Our readings this week keep us in the Psalms.
8/1, Sunday: Psalm 111-114
8/2, Monday: 115-118
8/3, Tuesday: 119-122
8/4, Wednesday: 123-126
8/5, Thursday: 127-130
8/6, Friday: 131-134
8/7, Saturday: 135-138
Be Blessed!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Bible Challenge 8/1 - 8/7
Greetings All!
Our readings this week keep us in the Psalms.
8/1, Sunday: Psalm 111-114
8/2, Monday: 115-118
8/3, Tuesday: 119-122
8/4, Wednesday: 123-126
8/5, Thursday: 127-130
8/6, Friday: 131-134
8/7, Saturday: 135-138
Be Blessed!
Our readings this week keep us in the Psalms.
8/1, Sunday: Psalm 111-114
8/2, Monday: 115-118
8/3, Tuesday: 119-122
8/4, Wednesday: 123-126
8/5, Thursday: 127-130
8/6, Friday: 131-134
8/7, Saturday: 135-138
Be Blessed!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - We are concluding our preaching series this week on the Spiritual Disciplines as we will take time to look the corporate disciplines of confession and worship and the value of adopting and incorporating them into our lives. I hope to see everyone there!
2. Gift Card Fundraiser - We are now up and running with our gift card program. There is an announcement in this week's bulletin with more information or you can contact the church office with any questions or to place an order. This is a great opportunity for our church to continue to fund the ministries we have and start a few new ones!
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via the pastor's blog. Please consider this. If you would like to take advantage of this, please sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office.
4. Liturgist – We are off to a great start! We still need volunteers. Please consider giving of your talents in this ministry. You can sign up at the Connection Station.
5. Sunday School – We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. Right now we have only one volunteer. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with.
2. Gift Card Fundraiser - We are now up and running with our gift card program. There is an announcement in this week's bulletin with more information or you can contact the church office with any questions or to place an order. This is a great opportunity for our church to continue to fund the ministries we have and start a few new ones!
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via the pastor's blog. Please consider this. If you would like to take advantage of this, please sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office.
4. Liturgist – We are off to a great start! We still need volunteers. Please consider giving of your talents in this ministry. You can sign up at the Connection Station.
5. Sunday School – We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. Right now we have only one volunteer. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Spiritual Disciplines: For All to See – Matthew 6:19-24 and Philippians 2:1-11
Introduction
Today we are going to continue our series on the importance and purpose of Spiritual Disciplines. Last week we looked at the importance of adopting and implementing the disciplines of prayer, meditation, and study into our lives to enhance and strengthen our bond with the Triune God. Today we are going to look at the outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, and submission, and how those can deepen our bond with God.
Submission: A Lost Art?
There is a story about sea captain and one particular, night time voyage he would never forget. He was traveling one night and the visibility was extremely low. The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message" "Alter your course 10 degrees south." Promptly a return message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north."
The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am the captain!" Soon another message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am seaman third class Jones." Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am a battleship." Then the reply came "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am a lighthouse."
In the midst of our dark and foggy times, all sorts of voices are shouting orders into the night, telling us what to do, how to adjust our lives. So who do we listen to, how do we listen, how can we place ourselves in a position to hear? Remember last week we talked about how prayer is not only the way we communicate with God but it is the way God transforms us. It is the manner in which we are changed and God's will becomes our will and God's desires become our desires. That is the beginning of learning how to listen. That transformation is the first step, the inward step. Today we move to a few outward disciplines that we can incorporate into our lives to strengthen our ability to hear and listen when God speaks.
Keep It Simple!
One outward discipline that we can incorporate into our lives is the pursuit of simplicity. How many of you got stuff? I got stuff! When I worked for Best Buy...boy did I get stuff! Cds, DVDs, DVD players, software, stereos. I got it all. It became my pursuit in life. The more I had, the more I wanted. The new stuff that came out...I had to own. It was my drive. And you know what I was missing during my accumulation years? God. My faith had waned. When we lack God as our first priority, when we find God on the outside looking in, at that point “...we lack a divine Center, [and] our need for security has led us into an insane attachment to things.”1 We are looking to fill a void and we think material possessions will do the trick. Our master goes from the divine to the material and our first Scripture lesson warns us of the danger that will follow. Listen again, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:19-24, NRSV).
We cannot be for God, with our whole heart, and be for stuff too. And God knew this. Did you know there was an Old Testament legislation called the Year of Jubilee? It stated that every fifty years all land would revert back to its original owner, all Israelites slaves were to be set free, all debts canceled, and all land left fallow for a year. This was to aid in the redistribution of wealth and a benefit to this was that if you knew what you had was not yours forever, then it would not have power over you. This was one way God was at work trying to free us from possessions and help us listen only to our Creator.
Now, simplicity is not living without material possessions. The same way the pursuit of overindulgence is evil and should be renounced, “forced poverty is evil and should be renounced.”2 Simplicity is having a proper understanding of the role possessions play in our lives. When possessions have rule, then we have anxiety. Anxiety about how to keep them, how to protect them, and what in the world we would do without them. If we can release ourselves from this rule, then we find freedom. And this “freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. This is the inward reality of simplicity.”3 Let this guide what you buy. Let this show you the way to freedom. If you invest in sufficiency and avoid overindulgence, you will experience freedom from materialism. And where materialism is absent, God will be present. God will provide and protect that which you need, and will give you an abundance of it to share with others. Keep your possessions in perspective. Do not let them own you!
Can You Be Alone?
Another outward discipline is that of solitude. “Solitude is more a state of mind and heart than it is a place.”4 Christ often found rest in solitude and Scripture recounts for us numerous time where he pulled away to practice solitude. And it is in solitude that we can learn to listen, not only to others but to God. It is in this discipline that we learn how to say what needs to be said, when it needs to be said. We learn to speak when necessary and listen excessively. The practice of this discipline will allow us make our words more meaningful, have more of an impact. When we talk let it be because God has given us something to say. When we talk let it be because God is using us to show God's compassion to others. When we talk let it be because God is using us to usher in the Kingdom.
Are You Ready for a Higher Purpose?
One more outward discipline that we can practice is that of submission. Now over the years the idea of submitting to another has gotten a bad reputation. It has been compared to weakness, inability, inferiority. But I am here this morning to tell there is freedom in submission. Do you remember what Christ told His disciples? “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39 NIV). Christ believed in submission, Christ taught submission, Christ practiced submission. Christ came to this earth not to rule but to serve, not to demand but to share, not to dictate but to love. The idea of submission is to understand the value in other people, to understand that by supporting others we are making use of the gifts God gave them. We are seeking to find value in others and uplift their worth. Finding the good in others, finding ways to serve others, knowing that you do have to have all the answers will bring you a joy like no other. Submission is not weakness but strength.
Conclusion
Now with all of these practices, as well as the ones we covered last week, I have a word of caution for you. Do not let the adoption nor the practice of these disciplines become an idol. Do not get caught up in following the rules and lose sight of why you began participating in them in the first place. Do not let the practice of these replace your seeking to usher in the Kingdom of God. Use these as a tool to transformation, as a path to a deeper relationship with God, as a means for God to love you.
[1] Foster, Richard J. The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. p80
[2] Ibid, p84.
[3] Ibid, p88.
[4] Ibid, p96.
Today we are going to continue our series on the importance and purpose of Spiritual Disciplines. Last week we looked at the importance of adopting and implementing the disciplines of prayer, meditation, and study into our lives to enhance and strengthen our bond with the Triune God. Today we are going to look at the outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, and submission, and how those can deepen our bond with God.
Submission: A Lost Art?
There is a story about sea captain and one particular, night time voyage he would never forget. He was traveling one night and the visibility was extremely low. The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message" "Alter your course 10 degrees south." Promptly a return message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north."
The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am the captain!" Soon another message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am seaman third class Jones." Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am a battleship." Then the reply came "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am a lighthouse."
