BOOMERANG CAR WASH CARDS

You can purchase Boomerang Car Wash cards good for $12 each through the youth in March.  Proceeds will be benefit youth missions and assemblies.

 

Support our Missions’ Teams

Please pray for our missions teams.  If you would like to give financial support, you may do so through the offering and mark your gift for the appropriate mission team.

Destination: Fort Smith, March 21-24, 3rd-7th graders

Destination:  Pine Bluff, June 27-30, 3rd-7th graders

Ozark Mission Project:  Magnolia, July 8-14, 8th-12th graders.

May Indoor Garage Sale

We will be seeking items for the next sale.  It is May 24-26 and we will begin taking items May 20; if you have larger items, please contact Denni at umteach@hotmail.com.  Items that are high priority are:  furniture, summer clothing, toys and baby items.  In addition, we also take jewelry, household goods, home decor or electronics.

District Spring Rally

NORTHWEST DISTRICT SPRING RALLY: APRIL 28TH Oakley Chapel, UMC. 203 Promenade Blvd. Rogers, AR. 72758 Noon-5pm
DCYM REPS & OFFICERS SCREENING FOR 2012/13: Youth that are interested in serving will have an opportunity to screen at Midland Heights UMC 3500 N.6th Fort Smith, AR. 72904 A Panel of Adult and Senior Grade DCYM Officers will be accepting screening applications for DCYM Officer Positions and CCYM Rep positions.  Let Denni know if you would like to be a district/conference officer (must be 10th-12th grade in the 2012-2012 school year.)  We are also needing 2 youth representatives from Elm Springs who will attend meetings are help plan district events.

The New Fear Factor Matthew 6:24-34 February 26, 2012

There is a new-old TV show that has just made a re-run: Fear Factor.  Not surprising is it?  There are a lot of new fears that we have today that were absent a decade ago:  gas prices, job security, leadership struggles, the economy:  have you seen the commercial (I cannot remember what it is for!) but it shows a young boy and a grandfather sitting on the front steps, and the boy says something about “will I have thus and such when this is my house, grandpa?” and the grandpa replies, “I hope so…” with a pensive look.  The fact is, there are a lot of “new fears” that people are facing, that are really old fears that have just reared their heads.  I would say we are a much more anxious society than we were a decade ago.

Is anxiety a problem?

-          not a new problem; Jesus addressed it, Paul principally wrote about it

-          people in their day had plenty to worry about!  The Christians were being persecuted left and right!

-          Luke, the physician, was the principal writer about it!

-          some would arrogantly dismiss it as just “worrying”; we characterize some people as “worriers”

-          the worrier says “worry must work; most of the things I worry about don’t happen!”

-          for the non-Christian, anxiety I think is almost natural; the non-believer has plenty to worry about!

-          My difficulty is that I know a lot of Christians, even Christian leaders, pastors, teachers, etc. who struggle, even struggle mightily, from anxiety

-          Why is this a difficulty? Because, simply put, if a person is living daily with anxiety, this anxiety is robbing them of the abundant life God desires for us.  It is not God’s intention or desire for us as believers to live anxiously, but rather victoriously!

What is anxiety?

-          First, what it is NOT:  a character flaw or weakness (from which you can ‘pull yourself up with your own bootstraps), a “case of the jitters”, a ‘worrier’; it is NOT the fault of the PERSON

-          What it IS:  the most common of all mental health disorders – the common cold of mental health

Panic attacks, phobias, extreme shyness, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, generalized anxiety

(clinical definitions…) http://mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=1

What does anxiety do to us?

