Storyteller Week 4

I was in the nursery last week so I missed Neal's message on the Good Samaritan. If you're interested, you can hear it by clicking here. Below is this past week's message notes. It was really good. I would recommend listening to it.


Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

Matthew 20:1-16

Some worked twelve hours, some nine, some six, some three, and others only one hour yet they all received the same wage.

"Vineyard" was a common metaphor for "the people of Israel" in Jesus' day.

To work for "whatever is right," you have to have a great deal of trust in your employer because you are banking on his generosity.

Who would still be hoping to get hired with only one hour left in the work day? Those who were truly desperate. No work = no food.

Normally, the all-day workers were paid first. In this story, the one hour workers are paid first. If the employer had followed the normal system, the all-day workers would never have known that they were all paid equally.

Instead of lauding the owner's generosity, the all-day workers are furious that they were all paid equally. They, like our society, feel that the harder one works, the longer one's been at work, the more one contributes, the more is expected to be received in comparison to a newbie on the job.

Jesus' intent was to show the hidden sense of entitlement, the feeling of unfairness, and the economy of grace. Grace isn't about counting at all. The story is about who can be forgiven by God and allowed into the kingdom. Everyone is welcome at any time (any point in one's life, young or old).

Performance-based Christianity (all day workers) - we miss out on our need of grace; instead we feel entitled to it. Instead of feeling grateful for being chosen, we feel cheated because others we feel are "less deserving" also receive the same grace.

Grace-based Christianity - relationship based on trust, not a contract; we are overjoyed at the grace we receive, knowing that it is undeserved.

We are often outraged at the abundance of God's grace and the seeming unfairness of it. We often fail to remember that we are just as unworthy of grace as anyone else. Why do we tend to identify with (assume that we are) the workers who were hired first? We are all, in fact, latecomers in the story.

We are envious of God's generosity. He continues to seek out workers for his vineyard, even without benefit to himself.

"God dispenses gifts, not wages...If we were paid deservingly, we would all end up in Hell." Philip Yancey


This message really hit me. I do tend to see the seeming unfairness of the situation rather than the amazing message of grace that it is. I, too, would be outraged to have worked all day and have been paid equal to the one hour worker, regardless of the contract that had been established when I agreed to work. And it is true, sometimes I do feel like I am "working harder" than others even though we will receive the same reward. I don't know why I feel like I was one of the early ones to the vineyard. I am not supposed to compare myself to others. It is about focusing on my relationship with God. It's about my response to God's grace. I can't determine what other people will do with their gift, only what I will do with mine.

Personal application: Focus on seeking God's desires for me and not compare my efforts, my gifts and talents, my service to those of others. God created us each individually. Therefore, he has different work for us to do. My desire should be to complete the work God has prepared for me to do.

Who is Jabez?

I was reading in 1 Chronicles today. There seems to be a whole lot of genealogy listing in the first half of the book. I'm only to chapter 5 and it's still all about soandso's descendants and their descendants, etc. It is laying out the genealogy to David, I believe, but sometimes it gets to be tedious. It is kind of cool to see who turns into what group of people who you hear about fighting with Israel and Judah later on (ex. Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites...).

Anyway, so I read three plus chapters of the sons of various people and in chapter four verses nine and ten it says: Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

Then verse 11 goes right back to people and their sons. I, of course, was wondering, Where did this come from? And who is Jabez? None of the people before are named Jabez to indicate what family he's related to except that the title of the chapter is "Other Clans of Judah". So where do these two verses come from? They seem very out of place and a little confusing.


So this post is more of a question. Does anyone have greater understanding of this passage and could answer my questions? Who is Jabez and why is this random story in the middle of all of the genealogy?

True Leadership

I was reading in 2 Kings 22-23 about King Josiah. During his reign, the Book of the Law was found and read to him. It caused him to tear his robes and inquire of God to see what must be done because he knew that Judah was not following the law. He tore down all of the idols and destroyed the high places the kings before him and built as response to the Book of the Law. He worked on restoring the temple as it should be. He also shared his new knowledge with the people of Judah.

2 Kings 23:1-3: Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the Lord with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets - all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord - to follow the Lord and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

This section really hit me. The king (the country's leadership) set an example for the people. The people then chose to follow it. That is a great testament of what leadership should look like. The king let the people know that Judah had not been living as it ought and publicly declared the changes that were going to be made. He made himself accountable to the people.

This is not something you see in today's leadership. They seem to be looking out for the people's interests, but they do not seem to be saying, "We think that this is the right course of action and, to prove it to you, we will be the first people to follow the rules and statues we are proposing. We will show by our example how effective the new plans and policies are." Instead it sounds more like, "This is what is best for you. We don't need this stuff so we won't have to be subject to it, but we're sure that it will be successful." There's not proof or accountability. They are not putting their money where their mouths are. Will we ever see this type of leadership in our country?

