A place of hope...a place of healing...

The Church of Omaha is a place of hope; a place of healing.

What does that mean for others? What does that mean for us? What is hope? Can someone be healed of emotional pain as well as physical pain? Do we as the body of Christ foster an atmosphere conducive to hope and healing?


Please keep reading if you want answers to these questions....


Hope is a commodity that society is in desperate need of. The economy, politics, and just plain life have caused people to feel despondent and without hope. Politicians attempt to use this word and synonymous words in an attempt to sway the votes to their agenda; but can there be real hope offered?


I boldly say, YES! The hope that comes from Jesus Christ is not based on the market or politics or anything man has to offer. The hope that Jesus Christ offers is based in Himself and He is truth! Numbers 23:19 explains that God is not a man that he can lie or change his mind. In other words, if God says something, it will come to pass. Therefore the hope we have in Him is truth!


Furthermore, this hope we have is IN us and we are instructed to give every one an answer who would ask about it. This is found in 1 Peter 3:15.


Paul explains to the Colossians that we have Christ IN us, which is the hope of glory!


So, the question turns to you now: are you sharing the "hope of glory" (Christ) with others? Does your lifestyle cause others to see Jesus Christ and make them ask you about the hope within you? Think on these questions for a moment.


OK: what about healing? TCOO is a place of hope; a place of healing. Physical healing sometimes takes center stage because it is noticeable. But what about emotional healing? What about deliverance from fear? Are these any less important? NO! And neither should they be any less celebrated.


Just as our society is surrounded by hopelessness, there are also a lot of hurting people in community. It is up to us to live such a "salty" lifestyle and be so bright with the "light" of truth that others are willing to see Jesus in us and on us.


The Church of Omaha is a place of hope and a place of healing. May lives be changed daily in our communities, on our jobs, in our schools, on the streets, and not just when we come together for worship.


I have a challenge for you today... let's take this hope and healing out of the "four walls" of TCOO and TAKE IT TO THE STREETS!


Who's with me?


Who will join me in reaching out to someone today with hope and healing?


I'll see you on the streets....

Church is what you make it

Jesus entered the Temple and instead of prayer and worship, He witnessed moneychangers selling animals for sacrifice. He became infuriated over the desecration and began to turn over tables and took a whip after the moneychangers. This was in part to fulfill prophesy about His zeal for the house of the Lord. But Jesus also said something that must be examined more closely. "My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."


These moneychangers had an impact on what "church" was. They had "made" it a den of thieves.


What do you make your church?


Does the first time guest feel authentically welcomed and genuinely loved? Or do they feel this is just another church with a different name?


Have you come to the house of God prepared for worship, or does it take four songs and half the sermon to get you ready?


Church is what you make it!


A list of the top ten traits of good church were compiled by Paul Wilkies of UNC.

1. Has a "joyful spirit."
2. Is welcoming and accessible.
3. Has innovative, thoughtful praise and worship.
4. Instills values of a true Christian community.
5. Is aware of the diversity of its members and open to adapting to various groups.
6. Places emphasis on true spirituality and a deep relationship with God.
7. Has a broad lay involvement.
8. Believes in tradition, but isn't static.
9. Uses Scripture-based teaching, not "feel-good" religion.
10. Confronts member's problems.

Based on these ten qualities, do we have good church? If yes, then help us keep having good church. If no, then help us have good church every time we come together.


"If people don't experience a life transformed by Jesus Christ, all other activity simply does not matter. Have good church with a specific purpose in mind!" ~Carlton Coon


It is possible to have "good church" every time we meet because church is what you make it.

GPS....God's Postioning System

Many cars today come with a factory-installed GPS (Global Positioning System). These fancy pieces of technology help you get from point "a" to point "b" making you look like you know what you're doing. But have you ever thought about God's Positioning System?

My GPS will give me certain alerts, like, "You're exceeding the speed limit." My wife violates this alert all the time. So much so, I shut the alert off on her GPS, otherwise, it would be going off all the time.

My GPS will tell me which turn to take so that I can get to my destination efficiently. Sometimes, if I think I know a shortcut, I'll take a different route just to watch it and hear it say, "Recalculating route; finding alternative route."

The Bible tells us that God orders our steps in His Word. His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We are instructed to walk in His ways. And yet I wonder if sometimes God needs to say to us, "You're exceeding the speed limit." Maybe there are times that we think we know a better way and God has to recalculate the route for us. We didn't know our "shortcut" was under construction. If only we would have trusted our GPS.

You see, it all comes down to that one simple word - TRUST - and quite frankly, it's hard to do sometimes. We humans think of ourselves in superior terms. Some humans believe themselves to be self-made "this" or self-made "that" and while I applaud those who have overcome great odds to accomplish things, without God, nothing would be possible.

I choose to trust my GPS. God's been this way before. I can say like Job, "I know that He knows the way that I take..." I can agree with Solomon and trust in the Lord with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding. In all my ways, I must acknowledge Him, and He will direct my paths.

And another thing, don't than treat God like your GPS - shutting it off when you've reached your destination. Instead, continue to trust in Him, seeking His counsel daily. His Word is not just another book to be tossed to the shelve and kept their like a memoir. It is meant to be studied and applied daily. The old song simply said, "Lord I can't even walk without You holding my hand..." How true it is that we need Him daily. We cannot make it without Him!