Disappointments are God's Appointments

What has been the greatest disappointment of your life? Perhaps it’s on this list:

• Not getting that promotion
• Early death of a loved one
• An event that changed your academic or career goals
• Not getting married
• Marrying the person you married
• Getting a divorce
• Having a rebellious child
• Not providing enough for your family

The list of disappointments goes on and on. Disappointments come in different sizes, shapes, and pain levels.

Disappointment is the feeling of dissatisfaction that follows the failure of expectations or hopes to manifest. It is similar to regret, but it differs in that a person who feels regret focuses primarily on the personal choices that contributed to a poor outcome. A person feeling disappointment focuses on the outcome itself.

Often when we experience disappointment, we get extremely frustrated with ourselves, with life, with others, and with God. When that happens, here are five simple steps to take to help with those disappointing and frustrating times in your life.

Step One: Ask yourself, “Did I cause it?” The Bible says ‘we reap what we sow.’ We often bring frustrating things upon ourselves. When that happens you have to ask, “Who’s to blame?”

Step Two: Ask yourself, “What can I learn from it?” Use the disappointment, the frustration, and the irritation as an opportunity to grow in character and become more like Christ.

(Romans 8:28-29) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Step Three: Thank God in the situation. You don’t have to be thankful for a bad situation, but you can be thankful in a bad situation.

(1 Thessalonians 5:18) Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Step Four: Turn the disappointment into a funny, humorous event. A sense of humor is God’s antidote to anger and frustration.

(Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

Step Five: Ask God to fill you with His love. Instead of focusing on your frustration, focus on others, on Him, and let His love compel you to a healthier response.

(Isaiah 26:3) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Try these five principles out the next time you find yourself disappointed or frustrated. You might want to keep a copy of them on your refrigerator door or dashboard of your car. Perhaps your office desk would be another appropriate place to have a copy.

P.S. Do you find yourself discontented with your car, house, job, life, or whatever? What about your spiritual life and journey? Do you believe there has to be more than what you are experiencing currently? This Sunday we begin a new series entitled: Uncomplicated: Making Christianity Simple. These questions will be explored as we begin to probe the book of Colossians for answers.

P.S.S. Don’t forget to set back your clocks one hour AND we are starting our new service times: 9:00 First Service and 10:30 Second Service. 

Don't Waste Your Pain

For the last three weeks I have been suffering with some sciatic nerve pain. Perhaps you have seen me waddling up to the platform to preach or walking around with a cane. I must say that the pain is excruciating. And as a typical male, I waited until my arm started getting numb before calling the doctor to learn how to correct the problem.

During my time of suffering, fellow sciatic suffers have given me some therapy tips: ice cube baths, whirl pool baths, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, sleeping in a recliner, lying on the floor and attempting certain stretches, and of course my favorite suggestion: lose weight.

But, in the midst of the pain, I got to thinking about those people who live with chronic pain. My sciatic pain will eventually subside. But so many people have to live with chronic pain daily. How in the world can they do that?

Then I remembered what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9 about his struggle with his pain. He concluded this: ‘God’s grace is all you need, God’s power works best in weakness.’

His grace is sufficient today and will help me today, and then tomorrow His grace will be sufficient and on and on. He gives me the strength, the peace, and the help I need in that moment. When God is all you have, you turn to Him and realize He’s all you needed in the first place.

The thing I’ve come to appreciate about my recent pain episode is ‘when I am weak, the power of Christ works through me’ (2 Corinthians 12:9b). It makes me more compassionate to the pain of others. It helps me identify with the hurts of others.

God never wastes a hurt. He will use the pains, wounds, difficulties of life, to enable us to be better encouragers, prayer warriors, supporters, and comforters of others.


Pastor Mark "The Bru" Brunott

P.S. Did you realize the Bible contains some ‘dirty words?’ Many in our culture would say that these words are perhaps the most demeaning and devaluing words to be spoken. What are they? What do they have to do with relationships? Join me this Sunday at 9:15 or 11:00 AM to discover the answers.

A Study in Contrasts

Let me give you a brief study in contrasts. The first part sounds negative, horrible, and comes across as a downer. Yet, it is our reality; it also makes the second part all the more wonderful and marvelous.

The first part of the contrast comes from Hebrews 4:13. ‘Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before God’s eyes.’ Included in the ‘nothing’ is our sin. The Bible defines sin as “missing the mark.” Anytime we miss the mark of God’s perfection that qualifies as a sin in God’s eyes.

Let me break that down in terms we can understand:

• We think something that God would never think. Sin.
• We look at something God would never look at. Sin.
• We say something God would never say. Sin.
• We don’t do or say something God would do or say. Sin.
• We look at a person in a way God would never view a person. Sin.
• We treat our spouse, children, grandchildren, and friends in an uncaring or unloving way. Sin.
• We act like somebody we’re not. Sin.
• We react in fear instead of trust. Sin.
• We lie, cheat, or steal. Sin.
• We act selfishly. Sin.