Perhaps you feel that our national and local leadership is living what it is preaching. If so, I am interested to be shown examples of this. I would be encouraged by this example.

Storyteller Week 2

I'm a little more on it this week. Here are my notes from Sunday. I would highly recommend listening to the message yourselves as it was very poignant and relevant.

Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1-13

"If Only"

In Jesus' day, weddings lasted for days. Toward the end, the bridegroom would go to get the bride from her house to take her to his house where they would have a week long party/honeymoon with their families. When the bridegroom does this, he has a procession with him of wedding guests. All of the guests carried their own light to show that they belonged to the party. Without a light, you were considered a wedding crasher and not allowed in to the party.

The bridegroom (Jesus) is going to return so we need to be ready. The lamp is our life. We are to make sure our life is a preparation for Jesus' return. We shouldn't allow ourselves to get caught up in/distracted by everyday life.

There are some things in life that cannot be borrowed - a relationship with God, character, past experiences. I am responsible to God for my life. It is possible to wait until it is too late.

Now is the time. "Someday" may never come.

The unprepared girls were not called evil or wicked, but foolish. They were not defiant or deliberately disobedient, they just didn't think everything through. They drifted along without making preparations.

Spiritual complacency: failure to have the proper sense of urgency or of what's really important

2 Corinthians 6:1 "Please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us."

Do you have any regrets? About parenting, finances, sin, etc? Work on regret elimination this week.


Personal application: I really enjoyed this message. My husband and I had a good discussion about what it meant to each of us. My application is to stop making excuses about why I don't do things or am not being proactive about things. I could be doing some editing of my book, but I choose not to. I need to suck it up and do what is needed because I don't know how much time I actually have to work on/complete the project.

Storyteller Week 1

This past Sunday we started a new series called "Storyteller." It is going to be a four week series where each week we study a Parable told by Jesus. You can listen to this and previous messages by clicking here.

Parable of the Ten Minas

(Not to be confused with the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. Minas has the same initial amount with different rewards while the talents have different initial amounts with the same reward).

Luke 19:11-26

One mina = about 3 months of wages

The story essentially retold the story of Archelaus' kingship (son of Herod) which probably caused an emotional connection with the audience due to the situational familiarity.

Every servant was given the exact same thing (as are we - the gospel message of salvation).

The reward was determined by what the servants did with what they were given (as is ours - we may receive more responsibility or more opportunities to serve if we are faithful in using what God has given us).

1. Expectations are made Evident
>Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)

2. Excellent Efforts are Rewarded
>the focus was on the master ("your mina")
>Don't worry about what you don't have. Concentrate on what you do have (your talents and resources).

3. Evil "I" Ends in Rebuke
>The faithful servants focused on obedience. The unfaithful servant focused on his own hardship of his assignment. The master pointed out the servant's laziness/lack of action.

Our service to God should be out of a loving respect rather than the fear of punishment.

God will not buy our week excuses for our lack of obedience.

Mina Offering Challenge: Take the $10 provided by the church and use it faithfully for God. On October 11th, a special offering will be taken up from the challenge. The money will be used to help cover the cost of the Day of Service we perform on October 4th.


Personal Application: I am doing the Mina Offering Challenge. It's interesting to try to think of what I have and what I can use/do to grow what I've been given. I'm excited to see what happens!

With Week 4

I have been so slack lately. I admit it. Here is the final installment of the "WITH" series. You'll notice that week three is missing. I was in the nursery that week. If you want to hear it (or any of the other messages), click here.

I'm With Them

Lifestyle Enclaves: groups who have a common interest for the purpose of furthering the individual's interests
>This is how many people have been taught to think about the church.

Matthew 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

>Salt is cheap in our culture. In Jesus' day it was valuable and hard to come by. It was used to preserve food.
>Jesus was saying that we are valuable and precious in a world that's spoiled and decaying.
>Light meant warmth, safety, protection, hope. We are to provide truth and life.

74% of Christians agree that you don't need to be part of a church to be a Christ-follower.

A true community has a cause, a mission, a reason for existing outside of meeting its members' needs. True community is missional.
It is what is different about the church compared to other organizations and groups.

Acts 1:8 - you will be my witnesses throughout the world

What would happen if we became intentional about being salt and light in our community?
What would God do if we gave ourselves over to him to show compassion to others?
What would happen if we partnered with God to redeem and restore this broken world?

God has never been impressed with religious behavior. Isaiah 58:6-8

In the Metro Atlanta area there are 5 million people so 120 doesn't seem very important or impressive. However, Jesus changed the world with 12 followers. Imagine what could be done if the 120 of us were united in a common cause.


