11) 

Welcome Home

Many of you know that one of our Bridge families has been in the process of adopting a daughter from the Ukraine. The process began in March and today--October 20, 2011--they returned to begin their life as a family. Lisa left at the end of August and traveled to the Ukraine to finish the adoption process. Two months and many adventures later, she returned home today as the mother of a new daughter!

As pastors we are blessed to make many hospital visits to hold newborn babies and witness the miracle of a newly formed family. Today we had the privilege of celebrating a new family, but instead of gathering at the hospital--we gathered at the airport. Instead of holding a newborn, we saw a newly adopted teenager run to hug her father. To say it was a moving experience is definitely an understatement! Jon jumped over the divider wall and ran to embrace his daughter. I couldn't help but think about how our heavenly father overcomes every wall to reach us.

He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us. Ephesians 2:14 (New Living) 

Congratulations Hendrickson family & welcome home!

Are your words sinking your life?

This month we are studying the book of Proverbs. God's wisdom helps us swim and overcome in life, instead of sinking in our present circumstance! 


Proverbs 18: 21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.


Pastor Duane shared six different types of words Proverbs teaches us.  Take a little inventory of your words this week. How would you measure up in these categories? 
1. Careless

There is LIFE or DEATH in our mouth!

Proverbs--15:28, 13:3, 29:20 
2. Critical 
Proverbs--11:12, 19:13, 25:24, Also look at Numbers 12:1-2 for an example of critical speech

"A critical tongue magnifies, exalts & exploits the bad or weak, and ignores or refuses to see the good."

3. Cancerous

Cancerous: any evil condition or thing that spreads destructively

Note: Many times proverbs calls these words PERVERSE (this is FROWARD in the KJ) words. (It means crooked, turned away from or rejecting what is right, good and proper; wicked or corrupt.) 

TYPES:

a) Lying - Proverbs 25:28, 26:18-19, 12:22, 6:16-19, 19:5, 10:18 

b) Flattering - Proverbs 26:23&28, 29:5, 28:23, 6:23-24, 7:21 (What's the difference in flattery and exhortation? The motive! Flattery is manipulative and self-serving; exhortation is to build up and serve another. 

c) Gossip - Proverbs 16:27-28, 17:9, 1:9, 26:20-22, 18:8, 20:19 

How do we STOP gossip from spreading like wild fire? 

TEST: Would I say this if the person were here? 

·       Matthew 18: 15 --- GO to that person and work it out. 

"Gossip is the Devil's radio." - George Harrison 

4. Controlled
Proverbs--10:19, 21:23, 25:28, 17:27-28; Read James 3 about controlling the tongue 
5. Constructive
Proverbs--14:1, 11:11, 10:11,20-21, 25:11, Hebrews 11:3
God framed the world with HIS words...He calls us to do the same! 
6. Curing 
Proverbs--15:4, 12:18, 16:24, 12:25, 10:11, 15:1, 27:9 
Our words can bring HEALING! 


Listen to Sink or Swim - pt. 3