In the midst of our dark and foggy times, all sorts of voices are shouting orders into the night, telling us what to do, how to adjust our lives. So who do we listen to, how do we listen, how can we place ourselves in a position to hear? Remember last week we talked about how prayer is not only the way we communicate with God but it is the way God transforms us. It is the manner in which we are changed and God's will becomes our will and God's desires become our desires. That is the beginning of learning how to listen. That transformation is the first step, the inward step. Today we move to a few outward disciplines that we can incorporate into our lives to strengthen our ability to hear and listen when God speaks.
Keep It Simple!
One outward discipline that we can incorporate into our lives is the pursuit of simplicity. How many of you got stuff? I got stuff! When I worked for Best Buy...boy did I get stuff! Cds, DVDs, DVD players, software, stereos. I got it all. It became my pursuit in life. The more I had, the more I wanted. The new stuff that came out...I had to own. It was my drive. And you know what I was missing during my accumulation years? God. My faith had waned. When we lack God as our first priority, when we find God on the outside looking in, at that point “...we lack a divine Center, [and] our need for security has led us into an insane attachment to things.”1 We are looking to fill a void and we think material possessions will do the trick. Our master goes from the divine to the material and our first Scripture lesson warns us of the danger that will follow. Listen again, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:19-24, NRSV).
We cannot be for God, with our whole heart, and be for stuff too. And God knew this. Did you know there was an Old Testament legislation called the Year of Jubilee? It stated that every fifty years all land would revert back to its original owner, all Israelites slaves were to be set free, all debts canceled, and all land left fallow for a year. This was to aid in the redistribution of wealth and a benefit to this was that if you knew what you had was not yours forever, then it would not have power over you. This was one way God was at work trying to free us from possessions and help us listen only to our Creator.
Now, simplicity is not living without material possessions. The same way the pursuit of overindulgence is evil and should be renounced, “forced poverty is evil and should be renounced.”2 Simplicity is having a proper understanding of the role possessions play in our lives. When possessions have rule, then we have anxiety. Anxiety about how to keep them, how to protect them, and what in the world we would do without them. If we can release ourselves from this rule, then we find freedom. And this “freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. This is the inward reality of simplicity.”3 Let this guide what you buy. Let this show you the way to freedom. If you invest in sufficiency and avoid overindulgence, you will experience freedom from materialism. And where materialism is absent, God will be present. God will provide and protect that which you need, and will give you an abundance of it to share with others. Keep your possessions in perspective. Do not let them own you!
Can You Be Alone?
Another outward discipline is that of solitude. “Solitude is more a state of mind and heart than it is a place.”4 Christ often found rest in solitude and Scripture recounts for us numerous time where he pulled away to practice solitude. And it is in solitude that we can learn to listen, not only to others but to God. It is in this discipline that we learn how to say what needs to be said, when it needs to be said. We learn to speak when necessary and listen excessively. The practice of this discipline will allow us make our words more meaningful, have more of an impact. When we talk let it be because God has given us something to say. When we talk let it be because God is using us to show God's compassion to others. When we talk let it be because God is using us to usher in the Kingdom.
Are You Ready for a Higher Purpose?
One more outward discipline that we can practice is that of submission. Now over the years the idea of submitting to another has gotten a bad reputation. It has been compared to weakness, inability, inferiority. But I am here this morning to tell there is freedom in submission. Do you remember what Christ told His disciples? “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39 NIV). Christ believed in submission, Christ taught submission, Christ practiced submission. Christ came to this earth not to rule but to serve, not to demand but to share, not to dictate but to love. The idea of submission is to understand the value in other people, to understand that by supporting others we are making use of the gifts God gave them. We are seeking to find value in others and uplift their worth. Finding the good in others, finding ways to serve others, knowing that you do have to have all the answers will bring you a joy like no other. Submission is not weakness but strength.
Conclusion
Now with all of these practices, as well as the ones we covered last week, I have a word of caution for you. Do not let the adoption nor the practice of these disciplines become an idol. Do not get caught up in following the rules and lose sight of why you began participating in them in the first place. Do not let the practice of these replace your seeking to usher in the Kingdom of God. Use these as a tool to transformation, as a path to a deeper relationship with God, as a means for God to love you.
[1] Foster, Richard J. The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. p80
[2] Ibid, p84.
[3] Ibid, p88.
[4] Ibid, p96.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Bible Challenge 7/25 - 7/31
As we close out this month we will continue with the Psalms. Enjoy these passages and open yourself up to be blessed and transformed by them.
7/25, Sunday - Psalm 83-86
7/26, Monday - Psalm 87-90
7/27, Tuesday - Psalm 91-94
7/28, Wednesday - Psalm 95-98
7/29, Thursday - Psalm 99-102
7/30, Friday - Psalm 103-106
7/31, Saturday - Psalm 107-110
Be Blessed!
7/25, Sunday - Psalm 83-86
7/26, Monday - Psalm 87-90
7/27, Tuesday - Psalm 91-94
7/28, Wednesday - Psalm 95-98
7/29, Thursday - Psalm 99-102
7/30, Friday - Psalm 103-106
7/31, Saturday - Psalm 107-110
Be Blessed!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - We are continuing our preaching series this week on the Spiritual Disciplines as we will take time to look the outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, and submission and the value of adopting and incorporating them into our lives. I hope to see everyone there!
2. Vacation Bible School – Starts this Monday and runs through Friday. Please be in prayer for us that all those involved will have fun, stay safe, and feel the work of the Holy Spirit.
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via the pastor's blog. Please consider this. If you would like to take advantage of this, please sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office.
4. Liturgist – We are off to a great start! We still need volunteers. Please consider giving of your talents in this ministry. You can sign up at the Connection Station.
5. Sunday School – We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. Right now we have only one volunteer. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with.
2. Vacation Bible School – Starts this Monday and runs through Friday. Please be in prayer for us that all those involved will have fun, stay safe, and feel the work of the Holy Spirit.
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via the pastor's blog. Please consider this. If you would like to take advantage of this, please sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office.
4. Liturgist – We are off to a great start! We still need volunteers. Please consider giving of your talents in this ministry. You can sign up at the Connection Station.
5. Sunday School – We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. Right now we have only one volunteer. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
What Kind of Saint are You?
A man that has had a great impact on my spiritual formation, and still does, is Dr. Steve Harper. He served for many years as the leader of the Florida Campus for Asbury Theological Seminary. Dr. Harper has a blog that I visit and today I found a piece on it that truly intrigued me. I want to share it with all of you so I have posted it below.
I was leading a workshop in a church in the midwest. I announced that my subject in the session was going to be, “called to be saints.” A man sitting near me up front spoke up and said, “Well, I’ll tell you one thing for sure, I’m no saint!”
I could not have asked for a better introduction to the workshop.
The man put into words what most of us think. We have turned the word “saint” into a category all its own. Thinking of it like an airplane ticket, we imagine that the saints fly First Class, while the rest of us fly Coach. But this is completely the opposite of what the Bible teaches. Every Christian is a saint, because the only thing a saint means is to be a person who is consecrated to Christ.
In some places, when Paul uses the word “saint,” it’s when he doesn’t know the names of the actual people who will be reading his letters. “Greet the saints” (for example) is his way of saying, “Tell all the believers, hello for me.” If you are a Christian, you are saint. The only question remaining is, “What kind?”
So what kind of saint are you? I encourage you to take time today to ponder that question.
I was leading a workshop in a church in the midwest. I announced that my subject in the session was going to be, “called to be saints.” A man sitting near me up front spoke up and said, “Well, I’ll tell you one thing for sure, I’m no saint!”
I could not have asked for a better introduction to the workshop.
The man put into words what most of us think. We have turned the word “saint” into a category all its own. Thinking of it like an airplane ticket, we imagine that the saints fly First Class, while the rest of us fly Coach. But this is completely the opposite of what the Bible teaches. Every Christian is a saint, because the only thing a saint means is to be a person who is consecrated to Christ.