Personal application: Be purposeful in my actions and activities. Seek to give myself to God in order to be used to spread compassion and love to those around me.

Crazy Love

I recently borrowed and read "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. It is a deep book (with cool interactive website features). I think I'm going to have to get my own copy so that I can highlight all of Francis' profound words and not ruin someone else's copy.

What I gained from it were some not very encouraging and not very surprising insights.

1. I struggle with being lukewarm (as in I am when I would prefer to be hot hot hot).
2. I struggle with being obsessed (as in I am not when I would prefer to be so when it comes to God).
3. I need to (and want to) love God more. I need to pray about my lack of desire/action.
4. I don't really feel like I know how to develop and maintain an intimate relationship with God.

Let me expound on that last one. I desperately want to be completely in love with God so that all of my thoughts and actions are the result of my love for him. I want for my life to be nothing more (and nothing less) than an outpouring of love for my creator and Savior. I want these things, but I can't seem to figure out how to get there. I read books about developing an intimate relationship with God. I try the suggestions in the book. I have a daily quiet time where I pray and read the Bible. I read more books about loving God. I try to find ways to use my time and talents to serve others (not always, but I'm working on it). I feel like in all of this effort I am still missing the mark. I understand that a relationship is not developed through a formula. It's just so hard for me to continually think about God and to converse with him continuously because the tasks of "living" keep occupying space in my mind and day.

I try to think about it as doing what I do to maintain relationships with people I see. I will call them, email them, schedule activities and dinners to spend face-to-face time with them. I'll take pictures to commemorate occasions and post them on Facebook. I give gifts and affection. Okay, so I do this with God too, but I don't feel like it's increasing our intimacy. I think I really struggle sometimes with God's invisible quality (in relation to a physical "being" as I know God's qualities are visible through creation - it's not quite the same). Sometimes I do wish I could sit down across from God and see his facial expressions and reactions to what I tell him. Sometimes I want to give him a hug and feel his reassuring arms around me. I'd love to hear him laugh and see him smile. But I can't. So how do I fill in this gap? I don't know.

I see people who do have a deep and intimate relationship with God. They love him and know that they are loved and cherished by him. And his love is visible on their faces. It makes me wonder, what am I doing wrong? Or what am I not doing? I'm not satisfied with where I am and how I feel, but I don't know how to change it. My only thought is to continue to pray - to tell God that I want more of him, that I want to be completely surrounded by his love so that I do feel different. That I need him to deepen our relationship because I can't seem to do it with my efforts. Maybe that's it. Maybe he's calling for surrender. I guess I'll try that.

With 2

I am quite behind in posting my notes from our second week of the With series. And I'll be even farther behind with week three because I wasn't here to hear it and have yet to make it to the website. I am so slack these days. Anyway, here's a very belated recap of the message two weeks ago.


I'm With Stupid

Joseph - coat of many colors, dreams of superiority (Genesis 37-45): didn't exactly do the smartest thing by showing off his favoritism and sharing his crazy dreams.

Sometimes we think that if we are with the right people, then everything will be okay.

We think relational happiness comes from finding people who are easy to get along with.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray." (Isaiah 53:6) -> We all make mistakes and hurt others by our words and actions. The big thing is to admit our failures and take responsibility for our part.

In Joseph's story, no one ever tries to work out their issues with one another. The brothers don't ask Joseph to stop wearing the coat or sharing his dreams. Instead they sell him into slavery.

Our tendency is to avoid issues/conflict/confrontation with others.
>Avoidance kills community (no one grows or changes)
>When things go unaddressed and undealt with, relationships suffer
>"Do not let the sun go down on your anger" (Ephesians 4:26)

Is there anything you need to talk about with someone that has not been addressed?

People who love authentic community prefer the temporary chaos of conflict to the peace of permanent superficiality.

We need truth tellers to remind us of our values, let us know where we get off track, and to encourage us to do the right thing.

Genesis 39:2, 20-23 "The Lord was WITH Joseph...
>Just because he had difficult times doesn't mean God wasn't with him.

Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

Genesis 50:20 -> "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.

Some of the best things in life come from the most unlikely of places.

Romans 8:31,34,35,37 What shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?...Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger of sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.


This was such an encouraging message that helped me to remember that no matter what is going on in my life, God is still with me guiding me through. I also really liked the comment about authentic community. I am not good at small talk and surface relationships. I want honesty and depth and real life. While these types of relationships are sometimes hard and messy, I desire them more than the easy breezy no-commitment ones because there is a richness to it that you don't get staying at the surface. I like to feel connected to people. To have people who know all about me - the good and the bad - and still choose to be in relationship with me.

