Thursday, January 30, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Tuesday, January 28th, 2014
Psalm 28:6-9
Praise the Lord!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
The Lord gives his people strength.
He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.
Save your people!
Bless Israel, your special possession.[a]
Lead them like a shepherd,
and carry them in your arms forever.
Northern states are prepared.
This kind of weather is something they're used to. They have trucks ready to hit the streets with sand and salt to help melt the ice that might accumulate. People have snow-blowers and shovels to clear their driveways and sidewalks. They have snow boots and ice scrapers and thermal underwear and the understanding of how to drive in snow. They are prepared for this kind of weather. They are intentional in their preparation.
They expect it to come.
As Christians, we often do a poor job of preparing in the presence of God. We sit around, minding our own business and checking things off our own to-do lists and we neglect to prepare ourselves with God's presence in our lives.
Then, when tragedy strikes, we are stunned and unprepared to deal with what lies ahead. We haven't been expecting trials or struggles or things to go a different way than we planned. We panic. Instead of stepping out in faith, we hide away and preserve ourselves the best we know how. All the while, if we had been spending time in God's presence, preparing our spirits and renewing our minds in His Word, we would be prepared to weather the storms that come.
The purpose of worship is to not only honor God with our lives, but to also keep our focus and attention on God and His goodness. When we spend our days and moments thinking on and speaking about His power and love and majesty, we are bringing God the glory He deserves while also keeping our hearts and minds fixed on Him. This prepares us to walk in faith and trust when difficult times come. We don't question His goodness because we have been faithfully declaring it. We don't wonder about His power because we have been constantly proclaiming it. And those proclamations of our God result in worship that honors Him and transforms us.
Worship changes us and prepares us for the life God is calling us to live. When we are faithful to spend time in God's presence, worshipping Him, we will walk away from our encounter with God more prepared to live a life that declares His praise, no matter what comes our way.
Spend time today (and every day) in worship, and you'll be amazed at how it prepares you for what lies ahead!
Monday, January 27, 2014
Monday, January 27th, 2014
Confession of a Worship Leader:
I haven't always loved worship.
I have always loved music. I have always loved church. But I haven't always loved worship. Growing up in a family who attended church every time the doors were open, I had my fair share of opportunities to experience worship in a corporate setting. I knew the hymns, the choruses, and I knew how to go through the motions by watching what others did around me. But it wasn't real. It wasn't authentic to me. And many times, I was just ready for it all to be over.
When I got to be in middle school, I remember watching one of the girls in my youth group who was a junior in high school. She sang on the youth worship team and had an incredible voice, but more than that, I remember watching her stand on the front row of church each Sunday and sing, with arms raised and a smile on her face, to Jesus. There was something different about the way she worshiped. Something real. Something deeper than just going through the motions. But I just didn't feel it.
In high school, I started playing the keyboard for my youth group and would help sing as well. There were certain worship songs that stirred me more deeply than others. But I still found myself at a place between apathy (not really caring) in worship and complacency (being ok with where I was at). Something was lacking. It wasn't the music style or the worship leading. It wasn't my ability to raise my hands or clap or go through the physical motions of worship.
What was lacking was my sincerity.
"But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24
This verse is the response of Jesus to a woman who was concerned about who could worship God, and where the worship had to take place. Jesus was explaining to her that the person and the place are not what is important. It is the motive and the authenticity that matter. Many times we get caught up with the details of worship- the music, the atmosphere, the people around us- and we miss the whole point.
God is Spirit, and we are to worship Him in spirit. We are created as spiritual beings. Our spirit is the core of who we are, the essence of our personality and character. In order to worship God with our spirit, we have to get to a place of intimacy with Him. A place where we know Him and He knows us. A place where we see His heart and we know His voice. A place where His Word comes alive to us and brings hope and life. When we are intentional with our time and make intimacy with God a priority, our worship will grow into something real and authentic.
Jesus also says we must worship God in truth. I'm sure we have all experienced a worship setting where it was more about the details and less about being real and open and pouring out our hearts before God. As worship leaders, we try to encourage people in worship by saying, "lift your hands" or "worship with us", and although there's nothing wrong with that, it often produces a response that isn't authentic or real. It's not really worship if it doesn't come from your heart. I have seen people who worship big and loud, but it was more about drawing attention to themselves than honoring God. Our worship should be birthed out of intimacy with God, which creates a response that is authentic and genuine. That might look different for each of us, but only God knows our hearts, and that's what really matters anyway.