In some places, when Paul uses the word “saint,” it’s when he doesn’t know the names of the actual people who will be reading his letters. “Greet the saints” (for example) is his way of saying, “Tell all the believers, hello for me.” If you are a Christian, you are saint. The only question remaining is, “What kind?”
So what kind of saint are you? I encourage you to take time today to ponder that question.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
VBS Meeting
Good morning!
Just a friendly reminder that if you have already volunteered or would like to volunteer for Vacation Bible School we are having an organizational meeting tonight at 6pm in the Fellowship Hall. I hope to see a bunch of you there!
Blessings!
Just a friendly reminder that if you have already volunteered or would like to volunteer for Vacation Bible School we are having an organizational meeting tonight at 6pm in the Fellowship Hall. I hope to see a bunch of you there!
Blessings!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Spiritual Disciplines: On the Inside – Psalm 1:1-3 and James 5:13-18
Introduction
Today we are going to begin a new preaching series on the importance and purpose of Spiritual Disciplines. And we are going to start by looking at a few inward spiritual practices we can adopt and implement in our lives that can help progress and deepen our spiritual growth.
A Pill For Everything!
Now a days it seems there is a pill for everything. You hurt? Take a pill. You have allergies? Take a pill. Want to gain more muscle mass? Take a pill. Want to lose weight? Take a pill. Depressed? Take a pill. Need to relax? Take a pill. Taking a pill for some situations is a very good thing. Those pills that have been created for medicinal purposes, by and large are very effective and wonderful creations. But there is not a pill for everything.
Journalist Bob Garfield specializes in reporting on the quirky and unique aspects of human nature. When Garfield traveled through Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1992, he thought that he'd hit the mother lode of quirkiness. He met people from all walks of life who were trying to find healing or wholeness through such things as aura-balancing, drum-beating ceremonies, ancient mystical therapies, crystals, astrology, spiritual channeling, and the like. Even in a Santa Fe health food store, Garfield found some highly unusual approaches to medicine. Rather than containing the average mix of vitamins and herbs, this store offered vitamin and herb mixes called, "Luminous Spirit, Positive Attitude, Women's Courage, Emotional Rescue, Clearing Hate, Clearing Greed, Humiliation, (and) Children of Divorce."
If only we could find emotional rescue or spiritual growth in a pill! But it's not as easy as taking a pill. And that is what I want us to focus on for the next few weeks. What are a few practices, habits, disciplines that we can adopt and incorporate into our lives that will help grow spiritually, help us deepen our faith, help come to a closer walk with God.
The Role of Disciplines
Many of us have habits and routines that we follow, rituals that we have committed ourselves too. Coffee and a puzzle in the morning, certain exercise routines, specific ways we prepare ourselves to begin and get through our hectic days are all things we adopt and meticulously follow to bring us peace, order, and confidence.
Well there are things we can adopt to strengthen the spiritually in our lives as well. Richard J. Foster wrote a book called, The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, and in this book he writes about the importance of spiritual disciplines. He says that, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people”.1
In this culture we have been conditioned for the quick fix, the easy answer, the solution in an easy to swallow pill like form. But I am here today to tell you that will not work. Any of you that have tried it, know that any short term gain you might experience is not realized in the long term. However, this does not mean that spiritual growth, true, deep, bountiful, spiritual growth is difficult. It is not difficult because God wants you to succeed. This growth just takes courage and commitment. Now one caveat that I want all of us to understand is that practicing spiritual disciplines is not just for the popes, bishops, pastors, or religious heavyweights. “God intends the Disciplines of the spiritual life to be for ordinary human beings: people who have jobs, who care for children, who wash dishes and mow lawns. In fact, Disciplines are best exercised in the midst of our relationships with our husband or wife, our brothers and sisters, our friends and our neighbors.”2 Any of us can practice these and they were intended for all of us because God wants to be in relationship with all of us.
How Do We Get It?
So what practices can we adopt to gain this spiritual growth and relationship I speak of? I am so glad you asked! There are many that you can add to the list but I want us to focus on just a few this morning.
The basis, the one inward practice that is foundational to practice, is prayer. Prayer is that lifeline, the communication channel that we have between us and our Creator, between us and our Savior. “To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.”3 And that transformation, that change will cause us be more like God by making God's views, our views, God's attractions, our attractions. The things God longs for and desires will be what we long for and desire.
With that understanding of the importance of prayer, how should we practice it? One way is to talk about duration. “Martin Luther declares, 'I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.' John Wesley says, 'God does nothing but in answer to prayer' and backed up his conviction by devoting two hours daily to that sacred exercise.”4 Prayer can be time consuming endeavor. Now many of you have heard me say start small. I still believe that, but the operative word there is start. Start there, do not end there. As your prayer life grows, so will the time you spend there. Do not fret if at the beginning it is short, it will grow. I promise you.
Another way to look at prayer is what do we pray for. Our second Scripture lesson this morning gives us some insight on that. Listen again, “Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective” (James 5:13-16, NRSV). In that passage we are given guidance about what to pray for; emotions, situations, healing, forgiveness, others. Pray for anything, pray for everything. Again, as you prayer life progresses, so will your confidence. Remember God's will will become your will, God's desires will become your desires. Just pray!
Also, how should we pray. Prayer can and should be done in many ways. Prayer can be done alone. Christ often withdrew to be alone when he prayed because he understood the importance of emptying Himself before God, of being able to open up completely, and have quiet time to concentrate, solely on prayer. Prayer can also be done publicly for corporate renewal, provision, and love. Prayer can be done spontaneously or planned out. The list goes on and on and on. No one way is right, no one way is better. They are all important and necessary.
Prayer is powerful, prayer is important. Do not make this complicated. God will guide you in your prayer life, God will transform you in your prayer life. The key is to have courage to do it, to practice it daily, and be open to its power.
Another practice of inward spiritual discipline is meditation. Christian meditation is simply, “...the ability to hear God's voice and obey His word.”5 We just spoke about prayer. And when you pray, speak, pour yourself out at the foot of our Creator. Then be quiet, listen, and meditate. Give God the opportunity to respond. Many of you have heard me say that when I listen sometimes I hear nothing. Other times I hear so much I am left breathless. Christian meditation is not emptying the mind, it is filling it! This is completing the communion cycle between us and God. We talk, pray, and then we listen, meditate. The are all sorts of ways to do this, different methods and practices, but the idea is to give God the opportunity to respond to you, encourage you, love you.
One more practice of inward spiritual discipline is study. We were given a mind and an intellect by God and we are expected to use it. Christ even said, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ (John 8:31b-32, NRSV). Study is what will enhance what God reveals to us. Prayer and meditation give us a word, study explains it. Prayer and meditation open the door, study creates the habit. Study is repetition, concentration, comprehension, and reflection. Take the time to truly understand what God is telling you in Scripture, through the minds of God's disciples. Read, re-read, analyze, and reflect. I strive to read the Bible through once a year. Every time I read it, I find something new. A new idea, a new insight. How much would I lose, if I read it once and quit? Study is a habit, it is repetition.
Conclusion
These disciplines in and of themselves are useless. They simply help take us to the place where God can change us. Go to where God is leading you. Allow prayer, meditation, and study to be your vehicle. These disciplines are not meant to be hard, dull, and boring. They will bring you joy! Joy like you have never experienced before. Have faith, grow your faith. Start from within and you will never be the same again.
------------------
[1] Foster, Richard J. The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. p1.
[2] Ibid, p1.
[3] Ibid, p33.
[4] Ibid, p34.
[5] Ibid, p17.
Today we are going to begin a new preaching series on the importance and purpose of Spiritual Disciplines. And we are going to start by looking at a few inward spiritual practices we can adopt and implement in our lives that can help progress and deepen our spiritual growth.
A Pill For Everything!
Now a days it seems there is a pill for everything. You hurt? Take a pill. You have allergies? Take a pill. Want to gain more muscle mass? Take a pill. Want to lose weight? Take a pill. Depressed? Take a pill. Need to relax? Take a pill. Taking a pill for some situations is a very good thing. Those pills that have been created for medicinal purposes, by and large are very effective and wonderful creations. But there is not a pill for everything.
