Day 16

“I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Phil. 1:3-5

Most people would agree that the Apostle Paul was a truly Godly man, but we know from the Bible that he wasn’t always as positive about all the churches that he planted as he was about the Philippian church. Looking back over my own life, there are people that I remember, but I wouldn’t say that I necessarily give thanks for them.

For example, during my freshman year in high school, I was shy and skinny and kind of a nerd.  There was a sophomore in my PE class (Troy) who thought that he was hot stuff at soccer, until this nerdy kid (me) scored a goal on him during PE.  Nerdy kids are not supposed to score goals on hot stuff kids, so from then on, he always wanted to fight me after school.  Thank goodness that I rode a different bus home from school than he did!  I definitely remember Troy, but I can’t honestly say that I give thanks for him!

Fast forward to today…I have great (and positive) memories of Cedar Hills, even though I have only attended here for about 10 years.  I thank God for the Biblical teaching that is our foundation.  I thank God for the wonderful friends that I have made in Sunday School and in my small groups.  I thank God for the great worship experiences each week and the mountaintop worship on Christmas Eve.  I thank God for the Lenten meals and meditations that lead to Easter.  And mostly, I thank God that He continues to use Cedar Hills to truly Grow the Good that He wants us to do.

Dear God,

Thank You for Your continued guidance and blessings to Cedar Hills, as we strive daily to do Your will.  We thankfully remember those people who have positively influenced our lives toward Jesus. Please give us the strength and courage to continue Your mission to grow the good that You have started.  Amen. 

-Gary Mills

Day 15

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matt. 5:14-16

Jesus shared these words with those around him, long ago and in a place far away. And yet these words still speak to us loudly in the place where we are. Thanks to our church ancestors, Cedar Hill Church stands today, still giving praise to our Father, God. Sixty years ago, those men and women brought light to shine in Cedar Rapids. We would not be able to move forward without that guiding light.

The faith that we see being shared today reminds me that the light is still shining and is still leading us to share our savior, Jesus. This is the faith that today we carry forward to the next generation. We need to make sure the future of our church continues to be a light shining in Cedar Hills, and throughout the corridor.

This reminds me of the song that I learned long ago in Sunday School….”This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine……All around the neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine…..Let it shine ’till Jesus comes….Let it shine….Let it shine…..”

Are you singing with me? Praise the Lord!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me to let my light shine so those around me can see Your love for us.  Thank You for the witness of Cedar Hills Church.  Help us to pass on the good news of You and Your great love and care for us.  Amen.   

-Karen Bronkhorst

Day 14

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6

I love seeing photos of solitary flowers that have struggled to grow among rocky crags or cracks in broken concrete pavements. How their seed came to be planted there is always a mystery!

But more amazing is how they not only survived in that hostile surrounding, but also bloomed into the flower they were meant to be.

Sometimes we are planted in surroundings hostile to God and to our Christian principles. We have an urge to pick up our feet and run, and to plant ourselves in a more nurturing environment, a place where other ‘plantings’ are more like us.

But maybe, possibly, God has us just where we need to be. He may be using us to bring light to a very dark place.  He may want to strengthen our faith by testing how well we do when conditions aren’t ideal. He may be saying to us, “Bloom where I’ve planted you in this garden, because I need you to bring beauty to a place that is barren. You may have struggles, but I will ensure that you thrive.”

Dear Father,

Help us to have the courage and wisdom to remain in situations that seem hopeless and need encouragement. Help us to see that we can be the light to others who are planted in darkness.  We ask this in Your Son’s holy name, Amen.

– Deborah Steinbaker

Day 13

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”  Phil. 1:3

Do you have people in your life you are thankful for?  People you thank God for every time they cross your mind?  I’m sure we can all think of people we would rather not spend time thinking about, but do we really stop to think about those people we cannot get along without? We all have those who help us with everyday tasks, make us smile, love us, and share in the everyday stuff of life.  How often do we thank God for them?

For that matter, how often do we thank them personally?  When was the last time you thanked a family member for doing laundry, fixing a meal, doing dishes, mowing the lawn or sharing the remote?  Do you have people at work, or neighbors who could use a thank you?  You could thank a coworker for being a good support system.  Thank a neighbor for being able to enjoy their beautiful flowers.  Thank church staff for their work each week. Could you make an effort to thank someone today for simply doing what is expected?  Write a thank you note, do something special for them, or simply look them in the eye, give them a hug, and say “thank you.”

After you thank them, try going one step further.  Thank God for them.  Take time to pray for them, asking God to bless them today. Put their name on a sticky note and attach it to your phone, so you can see their name and thank God every time you remember them.  Try thanking them and thanking God for them.  Watch for the joy to follow for them and for you!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for _____________ in my life. I appreciate him/her and all they do for me. I am blessed to have them in my life. Please pour out Your love and give them a special blessing today. May they know they are loved by me and by You.  Amen.

-Lois Deerberg

Day 12

“So be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Phil. 1:10b-11

Would you drink water that was 99% pure? It sounds good, doesn’t it? Cool, refreshing, clear… I’d probably drink a glass of water at 99% without thinking about it.