When I was 18 I decided that I had experienced enough of what the world had to offer and was determined to follow hard after Jesus. Through a period in my life of fasting and prayer, Jesus became more real to me than ever. His Word became my source of direction and life. And through my deepening relationship with God, I developed a love for worship. I came to church excited to lift my voice and my praise to the God who I had been seeking and fellowshipping with all week long. I longed to be in His presence and loved every moment that I was able to be in that place with fellow believers.
I would encourage you today to ask yourself two questions:
1. Is my worship real and authentic?
2. How can I intentionally cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ that will result in a more sincere worship experience?
Father, forgive me. I have passed up so many opportunities to worship you in spirit and truth. I have sat back, complacent and apathetic, and refused to give you the praise and honor you deserve. Help me to know you more. Speak to me and show me your heart. Let me hear your voice and experience your presence in a way that compels me to worship you in spirit and in truth. May my worship always be an authentic expression of the work you are doing inside of me.
I haven't always loved worship.
I have always loved music. I have always loved church. But I haven't always loved worship. Growing up in a family who attended church every time the doors were open, I had my fair share of opportunities to experience worship in a corporate setting. I knew the hymns, the choruses, and I knew how to go through the motions by watching what others did around me. But it wasn't real. It wasn't authentic to me. And many times, I was just ready for it all to be over.
When I got to be in middle school, I remember watching one of the girls in my youth group who was a junior in high school. She sang on the youth worship team and had an incredible voice, but more than that, I remember watching her stand on the front row of church each Sunday and sing, with arms raised and a smile on her face, to Jesus. There was something different about the way she worshiped. Something real. Something deeper than just going through the motions. But I just didn't feel it.
In high school, I started playing the keyboard for my youth group and would help sing as well. There were certain worship songs that stirred me more deeply than others. But I still found myself at a place between apathy (not really caring) in worship and complacency (being ok with where I was at). Something was lacking. It wasn't the music style or the worship leading. It wasn't my ability to raise my hands or clap or go through the physical motions of worship.
What was lacking was my sincerity.
"But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24
This verse is the response of Jesus to a woman who was concerned about who could worship God, and where the worship had to take place. Jesus was explaining to her that the person and the place are not what is important. It is the motive and the authenticity that matter. Many times we get caught up with the details of worship- the music, the atmosphere, the people around us- and we miss the whole point.
God is Spirit, and we are to worship Him in spirit. We are created as spiritual beings. Our spirit is the core of who we are, the essence of our personality and character. In order to worship God with our spirit, we have to get to a place of intimacy with Him. A place where we know Him and He knows us. A place where we see His heart and we know His voice. A place where His Word comes alive to us and brings hope and life. When we are intentional with our time and make intimacy with God a priority, our worship will grow into something real and authentic.
Jesus also says we must worship God in truth. I'm sure we have all experienced a worship setting where it was more about the details and less about being real and open and pouring out our hearts before God. As worship leaders, we try to encourage people in worship by saying, "lift your hands" or "worship with us", and although there's nothing wrong with that, it often produces a response that isn't authentic or real. It's not really worship if it doesn't come from your heart. I have seen people who worship big and loud, but it was more about drawing attention to themselves than honoring God. Our worship should be birthed out of intimacy with God, which creates a response that is authentic and genuine. That might look different for each of us, but only God knows our hearts, and that's what really matters anyway.
When I was 18 I decided that I had experienced enough of what the world had to offer and was determined to follow hard after Jesus. Through a period in my life of fasting and prayer, Jesus became more real to me than ever. His Word became my source of direction and life. And through my deepening relationship with God, I developed a love for worship. I came to church excited to lift my voice and my praise to the God who I had been seeking and fellowshipping with all week long. I longed to be in His presence and loved every moment that I was able to be in that place with fellow believers.
I would encourage you today to ask yourself two questions:
1. Is my worship real and authentic?
2. How can I intentionally cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ that will result in a more sincere worship experience?
Father, forgive me. I have passed up so many opportunities to worship you in spirit and truth. I have sat back, complacent and apathetic, and refused to give you the praise and honor you deserve. Help me to know you more. Speak to me and show me your heart. Let me hear your voice and experience your presence in a way that compels me to worship you in spirit and in truth. May my worship always be an authentic expression of the work you are doing inside of me.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, January 25, 2014
Check out this video on why we worship. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment on here, or on our FB page.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TASjKoTb0_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TASjKoTb0_4
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Saturday, January 24, 2014
Enjoy part 2 of Ken Hicks post. He is our worship and creative arts pastor at TAG.
