8.22.2010

Being cleansed by the living water.

We are good at getting dirty. We learn to like the mud. Sometimes we get dirty from others around us because they have so much dirt that it flings onto us. Sometimes we don't want to take the time to be cleansed. How often do you shower?

As you may have noticed, I am not talking about just a regular shower. I am talking about us letting God cleanse us. It is so easy for us to get dirty. We just live as we want to live. We make something or someone more important then God (sleep, TV, etc.). It can be that easy. But the problem with being dirty is that we can't hear that small voice because our minds and lives are so cluttered. And we can become embarrassed and just try to cover up our dirtiness. Just like Adam and Eve when they left the Garden of Eden.

How much time are we taking to let God cleanse us? Is it once a week, Sunday mornings at church. Do we only take one shower a week? And do we feel clean from taking just this one shower? How can we expect to feel cleansed by God if we are only allowing Him to clean us once a week?
Everyone gets dirty and needs to be washed. The Bible says, "Everyone has sinned." God wants to wash us because only He can. He takes delight in cleansing and healing us.
He wants to round off the rough edges.
Psalms 51:10 says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God."

So how are we supposed to let God cleanse us?
Worship, sing, pray, celebrate the Sacraments. Remember what Jesus has done for us. Spend time reading and reflecting the Bible at home. Be real with God.
Ask Him, "Where does the work need to be done God?" After all, God doesn't choose perfect people. Because no one is. We are all a work in progress. It makes Him happy that we want to be like Him.

Scripture:

Jeremiah 33:6-8

Songs:

Grace like Rain

This is our God

You lifted me out

8.15.2010

Water is such a fundamental part of life. We need water everyday to live. And since it is always at our reach it can be easily taken for granted. Water can also be a force of nature that we fear.

A well was known as a sacred place of life giving opportunity. It was believed that God was present at the wells.

In John 4:5-26, There is the story of the Samaritan woman who came to the well. She was an outcast. It was improper for her to speak 1st to anyone because of her position. But one day at the well Jesus spoke to her. He said I thirst.

While it is so easy to say that Jesus just thirsts for water, a simple drink. It is that he thirsts for this Samaritan woman. He thirsts for this sinner. To have a relationship with her. Jesus thirsts to have a relationship with us all.

So often we feel like we need to clean ourselves up before we can enter into that relationship with Jesus. But here's the truth...Jesus will meet you right where you are. He has already been walking beside you, even before you asked him to. He already knows everything you have done or haven't done. What cleans us is not something we can do on our own. If you are trying to clean yourself before having that relationship with him, you will never get there. You will just prolong your silence. Some of you may worry about contaminating Jesus with your sin. But that cannot happen. We feel like we have to do something for Jesus to love us. But we don't.

It is only by his living waters that you will be transformed. And to receive his living waters all you have to do is ask.

He loves you just for who you are.

He thirst for you.

You don't have to be silent.

You can be a living vessel to share his love with others.

He seeks to be in union with you .

You can be made whole.

8.8.2010

Living out your Faith
Here are some questions to ask yourself...

1.) How are you living out your Faith?
2.) Do you seek God for all your decisions?
3.) Do you align your family with the Gospel?
4.) Are you living out your faith in your home and community?

One great Scripture story that tells us of a man living out his faith is that of Noah. How much faith do you think it took Noah to do what God told him to do? Can you imagine what it must have been like for Noah when he heard God telling him to build an ark? He probably thought, why me? I am just a simple man. What do I have to offer? But he listened. Because he was faithful and he obeyed. He checked off YES to all 4 of the previous questions. Can you say the same?

As we learned in the story of Noah, living out our faith isn't always easy. We are always going to be faced with challenges. But we have our faith to hold onto instead of hiding and saying it is just too hard. Some acts of faith might seem strange to us, or take us out of our comfort zone. But if it is the will of God you will never know who's life it will change. Maybe even yours...

I challenge you to act out your faith to everyone around you. Prayerfully ask God where He wants you to spend some extra time to change someones life.

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3
Scripture story of Noah: Genesis 6-9

We used a clip from Bill Cosby's Noah. Check YouTube for a full version.

8.1.2010

Have you ever met someone that was in love with Jesus but didn't attend Church? Why do we need Church? I am sure this has been a question that people have struggled and disagreed on for years plus.

As God's children we are called to worship Him. Our church home is a place where we can step out of our everyday distractions. The material lifestyles we can easily become accustom to. A place where we wrestle with who God is? What He is like? To be part of the body of Christ.

Worship shapes us. It helps us enter into the presence of God. Sometimes when all we do is worship alone we can make Him into less, or the image we want Him to be. Rather than all that He is. He is faithful to ALL generations. And to know Him you must know He is a God of His people. As His people we are in a community of faith. We are learning in our worship to grow into His will. God is growing us for Him. For His purpose.