1. It drains us – mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually; can lead to lack of sleep, lost productivity at work, altered relationships
   1. Specifically, what are the drains:  physical (blood pressure, chemical, etc.?)
   2. In Jesus’ parable of the sower and the seeds (Luke 8:4-18), he states plainly that worry/anxiety inhibits our spiritual maturity – it chokes it out of us
2. It distracts us– from the things of God.  Our minds are to be singly set on Him, and distraction is the enemy’s weapon (his ONLY weapon!)
   1. From Luke 10: Martha and Mary were having a supper party, with Jesus as their guest. Martha was busying herself in the kitchen, while Mary was simply sitting at Jesus feet.  Finally, in a fit of frustration, Martha implores Jesus to get her sister to help! Luke 10: ⁴¹ But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! ⁴² There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
   2. Luke is here presenting the three phases of Satan’s psychological attack on God’s people. The first phase is merimnano – the occupation of the attention of the mind. Martha notices that Mary is not helping her. Instead, Mary is listening to Jesus’ teaching. She dwells on this until she reaches the second phase – perispano – literally to draw a net around, as in fishing. (sounds like the root of our word “perspirate”). Now her concerns draw a net around her and so capture her to the point that her attention is consumed by the situation. This leads to the third phase –turbanzo, the outward expression of frustration and/or anger in speech, face, and body language. Again, it sounds like our word “turbine”-a thing that turns around and around, creating noise and wind (!).  This entire incident starts with the attention of Martha’s mind being occupied with her circumstance. Her circumstance then captures her as a net would capture a fish. The end result is that she storms into the room and stands over Jesus, creating noise and wind, expressing her frustration. (from Bill Klein, studylight.org)
   3. Understand that Satan is not fair. He will use loved ones; he will use life’s circumstances; he will even attempt to use service for Christ as a way to divert a believer’s attention from the hearing of God’s Word.

It devours us – 1 Peter 5:8, the roaring lion seeks those whom he may devour; left unchecked, anxiety can totally consume a person (agoraphobia is an example: a totally unchecked fear of open places that causes withdrawl and antisocialism)

So what can be done about anxiety?

-medical treatments have come a long way, but they will not take you the whole way

1. Discipline yourselves – keep alert
2. Cast your anxiety upon the LORD, for he cares for you (1 Peter 5)
1. Word “cast” is only used twice – once to refer to casting their blankets on the back of the donkey so Jesus could ride, and then here;  we are to literally “throw” them on the LORD
2. Pray – if the devil wants to take your focus away from the things of God, when you are anxious, take them right TO God!
3. Visualize, when you pray, that you are taking that worry and throwing it as hard as you can at God; and he then takes it, and places it under his feet
3. Resist (the devil) being steadfast in your faith
1. “consider the lilies of the field…
2. God…will restore, support, strengthen and establish you
   

Jr. High/Sr. High Assembly

Join United Methodist Youth from around Arkansas July 22-26 at University of the Ozarks in the Clarksville.  It is $163/youth if registered by March 11.  (This is signing up; you will pay later.) This includes the event, meals, and lodging.  The cost goes up to $173-$183 depending on when you register.  Also, please sign up on the list in Heritage Hallway so we know how many are going from Elm Springs.

Jr. High Assembly is for current 6th-8th graders and Sr. High Assembly is for current 9th-12th graders.  This is the first time the two events will run concurrently.  Anyone interested can signup in Heritage Hallway at the Smart Files.  Click  here to preregister - www.arumc.org/k_registrations.php

Wild World Paintball March 3rd

Paintball

Saturday March 3^rd

Meet at Wild World in Tontitown at 10:00 and play until everyone is done.

Cost is $25 for rental and 500 paint balls.

Download the required waiver and find additional safety information at http://wildworldpaintball.com/id1.html

A is for Anger Matthew 5: 21 – 26 (NIV) February 5, 2012

When I was younger, I loved the live-action tv show, “Incredible Hulk.” You know, the one with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno? Do you remember what he would say when he was provoked? “don’t make me angry… you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry…”

 Jesus says anger = murder

 What is anger? What are its causes?

From APA website:  “Anger is “an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage,” according to Charles Spielberger, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in the study of anger. Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes; when you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. “

-          clinically, it is the outflow of a depressive state

-          in other words, depression is what is on the inside; anger is how it is expressed on the outside

-          And the Bible is very blunt:  Anger (sinful anger) is a foothold of the DEVIL. Eph 4

-          What is a foothold?  1) A place providing support for the foot in climbing or standing. 2) A firm or secure position that provides a base for further advancement

What causes anger?