Why Do We Worship?
1. We were created to worship. Everybody worships something; money, power, material possessions, even dreams and ambitions. Everyone has a God shaped hole that only He can fill. When we lay down the junk, lay down the accolades, lay down the ego…when we part ways with self and worship God, he fills the void with His very presence.
2. We are called to worship. It’s our highest calling. It supersedes our job, our education, even our own families. John Piper says, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When the age is over, and countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. We first worship the Lord, and from that place we are able to reach out and love those around us. From a place of worship we can be the best employee, student, son, daughter, etc.
As Christians, we cannot allow Sunday mornings to be our primary time of worship. What is seen on Sunday should just be the tip of the ice berg, the very surface of what is going on deeper inside. When we allow God to work in our PRIVATE times of worship, we then bring authenticity and integrity to our PUBLIC expressions of worship.
As a worship leader, I cannot take the congregation to a place I have not already been.
Like David, we need to embrace the hidden place and learn to seek after God’s heart.
3. We go to God in worship to gain His strength.
Read Isaiah 40:28-31
These are amazing times and God is doing great things through his people! The apostles could only dream about the tools at our disposal. Airplanes criss-cross the globe, cell phones, computers, instant connection to millions of people! The Holy Spirit gives us strength to do God’s work and empowers us to be His hands and feet. In His presence, in worship, we find a strength greater than our own.
When we worship, we bring honor to God, align with His plan, and prepare for the great works He has in store for us.
Why Do We Worship?
1. We were created to worship. Everybody worships something; money, power, material possessions, even dreams and ambitions. Everyone has a God shaped hole that only He can fill. When we lay down the junk, lay down the accolades, lay down the ego…when we part ways with self and worship God, he fills the void with His very presence.
2. We are called to worship. It’s our highest calling. It supersedes our job, our education, even our own families. John Piper says, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When the age is over, and countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. We first worship the Lord, and from that place we are able to reach out and love those around us. From a place of worship we can be the best employee, student, son, daughter, etc.
As Christians, we cannot allow Sunday mornings to be our primary time of worship. What is seen on Sunday should just be the tip of the ice berg, the very surface of what is going on deeper inside. When we allow God to work in our PRIVATE times of worship, we then bring authenticity and integrity to our PUBLIC expressions of worship.
As a worship leader, I cannot take the congregation to a place I have not already been.
Like David, we need to embrace the hidden place and learn to seek after God’s heart.
3. We go to God in worship to gain His strength.
Read Isaiah 40:28-31
These are amazing times and God is doing great things through his people! The apostles could only dream about the tools at our disposal. Airplanes criss-cross the globe, cell phones, computers, instant connection to millions of people! The Holy Spirit gives us strength to do God’s work and empowers us to be His hands and feet. In His presence, in worship, we find a strength greater than our own.
When we worship, we bring honor to God, align with His plan, and prepare for the great works He has in store for us.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Friday, January 24, 2014
Hope you enjoy this blog by Ken Hicks our worship and creative arts pastor at TAG.
“True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and his worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.” John 4:23b-24
What is Worship?
The textbook definition of worship is the reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object, but it may be more important to define what worship is not.
1. Worship is not about songs or music, worship is all about Jesus.
Worship is not a particular style. Style is merely a tool. Style helps us connect to people, but worship is not about us, it’s about Him.
I Samuel 16:7 says, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
In our society today, we focus on gifting. We are driven to succeed, get results, get ahead, and impress others, but worship is not about musical gifting. Excellence is good, but it’s easy to become self-obsessed. Have you ever heard this old joke…How many sopranos does it take to change a light bulb…? One, because they feel the world revolves around them.
Jesus said, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:39
2. Worship is a change of perspective.
The Bible gives us various examples of standing, bowing, sitting, kneeling, etc. Why? Many times we need a change of perspective. Psalm 95:6 says, “Come let us bow down in worship.” When we bow down, we humble ourselves, and lift our gaze off of self and up to Christ.
Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this one thing I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in His temple.”
Read Luke 7:36-50
Worship is about fixing our gaze on Christ and remembering the debt He cancelled with His blood. It’s the place where we can pour out our love, our praise, and our tears at the feet of Jesus.
