Concord Chronicle

This week, our son, Rhys, graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. Taking from his personal Facebook page, he shared:

I am so thankful for everyone who has supported me throughout my university journey. It took me longer than anticipated, but I wouldn't have done it any other way! I have met so many amazing people along the way from Mesa Community College in AZ, DVC in Pleasant Hill, and finally at SJSU. This is where I spent the most time with so many talented musicians and friends! I know that God has so much more planned ahead of me, and I have already been blessed by so much!

I agree. This has been the best way since we've been able to witness this up close - in our transitions and during Covid. Plus, even when he has "gone away" to SJSU, he has just been down the road from us, but in the midst of extended family. We've had the privilege of making it to most of his concerts and recitals and still be close enough for him to worship and fellowship with us on the weekends. This may not be every person's dream arrangement, but it has certainly worked for us and him.

In analyzing the enclosed meme, we may think that we have our lives mapped out. But when we submit ourselves to God and His plans for us, our life may not always go as we had imagined. Yet, it's in those highs and lows that God is shaping us and building character. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

BUT ...

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:2-5 NLT

Keep persevering. Mind the blind curves, the bumps, the rocky cliffs, and flat tires. Stay the course. Read the map/GPS. Stay tuned up. Fill up! Get rest along the way. Enjoy the scenery along the route. Make friends along the way. Stop and help the ones who are stranded and need a lift. Don't be afraid to ask for help or directions when needed! (I'm speaking mostly to the men here - wink wink.)

You will reach your destination.

AnnMarguerite Jones

At least once or twice a year in my Bible Study group, someone will ask a question along the lines of “… if God is omniscient and all-powerful and loves us so much, why do we have to pray? Won’t He provide and give us what we need without asking?”

Good questions, and I believe the confusion arises because we are conditioned to think in an “either/or” mindset rather than “and”. More about that in a moment, but first let’s see if there is scripture to back up the assumptions being made.

First, is God omniscient?

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:13 NLT

So, the answer is “yes”, God is all-knowing.

Is He all-powerful?

All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him.

He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth.

No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’ Daniel 4:35 NLT

Again, the answer is “yes”, He is all-powerful.

Is He consistent in His grace?

For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:5 NLT

Once again the answer is “yes”, His limitless love toward us goes on forever and will not fail.

What can/could our prayers do to enhance that? Shouldn’t we just sit back, relax and let God “do His thing”?

The short answer is “no” because Jesus tells us to pray.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 NLT

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24 NLT

“Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” Luke 22:46b NLT

You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it. Matthew 21:22 NLT

And, of course, it’s not just Jesus, but his disciples and the apostles who affirm the power of prayer in their writings as well. So what’s the point of prayer?

I have a rule in my personal study that when things don’t seem logical in my view of God’s plan, start with the assumption that whatever He asks of me is for my good and to show His glory. So when I am commanded to pray, it must be for my benefit!

It’s not that either God is gracious and good or He needs us to do His work for Him, it’s that He is gracious and good and powerful AND He wishes to bless us by allowing us to be part of His divine plan for this world!

By praying, we draw closer to God’s will. By praying we are strengthened in our faith. By praying we avoid the traps and sinkholes Satan would put in our paths.

God’s power and providence and prayer, far from being antithetical, are actually reciprocal. Providence inspires prayer and prayer invokes providence. Here divine sovereignty and human responsibility mysteriously converge in a way we cannot fully explain but which is nonetheless real.

By failing to pray, we may forfeit personal blessings which God would otherwise bestow. It appears that in his sovereignty God has ordained believing prayer as a necessary means for receiving many of his promises. The apostle James has an interesting take on prayer:

You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. James 4:2 NLT

God wants us to grow to be in Him and like Him and the most efficient way to accomplish that is through prayer. In typical God fashion though, the resulting blessings and benefits will be so much more than we could ever imagine!

It would be sad indeed if we missed out on a great blessing because we were too busy with our own concerns to get in touch with His. Ask and you will receive!

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 NLT

Blessings on you and yours,

Jim Black

P.S. If you’d like to read previous ruminations of mine they can be found at https://www.salvationarmyconcordca.org/chronicle/?category=Bible%20Study

All families will have conflict, and there are times when we, as parents, will have to confront, discipline and not be the most popular people in our children’s lives. However, when we discipline, we do not want to close the spirit of our child toward us. When children have a closed spirit, they usually avoid communicating with us. They may withdraw, be contrary and refuse to show affection, and they may say very mean and hurtful words. Children with an open spirit, on the other hand, feel reassured of their parents’ love. They are open to criticism, even though they don’t like it, and they bounce back quite quickly from negative conversations. Children with a spirit that is open to their parents are willing to communicate and to show affection in an age-appropriate way, and they are much more open to building healthy relationships with their parents.

