Finally! My Kind of Group!!!

Are you looking for a small group that really fits you and doesn't try to change you into something you're not "comfortable" with? Check out this video. This guy might have the place for you!

Another Year... Reflection

So, it's my birthday again. I don't share that so folks will buy me something, so please don't. The reason I mention it at all is because of what it means for me, namely an occasion for reflection on my life. Where am I? Where have I been? Where am I going? And if this next year is the end of this earthly story, will I feel that it was well-lived?

Does that sound morbid? Well, maybe a little, but this isn't the ranting of a depressed or discouraged person. It's just an attempt to bring a little reality to my life, to understand and appreciate that I'm mortal. Too often I minister to people who are shocked because someone they know and love has died. Why are they shocked? Mostly because they have been living as though they either won't die or at least will have a solid 80 years.

So, every birthday I try to assess my life. Mostly, I ask if I am fully committed to serving the Lord with every breath I take. And before you think that I am, I'll remind you that perfectionism like mine always sees where there's room for more. And I assess where I am. Am I where God wants me? If so, what is He asking me to do there? I have made my birthday that time to set aside all that I'm doing for Him and just listen for His direction and even His correction.

Do you ever disengage long enough for an honest assessment? Do you invite those closest to you to speak their observations about you into your life? Are you a child of the Most-High God? Then don't be afraid to listen to His assessment also. And, if you hear that you are a failure and a disappointment, you know you're listening to a spirit other than the Holy Spirit.

So, how are you doing? I have room to grow. Want to travel this road together? I value the company...

Group Dynamics - Contention

So, your group has been together for some time now. You have figured out how to set boundaries around the “super-talker” in the group. You have worked out how you will manage being a group with kids, sorta. You even figured out how to artfully dodge the suggestions from your Coach that you should be maintaining an outward focus in your group. But then, conflict…

Sometimes conflict happens suddenly, almost without warning. One gal’s darling little angel bites or hits another gal’s and next thing you know the moms are quickly approaching thrown-down. Obviously, you need some outside help with this issue since advise from within the group will be perceived as taking sides.

But let’s talk about another sort of conflict in group. Eventually you’ll discover that different folks have different passions. Hopefully, since we asked everyone to study our SHAPE curriculum, you have come to understand that God’s design for His church and for your group is that there would be diversity of gifts and passions. The key is that in diversity there needs to be unity of purpose.

And that’s when the healthy contention that God purposed for your group turns to divisions, namely when the players involved are serving their own selfish purposes. It is only when the overarching purpose which God gave to His church is our central commitment that we can transcend contention and truly glorify God. Look at what James wrote about this and see if it applies to your group experiences:

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:1-10 (emphases added)

And did you notice where James lays the blame for this selfish contention that tears at God’s redemptive community? The devil! At the heart of out-of-control contention is a desire to assert your will over another person, or over your group. This is very common in marriages, when spouses bring unfair expectations into the relationship and demand conformity. But notice that I said “unfair” expectations. There is right and wrong, truth and error. There are ideas and suggestions that will come up in your group that will take you away from God’s purpose for His church. Those should be opposed. However, most serious conflict and threats against unity in God’s church are not from these but rather from people who are trying to control, coerce, and manipulate.

So, the way to move forward is to have open and honest dialog. And be open to having your motives challenged, praying fervently that they stand the test. If they don’t, repent! Seek to be a person and a group of influence, not power. In this way, you honor our God and His gospel.

Because We Need To Smile....

OK, I just couldn't resist. If you're feeling down or discouraged, take 2 minutes and watch this video. If it doesn't make you smile, go see a doctor about antidepressants! Enjoy, S

Playing With Fire!

What’s your attitude toward the Bible? I have found that there are predominantly two wrong approaches found in our culture today. First is the Storybook understanding. The Bible for these folks is the Christian equivalent of Aesop’s Fables or a compilation of fortune cookie wisdom. “Hey, if it works for you, that’s nice.” The other approach I call Bibliolatry. These folks worship the Bible. It is God’s Holy Word and is worthy of praise and glory and honor. (Am I stepping on some toes right now?)

The Bible is certainly God’s “special revelation” to humanity. God speaks and some of what He has said has been preserved in the book that we call “The Bible.” “Some? What do you mean by ‘some’?” Well, since we believe that Jesus was and is God, if everything that God ever said was written down for us, wouldn’t there be more red writing in our Bible? But, while we have some of God’s Word, we also believe that what we have is sufficient for all faith and practice. In other words, the Bible contains all of God’s revelation that we need to be fully faithful to Him. While it does not contain all knowledge and, frankly, leaves quite a few questions unanswered, it still remains God’s perfect instruction for us, guiding us into truth and life and joy by the power of His Spirit.

But it remains clear from the practical outcomes of life that the Bible has been largely misunderstood, producing lives of contempt or legalism rather than lives that reflect its power. The Bible has the ability to penetrate the darkest, most private areas of the human heart as the Living Spirit of God uses it to convict us of rebellion and transform our attitudes through repentance. As one of my seminary professors put it, when you're truly engaging the Word of God, you are "Playing with Fire." But, again I suggest that I just don’t see this happening a lot. If people were truly experiencing God through His Word and seeing their lives transformed in miraculous ways as strongholds are obliterated and Kingdom fruit borne, then I believe we would see people clamoring to participate in its consumption, both privately and corporately. And I would think that they would be eager to share with others their love and trust toward the Lord.