3. Worship is the celebration of our reconnection with God the Father.
Communion is restored and the gap has been bridged. We have access to throne!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Last night we talked about what worship is, and the importance of worship. The Apostle Paul in Romans 11 tells us about the glory of God, and the motivation for our worship.
Romans 11:33- 36 NLT
33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! 34For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? 35And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? 36For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
“Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth. Worship is not passive, but is participative. Worship is not simply a mood; it is a response. Worship is not just a feeling; it is a declaration.” -Worship by Ronald Allan and Gordon Borror.
-What is your response to God’s worth?
“Surrender is a natural response to God’s amazing love and mercy. We give ourselves to him, not out of fear or duty, but in love, Because he first loved us.” -Rick Warren
“The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within is.” -A.W. Tozer
Luke 9:23 NLT
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
-Are there areas in your life that you have held on to that you need to surrender to God today?
-Worship is much more then just singing a song, but there is importance in corporate worship.
1. Singing is Biblical
Psalm 96:1-4 NLT
1Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! 2Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. 3Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. 4Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.
2. Songs remind us of His goodness
Its easy to get so consumed with life that we forget about the things God has done for us. A Worship service helps us remember all He has done and who God is. A worship service puts our focus back on God!
3. Something happens when people gather to worship in song.
Matthew 18:20 NLT
20For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
Acts 16:25-26 NLT
25Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
-Because corporate worship is so important what are some things you can do before you get to church to help you be ready to worship?
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Where would you be without Jesus?
Ephesians 2:12-13 NLT
12In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
Life would be much different if we didn't have Jesus. What is your response to what He has done for you?
"Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth. Worship is not passive, but is participative. Worship is not simply a mood; it is a response. Worship is not just a feeling; it is a declaration." -Worship by Ronald Allan and Gordon Borror.
Tonight we are going to talk about being intentional about our worship.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Today I want to take you through a Psalm that gives us a glimpse into the reality of time as God sees it and the role that our lives play in the story of His creation.
Psalm 90
1 Lord, through all the generations
you have been our home!
2 2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from beginning to end, you are God.
you have been our home!
2 2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from beginning to end, you are God.
God is the beginning and the end. Time and space and seasons only exist within His creation, but He is not defined by them. It's a hard concept for our minds to grasp, but it's important for us to understand. God does not work within the confines of time as we know it. Everything has its beginning in Him, including our life's purpose. If we want to understand the seasons we find ourselves in, we will only find the answers in God Himself.
3 You turn people back to dust, saying,
“Return to dust, you mortals!”
4 4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
as brief as a few night hours.
5 5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 7 We wither beneath your anger;
we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 8 You spread out our sins before you—
our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
ending our years with a groan.
“Return to dust, you mortals!”
4 4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
as brief as a few night hours.
5 5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 7 We wither beneath your anger;
we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 8 You spread out our sins before you—
our secret sins—and you see them all.
9 9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
ending our years with a groan.
Look again at verse four. Our lifetime is just a drop of water in the vast ocean of God's infinite existence. This group of verses may sound harsh, but our God is just and holy and perfect and sin will always be detestable to Him. The consequences of the sin of humanity since the beginning of our world have grown and multiplied until it seems sometimes that we experience only the wrath of God rather than His love and blessing. His perfection should create a holy fear within us.
10 10 Seventy years are given to us!
Some even live to eighty.
11 But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we fly away.
11 12 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 13 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.
Some even live to eighty.
11 But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we fly away.
11 12 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 13 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.
Again the Psalmist reminds us that our lives are so incredibly short in light of the vastness of God. And during our short lives we manage to get ourselves so tangled up in sin and pain and heartache that we can come to the end and wonder what we have actually accomplished. But in verse 13, the Psalmist gives us a glimpse of hope- the secret to actually making the most of our speck of time here on the earth:
to realize the brevity (shortness, briefness) of life, that we may grow in wisdom.
Once we fully grasp how short our lives are, we are able to make wiser decisions about how we spend our days. We CAN and DO have purpose here, despite how small we are in the scope of eternity.
14 O Lord, come back to us!
How long will you delay?
Take pity on your servants!
14 15 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 16 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.
16 17 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory.
17 18 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!
How long will you delay?
Take pity on your servants!
14 15 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 16 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.
16 17 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory.
17 18 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!
