Courage: Born Through Adversity

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous.

Be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Most people don’t realize it, but the Bible has a lot to say about courage. For some reason, in our society today, courage has become a trait no longer highly prized as it was in our parents’ generation. Our society is enthralled with stories about those whose success came by accident and we’re thrilled when we hear that they hardly even tried―an overnight success! We like the get-rich-quick stories- - - “I bought a lottery ticket and become a millionaire overnight”- - - no work necessary. We love the idea of someone discovering us! Maybe that’s why movie stars and pop-music stars are the new heroes of our society.

But I praise the people of courage who are all around us: the single parent, the businessperson daring to conduct business God’s way in a dog-eat-dog world, the hero struggling to overcome a chronic or even life-threatening illness, the person with an impossible dream! People flock to successes, but some of us live in admiration of the people who fight the odds, holding on the impossible dream. Courage cannot be born without the cradle of adversity. If you feel like a failure or that everything is going wrong, let me salute you for your courage! I admire the writer who has never published, the policeman/fireman and their families who live with the constant threat of danger, the idealistic school teacher who continues to give everything day in and day out to each child they’re given; the TLC facilitator who ministers to and nurtures people’s souls; the person who sticks with their dream even when the results are not encouraging.

And I am not the only one who notices! There are children watching and learning- - - there are cynical people watching and wondering- - - and God is watching and applauding from heaven!

Life is a drama―a real adventure classic!
If we just appreciate it!

Lord Jesus, I pray for the people of courage! Give them this moment to hear your applause of heaven, Amen.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

An Exciting Adventure: Humility

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:3-4

The issue of self-esteem and humility is a tough one to work out. So many people are desperately in need of confidence to face the difficulties and challenges they face. Yet others become so proud that they are offensive to others with their disregard for the thoughts and feelings of those around them. I have wrestled with this issue throughout my ministry. As I think back to some of the people I have mentored in the past- - - lack of humility has been a big issue. Some grow and get so spiritual that they are not only un-teachable, but they isolate themselves with their superior attitude.

This is not to say that I have not wrestled with this issue myself- - - I think God is trying to help me grow in this area. The phrase “Consider others better than yourself”, can be a touchy statement in Scripture. We, as a church, have always had as our guideline “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words treat others as you would like to be treated. I think the choice of words is important. It doesn’t say that others are better than you―that could be fundamentally damaging for someone to constantly be focusing on how everyone is better than they are. Instead, it’s a basic introduction to politeness. When I think of this phrase, I remember times of being invited over to peoples’ homes and being treated with amazing civility. In fact, they were living out Philippians 2:3-4. I believe that humility is not about eroding your personal respect as a God created human being, but about treating others with more respect because of your love for Jesus Christ. And it doesn’t mean you have to buy everything everyone is selling because some of it may not be honest, ethical or practical. Sometimes you have to make a firm stand and do it in a loving way. It is just something that we all have a lot to learn more about.

What I am sure of is that those who have begun the way of humility described in Philippians have opened the door to very exciting adventure- - - a life-honoring leadership style and a second world of communication and relationships that were not available before. Let’s join together for this new adventure as we apply this biblical principle to our lives.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Worship: A Mountaintop Experience

“Then Moses led the people out of a camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.”
“The Lord descended to the top of Mt Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up.”

Boeing didn’t invent mid-air refueling- - - and God did not design us to fly on empty hearts! Neither did God design us to be puppets or perpetual motion machines. Actually we are more like “seven day clocks” because we need fresh energy at least every seven days in order to love, and laugh, and be fully alive!

Worship is a lot of things- - - like praise, fellowship, etc, but it’s nothing unless you meet with God in a special mountaintop experience.

Sure God is everywhere, but it was His plan to have a special place to meet with us. Jesus said “My house shall be called a house of prayer”, so we build sanctuaries- - - places of special prayer where we can listen and experience the very real presence of God.

At least one day out of seven I need to “go up on the mountain” then I am ready to take life head on in whatever valley He has assigned for me.

Make regular worship one of the highest priorities of your life!

Dr. Dale Caleb White

What is the Greatest Day of Your Life?