-          Anger is characterized as either a crock-pot or a short fuse

-          feeling of being out of control

-          unfulfilled wishes, hopes, expectations

• this is my downfall:  I get angry/frustrated when things don’t go the way I want/expect them to

-          Displacement (frustration at work – kick the dog)

-          Unexpressed feelings – loneliness, frustration at work,

(from APA) Anger can be caused by both external and internal events. You could be angry at a specific person (Such as a coworker or supervisor) or event (a traffic jam, a canceled flight), or your anger could be caused by worrying or brooding about your personal problems. Memories of traumatic or enraging events can also trigger angry feelings.

 Is anger ever justified?

Yes – in the sense of “righteous indignation.”  Jesus himself expressed anger when he saw that the money-changers and peddlers for profit had set up shop in the temple courts

-          Maxie Dunnam, in his workbook on “Seven Deadly Sins” writes this:  “Only the anger of a humble person has the moral force that can be rightly labeled “righteous indignation.” Only the truly humble can be angry without sinning. Why? Because the anger is not the result of personal hurt or wounded pride. It is anger from a righteous cause, anger against that which violates God’s way, and/or hurts others.”

-          So what you have to ask is this:  is this really righteous indignation, or selfish indignation that I feel?  In other words, am I upset about an injustice done to others, or am I upset at an injustice done to ME?

 What about anger towards fellow believers?

Summary:  Paul and Barnabas

-Barnabas was highly regarded both as a Jew and as a Christian

-Under Barnabas, the church at Antioch grew rapidly, and there arose a need for an associate pastor – so they called upon a man known as Saul, now called Paul

- Saul was greatly feared as one of the chief persecutors of Christians, until he himself was converted on the Damascus Road

-Barnabas was the first recorded who recognized Paul’s conversion as genuine, and called him a Christian

-They had a great team ministry going on;  they preached all over the area surrounding Antioch; they collected and delivered relief to Jerusalem (apportionments?) and even organized the first foreign mission, and established Antioch as a great sending church to all parts of Asia.

-when a theological conflict arose about salvation by works (not grace) arose, it was Barnabas and Paul who were sent in as mediators in the conflict

BUT, 2 things happened that began to strain their relationship:

1. Leadership changed hands
   1. Outside of Antioch, it was Paul who was regarded as the leader, because he was a superior preacher and teacher
   2. He had a strong personality and prominent gifts for this kind of work

b.So, they went from being known as Barnabas and Paul to first Paul and Barnabas, and then “the Apostle Paul Evangelistic Association” (It’s interesting to see it in Acts 13:2, 7, 43-50; also compare Acts 15:12, 22!)

1.  As all this went on, Barnabas could see the good it was doing, so he kept his mouth shut
2. When PETER was swayed by Jews at Antioch not to eat with Gentiles, “even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy”  yes, good old-fashioned SIN entered the picture:
   1. EVEN Barnabas?!?
      1.  It was Paul who convinced Barnabas to change his ways, to treat the Gentiles equally, and reinstated Barnabas;  Barnabas knew that the student had become the teacher, and that he had lost face through his actions, yet still he said nothing.  the wound healed, but the scar remained

 Now, at this point, Barnabas was like a pot just about to boil.  He had lost his prominence, respect, power, and position, and now Paul, his apprentice, had it.

Well, one more thing happened. Barnabas and Paul were going on another missionary journey, and Barnabas chose a man, John Mark, to accompany them.  But Paul was upset that John Mark had previously deserted them in Pamphylia (two years earlier).  (we’re not told why; it’s suggested that it was because of the equal treatment Paul was giving to the Gentiles, the same thing Paul had corrected Barnabas for)

-Not a big deal, right?  I mean, after all, this was two years ago; a lot of water under the bridge, right?

-But, when waters and unresolved feelings run deep,  it only takes a pinch of salt to cause a pot to boil over

Acts 15: A SHARP disagreement erupted (a sudden, violent emotion or action) and Barnabas and Paul separated ways – for good.  Barnabas took John Mark on a missionary journey to Cyprus, and Paul chose Silas to go with him to Cilicia and Syria.  Much later, we are told in Paul’s writings, in Colossians, 1 Timothy and Philemon, that he had restored his opinion of John Mark, but this was most likely after Barnabas died.