Journalist Bob Garfield specializes in reporting on the quirky and unique aspects of human nature. When Garfield traveled through Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1992, he thought that he'd hit the mother lode of quirkiness. He met people from all walks of life who were trying to find healing or wholeness through such things as aura-balancing, drum-beating ceremonies, ancient mystical therapies, crystals, astrology, spiritual channeling, and the like. Even in a Santa Fe health food store, Garfield found some highly unusual approaches to medicine. Rather than containing the average mix of vitamins and herbs, this store offered vitamin and herb mixes called, "Luminous Spirit, Positive Attitude, Women's Courage, Emotional Rescue, Clearing Hate, Clearing Greed, Humiliation, (and) Children of Divorce."
If only we could find emotional rescue or spiritual growth in a pill! But it's not as easy as taking a pill. And that is what I want us to focus on for the next few weeks. What are a few practices, habits, disciplines that we can adopt and incorporate into our lives that will help grow spiritually, help us deepen our faith, help come to a closer walk with God.
The Role of Disciplines
Many of us have habits and routines that we follow, rituals that we have committed ourselves too. Coffee and a puzzle in the morning, certain exercise routines, specific ways we prepare ourselves to begin and get through our hectic days are all things we adopt and meticulously follow to bring us peace, order, and confidence.
Well there are things we can adopt to strengthen the spiritually in our lives as well. Richard J. Foster wrote a book called, The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, and in this book he writes about the importance of spiritual disciplines. He says that, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people”.1
In this culture we have been conditioned for the quick fix, the easy answer, the solution in an easy to swallow pill like form. But I am here today to tell you that will not work. Any of you that have tried it, know that any short term gain you might experience is not realized in the long term. However, this does not mean that spiritual growth, true, deep, bountiful, spiritual growth is difficult. It is not difficult because God wants you to succeed. This growth just takes courage and commitment. Now one caveat that I want all of us to understand is that practicing spiritual disciplines is not just for the popes, bishops, pastors, or religious heavyweights. “God intends the Disciplines of the spiritual life to be for ordinary human beings: people who have jobs, who care for children, who wash dishes and mow lawns. In fact, Disciplines are best exercised in the midst of our relationships with our husband or wife, our brothers and sisters, our friends and our neighbors.”2 Any of us can practice these and they were intended for all of us because God wants to be in relationship with all of us.
How Do We Get It?
So what practices can we adopt to gain this spiritual growth and relationship I speak of? I am so glad you asked! There are many that you can add to the list but I want us to focus on just a few this morning.
The basis, the one inward practice that is foundational to practice, is prayer. Prayer is that lifeline, the communication channel that we have between us and our Creator, between us and our Savior. “To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.”3 And that transformation, that change will cause us be more like God by making God's views, our views, God's attractions, our attractions. The things God longs for and desires will be what we long for and desire.
With that understanding of the importance of prayer, how should we practice it? One way is to talk about duration. “Martin Luther declares, 'I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.' John Wesley says, 'God does nothing but in answer to prayer' and backed up his conviction by devoting two hours daily to that sacred exercise.”4 Prayer can be time consuming endeavor. Now many of you have heard me say start small. I still believe that, but the operative word there is start. Start there, do not end there. As your prayer life grows, so will the time you spend there. Do not fret if at the beginning it is short, it will grow. I promise you.
Another way to look at prayer is what do we pray for. Our second Scripture lesson this morning gives us some insight on that. Listen again, “Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective” (James 5:13-16, NRSV). In that passage we are given guidance about what to pray for; emotions, situations, healing, forgiveness, others. Pray for anything, pray for everything. Again, as you prayer life progresses, so will your confidence. Remember God's will will become your will, God's desires will become your desires. Just pray!
Also, how should we pray. Prayer can and should be done in many ways. Prayer can be done alone. Christ often withdrew to be alone when he prayed because he understood the importance of emptying Himself before God, of being able to open up completely, and have quiet time to concentrate, solely on prayer. Prayer can also be done publicly for corporate renewal, provision, and love. Prayer can be done spontaneously or planned out. The list goes on and on and on. No one way is right, no one way is better. They are all important and necessary.
Prayer is powerful, prayer is important. Do not make this complicated. God will guide you in your prayer life, God will transform you in your prayer life. The key is to have courage to do it, to practice it daily, and be open to its power.
Another practice of inward spiritual discipline is meditation. Christian meditation is simply, “...the ability to hear God's voice and obey His word.”5 We just spoke about prayer. And when you pray, speak, pour yourself out at the foot of our Creator. Then be quiet, listen, and meditate. Give God the opportunity to respond. Many of you have heard me say that when I listen sometimes I hear nothing. Other times I hear so much I am left breathless. Christian meditation is not emptying the mind, it is filling it! This is completing the communion cycle between us and God. We talk, pray, and then we listen, meditate. The are all sorts of ways to do this, different methods and practices, but the idea is to give God the opportunity to respond to you, encourage you, love you.
One more practice of inward spiritual discipline is study. We were given a mind and an intellect by God and we are expected to use it. Christ even said, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ (John 8:31b-32, NRSV). Study is what will enhance what God reveals to us. Prayer and meditation give us a word, study explains it. Prayer and meditation open the door, study creates the habit. Study is repetition, concentration, comprehension, and reflection. Take the time to truly understand what God is telling you in Scripture, through the minds of God's disciples. Read, re-read, analyze, and reflect. I strive to read the Bible through once a year. Every time I read it, I find something new. A new idea, a new insight. How much would I lose, if I read it once and quit? Study is a habit, it is repetition.
Conclusion
These disciplines in and of themselves are useless. They simply help take us to the place where God can change us. Go to where God is leading you. Allow prayer, meditation, and study to be your vehicle. These disciplines are not meant to be hard, dull, and boring. They will bring you joy! Joy like you have never experienced before. Have faith, grow your faith. Start from within and you will never be the same again.
------------------
[1] Foster, Richard J. The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. p1.
[2] Ibid, p1.
[3] Ibid, p33.
[4] Ibid, p34.
[5] Ibid, p17.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Bible Challenge 7/18 - 7/24
Here is the schedule for next week as we spend more time in the Psalms.
7/18, Sunday - Psalm 55-58
7/19, Monday - Psalm 59-62
7/20, Tuesday - Psalm 63-66
7/21, Wednesday - Psalm 67-70
7/22, Thursday - Psalm 71-74
7/23, Friday - Psalm 75-78
7/24, Saturday - Psalm 79-82
Be Blessed!
7/18, Sunday - Psalm 55-58
7/19, Monday - Psalm 59-62
7/20, Tuesday - Psalm 63-66
7/21, Wednesday - Psalm 67-70
7/22, Thursday - Psalm 71-74
7/23, Friday - Psalm 75-78
7/24, Saturday - Psalm 79-82
Be Blessed!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - We are beginning a new preaching series this week on the Spiritual Disciplines as we will take time to look at inward, outward, and corporate disciplines. I hope to see everyone there!
2. Vacation Bible School – Mark your calendars! We are hosting VBS July 26th - 30th from 6:30-8:30pm. The theme will be Galactic Blast. If you are interested in helping out in any way from teaching a class to helping to serve snack, there will be an organizational meeting this Tuesday, 7/20, at 6pm. If you have signed up or are interested in helping please make plans to come.
We are also asking for help in two other ways.
4. Liturgist – We are off to a great start! We still need volunteers. Please consider giving of your talents in this ministry. You can sign up at the Connection Station.
5. Sunday School – We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. Right now we have only one volunteer. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with.
2. Vacation Bible School – Mark your calendars! We are hosting VBS July 26th - 30th from 6:30-8:30pm. The theme will be Galactic Blast. If you are interested in helping out in any way from teaching a class to helping to serve snack, there will be an organizational meeting this Tuesday, 7/20, at 6pm. If you have signed up or are interested in helping please make plans to come.
We are also asking for help in two other ways.