I love how this chapter concludes- with a God who is able to redeem our sin and a desire to live in the presence, joy and love of a God who cares about His children and gives their lives purpose and meaning. And as verse 17 shows, when we seek to see God work in our generation, His glory will be revealed to the generation after us. Our lives may be short, but what we pass on to our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren becomes like a ripple effect in vast sea. It may start small, but it continues on and reaches shores that we will never know or realize.
Every season, every day, every moment should be lived with an intentional awareness of how short our lives are, but how great a difference we can make when we live those days for the glory of God. What will you do today that will make a difference for generations to come?
God, help me to realize that a thousand years is like a day to you. My life is so short, but you have given me the opportunity to affect future generations by living each day and season intentionally. Help me not to get so caught up in sin and selfishness that I waste seasons of my life living under your wrath when I could be living under your blessing. I want every moment to count. Use my life for your glory, God.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Monday, January 19, 2014
Enjoy this guest post from the amazing Emmett Rumfield.
The first thing I think about when it comes to seasons are the typical dude responses, football season, basketball season....[insert favorite sport season here] and how my favorite team is playing this season or how this next season is going to be the season my team goes all the way. (side note - My favorite soccer team is in first, Go Gunners, and my football team is playing the 49ers in the NFC championship tonight. Haha)
Yet, If I were to sit down and think about things that really matter (sorry sports fans), i start to ponder on the seasons that i have walked through with The Lord.
I am immediately encouraged that no matter what, however dark the season might have felt that through each and every type of season The Lord was there. He never turned his back on me, even though there were seasons that i turned my back on him. I think thats where the battle of staying intentional throughout the various seasons begins with knowing that The Lord is good and trusting that he will never forsake us. We see scriptural evidence of this truth all throughout the Bible. To name a few:
Hebrews 13:5 NLT
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6,8 NLT
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Joshua 1:9 NLT
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
1Peter 5:7 NLT
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Matthew 28:20 NLT
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We must remember that even Jesus walked through different seasons while he was here on earth, and I promise you with every bone in my body that Jesus was intentional with every second. The reality is that each season has a divine purpose! Each season is intended to bring us closer to him. Intimacy creates likeness. The closer we get with Jesus the more we become like him, being Christ-like is one of the most effective weapons we have! The true testament of our character isn't how we act at church or how high we raise our hands during worship, rather its the way we act on an everyday basis.
"God doesn't listen to your prayers based on what you're like while your praying, rather what your like when your not." - Andrew Murray
The bible talks about Jesus being our Good Shepherd in John chapter 10:
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
The cool thing about Jesus being a shepherd is that shepherds lead their herd through the valleys and mountaintops through all types of season and circumstances. Shepherds never send their sheep where they haven't been. No matter what season you are going through take rest in the fact that Jesus is our shepherd and whatever season you are going through not only Jesus been there before but he is there with you.
I challenge you to get alone with Jesus and ask him what he wants from you during this season. Ask Jesus to open your eyes to ways you can be intentional no matter the season your walking through. Ask Jesus how we can grow closer to him during this season.
The first thing I think about when it comes to seasons are the typical dude responses, football season, basketball season....[insert favorite sport season here] and how my favorite team is playing this season or how this next season is going to be the season my team goes all the way. (side note - My favorite soccer team is in first, Go Gunners, and my football team is playing the 49ers in the NFC championship tonight. Haha)
Yet, If I were to sit down and think about things that really matter (sorry sports fans), i start to ponder on the seasons that i have walked through with The Lord.
I am immediately encouraged that no matter what, however dark the season might have felt that through each and every type of season The Lord was there. He never turned his back on me, even though there were seasons that i turned my back on him. I think thats where the battle of staying intentional throughout the various seasons begins with knowing that The Lord is good and trusting that he will never forsake us. We see scriptural evidence of this truth all throughout the Bible. To name a few:
Hebrews 13:5 NLT
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6,8 NLT
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Joshua 1:9 NLT
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
1Peter 5:7 NLT
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Matthew 28:20 NLT
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We must remember that even Jesus walked through different seasons while he was here on earth, and I promise you with every bone in my body that Jesus was intentional with every second. The reality is that each season has a divine purpose! Each season is intended to bring us closer to him. Intimacy creates likeness. The closer we get with Jesus the more we become like him, being Christ-like is one of the most effective weapons we have! The true testament of our character isn't how we act at church or how high we raise our hands during worship, rather its the way we act on an everyday basis.