So what would be my personal application? I guess to continue to put myself out there in order to build authentic community. To be honest with my issues as well as to be bold enough to confront others when necessary. I do struggle with conflict. I'd much prefer to let things smooth over, but that doesn't make anything better. I am growing slowly but surely in this area. I think marriage helps. Well, what really helps is to have a relationship that you are invested in and desire for it to be the best and healthiest it can be which means sometimes doing the hard thing of dealing with issues. I guess that's why marriage comes to mind, because it is one of those relationships for me.

What about you? Do you have any relationships that you are invested in enough to deal with conflict?

Motivation

I have been thinking about how my job in the church office could cause others to misconstrue the motivation or drive behind some of the things I do. Relationships are important to me. I enjoy getting to know people better on a one-on-one format as that works best for me and my introvert tendencies. I have had the desire to develop a specific relationship with someone who attends our church and am excited to see what happens. It is something that God has laid on my heart to do and it is also something I want to do.

I have also felt the urge to visit a few other people that I don't see very often, probably because it's summer and everyone takes vacations during this time. I am thankful that my job allows me to take time to see people during the day. However, I wonder if some think that I am visiting them because I "work for the church." I don't want others to think I'm "just doing my job" rather than doing something of my own prerogative. I'm sure that pastors feel this much more acutely than us lowly office administrators, but I still wonder if people think I've been instructed to contact them.

I am sure that there will be people that think that but I hope that most people attribute my actions to genuine care. I don't know how one is to gauge these thoughts, I just wanted to share my concern. I wonder if Jeff or Neal (our pastors) think about this or feel this way as well.

WITH 1

Sunday we kicked off our new series WITH. I am very excited about this series. There are all sorts of fun things going on. This past Sunday, we started our "text and win" contest. At the start of service, the band plays a song whose title contains the word "With". The first person to text the name of the song and the artist wins a prize. Travis Crafton won on Sunday, being the first to figure out it was "Only Want To Be With You" by Hootie and the Blowfish. Jeff also tossed out some cool t-shirts and informed the crowd that they could pick one up after service.

Sunday's message was titled, Who Are You With? Below are my notes. For the full message, click here.

People with strong relationships live longer and are more able to battle illness than those who are isolated.

"It is not good for man to be alone." Genesis 2:18

I-It Relationship: one person relates to the other as an object; it's all about MY desires and wants (i.e. The church wasn't meeting my needs. I wasn't getting fed.)

I-Thou Relationship: both people's needs and desires are equally important; serving others and meeting their needs

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 : how would you like a relationship like this? Paul uses the word "agape" which is love that focuses solely on the needs of the other person.

Douglas Copeland quote from Life After God: "Now, here is my secret. I tell it you with an openness of heart that I doubt I shall ever achieve again. So I pray that you are in a quiet room as you hear these words. My secret is that I need God - that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give because I no longer seem capable of giving. To help me be kind as I no longer seem capable of kindness. To help me love as I seem beyond being able to love."

We need God to help us love and to help us make relationships all that they can be.

Emmanuel = God WITH us (Jesus)

Jesus was all about being with us, being present at all times. When he left, he sent the Holy Spirit to dwell IN us so that we would never be without him.

God created the church to be where we get 1 Cor 13 relationships.

Will you start or continue to do life in/with the church?

You don't drift toward community but toward isolation. Deep relationships don't just happen.

*Pick one relationship to focus on improving for the next few weeks.


Personal application: I do desire to love others like 1 Corinthians 13 describes. I can't imagine what relationships would be like if we all tried to love like that. I understand that with a love that always trusts, always forgives, and is patient that there is plenty of room for abuse by others. I think that's why more people don't try to love this way. I desire for our church to be a place where people feel welcomed and loved and motivated to love and serve God more. I guess it starts with one.

Sex and the Soul

I recently read a book called Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance and Religion on America's College Campuses by Donna Freitas. It was a book resulting from her research on different college campuses ranging from evangelical Christian schools to Catholic schools to secular universities. It was quite interesting to read about her conversations with a variety of college students.

There were definitely a lot of differences between the atmosphere at the evangelical Christian schools and the other types. It was interesting to learn that Catholic campuses were pretty much the same as secular universities in attitudes and behaviors.

While I was reading the book, I was thinking about my experiences while at school. I could see how religion could be divorced from sexual experiences on many universities, even if one is a Christian. I did flounder spiritually until I got involved in a campus Christian group and was able to spend time with others who shared my beliefs and values. I needed people who would encourage me to live what I believe and to help me grow in my spiritual relationship with God. If I hadn't found the group, I don't know what I would be like now.

When I arrived on campus, there was no one really telling me what churches were in the area or what groups were available on campus to become involved in. Sure there's a link on the school website that lists all of the organizations on campus, but how does that help me find one that is a good fit? I didn't have any friends who could point me in the right direction.