Depressing isn’t it? Honestly, if I were God, and I’m glad I’m not, I would be fed up with me. I would say, “Mark is a mess. He just keeps on sinning and sinning. What am I going to do with this guy?” Well, let’s get the second part, the best part of the contrast. This contrast is taken from Psalm 94:18 “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love, Lord, you supported me.”

Our Savior says:

• They’re broken, but I can work with that since I’m bigger than their defects.
• They failed me, but they’re forgiven.
• They’ve got a long way to grow, but I will never give up on them.
• They are a mess sometimes, but they are my mess and my children, and the apple of my eye.
• They are forgiven because they trusted in my final work on the cross and resurrection, and will never be more forgiven than they are right now.
• They are already loved, and will never be more loved than I love them at this very moment.

Wow! Isn’t that great? Doesn’t that fill your heart with joy? It does mine. I still need to grow. I still need to change. Becoming more like Jesus is always the goal; saying no to sin should always be my desire. But how great to know that nothing separates me from God and His love!

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today or our worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below- indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Blessings,
Pastor Mark "The Bru" Brunott

P.S. In today’s culture, we are surrounded with opportunities to be alone. But is this what Christ desires for us? Join us Sunday at 9:15 or 11 AM to discover why we should pursue real community.

A Personal Longing

Do you ever long for heaven? This was one of those weeks when I have. I came back from a beautiful week in Northern Minnesota with the fall colors thinking this must be what heaven looks like. I can’t wait.

I then went to church to be with the community of people I love. We sang praises to God, heard God’s word preached by Pastor Brian, and I thought: This is but a taste of what heaven will be like around the throne of God. Voices of people from every tongue, nation, and tribe will be praising God.

After church, I experienced the pain of this world. I met with a family at a funeral home, making arrangements for their 18 year old son who has died. Oh how I long for heaven.

Then I talked to a good friend who told me about one of his clients who has a 12 year old daughter with bone cancer. Oh how I long for heaven.

I woke up Monday morning to hear about 58 killed and 500 injured in Las Vegas at a concert in the largest mass-killing in U.S. history. Oh how I long for heaven.

Added to that, I spoke with one of our dear brothers who is in hospice care at Monarch, living out his last days. Oh how I long for heaven.

I also called another dear friend who has some unidentified infection and has to be flown to Mayo Clinic in hopes to determine what it is. Oh how I long for heaven.

Then to see the devastation of the hurricanes most recently in Puerto Rico, I once again said: ‘Oh how I long for heaven.’

Added to the above, very minor in comparison, I’m experiencing the aches and pains of my body approaching 65. Oh how I long for heaven.

I took some time out of it all to read the following words. First the words of Jesus from John 14:1-6. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Second, the words of Revelation 21:3-5. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

Blessings,
Pastor Mark "The Bru" Brunott

P.S. What does the word “commitment” mean? Is commitment over-rated? How does it relate to our spiritual lives? How do I know if I am really committed? Join me this Sunday at 9:15 and 11:00 to discover the answers to these questions.

Success in God's Eyes

I looked up how many titles have “success” in them on Amazon books and came up with over 6,000 titles. In contrast, titles with “failure” in terms of ‘how to’ were 9. It suggests to me how we tend to overrate success in our culture and underrate failure. Does God look at success and failure the same way we do? I think not.

For example, we usually measure success by how much money or how many things you have accumulated over the years. But in God’s economy, success is measured by faithful obedience. Jesus said, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant’ to both the servants who received differing amounts of silver (Matthew 25).

‘Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful’ (1 Corinthians 4:2).

In man’s kingdom, success is measured by things like independence, personal strength, and survival of the fittest. But in God’s kingdom, success involves embracing dependence upon God and understanding that when we are weak, He is strong.

In John 15 we are reminded that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. The closer the connection between the two, the better; we become stronger in our weaknesses. The last part of verse 5 says, ‘For apart from me, you can do nothing.’ Paul, the Great Apostle who wrote much of our New Testament, performed miracles, endured all kinds of trials, hardships, and tests concluded, ‘For when I am weak, then I am strong,’ (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

I have one last thought on success as measured by God instead of how the world measures it. With God, success is measured by our resiliency- the ability to become strong or successful after something bad happened, to recover after the wind has been knocked out of you, to get up when the chips are down, to keep our eyes on the prize. Success, no matter what the hardship, difficulty, problem, burden, or pain, is being able to say what Paul said at the end of his life. ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have remained faithful’ (2 Timothy 4:7).

Are you successful the way God measures success? If so, what do you need to keep doing to continue being successful? If not, what changes do you need to make so you can finish the race well and hear the words, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant’?