"God doesn't listen to your prayers based on what you're like while your praying, rather what your like when your not." - Andrew Murray
The bible talks about Jesus being our Good Shepherd in John chapter 10:
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
The cool thing about Jesus being a shepherd is that shepherds lead their herd through the valleys and mountaintops through all types of season and circumstances. Shepherds never send their sheep where they haven't been. No matter what season you are going through take rest in the fact that Jesus is our shepherd and whatever season you are going through not only Jesus been there before but he is there with you.
I challenge you to get alone with Jesus and ask him what he wants from you during this season. Ask Jesus to open your eyes to ways you can be intentional no matter the season your walking through. Ask Jesus how we can grow closer to him during this season.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
So today we had Adopt-A-Block where we go into the community and ask people if there is anything we can do for them or if they need prayer. For the most part doors go unanswered or people tell us they don't need anything. There are times I think, "Am I wasting time?" It can be frustrating to do something and not see anything in return. It would be real easy to just give up and not do anything. Maybe you have been there, you've tried sharing your faith with a friend or family member, but you don't see any fruit from the seed you have sown. Or maybe in your own personal relationship with the Lord you read and pray, but you don't see any growth. Today I read Galatians 6 it encouraged me and I hope it does you to not give up, because in due time you will reap a harvest.
Galatians 6:4-10 NLT
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. Don't be misled-you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. SO LET'S NOT GET TIRED OF DOING WHAT IS GOOD. AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVEST OF BLESSING IF WE DON'T GIVE UP. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith.
Here are a couple of things I see in this verse.
1. Don't compare yourself to anyone else.
Galatians 6:4-10 NLT
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. Don't be misled-you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. SO LET'S NOT GET TIRED OF DOING WHAT IS GOOD. AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVEST OF BLESSING IF WE DON'T GIVE UP. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith.
Here are a couple of things I see in this verse.
1. Don't compare yourself to anyone else.
How amazing is it to know we don't have to compare ourselves to anyone else.
2. We will all harvest something
Everyone will harvest, the question is what are you planting?
3. Don't give up
Most of the time it is easier to throw in the towel than to work at something. But if we don't give up and we keep planting in due time we will see the fruit of our labor.
The author of The Message translation of the Bible, Eugene Peterson wrote, ”Long stretches of darkness and invisibility and silence separate planting from reaping.”
Psalm 90:12 challenges us to learn how to “number our days” so that we might not miss the moments God
intends for us to experience.
Psalm 90:12 NIV
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Sometimes moments can seem routine and the seeds that are sown seem fruitless. Growth is gradual and sometimes unseeable. God has something for us in every moment and season in life.
Today at Adopt-A-Block I had the opportunity to pray with 2 ladies who are going through a rough time. When we first started Adopt-A-Block these two ladies weren't as open to us. In fact I recall one time if we could pray for one of them and she said she was doing ok and didn't need us to.
What have you given up on that God wants you to keep doing? It could be talking to a friend about Jesus, or maybe its your own relationship with God.
Psalm 90:12 NIV
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Sometimes moments can seem routine and the seeds that are sown seem fruitless. Growth is gradual and sometimes unseeable. God has something for us in every moment and season in life.
Today at Adopt-A-Block I had the opportunity to pray with 2 ladies who are going through a rough time. When we first started Adopt-A-Block these two ladies weren't as open to us. In fact I recall one time if we could pray for one of them and she said she was doing ok and didn't need us to.
What have you given up on that God wants you to keep doing? It could be talking to a friend about Jesus, or maybe its your own relationship with God.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Take about 5 minutes to watch this video.
http://youtu.be/8B0C9Rm7VGQ
We would love to hear your thoughts on this video and verse. Leave a comment on the comment section.
http://youtu.be/8B0C9Rm7VGQ
We would love to hear your thoughts on this video and verse. Leave a comment on the comment section.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Last night we talked about three things that can help us be intentional about the seasons in our lives. Here they are again, along with some questions for your own personal prayer and reflection.
1. Every season has its difficulties
- Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13 that " I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."
- How can you learn to be content in every season of your life? How might a stronger relationship with Christ help you?
2. Every season has its purpose
- Sometimes we are tempted to think more about the future and what we hope it will be than to see the purpose in the season we are in at the moment.
- What purpose might God be trying to achieve in the current season of life you are in?
"We can't always choose our season, but we can always choose our response." -Steven Furtick
3. Days are long, but the years are short
- It can feel like there is no end in sight to difficult seasons sometimes, but if we wish away the days, we will regret missed opportunities.