The book also opened my eyes more to what many students experience on college, the hook-up culture. Yes, I saw bits and pieces of it but it wasn't really part of my personal experience. I'm sure part of it was due to my lack of involvement in the party scene. I can't imagine trying to develop a committed, respectful relationship out of a one night stand. And yet, according to the book, this is what many women hope because they do not see another way of attracting a guy.

The book filled me with sorrow and compassion for all of the young men and women who cannot see a way out of the pressure-filled social scene laced with alcohol and casual sex. It has made me even more desirous to complete the book I'm working on to get it out there. Perhaps if more options were presented, it would help students to think what they truly want for themselves rather than going with the flow.

Sacrifice

I have been thinking a lot about sacrifice lately. With the exception of its application in war times, you don't hear about it a whole lot. It doesn't seem like something that is promoted in our society. Our culture is all about comfort, ease, convenience. We are told to make sure we get what is coming to us and to stand up for our rights. We should not let anyone get anything by us - that's why there are so many court tv shows and dramas. I've even seen a billboard advertising a website "Who Can I Sue?" The messages I receive from the world around me tells me that sacrifice is not important, or ever really necessary.

However, I learn in the Bible that sacrifice is the ultimate form of love. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 The best way to demonstrate love to others is to sacrifice myself for them. That's what Jesus did for us. That is what we are supposed to do out of our love for God. But what kind of sacrificing are we to do? Are we supposed to seek out opportunities to put our life in danger? Not necessarily. Like I said above, we are all about convenience these days - drive-thrus, online bill pay, cell phones. What if we were open to allowing ourselves to be inconvenienced by others? What if we were not so interested in our own agenda, but in whatever God may have in mind? What if I were truly willing to sacrifice my own wants for the benefit of others?

Yesterday in prayer group we had a discussion on fasting. We talked about the different types of fasts, reasons for fasting, and the purpose of fasting. Fasting is generally associated with food, but fasting should be associated with sacrificing. For some people, it is nothing to skip meals. What would be even more difficult would be to give up the internet. In a fast, the thing sacrificed is supposed to help make you more aware of your need for/dependence upon God. If the "sacrifice" is not noticed, then it's not really a sacrifice. Sacrifices are usually associated with pain - not necessarily physical, but there's a pang of some sort, maybe a feeling similar to withdrawal. The lack of that "thing" is felt acutely. It got me thinking about times of fasting I've had in the past. Not every time has the sacrificed thing really been a true sacrifice to me. There have been times when it was ritual rather than purposeful.

I am pressed to ask myself, "Am I willing to sacrifice my wants, desires, comfort, happiness, etc for others or for something better? In my marriage, do I always seek my way or am I looking for ways to serve my husband? In my relationships, am I seeking the interests of friends and families, or am I continually guarding my own? With God, am I truly desiring his purpose for my life so much that I would sacrifice whatever he asked me to, or are there areas in my life that I am still holding onto and keeping away from God? Do I truly trust God that the result will be worth whatever sacrifice he may call me to make?"

What about you? Can you honestly answer "Yes" to the questions above?

Psalms S.O.A.P. Wrap Up

I was thinking that it would be kind of neat to compile the verses I selected for each of the thirty-six days. I realize that my "Day One" post does not reflect the first day of the plan but rather the second. I didn't SOAP on sermon days, but will still make a verse selection from each of the days. I think it'll be a good record for me to look back on. Hope you enjoy it as well! I really did enjoy the SOAP exercise and think I may use it for future Bible reading.

Day 1 (Psalm 1): He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 1:1

Day 2 (Psalms 2-6): In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. 5:3

Day 3 (Psalms 7-11): Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. 9:10

Day 4 (Psalms 12-14,16-17): I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." 16:2

Day 5 (Psalms 18,20-22,24): For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. 22:24

Day 6 (Psalms 25-29): One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what 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. 27:4

Day 7 (Psalms 30-34): Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" - and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. 32:5

Day 8 (Psalm 15): He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 15:2

Day 9 (Psalms 35-39): Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 37:7

Day 10 (Psalms 41-45): My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 42:2

Day 11 (Psalms 47-51): "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." 50:23

Day 12 (Psalms 52-56): In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? 56:4

Day 13 (Psalms 57-61): I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me. 57:2

Day 14 (Psalms 62-66): My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. 62:1

Day 15 (Psalm 19): May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. 19:14

Day 16 (Psalms 67-71): May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the Lord Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel. 69:6

Day 17 (Psalms 72-76): For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 73:3

Day 18 (Psalms 77-81): When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. 77:2

Day 19 (Psalms 82-86): Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 86:11

