Mr. C's Blog

Every fingertip has a pattern of ridges in the skin that is slightly different than every other person’s pattern, even from an identical twin. Therefore, every person leaves their own fingerprint or mark. 

Similarly, as followers of Christ, we each leave our spiritual fingerprints on the lives of other people.  Truth is, we do not stay on earth forever, but our spiritual imprint can remain on our children, grandchildren, and other people we impact.

Many years ago, John Geddes was a missionary to the Hebrides islands. These islands were heavily populated with cannibals. There were no Christians on these islands. Geddes left such a mark for Christ on those islands that there is a plaque on a church still today that reads: “In memory of John Geddes, when he landed in 1848 there were no Christians here and when he left there were no heathen.” 

What mark are we leaving on those we meet? What will be our legacy? Serving the Lord and living for Him does make a difference even though some days are it may not seem so. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:58 reminds us of this truth - “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

Serving the Lord is never useless and always fruitful. There is an old song by Steve Green called “Find Us Faithful” and I love the words.

“After all our hopes and dreams
Have come and gone,
And our children sift thru all
We've left behind,
May the clues that they discover,
And the memories they uncover,
Become the light that leads them,
To the road we each must find.

O may all who come behind us
Find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion
Light their way.
May the footprints that we leave,
Lead them to believe,” 

May we seek to leave a mark for Christ that would lead many to believe.

Life can be hard. It is easy to get hurt, broken, or chipped. Paul talked of just how fragile we are in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” 

2 Corinthians 4 is for people who have discovered that life is hard and understand how fragile we really are. In this passage, Paul is giving us some powerful truths. He is reminding us that faith is not pretending like everything is ok when it is not. You see it is impossible to stand in the rain and pretend it is sunny for a very long time.  

I am convinced that many of you who may be reading this devotion are hurt, broken, or maybe you have prayed for something that God has not answered and you are discouraged. I do not want you to miss some significant truths from this passage.

First, pressure cannot crush us. We are not crushed because of the hope we have in Jesus. Remember the Red Sea. The Israelites had the Red Sea in front of them and Pharoah’s army behind them. It appeared there was no way out. They were between a rock and a hard place, but God made a way.

Next, we are perplexed or, in other words, there are going to be times when we do not understand why things are happening. But we are not in despair. Why? Because God sees what we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 says “Faith is the assurance of things you cannot see.” Do we have faith that a story is being written that we do not yet see? 

Next, we are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. If God is for us, who can be against us. As Romans 8:73 says, nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Finally, we get knocked down, but we are never destroyed. Why? Because ultimately our hope is not in this world. One day all these problems will seem like nothing. I love how C.S. Lewis describes how one day our earthly struggles will be over - “The door on which we have been knocking all of our lives will open at last.” 

Life can be hard but remember our God is greater than any of that. Hold on child of God because even though we are fragile we serve a God who never gives up on us!

Good morning MCA families,

As we begin to close out school year 2020-2021, today will be our last devotion sent of the school year. Today will be a little different than our normal devotion. Today, I just want to say thank you for an incredible year.

I had no idea when we started school in this unusual year how things would go. All I knew is that I wanted our students to be able to go to school for in-person instruction. I also wanted them to have all the opportunities possible in extracurricular activities. 

I wanted them to have as normal a school experience as possible. God has been so good to enable us to do just that. There have ben many restrictions that were placed upon us but I am so proud of how our students handled them all with grace. I am also grateful to all of our parents for working with us on teh restrictions we were given. 

I am also so grateful for a staff and a faculty that did whatever it took to do school and do it with excellence. 

Even with all the differences this year, we were so blessed to see God move on our campus. I praise Him for the community of Metrolina and I so look forward to getting back to normal next school year. When I think of our families, Philippians 1:3 comes to my mind.

" Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God."

That is my heart for the Metrolina community!

Good morning,

“The incomplete joys of this world will never satisfy the human heart.”- Tim Keller

The American dream of working hard so that we can acquire more stuff sometimes is not all that it is cracked up to be. Many times, the higher the salary the more we wind up spending. Even spending what we do not have. In fact, I read the other day that the average non-mortgage debt in America is $32,878.

What is even more unfortunate is that many people making very good salaries dislike their jobs and would love to do something else but can’t because of their debt commitments.

Tim Keller is so right when he says above that “the incomplete joys of this world will never satisfy.”

Where do we find the answer to satisfying the human heart? I believe that answer is found in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can give us real peace. The Apostle Paul found that secret even though he was greatly persecuted. He had been beaten, jailed, snake bit, ridiculed and more but he was content. Philippians 4:11 tells us just that.

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.”

Paul had experienced the peace and joy that Jesus gives. In a jail cell where he had been imprisoned with Silas, he sang and praised the Lord instead of complaining and being bitter. His life was nit wrapped up in anything this world had to offer. I think Paul knew that none of the stuff of this world would last.

Instead, Paul knew the value of the presence of the Lord in his life. In Hebrews 13:5, he wrote:“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

Paul knew that money and stuff were only temporary. They could just as easily go as they came. Instead, Paul held on  to the only real hope we have and that is in Jesus. Paul knew that “He would never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

What about you and me? What are we holding onto that offers no lasting joy? How deep are tied up in things that do not matter? I leave you with Colossians 2:20.

“You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world..”

It is time to be set free of this world’s expectations. We don’t need the American dream. We need to put our faith and trust the one who will never fail you or abandon you. He has a better way! Take some time and discover where He would love to take you! There you will find a joy that satisfies.

Good morning,

Today’s devotion is by Mika Edwards

Better things to come –

We have two new kittens. They are soft, cuddly, playful, curious, and nibble on your toes if you stand still for too long. The kittens have been practicing! They are not practicing the basics such as eating, sleeping, and meowing. Their practice exercise is to run across the backyard then drop low to the ground and crawl on their belly carefully and strategically until the perfect moment to pounce on a leaf!!! HAHA! The leaf is a rather easy target, but they are nevertheless practicing for greater things to come.

As believers we are promised greater things to come as well. We are promised our eternal home in heaven as Paul quoted, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him” I Corinthians 2:9.

Peter said in Christ we have, “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” I Peter 1:4

One may question if practicing something great is needed. The answer to that question is found in the instructions the apostle Paul spoke to the church in Philippi.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” Philippians 4:8-9

Consider the following exercises to practice in preparation for greater things to come.

Practice worship, for the heavenly choir filled with songs of the redeemed.

Practice being in the presence of God by talking to him in prayer and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Practice living in peace, kindness, and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ whom we will share heaven.

The kittens have great victories in their future something so great it is worth the time, work, and commitment to put in practice. We in Christ, have great futures – let’s get some practice time today!