The simple saying “Rules without relationship lead to rebellion” is so very true when it comes to keeping a child’s spirit open in the midst of discipline. A friend of mine with many problems as an adult once told me, “I was scared to death of my dad. He ruled with his fist and the belt. He forced obedience in the house when he was there, but every one of us moved out as quickly as we could and had problems dealing with intimacy and relationships partly because of the way Dad handled us as children.”

When it comes to discipline, our kids need us always to show respect, even in the midst of tension. We can disagree with our children and still be able to communicate with gentleness and respect. All relationships have conflict, but a relationship between two people whose spirits are open to each other can take the conflict in stride and work through it in love.

Do Not Nag

Nagging definitely is not the best way to keep a child’s spirit open. Sometimes we simply need to have the self-control to keep our mouths shut until we find a better and more effective way to share our concerns with our children or spouse. I’ve never had a kid tell me that he or she greatly benefited from Mom’s or Dad’s nagging. Nagging is a lazy habit many of us learned from our own parents. However, there is a better way to discipline and a better way to communicate.

Choose Your Battles Wisely

The parent who becomes defensive toward his or her family is the parent who is trying to manage too many battles on too many fronts. Does your child’s room need to be as perfect as your room? If that is your battle, then win the fight; but if it isn’t worth fighting for, then compromise.

Cathy is much more of a neatnik than any of the rest of us. When we were first married, we had to find a satisfactory settlement on clean rooms. Over the years, Cathy has trained me to pick up my clothes, put the dishes away and not leave stuff everywhere. Unfortunately, she had three daughters who, thank God, looked more like their mom but cleaned more like their dad. The compromise wasn’t always easy for Cathy. We negotiated that we expected clean rooms on Tuesdays and Saturdays. That’s two more days than our girls would have chosen and five fewer days than Cathy would have liked. But we chose compromise and negotiation because it was just not an important-enough battle. When parents fight too many battles, their children may close their spirits to their parents.

Show Empathy

Many parents need improvement in the areas of eye contact, tone of voice and body language. Often our body language tells our children more than our words about our availability. Listening is the language of love, and empathy is more valuable than you would ever imagine in keeping their spirits from closing when you must discipline. Our kids have feelings; we have to show respect for their feelings as well as for their privacy. Discern in which areas of their lives it is not critical for you to intervene, and then stay out of their business in those areas.

Do Not Discipline in Anger

When a child’s spirit is broken and closing, it is often because they feel attacked by their parents’ anger. You can attack the behavior, but you should not attack the person. You need to choose your words carefully, because words can either build up or destroy your children.

Monday Post from Dr. Jim Burns on Marriage & Family Blog, May 20, 2024

As you know, I do like to share pics of our church life in social media which includes this newsletter. I have not received any complaints thus far for sharing. However, if you can complete a consent forms per family/person, I would appreciate it. I have received a handful.

This way I will have this on file if there were any questions asked. You may always choose to decline consent in the future. Please note that as we stream our Sunday services to the private Corps Family Page, you may also be seen.

Link to Consent Form: https://form.jotform.com/241376502030040

SUNDAY

• 9:00 AM - Praise Team Rehearsal - Chapel
• 10:00 AM - Spiritual Education & Discipleship Classes
• Corps Cadets Classroom 1
• Adult Sunday School - Classroom 2
• 11:00 AM - Worship Service - Chapel
• 12:15 PM - Food and Fellowship - Outside
• Note: Lunch will be served from the EDS Canteen outdoors.

MONDAY - Office Closed - Memorial Day

Note: Majors Jones originally planned to have a Volunteer Appreciation BBQ at their home. However, it has been postponed to a date to be planned in the summer. Instead, they are hosting their son's graduation party at The Salvation Army Santa Clara Corps.