Day 20 (Psalms 87-91): Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 90:12

Day 21 (Psalms 92-96): The Lord knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile. 94:11

Day 22 (Psalm 23): Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 23:4

Day 23 (Psalms 97-101): Know that the Lord is God: It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 100:3

Day 24 (Psalms 102-106): he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 103:10

Day 25 (Psalms 107-111): Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. 111:2

Day 26 (Psalms 112-116): How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 116:12-14

Day 27 (Psalms 117-118,120-122): It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 118:8

Day 28 (Psalm 119): I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 119:11

Day 29 (Psalm 40): Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. 40:5

Day 30 (Psalms 123-127): Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. 127:1

Day 31 (Psalms 128-132): I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. 130:5

Day 32 (Psalms 133-137): to the One who remembered us in our lowly estate His love endures forever. 136:23

Day 33 (Psalms 138-142): The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands. 138:8

Day 34 (Psalms 143-147): Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 143:10

Day 35 (Psalms 148-150): Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 150:6

Day 36 (Psalm 46): God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 46:1


I'm glad that I reviewed the verses because I did not recall having chosen some of them. Perhaps that's a sign I could still improve in the area of meditation on scripture.

Forgiveness

I just finished reading today's Serious Wednesday post over at Stuff Christians Like. It really hit me hard. I would recommend hopping over there to read it. To think that we have a God that is willing to forgive us at the first second of our turning to him in repentance. If people forgave like God, it would be such a healing world. We wouldn't have to experience the pain of someone else reminding you of your failures after they had said they forgave you. I love that God's forgiveness is much higher than the petty forgiveness down here. I love that his memory does not recall every insult or hurt we've inflicted on him, just waiting for a future time to remind us of our sinfulness. No, God's love has covered over our sins. In his mind, we are pure and blameless and clean.

I know that I struggle with letting go of hurts that others have inflicted on me. I try not to allow it to resurface in the face of another injury. I know how much it hurts when it's done to me. Why should we be made to feel guilty AGAIN for something we have already sought forgiveness for and been forgiven of. It's not forgiven if it gets rubbed in our face again, is it? I desperately want to receive the forgiveness that God has from other people. I want to be able to give it as well. Imagine how life would be if we all were quick to forgive and graciously left hurts in the past? Yes, I know that that kind of forgiveness could lead to abuse. God certainly knows and has experienced this as we are all guilty of requiring forgiveness on a regular basis. But that's where unconditional love comes in. Wouldn't it be awesome if we all tried to forgive and love like God?

The Psalms: Week Five

This past Sunday, Jeff preached on Psalm 40. While I didn't get to hear it due to volunteering in the nursery, so many people had raved about the message that I knew I needed to listen to it. That, and the fact that when I was printing out the connection cards and saw that a Next Step was "Wait patiently on the Lord" and knew that was something I could use help in. Amber and Connie were referencing it all through our walking group yesterday and I felt a little out of the loop. So I listened to it on my way to work today. You, too, can listen to it here.

It was quite an encouraging message. It was all about waiting on the Lord. The focus was on the first four verses.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.

Blessed is the man
who makes the Lord his trust

I know that the band played U2's song, "Psalm 40" before the message. John Waller's song "While I'm Waiting" was also played.

I really like that Jeff addressed the question, "What does it mean to wait on the Lord?" That has been one of the questions I've had for quite some time without a helpful answer. (Another one being, "What does it mean to abide in Christ/How does one abide in Christ?") Jeff said that waiting on God involved being obedient to and trusting in Him. He gave us thoughts to consider. Biblical waiting does not mean doing nothing. It's not a way to evade responsibility. We are still supposed to do what we have been called to do. Waiting involves a daily decision to trust and obey God. How can we expect God to convene in our lives if we're not being obedient to him? Waiting patiently is saying that we will trust and obey God even if the circumstances of our lives are not what we want them to be. Even though they may not turn out in the way we would choose, still we are betting everything on God with no plan B. Sometimes waiting is just a painful hanging on.

What does it take to wait well? It requires patient trust. "Will I trust that God has reasons for telling me 'Wait'? Will I trust that God knows what he's doing? Will I remember that God sees things very differently than I do because he sees in the perspective of eternity?"

2 Peter 3:8-9 "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

S.O.A.P. Day 27

The scripture for day 27 was Psalm 119.

Scripture: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Observation: The psalmist knows that by learning and meditating on scripture, he will be more aware of what it says so that he can obey it.

Application: I need to get back to verse memorization. I keep saying this because it is true and beneficial,, but i have yet to put it into practice again.

Prayer: Father, you are so good to me. Thank you for your Word that reminds me of the necessity of knowing (and not just reading) it. Help me to begin hiding your Word in my heart. Amen.


