Preview

Timothy Egan piqued my interest a couple of years ago when he wrote the National Book Award Winner, “The Worst Hard Time.”  It’s a book about how the American government recruited settlers to claim their 320 acres on the Great Plains in the early 1900’s. 

The government wrote and circulated a brochure that explained the new concept and success of “dry farming.” The “nesters” came in droves, and with the new invention of the tractor, plowed up millions of acres.  

Severe droughts hit and as the “wind came sweeping or’e the plain,” dust that originated in the panhandle of Oklahoma ended up on ships in the Atlantic Ocean 300 miles off the east coast!  More dirt was removed from the great plains on “Black Sunday” April 14, 1935 than was dug to create the Panama Canal.  The canal took 7 years to dig, the dust storm lasted one afternoon and hoisted 300,000 tons of topsoil into the air. 

Twelve million tons of dirt fell in Chicago.  

Cattle went blind and suffocated and when farmers cut them open they found their lungs and stomachs filled with dirt.  

Children died of dust pneumonia.  

It has been labeled the United States of America’s worst prolonged environmental disaster of history.  

All because of a brochure!  Words on paper.  Ideas that had never been tested.

Be careful who you listen to, their words may have tremendous consequences.

As we continue in our series, 

“The Journey: what’s your next destination.”  Paul has some crucial words of advice for the inhabitants of the church of Jesus Christ: Eliminate Divisions.  The importance of healthy and harmonious relationships is vital.  Building relationships with time tested spiritual principles from the pages of the New Testament is crucial.  It can be the difference between a relationship living or dying.

Preview

Many have probably heard of truck driver Larry Walters who on July 2, 1982, took 45 weather balloons, filled them with helium, attached them to his lawn chair, and successfully flew at 16,000 feet from San Pedro to Long Beach.  He flew close to LAX airspace and flew through Long Beach Airport’s airspace.  He was arrested and fined $1,500.00 but was invited to appear on The Tonight Show and Late Night with David Letterman.  He also received the top award from the Bonehead Club of Dallas.

But very, very few remember Father Adelir Antonio de Carli who on April 20, 2008, lifted off from Paranagua, Brazil, suspended by 1000 brightly colored party balloons filled with helium.  He was attempting to fly 450 miles INLAND to Dourados, Brazil.  When he reached an altitude of 20,000 feet he discovered he had not checked the weather forecast, was caught in a storm, and was headed in exactly the OPPOSITE direction of his intended destination. He had a GPS but didn’t know how to operate it. He was last heard on the radio eight hours after lift-off approaching the Brazilian coast.  Unable to give his position he crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.  His body was found 2 weeks later by the Brazilian Navy near an offshore oil platform. The act won him a 2008 Darwin Award (look it up! http://darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2008-16.html)
As we continue our message series, “The Journey; What’s your next destination?” Some people have a very interesting definition of a journey.  Some journey’s end well and some tragic.   Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:15-23 to journey through life with wisdom, revelation and knowledge.  Before I preach on this section on Sunday take some time to read this scripture and remind yourself to attain wisdom for the journey!  Also, stay away from helium balloons, the only place you’ll go is Taft.

God bless,

Pastor Ed

Preview

Why study the letter of Paul to the Ephesians? That question sounds like a psychological punishment devised by sadistic communist gulag guards! “Break them down with the Ephesian technique!” There are some that think of sermons in a church this way, sheer torture!But let me give you three reasons I believe taking a “Journey” through the New Testament book of Ephesians can literally be life changing.

#1. If you had the guts to be a follower of Jesus Christ in Ephesus you could be a follower anywhere in the Roman world. 

Ephesus was one of the most populous, multi-cultural, accommodating crossroads of sin in the ancient Roman world. It was first rate tough to live for God in Ephesus. It was life being a 49er fan at a Oakland Raiders home game. Today, our own culture is shifting and becoming more and more challenging to followers of Jesus Christ everyday. We are developing and adopting relaxed fit morals on a deeper level all the time. If you’re going to be a follower of Jesus Christ in the 21st century memorizing the book of Ephesians would be my recommendation.

#2. Paul used some of the greatest word pictures with real life applications in the book of Ephesians. Ideas like: You were dead, Walk this way, Let no unwholesome talk, Be imitators of God, Break down the barrier of the dividing wall, Be filled with the Spirit, Put on the armor of God. Ephesians will stick in your head! Word pictures help us remember important truths much easier.
#3. Understanding Ephesians will help you achieve success!
That sounds trite. Yet Paul says, “…be strong in the Lord, in the strength of His might.” Success in living for God in His way is the greatest success we can have while on planet Earth. We can have financial strength, family cohesion, and intellectual achievement but without God’s strength success is self-centered instead of Christ-centered. Come join us this Thursday and Sunday as we launch,


“The Journey, what’s your next destination.”