- What is something you can start doing, right now, to make the most of your time in middle/high school and impact your friends for Christ?
God, I know you are sovereign and you have a plan that is better and grander than what I can see. Forgive me for not trusting you with my whole life and being discontent in the season I am in sometimes. Help me to make the most of every opportunity I have right now. Show me your purpose for this season of my life. I surrender to your will.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
In Texas sometimes we only get to experience two seasons- summer and winter. It can feel like it goes from hot to cold in an instant. But most places have four seasons- two of them mild (spring and fall) and two of them extreme (summer and winter). Many people would say they have a favorite season. Some like the spring's mild temps and new life. Some prefer summer's sun and warmth. Many love fall's beautiful colors and cooler weather. And some like winter's chill and ice.
If you're a summer person, the cold of winter can be daunting. But the good news is, change will come. A new season will be on its way in just a few weeks. Life is much the same way. In Ecclesiastes chapter 3 (take a few moments to read vs. 1-11 if you have time), King Solomon writes about seasons and times. He says "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." (vs. 1)
And then at the end, as shown in the verse above, he says that "He (God) has made everything beautiful in His time..." In our lives there are seasons, too. Not just seasons based on the weather, but seasons based on our circumstances, our growth, and our God-given destiny. Some seasons are harder than others. Some seasons seem to lag on while we wish for something new. But God promises that He will make ALL things, ALL seasons beautiful in His time.
Question to Ponder:
-When was a season in your life that seemed hard at the time, but now that you can look back you see God's purpose in it?
God, sometimes I can be so shortsighted. I tend to get restless in the seasons that I'm in and often wish for a different one. Help me to see that each season has a purpose, and that the most growth usually comes out of the most difficult seasons. Help me to trust that, even when I don't see it, you are making all things beautiful. Set eternity in my heart today, God. Let my focus be on your purposes.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
Enjoy this guest post from my brother-in-law who is a minister in Salt Lake City, Utah: Mario Alejandre.
The highlight of my sophomore year in high school was when I
was chosen to serve as the team manager for the 10th grade
basketball team. Part of it was luck; I sprained my wrist the first day of
tryouts so the coach didn’t cut me. I wouldn’t have made the team otherwise.
The coach could tell I loved basketball by the fact that I willing to come to
practice and observe the team while my wrist was healing. I would even
participate in the conditioning drills (I was the slowest guy on the court). He
figured at that point that I’d be the ideal person to retrieve basketballs and
clean up after the team. I was able to practice with the team and he even let
me dress on game days. Three times during blowout losses, he even let me play a
few minutes.
One afternoon practice session, while we were running
ladders, our coach was in a particularly unhappy mood. It seemed like the only
thing that would cure his unhappiness was seeing us run. During the drill, the
coach yelled over the sound of sneakers marking up the gym floor, “We are going
to run until you all cannot run any longer.” Anyone who has ever had to endure
a coach’s ire understands what that meant. We weren’t stopping anytime soon. So
I did what I thought would try and do my part to end this madness. In order to help
him see we were already at the point of exhaustion, I started to make a facial
expression that would “show” how hard I was trying (or perhaps going into
labor).
One of the team’s better players wasn’t buying it. In the
middle of my drill he yelled, “Mario, anyone can make a face like they are in
pain!” I was embarrassed. Partly because he had done it in front of the coach
and my teammates and partly because I knew it was true. When you are the team
manager, your existence can seem fraudulent. For many outside of the team (and
who don’t care enough to follow sports closely), you’re ‘on the team.’ But to
those inside the locker room, whose approval matters most you really aren’t a
part of the team.
Why do I bring this story up? To serve as an encouragement
that encountering God and becoming intentional entails much more than putting
on a good show. Depending in the religious environment you’ve grown up in,
these ideas are often judged by how things look to the naked eye. The more you
shout, the more you cry, or the louder the ‘AMEN,’ the greater the encounter. Intentionality
brings the expectation that I have to ‘share my faith’ with every friend (and
even strangers) I come across. When we begin to share our spiritual stories
with each other, it can often devolve into exaggerated storytelling, but with
Christian lingo (adults are really good at this when trying to establish their
spiritual worth to others). The problem is that this can leave many of us
feeling like frauds. Maybe I’m not encountering God at all? Maybe I’m not
intentional enough? Self-doubt and
condemnation can become the ideas that form our sense of spiritual identity.
All the while, we sweep our doubts under the rug so we can fit in.