- First, as part of the craft time if you have any shoe or cereal boxes, water bottles, or old magazines that we can cut up, and are willing to donate them, please drop them by the office.
- Second, please be our advertisers and spread the word about our VBS. We have fliers for you to pick up and distribute in club houses, meeting halls, grocery stores. There are also registration sheets for you to take and use to pre-register your children, grand-children, nieces, nephews, or neighbors. All of these are available in the Narthex or church office.
4. Liturgist – We are off to a great start! We still need volunteers. Please consider giving of your talents in this ministry. You can sign up at the Connection Station.
5. Sunday School – We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. Right now we have only one volunteer. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Release the Pressure
I found this prayer that was written by Archbishop Oscar Romero and I want to share it with you....
It helps, now and then, to step back
and take the long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of
the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is another way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No programm accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
I would encourage you to sit for a minute and ponder the words of this prayer. Re-read it and really meditate on the words. Do you find release in its words? Do you find peace? Is your burden in life lessened?
I would love to hear how this poem spoke to you and what you thought of as a result of reading it. If you click the word comment below you can leave me a comment and I would enjoy hearing from all of you!
It helps, now and then, to step back
and take the long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of
the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is another way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No programm accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
I would encourage you to sit for a minute and ponder the words of this prayer. Re-read it and really meditate on the words. Do you find release in its words? Do you find peace? Is your burden in life lessened?
I would love to hear how this poem spoke to you and what you thought of as a result of reading it. If you click the word comment below you can leave me a comment and I would enjoy hearing from all of you!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The Lord's Prayer: Our Deliverer - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 and Matthew 6:13
Introduction
Today we are going to conclude our preaching series on the Lord's Prayer. Throughout this series we have been taking time to truly explore and understand what it is we are saying when we pray this prayer so we can move from recitation to earnest prayer. Our first week together we looked at the beginning, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,” as we looked to God's perfect love and how this portion is our chance to express to God what God means to us. The next week we looked at, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven” and explored the nature of God's kingdom, where it is, as well as what it means to succumb to God's will on earth as it is in Heaven. From there we moved to, “give us this day our daily bread,” as we discussed how that began a new phase to this prayer and we sought to gain a better understanding of what we are asking there. Last week we looked at the phrase, “and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespassed against us,” to better understand what forgiveness really is and how forgiveness is a bridge between us and God. Well today we are moving on to the final phrase, “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” as we discuss the influence evil has in our lives and how God helps us to through it.
Temptation is Everywhere
I recently read a story about a little boy named Bobby who desperately wanted to buy a new bicycle. His plan was to save his nickels, dimes and quarters until he finally had enough to buy a new 10-speed. Each night he asked God to help him save his money. Kneeling beside his bed, he prayed, ‘Dear Lord, please help me save my money for a new bike and please, Lord, don’t let the ice cream man come down the street again tomorrow!’”1
And then there’s the story of the “overweight businessman who decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously even changing his driving route to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning however he showed up at work with a giant coffee cake. Everyone in the office scolded him, but his smile remained nonetheless. ‘This is a special coffee cake,’ he explained. ‘I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window was a host of goodies. I felt it was no accident, so I prayed, ‘Lord, if you want me to have one of those delicious coffee cakes, let there be a parking spot open right in front.’ And sure enough, the eighth time around the block, there it was!’”2
Temptation is one of those things that unites all of us. We all understand it because we all experience it. In his book, The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck observed that the word “evil” is “live” spelled backwards. It’s part of being human; temptation is part of life. And as Christians, sin, temptation and the power of the devil still cause us problems. And doesn’t it seem that the closer to God we wish to be, the more we are seeking to live our lives by faith, the more that temptation plagues us? Jesus knew this. Remember he faced off against our greatest tempter, Satan, in the wilderness and he emerged victorious. Jesus knew we would face temptations and that we would need help in getting through them. Why else do you think Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”?
Where Does Temptation Come From?
So what are we asking for here? I believe that we are asking God to take us down the paths of life with the least temptation, to take our minds and our hearts and strengthen them to resist those things that make us weak. But we also have a role here and that is to not put ourselves in the position to be tempted and to do that, we have to know where our temptation comes from.
And one place our temptation comes from is from within. Each of us has our own specific points of weakness; events or food or habits that cause us to do things we later regret. And while we feel terrible after we fall victim to our temptations I think the bigger issue is that at those moments we are not being who God created us to be. We are not living the life God desires for us to live. Be honest with yourself. Whatever it is that has power over you, confess it to a friend, ask them to hold you accountable to it, have conversations with them about it on a regular basis, and shed light on it, look it in the face. Right now, with all of you looking at me, I have no problem not sinning. But alone it is a different story for all of us. I have often heard people say they feel like they are in Hell when their temptation gets a hold of them. Well I once heard a very wise man say Hell is the darkness that sin was given to hide. Shed light on your temptations, have other people help you, get it out in the open, and let God rid you of the desires.
I also think temptation comes from the outside. The people we keep company with, our family, our friends, our work partners, can all be of tremendous help or tremendous temptation. Be mindful of those interactions and the thoughts and habits that can come from those relationships. We all want to be loved and accepted by other people. But do not let that desire cause you to allow temptation into your life on a regular basis. It is hard to change or end relationships but sometimes that is a hard reality that we all must face. Now I am not advocating a life of loneliness, God wants us to have people we can have fun with. We just need to be mindful of the associations we keep. A life mired in temptation is a life not bathed in the presence of God.
I believe that temptation also comes from the sheer nature of life. And here is where we can learn a valuable lesson. People often say if God is so good then why does God allow all these bad things to happen. It is important that we understand something here. God does not cause the bad things in our lives. This is a fallen world that we live in where justice is not a right. God never promised us an easy life. God just promised that God will always be with us. When you struggle, turn to God. When you hurt, turn to God. When you are devastated, turn to God. God is there, always has been, always will be. Do not try and heal these wounds, these temptations alone. You can't do it. But God can. This life is hard, unforgiving, and arduous. But we serve a God that will see us through it, make us better people through our trials, and is working tirelessly to help us gain an eternity in God's presence. An eternity that is better than anything you can possibly imagine. We just have to allow it.
The Doxology: What is It?
In the Scriptural accounts of the Lord's Prayer, at this point we would be done. But each week we add what is called the doxology when we pray this prayer together. The part that says, “for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever”. I would be remiss if we did not speak about this for just a moment. There are many different views about why we say this. Everything from a pious scribe adding it because the ending seemed too abrupt to a cultural praise ending that seemed to catch on and gain acceptance. But regardless of the reason I want us to focus on the position we are purposely placing ourselves in when we say, “for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever”. We are saying that the Kingdom we are working to usher in, the power to conquer any and all things in this life and the next, and the glory that comes from all of this, belong to God. We are submitting ourselves to God, humbling ourselves in God's presence, and allowing all that we are to be God's. No ego, no pride, no remorse. I do not know about you but when I say those final lines in this prayer, I am so at peace that I add an extra ever in there, forever and ever. I know how much God has meant to me in my life, the way God has provided for me, rescued me, opened doors for me, and loved me in spite of me, that to give God everything I am brings me peace.
Conclusion
This prayer was and is revolutionary. It was the first time we humans were told to pray to God intimately as our Father. It is laid out in way that we not only praise God, but submit ourselves to God as well. It helps to keep us mindful that God is our ever-present companion in life. And if we need another reason for this prayer to be sacred, the fact that it was given to us by Christ himself should do it. My prayer for all us is that as we continue to pray this prayer, we no longer recite it, but look for ways to let it transform us, grow us, change us. Do not let this prayer be an ending, let it be a beginning. A beginning to a new chapter in your relationship with God, a deepening to levels you have never before experienced, to a relationship that beckons you to share it will everyone you meet.
