It's inauguration week and our country is divided. How do we even talk about it on the air? Speak to fear, speak to reconciliation. Be an encouragement to people who are unsettled or hurting. Let's be honest, every one of our listeners could use some real encouragement this week, regardless of what they believe. We all know there are some things that are broken in our country and we all desire that peace that passes all understanding! You get to shine a light in your show! You get to inspire people who feel disconnected. You get to share the hope you have in Jesus and connect the dots into how He walks with us through every season of life. Challenge your listeners with this thought: What is it going to take for you to move from having faith as a "part" of your life, to actually making Jesus the "center" of your life? (It probably starts with genuine surrender)
‘You cannot love a person beyond the label you assign to them. That's why Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.’ - Dr Derwin Gray
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” -Martin Luther King Jr
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8
"The time is always right to do what is right." - Martin Luther King Jr.
"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." - Martin Luther King Jr.
This Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and one of the strongest themes of his personal ministry was unity. He longed for a day when all people would stand free and united. Author and speaker, Max Lucado, shared some insightful thoughts on Unity by reflecting on the actions of Jesus. "On the last night of his life Jesus prayed a prayer that stands as a citadel for all Christians: "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me." (John 17:20–21 NLT). How precious are these words? Jesus, knowing the end is near, prays one final time for his followers. Striking, isn’t it, that he prayed not for their success, their safety, or their happiness."
I was reading through Martin Luther King Jr's I Have A Dream speech today thinking about how dreams change over the course of our life. The American dream. Dreams for my faith. Dreams for my kids. Dreams for reconciliation. https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom
Is there a dream in your life that's sorta stalled in your heart? What would it take to raise that dream back to life? Have you ever given up momentum in your life to pursue a totally different dream? How has the American Dream changed for you over the years?
Dr Alveda King (Niece of MLK) shared: “Well, you’ve heard me say many times we cannot be color blind. We have to see color. Because if we don’t see color we will forget things that happened and then we’ll repeat that history. So we have to see. Put our glasses on. The glasses of love and faith and humanity,” she added. “One blood, God made us all one blood. We’re not separate races. And so we acknowledge that there was injustice. Injustice still goes on. And then we come together as human beings and resolve it.”
---
Can we own the fact that there is a lot of fear of the unknown? Jesus summed up fear this way: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (This quote from Jesus was recorded in Matthew 6)---
If this election season has taught us anything, it's garbage in, garbage out. When we consume headline news and social media more than we spend time with God and quality friends, of course we'll have a hard time keeping our hope centered. Why not take a 2 week challenge to help you reset your morning from culture, back toward the hope of Jesus? Set your clock radio, turn on the stereo in your surround sound by your TV while you make breakfast. Set the first preset in your car to our morning show, because we promise to share hope and encouragement each morning, so you can use the Good news of Jesus to filter culture - instead of social media culture filtering how you see God, hope and goodness!
How will you give your listeners encouragement this week. How will you speak toward the healing after a season of serious division? Here's some encouragement to remind you of the real hope of Jesus. https://blog.compassion.com/5-bible-verses-to-give-you-hope-in-hard-times/
---
Let's refocus our passion on our values. Let's take our frustration and set it at the foot of the cross. Let's look at the issues we have been passionate about and do something tangible with our friends from church or with our family to solve a specific problem we see in our community. Let's shine a light by solving problems and loving the people caught in the mess.
---
God gives us a challenge when we say we stand for him. In 2 Chronicles 7 in the Old Testament of the Bible, he says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” In Chapter 6, Solomon asked God to make provisions for the people when they sinned. God answered with four conditions forgiveness: (1) humble yourself by admitting you are a sinner (2) pray and specifically ask God to forgive you (3) Look to God's face instead of your circumstances and (4) actually turn from your sinful behavior and change. True repentance is more than talk – it actually is changed behavior. Whether we sin individually, as a group, or as a nation, God shows us that he's ready to listen and help us make the change for good!
--
This is a blog I wrote the day after the election a few years ago. It may have been 4 years ago, or it may have been 8 years ago. It still applies just the same during inauguration week.
Our source of contentment doesn’t come from anything in our world. Recognize the anxiety in your heart for what it is today. It’s something the world put on you. It’s not something Jesus put on you. He’s the King of King & Lord of Lords, so he's supreme to our political drama.
The post I keep seeing online is people saying, “I have not idea how to explain (insert ANYTHING that has been going on in our country this past year) to my kids.” Maybe there is a discussion starter there?
