Encouragement That Works

By Pastor Tim White

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant a time to uproot...He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 11 (NIV)

This week we are beginning a new series called: “Encouragement That Works” as we study Wisdom Literature from the Bible. I am starting with the Book of Ecclesiastes. In this book I believe you will find a ‘Big Picture’ glimpse of encouragement which could impact your emotional makeup in a God-inspired way.

When I was in college studying research psychology, one of the interesting studies going on at my University and around the world was that of sensory deprivation. Typically, the subject would have their hearing and vision shut down, be floating in salt water at their exact body temperature so that they would be totally deprived of all physical senses. They are still doing experimentation in this area still today. The reason being that in our age of over-stimulation this quietness may have some therapeutic benefits that teach us about the human condition.

In another way, a glimpse of God’s expansive view of our troubles also changes our overloaded senses. When we feel his personal care, it heals us in a way that has not been fully researched. If you wrestle with depression or discouragement I want to say to you that you are a human being who cares. God cares for you and he inspired some books of the Bible targeted to give you wisdom to navigate your way through these troubled personal times. Please join me this weekend…For Encouragement That Works.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White

Finally, we’ve arrived back at the beginning!

By Pastor Tim White

It is remarkable to me that some of the most complex issues are resolved in simple powerful truths.  After exasperating study, mind boggling contemplation, exhausting debate and intensive research, sometimes it all comes together in a simple profound truth.  

We have been on a series entitled “Give Us Jesus.”  It started in the Easter Story and was joyfully brought together by Pastor Becca in describing the depth of the personal friendship we can have with Jesus Christ himself.  This week I am concluding that series with a message on “How you can have certainty that you have eternal life”.  I don’t know how many times in 33 years of ministry I have had friends from this community meet me for coffee and say they want to have faith when it comes to death.  These are wonderful people whom I have the utmost respect for in their high intelligence and accomplishments in life.  I know that they are beloved by their family.  Sometimes, it is a conversation that lasts for years – though not at the same coffee shop.  But it always ends – yes - always (God is batting a thousand here) with a smile on their face, love and courage in their eye and a statement of deep confidence that God has a better plan than death and they are part of it.  

So, I wanted to end the series on “Give Us Jesus” with Great Questions - Solid Answers on Eternal Life and how each of us can live forever with Jesus.  I have entitled this inspirational message Finally, We’ve Arrived at the Beginning.  I believe this is a message you will want to make sure you don’t miss. So, I will see you there.   The music will be so inspiring!

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White
 

Love Like Jesus

By Pastor Tim White

How would our world change if everyone learned a new reverence for life, even people who don’t believe in Jesus?  What would happen if we did just a little bit better at loving like Jesus.  Here is a surprise - I am happy when I hear the Dalai Lama say something that is loving and full of joy.  As a Christ-follower it doesn’t anger me at all.  I am full of joy when I have lunch with an atheist friend and I am reinvigorated by their down-to-earth lack of pretense and personal politeness.  And I would love it if North Korea, Iran and Syria could become more loving places.  It has to just break every human being’s heart when children are killed by poison gas during a war.  The Love that Jesus is talking about runs deeper than how we identify ourselves religiously; it reaches down to the core of our creation as human beings.  

I used to hear people say that love is a two-sided coin; love on one side and truth or justice on the other.  But I think they are both pretty much the same. You can’t love if you don’t stand up for truth and justice. And if you stand up for truth and justice without love you are just being manipulative. We have so much to learn about loving the Jesus way.

With that said, I owe my capacity to love to Jesus Christ.  I have a lot to learn from him and I will always love him for loving me first.  I want to live to be over 100 just to see how loving I will become after walking with Jesus through all those years.  I like the statement by Job: When he has tried me, I will come forth as gold.  I believe my heart is in the process of being made into gold. And I know that so many of my friends are also on that wonderful adventure.  

I like to hike with my dog every day.  And we are building up to hike the Pacific Coast Trail.  We never know what we are going to find.  A beaver for my dog to play with, ducks for my dog to swim with, a new friend for me to walk with - it is always a surprise.  The weather is a surprise.  The birds are glorious.  Well that is nothing compared to the surprises in store for those of us who enter the adventure of learning to love like Jesus.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White
 

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

By Pastor Tim White

This was, in my view, the greatest Easter we have ever experienced as a church family.  And we have had a lot of great Easter Experiences throughout the years.  But more new families filled out contact cards than ever before – even more than the year we had 6,000 at Easter services.  It was amazing to have such an international group of people.  So many filled out their contact card saying that they wanted to start coming to Washington Cathedral regularly and to get more involved in their faith.  All I can say is “Thank You God!” and “Thank You!” to all the workers and members that made this such a welcoming experience including the Actors, Set Designers, the Choir, the Greeters, the Breakfast Team, the Easter Egg Hunt Teams, the Worship Band, the Sound Techs and the Parking Lot Teams.  It was a challenge with three Worship Services going on at the same time on the same campus with the addition of invited friends and neighbors.  

We knew there were going to be a lot of people gone this weekend with the school breaks hitting on Easter but there were so many brand-new visitors that it filled up the sanctuary and made the service so dynamic.

I am so excited to continue our new series on “Give Us Jesus” especially now that there are so many who are learning about Jesus for the first time.  People forget that all of Scripture was revealed to point to Jesus and it stands on his claims and teachings.  I love to tell stories of Jesus.  This week I am going to share Part Two of the message entitled “We Want ‘The Real Thing’”.  Yes, I am borrowing this line from a soda pop ad from long ago.  But what people are looking for is the historical Jesus, the biblical Jesus, the Real Jesus…pray for me as I share my heart and my love for Jesus Christ.  

I wish you could have seen the faces of the children as I told them the Easter story. I was so captivated by their sincerity and their emotion that I kind of messed up on my part.  But thanks to the quick-thinking technical support of Justin Amoruso and of Raffael Guimaraes who played the role of Jesus it all worked out. I am so excited to tell you the rest of the
Story of Jesus and Easter and Eternal Life that starts right now.  Please join us this next week for a very inspirational worship.

Your friend for the rest of my life,

Pastor Tim White