Authentically pursuing God as a community goes beyond the
putting on of appearances. So far, you’ve received some solid instruction about
what it means to abide in Christ and why intentionality is important. Guard
your heart! Being intentional for the sake of looking intentional will
only further frustrate the discipleship process. I would like to humbly suggest
that as we continue to learn from (encounter) Jesus, intentionality will
naturally follow (like a tree producing fruit).
As members of the church and larger community, remember the
following as you desire to encounter, grow and live your lives in a way that is
not only for God’s glory, but for the good of all creation:
1.
Jesus has proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven
is here and available. (Many are surprised to learn that Heaven is more than
just a place we go when we die) This is indeed the life God has for all of us.
We can receive it by putting our confidence in Christ, leaving behind the
anger, manipulation, lust, contempt, and worldly measures of success that can
so easily shape our view of the world. He invites us to put his words into practice.
(Matthew 5-7)
2.
He has invited us to learn from Him. He tells us
that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. We will find rest for our souls.
(Matthew 11:28-30)
3.
Trust that as we grow in maturity, who we are in
Christ will be made evident in the contexts of our God-given personalities. We
don’t have to compare ourselves or be anyone else (I still really struggle with
this one). We can truly be ourselves while we encourage others to become who
they are intended to be.
Seeing God’s world God’s way will
not only allow us to abide safely within Christ’s presence, our lives will
begin to take on the same rhythms and movement that Jesus’ did during his earthly
ministry. The longing to encounter God and to make each moment of our lives
count are satisfied perfectly when we live in the goodness of Jesus’ life
together.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Watch this video below:
If you are having trouble viewing the video on here, go to http://youtu.be/W-pLRM0rgjE
Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
for it determines the course of your life.
Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.
stay away from corrupt speech.
Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
Proverbs 4:23-27
Questions to think about:
- What has been drawing my focus and attention away from God?
- How can I incorporate my relationship with God into more areas of my daily life so that my focus isn't so easily shifted?
- When was a time that I was more focused on God and what was I doing differently then?
God, thank you that even when I wander away from you, you are always waiting to welcome me back with open arms. Forgive me for allowing other things to steal my attention away from you. Help me to see that nothing in this world compares to you and what you offer me in a relationship with you. I want you to captivate me. I fix my eyes on you today.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5
The word "remain" means to "continue to exist, endure, last, persist, stay around".
This definition seems to imply that remaining is not something that comes easy. It means that there will be things that come your way that will try to sever your connection to God. Circumstances will overwhelm you and make you want to throw in the towel. But we must remain. Why?
Because apart from Him we can do nothing.
Without our connection to God, we are spiritually dead, lifeless beings. We can't accomplish the things we were placed on this earth to do without Him. He is the vine. The nourishment we need to survive can only come through a connection to Him. And that connection will be challenged and pulled and sometimes even get to the breaking point.
Being connected to God requires being intentional in our relationship with Him. Satan will do whatever he can to pull us away from God. We have to be purposeful in strengthening our connection to God so we won't be swayed. This can only come through spending time in His Word, His presence and His will.
God, I confess that my connection to you is often weak. Sometimes I feel like I am at the breaking point. Remind me that no matter what storm tries to tear me from you, you will never let go. Help me to be intentional in spending time with you so that our connection is strengthened and I can do all that you've created me for. I want to be a Christian that bears fruit for your name.
The word "remain" means to "continue to exist, endure, last, persist, stay around".
This definition seems to imply that remaining is not something that comes easy. It means that there will be things that come your way that will try to sever your connection to God. Circumstances will overwhelm you and make you want to throw in the towel. But we must remain. Why?
Because apart from Him we can do nothing.
Without our connection to God, we are spiritually dead, lifeless beings. We can't accomplish the things we were placed on this earth to do without Him. He is the vine. The nourishment we need to survive can only come through a connection to Him. And that connection will be challenged and pulled and sometimes even get to the breaking point.
Being connected to God requires being intentional in our relationship with Him. Satan will do whatever he can to pull us away from God. We have to be purposeful in strengthening our connection to God so we won't be swayed. This can only come through spending time in His Word, His presence and His will.
God, I confess that my connection to you is often weak. Sometimes I feel like I am at the breaking point. Remind me that no matter what storm tries to tear me from you, you will never let go. Help me to be intentional in spending time with you so that our connection is strengthened and I can do all that you've created me for. I want to be a Christian that bears fruit for your name.
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