There were a couple other verses that I really enjoyed from Psalm 119.

Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Psalm 119:90

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165


I remember the first time I tried reading Psalm 119. I was overwhelmed by the length of it (176 verses and approximately four pages in my bible). I also got weighed down by the theme of loving and knowing God's Word. At that point in time the repetition was somewhat boring to me. However, more recent readings of it have given me encouragement and joy. Now that I do desire to know and obey God's Word, the words of this psalm resonate with me. It's amazing how passages in the Bible hit you differently at various readings. It is an obvious sign of God's work in my life and how his Word is always relevant. I occasionally will date a scripture verse or section and make a notation of the particular circumstance that applies to it. It's neat when I come across the verse later to read about its past benefits.

Does anyone else write in their Bible? Have you noticed how a passage can mean nothing to you at one reading and be spot on at another time?

Christ Centered Marriage

I listened to Christ Centered Relationships part 2 from Cornerstone Church this morning while on the elliptical machine at the gym. It's a great way to make valuable use of time and engage my mind along with my body.

Lisa Chan did most of the speaking toward women/wives. It talked a lot about Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3, focusing on submitting to our husbands. Her focus was about us being/becoming the godly women we were created to be. To concern ourselves with being obedient to Christ in our lives. It's not about what our spouses are or are not doing. We cannot wait for them to do what they are supposed to do before we do what we are supposed to do. Our call is to do what God wants us to do in spite of what everyone else is doing.

The question is, Is Jesus really our role model (who we are trying to be more like) or is he just a Savior? Do we like what he did for us simply for our benefit or do we want to be more like him? Do we want to demonstrate service and sacrifice like he did or just admire him for it?

Lisa talked cited 1 Peter 3 in reminding us that our actions can have a lot of power. Especially to wives whose husbands are not Christ followers. Being Christ to our husbands can cause changes in them (while at the same time changing us, obviously). Wives need to remember that God knows us and he knows our spouse. He hasn't left us to ourselves, but is working in us and through us.

I was really hit by the call to serve and sacrifice for our spouses. (I think there was a third "s" but I can't remember what it was.) I do want to be a godly wife and to support (maybe that was the third "s"?) my husband and to trust him as the head of our family. God created this system and he knows what he's doing and I ought to honor that. I was thinking about how it's hard to get out of my selfish mindset even in marriage to truly seek to serve Adam. And even harder to purposefully sacrifice myself and my dreams.

We all have these goals for our lives and, when we get married, we bring them with us. At some point there may be friction between what we have always wanted and what is asked of us in marriage. Francis talked about Lisa's dream to be a professional singer and choosing to give that up so that she and her husband could share the same vision of starting a new church. I don't know if I have any dreams that will have to be put aside for my marriage, but I'd like to think that I would be willing to do so. It was a very poignant and challenging message. If you'd like to hear it for yourself, go here and scroll down to the message on 08/10/08.

P.S. The third S was "suffering" (as in Jesus served, suffered, and sacrificed). I don't exactly know that anyone would want to say they "suffer" in their marriage. Might not come across very well...

S.O.A.P. Day 25

Today's scripture section was Psalms 112-116.


Scripture: How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
Psalm 116:12-14


Observation: I was just thinking verse 14 while praying this morning. God is so loving, caring, steadfast, trustworthy. How do I reciprocate when I am flaky, selfish, busy, lazy? Regardless, I do need to give back to God out of all he's given me. I like that the next two verses answer the question: prayer, accepting Jesus as Savior, being obedient and transparent.


Application: I am trying to be more transparent and obedient but my pride gets in the way (along with a desire for acceptance by others). I need to focus solely on pleasing God.


Prayer: Father, thank you so much for this timely verse. You are so good to me. Help me to seek to be obedient and transparent and to give you praise for all you have done and do. I am so thankful for the life you've given me. I am so blessed. In Jesus' name, Amen.




This was quite timely as noted above. The other verse that really struck me today was Psalm 112:7 "He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." That's how I need to be. I really do struggle with fear and death. At times I allow fear to immobilize me. I worry about the safety of others, sometimes more than necessary. I just need to trust that God can support me through anything and everything and focus on loving him.

The Psalms: Week Four

This past Sunday Neal spoke to us about Psalm 23. You can listen to the sermon here. What follows are my notes from the message.


From Psalm 23 we learn three things about the shepherd.

1. The Shepherd's Person

Psalm 23:1 > Our shepherd provides for all of our needs - we should be content in what God's given us.


John 10:11 > Jesus is the good shepherd

Isaiah 53:6 > We all, like sheep, have gone astray


Sheep are very easily led. They have great hearing, sight, and sense of smell. People also tend to be easily led. That's why we need a good leader.


