Family Connection 12.20.2010

Family Connection

12.20.2010

“In Jerusalem there was a good man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to happen. The Holy Spirit was with him. The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought he child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said, ‘Lord, you are the King over all. Now let me, your servant, go in peace. That is what you promised. My eyes have seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the sight of all people. It is a light to be given to those who aren’t Jews. It will bring glory to your people Israel.’”-Luke 2:25-32 (NIrV)

Do you remember how it felt to wait for Christmas when you were a child? Just as children are eagerly anticipating Christmas, there were many who were anticipating the birth of the Christ, the Messiah, God’s Salvation for all mankind; Simeon was one of those people. He had been given a promise that the birth of Christ was near and he wouldn’t see death before he saw the Salvation of Israel born. He was fortunate but we are even more so because we know that Jesus has already been born, led a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, rose again from the dead and has an offering of salvation for each of us who believe. WOW!!!!

We celebrate Christmas as a reminder, a memorial, of the gift of God through Jesus Christ. Just like children, who need reminders and structure in their lives, we also need to take the time to focus on the important things in life. Thank you God for the reminder of Christmas!

I’m not sure how exactly it started but we have a tradition in my family of having our picture taken on the roof of our house; just me and the kids. We have been doing this for years and will even do it this year even though our children are 16, 14 and 11. This is something we do and it helps us focus on the Christmas season; what traditions do you have? Just as it is important for us to focus on the real reason for Christmas (if your child has been in Flight School in the last month they should be able to complete the following…Christmas is all about…Jesus); I believe it is also important to create traditions and memorials for the children in our lives to help them focus on God.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, blessed and joyous Christmas!

Walking by your side,

Brett Humphrey

Pastor H

Family Connection 12.06.2010

Family Connection
12.06.2010
“There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby. It was night, and they were looking after their sheep. An angel of the Lord appeared to them. And the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. It is for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. Here is how you will know I am telling you the truth. You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”-Luke 2:8-12 (NIrV)
This past weekend in Flight School, I taught the children that Christmas is all about Jesus. This should be obvious because Christ is found in the very word “Christmas” but sometimes we may forget what this is really all about. It’s all about Jesus and His willingness to come to this planet, to be born in a barn, to spend 33 years in daily obedience to God the Father being faced with every temptation we face and yet not sin, die a horrible death on a cross, rise from the dead 3 days later and all because He wants to spend forever in Heaven with us. That’s amazing! That’s wonderful! That’s what Christmas is all about!

I would encourage you to take some time reading through Luke 2:1-40 with the children in your lives this week. Take the time to remind them why we celebrate Christmas in the first place and how we as followers of Jesus should live as He did (Philippians 2:5). I would encourage each of us to keep our focus on Jesus and serving Him through this holiday season.

I would also like to encourage you to look at an opportunity to serve with your family during this season. We have a local impact coming up this weekend, December 11, and we have opportunities for the family to serve together. Please follow the link for more information. http://www.southwestcc.org/PurposeCenter/Reach/Locally/ReachLocalImpact/tabid/1187/language/en-US/Default.aspx

It is my hope that each of us can make an eternal impact on the children in our lives this week.
Walking by your side,
Brett Humphrey
Pastor H

Family Connection 11.29.2010

Family Connection
11.29.2010
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.”

This was the very first presidential proclamation signed by President George Washington in 1789. Even though, technically, Thanksgiving has passed us by, it is my hope and desire that we live each day in thankfulness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As we enter the “Christmas season” where the children in our lives (and if we are honest about it, we ourselves) will be tempted to become discontent and un-thankful for the things we currently have as we are pushed to buy more. I would encourage each of us to remember the things we have to be thankful for, to praise God for those things, and remind ourselves and the children in our lives about these things. I would also encourage each of us to find a tangible way to serve others as families during this season. We have a Local Impact coming up on December 11th and this may provide a great way for you to serve alongside your children helping others. Think of it as a way to serve others and fight off the “gimmes” at the same time.

It is my hope that each of us can make an eternal impact on the children in our lives this week.
Walking by your side,
Brett Humphrey
Pastor H

Family Connection 11.15.2010

Family Connection
11.15.2010
“There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given by the same Spirit.”-1 Corinthians 12:4 (NIrV)
In Flight School this month we are using the above verse as our verse for the month. We are focusing on the fact that God has given us gifts but He wants us to use these gifts to help and serve others. This is something that we believe children can learn at an early age and as families this value can be modeled in the home, neighborhood and even around the world.
To help facilitate this, we participate in Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan’s Purse. This Organization collects shoeboxes, filled with Christmas gifts, and distributes these boxes around the world to needy children. Not only do our children get an opportunity to see how the gifts and blessings they have received can bless others, our children also get a lesson in gratitude as they see how these small things that are given can really brighten up another child’s life. I have also issued a challenge to the children. If they bring in 200 shoeboxes into Flight School by this Sunday (November 21) then I will jump out of a plane and video the entire experience. (A generous volunteer in Flight School has paid for the skydiving experience complete with video package; there’s no backing out for me). We will also give each child 50 Bible Bucks for each filled shoebox they bring in. Even though we are giving the children incentives we really want them to learn how to love and serve others by what they receive.
This really is a wonderful opportunity for you to help the children in your lives learn the value of giving to others. For more information, including the way to track your shoebox to see which country it is delivered to, go online to www.samaritanspurse.org/ezgive . It’s that easy.
It is my hope that each of us can make an eternal impact on the children in our lives this week.
Walking by your side,
Brett Humphrey
Pastor H