I’ll probably start by explaining how checks and balances work (And why our forefathers set those up) I'll probably explain how we all have a duty to vote our values. I'll probably explain how as Jesus followers, we can serve the needs in our neighborhood in much more efficient ways than any government bureaucracy ever can, so let's talk about what it means to be the church! Regardless of what happens in our government cycles, we get to share the love of Jesus with the hurting people around us! Let's talk about some tangible ways to do that THIS week.
In addition, I'll probably explain how through history, the church grew the fastest in times of persecution. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He's supreme to every king, politician and governmental system today, just like he has been through every age. As Jesus followers we always have the ability to shine a light and share God's good news.
When Paul was thrown in prison by Roman officials, he wrote a whole letter about how Joy is different than an emotion. He said: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Charles Stanley says: “Anxiety is nothing more than unbelief in disguise.” It’s a belief that the uncertainty of the future is much bigger and stronger than anything God can lead through. The value of Christ in our life is so much bigger than any fear that people put on us. God’s peace has the ability to restore and heal. Jesus said: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and God will give you everything you need. (In Matthew 6)
**Have you considered officially joining Creative Cardio? I guarantee it will make your show easier this week. $40 gets you into our full showprep site AND our private members only facebook group with TONS of idea starters for your show. There's no contracts, you can cancel anytime. Pay with a credit card right now, and you're into thousands if prep ideas here.
----
Here’s an article from Christianity Today about healing. It speaks to dealing with a jaded heart and finding some new focus. Candice Lucey of Christianity Today says: “Healing always comes from God at His discretion. He offers an invitation to dive deeply into faith with honesty and submission, trusting that whatever the outcome, God’s plans are perfect." Full article here.
DISCUSSION ANGLE: Can we own the fact that each of us has become a bit numb? What is the best way to reset when you notice you’re numb to the needs of others. My wife calls that "having a jaded worldview for others." My heart has hurt for my city and our country. This has been a rough year and the election isn't healing our desire for peace. This morning, I needed a pause to refocus on God’s goodness because our world sure needs His restoration and refocus. Worship leader Hope Darst says, “Are you willing to stop in the middle of your life right now, to pause for a moment and allow yourself time to re-calibrate and restore your strength in the presence of God? Your response in the middle of everything can be the difference between panic and peace. ” King David was a shepherd before he lead Israel. Psalm 23 is his realization that just as he cares for his sheep, so God cares for him, but in a much more perfect way. David wrote this reflecting on the painful times, The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. (NLT)That’s the posture I want to take toward unity, understanding and restoration.---
"Sometimes you have to fight hard for a win! Even when things look hopeless. Don’t quit." – Patsy Clairmont
Think about the wins God has given you so far this year. Those don’t cancel out because there’s uncertainty in your future today. God is the same today as he was yesterday. He’ll be here tomorrow to lead you through because He is always consistent and He always follows through.
“When your hope comes from beyond this world, then your hope can overcome the world.” – Jud Wilhite (Author/Pastor)
Angle: What have you learned by watching and participating in this election? What have you learned about yourself by participating in democracy? What have you learned about your response to God's church this winter? What are your first steps toward reconciliation with your friends and family who have disappointed you? (Do you think any of them might feel that you also disappointed them?) I'm learning that I can listen a lot more intently, because even if I disagree with people, I can aknowledge their hurt and empathize with them.
Sarah Bauer Anderson grew up in a political family. Her dad actually ran for president in the 1990's and she was a teenager living through it. She says, 1. Know when (and when not) to engage 2. Remember that everyone is more than their political view. Full blog here.
---
How do we heal our division that's grown in our church? I sincerely desire to get to a fresh place where I can see people who God loves instead of seeing political points of view. I think for me, it starts with listening to other people before I speak. I think it starts with sincerely asking God to help me see the heart of people who tend to hold a different belief system than I do. Let’s actually pray for our churches. Blog here about healing our division!
---
We’ve lived through a divisive election season, but God’s focus doesn’t change the day after an election or an inauguration. God STILL cares about the SAME things, regardless of who is leading our legislative and executive branches of government. Times changes, but God’s focus, God’s power and God’s passion do not. ---
Shine your light this week. Share your hope in Jesus. Remind your listeners that God walks with them in every season of life. There are people listening to your show that don't have a single person speaking life to them this week. You may be the only Christ centered encouragement they get this week. When they push that button for Christian radio, you're going to be right there to encourage them and share a song that inspires!
If you like any of these ideas, remember we have a FULL site and a private members only Facebook group full of fresh showprep each week. It's only $40 a month. You can pay month to month with no contracts HERE. Just pay with a credit card and try it! Cancel if it doesn't make your show easier this month!
-Scott Herrold & Jayar Reeves
702.287.2477
www.CreativeCardio.com
|