Blessings,
Mark "The Bru" Brunott

P.S. If I were to ask you, “Are you a grace-filled person?” How would you answer? How can you tell? For that matter, what is grace? Join us this Sunday morning at 9:15 or 11:00 AM to discover what the Bible has to say about being a grace-filled person.

Broken Relationships - Is Restoration Possible?

You have often heard me say that we were made for relationships. First and foremost, we were made to have a relationship with God through His one and only Son, Jesus, and second a relationship with each other. That is why I am such a supporter and participant in Life Group Ministry. It’s for building relationships with others; learning, serving, laughing, helping, praying, and supporting each other. Did you know that there are about 50 ‘one another’ statements in the Bible? Every statement was designed to show us how to relate to each other.

But what happens when a relationship breaks down for some reason? Is there a way to restore the relationship? Of course there is. Isn’t that what the cross of Jesus is all about? Reconciling a broken relationship (God with man because of man’s sin) through the cross of Jesus is one of the purposes of the cross of Jesus. And it offers the same kind of hope of reconciliation to us in our human relationships.

In Philippians 2:6-8, we are told that in order for us to be reconciled to God, Jesus had to humble Himself. Paul says we ought to have the same attitude toward others: Thinking about others more than yourself. One of the reasons why so many relationships fall apart is because so many people are unwilling to do the serious work that humility requires. Yet, the Bible commands us to ‘clothe yourselves with humility toward one another’ (1 Peter 5:5) and ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble’ (James 4:6).

Grace is the power to change. Grace is the power to heal a relationship. Grace is the power to receive forgiveness and offer forgiveness. Grace is the power to restore what you thought was dead.

Let me give you a couple of practical tips which demand humility that can help you if you are experiencing a broken relationship.

1.        Ask God to help you be reconciled to that person.

2.       Affirm their value as a person. Romans 12:10 says, ‘Have a profound respect for each other.’ Tell them that you value them.

3.       Acknowledge your part of the problem. Not their part, but YOUR PART. Where you blew it, where you were wrong. Ask them to forgive you for the part you played in the fracture.

4.       Accept what the future holds for the relationship. It may be reconciled completely. It may not be. If you have done your part- you must leave the rest up to the Lord.

Blessings,
Mark "The Bru" Brunott

P.S. If I were to say to you: You are creative. You are gifted. You have a talent. What would your response be? Join me this week at 9:15 or 11:00 as we discover what the Bible has to say about creativity.

Are You Easily Distracted?

Sometimes I look at my spiritual development and say, ‘I should be further ahead’ or ‘I’m not as spiritually mature as I should be.’ And then I begin to come up with all my reasonably good and noble reasons why this is so, some of my reasons are:
Church ministry is so demanding. It wears a pastor out emotionally. Life is just too busy. There just isn’t enough time in the day. It’s the enemy. Satan doesn’t want me to have any intimacy with the Heavenly Father so he diverts me any way he can. Grandchildren. They demand so much time. Oh, they’re a blast to be around, but it is very time consuming. Church business. I get so busy putting out fires- going from this event to that event- who has time for spiritual growth and development?
But honestly, the reason I’m not developing spiritually is not because of the enemy, church busy-ness, the time it takes to prepare a sermon, or my grandchildren. It’s because I’m too easily distracted. If I were a betting man, and I’m not, I would bet you struggle with the same problem- distractions. Distractions hamper productivity, and most of us don’t realize how it affects our spiritual growth.
Why not try a little experiment on yourself? Count the number of times you get ‘interrupted’ during a day. I am defining an interruption as any media notification. One study concluded that workers are interrupted every 3 minutes at their job and it takes 25 more minutes to get back into the groove. If we would apply that to our spiritual development, is there any question if we are growing or not?
What’s the solution? Well, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to answer that one. Minimize the distractions! That’s right. But the better question is: How do I minimize the distractions so I can have uninterrupted time with God?
I suggest three things:

1.        Go off the grid. No phones, emails, kids, spouses, coworkers, TV, or any other kind of electronics. Find a private, secluded spot. You may have to get up earlier in the morning or you may have to wait until everyone at home is in bed and find a secluded spot.

2.       Pray that God would speak to you in the quiet, uninterrupted moments. Don’t be disappointed if it always doesn’t appear as if He is. Stay at it. Try something different; read the prayers of others, write out your prayers, and say your prayers out loud.

3.       Listen to God as you read His word. Here again, you don’t have to have a reading program. You can use a devotion. Whatever helps you listen- use that.

The whole point of all of this is to minimize the distractions of life so we can grow spiritually and be more like Jesus.

Blessings,
Mark "The Bru" Brunott

P.S. Do you ever regret not taking a certain job or not taking the risk on a financial investment? Do you ever regret not spending enough time with your kids when they were growing up or regret a missed opportunity? What can be done to refocus on the future? Join me this Sunday at 9:15 or 11:00 to learn how we can reset and live abundantly after missing a promising opportunity.