Now imagine that the last 1% of impurities was raw sewage?  Like…poo.  There is 1% poo in your water. Would you still drink the water?  Even though one minute ago that water sounded good and inviting at 99% pure?  Surely a little poo in your water wouldn’t hurt? It’s just a little bit!

A perspective shift!

I was challenged once upon a time about a similar perspective on sin.  I try hard, but was unbothered by the ‘small sins’ of life. The ‘acceptable’ sins.  As is most of the greater-Christian culture.  But Christ calls us beyond the 99%, because the leftover 1% is still raw sewage!  He desires a bride that is pure and blameless, filled with the fruit of righteousness.  And this pursuit of righteousness is to God’s glory!  We should pursue righteousness whole-heartedly! And not be content with just a little sin.

There is no little sin. There is no big sin.  To God, sin is sin. It was never His desire for us.  Pure. Whole. Blameless. That is our pursuit.  This is our legacy as the bride of Christ.  We should never be content with just a little bit. 99% is not good enough for the King of Kings!

Heavenly Father, Forgive us for letting the ‘little sins’ be okay.  Help our hearts to desire lives that are 100% pure and spotless. Holy Spirit, empower Your people to pursue righteousness, to live differently and to be the glorious bride that Jesus desires.  And when we do mess up, help us to run quickly to the throne of grace where we can find forgiveness and be made clean again and again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

-Leah Carolan

Day 11

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” Phil. 2:12-13

God cares more about my growth than I do.

God cares more about our growth than we do.

God cares more about our plans, our hopes, our dreams and our future. Because God cares, God works to energize us by His Holy Spirit to do good that fulfills God’s good purpose. God’s Spirit is energizing us so that we will desire to do what pleases God so that God’s good work is carried on to completion.

“What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God Himself willing and working at what will give Him the most pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13, The Message Translation)

Dear God,

Thank You for fulfilling Your good purposes in my life. Guide me into the good plans that You have prepared for me.  I love You and I praise You for the gift of salvation. God, we love You and we praise You for energizing us to do Your good work. Amen.

-Kent Landhuis

Day 10

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6

The Apostle Paul’s confidence in the love and grace of God had no bounds. He knew first-hand of the transformation taking place within himself since the day he was stopped on the road to Damascus by the Incarnate Jesus Christ. I’m sure he never lost sight of that miraculous transforming event which continued within him until he passed from this life into eternity.

That we would have the same confidence! Life is full of unknowns and uncertainty.  Often the “stuff” of life blurs our vision of the purpose God has laid out for us. Indeed, God has a plan for us – a plan that will carry us into eternity. He has provided a bridge to His grace and mercy through the shed blood of His son Jesus Christ. He has illuminated our path through the unknowns of this life. We simply need to trust.

An anonymous poem describes the walk of faith He desires for us:

‘When you come to the edge

Of all light you have known,

And are about to step off into darkness,

Faith is knowing there’ll be something to stand on,

Or you will be taught how to fly.’

Dear Father,

Instill in us a strong faith that will guide us as we walk into the unknowns of life. 

Grant us the confidence that we can trust You in all circumstances.

We ask this in Your son’s holy name, Amen.

-Deborah Steinbaker

Day 9

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. “ Phil. 3:10-11

Have you ever imagined yourself as being a part of the story of Scripture? If so, you can look at the story from a different perspective and are able to feel more intimately what is taking place. Try placing yourself in Philippi, sometime in the late 50’s or early 60’s AD, only 20-30 years after the death of Jesus Christ. The area has been heavily influenced by its military population and secular Greco-Roman worship. Philippi was home to a growing diversity of cultures. Being a larger city, word of the teaching and the crucifixion of the Jewish Messiah would have likely travelled the 6,000 plus miles from Jerusalem to Philippi.

For reference, the most efficient communication method was the official empire messenger system (Cursus Publicus), which carried messages about 50 miles a day with tolerable circumstances. At over 6,000 miles away, that would have taken almost 121 days or about 4 months. And it was not these “government professionals” that carried these messages, it was fellow Christ-followers who were always looking for support to aid them in their efforts. Instead of 50 miles a day, they were more likely to walk up to 20 miles a day, meaning that it could have taken almost a full year to deliver at least one letter.

So, what message could be so important to invest so much time, resources and potentially one’s life into delivering it? The gospel! The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John would not have even been published yet. Therefore, it was Paul sharing with them, what Jesus Christ and the other apostles had shared with him. He was so inspired by the splendor of the gospel, that he made it is life-long goal to know the Lord in all His glory and power. This may seem strange to the modern reader, but Paul had faith in the Lord’s promise of eternal life to those who follow Him, investing themselves in the “good news” along the way.

Lord, may You renew in us a passion for the advancement of Your gospel, to be continually reminded of Your faithfulness to Your people. You are the light in the darkness, and You are hope to the hopeless. Let us always be seeking after Your glorious and holy name!  Amen.

-Kyle French