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

There is nothing more exciting than a great team that appreciates its different gifts and welds them together into a greater “whole” than the parts would be. The Super Bowl is always an example of a team sport. But it’s nothing compared to a church that loves the old and young, the rich and poor, brown and white, democrats and republicans. It is for this reason that I love the books of Corinthians. I never get enough of them. The Apostle Paul tries to bring unity to a divided and underachieving church by teaching the importance of discovering and engaging your gifts- - - and appreciating those with different gifts who might feel like they were born on another planet. But together - when working with Christ at the head - watch out world!

1 Corinthians 12 is the primary chapter in all of Scripture for discovering and engaging your giftedness. When people don't discover and engage their giftedness they tend to fall into discouragement, sin, division, and isolation. Your sense of security and excitement for life all depend on not only discovering your gift, but knowing how to use it in a church. You will be blessed financially, relationally and every other way when that happens- - - and you will be a
blessing! I am kicking off a new series entitled “Christianity after Religion”. Christianity doesn't work when it’s just a show on Sunday. That might feel like “religion”, but it’s so much more. It’s
becoming fully alive every day of your life!

Let me ask you, what is the greatest day of your life? Now let me tell you- - - Today! If you find and engage your divine giftedness the greatest adventure of your life awaits you. I have asked my dad, Dr. Dale White, to begin the series this Sunday. It’s his 80th birthday. He has given 59 years in active ministry and I want our church to be able to celebrate that. I was thinking- - - what could be the best gift I could give my dad on his 80th birthday? And I immediately knew the answer- - - ask him to preach! It will be a gift to all of us as well and maybe a moment that we will all never forget. Don't miss the weekend - February 11th & 12th - as we witness a church that loves and is loved- - - a church that celebrates our differences and is blessed because of it! Remember- - - the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians is followed by the 13 chapter “The Love Chapter”. Do you want to heighten your love and joy of life? Then discover not only your gift and the gifts of those around you, but let Jesus be at the center and lead us in this adventure in love.

Remember- - - what is the greatest day of your life?

Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim
White

Being Grounded: in Scripture

Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:3-5

The healthy love and compassion of Jesus Christ always amazes me! In so many of our encounters with the hurts of other human beings, it’s easy to begin to think in terms of manipulation instead of healthy Christ-like love. We often try to help someone quickly process their grief, but the depth of their hurt or the uniqueness of their personality has its own timetable. We hastily want to cheer a child or discouraged friend. All the while, however, we may be acting less out of genuine Christ-like compassion and more out of our need to stand back from the discomfort when we feel when we draw close to someone who is really struggling. This attitude may cause those we are trying to help put up defenses and actually drive away those who are trying to help.

We may fall into the illusion that we own people, that we can use them, that we have a right to manage their feelings. By offering premature advice on how to cope, by prodding with our faith rather than creating an atmosphere of trust and growth, we say much about our need for easy closure. When we barge in with such consolation, we may sometimes be making hurting souls into objects of projects.

In fact, a possessive approach to relationships creates many of our own disappointments; people rarely respond well to our efforts to manage their lives or orchestrate their response to their pains. We find relationships bending or even breaking under the weight of the expectations we place on them in our discomfort with another’s suffering. We can then end up even more alone―walled up within our disappointments or sadness.

When we treat people the way Jesus did, bridges are built and windows are opened; and we enjoy the relationship whether it is moving on our timetable or not. I am discovering that being grounded in the scripture, knowing that the Holy Spirit does the work and not me, gives me so much more patience, joy and discovery in my relationships with a variety of wonderful human beings.

For some reason, God has gifted our church for reaching out to a diversity of people to share the life-changing love of Christ. Imagine if we continue to grow in relating to everyone in our lives with the wisdom and gentle strength of Jesus? I relish every moment God gives me to live and grow in this holy endeavor.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

The Secret: A Perpetual Inner Fire

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Do you have deep feelings of insecurity that are hidden carefully in your life? Or do you feel that you alone are plagued with a weakness of some kind? I have good news for you- - - you’re not alone! These are feelings that many, many people wrestle with. Sometimes it’s hidden behind the cocky blustering of a person who seems egocentric, but in fact is covering up for feelings of being unloved or unaccepted. Other times feelings of inferiority are manifest by someone who instead - pulls back and trims their sails- - - they don’t want to expose their heart out of fear of being hurt. Surprisingly this shy person is feeling the same deep personal feelings as the blustering extrovert- - - “Who am I?” And- - - “If people ‘really’ knew me would they love and accept me?”