Today we are going to conclude our preaching series on the Lord's Prayer. Throughout this series we have been taking time to truly explore and understand what it is we are saying when we pray this prayer so we can move from recitation to earnest prayer. Our first week together we looked at the beginning, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,” as we looked to God's perfect love and how this portion is our chance to express to God what God means to us. The next week we looked at, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven” and explored the nature of God's kingdom, where it is, as well as what it means to succumb to God's will on earth as it is in Heaven. From there we moved to, “give us this day our daily bread,” as we discussed how that began a new phase to this prayer and we sought to gain a better understanding of what we are asking there. Last week we looked at the phrase, “and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespassed against us,” to better understand what forgiveness really is and how forgiveness is a bridge between us and God. Well today we are moving on to the final phrase, “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” as we discuss the influence evil has in our lives and how God helps us to through it.
Temptation is Everywhere
I recently read a story about a little boy named Bobby who desperately wanted to buy a new bicycle. His plan was to save his nickels, dimes and quarters until he finally had enough to buy a new 10-speed. Each night he asked God to help him save his money. Kneeling beside his bed, he prayed, ‘Dear Lord, please help me save my money for a new bike and please, Lord, don’t let the ice cream man come down the street again tomorrow!’”1
And then there’s the story of the “overweight businessman who decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously even changing his driving route to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning however he showed up at work with a giant coffee cake. Everyone in the office scolded him, but his smile remained nonetheless. ‘This is a special coffee cake,’ he explained. ‘I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window was a host of goodies. I felt it was no accident, so I prayed, ‘Lord, if you want me to have one of those delicious coffee cakes, let there be a parking spot open right in front.’ And sure enough, the eighth time around the block, there it was!’”2
Temptation is one of those things that unites all of us. We all understand it because we all experience it. In his book, The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck observed that the word “evil” is “live” spelled backwards. It’s part of being human; temptation is part of life. And as Christians, sin, temptation and the power of the devil still cause us problems. And doesn’t it seem that the closer to God we wish to be, the more we are seeking to live our lives by faith, the more that temptation plagues us? Jesus knew this. Remember he faced off against our greatest tempter, Satan, in the wilderness and he emerged victorious. Jesus knew we would face temptations and that we would need help in getting through them. Why else do you think Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”?
Where Does Temptation Come From?
So what are we asking for here? I believe that we are asking God to take us down the paths of life with the least temptation, to take our minds and our hearts and strengthen them to resist those things that make us weak. But we also have a role here and that is to not put ourselves in the position to be tempted and to do that, we have to know where our temptation comes from.
And one place our temptation comes from is from within. Each of us has our own specific points of weakness; events or food or habits that cause us to do things we later regret. And while we feel terrible after we fall victim to our temptations I think the bigger issue is that at those moments we are not being who God created us to be. We are not living the life God desires for us to live. Be honest with yourself. Whatever it is that has power over you, confess it to a friend, ask them to hold you accountable to it, have conversations with them about it on a regular basis, and shed light on it, look it in the face. Right now, with all of you looking at me, I have no problem not sinning. But alone it is a different story for all of us. I have often heard people say they feel like they are in Hell when their temptation gets a hold of them. Well I once heard a very wise man say Hell is the darkness that sin was given to hide. Shed light on your temptations, have other people help you, get it out in the open, and let God rid you of the desires.
I also think temptation comes from the outside. The people we keep company with, our family, our friends, our work partners, can all be of tremendous help or tremendous temptation. Be mindful of those interactions and the thoughts and habits that can come from those relationships. We all want to be loved and accepted by other people. But do not let that desire cause you to allow temptation into your life on a regular basis. It is hard to change or end relationships but sometimes that is a hard reality that we all must face. Now I am not advocating a life of loneliness, God wants us to have people we can have fun with. We just need to be mindful of the associations we keep. A life mired in temptation is a life not bathed in the presence of God.
I believe that temptation also comes from the sheer nature of life. And here is where we can learn a valuable lesson. People often say if God is so good then why does God allow all these bad things to happen. It is important that we understand something here. God does not cause the bad things in our lives. This is a fallen world that we live in where justice is not a right. God never promised us an easy life. God just promised that God will always be with us. When you struggle, turn to God. When you hurt, turn to God. When you are devastated, turn to God. God is there, always has been, always will be. Do not try and heal these wounds, these temptations alone. You can't do it. But God can. This life is hard, unforgiving, and arduous. But we serve a God that will see us through it, make us better people through our trials, and is working tirelessly to help us gain an eternity in God's presence. An eternity that is better than anything you can possibly imagine. We just have to allow it.
The Doxology: What is It?
In the Scriptural accounts of the Lord's Prayer, at this point we would be done. But each week we add what is called the doxology when we pray this prayer together. The part that says, “for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever”. I would be remiss if we did not speak about this for just a moment. There are many different views about why we say this. Everything from a pious scribe adding it because the ending seemed too abrupt to a cultural praise ending that seemed to catch on and gain acceptance. But regardless of the reason I want us to focus on the position we are purposely placing ourselves in when we say, “for thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever”. We are saying that the Kingdom we are working to usher in, the power to conquer any and all things in this life and the next, and the glory that comes from all of this, belong to God. We are submitting ourselves to God, humbling ourselves in God's presence, and allowing all that we are to be God's. No ego, no pride, no remorse. I do not know about you but when I say those final lines in this prayer, I am so at peace that I add an extra ever in there, forever and ever. I know how much God has meant to me in my life, the way God has provided for me, rescued me, opened doors for me, and loved me in spite of me, that to give God everything I am brings me peace.
Conclusion
This prayer was and is revolutionary. It was the first time we humans were told to pray to God intimately as our Father. It is laid out in way that we not only praise God, but submit ourselves to God as well. It helps to keep us mindful that God is our ever-present companion in life. And if we need another reason for this prayer to be sacred, the fact that it was given to us by Christ himself should do it. My prayer for all us is that as we continue to pray this prayer, we no longer recite it, but look for ways to let it transform us, grow us, change us. Do not let this prayer be an ending, let it be a beginning. A beginning to a new chapter in your relationship with God, a deepening to levels you have never before experienced, to a relationship that beckons you to share it will everyone you meet.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - This week we will conclude our preaching series on the Lord's Prayer, as we look at the phrase, "and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." I hope to see everyone there!
2. Vacation Bible School - Mark your calendars! We are hosting VBS July26th - 30th from 6:30-8:30pm. The theme will be Galactic Blast. If you are interested in helping out in any way, from teaching a class to helping to serving snack, please contact the church office.
We are also asking for help in two other ways.
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via this blog. And there are two ways for you to receive your copy of the newsletter. One, is to go to this blog around the first of each month and I will have it posted there. From there you can read it online, blow it up to full screen, play with the scrolling methods, download to read later, or print it out. The days vary when the newsletter gets finalized each month so just keep checking back for when it gets uploaded. Or, you can subscribe to my blog by looking down the right hand side of this page for the box that says, Subscribe via Email. In that box enter your email address and click the subscribe button. By doing that you will be sent an email whenever I post something new to the blog, including the newsletter. That way you will not have to keep checking back.
Please consider this. You can sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office to take advantage of this.
4. Liturgist - We are re-starting the liturgist program here at Druid Hills. For those who may not know what a liturgist does, this person would be responsible for reading the two Scripture lessons, leading the responses afterward and also the Call to Worship on Sunday mornings. This a wonderful way to be involved in helping to lead your church family into an experience with God. If you would like to participate please sign up at the Connection Station. If you have any questions please let me know. I look forward to hearing from many of you!
5. Sunday School - We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with. This is an important ministry that we need to revive!
2. Vacation Bible School - Mark your calendars! We are hosting VBS July26th - 30th from 6:30-8:30pm. The theme will be Galactic Blast. If you are interested in helping out in any way, from teaching a class to helping to serving snack, please contact the church office.
We are also asking for help in two other ways.
- First, as part of the craft time if you have any shoe or cereal boxes, water bottles, or old magazines that we can cut up, and are willing to donate, please drop them by the office.
- Second, please be our advertisers and spread the word about our VBS!