TUESDAY

• 4:30 PM - Craft Class - Classroom 1
• 6:00 PM - Adult Bible Study
• Men's Bible Study - Fireside Room (enter through the pantry
• 7:00 PM - Songsters Practice - Chapel
• 8:00 AM - Senior Band Practice - Chapel

WEDNESDAY

• 10:00 AM - Women's Fellowship (CAMEO): Bible Study - Classroom 2

SATURDAY

• 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - EDS Cook-Off - Garden Street Corps
• NOTE: We are looking for 10 NEW volunteers that would like to be part of this training day. Register here to participate: https://forms.gle/E3mWPfEibXW8yRJs7

NEXT SUNDAY, June 2nd

As we are unsure of the status of the Fireside Room, we will not be hosting food and fellowship indoors. Instead, feel free to bring your own picnic lunch that can be eaten tailgate style or sitting in the grass. It will allow you time to fellowship after church, but it will give our food crew a break.

Divisional Music & Creative Arts Camp - June 22-29 - $100

This camp offers an opportunity for young people with basic through advanced music and creative arts skills to hone their creative abilities, work as part of a team, and showcase their skills and talents at various weekly activities including soloist night, elective showcase, and a final concert.

Discovery Camp - July 15-19 - $75

This camp offers an opportunity for the campers to participate in more traditional camping experiences like lake front swimming, arts and crafts, archery, ropes, rock wall, hiking, boating, and more.

The camp site is now accepting registrations. The process involves a few steps, so it won't hurt to start now. Please mailto:AnnMarguerite.Jones@usw.salvationarmy.org with questions or to register.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

As in the past couple of years, we have included an elective class for our students, in addition to the regular VBS rotations of crafts, lunch, games, and Bible study. This year, we have the following:

• Beginning Brass Band - Students will learn how to play the basic scale on a trumpet, if they do not already have an instrument of their own, and perform a couple of songs at the Graduation Celebration Sunday.
• Percussion - Students will learn the basic rudiments on the snare drum.
• Mission Focus - Students will do hands on daily service projects that will bless our community - for example, make blessing bags for the homeless, pack party kits for foster homes, and collect food for the pantry.
• Tactile Art - Students will work behind the scenes on more detailed, time-consuming art projects that will be displayed or used for our final concert.
• Dance - Students will choreograph and perform a dance to a Christian song.
• Ukulele - Students will learn a few basic chords and a couple of songs that will be performed in our Graduation Sunday Celebration.

Please complete registration using this link: https://form.jotform.com/241377716896169

This initiative of turning our thoughts and prayers towards the same part of the world at some point in the same week is a beautiful way to unite us as a global Army family and I thank you for the commitment you each give to this.

CANADA AND BERMUDA TERRITORY

Lieut-Colonel Jean Laurore Clenat - Territorial Commander

Lieut-Colonel Elianise Clenat - Territorial President for Women's Ministries

Major Emmanuel Ndagijimana - Chief Secretary

Major Dancille Ndagijimana - Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries

We praise and thank God:

For the souls being saved into the Kingdom and for the recommitment of lives to Christ being made throughout our territory.

Please pray:

For continued renewal and revival:

• That the Holy Spirit would continue to breathe renewed life into individuals and into our ministries across our territory.

• That Salvationists would experience the power of the Holy Spirit in all its fullness and live lives of holiness and compassionate love for others.

For continued strengthening and spiritual health:

• That continued emphasis on strengthening a disciple-making culture that grows authentic followers of Christ that will help our ministry units be places of holiness and spiritual vibrancy, and help our communities of faith flourish, having transformative influence in the neighborhoods where The Salvation Army is present.

• That the evidence of the continued pastoral care over our officers will bring new strength, healing, renewed purpose, and a deeper joy in their calling.

For the harvest of candidates:

• That hearts would be open and courageously willing to follow God’s call, and with His strength, trust in his guidance and the assurance of his presence.

• That officers would be filled with a joy and boldness and a greater discernment to intentionally engage in meaningful conversations with individuals regarding officership.

• That God would open the floodgates of candidates for His service in this territory and throughout The Salvation Army world.

For the continual efforts in forging stronger partnerships:

• That with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we would seek knowledge, discernment and understanding of spiritual and social issues, developing solutions and partnerships with Kingdom-oriented individuals, groups and organizations, to best support and serve our mission.

• For our 2024 Partners in Mission Self-Denial Campaign and that as a territory we will be reminded of the importance of sacrificial giving. With a goal of 2.4 million dollars, we pray earnestly for the surpassing of this target. May our collective efforts ensure the expansive presence of The Salvation Army worldwide.

Email: annmarguerite.jones@usw.salvationarmy.org
Website: https://www.SalvationArmyConcordCA.org
Location: 3950 Clayton Road, Concord, CA, USA
Phone: (925) 676-6180
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tsaconcord