Geneticists tell us that the whole human family, from every race, can be traced back to a single mother whom they reluctantly call Eve. Their point is- - - we are all cut out of the same mold. So the good news I have for you is that you are not alone in your deepest darkest feelings. We have many of the same fears, temptations and creative ideas as a person sitting in prison or a person receiving a Nobel Prize for being a genius in some field. Because according to the Scriptures (and to science) we are all cut out of the same mold! How many of you have had a great idea that you never acted on only to find out later that someone else had the same idea and seized the opportunity?

When I was a youth pastor, many years ago, I enjoyed helping teenagers who were wrestling with an inferiority complex. When I saw a young person that felt like they had nothing to offer- - - I just loved getting to know them and making a lifelong friend. This was the process I used:

• I prayed for them every day thanking God for their life until I was just bursting with enthusiasm for their God-given potential.
• I used every opportunity to let them know how much I cared for them and encouraged them to wholeheartedly pursue God’s plan for their life. This included writing letters to them, talking to them on the phone, using them in sermons as an illustration of the good things God was doing, and being present at their special events (games, concerts, skateboarding competitions, etc.).
• I tried to make friends with their friends and influence them with the excitement that God gave me for their life. That meant their parents, brothers and sisters, and friends at school.
• I tried to seize every opportunity of challenge to be there for them- - - when they received a bad report card or made a mistake. Wow! This was my God-inspired moment to let them know all that I had been praying for them about.

I had such enthusiasm for this because most of the time growing up I myself was an arrogant jerk as I remember it (my mom says otherwise, but she doesn’t know everything I did during my teenage years. I’m trying to break it to her slowly.) I found Christ in a new, fresh way at seventeen- - - and something really happened. I had a “Scrooge” experience. I realized that I still had time to turn around all that I had done wrong if I would only let God work through my life. I envisioned people really excited about Philippians 4:13 so they could quote Paul, but mean it for themselves.

Well, that was a long time ago but I truly loved the job of being a youth pastor. It’s really the job that we all have as followers of Christ- - - to be so excited about what God is doing in our lives that it overflows and we pray for it to happen in the lives of others. Let’s do that this week!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Say "Yes" to God

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (NIV)

Yes!!! There are so many people who are fearful of the year 2012- - - television and movies are full of doomsday scenarios. They tell us that the sale of guns and ammunition is at an all-time high, about the difficult economy and our world’s need for a Christian revival all can make people fearful in almost every aspect of their lives. Many people think they have to do it all on their own- - - make their marriage work, raise their children, manage economic storms, withstand anxiety- - - all by themselves. When in reality, we simply need to say “yes” to Jesus Christ. In fact, he is the divine “yes” or “amen” to our lives. Yes to living our lives under his purposes. Yes, to managing our finances his way. Yes, to rebuilding our relationships on scriptural principles. Yes, God Yes!!!

I am sharing a series on how to find the gift that God has given you and how to use it in cooperation with an army of positive Christians called the church. In every hardship, setback and tragedy is a gift from God that is branded into your life and you will be a miserable self-absorbed person unless you learn about teamwork and how to say “yes” to God with your gift. Have you ever seen a self-absorbed person who is really happy? Have you ever met a person walking under the Spirit’s leadership whose life is full of abundant generosity and is miserable? It is time to say “yes” to God in so many areas of our lives. I dare you to come to church for four weeks straight- - - not hit and miss- - - and see if God does not radically bless and change your life! There will be pastors waiting after every service to answer your questions about how to discover your spiritual gifts and how you can use them as a team with the army of positive people called Washington Cathedral. We literally cannot have too many gifted people. Everyone’s leadership skills are needed (if we can work together), and the strength, roots and impact of our lives can expand exponentially if we really begin to say “yes” to God. Yes God- - - use me, hurts and all. Make me a blessing. Let me be a part of the team. Yes God, we will move forward and not waste a minute of 2012 in fear, bitterness and regret.

I can see that we have been getting ready for this moment at Washington Cathedral for 27 years. How long have you been waiting to say “yes” to God?

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White