 So, do Christians ever get mad at one another? YES.  Are we ALLOWED to get mad?  I would say again, yes, if it’s for the right reasons.   What are the right reasons? (Romans 1:18ff) Well, injustice, lawlessness, idolatry, unrighteousness;  you know, the same things JESUS got mad about.  If it’s just because someone inconvenienced YOU, however, try another route than rage.

To avoid disagreements:

1. Do not ___judge_ in haste (what’s wrong with them? Don’t put it off as a fault in the other person)
2. Identify and Admit your ___feelings____ and talk with the other person: yes, use the “I feel” statements, not the accusatory “you make me” .  “I feel betrayed when you…”  “I don’t feel I can trust you when…”.  It doesn’t call the person names or bring them down, but it does attach a cause-effect relationship between feelings and actions.
3. Sometimes, you must agree to ___disagree__ : allow for differences of opinion WITHOUT counting it as a character flaw

If we all got along, we wouldn’t need a Savior!

 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

 How can I be saved from my anger? BREATHE

1. Confess it, don’t repress it – “don’t let the sun go down on your anger”
2. Confess it, don’t express it
1. In confession, we acknowledge that we are HELPLESS on our own, that we need God’s intervention
3. Talk to yourself (use a calming word or phrase) – Goosefaba! (from the movie Anger Mangagement)
1. Man at mall with baby stroller and inconsolable baby; a woman overheard the man talking to the baby, “Bobby, it’s ok. Bobby calm down. We’re almost done Bobby. Mommy is coming back soon Bobby.” She went over to the man and said, “it is so wonderful how you are talking so calmly to little Bobby.”  The man replied, “Lady, MY name is Bobby…”
2. Reassure yourself – the world is an imperfect place!
4. Talk to person you trust
5. Use humor
6. Change your environment
7. If you feel your anger is too out of control, don’t hesitate to seek the advice of a mental health professional.

Remember, you can’t eliminate anger—and it wouldn’t be a good idea if you could. In spite of all your efforts, things will happen that will cause you anger; and sometimes it will be justifiable anger. Life will be filled with frustration, pain, loss, and the unpredictable actions of others. You can’t change that; but you can change the way you let such events affect you, leaving the Devil with nothing to hold on to!

Before the Wheels Come Off Matthew 5: 27 – 32 February 12, 2012

Note: The message today is rated PG. It includes a discussion of sexual issues. Parents may wish to take their young kids to Children’s Church.

 A while back, I was driving down the road, and felt a little shimmy in the steering wheel. I took the car to my local establishment, and had them mount and balance the tires. The shimmy was still there. So I took it back, and had them do it again. Still no improvement. They told me, “sometimes these cars just do that.”  I wasn’t satisfied. I took it to the dealer, and they remounted and balanced the tires, still no improvement. Though they could not see it, they said the tire might be cupping, and to keep them properly inflated. I drove away, tires properly inflated, and the shimmy was still there. I then began to notice that at higher speeds, the car was drifting to the left. I took it back to the tire shop, they said they couldn’t work on the tires now because the tread had worn too low. So I bought new tires. The shimmy didn’t go away, but dramatically improved!  So we drove for awhile, and the shimmy and pulling returned. It was about time to rotate the tires, so I took it in, and the tire guy came out and said the tires were worn abnormally, and we would have to buy new tires!  What he explained was that the cause of the shimmy, and I then admitted it had been pulling, was the car was out of alignment. The shimmy, the pulling, the abnormal wear of the tires, were all symptoms of a deeper problem.

Just like a car, our marriage relationship has to be aligned properly in order to function to its intended purpose. Sure, we may be able to get from point A to point B without too much trouble on the surface but underneath, we might be misaligned, and leading us down a costly path. As we have to put more effort into keeping our relationship on the road, and we find ourselves veering more to the left or right depending on where the alignment is off. Only a trained mechanic can correct misalignment within our vehicles yet we believe we can correct our own issues when our alignment is off. Your spouse may be veering dangerously close to the edge of the road, or it might look like you are headed towards oncoming traffic, and we are afraid to admit that we are mis-aligned, and need a trained mechanic to get us back on track. Stop, and hand the keys to your marriage over to God. His Word will align you and your marriage to head in the right direction.