Take a look at this video. This community in New Guinea was led to the Lord at least 20 years ago. This video shows their response to receiving the New Testament written in their native language for the first time, decades after trusting in the God who makes Himself known by “speaking” to men. When is the last time you saw anything remotely like this? :,)

The Kimyal People Receive the New Testament from UFM Worldwide on Vimeo.

Repent!!!

Fat Tuesday. It’s upon us and that means within the culture that it’s the last day to throw all caution and prudence out and live for every fleshly desire of your heart, because tomorrow begins the Christian season of holiness. But, is that what the day before Lent should look like? This all comes from wrong thinking about what Lent offers us. World, repent! Church, repent!!!

During the Night of Worship, I shared about repentance being a turning your self-centered or worldly thinking back to right thinking about the Lord. In light of that, we are asking our groups and classes to consider a holiness study during the Lenten season leading up to Easter. The study is from 1 Peter, called Walk the Talk. Accompanying each of the seven sessions is a Christian disciplines devotional. Why? Because changing our thinking often requires breaking the patterns that we have adopted, patterns that flow from wrong thinking or lead us to reinforce wrong thinking. Our hope is that everyone who participates in this season with us will understand disciplines that way.

Here’s a breakdown of the sessions and disciplines which are suggested:

Session 1: Understanding the Battle for Holiness
Silence or Solitude & a Media Fast

Session 2: When You Don’t Feel Like Being “Good”
Inspection & Counting Your Blessings

Session 3: Developing an Appetite for Being “Good”
Ephesians Devotions & Worship or Celebration

Session 4: Refuse to Get Revenge
Prayer for Competitors & a Gossip Fast

Session 5: Learn to Live in Peace
James Devotions & Secret Service

Session 6: Get Ready for a Rough Ride
Slow Down & Margin

Session 7: You’re in Good Hands
Sleep & Sabbath

Don’t have your materials yet? Contact Sheri in the office and she’ll set it aside for you and your group, class, or family.

Not in a group yet? It’s not too late. Let me know and we’ll get you connected.

Offer Yourselves as a Living Sacrifice

So, praise Him you people of God for He alone is worthy of our praise. He is our all in all. Ascribe to Him glory and strength and splendor. Commit to seek Him with all of your being. And offer yourselves to Him moment by moment as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him. This is your spiritual act of worship. He wants all of your life, not the leftovers. And He wants you to proclaim His majesty throughout the world in song and word and deed.

Psalm 113
Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

Psalm 29
Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!" The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Psalm 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 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. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Worship with Gratitude and Confidence

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” Our God is a gracious, generous, loving Father. Scripture tells us that He gives good gifts to His children. Our God continually demonstrates that He is with us and for us. And what should be the response of a true worshiper of God? We should declare His greatness with gratitude and confidence, gratitude for His perfect provision and confidence that we are His and precious in His sight. We can have peace in any storm. If our God is for us, who can stand against us?

Psalm 40:1-4
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, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

Psalm 131
My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 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. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Woshiping When We're Unfaithful

But if we are honest, we have to admit that a lot of the pain in our life is caused by our own poor choices. You see, at our core, we are selfish creatures. We seek to fulfill our own fleshly desires. We don’t want God reigning in our life. We want to be God. This is the reality of our life, both before we commit to follow Christ and after. And we have a very real enemy who speaks into our unfaithfulness. He tells us that we are no good. He says that we can never be acceptable to God. And he tries to convince us that it’s pointless to even try to worship God because He won’t listen to sinners. But Martin Luther declared in the first of his 95 Theses that “the entirety of the life of believers should be repentance.” The Hebrew word for repentance means “to turn away from” and the Greek word means “a change of mind.” So, the picture that we get from Scripture about becoming a worshiper of God is one where we are continually turning back to a right understanding of our Lord and changing our thinking according to who He is. That is why repentance is a huge part of the life of a worshiper of God. Our rebellious ways take us further away from God’s loving plan for our life. It’s only when we seek to know Him better that we learn to trust Him with every decision of life.

Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 51:1-17
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Worshiper In Times of Trouble

But there’s a reality to life that we cannot avoid: We live in a broken world. (I shared here about the week I had leading up to this message, one which required that I truly apply this teaching to my own life!) There are times when we feel that we are being overwhelmed by circumstances. There are times when we feel that God is distant or maybe that He has even abandoned us. There are seasons of despair and defeat, of brokenness and hopelessness. And sometimes people say things like, “I just can’t worship God right now; I am suffering too much.” But these are the very times when we need worship the most. When you are feeling as though you may be overcome by circumstances, you need to reflect on the One who will never be overcome. And when you feel that grief and sorrow are crushing your heart, you need to be refreshed and renewed by the One who loves and cares for you, who will never leave you nor forsake you. Allow the dryness of your soul to be refreshed and revived with springs of living water from the one who knows suffering better than anyone else, your Creator and your Redeemer. The One who keeps watch over you both day and night.

Psalm 42:1-5
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 46:1-7
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.