14 Mar
So we are working on the study, “Not a Fan” by Kyle Idleman. It’s pretty good stuff. And today’s devotion asks us to define the words Devotion and Admiration. Then it asks the question which do you actually feel towards Jesus.
See we make all kinds of assertions about our love of Jesus but our lives just don’t prove it. To me devotion is personal, focused, and passionate whereas admiration is distant, general, and dispassionate.
How do you see it?
8 Mar
Thursday Morning Quarterback – Just doesn’t have the same ring. But here is Sunday’s sermon based upon the series Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman:
6 Mar
After 11 years of taking Friday off I’ve switched my day off to Monday. It feels strange to say the very least. Sabbath is very important. I think most people fail to recognize how important it is. Sure they say, “I need a day off.” or they say “Thank goodness it’s Friday (unless they decide to break another commandment)”; but I think even then they are trivializing the serious need for unscheduled time.
When it comes to Sabbath I’m a recreationalist; that is I believe it is a day for recreation, as rest too. I worship God on Sunday just like everyone else except my seat is in the front but on my day “off”. I do something entirely different, I work around the yard, spend time with my wife, or if time permits I go fishing. Which I did this week.
The day was gorgeous, the company was good, and the fish were somewhat agreeable. I am refreshed and that is the idea for as scripture says the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath.
So sisters and brothers – are you taking your Sabbath? It is on God’s top ten list – you might want to rethink your response.
3 Mar
We’re going to be taking up the “Not a Fan” study this week. Rolling it out in the Message and small groups – going to be, challenging, and empowering all at once. I can’t wait.
Jesus really didn’t come and maintain large crowds. The more seriously he explained his message the more seriously his followers had problems with it. It does make you wonder about how we validate our own lives. We look at our health, our wealth, our family, and from these we define our success. God seems to use a much different measure.
Honestly, this should scare us.
See you Sunday!
PS: Monday morning quarterback will be moving to Tuesday as I now will be taking Mondays off. Change – it happens.
27 Feb
This week’s sermon deals with the simple “doing” of the faith. It isn’t an abandonment of our calling to speak the gospel, or be holy, but one of the primary tasks of the Christian is to live it out listen!
23 Feb
It’s the last day of 40 Days of Blessing and it has been a wonderful 40 days. When a church our size has nearly 40 adults and nearly 20 kids attending small groups you have to marvel at all that has happened.
For me the study has truly deepened my trust in God for my every need. I’m just not qualified to know what I need – but the loving Creator who is my source of all Blessing does know. He’s the Alpha and the Omega. Which reminds me of this mornings first reading:
Revelation 22:1-4 NIV Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
One of the things that amuses me about modern Christianity that we are so focused on apocalyptic visions that we fail to notice all the wonderful and grand worship in the Book of the Revelation. Stop trying to figure out all the meanings and just soak in the overarching theme of God’s Glory. It is truly an amazing thing.
22 Feb
Re-recorded (Monday Morning Quarterback version) of this weeks sermon:
15 Feb
It is an incredibly powerful part of being a Christian that we interact in the world with spiritual power. We can speak with tongues of Angels, we receive prophetic words, we are able to face persecution, and much more all by the power of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 13). Of course in all of these things if we do not have love we are useless. We are like a nuclear plant that doesn’t power homes it just sits within itself seething with unused and worthless (albeit dangerous) power.
But you; Christian, have an incredible power. What are you doing with it? One thing you can do today is verbally bless those you love. Read the words of scriptures over their lives. Place your hand on your child and bless them as God has blessed you. (read Isaiah 43:1-5). Speak to a friend in need the comfort of God’s truth and pray a blessing over them. Scripture is full of blessings you can speak to people you love.
Bill Gothard says when we do this we do amazing things:
When we bless others, we can speak forth biblical answers God has for them. In this way, we begin to impart to them the desire and power to truly live those words out – empowered by the active work of Christ in their lives and the strong help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Bill Gothard, The Power of Spoken Blessings pp.31)