This doesn't mean that we cannot worship outside the walls of the church. It is actually just the opposite. God is active and present in His creation. He is there to restore His world.
God gives us the eyes to go back out into the world and see what He is doing. He calls us to take our worship out into the streets. To sing, to give of ourselves, offering, sharing the gospel, etc.
To bless God in all that we do.

Scripture: Psalms 100

7.25.2010

++Odd for God++

Do you ever feel like the decisions you make for yourself or your family go against what's the 'norm'? I find myself in this situation quite often. One of my latest decisions was to home school my children. Not a lot of people in our family support this decision. And as I understand their concerns for the welfare of my children, this was a decision I prayerfully considered. And one I feel strongly that God has led me to home schooling.
But this brings me to my point of the sermon. So many people want you to follow the 'norm'.
It is easier and normal to the world. It is what we are used to seeing everyday. But who's to say it is the correct way?
Apart from my earlier example of home schooling and onto the example used in our service (Star Wars). There is evil out there. These forces of darkness want us back on their side. To turn our backs on Jesus. To love ourselves.
And at times, no matter how much we want to be faithful we give into our temptations. Every one of us. But as Christians we know that we can ask for forgiveness and choose to follow what is good and righteous. Christians are odd. We don't want to conform to what others want us to be. We want to be what God created us to be. And we do this by following the path of Scripture.
Scripture tells us to LOVE.

To love the Lord your God with all your heart
and To love your neighbor as yourself.

But God doesn't expect us to do this all on our own.
God gives us armor.
He gives us the breastplate of righteousness.
The helmet of hope and salvation.
The shield of faith.
Shoes of readiness to go forth and share the good news.
The belt of truth.
& the sword of the Spirit
With all this God given armor, we are never without Christ's presence.

Jesus was odd. And as Christians aren't we just trying to be like Him?

Scripture:
Ephesians 6:10-17

3.7.2010

Bearing Fruit

Going through the Motions

Have you ever been stuck in autopilot?

Having the mindset, "Don't talk to me until I've had my morning coffee."

Sometimes we go through the motions not realizing what we are actually doing.

Day after day, doing the same ole' thing.

Alarm clock goes off

get out of bed

get dressed

brush your teeth

drink your coffee

head to work

gripe at the traffic

etc...

Did you stop and "live" each moment?

In the present.

Today is a gift, relish in it.

Live in it!

Thank God for every little bit of it!

Even if we are bored.

Even if we are in despair.

We are still here! With another breath.

Stop always trying to rush through the current moment to get to the next.

We don't know the end of our story, we only know this moment.

TODAY!

Life is too short to only do routine things.

Make the most of your time.

How can we produce anything if we aren't living purposefully?

God wants us to bare fruit.

He has created you to produce fruit.

Sometimes it takes a while.

But we have the opportunities to show love or selfishness everyday.

Jesus talked, welcomed, and invited EVERYONE.

Where are the moments that change us?

Share with others, they can see changes in your life.

Let us produce the fruit so we can nourish others.

So He can grow us into His image.

Spread the fruit.

Scripture:

Luke 13:1-9

James 4:13-15

Music:

Heart of Worship

New Doxology

Resonate

Sing to the King

Videos: (click on video link to watch)

Stranger than Fiction clip

The Motions by Matthew West

2.21.2010

Temptation

We all know the power of suggestion is very strong. Most of the time we don't even know we are tempted by something until someone puts it in front of our face. But what makes something a temptation to us? It has to be available and we have to know about it.

For example, when we are hungry and go to the grocery store, we tend to buy more than we needed because everything looks so good and our stomachs are telling us to buy it. It is so easily accessible right there in front of your nose. We usually don't even second guess it, we just pick it up and place it in the basket and move on to the next thing we spot. We go through temptations like this everyday. We live in this instant gratification society. We want things NOW and so we go and get them. It is that easy, right? We rationalize our actions because we want the things we are tempted towards.

During the time that Jesus was in the wilderness, he was also tempted. God led him to this place to be tested. He hadn't eaten for 40 days, Jesus was starving. We get hungry after an hour of not eating. And what do we do? Go to the fridge and see what there is to snack on. The devil was telling Jesus to turn the stone into bread so he could eat. Jesus was tested to want things NOW. But Jesus choose to trust in God. Jesus had faith in Him, not trying to manipulate God. It wasn't easy. It was uncomfortable and difficult. Jesus was obedient to God. He choose to wait for the things God had in store for him.

What do you want more? To feel good in the moment? Or to please God?

Would you trade your Heavenly Father, when it can sometimes be difficult to follow?

Or to worship something else? Just because it is easier.

We all have situations we tend to follow. We aren't perfect people, but if we love God we should be trying to follow His plan for our lives. Ethics should be dictated by Jesus, not by culture.

Your mind is our best defense. Have your mind prepared for temptations before they arise. If we don't think ahead how will we respond? Take time to think, pray, and talk before you make a decision.

Scripture:

Luke 4:1-13