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via this blog. And there are two ways for you to receive your copy of the newsletter. One, is to go to this blog around the first of each month and I will have it posted there. From there you can read it online, blow it up to full screen, play with the scrolling methods, download to read later, or print it out. The days vary when the newsletter gets finalized each month so just keep checking back for when it gets uploaded. Or, you can subscribe to my blog by looking down the right hand side of this page for the box that says, Subscribe via Email. In that box enter your email address and click the subscribe button. By doing that you will be sent an email whenever I post something new to the blog, including the newsletter. That way you will not have to keep checking back.
Please consider this. You can sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office to take advantage of this.
4. Liturgist - We are re-starting the liturgist program here at Druid Hills. For those who may not know what a liturgist does, this person would be responsible for reading the two Scripture lessons, leading the responses afterward and also the Call to Worship on Sunday mornings. This a wonderful way to be involved in helping to lead your church family into an experience with God. If you would like to participate please sign up at the Connection Station. If you have any questions please let me know. I look forward to hearing from many of you!
5. Sunday School - We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with. This is an important ministry that we need to revive!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Thank You!
Today marked my one year anniversary at Druid Hills. It is hard to believe that a year has passed already! Today in worship I was presented a beautiful shadow box commemorating this anniversary. I was truly surprised and humbled by this gesture and wanted to post a picture of this gift on the blog for all to see. There is a Scripture verse at the bottom that is hard to see in the picture. It is from Ephesians 6:17, "Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
I just want to thank all of you for this gift and I look forward to many, many more years of ministry with you! Thank you and may God bless you all!
Lord's Prayer: Thy Kingdom – Matthew 18:21-35 and Matthew 6:12
Introduction
Today we are going to continue our preaching series on the Lord's Prayer as we take time to truly explore and understand what it is we are saying when we pray this prayer. Our first week together we looked at the beginning, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,” as we looked to God's perfect love and how this portion is our chance to express to God what God means to us. The next week we looked at, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven” and explored the nature of God's kingdom, where it is, as well as what it means to succumb to God's will on earth as it is in Heaven. Last week we looked at, “give us this day our daily bread,” as we discussed how that began a new phase to this prayer and we sought to gain a better understanding of what we are asking there. Today we are moving on to the phrase, “and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespassed against us,” as we look to what forgiveness really is and how forgiveness is a bridge between us and God.
How Do You Feel About Forgiveness?
Forgiveness. Great word. Great concept. We believe in it. We love it. We live it. Right? Say AMEN!
David Leininger tells the story about a man and a dog. There was a man who loved dogs. He served as a speaker in various civic clubs to benefit the SPCA. He was known far and wide as a dog lover. One day his neighbor observed as he poured a new sidewalk from his house out to the street. About the time he smoothed out the last square foot of cement a large dog strayed across his sidewalk leaving footprints in his wake. The man muttered something under his breath and smoothed out the footprints. He went inside to get some twine to string up around the sidewalk only to discover dog tracks in two directions on his new sidewalk. He smoothed those out and put up the twine. About five minutes later he looked out and the footprints indicated that the dog had cleared the fence, landed on his sidewalk and proceeded as he desired. The man was mad now. He toweled the wet concrete smooth again. As he got back to the porch he saw the dog come over and sit right in the middle of his sidewalk. He bent over and picked up a rock and threw it at the dog, trying to scare it away. The neighbor saw this and rushed over, "Why did you do that?" he inquired, "I thought you loved dogs." The man responded, "I do, I do like dogs, in the abstract, not in the concrete.”
I wonder if it might not be the same with forgiveness. We love it in the abstract, but when we really have something to forgive, we hate it in the concrete.1 Forgiveness is a word that we have all heard before, have all practiced to some degree, but I believe it is still something we all struggle with regularly. Today I want us to look at this idea of forgiveness through the lens of freedom.
Today, July 4th, is the day we set aside to talk about freedom, think about freedom, and celebrate freedom. And I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to express how extremely grateful we are to the women and men that have fought so hard and so diligently to ensure that we have the freedoms we enjoy. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the list goes on and on. But freedom also comes through the ancient practice of forgiveness.
What is Forgiveness?
So what is forgiveness? Over the years there has been significant confusion associated with what forgiveness is. Is forgiveness part and parcel with excusing, pardoning, and forgetting? I am here today to tell you that it is not.
Dr. Toddy Holeman, a counseling professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, believes that forgiveness, “names the wrongdoing and identifies the injustice as clearly as possible.. .The challenge here is to name the wrongdoing “rightly” because...by naming the offense rightly, forgiveness provides a way for me to release my wrongdoer and myself from the chains of the wound that now binds us together. It involves a letting go of my anger, resentment, and rage. It is offering unmerited favor (i.e., grace) to one who has betrayed and wounded me, just as Jesus has extended His unmerited favor to me (Colossians 3:13)”.2
Do you see the freedom here? Can you see how unforgiveness can cause you to become somebody other than who God created you to be? Do you understand how holding on to anger and resentment can cause you to be imprisoned? Our first Scripture lesson this morning speaks about this even talking about being imprisoned literally.
Finding the Freedom!
So how do we find this freedom? One is through education. Understand what forgiveness is. It is not strictly repentance or reconciliation or trust. Those can be by-products of forgiveness but are not necessary for forgiveness to occur. Forgiveness is naming specifically what wrong deed has been done. It is also accurately claiming our part in the deed. Be honest. Do not exaggerate the wrong actions of the other and scale back the role of our own misdeeds in the issue. And it is letting it go.
And for my money, that is the hardest and most important part, letting it go. It is hard to say to God, “I feel wronged by this situation, please forgive me as I forgive another,” and then letting it go. And letting it go is not screaming or crying out to anyone and everyone about how you have been wronged, it is not bringing it back up every opportunity you get, and it certainly is not developing a disdain, or worse yet a hate, for the person involved. None of that is letting it go. Forgiveness is important and Christ knew that because as soon as he finishes teaching the Apostles this prayer, verses 14 and 15 go right into how if we do not do it for others, God will not do it for us. This is not revenge on God's part, it is love. God loves you and wants to be with you. And when you are consumed by hate, driven by anger, and mired in resentment, there is no room for God. Forgiveness is based on God''s initiation, not ours. God forgave first, God loved first. We are called to follow suit. George Herbert, a distinguished English clergyman and poet who died in 1633, once wrote, "He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass."
Conclusion
Forgiveness is hard, forgiveness is vital, forgiveness is freedom. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.” Those are not just neat words to say, they are a motto to live by. A life without forgiveness is a life short changed in the presence of God. Go and forgive because God first forgave you!
Today we are going to continue our preaching series on the Lord's Prayer as we take time to truly explore and understand what it is we are saying when we pray this prayer. Our first week together we looked at the beginning, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,” as we looked to God's perfect love and how this portion is our chance to express to God what God means to us. The next week we looked at, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven” and explored the nature of God's kingdom, where it is, as well as what it means to succumb to God's will on earth as it is in Heaven. Last week we looked at, “give us this day our daily bread,” as we discussed how that began a new phase to this prayer and we sought to gain a better understanding of what we are asking there. Today we are moving on to the phrase, “and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespassed against us,” as we look to what forgiveness really is and how forgiveness is a bridge between us and God.
How Do You Feel About Forgiveness?
Forgiveness. Great word. Great concept. We believe in it. We love it. We live it. Right? Say AMEN!
David Leininger tells the story about a man and a dog. There was a man who loved dogs. He served as a speaker in various civic clubs to benefit the SPCA. He was known far and wide as a dog lover. One day his neighbor observed as he poured a new sidewalk from his house out to the street. About the time he smoothed out the last square foot of cement a large dog strayed across his sidewalk leaving footprints in his wake. The man muttered something under his breath and smoothed out the footprints. He went inside to get some twine to string up around the sidewalk only to discover dog tracks in two directions on his new sidewalk. He smoothed those out and put up the twine. About five minutes later he looked out and the footprints indicated that the dog had cleared the fence, landed on his sidewalk and proceeded as he desired. The man was mad now. He toweled the wet concrete smooth again. As he got back to the porch he saw the dog come over and sit right in the middle of his sidewalk. He bent over and picked up a rock and threw it at the dog, trying to scare it away. The neighbor saw this and rushed over, "Why did you do that?" he inquired, "I thought you loved dogs." The man responded, "I do, I do like dogs, in the abstract, not in the concrete.”