Family Connection 11.02.2010

Family Connection
11.02.2010
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”-2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”-Ephesians 6:1
The Word of God is not a club to be used to bash the children in our lives so they submit to God, but it should be used to guide and direct them in the way they should go. When my children were little the first verse Jennifer and I had them memorize was Ephesians 6:1. We would use this verse to help gently correct our children when they disobeyed. Even though at times it is tempting to say, “Because I said so!” when it comes to behavior, it is really better to have a measuring tool to help the children in our lives when we correct them. What better tool than the Word of God?
I am not encouraging treating God as the big, bad ogre in the sky waiting to strike us down when we don’t fall in line but rather to present God as the Bible does as a loving Father who does expect us to obey and follow Him. God’s ways are the best ways and as 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us, Scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
So what do we do? In order to utilize Scripture the way Paul exhorts in 2 Timothy, we must be familiar with Scripture for ourselves. If we want to teach the children in our lives how to apply God’s Word for themselves, we must take the time to study for ourselves. We have quite a few resources at our church to help you do that. Each weekend, Pastor Bob (or one of the other pastors) teaches from God’s Word and gives practical suggestions on how to apply that Scripture to our lives. We also have classes offered here at the church and through small groups to help people grow in their faith and biblical knowledge. There are also resources available on our website www.thehangar.org and through the Children’s Ministry office.
It is my hope that each of us can influence the children in our lives with the truth of God’s Word and train them in righteousness.
Walking by your side,
Brett Humphrey
Pastor H

Family Connection 10.25.2010

Family Connection
10.25.2010
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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 minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)
I sat next to my friend, Doug White, in the ER this past Friday and read these words to him (Doug’s wife, Kym and his parents were in the room as well. Doug had an accident; he fell off the back of a golf cart at work and fractured his skull. As of this writing, he is still in the ICU recovering. Please pray for his healing and for strength for his family). As I read the words out of Philippians, I was struck by the power contained in the passage; how we can trust in and rely on our Heavenly Father in all situations. We can rely on Him when things are going well, and we can rely on Him when things are difficult. We can trust God no matter what!
We live in a world where tragedy occurs on a daily basis. We cannot turn on the news, or open a newspaper without reading about something bad happening to someone, somewhere. The children in our lives are growing up in the same world; what can we do to help prepare them to face the hard things in life? We can help them understand that we can trust God no matter what.
This week, I would encourage you to have a conversation with the children in your lives about a time when God came through for you. Tell them about a time when you really needed to have God show up, and He did. Even though things may not have turned out the way you would have liked them to; talk about a time when you felt a peace that transcends all understanding and how God saw you through that time (maybe He is still seeing you through even now). I want to encourage you not to worry if you don’t have all the answers, just rest in the fact that the peace God gives doesn’t have to make sense to us, in fact it’s supposed to transcend all understanding. My friend Kym is resting right now in that same peace that doesn’t make any sense based on circumstances.
Walking by your side,
Brett Humphrey
Pastor H

PS-I did receive permission from Kym to share their story with you.

Family Connection 10.18.2010

Family Connection
10.18.2010
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:1-6 (NIV)
“Make wise choices!”-Any parent of a middle school or high school student to their child 
One of the best things we can understand about being parents is that we are to train up our child in the way he/she should go. Even though the years may seem to fly by, God gives us the time we have with our children to prepare them to follow Him as they grow. If we find ourselves calling out to our children that we want them to make wise choices when they are in their teenage years, we should work on teaching them how to make wise choices while they are young (remember that most of the things our children know are “caught” rather than “taught” so we should make sure we are asking God how to make wise choices ourselves).
A couple of years ago I read the book, The Best Question Ever by Andy Stanley, and in it he highlights the importance of asking the question, “Based on my past experiences, current realities and future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing for me to do?” This may seem like a simple question but I have found this question to be very helpful personally as I have faced difficult decisions and one we ask our children on a regular basis (In fact, it was almost two years ago I asked myself that question in regard to my weight and that led me down a path where I ended up losing about 40 lbs).
The book of Proverbs is full of ways to find God’s wisdom and is very useful for training up our children. There may be some things in Proverbs that your children aren’t facing at this point but probably will some day. I would encourage you to take the time to focus on God’s wisdom with your children and train them up in a way where they can see what a “wise choice” looks like. I would encourage you to point out examples from your life when you make wise choices and if you feel especially brave, point out those times when you have made unwise choices and the consequences that have followed. When we spend the time helping our children make wise choices now, this training will assist them later on in life.
Walking by your side,
Brett Humphrey
Pastor H

PS-Thank you to the 39 people who responded to my email last week, your responses will help us make a better ministry for your children and family.