An example of a good leader/shepherd (video Neal shared).

2. The Shepherd's Provision

Verses 2-5
Sometimes we have to be forced to rest. A sheep will not rest until four criteria have been met: Fear (danger), Friction (relationship issues, turmoil), Fleas (annoyances), Famine (hunger).

Restores my soul - rescuing a sheep that has become stuck (has rolled onto side and cannot get back onto its own feet) which is often due to laziness, being loaded down, or being too large. It has to be picked up/rescued by the shepherd and set back down on its feet again.

3b - What if we lived our lives in order to lift up the name of Jesus?

4 - Just because we're following God's leading doesn't mean that there won't be storms (valley of the shadow of death). Sometimes where God wants us to be means going through turmoil.

Our rod is God's word. It protects our lives and is also used for discipline. Our staff is the Holy Spirit that comforts us.

5 - Anoint head with oil - oil used to set apart (as in a king), protection/healing (from diseases).

3. The Shepherd's Promise
Verse 6 - Goodness and love/mercy will follow me all the days of my life.
Neal quoted out of Phillip Keller's A Shepherd's Look at Psalm 23. He was talking about how sheep have good quality manure that can help regenerate grass in derelict soil. "In other words goodness and mercy, goodness and love had followed my flocks. They left behind them something worthwhile, productive, beautiful and beneficial to both themselves and others and me. Where they had walked, there followed fertility and weed-free land. Where they had lived there remained beauty and abundance. And here's the question that now comes to me very pointedly. 'Is this true in my life? Do I leave a benediction and a blessing behind me?'"

Do I bless the things I'm involved in?

Would people be shocked to learn that I am a Christ follower based on their experiences with me?

I really enjoyed the breakdown and the poignant questions at the end. Do I really make a difference for the better in the things I'm involved with? Does my behavior demonstrate love and mercy to others? These are questions I should constantly ask to evaluate my effectiveness.

During the message I was reminded of another video on this book. I have to attach it because it's awesome.

The Psalms: Week Three

This past Sunday, Jeff's message was on Psalm 19:1-6. You can listen to it here.

Elohim = God of all creation

We are sitting on a ball suspended in midair rotating at 1,000 miles per hour, rotating around a ball of fire 1.6 million times larger than us at a speed of 67,000 miles per hour and don't really think about it. We don't even feel the affects of the speed of rotation, unlike when we ride the teacups at Disney World (or the Batman roller coaster at Six Flags for the more adventurous type).

God's done all of this and we don't give him the honor and glory he deserves. We take all we see for granted and don't even notice God in his creation. We even fall asleep talking to him sometimes.

"Worship is the intentional turning of the mind to God and ascribing to God all of the greatness and goodness and glory that belongs to him." -Dallas Willard

You can worship anywhere at anytime with anyone. It is all about focusing the mind/noticing.

Mindlessness keeps us from noticing/tuning in to God. "Stop and smell the roses" is a well-known saying. Think about the simplicity of the statement. A rose is something you have to intentionally focus on in order to fully appreciate and enjoy it. You may glance at a rose and notice it's color. But to get the full sense of the rose you have to get close to it, put your nose up to the bloom, and breathe in its fragrance. Without consciously engaging the senses, you cannot truly experience a rose.

When we give of ourselves and our resources we are worshiping God.

When was the last time in following God that you felt a sense of wonder or amazement?

Intentionally turn your mind to God. Tuning in to God and worshiping eliminates despair (worries and stress).

Habakkuk 3:17-18 "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
(Sounds kind of like our vegetable garden this year...) Remembering who God is minimizes our issues and their hold on us.


This was such a powerful and convicting message. Especially the description of our planet and its movements. I really don't ever think about what is happening to sustain life on earth. I don't think about how, if gravity was just a little more or less we wouldn't exist, or if the earth's axis tilted just a little more one way or the other there'd be no life, or if we were a little closer or farther from the sun it'd be too hot or cold for life, and all of the infinitesimal differences that would have prohibited life on our planet. When I do stop to consider these things, it blows my mind. For more scientific data, please read The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. It was an amazing read, but my mind cannot hold all of the actual numbers and research. I really appreciated the reminder.

I do love the beauty of creation. I am definitely guilty of not noticing it more often than not. And the fact that God created it in spite of my obliviousness or neglect of noticing is incredible. A side note: yesterday I was looking at the celosia I planted around our tree. They were looking wilted because it hadn't rained and I hadn't watered them (I'm a bad gardener). It was especially noticeable because the flowers are colorful spikes that were sort of hunched over. Last night it rained and this morning they were all pointed straight up again. It was as if they were praising God for his provision. I could stand to be more like my flowers. My application for the week is to notice God's creation and give him the praise he deserves.