I wonder if it might not be the same with forgiveness. We love it in the abstract, but when we really have something to forgive, we hate it in the concrete.1 Forgiveness is a word that we have all heard before, have all practiced to some degree, but I believe it is still something we all struggle with regularly. Today I want us to look at this idea of forgiveness through the lens of freedom.
Today, July 4th, is the day we set aside to talk about freedom, think about freedom, and celebrate freedom. And I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to express how extremely grateful we are to the women and men that have fought so hard and so diligently to ensure that we have the freedoms we enjoy. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the list goes on and on. But freedom also comes through the ancient practice of forgiveness.
What is Forgiveness?
So what is forgiveness? Over the years there has been significant confusion associated with what forgiveness is. Is forgiveness part and parcel with excusing, pardoning, and forgetting? I am here today to tell you that it is not.
Dr. Toddy Holeman, a counseling professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, believes that forgiveness, “names the wrongdoing and identifies the injustice as clearly as possible.. .The challenge here is to name the wrongdoing “rightly” because...by naming the offense rightly, forgiveness provides a way for me to release my wrongdoer and myself from the chains of the wound that now binds us together. It involves a letting go of my anger, resentment, and rage. It is offering unmerited favor (i.e., grace) to one who has betrayed and wounded me, just as Jesus has extended His unmerited favor to me (Colossians 3:13)”.2
Do you see the freedom here? Can you see how unforgiveness can cause you to become somebody other than who God created you to be? Do you understand how holding on to anger and resentment can cause you to be imprisoned? Our first Scripture lesson this morning speaks about this even talking about being imprisoned literally.
Finding the Freedom!
So how do we find this freedom? One is through education. Understand what forgiveness is. It is not strictly repentance or reconciliation or trust. Those can be by-products of forgiveness but are not necessary for forgiveness to occur. Forgiveness is naming specifically what wrong deed has been done. It is also accurately claiming our part in the deed. Be honest. Do not exaggerate the wrong actions of the other and scale back the role of our own misdeeds in the issue. And it is letting it go.
And for my money, that is the hardest and most important part, letting it go. It is hard to say to God, “I feel wronged by this situation, please forgive me as I forgive another,” and then letting it go. And letting it go is not screaming or crying out to anyone and everyone about how you have been wronged, it is not bringing it back up every opportunity you get, and it certainly is not developing a disdain, or worse yet a hate, for the person involved. None of that is letting it go. Forgiveness is important and Christ knew that because as soon as he finishes teaching the Apostles this prayer, verses 14 and 15 go right into how if we do not do it for others, God will not do it for us. This is not revenge on God's part, it is love. God loves you and wants to be with you. And when you are consumed by hate, driven by anger, and mired in resentment, there is no room for God. Forgiveness is based on God''s initiation, not ours. God forgave first, God loved first. We are called to follow suit. George Herbert, a distinguished English clergyman and poet who died in 1633, once wrote, "He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass."
Conclusion
Forgiveness is hard, forgiveness is vital, forgiveness is freedom. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.” Those are not just neat words to say, they are a motto to live by. A life without forgiveness is a life short changed in the presence of God. Go and forgive because God first forgave you!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Bible Challenge 7/4 - 7/10
For those of you following along here is the schedule for next week as we finish up the wonderful story of Job and begin a trip through the Psalms.
7/4, Sunday: Job 41 - Psalm 2
7/5, Monday: Psalm 3-6
7/6, Tuesday: Psalm 7-10
7/7, Wednesday: Psalm 11-14
7/8, Thursday: Psalm 15-18
7/9, Friday: Psalm 19-22
7/10, Saturday: Psalm 23-26
Have a great 4th, stay safe, and BE BLESSED!
<><
7/4, Sunday: Job 41 - Psalm 2
7/5, Monday: Psalm 3-6
7/6, Tuesday: Psalm 7-10
7/7, Wednesday: Psalm 11-14
7/8, Thursday: Psalm 15-18
7/9, Friday: Psalm 19-22
7/10, Saturday: Psalm 23-26
Have a great 4th, stay safe, and BE BLESSED!
<><
Friday, July 2, 2010
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - This week we will continue our preaching series on the Lord's Prayer, as we look at the phrase, "and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us." I hope to see everyone there!
2. Vacation Bible School - Mark your calendars! We are hosting VBS July26th - 30th from 6:30-8:30pm. The theme will be Galactic Blast. If you are interested in helping out in any way, from teaching a class to helping to serving snack, please contact the church office. We are also asking for help in two other ways. First, as part of the craft time if you have any shoe or cereal boxes, water bottles, or old magazines that we can cut up, and are willing to donate, please drop them by the office. Second, please be our advertisers and spread the word about our VBS!
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via this blog. And there are two ways for you to receive your copy of the newsletter. One, is to go to this blog around the first of each month and I will have it posted there. From there you can read it online, blow it up to full screen, play with the scrolling methods, download to read later, or print it out. The days vary when the newsletter gets finalized each month so just keep checking back for when it gets uploaded. Or, you can subscribe to my blog by looking down the right hand side of this page for the box that says, Subscribe via Email. In that box enter your email address and click the subscribe button. By doing that you will be sent an email whenever I post something new to the blog, including the newsletter. That way you will not have to keep checking back.
Please consider this. You can sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office to take advantage of this.
4. Liturgist - We are re-starting the liturgist program here at Druid Hills. For those who may not know what a liturgist does, this person would be responsible for reading the two Scripture lessons, leading the responses afterward and also the Call to Worship on Sunday mornings. This a wonderful way to be involved in helping to lead your church family into an experience with God. If you would like to participate please sign up at the Connection Station. If you have any questions please let me know. I look forward to hearing from many of you!
5. Sunday School - We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with. This is an important ministry that we need to revive!
2. Vacation Bible School - Mark your calendars! We are hosting VBS July26th - 30th from 6:30-8:30pm. The theme will be Galactic Blast. If you are interested in helping out in any way, from teaching a class to helping to serving snack, please contact the church office. We are also asking for help in two other ways. First, as part of the craft time if you have any shoe or cereal boxes, water bottles, or old magazines that we can cut up, and are willing to donate, please drop them by the office. Second, please be our advertisers and spread the word about our VBS!
3. Online Newsletters – We are offering everyone in the congregation the chance to receive their monthly newsletter electronically via this blog. And there are two ways for you to receive your copy of the newsletter. One, is to go to this blog around the first of each month and I will have it posted there. From there you can read it online, blow it up to full screen, play with the scrolling methods, download to read later, or print it out. The days vary when the newsletter gets finalized each month so just keep checking back for when it gets uploaded. Or, you can subscribe to my blog by looking down the right hand side of this page for the box that says, Subscribe via Email. In that box enter your email address and click the subscribe button. By doing that you will be sent an email whenever I post something new to the blog, including the newsletter. That way you will not have to keep checking back.
Please consider this. You can sign up at the Connection Station or contact the church office to take advantage of this.
4. Liturgist - We are re-starting the liturgist program here at Druid Hills. For those who may not know what a liturgist does, this person would be responsible for reading the two Scripture lessons, leading the responses afterward and also the Call to Worship on Sunday mornings. This a wonderful way to be involved in helping to lead your church family into an experience with God. If you would like to participate please sign up at the Connection Station. If you have any questions please let me know. I look forward to hearing from many of you!
5. Sunday School - We would like to get our Sunday School program up and running again. But to do that we need your help! We would like to start five classes, about the time school begins again in the fall, and we need two people per class. If you would be willing to volunteer either as a teacher or helper please sign up at the Connection Station. And the earlier you sign up the the better your chance of getting the class you want to work with. This is an important ministry that we need to revive!
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