Jesus, in our text today, talks frankly about some of the mis-alignments that can drastically affect healthy relationships. Specifically, he addresses lust, adultery, and frivolous divorce.  In each, Jesus compares external performance to internal obedience. Just as we discussed last week, when Jesus equated acting out in anger to murder, he takes the letter of the law and interprets the spirit of the law:  ²⁷ “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery. ²⁸ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

In 21^st century culture, lust is almost viewed as a competitive sport!  Just a look at last week’s Superbowl commercials demonstrated that sex sells, and sells big. Of some 20 commercial spots aired for the first time last week, one-third had an explicitly sexual theme. The most powerful communication tool in the world, the internet, has as 40% of its content explicitly sexual images and videos, and another 20% is sexually suggestive.  And Jesus’ words directly contradict the modern mantra that “it’s ok to window-shop.”  No, the truth is, we as males have a strong visual imprinting, and when we see an image, we replay that image over and over again. And when we allow that imprinting to supplant the energies and affections we are supposed to reserve for our spouse, we have committed adultery.

Jesus then goes on to say what we should do about this: “So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

What does that say to us today?  Desire is costly.

It rarely comes with a visible price tag attached. It starts with something very small and innocent—something that looks so harmless, it’s easy to allow. It starts with a desire.  The cost is hidden, and besides that, it’s pleasure purchased on credit, with unmentioned payments due for the rest of your life.

This does NOT mean that sexual desire itself is wrong. God created sex and He created us with strong sexual desires. He also gave us the perfect context to indulge those desires—the marriage relationship. Sex is God’s invention. He came up with the idea. He made it attractive and pleasurable and fun. He wants his followers to enjoy the best sex on the planet and so he designed marriage as the perfect context for it.

But to use God’s gift outside the context of marriage is to violate the operating instructions in the owner’s manual. Sex wasn’t designed to work outside marriage. It won’t work outside marriage. Instead of bringing us the fulfillment that God created sex to produce, it will bring us temporary pleasure and then long-term destruction and heartache.

 Jesus continued:   31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.

 Now, these verses have caused a lot of confusion; Jesus’ words were a radical departure from the practice of the day, that treated marriage as a very casual contract that could be dissolved or departed from with a simple piece of paper. Wait, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

What Jesus was communicating was not so much the mechanics of the law, but that  Marriage is sacred.

Purity is necessary. In our marriages, we must protect fiercely the doors to our houses. Do not let in those things that will drive us off course; and if you have, it’s time to re-commit to purity before the wheels come off.

Proverbs 6:25-29, 32

Do not lust in your heart after her beauty

or let her captivate you with her eyes,

for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread,

and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?

Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;

no one who touches her will go unpunished.

A man who commits adultery lacks judgment;

whoever does so destroys himself.

Why is adultery attractive?  It meets our unmet need(s)

-          we often trade one need for the acquisition of another:  (why do men pay for sex? Trade physical security for sexual affection) (women get emotional security from someone, and trade physical affection for it)

-          when we are not getting our needs met at home, in the marriage, we are tempted to get them met elsewhere; whether those needs are physical or emotional

 Some Practical advice:

1. Desire is an alarm – like the rumble strips on the side of the road; it tells us we are off-course

2. Recognize you are vulnerable – when we think we are Invulnerable, that’s when we are the MOST vulnerable!

3. Watch your input – Garbage in, garbage out

4. Watch your circumstances – don’t put yourself in circumstances that tempt or test you. This kind of temptation doesn’t make you stronger; it lowers your guard

5. Think consequences – don’t ignore the warning signs, but pull over, go to an expert, and most of all, Stop, and hand the keys to your marriage over to God. His Word will align you and your marriage to head in the right direction.

6. satisfy each other in marriage – each one of us has needs in a relationship: a marriage relationship is no different. We have needs for physical security; we also have needs for relational security. Those come through respect and communication. We have needs for relational intimacy as well as physical intimacy. We cannot withhold or deny these in a relationship or the wheels will come off.